Category: English

When my girlfriend and I were reborn back to our college graduation day, we both made a silent, mutual choice to part ways. She chose to chase her dreams in the big city, New York, while I stayed behind to take over my family’s struggling local machine workshop. Five years later. She had became the hottest fashion designer in the country, newly engaged to the billionaire heir of the Sterling empire. Meanwhile, I was still getting my hands greasy, working the assembly line at the workshop. When we met again. She sat in the passenger seat of a luxury Maybach, looking down at me with pure mockery. “Ethan, if you get down on your knees and beg, I might just give you a ride.” Later, when the heiress of the Brooks Group leaned in to kiss me under the starlight. Chloe’s eyes welled with tears as she grabbed my sleeve: “Ethan, didn’t you say I was the only one you wanted to marry?” Chloe Thorne actually showed up at our college reunion. She was now a wildly successful designer, pulling in seven figures a year. The moment she walked in, the crowd swarmed her, drowning her in compliments. “Oh my god, Chloe! It is so hard to get a hold of you these days!” “I heard the new design wing at our alma mater was donated under your name. That’s insane! You really are the ultimate IT-girl.” “Right? And now you’re with Julian Sterling. You two are literally the definition of a power couple.” Chloe smiled proudly, casually flaunting the massive ten-carat diamond ring on her finger. “Julian and I are officially engaged.” A chorus of gasps and envious sighs erupted. Everyone raised their glasses to toast her success. But inevitably, someone just had to bring me up. “So… do you still keep in touch with Ethan Vance?” Chloe’s smile froze. She let out a soft, mocking laugh. “Ethan? Please. I dumped him ages ago.” Sensing the sudden drop in temperature, the others quickly changed the subject. Just then, I pushed the door open. I brushed a few stray raindrops from my hair and walked in. A sharp-eyed classmate recognized me instantly. “Ethan! The legend has arrived!” “Man, I’ve missed you! We live in the same city and you still haven’t grabbed a beer with me.” “Whoa, what happened to you? You’re soaking wet.” I offered a polite smile and nodded to a few people. As I looked up, my eyes briefly met Chloe’s. She was sitting gracefully at the head of the table, wearing a perfectly tailored haute couture blazer and draped in expensive jewelry. Beside her sat Julian Sterling, looking sharp in his custom-made suit. They looked like royalty. And me? My jeans were splattered with muddy water. I looked like a total mess. But I didn’t care. I just pulled back my sleeves, gave her a casual nod, and turned to the others. “The rain caught me off guard. Sorry for looking like a drowned rat, guys.” Actually, I had an umbrella. But earlier, Julian’s car had intentionally sped past me, splashing a wave of muddy water all over my pants. The impact had broken my umbrella, too. But I wasn’t going to whine about it. Hearing my explanation, the looks in my former classmates’ eyes turned cold and distant. They probably thought I couldn’t even afford a decent car. Well, that’s college reunions for you—everyone kisses up to the rich and steps on the poor. I didn’t feel like explaining myself. Ignoring Chloe’s condescending stare, I started chatting with some of my old friends. “Hey, did you hear? Olivia Brooks is supposed to show up tonight. She was literally the goddess of our class!” “No kidding. She was smart, incredibly rich, and drop-dead gorgeous. I heard she took over her family’s conglomerate recently! She actually donated the other two buildings on campus.” They got more and more excited. I felt like an outsider standing there. My damp clothes were sticking to my skin, making me uncomfortable. I excused myself and walked out of the private room. I spoke with the restaurant manager, borrowed a clean change of clothes, and went into the restroom. When I came out, Chloe was standing right by the door. I paused, thinking she was waiting for someone, and tried to walk past her. But she spoke up. “How has it been five years, and you’re still like this? You don’t even have a car.” “Are you still doing cheap manual labor in that pathetic little workshop of yours? You really have no ambition, do you?” “Do you regret it, Ethan? If you hadn’t been so stubborn, the one standing next to me right now would be you.” I stopped, looked at her, and smiled. “I don’t regret a thing, Chloe.” Chloe gritted her teeth. “You lazy loser. You deserve to rot in that workshop forever.” She spun on her heels, her stilettos clicking sharply against the marble floor. But as she reached the corner, she stopped and glared back at me. “You’re just like before. Stubborn and too proud to admit you failed. I can’t wait to see the day you can’t survive anymore and come begging me on your knees.” “Just so you know, I won’t help you.” “Because this is your karma for being lazy and refusing to grow up.”

Karma? I let out a self-deprecating laugh. In our past life, Chloe and I actually got married after graduation. Our relationship was great at first. We had a cozy home and a quiet life. But at a college reunion, she found out that a classmate she used to look down on had made it big in the design industry, earning millions. That ruined her peace. She told me she was too talented to waste away in a small town. She wanted to move to the big city. She said she couldn’t stand the boring, domestic life of chores and groceries. She believed only the big city could give her the stage she deserved. I tried to reason with her. “Your classmate isn’t even as talented as you, and she made millions. If I go into design, I’ll do way better,” she had argued. “If that’s what you want, I can pay for advanced design courses. You don’t have to leave everything behind to move to New York, right?” I didn’t want to let her go. Our life was actually pretty good. We had a house and a car. Sure, we weren’t super-rich, but we were comfortable. I was interning at my family’s workshop back then, getting ready to take it over from my parents. Even though it was hard work, I was happy. I wanted to build a better future for her. After all, we were married. But she just glared at me with red eyes. “You’re just a loser who doesn’t want me to succeed!” “What about our parents? They aren’t in good health. Are we supposed to drag them to New York too?” She shrugged coldly. “They have their pension. If worst comes to worst, just put them in a nursing home.” A nursing home?! She said it so casually. My parents had treated her like their own daughter. How could she say something so heartless? I tried to keep my temper, but she cut me off impatiently. “Ethan, if you won’t come with me, let’s get a divorce.” I was stunned. She wanted to divorce me just to chase some big-city dream? “Chloe, is the big city really that important to you? More important than us?” She sneered. “You’re pathetic. No wonder Julian Sterling always stepped on you in college.” “I must have been blind to marry you instead of him.” I laughed out of sheer anger. She didn’t care about “career growth.” This was what she truly felt deep down. “So you regret it? You regret choosing me over him because you think you missed out on a luxury lifestyle?” “Yes! I regret it! If I had chosen him, I’d be the one making millions right now!” “Instead, I’m stuck with you, watching you get your hands dirty in that stupid workshop!” She threw me one last look of disgust, grabbed her suitcase, and stormed out. I was worried, so I ran after her. But as we crossed the street, a speeding truck came hurtling toward her. My instinct took over, and I lunged to push her out of the way. But the truck was going too fast. We were both hit. When I woke up in the hospital, we had both been reborn. We didn’t say a word about it. We both acted like the past life never happened. She immediately accepted Julian’s confession and moved to New York with him. And I stayed behind to take over my parents’ workshop. Even though my reasons for staying had changed, my mindset hadn’t. Since I made this choice, I wouldn’t regret it. I believed that as long as I worked hard, I could build my own empire. On my way back to the private dining room, my phone buzzed. It was a FaceTime call from my wife. “Why didn’t you let the driver drop you off? It’s pouring outside. You must be soaked. Go to the office and change your clothes. I’m almost there.”

Hearing her warm, caring voice made my heart melt. “Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you. Drive safe.” “What are you doing out here?” An old classmate walked up and slapped me on the shoulder, pulling me back toward the room. “Everyone’s inside eating. Why are you standing out here alone?” The moment I walked in, Julian Sterling walked over. “Hey, Ethan. Try these Gillardeau oysters. I had them flown in from France. They’re about a hundred bucks a pop.” I took a small bite and set it down. I didn’t care for seafood, and my wife was highly allergic, so I rarely touched it. But Julian wouldn’t let it go. He wanted to use the oysters to make a point. Technically, he was my junior in college, yet he talked down to me like I was his assistant. He clearly wanted to humiliate me. A few classmates immediately chimed in to please him. “Ethan probably has never tasted anything this expensive. He doesn’t know the difference.” “Seriously. If Julian hadn’t hosted this, you wouldn’t even be able to step foot inside The Grand Riviera. Just take this opportunity to see how the other half lives, man.” “It’s a waste to feed luxury food to someone like him anyway.” They were practically screaming that I didn’t belong here. Julian chuckled and took a sip of his wine. “Come on, guys. You’re making me look like the bad guy. I just wanted to share some good food with Ethan. I actually brought a bunch of cases. I’ll have the staff bring some more out for everyone.” But his smug smile was a direct provocation. I couldn’t stand the fake atmosphere anymore, so I walked back out to the hallway. My phone vibrated with a text on Snapchat. It was my wife. *Olivia: Traffic is terrible, babe. I’m going to be a little late.* *Ethan: It’s fine. Drive safe!* As soon as I locked my phone, Chloe appeared in front of me again, looking down her nose at me. “Look at you. It’s honestly sad. You can’t even appreciate a decent oyster.” So she had been watching. “Julian and I are engaged now. We’re planning the wedding.” “If you hadn’t been so stubborn and came to New York with me, we’d probably have kids by now.” She gently stroked the giant diamond on her finger. “But sadly, you didn’t just miss out on success. You missed out on me.” I looked at her calmly. “Then let me be the first to congratulate you.” Chloe’s expression tightened. “What do you mean by that?” “I’m congratulating you on marrying Julian. You finally get to live your dream life without worrying about the boring stuff.” “Is that all you have to say?” “Yes.” Her face flushed with anger. She stomped her heel and glared at me. “I hope you mean that!” Without waiting for my reply, she turned and stormed off. What a drama queen. I shook my head and decided to go back. On my way, the hotel manager spotted me and rushed over to greet me. I waved him off and whispered a few instructions, telling him not to expose my identity yet. But when I walked back into the private room, everyone was staring at me with weird, hostile expressions. I frowned, confused. Then I heard Julian speak up. “It’s fine, guys. It’s just a few cases of oysters. If they’re ruined, they’re ruined.” It turned out Julian had ordered a bunch of premium seafood and kept it in the storage room next door. Now, all of it was dumped on the floor, trampled and ruined. And since I was the only one who had been wandering around the hallway… Along with our earlier tension, everyone immediately assumed I did it out of spite. The manager had mentioned that someone had reserved the side room, but I didn’t know it was Julian’s stuff.

“Julian, you’re way too nice! If it were me, I’d make whoever did this pay!” “Just because he’s poor and bitter doesn’t mean he gets to destroy other people’s things. That’s just pathetic.” They kept throwing disgusted looks at me. I scoffed. “We’re all adults here. If you have something to say, say it to my face. Stop the passive-aggressive drama.” “You did it, and now you’re mad people are calling you out?” “Some people are just born with a loser mentality. They hate seeing others have nice things.” My face darkened, and I took a step toward the guy who spoke. He instinctively took two steps back. “What? You got caught, and now you want to fight?” “Fight you? You aren’t worth my time,” I sneered. Seeing the tension escalate, a few classmates stepped in to play peacemaker. “Alright, alright. Let’s not ruin the night. We’re here to have fun.” Julian put on a fake, generous smile. “We’re all old friends. It’s just some French oysters. Let’s not make a big deal out of it.” I looked at his hypocritical face and laughed coldly. “No, let’s make a big deal out of it. You’re throwing dirt on my name. Let’s call the manager and check the security cameras.” “I want to see who actually had the guts to trash your precious seafood.” “It’s just a few thousand bucks of oysters. You’re acting like it’s gold.” Julian’s smile vanished instantly. Other classmates started whispering. “Look at Ethan trying to act tough. He talks like a few thousand bucks is nothing to him.” “Did he brainwash himself into thinking he’s a millionaire? What does he normally eat, instant ramen?” “I saw him walking here earlier. He was running in the rain with a broken umbrella like a stray dog. Now he’s acting like a big shot?” They all burst into cruel laughter. Just then, Chloe walked back in. Her eyes were red. She looked like she had just been crying. Julian immediately rushed to her side and wrapped an arm around her. “Are you okay, babe?” The crowd cooed at how sweet he was. Chloe shook her head, looked at the tense atmosphere in the room, and asked what was going on. Julian gave me a smug look and said: “The Gillardeau oysters, the Almas caviar, and the lobsters I ordered… they were all trashed on the floor.” “Nobody left the room except Ethan. So…” He didn’t say it outright, but he was pointing the finger straight at me. As if I was the only one who went out. Didn’t Chloe leave too? I met Chloe’s gaze. She bit her lip and looked at me with disappointment. “Ethan, I know you’re jealous of Julian and me. But you shouldn’t have done this.” “Be a man and take responsibility. Don’t make me look down on you even more.” “You have a wife now, right? I assume you have some savings. You can afford to pay for this.” With just a few words, she declared me guilty. I was so angry I almost laughed out loud. “Exactly! Don’t be a coward, Ethan!” “You’re an embarrassment to our school.” Julian took the stage again, playing the hero. “Guys, please. I get where Ethan is coming from. He was the star of our campus back in the day. Now that he’s struggling, it’s natural he feels bitter.” Julian looked around the room, his eyes landing on me. “Ethan, if you just apologize to me in front of everyone, we can put this behind us. What do you say?”

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When my girlfriend and I got reborn back into our high school days, she dumped me on the spot. She thought I was a loser with no future, so she turned around and accepted the school bully’s confession. Just like that, she became the trophy wife of a wealthy bad boy, winning at both love and her career. Meanwhile, I was still just painting. When we met again, she was clinging to the very bully who used to torment her. Looking down at me, drenched and shivering, she sneered, “Without me, is the great artist Liam really living such a pathetic life?” I just smiled faintly. But later, when my childhood sweetheart— Amelia, the sole heiress to the massive Montgomery fortune—wrapped her arms around mine and pouted, Chloe’s eyes went red. “Liam! You promised you’d be with me forever!” When I arrived at the reunion party, I still spotted Chloe instantly in the crowd. She was leaning against Zack’s shoulder, smiling sweetly. The old classmates around them were practically kissing their feet. “Chloe, you’re so famous now.” “Yeah, a major influencer! You have over a million followers on TikTok, right?” “And you actually snagged Zack. He was the school king back then.” Chloe smiled shyly. Zack, clearly loving the attention, waved his hand dismissively. “Tonight’s tab is on me. Drink up, everyone.” The crowd cheered. Amidst the laughter, I heard someone mention my name. “Where’s Liam? Why isn’t he here yet? I know you guys broke up, but he was the school heartthrob back then.” Chloe’s smile faltered, and she gave a casual shrug. “Liam and I just weren’t compatible. We haven’t kept in touch since the breakup.” Zack glanced around the room, his eyes turning cold. “Let’s not bring up the past.” Seeing that Chloe and Zack looked annoyed, the others quickly changed the subject. I walked in quietly, pretending I hadn’t heard a thing. A few old friends spotted me and immediately threw their arms around my shoulders. “Look who finally made it!” “Our former school heartthrob!” “Whoa, dude, why are you so messy?” “Hey, waiter, get some towels over here!” I offered a polite smile, taking the towel. I played it down. “I had a little wipeout on my bike on the way here.” “I like riding my bike for exercise. The hotel wasn’t far from my place, so I just rode over.” Chloe had been staring at me since the moment I walked in. Feeling her gaze, I looked back. Our eyes locked for a fraction of a second. In that moment, I saw pure mockery and disdain in her eyes. She snuggled closer to Zack, sporting flawless makeup and a designer outfit that screamed luxury—a stark contrast to my mud-stained clothes. Beside her, Zack was watching me too. Zack came from a ridiculously wealthy family. They were practically royalty around here. The two of them sat in the center seats like the perfect power couple. And then there was me. I wiped the dirt off my clothes, looking like a total mess. But honestly, I didn’t care. When I paint, I often end up covered in paint anyway. I gave them a polite smile, looked away, and started chatting with other classmates. Zack smirked, his eyes dripping with contempt. Since we hadn’t seen each other in years, everyone had endless things to talk about. “Hey, do you guys remember Amelia Montgomery from the Honors class?” “The school queen? Of course!” “Yeah, her! I heard the Montgomery family officially announced her as the sole heiress to their entire empire.” “Oh my god. Beautiful, rich, and the sole heir. Whoever marries her is set for life.” “But a girl boss like Amelia probably doesn’t even care about men.” I looked down at my phone, keeping quiet. My wet clothes were clinging to me uncomfortably. Since the food wasn’t served yet, I got up to wash some of the mud off in the restroom. My phone kept buzzing in my pocket. I patiently replied to the texts on Snapchat. But when I stepped out of the restroom, I ran right into Chloe at the corner. I knew she was with Zack, so I ignored her and tried to walk past. But she called out to me. “Liam, all these years, and you’re still the same useless loser.” “Just thinking about the fact that I used to date you makes me cringe. You don’t even have a decent car.” I turned to meet her mocking eyes and said calmly, “I like my life.” “You—” Chloe’s face flushed with anger. “Fine. If you love being a loser, I hope you stay one forever.” I smiled and turned to leave, but her voice followed me. “You’re still so stubborn, never willing to back down. If you had just listened to me back then, you could be driving a sports car right now, being worshipped by everyone—just like me.” “But I know you. Even if you claim you like this life, deep down, you regret it.”

Regret? I dazed off for a moment, my mind drifting back to my past life. My history with Chloe actually started because of Zack. Chloe was a transfer student in our class. Her family was poor, and somehow, she rubbed Zack the wrong way. Zack was the notorious school bully. Even the teachers turned a blind eye to him. So, he targeted Chloe. He used a pocket knife to leave horrible scars on her arms, locked her in the dirty bathroom stalls, and cornered her in alleys after school just to beat her up. I was the one who saved her. After calling the cops, I rushed into that alleyway. The moment Zack’s blade was about to slash Chloe’s face, I threw myself over her. Before the police arrived, Zack unleashed all his rage on me. I was an art student. But Zack used his expensive sneakers to stomp on and break my fingers. Because of that, I missed my portfolio submission for CalArts. Chloe and I ended up going to a mediocre college together and got married right after graduation. But soon, we started having screaming matches. It all started at a high school reunion. When she saw how lavishly Zack treated his girlfriend, her heart began to waver. Zack was a famous wealthy playboy. After graduation, he had actually confessed to Chloe. He claimed he had fallen in love with her *while* he was bullying her. But Chloe was already with me back then, so she rejected him. Now, she regretted it. Honestly, our life back then wasn’t even bad. Even though I couldn’t go to my dream art school, we both graduated from a decent university. I never gave up painting in my spare time. Combined, we had saved over a hundred thousand dollars in our bank account. But she wasn’t satisfied. She believed she deserved better. “Liam, I’m asking you one last time. Are you coming with me or not?” My breath hitched as I stared at her in disbelief. Leave? It wasn’t that simple. It meant abandoning everything we had built. Was the wealthy world out there really that great? I didn’t understand. “Chloe, why are you so desperate to leave?” She sneered. “If I don’t leave, am I supposed to rot with you here forever?” “Surviving on these pieces of trash nobody wants?” I let out a bitter laugh. The paintings I had poured my heart and soul into—the ones she used to praise—were now just “trash” to her. “Chloe, is that what you really think of me?” Chloe interrupted me impatiently. “Enough! If you won’t leave, I’ll go by myself!” “I must have been blind to choose you in the first place.” Even though I was furious, I still worried about her. I ran after her. Chloe rushed onto the street, completely ignoring a car running a red light. The car was about to hit her. Without thinking, I lunged forward to push her out of the way. But we were both struck by the car and sent flying. When I opened my eyes again, we had both been reborn. Immediately, Chloe broke up with me and accepted Zack’s confession. She started posting her daily life with Zack on TikTok, quickly becoming a popular influencer. As for me, I kept a stable job while continuing to hone my painting skills. Being an artist was my dream. I respected Chloe’s choice. But no matter what, I would never regret mine.

On my way back to the lounge, my wife called me on FaceTime. “Martha told me you fell! Oh my god, why didn’t you just drive? Is it bad? Do you need to go to the hospital, babe? I’m coming to get you right now.” Hearing the sheer panic and worry in her voice, I could tell she wanted to fly to my side this very second. A warm smile spread across my face. “I’m totally fine. If you’re coming, can you just bring me a clean change of clothes?” I looked down at my torn sleeves and the stubborn mud stains. “I don’t want to look like a hobo for our date later.” “On it! I’m getting in the car right now.” After hanging up, I couldn’t help but grin like an idiot. One of my classmates, noticing I had been gone for a while, came out to find me. He waved me over. “Liam, the food is served! Get in here!” “I heard Zack brought some high-end wine and cigars back from his trip abroad.” “Liam, Chloe, stop chatting and get inside!” The moment I walked in, Zack offered me a cigar. “Want one, Liam?” I glanced around. Everyone was puffing on smoke, praising Zack’s generosity. Even our old teacher, whose hands used to hold chalk, was now holding a cigar and singing Zack’s praises. I shook my head and politely declined. “I don’t smoke, thanks.” I never touched tobacco, and besides, my wife hated the smell of smoke. I set the cigar aside, intending to just let it go. But Zack wouldn’t let me off the hook. “Liam, what’s the matter? You won’t even give me this face?” He was clearly trying to embarrass me. I saw the annoyance in his eyes, but I didn’t care to engage. I just kept looking at the SnapChat texts from my wife. Seeing me glued to my phone, some classmates started snickering. “Maybe Liam’s never seen a real cigar before and doesn’t know what to say.” “Forget smoking it, he probably hasn’t even seen one in person, haha!” “Liam, didn’t you use to be so high and mighty?” “Yeah, didn’t he win a bunch of art awards back in school? Why hasn’t he achieved anything major?” They took jabs at me to suck up to Zack. Zack chuckled. “Come on, guys. Maybe my cigars aren’t good enough for Liam. My driver is on his way with some business contracts, so I’ll have him bring a few more bottles of fine wine. Let’s just have a good time tonight.” His words sounded polite, but his eyes were full of arrogance and disdain. My phone buzzed again. Unwilling to deal with these people, I walked out to text my wife back on SnapChat. She said she was stuck in rush-hour traffic and the rain was getting worse, so she would be a bit late. I told her to take her time and drive safely. My clothes didn’t matter; her safety was my priority. Just as I sent the text, I heard Chloe’s voice. “Liam, do you have a girlfriend now?” I turned to face her. The tenderness in my eyes vanished, replaced by cold indifference. “What I do is none of your business, Chloe.” I tried to walk past her, but she stepped in my way. “Who is she?” “Does she know that the once high-and-mighty Liam was once a pathetic simp who gave up his art and his life for another woman? And look at you now—you’re even too intimidated to accept a cigar.” Ah, so she was watching earlier. “Didn’t you always dream of becoming a famous artist? Why hasn’t anything happened after all these years? You’re still the same, Liam—spineless yet full of pride.” “I’m so glad the universe gave me a second chance to dump a loser who will never amount to anything.” “Oh, by the way, Zack and I are getting engaged.” She smirked. “If you had just listened to me back then and moved to the big city, we might have been married with kids by now.” “But look at you. Your horizon is so narrow.” “Living day to day with zero ambition. Pathetic.” I was getting annoyed. “Congratulations.” Chloe’s smile froze. “What?” “Congratulations on marrying Zack. But since you’re getting married, you really shouldn’t be snooping into my love life. It wouldn’t look good if your fiancé misunderstood.” “Liam, you—” Chloe was furious, her face turning red. I honestly didn’t get why she was so mad. Even if we had different values, we were married in our past life. I genuinely wished her well. She glared at me, stamped her heel, and stormed off. “Mind your own business!” I frowned, thoroughly confused. She was acting completely irrational. I shouldn’t have wasted my breath on her. I stood in the hallway for a bit to clear my head before returning to the private dining room. But the moment I walked in, everyone stared at me in silence. I was confused. Someone looked like they wanted to say something, but Zack, sitting at the head of the table, spoke first. “Forget it. It’s just a contract. It’s torn, but it’s fine. No big deal.”

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My best friend finally wanted a wedding—the groom was my boyfriend of eight years. Maya and I were total opposites. She’d run from seven engagements in three years—the queen of commitment issues. Me? Eight years with Ethan, the most stable couple anyone knew. The girl most likely to get married next. Until tonight. Maya grabs my hands across the bar table, mascara running down her cheeks. “I think I’ve lost my mind. I actually want to get married. He makes me so happy, Chloe. I’ve never felt like this before.” I squeeze her fingers and smile. “Then do it. I’ll always support you.” She nods hard, pulls out her phone, and dials. A man’s voice comes through the speaker. Warm. Familiar. Too familiar. “Hey, dummy. Look up. I knew you’d get wasted, so I’ve been watching you from the table up front.” I almost smile. Out of habit. I turn with Maya to look. And I see him. Ethan. My boyfriend. The man I’ve loved for eight years. The man I was about to marry. He’s already walking toward us, eyes locked on Maya. The girl who swore she’d never settle down had already found her person. And my perfect love story was just me talking to myself. My wine glass slams onto the table. Ethan doesn’t flinch. He scoops Maya into his arms and says to me, calm as anything: “Let’s go home. I can explain.” Eight years. Maybe I should slap him. Maybe I should scream. But eight years—that’s a quarter of my life. How do you just rip that away? My eyes sting. I get in the car. The second Maya’s in the passenger seat, her phone connects to the Bluetooth. A perky female voice chirps through the speakers: *”Maya connected. Love songs ready, babe?”* I sit frozen in the backseat. This is the first time I’ve ever been in Ethan’s car. He always said I couldn’t ride in his car because he used it for work and didn’t want clients smelling perfume in it. Even when I promised not to wear any, he’d just laugh and say, “Babe, your perfume always sticks around.” But now the whole car reeks of Maya’s liquor and her rose perfume, and Ethan hasn’t even wrinkled his nose. Tears fall onto my hands before I can stop them. I can’t confront him. I’m terrified of the answer. Part of me wants to pretend tonight is just a bad dream. But dreams end. Maya mumbles, “Ethan…” and leans over to kiss him while he’s driving. He gently peels her hands off and murmurs, “Behave.” I can’t breathe. Ethan is a clean freak. He won’t let anyone touch him without hand sanitizer—not even me. I’ve been pushed away for trying to hold his hand without washing first. I look down at my own hands. I can still smell the rubbing alcohol I used before getting in. Mixed with the liquor fumes in this car, it makes me want to vomit. I crack the window. Fresh air. I need fresh air. Ethan hits the button and the window slides shut. He glances back at me, annoyed. “Maya just drank. The cold air could make her sick.” I let out a hollow laugh. “Wow. You actually know how to care about someone.” His jaw tightens. “Don’t be passive-aggressive. I said I’d explain.” Then it happens fast. Maya lunges for Ethan again, grabbing at his face. A car swerves to pass us on the right. Ethan yanks the wheel hard left—and the back of our car clips the other vehicle. The impact throws me sideways. Glass shatters. My head slams into the frame. Blood runs warm down my temple. But the pain in my skull is nothing compared to what I’m feeling. Ethan checks Maya first. Then he looks at me in the rearview. “Can you walk?” I stare at him. Blood dripping into my eye. He gets out, opens my door, and says: “Take Maya to the ER. Make sure she’s okay.” I touch the gash on my forehead. My fingers come back red. “Ethan. Are you blind?” My voice shakes. “Look at me. Look at my face. And you have the nerve to say that?” He stares at me, stunned. In eight years, I’ve never once talked back. His eyes go hard. “Don’t say things you’ll regret. Someone could be seriously hurt.” He shuts the door. I drag myself out. I help Maya to the curb. I flag down a cab. And the second we’re inside, Maya’s voice comes through—stone cold sober. “You saw it for yourself, Chloe.” I turn to look at her. Not a trace of drunkenness on her face. “So. Are you done standing in my way?” —

I stare at her. The streetlight falls across her face. She looks perfectly sober. No wobble. No slur. Nothing. “You faked it,” I say. “You were faking drunk this whole time.” Maya sighs, bored already. “Yeah.” “Do you even understand what you’ve done?” She gives me a tired, condescending look. “Chloe, stop being naive. I know exactly what I’m doing.” “Ethan’s young, rich, hot, and loyal. Who wouldn’t want him?” “You dated him for eight years and he never proposed. Doesn’t that tell you everything? He doesn’t love you.” The cab stops. “Ladies, we’re here.” I get out. My legs buckle. I grab the door to keep from falling. The ER entrance is bright and harsh. I look at Maya’s calm, unbothered face and force my voice steady. “You’re wrong, Maya.” “He’s not loyal.” “Eight years with me—and you stole him just like that. You think he won’t cheat on you too?” Maya smiles. Slow. Satisfied. “Chloe, you’re so childish.” She puts a hand on her stomach. “I’m pregnant. He’s not going anywhere.” My knees almost give out. My skin crawls where I touched her in the car. The nausea is instant. My hand moves before my brain catches up. I slap her across the face. Hard. “You’re disgusting.” The crack echoes off the hospital walls. Maya’s head snaps sideways. And then—tires screeching. A car slams to a stop at the curb. Ethan jumps out. He shoves me back so hard I stumble, then pulls Maya into his arms, cupping her reddened cheek with shaking hands. He takes one breath. Two. Then he turns to me with a look I know well. Not the look he gives his girlfriend of eight years. The look he gives a business rival he’s about to destroy. He points at the security camera above the hospital entrance. “Apologize. Now. Or I’m calling the police. You know I can make sure you spend a few nights in a cell.” I laugh. It sounds dead. “Fine. Let them take me. I could use the quiet.” Ethan’s voice drops. “And what about your mother?” My whole body goes still. “Don’t forget, Chloe. I’m the one paying her medical bills. If she finds out her daughter got arrested—” The air leaves my lungs. I look at him. His eyes are steady. Certain. He knows he’s won. I bite down so hard I taste blood. My hands shake at my sides. I bite back a sob. “Sorry,” I whisper. Maya sniffles against Ethan’s chest. “My face hurts so much…” Ethan doesn’t look away from me. “Slap yourself. Ten times.” I stare at him. “Fair is fair,” he says. “Eye for an eye.” I raise my hand. The first slap stings. Hard. I look at them. Wrapped around each other. They look at me like I’m the problem. I am the intruder. I’m already out. By the tenth slap, my face is numb. My palm is numb. Everything is numb. “Are we done?” My voice doesn’t sound like mine. Ethan nods. I walk into the hospital. Tears pour down my face. I wipe them but they keep coming. I tell myself: *Don’t cry. Don’t give them the satisfaction.* But another voice answers back: *You already are the joke.* I am the joke. Betrayed by the two people I trusted most in this world. And what—I’m supposed to just let them live happily ever after? Let them keep stepping on me? Let Ethan hold my mother’s life over my head forever? No. I pull out my phone and dial. Liam picks up on the second ring. His voice is lazy, amused. “Well, well. Chloe. What made you call me, Chloe? Finally dumping your boyfriend?” My voice comes out raw. Flat. Certain. “You want Ethan’s designs for next quarter? I’m the designer. I haven’t signed the licensing agreement. If you want them—they’re yours.” For a second, Liam says nothing. Then his voice turns serious. “What do you want in return?” “Get me and my mom out. And burn Ethan to the ground.” A pause. Then: “Consider it done.” —

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After seven years away from my mate, I finally came home to Blackthorn Pack. I had quit my job at the border for Adrian Blackthorne. I thought I was coming back to our future. Instead,I stood outside the main house and typed in the door code three times. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. On the fourth try, the door opened from the inside. But the person standing behind it was not Adrian. It was my best friend, Lila Hart. She was wearing Adrian’s white shirt, the hem barely covering her thighs. His scent was all over her, cold cedar and Alpha dominance clinging to her skin. It was too intimate. Too obvious. Too humiliating. “Selena, you’re back?” She smiled like she belonged there. Like she was the woman of the house. “I had a fight with my roommate,” she said lightly. “So I’ve been staying with your fiance for a while.” For a while. As if my mate’s house were a spare bedroom she could borrow. At the sound of her voice, Adrian came out of the bathroom. A pale pink towel hung low around his waist. His hair was wet, water trailing down his shoulders. “Don’t block the doorway,” he said. His brows drew together as he looked at me. “Lila’s using the master bedroom. You can sleep in the guest room tonight.” He said it like it was normal. Like I was the guest. Then, through what was left of our mate bond, his thoughts slipped into my head. Soft. Panicked. Cowardly. [Selena, after being apart this long, did you fall for another Alpha?] [Say this is our home. Tell her she has no right to stay.] [Get angry. Fight me. Show me you still care.] He had always been like this. If I replied to a text late, he took Lila to the pack bar. If I missed one month with him, he let Lila sleep over at the main house. Before, I would have asked questions. I would have cried. I would have broken down exactly the way his thoughts wanted me to. But this time, I looked at the women’s underwear hanging on the balcony. The slippers outside the master bedroom that were not mine. The Alpha scent wrapped around Lila so thickly it nearly drowned out her own. And suddenly, I had nothing left to ask. I took one step back and grabbed my suitcase. A house that had room for three was never going to be my home. … Lila reached out and caught the handle of my suitcase. “Selena, come on. It’s just a changed password. Are you really mad?” She blinked at me, wearing innocence like a mask. “The old code was too complicated. I could never remember it, so Adrian changed it to my birthday.” Adrian gave a cold laugh. “She’s being dramatic. It’s a password. Why can’t I change it?” His face was full of impatience. But his thoughts grew more desperate by the second. [Say it. Say that date was the day we became mates.] [Tell me I wasn’t allowed to change it.] [Selena Vale, why aren’t you reacting?] I said nothing. Lila leaned against the doorframe and yawned. “Are you coming in or not? We’re going to bed.” I took the key with the Blackthorn wolf crest from my pocket and placed it by the door. Gently. Like I was putting down the last piece of us. “No.” “You two sleep.” Adrian went still. Then his face hardened. “If you’re not coming in, then get lost.” He slammed the door. The force of it made me stumble. My bag slipped off my shoulder, and a stack of old train tickets spilled across the floor. The one on top was from seven years ago. The day I was assigned to Silver Creek’s border division, Adrian took me to the station. The boarding announcement played three times before he finally let go of my hand. “Go, Selena,” he said. “Don’t look back.” He sounded so calm. But that was the first time I heard his thoughts. [Selena, I don’t want to let you go.] [But I can’t hold you back.] [I love you. Wait for me.] My hand froze over my ticket. My eyes burned. Then the tears came before I could stop them. For the next seven years, I took that five-hour train again and again. Even after patrols that ended past midnight, I would rush back to Blackthorn Pack just to see him. Until the time I handled two nights of border riots in a row, collapsed at the division office, and missed the train back. The moment I woke up in the infirmary, I called him. He answered on the seventh try. “I’m having dinner with Lila.” His voice was so cold he barely sounded like my mate. “Why are you crying? You were busy. Am I not allowed to have someone else keep me company?” “She’s your best friend, isn’t she? If she’s watching me for you, what are you worried about?” That night, Lila posted three updates. Pack bar. Shots. A street at three in the morning. And I spent the night alone in the infirmary, an IV in my arm and my phone silent beside me. My tears fell onto the train ticket. I tried to wipe them away. But the stains would not come off. The door opened again. Adrian stood inside. When he saw my tears, his expression softened a little. “If you can’t bear to leave, then get in here.” “How many days are you staying this time?” I did not tell him I had already resigned. There was no point. I had given up everything at the border because I wanted to end the distance between us and finally be with him. But he and Lila had already been living together. Lila came out of the bathroom with a towel and started drying his hair like it was the most natural thing in the world. Adrian did not move away. He even lowered his head for her. His thoughts said he loved me. But his body had already learned to lean toward another woman. There was no space left for me in that house. Not in the bedroom. Not in his habits. Not in his life. I did not pick up the tickets. I turned and walked toward the elevator. Behind me, Adrian laughed coldly. “Selena, if you walk out today,we’re over.” I pressed the elevator button without looking back. His thoughts broke into panic. [Selena, don’t go.] [I only wanted to make you jealous.] [If you turn around, I’ll comfort you.] The elevator doors opened. I stepped inside. [Please. Don’t go.] I heard him. This time, I let him beg. And I did not stop. The doors closed inch by inch, cutting off his face and his voice inside my head. At that moment, my phone rang. On the other end was Cassian Wolfe, a high-ranking Alpha from the Northern Council. “Selena Vale,” he said. “The position at Council headquarters is still open for you.” “Have you made up your mind?” I wiped my tears and cleared my throat. “Cassian.” “I’ll report tomorrow.”

I spent the night at a small inn near the pack border. Early the next morning, the main house manager called and dragged me out of sleep. “Miss Vale, the large packages you sent are piled up at the entrance. Pack members have already complained. Please come handle them as soon as possible.” When I came back this time, I had never planned to leave again. I had packed seven years of my life and shipped it all back to Blackthorn Pack. Clothes. Documents. Old letters. And all the memories I thought I would carry into my future home. Now the boxes had arrived. Now they had arrived. And just like me, they had nowhere to go. I rushed back to the Blackthorne estate in the rain. There was nothing at the entrance. Lila was in slippers, about to head upstairs. “Selena, what took you so long?” She pointed toward the trash area behind the house. “Those boxes were blocking the door.” “Adrian said you two had already broken the mate bond. Your stuff was trash, so I threw it out for you.” My ears rang. I turned and ran to the back. Rain poured down hard. The cardboard boxes had gone soft. My clothes and documents were scattered everywhere, soaked in muddy water. I dropped to my knees and finally found the little wolf plush. It was swollen with rainwater. One eye had fallen off. It was the first gift Adrian had ever given me. The first proof I once had that he thought of me when I was not there. For seven years, whenever he could not come to the border to see me, that plush stayed with me. Last year, I was injured on border patrol and fractured my leg. Adrian had promised to come. Then Lila sprained her ankle during training. On the phone, he only said one rushed sentence. “I’ll come see you after she’s better.” I was in too much pain to sleep, so I held that little wolf until dawn. I hugged it to my chest and saw a broken high heel nearby. I had bought those shoes half a year ago. That day, someone deliberately deleted my supply proposal. I hid in the garden behind the division office and cried so hard I could barely breathe. Adrian’s phone would not connect. He called me back at dawn. “What’s wrong on your side now?” “Lila fought with her roommate. I just brought her back to the main house.” The next day, I went into the city and bought those heels. I told myself, Selena Vale, stand steady. If no one comes to take you home, walk home yourself. For seven years, I traveled between the border and Blackthorn Pack. I lived alone. I survived every breakdown alone. Those things had kept me going until today. Now they were all in the trash. “Lila Hart.” I held the soaked wolf plush tighter and looked up at her. “Who gave you the right to throw away my things?” Adrian’s voice came from behind me. “Selena, why are you yelling at her?” He stood in front of Lila with an umbrella, shielding her from the rain. “It’s a few boxes of junk,” he said. “So what if she threw them out?” Lila’s eyes reddened as she looked at me. “I thought you didn’t want them anymore.” Adrian looked at the mess on the ground, and his face darkened. His thoughts slammed into my head. [Why are there so many boxes?] [Wasn’t Selena only coming back for a few days?] [That little wolf… she still kept it?] His gaze landed on the plush in my arms. But the words that came out of his mouth were still full of disgust. “You broke the bond and still sent your stuff to my house.” “If your things aren’t trash, what are they?” Rain streamed down my face as I looked at him. “Adrian, my things are not trash.” “You are.” Pack members began gathering around us. Their whispers rose through the rain. “Isn’t that Alpha Adrian and Lila?” “Haven’t they been living together for half a year? I always see them patrolling together and going to the market.” Someone looked at me with open contempt. “Then who is she?” “An ex who got dumped?” “Or some outsider trying to come between the Alpha and his future Luna?” The part of my heart I thought had gone numb twisted hard. So they had been living together for six months. For six months, they bought groceries together, returned to the main house together, shared umbrellas, and stood under the pack’s gaze together. In everyone’s eyes, Lila looked more like his Luna than I ever had. And I, the woman who had waited seven years for him, had become the shameless outsider in their story.

Adrian’s face looked awful. But he did not explain. Lila tugged softly at his sleeve. “Adrian, let’s go upstairs.” After a few seconds of silence, he held the umbrella over her and led her into the house. I stood in the rain and watched them walk away. His thoughts grew fainter. [Selena isn’t an outsider.] [She’s the one I love most.] I stopped listening. The rain came down harder. I crouched beside the trash and dug through the ruined boxes, searching for the old pocket watch my grandmother had left me. It was the only thing she gave me before she died. She told me that even if no pack protected me, I had to remember where I came from. But I searched every box. I never found it. I had been in the rain too long. My vision suddenly went black. When I woke up, I was lying in the guest room of the main house. Lila sat beside the bed, her eyes red from crying, as if she were the one who had been humiliated in the rain. “Selena, you fainted.” “I asked Adrian to carry you up.” She tucked the blanket around me, her voice soft. “Don’t take what the pack members said to heart. I already explained it for you.” “I told them you weren’t an outsider or a homewrecker.” “We’re friends. You only came here because you wanted to move in with me.” “It’s just that the house belongs to Adrian, and he’s my mate now, so everyone misunderstood.” She sounded so sincere. Like she was really helping me. But I remembered our college days. Someone had stolen my need-based scholarship, and Lila came with me to confront the advisor. Back then, she had been angrier than I was. “I hate people who take what belongs to others and then act innocent.” Now she wore that same innocent face while calling my Adrian her mate. Lila used to look down on Adrian. Every time she mentioned him, she said his full name like an insult. At some point, she started calling him Adrian. Started wearing his coats. Started eating alone with him, patrolling with him, traveling with him. I had noticed her crossing lines. But she was my best friend. And Adrian always said I was overthinking. His thoughts told me again and again: [Selena, I only love you.] So I swallowed my discomfort. Again and again, I forced myself to believe him. But now, I did not want to pretend I was blind anymore. “Lila, stop acting.” I pushed myself up against the bed frame. “Where is my Council certificate?” I had to report to the Northern Council today. But the copies of my documents had been ruined in the rain. I had once treated this place like home, so I had left the originals here. Lila froze for half a second. “I don’t know. Look for it yourself.” I ignored her and got out of bed. The master bedroom was her room now. Several of Adrian’s shirts hung in the closet. My clothes were shoved into the farthest corner, wrinkled beyond recognition. Lila followed me and explained in a small voice. “Sometimes he gets drunk and sleeps in my room. That’s all.” I did not want to know what they had done here. I only wanted my certificate. But when I opened the nightstand drawer, there was no file folder. Only several opened boxes of condoms. One fewer than the last time I had come home. My fingers went stiff. I forced myself to look away. There were takeout containers on the small table by the bed. Lila seemed to remember something at last and gasped. “Selena, is this what you’re looking for?” She lifted the takeout box. My Council certificate was underneath it. The cover was smeared with oil. The silver Council seal had been stained dark with chili oil. Lila bit her lip. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I was eating in here last night. It was stiff, so I used it under the container.” I snatched it from her hands. When I opened the cover, the pages inside were soaked through too. Even the embossed seal smelled sharp and greasy. Heavy footsteps sounded at the door. Adrian strode in and stepped in front of Lila. “Selena, don’t be so ungrateful.” “Lila was kind enough to bring you back. It’s just a few pieces of paper. Did you really have to scare her?”

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After seven years of long distance, I quit my job, packed my life into twelve boxes, and moved across the country to live with my boyfriend. Ryan Hayes was the most famous hockey player in Boston. His face filled arena screens, sports magazines, and the fantasies of thousands of women who wore his number across their chests. I had loved him before any of that. I entered our anniversary into the keypad three times. Wrong code. The door finally opened from the inside. My best friend stood there barefoot, wearing Ryan’s home jersey and nothing I could see beneath it. His name stretched across her back. His number ended high on her thighs. “Emma?” Chloe blinked, then smiled as though I had arrived early to a dinner party. “You’re here.” Behind her, the apartment looked lived in. A pair of silver pom-poms rested beside the entryway. Her Ice Crew jacket hung next to Ryan’s practice coat. On the console table sat a framed photo of them at the team’s charity gala—his arm around her waist, her cheek pressed to his shoulder. I had never seen the picture. Ryan came out of the bathroom with a pink towel knotted around his hips, his wet hair pushed back from his face. He stopped when he saw my suitcase. “Don’t block the hall,” he said. “Chloe’s been using the main bedroom. You can take the guest room tonight.” His voice was cold. His thoughts were not. *Ask why she’s wearing my jersey.* *Tell me this is our home.* *Get angry, Emma. Prove you still care.* Seven years ago, on the night Ryan left for his first development camp, I had discovered I could hear his thoughts. He had kissed me at the train station and told me not to cry. Inside his head, he had been begging me not to let him go. For years, those private words had been the excuse I used for everything he did in public. When I missed one of his calls, he invited Chloe to dinner. When I worked through a weekend, he let her stay over. When photos of women draped across him appeared online, he told me they were fans and thought, *You’re the only one I love.* I kept believing the version of him no one else could hear. Chloe leaned against the doorframe. “The old code was impossible to remember, so Ryan changed it.” “To what?” She smiled. “My birthday.” Ryan’s jaw tightened. *Say something.* *Tell me to change it back.* I looked past them. A lace bra hung over the back of a dining chair. Two wineglasses sat beside the sink. On the television, a paused clip showed Chloe performing with the Ice Crew during intermission while Ryan watched from the bench. I had resigned from a job I had fought six years to earn because Ryan said he was tired of loving me through a screen. I had come home to find another woman already living my life. Chloe reached for my suitcase. “Come in. We can talk.” I pulled it out of her hand. “No.” Ryan’s expression hardened. “Don’t start a scene.” For once, I didn’t. I set my key on the entry table, turned around, and pulled my suitcase toward the elevator. Behind me, Ryan laughed without humor. “Walk out now, and we’re done.” His thoughts crashed into me. *Don’t go.* *I only wanted you to fight for me.* *Turn around and I’ll make everything right.* The elevator doors opened. I stepped inside. *Emma, please.* I heard him. This time, I didn’t stop. As the doors closed, my phone rang. The screen showed the name of the executive who had spent months trying to recruit me to Northstar Sports’ Boston headquarters. “Emma,” Daniel Brooks said when I answered. “The senior campaign position is still open. Have you made a decision?” I wiped my face before the first tear could fall. “Yes,” I said. “I’ll be there tomorrow.”

I spent the night in an airport hotel because it was the only place I could book without thinking. At seven the next morning, the building manager called. “Ms. Carter, several large boxes addressed to you were left outside the service entrance. Residents have complained. Could you arrange pickup?” Those boxes were everything I owned. I had shipped them ahead because I had not planned to leave Boston again. Clothes, books, work files, my grandmother’s watch, and the stuffed wolf Ryan had won for me at a minor-league carnival before anyone knew his name. By the time I reached the apartment building, rain was coming down hard enough to blur the street. The service entrance was empty. Chloe came around the corner in slippers, carrying an iced coffee. “You’re finally here,” she said. “Those boxes were blocking the door, so I moved them.” “Where?” She pointed toward the dumpsters. For a second, I could not understand the word. Then I ran. The cardboard had collapsed in the rain. My clothes lay in dirty water. Books I had carried through three cities had swollen open like dead birds. A framed photograph of my grandmother had cracked beneath a trash bag. I dropped to my knees and dug through everything. The stuffed wolf was near the bottom, one glass eye missing, its gray fur dark with rain. Ryan had given it to me the night he was cut from his first junior team. He had been eighteen, furious and humiliated, and I had spent the last money in my account traveling three hours just to sit beside him in a parking lot. He won the wolf for me at a rigged carnival game and said, “Keep it until I make the league.” I kept it long after he did. “Emma, what are you doing?” Ryan stood behind me beneath a black umbrella, one hand around Chloe’s shoulders. I rose slowly, holding the ruined toy against my chest. “Why did you throw away my things?” Chloe’s face crumpled with practiced hurt. “Ryan said you two were over. I thought you didn’t want them.” Ryan stepped in front of her. “They’re boxes of junk. Stop screaming at her.” His thoughts came sharp and confused. *Why did she send so much?* *Was she really planning to stay?* *She still has the wolf.* Out loud, he said, “You left. What did you expect?” “I expected the person I loved for seven years not to call my life garbage.” People had begun gathering beneath the awning. Someone recognized Ryan. Phones appeared. A young woman in a team beanie whispered, “Is that the girl from last night?” Another glanced at Chloe and frowned. “I thought Chloe was his girlfriend.” Chloe attended games in the family section. She appeared at charity events, team dinners, and holiday parties. She had been photographed leaving Ryan’s apartment so many times that the public had already decided what she was to him. I was the secret Ryan claimed he was protecting. Now I looked like the intruder. One fan lifted her phone closer. “Is she some stalker ex?” Ryan heard her. He did not correct her. His thoughts whispered, *Emma is not the other woman.* His arm stayed around Chloe. The rain ran down my face, cold enough to hurt. For seven years, I had taken overnight flights after work, slept in airports, and watched Ryan play from seats I bought myself because he said public attention would destroy my peace. Meanwhile, Chloe had been standing under the arena lights in his jersey, smiling like she belonged there. I looked directly at the phone recording me. “My name is Emma Carter,” I said. “Ryan and I were together for seven years.” Ryan’s head snapped toward me. Chloe went still. “I moved here because he asked me to,” I continued. “I arrived last night and found my best friend living in our bedroom.” The fan’s mouth fell open. Ryan seized my elbow. “Enough.” His grip was tight. *Don’t humiliate me in public.* *Come upstairs. I’ll explain.* I pulled free. “You had seven years to explain.” I bent down once more, searching for my grandmother’s watch. I found the velvet case, but it was empty. Chloe’s gaze slid away too quickly. My chest tightened. “Where is the watch?” “I don’t know,” she said. Ryan’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and swore under his breath. The video was already online. A headline appeared within minutes. **RYAN HAYES CONFRONTED BY ‘SECRET GIRLFRIEND’ OUTSIDE LUXURY CONDO** By the time I left the rain, strangers were debating whether I was lying. Ryan had hidden me so well that the truth sounded like obsession.

I woke in a room I barely recognized. The curtains were white. The bed smelled faintly of Chloe’s perfume. For one disorienting second, I thought I had been taken to a hospital. Then I saw Ryan’s watch on the bedside table and understood. The guest room. Chloe sat beside me with a damp cloth folded in her hands. “You fainted by the dumpsters. Ryan carried you upstairs.” I pushed myself upright. My head throbbed. “Where’s my phone?” “Charging.” “Give it to me.” She did not move. “I already explained everything to the neighbors,” she said. “I told them you aren’t a stalker.” “How generous.” Her eyes filled. “I said you’re an old friend who came to stay with us.” “With you.” She hesitated, then lifted her chin. “Ryan and me.” She said it softly, almost kindly, as if easing me toward an unavoidable truth. Years ago, Chloe had stood beside me in a university office when someone tried to steal my scholarship. She had called the girl a thief and held my hand while I filed a complaint. I had trusted her because she seemed to hate women who took what was not theirs. Apparently, she only hated competition. “I need my degree certificate and employment records,” I said. “I have an interview.” Her expression changed so quickly I almost missed it. “What interview?” “Where are my documents?” “I don’t know. Look around.” The main bedroom door stood open. Ryan’s clothes filled half the closet. Chloe’s Ice Crew uniforms hung beside his suits. On the dresser, her makeup surrounded a framed photograph of them kissing each other’s cheeks after a playoff win. “He sleeps in here?” I asked. “Only when he drinks too much.” I opened the bedside drawer. Three boxes of condoms sat inside. One had been opened. The room went silent around me. Chloe folded her arms. “Emma, don’t make that face. You and Ryan barely saw each other. People have needs.” The words struck harder because she said them without apology. My phone began ringing. The sound came from her pocket. I turned. Chloe took one step back. I crossed the room and pulled it from her hand. The call had ended. On the screen, Daniel Brooks had sent a message twelve minutes earlier. **Your interview begins at nine. Are you coming?** Beneath it was a reply from my account. **I’ve reconsidered. I am voluntarily withdrawing.** For one moment, all I could hear was blood rushing through my ears. “You answered for me.” Chloe shrugged. “You’re emotional. I was protecting you from making a decision you’d regret.” The bedroom door opened. Ryan walked in wearing team sweats, his jaw dark with stubble. He saw my face and stepped between us automatically. “What did you do to her?” I stared at him. Not *What happened?* Not *Emma, are you all right?* His first instinct was still to shield Chloe from me. “She declined my job offer from my phone.” Chloe’s voice trembled. “The executive is a man. He offered her a position, an apartment, and a relocation package. I thought it sounded inappropriate.” Ryan’s expression changed. Jealousy moved through his thoughts like fire. *An apartment?* *What does that man want from her?* He looked at me with contempt he had not earned. “You quit your job to come here, and one night later you’re running to another man for a place to live?” “It is a corporate housing benefit.” “Of course it is.” His thoughts pleaded, *Tell me you only came for me.* His mouth said, “How much are you planning to sell yourself for?” The room went still. Chloe lowered her eyes to hide the satisfaction in them. I looked at the man I had once crossed five time zones to comfort after a loss. The man whose private fear had convinced me that cruelty was only love wearing armor. “I have thirty minutes to get to Northstar,” I said. I turned toward the door. Ryan caught my wrist. “No.” I looked down at his hand. “Let go.” “You’re not going anywhere until we settle this.” Behind him, Chloe said softly, “Ryan, maybe she wants you to be jealous.” His grip tightened. I could hear his heart inside my own head. *Choose me.* *Say you don’t want that job.* *Say I’m enough.* For the first time, I understood that Ryan did not want love. He wanted proof that I would keep abandoning myself for him.

The elevator was out of service. I took the stairs because the interview clock was running and I had nothing left to lose except the future Chloe had tried to erase. Ryan followed me into the stairwell. “Emma, stop.” I kept moving. “Daniel said I have twenty-seven minutes.” “You are not meeting him.” I turned on the landing. “You slept with my best friend.” His face changed. Chloe, two steps behind him, went pale. Ryan’s thoughts erupted. *It happened once.* *It meant nothing.* *I was angry because you missed the playoff game.* He did not say any of it aloud. That was the cruelty of hearing him: I knew exactly how little his excuses were worth. “You brought her into our bedroom,” I said. “You let the entire city believe she was your girlfriend. You watched people call me a stalker, and you said nothing.” “I was protecting you from the media.” “No. You were protecting your single-star image.” Chloe began to cry. “Emma, you’re twisting everything.” I laughed once, without humor. “You answered my phone and tried to destroy my job.” “I was scared that man would take advantage of you.” “You were scared I would leave.” Ryan stepped closer. “You already left.” “I came back.” “For one night.” “I came back for good.” The words landed between us. His hand loosened around my wrist, but he did not let go. *She gave up everything.* *She was really staying.* His face flickered with something almost like regret. Then Chloe whispered, “She is only saying that because she got caught meeting her boss.” Ryan’s expression shut again. That was all it took. One sentence from her could erase every truth from me. I yanked my wrist back. “Move.” He blocked the stairs. “Not until you tell me what Daniel Brooks offered you.” “A job I earned.” “An apartment.” “Company housing.” “And what does he get?” I stared at him. His thoughts begged, *Tell me no one else can have you.* His voice cut me open. “Did you spend seven years pretending to be loyal while waiting for a richer man to make an offer?” Something inside me went quiet. Not broken. Finished. I stepped around him. Ryan grabbed my arm again. Harder this time. “Emma, I said stop.” “You don’t own me.” His fingers tightened instinctively. I pulled. My heel caught the edge of the step. For one suspended second, I saw Ryan’s eyes widen. Then the stairwell turned sideways. My shoulder struck the railing. My ribs hit the concrete landing. The back of my head slammed against the wall. Pain exploded through me so violently that I could not breathe. Ryan froze above me. Chloe screamed. Blood slid warm behind my ear. I tried to move and could not. Ryan came down the stairs too fast, nearly falling himself. He dropped beside me, his hands hovering over my body. “Emma.” His voice was not cold anymore. Inside his head, panic tore through every wall. *Get up.* *Please get up.* *I didn’t mean it.* *I only wanted you to choose me.* I wanted to tell him that love was not supposed to feel like surviving a hostage situation. No sound came out. Somewhere far away, Chloe was calling emergency services. Ryan reached for my face. His fingers shook. *If you don’t love me, I would rather die.* The thought hit me the way it had a hundred times before. Once, it would have made me forgive him. Now I looked at his terrified face and felt nothing but exhaustion. He touched my cheek. And something changed.

Ryan jerked back as though I had burned him. His eyes locked on mine. “What did you say?” My mouth had not moved. I could barely draw air into my lungs. Each breath scraped against my ribs, shallow and useless. Somewhere above us, Chloe was speaking too quickly to emergency services, but Ryan did not seem to hear her. For seven years, his thoughts had belonged to me. Now, for the first time, mine had reached him. *You ruined every place I ever called home.* Ryan flinched. “No.” Chloe crouched behind him. “She didn’t say anything.” He ignored her. *You let her wear my life like one of your jerseys.* His lips parted. “Emma, stop.” I almost laughed. Even now, his first instinct was to command me. He leaned closer, his face stripped of every expression the cameras knew. There was no charming grin, no practiced arrogance, no cool detachment after a loss. Only fear. “You can hear me,” he whispered. “You know what I really feel.” His thoughts flooded me, frantic and bright. *I love you.* *I have always loved you.* *Chloe meant nothing.* That final thought carried its own betrayal. Not innocence. Admission. He had slept with her. He had known it would hurt me. He had done it because he wanted my pain to prove I still belonged to him. Images moved through my mind faster than I could stop them: the apartment code changed to Chloe’s birthday, my boxes collapsing in the rain, my degree beneath a greasy takeout container, the empty velvet case where my grandmother’s watch should have been. Ryan heard every image as if I had spoken it aloud. His face changed with each one. “I can explain.” *You have been explaining for seven years.* He recoiled again. Chloe stared at him. “Ryan, what is going on?” He looked at her then, and whatever she saw made her fall silent. Sirens rose somewhere below the building. I tried to move my hand. Pain flashed from my shoulder to my spine. Ryan reached for me. I thought of all the times those hands had pulled me close after his words pushed me away. All the times I had mistaken tenderness after cruelty for proof that the cruelty had not mattered. *Don’t touch me.* His hand stopped in midair. That was when I knew for certain. He could hear everything. Not the version of me who had kept forgiving him. Not the woman who crossed airports, missed sleep, and swallowed humiliation because a secret voice insisted he loved her. He could hear the woman he had finally created.

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I have severe social anxiety and PTSD. For six years, my childhood best friend, Austin, took care of me. I became so dependent on him that I could barely function on my own. Whenever we went out, I would cling to his arm like a shadow. Our friends always teased us, saying we were closer than actual couples. Even my parents had already decided that I would end up marrying Austin. Until one day, during a routine therapy session, we met a new intern. She claimed my condition wasn’t psychological, but rather that I was simply spoiled by Austin. She said if I wanted to be cured, we had to use extreme shock therapy to force us apart. Austin believed her. He locked me in a pitch-black pantry. By the third time he locked me in, Austin was no longer waiting at the door. In a state of mental breakdown, I dragged myself to my neighbor’s house and knocked on the door. “Ethan…” “I’ll go… with you… to the clinic abroad…” This weekend, Austin took me to my follow-up appointment. My regular therapist was on leave for a week, so his intern was filling in. She was a beautiful, radiant girl. The moment I saw Hailey, I was instantly intimidated. Compared to her sunny glow, I felt like a gloomy, washed-out shadow. So, when I saw Austin freeze, staring at her for a full five seconds, my entire body went cold. A sharp, painful mix of jealousy and insecurity flared up in my chest. Back in sophomore year of high school, because I was too close to Austin, a group of toxic girls targeted me. They locked me in an abandoned basement locker room for a whole weekend. When the teachers and classmates finally found me, I had just managed to tear off the duct tape. I was so dehydrated that I was desperately drinking rusty water leaking from the pipes. Along with pity, I saw nothing but disgust and horror in their eyes. After that, I dropped out of school. The day after I left, Austin rushed back from summer camp. He begged his influential family to pressure the school board and the police. They pressed charges against the bullies and got them all expelled. But I was left with severe social anxiety—specifically, selective mutism and PTSD. To be precise, it was a moderate form of social processing disorder. But I preferred the term “social anxiety” over “disordered.” Because before that weekend, I used to be a normal, happy girl. Once Austin realized what had happened, he was consumed by guilt. “Chloe, if only I hadn’t gone to that summer camp… If I had been there, they would never have hurt you…” He collapsed by my hospital bed, tears streaming down his face. I desperately wanted to comfort him, but the words choked in my throat. I could only squeeze out a few broken syllables. “No… no…” That only made Austin cry harder. Later, he promised he would take care of me forever. And he did. For six years. Even after Austin graduated from college, I still couldn’t study or communicate normally. For those six years, I stayed by his side. When he was home, I was there. When he went out, I waited for him. Whenever he went to parties, he brought me along. Austin kept his word. He truly protected me. Our friends often joked that they had never seen a guy so devoted, urging us to just get married already. Every time, Austin would laugh it off with a smile. “Yeah, definitely. When we get married, you’re all invited!” Austin would drain his glass, his cheeks slightly flushed, looking at me with absolute tenderness. I would keep my head down, my heart hammering like crazy, a small smile playing on my lips. We were childhood sweethearts. Our families adored each other. It felt like destiny. We were meant to be. Even I believed I would eventually marry him. On countless nights, I would lie awake practicing how to say “I do” loudly, clearly, and perfectly, just in case he asked.

But today, even after writing down my prescription, Austin couldn’t take his eyes off Hailey. Hailey kept a professional, sweet smile on her face. “Chloe, how is your speech progression doing?” It took me three seconds to process her question. I swallowed hard and forced the words out. “Can… speak… a bit. Can… communicate.” For some reason, speaking in front of Hailey felt exceptionally draining. Hailey nodded, then turned her gaze to Austin. “I need to speak with the… family member? Alone for a moment.” Austin’s breath hitched, and he quickly clarified, “Oh, I’m just Chloe’s friend. Not family.” I froze. Austin seemed to realize what he had said and stiffened. He looked at me quickly, as if suddenly snapping back to reality. “Chloe… I didn’t mean it like that. Why don’t you wait outside for a bit? I’ll just talk to Hailey.” My lips parted, but nothing came out. I silently stood up and walked out. Maybe it was just my anxiety, but a cold dread began to pool in my stomach. When I shut the clinic door, I left a tiny crack open. “I looked over Chloe’s chart. This has been going on for years, right? As her friend, it must be incredibly exhausting for you,” Hailey said, her voice soft and coaxing. Austin was silent for a moment. “It can be tough. But Chloe is doing her best to get better.” “I know. My advisor told me about her case.” Hailey scribbled something on her notepad. “I just finished my residency abroad, and honestly, there’s a highly effective way to cure this.” “Her condition isn’t physical, so medication won’t work. You need to use extreme immersion therapy to shock her system. It’s a popular method in Europe. Once it works, Chloe will snap back to her old self.” Austin sounded confused. “What do you mean?” Standing outside, my mind went numb. Only a few words filtered through the crack. Hailey was saying that I was too dependent on Austin. To put it bluntly, she claimed Austin was spoiling me. Because he catered to my every need and never left my side, I had built a comfortable cage for myself. She claimed I was staying silent on purpose because I didn’t want to leave my comfort zone. She thought I was faking it. I waited for Austin to defend me. He knew me better than anyone. We spent every single day together. How could he possibly think I was faking? But he remained silent for a long time. Until finally, I heard Austin agree to Hailey’s extreme shock therapy. A seventy percent success rate. It was simple: lock me in a dark room, simulate the environment of my original trauma, and force me to find my own way out. On the drive home, Austin didn’t say a word. He didn’t ask how I was feeling like he usually did. Instead, he asked, “Chloe, do you want to get better?” “Once you’re cured, you can go back to school, make friends, and live your own life.” Listening to his voice, my mind began to drift, unable to grasp the weight of his words. I didn’t answer, and Austin didn’t press. Over the next few days, he stopped giving me my anxiety medication. No, it wasn’t his idea. It was Hailey’s. I panicked. Without the medication to stabilize my nervous system, my chest felt like it was constantly being crushed.

For the first time, I actively begged him for help. “Au… Austin… My… my pills…” Austin’s eyes lit up instantly. “Chloe! You’re expressing your needs! Hailey was right!” Ignoring my pale, trembling face, Austin excitedly grabbed his phone and called Hailey. He was eager to report my progress and ask what to do next. I collapsed onto the living room floor, struggling to breathe. I lay there, listening to Austin talk to Hailey on the balcony for two hours. At first, they talked about my symptoms. But soon, the conversation drifted. He asked her what she had for dinner, what her weekend plans were, and what hobbies she liked. Then came the invitation to dinner as a “thank you.” Hearing his lighthearted laughter, a single tear slipped down my face. My mind went numb, and the panic slowly subsided into cold exhaustion. I managed to drag myself off the floor and went to my room. The next day, Austin told me he was taking me back to my parents’ house. When we arrived, I saw that the old storage room in the basement had been completely cleared out. My parents weren’t home; they were away on a business trip for a week. They trusted Austin completely. Nobody ever imagined Austin would do anything to hurt me. But now, he was grabbing my wrists, dragging me toward the windowless, dark storage room. “No… no!” “Austin! Please!” I sobbed, tears blurring my vision as raw terror gripped my soul. I hadn’t been this terrified in years. A flash of hesitation crossed Austin’s face. He looked like he was realizing how cruel this was. Just as he hesitated, his phone rang. It was Hailey. “Austin, remember, this is for Chloe’s own good.” “You don’t want her to be a burden on you forever, do you? You have to let her go so she can be normal.” Her voice drifted through the speaker. I gasped for air, looking at Austin imploringly. “Don’t… don’t listen to her! I’m… I’m scared…” Austin bit his lip, torn. Hailey’s voice came through again. “Austin, hurry up. Our dinner reservation is in half an hour.” The next second, Austin let out a heavy sigh. He pushed me forward. I stumbled and fell onto the hard floor. The heavy door slammed shut. The room went pitch black. The darkness swallowed me whole, amplifying the sound of my ragged breathing and heartbeat. My ears buzzed, and my head spun. I crawled on my hands and knees toward the door. It was locked from the outside. I banged on the door, sobbing and screaming in broken fragments. “Don’t… don’t go… I’m scared… so scared…” Austin’s footsteps paused outside. “Chloe, just one hour. I’ll be back in an hour. Don’t worry, I’m right here.” And then, his footsteps faded away. *I’m right here.* Over the past six years, Austin had said those words to soothe my anxiety a thousand times. And every time, he had stayed. But not this time. He left. I screamed until my throat was raw. My body heat plunged. There was no clock, so I could only wait in the suffocating dark. When Austin finally opened the door, two hours had passed. He rushed in and found me huddled in the corner, staring blankly into space. Behind him, Hailey stood with her arms crossed, her chin tilted up. There was nothing but annoyance in her eyes. I was in terrible shape, and a panicked Austin tried to pull me into his arms.

“Okay, it’s over. Don’t cry, I’m here.” A wave of nausea hit me. For the first time in my life, I pushed him away. I stood up and bolted for the bathroom, throwing up. Austin tried to follow me, but Hailey blocked him. “Austin, look! The therapy is working. Did you see that? It’s the first time she didn’t cling to you after a panic attack.” Austin froze. She was right. Despite the intense trigger, I hadn’t curled up in his arms and cried. Instead, I had walked away on my own. This realization brought Austin a mix of relief and a strange, unreadable frustration. When I came out of the bathroom, Hailey was gone. Looking at Austin’s concerned face, I couldn’t bring myself to say a single word. All I felt was a cold, unfamiliar revulsion. Austin didn’t take me back to his apartment. He told me to stay at my parents’ house. He said there were three sessions in total. If I could just endure two more, I would finally be free. I wanted to scream. I wanted to fight. Tears spilled over my cheeks. “Why… why do you… believe her…?” Austin was stunned. Realizing I was talking about Hailey, a soft smile crept onto his face. “Hailey is brilliant, Chloe. Her therapy is actually working, can’t you see? Today, you actually managed to… and she’s just…” He rambled on and on. Admiration, affection, respect, trust. In that moment, I understood everything. The next day, before locking me in the storage room again, Austin said gently, “Don’t worry. I promise I’ll be right here when you go in, and I’ll be right here when you come out. So don’t be scared.” My ears buzzed. The thin, musty air in the room made it hard to breathe. This time, I waited for three hours. Austin and Hailey had gone to an amusement park. When they opened the door, they were wearing matching couple’s wristbands. Noticing my eyes darting to his wrist, Austin awkwardly slipped the band off. “Chloe, just one more time. The last one.” I had gone completely numb. Was this really making me better? But ever since he stopped my medication and started locking me up, I had lost all color in my face. I was terrified of bright lights. I couldn’t sleep, and my hair was falling out in clumps. My chest felt like it was constantly filled with lead. But Austin didn’t notice. He didn’t notice any of it. Because every single night, he was on the phone with Hailey. He had stopped looking at me altogether. On the third session, he gave me the exact same promise: he would be right back. But he wasn’t. This time, I waited for five hours. I massaged my numb legs. Then, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the spare key I had hidden there beforehand. I unlocked the door. The sudden light blinded me for a second. The house was empty. Austin had taken my phone with him. I dragged my feet slowly across the floor. Every step required a massive intake of air. Finally, I stood in front of my neighbor’s door and knocked. A tall figure opened the door almost immediately. He looked shocked. “Chloe? What are you doing here? Oh my god, what happened to you? You look so pale!” I was stunned. Even in my current state, Ethan recognized me instantly. I swallowed hard, grabbed his forearm with trembling fingers, and whispered, “Ethan… help me… buy a ticket…” “I want… to go… abroad… for treatment… with you.” Once the words left my mouth, I felt a weight lift from my chest. I thought of Austin’s face. And I knew. Once I left, I was never coming back.

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Ethan once gave me a voice recorder. It was my personal “apology recorder.” Because my sister, Lily, was in poor health and extremely sensitive, Ethan set a strict rule: Whenever Lily felt wronged, I had to record an apology to her. “Lily has a fever. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have opened the living room window.” “Lily didn’t make the cheerleading captain. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have performed better than her during the tryouts.” He always lectured me in his most helpless, sighing voice: “Chloe, Lily only has us. What’s wrong with just swallowing your pride and making her feel better?” Today, Ethan walked up to me with the recorder, his face cold. “Lily lost her art gallery ticket because of you. She’s crying so hard she can’t even eat. You know the drill. Record your apology.” I looked at him, not bothering to explain that Lily had actually thrown the ticket into the washing machine herself. I pressed the record button, but the screen flashed: “Storage Full.” Ethan frowned, casually scrolling down and deleting the largest audio file on the list. “Hurry up. Lily is waiting to hear it.” I froze, feeling the blood drain from my face in an instant. Nearby, Mom was carefully peeling an apple for Lily. “It’s just an old song you recorded, isn’t it? Why are you pulling that face? Who are you trying to guilt-trip?” They had no idea. That deleted file wasn’t some useless song. It was the final voicemail my grandmother had left me six years ago, holding onto her very last breath on her deathbed. It was my only solace left in this world. “Fine,” I whispered. I walked over, took the recorder, and pressed the button. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have ever appeared in your lives. Don’t worry. I won’t anymore.”

Ethan’s frown deepened after listening to the recording. He didn’t hand the recorder to Lily. Instead, he paused it right in front of me. “Chloe, what kind of tantrum is this now?” His voice carried that familiar, exhausting sigh. “Lily is just upset about the ticket. Just say you’re sorry, and we can move past this.” “What do you mean by ‘won’t appear anymore’? Do you really have to say things like that just to stab her in the heart?” He said it so righteously. In his mind, I was always the one making a scene out of nothing. I looked at his handsome face. I had looked at this face for over ten years. In the past, if he so much as frowned, I would immediately analyze what I had done wrong. But now, I just felt incredibly tired. “Then I won’t record it,” I said flatly. I didn’t frantically explain where the ticket went like I used to. “Just tell her I apologized.” Ethan blinked, momentarily stunned. His mouth opened as if to say something, but in the end, he just let out another sigh. “Whatever. You’re in a bad mood today. I won’t play this for Lily.” “Go to your room and think about what you did.”

He turned and walked into Lily’s room to comfort her. I stood in the hallway, watching Mom carry a bowl of freshly simmered organic bone broth. She brushed past me without a glance, walking straight into that room. “Lily, sweetie, drink this while it’s hot. You cried so much your throat is hoarse. It breaks my heart…” Mom’s tender voice drifted through the crack of the door. That was a warmth exclusive to Lily. At the dinner table, the silence was suffocating. Mom had made a feast. Ethan sat next to Lily, peeling shrimp for her. Lily’s eyes were still red. She stole a timid glance at me and whispered, “Chloe, please don’t be mad at Ethan.” “About the ticket… I don’t blame you anymore. Don’t fight with him over a stupid deleted file.” “We’re not fighting,” I said, chewing on a dry piece of whole wheat bread. My voice was dry. “And I’m not mad.” Ethan’s hand paused on the shrimp. Usually, at times like this, I would desperately defend myself. I would ask them with tears in my eyes why they never believed me, or even throw my forks in anger because of their blatant favoritism. But today, I was too quiet. So quiet that even Mom, who always ignored me, couldn’t help but look at me a few times. “If you’re not mad, eat more,” Mom said, dropping a dry, bony scrap of grilled salmon onto my plate. “Honestly, you’re an adult now. It was just a file. If it’s deleted, it’s deleted. Lily is sick, you should learn to yield to her.” “Okay.” I didn’t throw the bony scrap away. I chewed it and swallowed it, bones and all. After dinner, I went to my room and started packing. I pulled out an old cardboard box. I only put my ID, my legal documents, and an old, faded handkerchief Grandma had left me inside. Around ten, there was a knock on my door. Ethan walked in carrying a glass of warm milk. “Still mad about this afternoon?” He pulled out a chair and sat down, his voice softening. “I asked your mom. She said that deleted file was just an old song.” “Chloe, I know you’re sentimental, but the storage was full.” “Tell you what. Tell me the name of the song, and I’ll buy you a rare vinyl record of it tomorrow, okay?” “Ethan,” I said, looking into his eyes. “You can’t buy it.” “That voice doesn’t exist in this world anymore.” Ethan’s brow furrowed. He reached out to ruffle my hair, but I tilted my head and dodged his touch. “You’re always so stubborn. It’s just a song. Stop acting like the sky is falling.” He stood up, his tone slipping back into impatience. “Drink the milk. Lily has a hospital check-up tomorrow. Go to sleep early and stop causing drama.” The door shut. The room fell back into a dead, icy silence. I didn’t touch the milk. I closed my eyes, desperately trying to replay Grandma’s voice in my head. “Chloe, my sweet girl, you have to be strong…” But no matter how hard I tried, the voice in my memory felt like ink dissolving in water—blurry, distant, and fading away. I realized with terror that I was truly losing the sound of her voice. Tears finally fell without warning, soaking the pillow.

The next morning, I was woken up by the noise in the living room. I pushed the door open. Mom was busy packing a bag for Lily’s hospital visit. She looked up at me, not stopping her hands. “Chloe, you’re up. There’s leftover rice in the pot, heat it up yourself.” “I only made fresh oatmeal for Lily. She has to get blood drawn today, and her stomach is weak. She needs something fresh.” The fish bone I swallowed last night felt like it was still scraping my throat, leaving a dull ache. “Okay,” I nodded. Just then, the front door opened. Ethan walked straight to the couch. He pulled a glossy VIP card from his coat pocket and slid it in front of Lily, who had just walked out of her room. “Lily, look what I got.” Lily gasped, covering her mouth in shock. “VIP tickets to the art gallery! Ethan, how did you get these? Didn’t they say they were completely sold out yesterday?” “I called a few connections and bought them from a reseller overnight,” Ethan said, the exhaustion on his face melting away at her smile. “As long as it makes you happy, I’ll get you anything.” He gently rubbed Lily’s head. Then, he turned to look at me standing by the kitchen door. The warmth on his face cooled down. “Chloe, I replaced the ticket.” Ethan stared at me. “Lily is happy now, and she doesn’t blame you anymore.” “You don’t need to record an apology today.” My fingers tightened around my glass of water. Yesterday, because the storage was full, he deleted my grandmother’s last words without a second thought. He frowned at me, calling me stubborn over an “old song.” But today, for a ticket Lily had carelessly ruined herself, he stayed up all night and pulled every favor he had just to make her smile. “Why aren’t you saying anything?” Ethan’s frown returned at my silence. “The ticket issue is resolved. Are you still throwing a tantrum at Lily?” I looked at this face I had known for a decade. Suddenly, he felt like a total stranger. In the past, I would have cried and demanded to know why he never trusted me. Why he could erase what I cherished so easily. “No,” I curled my lips, my voice sounding incredibly dry. “It’s great. Thank you.” Ethan froze. He obviously hadn’t expected this reaction from me. He opened his mouth to speak, but Mom cut him off. “Alright, Ethan, ignore her. She’s been passive-aggressive like this since she was a kid.” Mom grabbed the bag and lovingly helped Lily up. “Let’s go. We’re going to miss the specialist’s appointment.” “Chloe, wash Lily’s dirty sheets while we’re gone.” The door slammed shut. The lively atmosphere left with them, leaving the house in a graveyard silence. I went back to my room, pulled out the cardboard box from under the bed. Inside were my documents and Grandma’s faded handkerchief. I turned around and swept everything on my desk—things I once treated like treasures—into a heavy-duty trash bag. The crystal music box Ethan gave me for my eighteenth birthday. The ill-fitting dresses Mom bought me whenever she was in a rare good mood. And the only “family photo” of the four of us. All of it. Gone. My phone buzzed on the desk. It was a Snapchat message from Ethan. “The check-up is done. Lily wants the strawberry tarts from the downtown bakery.” “Go line up and buy two boxes now. Your mom wants some too. We’ll be home in two hours, just in time.” The downtown bakery was fifteen miles away. And it was pouring rain outside. They always did this. Ordering me around as if it were my sole purpose in life, never caring if I was cold, tired, or willing. I stared at the screen for a long time. Then, I slowly typed back: “Okay.” After sending it, I locked my phone and tossed it onto the bare mattress.

At 3 PM, the front door unlocked. Lily’s giggling, sweet voice echoed through the foyer. “Ethan, the doctor today was so nice!” The door opened. I sat quietly in my dark room, watching the three of them walk in. Ethan hung up his coat, his eyes scanning the coffee table. The smile on his face vanished, his brow furrowing instantly. “Chloe, where are the strawberry tarts?” I stepped out of the shadows. “I didn’t buy them.” Ethan froze. A wave of annoyance flashed in his eyes. “How long are you going to keep acting like this?” he lowered his voice, clearly trying not to startle Lily. “If you didn’t want to go because of the rain, you could have just said so. Why agree to it and then purposely not go? Just to spite Lily? Just to make us miserable?” Mom turned around, holding Lily’s wet umbrella. “What is wrong with you now?!” Mom’s voice shrieked. “Lily had three tubes of blood drawn today! She was dizzy and nauseous, and she just wanted something sweet! You couldn’t even run a simple errand for her?” “How did I raise such a cold-blooded monster?!” I looked at Mom’s furious face. “It was pouring,” I said softly. “And I have a fever. I’m dizzy.” It was the truth. I had gotten soaked in the rain the day before, and I had been shivering all day, cold to the bone. But nobody cared. Mom scoffed. “A fever? Lily takes medication every single day and she’s never as dramatic as you. If you didn’t want to go, just say so. Don’t fake an illness.” Ethan sighed, completely ignoring my “excuse.” Instead, he pulled a flash drive from his pocket and set it on the coffee table. “It’s fine, Eleanor. Don’t get worked up.” He turned to me. “Chloe, I shouldn’t have deleted your file yesterday. I wasn’t thinking.” “So today, I asked a tech friend to find that old song. It’s a high-res version, all saved on this flash drive.” He paused, his voice calm and confident. “Now, I’ve returned your file. Go apologize to Lily, promise you won’t give her attitude anymore, and we can put yesterday behind us.” I stood there, looking at the flash drive. They would never understand. That crackling audio of Grandma saying, “Chloe, my sweet girl, you have to be strong,” was the only match I had to keep me warm in this freezing house. Now, he had snapped that match in half. “No need,” I looked away. Mom followed my gaze and spotted the trash bag by my desk, with the corner of the crystal music box sticking out. She also saw the old dress she had thrown at me years ago. Mom’s face turned green. She rushed over and ripped the bag open. “Chloe Vance! Do you think you’re clever?!” She shook with rage, pointing at the discarded items on the floor. “These are perfectly fine! Why are you throwing them away?!” “Who are you trying to threaten? Who is this dramatic performance for?!” “I’m not threatening anyone,” I said as I walked back into my room and grabbed my single canvas bag. “I just realized I don’t need any of these things anymore.” Ethan stared at my thin canvas bag, his brows knitting into a tight knot. His patience had finally run out. “Are you playing the ‘running away’ card again?” “Chloe, you’re twenty years old. Can you grow up?” “Over a song, over some strawberry tarts, how much drama do you have to bring into this house?!” Lily shrank behind Ethan, her eyes turning red on cue. She gently tugged his sleeve. “Ethan, don’t yell at Chloe. It’s my fault. I don’t need the tarts…” “You did nothing wrong, Lily. Stop taking the blame for everything,” Ethan patted her hand reassuringly. “Chloe Vance, if you want to leave, go ahead. But let me make this clear: if you walk out that door today, don’t expect me to come begging for you to come back like before. Think carefully.” Mom sneered beside him. “Let her rot! I want to see how she survives a single day without this family!” “Don’t you dare come back crying to me!” In the past, if Ethan said those words, I would have dropped my bag in panic, crying and begging for forgiveness. But today, looking at the three of them standing united against me, I felt a lightness I had never experienced before. “Okay,” I said. I walked past them and wrapped my hand around the cold doorknob. I didn’t look back. Grandma, Chloe doesn’t have a home anymore. But don’t worry. I’ll listen to you. From now on, I’ll live well, just for myself. After I left, Lily looked at the silver flash drive on the coffee table and picked it up. “Ethan, Chloe is so stubborn. She didn’t even want the song you worked so hard to find.” She played with the drive, then plugged it into the laptop connected to the living room speakers. Ethan leaned back on the couch, rubbing his temples. “I thought it was some rare track. To make it up to her, I asked the tech department at my firm to recover the exact deleted file overnight.” “I gave it back to her exactly as it was. What more does she want?” Mom grunted. “She’s just spoiled. Does she really think she can survive out there?” “Leave her be. She’ll be crying at our doorstep before the night ends.” Lily giggled and clicked the play button on the audio file. However, what came out of the speakers wasn’t music. There was no melody. No singing. Only a raspy, weak, elderly voice. “Chloe… my sweet girl, don’t cry…” “Grandma can’t protect you anymore. You have to be strong…” “From now on, you’re on your own… you must live well…” The glass in Ethan’s hand slipped, shattering loudly on the floor. The laundry in Mom’s hands dropped. She collapsed onto the couch, her lips trembling violently. “That… that’s my mother’s voice… How is that her last words?!”

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After the company holiday party ended, I found my wife, Chloe, completely naked in a locked VIP suite. Her body was covered in dark, chilling red marks. I tried to ask her who did this to her, but she did nothing but sob convulsively, her lips sealed tight. After I brought her home, she bolted straight into the bathroom, frantically scrubbing her skin until it was raw and bleeding. I took her to the police station to file a report, but because she had washed herself so thoroughly, the forensic team couldn’t extract any DNA. The case was dismissed for lack of evidence. Furious and devastated, I stormed into her office the next day and smashed every single male colleague’s desk with a sledgehammer. Following that night, Chloe developed severe psychological trauma and claimed she couldn’t bear the touch of any man. After three months of sleeping in separate bedrooms, I finally couldn’t take the cold war anymore. I drove her back to her parents’ house and handed her the divorce papers. She lost her mind. “Ethan! I am the victim here! None of this was my fault! How dare you divorce me?!” I sneered and tossed the agreement onto her lap. “I don’t care. We are divorcing.” I didn’t know who had assaulted her that night. But that morning, I discovered that every single man in her office had been transferring money to her private bank account.

Chloe pointed a trembling, accusatory finger at my face. “Ethan! You are not a real man!” “You could have just told me from the start if you couldn’t handle this. Your hypocritical, supportive act over the last few months makes me sick to my stomach!” I let out a cold laugh, staring at her with icy eyes. “I’ve already signed the divorce papers. All that’s left is your signature.” “Stop wasting my time. No matter what you say, this marriage is over today.” Chloe, who had been crying hysterically and calling me a heartless bastard, froze. She clearly hadn’t expected me to be this unyielding. A flicker of sheer disbelief flashed across her eyes. At that moment, my father-in-law, Arthur, stepped forward and let out a heavy sigh. “Ethan, I know this whole thing is a massive blow to your pride. But we are all victims here!” “Life has to go on. You’ve made your anger clear today, and I’ve allowed you to vent. Now, put this ridiculous drama behind you and let’s go home.” My mother-in-law, Eleanor, grabbed Chloe’s hand, her eyes red from crying. “My poor, sweet girl! She barely wanted to live after that night, and the only reason she pushed through was because she didn’t want to abandon you! I never expected you to treat her like trash the moment she returned!” “Ethan, if you dare divorce Chloe because of this tragedy, I will drive over to your parents’ house tomorrow and ask them face-to-face how they raised such a spineless son!” Seeing Arthur and Eleanor playing good cop, bad cop to guilt-trip me, Chloe immediately put on a submissive, understanding act and grabbed my hand. “Ethan, it was my fault. I wasn’t careful enough that night. I let my guard down.” “I know it’s incredibly hard for any husband to accept this. But please, look at this as a test of our true love.” Hearing Chloe soften her tone, Arthur immediately turned his critical gaze back to me. “Ethan, a real man doesn’t run away when things get tough. We don’t blame the victim in this family. You shouldn’t be using Chloe’s trauma as a weapon to stab her in the heart!” “If you had accompanied her to the party that night, none of this would have happened in the first place! Just because I haven’t blamed you doesn’t mean I’m not angry about your absence!” “Enough. Just like Chloe said, this is a test of your character. Don’t make me regret letting you marry my daughter.” “And Chloe, you need to look forward too. Ethan is your husband. Sleeping in separate rooms for this long is not healthy for a marriage.” Believing the crisis had been successfully resolved, Chloe leaned her fragile body toward me, attempting to rest her head on my shoulder. “Ethan, I know I’ve ignored your needs lately. I’m so sorry.” “Tonight… how about we try sleeping in the same bedroom again? Just to see how it goes?” She looked up at me with wide, pleading eyes, as if she were making the ultimate sacrifice for my sake. As if I was the immature one. As if I was the one lacking a man’s courage and broad mind. I sneered and pushed her face away from my shoulder. Ignoring Arthur and Eleanor’s rapidly darkening expressions, I spoke clearly: “Chloe, I don’t care what kind of show you put on. My decision stands.” “No one is changing my mind. We are getting a divorce.”

Seeing my absolute resolve, Chloe froze in place, completely lost. Arthur and Eleanor, seeing that their manipulation was no longer working, turned purple with rage. “Ethan! I must have been blind to let my daughter marry a selfish prick like you!” “No decent man would do what you’re doing today!” I let out a soft chuckle and swatted Arthur’s finger away from my nose. “You’re right, I’m not that generous. Am I wrong for refusing to keep a woman who humiliated me?” “If you’re so open-minded, Arthur, maybe you should let Eleanor go out and get herself some action too.” Hearing my words, Eleanor immediately exploded into a screaming fit. “You little bastard! What did you just say?!” “How can you blame Chloe for what happened to her? You’re just a small-minded, insecure loser!” I completely tuned out Eleanor’s screeching, keeping my eyes locked onto my tear-stained wife. On the night of the company holiday party, I had searched through dozens of private suites before I finally found Chloe, completely naked. Heartbroken and shocked, I had instantly wrapped my coat around her shivering body. I wanted to take her to the hospital for a rape kit. I wanted to gather evidence. But she had fought me like a feral animal, clawing and biting my arms. Out of desperation, I had no choice but to take her home first to calm her down. Later, she told me she was too drunk to remember how many men had been in that room. Hearing that, I had smashed a glass table in pure rage. I eventually forced her to the hospital and the police station. But because she had practically bleached her skin in the shower, all the critical evidence had already washed down the drain. In the end, with no physical evidence and no suspects, the police closed the file. But what kind of husband would I be if I didn’t fight for my wife? I grabbed a sledgehammer, stormed into Chloe’s office, and shattered the desk of every male colleague in sight. The company sued me. It cost me over a hundred thousand dollars in legal settlements and damages to keep myself out of jail. Three months had passed, but the lingering doubts kept eating away at my soul. The only people who knew the absolute truth about that night were Chloe and the men in that room! Thinking of this, I let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Chloe, do you really want to drag this out and lose what little dignity you have left?” “Let me ask you this: What actually happened that night?” Hearing my question, Chloe’s hands visibly trembled. I looked down at her, a mocking smile on my face. “You claim you can’t stand the touch of any man, yet you still go to work and interact with the men in your office every single day. Don’t you find that hilarious?” “Is your ‘severe trauma’ only triggered when you’re around me?” Realizing that this suspicion was the root cause of my divorce demand, Chloe let out a subtle sigh of relief. She quickly squeezed my hand, tears pooling in her eyes like a professional actress. “Ethan, I didn’t realize you were harboring such a horrible misunderstanding.” “You lost your temper and destroyed the office property. I only went back to work and put on a brave face because of you! I begged them, on account of us being colleagues, not to press criminal charges against you.” “If my sacrifice made you doubt me, then I apologize.” I violently shook her hand off. “Save your pathetic excuses. You and I both know exactly what you did!” Seeing how “unreasonable” and “ungrateful” I was toward my wife, Arthur and Eleanor clutched their chests in dramatic agony. “Ethan! You are sicker than the monsters who hurt her! Are you trying to drive Chloe to suicide?” “My poor daughter! Why did she have to end up with such a spineless coward!” Arthur, his eyes welled with angry tears, grabbed Eleanor’s hand. “Chloe! We are leaving!” “This ungrateful, heartless piece of trash doesn’t deserve your love!” “Come with us! If he wants a divorce, fine!” “Even if he begs on his knees in the future, I will never let him step foot near you again!” Seeing things escalate to this point, Chloe wept bitterly. Yet, she still looked at me with a lingering gaze, shaking her head. “Ethan, we survived such a tragedy together. I don’t believe you don’t love me anymore!” “Please, say something! Tell Dad to calm down!” Seeing his daughter still begging for my affection, Arthur let out a heavy, frustrated sigh. “If it weren’t for my daughter’s foolish heart, I wouldn’t let you walk out of this house in one piece today!” Arthur glared at me one last time, then dragged Eleanor out. Without a single word, I turned around, got into my car, and drove away from their neighborhood. I didn’t go home. Instead, I drove straight to the law firm of my best friend and attorney, Ryan. The moment I walked through the door, Ryan handed me a thick manila folder. I flipped through the documents inside. With a heavy heart, I looked at him. “Chloe is refusing to sign. When we go to court, I’m going to need you to present all of this.”

After finalizing the legal strategy, Ryan and I went out and drank until the following afternoon. But the moment I unlocked my front door and stepped inside, I was stunned by the sight before me. The living room floor was covered in red rose petals. On the coffee table sat two wine glasses and a platter of my favorite fresh oysters and sashimi. Chloe was lounging on the sofa, wearing a revealing black lace nightgown. The moment she saw me, her eyes lit up. “Ethan! You’re finally back! I’ve been waiting for you for so long.” Seeing me stand frozen at the door, she stood up, swaying her hips as she walked toward me. Her soft, slender arms wrapped around my neck. “Ethan, I have a gift for you tonight.” “I was so consumed by my own pain these past few months that I ignored you. It was my fault.” “Let’s just pretend that horrible night never happened. Let’s go back to how we used to be, okay?” She clung to me like a vine, gently blowing warm air against my ear, finding my exact sensitive spots. As a grown man, I knew exactly what this invitation meant. But ever since the holiday party, let alone intimacy, even the sound of my voice would cause Chloe to scream and have a panic attack. So, she actually believed I wanted a divorce just because we hadn’t had sex in three months. I let out a cold laugh and violently shoved her to the ground. “Enough! Chloe, you make me want to throw up!” “Do you think sleeping with me tonight changes anything? I told you, this divorce is happening!” Stunned, Chloe sat on the floor, a look of profound hurt crossing her face. Before she could utter a word, the living room lights suddenly flashed on. Arthur and Eleanor, who had been hiding in the dark corner of the dining room, stormed out, faces twisted with rage. “Get up, Chloe! We are leaving right now!” “I told you not to come here, but you insisted! Did you come here just to be humiliated by this trash?” Arthur glared at Chloe, who was sobbing on the floor, then turned his fury on me. “Ethan! Be a man and tell us the damn truth!” “I’m a man, I know how men think! You have a mistress, don’t you?!” “You’re using this tragedy as an excuse to force my daughter out so you can bring your whore in! If you aren’t cheating, there is absolutely no logical reason why you would discard your traumatized wife like this!” Hearing Arthur’s accusations, both Chloe and Eleanor stopped crying and stared at me. “No… that can’t be…” “Ethan, tell them. Tell them you don’t have anyone else. I’ll believe you!” After a second of silence, Chloe suddenly let out a bitter, dramatic laugh. “So this was all a setup…” “Ethan, you are so incredibly cruel! Aside from that night—which wasn’t my fault—how have I ever wronged you?!” Watching Chloe put on this masterpiece of a performance, I was literally pushed to laughter. “Chloe, how can a human being be so shameless?” “Who is the one who cheated here? Do you dare swear to God?” “Or better yet, do you dare tell your parents just how filthy you’ve been behind my back?” The moment I finished speaking, Eleanor rushed forward and slapped me hard across the face. “You monster! How dare you slander my daughter!” “She has suffered so much, and you still want to destroy her!” Eleanor flew at me like a feral beast, clawing at my face. I quickly raised my arms to block her blows. Even Chloe was shocked by the violence and scrambled to hold Eleanor back, begging her to stop. I took several steps back, looking at this chaotic, toxic family, and cold-heartedly said: “No matter what you do, my decision will not change. We are divorcing.”

Seeing that I remained completely unfazed by Chloe’s desperate seduction and her mother’s violence, Arthur stood trembling, unable to find his voice for a long moment. He grabbed Eleanor’s arm and dragged her toward the door. “Don’t you ever come back to him! If you do, pretend I’m dead!” I thought the drama was finally over, and all I had to do was wait for the court hearing. But on the morning of the divorce trial, Chloe cornered me outside the courthouse, looking utterly miserable. “Ethan, are you really doing this to me?” “I honestly don’t understand what I did wrong to make you hate me this much!” “The only logical explanation is that you have another woman. Please, just tell me the truth!” She grabbed my arm, begging, but I didn’t even spare her a glance. “Stop trying to paint me as the bad guy. Once we walk through those doors, you’ll get your answer.” “Now let go of me. I have nothing to say to you.” Seeing my cold indifference, Chloe quickly wiped her tears, her expression turning sharp. “Ethan! Once we step inside, there is no turning back! Are you absolutely sure about this?” I ignored her and tried to walk past. Arthur stepped in, blocking my path, his face flushed red as he pointed at my chest. “Let him divorce you!” “I wouldn’t let my daughter spend another day with a heartless coward anyway!” “Chloe, I’ve hired the best divorce lawyer in the state for you today. He wants a divorce? We are going to take him for every penny he’s worth!” I sneered, raising the manila folder in my hand. “Take me for every penny?” “Your daughter did something so repulsive, you should be worrying about what you’re going to pay me!” Seeing that I was still pushing for divorce and threatening Chloe, Eleanor charged at me, trying to rip the documents from my hands. “You’re trying to destroy my daughter using her trauma! She is the victim!” “Ethan, let me make this clear! Today, either you walk out of this court with absolutely nothing, or you get down on your knees and beg my daughter for forgiveness!” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. So she knew that a cheating spouse could be stripped of marital assets. Good. That made things easier. “You shameless bastard,” Eleanor yelled, turning to the growing crowd of bystanders. “I bet you set up my daughter’s assault yourself! Just so you could get rid of her for your little mistress!” “Today, I will get justice for my daughter!” Their loud shouting at the entrance of the courthouse quickly drew a large crowd of onlookers. People who didn’t know the truth began whispering and pointing at me. I had no intention of making a fool of myself in public. I turned to the onlookers and said calmly, “If you’re so interested, feel free to sit in the gallery and watch.” Then, I walked into the courtroom. The crowd, fueled by Eleanor’s dramatic narrative, followed us inside, glaring at me as if I were the lowest scum on earth. As I walked toward the plaintiff’s table, Chloe looked at me with red, tearful eyes. “Ethan, we didn’t have to end up like this.” “While we can still fix this, let’s call off the divorce, okay?” “Marriage is hard. We should cherish what we have.” I didn’t even look at her. I sat down and handed the folder to Ryan. The judge entered, and the hearing began. After reviewing Chloe’s initial filings, the judge frowned and looked at me. “Mr. Ethan, if your only ground for divorce is that your wife was a victim of a traumatic assault, this court cannot grant a fault-based divorce in your favor, nor can we strip her of marital assets.” I stood up calmly and raised my hands. “Your Honor, I request you examine my evidence first.”

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My sister, Scarlett, had been glowing ever since her divorce. She was radiating beauty. Despite being in her early thirties, she looked like a twenty-year-old college girl. Even I, in my prime college years, felt completely eclipsed by her. Many times late at night, I would sneak into her room only to find her panting and drenched in sweat. I was utterly baffled. I asked her over and over what her anti-aging secret was. But she refused to tell me. Because of this, I gave her the cold shoulder for an entire week. “We are sisters, Scarlett. Why keep secrets from me?” Eventually, unable to withstand my constant begging, Scarlett finally agreed to take me to her secret spot. But looking at the VIP entrance of the private exotic beast sanctuary, I blinked in confusion. “A sanctuary? Scarlett, what does a zoo have to do with getting pretty?” Scarlett’s face suddenly flushed, her eyes turning dreamy. She seemed to be remembering something, wearing a look of pure ecstasy. “Once you go in, you’ll realize how incredible it is. I promise you, it will make you irresistible. You’ll never want to leave.” 0

I was madly in love with Julian Brooks, the golden boy of our university’s dance department. I had been chasing him for two years, but my feelings remained unrequited. Scarlett, on the other hand, was a divorcée who only seemed to get younger and more radiant by the day, with a never-ending line of suitors. I was incredibly envious. We had the exact same genes, yet we were treated like day and night. To become as popular as Scarlett and finally win Julian over, I kept nagging her to share her beauty secret. But every time I asked, she would stutter and change the subject. Finally, today, I snapped. “I’m your sister, Scarlett! Why are you gatekeeping something this good?” “Do you want me to be the laughingstock of the whole campus?” After I threw a massive tantrum in her bedroom, Scarlett finally relented and agreed to take me. But standing at the VIP entrance of the beast sanctuary, I was completely lost. Without a word, Scarlett grabbed my hand and pulled me inside. When the ticket agent saw Scarlett, his eyes crinkled into a knowing smile, and he greeted her like an old friend. “Back again, Scarlett? Are we riding the wild tiger today?” Hearing the agent’s words, my jaw dropped. A tiger is the king of the jungle. They are fierce predators. What kind of tiger could be so tame that people could ride it? Instantly, curiosity consumed my mind. Scarlett smiled. “Yes. That’s my absolute favorite. It’s incredibly comfortable to ride.” The agent’s gaze swept over Scarlett’s hourglass figure. “I can tell. The transformation is unreal. I’ve already had them bring him out. Go on in.” Scarlett nodded and walked ahead. I went to follow her, but the moment I took a step, the agent reached out and blocked me. “Apologies, miss. You look new. Do you have a VIP membership?” I shook my head. Scarlett walked back. “She’s my sister. I’m bringing her here to experience it today. Just charge ten thousand dollars to my card.” My eyes widened in sheer disbelief. Ten thousand dollars just to see some animals? That was insane! I tugged at Scarlett’s sleeve. “Scarlett, is this a scam? What kind of sanctuary charges ten grand for a ticket?” “Miss, watch your tongue,” the agent interrupted, his voice dropping. “Ask your sister if that ten grand is worth it.” Scarlett’s face flushed red. “My sister is still in college. She’s young. It’s her first time.” I immediately fired back, “It’s not my first time! I’ve seen tigers plenty of times!” My outburst made everyone at the front desk burst into laughter. “Look at that innocent face. Definitely a first-timer. Tell you what, I’ll pick a gentle tiger for her.” Scarlett got the fiercest one, while I was stuck with the gentlest. But since we were already here and the money was spent, I wanted the best! “No! I want the same one as Scarlett!” The agent tried to persuade me, “Sweetheart, since it’s your first time, I don’t think you can handle the fierce one.” It was just looking at a tiger. How could I not handle it? But the way they spoke made me feel like “looking at a tiger” meant something entirely different. My curiosity burned even hotter. Could merely seeing a tiger really make me as breathtakingly beautiful as Scarlett? “Let her be,” Scarlett said. “Hazel has always had good stamina. She’ll be fine. I’m going in first. Please help her choose slowly.” With that, Scarlett walked toward the VIP rooms in the back. A moment later, a deep, wild tiger roar echoed from the hallway. Driven by curiosity, I pressed my ear against the door of the room Scarlett had just entered. The agent chuckled and patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry. The one we choose for you won’t be any worse than your sister’s.” I stood up straight, nodding, my heart pounding with anticipation. But when the agent finally led me into my designated room, the sight inside made my blood run cold. I bolted out, collapsed next to a trash can, and threw up until my stomach was completely empty. 0

The agent rushed out after me, handed me a bottle of water, and patted my back. “If you can’t handle it, you can wait for Scarlett in the lounge. I’ll refund the money to her card.” I clutched my chest, taking a massive gulp of water to wash down the lingering disgust. Just then, Scarlett walked out of her room. She looked even more radiant than before she went in. Her skin was translucent, glowing with a rosy flush. I was completely mesmerized. As Scarlett walked out, she whispered with the agent for a while. He was probably telling her about my pathetic reaction. I braced myself for Scarlett to scold me for wasting her money and dragging her here. But she didn’t say a word on the way back. After dropping me off at my dorm, she simply gave me a cold warning: “Don’t you dare tell anyone about the animals you saw today.” “I… I know.” I got out of the car and practically ran toward my dorm. My heart was still racing. But as I rounded the corner of the hallway, I froze. There, in the shadows, were my best friend, Chloe, and my crush, Julian. They were locked in a passionate, breathless kiss. They were so wrapped up in each other that they didn’t even notice me standing right behind them. Chloe had told me a thousand times that she had no interest in Julian. I was the one who introduced them. I shared all his likes and dislikes with her. I shared everything with her. And this was how she repaid me! Rage flared up inside me. I stormed forward and shoved them apart. They stumbled and fell to the floor. When Chloe looked up and saw me, panic flashed across her face. “Hazel? Why are you back so early?” “Let me explain…” “Explain what? I saw the whole thing!” I screamed, my voice cracking. “Chloe, I treated you like my sister! What did you treat me as? A joke?” Seeing that the cat was out of the bag, Chloe stopped pretending. She got up, brushed off her clothes, and slapped me right across the face. “Fine! Since you saw it, I won’t bother hiding it anymore.” “Julian and I are together!” “So what? He was never your boyfriend anyway. He’s free to be with whoever he wants. Besides, look at your dry skin. You’re not half as pretty as me. Any man with eyes knows who to choose!” I wasn’t angry just because they were together. I was angry because I had given her my pure, honest friendship, and she had played me like a fool. If she had just told me she liked him from the start, I would have stepped back! “Is that really how you see me?” “Obviously. A loser trying to outclass herself. You should look in the mirror before you try to match him.” Her words cut me to the bone. Tears blurred my vision. My best friend had not only betrayed me, but she also looked down on me with utter contempt. It felt like my whole world was crashing down. I blocked Chloe on everything. That night, I tossed and turned in bed, Chloe’s harsh words echoing in my head. I made a vow. I would become more beautiful than her. I would make Julian regret his choice. And then, I thought of Scarlett. The next morning, I took a cab home and begged Scarlett to take me back to the sanctuary. She immediately refused, telling me not to force myself. I broke down and told her everything that had happened at school. “Scarlett, I promise you, I won’t run away this time!” Unable to withstand my tears, Scarlett finally agreed to take me back a week later. The moment we walked in, the agent recognized me. “Well, if it isn’t the girl who threw up last time. Just accompanying your sister today?” I shook my head, my voice firm. “No. I’m going in.” The agent smirked. “Sweetheart, don’t force yourself.” I looked at my reflection in the glass door. My skin was dull and lifeless, lacking the vibrant glow a twenty-something girl should have. Thinking of Chloe’s mocking face, I clenched my fists. “I won’t run away this time.” I had to see what kind of wild beast could make a woman so irresistible and desperate for more. 0

Seeing my absolute determination, the agent smiled and turned to Scarlett. “What got into your little sister?” Scarlett merely smiled and handed over her black card. “Just swipe it.” Once the payment cleared, Scarlett asked, “The delicate one I brought in last time… has he been prepped?” “Let my sister try that one today.” The agent’s smile widened. “Of course, Scarlett. The one you brought in hasn’t been put on the market yet. We were waiting for you.” I was taken aback. Since when did Scarlett have business dealings with an exotic beast sanctuary? Before I could ask, the agent grabbed my hand and led me down the corridor. “Is Scarlett a business partner here?” I couldn’t help but ask. “You’ll have to ask her that yourself, miss.” I felt like Scarlett was harboring a massive web of secrets. But I decided I would get my answers after I got my beauty treatment. Suddenly, the agent stopped in front of a heavy door. “This is the one Scarlett handpicked for you. Go on in.” Standing outside the door, the gruesome memory of my first visit flashed in my mind. My hand hovered over the brass doorknob, trembling. Just then, Scarlett walked up beside me. She assured me that this beast was handpicked for me and that I had nothing to fear. Every woman has to go through this transition sooner or later. It was only a matter of time. I was thoroughly confused. “Really? But back at campus, plenty of girls have never been to a place like this.” Scarlett giggled at my innocence. She leaned in and whispered something in my ear. My face instantly flushed a burning crimson. Now I remembered the muffled, rhythmic groans I had heard outside Scarlett’s room that night. I hadn’t thought much of it then. But now… it all made sense. No wonder Scarlett said every woman goes through this eventually. But I was still a virgin. Was I really going to do this? Scarlett noticed my hesitation. “I told you, if you aren’t truly ready, don’t ask me to bring you here.” “You look perfectly fine the way you are now.” I closed my eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath. “No, Scarlett. I’ve made up my mind.” “I want everyone who hurt me to look at me with envy!” I gripped the doorknob and turned it. As the door cracked open, a low, guttural roar echoed from within. I cast one last look at Scarlett. She offered a reassuring smile. “Don’t be scared, Hazel. I’ll be right out here waiting for you.” I nodded, stepped into the room, and shut the door behind me. My heart was hammering against my ribs. My first visit was just a fleeting glance, but being inside this enclosed space was entirely different. I took deep breaths. To get Scarlett’s flawless skin and jaw-dropping curves, I forced myself to be brave. I took bold steps forward. But as the figure came into view, my instincts screamed at me to run. He was so massive. Could I really handle this? The beast growled the moment he saw me, lunging forward with terrifying speed. I braced for impact, expecting to be brutally pinned to the ground. But he stopped abruptly, exactly three feet away from me. He gently swept his tail against my leg, as if inviting me to step closer. At that moment, the beast didn’t seem so terrifying after all. *As expected of the one Scarlett picked for me,* I thought. Recalling the instructions Scarlett had given me at home, I began to slip off my clothes, preparing to climb onto the beast’s back. 0

Suddenly, the beast’s gaze grew sharp and hostile. The night before we came, Scarlett had told me that no matter how ferocious a beast was, once you mounted it, it would become completely submissive. It would obey your every whim. They knew how to pleasure a woman far better than any human man could. But this beast seemed different from what Scarlett had described. Was I not giving him the right signals? With that thought, I shifted my position. Perhaps he preferred a different angle. Since he was a new arrival, maybe his preferences were unique. But no matter how I adjusted, he remained completely still, shaking his head aggressively at me. I was starting to lose my patience. If he refused to cooperate, how was I supposed to get beautiful? Frustrated, I stood up and kicked the beast’s side in a fit of anger. Yet, he just lay there, refusing to budge. That was when I noticed a whip-like training toy resting in the corner of the room. I recalled Scarlett’s words. She said that if the beast was unresponsive, I could use the props in the room to stimulate it. These beasts were highly trained. The moment they saw certain props, they would go wild and become fiercely active. But she also warned me to use them sparingly, because if they went too wild, I would be the one getting hurt. I picked up the toy. The beast immediately leapt to his feet. I thought he was finally going to cooperate, but before I could mount him, he slumped back down into his passive state. I regretted not choosing an experienced beast. “Listen here! My sister paid ten thousand dollars for this! If you don’t cooperate, don’t blame me for getting rough!” I marched over, knelt in front of him, and smacked his head. “I know you’re newly trained. I won’t hurt you, just play along.” He shook his head again. That was the last straw. I kicked him hard, sending him rolling onto his side. This time, his belly and limbs were fully exposed. I frowned. As I looked closer, my brows furrowed deeper. I reached out and parted the thick, coarse fur on his chest. I gasped, stumbling backward in horror. Why did the skin beneath the beast’s fur look exactly like human flesh? I crept forward again, checking several times. There was no mistake. It was smooth, hairless human skin beneath a grafted coat of fur. A chilling, horrific realization began to bloom in my chest. I pulled him up, forcing him to sit against the wall. No animal could have joints this flexible. No matter how well-trained, their anatomy shouldn’t be human. Trembling, I reached for the fur around his head and neck. I pulled back the heavy mane. And a human face was revealed. The next second, my vision blurred. A cold dread washed over me, my heart stopped, and I nearly fainted on the spot.

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The first time my wealthy boyfriend, Carter, came to meet my mother, Eleanor, he brought a signature orange Hermès gift box. Eleanor’s eyes lit up. She couldn’t stop showering him with praises. But after Carter left, we opened the box. Inside, there was no luxury bag—just a skimpy, three-piece bunny maid outfit. Eleanor’s face flushed with anger. “If you two want to play bedroom games, why on earth did you involve me?!” My face burned bright red. I couldn’t understand why Carter would pull a stunt like this. If he wanted to play dress-up, why didn’t he keep it at his place? Why did he have to show it to my mother? Just as I pulled out my phone to demand an explanation, a text from Carter popped up: “How is it, babe? Does your mom love the limited-edition bag I got her?” Reading his text, the words of anger died in my throat. I lifted the lace outfit and measured it against my body. That was when I realized the bust size was at least a D-cup—way larger than my own. Looking at my furious mother, I took a deep breath. “Eleanor, don’t be mad. This outfit wasn’t meant for me.”

I took a deep breath and stuffed the scandalously skimpy bunny suit back into the box. Eleanor’s face was still bright red, her chest heaving with anger. “Not for you? Then why the hell did he bring this trash into my house? Does he think I’m some senile old fool, or does he just think our family is easy to walk over?” Eleanor is a retired elementary school principal. She had lived a dignified life. She had never faced such an insulting situation. On his very first official visit, my boyfriend had gifted her a sex toy of an outfit. If word got out, our reputation in this quiet suburban town would be completely ruined. It would be total social suicide. “Maybe… maybe he just grabbed the wrong box,” I forced a smile, trying to calm her down. “You know how Carter is. He’s careless. He’s a rich guy with too many friends. Maybe one of his buddies left it in his car.” Even as I said it, my knuckles turned white clutching the edge of the box. Grabbed the wrong box? The Hermès box was wrapped so perfectly. If it wasn’t prepared on purpose, how could he accidentally bring this specific box into our house? My phone screen lit up again. Another text from Carter. “Babe, why aren’t you replying? Is your mom too thrilled to speak to me?” He attached a cute “begging for praise” meme. Looking at that stupid emoji, my stomach churned with disgust. Too thrilled? Eleanor wants to take a broom and beat you out of the neighborhood right now. I grabbed my phone and walked out onto the balcony. “Let me call him. I’ll make him apologize.” I slid the glass door shut, blocking out my mother’s angry sighs. I didn’t text him back. Instead, I called Carter directly. It rang once before he picked up. The background noise was deafening. It sounded like some high-end club, with girls giggling in the background. “Hey, babe!” Carter’s voice sounded smug and distracted. “So, what’s the verdict? That bag is a limited-edition piece I had to pull serious strings to get. Your mom is going to look so classy carrying it…” “Carter,” I interrupted him, my voice freezing cold. “Who was the gift in that box actually meant for?” There was a sudden pause on the other end. The giggling in the background grew faint. He must have walked to a quieter hallway. “What do you mean? It was for your mom, of course!” I stared down at the dry, winter lawn of our neighborhood, a mocking smile on my face. I decided to drop the bomb. “Do you know what was actually inside that Hermès box, Carter? It wasn’t a purse. It was a lace bunny-girl outfit with a crotchless thong. And the top size is a 36D.” Silence. Dead, suffocating silence for a solid five seconds. “Fuck!” Carter cursed loudly. “Oh shit. I grabbed the wrong one! Babe, listen to me! I swear it’s a massive misunderstanding! I went shopping with Mason this afternoon. You know Mason—he’s a total frat boy. He wanted to buy this kinky stuff for his new girlfriend. I bought the bag, he bought the outfit. The two boxes looked exactly the same. Same size, same orange color. I was just so excited to see you that when I got out of the car, I grabbed the wrong box!” Honestly, the logic was perfect. It sounded completely believable. I kept my voice calm, pretending to buy it. “Really? Yeah, Mason has always been a bit wild.” Sensing I was softening, Carter immediately jumped on it. “Exactly! That guy has nothing but dirt in his brain! He made me look like a total creep in front of your mom!” He promised over the phone, “Don’t worry, babe. I’m calling Mason right now to scream at him. Tomorrow morning, I’ll come over to apologize to your mom in person. The real bag is still with Mason. I’ll go get it. To show how sorry I am, I’ll buy another one! Two Hermès bags for your mom to make up for this mess, okay?” Two Hermès bags. What a generous move. If this were before, or if I were any other naive girl, I might have been blinded by his wealth. I might have even thought it was sweet how responsible my boyfriend was when he made a mistake. But right now, the only thing in my mind was that 36D bunny suit. If he really grabbed the wrong box, why was the lingerie packed so beautifully inside a real Hermès box? Even if Mason bought it, what kind of guy puts cheap lingerie into a multi-thousand-dollar luxury purse box to take home? Unless… this was done on purpose. Or, Carter had prepared two gifts from the start. One for his “36D” side chick. And one for his official girlfriend’s mother. And in his rush—or perhaps right after climbing out of that 36D chick’s bed—he got confused and mixed them up.

“Carter,” I said, my voice sweet and playful. “Mason is really living the life, isn’t he? I didn’t know he and his girl were so… adventurous.” “Oh, totally. He’s a wild animal,” Carter chuckled over the phone, trying to play along. “His girlfriend, Scarlett, right?” I casually threw out the bait. “When we had dinner last time, she seemed so quiet and shy. I didn’t expect her to be so… wild behind closed doors.” On the other end of the line, Carter’s breathing hitched for a split second. But he recovered quickly, his tone becoming even more confident. “Ah, babe, you don’t know her. Scarlett is only quiet in public. When she’s alone with Mason… well, you get it. It’s just their little bedroom game. Anyway, babe, I gotta go. I need to find Mason and swap the boxes. Apologize to your mom for me! I’ll see you tomorrow!” He hung up quickly, as if afraid I’d ask more questions. The smile on my face instantly vanished. Men lie. It’s in their DNA. I opened Instagram, my fingers trembling as I scrolled through my chats until I found Scarlett’s profile. Six months ago, Carter, Mason, Scarlett, and I had double-dated. That was the first time Carter introduced me to his wealthy social circle. During dinner, Mason was incredibly attentive to Scarlett, and Scarlett looked at him with pure adoration. I could tell she genuinely loved him. Because she was sweet, I added her on Instagram. I clicked on Scarlett’s profile. I scrolled down to a post from three months ago. The photo was a torn picture of her and Mason, with clothes scattered all over the floor. The caption was sharp and final: “Trash belongs in the trash can. If you can’t keep it in your pants, get the hell out of my life. Three years wasted on a dog. Mason, I hope you rot.” Mason had left a comment below, which was deleted later, but I remembered it clearly: “Whatever. Stop acting like a saint.” Three months ago. They had broken up three months ago. And it was a toxic, ugly breakup. They blocked each other on everything. So, who was the “lingerie for Mason’s girlfriend” really for? A ghost? Or was it just a convenient cover story Carter made up to hide his cheating? More importantly, Carter had agreed without hesitation when I mentioned Scarlett’s name. It was obvious. He was lying. He was using a dead relationship to cover up the real owner of that bunny suit. The image of the 36D outfit flashed in my mind again. 36D. A very specific, very voluptuous body type. So, Carter had a curvy woman hidden in his life. A woman I didn’t know about. “Chloe? What’s going on?” Eleanor pushed open the balcony door, looking at me with worry. “What did Carter say? Was it really a mistake?” Looking at my mother’s silver hair and her anxious eyes, the anger in my chest turned into cold determination. I turned around, hugged her arm, and smiled brightly. “Yes, it was just a stupid mistake. Carter bought it for his buddy Mason. Mason’s girl… well, young couples these days play some weird games. Carter was just stupid enough to let his friend put his stuff in his car.” Eleanor let out a long breath, patting her chest. “I knew it! Carter is a good boy. He wouldn’t do something so disrespectful. You scared me! But that Mason guy is a bad influence. Tell Carter to stay away from him!” “I will,” I nodded obediently, guiding her back to the living room. “Carter said he’s bringing you two new bags tomorrow to make it up to you.” “Oh, he doesn’t need to do that. As long as it was a misunderstanding…” Eleanor smiled, her anger completely gone. I helped my mother get ready for bed. When I returned to the living room, I stared at the orange Hermès box on the coffee table. Inside, the bunny suit was lying quiet. But my heart felt heavy and cold. Carter, if you want to play games, let’s play. But if you think two bags are going to buy your way out of this? In your dreams.

To find out who the other woman was, I spent the night digging through Instagram. I searched through local socialite pages and party tags. A friend of mine who works in PR had told me about these accounts—they were filled with local gold-diggers and trust-fund babies. I typed in the name of the exclusive club Carter frequented, adding the keyword “bunny.” The search loaded. A post from ten minutes ago popped up. The username was “Sweet_Mia.” The photo was a selfie taken in a dimly lit VIP lounge. The girl had a face clearly modified by plastic surgery, with an incredibly prominent chest. In her hand, she was holding an orange Hermès box. The exact box Carter claimed to have “mistaken.” Her caption read: “Dumb hubby meant to give me the roleplay bunny outfit but accidentally gave his ‘old lady’ the bag instead! This color is so grandma, who wants a grocery bag anyway! ” And there was a pinned comment below her post: “But hubby said the outfit was custom-made for my size, and no one else could pull it off~ He promised to get me two limited-edition bags tomorrow to make it up to me! ” I let out a cold laugh. My fingers froze above the screen. 36D. Old lady. Grocery bag. Good. Very good. I zoomed in on the photo, looking at the bag in the girl’s hand. It was a limited-edition gold Birkin. You had to spend six figures at the store just to get on the waiting list for that bag. But in Mia’s mouth, it was just a “grocery bag.” Meanwhile, my mother, who had worked hard her entire life, was so touched by a gift from her future son-in-law that she didn’t know what to do. Yet, she had almost become the laughing stock of this cheating couple’s bedroom roleplay. I took screenshots, saved them, and threw my phone face-down on the table. I didn’t sleep a wink that night. The next morning, the doorbell rang early. Carter stood at the door, sweating, holding two brand-new Hermès shopping bags. Before he even walked in, his voice was filled with deep regret. “Eleanor! Chloe! I am so incredibly sorry!” Eleanor was in the kitchen making breakfast. Hearing his voice, she wiped her hands and came out. Suddenly, with a loud thud, Carter dropped to one knee right in the foyer. Both Eleanor and I were stunned. “Eleanor, it’s all my fault!” Carter held up the shopping bags, looking completely devastated. “Yesterday, my brain was completely fried. I shouldn’t have hung out with Mason. He made me look like an absolute fool in front of you. I am so sorry! I literally begged the store manager to get these two bags overnight. Please accept them! If you don’t forgive me, I won’t get up!” What an Oscar-worthy performance. Eleanor had never seen a rich young man behave like this. Her anger vanished instantly, and she rushed forward to help him up. “Oh, sweetie, what are you doing? Get up!” She looked at the luxury bags with guilt. “You didn’t have to buy such expensive things. It’s too much…” Carter stood up, a humble, pleasing smile on his face. He even found a moment to wink at me secretly. “As long as you’re happy, Eleanor, it’s worth every penny! I already screamed at Mason!” “Good, good,” Eleanor smiled warmly, completely satisfied with his attitude. I stood by the side, watching the show in silence. Carter put the bags on the coffee table, wrapped his arm around my waist, and whispered in a low, suggestive voice: “Are we good now, babe? I told you it was just a misunderstanding. I spent almost all my savings to get these bags. You better reward me tonight…” His hand began to slide down my waist. Suppressing the urge to vomit, I smiled playfully. “Really? Your buddy Mason must be so upset then.” Carter didn’t blink. “Oh, absolutely! Scarlett screamed at him all night. He’s probably crying in a corner right now.” “Oh?” I wiggled out of his grip, walked over to the coffee table, and picked up the bunny outfit that was still sitting there. I shook it in front of him. “Since it’s a misunderstanding, we should return this to its rightful owner.” Carter’s eyes flickered with panic. He reached out to grab it. “Right, right! I’ll take it back to Mason so it doesn’t bother you.” I twisted my wrist, dodging his hand. “No way,” I smiled gently. “This is such a private item. We should return it in person to show how sincere we are.”

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