Category: English

My sister was kidnapped by thugs, and to save her, I lost an arm. But afterward, she stole my RV and emptied my bank account. When I confronted her, she was irritated. “Callie Harlow, don’t guilt-trip me! Losing your arm was your own choice; what does that have to do with me? Besides, you hardly use any of that stuff, so give it to me.” Humiliated and angry, she schemed to push me off a cliff. The next thing I knew, I was back to the day she begged me to save her. From the rooftop, I shouted, “Fiona, what did you say? I can’t hear you!” As soon as I said that, I ran. I sprinted away, not giving the kidnappers or Fiona a chance. What a joke—if I survived death once and still acted like a fool, then my death in the past life would’ve been for nothing. “Callie, help me!” Fiona’s voice tore through the air, desperate and heart-wrenching. She was shouting so loudly that, even though I had already run quite far, I could hear her crystal clear. “Dad’s already gone! Are you really going to let your only sister die?” Fiona cried, her voice thick with sobs. From a distance, her words sounded like the shrieks of a banshee, haunting and relentless. And honestly, that’s exactly how it felt. In my previous life, those same words made me run back without hesitation. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing my sister, my own flesh and blood. But what happened in the end? I lost my right arm to the kidnappers. It was my dominant hand. After losing it, even simple tasks like writing became exhausting. But even though I lost my arm, I didn’t regret it at the time. Back then, the kidnappers had given me a choice: either they cut off one of my arms, or they’d take Fiona’s head. Trading my right arm for Fiona’s life? At the time, I thought it was worth it. I worked hard through physical therapy, joined Mom in managing Harlow Enterprises, and despite the pitiful stares from everyone around me, I slowly rebuilt my life. But after Mom passed away, Fiona didn’t care that I had lost my arm for her. She took my RV and drained my bank account. Crushed, I thought I’d use my savings to buy a new house—only to find that I didn’t have a penny left in my account. I ran back and forth between the bank and the authorities, and finally discovered that Fiona had stolen every last cent that Mom had left me. At thirty, not only was I missing my arm, but I had lost everything I owned. When I confronted Fiona, her face was full of disdain. “Callie Harlow, don’t try to guilt-trip me. Losing your arm was your own choice. It has nothing to do with me.” That was the moment I realized I no longer recognized my sister. Back when Mom was still alive, Fiona was sweet and charming. She would tell anyone who would listen that we were sisters, that because I had sacrificed my arm for her, she’d repay me. She even said she’d stay single forever to take care of me. I was deeply touched. I even told Mom to give Fiona a larger share of the inheritance. After all, I had practically raised her. I didn’t want her to suffer. But in the end, Fiona sweet-talked Mom into leaving all the houses and cars in her name. When I questioned her, she responded like it was the most natural thing in the world: “Besides, you don’t use them much anyway. Just give them to me.” I was so angry, my face flushed red, and I blurted out the whole truth in front of everyone—that I had lost my arm saving Fiona from kidnappers. Everyone was outraged on my behalf, calling her an ungrateful wolf in sheep’s clothing. I thought that maybe, after hearing so many people call her out, Fiona might feel some sense of guilt. But I never imagined that she would lure me to the edge of Overlook Ridge and push me off. And as I fell, the truth behind the kidnapping finally came out. The so-called kidnapping? It was all Fiona’s doing. She wanted the money that Mom had, but since Mom was trying to teach Fiona independence by cutting off her extravagant allowance, Fiona staged the entire kidnapping. My arm? That was just for added realism. After securing a million dollars from Mom, Fiona instructed the kidnappers to chop off my arm to make it look convincing. It wasn’t until I was dying that I realized the sweet little sister I grew up with had turned into a cold-blooded stranger. I raced downstairs. As soon as Mom saw me, she was frantic. “Callie! Fiona’s been kidnapped!” She was crying, and her voice was filled with genuine panic. Fiona was the apple of her eye, raised by Mom’s side, so of course, she couldn’t sit idly by. I gently took her hand and led her to a seat, calmly reassuring her. “Mom, don’t worry. Fiona will be okay.” “How can you say that?” Mom’s voice rose in disbelief. “They’re asking for a million dollars! If we don’t pay, they’ll kill her!” “Callie, I know you and Fiona didn’t grow up together, so maybe you don’t feel that close to her, but you can’t just let her die!” Mom’s voice cracked, on the verge of breaking down. When I was five, Mom and Dad divorced. Fiona, still a baby, stayed with Mom, while I was sent to live with Dad. Even though we lived apart, we weren’t strangers. During school breaks, we’d do homework together, play together. To say we had no bond would be a lie. Even though Mom’s words stung a little, I understood. Right now, Fiona’s life was in danger, and Mom was too panicked to think straight. In my past life, I was just as blinded by fear. “Mom, we’ll save Fiona. But if you sell everything to raise that kind of money, what will you do if this happens again?” Mom hadn’t thought about that—she was so focused on saving Fiona that she couldn’t think about the future. My words snapped her back to reality. Giving in to the kidnappers would only encourage them to come back for more. “Callie, what should I do?” Mom asked, gripping my hands like a lifeline, her eyes full of desperation. In this moment, I had control of everything. Fiona, this time, you’re going to experience exactly what I went through.

“Mom, you’re too emotional to think straight right now. Trust me and go home. I promise, I’ll bring Fiona back safe and sound.” After much reassurance and persuasion, I finally got Mom to leave. The first thing I did was call the police. In my past life, I had listened to Fiona and didn’t call the cops, choosing instead to charge in on my own to save her. But this time, I knew exactly where the fake kidnapping was happening. I led the police straight to the location where Fiona was being held. Sure enough, there she was. When the kidnappers saw the police, they were frozen in shock, and Fiona? She looked just as stunned. “Fiona, I’m here to save you,” I said, making sure to speak before she could even react. “Didn’t I tell you not to call the cops?” Fiona screamed at me, furious. What she wanted was for Mom to bring the million dollars to the drop-off point, or for me to come alone to rescue her. Now, with the police swarming the place, the kidnappers were already under control. There was no chance for anyone to get hurt—not even me. “Don’t worry, Fiona. The officers will take care of these bad guys,” I said, wearing the perfect mask of concern, playing the role of the devoted sister. “You bitch!” one of the kidnappers spat, furious. They had been working with Fiona from the start, and part of the deal was that no one would get the police involved. “Nobody move,” one of the cops ordered sternly. The kidnappers didn’t dare make a sound. They sat quietly, obedient, knowing they had no other choice. The police successfully rescued Fiona, and this time, Mom’s assets were untouched. In my past life, saving Fiona had cost Mom a fortune. The strain on the business was too much, and eventually, Harlow Enterprises went bankrupt. Mom, crushed by guilt for her employees and overwhelmed by the pressure, fell ill. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and passed away within two years. This time, I won’t let that happen again. “Officer, what’s going to happen to them?” Fiona asked a young cop, her face filled with nervousness. The officer, thinking Fiona was traumatized by the kidnapping, reassured her. “Don’t worry, this is a serious case of kidnapping and extortion. They’re going to face severe punishment.” The two kidnappers glared at Fiona with hatred, and Fiona quickly grabbed the officer’s arm, her voice trembling, “Officer, can you give me an idea of how bad it’s going to be?” “From what we know so far, they’re looking at at least ten years in prison,” the officer said, trying to comfort her. Upon hearing the sentence, both Fiona and the kidnappers’ faces darkened. The cop, misunderstanding Fiona’s reaction, added, “While they did extort and threaten your family, since you weren’t physically harmed, they probably won’t get life sentences.” He was still trying to console her, but Fiona wasn’t listening anymore. “Officer, they were just acting impulsively. I wasn’t hurt—can’t their sentence be reduced?” she said, her voice loud enough for the kidnappers to hear. “If you sign a settlement agreement, there’s a chance their sentence could be lessened,” the officer responded, looking confused. It wasn’t often he saw someone advocating for their kidnappers. “Callie, let’s sign a settlement,” Fiona rushed over, grabbing my hand. She was terrified the kidnappers would expose her. All she had wanted was a quick way to get money and show off. She hadn’t expected things to go this far and was now scared that the thugs would hold a grudge against her. These men weren’t the kind you could mess with lightly. They might look unremarkable, but they were ruthless. In my past life, they hadn’t hesitated for a second before chopping off my hand. “Fiona, don’t be scared. I’m here now. We’ll make sure those men are punished,” I said, embracing her as I turned to the police. “Officer, please take them away. My sister is so shaken that she’s not thinking straight. I need to take her to see a psychiatrist.” I lowered my voice, but we were all standing close enough that everyone could hear. Fiona immediately freaked out. “They didn’t scare me! They treated me well! I want to sign the settlement. They must’ve been desperate. They wouldn’t have done it otherwise.” Her frantic tone only made her seem more unhinged. The police officer came over and gently told me, “We’ve secured the kidnappers. Take your sister to see a doctor.” Following his advice, I didn’t even bother going home. I drove Fiona straight to the psychiatrist. Mom arrived at the hospital later and was shocked to see Fiona there. As soon as Fiona saw her, her eyes lit up with hope. After all, she had grown up with Mom and believed Mom would always take her side. So the first thing Fiona said after being rescued was to ask Mom to sign the settlement. The joy drained from Mom’s face instantly. “Have you lost your mind?” “I haven’t! I’m just trying to show compassion, to be kind. Mom, don’t you know those men had hard lives too? If they hadn’t been driven to desperation, they wouldn’t have committed such a crime!” Fiona cried, genuinely believing her own words. She was terrified. If those men ratted her out, her future would be ruined. Fiona’s sobbing was pitiful, and Mom’s heart wavered. “Fiona, have you ever heard of someone asking for a million dollars as a ransom out of desperation?” “A million dollars! That’s enough to support countless families,” I added, cutting through the tension. My words made Mom’s earlier sympathy vanish. She firmly led Fiona out of the hospital. I smiled. It wasn’t going to be that easy for Fiona to wash her hands clean.

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The year my adoptive parents passed away, my brother noticed my feelings and responded with just two words: “Disgusting.” Soon after, his company was on the verge of bankruptcy, and he arranged for me to marry into the Sinclair family, giving me away to Rhett Sinclair, the simpleton of their family. Three years later, my brother’s business flourished, and he no longer needed the Sinclairs. With a wave of his hand, he had the entire Sinclair family thrown in prison. Standing before me, he extended his hand and said, “Come home with me.” I simply shook my head and replied, “You must be joking, Mr. Greer. My husband’s name is Sinclair. The Sinclairs are my family now.” My fingers gently traced the photo tucked in my wallet, as if the person in the picture was still by my side, as though he had never left. Tears slowly slid down my cheeks, and I quickly put the wallet away. I couldn’t let him see me cry—he would’ve been heartbroken. A voice, cutting through the moment, interrupted my thoughts. “Ms. Greer, you’ve suffered for three long years in the Sinclair household. Now that things are finally turning around, Mr. Greer is waiting for you. Please, come with me.” I wiped away the remnants of my tears and glanced at Harlan Greer’s assistant, who stood before me. I shook my head calmly. “I’m not going anywhere. I want to stay here.” This was the third time his assistant had tried to convince me, and once again, I refused. He was growing desperate, knowing he had to report back without success. “There’s not a soul left here. Staying like this isn’t doing you any good.” That’s right—no one was here anymore. Just last month, Rhett was here, his arms wrapped around my waist, begging me to feed him oranges. The Sinclairs were still here, laughing together in the garden like a scene out of a perfect family picture. The person in the photo was my husband, Rhett Sinclair. When the District Attorney’s Office arrived to arrest the entire Sinclair family, Rhett was terrified. In a panic, I shoved him into hiding, hoping to save him from their grasp. After the dust settled, he vanished without a trace. I didn’t know where he was, whether he was eating well or sleeping soundly. All I had left was this photo, the only thing that carried my love and worry for him. “I can’t leave. I have to stay and wait for Rhett. If I leave, how will he ever find me?” I turned and met the assistant’s eyes. “Tell Harlan Greer not to send anyone else to fetch me.” The assistant sighed deeply and dialed Harlan’s number. I knew Harlan was always busy—either negotiating deals or rubbing elbows at social events across the country. It took nearly the entire night before he finally answered the call. The assistant switched to speaker so I could hear. Harlan’s voice was hard to read, but I could tell he wasn’t in the best mood. “What is this? Have you stayed away so long that you’ve forgotten your own home?” I didn’t respond, instead turning my gaze to the night outside the window. Silence said more than words ever could. After a long pause, he spoke again, issuing a cold order. “If she wants to stay there, let her stay. She can rot there for all I care.” The moment he finished speaking, the call ended with a sharp beep. He hadn’t even bothered to say anything more to me. I figured he was busy, as always. Busy putting other companies out of business, sending those who crossed him to jail. Rhett was just one more name on that list. Everyone said the Sinclair family deserved their punishment. A lifetime in prison was too kind for the crimes they supposedly committed. But I knew better—it wasn’t the Sinclairs who had committed the crimes. I knew Harlan’s methods all too well. When he needed you, he’d throw away his pride. When he was done, he’d cast you aside without a second thought. The night wind chilled my skin, but I couldn’t rest easy knowing Rhett was out there somewhere, alone and lost. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat. I spent the entire day like a fool, clutching that photo and holding on to this house. I didn’t even know when I finally fell asleep. “Get up! Stop pretending to be dead!”

I woke up to the sharp, cutting voice of a woman. Blinking my eyes open, I saw Lila Greer standing before me, her presence so different from my disheveled state. She was dressed in the height of fashion, her lips painted in bright red lipstick, exuding the air of a high-society debutante. Watching me struggle to sit up, she looked down at me with a sneer. “Three years, and this is what you’ve become? If anyone knew you were the eldest daughter of the Greer family, wouldn’t they just die of shame?” She continued, “Harlan specifically told me to bring you home. If you still care about him, you’ll divorce that simpleton and stop wasting your life waiting for him to get out of prison.” “I’m not getting divorced,” I said, laughing coldly. “You haven’t changed a bit, still just as sharp-tongued as ever.” Lila was my younger sister, though unlike me and Harlan, she wasn’t raised with us. She was kidnapped at the age of eight by traffickers. By the time she was found and brought home, our parents had already passed away. Because of this, Lila never had the poised grace of other high-society women. Instead, she carried a bitterness that showed in her every word, always ready to kick someone when they were down. A flicker of something malicious crossed her face but quickly disappeared as she regained her composure. “So what? Do you really think saying something like that would make me angry?” “And don’t think that refusing to divorce him means Harlan can’t do anything about it. He saw this coming, you know. He sent me not just to bring you home but to give you something.” A sinking feeling settled in my stomach as I watched her pull a piece of paper from her designer bag and toss it in front of me with a mocking smile. “You let your own brother force you to marry a simpleton, and now that simpleton is rotting in prison, yet here you are, still waiting.” “Violet, you’re such a fool.” I didn’t listen to the rest of her taunts. My eyes locked onto the paper. My blood ran cold. My ears rang. It was a divorce certificate. My name was on it, my signature at the bottom. But I had never signed it. Harlan had forged my signature, legally severing my only tie to Rhett. Even the bond I had with him was now gone, stolen from me. “No… How could he…?” I gripped the paper, trembling. My stomach churned violently. Darkness crept into my vision as the shock hit me, and my weak body couldn’t take the strain. The world spun, and I collapsed onto the ground. The last thing I saw before I lost consciousness was Lila’s panicked face. She was terrified—if I died, she’d have to answer to Harlan. I don’t know how long passed before paramedics rushed in and took me away on a stretcher. That’s when I finally let go, falling into a long, deep dream. In that dream, I was taken back to the winter I was 22. My adoptive parents had died in a car accident, the family business faced a dire crisis, and Harlan looked at me like a pawn, a mere tool. Then, he made the decision that changed everything—he married me off to Rhett Sinclair, the simpleton no one in their right mind wanted, in exchange for the Sinclair family’s help. Lila had just returned to the family then, screaming and crying about how she had struggled for twenty years. But when it came down to it, Harlan had to choose between his blood sister and me, his adopted one. By the time I knew what was happening, my in-laws were already waiting at the door to take me away.

That night, I ran to Harlan, sobbing. “Why, Harlan? We grew up together. How could you ignore all those years of love between us?” “You know I’m being thrown to the wolves, and you’re willing to sacrifice me to satisfy your ambition? I’m your sister!” He stood in the dark, his expression unreadable. “Violet, just give me some time. When the moment is right, I’ll come back for you.” Just then, Lila rushed out, fanning the flames. “Violet, our family took care of you all these years. You’re always talking about repaying our parents, aren’t you? This is the perfect opportunity, and now you want to refuse?” “Unless… there’s someone else you love?” Her words silenced me. There’s nothing more humiliating than having your deepest feelings laid bare. Instinctively, I glanced at Harlan. When I met his gaze, my face went pale. He frowned, turned away, and muttered, “Disgusting.” Seeing that look on his face, everything suddenly became clear. As time ticked away, he had me bound and thrown into a car, forcing me into the marriage. Before the window closed, the last words he said were: “Violet, once you’re married, there’s no need to come back. Our parents only adopted you because they missed my sister. Now that she’s returned, it’s time for you to step aside.” He had made it clear that I was no longer part of his life. I cried like I had never cried before. All those dreams I once had? Crushed. He despised me, and this was his way of cutting me off completely. I stared at him, the sorrow inside me overwhelming. “Then, I’ll pretend you’re dead to me.” And with that, I married Rhett Sinclair—a man with the face of an angel but the mind of a five-year-old. Life as his wife wasn’t as terrible as I had feared. In fact, it was surprisingly happy. Despite his condition, Rhett was kind-hearted, and most of all, he loved me deeply. “Pretty lady, are you really my wife? Mama said a husband has to protect his wife! Pretty lady, I’ll protect you forever!” He said those words with such sincerity, handing me his treasured candy as if it were the most precious thing in the world. At that moment, it felt like light had pierced the darkness I’d been drowning in. Over the next three years, just as he promised, the entire Sinclair family treated me well—especially Rhett. We watched flowers bloom, and sunrises together, sharing meaningful moments. Rhett never let me suffer, not for a second. In fact, he took better care of me than my own parents, better than Harlan had ever done. He would always follow behind me, proudly telling everyone how lucky he was to have me as his wife. With time, I fell for him. Deeper and deeper. But Harlan destroyed it all. He already had everything he wanted, yet he couldn’t let go of anyone who had wronged him. He obliterated the happiness I had found, leaving nothing but ashes. And so, I hated him. I refused to go back with him. To me, Harlan Greer had died three years ago. That dream collapsed the moment he reappeared in my life. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. The man from my nightmare was now sitting at my bedside, his gaze soft, almost gentle. I turned my head, refusing to look at him. He tried to act kind, but I knew what he really wanted. “Violet, if you can’t make the decision yourself, then I’ll make it for you. I’ll divorce you from Rhett. You won’t have to lower yourself to be married to a simpleton. He’s in prison anyway, so…” “Harlan Greer.” I cut him off, my voice laced with venom. “My brother abandoned me three years ago. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a brother anymore.” “And as for your home? It hasn’t been mine for a long time. The only home I have left is the one I made with my husband.” His face hardened, his anger rising. “Violet Greer, are you seriously that in love with a simpleton?”

“Yes, I love him very much,” I replied truthfully. Harlan’s anger only grew. I could feel the heat in the air from his furious breath. Meanwhile, my fingers instinctively reached for the photo in my wallet, a habit I had developed after Rhett’s sudden disappearance, as if holding onto it could keep him close. Harlan caught this small gesture. Without warning, he snatched the wallet from me, pulled out the photo, and stared at it with a cold, dark expression. “Violet, I had no idea you loved him this much. Maybe I made a mistake sending you to him in the first place.” As he spoke, he pulled out a lighter from his pocket. Right in front of me, he set the photo ablaze, watching as it slowly turned to ash. The entire time, his gaze was fixed on me, waiting for a reaction. But I gave him none. It wasn’t that I didn’t care about the photo, but I knew that showing any kind of distress would only give him the satisfaction he craved. If Rhett were still here, he would never want me to get upset over something like this. He hated seeing me angry or sad. I closed my eyes, forcing myself to swallow the rising sorrow. When I opened them again, the ashes of the photo were scattered by the wind. Seeing that I was unmoved, Harlan’s frustration was evident. He leaned in closer and left me with a cryptic remark. “If you love him that much, then I’ll take you to see him.” What? He knew where Rhett was? I grabbed Harlan’s arm, my voice shaking with urgency. “What did you do to him?!” Though his words filled me with hope, they also brought an overwhelming sense of dread. If Harlan knew where Rhett was, it could only mean that Rhett had been taken and hidden away. God only knew what kind of suffering he had been enduring. Harlan, seeing the anguish in my face, remained unnervingly calm. He pressed a finger to his lips, signaling for silence. “That’s why you need to behave, Violet,” he said slowly. “Otherwise, I can’t promise my men will keep their hands off him. For now, they’re just watching over him. But if I wake up on the wrong side of the bed one day, well… let’s just say that simpleton might not have it so easy anymore.” “Harlan Greer, you’re doing this on purpose!” I screamed, balling my fists in rage, wishing I could tear him apart right then and there. He tilted his head slightly, cracking his knuckles as he spoke with a chilling calmness. “Exactly, Violet. So, you’d better start listening to me. Right now, I’m giving him a little lesson. But if you don’t fall in line, next time won’t be so gentle.” “I’ll be honest with you—I’ve gotten to where I am by stepping over a lot of bodies. So, what’s one more death to me?” “You’re insane!” I yelled, my voice breaking under the weight of my emotions. His twisted satisfaction only deepened as he left me with one last thing to think about. “I’ll let you sleep on it.” Once he left, I collapsed onto the floor, drenched in sweat. My body was trembling, and the room felt like it was closing in on me. After that, I had no choice but to agree to return home. But it wasn’t my home. I was a prisoner in the Greer Mansion. Harlan had guards stationed outside my door, day and night, making sure I couldn’t escape. I didn’t resist. I simply watched the geese outside my window, flying in pairs across the sky, their movements lively and free—everything I wasn’t. Sometimes Lila would come by to mock me, but I barely listened. And Harlan? He often came home early, especially on days like this one, when he brought me a skewer of candy apples, hoping to stir some kind of reaction. “Violet, you used to love these. Try one. See if it still tastes like when we were kids.” I shook my head. I remembered the third month after I married into the Sinclair family, still lost in the pain of betrayal. Every time I cried, there was always a man following me around. I found him annoying and ignored him. But Rhett didn’t seem to care whether I paid attention to him or not. He just kept bringing me sweet treats every day—sometimes it was cotton candy, sometimes little sugar figures. “I don’t know why you’re crying,” he would say, “but I asked around, and everyone told me you love sweets. So I brought these for you, hoping they’ll make you smile.” “I don’t understand all that scheming, but I do know one thing—anyone who makes my wife cry is a bad person. They need a good beating.” His goofy, innocent words made me laugh, and somehow, my tears stopped. But now that Rhett was gone, sweets just didn’t taste the same anymore. The candy apples Harlan brought me were nothing compared to the treats Rhett used to give me. And without warning, I felt a wave of nausea. Before I could stop myself, I vomited right there on the floor. Harlan panicked, immediately calling for the guards to help. They rushed me to his private clinic. The doctor ran a few simple tests. What he said next shocked everyone in the room. “Mr. Greer, congratulations. Ms. Greer is pregnant. And judging by the ultrasound, the baby is almost full-term.” I placed my hand on my stomach, and amidst all the suppressed pain, I found a small sliver of joy. I was pregnant? I was carrying Rhett’s child… That meant, when Rhett came back, he would see the baby I had for him, and we could finally reunite as a family—the three of us. I was lost in the warmth of the thought, basking in the hope of our future, until Harlan’s sudden outburst pulled me back to reality. In a fit of rage, he swept all the medical instruments off the table, sending them crashing to the ground, before grabbing the doctor by the collar. “Check again! You must’ve made a mistake. That simpleton has the mind of a child—how could he have done something like that?” The doctor remained silent. Harlan knew the truth, even if he didn’t want to admit it. Rhett might have been slow, but he was still a man, and he was fully capable of fathering a child. Harlan stood there for two minutes, letting the room’s heavy silence settle. Eventually, he let the doctor go, who quickly fled the room. Now, it was just the two of us. I stood up slowly, hands protectively cradling my stomach, and headed toward the door. But I had only taken a couple of steps when Harlan’s voice, cold and distant, echoed behind me. “Violet, get rid of the baby.” I froze, whipping around to face him. “What did you just say?” He was standing there, his expression unreadable, slowly walking closer to me. When he got near, he tried to sound gentle, as if he was concerned for my well-being. “This child’s father is a simpleton, Violet. If you have this baby, it will only grow up to be a simpleton too. You don’t want that for your child, do you?” I felt panic rising in my chest, and I took a few steps back, retreating as far as I could. But something had changed. Knowing I was a mother now gave me strength, a courage I hadn’t felt before. I raised my head and forced myself to meet his eyes. “Even if the child is a simpleton, as long as it’s Rhett’s, I’m keeping it.” Harlan’s lips curled into a bitter smile, one filled with mockery. He glanced toward the doorway where the doctor had fled, and then gave the order. “Get rid of it.”

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My twin sister attempted suicide and was hospitalized. The bullies followed her to the hospital, taunting her and blaming her for what happened. Later, I went to school wearing the same face as my sister. The bullies were thrilled, but I was even more so, because I was a born monster. The only person who could keep my darker thoughts in check was my sister. This was my sister’s second suicide attempt. Without a moment’s hesitation, our parents called the police, their voices tremulous with fear and desperation. Yet, even in the face of the officers’ stern questioning, the main bully remained insufferably smug. “Why are you accusing me of bullying her? Maybe she was bullying me!” he taunted, his eyes gleaming with a cruel satisfaction. “Yeah, my daughter is so gentle, she wouldn’t even hurt an ant.” I watched the mother and daughter pair lie through their teeth on the hospital’s surveillance camera. My sister, who had greeted the day with a bright smile, now lay pale and frail on the hospital bed, her spirit crushed. The girl named Tasha Zayne, her demeanor a twisted mix of arrogance and malice, raised an eyebrow and smirked. “If she acts cheap, I’ll deal with her. Simple as that. What can you do? If you’re so tough, go ahead and lock me up!” After saying this, Tasha even stuck her tongue out at my sister, her expression a mask of unrepentant cruelty. There wasn’t a hint of remorse or fear in her eyes, Tasha’s mother met my mom’s gaze with disdain, quickly looking away. “Hmph, like mother, like daughter, they’re practically cut from the same cloth.” My mom let out a casual laugh. I knew she was angry. Michelle Lindh, one of Tasha’s loyal followers, found a twisted courage and turned her gaze toward my sister, her eyes narrowing with a mix of disgust and malice. “Slitting her wrists?” she sneered. “If she really wanted to die, she should have jumped from the 18th floor and made sure she splattered. What’s the point of slitting wrists if you can’t even die from it? I bet she’s just trying to scam us for money, right, Tasha?” “Hmph! She’s such a troublemaker” Tasha sneered. With insufficient evidence and since they were all minors, the incident ended with Tasha giving a half-hearted apology. At home, our little princess lay silently on the bed, completely lifeless, her body covered in wounds, big and small. My parents and I finally noticed something different. After a long silence, I said, “I’ll go to school in her place.” My parents understood what I intended to do. As I faced the mirror, the reflection that stared back at me was an eerie replica of my sister’s face.

My sister and I are twins, so identical that outsiders can never tell us apart. There were times when even our parents, who should have known us best, almost couldn’t distinguish between Naomi loves pink. All her school supplies and even her bedding are pink. As for me, I only love black. Mom often teased her with a wry smile, “Naomi, if you hadn’t come from my belly, I’d swear you were adopted.” Mom wasn’t entirely wrong. In our family, Naomi is the special one. She’s different from us, pure and kind by nature, and has been carefully protected by me and our parents. But I was born “sick,” a monster in the eyes of others, with only Naomi willing to play with me. For the safety of others, my parents kept me home to study. I didn’t mind because as long as Naomi was there, I never felt lonely. Our parents said Naomi was the family’s top priority. So, I’ve always protected her from the shadows. But we never imagined that after just a year of high school, she would end up like this. The doctor said we needed to take care of Naomi’s emotions. I stroked her forehead and whispered, “Naomi, I will avenge you.” Just then, a sudden phone ringtone broke the silence. Naomi’s face turned deathly pale, and she covered her ears, screaming. I took her phone and opened the message. It was a video showing Naomi being held under a faucet in the bathroom. Her wet hair clung to her cheeks, and her face was flushed red from being choked by the water. The culprit stood to the side, laughing. “If I catch you talking to him again, I’ll slash your face. Let’s see how you can flirt with the boys in our class then!” The video ended with a warning from the bully. Fury surged through my chest, nearly overwhelming me. I closed my eyes and shut off the phone. Naomi’s teeth chattered, and it took her a while to stammer out, “They took a lot of videos of me without any clothes on.” I patted her head gently, looking at her with tenderness. “Do you trust your sister?” Naomi nodded. I walked out into the backyard and used a hoe to dig a new patch of soil. Soon, someone else would be joining us here. Curses rang out nearby. “You’ll all be struck by lightning! You’ll die in the most miserable way!”

I shouldered Naomi’s schoolbag. From now on, I was Naomi Wyth. Annie became Naomi. As soon as I stepped into the classroom, a book flew at my face. I dodged to the side. “Tasha told you to bring breakfast, and you didn’t. You have a death wish?” It was Michelle—Tasha’s loyal little minion, the one whose laughter pierced the video like a venomous knife. Her cruel delight in the suffering of others was palpable, a dark pleasure that twisted her face into a sneer of sadistic glee I ignored her and walked straight to Naomi’s seat. The wooden desk was carved with all sorts of insults: “bitch,” “whore”… “Still admiring those words we carved just for you? Not enough? How about we carve them on your face?” Michelle’s grin grew even wider when I stayed silent. She sauntered up to me, her beady eyes gleaming with malice as she looked down, her smile morphing into a cruel sneer. “I think that’s a brilliant idea,” she drawled. “Tasha will absolutely love it.” Something feral simmered in my veins, seething and coursing through my entire body with a mind of its own. It was a wildfire of rage, and I had no intention of quelling it. Without a moment’s hesitation, I surged forward, my arm cutting through the air with a fierce intent. The slap exploded with a thunderous crack, reverberating through the room like the roar of a storm. A vivid, crimson handprint bloomed across Michelle’s face. “You dare hit me? Just wait until Tasha gets back—you’re dead!” Her voice turned shrill, like a broken chord. The other students, caught off guard, froze, their smiles fading. I narrowed my eyes. “Why aren’t you laughing anymore?” Michelle raised her hand, about to strike back, but the class bell rang. She shot me a venomous glare and returned to her seat. I stuffed the schoolbag into the desk. My hand touched something wet. The desk was filled with greasy snack wrappers, emitting a sickening stench. The homeroom teacher, Ms. Rosetta, walked in. She glanced at me before saying, “Naomi, class has started. Why aren’t you sitting down?” “My desk is full of trash Tasha and her friends stuffed in, and the chair is covered in glue.” I watched as her expression stiffened. She slowly lifted her gaze, snorting, “Are you saying Tasha did this to you?” I said nothing, just stared at her quietly. She scoffed, her laughter tinged with contempt. “Impossible!” she spat, her voice dripping with disdain. “Tasha is the top student in the grade—she would never do something like this. Even if she isn’t here today, I won’t let you besmirch her name!” Michelle shot me a smug look, nodding slightly, her lips curving into a smile. “Ms. Rosetta, she’s just jealous of Tasha. Everyone knows Tasha’s a good student.” “Sit down. If you don’t want to learn, don’t disrupt the others,” Ms. Rosetta snapped at me. I flipped the desk over, revealing the trash inside. The greasy wrappers spilled onto the floor, drawing gasps from the class. Michelle’s eyes blazed with venomous defiance. “Maybe you’re just lazy and have a secret love for snacks,” she sneered, her voice dripping with scorn. “You probably didn’t even bother to throw out your trash and now you’re trying to pin it on me!” Ms. Rosetta’s gaze was contemplative, her expression settling into a thoughtful frown. “I find it hard to believe Tasha would target you,” she said slowly, her voice carrying an edge of reluctant wisdom. “If she did, perhaps it’s time for you to reflect on why. There’s an old saying: it takes two to tango…” I dashed forward, delivering another sharp slap that resounded through the classroom. I smirked at the teacher. “Ms. Rosetta, does this sound like a one-sided slap to you?” No one expected me to be so bold. Even the teacher was stunned. Her face flushed a furious crimson, veins throbbing in her neck as if ready to burst. “Naomi!” she roared, her voice trembling with rage. “How dare you lay a hand on your teacher!” Her words were a torrent of indignation, each syllable punctuated with a fierce determination. “I’m calling your parents! You’re not staying in this school!”

My mom arrived at school quickly. As soon as she saw me, she gave a slight smile, as if to say, “Well done.” In the office, Ms. Rosetta was venting her frustrations to my mom, complaining about how disobedient I was. “All I did was reprimand her, and she dared to hit me? In all my years of teaching, I’ve never seen a student so disrespectful!” My mom tilted her head slightly, casting an indifferent glance at the teacher, her gaze filled with deep disgust. “Ms. Rosetta, don’t you think you might be the problem here? Why did Naomi hit you and not the other teachers?” The words struck a familiar chord. I chuckled. The teacher was rendered speechless by my mom’s half-smiling face. Finally, she blurted out, “Let’s go see the principal. Let’s see if they’ll keep this worthless student or me!” “Sure,” my mom agreed. The moment we saw the principal, my mom rushed forward, shaking his hand eagerly. “This little incident shouldn’t bother the principal. Naomi’s so thoughtless. How about this: my husband and I have decided that as long as the student comes from a poor but honest family, we will sponsor them through graduation.” The principal’s eyes lit up. “Really?” My mom nodded, then glanced at Ms. Rosetta with a challenging look in her eyes. “We wouldn’t joke about something this important.” “That’s great, that’s great. This really isn’t a big deal. Kids will be kids, sometimes a bit naughty. Naomi just accidentally hit Ms. Rosetta. Ms. Rosetta has taught here for so long, she’s seen all kinds of students. Naomi’s just a little mischievous, nothing more. Right, Ms. Rosetta?” The teacher trembled with rage, her mouth twitching, but eventually nodded. The words she had planned to use to get me expelled got stuck in her throat. She couldn’t swallow them, nor could she spit them out. Her face turned ashen. I smiled lightly. This was only the beginning. I was sure that my sister had once reached out to the teacher, hoping she would help pull her out of the mire. But she hadn’t lifted a finger, instead aiding and abetting the bullies. My poor sister, did you see? Sometimes the methods you despise are the ones that truly work. Even when she was driven to the point of suicide, she never told me or our parents about what was happening at school. When we asked, she always brushed it off, saying that the teachers were good and that her classmates were nice. Even now, she still protected those demons. She knew that if they fell into our hands, death would be a mercy.

Tasha Zayne returned. It seemed she had heard about my “transformation” from her classmates—how Naomi Wyth had changed so much that she even hit a teacher and made a scene with the principal. She kicked over my desk. “I take two days off, and you suddenly think you’re something special? Let me see which hand you used to hit Michelle.” I didn’t even bother to look up, just slapped her across the face. “See? I used both hands.” Tasha’s fingers clenched into a fist, her knuckles cracking. “You bitch! How dare you hit me!” She lunged at me, and we started to fight. Her tactics were childish—pulling hair and scratching arms. It didn’t take long for her to lose the upper hand. I dragged her into the bathroom and pushed her head into the sink. The scene reminded me of my sister. She, too, had been held under the water, unable to breathe. Michelle stood frozen at the bathroom door, too scared to move. It wasn’t until Tasha screamed that she finally grabbed a mop and approached. “Michelle, what are you waiting for? Help me strip her clothes off! I’m going to make sure she gets her own video circulating online!” Tasha’s eyes were filled with hatred as she screamed, her face contorted in rage. “If you beat me fair and square, I’d have some respect for you. But you resort to such underhanded tactics, it’s disgusting.” Michelle, taking advantage of a moment when I was distracted, struck me hard on the back with the mop. Tasha managed to free herself and pinned me down. “Bitch! Slut! How dare you hit me!” she snarled, her nails raking across my face. Only when she saw the blood did her fury morph into a twisted, sickening pleasure. A dark satisfaction gleamed in her eyes as she savored the moment. “Now,” she sneered with a cruel edge, “let’s see you try to flirt with the boys!” The taste of blood filled my mouth. But instead of fear, I found myself smiling. “Are you targeting me because I’m prettier than you? Are you jealous that all the boys in class like me?” I guessed right. The moment I said this, Tasha’s expression changed. “Is that why you have this seductive look on your face? Are you desperate for male attention?” Everyone knew my sister was beautiful. It was no secret. Our family had always made an effort to maintain our looks. We had our own methods. Looking at Tasha and Michelle, I couldn’t help but laugh so hard that I doubled over. People like them would make excellent beauty products.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294583”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #玄幻Fantsy #狼人werewolf #擦边Steamy #励志Inspiring #现实主义Realistic #校园School #后宫Harem #重生Reborn

When I die, he’ll be holding another woman. I succeeded in my plan. I’ll become the pain he can never forget for the rest of his life. “Miss Adams, here’s your medication. Please take it.” I took the white pill bottle and said thanks. With these sleeping pills, I should be able to get some good rest. It’s time to start the plan. Sitting in the taxi, I thought about the message Adam had just sent me. “There’s a party tonight, won’t be coming home.” I knew what kind of party it was – a welcome back party for Vivian Summer. I have to say, this Vivian is quite something. After dating Adam for a year, she had him wrapped around her finger. I accompanied Adam from age 21 to 27, a full six years, but it couldn’t compare to a single tear from Vivian. I’ve actually lived through this once before. At the end of the story, Adam married Vivian, and I died on their wedding day. I went insane and jumped off a building. I got nothing out of it. How could I accept that? So I came back to life, in the year Adam was 19. Following the normal trajectory, I would meet Adam at 21, when he was just starting his business, and I became his right-hand woman. My parents didn’t love me, his family was broken, and we licked each other’s wounds. For six long years, we even reached the point of discussing marriage. But the variable came at this party – Vivian was back. Not only was she back, but she also expressed her lingering feelings for Adam at the party. The two of them hit it off, and my six years of youth became a sacrifice. At 19, Adam was still the young master of the Chen family, getting whatever he wanted, dating the most beautiful girl, Vivian. At 20, Adam’s family fortunes declined, Vivian left him, and his life took a nosedive. I knew everything, so I entered his world ahead of time. I didn’t interfere with his relationship with Vivian. I watched Adam and Vivian date, watched them embrace, watched them kiss. Those sweet memories that once came from Vivian’s mouth, I saw them firsthand. For a whole year, my heart was soaked in their sweet atmosphere until it rotted. I waited quietly, waiting for the right moment. After Vivian left, I entered his world completely with the most sincere love, in the year when Adam fell into the dust. How ridiculous was the 20-year-old Adam? Childish and stubborn, refusing and waiting over and over again. Refusing me, waiting for Vivian. But companionship is the most enduring confession of love. Adam finally accepted me, and I accompanied him through his darkest year. Then, the story developed just as I remembered. He went from a newbie entrepreneur to a business tycoon, from rejecting me to proposing to me. Until – this party. “Miss, we’re here.” The horn interrupted my thoughts. I picked up my phone, displaying my chat history with Adam. The last message was at 11:35 PM “Do you need me to pick you up? Don’t drink too much, I’m worried about you.” Adam didn’t reply. I opened the car door and got out, doing something I had never done in my memory. The plan starts from this moment. The lights in the bar were swaying. I spotted Adam at a glance, sitting with his back to me. He was wearing a suit, standing out among the oddly dressed crowd. Vivian was sitting next to him, in a black dress, also standing out from the crowd, but matching Adam somewhat. The people sitting around them were all familiar to me, Adam’s fair-weather friends from when he was still a young master. I waited for a long time, thinking I wouldn’t see anything, but suddenly there was an outburst of laughter from afar. They were cheering, the sound was loud. Amidst the cheers, Vivian stood up and planted a kiss on Adam’s lips. I took out my phone, zoomed in, and captured this moment. I couldn’t see Adam’s expression clearly, but Vivian’s smile was undisguisable. My hand holding the phone trembled, my heart ached. Adam seemed to sense something and turned around, I lowered my hat brim and turned away. He didn’t see me. Back at the home Adam and I shared, it was empty. The emptiness didn’t feel good. I took a shower and sat on the sofa, staring at the clock, counting the time. 1:28 AM, the sound of the door unlocking. I opened my drowsy eyes and ran towards Adam, throwing myself into his arms. Adam caught me, patted my head, his low voice sounding in my ear. “Why aren’t you wearing shoes? You’ll catch a cold.” I reached out and cupped his face, gently rubbing the spot where Vivian had kissed, my voice muffled. “Where have you been? You were gone so long, and you didn’t reply to my message.” He paused but didn’t answer, just carried me to the sofa and put socks on my feet. I kicked him twice with my foot, somewhat dissatisfied. “Why aren’t you saying anything?” He patted my head, seeming a bit helpless. “An important client, I didn’t drink, my phone was off so I didn’t see the message.” I looked at him. Adam, you’re lying. I didn’t pursue it further, instead acting coy with Adam as usual.

Early the next morning, Adam went to work. After he left, I crawled out of bed and went to the study. Among the full shelves of materials and classics was my diary. I pulled out the diary, every page I turned was filled with my innermost thoughts, from meeting Adam to now. In these years without Vivian, I felt the love I didn’t have in my previous life. Perhaps because I accompanied Adam through his low point, he treated me differently. Although I knew Vivian was still in his heart. Sometimes I would hesitate, thinking maybe this time would be different? But then I would think of those six full years of companionship, only to be exchanged for Vivian’s grand entrance, for Vivian wearing the wedding dress I had ordered, for them kissing amidst blessings on the day of my death. I was driven nearly mad with hatred. Adam must, like me, be tormented by overwhelming emotions day and night. Tears fell on the diary, my hand caressing the photo I had taken that day. Over and over again, cutting another wound on my heart. I thought I wouldn’t feel pain anymore. “I went to pick up Adam and saw a girl kiss him. The girl was very happy, but I was very sad.” A brand new page, a few lines written in a flowing hand. Excitement and depression occupied my emotions simultaneously. It’s strange, but somehow enjoyable. I closed the diary and put it back in its original place. I applied light makeup and wore a white dress. The girl in the mirror looked serene and gentle. Completely different from Vivian’s glamour. I raised the corners of my mouth, and the girl in the mirror made the same movement. Shallow dimples like they were filled with honey. Adam had complimented me long ago, saying I looked good when I smiled. But I don’t like to smile, not after coming back again. I prefer crying now, crying hysterically makes me feel like I’m still alive, with vivid emotions, a person of flesh and blood. It will make me always remember Adam’s indifference and Vivian’s provocation.

After going out, I went to Adam’s company. The employees in the company all knew me, but their eyes were somewhat evasive when they looked at me. I could probably guess why. As it turned out, I guessed right. From Adam’s office came a girl’s laughter. I looked in through the glass, the two of them were sitting at the same table eating. Vivian picked up a piece of carrot and was about to feed it to Adam. Adam frowned but still bit the carrot and swallowed it. Adam doesn’t like carrots. My hand hanging at my side opened and clenched. I almost couldn’t control myself as I pushed open the door and rushed towards Vivian, giving her a slap. “Don’t you know he has a girlfriend! Why are you being so shameless! Get out right now!” Vivian’s eyes were wide open, seemingly unable to believe I had hit her. After reacting, Vivian cried, sobbing and explaining. “I… I didn’t. I don’t know why you hit me, sis. We’re just good friends, you misunderstood, right, Adam?” I looked at Adam again. He thought for a long time before coming up with an answer. “Lily, stop making a scene. Vivian is just an old friend. You shouldn’t hit someone without reason, apologize to her.” My hand holding the lunch box trembled uncontrollably. Adam, you’re lying again. The scene remained frozen like this. Vivian’s sobs broke Adam’s patience. “Lily Adams, if you hit someone, you need to apologize! Apologize to Vivian!” Adam frowned, his hand tapping on the table again and again. I rarely saw him like this. For a moment, I remembered when Adam was 20, how I tried my best to please him, but he was as stubborn as a bull, telling me over and over, “Lily Adams, I won’t like you, give up.” Just like now. — All for Vivian. Memories surged, welling up in my eyes again, becoming silent tears. My throat choked, I forced myself to say those words. “I’m sorry.” Adam’s brow relaxed, and he smiled again. “Lily, sit down and eat with us.” Vivian beside him chimed in, her voice bright and unrestrained. “Yes, Lily, come eat with us. I bought this meal specially for Adam! It’s from a very famous restaurant.” She looked at me, her eyes full of undisguised provocation. I stayed calm and didn’t make a scene again. On the contrary, Adam looked very happy. I put the lunch box on the table. Adam seemed to suddenly remember something and froze. I knew what he was thinking. I would bring him lunch every day, it was my habit, and his habit too. But today, he ate Vivian’s meal. I suppressed the trembling in my voice and said with a smile, “I came to bring you lunch, but since you’ve already eaten, I’ll go home and eat.” Adam opened his mouth, but in the end, only one word came out. “Mm.” I resolutely turned and left. In a place Adam couldn’t see, belated tears slid down my cheeks. The employees next to the office looked at each other, I pulled myself together and left with a smile. But I could still hear their whispers. “What’s going on, how can the boss’s real girlfriend not compete with the mistress?” “Shh, don’t gossip. I went to the same school as the boss before, the woman in the office is the boss’s ex-girlfriend. They were very much in love back then, it was quite a beautiful story.” “Ah? In that case, who will the boss end up with?” “I don’t know, but that poor official girlfriend.” Yes, poor her indeed. I laughed self-mockingly and left Adam’s company.

The sunlight was blinding, I shielded my eyes with my hand. “Sister, would you like to take a look?” I lowered my hand and saw a stuffed bear. The clumsy body leaned towards me, somewhat comical. I took the flyer from his hand, it was for a nearby cafe. “I’ll go, thank you.” The image of me accompanying Adam to hand out flyers flashed in my mind. Those days when the streets were as hot as a steamer — that was the hardship I endured with him. I smiled at the mascot, about to leave when I heard his energetic voice. “Sister, your smile is very pretty.” I froze, those words echoing in my ears. Lily, your smile is very pretty. “Really?” I reflexively asked him. The rough fabric patted my cheek, the clumsy mascot was struggling to raise his hand. “If you don’t cry, it’s very pretty.” “Sister, don’t cry anymore.” I touched my eyes in a daze, my fingertips felt wet. I cried again? I shouldn’t cry. After a moment, a smile bloomed on my face. I hugged the mascot, and he didn’t refuse me. “Thank you.” I must be crazy. I just sat next to him, watching him hand out flyers one by one, chatting with passersby sentence by sentence. He told me to go home soon, I shook my head and refused. He didn’t mind, just moved his clumsy mascot costume to block the sun for me. So this is how it feels to be cared for, it’s so nice. As the sun set, he took off the mascot suit and sat with me. Next to us was the water he had run to buy for me. The weather was too hot, his hair was damp and limp on his forehead. I took out a tissue for him, he took it, wiped the sweat on his face, then pushed his bangs up. Very sunny, very handsome. Completely different from Adam’s steady looks. I stared at him in a daze, he waved his hand in front of my eyes, smiling and asking, “I’m handsome, right? You’re staring.” I was amused by his goofy expression. I pushed his hand away and stood up. “Don’t be so narcissistic.” “I need to go home now, you should go home early too.” The ride-share driver honked impatiently. I waved to him and got in the car. Through the car window, I saw him hugging the mascot suit, his back to the sunset, smiling and waving to me. I didn’t tell him that his smile was very nice too. Many years ago, it was me wearing the mascot suit to block the sun for Adam who hated the heat. Inside the mascot suit, it was stuffy and suffocating, like a steamer. Adam’s complaining tone and young master temper are still very clear in my memory. What was I thinking back then? I was thinking, if only someone would block the sun for me too. Why am I thinking about Adam again. Once again, I touched my eyes — dry. This time I didn’t cry. Back home, it was still empty. Vivian somehow added me on SnapChat, I accepted, but she didn’t send me a message. I knew what she was up to. Opening Instagram, sure enough, there was her playful caption and a photo. “Dinner with my favorite person! Even the lemonade tastes sweet~” The picture showed two glasses of lemonade and a sumptuous meal. And a man’s hand — obviously Adam’s. He was clever, even took off the watch I gave him. Once again, I wrote in my diary. “Today Adam forgot I would bring him lunch, and ate with another girl. That girl even fed him carrots he doesn’t like, I was so angry I slapped her. Adam took her side and made me apologize, I felt so hurt.”

After that day, Adam rarely came home. I often couldn’t sleep, even sleeping pills didn’t work. Sometimes I’d finally fall asleep in bed, only to wake up startled soon after. The dreams were pitch black nothingness. My hair was falling out in clumps, and I kept losing weight. Although I had made all the plans, including my death at the end, I still couldn’t achieve calm and indifference. Sometimes looking at my listless self in the mirror, remembering how bright and lively I was like Vivian before meeting Adam, I would break down crying uncontrollably. The plan needs to speed up, I’m afraid one day, I won’t be able to hold on anymore. I know what will happen in a few days. There will be a murder at the biggest mall. A mentally ill person will stab people with a knife in the mall. Coincidentally, Adam will be stabbed. Coincidentally, Vivian will save him. But what if, the person shielding him is me? I carefully applied my makeup, making my complexion look a bit more rosy. I looked at the clock — 8:40 PM It’s time. I left with my bag. The mall was bustling. I headed straight for the men’s section. I picked out a tie for Adam, standing at a distance, watching Vivian cling to Adam’s arm and act coy. Vivian also bought a tie. She put it on Adam herself. Adam looked very happy. Although his face was expressionless. I repeated the action of taking a photo the first time. Zoom in, press the shutter. Someone tapped my shoulder, I lowered my phone and turned around. “Sister, what a coincidence!” It was the boy in the mascot suit. I hadn’t forgotten what he said, he said my smile was pretty. So I smiled at him. “Sister, are you here to buy a tie too?” I waved the bag in my hand, letting out a barely audible “Mm.” “Sister, can we add each other on SnapChat? My name is Ray Sunshine.” Ray Sunshine, a very sunny name, just like him. I looked into his eyes, they were beautiful. More beautiful was the sincerity in them. It was hard to refuse. After exchanging SnapChat, he inquired about me more. “Sister, is the tie for your boyfriend?” I glanced towards Adam in the distance, nodding. Ray’s tone obviously dropped. Noticing my gaze, he also looked towards Adam. “Sister, is that your boyfriend? He doesn’t look like it, isn’t he with another girl?” I nodded again. Adding a sentence: “He won’t be much longer.” Adam, see, no one believes it. Ray smiled, his eyes curving, his thoughts written all over his face. “Sister, when you break up, can you give me a chance?” My hand holding the shopping bag tightened, I didn’t know how to feel. But before I could ponder an answer, a man in tattered clothes rushed out of the elevator. My pupils constricted sharply, I dropped the shopping bag and ran towards Adam. Adam, like everyone around, dodged while holding Vivian. It was chaotic, when the man rushed over, Vivian hadn’t reacted yet, the knife had already pierced my body. This time it was me. There were screams and calls for help around me. In the last second before I lost consciousness, I heard Adam anxiously calling my name. I succeeded, the story’s reversal will begin from this moment.

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My fiancé fell in love with his intern secretary Willow Bennett and insisted on breaking off our engagement. I kindly advised him, “She can’t help you become the heir of the Foster family. Why don’t you marry me first, and we can talk about it after you’ve secured your position?” The secretary felt insulted by my words and jumped off a building in public. Five years later, the first thing my husband did after becoming the Foster family heir was to divorce me and ruin my family’s business. “This is what you owe Willow Bennett,” he said. When I woke up again, it was my 22nd birthday party. People asked me what my birthday wish was. I smiled coldly, “I hope Caleb Foster marries Willow Bennett.” I died on a rainy day. Originally, we could have seen the mountain full of maple leaves, but Caleb couldn’t wait. I rolled down the stairs, step by step, blood spilling everywhere. He was still not satisfied. He pushed me down the stairs with his own hands, again and again. I was in so much pain I could barely make a sound, but I still asked reluctantly, “Why?” I didn’t understand. Our two families had always been close, and Caleb and I had been childhood sweethearts. For over a decade, my family had helped him establish his position in the family and become the heir. But he set a trap, causing my family to go bankrupt and my father to die of a heart attack. “Why, Caleb?” I clung to the hem of his clothes. Caleb’s face was frighteningly pale. Even though he was the one who hurt me, his expression looked as if I had let him down. “This is what you owe Willow Bennett,” he said through gritted teeth. Willow Bennett? This name sounded somewhat unfamiliar, so much so that it took me some effort to recall the name and the pure, delicate face behind it. I couldn’t help but laugh. Five years. So for these five years, Caleb had never forgotten her. So he blamed her death on me, on the entire Collins Group. “Caleb, you really are a…” Fool! Before I could utter the last two words, Caleb had already tightly gripped my neck. The oxygen in my chest was being drained bit by bit, blood trickling from the corner of my mouth. It looked just like those red maple leaves covering the mountain.

“Aria, are you having a headache again?” The cold rain disappeared. The hard floor disappeared. It was a clear autumn day, with guests gathering all around. My 22nd birthday party, which was also my engagement party with Caleb. Perhaps the heavens had opened their eyes, and I had actually been reborn. Not only was I not dead, but I had returned to when I was 22. This year, the Collins Group’s business was booming, and my father had entered the top ten on the Forbes list. This year, Caleb and I weren’t engaged yet. A gloating voice came from behind, “Yesterday, Caleb publicly admitted to the media that the little secretary is his girlfriend.” My best friend was about to go over, but I stopped her. Girlfriend? What Caleb did was far more than just admitting her status as his girlfriend. Three months ago, he went on a business trip and was drugged by a competitor. Willow Bennett saved him, and they ended up spending a night together. Caleb suddenly realized his true love and wanted to marry her. Including yesterday, they had been photographed by the media three times. “Aria, don’t listen to what the media says. You and Caleb have been together for so many years…” I looked at my best friend and shook my head. My friend’s words came to an abrupt halt. Of course, I knew what she was going to say. A week ago, I woke up at home. A week was enough time for me to sort out everything that had happened over the past five years. “Aria.” My friend suddenly reminded me, “Caleb is coming over.”

I looked up and saw Caleb walking towards me, surrounded by a crowd of people. The gossip behind me immediately disappeared. Caleb and I had grown up together. When we were five or six years old, our elders had already arranged our future marriage. Whenever someone bullied me as a child, he was always the first to stand up for me. When he made mistakes and got punished, I was always the first to plead for him. Before this, no one would have doubted that I was Caleb’s true love. But today, on my 22nd birthday, he brought another woman. Willow Bennett was thin and delicate, clinging to his side like a little white flower. Caleb smiled, whispering something intimately in her ear. She looked at me, her expression suddenly becoming flustered and at a loss. She took a few big steps forward. She bowed to me at a 90-degree angle.

It was exactly the same as in my previous life. Even the tear that was about to fall from her eyelashes was the same. In my previous life, it was this pitiful appearance of hers that deceived Caleb. I had grown up seeing arranged marriages for the sake of benefits in big families, and had never dared to hope for love. Her appearance made my heart sour, but not enough to lose my rationality. When Caleb wanted to break off our engagement, I didn’t cry or make a scene. Considering the years of friendship between our families, I only advised him a few words: “Willow is just an orphan, and she doesn’t have much work experience. Although you two…” “But if you marry her, your grandfather won’t agree, and it might cause trouble for her.” “Caleb, why don’t you keep her as a mistress for now, and in the future…” I spoke vaguely: “In the future, when you become the heir, won’t you be able to make your own decisions?” Just these few words, which were meant to help her avoid trouble, ended up bringing a world of trouble upon myself.

In my previous life, as soon as I saw Willow bow, I hurriedly helped her up. This time, I just watched her coldly. Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, she unhesitatingly knelt down and started kowtowing to me, banging her head again and again with loud thuds. My friend tugged at my sleeve. There were many guests today, all looking in this direction. I squeezed her hand. What’s the rush? “Willow!” Caleb’s face was already not looking good. In just this short moment, Willow’s forehead was already bleeding. Combined with her tears that were about to fall, she looked very pitiful. She looked back at Caleb, then at me, bit her lip, and continued kowtowing. I leisurely picked up the wine glass from the table beside me. Suddenly, I was a bit curious about how far she could take this act.

That’s right. Willow was acting. Her pitiful appearance was an act, and even her suicide jump in my previous life was an act. On the empty rooftop, I personally heard what she said. She was crying and begging a man at the time: “Brother, I’m an orphan. How else can I make Caleb care about me if I don’t use some tricks?” “Brother, help me again, use another trick!” “Brother, with my background, Caleb’s family won’t agree to me marrying him.” “But Caleb originally promised to marry me, I have to make him feel guilty towards me.” “Brother, just help me one more time!” “Just pretend to jump off the building, and Caleb will remember that he owes me for the rest of his life!” What an actress. She fooled Caleb, fooled me. Fooled all the media. I once asked Caleb why he cared so much about Willow. “I was born as the eldest son of the Foster family, everyone flatters me, praises me.” “They respect me, love me, all because of my family’s money and status.” “Even you, Aria, if I wasn’t the Foster family’s son, would you still marry me?” This question stumped me at the time. If he and I weren’t from families of equal status, we wouldn’t have grown up together, let alone be engaged or married. “Only Willow, only she truly loves me and is willing to sacrifice everything for me.” “Aria, how could I refuse such pure love?” I was almost drawn in by him. As the daughter of the Collins family, I had always been cautious in my words and actions. I had to consider my parents, consider the family. Indeed, I wouldn’t easily sacrifice everything for one person. We all overlooked another possibility. Whether Caleb was drugged or dying from poisoning, it was a good opportunity for Willow. From the beginning, Willow was determined to win his heart.

“Enough!” Caleb shouted. Silence fell all around. Willow trembled, looking up at me timidly. Her intention was very clear. She had ruined my engagement, made me the laughing stock of our circle, and felt guilty about it. If I didn’t speak up, she would never stop. Very well then, continue. I raised an eyebrow and continued sipping the red wine in my glass. Willow gritted her teeth, about to kowtow again. Suddenly, Caleb took two steps forward and swatted the wine glass out of my hand with a loud slap. “Aria, don’t go too far!”

“Aria, is this your magnanimity?” Caleb’s face was cold, shocking everyone around into silence. He pulled Willow up, gently touching her forehead with concern: “Aria, apologize.” “If you apologize now, I’ll pretend nothing happened.” I almost laughed out loud. It was my fault for being too naive back then. After uncovering Willow’s lies, I called Caleb that very day, telling him everything I had seen. I told him to be careful of Willow. The next day, Willow died. Really died. The media all said she committed suicide by jumping off a building because she never married Caleb. Caleb told me: “Luckily you warned me, otherwise I would have been fooled by her.” After that incident, for so many years, I thought he had forgotten about Willow. After all, he hated being deceived the most. It wasn’t until right before my death that I understood everything.

Aria, are you mute?” “Willow didn’t do anything, I’m the one who wants to break off the engagement.” “If you apologize to her, I won’t hold you accountable for the injury on her head.” I looked at Caleb, couldn’t help but curl my lips. It was my fault for being blind, always thinking he was smart. “Are the elders inside?” I turned to ask a passing waiter, walking gracefully towards the inside. Caleb followed closely behind me: “What are you going to do?” “Want to tattle?” I didn’t answer him. Until we reached the door, Caleb was still following closely behind me: “Aria, don’t think that just because you’re the Collins family’s daughter, you can be engaged to me.” “I’ve already promised to marry Willow, I can’t possibly marry you.” I turned back to look at Caleb. As he said, he was born into a position of privilege. His life had been too smooth sailing, causing him to not realize what a powerful wife meant for him. Perhaps this look of mine was too cold, Caleb was stunned for a moment. Caleb’s grandfather happened to look towards the door and asked, “What’s going on with you two, always together?” In front of all the guests, I stepped forward and bowed: “Grandfather, today is my birthday. I want to make a wish to you.” “Caleb and Willow are in love, I envy them.” “I don’t want to ruin their relationship.” “Grandfather, I want to break off the engagement with Caleb.” The room suddenly fell silent.

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Jack’s junior, Emma, got hounded by loan sharks. I tried to stop Jack from getting involved, but Emma was driven to suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills. Jack, unaffected, continued to plan our wedding. Until one day, after getting drunk, he tenderly caressed a photo of Emma and forced me to down a bottle of sleeping pills. He said if it weren’t for my cold, heartless, and selfish attitude, Emma wouldn’t have taken her own life. If I had a second chance, I wouldn’t meddle in their business anymore. I had been reborn—reborn to the day when James Hamilton started borrowing money all over the place for Emily Rose. Emily was his junior, and just like her name suggests, she was gentle and delicate, with features as pretty as a painting. But she had a father addicted to gambling, and over the years, he’d borrowed a huge amount of money from loan sharks. Unable to repay it, he took his own life, leaving behind a daughter who was hounded by creditors day and night. To be fair, James treated me well—everyone knew he loved me like no other. That’s why, in my previous life, when he started borrowing money for Emily, saying she was like a sister to him and he couldn’t bear to see her suffer, I didn’t think much of it. But Emily’s father owed over $8 million. Coming up with that kind of money was nearly impossible. Plus, these loan sharks weren’t exactly good people—you could lose more than just money if you got mixed up with them. Naturally, I didn’t want my soon-to-be-husband getting dragged into this mess, so I gave James all of my savings on the condition that he stop involving himself with Emily’s problems and focus on our wedding. But I never expected Emily would take her own life by overdosing on sleeping pills. When I heard the news, I felt a pang of sorrow. After all, she was just a young woman burdened with a father like that. James seemed sad for a brief moment, but he didn’t say much to me. What I couldn’t have imagined was that he would one day kill me for Emily. Now, as I looked at James standing anxiously before me, his last words to me before I died played on repeat in my mind. “I told you, Emily and I weren’t like that! Why, why couldn’t you just help her? “Your family’s got money, doesn’t it? You rich people never understand this kind of desperation. Clara, you’re selfish and heartless!” “You can watch her die and still expect me to marry someone as cold and cruel as you? “All rich people are scum!” Thinking back, I laughed. My family’s annual income was in the millions, and as their only child, my parents never liked James, who came from a rural background. They wanted me to marry someone more suitable, but I was so in love with James that they cut off my finances, hoping I’d come to my senses. But James resented me because I didn’t ask my family for money to save his precious junior. $8 million—did he really think I’d ruin my life just to help him and his little crush?

Seeing I hadn’t responded, James cupped my face tenderly. The expression I once loved now filled me with disgust. “Babe, you know I just feel sorry for her. She’s been through so much. You know how long we’ve known each other, and Emily really likes you too.” I brushed his hands off and said coldly, “I’m not getting money from my parents anymore because of you. Where would I get the money to give to you?” James didn’t seem to pick up on the sarcasm in my voice. “Babe, you’re their only child. If you explain the situation, your parents will definitely help, won’t they?” I shot back, “Do you like Emily?” For a second, guilt flickered across his eyes, but he quickly hid it. “How could I, babe? Everyone knows you’re the one I love most. Emily’s just my junior, and I feel sorry for her. That’s all. Don’t overthink it.” I stood up, not even glancing his way. “She’s your friend, not mine. I have no obligation to fix her family’s mess.” James frowned. “Clara, aren’t you the kindest, most understanding person? What’s happened to your empathy? Your family’s rich. Your parents are still alive and well, and they’ve got income. But Emily? Her mom’s been gone for years, and she’s stuck with a father like that. You’re acting like Marie Antoinette!” Saying that, he grabbed his debit card and stormed out, heading straight for Emily’s house. I couldn’t believe the audacity—how could James make it seem like all of Emily’s problems were somehow my fault? I quickly packed my bags and sent him a text: We’re done. Then, I blocked him from everything. This time, I wanted to see how long James could survive without my support. Right now, his company was still in its startup phase. In my past life, I knelt before my parents to help him, drank myself sick at business dinners, and gave my all for his company. And what did he do? Did he even love me? During those intimate nights, who was really on his mind—me, or his junior, Emily, who had already taken her own life?

I returned home with my bags, and my parents were visibly shocked. My dad huffed, “If you’re back because of him, you might as well leave. Your mom and I can’t stand the sight of you when it’s about him.” Seeing my parents healthy and alive, I couldn’t stop the tears from welling up. In my last life, after James killed me, how devastated must my parents have been when they found my body? At that thought, I collapsed at the doorway, sobbing uncontrollably. My mom nudged my dad and frowned. “This is your fault! Why do you have to be so harsh? Look at her, she’s crying her heart out.” I buried my face in my mom’s arms and cried until there was nothing left. Regret, bitterness, all of it poured out. “It’s okay, sweetie. What happened? Did James hurt you?” I nodded. “I… I broke up with him. I don’t love him anymore. I want to come home.” The look on my parents’ faces was priceless—they looked like they’d finally been freed from years of torment. Just to make sure, my dad cautiously asked, “You mean, the kind of breakup where you won’t be getting back together?” I smiled through my tears and nodded, then told them the whole story. My parents were furious. “I always knew that James was bad news! Your company, your future, everything—he made you put it all on the line. And now he has the nerve to turn it all back on you?” As my parents raged, I felt a pang of guilt. What had possessed me in my past life to throw my family aside for a man? “Welcome home, sweetheart. Welcome home.” My mom gently patted my back, soothing me the way she used to when I was a child. After such an overwhelming day, I fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. The next morning, I woke up to find twenty missed calls from James and a new Instagram post from Emily. In the photo, she was sitting in the passenger seat of James’s car, with him lovingly wiping her tears. The caption read: No matter what happens, I’ll always be by your side. Even though I had braced myself for this, my heart still ached when I saw it. James and I had been together for six years, and people used to joke that if we didn’t end up getting married, they’d stop believing in love. I guess love really does change, doesn’t it? My phone buzzed with a message from Emily: Clara, I’m so sorry about that Instagram post. You know my family’s situation has been really complicated, and Jack… well, he just felt sorry for me, so he stayed with me last night. I heard you broke up with him, but please don’t let it be because of me. I’d feel so guilty. I didn’t respond. Emily’s manipulations were so transparent, I didn’t even want to bother. Posting that picture, then sending me this message—what did she expect me to do? Beg James to come back to me? Or storm into her place and slap her? Emma Miles was as disgusting as James, a two-faced backstabber.

I once accidentally came across some of the messages between James and Emily. “You’re such a great senior, I’m so envious of Clara for finding a boyfriend like you.” “Clara’s so lucky. She has a loving family and a boyfriend who dotes on her. I wish I could have the same.” And, of course, James ate it all up, insisting on treating her like a little sister—bringing her food when she was hungry, water when she was thirsty. When Megan heard that I’d broken up with James, she insisted on dragging me out to celebrate. Her lively energy was contagious, and soon, I found myself in a much better mood. “You have no idea how much I’ve hated James,” Megan said, grinning from ear to ear. “Ever since you started dating him, you’ve barely had time to grab lunch with me. Being blinded by love is how people start losing themselves—and you, my friend, were the poster child for that!” Hearing her ramble on, I pulled her close and nodded eagerly in agreement. “I’m sorry, I really was an idiot, okay? You happy now?” Megan finally nodded with satisfaction and proceeded to drag me into every luxury store in the mall. As I walked through the aisles, it struck me how much I had changed since dating James. I’d stopped being my own person, morphing into someone whose life revolved entirely around him. With his business just taking off, he was always strapped for cash, and I hadn’t visited these beloved stores in ages. “Hey, isn’t that James?” Megan suddenly gasped, her eyes wide. I followed her gaze and spotted James, along with Emily, who was pulling a suitcase behind her. They seemed to be sneaking around, as if they were up to something. I didn’t want anything to do with them anymore, but Megan’s curiosity got the best of her. She insisted we go check it out. We watched as they entered a second-hand luxury bag store, and a suspicion began forming in my mind. “Isn’t that the limited edition bag I got you two years ago for your birthday?” Megan pointed to a high-end bag on display inside. I frowned. I’d left behind some things at James’s place when I packed up, planning to send movers to retrieve them later. I hadn’t expected James to take my bag and sell it for Emily’s sake. Without hesitation, I walked into the store. The moment James saw me, his face went from guilty to gleeful in an instant. “Clara! What a surprise! I’ve been trying to reach you. I was planning to explain everything once I wrapped up a few things—” Whack! I didn’t wait for him to finish. My hand landed square on his cheek, and James stared at me, utterly stunned. Emily quickly stepped forward to tend to his reddened face. “Clara, how could you hit him? He’s—” Whack! Another slap, this time for Emily. “Hitting you was just something I did on impulse,” I said, voice cold. Megan burst out laughing, while the rest of the store turned to watch the spectacle unfold.

“Clara, you crazy woman! Why are you hitting Emily? What did she ever do to you?” James pushed Emily behind him, shielding her like a mother hen. I pointed to the display of bags. “You’re selling my things without permission. Did you even bother to ask me first?” James’s face turned crimson. “I’m just borrowing them. It’s not like I wasn’t going to give them back.” “Borrow my things without asking? Do you realize that’s called theft? And we’ve broken up, James. You don’t get to touch my stuff anymore.” “Clara, how could you be so shallow? They’re just bags! You can always buy more. But you can’t put a price on someone’s life. Are you really okay watching Emily get pushed to the edge?” James was growing more agitated by the second, as if I was the one at fault in all of this. I couldn’t believe how shameless he was. “You’re trying to guilt-trip me? Let me tell you something—I don’t fall for that.” By now, the surrounding crowd was whispering among themselves, phones raised to record. “First of all, we’re no longer together. Second, those are my bags. And lastly, whatever help you want to give your dear Emily is none of my concern. What’s next? If you marry someone and have kids, are you going to ask me to pay their college tuition too?” James was left speechless. He knew he was in the wrong, but with everyone filming, he couldn’t afford to dig himself deeper. Reluctantly, he muttered, “Fine. These three bags—I bought them. I have every right to sell them.” Megan and I were floored. What kind of twisted logic was that? Since when does a boyfriend get to take back gifts after a breakup? “Fine, sell them if you want,” I replied dismissively. I had no interest in prolonging the argument. I turned to the store manager and said, “The rest of the bags are mine. Please assess their resale value and transfer the amount to my account.” It seemed that James knew his company’s finances were stretched thin, so he’d resorted to sneaky tactics like this. Men like him always want everything, don’t they? “Clara, are you really going to break up with me? You’re 28 now. Do you even realize how old that is? If you leave me now, who’s going to want you? Look, I’ll make it simple. Ask your parents for $500,000 to pay off Emily’s debt, and we can work things out.” James said this seriously, as if he was doing me a huge favor. “You’re delusional, James. If anything, you were the one who got lucky with me.” Megan, unable to contain herself any longer, chimed in. “Plus, my brother’s 32, single, and practically a golden bachelor—tall, handsome, and rich. Clara will be way better off without you. Go run back to your little green-tea princess.” With that, Megan grabbed my arm, and we stormed out of the store without looking back.

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After Mom won over Dad, she decided to stay in this world forever. The three of us lived happily together. But then Dad fell in love with his secretary. Mom told Dad, “If you keep seeing her, I’ll leave.” But Dad replied, “You don’t even have a family to go back to. Where can you go?” And when Mom really left, Dad lost his mind. I pushed open the bedroom door. Mom was lying quietly on the bed. It looked like she was sleeping. I walked over and gently called out, “Mom.” But she didn’t open her eyes like she always did, pulling me into her arms. I put my hand near her nose, but there was no breath. I knew then, my mom… was gone.

Mom once told me she was a “Mission Achiever.” She said she completed her task, and that’s why she chose to stay in this world forever. When she said this, her eyes were full of smiles. Back then, I didn’t understand what “Mission Achiever” meant, but I still asked, “Mom, what was your task?” Mom held my little hand and said, “It was to win over your dad, make him fall in love with me, and then have you!” “Erin, you are Mom’s greatest gift.” She gave me a gentle kiss on the cheek and said she never regretted staying. But after that, Mom didn’t smile like that anymore. Because Dad had fallen for his secretary. People said Dad was going to leave Mom and me soon. I got so mad, I chased them away and hugged Mom. At that moment, I thought: Even if Dad didn’t want Mom anymore, it didn’t matter. Because Mom still had Erin. She was my mom, so she would always be with me.

Usually, it was Mom who helped me take off my pajamas, get dressed, and brush my teeth. Mom would say, “You’re ten years old now. You still need me to help you? Aren’t you afraid your friends will laugh?” I would pout and say, “They’d just be jealous that my mom takes such good care of me.” But now that Mom was gone, I had to dress myself. When I came to the table, Ms. May had already made breakfast. Ms. May asked, “Why hasn’t your mom gotten up yet?” I replied, “Mom’s still sleeping.” Ms. May was the nanny Mom hired. She paid her ten years’ worth of wages upfront to take care of me. Before, we never had a nanny. Mom did everything around the house herself. She was a superhero. She’d do all the chores, put me to bed, spend time with Dad, and still find an hour to study her law books in the study. She was preparing for the LSATs. Dad didn’t understand. He would say, “Why are you working so hard when you’re already so busy and tired?” “I’m taking care of you; why not just relax and enjoy life?” But Mom would gently, yet firmly, shake her head and say, “Ryan, this is my dream.” When she said that, her eyes were shining. I thought Mom looked so beautiful at that moment. I imagine Dad thought so too. He reached out, pulling Mom into his arms, nuzzling her neck like a puppy. Mom’s face turned red, and she pushed Dad away, saying, “Erin’s right here.” I knew Mom and Dad were about to play their “game.” They never let me join. I wanted to ask Mom to include me this time. But Dad’s eyes landed on me and said, “Erin, go out.” I got scared and left quietly. Most of the time, Dad treated me well. But when he looked at me that way, I couldn’t help but obey. For a while, things at home were peaceful. Dad even encouraged Mom to study for the LSATs and stayed up late with her. But the day before the exam… Dad took all of Mom’s documents and locked her in the room. It wasn’t until after the exam had passed that Dad came back home with me. Mom looked at Dad, her eyes blazing with anger. “Ryan, do you know I’ve spent a year preparing for this?!” “Do you have any idea how important this is to me?!” Dad walked up to her, ignoring her struggles, and held her tightly in his arms. He softly said, “Merry, I’m sorry, but I did it for our family.” “I just want you to stay home, so I can hold you whenever I want.” “And Erin feels the same way.” When he said that last part, Dad looked at me. I remembered what Dad told me earlier that day. “Once Mom becomes a lawyer, she’ll always be out on business trips, dealing with clients, and she’ll forget all about you.” “And if she meets someone better, she might leave us and never come back.” What Dad said terrified me. I didn’t want Mom to leave. So I grabbed Mom’s hand and said, “Mom, don’t be mad at Dad. I don’t want to lose you either.” Mom looked at me, and it was like all the strength drained from her. She softened in Dad’s arms. Her dry, cracked voice finally broke the silence. “Don’t let this happen again.” Dad smiled, satisfied. Everything went just the way I had hoped. But when I looked into Mom’s eyes, now dimmer than before, I couldn’t shake the feeling… that I had done something terribly wrong.

After breakfast, I went back to the bedroom, shut the door, and quietly looked at Mom. At ten years old, I already understood life and death. But I wasn’t afraid. Mom had told me she was eighteen when she traveled to this world. In her original world, she was still lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to tubes. She said that after she completed her mission, the system gave her two choices. She could return to her old world or stay here. She wanted to go back and see her mom, but she couldn’t bear to leave Dad and baby me behind, so she stayed. I once asked her, “Mom, will you always stay with Erin?” Mom said, “Of course.” I held on to that promise for so long. Now, I just gently tapped her nose and whispered, “Mom, you liar.” Suddenly, the doorbell rang. I knew it couldn’t be Dad. He hadn’t been home in a long time. Outside, I heard Lynn’s voice calling, “Erin, come open the door. I’ll take you home.” “I’ll be your mom now.” I shouted back, “Get out! You’re not my mom. You’re the homewrecker who ruined my family!” After Mom stopped preparing for the LSATs, she devoted herself entirely to taking care of Dad and me. We were so happy. I thought we’d stay that way forever. But then Lynn showed up. She was Dad’s new secretary, always clumsy. Dad started complaining about her more and more. I couldn’t understand why he didn’t just fire her if she annoyed him so much. But then Dad started coming home later and sometimes didn’t come back at all. And Lynn even started showing up in his social media posts. Mom and I saw them together once when we were out shopping. Mom dropped the vase she was holding. Dad heard the crash and looked over. For a split second, he looked panicked. He let go of Lynn’s wrist and ran after us. But Mom grabbed me, covered her mouth, and ran. That night, Mom and Dad had a huge fight. I hid behind the door, listening to Dad explain himself. He said he was just helping Lynn, that she was lonely and needed someone to talk to. He swore nothing was going on, that he only saw her as a sister. But I thought Dad’s words were so fake. There’s a boy in my class, Charlie, who’s always claiming girls are his “sisters,” but everyone knows he’s dating all of them. I saw Mom smirk, her face full of disbelief, and then she told Dad, “If you see her again, I’m leaving.” Dad, who had been calmly explaining, suddenly got angry when he heard that. He shouted, “You don’t even have a family here! Where can you possibly go?” Dad knew exactly what he was saying. He knew Mom had given up her chance to return to her world, the one she came from. She had nowhere else to go. No one to turn to. I remembered once when Dad made Mom mad, and she stormed out, bag in hand. I was so scared, begging Dad to go after her. But Dad just crossed his legs, reading his paper, and said, “She’ll be back. Where else would she go?” That night, Mom came home, her eyes red from crying. She lifted the bags in her hands and said, “Ryan, I got us some food.” She opened the takeout containers. Ah. My favorite crab cakes, and Dad’s favorite chive wontons. I happily ate, but when I looked at Mom, I saw her quietly eating an old bun from the fridge. Suddenly, I didn’t feel like eating anymore. I realized then, if Mom had somewhere else to go, she’d have taken the first flight or train out of here. But her family was in another world. She had no choice but to stay. And Dad knew that. So he made sure she would always stay in line.

Outside, Lynn knocked on the door for a while, but soon the noise faded away. I thought she was gone. But about an hour later, I heard the sound of someone picking the lock. On the security monitor, I saw a strange man. I felt scared. Mom had told me that if there were ever strangers at the door when I was home alone, I should find an adult. Since I couldn’t go to Mom, I ran to the kitchen to find Ms. May. “Ms. May, there’s someone outside, and I don’t know him.” Ms. May swallowed nervously and grabbed a knife, holding my hand as we waited by the door. Soon, the lock clicked, and the door opened. There was Lynn, smiling sweetly as she handed the locksmith twenty bucks. “Thanks, sir.” Ms. May frowned, “Miss Lynn, how could you do this?” Lynn shrugged. “Erin, your dad asked me to come and get you.” “You’ve been avoiding me, so I had no choice.” She reached out to grab me. Without thinking, I bit down hard on her hand. I shouted, “I’m not going with you!” “You can forget it!” Lynn screamed as blood welled up in her hand. I finally let go. Lynn, furious, shoved me to the floor and stormed out. My hand scraped against the floor, and blood started to trickle out. Ms. May rushed to get the first-aid kit. Even though it was Ms. May who bandaged me, I couldn’t help but whisper, “Mom… it hurts.” But my mom couldn’t hear me anymore. Before, she was always there—always with Dad, always with me. But now that she was gone, I finally understood what it meant to miss her. I remembered when I was six, during the holidays, Dad took me and Mom back to the family home for a big family gathering. Dad’s relatives were all there. Uncle John, Aunt Lisa, Uncle Mark, Grandpa, Grandma… So many people, bustling around. But Mom was there alone, just with me. That day, she worked tirelessly, cooking a huge meal all by herself. Everyone else sat down to eat, but she was still in the kitchen, busy. Uncle John and Uncle Mark both complimented Dad, saying, “Ryan, you really married a wonderful, capable woman.” Dad smiled proudly. Mom wiped the flour off her forehead and gave a small smile, keeping her head down. When she finally sat down at the table, most of the food was gone. I told her I was tired, so she only had time to take a few bites before leading me upstairs. As we reached the top of the stairs, Mom paused, turning to look back. Curious, I looked too. Grandpa and Grandma were handing out red envelopes to the younger kids. Uncle John, Uncle Mark, and Dad were discussing work, while the aunts and cousins played cards. They were all one big family. Mom stared for a long time. I tugged on her hand and asked, “Mom, what’s wrong?” She snapped out of her thoughts and looked down at me. Behind her was the loud chatter of people and the warmth of family lights, but her eyes looked so sad, so lonely. “Erin, do you think my mom is doing something right now, too?” It was only then that I realized my mom missed her mom, too.

After Ms. May finished bandaging my hand, she glanced toward Mom’s room and frowned. “It’s almost dark, and your mom still hasn’t woken up?” I replied, “Mom’s really tired. Let her sleep a bit longer.” Ms. May sighed. “It’s been days now, and your dad hasn’t come home to check on her.” My dad hadn’t been home for a long time. He said he was on a business trip, but he had actually gone on vacation with Lynn. Lynn had smugly flaunted those pictures in front of Mom, telling her to divorce Dad and make room for her. I saw the sadness fill Mom’s eyes, turning them red. The place in those photos—Mom had wanted to go there for ages. She had begged Dad to take her, but he was always too busy. Yet somehow, he found the time to take Lynn first. When Mom showed Dad the photos, his face changed immediately. He insisted, “Those pictures are fake, edited. They mean nothing.” But in that moment, Mom’s eyes were full of sorrow. She softly said, “Ryan, what did you promise me when we got married? That you would love only me, that you’d be faithful.” “Otherwise, why would I have stayed here at all?” Dad responded, “Haven’t I treated you well? I’ve given you a multimillion-dollar house, a diamond ring worth hundreds of thousands, designer clothes. Haven’t I given you everything you wanted?” Mom shook her head and whispered, “We just don’t understand each other anymore.” She started throwing Dad’s clothes and shoes out of the house. Dad, humiliated, said he wasn’t coming back. And after that day, he really did move out. Not long after, Lynn’s apartment caught fire, and she moved in with Dad. When Mom found out, she didn’t cry. She just held me gently. Mom said that she had finally understood—people change, love changes, and promises only hold weight when they are first made. But she had realized this too late. There was no going back now. 8 That night, I squeezed my own toothpaste onto my brush, brushed my teeth, and wiped down my small body with a towel. Then I climbed into bed beside Mom and hugged her. Even though her body had already grown stiff, and her skin was cold, as long as she was still lying there, I felt a kind of happiness. Once, I had asked Mom, “Mom, what was your mom like?” My mom didn’t have a dad. Her mom had been her only family back then. Mom said that her mom was very strict with her, always scolding and punishing her when she didn’t do her homework. I furrowed my brow, confused. Why would Mom still miss her mom after that? Sometimes, when Mom had nightmares, she didn’t call out Dad’s name. She cried out, “Mom.” Mom’s voice softened as she told me more. “But when I was sixteen, and I was diagnosed with leukemia, my mom stopped being so hard on me.” “She quit her job, sold our house, and spent every single day taking care of me by my bedside.” “My mom loved me very much.” As she spoke, her voice was tinged with both pride and sadness. I knew then that Mom had never really forgotten about her mom. Because when she came to this world at eighteen, she was still just a young girl herself. On the day Mom discovered Dad had taken Lynn on vacation, she sat by the window and cried quietly. Mom said she shouldn’t have let love cloud her judgment, making her give up everything—even her own mother, who she would never see again. 9 Mom had actually asked Dad for a divorce. A month after Dad moved out, Mom messaged him, asking him to come home. Dad showed up in a black suit, looking more handsome than ever with his slicked-back hair. That day, Mom cooked a whole table full of dishes. Dad seemed pleased with himself and said, “Have you finally made up your mind?” I sat eagerly at the table, watching them, hoping they would make up. But then Mom put down her chopsticks and said, “Ryan, I want a divorce.” I was old enough to know what divorce meant. Divorce meant Dad and Mom would be apart forever, and we would hardly ever be together again. When Dad heard those words, his expression changed instantly. “Merry, you want a divorce over something so small?” “Is this really necessary? I didn’t do anything with Lynn. I still love you. Can’t you be a little more forgiving?” Mom calmly responded, “This isn’t something small to me.” “You broke your promise, you betrayed our love. How can I just overlook that?” Dad started to panic but got angry instead, saying, “And where will you go if we divorce?” “Besides Erin and me, who do you even know here?” Mom’s voice cracked as she replied, “I’ll go out and meet people. If I have no money, I’ll wash dishes and mop floors. I’ll manage to raise Erin on my own.” Dad scoffed and tossed a final remark over his shoulder as he walked out the door, “Go ahead and try.” Over the next few days, Mom sent out countless job applications, but every single one was rejected. Mom didn’t give up and submitted some resumes hundreds, even thousands of times. Finally, someone told her, “Ms. Merry, Ryan Dane has put the word out. No one’s going to hire you.” Soon after, a lawyer arrived at our door with some documents. Mom asked, “What’s this?” The lawyer replied, “This is a comparison of your assets with Mr. Dane’s.” “If you go to court to fight for custody of your daughter, I’m afraid you won’t stand a chance.” He adjusted his glasses. “I’m sorry to say, but you don’t have any winning arguments.” Mom’s face went pale. I clung to her clothes but didn’t dare say a word. Soon, Dad’s relatives flooded the house. They surrounded Mom, bombarding her with accusations. “Ryan is such a good catch. You still want to divorce him? You won’t get another chance like this.” “You’re so ungrateful. What does Ryan even see in you?” Mom coldly responded, “Don’t bother trying to convince me. I’m going to divorce him.” Someone softened their tone, trying to appeal to her emotions. “Merry, think about your daughter. She’s so grown up now. How would she feel if her parents divorced?” Mom hesitated. A chorus of voices followed. “That’s right. Children need a stable home.” “Everything should be for the sake of the child. What’s so hard to forgive?” One of them nudged me forward and asked, smiling, “Erin, do you want your parents to get divorced?” “If they do, you’ll be a child without a mom.” I couldn’t hold back my tears. I hugged Mom tightly, terrified, and pleaded, “Mom, please, don’t leave Dad. Don’t leave me.” Mom gazed at me, dazed, her eyes welling up with tears too. “Fine.” It was just a soft whisper, barely audible, like a sigh. Mom gave up. I thought this would be enough to keep her with me forever. But I didn’t understand then—some birds can’t be caged. Their wings sparkle with freedom, and no cage can hold them.

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My wife and her young lover had too much fun at the hotel and accidentally lost our child. Afterward, she claimed to have been bewitched and begged for my forgiveness. I suppressed my hatred, pretended to agree, and secretly devised a plan for revenge. Not long after, my wife smiled at me and said, “Honey, I’m pregnant again! Aren’t you happy?” I nodded, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace, my body trembling uncontrollably. Because, unbeknownst to her, I had quietly undergone a vasectomy right after she had the miscarriage. “David, say something!” My wife, Samantha Williams, sat beside me, shaking my shoulder vigorously. I stared blankly at the report on the table. It showed that she was indeed pregnant. “Honey, I couldn’t keep our last child, and I feel so guilty. But look, the heavens have blessed us with another chance…” She sweetly wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek. “Let’s cherish this life together from now on.” When I didn’t respond, she placed my hand on her slightly rounded belly. “Feel it? It’s our baby.” Samantha’s words echoed in my ears, but all I could hear was a deafening roar. My temples throbbed, anger surging through me—I wanted nothing more than to throw her out of the house right then and there. Because, even before she lost the baby, I had already taken the step to prevent her from bearing another man’s child and forcing me into the role of a father. I knew that cheating happens either once or infinitely. Sure enough, my intuition was spot on. I didn’t plan to confront Samantha; instead, I aimed to find that young lover and make them both pay. I drifted back to that fateful day. I had just finished work when I received a call from the hospital. Rushing to the hospital, I found Samantha crying out in pain. She lay on the bed, looking utterly drained. The nurse stifled a laugh, while my friends nearby teased me. “David, have you been that wild? That young lover must have really done a number on her!” My temper flared, and I felt my face flush with humiliation. Just as I was about to leave, Samantha grabbed my hand, weakly apologizing and confessing. “Honey, it was the other person who seduced me. I was just momentarily lost and made a terrible mistake.” “Please, forgive me. I promise we can have more children.” Hearing her words felt like a deep insult. No man wants to wear a metaphorical green hat and continue living in such a farce. I had always treated her well, coming from a poor background; I did everything I could to help her. During holidays, I showered her with precious gifts just to see her smile. Even in arguments, I was the one who would back down and apologize. Everyone said I was her lapdog, humbled to the core. But I didn’t care; I just wanted to build a life together with her. I never expected her to betray me like this. After much thought, I made my decision. I wanted a divorce and for her to leave with nothing, facing the consequences of her actions. At the same time, I wanted to find that young lover and ruin him. To avoid exposing my plan, I pretended to forgive Samantha. From that day forward, she changed her attitude and was exceptionally nice to me. She even insisted on doing my laundry.

After Samantha got pregnant, her requests for money increased. She claimed she wanted to eat better for the baby. Was she expecting me to support her little bastard? Her words enraged me to the point of shaking. But I swallowed my anger for the sake of my ultimate plan. I loosened my fists and said to Samantha as she prepared to leave, “Be back early, okay? Don’t tire yourself out shopping with your girlfriends, and take care of our baby.” A flicker of guilt crossed her face as she nodded and smiled. But the way she was dressed up didn’t seem like she was going to meet friends. Suspicion gnawed at me, so I followed her down the stairs. To my shock, she got into a car with a young guy who looked no older than twenty. As the guy rolled down the window, I caught them kissing passionately. They looked so intimate… My teeth ground together; I wanted to send them both to hell. From his attire and demeanor, I was certain he was a college student. And judging by his car, he wasn’t some rich kid. I suddenly recalled how frequently Samantha had been asking me for money lately. After thinking it through, it became clear—she was using my money to support a young gigolo. How ridiculous! I had to take action. When I got home, I sent the photo of the guy to my friends. After some investigation, I learned he was not just a player; he was a scam artist and a notorious womanizer. He had deceived many girls into bed, recording videos and threatening them—if they didn’t pay up, he would release those videos online. What a despicable person! Why hadn’t he gone to hell yet? I typed furiously to my friends. “Let’s make sure he gets caught up in gambling!” They responded, “Consider it done!” After sending the message, I fell into a deep sleep. In my dreams, I saw Samantha in a white dress, smiling at me, but soon enough, multiple men appeared around her, reaching out their hands to touch her. I wanted to intervene, but she screamed at me. “David, you’re such a clown.” “How does it feel to wear the green hat?” I woke up in a rage, ready to get a drink when Samantha returned. She reeked of perfume mixed with cigarette smoke, holding a bouquet of flowers. She carefully placed the flowers in a vase, completely oblivious to my glaring eyes. “I’m going to shower, honey.” “Be careful, don’t slip,” I replied nonchalantly. After she tossed her bag on the sofa and headed into the bathroom, I rummaged through her bag. Every item inside shocked me. First, there was a set of torn lingerie. Then I saw some… toys. Wow, she was quite the player! In front of everyone, the pure and lovely Samantha had this whole other side. I remembered how she had never been very proactive in bed—unless I begged her, she wouldn’t let me touch her. I thought she was just a modest, reserved person. Yet now, she transformed into a maid to please other men. My anger boiled over when I noticed her phone screen light up. Someone had sent her a message. Unlocking it, I clicked into her WeChat. At the top was a guy’s profile labeled “Baby.” Preparing myself for what I might see, I opened the conversation. “How was it this time? Did I do well enough? Should I ask for more compensation? I worked hard…” “Am I better than that useless husband of yours?” “Honestly, your husband is such an idiot.” I was taken aback, my brow furrowing. Could it be that things were more complicated than I had thought? I scrolled further. “I hope you don’t blame me for the last time causing your miscarriage…” Damn, I had been kept in the dark. This was the guy who had caused her miscarriage. Reading those messages made me question whether the child she lost before had ever been mine. When I flipped to the next page of chat history, I couldn’t sit still. “Now that we’re having this child, you need to take care of it.” “Don’t let it turn out like last time…” Sure enough, neither of those kids were mine! Next, I read Samantha’s reply. “Oh, you’re so annoying. My husband is actually a decent guy, just a bit slow…” “Stupid sister, if you weren’t slow, how could we be together?” The chat abruptly ended there. My eyes burned with rage as I trembled, clicking on the guy’s social media profile. He posted pictures flaunting expensive clothes, shoes, and watches. The caption read, “Thanks, sis! You’re so generous!” In that moment, I wanted to smash my phone. All those years of hard work went to supporting her young lover! My parents even bought her jewelry and skincare products every month, spending so much on her…

After transferring thousands of messages to my phone, I stuffed Samantha’s things into a bag. She emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel, nervously touching her neck. “What’s wrong? Did you hurt yourself?” I asked, my patience wearing thin. She glanced away, mumbling, “Oh, it’s nothing, just some mosquito bites…” Seeing the red marks on her neck made my teeth grind. Samantha noticed my growing anger and rushed to embrace me. “Honey, I’m so tired from shopping today.” “You don’t care about my feelings at all!” Care? I suppressed my rage, forcing a smile. “Of course, I care! Your husband loves you!” That night, I received a message from a friend. He told me the young lover was a student my sister had once supported. Ryan came from a poor family; his father worked tirelessly just to send him to college. Little did his father know, Ryan had squandered his hard-earned money on women and drinking. What a scoundrel! Before I could respond, my friend added, “Ryan had a fling with your sister…” What? So my sister nearly killed herself over this guy? Before I could ponder further, my friend revealed, “That scumbag filmed your sister in private…” At that moment, I was livid. Clutching my chest, I struggled to breathe. I clenched my fists, determined to destroy Ryan. My precious sister, whom I had adored for eighteen years, had been ruined by this worthless bastard. How dare he! I immediately told my friend, “No matter the cost, I’ll make Ryan pay and ruin him.” The next day, at the crack of dawn, I drove to my sister’s house. She seemed despondent, uninterested in anything, keeping her feelings bottled up. I bought her beautiful clothes and treated her to a nice dinner. Finally, she opened up in my arms. Ever since Ryan filmed her, she had been giving him a thousand dollars a month as hush money. As she spoke, her pain deepened, tears streaming down her cheeks, her eyes red like a rabbit’s. As her brother, I felt an immense guilt. That night, I arranged for Ryan to be ambushed in an alley. They threw a black bag over his head and silenced him with a sock. I was the first to strike, and my friends joined in. Until someone pulled me back, urging me not to escalate things, I finally eased my grip. Next, I opened his phone, and the first thing I saw was a video of Samantha. Her face flashed in the footage, and I immediately recognized the large gold bracelet I had bought her just days ago. Samantha was incredibly eager in the video, her expression one of pure enjoyment. Two words came to mind. Filthy! Sordid! I had never realized she could be so open-minded. The demure lady in public was nothing but a wanton in private. I secretly transferred the video to my phone as a backup. Now, I had more than enough evidence. Next, I spent a few minutes deleting all videos of other girls. One friend couldn’t stand this scum and spat on Ryan, yelling, “Didn’t your mom teach you to respect women?” “What a disgrace! And you call yourself a college student? You’re more like a beast.”

When I got home, I found Samantha looking anxious, grabbing her bag and ready to leave. I grabbed her hand and forced a smile. “Honey, it’s late. Where are you going?” She swallowed hard and quickly said, “A friend is sick; I need to go see him.” “Oh? Let me take you.” She shook her head, looking nervous. “It’s fine, honey. You worked all day and need to rest. I’ll take a cab.” Samantha hurriedly released my hand and dashed out the door. I chuckled. Looks like Ryan had gotten himself into deep trouble. I smirked. The real show was just beginning! With my friends’ help, Ryan had ended up deep in gambling debt. When faced with the massive bill, he immediately thought of Samantha. I occasionally caught glimpses of his messages to her. “Help me save my life, sis.” “Isn’t your rich husband there to help pay off my debts?” “Or better yet, why not just kill him and inherit everything?” “After all, you hate him touching you and said he looks like a gorilla. You wouldn’t mind if he just disappeared, would you?” The rest was Samantha’s reply. “No way! I’d go to jail. Let me ask him for some money first…” Well, I didn’t expect Samantha to refuse Ryan’s request out of fear of prison. It seemed she didn’t care about the bond we shared over the years. Fine, since you both lack empathy, I won’t show mercy. Sure enough, when I got home from work, Samantha had prepared a feast. As soon as I walked in, she rushed to take my bag, bending down to help me with my shoes. Feigning concern, I helped her up. “Be careful; don’t hurt our baby.” “Okay, honey! I made your favorite dish, come and see!” At the dinner table, she subtly mentioned her financial struggles, but I ignored her, focused on my meal. After a while, she finally lost her temper and slammed her chopsticks down in front of me. Startled, I nearly stood up to slap her. But reason won over impulse, and I bit my lip, asking, “Have you lost your mind, Samantha?” She became even angrier, clearly not expecting me to raise my voice. After all this time, I had rarely shown anger toward her. “David, you actually yelled at me?” Her eyes were red with fury as she stood to confront me. “What have you given me all these years? Other husbands are handsome and wealthy, and what about you?” “I should have listened to my parents and not married you!” Ha! You didn’t want to marry me, and I regret marrying you. If it weren’t for my parents introducing us as a good match, I wouldn’t have looked at you twice. It’s not that I don’t have money; it’s that you’re just too greedy. But I kept those thoughts to myself; this wasn’t the time to burn bridges. Yet the more Samantha spoke, the more she trampled my dignity. “David, do you even realize how disgusting you are? Every time you touch me, I want to vomit.” “And you? You’re useless in bed!” That was it; she had completely enraged me. I believe no man would allow such insults, especially from his wife. “Samantha, have you forgotten the disgusting things you’ve done?” “What right do you have to shout here, you homewrecker?”

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It was midnight when my childhood friend, who had been missing for a year, sent me a message. [I want to get married] I hastily replied: Go ahead. The next day, I received a staggering sum of $1 million. Note: Wedding gift. Olivia James was my childhood friend. Her dad was in business while mine was in medicine. Some twist of fate brought us together. From holding hands crossing the street in kindergarten, to being deskmates for six years in elementary school, and sitting in front and back rows for three years in middle school. I thought I’d finally escape her in high school, but who knew we’d end up sharing the same taxi on registration day. I frowned: “Miss James, did all your family’s drivers die or something?” She yawned: “I’m just going the same way.” Yeah right, I thought. But it turned out to be true – she entered the International Baccalaureate program at our school.

Being in the same school was one thing, but at least she’d go abroad for college. That’s what I thought, until one day at lunch when I ran into her again. “Nathan, which building is your class in?” she asked softly, her voice lilting. I grabbed my friend: “Let’s go.” Her friend chimed in: “You’re ignoring a pretty girl who’s trying to talk to you?” I shot her a cold look: “You go away too.” … From then on, I decided never to eat in the cafeteria again. Surely I wouldn’t see her anymore now, right? I was happily doing homework in my dorm when my roommate sent me a message. Mike: Bro, what should I do?! Me: What’s up? Mike: I think I’ve fallen for that pretty girl we met in the cafeteria today! Mike: Nathan, help me pursue her, please~ Me: Add an S. SOS!

For the first time at school, I stayed up all night, unable to figure out what part of Mike’s brain had malfunctioned. Okay, I admit, the only thing I agreed with was that Olivia was pretty. Skipping evening study hall, Mike and I hid in the bushes by the basketball court to spy on her. “If you like her, just go for it. Why all this sneaking around?” I asked. “Who’s sneaking around?” I looked down and made eye contact with a bug in the bushes. It said: Good evening. I said: Ahh, get lost! Then something even more terrifying than the bug appeared. “Why is it you two again?” Olivia’s best friend spoke up. I gritted my teeth: “Can’t we admire the moon in peace?” Thunder rumbled in the overcast sky, completely out of place. Olivia snickered: “More like admiring the lightning.” I came to a conclusion. Mike must not have a brain at all to like Olivia. No, anyone who likes Olivia must not have a brain! That night back in the dorm, I ranted under my covers. Then deleted it all. I left one post on the campus forum: Whoever likes Olivia James, I’ll laugh at them for life. The day after I posted that, I experienced both cyberbullying and real-life bullying. During class, a note fell on my face out of nowhere. It was covered in different handwriting. The gist was: Who’s the person with the username “Thor’s Hammer”? I pursed my lips and quietly destroyed the evidence.

My identity was exposed that afternoon. Now the whole school knew that Nathan Scott from Class 5 was a great critic. And I, I apologized to my buddy. Under the threat of complete alienation and another condition. I agreed to help him deliver a love letter to Olivia. For a second, I wished I could die on the way to the IB building. “Please give this to Olivia James in your class.” “Who?” That girl pretended not to hear. “Olivia James,” I repeated slowly. “Oh,” she flicked water off her hands, “she’s behind you.” “…” She raised an eyebrow and pulled the pink envelope from my hand, laughing for a while. “Thor, you even write love letters?” “Can’t you see clearly, I didn’t write this.” Olivia just glanced down at it and said: “I don’t believe you.” This idiot brushed past me. I turned and yelled after her: “Olivia James, what’s wrong with you?” Her friend passed by me, leaning in to whisper: “You’re surrounded by pink bubbles.” “…” I’ll give you a pink snot bubble. … This incident spread like wildfire through the school. Everyone I passed in the halls was talking about: Thor from Class 5 wrote a love letter to the school beauty. I scrolled through the campus forum posts, unfazed. A message popped up that instantly shattered my calm. From my homeroom teacher: Have your dad come to school tomorrow. I was speechless, nearly replying: Don’t you have a dad? Why do you need mine?

I’d always been a top student, even in high school. I’d cultivated an image of the aloof academic genius. In my life, I’d never hit anyone except Olivia. Getting my parents called in was a first. I later heard my dad had canceled a whole morning of surgeries to rush to school. I just kept my head down, not daring to speak. It was so unfair. A crowd had gathered outside the office, including that troublemaker Olivia. The homeroom teacher lectured my dad about the dangers of puppy love for nearly an hour, from 7:30 to 8:30. When she finally finished, I got up to leave, but met my dad’s gloomy face. It felt like lightning struck me. Sure enough, my dad called me to the car. “I’m really not dating anyone,” I weakly explained. He let out a long sigh. “Nathan, Dad will allow you to date as long as your grades don’t slip.” I looked at him in disbelief as he added: “But it can’t be Olivia James.” I was about to ask why when Dad cut me off. “Your mom and I have to go on a business trip this month, so you’ll have to stay in the dorm for now.” “But…” “No buts, it’s already decided. Go back to class now.” Dad could be so forceful sometimes. After getting out of the car, I didn’t return to the classroom. Today was a review day, all self-study. I hadn’t taken the love letter thing too seriously, and I didn’t really care even if it was real puppy love. What bothered me was how they just dumped me at school without a word. I sat down on the stadium steps. They said I was a good kid, so they indulged me. They said I was a good kid, so I could live independently. They said I was a good kid, so I could be left behind. But even good kids want lots and lots of love. I just sat there spacing out, trying to forget everything by emptying my mind. Until a figure appeared in front of me. “Why aren’t you in class?” she asked. I didn’t answer. She stood there for a moment, then apologized. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know this would blow up so much. I’ll explain on the forum and to your dad…” “What did your dad say to you?” She crouched down and poked my head. “Are you really mad?” I finally looked up to meet her gaze, only then feeling tears run down my cheeks. She seemed to freeze for a moment, then reached out to wipe the tears from my face. “I said I’d fix it, what are you crying for?” I lowered my head and choked out: “It’s nothing, my stomach just hurts.” … At the breakfast shop, Olivia rested her chin on her hand, watching me. “It wasn’t that simple, was it?” I bit the straw, playing dumb. “What wasn’t simple?” “When you broke your arm as a kid and went to the hospital, that little girl next to you fainted from crying, but you didn’t shed a single tear.” I froze for a moment and looked up. For a second I was sure she froze too. Until a napkin brushed across my lips. I stared at her wide-eyed, and her hand stopped. “Or do you want to wipe it yourself?” “…” “My parents are going out of town this month.” “And?” “And what?! Can I stay at your place or something?” She nodded. “It’s settled then.” She got up and grabbed her school jacket, leaving. I slapped the table and stood up. Damn, Olivia didn’t pay!

Mike has inexplicably gotten into social media lately. His first sponsored post was for some hickey-making device. Of course, not the “hickey” you grow in a garden. This was the fifth time today he’d peeked down at me from his top bunk. “Nathan, you have the best collarbones in the whole dorm. Let me take a photo?” “No way.” “I’ll split the ad money with you.” “Deal.” The money wasn’t really important, I just wanted to help a friend out. After taking the photos, I didn’t pay much attention to that thing. I didn’t even think about packing my bags. I thought she was just joking that day to get out of paying. But on Friday afternoon, I was caught off guard and dragged into a private car. Damn, I thought I was being kidnapped for a second. Olivia entered and casually tossed her keys on the table. I walked right in like I owned the place. “I knew your family wouldn’t be home either.” The person looking down nearby chuckled. “Did you ever consider this might be my own house?” Sorry, poverty limited my imagination. “…You don’t usually come back, so you just let an empty house collect dust?” She seemed to move closer. “What else, Mr. Scott? Is your name on the deed or something?” “If you want to give me a free mansion, I wouldn’t mind.” I shot back at her. “Where’s the bathroom? I need a shower.” … In less than five minutes, I suddenly felt like I wouldn’t be able to use this house even if she gave it to me. “How do you adjust the water temperature in your bathroom?” “There’s a remote in the waterproof bag hanging on the side.” I hadn’t even found the remote when Olivia came in. “I threw out the instructions. Left is hot, right is cold, bottom row controls the heat settings.” Her clear voice echoed in the bathroom. The cool white bathroom light fell on her profile, and under the faint shadows of her eyelashes, I saw those almond eyes staring at me. I was sure I was fully clothed. But why was she looking at me? No, she wasn’t staring at my face. But at… I looked down at that spot. It hadn’t faded after three days. This hickey-maker was definitely worth recommending. She looked at me questioningly. I returned the same questioning look. The atmosphere was tense for a second. Until Olivia walked out of the bathroom without a word. Warm air filled my nostrils. Why had I forgotten to breathe? No, I’d seen her in all states before, why get nervous now? … After leisurely washing away a week’s fatigue, I left the bathroom. Olivia sat on the couch with her arms crossed, watching TV. From when I came out to when I walked over, it took five seconds. And she stared at me for those five seconds. “Olivia, do I look like a soccer ball or something?” She didn’t answer my question. Instead, she raised her hand and turned off the TV. Okay, I’d never seen her with such a serious expression before. “Nathan, you can’t date other girls.” I opened my mouth to argue, but thought it over and realized something was off. If I don’t date girls, am I supposed to date guys? Channeling my dad’s righteous speech from this morning, I said: “My dad allows me to date, it’s just…” “That’s not allowed either. I don’t allow it.” I stopped talking and just looked at her with a “are you a sore loser” expression. After a long moment, I got up to leave. “Nathan, aren’t you going to tell me who it is?” I gave her a cold shoulder: “Guess if you want. No prize though.” … The next day I was woken up by Mike’s call. I looked at the clock. What the hell, bro, it’s only 7 AM! “Give me one good reason why you’re bothering me this early.” He shouted “Nathan” and then started barking excitedly. I was sure he’d lost his mind, so I put down the phone and pulled the covers back over me. Until I heard “Olivia James” among his stream of “Ahhh”s, which made me open my eyes. “What did you say?” “I said Olivia James just added me on Snapchat!!” “Did she see my love letter and fall for me?! Is she going to confess to me? Is she…” “No, she must be out of her mind.” I sat up cross-legged and put him on speaker, about to say something. When the person who’d been leaning on my doorframe for who knows how long entered my line of sight. “Who’s out of their mind?” she asked. If I had another chance, I’d definitely remember to lock the door. The voice on the other end clearly paused: “Nathan, why is there a girl’s voice there?” My gaze didn’t leave Olivia’s cold face. “No one, just my childhood friend.” “Alright then Nathan, I gotta go. If we end up together, you’ll be the MVP!” Click- “Why did you add Mike on Snapchat?” She said coldly: “Guess if you want. No prize.” I raised an eyebrow and smiled. “You’re not actually into him, are you?” “Modern civilized high school students don’t date, unlike some people.” I chuckled twice. “Then why are you harassing him?” “I…” “You’re not crushing on someone in our class, are you?” She laughed angrily, looking like she wanted to say “How could that be?” or “I said I’m not dating.” But she just stared at me for two seconds. “Yes, I like someone in your class.” That sentence fried my brain. We’d been split into arts and science classes after the first week of school. We were an all-science class with only ten guys. Excluding Mike, Olivia had barely even seen the others. Could it be… “I respect your choice.” “?” “Don’t worry about what society thinks. We’re in an open-minded era now.” She looked at me like I was an idiot and said “Nathan, you really have brain damage” before turning to leave. After she left, Mike sent me a screenshot. It was a message Olivia had sent him. [Are there any girls prettier than me in your class?]

For some reason, after finding out Olivia’s secret, I didn’t run into her at school for a while. Rich people play more openly, I guess that’s normal. The next time I saw Olivia was around New Year’s. We weren’t really relatives, but our families always visited each other for the holidays. But this time we weren’t the only guests. The adults said they needed to discuss high-level matters and shooed me to Olivia’s room. When I went in, the room was eerily quiet. Something wasn’t right. Usually when I came over, she’d be gaming or watching anime. I checked the time. It was only 10 PM, surely she wasn’t asleep this early? I knocked twice: “I’m coming in.” As soon as I said that, a voice from inside hit me like a ton of bricks. I heard Olivia curse under her breath, then get up from her gaming chair. “I just got this little ancestor to fall asleep…” My hand was still on the doorknob as my gaze followed Olivia to the baby on the bed. “Why is he sleeping in your room?” “How should I know? He started crying as soon as I walked in.” Olivia picked up the baby, imitating an adult as she rested the baby’s head on her shoulder. I walked over and looked at the baby behind her. “Aww, such a good baby.” I reached out and gently pinched the baby’s cheek. Olivia’s body suddenly stiffened. “Does this baby really have to cry?” She seemed to be asking me. “What else would you call a baby? What did your mom call you when you were little? Livvy? Liv? Or Baby Liv?” “You… you call your child ‘baby’, so what do you call your wife?” “We’ll figure that out later.” Olivia turned to face me, holding the baby: “Then what do you call your girlfriend now?” My hand froze in mid-air, then dropped. “I’ve been single for 16 years, where would I get a girlfriend?” She stared at me intently, looking a bit angry. “Oh, you mean this!” I belatedly remembered the hickey. I pulled down my shirt a bit: “It’s gone, see?” “What good is it being gone? Can’t you get another one?” “Tch, you want to give me one?” “Go ask your girlfriend to give you one.” She gently laid the baby back on the bed and pulled up the covers. What a good wife and mother. “I’m really not dating anyone. If I were to date, it’d be with physics.” She turned her head, her face in shadow: “Who is it?” “…” “What about you? Which guy in our class do you like?” I couldn’t see Olivia’s expression, but I felt like her face darkened. “I’m not gay!” Great, with that shout, the baby started crying again. Later it seemed like Olivia really did start dating someone. According to the campus forum, not only was Olivia the school beauty, her grades were also top of the IB program. No wonder she had so many followers. She usually acted completely uninterested in guys. I guess that’s why she got labeled as aloof, which was quite the contrast. The first time I heard Olivia had a boyfriend was from a post on the campus forum in our second year. The photo showed Olivia walking with a guy, just their backs, but they were extremely close. She’s dating? I don’t believe it. I lay in bed, eating melon seeds in the comments section.

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After my parents’ divorce, I stayed with my mom. She tricked me into giving her all my savings—three hundred thousand dollars—to buy a house for my cousin. Then my cousin stabbed me to death. When my mom found my body, she comforted him, saying, “Don’t worry, your aunt will write a forgiveness letter for you.” When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back at the time just before my parents’ divorce. My mom’s eyes were steady as she asked, “Jessica, who are you staying with?” I was pushed out of endless darkness. When I opened my eyes, there was my furious mom, and my dad quietly smoking a cigarette. Uncle Steve was yelling, “What’s yours is my sister’s, and what’s my sister’s is mine! If the house is mine, why shouldn’t my son be allowed to live in it?” That familiar scene… I had been reborn into my senior year. Before I could fully grasp the situation, my mom’s finger was practically in my face. “Jessica, tell me, isn’t it important for your cousin to start middle school? Shouldn’t you move into the dorms to give him your room?” In my last life, my mom constantly pitted me against my dad. I grew distant from him because of her manipulation. Mom insisted that I give up my room to Kyle during my senior year, and though my dad disagreed, I gave in, hoping for her approval. Soon, Uncle Steve moved in under the pretense of looking after Kyle. Dad couldn’t take it anymore and filed for divorce. I was given over to my mom’s custody, and that’s when my nightmare began. Seeing that I wasn’t responding, Mom shoved me again, and I stumbled to the floor. Dad quickly tossed his cigarette aside and rushed over to check on me. But Mom kept shouting, “Why aren’t you saying anything, you useless girl? Just standing there like an idiot?” Dad, a quiet and honest man, raised his voice unexpectedly. “What are you yelling for? Didn’t you see you just knocked her over?” Kyle, my cousin, was sprawled on the couch, lazily playing video games. He didn’t even look up when he heard Dad’s voice, just scoffed, “Can you all keep it down? I can’t hear my teammates.” I sat there on the floor, tears spilling down my cheeks as I looked at my dad’s not-yet-aged face. In my last life, Mom had indeed written that forgiveness letter for Kyle, and without Dad knowing, she had me cremated quickly. When Dad finally learned, his hair turned white overnight. He charged at Kyle in a blind rage, but Kyle easily shoved him down the stairs. My soul hovered above, trying desperately to hold onto Dad, but I couldn’t touch him. I could only hear his final words, “It’s all my fault.” Dad thought I was crying from the fall and reached for a tissue to wipe my tears. But Mom grabbed the box and threw it on the floor. “What are you crying about? You’re the older sister; you should let your brother have his way. Besides, Kyle’s struggling in school, and it’s all your fault!” Dad, red-faced with anger, stood up, ready to argue with her. I had finally come to my senses and pulled on his arm. Dad thought I was going to stop him, just like before, and his eyes filled with disappointment. Mom, on the other hand, looked triumphant. “Bill Hay, you’re just as worthless as always. No matter what, your daughter will always side with her mother…” Smack! Mom didn’t get to finish her sentence. She clutched her cheek, screaming, “Jessica Hay, you dare hit your own mother? I’ll kill you today!” Uncle Steve started to step forward, ready to hit me as well. But before his hand could get any closer, Dad kicked him back. “If anyone lays a hand on my daughter, I’ll fight them with everything I’ve got!”

Mom and Uncle Steve were stunned into silence by Dad’s sudden fierceness. I wiped my tears away and stared them both down. “So, it’s crucial for Kyle to start middle school, but my senior year doesn’t matter?” Mom looked at me, completely shocked. She had never imagined her daughter—who had always bent over backward for her affection—would ever stand up to her. Uncle Steve recovered first and sneered at me. “You, a worthless brat, sitting in that room, studying for what? Your brother’s going to get into a good college someday and have a bright future. He’ll be able to help you out, too.” I turned to him, my voice cold. “Kyle? He’s a lazy bum who can only play video games. What makes you think he’ll help me? I’d be lucky if he doesn’t turn out like you—leeches living off others.” In my last life, I had been a top student. In every exam, I was always in the top ten of my class at our prestigious high school. But to my mom, no matter how high my scores were, they could never compare to Kyle calling her “Aunt.” Back then, I gave up my room, not because I wanted to, but because I was desperate to please my mom, to get more of her attention. But moving to the dorms made me sick constantly, and my grades plummeted. In the end, I barely got into a mediocre college. When the SAT results came in, Mom and Uncle Steve sneered at me, calling me a failure. They praised Kyle for “waking up late” but said he’d surely surpass me in the future. I glared at Mom with all my resolve. This time, I wouldn’t make the same mistake. Mom shifted uncomfortably under my gaze, taking a step back. “Jessica, are you out of your mind? You hit me, and now you’re looking at me like that?” I straightened my back. “If you think I’m giving up my room, you’re dreaming.” “You might as well pack up your stuff and take that lazy cousin of mine back to Ohio. Maybe it’s time he learned how to work a farm.” When Mom realized I wasn’t budging, her tone softened, “I was just upset, Jessica. Think about it, if you hadn’t dropped Kyle when he was a baby, he would’ve developed faster. You owe him.” Uncle Steve, still on the floor from Dad’s kick, chimed in, “Yeah, if it weren’t for you, Kyle would’ve been top of his class by now.” They were talking about something that had happened when Kyle was just a baby. One New Year’s Eve, Uncle Steve’s family had left me, a six-year-old, in charge of baby Kyle while they played cards. Kyle cried non-stop, and when I went to get help, Uncle Steve shooed me away, annoyed. In desperation, I tried to carry Kyle over to the card table, but I wasn’t strong enough. I accidentally dropped him. He cried louder, and I froze in panic until Mom stormed in, kicked me aside, and rushed Kyle to the hospital. All she left me with was a cold threat: “If anything happens to your brother, I’ll kill you.” They took Kyle from the local clinic to County General, then to Downtown Memorial Hospital, and finally to State Hospital. Every doctor assured them that Kyle was perfectly healthy, with not a single scratch on him. But after that day, they blamed everything on that fall. Kyle’s late walking? My fault. Bad grades? My fault. Playing video games all day? Also my fault. Because of that fall, I had to give Kyle my snacks, my toys, and even my allowance. But while they were busy fussing over Kyle, it was Dad who picked me up off the floor, my head bleeding from where Mom had kicked me. How ridiculous. I glanced coldly at Kyle, who had his headphones in and was still playing video games, oblivious to everything around him. I laughed bitterly. “All those doctors said Kyle was fine. What, are you two smarter than they are?” In the past, every time I refused to give Kyle something, they’d bring up that fall to guilt me into giving in. This was the first time I’d ever questioned them like this. Mom’s face turned red, then pale, and her voice dropped to a whisper. “He’s got internal injuries. The doctors just couldn’t find them.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “I was six years old, barely four feet tall. How could I have dropped a swaddled baby hard enough to give him internal injuries?” “What am I, a martial arts master?” Dad chuckled along with me, ruffling my hair. “My daughter’s right. She’s keeping her room. If you can’t deal with that, then get out.” Then I picked up Uncle Steve’s bags and tossed them out the door. “Goodbye.”

Seeing that I wasn’t backing down, Uncle Steve glared at me and muttered to my mom, “This is the daughter you raised?” He grabbed Kyle, who was still clutching his controller, and made as if to leave. Mom panicked, grabbing Kyle’s sleeve to stop him. But Kyle just shook her off. “If you were a decent sister, Dad wouldn’t have to deal with this. Can’t you do anything right?” Mom was in a frenzy. She rushed at me and slapped me hard across the face. “You ungrateful brat! How dare you not make room for your brother? I’ll beat the disobedience out of you!” The force of the blow left my head ringing. My vision blurred, and in that moment, Mom’s furious face morphed into the same expression she had after I died, when she was comforting Kyle after he had stabbed me. The two images overlapped, searing into my mind. My heart ached like a thousand needles had pierced through it. Trembling, I asked, “Do you even remember that you’re my mother?” Mom froze for a second, but quickly recovered, scoffing at me. “If you apologize to your uncle and brother right now, and move their things back into the house, I might still accept you as my daughter.” “But if you don’t… you won’t have a mother anymore.” That was the same tactic she’d used to manipulate me in my past life—threatening to disown me unless I obeyed her every demand. But now? I had already died once. There was no fear left in me. I let out a bitter laugh and said, “Fine.” Mom looked relieved, her tone softening. She pointed toward the door. “Then go fetch their luggage. And Bill, don’t just stand there—call her school and arrange for dorm housing.” Dad didn’t move. Neither did I. I looked her straight in the eye and said, “When I said ‘fine,’ I meant it. I’m perfectly fine without a mother like you.” Mom’s face contorted in disbelief. “What did you just say?” “I said, it’s good to be without a mother like you,” I repeated, my voice steady. “You can’t be serious! You’ve always been the one who listens to me, the one who loves me the most! What’s gotten into you today?” Mom’s voice was shaking with rage, but there was a flicker of doubt behind her eyes. I yanked my arm out of her reach as she tried to touch my forehead, as if checking whether I was sick. “For years, I craved your approval, your love, and I made countless sacrifices hoping for a shred of affection in return. But today, you’ve crossed the line. You’re asking me, a senior about to take the SATs, to give up my room to the same cousin who’s bullied me all my life.” “I finally see it clearly now. Ever since Kyle was born, you’ve had no room in your heart for me. So, I don’t need you either.” For a brief moment, I saw something in her eyes—maybe guilt, maybe sadness. But before she could say anything, Uncle Steve interrupted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Come on, Susan, they’re just putting on a show to guilt-trip us. How come I never realized you were this crafty?” “If you don’t want us living here, just say so. I’ve seen through you, Susan Hay.” He grabbed Kyle’s arm, hoisting him to his feet. Kyle, annoyed that his gaming session had been interrupted, stood up with a huff. Uncle Steve gathered their things, ready to leave. Mom’s fleeting sadness turned to anger again as she ran after them, but not before shooting me a final threat: “If your cousin is upset, I’ll come back and make you pay for it, Jessica.” I watched them leave without a word, feeling strangely at peace. Dad looked at me hesitantly, unsure of what to say. He finally broke the silence with a quiet voice, “Do you want to rest in your room for a bit?” I shook my head, my voice thick with emotion. “Dad, I’m sorry… for everything.” I had a million thoughts racing through my mind, but before I could say more, Dad cut me off gently, “You don’t need to apologize to me, Jessica. I’m your dad.” Tears welled up again, and I threw myself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. I cried for all the years I had wasted trying to earn my mother’s love, for how blind I had been, for how I’d let them manipulate me. The weight of it all finally lifted, and I cried until I had nothing left. When the tears finally stopped, Dad quietly went to the kitchen to get me some hot water. But the front door wasn’t locked, and before he could come back, Mom burst through it, her face a mask of rage. In her hand was a large kitchen knife, gleaming menacingly as she stormed toward me. “Jessica Hay, you worthless brat! You drove away your brother! Now I’ll drive you out of this world!”

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