Category: English

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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She was violated by her stepbrother, and the unbearable weight of it led her to self-harm until there wasn’t an inch of her body left untouched. She said, as long as I send her stepbrother to accompany her in the afterlife, she would allow me to continue using her body. When I saw her stepfather, I decided to send them both to the afterlife to be with her. It felt like someone was holding me underwater, my lungs running out of air, leaving me unable to breathe. A man’s soft, low voice echoed in my ears, “Chloe Watson, you better recognize who your master is.” Suddenly, I was yanked up by the collar, pulled out of the bathtub, fresh oxygen flooding my chest as I gasped for air. Water cascaded over my head, blurring my vision. I wiped my face and saw the one who had grabbed me: a boy with narrow, shadowed eyes and a tense jawline. He snickered. “Chloe Watson, are you trying to drown yourself?” Who’s Chloe Watson? I’m Olivia Dawner. I tried to speak, but my throat was so dry I couldn’t make a sound. The boy gave me a disgusted look and tossed me back into the tub. I glanced around. I was supposed to be on a plane, not in some bathroom I’d never seen before. I looked in the mirror at the person staring back at me—pale skin, dark circles under the eyes from what seemed like chronic lack of sleep. After a few moments, I couldn’t stand the sight anymore. My clothes were stuck to my body, and I wanted to change into something dry. But when I took off my clothes, I froze in shock. This body was covered in bruises and thin scars running up and down the arms. The poor girl must have been in so much mental anguish to do this to herself. As I changed into clean clothes, I began to realize—I had reincarnated, and now I was in someone else’s body. Stepping out of the bathroom, I scanned the room. Girls like this, so sensitive, must keep a diary of their inner turmoil. I started searching for it when suddenly, a voice from behind said, “It’s in the second drawer on the left, the one with the embossed cover.” “Oh, thanks,” I responded instinctively, then immediately felt something was off. My spine stiffened, and I turned toward the voice.

A girl, who looked exactly like the body I was now in, was leaning against the wall, staring at me with a strange expression. I screamed. I’m not afraid of anything, but I’m terrified of ghosts. For a second, I thought I was about to have a heart attack. The ghost rolled her eyes, annoyed. “Stop screaming!” I went silent immediately. “I didn’t think you’d be such a scaredy-cat,” she said, stepping closer. I was so frightened I fell to the floor, which made her look even more puzzled. “I heard you used to be tough, not afraid of anyone. Was that just a rumor?” “But I’m scared of ghosts…” She leaned down, trying to help me up, but as soon as she touched me, her hand passed right through my body, which only freaked me out more. I was so terrified I felt physically ill—who could understand? I scrambled back until I hit the edge of the desk, tears filling my eyes. “I didn’t mean to take your body! I have no idea what happened. I was dead, but then…” I hiccuped through my sobs. “I woke up in your body…” “Must’ve been a glitch in the afterlife’s system,” I rambled, more and more anxious. She was probably here to reclaim her body. Chloe Watson frowned at me. “You don’t sound like how The Reaper described you. He said you were fearless, that even the most dangerous people respected you.” I was nearly sobbing now, convinced the ghost was going to take my life. I hadn’t stopped being afraid of ghosts just because I’d died once. Chloe, clearly irritated, snapped, “Stop crying!” Her sharp tone immediately choked off my tears. She gave me a look. “I’ve never seen anyone as cowardly as you.” I stammered, “W-what do you want?”

Chloe tilted her head. “I need you to do something for me.” I asked cautiously, “Why me?” “You’re the smartest of everyone who died around the same time as me. The Reaper said I could only choose someone from that group.” Of course, I’m smart. No wonder she picked me. “Did the Reaper say I could go back to my own body?” Chloe shook her head. “You died in a plane crash. The wreckage was so bad it took a man named Ethan Clint and his team a long time to find your remains.” “Ethan Clint?” Chloe’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Is he your boyfriend?” I scowled and whispered, “No, he’s the guy you mentioned earlier—the one everyone treats with respect.” I wanted to ask about her scars and why she’d taken her life, but before I could speak, she changed the subject again, gossiping. “I heard someone traded twenty years of their life to bring you back,” she said, resting her head on her hand. “Do you know who?” I shook my head. “Do you?” She also shook her head. “You’re lucky. Someone gave up a lot for you.” I stood there, frozen. I didn’t have anyone close enough to do that. Who could possibly make such a huge sacrifice for me? Suddenly, my stomach growled loudly, and Chloe laughed. “The kitchen’s downstairs.” I headed down and grabbed a carton of milk from the fridge. Chloe floated behind me and motioned for me to look at the staircase. I glanced up and saw a boy standing there in pajamas. Chloe pointed at him. “Send Ricky Shane to the afterlife to be with me, and you can keep this body.” So, the boy who had grabbed me earlier was Ricky Shane. He stood still at the top of the stairs, his gaze icy and piercing. After a moment of silence, I broke eye contact and continued drinking my milk. Ricky turned and went back upstairs. I wiped my nose and tried to reason with Chloe. “Murder’s illegal. Even if I get your body, I’ll end up spending my life in prison. And prison uniforms are ugly—they don’t suit me.” Chloe’s lashes trembled. “He did this to me,” she whispered. “He violated me.” My grip on the milk carton tightened. She added softly, “Many times.”

From Chloe’s story, I pieced together the reasons for her suicide. Her father had died when she was young, and she lived with her mother, who remarried into the Shane family. Ricky Shane was her stepfather’s son. Ricky had always been a cruel, manipulative kid, and Chloe, being shy and obedient, was an easy target for him. As Ricky got older, his bullying became something far worse. About a year ago, he started assaulting her. No 17-year-old girl could bear that kind of violence. So, Chloe began self-harming to cope with the unbearable pain. “I would cut myself every time he assaulted me,” she said quietly, lowering her eyes. I recalled the scars crisscrossing her arms and felt a cold sweat break out across my back. “If he saw a new scar, he’d punish me even more.” I stood there, at a loss for how to comfort her. I looked up at her floating form. “Did you ever tell your mom?” Chloe paused and then let out a bitter laugh. “I told her many times.” I clenched the pillow in my hand, my palms slick with sweat. She didn’t need to say it. I already knew. Her mother must have known but chose to ignore it to preserve her marriage and keep her comfortable life. Not everyone is fit to be a mother. I realized then that what truly broke Chloe wasn’t Ricky’s abuse. It was the cold indifference of being ignored. That’s why she killed herself.

Chloe was a high school senior, and my high school days were far behind me. Luckily, she didn’t seem very popular at school. I spent the whole morning sitting in her seat, and no one came to say hello or even seemed to notice me. Now, all the students were in gym class, but I had faked being sick to stay in the classroom. Chloe’s social life wasn’t my biggest concern right now—her grades were. I stared at her math test, with a score of 35, and fell into deep thought. I glanced at Chloe, who was floating around the room. She must have thought I had a question because she drifted over to me. I gestured to the test with a nod of my head, and when she saw the score, she looked embarrassed. I shot her a cold glare. She fussed with her hair, her eyes darting around. This was a top-tier high school. With grades like this, she had to be at the very bottom. I couldn’t help but ask, “How did you even get into this school?” Chloe responded lazily, “Because Ricky Shane goes here. I had to attend this school—he won’t let me out of his sight.” I raised an eyebrow. “Is Ricky smart?” “He’s the top student in the school.” I was surprised. I hadn’t expected that. Chloe then asked, “The Reaper said you were smart. Were you a good student in high school?” I shrugged nonchalantly, “I was top of my class.” Being number one was no big deal to me, so I didn’t think much of Chloe’s wide-eyed, astonished expression. I propped my chin on my hand and began flipping through her test. Even if I took the test with my eyes closed, I wouldn’t have gotten such a low score. Chloe continued, “What college did you go to?” Without much thought, I answered, “Harvard.” Chloe blinked, clearly surprised. “Ricky wants to go to Harvard too.” I scoffed internally. Whether Ricky went to Harvard or any other top school was none of my concern. I had no intention of helping Chloe send him to the afterlife, nor did I know how long I would even be stuck in this body. For now, I was just taking things day by day. I was mentally solving one of the math problems when a dark shadow loomed over my desk, followed by a familiar low, raspy voice. “You’re not feeling well?” I looked up, startled to see Ricky Shane standing over me. The sight of him made my chest tighten, this body’s natural response to his presence.

Ricky Shane stood towering over me, his narrow eyes slightly lifting at the corners, his expression unreadable. I glanced toward where Chloe had been floating earlier, but she had disappeared. It was just me and Ricky now, alone in the classroom. I gripped the edge of my skirt and answered, “I’m not feeling well.” Ricky reached out to touch my forehead, but I instinctively swatted his hand away. “I’m fine,” I said coldly. “A minute ago, you said you weren’t feeling well,” he drawled, lazily leaning against the desk beside me. His fingers brushed a strand of my hair as he smirked. “You’ve gotten brave, slapping my hand away like that.” His words were soft, but they sent a shiver down my spine. He might’ve only been a kid, but he had the cold, calculating nature of a venomous snake. It felt like he could wrap his coils around my throat at any moment, cutting off my air supply. The fear was palpable. I stared straight at him, not saying a word. In my old life, I’d never been pushed around or treated with veiled threats like this. And right now, I couldn’t afford to let him suspect that I wasn’t really Chloe Watson. Ricky wasn’t the kind of person who could be easily fooled. His gaze drifted down to the math test on my desk, and a slight smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “After all the tutoring I’ve given you, how are you still doing this badly?” I blinked in surprise. Ricky Shane had been tutoring Chloe? I couldn’t help but wonder if his “tutoring” had involved more than just academics. I responded cautiously, “I’m not as smart as you.” He seemed to expect my answer, letting out a barely noticeable sigh. “With grades like these, how are you going to follow me to Harvard?” I frowned. He really thought of Chloe as his possession, didn’t he? He wasn’t just controlling her now—he planned on keeping her trapped even after high school. No wonder she couldn’t take it anymore. Ricky straightened up, his smile fading. “I’ll help you study tonight,” he said, his voice turning cold. “And don’t lock the door. Or else…” He trailed off with a casual laugh, not finishing his sentence. But the threat lingered in the air. I lowered my eyes, forcing a stiff smile.

As soon as Ricky left, I wasted no time pulling out Chloe Watson’s diary and began reading through it. Ricky Shane was far more dangerous than I had imagined. In my previous life, I’d never dealt with someone as insidious as him. Thinking of danger brought Ethan Clint to mind. Ethan had a handsome face, but his cold, emotionless demeanor had always made him seem distant. There was something chilling in his eyes, an unfeeling void. I wondered how he was doing back in Charleston. Had he given me a proper funeral? Without me, his adopted sister, all the inheritance from our late father would be his now. That massive house—was he living in it all alone now? Did he ever get lonely? I turned page after page in the diary, and almost all of it was about Ricky Shane. Chloe’s descriptions painted him as a dark, twisted genius—a brilliant but manipulative psycho, far beyond what she could ever handle. Ricky had isolated Chloe from everyone, making sure she had no friends. He wouldn’t allow anyone else in her life. He demanded that her entire existence revolve around him. Just as I was about to close the diary, a girl’s shadow appeared in my peripheral vision. She rested her hand on my shoulder, her gaze fixated on the notebook in my hands. Startled, I snapped the diary shut and turned to face her. She seemed a bit taken aback by my reaction, squinting her eyes at me. “What’s so secret in that diary that you’re guarding it so closely?” I glanced at the name badge pinned to her chest. Rachel Monroe. This girl didn’t seem like the friendly type. With Chloe gone, I had to handle this on my own. I put on an indifferent face, stuffing the diary into my bag. “It’s nothing important.” Rachel’s eyes drifted to the math test still lying on my desk. She pulled up a chair beside me and started talking. “At first, everyone thought you only got into this school because of donations. But then again, you’ve got a brother who’s top of the class. Why haven’t you asked him to help you with your grades? With scores like these, you’re not getting into any college. Are you planning to study abroad? Well, it doesn’t matter, because Ricky Shane seems to take care of you so well. I’m sure he’ll find a way to get you into Harvard. You’d be lost without him.” Apparently, everyone thought Ricky was being a doting brother, looking after poor Chloe. I gave a mental thumbs-up. Ricky Shane, well done. You’ve got everyone fooled, you manipulative little mastermind. In the back of my mind, I heard Ricky’s cold voice, reminding me about tonight’s “tutoring” session. The diary had made it clear just how those sessions usually went. But I wasn’t Chloe Watson.

Chloe didn’t reappear for the rest of the day, leaving me to sit through an entire afternoon of classes. Back in my own high school days, I had coasted my way into Harvard thanks to academic competitions. But now, if I wanted to survive, I’d have to take the SAT like everyone else. Thankfully, I hadn’t forgotten any of what I’d learned, and the classwork felt familiar. I breezed through the assignments. When the final bell rang, I started packing up my things when Rachel Monroe tapped me on the shoulder. “Ricky’s here to pick you up.” Chloe and Ricky weren’t in the same class, so I looked up toward the door. Sure enough, Ricky was leaning against the frame, his expression calm but unreadable. My stomach twisted with unease. I stayed seated, watching him closely. His dark eyes, glinting with amusement, were locked on mine. Rachel sighed dreamily. “You’re so lucky to have a brother like Ricky.” I didn’t bother looking at her as I replied softly, “You want him? You can have him.” “Huh?” Ricky patiently waited, his posture relaxed as he called out, “Chloe, aren’t you done packing up?” His voice was sweet and warm, dripping with fake kindness. I gritted my teeth. You snake. He walked over to me and gently patted my head, leaning down to whisper, “If you keep stalling, I’ll have to tutor you all night.” I stood abruptly. “I’m ready.” Ricky took my bag from me like it was the most natural thing in the world, playing the role of the perfect, caring brother. As we walked to the car, I tried to summon Chloe. There were so many things I needed to ask her. But she was nowhere to be found. Sitting in the car, I watched the passing scenery, my mind racing with strategies to handle tonight’s “tutoring” session.

��Dad’s home.” I turned toward Ricky, who was resting his elbow against the car window, watching me with a smirk. “We’ll have to wait until after Dad goes to bed for your tutoring session,” he said, leaning closer, his voice low with warning. “You know what happens if you lock the door.” He leaned back, looking satisfied with himself, his lips curling into a lazy smile. I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to punch him in the face. Back when Ethan Clint was around, no one dared to treat me like this. We got out of the car and entered the house. As soon as I saw the man sitting in the dining room, my blood ran cold. Even from behind, I recognized him instantly. I would never forget that figure, no matter what. The man slowly turned to face me, his smile warm as he called out, “Chloe.” Chloe Watson’s stepfather—Ricky Shane’s father—was none other than Richard Shane. My entire body tensed up. Every cell in me screamed with the urge to flee. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath catching in my throat. I bolted up the stairs to my room, telling myself to breathe, forcing myself to stay calm. I remembered now. Richard Shane did have a son he adored, a boy he bragged about constantly, a supposed prodigy. I’d tried to forget, but fate had other plans. At that moment, Chloe reappeared. My heart raced as I processed everything that had happened in the past few days. None of it made sense, and I was losing control. I didn’t know who was behind all of this, who was pulling the strings. But I knew one thing for sure: Richard Shane needed to pay for what he did. And Ricky? I’d send him to the afterlife to keep Chloe company. If his precious son died, Richard Shane would suffer. And there’s no greater pain than a parent burying their child.

Chloe looked hesitant, like she had something to say but was holding back. Her reluctance irritated me. Just as I was about to push her to talk, there was a knock at the door. Chloe disappeared instantly, leaving me to deal with whoever was on the other side—most likely Ricky. God, I was exhausted. The door was locked, but Ricky continued to knock persistently. My back pressed against the wall, and my stomach churned at the thought of sitting at the dinner table with Richard Shane. The knocking grew louder and more impatient. “Chloe, open the door.” I opened the door, and Ricky’s eyes scanned me. “What’s going on? Just because you don’t like my dad doesn’t mean you can be rude. If your mom were here, she wouldn’t let this slide.” My legs felt weak as I wobbled slightly, my voice coming out low and shaky. “I don’t feel well.” Ricky’s hand cupped my face, tilting my chin up. His dark eyes studied my pale, tired expression, his touch oddly gentle. “You don’t look so good. Can you handle dinner?” I shook my head. “I don’t want to eat.” “Then rest.” I moved to close the door, my hand on the knob when he suddenly called out, “Chloe.” The half-sigh I’d just released caught in my throat. He glanced over his shoulder at me, his gaze intense. “Be good, Chloe.” I nodded stiffly and shut the door.

I pushed open the bathroom door and turned on the faucet, letting the water fill the tub. I leaned against the sink, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My face was pale and lifeless, and my eyes, exhausted to the core, refused to close. I submerged myself in the warm, misty water. My school uniform soaked through and clung tightly to my skin. As soon as I closed my eyes, I was back in that studio with Richard Shane when I was twelve. His voice echoed in my ears, smooth and persuasive, while his hand slowly slid up my leg. “Do you still want to continue lessons? My lessons are expensive, and I heard your father went bankrupt. If you want to keep taking my classes, you’ll need to be a good girl and listen to your teacher.” “You’ve got real talent in painting, Olivia. It would be such a waste to let your parents’ mistakes ruin your future.” The studio was cluttered, his hands, his breath—everything about him suffocated me. I bet Chloe Watson didn’t expect that I’d help her, not just because I needed this body, but because her stepfather, Richard Shane, had once been my teacher. He molested me when I was twelve. At the time, my family had just gone bankrupt, and I desperately wanted to continue taking his classes. But his lessons were expensive. He took me to his studio and said that if I agreed to play a game with him, he would let me attend his classes for free. That day in the studio became a lifelong nightmare. When my dad found out, he tried to kill Richard. He attacked him, but without enough evidence, Richard got away with it. My dad, on the other hand, was sentenced to five years in prison for assault, where he died of a heart attack. That year, I learned what it meant to lose everything. Relatives distanced themselves, and I ended up in an orphanage. For years, I lived in misery, while Richard Shane climbed the ladder of fame in the art world, almost being revered as a genius. Now I realize the truth of the saying: the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Richard Shane raised a criminal just like himself. The bathroom filled with steam, and through the mist, I saw Ricky Shane walk in.

Ricky Shane stood there for a long time, his gaze slowly scanning every inch of me. I didn’t say a word, didn’t even blink. He crouched down beside the tub, brushing his hand through my wet hair, staring into my eyes. “Chloe, something’s off about you.” Of course something’s off—I’m not Chloe. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my abdomen. Warm liquid trickled between my legs. I quickly looked down and saw blood mixing with the bathwater. “You’re early.” I turned my head away, saying nothing. He continued talking to himself. “Too much stress, maybe?” He bent down and lifted me out of the tub, water rippling behind us. His fingers went to the buttons of my school shirt. I looked up at him, and in my mind, his face began to merge with Richard Shane’s. Like a madwoman, I shoved him away and coldly said, “Don’t touch me.” He laughed darkly. “Don’t touch you?” I repeated, “Don’t touch me.” In an instant, his hand clamped around my neck, slamming me back against the wall. He sneered, his voice icy and low. “Since when did I give you the right to refuse me?” His cold fingers curled around my throat, pressing directly over my pulse. Honestly, I thought he was going to kill me. My breathing grew ragged as his grip tightened. Just when I thought he was serious about strangling me, his hand loosened. He let go and pulled me into his arms, his fingers tracing the scars on my arms. His voice dropped to a soothing tone, as if trying to coax me. “Wouldn’t it be easier if you just behaved? If you behaved, I wouldn’t have to make you suffer.” He’s a lunatic—Ricky Shane is completely insane. Chloe’s life was truly miserable, to end up with someone like him. His eyes scanned my face, expressionless, as he murmured, “Too bad I won’t be able to tutor you tonight.”

I propped my chin up with one hand while the teacher wrote on the board. The sound of pens scratching against paper filled the room. I was doing my best to keep up the appearance of being a slacker, like Chloe, without even bothering to open a book. My eyes were fixed on the board, but my mind was elsewhere. Right now, I was living as Chloe Watson. Her life and status were miles below what I was used to. It made everything harder. I needed to come up with a solid plan. My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a message from Chloe’s mom. “We’re going to a gallery this afternoon. I’ve already gotten you out of class.” Richard Shane had gained quite a reputation in recent years, becoming one of the top artists in the country. His name carried weight in the industry. I had always gone out of my way to avoid hearing about him. In my mind, as long as I didn’t acknowledge his success, it was like he didn’t exist in my world. The gallery exhibition went smoothly. I had to admit, Richard’s work was an undeniable visual feast. I used the excuse of not feeling well to leave early. As I stepped outside, a sleek black car pulled up at the curb. A young man stepped out from the driver’s seat and hurried over to open the back door. The first thing I noticed was a pair of polished black shoes, toes resting firmly on the shadowy patterns of the fallen leaves. He wore a navy blue, tailored suit, his fingers tapping quickly on his phone. Then he paused, raising his head without warning, and our eyes met. Sharp, almond-shaped eyes, both refined and ruthless, with a thin scar running along his eyebrow. There was something dangerous lurking beneath the surface. It was Ethan Clint. Why was he in Charleston? Ethan didn’t say a word. He just stared at me. His jaw was clenched tight, and his eyes were stormy. I had a gut feeling—he recognized me, the soul beneath this body. He knew I was Olivia. He suddenly stepped forward, bending down to wrap his arms around me. “Olivia,” he breathed, his voice deep and rough in my ear. “Welcome back.” His familiar scent flooded my senses. My mind exploded. He recognized me. Ethan Clint recognized me immediately. Leaning into his chest, I glanced up at the scar above his brow. That scar—Ethan got it trying to catch me when I jumped out of a tree. I don’t even remember why I climbed up that day, just that getting up was easy, but getting down was terrifying. Ethan had stood below with his arms outstretched, promising he’d catch me. It wasn’t long after I’d been adopted into the Clint family, and I didn’t fully trust him yet, but for some reason, I jumped anyway. He held me tight, not letting me get hurt at all. But he broke his arm in the process, and the cut above his brow came from hitting his head on a rock. I had no idea how to explain to him why I was in someone else’s body, or why I hadn’t come looking for him sooner. But it was like he knew. He patted my head gently and said, “You don’t have to explain.” “What are you doing in Charleston?” I asked. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and said casually, “Just handling some business.” He lifted my face, carefully inspecting every inch. His brow furrowed, and he tapped my forehead lightly. “This face… doesn’t look as good as yours.” Thank God Chloe hasn’t shown up—this could’ve been really awkward. The corners of his deep-set eyes softened slightly as he asked, “I can’t take you away just yet, can I?” I shook my head. I was still Chloe Watson, and I couldn’t just leave with Ethan Clint. He stroked my hair, just like he used to, and said, “Olivia, we need to talk.” Out of nowhere, I blurted, “Did you hold a funeral for me?” There was a brief flicker of hesitation in his eyes. “Yeah, I did.” “Was it grand?” He was silent for a moment before replying, “It was.” Even if the funeral had been grand, the only attendees would’ve been people with business ties to the Clint family. I never had any real friends. He leaned against the car, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and lighting one. The thick smoke swirled around his piercing gaze. He silently took a few drags, and without thinking, I reached for his cigarette pack—just like I used to. He caught my hand, flicking the ash from his cigarette. “Has this body even hit legal age?” he asked. I smirked. “Just turned 18. I’ve got college entrance exams coming up.” He smiled with his mouth, but there wasn’t any humor in his eyes. He patted my hand and refused. “High school seniors aren’t allowed to smoke.” I shot back, “I smoked when I was a senior, and you didn’t stop me then.” He chuckled. “I wasn’t in the country back then. Too far away to stop you.” He lifted his wrist to check his watch, then glanced behind me. “There’s a kid across the street staring at us. Do you know him?” I turned around. Across the road, Ricky Shane was glaring at us, his eyes narrowed and his fists clenched tightly, knuckles white. I snorted. “Oh, I know him, alright.” 15 Ignoring Ricky Shane’s rage, I turned back to continue talking to Ethan. He was my strength, my anchor. Somewhere along the line, I’d grown to rely on him completely. As long as he was around, nothing scared me. “That guy’s name is Ricky Shane. He’s this body’s brother,” I paused, then added, “stepbrother.” I could feel Ricky’s eyes boring into my back, but Ethan just glanced over my shoulder, sizing him up. “He’s got a thing for his sister.” I blinked, surprised. “How do you know that?” Ethan returned his gaze to me, his expression unreadable. “I’m not blind.” He suddenly frowned, grabbing my wrist and rolling up my sleeve, exposing the scars on my arm. “What’s this about?” “That’s the girl’s doing, not mine.” I was debating whether or not to tell Ethan the deal Chloe had proposed: if I killed Ricky, I could keep her body. I knew Ethan would have no problem burying Ricky six feet under without hesitation. But I couldn’t let him do that. He’d worked so hard to clean up the Clint family’s reputation, ridding it of all the shady stuff. His hands didn’t need more blood on them. While I was still talking to Ethan, I misjudged Ricky’s possessiveness and underestimated his anger. I didn’t expect Ricky to charge toward us. His face was twisted with fury, and before I could grab his arm to stop him, he shoved me aside and stormed toward Ethan, who had his back turned while talking on the phone. Without warning, Ricky yanked Ethan by the collar and punched him hard in the jaw. Ricky had put his full strength into that punch. Ethan, caught off guard, stumbled back, blood trickling from his mouth. In all the years I’d known Ethan, I had never seen anyone hit him. My voice shook with fury. “Ricky Shane, have you lost your damn mind?” Ethan wiped the blood from his mouth, his expression darkening like a storm on the horizon. He tilted his head slightly, stepped forward, and grabbed Ricky by the throat. “You little punk.” Ethan moved so fast that Ricky didn’t even have time to react. His face turned bright red as he struggled to breathe, unable to speak a word. Ethan had him completely overpowered, his grip unyielding. I’d always known Ethan had a rough side. From the day I met him, he’d been wild to the core. A street kid at heart. Ricky, raised in comfort and luxury, didn’t stand a chance. Ethan’s knuckles whitened, and for a second, it looked like he might actually strangle him. His brow furrowed, and with a swift motion, he let go. Ricky collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. Ethan pressed his shoe against Ricky’s chin, looking down at him like he was nothing more than a stray dog. The showdown between a grown man and a teenage boy ended with the teenager thoroughly humiliated. 16 I stood there, wide-eyed, watching the whole scene unfold. I wasn’t new to seeing Ethan fight, but this time I wasn’t Olivia Dawner—I was Chloe Watson—and I didn’t know how I was supposed to react as her. Behind me, I heard a woman’s shrill cry, “Ricky!” Chloe’s mother, Diane, came rushing over in her high heels, kneeling beside Ricky. Following close behind her was Richard Shane, his face like thunder. Ethan smirked, his eyes flicking from Ricky to Richard, lifting his chin slightly as he said, “Seems like your son wasn’t raised with much discipline.” Richard’s eyes darted between Ethan and his son. For a moment, he looked shocked, but he quickly recovered his composure. “My apologies, Mr. Clint,” Richard said, his tone smooth but strained. He didn’t need to ask what had happened; the blood on Ethan’s lip made it obvious. Men like Ethan didn’t get into fights with high schoolers without good reason. Diane helped Ricky to his feet. He grimaced, his face taut with barely-contained anger. Richard turned to his son and said through clenched teeth, “Apologize to Mr. Clint.” Ricky stubbornly refused to say a word. I thought Ethan might step in to defuse the tension, but he didn’t. He was really waiting for Ricky to apologize. The atmosphere grew heavier, the standoff dragging on. I finally stepped forward, trying to smooth things over. “I’ll apologize on my brother’s behalf. I’m sorry.” Ethan glanced at Ricky and then back at Richard, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. “Looks like your daughter’s got more manners than your son, Mr. Shane.” Richard and Diane both plastered on awkward smiles, but I could feel Ethan’s gaze lingering on me. Watching the way Richard acted around Ethan, I knew instantly—Ethan was the main financial backer behind the art gallery Richard was working on. Ricky kept his head down, his fists clenched, fury practically radiating off him. The tension was suffocating. Out of nowhere, Chloe appeared. She stood right beside Ricky, leaned in close to me, and whispered in my ear, “Olivia, you’re in trouble now.”

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The app linked to my smart scale had just sent a weight notification for the third time tonight. “Congratulations, you’re 97 pounds today!” But here I was, sitting at the office, while the scale was at home. 97 pounds, my dream weight. Yet all I felt was disgust. Great. Mike was cheating on me, and he didn’t even bother to hide it. And the other woman… was her?! My husband, Mike, is the CEO of a tech company. Naturally, everyone assumes that since he’s wealthy, I’d settle down and become a full-time housewife after giving birth to Henry. But I couldn’t do it. I worked so hard to become a senior manager at a tech firm. Sure, I can take care of the family, but losing my career? Never. Mike complained about it often, but I brushed it off. I never thought he’d actually… On my way home, I dialed his number. His voice on the other end was soft, almost too sweet—nothing like a man who’d just rolled off another woman. “Carrie, why aren’t you home yet?” “I’ll be there soon.” When I got home, I barely kept the nausea at bay before I fell asleep. The next morning, once Mike left for work, I picked up my phone and made the call. “Come over. I’m home.” I had someone install hidden cameras throughout the house. To say I wasn’t hurt would be a lie, but I had to swallow the bitterness and stay rational. If your spouse cheats once, it’s time to throw in the towel. But before I could divorce him, I needed proof. That night. I looked at myself in the mirror, my makeup flawless, as I gritted my teeth and called Mike. “There’s a problem with the project in San Diego. I need to take the team there for a few days. Henry’s on summer break, so I’ll bring him along. My assistant will keep him busy while I’m working.” Mike’s voice was calm. “Sure, don’t worry about me. Just call me when you get to San Diego.” He didn’t even mention Henry. Of course. He had a mistress now; the family was the last thing on his mind. I hung up, sighed, and glanced at my fourth-grade son, wondering if my suspicions were true. If they were, then Mike and that wretched Emily were worse than animals. Sitting at the airport, I watched the video on my phone, my heart breaking. It was past midnight, and they couldn’t wait to jump into bed together. That bed—the one I slept in every single night. I felt nauseous. Emily’s innocent face, twisted in lust. A wave of cold washed over me. I was the one who arranged her job, her place to stay. And now, she was in my bed with my husband. I uploaded the video to cloud storage, wiped my eyes, and boarded the flight with Henry. Sure, I needed to go to San Diego for work, but not for as long as I’d told Mike. When we landed, my best friend, Jessica, was there to meet me. Once Henry was asleep, we sat down in the living room. Seeing Jessica, the floodgates opened, and all the pain I’d been holding in poured out. I laid my head on her lap, soaking her clothes with my tears. I was always the strong one. But I’d always dreamed of having a warm family, a husband who loved and protected me. Now that dream had been shattered by an affair. After I calmed down, Jessica handed me a glass of juice. “So, what’s your plan?” “Div… Divorce!” I choked out, splashing cold water on my face. But even as I spoke, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. In the end, I didn’t say another word. I took a hot shower and retreated to the guest room to rest. I couldn’t speak anymore. Every word I tried to form felt like a dagger to the chest. It felt like being cut with a dull knife, the pain slow and relentless. Even in bed, I tossed and turned, clenching my teeth in anger, until I gave in and checked the surveillance footage. Their voices were disgusting. After a passionate round, Emily lay in Mike’s arms, her delicate fingers tracing his chest. “Mike, doesn’t this feel like paradise? Having us both?” Mike sighed in satisfaction. “It does.” “Tell me, is Carrie better, or am I?” Mike rolled on top of her, making her groan softly. “Of course, you’re better! She’s had a kid. She’s not as tight as you are.” Emily pouted. “Then why are you so good to her? You let her have full access to your bank account. You don’t do that for me. Are you trying to avoid having a kid with me?”

Mike kissed her, pride oozing from his voice. “There’s nothing in that account. I transferred everything to the company last month. She doesn’t need the money. Don’t worry, you’re the one I love the most. Didn’t you want that sports car? I’ll get it for you next week.” “Ah! You’re the best!” Emily squealed. I was done. There was no going back now. I wouldn’t let them get away with this. A plan began to form in my mind. First, I’d find Emily a new, younger lover. Then, I’d convince Mike to divorce me under false pretenses. And finally, I’d make him raise another man’s child. I ordered a drink called “Yesterday’s Dust” and sipped it slowly at the bar. It was crowded, but I felt like a stranger, disconnected from everyone. Then, a tall, broad-shouldered man walked in. He looked clean-cut, probably not even thirty. I took my drink and sat at his booth, noticing how nervous he seemed. I smiled. “Shall we go somewhere quieter?” He hesitated but agreed. I took him to a presidential suite. He still looked uneasy. I chuckled coldly. “We’re both grown-ups here, no need to play games. I see right through you. But I’m still willing to give you a chance. I have a job for you. Interested?” He smiled, more confidently now. “My name’s Janine Russell. What kind of job are we talking about?” I couldn’t help but admire her acting skills. If the bartender hadn’t tipped me off, I wouldn’t have known. “My husband is cheating on me. I need you to help me get back at him.” Janine loosened her tie, leaning closer. Her breath tickled my neck, her voice dripping with testosterone. “Are you asking me to make him jealous?” I pushed her solid chest away. I wanted to be loved, but not like this. “You’ve got it wrong. I need you to seduce his mistress—my cousin. I’ll cover all the expenses. Once the job is done, I’ll pay you $50,000 to study abroad.” We agreed on the terms, and I handed her a card. “There’s $20,000 on this card. Use it as you see fit. Don’t worry about returning any leftover funds.” “Let’s exchange contact info,” Janine suggested. “I use a work WhatsApp, no one will notice it.” She nodded respectfully. “Sounds good.” After exchanging contacts, I left. Back in Chicago, I rented Janine a place downtown. I told her everything she needed to know about Emily’s habits and preferences. I handed her another card. “Buy a car.” She took the card, her fingers brushing mine intentionally. “You sure you don’t want me? I could make you happy.” I pinched her cheek playfully. “Wrong target, sweetie. Focus on your job, or I’ll find someone else to take over.” As I reached the door, I remembered something. “Oh, and by the way, Emily works at a company I own. She has no idea I’m the majority shareholder. I’ll set you up as her new supervisor. Play your part well.” The next day, I called the CEO, Steven Moore, and got Janine appointed as the new HR manager. With everything in place, I went home and cooked dinner. When Mike returned, he washed his hands and sat at the table. “Where’s Henry?” I poured him a bowl of soup. “I dropped him off at my mom’s. By the way, he’s about to finish elementary school, and I heard Ridgewood Academy has the best placement rates.” Mike nodded, barely thinking about it. “Then let’s send him there.” I hesitated. “But Ridgewood is in a different district. We’d have to buy a house in the area.” Mike nodded. “Then buy one. We could live there while Henry’s in school.” Oh, so you and Emily can have the house to yourselves? I sighed. “I found a nice place with a good view.” Mike’s eyes lit up. “We’ve maxed out our property allowances. Selling one wouldn’t be smart in this market. How about we file for a temporary divorce?” A sharp pain stabbed my heart, but I forced back the tears. “Okay.” That’s when I knew. It was over.

Three days later, I had my divorce papers in hand. Without hesitation, I bought the new house. I snapped a few photos and sent them to Emily. Emily always was jealous. Since Mike hadn’t bought her a house yet, I bet she was seething. Back home, I found a stash of neatly arranged condoms in the nightstand. Good. Let the storm rage on. I packed my bags and moved into my new home. I messaged Janine: “Everything’s ready. How about you?” Janine sent me a location. “I spilled coffee on her, then offered to take her shopping as an apology. Her appetite’s huge. How does your husband keep up with her?” I had to see this for myself. Feigning a casual encounter, I ran into Emily outside a luxury boutique. She wrapped her arm around mine. “Carrie! Janine’s our manager, and she accidentally spilled coffee on me. She’s treating me to a new outfit.” Janine shook my hand. “Emily is beautiful, smart, and a very capable employee. She’s got potential.” I watched Emily beam, feeling a pang of bitterness. “It’s lunchtime. Why don’t we all grab a bite together?” At the private dining room, Emily seemed tense. “So, Mike is here too?” she asked. I picked up the menu and ordered a few dishes. “Yeah, he insisted on tagging along. Said he didn’t want me carrying all the bags.” Mike smiled and handed me a bracelet. “I saw this and thought of you. It suits you.” I admired it, then raised an eyebrow. “I think Emily has one just like this, doesn’t she?” I watched as both Mike and Emily stiffened, enjoying every second of their discomfort. This bracelet cost around $7,000. No way could Emily afford it on her salary. After that awkward meal, we all went our separate ways. As we drove home, I smirked. “What do you think of Janine?” Mike’s expression darkened slightly, though he kept smiling. “Who?” “Janine, the person we had lunch with. It looks like she and Emily might be dating. Otherwise, why would Janine buy her clothes, and why would Emily accept them?” Mike’s face turned stony, but he forced a laugh. “Young people should enjoy dating, I suppose.” I chuckled to myself. Old fox. Mike dropped me off at work, then left. I put on my headphones and opened the monitoring app. Mike was fuming, scolding Emily for her flirtations. I uploaded the recording to the cloud, thinking that both men and women love a little fling on the side. But what chance does a middle-aged man, no matter how well-kept, stand against a younger, richer, more handsome guy? Especially one I’d handpicked for my dear cousin. Three months later, late at night, I watched a new video Janine had sent me. The main event was about to begin. And to my surprise, there was a twist. Emily was pregnant. I saw the two bright lines on the pregnancy test. The time had come. I was done waiting. It was time to confront them.

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Justin’s Oscar-winning “dream girl” was sobbing uncontrollably, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come between you two. I’m the one who should leave.” Justin pointed at me, accusing me of being too much. Then he turned and chased after her. Wow, and this woman’s supposed to be an Oscar-winner with that performance? I immediately called America’s Billionaire Tycoon, “Didn’t you say you wanted to marry me? Let’s get the marriage license tomorrow.” By the afternoon, Logan had already dragged me to the marriage license office. When we walked out, I, Samantha Harper, was officially a married woman. Logan waved the marriage certificate in his hand, smirking like a mischievous kid, completely masking his good looks. “Didn’t you once say you’d rather marry anyone but me? Said if you ever married me, I’d be a dog?” I nodded. “Yup, so now that I’ve married you, you’re officially a dog.” “You…” Logan gritted his teeth. “Samantha, your mouth is really—” “What? Deserving of a slap?” I tilted my head slightly, probably looking a little too cocky. “What? Wanna hit me?” Logan suddenly burst out laughing, taking slow steps toward me, clearly up to no good. Then he said one word: “Kiss.” He reached out, grabbed the back of my head, and kissed me. “!!” I shoved him away, wiping my mouth furiously. “Logan, what the hell are you doing?” Logan looked annoyed. “We’re married now. What’s wrong with kissing you? And tonight, you’re gonna spend our first night together as my wife.” “…” “Finally, the day has come. Just you wait, Samantha. Tonight’s going to be interesting.” Logan swaggered to his car, rolled down the window, and waved at me with that smug look of his. What a jerk. How did he ever manage to become America’s Billionaire Tycoon? I tucked the marriage certificate away and got ready to head back to work. That’s when Justin called. “Samantha, we should officially break up.” Haven’t we already broken up? He seriously called just to tell me that? When he yelled at me and ran after his precious “dream girl,” we were already done. I sighed impatiently, “You people sure have a lot of drama.” Justin: “…” I hung up and suddenly remembered something… Damn it, Logan drove me here and left. How am I supposed to get back? That jerk! I called an Uber and went back to Harper Industries. When my dad saw me, he looked me up and down. “Who are you? I don’t recognize you. Who are you looking for?” “…Dad, I broke up with Justin. Also, Logan and I got married today.” My dad’s face instantly lit up, a warm, fatherly smile spreading across his face. “There’s my precious daughter!” “…” Look at that, even my dad’s acting skills are better than Justin’s “dream girl.” He can change eight hundred expressions in a second. Then Dad suddenly huffed, “Why’d you two break up? Weren’t you all lovey-dovey with him? I told you not to date him, but you wouldn’t listen.” “Well, isn’t that because you kept pushing me to marry Logan?” If my parents hadn’t pressured me so much about marriage, I wouldn’t have rebelled and started dating someone just to spite them—only to get cheated on. And Logan’s no angel either. He’s got plenty of women on the side; don’t think I don’t know about them. I only married him to spite everyone. But now that I think about it, I kind of regret it. I need to have a serious talk with him. “So, you’re back to take over the company? Great! Your mom and I are finally free.” Dad jumped up, heading for the door with surprising agility. I quickly grabbed his arm. “Where are you going, Dad?” “To your mom. She’s been nagging me to take her on a vacation to the islands for two days. Now that you’re back, I can finally spend time with her.” Realizing how his words sounded, Dad cleared his throat and corrected himself, “I mean, it’s your fault for never being around. I barely have time to spend with her.” “…”

“Dad, you might not be able to spend all your time with Mom just yet. I’m not planning on taking over the company right now.” “Oh, great. You came back just to stress me out. Go, go!” My dad waved me out of the office. So much for that idea. Just then, Logan texted me, reminding me, “Don’t forget, we’re having our wedding night tonight.” “…” I clenched my teeth and replied, “Could you say it in a less crude way?” His voice message came through immediately: “That wasn’t crude. I didn’t even say ‘come home and sleep with me.’” My dad’s secretary walked by, giving me a knowing look. “Miss Harper.” “…” I think I need to consider moving to another planet. Logan is such a big-mouth. How is he a billionaire with absolutely no boss-like attitude? He acts like a playboy trust-fund kid—so annoying! Logan sent me another message with his address, telling me to come over for dinner and celebrate. Celebrate what, exactly? Is he really this excited about marrying me just to secure our family alliance? Well, considering I come from money too, and he knows I won’t try to control him, of course he’s happy. Around 7 PM, I arrived at Logan’s penthouse. The luxurious decor and his flashy taste hit me as soon as I stepped through the door. Logan was lounging on the couch, legs crossed, wearing a white T-shirt and a pair of orange floral shorts, casually sipping a glass of red wine. “You’re back.” “…” I walked over. “Didn’t you say we were having dinner? Where’s the food? I’m starving.” He pointed toward the kitchen. “It’s being prepared. Sit down.” He patted the spot next to him. I had barely sat down when he leaned in closer. I leaned away. “Stay back or you’re getting kicked.” “So, why did you suddenly agree to marry me? What happened to your not-so-dependable boyfriend?” Logan looked genuinely curious, like a nosy kid. Not that he’s dependable either. Ahem, not that I’m defending Justin. Justin cheated. “Not dependable” doesn’t even begin to describe how awful he was. I cleared my throat. “Well, because… it’s just…” “Alright, you don’t need to explain.” Logan raised a hand to stop me. Just when I thought he was being considerate for once, he blurted out, “So, you got dumped.” “…” I swear, Logan’s brain must’ve been kicked by a mule at some point. Then he suddenly had a revelation. “Wait, so that makes me your backup plan? I’m your rebound, aren’t I?” “If you don’t want to be the rebound, we can just get a divorce. I’m your backup plan too, aren’t I?” Logan nodded thoughtfully. “That’s true. I mean, I’m quite the catch.” “…” He’s insane. Just then, the kitchen staff came out and let us know dinner was ready. After we ate and relaxed for a bit, I started doing some yoga, and Logan decided to join in. After a while, he said, “Sam, you’re surprisingly flexible.” I kicked at him. “Can you stop being weird?” He looked genuinely hurt. “What? I was just complimenting you.” Okay, maybe he didn’t mean anything by it. I went upstairs to wash up, and of course, Logan followed me like a lost puppy. I was about to enter the bathroom when I stopped, and he bumped into me. “Why’d you stop?” “I’m taking a shower. Why are you following me?” Logan scratched his head. “How about we take a shower together?” I gave him a hard smack on the head. “Logan, are you trying to get yourself killed?” “I’m gonna shower alone!” Who the hell wants to take a shower with him. Idiot.

While soaking in the tub, I found myself in a daze. So, Logan and I are really married now? We’ve known each other since we were kids, but he’s always been such a brat. He used to pull my hair, tell on me for dating, and even rat me out to my parents when I got love letters at school… All these years, he’s driven me crazy. So when my parents pushed for our marriage, I told them I’d only marry Logan if I was desperate. Logan immediately fired back, “I don’t even like you. I’ve got plenty of women who are interested.” Then, when my parents kept pressuring me, I rebelled and started chasing after Justin. I don’t know what got into Logan. After hearing about me and Justin, he said, “Why don’t we just get married? That way you don’t have to waste your time chasing guys you’ll never catch.” His cocky mouth deserved all the punches I gave him over the years. Now that I think about it, he had it coming. Logan was already shouting for me to hurry up. Does he seriously only have one bathroom in this giant place? When I stepped out of the tub, I realized I forgot to bring any pajamas. This was my first time at his place, so I didn’t know where to look for anything. The yoga clothes I wore earlier? Yeah, Logan had found those for me, and they were brand new, so I wore them. I wrapped a towel around myself and walked to the door. “Logan, do you have any new pajamas?” “You didn’t bring pajamas with you?” Logan’s teasing voice came from outside the door. “It’s late. Why bother wearing anything?” “What’s wrong with you? Don’t you wear clothes at night?” “Nope.” I swung the door open. “Go get me some pajamas, now!” “Fine, fine, calm down.” Logan glanced at me, then turned to leave. Halfway to the door, he stopped and looked back at me. “Samantha.” “What?” He smirked. “You’ve got a killer body, seriously sexy.” I grabbed a towel from the cabinet and threw it at him. “Get out!” He’s such a… Pervert! Logan caught the towel with a grin and headed out. A while later, he came back with two sets of pajamas, handing me one. I glanced at the set in his hands. “Didn’t you say you don’t wear pajamas?” “Fine, I won’t wear them. I’ll go put these back.” He turned to leave. I grabbed him before he could. “Stop messing around. Where did you get these women’s pajamas from? Do you bring girls here often?” “Of course not! I don’t bring women here. These are brand new, just for you. I knew your size. After all, I’ve known you since we were kids…” I kicked him in the gut, nearly ensuring he’d never have kids. “Samantha, you’re not only trying to murder your husband, you’re out to kill any chance of us having kids! You heartless woman!” Logan bent over, clutching his stomach. “Shut up!” I couldn’t be bothered to deal with him anymore, so I went to change. From behind, Logan’s teasing voice rang out again, “Samantha, I saw you just now.” I charged back at him, ready to kill him. “Ahhh!” Logan’s screams echoed through the penthouse. About half an hour later, Logan emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair, while I sat on the bed with my arms crossed. “Come over here. I need to talk to you.” Logan walked over, still toweling his hair. “As long as it’s not about the wedding night, I’m all ears.” “It’s not that.” I sighed. “I’m here to set some ground rules. Sit.” I patted the bed beside me. Logan obediently sat down. With his bangs down and a fresh, clean look, he almost seemed harmless—a playful little pup instead of a cocky brat. Not bad, not bad. I patted his head. “Good boy.” “Don’t patronize me.” Logan swatted my hand away. “You’re only a month older than me. What are you acting all mature for?” I rolled my eyes and got serious. “Okay, since we’re married, here are a few rules you need to follow.”

“First, I don’t care how many women you’ve got, but no kids.” “Second, if you ever find someone you truly love, tell me, and we’ll get divorced immediately.” “Third, while we’re married, people need to believe we’re a happy couple. I don’t want anything affecting my family’s business.” I rattled off my conditions in one breath and then added, “Now it’s your turn. What rules do you have for me?” “I can agree to all of that. I only have one rule.” Logan held up one finger. “While we’re married, you can’t get too close to other men.” “That’s a given,” I agreed without thinking. Wait a second. “That’s a double standard. Can you cut ties with all your women?” Logan shrugged. “Done. No problem.” Just as the words left his mouth, his phone rang. I glanced at the screen. The caller ID read: “Big Darling.” I rolled my eyes. Logan answered the call with a few “uh-huhs” before hanging up. I scoffed. “Whatever. I said as long as you don’t have any kids with them, I don’t care.” “What are you talking about?” Logan tossed the phone aside. “Come on, let’s just get some sleep.” “…” I sighed. There’s just no point arguing with him. He doesn’t even give me the chance to be mad. I turned over and got under the covers. He crawled in next to me. “So, uh… lights on or off?” he asked. What’s going on? Why does it feel like he’s nervous? Now I’m getting nervous. “Off.” Logan switched off the lights, then immediately rolled over and kissed me. I resisted the urge to push him away. “Do you even know how to kiss? You just bit me.” “You’re the one who can’t kiss.” Logan cleared his throat. “Samantha, you’re shaking. Is this your first time?” “No… definitely not.” I exhaled. “Wait, are you a virgin?” “How could I be?” Logan sounded proud. “I’m very experienced.” … After last night, I’ve come to the conclusion that Logan was definitely lying. How could someone that bad be experienced? Who’s he trying to fool? Logan was still asleep, his arm wrapped around me. Just thinking about last night made me mad. I shoved him off and got out of bed. As I headed for the bathroom, Logan called out behind me, “Samantha, are you sore?” “No.” I gritted my teeth. I’m sore as hell. “Samantha.” Logan called again. Why is he so chatty? “What?” He nodded toward the bed, where there was a small bloodstain. “Weren’t you saying you weren’t a virgin?” “…” I squeezed my eyes shut in frustration. How could I have forgotten about that? Logan seemed quite pleased with himself, which only annoyed me more. So, just to wipe the smile off his face, I said, “That’s only because you’re terrible. I’ve never met anyone worse than you. And you call yourself experienced? What a joke.” Logan’s smile instantly vanished… No, it didn’t vanish—it transferred onto my face. I hummed as I made my way to the bathroom, leaving Logan furiously punching the bed behind me. He shouted after me, “Samantha, just wait! I’ll show you… I’ll show you…” I turned back with a smirk. “Show me what?” Logan paused, then struck a ridiculous, sultry pose on the bed. “I’ll make you beg for mercy.” “You’re insane. A total weirdo.” I shot him a look and went into the bathroom. “And who was lying about not being a virgin, huh? Tried to turn off the lights ‘cause you were embarrassed…” I grabbed a towel and chucked it at him.

I got a call from Stella Green later that morning. She wanted to meet up. Stella, Justin’s so-called “dream girl.” Why would she want to meet up after Justin and I had already broken up? When we met, it became clear—she just wanted to gloat. “Samantha, you should be thanking me. If I’d gone after Justin sooner, he’d have been mine from the start, and you wouldn’t have even had a chance to date him.” I looked at Stella’s smug face and couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you seriously bragging about Justin like he’s some kind of prize?” I chuckled. “Girl, you’ve seen nothing. I actually feel a little sorry for you. How about I introduce you to some real guys?” Stella smiled politely. “You don’t have to do that. We’re both women. I understand how you must feel…” “Don’t say you’re a woman. You give women a bad name.” I interrupted with a smile. “But I get it. You should probably read more books and work on your personality.” Stella’s phone suddenly rang. She answered right in front of me. “Hello? Blue Planet? Is it for a movie or a show? Alright, I’ll be there soon.” She hung up and turned to me. “Miss Harper, I have to go now for an audition. Feel free to order whatever you want. I’ll pick up the tab.” I smiled. “Thanks.” As soon as she left, I headed back to the office. “Dad, I need some money. I want to invest in a few projects.” “That’ll have to come from my personal account. Ask your mom to transfer it to you,” Dad said, adding, “It’s time you learned the ropes with investing.” “Got it. Thanks, Dad!” …… I quickly reached out to the production team for Blue Planet and offered to invest. Of course, they agreed. I put up $200 million and became the largest investor, meaning I had the final say in everything. I also heard that Stella was auditioning for the lead role. She had a good chance of getting it. But with one word from me, she’d be out of the running. Not yet, though. The fun’s just getting started. I didn’t plan on going after her originally, but she had to rub her little affair in my face. There’s no way I can just let that slide, right? Oh, and Justin? He won’t be getting off easy either. He should thank his “dream girl” for what’s coming. I waited until the final round of auditions before making my move. The audition was taking place at a hotel. Just as I was about to step into the elevator, someone yanked me back. “Didn’t you see our star here waiting to get on the elevator?” I looked up to see Stella stepping into the elevator, flashing me a proud, taunting smile. Just as the doors were about to close, she finally spoke. “Oh, Samantha, it’s you. Want to join us?” Her assistant, ever the brown-noser, scoffed, “Who does she think she is? She’s not fit to ride in the same elevator as you, Miss Green.” Stella smiled but didn’t say anything. The elevator doors closed. I chuckled and shook my head. At that moment, my phone rang. It was Logan. “You’re investing in a movie? Why didn’t you tell me? I own a film company. I would’ve given it to you.” I was a bit taken aback. “What’s gotten into you? Why are you being so generous?” “Samantha, you’re such an ingrate. When am I ever not generous to you? Come on, think about it!” I thought for a moment. Yeah, he wasn’t wrong. As much as Logan could be a pain, he’d always spoiled me with extravagant gifts on birthdays and holidays. I guess I was being unfair. “Alright, we’ll talk when I get home. I’m at the audition site right now, picking actors.” I hung up as the elevator finally arrived, and I stepped in.

The final audition for the lead actress came down to three candidates, with Stella Green being the first up. I texted the producer and had Stella moved to the last spot, so by the time I stepped out of the elevator, I caught her storming out of the audition room. “How could they push me to the end like this? If the director sees someone else first and makes up his mind, I’ll lose my chance! This role is mine, no question about it. Call Ms. Harper right now!” Stella barked at her assistant. Her little sycophantic assistant chimed in, “Don’t worry, Ms. Green. Those two can’t compare to you in acting. You’re saving the best for last! Once the director sees their terrible performances, he’ll be blown away by your talent and immediately give you the part!” I had to admit, this assistant was quite the flatterer. Stella’s acting was awful, yet here she was, brimming with confidence—and the assistant was half the reason for that. The other half came from the endless praise she received from the people around her. No wonder she was so blindly arrogant and self-important. As soon as Stella saw me, her assistant rushed over with all the bravado of someone emboldened by proximity to fame. “You again? Are you stalking Ms. Green? This is no place for you! Get lost, now!” I hadn’t even dealt with Stella yet, but this assistant had already piqued my interest. “Kid, you might want to watch your mouth. You’ll want to leave yourself a way out for the future. Ever heard of the saying ‘always leave a little room’?” The assistant rolled her eyes dramatically. “And who are you to talk about leaving room? Look, if you’re here to fangirl, at least do it properly. It doesn’t matter who you think you are, this is an audition, not a fan convention. Get out, now!” “Alright, I’ll go,” I said with a smirk, “but I have a feeling you’ll be begging me to come back soon enough.” With that, I turned and stepped into the elevator. I’d booked a room on the top floor, where I waited. The producer sent me clips of the auditions, and I reviewed the performances. One actress named Shannon Wood caught my eye. She had talent, and I already had my answer. Then it was Stella’s turn. But the producer told her, “That’s all for today’s audition. Everyone has left.” I was on a video call with the producer at the time, and I watched as Stella’s face fell, her expression barely masking her frustration. “But I’m ready. Weren’t the others allowed to audition even when people hadn’t arrived?” “The investors have already reviewed their auditions. Originally, they had high hopes for you and wanted to see your performance in person, but they were intercepted and sent away before they could arrive.” “Sent away? Who sent them away? Where are they? I’ll go to them right now,” Stella said, growing more anxious by the second. “They’re very upset. Even if you went now, it wouldn’t change anything. Honestly, I think your audition is done for,” the producer sighed. Stella panicked even more. “No! I’ll go and convince them with my performance. Just tell me where they are!” The producer gave her my room number. I hung up the call and waited. A few moments later, there was a knock at the door. She’s here. The knocking continued as I slowly made my way to open the door. When Stella saw me, her jaw dropped. “Samantha… you again?” “I should be asking you that. What are you doing here?” I replied with a cold smile. Stella hesitated, looking at the room number to make sure she wasn’t mistaken. Her disbelief was palpable. “You… you’re in this room? Is there anyone else here?” I raised an eyebrow. “Nope. Just me.”

Even as clueless as Stella could be, she started to catch on at this point. She spun around and slapped her assistant hard across the face. The assistant stood there in shock, not knowing how to react. Meanwhile, Stella composed herself, turning back to me with a smile that barely hid her nerves. “If you’re still upset, Ms. Harper, feel free to take it out on me. I won’t stop you,” she offered coolly. The assistant, now fully aware of the situation, dropped to her knees. “Ms. Harper, I was wrong! I didn’t know my place. Please, I beg you, have mercy and don’t hold it against me!” I had given her a chance, but she didn’t take it. It wasn’t my fault anymore. Stella quickly added, “I’ll blacklist her from the industry. Is that enough?” Her attitude rubbed me the wrong way. It was as if she thought throwing her assistant under the bus would excuse her own behavior. She didn’t want to take any responsibility herself. “Ms. Harper, please, give me a chance. I’m begging you,” the assistant pleaded, tears streaming down her face. But I wasn’t moved. “Why are you begging me? Was I the one who taught you to look down on others? Beg yourself.” Then I turned to Stella. “Anything else to say? No? Well, I’m closing the door.” I was giving her one last chance to apologize. Whether or not she’d take it was up to her. Stella narrowed her eyes. “Samantha, are you sure you want to go up against me?” … Wow, since when did actresses get so gutsy? She must think her backers are untouchable. Fine. I slammed the door in her face. After Stella left, I got a call from Justin Hayes. “Samantha, can we meet?” he asked. I was curious. “Why? What’s up?” There was a brief pause before Justin spoke again. “Stella’s new project… you’re the biggest investor. I’m asking you not to make things difficult for her. I’m the one who hurt you. If you want to get back at someone, come after me.” His words made me laugh. “You really think I’d let you off the hook?” “…” “Stella’s issues have nothing to do with you. It’s her own behavior. Your little dream girl isn’t as pure as you think. I don’t care if others let her get away with it, but she messed with me. And I’m not letting her off easy.” I made myself perfectly clear. After another moment of silence, Justin asked, “Samantha, do you still love me?” “???” I must’ve misheard. “What did you just say?” “I know you still love me. Everything you’re doing is because you can’t let me go. That’s why you want to get revenge…” “You wanted to meet, right?” I cut him off. “Where and when?” Justin paused. “…” We arranged to meet at a quiet club. When I walked into the private room, Justin stood up. Without a word, I walked over and slapped him hard across the face. The sound echoed in the room. Justin looked stunned at first, then his expression twisted into anger. I smiled. “What’s the matter? Mad at me? Want to hit me? You’re only angry because you still care about me. You’re upset because you want revenge.” Justin clenched his jaw, his lips pressed into a tight line. I sat down. “Now, what was it you wanted to say?” “Stella told me you’ve been giving her a hard time. Like I said, if you’re upset, take it out on me,” he muttered, looking down at me. I raised an eyebrow. “I already told you, Justin, I’m not letting you off the hook. Don’t worry, I’ll get to you too.” His eyes darkened. “Are you sure you want to go against me?” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Against you? No, Justin, I’m not going against you. I’m destroying you.” Justin’s expression hardened, his voice low. “Fine, Samantha. Just remember, you’ll regret it when the time comes.”

Justin and I left the club one after the other, but we were still caught by the paparazzi. The next day, it made the business section headlines. That evening, when I got back to Logan’s place, I found him sitting on the couch reading the newspaper. I walked over, and sure enough, there was a giant spread with photos of me and Justin. I glanced at Logan’s face—he looked pissed, like someone had just burned his dinner. I cleared my throat and sat next to him. “The reporters only caught us leaving. They didn’t get the shot of me slapping him.” Logan looked at me, intrigued. “You hit him?” I nodded. He still looked skeptical. “Really?” I raised my hand. “Want me to demonstrate?” Suddenly, Logan grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his lap, leaning down to kiss me. What the hell? I pushed him away. “What are you doing?” “You’re blushing,” Logan teased, clearly in a much better mood now. I rolled my eyes. “What are you talking about? I’m not blushing. I just… I’m not used to this.” I wasn’t used to being this close with Logan, even though we were married. It felt awkward, like we weren’t meant to be this… intimate. I was much more comfortable when we were verbally sparring. “Well, the more we kiss, the more you’ll get used to it,” Logan said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. … He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “So, tell me, what’s your plan?” “What plan?” Logan’s face darkened. “You’re not planning anything? You’ve spent years making my life difficult, but Justin cheats on you, and you’re not going to get back at him? Don’t tell me you still have feelings for him?” “Oh, that,” I said with a smile. “Do you have a suggestion? Go on, I’m listening.” Logan leaned in, whispering his idea in my ear. It tickled, and I had to resist the urge to pull away. But wow, his idea was truly… evil. I liked it. “Okay. I’ll go with that plan,” I agreed. “And how will you repay me?” he asked, his gaze growing more intense. I could feel the shift in the air, something building between us. I swallowed hard. The next second, Logan leaned in for another kiss. This time, I didn’t push him away. Just as Logan predicted, Justin poured a ton of resources into Stella Green’s career. He funded a movie for her, and once I got wind of it, I immediately invested more money into the project, becoming the largest shareholder. Then, I swapped her out as the lead actress. When Justin found out, he tried to up his investment by another $5 million. So, I doubled mine, adding $10 million more. I had plenty of cash to burn. Unable to compete with my financial firepower, Justin eventually pulled out. Then he invested in another project, and, despite his efforts to keep it a secret, I caught wind of it. I pulled my money from the last project and reinvested in his new one, becoming the majority shareholder again. This time, I switched out the lead actress early. Eventually, Justin couldn’t take it anymore and came to confront me. “Samantha, I told you to take it out on me! This has nothing to do with Stella!” “Alright, then. Let’s make this personal.” I was being quite accommodating, really—doing exactly as he asked. Justin invested in yet another project. After pumping a few hundred million into it, I backed out, forcing him to lose an additional $30 million. Now I was going after his company. I outbid him on projects left and right. The money he had left was being funneled into boosting Stella’s career, and his liquid assets were running dry. Within a few months, I had snatched up three or four major projects. Even my dad was praising me. Honestly, this underhanded strategy had been Logan’s idea from the start. And he was more than proud of himself, strutting around, asking, “Isn’t your husband smart?”

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The day of my brother’s wedding. I was all smiles, happily following my brother Brian to pick up his bride, but then I got slapped across the face by his future mother-in-law. “Why bother spending so much money on a girl’s education? It’s a waste! She’s just going to marry into someone else’s family. That money should’ve been used for my son’s wedding instead!” I was stunned. Who does she think she is, telling us how to spend our family’s money? Today was Brian’s wedding. I went with him to the Adams’ house to pick up his bride, Chloe. Out of nowhere, Chloe’s parents pulled a stunt—demanding an additional $40,000 for the wedding, otherwise, they wouldn’t let my brother take her to the ceremony. Is this some kind of joke? The wedding was about to start, relatives and friends were already arriving, and now they’re pulling this? This is nothing short of extortion! That’s exactly what I thought—and said out loud. I’ve never been one to hold back, and let me tell you, the looks on their faces turned green. Chloe’s mom, Mrs. Adams, with this puffed-up attitude, said, “Girl, do you even know how to talk? How is this extortion? This is for my daughter’s wedding. Shouldn’t your brother, the groom, be paying for it?” I was speechless. What in the world? Chloe’s brother is getting married, but they want my brother to foot the bill? Does Brian look like a complete fool to them? Chloe stood there in her white wedding dress, but she wasn’t smiling. She looked conflicted, torn between us and her family. She grabbed Brian’s arm and said, “Brian, I only have one brother. He finally found a girlfriend, and they can get married if he gets this dowry. Can’t you help him out? I know your parents can come up with the money. Consider it a loan to me, and I’ll pay it back, I promise.” Unbelievable! They were practically tossing the calculator beads in my face. “So, because our family has some money, we have to cover your family’s debts too?” I snapped, anger boiling inside me. “We’ve already given $40,000 and a house as part of the wedding. Now you want to take more from my parents? Are you even human? This money is what my parents saved for my education!” I had just gotten into grad school, and my parents set aside a fund for my tuition. And now, these people had their eyes on it! Before I even finished my sentence, I got slapped. SMACK— It was loud. Chloe’s mom, Mrs. Adams, yelled at me, “How dare you talk like that! What’s the point of a girl getting an education? It’s a waste of money! She’s just going to belong to someone else’s family. That money is better used for my son’s wedding!” Her father added, “No money, no wedding today.” I stumbled back, head buzzing, trying to steady myself. My face was burning from the slap. I had always known Chloe was the type to prioritize her brother over anything else, ever since I first met her. Two years ago, Brian brought Chloe to our house for dinner for the first time. Chloe immediately took a liking to the gaming action figures I had spent sleepless nights trying to get. I remember that day vividly—she didn’t even ask for my permission before waltzing into my room and looking through my stuff. First, she spotted the makeup on my vanity. She was amazed. That amazement soon turned into envy. Her eyes practically lit up. “Amanda, how do you have so many high-end makeup products? They must’ve cost a fortune. I’ve never used brand-name cosmetics in my life.” She picked up one of my favorite lipsticks, treating it like some kind of treasure, unable to put it down. Brian had told me before that Chloe’s family didn’t have much money, and she only managed to go to college thanks to financial aid. As for my family? Well, my parents run a small business. We’re not rich, but we’ve got a house, a car, and savings. I’ve never wanted for anything growing up. Honestly, I’m not a fan of people touching my things without asking. Sure, she was my brother’s girlfriend, but this was the first time we’d met, and to me, she was still a stranger. But I didn’t say anything. I just smiled. Chloe must have taken that smile as permission because she went further. “This lipstick looks like a nice color. I bet it would suit me. You don’t mind if I try it, do you?” Yes, I minded. But before I could say anything, she had already twisted the tube open and started applying it. Internally, I was losing it. That was my favorite lipstick! Chloe admired herself in the mirror, clearly pleased, then turned her attention to my eyeshadow palette. “My friend uses this one too. You’ve got great taste, Amanda. But you’re only twenty, you should focus more on your studies instead of just makeup.” Wow. Now she’s lecturing me? Not even my parents nag me like this. She was acting like she belonged here. I was getting angrier by the second, but Chloe’s hands still hadn’t stopped. After finishing her full face of makeup, she reached for my action figures.

“You actually have this? My brother begged me to buy one, but I couldn’t get it.” I thought Chloe was just making a passing comment. But I was wrong. The next moment, she gave me a hopeful look, saying, “Amanda, can I have this? You know, as a little gift from you to me? My brother really loves this, and it’s really more of a boy’s toy anyway.” Are you serious? I’ve never heard of a girl visiting her boyfriend’s family for the first time, not bringing any gifts, and then asking his family for presents instead. And for her brother, no less. On top of that, she was justifying it with the excuse that girls shouldn’t play with action figures. “No way,” I snapped, pointing at the figure in her hand. “Put it down.” I would’ve been heartbroken if she had damaged it. Chloe looked startled, probably shocked at how harsh my tone was. Then, as if she did it on purpose, she loosened her grip, and the figure fell to the floor, shattering into pieces. The commotion brought my parents and Brian running into the room. Before I could say anything, Chloe started crying. Tears welled up in her eyes, making her look as pitiful as possible, like I was the one who had wronged her. Thankfully, my parents and Brian were reasonable people, and they adore me. After I explained what happened, no one blamed me. In fact, Brian apologized to me. But Chloe wouldn’t give up. She made Brian ask me multiple times to give her the action figure until, tired of the hassle, I finally gave in and handed it over. A while later, it was my 20th birthday. My parents threw me a birthday bash, inviting lots of family and friends. Chloe brought her brother Tommy along. Tommy, who’s my age, had dropped out of school early and hung out with a rough crowd. He had red hair and tattoos—just exuding that troublemaker vibe. My best friend Sarah noticed too. “Amanda, did you get into some kind of trouble? That guy looks like he’s here to start something.” “He’s my brother’s future brother-in-law,” I said dryly. “Ah, I see…” I knew exactly what Sarah was thinking. And yeah, I didn’t like Tommy either. Toward the end of the party, I went to the restroom and saw Chloe helping Tommy, who was completely drunk and vomiting everywhere. Chloe looked annoyed. “I told you not to drink so much! Serves you right, throwing up like this. What a mess! The Taylors sure have money to burn, throwing a huge party for a girl’s birthday! So pointless.” “Exactly. Dad says daughters are just money drains. Everything at home is mine—mine!” Tommy slurred, gesturing wildly. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Are these people for real? And instead of being angry, Chloe agreed. “Yes, yes, everything is yours. You’re the only son, after all. It’s up to you to carry on the family name!” Family name? Are they royalty or something? After the party, when I was going through the gifts, I noticed my Cartier bracelet was missing. I searched everywhere but couldn’t find it. I suspected the Adams siblings, but I didn’t have proof, and my parents told me to let it go—for Brian’s sake. A few days later, Chloe added me on Instagram. She said she had something to discuss with me. I was curious, so I accepted. Chloe quickly sent me a message: “Amanda, I didn’t want to bother Brian with this, so I’m coming to you.” Me: “What is it? Go ahead.” I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be anything good. Chloe: “You know, you’re going to get married one day too. Once you do, you’ll belong to someone else’s family. Even if your parents and Brian spoil you now, you can’t just take what rightfully belongs to your brother, right?”

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I rushed into the drug dealer’s hideout, only to find my fiancée Rose held hostage by the mastermind behind it all. In a moment of desperation, I shot him dead. Five years later, on my wedding day with Rose, at what should have been the happiest moment of my life, she drugged me. I woke up in a dark basement, tortured for a week. Rose stepped on my disfigured face. “Lucas was just an accountant. Taking me hostage was only a temporary measure. How could you be so heartless to kill him?” Given a second chance at life, I didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger. After seven days and nights of torture, Rose finally appeared. Her high heels dug into my face. My chest could only manage raspy breaths. “How does it feel to be dying, Jack? Compared to what Lucas went through back then, I’m still being too kind to you.” I stared at her twisted expression, yet somehow managed to smile. I was laughing at my own naivety. It turns out all that passionate love was just an illusion. “What are you laughing at?!” My laughter seemed to enrage Rose. She crouched down and grabbed my jaw roughly. “Lucas was just an accountant. He was as pure as a blank sheet of paper. Taking me hostage was only a temporary measure. But you, Jack, you were so heartless to shoot him dead.” Rose leaned in close to my ear, her voice chilling. “It’s been five years, Jack. Lucas must be lonely down there all by himself. It’s time for you to join him.” With that, she aimed at my chest and fired without hesitation. An indescribable pain washed over me. I died with hatred and resentment. “Captain! The insider says Miss Rose is in there too. Should we change the plan?” A familiar voice rang in my ears. I felt disoriented for a moment. “Captain?” It wasn’t until the person in front of me called out again that I realized it was Adam, my former teammate. Wasn’t I just shot dead by Rose? I quickly felt my chest. It was smooth, with no gunshot wound. “Captain, what are you doing? Now’s not the time to show off your pecs!” Adam grabbed my hand anxiously. The reality before me made me quickly realize – I had been reborn. And I had been reborn to the very day I led the team to raid the gambling den. In my past life, when I led the team in, Rose was already being held hostage by Lucas. To save her, I shot Lucas without hesitation. Afterwards, we busted the gambling den and seized a large quantity of drugs, but I overlooked Rose’s dazed expression. I thought she was just shocked by the scene before her. It wasn’t until she brutally murdered me that I realized she was heartbroken over Lucas’s death. Thinking of this, a searing pain tore through my chest. I no longer cared about Rose’s life. “Proceed with the original plan. Move in.” I coldly gave the order to attack. This time, I didn’t mind if there was one more casualty. When I led the team in, Lucas was indeed holding a knife to Rose’s throat. I narrowed my eyes, looking coldly at this pair of scumbags, and pulled the trigger without hesitation. If my calculations were correct, the bullet should have gone through Lucas’s hand and into Rose’s body. This was my experience from years of shooting practice. However, what I never expected was that at the last moment, Rose risked having her throat slit to shield Lucas. The bullet went through her shoulder. I saw her turn back, glaring at me with hatred. What a pity. She didn’t die. In my past life, after Lucas was shot dead, someone reported that he was actually the mastermind behind the drug operation. Following the evidence we collected, we discovered that he was the illegitimate son of the city’s largest crime family. After graduating, he took over the family’s illegal business and used his professional knowledge to develop new types of drugs. These drugs were distributed through their family’s nightclubs and underground casinos. Meanwhile, he used his accountant identity as a cover. At the time, all the major media outlets were reporting on this, and everyone was condemning Lucas. Only Rose, with red-rimmed eyes, kept muttering, “He was just an accountant.” How foolish I was back then to not see through any of it. After Rose was sent to the hospital, I didn’t go to see her. Instead, I went to the interrogation room where Lucas was being held. Lucas wore gold-rimmed glasses, looking refined and cultured. But only I knew how rotten he was on the inside. When I saw him torturing stray cats in an alley as a high school student, I knew. And he had this ability to make everyone think I was targeting him, even though he was the one doing all the evil deeds. “Jack, don’t pursue a personal vendetta. I’m just an accountant. Taking Rose hostage was only a temporary measure.” I silently watched him act. “So, does an accountant usually carry weapons?” I had checked later. The knife he used to hold Rose hostage was a finely crafted Swiss Army knife. “How about this, why don’t you ask that officer to get me a glass of water, and I’ll explain everything slowly.” Lucas squinted, a carefree smile on his face, as if he was just here for a casual chat. I knew he wanted to get the other person out of the room. So I played along and cleared the room, leaving just the two of us in the interrogation room. “What do you want to say? You can speak now.” I stood in front of Lucas, looking down at him. Lucas beckoned me to lean in, then whispered in my ear. “You haven’t tasted Rose yet, have you? Too bad, she must hate you now.” My fingers clenched into a fist, itching to smash his hypocritical face. “I really love seeing you like this. Oh, by the way, how’s your brother doing?” Because of this sentence, my fist landed hard on his face. Our whole family were cops. Both parents were in the anti-gang unit. When I was very young, my parents sacrificed their lives in an operation against the gangs. Later, my brother inherited their will and became a police officer. But during an undercover mission, he was discovered by the gang and had his tendons cut. Although he was eventually rescued, he had been tortured to the point of mental instability. Then I inherited my brother’s badge and became a narcotics officer. In my past life, I only found out after Lucas’s death that it was he who personally cut my brother’s tendons. At this moment, my hatred for him was enough to make me lose my rationality. Soon, people from outside rushed in to stop me. “Jack! What are you doing?!” Rose screamed as she rushed to Lucas’s side. “I brought a lawyer. I’m going to sue you for torture!” At this point, she had lost all the grace of a socialite. Like a wronged patient, with a pale face, she swayed unsteadily as she shielded Lucas. Lucas hid behind her, flashing me a provocative smile. I looked at this pair of scumbags angrily, wanting nothing more than to kill them on the spot. But I knew that what Lucas deserved most was the punishment of the law. Soon, I was called in by the precinct captain for a talk because I had hit Lucas. I knew in my heart that Lucas was the culprit who had harmed my brother and was the biggest mastermind behind the drug den. But I had no evidence, so I couldn’t say much. The captain sighed and patted my shoulder. “Jack, I understand your desire to fight crime, but innocent until proven guilty. Without evidence, you can’t be too extreme.” Lucas, with his innocent face, had once again fooled everyone except me. Even the captain and Adam thought I was being overly sensitive. The captain suggested I take some time off. I angrily kicked a chair and walked out of the precinct. Rose was waiting for me outside. “Jack, I know you’ve never liked Lucas since we were kids.” She held my hand, putting on a sincere act. “But can you not bring personal feelings into this? Lucas really is just an accountant. Can you stop targeting him?” In her words, Lucas was always the innocent lamb. I twitched the corner of my mouth, feeling as if the bullet that had once pierced my chest in my past life had hit me between the eyes again. When my father died, I was still very young. I followed my brother around like a little tail. But soon my brother went to the police academy, and I had to stay with my grandmother. At that time, I was timid and cowardly, insecure and sensitive, always bullied by the neighborhood kids. It was Rose, who had moved from the big city, who stood in front of me, shielding me behind her. For the young me, she was the light in my life. I depended on her, adored her. However, looking back now, it all seems so ridiculous. I looked at Rose’s anxious face, closed my eyes for a moment, and shook my head. “Rose, Lucas is a criminal. He should face the punishment of the law. It’s not that I’m targeting him, it’s that he’s defying the law.” I had told her this reasoning in my past life too. But clearly, she hadn’t listened in either lifetime. “Jack! You disappoint me so much!” Leaving those words, Rose stormed off angrily. After resting at home for a few days, I received a message from Adam. The drug dealers we had arrested hadn’t implicated Lucas like they had in my past life. They were afraid of Lucas’s retaliation. So they didn’t dare to report him. I angrily punched the bed. With the support of the team of lawyers Rose had hired at great expense, Lucas was soon released on bail. I rushed into the captain’s office, fuming with dissatisfaction. Before I could speak, the captain waved his hand at me. “The Lucas case is settled. There’s insufficient evidence, so we can only release him without charge. There’s no use in you saying more.” On the day Lucas was released without charge, it was Rose who personally went to pick him up. She even put on elaborate makeup and invited the media to clear Lucas’s name. I stood at a distance, coldly watching it all. Then I took out my phone and sent Rose a text message. [Let’s break up.] I saw Rose glance at her phone, barely reacting, then continue to fuss over Lucas. Rose soon began to appear in public with Lucas. I admired Lucas’s tactics. Back then, the Mi family had used every means to oppose Rose being with me. But with Lucas, they accepted him completely. No matter what they did, I was determined to put Lucas behind bars. I took on a new case. It was a cross-border drug trafficking case in the neighboring city. In my past life, I remembered that Lucas’s half-brother had gone to develop his business in the neighboring city. He eventually dominated the underground drug market there. But because I had retired after busting Lucas’s gambling den, I didn’t end up participating in the activities in the neighboring city. This life, I had no plans to retire. On the day I was to leave for the neighboring city, Lucas approached me, playing with a lighter. He looked at me with a smirk, like a victorious predator. “Can’t stay in the city anymore, Officer Jack?” At this point, my hatred for him had all turned into motivation to bring him to justice as soon as possible. So I didn’t want to waste words with him. “Rose and I are about to get married. Don’t you want to attend?” Seeing that I wasn’t speaking, he continued to provoke me. “Too bad, I don’t love her at all. I’m just playing with her. Just like I played with you in high school.” He was like a venomous snake, making me feel sick. Rose and I had been together since elementary school, until high school when we met Lucas. In front of others, he always maintained a polite demeanor, good at studies, good-tempered, good-looking. Teachers and classmates all liked him. While I was known for being simple-minded and physically strong in class. Good at sports, poor at studies. However, who could have imagined that Lucas, who seemed so harmless, Was an obsessive sadist. After I discovered him torturing cats, he didn’t panic, but instead threw the cat’s corpse into my desk. Perhaps because I had discovered his evil side, Lucas no longer hid it in front of me. He always showed his worst side to me, then provoked me into anger, and then pretended to be bullied by me. “Ah~ It’s that look. It really excites me.” His face came close to mine, his lips by my ear, whispering. “Rose crawled into my bed long ago. Around high school, I think.” Hearing this, I clenched my fists, my eyes wide with rage. “Jack! Are you going to hit him again?!” Rose screamed from a distance, running towards us. Before my fist could land, Her handbag came down on me, blow after blow. “Rose, don’t blame Jack. I told him about our love and asked him to give us his blessing. Jack just loves you too much.” Lucas’s skill at playing innocent was impeccable. “Jack! You’re the one who wanted to break up!! And I love Lucas! If you have any problems, take them out on me! Lucas is innocent!” Lucas is innocent – this was the phrase I had heard most often from Rose’s mouth. When did that little girl who used to protect me behind her back become so unrecognizable? “Don’t worry, a bitch deserves a dog. May you live happily ever after.” Coldly throwing down these words, I got into the car heading to the neighboring city. Soon, during the raid operation in the neighboring city, I discovered evidence of Lucas’s crimes. His brother had indeed kept some insurance, preserving evidence of Lucas torturing police officers on a hard drive. After getting the hard drive, I rushed back to the city without delay. Eager to deliver the evidence to the captain’s office, I applied for an arrest warrant for Lucas. Faced with solid evidence, the captain was also very surprised. He immediately approved my arrest warrant. I took the warrant and burst into Lucas and Rose’s wedding hall. “Lucas, you are now suspected of involvement in a case of police torture.” I coldly threw the arrest warrant in front of Rose and Lucas. Amidst Rose’s screams, I took Lucas away. This time, I wanted to end him with my own hands. In the interrogation room, I once again faced off with Lucas. He still had that smirking expression, looking at me provocatively. I placed the evidence in front of him to see. Lucas, surprisingly calm and collected, looked at it as if admiring a work of art. “This move does seem a bit amateurish,” he commented after watching, still smiling. “Lucas, the evidence is right in front of you. What else do you have to say?” I wanted to see what other tricks he could pull. Lucas shrugged, not saying anything more. “I’ll wait for my lawyer to arrive before I speak.” Knowing I wouldn’t get anything out of him, I didn’t want to waste any more time. But his attitude made me suspicious. I took the hard drive back to my office, repeatedly replaying the videos inside. The video clearly showed Lucas’s face. It was definitely him. But I felt like something still didn’t add up. Suddenly, my gaze fixed on the last frame. Lucas raised his head, flashing a sinister smile at the camera. The teardrop mole at the corner of his eye seemed to glow blood-red. Seeing this, a chill ran down my spine. I knew what was wrong! Before I could rush out of the office, Adam came running in urgently. “Captain, Miss Rose has brought a lawyer and someone else.” He hesitated, looking at me. “I think you’d better go see for yourself.” I pushed past Adam and ran to the reception room. When I saw who had come, I felt dizzy for a moment. It was a face identical to Lucas’s, except for a teardrop mole at the corner of his eye. Yes, Lucas didn’t have a teardrop mole. “Jack, I’ve brought a lawyer and the real culprit. Release Lucas now!” Rose shouted at me. I had no time to deal with her, my eyes fixed on “Lucas”. He seemed to shrink back a bit under my gaze.

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My usually innocent wife suddenly had many sexy lingerie pieces, with obvious signs of being grabbed. She explained they were her sister’s, which was confirmed, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Until that night, when I saw a message: “Kevin, are you asleep? I’m drunk and miss you so much.” I was furious. I’ll show them that even a nice guy isn’t to be trifled with! That day, while Mia was showering, I had to rush into the bathroom due to a bad stomachache. Mia was startled, but I laughed it off, “We’re married, don’t be shy.” As I sat on the toilet, trying to relieve myself, I couldn’t help but admire Mia’s body. She’s a part-time dance instructor with a hot figure – 5’7″ tall with a seductive face that gets your blood pumping. I couldn’t resist grabbing her hand, “Babe, you smell so good.” “Stop it! I’m tired. Let’s get some rest early.” Seeing Mia’s reaction, I got a bit angry. Without even wiping, I stood up and demanded, “Are you cheating on me?!” Mia got angry too. She turned the showerhead on me, soaking me completely, and yelled, “Jack Wilson! Have you no shame?!” Seeing Mia upset, I quickly tried to calm her down, “Don’t be mad, I was joking. But it has been a month since we…” Mia ignored me, dried herself off, and put on her underwear. I narrowed my eyes at her underwear choice – it was clearly a pink sexy lingerie set that I’d never seen her wear before. “Mia! Where did this underwear come from?” Mia looked down, then playfully pushed my head, “Isn’t this a surprise for you?” But this lingerie had clearly been worn many times, with visible signs of being grabbed. “This is obviously old!” I exclaimed, my face red with anger, feeling like a fool. Mia grabbed my arm, pouting, “Don’t be mad, honey. This afternoon I went to my sister’s place. Their faucet broke and soaked me completely, even my underwear. So I borrowed a set from my sister’s closet.” I immediately said, “I’ll call your sister right now!” I took out my phone, exchanged pleasantries, then got to the point: “Emma, Mia said she got soaked at your place this afternoon. Hope it wasn’t too much trouble.” “Yeah, my husband gave Mia a set of clothes to change into. Why, are you here to complain?” “No, no, just checking in.” I chatted a bit more before hanging up. Now it was Mia’s turn to be angry. She said I didn’t trust her and wouldn’t talk to me. I quickly tried to appease her: “Honey, don’t be mad! I was wrong to doubt you. I’m an idiot. What can I do to make it up to you?” To my surprise, Mia changed the subject: “Only if you add my name to the deed of the property.”

The property Mia mentioned was actually a large apartment I had bought from my previous business earnings. It was vacant and not rented out. Only my name was on the deed. Recently, the local government announced development plans, and with the lifting of purchase restrictions, the property value had tripled. Since the house wasn’t in her name, it was considered my premarital property. Although I had made a down payment on our future home in Mia’s name, with only her name on it, I had thought about adding Mia to the deed of the large apartment. After all, she was about to marry me, and I didn’t want to shortchange her. So I decided to use this opportunity: “No problem, baby. We’ll go to the property office this week.” I loved Mia so much that I was willing to give her everything. Mia was overjoyed. She hugged me tightly and kissed me frantically, “You’re the best, honey!” I smiled and kissed Mia back, then turned off the bedroom light. Afterwards, I sat on the bed smoking a cigarette while Mia went to shower. Her phone was charging on the nightstand. Looking at it, I felt a sudden urge to check it out. I knew Mia’s password, but we never looked at each other’s phones. Since we were about to get married, I figured it wouldn’t be a problem for spouses to check each other’s phones. Opening Mia’s SnapChat, there wasn’t a single chat history, including our conversations. It was all blank. This was Mia’s habit. She would delete all chat records after each conversation. But this didn’t stop me. I went into her PayPal to check for any suspicious transfers. Besides the $700 I sent her for each holiday, I found that Mia had received another $700 from someone else. Mia had saved the contact as “K,” I didn’t know what it meant. The profile picture was a tiger head, clearly a man, and probably an older one. I quickly took a photo of the transfer record with my phone, feeling a surge of anger and my hands shaking slightly as I put Mia’s phone back. I never imagined Mia would do this to me. If my guess was right, Mia must be cheating. Why else would someone send her special transfers on holidays? My blood was boiling. I wanted to burst into the bathroom with my phone and confront Mia, but I took a deep breath and buried my anger. Mia had never mentioned adding her name to the large apartment before. Why would she suddenly bring it up today? I suspected it had something to do with Mia’s affair partner. Perhaps they not only cheated on me but also wanted to get my property through Mia. Realizing this, I broke out in a cold sweat. I had to figure out who this person was. Just as I was thinking, suddenly a message came through on my SnapChat. “Jack, are you asleep? I’m drunk and miss you so much.”

Seeing this message, my hand trembled involuntarily. I had only met this woman a few times. She was Mia’s best friend, with a sexy appearance. During our previous dinners, she would flirt with me when Mia wasn’t looking, even rubbing her foot against mine under the table. But I never reciprocated. After all, my fiancée was prettier than her. But I never expected her to message me like this. To avoid any misunderstanding with Mia, I quickly deleted the message and decided not to respond. Mia said she was going to sleep, so I didn’t disturb her. I lay awake, pondering the contents of Mia’s phone. I suspected Mia was cheating. But the only clue I had was a tiger head profile picture. I needed to find out who this person was. I thought about following her, but I was afraid of being discovered. However, this didn’t stump me. I immediately thought of a foolproof method. From my previous business dealings, I knew a programming expert. The next day, I contacted the expert and asked if he could add a location tracking function to a phone. The expert said it was no problem and asked for the phone model. He then sent me the installation package and instructions. While Mia was showering, I found an opportunity to install the software on her phone. Now her location would be transmitted to my phone in real-time. However, to my surprise, Mia’s locations were very consistent. After work, she would go to the dance studio for an hour, then stop by her sister’s place on the way home, staying for an hour before returning. Was I being too sensitive? Maybe Mia wasn’t cheating after all? No, perhaps the affair partner was meeting Mia at the dance studio. I decided to follow Mia personally to see who she was meeting. Wearing sunglasses and a hat, I rented a car and disguised myself. After making sure I was unrecognizable, I took a day off work and followed Mia to her company. Mia was a company secretary. I had suspected she might be involved with her boss, but Mia’s boss was a woman, so that was impossible. But she could be involved with other colleagues. Office romances weren’t uncommon. So I spent the whole day wandering outside Mia’s company, occasionally seeing her print documents at the printer or interact normally with male colleagues. Maybe the affair partner wasn’t in the company? Just before the end of the workday, Mia walked out of the office building. I was sitting in the rented car, watching her from a distance. To my surprise, a black Lincoln pulled up silently beside her. Mia said something to the driver and got into the passenger seat. I immediately followed the car, which stopped at Mia’s dance studio. Not only did Mia get out, but also two of her female colleagues. So it turned out to be colleagues giving her a ride.

I waited outside the dance studio for a long time. There was a large glass window that allowed me to see inside clearly. Through the window, I could see Mia clearly. Her body was graceful as she taught a K-pop dance class in her sportswear. To be honest, I wasn’t surprised that such a beautiful woman might catch someone else’s eye. But after watching for a long time, no man approached Mia. After the dance class ended, Mia packed up and went straight to her sister’s place. Mia and her sister were very close, and Mia often visited her. I saw Mia enter the elevator, which stopped at her sister’s floor. After following her all day, it seemed Mia had no opportunity to cheat. I stood at the elevator, feeling foolish. Maybe I was wrong and too suspicious. As I stood there, a woman’s voice came from behind: “Jack, what are you doing here?” I turned around to find it was Mia’s sister, Emma. “Emma, uh, I came to find Mia. My phone’s broken and I forgot my keys, so I couldn’t call her. I figured she might be visiting you, so I came here to find her.” I quickly lied. Emma smiled and pressed the elevator button, “Mia is indeed here. Let’s go up together.” I smiled and followed Emma into the elevator. “You’re usually busy with work, so Mia usually has dinner at our place before going home. How come you’re off work so early today?” Emma asked. “Not much to do today,” I casually replied as Emma opened the door. “Honey!” A man’s voice came from inside as soon as the door opened. It was Emma’s husband and Mia’s brother-in-law, Kevin. Emma responded with a smile, “How did you know I was back? Jack’s here tonight, make enough dinner for one more.” Kevin came out, looking slightly surprised, but quickly recovered and said with a smile, “Oh, Jack’s here. Come on in.” “Where’s Mia?” Emma asked curiously as she hung up her bag. “Mia’s taking a shower inside. She said she was all sweaty from dancing.” “Control your wife, she’s been coming to our place to shower every day,” Emma joked. However, I found it strange because Mia always showered again when she got home at night. Just as I was thinking about this, Mia came out of the room, her hair still wet. She was drying her hair with a towel and asked curiously, “Why are you here?” I repeated the lie I told Emma. Mia nodded thoughtfully and then said, “Let’s go home then.” “Why not stay for dinner?” Emma asked curiously. “It’s okay, we need to…” Before Mia could finish, Emma smirked and said, “Oh, I get it. You’re rushing home for some alone time? Go on then, I won’t keep you.” “Shouldn’t you two be getting married soon?” Kevin suddenly asked, looking at me. I was taken aback for a moment, then nodded and replied, “Yeah, Mia and I are making preparations.” Kevin smiled and said, “Mia is a good girl. You better treat her well.”

Back home with Mia, I had followed her all day and found nothing suspicious. I began to wonder if I had been overthinking things. Maybe someone had a crush on Mia and sent her money. The chances of Mia cheating seemed slim. As we were getting ready for bed, Mia brought up adding her name to the property deed again. I truly loved Mia, and feeling guilty about my suspicions, I promised her, “We’ll go add your name this week.” Mia was thrilled, and that night she was very passionate. The next day, I didn’t follow Mia but went to work instead. Unexpectedly, I received a call at noon from the programming expert. He cautiously asked, “Are you alone? Can we talk?” My heart tightened, not knowing what he wanted to say. So I left my desk and went to a secluded corner, asking, “What’s the matter?” We didn’t usually have much contact, except for when I asked him to make the software. Was he calling to ask for more money? I became a bit wary. To my surprise, he said, “Brother, I didn’t want to tell you this, but I think you’re being taken advantage of. I feel I should let you know.” “What is it?” “I have a recording. I’ll send it to your SnapChat. Listen to it. The software I gave you has an automatic voice recording function. It recorded your girlfriend’s conversation.” I checked my SnapChat and sure enough, the expert had sent me an audio file. “It’s best to listen to it somewhere private,” he advised. Although I didn’t know what he was getting at, I clicked on it anyway. The recording was of passionate moaning, and I could clearly recognize Mia’s voice. “Don’t get handsy yet, let me tell you something…” Before Mia could finish, I heard the sound of passionate kissing. After a while, Mia spoke again, “Kevin, be gentle, you’re hurting me.”

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After getting accepted into Stanford University, my parents decided to reward me by buying a small house near the campus. My brother’s girlfriend, though, seems to think she has him wrapped around her finger and acts like she owns the place. She threw out all my stuff from the house and had the nerve to warn me: “Your brother is the only heir of the Sterling family, so I’m the lady of this house now. Stop hanging around here eating for free and be smart—pack up and leave!” I immediately recorded her little act on video and posted it in our Sterling Family Group Chat on WhatsApp, writing: “If this kind of trash gets into our family, consider me, Harper Sterling, a failure!” My name is Harper Sterling, and I have a fraternal twin brother, Ethan Sterling. Growing up, I was always the one being pampered by my parents, while Ethan was more like someone they picked up out of a dumpster. Take this instance as an example: I got accepted into Stanford University, which is about a 30-minute drive from home. Even though it’s not far, my parents went all out and bought me a small house near campus so I could have my own private space without worrying about noisy roommates. As it happens, Ethan also got accepted into Stanford. But for him, my parents said, “Boys are fine in dorms. No need for private space. No fuss.” Ethan practically begged me with tears in his eyes, and since I have a soft spot for him, I agreed to let him have a room in the house. Although they bought me the house, I still preferred living in the dorms with my friends, so I stayed on campus. My parents would only stay in the house for a few nights when they visited me and Ethan. Today, I got a delivery call saying my package had arrived and been left at the front door. That’s when I realized I had mistakenly put the house address instead of my dorm address. Since I didn’t have any afternoon classes, I decided to walk over and grab it. The house wasn’t far—just a 10-minute walk. Standing outside the front door, I figured since I was already there, I might as well stay the night and head back to campus tomorrow. I confidently punched in the entry code, but it was wrong. Not thinking much of it, I tried again. After three failed attempts, all showing incorrect, I knew something was off. I snapped a picture of the error message and sent it to the Sterling Family Group Chat. Before I could even type a message, Ethan called. “Is the lock broken or something? Why does it keep showing the wrong password?” I asked, frustrated. Ethan hesitated on the other end, sounding nervous. “Uh, sis, mom and dad aren’t visiting. Why are you home all of a sudden?” It was blazing hot outside, and I was getting cranky. “What’s with all the questions? What’s wrong with the lock? Did you change the password?” “Sis, don’t get upset! We’re just about to finish class. We’ll be there in a few minutes. Just wait a bit!” Clearly terrified of me losing my temper, Ethan hung up in a hurry. What’s the big deal? Couldn’t he have just told me the new password? Annoyed, I stood in the shade, waiting for Ethan. Fifteen minutes later, Ethan came rushing over, and I noticed a girl following behind him, walking at a leisurely pace. So that’s why he said “we.” He’s dating someone. The girl, Madison “Maddie” Cole, had flawless, fair skin and perfectly applied makeup. But as she walked over, she shot me an unfriendly look, as if I had interrupted her date and offended her. Sensing that I was on the verge of exploding, Ethan quickly handed me an ice-cold Coke. “Sis, this is Maddie. Maddie, my girlfriend. She’s been staying here for a few days.” I took the Coke, and it cooled me down a bit, but the second I realized my brother had his girlfriend staying at the house without even telling me, my anger reignited. Ethan, knowing my temper all too well, immediately added, “Maddie, this is my sister, Harper. She’s in the finance department at school.” Maddie clearly didn’t want to talk. It wasn’t until Ethan nudged her that she gave me a half-hearted nod as a greeting.

The atmosphere was incredibly awkward. Ethan broke the tension by punching in the new password and opening the door. The new code was clearly a birthdate. It wasn’t mine, Ethan’s, or our parents’. It had to be Maddie’s. The previous code had been set by me, but Maddie had apparently found it too complicated and had Ethan change it to her birthday. When Ethan explained this, I couldn’t help myself and punched him in the shoulder. This idiot gave the house code to someone outside the family, and not only that, he changed it to something she could remember? Ethan, sensing my irritation, resorted to his usual tactic—playing the pitiful little brother. Fine. I’ll let it go this time since Ethan seems to like her. After all, it was our first time meeting. Who knows if we’ll even see each other again? No need to make things too hostile. But as soon as I stepped into the living room, I was in complete shock. Can someone explain why everything was pink? I had hired an interior designer to create a sleek, minimalist look. Now, the walls were covered with tacky, country-style paintings and posters. Cheap, mismatched decorations hung everywhere, like something out of a bargain bin at a discount store. I swallowed my anger and walked inside. Ethan followed behind me but kept quiet. I glanced at the staircase and saw my books scattered all over the steps. The table had an empty cup of instant noodles on it, with one of my expensive hardcover books underneath it, being used as a coaster. What enraged me the most was that the upstairs suite—my room—had become their bedroom. The second floor had a shared bathroom and a master suite with a walk-in closet and private bathroom, which was originally mine. Now it was a complete mess, and they had replaced the bedding with a hideous, bright red set. Surveying the scene, I saw that my vanity, which had been lined with my collection of skincare products and makeup, was now nearly empty. “Where’s all my stuff?” I asked, pointing to the now-bare wall where my perfumes and lipsticks had once been neatly displayed. “What, did you eat my lipstick? Use my perfume for a bubble bath?” I stared at Ethan calmly, which only made him more scared. When I’m truly furious, I go quiet. When I was little, I had a pet rabbit. A clueless relative killed it and tricked me into eating it. I calmly ate a bite of the rabbit, then picked up a baseball bat and went to their house, smashing everything I could. For the next three months, I visited every month to smash something new until they finally moved away. Maddie, however, seemed completely unfazed by my fury, casually sitting in a rocking chair by the window, enjoying an avocado smoothie bowl. Ethan, terrified that I was about to explode, hurriedly promised he’d replace everything that had been lost or broken. That cooled me down slightly. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and strolled over to Maddie, flashing her a forced smile. “Maddie, I’m a bit of a neat freak. I don’t like people touching my stuff.” Maddie wasn’t pleased by my words and shot back sarcastically, “Well, Harper, this is my boyfriend’s house. I can use whatever I want. The owner doesn’t mind, so why should you, the guest, care?”

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I’m trembling in the corner of the bed. “Boss, you’re… you’re not usually like this.” He angrily throws his tie onto the bed. “Everyone has two sides to them!” A few months ago, I drew two erotic sketches. I meant to send them to my own phone via SnapChat, but accidentally sent them to my hot boss. I was confused at first, thinking my phone had glitched. When I realized what happened, my mind went blank. Shit shit shit! Unsend unsend! In a panic, I hit “Delete”. Nice save! Now I can start thinking about whether I need to resign. I collapsed onto my bed, my face burning red and my body weak. I could already imagine how my cold, reserved boss would react seeing those drawings. He’d probably rest his head on his hand with a look of disgust, even hating to look at my chat window. “Hmph, Lily. I thought you were the good girl of the office. I didn’t expect you to be this kind of person. How disgusting!” I felt so wronged I wanted to cry. After covering my eyes for ten minutes, my phone buzzed. I knew without looking it was a message from my boss. When I opened it, two images full of holy white light were slapped in my face. It was so bright it hurt my eyes. I rubbed my swollen eyes and saw he had sent another message. “Come to my office after work on Monday.” Great, I don’t even need to resign. He’s already preparing to fire me, and I can get double severance pay. Waaah. I suffered through the most painful weekend of my life, finally reaching judgment day. By the end of the workday, I had already packed up all my personal belongings. After most people had left, I finally worked up the courage to knock on his door. When the door opened, he was still focused on drawing a design. The setting sun illuminated his profile, half light and half shadow, like a character from a manga that’s half angel, half devil. Even just ordinary black-framed glasses looked extremely stylish on his face. Ah, he’s so handsome! But I wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it. “B-boss.” I was such a coward, I couldn’t even look at him. He glanced up at me and coolly tossed a folder my way. “There’s a Shakespeare-themed design gala coming up. Choose one of his works and create costume designs for three characters.” “Huh??” Just talking about work? “Is there… nothing else you want to say?” I was a bit dazed. He put down his pen and looked at me seriously. Oh god, don’t look at me like that!! Those beautiful eyes nearly made me ascend on the spot! If he wasn’t wearing glasses, he’d probably be even more mesmerizing… “You can stay and work overtime with me if you want, but… there’s no overtime pay.” He said flatly. My heart instantly calmed down. Who would work without overtime pay! “Then I’ll head out first. You should go home early too, boss.” I entered in a daze and left in a daze. Just as I turned to open the door, I heard a faint voice behind me, “Do you… like that kind of thing?” !! I quickly turned back. I saw my handsome boss diligently working on his design as if he hadn’t said anything. Did I mishear? “Anything else?” He looked up at me. I shook my head vigorously: “Goodbye, boss.” Ah… I’m at peace. My hot boss is so nice!!!! He deliberately avoided mentioning that day’s incident, saving my face. I think I like him even more now. When I got home, I opened Twitter and happily posted an update using my secret account. Instantly, I was flooded with comments like “You’re amazing!”, “So steamy!”, “Mama’s content is so delicious!” All the unpleasant things were instantly forgotten, leaving me with only a sense of accomplishment from being praised. However, one comment caught my attention. “You like this kind of thing?” My heart felt like it had been electrocuted. It instantly reminded me of the voice I heard when leaving the office. I clicked on that person’s profile. It was a burner account without even a profile picture. I was probably overthinking things. After a week of exhausting work, I finally welcomed the weekend. I had planned to sleep in the next day, but my plans were interrupted by a message from my boss. “The organizers are in a rush. We need to finalize the designs by next Monday. Find some time tomorrow, I’ll give you feedback on your designs in person.” In person? It’s clear the boss takes these designs very seriously. “Should we meet at the office or…” I asked. “Choose a quiet place close to your home.” I couldn’t help but fantasize – my place is quiet, and if we get tired we could just take a nap. But I didn’t have the guts to suggest that. Me: “There’s a nice coffee shop downstairs from my apartment. If we get hungry we can grab food nearby.” “Alright.” The boss agreed right away. I ascended to heaven on the spot!! Ahhhh! We’re going on a date!! I’ve been on dates with guys before, but I’ve never been this nervous. I woke up at 7 AM to shower and do my makeup, and even sprayed on a cologne similar to my boss’s scent. I arrived at the coffee shop early to wait. “Good morning, boss…” I waved with a smile. I had practiced this smile in the mirror 8 times yesterday! I saw his body stiffen for a moment. “Morning,” he said as he sat down across from me. His Adam’s apple suddenly bobbed. Oh my god! Did he just gulp? Damn, how can a man even look good swallowing! “Boss, here are the designs.” I took out my tablet. He glanced at it and pointed out many areas for improvement. “Here, and here…” The table was quite large, so it was inconvenient for him to point things out. He had to move to sit next to me. We accidentally brushed against each other. “Sorry,” he said. My heart started racing, and I felt like steam was coming out of my head. He erased all the clothes on my design, leaving only the body outline. “Try redrawing one based on what I said.” I could barely hold my pen steady. How am I supposed to draw like this? As expected, what I drew in front of him looked like crap. He frowned. I quickly apologized: “Boss, I might not be in the best condition. I’m having trouble drawing.” He was silent for a long time, then took my tablet and opened the photo gallery. “I remember you had a pretty good draft before.” Oh shit! No!! Damn, I was too slow and couldn’t stop him. I saw his expression become extremely strange, his eyelids even twitching. “You don’t separate your work tablet and personal tablet?” I’m poor, okay? If I had money I’d buy two. I didn’t say anything, and I didn’t dare look at the tablet. It was full of extremely explicit drawings. I was utterly mortified. Can you die twice from social embarrassment? I thought he would close it, but I didn’t expect him to actually click on one of the images. That image only showed a pair of legs on the tablet screen. How did he recognize it from such a tricky angle and click on it? “Boss!!!!” The image enlarged, revealing a very handsome man on the full screen. The man in the picture wore a navy blue suit with a gold tie clip inlaid with blue sapphires, gold-rimmed glasses, and a gold chain hanging from the glasses. I had designed this entire outfit from head to toe. It wasn’t just exquisite, but also had a powerful and confident aura. My boss’s eyes widened next to me, his pupils constricting. This was the first time I’d seen him with such an expression. His Adam’s apple bobbed again. “Is this… me?” “Mm-hmm.” I couldn’t come up with an excuse so I didn’t bother trying. “It looks very good. Can you send it to me?” My hot boss smiled. Oh my god!! He smiled!! Ahhhhhh!! I didn’t know the boss could be so gentle! I quickly sent it over. After sending it, I realized that due to my professional habits, I might have sent it in PSD format. Help! I hope he doesn’t hide the most recent layer, otherwise he’ll see an extremely explicit version without any clothes. Because I didn’t know when he would discover it, I was on edge for the next two weeks. This caused me to have writer’s block when starting a new story, so I turned to Twitter for help, asking for suggestions for a new plot. Among the many comments, one caught my attention. “The female lead could be an artist, sweet and innocent on the surface, but secretly loves drawing erotic art. She even secretly draws the male lead, and gets caught by him.” !! That electrifying feeling in my heart came back. It was that burner account without a profile picture again. This paragraph seemed to be describing me. I had a guess, but I wasn’t sure… “You have some great ideas, sweetie! For the male lead, do you have any good suggestions?” I tried to probe further. He replied to the comment: “If I were the male lead, I wouldn’t immediately expose this. After all, I’m not sure if she likes me or just enjoys drawing. “I can only be certain that she’s satisfied with my appearance, so I would deliberately do things to attract her, to make her fall completely in love with me. The best hunters often appear in the guise of prey, don’t they?” Whew – this person is so devious! It definitely can’t be my boss. I breathed a sigh of relief. But I couldn’t help imagining – what if my usually reserved boss also had a scheming side? Oh shit, nosebleed… tissue… Late that night, inspiration struck and I rarely felt like working hard! The male lead in my new story was based on my boss, but I was afraid of being discovered. I had to give the male lead some attributes my boss didn’t have. Like being scheming, jealous, and having a strong possessive streak. Inside the boss’s office. I sat with my head lowered. After fantasizing about him for two nights over the weekend, I didn’t dare look him in the eye. “Your face is so red. Is my office too hot?” I shook my head. He put some documents in front of me. I had just opened them when I saw him take off his suit jacket right in front of me, then loosen his tie! Oh my god! He’s really not treating me like an outsider. Am I allowed to see this? He glanced at me and coughed awkwardly twice. “Sorry, I’m actually quite hot. Is it okay if I talk to you like this?” He leaned back in his office chair looking a bit worn out. His tie wasn’t completely undone, hanging loosely, and he unbuttoned the first button of his shirt. I stared, transfixed. Heavens! I’m so hot! This was the first time I’d seen the boss looking so vulnerable. If I don’t draw a few gigabytes worth of erotic art of him, I’d be wasting this trip to his office! But I acted very reserved, holding back a mischievous smile as I stood up and slowly approached. “Are you not feeling well, boss?” His breathing was heavy. “It’s nothing. Let’s continue discussing the stage play. This time all the major design companies want to use the play as an opportunity to show off. You got the female lead role, so you must perform well. I’ll do my best to support you.” I nodded vigorously. For this stage play, my boss and I had been cast as the male and female leads. This was a heaven-sent opportunity, so of course I would work hard. He propped himself up to reach for the water glass on the desk, but before he could grab it, he swayed and nearly fell to the floor. Luckily I was standing right next to him. I quickly steadied him. “Boss, should I take you to the hospital?” He didn’t say anything. His body was very limp, almost leaning into my arms. “I’m sorry, my head hurts a lot right now. Can you stay in this position without moving and let me lean on you for a bit?” Oh, damn! Am I dreaming? How did I get so lucky? He was groaning in pain. But I couldn’t help wanting to prick up my ears to listen. Even his groans sounded amazing!! And this scene was very similar to the first chapter of my new story! A palace artist catches a poisoned prince as he collapses. The prince’s poison acts up and he immediately pins down the artist. If the maids hadn’t arrived in time, the little artist would have been devoured in the first chapter!!! “What are you thinking about? Why is your heart beating so fast?” The voice from my arms brought me back to reality. My face was already red, and after being called out it burned even hotter. “I won’t trouble you anymore.” He managed to sit up straight and let out a breath. “Thank you. I’ll treat you to a meal another day.” I nodded, trying to calm my wildly beating heart as I left. Just as I turned to close the door, a fleeting image in the office startled me. The boss who had been painfully rubbing his head was actually smiling? Impossible!! I must have seen wrong. On Twitter, I created a fan group. People eager for my erotic content immediately flooded in. I typed, “Help! This isn’t about drawing! Can anyone analyze what my chances are if I want to pursue my hot boss?” These online friends’ enthusiasm for gossip was no less than their enthusiasm for erotic content. They all asked me to elaborate. So I told them about the office hug incident and secretly drawing my boss. At this point I remembered I still had a male fan. I scanned the group and didn’t see him, so I proactively added him to the group. “Hey Mr. No Profile Picture, can you help analyze this for me?” Mr. No Profile Picture: “What?” A fan copied and pasted what I had posted. Mr. No Profile Picture: “?!!” Mr. No Profile Picture: “There’s a version without clothes too?” Me: “Actually… I have even more explicit ones on my tablet. He just didn’t see those.” Mr. No Profile Picture: “!!” For some reason, I felt like his reaction was a bit over the top. Shouldn’t a stranger just be enjoying the gossip? Meanwhile, the other fans were clamoring non-stop: “Author, I want to see pics of the hot boss”, “Show us the goods”, “Let me see”. They were about to flood the chat, so I had no choice but to post a few of my best drawings. There were no full face shots anyway. Even if the actual person saw them, they probably wouldn’t recognize themselves. As soon as the images were posted, the group exploded. Everyone was shouting that the hot boss belonged to all of them, and begging me to draw “more more more” in the future. I found it too noisy, so I left to private message that guy. “Hey, can you help analyze now?” That guy: “Sorry, those images had quite an impact. I need a moment to recover.” I get it, I get it. We’re all horny here… But this guy took half an hour to “recover”. “Sorry, I just took a cold shower.” Me: “Damn, that’s intense. You’ll catch a cold showering in this weather.” “Ahem, you’ve been updating so frequently lately, I’ve been taking cold showers for days.” Well, I’ll take that as a compliment. Suddenly I thought, my boss had a headache and fever earlier. He couldn’t have been taking cold showers too, right? He continued: “I think you should try getting closer to him. You might discover that your hot boss isn’t just physically attractive, but has many other shining qualities.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294826”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #校园School