Category: English

In the third year of my marriage to Adrian, I accidentally saw him having sex with my adopted sister on the home security footage. Their voices came through the monitor loud and clear: “When are you finally going to divorce that woman? I’m tired of sneaking around.” Adrian stroked her hair, his eyes carrying a coldness and calculation I had never seen before: “Soon. Her sense of smell is already deteriorating. Once she can’t smell a thing, can’t write new formulas, and has no value left to exploit, I’ll divorce her.” So the bowl of nutrient solution he personally handed me every night never held affection—it held chronic poison. I let out a cold laugh and immediately activated “Project Abyss”—a top-secret program that would make my social identity completely dead. Seven days left, and I would disappear forever. But before I disappeared, I was going to take back everything they owed me. Sophia POV “Sophia, your application for the Abyss Project has been approved. It’s a completely isolated twenty-year undersea research project. Once you enter, you’ll be declared legally dead to the outside world. All contact will be cut. You have fifteen days to back out.” The director’s voice was mechanical and cold. My fingers gripping the phone went white, but my voice stayed calm. “I won’t back out. I’ll report on time in fifteen days.” I hung up, set the phone face-down on the table, and looked up at myself in the mirror. Pale face. Eyes heavy with exhaustion. I was an internationally renowned perfumer. And the wife of billionaire Adrian Blackwell, CEO of Blackwell Corporation. We’d been married for three years. In everyone’s eyes, I was the luckiest woman alive. Adrian showered me with affection. No matter how busy, he always came home for dinner. He treated me like I was made of glass. Click. The villa’s front door opened. Adrian walked in wearing a custom-tailored suit, carrying my favorite mousse cake from that boutique downtown, bringing in a wave of cold air. When he saw me standing in the living room, his sharp features instantly softened. He strode forward and pulled me into his embrace. “Sophia, why are you standing here dressed so lightly? You’ll catch cold.” His voice was low and tender, filled with concern. I didn’t return his embrace as usual, but stood stiffly, letting him hold me. Adrian noticed nothing wrong. He pulled me onto the sofa and opened the cake box like it was a gift. “Try it. I had Mary make you some herbal tonic. You’ve been having insomnia. Drink this and sleep well.” Mary, our maid, brought over a steaming bowl and set it on the table. The tonic was dark and smelled faintly of herbs. I stared at that bowl of tonic, my stomach suddenly churning. I shoved Adrian away and rushed to the bathroom, dry heaving. Adrian hurried after me, patting my back while asking anxiously. “What’s wrong? Is your stomach bothering you? I’ll call the doctor right away!” “No need.” I turned on the faucet, splashing cold water on my face, using the sound to hide the tremor in my voice. “Probably just something I ate.” I raised my head, looking through the mirror at the man standing behind me. The concern in his eyes seemed so genuine. So genuine that if I hadn’t received that medical report today, I would have been kept in the dark forever. This afternoon, I’d gone to the hospital for a comprehensive toxicology screening. The report showed that a rare chronic neurotoxin had been accumulating in my body for an extended period. This toxin was colorless and odorless, slowly destroying one’s olfactory nerves, eventually leading to complete loss of smell and even mental breakdown. And the source of this toxin was precisely the “herbal tonic” that Adrian insisted I drink every single day without fail. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Adrian took a towel and gently wiped the water from my face. “You look terrible. I’ll take you to the hospital for a checkup tomorrow.” “Okay.” I lowered my eyes, hiding the despair and coldness in them. Back in the living room, Adrian picked up the now-lukewarm bowl of tonic and held it to my lips, his eyes tender enough to drown in. “Be good, drink your tonic. You’ll feel better after drinking it.” I looked at his long fingers, my heart twisting like a knife. I’d loved Adrian for ten years, been married to him for three. I thought I was his salvation, never imagining I was just meat on his chopping block. I took the bowl, tilted my head back, and in front of him, drained that bowl of poisoned tonic in one gulp. The poison slid down my throat, burning my internal organs. Adrian smiled with satisfaction, bowing his head to plant a light kiss on my forehead. “Good girl. Get some rest early. I need to handle some documents in the study.” Watching his retreating figure as he went upstairs, I bit my lip hard until I tasted blood. Fifteen days. Adrian, in fifteen days, I’ll return this life to you, along with all your false affections.

Sophia POV Late at night, the villa was silent. After Adrian fell asleep, I quietly got up and went to the study. I installed a micro camera in the most concealed corner of the bookshelf, the lens pointed directly at Adrian’s desk. After finishing, I returned to the bedroom and lay down beside Adrian. The man habitually pulled me into his arms, chin resting on the top of my head, breathing evenly. I kept my eyes open until dawn. The next day, after Adrian left for the company, I claimed I wasn’t feeling well and stayed home. I opened my laptop and connected to the study’s surveillance feed. At ten in the morning, the study door opened. The person who entered wasn’t Mary the maid, but Vivian. Vivian was the adopted daughter of the Sterling family, and nominally my sister. She wore a flamboyant red dress and high heels, walking straight to Adrian’s desk and opening his computer with practiced ease. Before long, the door opened again. Adrian had returned. In the surveillance footage, Adrian showed no surprise whatsoever. Instead, he locked the door behind him. Vivian draped herself over him like a boneless cat, hooking her arms around his neck and pouting. “Adrian, didn’t you say you had a morning meeting? How’d you get back so fast?” Adrian naturally wrapped his arm around her waist, lowering his head to kiss her lips, his voice husky. “I missed you, so I came back.” The two kissed shamelessly in the room, the image so piercing I could barely breathe. I stared at the screen, nails digging deep into my palms. When the kiss ended, Vivian leaned against Adrian, playing with his tie, her tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction. “When are you finally going to divorce that woman? I’m tired of sneaking around.” Adrian gently stroked her hair, his eyes holding a coldness and calculation I’d never seen before. “Soon. Her sense of smell is already deteriorating. Once she completely loses it and can’t create new formulas, I’ll have her committed to a psychiatric hospital. Then everything from Sterling Enterprises, plus all those top-secret core formula patents in her hands, will be yours.” Vivian’s eyes lit up. “Really? What about that ‘First Snow’ formula she’s been developing…” “Already copied to your flash drive.” Adrian pulled out a silver flash drive from his drawer and handed it to Vivian. “Next week’s International Perfume Competition. This will be your entry. I’ll pave the way for everything, make you a legitimate master perfumer.” Vivian excitedly took the flash drive, standing on tiptoe to kiss Adrian’s cheek. “Adrian, you’re so good to me! But… what if Sophia finds out?” “Finds out?” Adrian laughed coldly, his tone contemptuous. “She’s like an idiot now, completely obedient to me. So what if she finds out? She’s been drinking that tonic for so long, her nerves are already damaged. Who’s going to believe what a crazy person says?” In front of the screen, my whole body turned ice cold, as if I’d fallen into a frozen lake. So that was it. All his tenderness and consideration over these three years. It was all for Vivian. He not only wanted to destroy my career, but also my body, and even drive me insane! The love I took such pride in was nothing but a premeditated slaughter. I shut down the laptop. I didn’t cry or make a scene. My tears had already dried up last night. I pulled out my phone, looking at the countdown on the calendar. Fourteen days left. I stood up, walked to my vanity, and removed the expensive jewelry Adrian had given me piece by piece, throwing them in the trash. Since he wanted my formulas, wanted my life, then before I left, I’d play a good game with them.

Sophia POV Three days later, the Sterling family manor hosted a banquet. I walked into the hall in a black dress, my expression cold. The hall was filled with laughter and conversation. My biological parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, were gathered around Vivian, their faces full of affection. “Vivian is really making something of herself. She’ll definitely win first place at this International Perfume Competition!” Mrs. Sterling held Vivian’s hand, smiling from ear to ear. Vivian lowered her head with false modesty. “I just got lucky. Don’t praise me. Sophia is the real genius perfumer. My entry ‘First Snow’ was actually inspired by her previous work.” “What kind of genius is she!” Mr. Sterling snorted coldly, glancing at me with disgust as I entered. “Always with that sour face, like someone owes her millions. Nothing like you, considerate and sensible. If she had even half your talent, I’d thank the heavens!” I stood there, listening to my biological father’s degradation, feeling nothing inside. It had always been like this. Ever since Vivian was adopted, I became the Sterling family’s unwanted child. No matter how hard I worked, how excellent I became, in their eyes I could never match a single word of Vivian’s sweet talk. Adrian came downstairs, naturally walking to my side, putting his arm around my shoulders, smoothing things over. “Mr. Sterling, Sophia hasn’t been feeling well lately. Please don’t scold her.” He turned to look at me, his eyes so tender they seemed ready to drip water. “Sophia, why so late? Your hands are freezing.” I calmly avoided his touch, walked to the sofa and sat down, looking directly at Vivian. “You said your competition entry is called ‘First Snow’?” I caught a flash of guilt in Vivian’s eyes, but backed by Adrian’s support, she forced herself to remain calm. “Yes, Sophia. Why?” “Nothing.” I coldly curved my lips. “Just thought the name sounded familiar. If I remember correctly, this is a top-secret formula I started conceptualizing six months ago and locked in my laboratory safe.” The moment I spoke, the hall fell silent. Vivian’s face paled, her eyes instantly reddening as she looked at Adrian with grievance. “Adrian, Sophia… how can she slander me like this? This is clearly a formula I stayed up several nights to create!” Mrs. Sterling immediately stepped protectively in front of Vivian, pointing at me and cursing. “Sophia, have you no shame! You can’t write anything yourself because your inspiration’s dried up, so you’re jealous of Vivian? On what basis are you claiming Vivian’s hard work as yours!” “Whether it’s mine or not, checking the lab surveillance and computer records will tell us.” My tone was calm but each word hit hard. Adrian frowned slightly, stepping forward to stand between Vivian and me. He pulled out a stack of printed documents from his pocket and handed them to Mr. Sterling. “Mr. Sterling, these are Vivian’s creative drafts and timestamped records. Three months ago, Vivian had already completed the initial draft of ‘First Snow.’ And the records in Sophia’s lab were only created yesterday.” Adrian looked at me with pained, disappointed eyes. “I know you’ve been stressed lately, Sophia. But you can’t steal Vivian’s work just because you can’t come up with your own formulas. And then blame her for it.” I looked at the forged evidence in his hands and laughed. A cold, mocking laugh. He didn’t just steal my formula. He altered the timestamps and made me look like the thief. Slap! A resounding slap struck hard across my face. Mr. Sterling trembled with rage, pointing at me and roaring. “You shameless thing! Apologize to Vivian right now!” The blow made my head turn to the side, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of my mouth. I didn’t cover my face or defend myself. I just looked at this group of people with the gaze one reserves for the dead. “Fine, I’ll apologize.” I wiped the blood from my mouth, my voice cold as ice. “Vivian, I hope you win worldwide fame with my formula.” With that, I turned and strode out of Sterling Manor. I didn’t look back, but I knew that to them, the words of someone they considered mentally unstable and crazy wouldn’t matter at all.

Sophia POV My sense of smell was fading at a terrifying rate. A nose that could once easily distinguish the subtle differences between thousands of fragrances could now only detect the faintest bitter note even from the most potent rose essence. I knew the toxin had invaded my central nervous system. That evening, Adrian walked into the bedroom carrying a bowl of steaming soup. “Sophia, get up and have some soup.” He sat on the edge of the bed, helping me sit up, his movements gentle as if handling a fragile treasure. I leaned against the headboard, staring at the bowl of soup with vacant eyes. No scent. I couldn’t smell anything anymore. Adrian scooped up a spoonful of soup, blew on it to cool it, and held it to my lips. I didn’t open my mouth, just quietly looked at him. “Adrian, what exactly have you been making me drink every day?” Adrian’s hand paused slightly, then he smiled without changing expression. “Nutritious soup, of course. You’ve gotten too thin. The doctor said you need more nutrition.” “Is that so?” I suddenly reached out and knocked the soup bowl from his hand. The scalding liquid splashed onto Adrian’s hand, instantly turning it red. He shot to his feet, his expression darkening. “Sophia Sterling, what the hell is wrong with you!” “What’s wrong with me?” I laughed coldly, my eyes sharp as knives. “Adrian, do you dare drink this soup yourself? Do you dare tell me why my sense of smell is disappearing day by day!” Adrian’s pupils contracted sharply. He stared at me, seemingly assessing how much I actually knew. After a moment, he suddenly smiled. That smile tore away his mask of pretense, revealing cruel fangs beneath. “Since you already know, there’s no need for me to keep pretending.” Adrian methodically pulled out a handkerchief, wiping the soup from his hand. “That’s right, I’ve been poisoning you. Who told you to occupy the position of my wife while hoarding Sterling Enterprises’ core formula patents and refusing to hand them over?” He leaned forward, gripping my chin with force that nearly crushed my bones. “Sophia, you’re too smart and too proud. Only by destroying your pride will you obediently listen.” I was forced to raise my head, looking at this face I’d once loved to my bones, feeling nothing but revulsion. “Don’t even think about getting the rest of my formulas.” I said through gritted teeth. “Oh really?” Adrian snorted coldly and flung me aside. He turned and walked to the door, coldly instructing the guards outside. “Sophia is having a schizophrenic episode with severe self-harm tendencies. From today on, she cannot leave this room without my permission. Seal all the windows. Except for meal delivery, no one is allowed to visit.” The door slammed shut heavily, the sound of the lock clicking echoing especially harsh in the empty room. I was completely imprisoned. There wasn’t a trace of light in the room. All communication devices had been confiscated. I was like a trapped beast in a dark cage, unable to make any contact with the outside world. But I didn’t break down. I felt my way to the bed in the darkness, reaching under a loose floorboard to retrieve a palm-sized backup phone. This was the escape route I’d hidden long ago. I turned it on. The screen’s faint light illuminated my pale face. I skillfully dialed a complex encrypted number. “Abyss Project Headquarters. Ms. Sterling, how may we assist you?” My voice was terrifyingly calm. “My situation has changed. I’m requesting early evacuation.” “Received. Evacuation protocol initiated. Countdown: seven days. You must maintain stable vital signs and await extraction.” I hung up and hid the phone again. Seven days. Adrian, Vivian. What you owe me, I’ll collect every single debt over these seven days.

Sophia POV On the third day of my confinement, an uninvited guest came to the villa. Vivian wore a haute couture suit and arrogant high heels, walking into my room flanked by guards. The room was dark and damp. I was curled up on the corner sofa, hair disheveled, face pale as paper. Seeing my wretched state, Vivian let out a triumphant laugh. “Well, well, if it isn’t our high-and-mighty genius perfumer Sophia. How come you’re hiding here like a stray dog now?” I didn’t even lift my eyelids, treating her like thin air. This disregard completely enraged Vivian. She grabbed my hair and yanked my head up. “Don’t act so high and mighty! You think you’re still the Sterling heiress? Let me tell you something. Adrian already transferred every share of Sterling Enterprises to my name. You’re nothing now!” My scalp screamed, but I just stared at her. “Sleep well at night, knowing you took what’s not yours?” “Not mine?” Vivian cackled. “Sophia Sterling, don’t you get it yet? Adrian was never after you. He came for your family’s formula patents. He’s never loved you. The only woman he’s ever loved is me.” She let go, wiped her hands, and walked to the cabinet. Inside sat my mother’s only set of vintage perfumes. The last things she left before she died. “These broken bottles you worship like treasures? Just garbage.” I saw a flash of malice in Vivian’s eyes. She suddenly swept her hand across the display, sending all the perfume bottles crashing to the floor. Expensive glass shattered everywhere, rich fragrance instantly filling the entire room. This was my mother’s life’s work, my last connection to her in this world. “Vivian!” My eyes blazed with fury as I lunged forward, trying to stop her. But Vivian was prepared. Not only didn’t she dodge, she rushed toward me. Blood immediately gushed out. “Help! Sophia’s trying to kill me!” Vivian collapsed on the floor, screaming shrilly. The door was kicked open violently. Adrian burst in. Seeing Vivian lying in a pool of blood, his eyes filled with rage. He strode forward and kicked me flying. I slammed hard into the wall. It felt like all my internal organs had shifted. My throat sweetened as I coughed up blood. “Adrian, it hurts so much… Sophia’s gone crazy, she tried to kill me…” Vivian hid in Adrian’s arms, crying pitifully. Adrian tenderly lifted Vivian, then turned to look at me like I was already dead. “Sophia Sterling, you’re evil to the core! Vivian came to check on you out of kindness, and you tried to kill her!” I leaned against the wall, looking at this vicious pair, and suddenly burst into laughter. I laughed until tears came, laughed until my heart was torn apart. “Adrian, are you blind? She clearly cut herself!” “Enough!” Adrian roared, cutting me off. “You lunatic, nothing but lies! Since you love hurting people so much, those hands are useless anyway!” He set Vivian down, walked toward me step by step, and without mercy raised his leather shoe, stomping hard on my right hand. The hand I used for perfume creation. Crack. The sound of breaking bones rang clearly through the room. The pain shot from my fingers to my heart. My whole body convulsed, but I bit my lip hard and didn’t let out a single scream. I stared at Adrian, carving his twisted face deep into my bones. Adrian, that stomp severed the last thread of feeling between us.

Sophia POV With a shattered right hand, I received no medical treatment. Instead, Adrian had me transferred overnight to a secretive private psychiatric hospital. “Mr. Blackwell instructed that Ms. Sterling suffers from severe mania and persecution delusions, requiring mandatory treatment measures.” In the cold hospital room, a white-coated doctor emotionlessly read Adrian’s orders. I was roughly strapped to a frigid treatment bed, my limbs secured tightly with reinforced leather restraints. My right hand was swollen like a purple-red loaf of bread, every breath accompanied by excruciating pain. “What are you planning to do?” I looked at them coldly, my voice hoarse but eerily calm. The doctor didn’t answer, just waved his hand. Two nurses approached and attached cold electrode pads to my temples. “Begin electroshock therapy. Set voltage to maximum.” As the switch was flipped, a powerful current instantly surged through my brain. Indescribable agony blanked my mind completely, my body convulsing violently beyond my control. The restraints cut into my flesh, drawing blood. I bit my lip hard until my mouth filled with the thick taste of blood, but I never begged for mercy. Once, twice, three times… I don’t know how long it lasted before the electroshock finally stopped. I lay there like a dying fish, gasping for air, my body soaked in cold sweat, lacking even the strength to move a finger. “Ms. Sterling, Mr. Blackwell said that as long as you sign this equity transfer agreement and core formula authorization, you can suffer less.” The doctor held out a document before my eyes. I weakly opened my eyes, looking at that document, a mocking smile curving my lips. So this was his ultimate goal. Drain every last drop of use from me, then let me die like a madwoman in this sunless place. “I’ll… sign.” I forced out those words with difficulty. Surprise flashed in the doctor’s eyes, seemingly not expecting me to surrender so quickly. He unfastened my right hand restraint and shoved a pen into my hand. Enduring the agony of shattered bones, I used that nearly useless right hand to sign my name crookedly on the document. The moment I finished signing, it felt like all my strength had been drained. I collapsed limply on the bed. The doctor left with satisfaction, document in hand. The hospital room returned to deathly silence. I closed my eyes, silently calculating the time in my mind. Three days until the final deadline for the “Abyss Project” evacuation. Adrian, you think you’ve won? What you took is just garbage I don’t want. And I’ll let you taste what it’s like to fall from heaven to hell at your moment of greatest triumph. Over the next two days, I became abnormally quiet. I no longer resisted, no longer spoke. Like a true puppet with its soul extracted, I let the doctors and nurses do as they pleased. My compliance gradually made the psychiatric hospital guards lower their vigilance. Deep in the night, I used an extremely small blade hidden under my tongue to slowly cut through the leather restraints on my wrists. This was my last chance. I couldn’t afford any mistakes.

Sophia POV Evacuation countdown. Final day. Adrian came to the psychiatric hospital. A rare visit. He wore a perfectly tailored silver-gray suit. His hair was immaculate. He looked like a victor. Like a man who had already won everything. Tomorrow was Vivian’s global launch for her perfume brand, “First Snow.” And the celebration banquet for Blackwell Corporation’s complete takeover of the Sterling family assets. The hospital room door opened. Adrian looked down at me sitting in a wheelchair. I wore an oversized hospital gown, thin as a skeleton. My once vibrant face was now pale as paper, eyes vacant and dull, right hand hanging limply at my side like a lifeless rag doll. I didn’t know what he was thinking, but he quickly suppressed any extraneous emotion. “Sophia.” He walked over, crouched down, and tried to take my hand. I didn’t dodge, just looked at him woodenly, as if looking at a stranger. “Tomorrow is Vivian’s launch event. Once everything settles, I’ll bring you home.” Adrian’s voice was soft, carrying a false tenderness. “I’ll find you the best doctors, heal your hand, cure your illness. We’ll start over, okay?” Start over? I laughed coldly inside. Grind me into the mud, drain my blood, then condescend to say “start over”? I slowly raised my head, pretending those dead eyes suddenly held a flicker of light. I looked at Adrian, the corners of my mouth curving into an extremely faint smile. “Okay.” My voice was hoarse like sandpaper scraping. “I’ll wait for you… to take me home.” That word, that smile. It seemed to instantly relax Adrian’s tense nerves. He thought I’d finally accepted my fate, finally been completely tamed by him. “Good girl.” He satisfactorily reached out to stroke my hair. “After tomorrow, you’ll still be the distinguished CEO’s wife.” Adrian stood and turned to leave. He walked so decisively, steps light, never looking back once, eager to embrace his bright future. The moment the hospital room door closed again. Click. That soft sound seemed to sever the last thread of pretense. The wooden submission on my face vanished instantly, replaced by bone-chilling coldness and determination. I stood up, flexing my stiff joints. My bones made faint cracking sounds. Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night. At 2 a.m., the psychiatric hospital corridor was silent except for occasional patient murmurs and the footsteps of nurses on duty. I moved like a ghost along the walls, precisely avoiding every surveillance camera blind spot, slipping silently into the medication room at the end of the corridor. I mixed several highly volatile and flammable chemical agents in specific proportions, my movements without a moment’s hesitation. I built a simple delayed bomb and snuck into the records room. I wedged it into the back of the ventilation shaft, where years of dry paper records had piled up. Once lit, the fire would race through the ducts. It would erase every trace of me and throw the place into chaos. When I was done, I followed the same path back to my room. I took off my wedding ring and placed it on the bedside table next to the suicide note I’d written long ago. Both neatly laid out. The note contained only one sentence. “Adrian, I’m giving your life back to you. May you two torment each other forever. May you never find peace.” I read the words, and the corner of my mouth twitched. At 3 a.m.,  the night was pitch black. A low, deep rumble approached from the distance, breaking the dead silence. The sound of helicopter rotors. The Abyss Project extraction team had arrived.

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The entire Moonclaw Pack knew that Alex loved me. When I was twenty years old, I was captured by vicious rogues. Alex ventured alone into the terrifying forbidden forest to rescue me. I thought I’d never meet anyone who loved me more than he did, not even a so-called fated mate. So we got together. In his younger days, he was wild and had many lovers. I knew this. During our first few years together, women constantly tried to seduce him. But those women would vanish the next day, as if they’d evaporated from existence. I thought I was the only one in his heart. But I was wrong. Before our Mark ceremony, Chloe appeared at Alex’s side. On her first day, Alex participated in a death match at the underground fight ring, all because Chloe wanted the necklace offered as a prize. On her seventh day, they slept together. On her twentieth day, he brought her back to what was supposed to be our home. So I decided to cancel my union with Alex and marry his brother instead—the former Alpha of Moonclaw Pack.

Lily POV This morning, Alex told me he was hosting a barbecue party with his friends. So today I left work early to help Alex entertain his friends. But when I reached the garden, I only saw a barbecue grill with no one around. Looking a bit further, I saw Alex pressed on top of a woman, their moans piercing my ears with each gust of evening breeze. My breath hitched. I strode over quickly. Then I violently flipped over the entire barbecue grill. “Ahhh—!” The searing coals scattered across the cobblestone ground with shrill screams. I watched as Alex whipped around, using his entire back to shield the woman, blocking most of the flying sparks. In that instant, my heart felt like someone had viciously squeezed it. He would actually protect her like this. “Chloe, are you okay?” His tone was so gentle it nearly made me sick. The woman called Chloe trembled as she grabbed his reddened, burned arm, sobbing softly. “I’m fine. But you… does it hurt?” I laughed coldly. “Stop acting. Get out.” Chloe’s face went pale as she shrank back. But Alex stepped in front of her, looking down at me from above, his voice cold as ice. “Apologize.” The Alex I’d known for seven years had never shown me such a cold expression before. I clenched my fists, my knuckles turning white. “In your dreams.” I ground out the words through gritted teeth, then turned and walked toward the house. The moment the door closed behind me, I could no longer pretend to be unaffected. Tears fell. I never imagined he could be so gentle with someone else. He betrayed me, yet demanded an apology from me. And I had to witness it today, in our home. I knew he’d been getting close to that woman recently. But she was just an Omega working as a waitress. I thought he was just fooling around. But I was dead wrong. He brought her home, right in front of me. He probably didn’t expect I’d accidentally discover them. Of course he didn’t expect it. He’d hidden it so well. Maybe his refusal to Mark me was precisely for this reason. He didn’t want to remain faithful to our relationship. I collapsed onto the bed that once belonged to both of us, tears dropping onto the pillow. I don’t know how much time passed before I was violently pulled from the bed and thrown onto the floor. Looking up, I saw Alex’s cold face. His shirt still bore traces of coal burns on the back, though the wounds had already healed. “What are you doing?” I asked hoarsely. He didn’t answer, just grabbed my shoulder. “The coals burned her just now. With such a serious wound, an Omega like her can’t guarantee it’ll heal on its own.” I froze, then laughed. The sound was particularly jarring in the quiet room. “So what? Are you going to burn me back now?” He was silent for a long time before sighing. “Lily, why do you have to target her? I promise you, in a month I’ll still become your mate. But for what happened today, you must make amends to her.” “Alex—” Before I could finish, I felt a sharp, searing pain in my shoulder! He actually burned me with a piece of coal he’d gotten from somewhere, its heat still lingering! I gasped for breath, the pain making my vision go black. I nearly laughed up blood. “You want me to apologize? Screw you!” His expression turned completely grim. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up at him. “Think about your Pack. Think about your broken father. Now answer me—will you apologize or not?” I felt thunderstruck, tears instantly blurring my vision. “You know what I care about most, and you’re actually using them to threaten me?” Yes, my pack wasn’t doing well right now. After my mother died, my father was devastated and never recovered. He no longer dealt with pack matters, and no longer had the ability to, because his wolf suffered every moment from the pain of losing his mate. A pack without an Alpha could hardly resist erosion by those with ambition. Even though I tried hard to maintain everything, to become the new leader, I couldn’t do it. That’s why I was here. Alex was the Alpha of the world’s most powerful Moonclaw Pack. My pack needed Moonclaw Pack’s protection. Fortunately, Alex loved me. At least that’s what I used to believe. A complex emotion flashed through his eyes. His tone softened, though it remained cold. “Lily, Chloe is different from you. She’s a poor Omega who’s been looked down on since childhood. You have things she never had. Why must you argue with her?” “So,” my voice trembled, “I should give her my man too?” He paused, avoiding my gaze. “No matter what I do this month, you’ll still be my mate. The Luna position will always be yours.” I closed my eyes, feeling dead inside. The burning pain in my shoulder intertwined with the coldness in my heart. “Fine. I’ll apologize.” He dragged me downstairs to the living room. Chloe was already waiting there, wearing my silk robe that she’d found somewhere. I lunged forward, trying to tear the robe off her. “That’s mine!” But Alex blocked me, his tone impatient. “It’s just a piece of clothing. I’ll buy you a new one. Hurry up and apologize!” His large hand gripped the back of my neck with force that nearly suffocated me. Only when I squeezed out “I’m sorry” through gritted teeth to Chloe did he finally release me with satisfaction. Watching the relieved smile at the corner of his mouth, my heart felt torn to shreds—a hundred times more painful than the burn on my shoulder. If he were my enemy, I would have bitten through his throat. But he wasn’t. He was my lover. And I still needed to rely on him to protect my pack. I thought this terrible farce had finally ended. But the next day, his people escorted me to the Pack medical center. He didn’t even look at me, just said to the doctor: “Take her in.” The cold operating table, the blinding surgical lights, the doctor expressionlessly preparing instruments, the needle gleaming with cold light. Before I fully understood what was happening, I heard him outside the door, speaking in the casual tone one might use to discuss the weather— “Chloe is very upset about the scar on her shoulder. Use your skin for her regeneration treatment.” The anesthetic needle pierced my skin with a sharp pain. I struggled in horror, but was held down firmly. Before I could resist or cry out, my consciousness rapidly sank into endless darkness. When I woke up, the white ceiling made me dizzy. Alex’s beta Evan quickly came forward to help me up. “Lily, you’re awake? Thank god. I’ll get the doctor.” Beta Evan hurried off to find someone, leaving his phone on a nearby stool. The screen was lit, and a conversation in the chat group between Alex and several of his close friends popped up. “Alex, what’s going on with you and Chloe? Are you really not going to be with Lily anymore? Your Mark ceremony is in a month.” “I didn’t say I wouldn’t. But this is the first time I’ve met someone like Chloe. She’s really sweet, really innocent. I feel soft every time I see her.” “Then what about Lily? She can’t tolerate any grain of sand in her eyes.” “Don’t worry. Her Pack is falling apart right now and needs my protection. She won’t leave me.” I gripped the phone tightly, my knuckles turning white from the pressure. The cold metal edges dug painfully into my palm. In that moment, the last trace of hope and doubt lingering in my heart was finally shattered by these naked words. So in his eyes, I was nothing more than someone begging for his protection, someone who could be discarded and used at will. I pulled at the corner of my mouth, wanting to laugh, but my throat felt bitter. Then I took out my own phone and calmly dialed the number of Alex’s mother. “Eleanor,” my voice sounded unnaturally calm, “I don’t want to marry Alex anymore.” Eleanor on the other end anxiously inquired. I answered softly, each word clear and terrifying. “No, I’m not refusing the union with Moonclaw Pack.” “I just… want to change the person.” “I want to become mates with Alex’s brother—Sebastian Sterling.”

Lily POV I knew that my Evans Pack was currently in a precarious position. If I lost Moonclaw Pack’s protection, those loan shark rogues would be the first to rush in and kill us all. But Eleanor didn’t only have Alex as a son. As long as I married into Moonclaw Pack, no matter who the partner was, Evans Pack could get a chance to breathe. Moreover, Alex’s brother Sebastian was the previous Alpha. However, during a hunt, he was ambushed and poisoned with something even witches were helpless against. His wolf was sealed, and he became extremely weak. On the other end of the phone, Eleanor’s voice carried surprise and hesitation. “Lily, you… have you thought this through? I know what Alex has done recently has hurt you, but the poison in Sebastian… if he Marks you, you might be affected by the poison too.” I closed my eyes, my voice calm. “Lady Eleanor, you know me. I’ve never been a magnanimous person. Since Alex likes that woman so much, I might as well fulfill their wishes.” I thought for a moment and added, “Besides, you should know my bloodline is pure enough. Maybe the final result will be that Sebastian’s poison gets cured.” I couldn’t guarantee this plan would be completely successful. But what if? My mother once said she had Lycan blood, though I didn’t know if it was true or not. My father used to be a powerful Alpha. My wolf was strong enough too. Marking a sufficiently powerful mate could always bring benefits. I believed Eleanor wanted Sebastian to recover more than anyone, not just because Sebastian was her son. But also because Alex wasn’t a responsible, qualified Alpha—he only knew how to sleep with women. Eleanor on the other end hesitated before finally agreeing. “Since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t try to persuade you otherwise.” After hanging up, I stared at the white hospital ceiling, feeling hollow inside. Just then, Evan came in with two nurses to change my dressing. No matter how strong a werewolf’s healing ability was, having a piece of skin removed still required time to recover. If treatment was neglected and infection occurred, healing would be even slower. The two nurses chatted while working. “Hey, that Omega in the next room is so lucky. It’s just a tiny wound from the skin graft, but Alpha Alex had all the doctors from the medical center go see her.” “Yeah, making such a big fuss. Said he was worried about her wound getting infected.” I sat on the bed, listening to those casual remarks, and actually laughed. So Alex knew wound infections were dangerous. He just didn’t care about me. I couldn’t help but think of a year ago, when Alex and I were still deeply in love. I got a minor injury during a hunt. At that time, Alex did the same thing. He brought in all the doctors from the medical center, looking tense, as if I had suffered some life-threatening injury. I found it both funny and sweet then. But now, he gave the same tenderness to another woman. Back then I thought it was ridiculous but also touching. Now he was giving that same gentleness to another woman. After the nurses left, beta Evan seemed like he wanted to say something. I raised my hand to stop him. “Don’t bother. You can go. My injury isn’t serious. I don’t need care.” He hesitated for a moment before nodding and saying softly, “Then get some rest.” After I was alone in the hospital room, I braced myself against the bed and slowly stood up. The anesthesia hadn’t worn off yet, making my steps unsteady. I had just reached the bathroom door when I heard Evan’s voice in the hallway: “Alpha Alex, shouldn’t you go see Lily? She’s all alone, it’s kind of pitiful…” “What’s pitiful about her?” Alex’s voice was very impatient. “Chloe is the victim. She’s the perpetrator. What’s happening to her now is what she deserves.” I froze in place, my chest feeling tight. The next second, I pushed open the bathroom door and locked it behind me. I didn’t want to hear another word from him. I suddenly remembered the night I fell in love with Alex. I had gone to an upscale nightclub to meet a strange Alpha, hoping to find aid for my Pack. That bastard actually had the audacity to slip his hand under my skirt. I angrily threw my drink in his face. Just as the guy grabbed my hair and was about to hit me, Alex appeared. Without a word, he pressed the man to the ground, his fists pounding down again and again, so viciously it frightened me, but also made my heart race. From that day on, I accepted Alex’s help and obtained the promise of protection from Moonclaw Pack that he represented. And I secretly decided in my heart that I was willing to give everything for this man. I knew he liked “pure” women. So I changed my style of dress, my makeup, my way of speaking. I became the “model of gentleness” in everyone’s eyes, became what he liked. Only when I saw Chloe did I finally understand. He didn’t like me. What he liked was that “fragility” that could stir his compassion. No matter how much I imitated it, I was only pretending. But her—she was naturally like that. Thinking of this, I laughed. Laughed at myself for diving headfirst into a trap I knew was there. Since it was like this, letting go was fine too. At least this time, I was the one who said goodbye first.

Lily POV On the seventh day at the medical center, he finally called. “How long are you going to keep this up? It was just one treatment. Are you planning to stay at the medical center forever? Chloe’s already gone home. When are you planning to come back?” I leaned against the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling and laughing coldly. “Home? Alex, that’s not my home anymore.” The other end went quiet for a moment. His tone seemed to soften slightly. “Lily, stop making a scene, okay? That’s your home, and our future home.” I had no interest in listening to his high-sounding lies and simply hung up the phone. But the next second, the screen lit up again. “Lily, you hung up on me?!” The anger in his voice nearly burst through the receiver. “Is there anything else? I need to sleep.” I was too lazy to deal with him. “If you dare hang up, I’ll withdraw all aid promises.” He said this through gritted teeth. The smile on my face instantly vanished. “Alex,” I said coldly, “you’re threatening me with this again? Are you addicted to it?” Silence for a few seconds. “It’s because you won’t talk to me properly.” I took a deep breath, suppressing my rising anger. “What do you want?” “There’s a charity gala the day after tomorrow. I’ll send you an invitation.” He said, “You must come. Consider it… my compensation to you.” The word “compensation” coming from his mouth was ironic. But I knew now wasn’t the time to tear off the facade. My Pack was teetering on the edge. Once he reneged on his aid promise, everything would be over. At least for now, Alex was still the Alpha. But I swore, after Sebastian and I held the Mark ceremony, he wouldn’t be anymore! So I answered, “I understand. Can I hang up now?” He wanted to say something else, but Chloe’s soft voice came through the phone. He quickly hung up. I watched the screen go dark, a hint of self-mockery on my lips, then turned off my phone. Two days later, Alex had someone deliver a gown to the medical center. The moment I opened the box, I froze. It was a white gauze dress—gentle, pure, respectable. Exactly the “look” Alex liked. I picked up scissors and cut it to shreds without hesitation, throwing the pieces in the trash. Then I made a call and had someone send over a red strapless gown. Confident, bold, sexy—that was me. After applying heavy makeup, I smiled at myself in the mirror. During those years with Alex, my clothes were always muted colors, my makeup so light it was nearly transparent. But I never liked muted colors, and I never liked pretending to be docile. Since I’d already decided to leave him, I didn’t need to pretend anymore. The charity gala venue was brilliantly lit. The moment I entered, I felt countless gazes focus on me. That kind of attention gave me a long-lost sense of satisfaction. After all, no one had seen me look like this. “Isn’t that Lily? Why is she dressed like that?” I heard someone’s surprised voice. The moment Alex turned around, I saw him visibly freeze. I smirked, raised my champagne glass, and toasted him from afar. His face darkened a few shades. Someone nearby teased, “Did you two break up? Does that mean I can pursue her now?” Alex laughed coldly. “She and I haven’t broken up. She’s probably jealous that I’ve been too close to Chloe lately, so she’s dressed like this to win me back.” Win him back? I laughed softly, the sound more bitter than wine. He continued socializing with others while I held my glass, drinking one after another. Until someone approached me, a hand reeking of alcohol trying to rest on my shoulder. I frowned in disgust and warned coldly, “Back off.” But the man grinned lewdly and still tried to touch me. I grabbed a wine bottle from the table and smashed it hard against his shoulder. The sound of shattering glass was deafening. He screamed and fell to the ground. I looked down at him, bared my fangs, my tone as cold as ice. “That’s a warning. Touch me again and I’ll bite through your throat!” The security warriors came and dragged him away. I picked up another glass of wine and continued mingling. Glass after glass went down, and my consciousness began to blur. I staggered toward the restroom, but just as I entered, I heard ambiguous panting sounds. That sound—I recognized it immediately. Alex. I froze in place, my fingertips going cold. For my “compensation,” he specifically called me here, yet turned around to embrace another woman. How absurd. I calmly washed my hands. The face in the mirror with red lips and heavy makeup looked cold and unfamiliar. The place in my chest that once held feelings now felt only numb. As the charity gala was ending, I finally understood his real purpose in calling me here. A thick stack of cooperation agreements sat on the table—all projects I wanted. At least tonight, I got what I wanted. “Wait for me at the parking garage,” I told the driver. I walked into the elevator and pressed the button for the basement level. The elevator doors opened. I had just stepped out when everything went black— I lost consciousness completely.

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I’ve been married to Alpha Connor for five years, yet he’s never marked me. For five years, he’s had an endless parade of mistresses. When he caught us in bed together yet again, Connor finally showed some reaction. Only this time, it was me lying naked in bed. Soon enough, he regained his composure and even thoughtfully tore open a condom for me. “I told you from the start we’d each do our own thing after marriage. Glad you finally listened.” Then he smiled as he tore open the condom and handed it to the man on top of me: “Be careful not to get her pregnant.” As he left, he even patiently reminded me: “I’ll be right next door. Have fun, and if you need any pointers on technique, feel free to ask anytime.” Watching his carefree retreating figure, I lowered my head. This five-year marriage needed to end. “Luna Clara, should we continue?” The man on the bed looked at me, his eyes seemingly filled with pity. I awkwardly got out of bed and stiffly pulled on my clothes, my heart sour and bitter. I took out a stack of cash and handed it to him. “I don’t want a fourth person knowing about tonight.” When I came out of the room, Connor was waiting in the hallway with his arm around his mistress Yvette, looking at me with a mocking smile. “I thought you’d finally grown a spine, but turns out this is all you’ve got?” I froze and looked up at him. Connor laughed. “Clara, since we agreed not to interfere with each other, even if you actually had sex with someone else, I would never make a scene and cause a commotion like you do. Don’t worry, I’m very generous.” These words made my breath catch. Yes. He was indeed generous. In a situation like earlier, even if it was just an act, no wolf would say something so casually like Connor just did. It was simply because he didn’t care. He didn’t care about me, so nothing I did would stir any waves in his heart. Between us, I was always the one who couldn’t be generous enough. That’s why five years ago, when I first discovered him having sex with someone else, I showed a completely different reaction than his current one. I smashed everything I could, cried hysterically, acted like a madwoman. But Connor showed no excess emotion from beginning to end. He just quietly watched me and sighed: “Clara, if it weren’t for your father being the Alpha of Ironpaw pack, we never would have gotten married.” “We’re just a political alliance between Dubois pack and Ironpaw pack. Why make such a spectacle of yourself?” I felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on me instantly. My heart went completely cold. Connor would never understand how I felt at that moment, just like he didn’t know I’d had a crush on him since childhood. Because I liked him, even when I met my fated mate at eighteen, I told him I had feelings for someone else and broke the mate bond. He would never know that when I learned he was my arranged marriage partner, my heart soared like it was flying on clouds. Because he said we were just a political alliance, I, his wife in name only, no longer had the right to even question his later scandals. After bringing a mistress home to have sex one time, Connor told me: “I’m not marking you because I don’t want to be bound by the mate bond. That’s also why I broke up with my fated mate. I still want to have sex with many women. Of course, you can also find other men to sleep with. We’re just a political alliance. We can each do our own thing.” Facing one instance after another of catching him in bed with others, I gradually evolved from hysteria to calm, and finally to numb. Like now, though I was still sad, I could finally calmly accept the fact that our marriage was coming to an end. I looked at Connor, gathered my composure, and mimicked his manner, curving my lips into a smile. “Sorry for the poor performance.” Connor froze, looking somewhat confused, unable to read me for the first time. But Yvette, standing beside him, laughed out loud and said coquettishly, “Connor, how can you say that to Luna Clara?” “She went through all that trouble to strip naked and throw herself into another man’s arms just to get your attention, to make you jealous! How can she save face after what you just said?” She pushed Connor toward me and poked his chest. “You should comfort her! Look, Luna Clara is about to cry.” Hearing this, Connor glanced at me and smiled carelessly. “It’s just a political alliance. I have no obligation to comfort anyone.” “Deal with your own emotions. If you don’t want to embarrass yourself again, don’t do such laughable stupid things in the future.” He pulled Yvette’s slender waist back into his embrace. “I promised to spend tonight with you. How could I break my word?” After speaking, he didn’t bother looking at me again and turned to enter the room. The moment the door closed, Yvette glanced back at me, her eyes filled with undisguised triumph and provocation. Soon, intimate sounds began. It seemed like they wouldn’t stop until her voice was hoarse. They knew I hadn’t left, and I knew they were doing it on purpose. I don’t know how long I stood outside the door until both legs went completely numb before I stumbled home and called my lawyer. “Draft a divorce agreement for me. Get it to me as soon as possible.” Since Connor kept saying it was a political alliance, it shouldn’t matter if I changed alliance partners. After all, which Alpha I married for political reasons was all the same, wasn’t it?

This time Connor disappeared longer than ever before. He was nowhere to be seen for nearly half a month, but Yvette’s social media updates appeared on time every night. Auctions, banquets, various elite social gatherings—even the private island where I had my honeymoon was now graced with her presence. Yvette truly deserved to be Connor’s longest-standing mistress. She always knew exactly how to hurt me. Rather than showing off, this was more like provocation. But unfortunately, she would be disappointed this time. Since I had already decided to let go completely, I wouldn’t waste emotions on Connor anymore. Just as I closed my phone to rest, a message from Yvette popped up. “I’ve prepared a gift for you. Hope you like it.” It was followed by a trending topic link. The moment I clicked it, I felt like someone had stepped on my face. [Dubois Pack’s Luna Clara Cheats During Marriage, Secret Late-Night Meeting with Lover!] Under the explosive headline were dozens of intimate photos from that night, showing my grief-stricken face and red-rimmed eyes. But my restraint and sadness were completely twisted in the netizens’ mouths into filthy, unspeakable words. The comment section was flooded with unbearable insults directed at me. I scrolled through them one by one, shaking with anger. I was clearly the victim in this marriage, yet the real betrayer remained unscathed while I became the slut condemned by everyone. I finally calmed down and tried to get the trending topic removed, but they told me someone had paid a premium to keep this news on the front page for a full day and night. After hanging up, I felt like I’d fallen into an ice cellar. Yvette didn’t have that kind of power. The person backing her up, wanting to destroy my reputation, was Connor. I racked my brains but couldn’t understand why he hated me so much. Five years of marriage, even if it was hollow, the feelings I had for him weren’t fake. My care and concern for him weren’t fake. Even if Connor had no feelings for me, there was no need to disgust me like this. Fortunately, I soon learned his answer. At the evening banquet the next afternoon, Connor and I attended together. Because I hadn’t slept all night, I had a minor incident driving there and arrived a bit late. The banquet hall was very noisy, but I still spotted Connor immediately. He was surrounded by a group of wolves, with a woman leaning against him like she had no bones. Who else but Yvette? I was about to walk over when I heard his conversation with friends. “Connor, I saw the trending topic! I never thought you’d be the one getting cheated on. Clara’s really something!” “That’s what you get for stealing women from me. How’s that karma treating you?” Someone teased: “Come on! You always brag about your experience. Can’t you even see this? Those photos on the trending topic clearly show nothing real happened! Clara was obviously just putting on a show to win him back!” “But Connor, don’t you think you went too far this time? Keeping it at the top of trending and letting people criticize and insult Clara—she’s still a woman. How can she show her face in public after this?” Hearing this, Connor leisurely picked up his wine glass, a mocking smile curving his lips. “How else will she learn her lesson? I want her to never dare find a lover again, even if it’s just an act.” The person said in surprise: “You can have endless mistresses yourself, so why restrict Clara from finding lovers! Don’t tell me that ‘each do our own thing, don’t interfere with each other’ line you always spout only applies to others and not yourself?” Connor frowned and said nothing. “You’re pretty slick. You don’t fulfill your duties as a husband but demand she fulfill her duties as a wife. And because of your ‘don’t interfere with each other’ line, she doesn’t even have the right to be jealous or angry!” “As your buddy, I really envy you. Unlike me—my wife caused a scene at my company last month. I lost all face!” “Hey, how about this—when I get back, I’ll make the same agreement with my wife. Just like you, we’ll each do our own thing and not interfere. What do you think?” This time Connor laughed outright. “Don’t. You absolutely shouldn’t say that. If you do, just wait for your wife to break the mate bond and divorce you.” “My situation is different from yours. After all, Clara likes me.” His tone seemed both proud and teasing, but all the blood in my body instantly turned cold. So he knew I liked him.

Because I liked him, he could trample me without restraint, stepping on my dignity and letting his mistresses trample on it freely. All these years of suffering were simply because he knew I liked him. How ridiculous. Their conversation continued. “My God! Connor, you’re such a bastard!” “But since Clara is devoted to you and you have no intention of divorcing her, why did you arrange for her to lose your baby when she was pregnant?” Hearing this, I instantly froze in place. He was right. I had once been pregnant with Connor’s child. But at three months, there was an accident. On my way home, I was suddenly attacked by a group of Rogues. I was injured. When I barely escaped and got to the hospital, the baby couldn’t be saved. Not only that, but the doctor announced on the spot that my body was damaged and I likely wouldn’t be able to get pregnant again. What a coincidence—the wolf doctor who performed my abortion was Yvette. When I came out of the operating room, Connor showed me something like heartache for the first time. He walked over and hugged me, his tone rarely gentle. “It’s okay. If the baby’s gone, it’s gone. As long as you’re fine.” I naively thought I had touched his heart back then. Now it seemed there was another story behind it. Connor’s friend continued talking: “The doctor said Clara’s situation was indeed dangerous, but with proper care, the baby might have been saved. But you went ahead and secretly sent her into the operating room without telling her, and the abortion left her with health problems.” “I really don’t know what you were thinking. Connor, can you tell me?” Hearing this, Connor’s expression became complicated. Whether annoyed or something else, he lit a cigarette, squinted as he took a drag, and said irritably: “What else could it be? At the time, I hadn’t had enough fun yet. I didn’t want to be a father so early!” “Besides, Clara getting pregnant with my child was just trying to use it to control me. Our packs are just a political alliance. If a child affected the core interests of our Dubois pack, wouldn’t that be counterproductive?” “Damaging her body wasn’t my intention. I’ll compensate her later. And don’t mention this again. If she finds out, she’ll probably make a fuss again.” Hearing this, I couldn’t control my trembling. Overwhelming and desperate emotions nearly swallowed me whole. When I came to my senses, I had already walked in front of Connor. With my appearance, the scene became so quiet only breathing could be heard. In this situation, even Connor couldn’t stay calm. A flash of panic crossed his eyes. He glanced at me somewhat guiltily and coughed lightly. “Since you’re here, come sit.” I didn’t move or speak. The atmosphere became extremely awkward. Seeing me like this, Connor felt embarrassed and frowned. I knew this was a sign he was about to get angry. I used to fear his anger most, but now I just silently took out the divorce agreement I had prepared and placed it in front of him. “Connor, I don’t know when you’ll have had enough fun, but I don’t want to play along anymore. Sign this divorce agreement. After this, you can play however you want. I won’t interfere anymore, and I’ll never try to use a child to affect your Dubois pack’s core interests.” “Let’s end things here.”

Connor stared at the document in front of him, his expression extremely ugly. After a long while, he looked at me with a cold laugh. “Threatening me?” I smiled bitterly. “If that’s what you think, then sure.” He looked at me, dangerously narrowing his eyes, his tone somewhere between threatening and pressuring. “I’ll ask you one last time. You really want to divorce me?” I nodded without hesitation. Seeing this, the watching friends exchanged glances and couldn’t help but try to persuade me, but my attitude showed no sign of yielding. Connor had never lost face like this before. He immediately signed his name on the divorce agreement like it was spite, looked at me coldly, and said through gritted teeth: “Clara, you’ve got guts. Don’t come crying back to me!” I ignored him, took the agreement, and turned to leave. Not long after I walked out, their conversation reached my ears again. This time Connor’s friends were betting on how long it would take before I came back to him and begged. Everyone chimed in, getting more excited. Finally, Connor concluded: “Stop guessing. Three days at most. She’ll definitely come crying back begging me not to divorce.” Hearing this, I curved my lips in mockery. I was afraid he would be disappointed this time. Not only would I not go to him with my head down, I would make him lose all face! I tolerated him before only because I liked him, but now, there was no need to endure anymore. So after getting home, I immediately contacted the media, extracted surveillance footage of Connor messing around with numerous mistresses from our home security system, and posted it online. The most explosive footage was undoubtedly him and Yvette. I copied his approach exactly, letting this news hang on trending for a full day and night. Public opinion completely reversed. This time, they became the targets of everyone’s condemnation. During this time, Connor kept calling, but I hung up every single time without exception. See? The knife only hurts when it cuts your own flesh. They should also experience what it feels like to be condemned by everyone. But what I didn’t expect was that a few days later, the hospital called. “This is bad, Luna Clara. Your mother’s condition suddenly relapsed. She needs surgery immediately!” My mother had been poisoned by wolfsbane years ago. Though the poison was later cured, it left her body damaged. She’d been bedridden for years. Three months ago she had just finished surgery and her health had slightly improved. I never expected something to happen at this critical moment. Even more unfortunately, my father wasn’t around. He had recently gone abroad to handle business matters and couldn’t return anytime soon. When I rushed to the hospital, the doctor explained the situation to me. “Luna Clara, the lesion has begun to spread. This surgery requires extreme precision, but your mother’s previous attending physician went abroad to study half a month ago. It seems only his student, Dr. Yvette, can try. The situation is urgent. You need to decide quickly.” Hearing this, I felt like I’d been hit with a club. But right now, compared to my mother’s life, what was my dignity worth? Before I could find her, Yvette came to find me first. Connor stood beside her. When they saw me, neither looked pleased. After I explained the situation. Yvette said: “Clara, the stunt you pulled online almost cost me my job. Now you want me to help you. Shouldn’t you apologize first?” I said, “What do you want me to do?” Yvette glanced at me and said with undisguised malice: “Unless you kneel down and beg me now, I might consider it.” Hearing this, my eyes widened and I instinctively looked at Connor standing beside her. But Connor said: “When you’re asking someone for help, you should have the right attitude. Whether to save your mother or not is up to you.” With these words, the hope in my heart completely shattered. For my mother’s sake, I could only throw my dignity on the ground for others to trample. The moment my knees hit the ground, I heard Yvette’s undisguised mocking laughter. A moment later, my mother was sent into the operating room. After an agonizing wait, the light finally went out. Yvette walked out with two nurses. I rushed forward to ask about the situation, but she shook her head and said: “I did my best, but your mother’s fate was sealed. There was nothing I could do.” A nearby nurse whispered: “That’s not true. If you hadn’t… if you hadn’t been distracted during the surgery, the patient wouldn’t have…” She couldn’t continue. Hearing this, my mind went completely blank. When I came to my senses, my hand had already landed heavily across Yvette’s face. “You did it on purpose! Yvette! You did it on purpose, didn’t you!” Seeing me like this, a flash of heartache crossed Connor’s eyes. He reached out his hand toward me, about to say something, but when Yvette started crying, he changed his tune. “Clara, no surgery is one hundred percent successful. Yvette is a doctor. Why make her sound so terrible?” “Your mother had been ill for a long time. This might be a relief for her. You should thank Yvette, not be so aggressive like this.” In this moment, my heart completely died. Over the next half month, I handled my mother’s funeral and completely bid farewell to this disgusting place. The moment I boarded the plane. An explosive news story appeared on the homepage. [Alliance Between Ironpaw Pack and Dubois Pack Terminated, May Form Alliance with Ashclaw Pack Instead!] At the same time, Connor was awakened from his sleep by an urgent phone call!

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I’m eight months pregnant as I push open the bedroom door. My husband Francis is rolling around on our marital bed with another woman. The floor is littered with torn clothes and used condoms. I rush forward like a madwoman, trying to pull them apart. Francis backhands me with a slap, sending me sprawling. He slowly puts on his bathrobe and looks down at me condescendingly. “Chloe, you’re just a stand-in I bought with money. You really think you’re Mrs. Carter? I’ll fuck whoever I want. Make another scene and get the hell out.” The woman on the bed walks over with a coquettish laugh and kicks me in the stomach. “Mr. Carter says the bastard in your belly doesn’t deserve the Carter name.” The pain makes cold sweat pour down my face. I tumble down the stairs and stop breathing in a pool of blood. When I open my eyes again, I’m back at the moment before pushing open the master bedroom door. Hearing the moans coming from inside, I don’t open the door. I turn and go downstairs, call a welder, and have the master bedroom door welded shut. Then I dial the police station. “I’m reporting illegal prostitution at my house. The scene is extremely perverted.”

The moans and sounds of bodies colliding continue endlessly inside the door. I stand in the hallway, my stomach churning. The excruciating pain from my previous life seems to linger in my abdomen. I touch my protruding belly and take a deep breath before turning downstairs. Half an hour later, two welders carrying equipment stand outside the master bedroom door. “You really want it welded shut?” The welder looks at this expensive solid wood double door with some hesitation. I hand over two stacks of cash. “Weld even the door cracks shut. Add two layers of steel bars.” “You got it!” The welding machine emits a piercing roar. Dazzling sparks scatter through the hallway. The pungent smell of burning instantly fills the air. Inside the room, they finally sense something’s wrong. “What’s going on out there?!” Francis’s irritated voice comes through the door. Then comes the sound of the handle being violently twisted. “Chloe! Are you out there making trouble?” “Open this door!” I pull over a chair and sit steadily outside the door. I watch as the welder finishes welding the last steel bar to the door frame. “Francis, don’t you like playing in there?” “Today I’ll let you play to your heart’s content.” My tone is calm, without a hint of emotion. The door shakes violently from being kicked. “Have you lost your mind! You dare lock me in?” “When I get out, I’ll kill you!” The woman next to him also starts screaming. “Mr. Carter, I’m so scared. Is this woman mentally ill?” I let out a cold laugh and take out my phone. “Officer, yes, the address is Villa A in the Seaside Villa District.” “Come quickly. They’re organizing illegal prostitution inside.” Ten minutes later, five fully equipped police officers rush up to the second floor. “Who called the police?” The lead officer looks at the welded door and freezes. “Officer, I made the report.” “This house is my marital home under my name.” “My husband is illegally soliciting prostitutes inside.” The police exchange glances. “Listen up, people inside! This is the police! Open the door immediately!” Inside the room goes instantly quiet. A few seconds later, Francis’s exasperated voice comes through. “Chloe, you dare call the police? Are you tired of living!” The police look at the steel bars on the door and directly call in the fire department. Hydraulic cutters sever the freshly welded steel bars, and the door is forced open. A foul, fishy smell hits them in the face. Francis is naked, clutching a towel in front of him. The woman is even more terrified, curled up in the sheets trembling. “Don’t move! Put on your clothes and stand against the wall!” The police raise their body cameras. Francis’s face turns ashen as he points at my nose and curses. “Chloe, you’ve got nerve! You dare bring people to arrest me?” “What the hell are you! How dare you meddle in my business?” I walk forward and slap him across the face. The crisp sound of the slap echoes through the room. Francis’s head snaps to the side, half his face instantly swelling and turning red. “You dare hit me?” His eyes widen as he raises his hand to strike back. Two officers immediately step forward and pin him to the ground. “Stay still! You dare assault someone in front of police?” Francis is pressed firmly to the ground, his face against a condom on the floor. He gags in disgust. The woman wraps herself in the sheets, crying pitifully. “Officer, I’m his girlfriend. We’re in a normal relationship.” I throw a stack of photos in her face. “Normal relationship? Lester, last month you were detained for illegal prostitution and drug dealing at a nightclub. Should I pull up the records?” Lester’s face turns deathly pale, unable to say a word. The police pick up the photos from the ground, take one look, and pull out handcuffs. “Take them away! Back to the station for investigation!” Francis is handcuffed and struggles desperately. “Chloe! You wait!” “You’re just a cheap stand-in I bought for Austin!” “When I get out, I’ll make sure you leave with nothing! I’ll make the bastard in your belly die without a trace!” I look at his wretched state and smile slightly. “Sure, I’ll wait.” “Enjoy your time, Mr. Carter.”

At the city police station, I sit in the mediation room drinking warm water. The door is suddenly pushed open. Francis’s mother, Aurora, storms in on high heels with an imposing air. Her well-maintained face is full of fury. Seeing me, she pulls out a check from her bag and throws it in my face. “Chloe, haven’t you caused enough trouble?” “One million. Go tell the police right now it was a misunderstanding.” “Francis is the heir to Carter Group. He can’t have a criminal record!” The check floats lightly to the ground. I don’t even glance at it. “Aurora, soliciting prostitutes is illegal.” “The police caught him in the act. How do you expect me to change my statement?” Aurora crosses her arms, her eyes full of contempt. “Stop acting high and mighty. If you didn’t look somewhat like Austin, would Francis have married you?” “You’re just a poor girl from an orphanage. Being able to marry Francis is incredible luck.” “What’s wrong with men having a few lovers? Don’t you have any tolerance?” I stand up and look directly into her eyes. “He brought a call girl to my marital bed and had sex with her in front of my eight-month pregnant belly. This is your Carter family upbringing?” Aurora chokes on her words and becomes furious with embarrassment. “Don’t refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!” “I’ve investigated you. That grandmother of yours with kidney failure is still lying in the hospital, right?” “Believe it or not, with one word from me, I can have the hospital stop her medication and throw her out on the street to die?” I look at her condescending face and suddenly laugh. I take out my phone and open a video. In the video, my grandmother is lying in a VIP room at a top private hospital with a dedicated caregiver. “I’m very sorry, Aurora.” “Just an hour ago, I transferred my grandmother to another hospital.” “That hospital is foreign-controlled. Your Carter family’s reach doesn’t extend that far.” Aurora’s face stiffens. “Where did you get the money?” I put away my phone. “That’s none of your concern.” “I’m officially notifying you now that I want a divorce from Francis.” “Have him prepare the property division agreement.” Aurora acts like she’s heard the biggest joke and bursts out laughing. “Divorce? Divide property?” “Chloe, are you still asleep?” “Francis did a prenuptial property notarization. Even if you divorce, you’ll leave with nothing!” “The child in your belly won’t be recognized by the Carter family either!” I nod. “Perfect if you don’t recognize it. I also find your Carter family genes dirty. As for property, I’ll see you in court.” I walk past her and head straight out. Passing the detention room, I see Francis behind the iron bars. He’s wearing a prison uniform, his hair disheveled, no longer showing any trace of the dignity of a wealthy young master. Seeing me, he rushes to the iron railing with a twisted expression. “Chloe! Get my mom to bail me out!” “The food in here isn’t fit for humans!” “If you just get me out, I’ll forgive your unreasonable behavior!” Unreasonable behavior? I stop and look at him coldly. “Francis, soliciting prostitutes carries a detention of ten to fifteen days.” “Enjoy your stay.” “Oh, and remember to exercise more so Lester on the outside won’t think you’re weak.” Francis curses furiously. “Bitch! You dare curse me!” “When Austin comes back, I’m divorcing you immediately!” “You won’t get a single penny!” I ignore his ranting and leave the police station. The sunlight outside is somewhat blinding. I touch the child in my belly. Baby, Mommy will take you away from this cesspool.

Back at the so-called marital villa. The air still seems to carry that disgusting smell. I immediately call a moving company. “Send ten trucks. Bring large garbage bags.” Two hours later, dozens of workers flood into the villa. “Boss, what should we move?” I point at everything in the master bedroom. “The bed, mattress, carpet, men’s clothes in the closet—throw it all away.” “Also all of Francis’s personal items in the study. Don’t leave a single thing.” The workers move efficiently. The custom-made bed worth a million is dismantled into eight pieces. Francis’s expensive custom suits and limited edition sneakers are all stuffed into black garbage bags. They fill five large trucks. “Boss, where should we take these things?” I give the foreman an address. “The scrap recycling station in the west part of the city.” “Tell the manager these things are free. He can dispose of them however he wants.” Looking at the empty room, I feel extremely satisfied. Next, I contact a real estate agent. “This villa—list it at twenty percent below market value for urgent sale.” “Full payment required. The faster, the better.” Although Francis bought this house, he added my name after we registered our marriage. According to the law, I have half the disposal rights. After handling all this, I move into the large flat I bought long ago. I purchased this with my premarital savings and money I earned over the past two years. Francis always thought I was just a housewife depending on him. He had no idea I’m a top-tier financial analyst. Over these three years, using an anonymous identity in the stock market, I earned more money than Carter Group’s annual net profit. Three days later, the agent calls. The house sold. Twenty million in full payment, already transferred to my overseas account. Just then, the doorbell rings. I glance at the monitor. It’s Lester. She’s wearing a revealing camisole dress and sunglasses, standing arrogantly outside the door. I open the door. Lester pushes her way in and looks around. “Well, Chloe, your new place is nice.” “How much hush money did you take from Mr. Carter to afford this kind of house?” I look at her coldly. “What are you doing here?” Lester takes off her sunglasses and smugly touches her flat stomach. “I’m here to inform you that I’m pregnant.” “With Mr. Carter’s child.” “Aurora already promised me that if I give birth to a boy, she’ll give me fifty million.” “The money-losing girl in your big belly—the Carter family doesn’t care about it at all.” I look at her smug face and find it hilarious. “Is that so? Then you should go to the Carter family for money. Why are you looking for me?” Lester leans close to me and lowers her voice. “Mr. Carter says your pregnant body is out of shape, like a sow.” “He gets disgusted just looking at you.” “Be smart and get lost. Give up the position of Mrs. Carter.” Without hesitation, I slap her across the face. “Smack!” Lester screams and covers her face. “You dare hit me? I’m carrying the Carter family’s child!” I backhand another slap. “I’m hitting you, you shameless bitch.” “You think Francis is something good?” “He can even call his own flesh and blood a bastard. You think he’ll care about that piece of meat in your belly?” Lester becomes frantic and lunges at me with bared teeth and claws. “I’ll fight you!” I sidestep and stick out my foot to trip her. She falls heavily to the ground, groaning in pain. I walk over and step on her back. “By the way, let me remind you.” “Francis has severe oligospermia. I only succeeded with this pregnancy after three IVF attempts.” “Whose bastard is really in your belly—you know in your heart.” Lester’s face changes drastically, her eyes shifting evasively. I take out my phone and play the recording I just made. “I’m here to inform you that I’m pregnant… with Mr. Carter’s child…” Lester panics. “You recorded that? Delete it now!” I kick her away. “Delete it? This is evidence you delivered to my doorstep.” Right in front of her, I send the recording to the Carter family group chat and the Carter Group executive group chat. “Get out.” Lester scrambles away on all fours.

When his detention period ends, Francis is released. He immediately rushes back to the villa, only to find the gate locked. Through the windows, he sees the place is completely empty—even the floors have been pried up. He frantically calls me. “Chloe! What did you do to the house? Where are my things?” I sit on the sofa in my large flat, drinking bird’s nest soup. “Garbage naturally goes to the dump.” “I’ve already sold the house. The money is in my account.” The sound of things being smashed comes from the other end of the phone. “You dare sell my house? That’s robbery!” “Give me the money back immediately! Otherwise I’ll call the police and have you arrested!” I laugh lightly. “Go ahead and report it.” “I have half ownership of the house. My sale was legal.” “You’d better worry about your company’s stock price first.” I hang up. Carter Group’s stock price has hit the daily limit down for three consecutive days due to news about Francis’s prostitution and drug use. Market capitalization has evaporated by nearly ten billion. Half an hour later, Francis finds my large flat and kicks the door. “Chloe! Open up!” I open the door. He charges in like an enraged lion. “What the hell do you want?” “Playing hard to get has limits!” “You think making a big scene will make me look at you more?” I throw the divorce agreement I prepared earlier in his face. “Sign it.” Francis sees the words clearly, his face turning ashen. He tears up the agreement. Paper scraps scatter everywhere. “Divorce? Dream on!” “You haven’t finished your duties as a stand-in. What right do you have to ask for divorce?” “You think after leaving me, you can still live this kind of luxurious life?” Just then, his phone rings. The screen flashes with “Austin.” Francis’s expression instantly becomes incredibly tender. He answers the phone, his voice so gentle it could drip water. “Austin, you’ve landed?” “Okay, I’ll send a car to pick you up right away.” “Don’t be afraid. With me here, no one can bully you.” After hanging up, Francis looks at me, his eyes cold again. “Did you hear? Austin is back.” “Your job as a stand-in is over.” “After the child is born, hand it directly to Austin to raise.” “She’s in poor health and can’t bear children. Consider this child your compensation to her.” I look at his matter-of-fact expression and feel utterly disgusted. “My child—why should I give it to her?” Francis snorts coldly. “Why? Because you’re a waste living off the Carter family!” “You’re just a breeding tool.” “Being able to raise a child for Austin is your honor.” I point at the door. “Get out.” Francis straightens his suit and arrogantly raises his chin. “You’d better behave.” “There’s a charity gala tomorrow night. You must attend with me.” “To prove to the public that rumors of our marital discord are false.” “Otherwise, I have a hundred ways to make your life worse than death.” I watch his departing back. A charity gala? Fine. I’ll prepare a gift you’ll never forget.

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My old wrist injury flared up at the French Open finals. But Lucas sent the medical team to Serena. She’d only sprained her ankle. After seven years together, his constant favoritism finally killed our relationship. He had sex with her in our bed. Then came the acid. A thug threw it at us. He didn’t hesitate. He shoved me aside to protect her. I was done. I posted about calling off our engagement. My longtime rival Griffin called. “Want to switch fiancés? How about me?” Stella’s POV France, Roland-Garros Stadium. On the clay court, I was drenched in sweat, my right hand trembling uncontrollably as I gripped the racket. A Grand Slam final. Match point. My old wrist injury had flared up. Piercing pain shot through my nerves, making it nearly impossible to hold the racket. During the mid-match break, I looked toward the family viewing section, my face pale. It was empty. My boyfriend of seven years, Lucas Luton, hadn’t come. Not only had he not come. The top-tier medical team he’d promised to accompany me hadn’t shown up either. “Your wrist needs immediate ice and physical therapy. Where’s your medical team?” My foreign coach asked anxiously. I lowered my eyes, pulled out my phone, and dialed the number I knew by heart. The phone rang for a long time before being answered. Lucas’s characteristically cold voice came through. “Is the match over?” “Lucas, my old wrist injury flared up.” My voice trembled slightly. “Why didn’t the medical team come to France?” A pause. Then he answered, his tone almost casual. “Serena sprained her ankle skiing the day before yesterday and has been very emotionally unstable. I wasn’t comfortable leaving her alone in the country, so I had the medical team stay to take care of her.” I felt like I’d plunged into an ice cave. Serena, Lucas’s mentor’s daughter. “She just sprained her ankle, and I’m playing in a Grand Slam final!” I bit my lip hard. “Lucas, you promised me that if I won this championship, we’d get engaged.” “Stella, can you not be so selfish?” Lucas’s voice turned cold. “Serena has been frail since childhood and can’t handle shocks. You’re in great physical condition. What’s the big deal about getting through one match without the medical team? We’ll talk about the engagement later. I need to accompany Serena for her checkup. I’m hanging up.” The dial tone cut through me like a dull knife. I took a deep breath, forced myself through the excruciating wrist pain, and walked back onto the court. But no miracle occurred. The severe injury caused me to make frequent mistakes. I ultimately lost 0-2, missing the most important championship of my professional career. At the awards ceremony, I held the runner-up plate in silence for a long time. Back in the locker room, my phone vibrated. It was a message from Serena. A photo. In the photo, Lucas was bending down, gently putting ice on Serena’s swollen ankle. His profile was impossibly gentle. A tenderness I’d rarely seen in seven years. The caption read: “My ankle hurts so much, but with Lucas here, it doesn’t seem to hurt anymore.” I stared at that photo for a long time, until my eyes felt dry and sore. I didn’t cry. I used to get angry. I used to argue. Every time I saw Lucas’s special care for Serena. But now? I just felt a deep sense of powerlessness. Seven years. I fell in love with Lucas at first sight when I was eighteen. To pursue him, I gave up the opportunity to study at a top tennis academy abroad and stayed in his city. Lucas was famously aloof in our circle. Cold and noble. Everyone said he had no heart, but like a little sun, I pestered him relentlessly until I finally warmed this block of ice. I thought I was special. Until Serena returned to the country. With just one phone call from Serena, Lucas could abandon me when I had a high fever. With just one word about being scared, Lucas could miss my birthday party. Now, even the most important final of my professional career, even the medical team I desperately needed. He could strip it all away without hesitation, just to treat Serena’s sprained ankle. I closed my eyes and turned my phone face-down on the table. So in Lucas’s heart, my dreams, my pain, my seven years of youth. None of it compared to one cry of pain from Serena. I stood up and carelessly stuffed the runner-up plate into my tennis bag. The pain in my wrist continued, but what hurt more was a heart that had gone completely cold.

Stella’s POV After more than ten hours of flying, I dragged my luggage back to the city alone. The moment I pushed open the villa door, deafening music hit me. The spacious living room had been transformed into a luxurious party. Champagne towers. Balloons. Streamers. A crowd of elegantly dressed guests. At the center of the crowd, Lucas stood in a haute couture suit, holding a wine glass, looking tenderly at Serena beside him. Serena wore a white designer gown like a proud little princess, holding a golden trophy. It was a championship from an amateur tennis club’s friendly match. “Lucas, thank you for throwing this party for me!” Serena smiled radiantly. Lucas reached out and ruffled her hair, his tone indulgent. “You deserve it.” Standing in the entryway, I watched this scene and found it utterly absurd. For my Grand Slam final, he wouldn’t even provide a medical team. For Serena’s amateur competition, he threw an extravagant party. My appearance instantly silenced the noisy living room. Lucas turned around. Seeing my face and the tennis bag in my hand, he instinctively frowned. “Why did you come back early? Didn’t you say you were staying in France for rehabilitation?” His tone held no concern, only displeasure at being disturbed. I didn’t answer, just looked at him quietly. Seeing this, Serena immediately walked over and spoke up. “Stella, you’re back! I watched your match. What a shame. you were so close. Don’t be too upset. Lucas said your psychological resilience is just too weak. You’ll do better next time!” Psychological resilience too weak? I laughed coldly. If not for the excruciating wrist pain without medical intervention, how would I have lost? “My business isn’t yours to comment on.” I gave Serena a cold glance. Serena’s eyes immediately reddened as she shrank behind Lucas, looking aggrieved. “Lucas, did I say something wrong and upset Stella?” Lucas’s face darkened. He pulled Serena behind him and scolded me harshly. “Stella, why are you taking it out on Serena? You lost the match because you weren’t good enough. Coming back here with that attitude. Who are you trying to impress?” Not good enough. Those four words coming from Lucas’s mouth felt like a resounding slap across my face. I took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness in my heart. “Lucas, come upstairs with me.” Without waiting for a response, I headed straight to the second floor. A few minutes later, Lucas pushed open the bedroom door. He tugged at his tie, looking somewhat impatient. “What are you making a fuss about now? Serena finally won a championship, and you have to spoil it at this moment?” “When are you planning to arrange our engagement?” I looked directly into his eyes, not beating around the bush. Lucas’s movements paused. His eyes shifted away briefly before his face turned cold. “Didn’t I tell you on the phone? We’ll discuss it later.” “How much later is ‘later’?” “Stella, can you be reasonable?” Lucas’s voice rose several notches. “Serena’s depression has relapsed recently. The doctor said she can’t handle any stress. If we make a big deal about getting engaged right now, she won’t be able to handle it. My mentor entrusted her to me before he died. I can’t ignore her.” I laughed until tears nearly came. “She can’t handle stress, so I deserve to be mistreated? Deserve to have no official status?” “It’s just postponed, not canceled.” Lucas frowned, seeming to find me unreasonable. “When did you become so calculating? What happened to the understanding Stella from before?” Looking at this man before me, I suddenly felt he was completely unfamiliar. That understanding Stella had been killed long ago by his repeated favoritism and coldness. “Fine. I understand.” I looked away. Lucas, thinking I’d yielded, nodded with satisfaction. “Get some rest. I’m going downstairs to help Serena cut the cake.” The door closed, shutting out the laughter and joy from downstairs. I stood in the empty room, looking down at my slightly swollen right wrist, my heart growing cold.

Stella’s POV The next day, I went to the downtown hospital to have my wrist checked. The doctor looked at the scans with a grave expression. “Stella, your wrist has severe soft tissue damage. Because it wasn’t iced and treated immediately, chronic inflammation has now formed. You need at least three months of rest, or it will affect your professional career.” I listened silently, got my prescription, and left the hospital. Passing by a luxury residential complex downtown, I stopped the car. This was where Lucas had bought a large flat six months ago, saying it would be our future marital home. At the time, Lucas gave me the keys and let me handle all the renovations. I put a lot of thought into it, decorating the place in my favorite minimalist wood style. I took the elevator upstairs and pulled out my key to open the door. However, the lock made a “beep beep” error sound. The password had been changed. I froze for a moment, about to call property management, when the door opened from inside. Serena stood inside wearing silk pajamas. Seeing me, she also froze, then revealed a triumphant smile. “Stella? What are you doing here?” I looked at the pink slippers by the entrance and the pink sofa and curtains that had replaced my carefully chosen furniture in the living room. Blood rushed to my head. “Why are you here?” I stared at her intently. Serena blinked innocently. “Lucas didn’t tell you? My old apartment had poor security. Lucas was worried about me, so he let me stay in this place. Oh my, Stella, don’t mind. I’m just staying temporarily.” Temporary? They changed the password. They replaced all my furniture. And called it temporary? I ignored Serena and called Lucas. “Lucas, what’s going on with the Cloudwater Bay property?” On the other end, Lucas’s voice carried a hint of impatience. “Serena is all alone in the country with no one to rely on, and something happened at her previous apartment. I let her stay at Cloudwater Bay for a few days. What’s the problem?” “That’s our marital home!” I gripped my phone tightly. “It’s just a property. Do you need to make such a big deal out of it?” Lucas’s tone was self-righteous. “Serena has trouble sleeping and prefers warm tones, so I had the soft furnishings changed a bit. If you really don’t like it, we’ll just buy another place later.” Just a property. With one casual phrase, he erased six months of my effort and completely crushed my last bit of hope for this relationship. “Lucas, do you think that as long as it’s for Serena, I should yield no matter what?” I said calmly. “What are you making a fuss about now? I told you, I only see her as a sister!” Lucas impatiently cut me off. “I have a meeting soon. I don’t have time to listen to your unreasonable complaints.” The call ended. I looked at the screen. A sense of relief washed over me. Seven years of obsession. Gone in an instant. I didn’t spare Serena another glance and turned to enter the elevator. Back in my car, I pulled out my phone, opened Ins, and edited a post. “Engagement canceled. Seven years fed to the dogs. Now looking for a new fiancé. Any takers?” I clicked send and blocked Lucas. I thought this was just an emotional vent post that no one would take seriously. However, just three minutes later, an unfamiliar yet familiar number called. Griffin. Seeing that name, I froze. Griffin and I grew up together. We were also lifelong rivals. We fought from kindergarten all the way through high school, until college when I gave up studying abroad at a top tennis academy to stay in Lucas’s city, while Griffin went overseas. That’s when we lost contact. I’d heard he now ran the family business and had become the head of the country’s largest sports conglomerate. I answered the call. Before I could speak, a deep, magnetic male voice came through, with a hint of barely detectable nervousness. “Stella, if you want to switch fiancés, how about me?”

Stella’s POV The car interior fell deathly silent. I held the phone, taking a long time to find my voice. “Griffin, what kind of joke is this?” “I’m not joking.” The voice on the other end became utterly serious. “Stella, since Lucas doesn’t treasure you, let me. We grew up together. I absolutely won’t let you suffer even the slightest grievance.” I lowered my eyes, looking at my bandaged wrist. Seven years of love. I’d lost completely and utterly. But I, Stella, was never someone who would wallow in the mud. Since I’d decided to cut ties, I would cut them completely clean. “Okay.” I took a deep breath. “Give me half a month to handle things here, then I’ll come find you.” “You don’t need to come back.” Griffin laughed lightly, his tone carrying unquestionable authority. “I’m flying there tomorrow to pick you up. Your wrist needs the best doctors. I’ve already made arrangements.” After hanging up, a long-absent warmth surged in my heart. So this was what it felt like to be firmly chosen and properly taken care of. The next morning, I arrived on time at the “Starshine” tennis club where I was based. Just as I reached the manager’s office door, I heard Lucas’s voice. “Give the US Open wildcard to Serena.” Lucas’s tone was a command that brooked no refusal. I froze mid-reach for the door handle. Lucas’s Luton Corporation was Starshine Club’s biggest sponsor. The manager looked troubled. “Mr. Luton, this isn’t right. Stella earned that wildcard. Serena is an amateur. This…” “Stella’s wrist is injured. She needs to rest.” Lucas coldly interrupted him. “Serena’s been emotionally low lately. She needs a high-profile competition to rebuild her confidence. This is decided.” “Not only that,” Lucas paused, then continued, “Have Stella serve as Serena’s practice partner during this time and coach her technique.” Standing outside the door, I was so angry I had to laugh. Make a Grand Slam runner-up serve as practice partner for an amateur? And hand over the US Open wildcard I’d fought for with my life? Lucas, just how shameless could you be? I pushed open the door and walked straight in. Seeing me, Lucas showed no embarrassment at being caught. Instead, he spoke matter-of-factly. “Perfect timing. You heard what I just said, right? Your wrist can’t handle high-intensity matches anyway, so give the wildcard to Serena. The practice partner arrangement is for your own good too. Keep your touch.” I looked at this well-dressed, handsome man and felt my stomach churn. “Lucas, what makes you think I’d agree to such an absurd demand?” I looked at him coldly. Lucas frowned. “Stella, can you not be so selfish? Serena needs this opportunity!” “She needs it, so I must give it to her?” I walked to the desk, pulled a document from my bag, and slammed it down heavily. “This is my contract termination application.” I looked at the manager. “I’ll pay the penalty. Every cent.” The manager was shocked. “Stella, don’t be impulsive!” Lucas’s face instantly darkened. “Stella, you’re threatening me with termination?” “Threaten?” I smiled mockingly. “Lucas, you think too highly of yourself. I just feel that staying in a club that can’t even guarantee basic athlete dignity is disgusting.” “You!” Lucas shot to his feet, his eyes sharp. “Fine, very good! Stella, you’ve grown bold! Let me see which club dares sign a defective product with a ruined wrist!” “No need to trouble yourself, Mr. Luton.” I turned around, spine straight, and walked out of the office without a backward glance. Lucas watched my retreating figure and laughed coldly. I didn’t need to look back to know he must be thinking I was just throwing a tantrum and would come crying back to him within three days. After all, he thought I loved him that much.

Stella’s POV The termination was handled smoothly. Though the penalty was a huge sum, my prize money and endorsements over the years were enough to cover it. That afternoon, I returned to the villa and started packing my belongings. I packed clothes, rackets, and trophies into boxes one by one, my movements efficient and resolute. Just then, the doorbell rang. I opened the door to find Serena standing outside with several shopping bags, smiling innocently. “Stella, Lucas said you were resting at home today, so I came specially to see you.” Serena spoke while walking right in uninvited. She placed the shopping bags on the sofa, deliberately revealing a dazzling diamond bracelet on her wrist. “Stella, do you think this bracelet is beautiful? Lucas specially accompanied me to the mall today to pick it out. He said I wear it better than you ever could.” I glanced at the bracelet. It was the one I’d chosen last month, planning to use as an engagement gift. “Done showing off? Then get out.” I couldn’t even be bothered to give her an extra glance and continued packing. Seeing my reaction, Serena bit her lip, malice flashing in her eyes. “Stella, actually you packing up and leaving is the right thing to do. Lucas doesn’t love you at all. He’s just used to you throwing yourself at him. Now that I’m back, you should have known to make way.” I stopped what I was doing and looked at her coldly. “Serena, do you think picking up garbage I threw away is something to be proud of?” “You!” Serena was livid. Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted outside the villa. Several extreme fans wearing masks and carrying banners broke through the residential security and rushed toward the main gate. “Stella! You match-fixing fraud! Give us back our hard-earned money!” It turned out my loss in the French Open finals had caused some underground gambling extremists to lose money, and they’d come for revenge. The situation instantly spiraled out of control. At that moment, Lucas’s car pulled up at the villa entrance. He’d just gotten out when he saw the chaotic scene. “Lucas! Help!” Serena screamed in terror, stumbling as she ran outside. An extreme fan holding a glass bottle filled with unknown liquid aimed viciously at Serena and me. “Go to hell!” In that critical moment, Lucas rushed over. I was closer to him. I thought he’d pull me aside. But Lucas walked right past me. He pulled Serena into his arms and shoved me out of the way. “Serena, watch out!” I was shoved off balance and fell hard onto the gravel driveway. The bottle of unknown liquid splashed onto the wall beside us, releasing a pungent acidic smell and instantly corroding the paint. It was sulfuric acid! If I hadn’t reacted quickly and rolled to the side, that sulfuric acid would have splashed directly on my face. But my right wrist slammed hard against the sharp corner of a step when I fell. Piercing pain instantly engulfed my entire body. I broke out in cold sweat and nearly passed out from the agony. Security finally arrived and subdued the extreme fans. Lucas nervously checked over Serena in his arms. “Serena, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?” Serena cried, her face covered in tears. “Lucas, I was so scared.” After confirming Serena was unharmed, Lucas finally turned to look at me, sitting collapsed on the ground. I saw a flicker of panic in his eyes. “Stella, are you okay?” Lucas walked over, looking down at me from above, his tone carrying irritated explanation. “You react fast and have good physical conditioning. Serena’s body is weak. She couldn’t dodge. I could only protect her first.” I raised my head, looking at this man I’d loved for seven years. The excruciating wrist pain reminded me that my professional career might truly be finished because of that push he just gave me. No anger. No hysteria. “I understand.” I steadied myself against the wall and struggled to my feet, not sparing Lucas another glance as I limped back into the villa. In that moment, I didn’t know if panic surged in his heart. I only knew that something was completely leaving me.

Stella’s POV The villa was terrifyingly quiet that evening. After Lucas calmed Serena down, he finally came home. I didn’t need to guess to know he expected my accusations and arguments. He’d already prepared his explanations. But the living room was empty. He went upstairs to the bedroom and pushed open the door. I sat at the vanity, clumsily rewrapping the bandage on my right wrist with my left hand. Lucas cleared his throat and spoke. “Today was an accident. To make it up to you, I booked your favorite restaurant. I’ll take you for a good meal.” I paused my movements but didn’t refuse. “Okay.” Half an hour later, we arrived at the restaurant. Pushing open the private room door, my steps halted. Serena sat inside. Seeing us, she smiled sweetly. “Stella, Lucas said you were frightened today, so he specially brought me to apologize to you.” I said nothing and pulled out a chair to sit down. Lucas called over a waiter and ordered a whole table of dishes without even looking at the menu. “Lobster, king crab, oysters…” All seafood. After the dishes arrived, Lucas pushed almost all the seafood in front of Serena. “You were scared today. Eat more to recover.” Serena thanked him shyly, then looked at me with only a glass of lemon water. “Stella, why aren’t you eating? This seafood is expensive. You probably can’t usually afford it, right?” I looked at the table full of seafood and smiled. Seven years. Lucas didn’t even know I was severely allergic to seafood. Or maybe he knew. He just didn’t care. His mind was full of only what Serena liked to eat. “I’m not hungry.” I stood up. “You two take your time. I’m heading back.” “Stella, what’s wrong with you now?” Lucas slammed the table, furious. “I take you out to eat, and you give me that attitude. Who’s that supposed to be for?” I looked at his angry expression and almost laughed. “Enjoy your food, Lucas. Don’t let it go cold.” With that, I walked out of the private room without looking back. Returning to the villa, I pulled out several large black trash bags. I swept it all into trash bags. The matching outfits Lucas bought. The necklaces. Even the matching toothbrush cups. Then I took down our photos from the wall and fed them into the shredder without a second thought. Finally, I took off the engagement ring I’d worn for three years. Lucas had bought it on a whim three years ago, after my first tour championship win, just to keep me happy. But I’d treated it like treasure. I set the ring on the living room table, using it to hold down a sticky note. The note had only one line. “Lucas, we’re done. I’m going home to marry someone else.” Then I dragged two suitcases out of the villa. The place that had trapped me for seven years.

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The day my mother died, I watched helplessly as my father brought his mistress and her daughter Rose into our home. So on my wedding day with Alexander, when I saw Alexander and Rose rolling around in bed together, I wasn’t surprised. I just thought to myself—the daughter of a homewrecker is destined to be a homewrecker too. Then I used the Swiss Army knife Alexander gave me and slashed Rose’s face. Alexander immediately had me thrown in prison. After I was imprisoned, Alexander divorced me and gave Rose a grand wedding. Three years later, I was released. Alexander hired twenty security guards, terrified I would hurt Rose again. He even set traps, trying to send me back to prison. But he was overthinking it. I disappeared from his life like a drop of water merging into the ocean. We met again at my auto repair shop. I spat out the toothpick I’d been chewing on, lifted the hood with my grease-stained fingers, and asked calmly: “How old is this car?” He suddenly clenched his jaw and spoke through gritted teeth: “Scarlett, this car was the first gift you ever gave me.” My hand holding the wrench paused. “Oh, then it’s got some years on it. Needs a major overhaul.” My tone was too flat. Alexander froze slightly, opening his mouth several times but unable to speak. I tapped each bolt with my wrench, checking them carefully and thoroughly. As if the dazzling yellow sports car in front of me was no different from the thousands of other cars I’d repaired. Perhaps finding the metallic clanging too grating, Alexander’s expression changed several times before he finally pulled out a mocking smile: “Scarlett, if you need money, you can just call me.” “There’s no need to scatter nails on the road and lure me to this godforsaken place to watch you perform.” I smiled and made conversation, as if chatting casually with an ordinary customer: “If I could act, I’d be a movie star.” “You came from Route 3, right? The news this morning said a truck carrying steel nails overturned there yesterday. Better be careful.” As I spoke, I casually grabbed a towel nearby and wiped the grease off my hands. Alexander’s eyes fixed on that towel. Originally pink, it had been washed until it faded to white, with frayed edges. He seemed to finally lose his patience and raised his voice: “Scarlett, you used to be proud as a swan.” “Claustrophobia, OCD, germaphobia—you had every spoiled rich girl ailment. You’d wipe a single speck of dust off your heels for ages, fire the maid over one grease spot on the table…” “And now you…” “Scarlett, take a look at my car! The AC isn’t cooling anymore!” With a booming female voice, the shop door was pushed open again. A woman in a floral shirt walked in and shoved her car keys into my hand. “Sure thing, Bella. Leave it here, I’ll check it out in a bit.” I took the keys. “Probably just needs a recharge. Small problem.” “Alright, you’re busy.” Bella cheerfully patted my shoulder, then glanced at Alexander and lowered her voice. “Got a customer? I’ll head out then. Talk later.” After seeing Bella off, I remembered there was still a customer in the shop and gave Alexander a polite smile. “So, Mr. Alexander, your car’s fixed. Thanks for your business. Twenty dollars.” “You…” Alexander stared at me blankly. It took him a long time to get out one word, but he had no strength to say the rest. Instead, he quickly pulled out his phone and scanned the payment code. Seeing the five hundred dollars that came through, I waved my hands repeatedly: “Mr. Alexander, you overpaid. Let me transfer the difference back.” As I spoke, I instinctively tried to find Alexander’s contact. Then I suddenly remembered—after I went to prison, he’d blocked me. Helplessly, I scratched my head. “This is awkward. Mr. Alexander, could you give me your payment code?” “You… didn’t you say the car needed a major overhaul?” Alexander’s expression was complicated. “Check the other parts too. Is this enough?” I was quite pleased. “More than enough! Plenty to spare. Just wait right here then.” I grabbed the stool nearby and pushed it toward Alexander. Seeing his crisp suit, I found a cleaner rag to place on it for him. Alexander was silent for a long time before sitting down somewhat stiffly, posture elegant, palms resting on his knees. The next second, he was startled by the creaking of the glass door. “Scarlett, still fixing cars during lunch? Business must be good. No wonder you ordered two burgers today. Turns out you’ve got a luxury car customer.” It was the delivery guy who brought me food every day. I chatted and joked with him for a bit, taking the takeout from his hands. Meanwhile, Alexander seemed uncomfortable being called a “customer,” turning his face slightly and letting out a soft breath. But there was no helping it—the whole neighborhood was like this. Mitch from the nail salon next door came over asking if I wanted to go to the bar tonight. The office worker from upstairs came down with a big suitcase, asking to store it and pick it up tonight. A passing female student rushed in asking if I had a power bank she could borrow. Their gazes—curious or appraising—lingered on Alexander more or less. Finally, he shifted uncomfortably and crossed his legs: “Scarlett, is this how you’ve degraded yourself, mixing with… these poor people?” His eyes seemed a bit red, though maybe I was mistaken. After three years in prison, my eyesight had gotten worse. “The car doesn’t have any major problems.” I straightened up, wiping the sweat from my forehead with my elbow. “Just some brake pad wear. Best to replace them, but this is a small shop—I don’t have original parts. You’ll need to go to a bigger place for that.” I pointed out the location of another repair shop, then eagerly opened my takeout.

But Alexander showed no signs of leaving. I was a bit confused. After thinking for a moment, I pushed the fries toward him: “Are you hungry, Mr. Alexander? If you don’t mind, have some.” Alexander’s gaze wandered, passing over the grease in my nail beds that wouldn’t wash clean, then sweeping over my burger and fries. When he spoke again, his voice was a bit hoarse: “That’s all fast food, unhealthy… you didn’t used to eat that.” In his memory, I was picky, had a selective diet, loved Japanese and French cuisine. If food was even slightly off, it could have me hugging the toilet and vomiting until I was dizzy. I smiled: “In prison, I wanted to eat this stuff but couldn’t. Now I do physical labor all day—it cured all my fussy habits.” “The fries here are really good. Try some, Mr. Alexander.” “Oh, they even gave an extra ketchup packet today! Score!” I happily pulled out the ketchup packet and tossed it into the storage box behind me. Inside were already quite a few complimentary condiment packets—buy one pack of bread and I could make do for a meal. Alexander suddenly stood up, his voice thick with emotion: “Enough!” I was startled. The next second, he threw a black card at me. “This is my secondary card. Take it.” His movement was too abrupt—he not only knocked over the little stool but almost spilled my takeout. Fortunately, my reflexes were quick. I dodged to the side, barely protecting my burger. “Mr. Alexander,” I said somewhat helplessly, “if you’re not going to eat, I’ll start…” “Scarlett!” Alexander couldn’t take it anymore and roared in a low voice. “I’m serious!” “This secondary card is linked to one of my platinum cards. Five million dollar limit. Spend whatever you want.” “Buy a better storefront, do some proper business, be your own boss. Don’t stay cooped up in this kind of place being a dirty, exhausting auto mechanic anymore!” “You used to be a well-off ski athlete. Have you forgotten?!” His roar was deafening, immediately dragging me into memories. My birth family was indeed well-off—one of Utah’s largest investment firms. I was an only child in a wealthy family until age seven, when my mom became pregnant with twin sisters. But just as we were joyfully anticipating their arrival, Dad’s affair arrived right on schedule. He fell for a mixed-race starlet, loved her with earth-shattering passion. So much so that the mistress came right to my mother’s face and forced her to divorce. My mother was a fierce woman. She quickly got into an argument with the mistress. In the chaos, I watched with my own eyes as that woman extended her long red nails, grabbed my mother’s neck, and pushed her down the stairs. Three lives lost in one fall. She died with her eyes open. Afterward, to force me to change my testimony, my dad strung me up and beat me for a full day and night, finally securing the mistress’s release. They got married. The mistress even brought her daughter from her previous marriage—my stepsister, Rose. My nightmare began then. Beatings, verbal abuse, false accusations, constant bullying. To survive, I had to escape to Switzerland. I practiced desperately and became a ski athlete who made a splash. At that time, Alexander was at a business school in Switzerland. A fleeting glimpse during a race broadcast, and he became my passionate fan. Every time I reached the finish line in a competition, he’d be holding up a sign with my name, shouting with all his might. When a corrupt referee deliberately misjudged me, he led all his classmates to the streets of Switzerland just to get me justice. He stayed with me through injuries, encouraged me through my low points. Finally, when I steadily crossed the finish line in first place, I took off my skis and rushed toward him in the stands. In the fluttering confetti and audience cheers, I embraced him tightly before countless witnesses. The abnormal relationship between idol and fan ended there. He became my public boyfriend. But I never imagined that on the night of my championship, as we strolled through the streets of Switzerland, two armed thugs rushed at us! They wanted to rob us. Alexander immediately fought them to protect me. I was terrified he’d get hurt. I rushed up to help him without thinking. In my panicked rush forward, a bullet hit my chest. This shot didn’t kill me, but it punctured my lung and grazed my heart. From then on, I could never do strenuous exercise again. Like skiing. But I never regretted it. Alexander was the love of my life. His importance far exceeded any competition. I might win a hundred championships, but I only had one Alexander. As I lay in the hospital bed, weakly holding Alexander’s hand and telling him all this, he cried and threw himself into my arms. “Scarlett, let’s go home. My family has connections in both politics and business. Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you all the way!” That’s the kind of person Alexander was. He wasn’t good at sweet talk—he just did concrete things. I returned home with him, full of joy. At the airport, we saw Rose who’d come to pick us up. When she saw the heir to Alexander’s family standing beside me, her pupils dilated in shock. But she quickly smiled brilliantly. I thought of her mistress mother. When she stood beside my father, her smile had the exact same curve. And this ominous premonition soon became reality. I don’t know when it started, but Alexander began mentioning Rose frequently. At first, he said she was cute and sweet. Then he said she was pitiful living under someone else’s roof. Later still, he said, “Scarlett, stop bullying Rose all the time.” I wanted to have a good talk with Alexander, but it happened to be the anniversary of my mother and sisters’ deaths. I had to visit the cemetery first. When I came home after laying flowers, I witnessed a scene I’d never forget. Alexander and Rose, that pair of dogs, were lying naked on the white sheets. “Alexander, why didn’t you go pay respects to your future mother-in-law today?” Rose asked. “How could her mother be my mother-in-law… if I had to choose a mother-in-law, it’d be your mother…” My ears rang. I completely lost my mind, rushed into the room like a madwoman, and struck with my knife. The blade sliced across Rose’s beautiful face. Her scream—I still remember it. So satisfying. Afterward, the judge considered that I was the victim in the marriage and wanted to give a light sentence with probation. It was Alexander who hired the best legal team, even bribed witnesses to give false testimony, and finally got me sentenced to three years in prison. I let out a breath and quietly studied Alexander standing before me. Money is wonderful. Time hadn’t left a single trace on this handsome man. But it had given me cracked hands, hair cut short to my ears for convenience, and nail beds that would never be clean. I gently pushed the secondary card back. “Not necessary, Mr. Alexander. I’m living pretty well now.” “Food and clothing aren’t worries. I’m free and easy, don’t steal or rob, earn money with my own hands.”

But Alexander stubbornly extended his hand. “Just consider it… compensation from me. You take the money, let go of the resentment, and we’ll be even from now on.” I looked at him with some surprise. The proud Alexander had actually learned to compensate others. He never used to lower his head. “Then it’s even less necessary. I saved you because you were my boyfriend at the time. I deliberately hurt someone and went to prison—that was as it should be. Neither of us owes the other anything.” Alexander clenched his fists, eyes fixed on me. As if confirming over and over that the person standing before him was indeed Scarlett herself. Finally, he slowly lowered his head, tears seeming to glisten in the corners of his eyes. “Scarlett… you make me feel like such a stranger.” I looked at the clock on the wall. “We haven’t seen each other in years. Of course we’re strangers.” “Back then… I lost control for a moment.” He paused, his voice choking slightly. “All these years, I’ve been thinking—if you hadn’t committed that impulsive crime, out of guilt, I definitely would have married you and treated you doubly well…” I said nothing for a long time, letting the clock’s ticking be stretched infinitely long by the silence. “Everyone has their own fate.” I fished a lollipop from my pocket, peeled off the wrapper and stuck it in my mouth. “Don’t regret what you did, and don’t look back.” “You—” Alexander was rendered speechless by this ordinary statement. After a long while, he said irritably: “You haven’t changed in one way—you’re still a stone in the toilet, smelly and hard!” I nodded readily. “The neighbors all say I’ve got a stubborn streak.” “Scarlett!” Alexander clenched his fists. After holding it in for ages, he suddenly called my nickname. I was momentarily dazed. The tone he used for those two syllables was just like before. Seeing my distraction, he softened his voice: “If you won’t accept my compensation, I can act as mediator between you and your father. You don’t know yet, do you? Your father has late-stage pancreatic cancer. He won’t live much longer.” “If you get his forgiveness now, you can still get a share of the inheritance—enough to last you a lifetime…” “Is that so?” I was quite pleased. “He’s finally getting what he deserves.” After I’d deflected the conversation three or four times, Alexander lost his patience. He suddenly grabbed my arm, trying to pull me to his car. “Scarlett, how long are you going to keep up this stubborn act!” “Look at yourself! Just look at what you’ve become!” “Renting a tiny, dark self-built house, doing dirty, exhausting repair work!” “Eating junk food—do you think this appearance is cool, special, touching?” “You’re just a bottom-tier mechanic! The very bottom!” I looked down at myself—my work clothes covered in grease, hair carelessly tied in a ponytail, face probably smudged with dirt too. I honestly rebutted: “It’s not that bad, is it? At least I still have a clean face, unlike certain people…” Alexander jumped up like someone had stepped on his foot, his face flushed: “Rose has had surgery and is completely restored! Although there are scars, makeup can cover them!” “And you—you smell like motor oil, your hands are rough as sandpaper. What man could stand that!” Getting emotional, he swung his Hermès bag at me haphazardly, like someone disappointed in me for not living up to potential. Just then, the glass door creaked and was pushed open again. Two children, a boy and a girl, shot in like rockets…

“Mommy!” The children competed to throw themselves into my arms, giggling nonstop. In that bell-like laughter, the expression on Alexander’s face froze abruptly. “Scarlett, these two children are…” He stared wide-eyed at the children’s faces, as if trying to find something about them that didn’t resemble me. “Did you adopt them from somewhere?” The children didn’t like hearing that. My son puffed out his chest: “You’re the adopted one! Your whole family is adopted!” My daughter pouted and hugged my neck tight: “Mommy, who is he?” Children speak without thinking. The color gradually drained from Alexander’s face. Even his lips trembled. “You… got married and had children?” I smiled and confirmed it, smoothing back my daughter’s disheveled hair: “Yes, twins. The twin gene my mother passed down to me.” “The children’s father is…” “None of your business.” I was brief and to the point, then pulled over the two children clinging to me: “He’s someone Mommy… used to know.” “Hello!” Though reluctant, the children still obediently and sweetly greeted Alexander. Alexander instinctively reached for something on himself, probably wanting to find some kind of greeting gift. But he discovered his perfectly tailored suit didn’t even have pockets. Not knowing how to interact with children, he could only stare blankly as the children surrounded me, competing for attention. “Mommy, I learned to fold my blanket by myself today! The teacher praised me!” “I helped the teacher erase the blackboard! I’m better than my sister!” “Mommy, what are we eating tonight?” “Roast chicken! Daddy promised to take us for roast chicken!” I good-naturedly agreed to each request, the fine lines at the corners of my eyes and brows smoothing out with their laughter. Alexander lowered his eyes. His long lashes cast shadows, as if this domestic bliss hurt his eyes. “Scarlett,” he took a deep breath, “you used to have nervous breakdowns and hated noise.” “Remember? To keep you comfortable, I once promised you we’d never have children in our home.” The children were competing to stuff leftover candy from their lunch into my mouth. My cheeks bulging, I looked up blankly and thought for a moment. “Did that happen? I don’t really remember.” “My husband and I both love kids. If I didn’t think giving birth was too hard, he’d want a third child.” As I spoke, I happily kissed each child on the face. Alexander’s body swayed slightly. He seemed about to say something, but was interrupted by his phone ringing. His phone was a foldable model, quite large. With a quick glance, I saw the caller ID. [Baby Wife] On the phone, Rose’s urgent voice came through, seemingly complaining about something. Alexander’s brow furrowed slightly, his tone showing some impatience: “I know, I know, I’ll come back now. You’re a grown woman, how can you not handle even this…” He said he was going home, but his feet didn’t move. I was the one who smiled and urged him: “Mr. Alexander, it looks like rain soon. Better head home quickly.” “Remember to replace the brake pads on that sports car as soon as possible.” Alexander gave a short hum, looked at me deeply once more, and finally strode quickly to his car. I breathed a sigh of relief and was about to send the children to the back room to play with blocks. But I discovered that Alexander had still quietly left that secondary card on the counter. I scratched my head in distress. No choice. I had to run to the police station after work that day with the card. “A customer named Alexander left his card at my shop. Can you help return it? After all, I don’t have his contact information.”

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I was diagnosed with breast cancer during my premarital checkup. My fiancé Daniel tried to persuade me: “Elliot, just get it removed. I won’t think less of you. Georgina specially applied for this surgery slot for you. She’s been interning in oncology for a year now, and it wasn’t easy for her to get this practical opportunity.” So he was pushing me to accept the surgery just so his childhood friend could practice on me. I endured the churning pain in my chest and firmly refused: “No!” “But Georgina needs this surgery!” he said angrily. I looked at him in disbelief. Daniel realized his tone was too harsh and softened his attitude: “If something’s broken, it has to be removed. Worst case… you can just get implants later. If you don’t have the surgery, how can we still get married?” Then let’s not get married! He didn’t know I’d already booked my flight abroad. I had a childhood friend who happened to be a world-renowned oncology expert. Seeing me silent, Daniel took advantage of the red light to grab my hand and persuade me. “Would I really harm you?” “Georgina already analyzed the pros and cons with me. If you don’t get this surgery soon, it could be life-threatening!” “Who do you think I’m doing this for?” The more he spoke, the more panicked he became. I coldly pulled my hand away from Daniel’s. “Daniel, don’t treat people like fools.” “You know perfectly well who you’re doing this for!” The atmosphere in the car dropped several degrees. Daniel’s proud jawline tensed. He glanced back at me with a glare. “Here you go again, getting jealous and making a scene over Georgina, right?” “I’ve told you hundreds of times—Georgina and I are completely innocent. It’s not as dirty as you think!” “If you really think that way, I guess there’s really no need for us to get married.” Whenever Georgina was mentioned, Daniel would use marriage to pressure me. Whenever it concerned Georgina, it was always me overthinking, me being petty. “Fine. Let’s not get married then.” The car suddenly screeched to a halt by the roadside. Daniel hadn’t expected me to agree. Disbelief flickered in his eyes. “Elliot, you really don’t know what’s good for you.” “Do you know how long Georgina fought with the hospital for this surgery slot for you? Do you know how many times I’ve gone to the hospital for your condition?” I let out a cold laugh. “Well, thank you both so much for your hard work.” “But I already said—I’m not doing this surgery.” “Whether as family or as a doctor, shouldn’t you respect the patient’s own wishes?” It had been a month since the premarital checkup diagnosed my breast cancer. During this month, Daniel had indeed been running back and forth to the hospital. But it wasn’t for my condition—it was to pick up and drop off Georgina from work. Daniel and I had been together for eight years. Forget picking me up from work—he didn’t even know which direction my office door faced. But Georgina had only been back for six months, and he’d already become a hospital regular. “Elliot, this isn’t up to you.” “I’ve already filled out the admission form for you, and I’ll sign the surgery consent form as your spouse when the time comes.” “This surgery is important for both you and Georgina!” Not important for me. Important for Georgina. Who didn’t know that Georgina, despite being back for six months, kept making mistakes in the operating room and might get fired? She needed my surgery to prove her abilities. “No way…” My unfinished words were interrupted by urgent ringing. Georgina’s name flashed on the screen. I stared at the custom sticker on the passenger side dashboard—”Georgina’s Seat Only”—the words burning into my eyes. I’d fought with him countless times over this sticker, but Daniel always said the same thing: “She’s younger than you, more immature than you. Can’t you just be understanding?” “It’s just a sticker. What’s the big deal?” Whenever it concerned Georgina, in Daniel’s eyes I was being unreasonable and jealous. Over the past six months, I’d swallowed more grievances than I could count. I rolled my eyes and said nothing, watching him answer the call. “What’s wrong, Georgina?” Completely different from his confrontational tone with me moments ago, his voice was immediately gentle and concerned. Whatever she sobbed about on the other end, Daniel tensed up nervously. “Okay, I’ll be right there.” After hanging up, Daniel unlocked the doors. “Georgina’s apartment is flooding. I need to get over there.” “Take a cab home yourself.” Daniel turned the steering wheel and made a U-turn. “The surgery is decided. Stop putting on a show.” “That thing—once it’s gone, it’s gone. Let’s be real, women’s breasts are basically just there for men anyway, right?” “I’m not even bothered that you won’t have them. Why are you making such a fuss?” My mind exploded with a buzzing sound. Before I could respond, Daniel unbuckled my seatbelt and pushed me out of the car.

The car drove off in a cloud of dust, leaving me standing there in a daze for a long time. Eight years—it felt like I was seeing Daniel clearly for the first time. Even the heavens seemed to be mocking me. I’d only walked a few steps when the rain began pouring down. Daniel’s car was still at the traffic light. One second, two seconds, three seconds—the car started up and sped away without a moment’s hesitation. He claimed to be worried about my illness, yet he could still abandon his sick fiancée in the rain for a single word from Georgina. When he left, he didn’t even think to leave me an umbrella. The journey home felt endless. I don’t know how I made it back. All I knew was that Daniel and I were truly over. When I reached the door of what was supposed to be our marital home, I heard a man and woman laughing inside through the half-open door. As I pushed the door open, Daniel and Georgina both turned around simultaneously. Daniel said nothing, just frowned at my drenched appearance. Georgina exclaimed, “Elliot, what happened to you?” “You can’t get caught in the rain with your condition! If you get a fever, you won’t be able to have the surgery the day after tomorrow…” So the surgery was scheduled for the day after tomorrow. Coincidentally, my flight was also the day after tomorrow. Hearing this, Daniel panicked. He hurriedly grabbed a towel and hairdryer, pulled me over, and pressed me down onto the sofa. “What are you doing!” “Didn’t I tell you to take a cab home?” “If you delay Georgina’s surgery, I’m telling you—I won’t marry you!” The hairdryer roared. Daniel’s words pierced my heart like needles. It hurt. My health wasn’t important. What mattered was Georgina’s surgery. In Daniel’s eyes, my breast was Georgina’s ticket to stay at State Hospital, her only chance. “Go take a hot shower quickly. Don’t catch a cold.” “These next few days, take care of yourself. No colds, no fevers.” Daniel gave me a push. Georgina smiled beside him, adding quite a few pre-surgery precautions. “Daniel, I’m hungry…” “I want to eat your red wine steak.” Georgina’s coquettish voice came from behind me, along with Daniel’s indulgent response. My feet felt like they were filled with lead. In our eight years together, I’d only learned that Daniel could cook after Georgina came back. The day Georgina returned to the country, Daniel brought her to our home. I’d thoughtfully made restaurant reservations, but Georgina said she wanted to eat Daniel’s home cooking, so he immediately went into the kitchen. He spent three hours making eight dishes. The last dish was red wine steak. “I’ve missed your cooking all these years abroad.” “Daniel, you haven’t forgotten what you promised me, have you?” Daniel took off his apron and wiped his hands. “How would I dare forget what the princess said? I’ve never cooked for anyone else. If you don’t believe me, ask Elliot—she didn’t even know I could cook!” The two of them laughed. Daniel gently ruffled Georgina’s hair. At the dining table, I sat across from Georgina, so embarrassed I wanted to crawl into a hole. That day they chatted happily while I couldn’t get a word in. When I came out after my shower, the greasy smell of food hit me. “Elliot, come over here.” Georgina was sitting next to Daniel, calling me over to eat. I glanced at their shoulders pressed together and gave a slight smile. Where was there a place for me at that table?

“No thanks. I’m not hungry.” I turned and went back to the bedroom, only to find it filled with someone else’s belongings. “What’s going on?” Daniel didn’t even look up. “Oh, Georgina’s apartment flooded.” “She’s moving in temporarily.” “After you finish your surgery and recover, she’ll move out.” My hand holding the towel trembled uncontrollably. When I spoke, my voice carried a hint of tears. “Daniel, this is our marital home.” Each word was heavy with grief. But Daniel didn’t understand. He frowned and looked over, his eyes carrying a trace of reproach. “We’re not married yet, are we? Whether it’s a marital home is debatable! Elliot, stop making trouble out of nothing.” Georgina didn’t say a word, keeping her head down as she ate, but her trembling shoulders showed she was laughing. I said nothing, just took my things and went to the guest room. Just a few more days. I could endure this. The flight was the day after tomorrow. Once I left, I’d like to see who Georgina could practice her surgery on! Just as I sat down, my phone rang. It was Williams. “My queen, don’t forget next Monday’s flight.” Williams’s mischievous voice came through the phone. I’d always said I found him annoying, but now his voice felt like a lifeline. “I haven’t forgotten.” “Williams, what if my situation is really bad enough to require surgery?” There was silence on the other end for a moment. “Elliot, don’t be scared.” “I’ve seen the scans you sent me. It’s not as terrible as it seems. Our equipment here is more precise. Do another scan here—what if it’s a misdiagnosis?” “Even if it is confirmed, there are many treatment options. Surgery isn’t the only one.” Williams had always been like an unreliable kid who never grew up. But hearing this string of comforting words, I suddenly realized the boy on the other end was no longer the Williams I remembered. Williams’s words soothed my wounded heart. Not long after I hung up, there was a knock on the door. It was Georgina. She was wearing my pajamas, her eyes carrying a hint of provocation. “Elliot, you don’t mind me wearing your pajamas, do you?” I glanced at her coldly. “No problem. I’ll just throw them out later.” Georgina’s red lips curved up slightly as she smiled and walked in. “Elliot, do you know why Daniel didn’t show up to get our marriage license last time?” Daniel and I had scheduled our license appointment six months ago, for the third day after Georgina’s return. On the day we were supposed to register, Daniel was late. By the time he arrived, everyone at city hall had already left. He pulled me aside apologetically. “Elliot, I really didn’t mean to. My car got rear-ended on the way.” “My phone broke too…” Daniel pitifully pulled out his shattered phone from his pocket as proof it was really an accident. I believed him. “Because that day was the anniversary of the first time we slept together. He went with me to revisit the place where it happened.” “Do you know where?” “His bedroom, when I was eighteen…” Georgina leaned close to me. The hickey at the neckline of her pajamas was very conspicuous. This was Daniel’s “nothing’s going on with Georgina.” No wonder after Georgina came back, Daniel never mentioned getting our license again. The only time he brought it up was for this premarital checkup. He mentioned it on the day of our eight-year anniversary. “Elliot, let’s do a premarital checkup. Georgina said she’d arrange it for us.” Daniel and I had our biggest fight ever. “Daniel, if you don’t want to get married, just say so. No need to keep dragging this out. I’m not someone who can’t live without you!”

That wasn’t just talk. In the six months since Georgina came back, Daniel put her first in everything. Various dinners, picking her up and dropping her off from work—every single time we’d fight because of her. But nothing ever got resolved. We’d make up in a muddle, then start fighting about Georgina again. Every time we fought, Daniel would threaten not to marry me. The constant back and forth had long since exhausted all my expectations. But people are like that—they don’t turn back until they hit a wall. I couldn’t completely let go of my eight years with Daniel. So I agreed to the checkup, and that’s when the breast cancer was discovered. “Elliot, tell me—if a woman doesn’t have breasts, what’s the difference between her and a man?” Georgina’s words interrupted my memories. She covered her mouth as she laughed, triumph in her smiling eyes. “If I were you, I wouldn’t even want to live… Daniel even said…” I clenched my fists. “Get out!” I didn’t want to hear another word from Georgina. After pushing her out, I slid down against the door and sat on the floor. That powerless, painful feeling spread through my chest like vines, as if someone was strangling my neck. I could barely breathe. Eight years. I’d wasted eight years. Perhaps because of my excessive grief, I developed a high fever that night. I pressed ice packs to my body and head, but nothing worked. With no other choice, I knocked on Daniel’s door. “I think I have a fever…” Before I could finish, I collapsed into Daniel’s arms. Daniel panicked and tried to call for an ambulance, but Georgina stopped him. “Don’t call!” “If she goes to the hospital now, they’ll definitely give her an IV. Once she’s on medication, the surgery the day after tomorrow will be ruined!” Daniel was caught in a dilemma. “Then what do we do? We can’t just let her burn up!” Georgina took a deep breath. “Put her in the bathtub. Soaking overnight will bring down the fever.” I struggled to maintain consciousness, begging Daniel to take me to the hospital. “Daniel… I need… to go to the hospital… Please, take me to the hospital…” Georgina shook her head at him. “No.” Daniel glanced at Georgina, bit his lip, and said to her, “Okay, go run the water.” Whatever faint hope I’d been harboring died completely in that moment. For the sake of Georgina completing her surgery, my life meant nothing to Daniel. Fortunately, my fever broke the next day. Daniel seemed somewhat guilty. He specially made porridge for breakfast. “Elliot, I made this especially for you.” “Georgina said to eat something light today so you’ll be ready for surgery tomorrow.” I glanced at it indifferently, then tossed it straight into the trash. All day, I didn’t say a single word to Daniel. Not until I got up in the middle of the night for water and heard Daniel’s voice coming through the door crack. “I know, I know.” “After her surgery is done, I’ll definitely talk to her about breaking up.” “I’m only keeping her happy now so you can do the surgery, aren’t I? Okay, okay, don’t be angry…” I wasn’t surprised by what Daniel said. Instead, I felt strangely relieved. That night, I sat in the living room until dawn. When Daniel discovered me, he took a surprised step back. “Why are you up so early?” I stood up. “Waiting for you two, to go to the hospital for surgery.” “Didn’t you say once the surgery’s done, we can get our license?” “Daniel, I’ve thought it through.” Daniel seemed surprised, unable to hide his happiness. Last night he’d been worried I’d make a scene at the hospital and the surgery couldn’t proceed smoothly. Now it seemed everything was going perfectly. Daniel took Georgina and me to the hospital. Georgina busied herself with pre-surgery preparations while Daniel waited outside my hospital room. “I’m going to change clothes first.” Daniel was very reassured and didn’t follow. I followed the medical staff to the changing room, and taking advantage of the crowd, turned around and walked out. Following the flow of people, I took the elevator out of the inpatient building. “To the airport.” I got in a car and left the hospital. Meanwhile, Daniel sat in the hospital room waiting for a long time without seeing anyone return. Worried, he got up to look. “Where’s Elliot? Wasn’t she changing clothes?” The medical staff frowned. “She changed and came out ages ago.” Daniel broke out in a cold sweat. He searched the entire inpatient building without finding any trace of me. All his calls were rejected. Daniel completely panicked. Just then, his phone rang. When Daniel saw who it was, he breathed a sigh of relief. “Elliot, did you get lost?” “Where are you? I’ll come get you…” “I’m at the airport. Daniel, let’s break up.”

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During my shift, a woman suddenly burst in, insisting on having an abortion. I looked at her medical history and frowned. Nora Yuvette, 42 years old, 6 abortions in the past 6 months. “Have you really thought this through? Your body has been severely damaged. If you go through with this, it’ll be very difficult for you to conceive again in the future.” The woman didn’t hesitate for a second. She was even smiling. “I don’t like children, and I never planned to have any. It’s just that my boyfriend has such a high sex drive and refuses to wear condoms. Since he knows how to please me in bed, I guess I’ll put up with it.” This was a patient’s private matter. I didn’t push further. I only reminded her after the surgery to stay in the hospital for observation for a while. But she quickly threw on her coat. “I need to get back to my boyfriend. He just won first place in the annual Teacher of the Year award today. I should reward him properly.” At those words, I froze completely. My boyfriend’s message was still sitting unread on my phone. “Honey, I won first place today! My colleagues are insisting on celebrating together, so I won’t be coming home tonight. Don’t wait up for me.”

In that instant, my mind went completely blank. I couldn’t process what was happening. Nora kept chattering away. It sounded like complaining. But her face couldn’t hide her smile. “He has severe sleep disorder. He needs to hold me every time to fall asleep. Says my scent calms him down, especially down there.” “Just now he texted me, told me not to shower. He likes me all natural.” When our eyes met, I could only smile awkwardly. Kieran Smith also had severe insomnia. I couldn’t accept this for a moment. Before my brain could catch up, my hand reached for the bracelet Nora had left on the desk. While she wasn’t paying attention, I slipped it into my pocket. An hour later, I called her. “Miss Yuvette, you left your bracelet in my office.” “I just got off work. If you give me your address, I can drop it off for you.” My voice trembled as I spoke. One hand gripped the phone while the other dug into my arm, trying to keep myself calm. Nora agreed without thinking twice and sent me her address. I gasped. A luxury villa in the city center, less than 2 kilometers from Kieran Smith’s school. As I walked, my heart felt like someone was squeezing it. Even breathing became difficult. I kept reassuring myself. Maybe it was just someone with the same name. Kieran wasn’t the only one who won first place. But an uneasy feeling kept gnawing at me. Even standing at the door, I couldn’t find the courage to knock. Then voices drifted from inside the room. “Nora, what took you so long to come back? I’ve been missing you.” “You can’t leave early today. You have to keep me company.” Instantly, I froze completely. That was Kieran Smith’s voice. But it sounded nothing like what I usually heard from him. It was so sweet it could drip honey. I couldn’t imagine Kieran acting cute. In an instant, my stomach churned violently. Bitterness surged up my throat. My legs went weak. I could only lean against the wall and slide to the ground. Before long, disgusting moans reached my ears. “Stop it, someone’s coming over soon.” “Oh, doesn’t that make it more exciting?” Kieran’s voice was like invisible hands tearing my heart into pieces. Kieran and I had met through a blind date. The first time we met, he wore a white shirt. He was well-spoken and never crossed any boundaries. My first impression of him was that he was clean. Later, he proved to be just that. His bag always held tissues, an umbrella, and hair ties. When I worked overtime, he’d bring me a hot meal. He’d wait 6 hours without a single complaint. He had boundaries. Six months into our relationship, we shared our first kiss. He was so careful, like he was holding a piece of jade. After 2 years together, we had our first time. His movements were gentle. When he saw me frown, he’d stop and ask if it hurt. My friends all thought I’d found a normal person and was in a healthy relationship. I thought so too. He was a teacher, I was a doctor. Everything seemed perfect. A month ago, on our 6th anniversary, we got engaged. But now, my fiancé was on the other side of this wall. Holding another woman. They were being rough. They knocked over a vase. “Another new position? Do you ever think about how old I am?” Kieran was breathing heavily, showing no signs of stopping. “But it feels so good like this.” In my memory, Kieran only ever used one position. Back then, I had even asked him about it. He just smiled. Said he didn’t like all those new tricks. Thinking about this, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. So it wasn’t that he didn’t like them. He just didn’t want to with me. Inside, they continued. My phone rang at that moment. “Dr. Johnson, how much longer until you arrive?” I stared at my phone for a long time, typing and deleting messages. Tears dripped onto my phone screen. Everything blurred. 6 years of feelings turned to nothing. I couldn’t accept it. I couldn’t bear it. Listening to the sounds from inside, I finally made up my mind. I dialed a number. “I want to report something.”

I left in a daze. I almost got into a car accident on the way. Even that couldn’t pull me back to reality. Not until I returned home, to the wedding home that belonged to Kieran Smith and me. I had designed this room myself, taking time out of my schedule. I’d put thought into every detail. I deliberately kept the room with the best sunlight for Kieran’s study. Just because he once said he loved watching sunlight fall on book pages. The wall directly across was empty. It was meant for our wedding photo. I’d been torn between 2 wedding dresses. Kieran just said to follow my heart. But soon after, he booked both styles. “Do you like it? I specially prepared a surprise for you.” “I know you’ve been torn. We can afford it. If you like them, we can do 10 more sets!” To look good in the wedding photos, I’d started dieting early. But he disagreed. He thought dieting was too unhealthy. So he started making me healthy homemade meals that were both delicious and healthy. No matter how busy Kieran was, he never half-assed things for me. Even today was no exception. The food on the table was still warm. A note lay beside it. “Just reheat it yourself if it gets cold.” “Be good, I’ll be back soon.” Kieran’s love for me was always obvious. I only had to reach out to feel it. Didn’t he love me? Didn’t he want to marry me? Then why was he with Nora Yuvette? What did that make me? I couldn’t figure it out. In my mind, memories of Kieran and Nora’s face all tangled together. For a moment, my head throbbed painfully. I collapsed completely, slumping to the floor. Tears broke through the dam. I couldn’t hold back anymore. Until my phone rang. It was from the report hotline I’d called that afternoon. I immediately broke out in a cold sweat. I didn’t dare face it, but still instinctively answered. The voice on the other end was cold, even carrying a hint of anger. “Ms. Johnson, we’ve sent people to investigate. There was no illegal activity.” “Mr. Kieran Smith and Ms. Nora Yuvette are legally married.” Instantly, my mind buzzed. The next second, my phone crashed to the floor. How could this be? My whole body began trembling uncontrollably. I replayed that person’s words in my mind over and over. Each time I recalled it, it was like pouring salt on a wound. It hurt so much. Everything spun before my eyes. In the empty room, only my heavy breathing remained. Just then, the door was pushed open. I turned around and met Kieran Smith’s cold gaze. He looked down at me. Seeing me collapsed on the floor, there wasn’t a trace of pity in his eyes. “It hurts, doesn’t it?” “Then don’t do things like that again.”

It was as if nothing had happened. He took off his coat and changed into slippers. Kieran calmly walked into the bathroom to wash his hands. After tidying up, he walked over to me. “Actually, I’ve wanted to tell you for a while. I just couldn’t find the right opportunity.” “Nora and I have been together for 4 years. We got married last year.” He spoke lightly. Like he was talking about something completely ordinary. We’d been together for 6 years, and he’d been cheating for 4 of them. I had so much to say. But it all stuck in my throat. They were married. Protected by law. Did that make me the mistress? I started vomiting uncontrollably. Kieran smelled exactly like Nora. The flush on his cheeks hadn’t completely faded. I stared at him, forcing myself to stay calm. “Then what am I? You fell in love with someone else, so why didn’t you say anything?” With every word I spoke, my heart bled. But Kieran’s face showed no emotion. He even seemed to be reminiscing. “Gianna Johnson, you don’t need to talk to me like that.” “You think that necklace around your neck and those designer bags in your closet fell from the sky? I’m just an ordinary person who wants a better life. What’s wrong with that?” “Even if I cheated, I never treated you poorly, did I? I took you on trips abroad. I served you like a princess every day. Isn’t that enough?” As he spoke, he suddenly bent down and helped me up. A playful glint appeared in his eyes. His hand gently brushed across my forehead, straightening my messy hair. “Gianna, actually, I’ve already prepared a parting gift for you.” “Nora’s family is really wealthy, and they treat their employees well. Her driver, Wade Davis, makes over 10,000 a month.” “I’ve arranged everything. In a couple of days, you’ll marry Wade. At least you’ll have a good life from now on.” Kieran’s voice was especially gentle. Just listening to his tone, you’d really think he had my best interests at heart. How ridiculous. I wasn’t his property. Why should I follow his arrangements? “Kieran Smith, you’re truly despicable.” Those words completely killed any desire I had to argue with him. He had become a completely different person. The good man in my memory gradually blurred. Or rather, this was who he’d always been. He’d just hidden it too well. 6 years, wasted on a jerk. Looking at his shameless face, my blood boiled. I spat right in his face. The next second, Kieran’s expression changed completely. When he turned back, his face had turned vicious. “Who are you trying to act pure for?” “When you were with Wade Davis, weren’t you moaning loud enough?” As he spoke, he actually pulled out surveillance footage. He laughed wildly. “I knew you’d say that.” “So on our engagement day, the person in bed with you wasn’t me at all.”

I didn’t listen to the rest of Kieran’s words. I ran out just before throwing up again. Scenes from our engagement day kept flashing through my mind. Kieran had been especially excited. He drank glass after glass and kept pouring wine into my cup. I couldn’t stop him. I drank until I was completely out of it. The last thing I remembered before passing out was Kieran carrying me into the room. Turns out, he personally delivered me to another man’s bed. Realizing I’d spent an entire night with a stranger, I threw up. My whole body shook uncontrollably. I leaned against a flower bed, crying until I couldn’t breathe. Too absorbed in my pain, I didn’t even notice someone quietly approaching from behind. Not until that shrill laugh reached my ears. I turned around and met Nora Yuvette’s eyes. She was covering her mouth, laughing. Her eyes couldn’t hide her smugness. “So you’re his little girlfriend. What a coincidence.” “No wonder your face looked so awful this afternoon when you heard me talking. Kieran’s never treated you that way, has he!” I figured she’d come to pick a fight too. But the anger on her face completely disappeared when she saw me. I didn’t want her to see me like this. So I forced myself to stand up and face her. My brain told me I should curse her out, vent properly. But when the words reached my lips, I couldn’t say them. “When you got together with him, did you know he had a girlfriend?” I tried to appear strong, but my voice trembled as soon as I spoke. Even in this moment, I still wanted to find excuses for this relationship. But seeing Nora’s arrogant face, I understood. “Of course I knew. So what?” “Young guys throw themselves at me every day. They don’t care about their girlfriends, so why should I care?” “I suggest you stop dwelling on this. He and I are already married anyway.” “Just go along with Wade. He’s a bit older, sure, but he’s more than good enough for you.” She laughed wildly. Her tone carried an undeniable authority. As soon as she finished speaking, she actually reached out and grabbed me. Without another word, she tried to shove me into the car. “The first time you didn’t even see his face. How boring.” “I’m calling Wade right now. Let you two lovebirds enjoy yourselves properly.” In that moment, I completely snapped out of it. Seeing her raise her phone, I actually laughed. Did she really think I was some pushover? Dream on. I grabbed a wooden stick from the bushes and swung it at her face with all my strength. The stick even had thorns on it. In an instant, it left a mark on her cheek. Blood fell, staining the wild grass. “Are you crazy? Believe it or not, one phone call and I’ll make sure you never work again!” Nora didn’t even have time to cry out in pain before dialing a number. “Mr. Johnson, someone bullied me!”

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