Category: English

I possess the Sacred Blood, and the blood within me can heal any ailment. In my previous life, it was only after I cured the paralyzed legs of a billionaire CEO that I discovered the Mitchell Family had decreed that anyone who healed Ethan Mitchell would become the lady of their household. Ethan Mitchell was compelled to marry me. Fiona Johnson, who had risked her life to gather the Himalayan Snow Lotus for him, was so stunned by the news that she fell off a cliff and disappeared. A year later, Ethan found Fiona’s frozen body and forced me to cut my wrists to save her. “If only I had waited for Fiona to return with the Snow Lotus and heal me, we could have grown old together. You killed her!” “Lydia Smith, didn’t you claim your blood is a miracle cure? Then bring Fiona back to life!” I pleaded with him tearfully. “Fiona has been dead for a year. I can heal diseases, but I can’t bring the dead back to life.” But Ethan refused to listen to my explanation and watched as I bled to death. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day the Mitchell Family asked me to treat Ethan. Seeing Ethan sitting in his wheelchair with a gloomy expression, I smiled faintly. “Mr. Mitchell, these legs are beyond repair; no one can heal them.” ⋯⋯

Hearing my words, Ethan slowly raised his head to look at me, his eyes burning with growing anger. “Get out of here, you fraud!” I raised an eyebrow slightly and turned to Mrs. Mitchell beside me. “Mrs. Mitchell, if the Smith Family says an ailment is incurable, then it truly is. You might want to consider having another child while you’re still young.” As soon as I finished speaking, the teacup in Ethan’s hand hurled directly at me. I moved aside to dodge it. With a crash, the expensive teacup shattered on the floor. Mrs. Mitchell, startled, quickly apologized to me. “Miss Smith, I’m sorry. I apologize on Ethan’s behalf. It’s just his condition…” I brushed it off nonchalantly. “I understand. It’s normal for a crippled and impotent man to have a warped mind.” Seeing Ethan tremble with anger, I turned and left the Mitchell Family. Mrs. Mitchell chased after me, pleading softly. “Miss Smith, is there really no way? I’ve heard the Smith Family has a secret cure for all ailments. If you can heal Ethan’s legs, the Mitchell Family will fulfill any request you have.” But it wasn’t that he couldn’t be cured; it was that I wouldn’t cure him. In my last life, Ethan blamed me for Fiona’s death, stubbornly believing that if Fiona had brought back the Snow Lotus, it would have healed his legs. Had he thought calmly, he would have realized the Snow Lotus was merely a supplement. Its supposed miraculous properties were nothing but exaggerated tales. Yet, when he discovered I used my blood to heal his legs, he watched me die, hoping to resurrect Fiona. Before I died, I overheard the servants of the Mitchell Family talking. It turned out Fiona didn’t fall off the cliff because of the Snow Lotus. She was discovered by the wife of her wealthy patron when she tried to marry into the Mitchell Family and was thrown off the cliff. This time, I won’t get involved in their entanglements. I wish them a long and happy life together. “Mr. Mitchell, these legs, I can’t help.” Ethan came out and heard my words, his deep voice filled with anger. “Mom, Fiona has already flown to the Rocky Mountains. Once she brings back the Himalayan Snow Lotus, my legs will definitely be healed.” “My affairs don’t concern others.” Mrs. Mitchell sighed deeply. “The Himalayan Snow Lotus only helps your legs recover. To stand again, it’s far from enough. The Smith Family is your last hope…” Ethan remained stubborn. “I said, Fiona can heal me.” I gave Ethan a long look and bid farewell to Mrs. Mitchell as I left. Just as I walked out of the Mitchell Family’s gate, a black business car stopped in front of me. A woman got out and knelt before me. “Miss Smith, please save my son…” 【2】

It turned out that a year ago, the accident injured not only Ethan Mitchell but also his arch-enemy, Nolan Johnson of the Johnson Family. After that car accident, Nolan became a vegetative state. Having endured a painful past life, I wouldn’t casually use my blood to save people again, so I refused Mrs. Johnson’s request. Mrs. Johnson didn’t press further and left in tears. A week later, I received an invitation to a Mitchell Family banquet. Fiona had returned with the Himalayan Snow Lotus. Mrs. Mitchell feared there might be issues with Fiona’s medicine and asked me to attend and check it. At the banquet, Fiona stayed close to Ethan. Mrs. Mitchell held my hand, her face full of worry. “I’m not afraid that Fiona’s medicine won’t work. I’m just worried that Ethan will be disappointed again and won’t be able to handle the blow.” “We’ve tried everything in the past year. I’ve watched the hope in Ethan’s eyes fade away bit by bit. As a mother, I really have no choice…” Before I could offer comfort, Fiona pushed Ethan over. “Aunt, don’t worry. I can definitely help Ethan stand up. I almost died in the Rocky Mountains for this Himalayan Snow Lotus.” Ethan held Fiona’s hand, looking deeply moved. “Fiona, when I stand up, I’ll throw you a grand wedding.” “Ethan, I believe in you.” Fiona turned to look at me, her smile ambiguous. “I’m not like those fraudulent doctors. I’m confident I can heal Ethan’s legs.” As soon as she finished speaking, the faces of the renowned doctors who had treated Ethan’s legs turned sour. “Miss Johnson, you speak boldly. Are you sure you can heal Mr. Mitchell’s legs?” “You’re not even a medical professional, yet you dare to question our expertise?” “Even Miss Smith from the medical family Smith Family said Mr. Mitchell’s legs couldn’t be healed. I don’t believe a young girl like you has that ability!” Although Ethan felt Fiona spoke rashly, he still defended her. “I believe Fiona can heal me!” I couldn’t help but laugh. Fiona thought I was mocking her. She gritted her teeth in anger but forced a smile. “Miss Smith, I heard you’re the most outstanding doctor of your generation in the Smith Family. But you refused the Mitchell Family and then the Johnson Family. It’s hard not to suspect you can’t actually treat illnesses.” I smiled slightly. “Then I’m very much looking forward to the day Miss Johnson makes Mr. Mitchell stand.” Seeing me laugh instead of getting angry, Fiona bit her lip. “Are you upset I stole your thunder? I know Aunt favors you and wants you to marry Ethan. But now, only I can heal Ethan’s legs.” Sitting in the wheelchair, Ethan sneered. “Lydia Smith, even if you could heal me, I wouldn’t agree to marry you. Moreover, you’re just a fraud. When my mom introduced you, I thought you were someone impressive, but it seems you’re just so-so.” “Let me tell you, the only person I love is Fiona, and I will marry no one but her.” “No matter how many times you appear before me, I won’t spare you a glance.” Watching them act in sync, I just felt annoyed. “Mrs. Mitchell invited me to check Miss Johnson’s medicine. Since Mr. Mitchell trusts Miss Johnson so much, I won’t meddle.” After saying this, I wanted to leave, but Fiona blocked my way. “Lydia Smith, what do you mean by that?” I frowned. “Exactly what I said. If you don’t understand, look it up in a dictionary!” Fiona snorted coldly. “Lydia Smith, do you dare to bet with me? Bet on who can heal Ethan’s legs. The loser must kneel and admit defeat and never set foot in New York City again!” I paused, turned to her. “I’ll bet with you, but I won’t treat Ethan Mitchell. I’ll treat Nolan Johnson!”

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Just after receiving the Research Award, gossip about me exploded on the Trending Topics. Photos and videos of me in compromising situations with multiple people in the lab were everywhere, my face clearly visible. In an instant, I went from a respected scientist to a public scandal. I was at a loss and wanted to seek help from my fiancé. But I overheard them mocking: “Now she’s surrounded by people, and someone even volunteered saying they’re really good at it.” “Everyone knows she’s easy to approach! Just a little gesture, and she’ll come over. As long as it’s a guy, she’ll agree!” Ethan posted new videos and photos on some obscure website again. “Who told her not to give her research results to Maeve? Doesn’t she want fame? I’ll make sure she gets her spotlight!” Looking at Ethan’s cold and disdainful face, I decided to terminate the pregnancy. “Who has the latest video? Photos will do; a friend of mine wants to see!” “Does anyone have her contact info to send over? Want to ask how much it costs to hang out, Dr. Nolan can reach out directly if he sees this!” There was another update on Twitter. “Who still remembers she was a researcher at the Sunrise Research Institute? I wouldn’t dare use the cosmetics she developed! Boycott people without principles!” You could tell this ID was Ethan’s alternate account. His intentions were clear: to kick me out of the institute so Aurelia could take over my research. The insults and accusations on Trending Topics didn’t break me, but Ethan’s attitude and expression made me feel like I was in an ice cave. Dragging my exhausted body, I took a cab to the hospital. “You’ve already decided not to have this child, haven’t you?” I thought we would get married soon and welcome new life together. Now I realize I was a joke. With tears, I touched my belly, feeling a deep sorrow. The doctor probably knew about the news online, looking at me with contempt, signed the paper, and told me to wait outside. As soon as I left the consultation room, someone with ill intentions surrounded me and blocked my path. “Dr. Nolan, what a coincidence. How much would it cost to have some fun with you? Name your price, we’ll make sure you’re satisfied!” I was looking at the form in my hand and was caught off guard when they pushed me, causing my head to hit the wall hard. I held my head, looking at the burly men surrounding me. “I’m not that kind of person! The photos and videos online are fake, it’s not me!” However, the person in front of me sneered, not believing a word I said, reaching for my shoulder. “This face can’t be faked. We understand you’re ashamed to admit doing this kind of thing. Let’s go find somewhere quiet to have some fun!” Suddenly, someone poured some unknown liquid on me, the stench going straight to my nose. “Maybe she caught something dirty and came to the hospital! Get her out of here, what if we get infected?” I wiped the stinking liquid off my face and was shoved out of the hospital’s outpatient building. Ethan appeared just in time, pulling me behind him. “Weren’t we supposed to go for the prenatal checkup together after my break? Look at you now, are you doing this on purpose to make me worry?” Aurelia stood gracefully behind Ethan, with one hand gently on her belly, the other holding an ultrasound report. “Nora? Are you hurt? Ethan has already handed over the next phase of research to me. He wants you to have a good rest for a while!” Because of this online farce, my superiors at the research institute ordered me to suspend work. I didn’t expect my research, nearing completion, to be handed over just like that! Since they like my work and my man so much, I might as well quit. I wish them a long-lasting relationship. Ethan and Aurelia’s clean and tidy clothes made me look like a scruffy beggar. I stepped back, ready to turn and go home, but Ethan blocked my way again, pinching his nose. “The report for your research needs to be checked, go back and write it now!” I looked up at Aurelia’s smug face, my heart aching with hunger. “I want to go home.” Ethan’s face darkened immediately, and he looked at me with disdain. “It’s just writing a report; don’t make it such a big deal!” He frowned at me, his tone intolerant, forcibly dragging me toward a gaming hotel. His grip was too strong for me to break free; he pushed me into the room.

Panic set in, and I tried to get up and leave immediately, only to find the door already closed. Laughter came from behind, and I looked to see two middle-aged men. “Who are you? I don’t know you at all!” The men grinned menacingly, slowly approaching me. “Aren’t you the star of the show? You actually dared to come, seems like you’re thirsty again?” “We guys like you just the way you are. Since you’re here, come play with us, let’s see if you’re like in the video.” He reached out to grab my arm. I kept banging on the door behind me, hoping someone would hear and save me. The door didn’t open, but I heard voices outside. “Thinking about you getting married makes me sad, she always gets what I want so easily.” “It’s the same at the institute. Ethan, you said you’d help me, right? I’m carrying your child too!” Ethan’s voice sounded muffled through the door. “The institute has already expelled her, just rest assured, the project lead position will be yours! If she behaves, I’ll let her have the baby.” There was no respect for me in his words. ‘Thud’ My head was pressed against the door, my neck gripped tightly, another person started tearing my clothes. The feeling of being trapped made it hard to breathe. Just as I felt I was about to die, the door suddenly opened. I fell to the ground, ready to crawl out, only to find several people standing at the door. The men behind me suddenly softened their tone. “She invited us out, nothing happened, this is entrapment!” All of a sudden, all those heated gazes focused on me. A phone appeared in front of me, along with a hand grabbing my hair. “You shameless woman! Who knows if you have some dirty disease, coming out to meet people. You just need a lesson!” “Today I’m exposing you, let’s see what kind of people are at your institute! @” Ethan suddenly came over, stopping the woman filming. “The institute has already dismissed her, what she did has nothing to do with the institute!” With Ethan’s reassurance, the people gradually dispersed. The people behind Ethan looked at me with disdain. “It’s just writing a report, and you invite people over like this. We’re not trying to criticize you.” “You can’t even spare a moment? If Ethan hadn’t explained, you’d be headed to the police station!” Ethan finally stood by my side, reaching out to help me up. “Nora, what I said earlier was out of necessity, just to calm them. You know if the institute’s reputation is ruined, our future cooperation is over.” He gazed at me sincerely, as if he truly cared for me. His friends sighed, almost pointing at my nose to scold me. “Nora, I know you have your reasons, you’re not that kind of person!” Even as he said this, he turned and told the woman who filmed to upload the video to Twitter, even buying Trending Topics for it. Suddenly, I realized how blind I was before; I only now see through such clumsy lies. Among the crowd’s disappointed gazes, Ethan spoke again. “Tonight is Aurelia’s birthday, we’re all heading over now, you should come too and post an apology video online.” Those videos weren’t me, why should I apologize? I didn’t want to fall into the trap of proving my innocence. “I’m not going, I want to go home.” Ethan frowned, staring at me sharply. “Are you really going to ignore Aurelia’s birthday? Apologizing is for your research, you don’t want your research to be buried, right?” I just wanted to go home, but he wouldn’t let me, acting as if it was for my own good. So many people criticized me, yet he wasn’t thinking about proving my innocence, but about handing my research project to Aurelia. Then, Ethan dragged me to a bar. But those disdainful gazes always lingered on me, making me nauseous. Aurelia stood in front of me, seeing this. “Today is my birthday! Nora came for me! Don’t be too harsh!” After saying this, she tried to hold my hand. Unexpectedly, Ethan half-embraced her and walked away, his face still showing disdain for me. He was really blatant! At the bar, a server brought a drink over, placing it on the floor in the corner.

“I’m sorry, Nora, they really don’t want to sit with you. This is the best we can do. You should explain online, and slowly everyone will accept you!” One of Ethan’s friends sneered. “The institute has already expelled her; having her around is bringing shame to the institute. Who could accept someone like her?” The mocking voices swirled around me, I bit my lip and looked at Ethan and Aurelia. “Happy birthday, can I go home now?” He is really shameless! At the bar, a waiter approached with a drink and placed it on the floor in the corner. “Sorry, Sister Nora, they really don’t want to sit with you. Just bear with it for now. Explain it online later, and eventually, everyone will come around!” One of Ethan’s friends sneered. “The institute has already removed her name. Her presence just tarnishes the reputation of the Sunrise Research Institute. Besides, who can accept someone like her?” The mocking voices swirled around me as I bit my lip and looked at Ethan and Aurelia. “Happy birthday. Can I leave now?” Ethan, who had been sitting since we arrived, stood up. “They’re just talking. You’re here to have fun, so don’t make a scene!” After saying this, he forced me to squat on the ground, holding the drink that was tossed there, like a discarded stray. Soon, someone came in with a mop and drove me to the farthest corner. Then Ethan forced me to record an apology video and post it on the social media platform. “It just went up! Already ten thousand comments! This is even more than top celebrities get.” Ethan glanced over, and the person quieted down. “I’ve never seen so many. They surely understand Sister-in-law!” But soon, a few popular comments were pushed to the top. [“Seriously, she’s going to a bar? Is she scouting for a new target?”] [“She starts the video squatting in the bar’s corner. Who knows what’s happening? Is she completing her master’s task?”] [“I can’t believe she has the nerve to show her face. Has the incident of seducing someone else’s husband just blown over?”] [“Don’t enter the Sunrise Research Institute again. We can’t trust those products anymore!”] … Ethan looked at me, his expression gentle. “Nora, leaving the Sunrise Research Institute is the only way to protect our child. I’m doing this for our future.” I stared hard into his eyes, feeling the sting of tears. “Ethan, do you really believe the person in the video is me?” His expression changed instantly, the gentleness turning to impatience. “Everyone thinks it’s you now. Would anyone believe your explanation? Over time, people will forget.” The video was posted from my account, sealing this stain on me. Whenever my name appears, people will remember this incident. They want to ruin my life. I glanced at Aurelia, who had a sinister smile, and suddenly smirked. The comments under that video kept increasing, hundreds more every second. “People like this should be deported!” Ethan closed his phone, ignoring the comments. “Nora, don’t worry. People will forget over time. You can stay home and focus on the pregnancy!” Aurelia suddenly approached with a toast, forcing me to down a glass of strong liquor. In the booth next to us, they were loudly celebrating Aurelia’s birthday, spewing blessings like they were free. I knelt on the ground, staring at the disgusting messages in my private inbox, feeling completely lost. “Brother Ethan, a business partner wants to meet with me. Hurry and take me to meet them.” Everyone rushed out with Aurelia in a hurry, leaving me alone in the corner. Suddenly, sharp pain radiated from my stomach, and I felt something wet below. It must have been the alcohol! The sight of red blood on my thigh shocked my senses. I endured the pain, holding my phone, and made my way to the lake. Standing at the lake’s edge, I recorded a video of myself. In the video, I looked pale, eyes determined, but with a mocking smile. [“During an avalanche, every snowflake is not innocent. If you want me to die, then I’ll fulfill your wish!”] After hitting send, I jumped into the lake with the phone, swimming out with all my might. Only through destruction can there be rebirth. I had to leave. Ethan was sitting in his office, waiting for the collaboration Aurelia was discussing. He was about to call me to come home when a friend suddenly pushed him. “Ethan, bad news, Nora jumped into the river! She posted that and then committed suicide!” 4 The man’s face suddenly froze, his pupils narrowing. “What on earth are you talking about? Stop with this nonsense!” Only then did he notice the phone being handed to him, displaying a recently posted video on the screen.

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At the graduation party when I was eighteen, Jacob Taylor introduced me to an adult secret. I endured the initial discomfort, but secretly smiled the whole way home. Six years of secret love, from middle school to high school graduation, had finally come to fruition. I curled up in bed, my fingertips lightly tracing the marks he left behind, as if this could make that moment last forever. Until the next afternoon, when I returned to school early to retrieve a forgotten notebook and heard Jacob and his basketball teammates laughing in the empty classroom. “Nice job, you scored with the class beauty,” a gruff male voice rang out – it was Mike, the team’s center. My heart skipped a beat as I stood in the shadows of the hallway clutching my notebook, my cheeks burning. “I wanted to pursue Jessica, but was afraid she’d think I was too inexperienced,” Jacob’s casual voice was like a dull knife, slowly cutting open my chest, “So I practiced my skills with Emily first.” I didn’t say a word, I just changed my first college choice from New York University to the University of Florida – the option furthest from New York.

The notebook slipped from my hands, landing with a muffled thud on the carpet. I stood frozen in place, as if struck by lightning. On a hot July afternoon in Minnesota, I felt my blood turn to ice. “As expected of our captain, even the class beauty is just practice for him,” another teammate, Chris, whistled. “Doesn’t that make her like, what do you call it, one of those inflatable practice dolls?” Mike laughed crudely. Jacob laughed and threw a textbook at him: “Don’t say it like that, it’s not like she lost out.” “Seriously though, the class beauty is too skinny. Compared to Jessica the cheerleading captain-” “Shut up,” Jacob interrupted, but with a laugh in his voice, “It was just the mood at the time. Besides, I could tell she was struggling quite a bit…” “Wow, who knew our straight-A class president Emily was such a closet freak!” “Who could resist Jacob’s charm? When meat is served to your mouth, how can you not eat it?” “Emily’s been chasing you for so many years, she’s probably fantasized about it countless times, right?” A burst of harsh laughter erupted from the classroom. I bit my lip hard until I tasted iron. My nails dug deep into my palms, the pain barely keeping me standing. Footsteps echoed from the end of the hallway, and I frantically picked up my notebook and fled into the farthest stall of the girls’ bathroom. The moment I locked the door, tears began to fall. I covered my mouth, suppressing my sobs as my body slid down the partition to the cold floor. The girl in the mirror had red, swollen eyes and messy hair – this was how Jacob Taylor saw me, a convenient post-it note girl to be used and discarded. Outside the stall, the sound of running water and girls chatting drifted in. I held my breath, listening to them discuss prom and their upcoming college lives. Most people had chosen schools on the East Coast, including Jacob – he had received a sports scholarship to New York University. And I had originally planned to follow him to New York, applying for a scholarship to the same university. With trembling hands, I took out my phone and logged into the college application system. The deadline was midnight tonight. My finger hovered over the screen for a long time before I finally changed my first choice from New York University to the University of Florida – the farthest option from New York. “Emily? Are you in there?” My best friend Sarah’s voice came from outside the door. “The graduation ceremony is about to start, everyone’s looking for you.” I quickly wiped away my tears and took a deep breath: “I’ll be right out.” As I pushed open the stall door, I fixed my appearance in the mirror. The girl in the reflection had changed – something soft had died in her eyes. At the graduation ceremony, I mechanically accepted my diploma. As I stood on stage, my gaze swept over the crowd – Jacob was laughing and joking with his basketball teammates, not even bothering to look up at me. That night, while everyone else was celebrating graduation by the lake, I sat alone at home and clicked the “Confirm Submission” button. The system displayed a successful change: Emily Carter, University of Florida, Biochemistry major. Thirteen hundred miles from New York.

Tears of heartbreak and humiliation had long since fallen. Jacob’s words echoed in my mind over and over again. They had almost completely destroyed all of my self-esteem. If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I never would have believed that he and the person who had been so intimately entangled with me last night were the same person. Apparently, it was possible to do such intimate things without love. Even in the most passionate moments of losing all reason, it was possible to lie and deceive. What I had foolishly believed to be the fruition of our relationship was nothing more than a joke to others. The more I cried, the more upset I became. But I didn’t dare make a sound, my body shaking uncontrollably. After a long while. My phone buzzed with a message notification. It was Jacob. [Take a cab home yourself, the team has a celebration party tonight, it’s not convenient to take you.] I didn’t reply. He added another message. [Remember to go to CVS and buy Plan B, I don’t have time to go with you today. Make sure to take it, be good.] I stared at these two messages for a long time without saying anything. Yesterday from evening until dawn, Jacob had worn me out over and over again. In the end, when we were both exhausted, just before he fell asleep holding me, he had mumbled twice. “We weren’t fully prepared for the first time, I’ll definitely take you to buy emergency contraception tomorrow.” He even reminded me that girls need to protect themselves, and that Plan B is more effective the earlier you take it. At the time, I thought he was being responsible towards me, that I had finally found my happiness. But now… In an instant, I sobered up quite a bit. I pinched my palm hard, forcing myself to stop crying. I wiped away my tears and tidied myself up before leaving the bathroom. Too embarrassed to go to the pharmacy myself, I just ordered the pill on Uber Eats. After the rider left it at the door, it took me a long time before I dared to sneak out and bring it back. After swallowing the pill with tears in my eyes, I seemed to lose all my strength and just sat numbly on the carpet, staring blankly. Ever since Jacob’s family moved in next door, I had followed him around like a little tail for ten years. I had never imagined what a world without him would be like. I didn’t dare to imagine it either. But from now on, it would just be me alone. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the lights of Minneapolis came on one by one, then gradually went out. I don’t know how much time had passed when my best friend Sarah FaceTimed me. “Emily, why didn’t you come to the graduation party with Jacob tonight? “That cheerleader Jessica showed up instead, and she’s been all over Jacob while you’re not here. They’re being so gross right now.” Sarah turned the camera to show me.

In a dim corner of the party, Jacob and Jessica the school beauty were sitting close together. Jessica was wearing a crop top and tight jeans tonight, showing off her slim waist and long legs. The two of them were clearly separated from the people around them. Even their conversation seemed like intimate whispering. The flirtatious atmosphere was palpable even through the screen. My chest tightened involuntarily. Jacob had just said this afternoon that he wanted to pursue her, and it looks like he’s already succeeded tonight. Jessica drew “guy does push-ups over girl” for Truth or Dare and had to pick a guy to do it with her. Not surprisingly, Jacob immediately volunteered. Everyone started cheering them on. Jessica blushed and obediently lay down on the couch. Jacob hovered over her and did dozens of push-ups in one go. He was very restrained the whole time, trying hard to avoid touching Jessica’s body. Until the very last one, whether he finally lost his strength or did it on purpose, He couldn’t hold himself up and fell directly on top of Jessica. The screams around them grew even louder, nearly taking the roof off. Jacob and Jessica’s faces turned even redder. Amidst the crowd’s frenzied cheering, Jacob simply lowered his head and kissed Jessica. The two kissed shamelessly, ignoring everyone around them. It lasted a full three minutes before they reluctantly parted. During those endless three minutes, I stared at the screen without blinking, so stunned I nearly forgot to breathe. My heart felt like it was being torn apart. I wanted to cry, but I had cried too much earlier without drinking water, so I had no tears left. “OMG Emily, did you see that? You could hear them kissing, he’s so into her,” Sarah exclaimed as she turned the camera away and left the party room. She found a quiet corner and sincerely advised me: “Emily, don’t blame me, but if you didn’t see it with your own eyes, you wouldn’t give up on him.” My throat was dry, and the sounds I made were barely audible. “Mm, I don’t blame you.” I only blame myself for being so stupid for so many years. I thought that since I was always allowed to follow Jacob around, that spot next to him would always be mine. “I just can’t stand Jacob. How could he string you along pretending to be an innocent boy when he knew you liked him for so many years, watching you fall deeper and deeper?” “You saw it clearly just now. I really hope you’ll seriously reconsider. Don’t let him waste another four years of your life in college…” “I won’t, Sarah,” I interrupted her, stating calmly. “I won’t give myself that chance again. “Sarah, I’ve already decided. I’m going to the University of Florida with you. “But you have to promise to keep it a secret for now.”

After saying that, to prevent myself from hesitating again, I opened my laptop in front of Sarah. Without any hesitation, just before the deadline, I changed my Early Decision application through the Common App from New York University to the University of Florida. Sarah was so happy she almost jumped up. She had been trying to persuade me to apply to the same university for a long time. But in our sophomore year of high school, Jacob and I had made a promise to work hard together and go to his dream school in New York after graduation. That’s where his dream sports management program was. So even though I was actually more drawn to the warm sunshine of California and didn’t particularly care for the hustle and bustle of New York, for three years of high school, I had always treated NYU as my only goal. After years of being neighbors, both sets of parents were happy for us to attend the same university. Everyone, including myself, thought that Jacob and I would naturally become a couple after we became adults. But now, I couldn’t find any reason to go to New York anymore. Or rather, after today, if I were to follow Jacob around like before, I would look down on myself. Now I just wanted to hide far away. It didn’t matter where, as long as Jacob wasn’t there. If he was on the East Coast, then I would go to the southernmost point.

Before bed, I filled an entire bathtub with water, wanting to wash myself completely clean. But when I took off my clothes, the purple bruises from his kisses were still clearly visible on my skin. Memories of last night came flooding back involuntarily. The burning heat of the boy’s skin as we held each other tightly, the scorching breath in my ear as we moved together – the lingering warmth seemed to still surround me. I shook my head violently, trying to shake off these wild memories. I found a loofah and scrubbed my skin over and over again until my whole body was red before I stopped. Clumsily attempting to erase this most shameful experience of my life. The result was that I was in so much pain I couldn’t sleep well all night. Jacob didn’t send any more messages either. Breaking the habit we’d had since getting phones of saying goodnight to each other without fail for six years. This was for the best. It would have happened sooner or later anyway. Might as well start detoxing from tonight. I tossed and turned until nearly dawn before finally falling asleep. Early the next morning while I was still sound asleep, I suddenly felt someone plant a light kiss on my forehead in my dream.

I woke with a start. But when I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar chin and Adam’s apple. The scent enveloping me from above was Jacob’s favorite Creed cologne, along with a faint unfamiliar citrus fragrance. I had almost forgotten, Jacob always had a spare key to my house. Seeing that I was awake, Jacob simply moved lower, chuckling as he tried to kiss my lips. I hurriedly turned my head to avoid it. I pushed him away and retreated to the other side of the bed. Jacob was stunned for a moment, then laughed at me: “Morning, sunshine. Why so shy?” I didn’t say anything, just pulled the covers over my head. Jacob scolded me while trying to pull off my blanket. “Emily Carter, you’ve got some nerve. You didn’t say goodnight to me last night and even turned off your phone. “Now you’re hiding from me?” He was quick, diving under the covers in an instant. Before I could react, he had me completely wrapped in his arms. “Hey, how many times have I told you not to skip breakfast? “I went out of my way to bring you your favorite – pumpkin spice latte and blueberry muffin from that Starbucks you love. “Do you want to get up and eat now, or… do you want me to eat you first…” His breath was extremely close to me, and his hands followed suit. Sobering up from my daze, I struggled desperately. But at 5’4″, I was no match for the 6’2″ athlete. I really couldn’t understand what he was thinking. He already had Jessica, why was he still messing with me? After struggling hard for a while, I was panting, but hadn’t broken free. Instead, he held me even tighter. “What’s wrong with you? “Are you angry? Just because I didn’t take you to the party last night? Such a small thing?” I didn’t say anything. He buried his head in the crook of my neck and laughed. “Let me guess, your gossip queen friend Sarah livestreamed it for you? “It was just a game, is that worth being jealous over? “Why are you still like before, getting upset whenever I get a little close to other girls?” I was furious to the extreme, at a complete loss for words. Remembering what I learned in self-defense class, I suddenly raised my knee and aimed for his groin, then quickly ran off the bed while he was in pain. “Emily!” Jacob gritted his teeth, his face turning red. I quickly grabbed a hoodie and threw it on over my pajamas, hurrying to the living room. I didn’t want to be in the same room as him, especially not my bedroom. Jacob came out shortly after, looking both angry and helpless. After a long while, he seemed to suddenly remember something and casually asked: “By the way, you took the Plan B yesterday, right?” “Don’t cause any accidents, we can’t explain it to your parents.” Jacob walked to the kitchen island and picked up the latte, holding it out to me. “Come on, drink something before you get angry. You know you have low blood sugar.” I didn’t say anything and didn’t take it. Jacob’s hand holding the cup froze in mid-air for a long time before he finally lost patience. “What the hell is your problem? “Emily, there’s a limit to throwing tantrums, you know?” I coldly replied: “I’m not good enough for you.” Jacob’s face turned white with anger. He slammed the coffee down on the counter. He used too much force, and the lid popped off, splattering coffee everywhere. “What do you mean by that? “Who do you think you are, Emily? “It was just a one night stand, and now you want to control me? Do you know how suffocating that is?” His tone was unprecedentedly fierce. In an instant, tears streamed down my face without a second of build-up. Yesterday’s humiliation and hurt all came rushing back. Jacob seemed unprepared for my sudden intense crying and was at a loss for what to do. He apologized with frustration: “Shit… I’m sorry, I drank too much last night and wasn’t thinking when I said that just now.” Jacob walked up to me as he spoke, reaching out to wipe my tears, but I dodged him again. He froze, his hand stopping in mid-air. He was about to say something else when his phone suddenly rang. He only glanced at the screen before his expression changed, and he immediately grabbed his jacket to leave. “I have an emergency, you calm down first. “We’re going to college now, stop being so childish. Who could put up with this in the future?”

Less than half an hour after he left, Sarah sent me a screenshot. It was Jessica’s Instagram story. [✨Magic breakfast appears when you’re hungry✨ Is this what they call mutual crush?] The photo showed an Einstein Bagels packaging bag identical to the one on my dining table. I didn’t reply. I just silently wiped away my tears and knelt down to clean up the coffee Jacob had spilled. After trying for a long time, I was upset to find that the stains on the wooden floor had seeped into the grain and couldn’t be wiped away. In a fit of anger, I contacted a flooring company to come refinish and reseal it. After all, this was the eco-friendly sealant that Jacob and his parents had specially recommended to my family after returning from their vacation in Hawaii. While I was at it, I gathered up Jacob’s sweatshirt, toothbrush, game console, and all the gifts he had given me over the years. I even went through the photos of us together on my phone, sorting them all out. I was busy until late at night before I finished packing everything into donation boxes. He probably wouldn’t care about these old things anyway. After Jacob left that day, there was no news from him for several days in a row. I guess things were going well with the cheerleading captain. Or maybe he was waiting for me to contact him first. In the past six years, every time we had a cold war, I was always the first to give in, without exception. But this time I didn’t reach out to him. There was no need to reach out to him anymore. I blocked his phone number and all his social media accounts, changed the password on my front door, and deleted my old Instagram. After doing all this, I called my parents who were on a business trip in China. I told them I wanted to go to San Francisco to stay with Aunt Linda during spring break. My plan was to fly directly to the University of Florida with Sarah when the break was over. Besides Sarah, no one else knew I had changed my ED application. This plan should perfectly avoid any chance of running into Jacob. Mom laughed on the phone and asked, “Sweetie, are you going to California with Jacob?” I gave a vague answer, not wanting to explain too much. I just said I wanted to keep Aunt Linda company after her recent surgery. Dad booked me on the earliest flight the next day, and I packed my bags overnight to prepare to leave. As I was heading out, I unfortunately ran into Jacob’s mom in the driveway. She enthusiastically rolled down her car window: “Emily, why are you alone? Isn’t Jacob picking you up? “Didn’t he say he was taking you to Cancun for spring break? Have fun you two!” I was a bit confused. During the most stressful part of senior year, I had indeed mentioned to Jacob that I wanted to see the blue seas and skies of Cancun, Mexico. But how could we possibly travel together now, given our current situation? But my Uber had already arrived, so I just said a quick goodbye and left. What I never expected was that at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, I would actually run into Jacob.

After half a year apart, when I saw Jacob again, we had both changed quite a bit. He was even thinner, had dyed his hair, but of course still looked as handsome as ever. I’ve never been good at reading people, but my aesthetic sense has always been on point. Otherwise I wouldn’t have known to follow him around like a puppy since I was little. I was only stunned for a brief moment before I smiled and greeted him casually. “Hi Jacob, you’re here too.” Jacob’s hand froze in mid-air as he was reaching for my luggage, looking at me in disbelief. Since we were little, both sets of parents had repeatedly told me to call him “big brother Jacob” many times. I had stubbornly refused to ever call him that. Now with a different mindset, it came out naturally. But Jacob seemed to have a hard time accepting it. It was a long time before he finally took my luggage with shaking hands. Mom whispered an explanation in my ear. “We came out to pick you up and happened to run into Jacob at the entrance. He insisted on coming along to help.” I smiled and gestured that it was fine. In the car, I couldn’t wait to share all the recent interesting stories from school with my parents, making them laugh non-stop. No one paid attention to Jacob, but from the corner of my eye, I noticed his lips curling up in a secret smile the whole way. That day he seemed to want to come sit at my house for a while, but all three of us politely declined together. The entire winter break I was out early and back late every day to practice driving, and in the evenings I was always out with some high school friends. I heard Jacob came looking for me a few times, but we always missed each other. I was a bit surprised, not thinking there was anything we needed to talk about. This year my grandmother and aunt had come back for the New Year. On New Year’s Eve, the house was especially lively. After the New Year’s Eve dinner, the older folks were watching the Spring Festival Gala on the couch, while the younger generation was learning to play mahjong. But Jacob’s family of three suddenly showed up at our house with bags of gifts.

“Our house is too quiet, mind if we join in for a game?” Jacob’s mom joked with a smile. In previous years, our two families had always spent the Spring Festival together. This year, because of my relationship with Jacob, my mom had declined his mom’s invitation to have New Year’s Eve dinner together. But when guests show up at the door, you can’t just turn them away. Jacob naturally sat down next to me, watching me play mahjong. My cousins didn’t know about the situation between Jacob and me, and kept teasing us. I laughed it off and clarified each time. Jacob’s expression soured a bit. When we went out to set off fireworks at midnight, he grabbed my hand, seeming to want to say something. But my phone suddenly rang. My face reddened a bit as I pulled my hand away from Jacob’s and stepped aside to answer the call. It was a classmate from Florida named Jack who I had met through a student club. He was very good-looking too. Not the cold, aloof type of handsome guy, but more of a funny, goofy boy who loved to laugh. He talked a lot and was full of jokes. He often made me laugh so hard I couldn’t straighten up. He said he called because he was bored being alone and wanted to count down to the new year together with us. I didn’t think much of it and didn’t hang up since it was New Year’s. I let him participate in our New Year’s countdown ritual remotely. Just before hanging up, he chuckled. “Actually, I just wanted to be the first person to wish you Happy New Year after midnight. “Happy New Year, Emily.” I smiled happily and wished him well too. We chatted for a while longer, and when he was finally willing to hang up, I turned around to find Jacob standing behind me with an icy expression. I don’t know how long he had been listening. “Boyfriend?” he asked hoarsely. “Not quite yet,” I replied honestly after thinking for a moment. “…” Jacob was silent for a long time. I thought he had nothing more to say and was about to head back to the living room to continue playing mahjong. But he suddenly spoke up again, “Out-of-state guys aren’t necessarily reliable. It’s better to find someone local who you know well.” I nodded. “You’re right, you never truly know someone. I’ll keep evaluating him. “Thanks for the advice, Jacob. You should settle down soon too.” Jacob looked like something had stabbed him in the heart. He didn’t say anything else and left the yard directly. I didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t the first time he’d thrown a tantrum. Before, when I had rose-colored glasses on, I thought everything about him was perfect. But now… After that, I accompanied my grandmother and parents to visit relatives and then went on road trips. I barely stayed at home. I didn’t run into Jacob again either. The winter break was short, and soon I was back at school. But the next day, I actually saw Jacob at the university gates.

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It was a Sunday evening when I got a call from Lucas while having dinner. “Ava, I’m sorry. I cheated again.” I calmly put some vegetables into the pot and replied, “Buy me a car to apologize, and we’ll move on.” Lucas fell silent for a moment before dropping the bomb. “She’s pregnant.” I stopped eating and stared at the bubbling broth. “Oh, that won’t do. You’ll have to add an apartment too.” … After my face was registered for the lock of the 4,600 square foot penthouse downtown, the keys to a white Cullinan also arrived in my hands. Lucas, my fiancé, truly lived up to his reputation as the cream of the crop among the city’s second-generation rich. This time, his mistress was a stunning woman named Mia, who confronted me aggressively. “Break up with Lucas! He loves me!” “While you were sitting at home alone, we were kissing by the lake! He took me horseback riding and we made love passionately every night at the resort! That’s when the baby was conceived…” What a riveting love story. If I’d come across it on TikTok, I’d have given it a like. My gaze lowered to Mia’s slightly protruding belly beneath her heaving chest. I’d seen many mistresses before. But one coming to confront me while pregnant? That was rare. She was the second. The first was me. I looked at her, my expression unchanging. “Miss Mia, don’t get carried away. Lucas is young and likes to play. When he’s tired of someone and wants to get rid of them, he hands them over to me. You’ve entered the after-sales stage.” Lucas’s pinned post on Instagram was our engagement photo, and he always wore the Harry Winston wedding ring on his left middle finger. Anyone still throwing themselves at him would be treated as “asking for it.” “As for the authenticity of the child, I’ll take you for a paternity test tomorrow. Once we have the results, we can discuss compensation.” Mia slammed the table and stood up. “Ava, are you even human? You’re talking about me and my baby like we’re commodities.” I remained as calm as still water. “Being a mistress comes with its own treatment. Miss Mia, if you could reach Lucas and make him take responsibility, would you be sitting here for three hours waiting for me?” Mia’s expression faltered, and I delivered my final blow gently. “Coincidentally, Lucas always uses protection when he sleeps with others. I never give him condoms that are more than six months old, and I insist that he confirms the other person’s health status before sleeping with them. How strange that this time there was an accident?” Hearing this, Mia was not only shocked by the content of my words but also showed a moment of panic. Her fingers, gripping the cup, trembled and turned white. “Maybe… it was just bad luck…” Her voice trailed off, quickly swallowed by her cup. I smiled without speaking. Her phone rang. Suddenly, Mia’s gloomy face brightened. “I’m not afraid. You can check all you want. But I’m telling you, if the report shows it’s really Lucas’s child, you’ll have to step aside and break up with him!” My eyes darkened. This idiot Lucas really fell for it. Mia pressed her advantage. “Ava, if Lucas really loved you, he wouldn’t have slept with someone else. You’re so calm about his cheating, do you really love him?” I thought to myself, youth is beautiful, still believing in love. Adults are all about mutual benefits and satisfaction. I stood up, gathering my things to leave. “Since Miss Mia is determined to take my place, I wish you success. However, from now on, you won’t be dealing with me, but with William.” Hearing this name, Mia’s whole body tensed. “William… you’re going to hand me over to him?” William, the undefeated killer in the business world, was Lucas’s older brother and the most outstanding young CEO in the city. He doted on his playboy younger brother Lucas the most. Those who dared to scheme against his brother were always ruthlessly dealt with. Seeing Mia’s fear, I gave examples of William’s skillful methods of causing “accidental” bloodshed. Mia’s features crumpled as she protected her belly. After an internal struggle, she decisively grabbed me. “I choose to negotiate with you…” I wiped away her tears. “Alright. I’ll help you get the maximum financial compensation.”

After transferring the seven-figure compensation to Mia’s account, I received a message from Lucas. He invited me to a party tonight, saying there would be new people. I stood outside the private room for two minutes. Lucas was sitting in the corner of the sofa, his arm around his childhood friend Rachel as they played a game. When Rachel got tired, she clung to Lucas’s arm and whispered in his ear. Lucas smiled, gently pinching her cheek. The ambiguity was thick in the air. Someone like Mia had probably been forgotten long ago. Lucas’s philandering was like a powerful air conditioner that suddenly cuts off. A person who’s gentle to everyone is actually cruel to everyone. Fortunately, I was even more gently cruel than him. Just as Rachel was about to lean in closer to Lucas, I pushed open the door. Lucas’s face lit up with joy, and he immediately stood to greet me. Rachel’s face darkened, and she furiously tapped on her phone. “Ava, I’ve missed you so much. Thank you for your hard work. When we get home, I’ll make it up to you…” Lucas’s sweet talk came as naturally as breathing. I let it go in one ear and out the other, never taking it seriously. “It wasn’t hard. But in the future, you need to be more careful and avoid these accidents. I can help you keep things under control, so they won’t reach your parents’ ears.” I was always generous and considerate. No matter how many women Lucas flirted with outside, I never cried, made a scene, or acted out. I even took the initiative to clean up his messes. His friends were dying of envy. But I simply didn’t love him. Lucas led me to a secluded corner of the room. “Ava, let me introduce you to a new friend. He’s one of my brother’s business partners, and I’ve been asked to entertain him recently…” As the neon lights flashed by, they illuminated two faces from deep in my memory. My college first love and his affair partner. It took all my strength to clench my fists and not make a sound, but I still showed the biggest loss of composure in nearly three months. “Noah, did you see that? Ava’s expression just now was so ridiculous, still as stupid as ever…” Contemptuous, frivolous, malicious female voice. I once broke down and cried under such a voice. Now, it only took me two seconds. I took the initiative to raise my glass and greet them with a smile. “Hello, I’m Ava, Lucas’s fiancée.” Zoe, wearing a wine-red spaghetti strap dress, turned her head haughtily, disdainful of me. Instead, it was Noah, hidden in the darkness, who accepted my toast. His voice was low and bewitching. “Lucas is lucky to have such a good fiancée.” Compared to before, Noah had become more sophisticated and less cold. Lucas joked, “Brother Noah, are you envious? I can introduce you to some quality girls. Someone as outstanding as you doesn’t need to hang onto a crooked tree. Find someone you can show off…” A blatant insult to her face. Zoe finally realized and glared at Lucas. Lucas didn’t flinch, smiling softly and innocently. Zoe had miscalculated. Lucas might seem good-natured, but he was actually sharp-tongued, playing dumb to outwit others. Zoe had offended me, so he targeted her. The air froze. Noah smoothly mediated the situation. “Thanks for your kindness, Lucas, but I’m a man of singular taste. Once I’ve found someone I like, I don’t change easily.” “New clothes might be nice, but old friends are irreplaceable. The more people you meet, the more you miss the sincerity and companionship of your first love.” He seemed to be defending Zoe, but his gaze fell on my face. I turned away, pretending to look at my phone. Suddenly, there was a loud noise at the door. Usually, I deal with one mistress a month, but today I’ve encountered three in one day. The girl standing at the door with her arms crossed and glaring was Ella. Two months ago, I had seen her at Lucas’s friend’s rock climbing gym. That day, Lucas had complimented her a couple of times, and Ella had blushed, finding ways to talk to him. After lunch, Lucas told me he was going to the hotel next door to take a nap. Not long after, Ella disappeared too. I pretended not to see or hear anything. Rachel couldn’t find Lucas, so she asked me. I said I didn’t know. Rachel was frantic: “Ava, can’t you control him more?” I never controlled Lucas; in fact, I indulged him. Men can’t be controlled; the more you try, the more they resent you.

Tonight, Ella came in full force. I stood up, wearily going to meet her. “Miss Ella, if you have something to discuss, let’s go outside…” Ella, taller than me, took advantage of my attempt to reason and slapped me to the ground. “Ava, haven’t you overstayed your welcome in the Lucas family? I’ve done my research, you’re quite the gold-digger. You even seduced the boss of a finance company before, your reputation is in tatters, everyone wants you gone…” The crowd gasped, and discussions broke out. It was like having a bucket of ice water dumped on me in winter. My heart clenched, and the light in my eyes went out like a switch. That suffocating feeling of being overwhelmed came rushing back. Before I met Lucas, I had been struggling in that kind of darkness, lost and confused. Ella turned and changed her demeanor. She grabbed Lucas and pleaded earnestly. “Lucas, don’t be fooled by Ava, she’s no good. Her mother is just an ordinary worker from Xinjiang, and her father died fifteen years ago.” “She has neither background nor connections, but she’s beautiful. Women like her have no bottom line, they’ll do anything to climb up, using men as stepping stones.” “She’s only close to you for your family’s money. Break up with her…” Another one trying to force me out. But this time, she was going through Lucas. Before I could counterattack, Lucas laughed. He looked at Ella with curved eyes, but there was coldness deep within. “Miss Ella, have I offended you somehow? Why are you slandering my beloved fiancée?” Ella was stunned, suddenly feeling uneasy, and waved her hands repeatedly. She had underestimated my relationship with Lucas. I was the daughter-in-law recognized by the Lucas family, with interests aligned with Lucas. My face was his face. Ella’s foolish public exposure, her self-righteous good intentions, were actually trampling on his face. Lucas looked up at me, his lips silently forming two words. “Get up.” Behind Ella, I was already at arm’s length, my eyes bloodshot. Grabbing that flamboyant high ponytail, I directly hit her head with the bottle of Dom Pérignon in my hand. “Ah!” Ella screamed, followed by other girls screaming, mixed with Zoe’s cold laughter. “Don’t go over there.” Lucas sternly warned others not to move. “Can’t you see your sister-in-law is angry about being wrongly accused?” Sometimes, I felt Lucas and I were a perfect match. I unconditionally tolerated his philandering, and he stood by my side and defended me without limits. Ella panicked and was about to explain. I quickly stunned her with another bottle. Straddling Ella, I slapped her face one after another. “This is for spreading rumors about me, this is for making up stories, this is for repeatedly trying to ruin my relationship with Lucas…” Apart from Ella’s whimpers and the crisp sound of slaps, the room was silent. More than a dozen people looked at each other with complex expressions. Until someone abruptly applauded. “Bravo, bravo, Miss Ava is truly impressive, it’s quite an eye-opener…” I suddenly came to my senses and stopped my actions. The one applauding was Noah. He walked step by step into the light. Phoenix eyes, thin knife-like lips, a slightly aquiline nose. His mouth curved up, but his eyes were full of mockery. Every move exuded a dangerous aura. “I’m becoming more and more interested in Miss Ava…” Noah and I looked at each other across the space, separated by four years. After a long while, I was the first to look away. I forgot to manage my expression, leaving indifferently. From the corner of my eye, I saw Lucas following me. I deliberately waited a while at the elevator, but no one came. I laughed self-mockingly and pressed the elevator button to go down. I dialed William’s number; I wouldn’t turn to him unless absolutely necessary. “Hello, big brother, help me deal with someone named Ella.” “…Yes, I did delete everything back then, I don’t know where she dug up the dirt, she publicly exposed my affair with Jack…” Downstairs, I bought a milk tea to ease my anxiety. Behind me, a black G-Class drove up. Noah’s well-defined face was gradually revealed by the car window, which had tinted film on it. It wasn’t hard to imagine his purpose for the tinted windows. In the past, Noah and Zoe were like dry tinder, ready to ignite at any moment, and they had played in all sorts of places. While they were recklessly indulging, I was making soup for Noah and ironing his shirts. The man’s slender knuckles knocked on the car window: “Let me take you home.” I held back the nausea rising in my throat: “No need, Lucas will be down soon.” Noah pretended to think for a moment. “What a pity, Grace is very clingy, she won’t let Lucas come down easily tonight…” I was surprised. I had heard of Grace, she was a famous escort. Thinking back, she did seem to be in the private room earlier. So, Lucas’s footsteps were held back by her. In just a second, I reacted: “You arranged this?” Noah chuckled softly, getting out of the car himself to pull me. “Don’t worry, Grace has a clean health check report.” He came closer, I stepped back. I turned and ran back towards the building. Noah didn’t waste words, his large hand caught my waist and locked me in the car. ———- This is the breakpoint ———- Seeing the car drive out of the city center against my will, I was both anxious and angry, desperately calling Lucas.

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Six months ago, I signed the divorce papers. I wanted the money, not the son. My ex-husband Sebastian Quinn sneered, “I’m the best you’ll ever get.” “After the divorce, I can find someone new anytime, but you? You’ll just be a divorced woman no one wants!” Our son Liam Quinn rolled his eyes at me, “Good riddance. I want Aunt Scarlett to be my mom. You’re not worthy!” Half a year later, both father and son begged me to come back. They were certain I’d eventually soften and agree. Until I showed them my engagement ring: “Sorry, gentlemen, I’m getting married.” Not far away, a little girl ran into my arms. She called out sweetly, “Mommy!” I never expected to see Sebastian Quinn again. After the divorce, I returned to my hometown, while Sebastian and our son stayed in New York. The distance between us was a three-hour flight. Enough to never cross paths again in this lifetime. Until a business dinner, where the manager introduced me to a Mr. Quinn, supposedly one of the top 100 investors in the Northeast. I had imagined many possibilities. But I never thought that the always proud and arrogant Sebastian Quinn would stoop to discuss a project worth less than a million dollars. After we sat down, his inquiring gaze remained fixed on me. I calmly picked up my wine glass, smiling and cooperating with the manager’s negotiations. Sebastian didn’t say a word throughout. Until several business partners started pressuring me to drink: “Miss Hart, you’re full of hidden talents. You’ve only been in this industry for less than six months, and you’re already making a name for yourself.” “You won’t refuse this toast, will you?” … One glass after another, the liquor burned down my throat, making my stomach ache. Even the manager noticed something was wrong. He tried to intercept the drinks for me, but was skillfully brushed aside by the partners, leaving him helplessly worried. Until I could barely stand. I heard Sebastian’s displeased rebuke: “Enough! A bunch of grown men forcing drinks on a young woman, what does that look like?” “Are we still discussing this deal or not?” The middle-aged balding men finally put down their glasses, exchanging awkward glances and forced smiles. A wave of nausea hit me. I excused myself and hurried to the restroom. After throwing up violently in the stall, my stomach still cramping, I managed to support myself and walk out. A pack of tissues appeared from my left. I looked up to see Sebastian’s handsome profile hidden in the shadows, his eyes unreadable. His tone was concerned: “Amelia, after divorcing me, it seems you’re not doing well at all.” “If I hadn’t stepped in earlier, were you going to drink until you threw up?” At first glance, he seemed genuinely worried about me. I pushed his hand away, sneering, “Cut the act, Sebastian. Who do you think you’re fooling?” “I’ve dined with these partners before.” “One has high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol, another has fatty liver, and the third just had surgery. They rarely touch alcohol. Without your instructions, why would they suddenly force drinks on me?” “Swooping in to help after seeing me in distress, Sebastian, does this satisfy your male ego every time you do it?” It’s not that I’m being paranoid, but Sebastian had done exactly the same thing before. Before marrying him, I planned to pursue a career in mechanical engineering. After getting married, on my mentor’s recommendation, I got an interview opportunity for a job position. If things went well, I could even join a research institute in the future. At the time, I immediately shared this good news with Sebastian. However, after the interview, I heard nothing back. Not only that, but my usually caring mentor suddenly became very cold towards me. He wouldn’t answer my calls or reply to my messages. I was devastated and began to doubt myself. Had I messed up some part of the interview? Had the company not liked me, disappointing my mentor? Sebastian, on the other hand, comforted me: “Honey, they’re the ones without vision. They can’t appreciate your talents.” “If it doesn’t work out, you don’t need to work. I can support you.”

I was deeply touched at the time. However, I never gave up on my career aspirations. If one company didn’t work out, I’d try another. I was even willing to take on sales roles related to the mechanical industry. But my luck seemed terrible. I’d barely last three or four months before the company would lay me off, citing restructuring. I was caught in a vicious cycle. Countless times, I asked myself: Am I really such a failure? Later, I became pregnant with our son Liam. Severe morning sickness tormented me, and I had to get many injections at the hospital to prevent miscarriage. Even walking was a struggle. I had no choice but to rest at home. When my mentor’s 60th birthday came around, after much hesitation, I sent a congratulatory message and a gift. That night, I received a call from my mentor. On the other end, the old man was drunk but still audibly upset: “Amelia, all these years, I’ve felt both love and disappointment for you, my last student.” “You’ve always been ambitious. Why did you reject the job I arranged for you back then?” “Do you know how many favors I called in to get you that opportunity, and you just gave it up!” I was stunned. After some probing, I learned that I hadn’t been rejected at all. Someone had declined the offer in my name. My mentor thought it was my personal decision, and when he heard I got married, he was greatly disappointed. A flash of realization hit me, and I called my previous employers. Only then did I discover that the “me” from before had often inexplicably insulted colleagues, sent emails complaining about heavy workloads, and even reported company leaders. Who would dare to hire me? And the culprit behind all this was none other than Sebastian. I confronted him in tears. Sebastian, with his mistress in his arms, coldly replied: “Amelia, you should be grateful. I’ve let you stay at home and enjoy life all these years instead of working.” “Besides, you’re a woman. Why do you need such a strong career drive?” “Always out for work, not even able to take care of our son properly. What kind of image is that?” Our son Liam, whom I had carried for ten months, looked at me with contempt: “Mom, you’re being ungrateful.” “Even if you went out to work, you’d never be as successful as dad. Why not just be a good housewife?” Even my friends advised me: Sebastian was at the peak of his career, and it wouldn’t be wise to fall out with him. I should hold onto his heart tightly and not let this golden opportunity slip away. After all, I was just a housewife who hadn’t worked in years. Apart from relying on Sebastian, I had no other options. At that time, I was like a moth trapped in a spider’s web. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t break free.

After I exposed his true colors, Sebastian’s face darkened. He threw the tissues in his hand into the trash can, unable to hide his disappointment as he said, “Amelia, you’ve changed.” “You used to be gentle, considerate, and understanding. Now you’re sharp-tongued and vulgar.” I remained calm: “Mr. Quinn, if you flew all the way from New York just to criticize me,” “Please, feel free to continue.” I didn’t care much about his words and turned to leave. Sebastian reached out to stop me: “Today is our son’s birthday. He’s been asking to see you.” “You must come with me.” Thinking of that face so similar to Sebastian’s, with an identical personality, I felt disgusted and directly refused: “I’m busy!” “The divorce agreement was very clear. I don’t want custody of the son, but I send child support every month.” “Besides, didn’t he desperately want your mistress to be his mom?” “Why is he clinging to me now?” Sebastian lowered his voice and said, “Amelia, is a $500,000 project enough to buy your presence at our son’s birthday party?” I paused. For Sebastian, this dinner was just about an insignificant small project, not even worth a second glance. But the entire project team had been working on it for three months. They all hoped the negotiation would succeed, so they could use the bonus to pay off mortgages, fund their children’s education, pay for their parents’ medical bills… I couldn’t let them all down because of me. “Fine, I agree.” After sending the drunk manager and project team colleagues to their cars, I opened the door of the Porsche Cayenne. Sebastian drove personally. On the way, he kept trying to make conversation. From inquiring about my life to attempting to get my attention with talk of our son. Unfortunately, I had no interest. He talked, and I kept tapping away on my phone, sending messages. When we arrived at the villa. I had just gotten out of the car when a small figure rushed over, bumping into me painfully. “Mom, why did you make me wait so long?” It was my son, Liam Quinn. He was wearing a well-tailored suit, looking exactly like a miniature version of Sebastian. Ignoring the fact that I was wearing high heels, he dragged me into the living room. The interior was lavishly decorated: expensive 3D models, flashy ribbons, various toys, and luxury goods crammed into the corners… In the center of the coffee table in the living room sat an eight-inch mango cake. Everything was so familiar. I clenched my fists, my nails turning white, my body slightly trembling.

Sebastian walked up beside me, completely oblivious, even with a hint of nostalgia and a smile in his voice: “Do you notice? This is exactly how we decorated for Liam’s birthday a year ago, before we divorced.” “He still remembers every detail to this day.” “Amelia, you carried him for ten months. He loves you so much. Now that you’ve seen him, can you really bear to leave?” I could no longer contain my anger, and retorted word by word: “Why wouldn’t I be able to bear it?” “Sebastian, you should know very well that birthday party was a humiliation for me.” Five years into our marriage, Sebastian had taken up with a starlet. Her name was Scarlett Rose, strikingly beautiful, but with a carefully crafted public image of innocence. My husband Sebastian doted on her. He often brazenly brought Scarlett home, and upon seeing me, his eyes were filled with undisguised contempt: “Amelia, look at yourself. No figure, no ability, just a freeloader.” “Learn from Scarlett. She’s already an Oscar-winning actress at such a young age.” “I’m embarrassed to be seen with you in public.” Even our son Liam, whom I had carried for ten months and raised with care, preferred Scarlett. “Mom, why are you my mother?” “If dad’s wife was Scarlett Rose, I could brag to others that I have an Oscar-winning actress for a mom.” “But you’re just a housewife. When my classmates ask about you, I feel ashamed.” My heart was overwhelmed with helplessness. I wanted to defend myself but didn’t know where to begin. It was Sebastian who had completely destroyed my career opportunities. Yet he turned around and accused me of being a freeloader. I had carried Liam for ten months and devoted myself to him wholeheartedly. But I still couldn’t compare to Scarlett, who only saw him once a week. What finally made me determined to divorce was on Liam’s birthday a year ago. He rarely spoke to me gently: “Mom, all my friends have nice birthday parties. I want one too.” He pleaded with me. I immediately organized the entire birthday party. That evening, Liam invited all his classmates to our house, and Sebastian invited many business partners. Then Scarlett showed up. She brought a $20,000 Lego set as a gift and gracefully sat down next to Sebastian. Liam’s classmates were very envious and asked, “Liam, what’s your relationship with the famous Scarlett Rose? Why is she so nice to you?” At that moment, I was about to bring out the cake I had made myself. But I heard Liam’s clear voice answer, “Scarlett is my mom.” His classmates obviously didn’t believe him and pointed at me, saying, “She’s your mom.” Liam looked at me with disgust in his eyes: “No, she’s not my mom. She’s just our housekeeper.”

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At the party, I accidentally ingested a love potion and ended up spending a wild night with my sworn rival. The next day, when my friend Rachel asked me how it was, I tried to save face by lying, “It wasn’t anything special. I barely felt a thing, and then it was over.” Unfortunately, my rival overheard this comment. With a smirk, he forcefully dragged me back to the hotel where it all happened. Pinning me down, he slowly removed his hearing aid and mouthed the words: “Now that it’s off, I won’t stop.” “Don’t beg for mercy like you did that night.” “After all… I can’t hear you.” With a loud rip, I tore James’s designer shirt in half. Straddling him, my fingers clumsily roamed over his abs, eliciting heavy breaths from him. Just as I reached for his belt, he suddenly grabbed my hand, frantically signing: I managed to make out that he was trying to say no. “Damn it, James! Are you trying to kill me here?” “I’m already like this, and you won’t touch me? Are you impotent or something?!” “If you can’t do it, find me a real man who can.” I burst into tears. Who would have thought attending a party could lead to being drugged? And the effects were so strong, I was burning up and losing all reason. If I didn’t get a man soon, I feared I might actually die. James’s grip on me loosened for a moment. His sharp Adam’s apple bobbed a few times as he swallowed hard. He signed again: “Are you sure you won’t regret this?” I lost my patience and pushed myself up to kiss him fiercely. “If you’re a real man, just do it! Why so many questions?!”

The next morning, I woke up with an aching body and a parched throat. Supporting my sore waist, I was about to get up for some water when I caught sight of James resting beside me with his eyes closed. His hair was disheveled, and visible scratches and kiss marks adorned his neck, looking utterly debauched. Especially that large bite mark on his chest. My breath caught as my brain went into overdrive. Who am I? Where am I? What did I do? Who is this man next to me? Then I let out a high-pitched scream like a startled meerkat. Holy crap, I had spent an entire day and night rolling around with James, my sworn rival!! Forgetting all shame, I hurriedly put on my clothes and fled the room on shaky legs. When I got home, my parents, who had been unable to find me, looked me over several times. Seeing that I was unharmed, they finally relaxed. “Oh, Lily dear, have you seen my James?” a voice suddenly cut in, making me jump. It was James’s mother. I looked up and realized that James’s parents were also at my house, seemingly having been there for a while. James’s mother’s face was filled with worry: “That boy disappeared after the party last night.” “We checked the security footage and saw you two leaving together.” “How come only you came back?” Meeting James’s mother’s gaze, my heart suddenly tightened, and I couldn’t help but look away guiltily. Of course I knew where James was. We had been lying in bed together just hours ago, doing unspeakable things. If our parents found out we had slept together, they would definitely try to get us together. But James was my sworn rival. We could never be together. Besides, last night was just an accident.

Just as I was wracking my brain for how to respond, James’s mother’s eyes suddenly lit up, and she hurriedly walked past me: “James—” As soon as she spoke, an intense and piercing gaze fell silently on my back, like a sharp knife scraping against my flesh. I stiffly turned around to find James looking at me. He signed, indicating he was fine, then lifted his eyelids to look at me. He asked: “Why did you leave first?” His expression reminded me of last night when I was on top of him, and he kept signing to ask if the intensity was okay. As the chaotic memories flooded my mind, I hurriedly turned away and fled upstairs. Back in my room, I locked myself in the bathroom and dunked my head underwater, trying to shake off those indecent memories swirling in my brain. “Lily Evans, what kind of R-rated thoughts are you having?!” I scolded myself. I forced myself to stay calm, silently reassuring myself. So what if I slept with James? It’s not a big deal. James probably doesn’t care either. He might even be disgusted by it. We can just pretend nothing happened. Just like how he’s always kept his distance from me before.

James and I grew up together as childhood friends. Because our families lived close by, we played together all the time as kids and were practically inseparable. Back then, James’s hearing was still fine, and he didn’t need a hearing aid. Every day after school, the first thing I’d do was go find him, and he never tired of playing with me. Until that year when James was ten. He came down with a high fever, and due to delayed treatment, he was left with a disability. From then on, he had to wear a hearing aid to hear. It was from that day that the once gentle boy gradually became unpredictable in his moods. He grew quiet and withdrawn, often shutting himself in his room and refusing all treatment. I tried to cheer him up, but whenever he saw me, he would throw things, lose his temper, and angrily tell me to go away. Even at that young age, I could clearly sense that he didn’t want to see me and even resented my presence. But I’m not one to give up easily. The more James pushed me away, the more I appeared before him, deliberately opposing him in everything. As we grew older, he continued to distance himself from me. And so he became the rival I was determined to challenge at every turn.

I hid at home for three days. During that time, my best friend Rachel kept trying to get me to go out, but I made excuses and refused. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go out. My waist was still sore from James’s intense… activities. James was nearly 6’2″, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His muscular arms could easily lift my 130-pound frame with one hand. That night, he had me pinned against the wall with one arm as my body endured wave after wave of pleasure. And he still wasn’t satisfied, insisting on trying multiple locations. I began to suspect he might have an addiction to this kind of thing. It wasn’t until the fourth day, when my body had somewhat recovered, that I finally agreed to meet up with Rachel. As soon as we met, Rachel eagerly asked what had happened between James and me. “Spill it! What’s going on with you and James? He’s been asking me about you non-stop lately.” James asking about me? My first reaction was disbelief. After keeping me at arm’s length for so many years, shouldn’t he be avoiding me like the plague? But under Rachel’s persistent questioning, I ended up telling her about sleeping with James. “What? You slept with James—” Rachel looked utterly shocked, her voice rising to an alarming pitch. I quickly covered her mouth before we could attract attention in the cafe. “Damn, Lily, you’ve really done it now. You actually managed to bed James Potter.” “So, how was he? Was it mind-blowing?” Rachel nudged me with her elbow, a mischievous grin on her face. My face instantly turned red. Although I didn’t want to admit it, I had to say that James was pretty good in that department. The only issue was communication. Sometimes when things got intense, his hearing aid would fall off, and no matter how much I begged, he wouldn’t stop. In the end, I could only press against his ear, brokenly crying and pleading between gasps.

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At 17, I took in three young boys. As adults, they each took something from me. One took my kidney, another my uterus, and the third drained half my blood. All because their dream girl was gravely ill and urgently needed these three things. “Zoe, you can live without those organs, but Rosie will die if she’s not treated,” they said. What they didn’t know was that all my organs had been damaged in an explosion years ago. These three parts combined were enough to cost me my life. I lay pale and weak on the hospital bed after having half my blood drained. Lucas rushed in to take the blood bag, then turned back halfway to toss a black credit card at me. “Use this card for anything you need. I’ll compensate you double once Rosie recovers,” he said before leaving without looking back. This was the third time. I trembled as I tried to get out of bed. But as soon as my feet touched the ground, I blacked out from blood loss and fell. At the same time, sharp pain shot through two wounds on my abdomen. I took a few deep breaths and shakily pulled open my hospital gown. There were two freshly stitched incisions on my abdomen. One on my lower belly where my uterus had been removed. Another on my side where a kidney had been taken. And the people who took my organs were the children I had raised with my own hands. I leaned against the wall, shaking as I slowly made my way to the door. As soon as I opened it, I heard Lucas’s voice from next door. “Don’t worry Rosie, I’ll cure you no matter what. Leaving you back then was unavoidable, but I’ll make it up to you tenfold from now on.” “Tch, taking all the credit for yourself? Have some shame! I’m the one who begged Zoe on my knees for that kidney!” “Enough, let’s focus. Lucas, hurry and give Rosie the blood transfusion.” I froze, a bitter taste filling my mouth. The three speakers were the children I had raised. Rosie and I were separated by just one wall. But since I was brought to the hospital, they had only visited me three times. Once to take my kidney, once for my uterus, and once to drain my blood. Ignoring the pain, I took out my phone to message Quinn. “I’ve made up my mind. I’m leaving.” Quinn replied quickly: “It’s about time! You raised them to adulthood, you don’t owe anyone anything anymore. I’m buying a plane ticket now, wait for me!” She was right, I no longer owed anyone anything. Six years ago, I found Lucas on a rainy night. He was hiding by a dumpster, injured. I didn’t mind the dirt and held my umbrella over him. “Where’s your family, kid?” I asked. Lucas looked up with clear eyes. “My parents died long ago. My grandma who loved me most is gone too.” Seeing the injuries all over him, I asked if he wanted to come with me. Later I learned that Lucas’s grandmother had died in an explosion. His relatives mistreated him, leaving him hungry, cold, and beaten. A week after taking in Lucas, I took in two brothers. Their parents had also died in an explosion. Their relatives had stolen all their assets and repeatedly tried to kill them. With three teenage boys in the house, expenses multiplied. While my peers were preparing for college entrance exams, I decisively dropped out of school and worked six jobs a day to support them. When Quinn found out, she rushed over and jabbed a finger at my forehead in frustration. “Have you lost your mind?! Dropping out for three strangers? You’re working to put them through school, but what about your future? Is someone forcing you to do this?” I shook my head, silently looking at the calluses on my hands. “No one’s forcing me. This is what I want.”

Quinn said I had an overdeveloped sense of morality and that I’d regret it someday. But for all her scolding, she would still secretly slip me money. Later on, Quinn often called them three ungrateful brats. Back then, I would still defend them. Now I see Quinn wasn’t wrong – they really were ungrateful brats. But if I could go back six years, I would still take them in without hesitation. I snapped out of my thoughts and held onto the wall as I walked into the hallway. But the next moment, I saw Sean coming out of the room next door. He was one of the two brothers I had taken in. The skinny teenager had grown taller than me as an adult. Sean frowned when he saw me out of bed. “Where are you going?” “It’s boring in the room. I wanted to take a walk.” I tried to brush past him, but he grabbed my wrist tightly. “Rosie isn’t fully recovered yet. Don’t think about running off.” My heart felt like it had been doused with ice water. I tried to shake him off, but I was too weak. “Sean, let go of me, damn it!” As we struggled, Rosie’s voice came from the next room. “Is that Zoe outside? Let her in.” “I owe my recovery all to her. I want to thank Zoe in person.” Sean forcefully dragged me into the room. The movement pulled at my wounds, and my face went deathly pale. But Sean didn’t notice anything wrong. As soon as we entered, he rushed straight to the bed. He didn’t look at me once. There were three men in the room – all the boys I had raised. Now these three men were hovering around Rosie. Lucas was feeding her ginseng soup. When he saw me, he didn’t even pause. Rosie waved her hands saying she didn’t want more, but her eyes gleamed with triumph as she looked at me. “Zoe, please tell them to stop. I’ve said I don’t want ginseng, but they insist on feeding me.” “Just one more sip. You just had surgery and a major blood transfusion. You need to replenish your strength,” Lucas coaxed, giving her a few more spoonfuls. My throat felt like it was on fire. The bitterness in my heart threatened to overwhelm me. Rosie looked nothing like a sick person. Her face was rosy, her eyes bright. She looked healthier than me. “If you don’t want it, just pour it out,” I said flatly, wanting to leave as soon as possible. To my surprise, Rosie burst into tears at my words. “Zoe, do you hate me? I know I owe my life to you. But if you don’t like it, I won’t get treatment.” Lucas and Sean rushed to comfort her. Henry, the other brother, pointed at me angrily. “Zoe, you’ve gone too far! Rosie just wanted to apologize. Why have you been glaring since you came in?” I wasn’t glaring. My wounds had reopened. The sharp pain was consuming me, not to mention I had just lost half my blood. A nurse walked in at that moment. She was startled to see me and quickly helped me to a chair. “Miss, are you feeling unwell? Even your lips are white.” My heart felt like it was being stabbed by countless needles. A stranger could see something was wrong, but they couldn’t. They all stood by Rosie’s bed scolding me. I couldn’t stay any longer. I thanked the nurse and left.

I had barely reached the lobby when Henry caught up and grabbed my shoulder roughly. “Zoe! Rosie just had surgery. The doctor said she needs rest.” “We’ve been trying so hard to cheer her up these past days. Then you come and make her cry!” “Come back with me and apologize to her!” How absurd. They only saw that Rosie had surgery. But I had organs forcibly removed – the damage to my body was far worse! They couldn’t see any of that. I pushed him away and walked towards the exit. Henry wouldn’t let me leave. He forcefully grabbed my clothes. There was a loud ripping sound. My clothes were torn open in public, exposing my entire upper body. Everyone in the busy lobby turned to look. Henry froze for a moment, then quickly took off his jacket to cover me. “Zoe, I didn’t mean to…” Before Henry could finish, I raised a trembling hand and slapped him. I held back tears, my face flushed with humiliation. “Henry, I don’t owe you three anything anymore. Don’t contact me again.” I left without looking back. Henry was about to chase after me, but he got a phone call and ran upstairs in a panic instead. The old door creaked as it opened. I was finally home. I collapsed exhaustedly onto the couch. But the next moment, a wave of nausea hit and I coughed violently, spitting up blood. I stared blankly at the blood on the floor, then cleaned it up as if nothing had happened. I knew I was dying. Eight years ago, I was caught in a fuel tanker explosion that killed many people. Though I survived, my internal organs were severely damaged. The doctors said my organs would never fully recover. Since then, I couldn’t do any heavy work. Even walking too fast left me breathless. Only Quinn knew about this. So when she found out I was working six jobs for three strangers, even she couldn’t understand what I was thinking. Just then, Quinn called. “Zoe, you’re so inconsiderate! You didn’t even come pick me up! Never mind, I’m out of the airport now. I’m coming to find you – are you still living in that old house where you raised those three ungrateful brats?” “Yes, I’m so sorry Quinn. I’ve been too busy with work to get away.” I lied to Quinn. She still didn’t know what I’d been through at the hospital. After hanging up, I got up to pack my bags. But the next moment, I heard a key turning in the lock outside. I froze. Besides me, only those three had keys to this old house. The door opened. Lucas entered first, pausing when he saw my packed suitcase on the floor. Sean pushed past him and came up to me, pulling me towards the door. He looked very anxious. “Rosie’s condition suddenly worsened. She needs your blood. Come to the hospital with me, quick!” I yanked my hand away forcefully and slapped him, my hand shaking. “Sean! I’m a person too! Have you ever thought that I need blood as well?!” Sean suddenly knelt before me, like he used to when begging for favors. “Please sis, save her one more time. Blood can be replenished, but if Rosie isn’t treated, she really will die.” “No need to beg her. She’s probably hoping Rosie dies soon,” Henry said coldly as he walked in. “Zoe, I’ll give you two choices. Either you walk to my car yourself, or I’ll tie you up and carry you there.” Seeing I didn’t respond, Henry’s expression darkened as he advanced towards me. Lucas stood blocking the doorway – my only escape route. How ironic. The three boys I raised with my own hands were now forcing me into a corner. “What if I say no?” I asked. “You don’t have the right to refuse.” My heart turned to ice. I stripped naked in front of them, revealing my mutilated body. My arms were bruised from blood draws. There were two incisions on my waist and abdomen. I pointed at these wounds and shouted: “This is my body!” “You’ve already taken two organs from me and drained half my blood!” “Now you want more of my blood – are you trying to kill me right in front of you?!” The three grown men froze, averting their eyes. Finally, Henry approached me. “You won’t die, but Rosie will die right now if we don’t save her. I’m sorry Zoe, but we’ll make it up to you a thousand times over when this is all over.” Henry helped me dress, then forcibly carried me to the car. At the hospital, I was back in the familiar room. Blood flowed steadily from my body into an empty bag. My lips had turned white, but the bag was only a quarter full. “Should we continue?” the doctor asked hesitantly, knowing I had given blood earlier that day. Lucas looked at me, conflicted. “Just a bit more.” “No! Draw two-thirds. This amount is too little, it won’t be enough for Rosie,” Henry insisted, staring at the blood bag. How nice. I truly don’t owe you anything anymore. I closed my eyes with a bitter smile. The next moment, Quinn burst into the room like a madwoman, but was held back by security. “You animals!” she screamed. “Zoe’s organs were damaged 8 years ago! Drawing her blood is killing her!”

Everyone in the room was stunned by Quinn’s outburst. Sean hesitated, then moved to turn off the blood drawing machine. Henry grabbed his brother’s hand, glaring. “Get that crazy woman out of here!” “You three ungrateful bastards can go to hell!” Quinn yelled as security dragged her out. Her shouts echoed down the hallway. Henry watched the blood bag intently. When it was two-thirds full, he suddenly stopped the doctor. “Draw 50 more milliliters.” What little blood I had left was drained out. I finally couldn’t hold on and passed out. When I came to, Lucas was by my bedside. Seeing I was awake, he offered me a bowl of ginseng soup. “You just gave blood. Drink this to replenish your strength.” I knocked it away. The next second, Henry grabbed my jaw and forced the soup down my throat. “Cough cough cough!” I hunched over the bed, coughing violently. Each cough pulled at the wounds on my abdomen and waist. “Brother, don’t be so rough with Zoe,” Sean said, gently patting my back. His voice held worry. “Was what that woman said true?” Before Sean could finish, Henry let out a cold laugh. “She used to carry cement bags at construction sites without breaking a sweat. Now she’s acting all delicate?” “Besides, her kidney and uterus were transplanted into Rosie just fine. How could they be damaged?” I coughed until I cried. Quinn was right. These three really were ungrateful brats. Just then, a nurse informed them that Rosie had been saved. The three of them immediately ran to the next room. Lucas was the last to leave. He cast a worried glance at me, but still abandoned me to go. After they left, I coughed up blood all over the floor. I knew I was dying. My organs were already severely damaged. Now I was missing two organs and had lost most of my blood. Death wasn’t far off. But I felt a sense of release. I lay back in bed, stroking the ring I always wore on my right hand. I should have died in that explosion years ago. A fuel tanker was heading straight for me. If not for a couple pushing me out of the way, I would have perished in the inferno. The husband managed to escape, but his wife wasn’t so lucky. She was caught in the blast and died in the fire. There was a second explosion. The man and I were trapped in a corner, along with an elderly woman. The escape route was narrow. The man and the old woman told me to go first. One out of kindness. One out of longing for his wife. I had just crawled out of the corner and was reaching back to help the old woman. Then the fuel tanker exploded a third time. The man and old woman couldn’t escape in time. They both died in the flames. That couple were Sean and Henry’s parents. And that old woman was Lucas’s beloved grandmother. If not for saving me: Sean and Henry would be rich kids, fretting over whether to buy a sports car or designer watch. Lucas would have the grandmother who loved him most in the world. But because of me: Sean and Henry lost their parents and were ostracized by relatives. Lucas was kicked around by family members, going hungry and cold every day. Out of guilt, I took them in and gave up my education to support them with all I had. Now they had taken three parts of my body. And I was dying. I felt I no longer owed them anything.

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My girlfriend ran off for her idol again. Only this time, it was during our engagement party. No matter how much I begged, she wouldn’t soften her stance one bit. In the end, I dismissed the guests and called off the engagement. Then she came back crying, begging me for another chance. My girlfriend ran off for her idol again. Only this time, it was during our engagement party. No matter how much I begged, she wouldn’t soften her stance one bit. In the end, I dismissed the guests and called off the engagement. Then she came back crying, begging me for another chance. I was adjusting my suit, getting ready to go out and toast the guests when Hannah rushed in, dragging her wedding dress, a worried look on her face. “Ryan, Alex just called me. He got into a racing accident and I need to go to him right now.” “We’re about to start toasting the guests,” I said, grabbing her arm as she turned to leave. “Do you know what day this is?” The guests had already taken their seats. Our engagement party was about to begin. And now she was saying she wanted to leave. What kind of game was she playing? “I know. But he’s hurt, it could be serious,” Hannah said, her eyes welling up with tears as she looked at me. I felt myself wavering, sighing in resignation. “Don’t worry, I’ll send someone to check on him, okay?” I must have said something wrong because Hannah suddenly yanked her hand away and shouted at me. “Ryan, you’d be happy if he died. Would you really send someone to help him?” Her words cut like a knife, piercing my heart. Back when I was pursuing Hannah, I hadn’t exactly been kind to Alex. But I never thought she’d see me this way. In her eyes, was I really someone who would disregard another person’s life? Hannah grabbed the car keys from the table and turned to leave. I took a couple of steps to block the doorway, our eyes meeting. “Yes, I don’t like Alex, but I would never joke about someone’s life.” She met my gaze, her eyes showing no sign of backing down. “It’s just an engagement party, isn’t it? We can have another one. I’ve already agreed to marry you, what more do you want?” She forcefully pushed me aside and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. Finding her wedding dress cumbersome, she tore off the skirt. It was the dress she had said was so important for the engagement, the one we had spent hours shopping for, comparing different stores before finally buying. My body felt cold, as if I’d fallen into an ice cellar. I watched her retreating figure. Silently, I made a decision. Hannah, it’s time we ended this.

When Hannah ran without hesitation towards someone, but that someone wasn’t me, I finally woke up. This engagement party was nothing but a joke. I walked into the hall and, in front of both our families, cancelled the party. My mom, who had been chatting animatedly with Hannah’s parents, quickly pulled me aside to a corner. She asked in a low voice, “What kind of game are you playing? Is this a day to mess around?” “Hannah’s gone. The engagement party can’t go on,” I said. Only then did she realize Hannah wasn’t by my side. Hannah’s mother hung up the phone, looking somewhat angry. But her first reaction was still to apologize to me. “Ryan, Hannah was wrong to do this. I apologize on her behalf. Can you give her a chance to make amends?” I shook my head and returned the engagement ring the host had given me to her. “Mrs. Lin, I was too hasty about this marriage. I hope Hannah finds someone she truly loves.”

After dismissing the guests, I returned home. I gathered all of Hannah’s belongings, preparing to throw them away. In a paper box were letters I had written to her. Hannah and I were childhood sweethearts. We were each other’s first love. During our time dating, I felt like the happiest person in the world. But then Alex appeared. She said Alex was her idol, her ideal type. In all the years I had known Hannah, I had never seen her care so much about someone. So, I started competing with Alex in everything. Once, when he beat me in a competition, Hannah cheered happily beside me, jumping up and running to congratulate him. Leaving me standing alone in desolation. There were so many people congratulating him on stage, one less wouldn’t matter. But my dejected heart really craved encouragement. In the past, she would have definitely patted my shoulder and said with a smile, “It’s just one award, we’ll get it next time.” If I couldn’t beat him academically, I had to outdo him in basketball. When I scored consecutively, racking up over a dozen points, I looked towards the audience. Hoping to hear her cheer for me. But I saw her gaze fixed unwaveringly on Alex. After the game, I ran happily to her side. Only to receive a flippant comment from her. “What’s the use of being good at basketball?” She then turned with a beaming smile to help Alex wipe his sweat. In the second half, Alex suddenly upped his game, playing more aggressively than before. By the end of the match, we were both drenched in sweat. Alex’s exposed arms had several bruises. Hannah got angry, glaring at me fiercely. “Ryan, what’s wrong with you? It’s just a game, was that necessary? Apologize to him right now.” She tenderly massaged his bruises. “It’s fine. You can’t play basketball without getting hurt. Besides, this shows that Ryan gave it his all, which is a way of respecting his opponent,” Alex said. “This isn’t giving it his all, it’s being reckless!” Hannah exclaimed. Hannah’s eyes were only for Alex. Otherwise, she couldn’t have missed that I was equally injured. She took Alex to the infirmary. Coldly leaving behind a sentence. “Don’t follow us.” This was the first time Hannah had gotten angry at me for someone else. Before I could even react to question her about who her real boyfriend was, she came to apologize to me. Hannah approached me with a handmade scarf, looking apologetic. “Ryan, I’m sorry. I was wrong today, I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” I had actually been thinking I wouldn’t forgive her so quickly. But when I saw her nose reddened by the cold wind, I couldn’t help but want to pull her into my arms to warm her up. She smiled and snuggled closer into my embrace, looking up to ask me. “So, do you forgive me? I really know I was wrong.” I nodded. She stood on her tiptoes and gave me a kiss. Then she started to act coy. “You don’t know how scared I was when you looked so angry today.” She knew I couldn’t resist when she acted cute. My tone softened considerably, “It won’t happen again.” She giggled, earnestly promising me. “Don’t worry, you’ll always be the most important person to me.”

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The Year I Died, He Was Marrying Someone Else I had been William’s mistress for four years. On the day I died, he was marrying someone else. “You didn’t come on my big day. What, you don’t want to see me marry another woman?” “Or do you think I’ll give in if you throw a tantrum?” “Olivia, I’ll say this one last time. If you don’t show up today, don’t ever think about coming back.” Later, he knelt before my grave and personally carved my epitaph. “My wife, Olivia. Born when the last pear blossom fell, died the year I loved her most.” That was the first time he admitted he loved me. But what did it matter? I was already dead. “Aren’t you happy now that I’m dead and you can marry her?” I floated beside William at the wedding venue. He couldn’t hear me, of course. He just frowned, having his assistant Sarah repeatedly dial my number. Two calls went unanswered. The third time, the phone was turned off. Ten minutes later, he lost his patience. He took out his phone and sent me a few text messages, full of mockery and threats: “You didn’t come on my big day. What, you don’t want to see me marry another woman?” “Or do you think I’ll give in if you throw a tantrum?” “Olivia, I’ll say this one last time. If you don’t show up today, don’t ever think about coming back.” When talking to me, he always had this air of absolute authority, as if he held the power of life and death. Unfortunately, no matter how angry he was now, he couldn’t take it out on me anymore. Because a few hours ago, I had died. “Mr. Song, the wedding is about to start. You should go change,” Sarah reminded him, holding a tablet, her posture upright and respectful. Hearing this, William’s hand paused on the screen, his sharp brows furrowing. After a few seconds, he tossed the phone to Sarah: “Keep calling until she picks up.”

For some reason, I couldn’t leave William’s side. Or rather, in my spirit form, I couldn’t move more than three steps away from him. I was forced to follow him onto the stage. The wedding venue was decorated with an ocean theme, with a huge blue whale suspended in the air, as beautiful as in a dream. Except the bride wasn’t me, it was Emma. A year ago, William had asked me to bring lunch to his company, specifically requesting salt-baked shrimp. I had spent from morning till noon preparing it, even cutting my hand while deveining the shrimp. But as soon as I entered the office, Sarah stopped me. She had just started working at the company then and wasn’t experienced in handling such situations. “Mr. Song is in a meeting. Please wait outside, Miss Yang.” It was a rather clumsy lie. Before she finished speaking, suspicious sounds leaked from the door crack. Sarah’s face turned red instantly, her eyes flickering, seemingly thinking of how to make me feel better. I smiled faintly and patted her shoulder to comfort her: “It’s okay, I’ll wait outside.” After it ended, William walked out with a petite girl in his arms. That was the first time I saw Emma. Fair skin, big eyes, her high ponytail a bit messy, but it didn’t diminish her youthful beauty. Although neither Emma nor I was the only flower in William’s garden, considering his past preferences, he had never gone for such an innocent college girl before. So when William told me he was going to marry Emma, I was a bit surprised. But I quickly composed myself and packed all my things that very night. Well, “packing” only involved one suitcase. Before I left, he sat on the balcony, his long fingers entwined with misty smoke, smiling somewhat mockingly. “Can’t take it anymore?” He approached me step by step, the heavy tobacco smell assaulting my senses, making me feel nauseous. “I’m sorry, Mr. Song, but I don’t sleep with married men.” If there had been a mirror, I’m sure my smile would have looked awful. William’s smile froze on his face as he lowered his head and gripped my chin. “Should I praise you for your professional ethics?” In his eyes, I was just a woman he had bought with money. Not sleeping with married men sounded like a laughable excuse. “Or are you still hoping to marry me?” I lowered my head. I had thought about it. But it was just… a thought. And even this, I didn’t dare to admit. Seeing my long silence, William patted my face with a hint of mockery, his cool tone piercing my heart. “Olivia, ask yourself, are you worthy?”

William wasn’t always like this. We were childhood sweethearts for ten years. When other girls complained that he wouldn’t teach them but only taught me, he would seriously say I wasn’t just anyone. He would also punch the face of the boy who mocked me when I stained my pants during my period. But now, I can’t remember what that William who protected me at every turn looked like anymore. For me, he only had endless hatred. “Olivia, why didn’t you die with your mother?” This was what he said to me most often later. In our senior year, there was a sudden power outage at school. William and I went home early, only to witness an unspeakable scene between my mother and his father. The gossip about a single widow seducing a married man quickly spread among the neighbors. William’s parents had a big fight. But on their way to the civil affairs bureau to get a divorce, a large truck suddenly overturned. They didn’t even make it to the ambulance, passing away on the spot. On the day of the funeral, I waited outside William’s house all night with red eyes. When he walked out of the dim dawn light, looking haggard, the first thing he said to me was: “Olivia, I don’t have parents anymore. Are you happy?” He hugged me, his long fingers leaving red marks on my arms. Tears occasionally fell on my shoulder. I endured the pain, stammering my lips, apologizing to him over and over again. But in the end, William just shook his head and left with a tear-filled “I hate you.” He disappeared completely from my life, and my mother also suffered a stroke and became paralyzed due to the shock. But what I didn’t expect was that seven years later, when I was worried about medical expenses, William would appear again, casually helping me pay the rest of the hospital bills. “Olivia, she needs to live to see how you suffer.” Perhaps from that moment on, our ending was destined to be a tragedy.

However, William’s methods of torturing me weren’t very sophisticated, nothing more than nitpicking. He would only drink coffee after it had been brewed eight times, and would throw a fit if the bath water was one degree too low. Once I showed any dissatisfaction, I couldn’t sleep at night. I already had sensitive skin, and even slight pressure would leave bruises. William never showed mercy because of this, often indulging as much as he pleased. Once when I was sick, I went to the hospital for IV drips for two days. On my way back, I happened to meet a senior from school. He walked me to my doorstep and chatted with me casually for a bit. It just so happened that William had returned from a business trip and saw this scene. “I still have a fever. Can you let me rest for a while?” I didn’t know why he suddenly got angry, I just hoped that he would spare me this once, considering our years of friendship. “You can still chat and laugh with others, so you probably don’t need rest.” “Besides, 39 degrees (Celsius), I haven’t tried it before. Want to give it a try?” Beast. I cursed at him, deliberately provoking him, but tears fell silently. William turned my face back to him, his thumb gently wiping the blood from my bitten lip. “Don’t act like you’ve suffered some great injustice. At worst, you can go splurge with my card tomorrow to vent.” “After all, exchanging your body for benefits is something your family has always been good at.” I glared at William. Hitting my sore spot made him unusually happy, the smile on his face carrying a hint of ferocious pleasure. “Otherwise, why do you think my dad took care of your family for no reason?” My strength suddenly drained away. Because on this point, I had no way to refute. The occasional candies, the cash gifts during holidays. They had already become things that made me feel guilty whenever I thought about them, without me even knowing. After it ended, I had a fever for three more days, taking care of myself alone in the guest room. William, separated by just a wall, only threw over a box of fever reducers on the first day. He said: “Olivia, don’t die in my house. It’s unlucky.”

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On the day Olivia went to get her diagnosis, she learned she had cancer. The doctor said she had less than six months to live. Olivia calmly returned home and prepared divorce papers. In another two weeks, she would leave this home that didn’t belong to her for good. Olivia silently counted down the days, waiting for the day she could leave. This time, she would not forgive again. She no longer wanted Ethan or her family. “You have leukemia, which is blood cancer. Here is your diagnosis.” Looking at the glaring words on the paper, Olivia actually felt relieved. She calmly accepted the diagnosis. “How much time do I have left?” The doctor sighed. “Six months at most.” After a moment of shock, Olivia stood up to leave. The doctor quickly called out to stop her. “Miss Hayes, if we can find a matching bone marrow donor, there’s still hope.” Leukemia was a well-known cancer. Olivia knew a bone marrow transplant could save her life. But her family might not be willing to get tested as potential donors. Thinking of this, Olivia gave a self-deprecating smile. “That won’t be necessary. Thank you.” “But you’re so young, only 29 years old.” The doctor tried to persuade her a few more times out of sympathy. Seeing Olivia’s silent demeanor, he didn’t say anymore. Olivia put away the diagnosis and called a taxi. Outside the car window, heavy snow was falling, slowly blurring her vision. When she got home, the place was still cold and empty. Ethan was probably “working overtime” again. He used to at least send her a message to let her know. But ever since his old flame Sophia returned from abroad, He couldn’t even be bothered to send a single text. Olivia sat quietly on the sofa in the dark, gazing at the lights of the city outside. For the past 2000 days, she had always waited for Ethan to come home. Today was supposed to be her and Ethan’s wedding anniversary. Yet today she received notice that she had terminal cancer. Olivia didn’t know if it was herself or this empty marriage that was more pathetic. She had waited for Ethan for five years now, and didn’t want to wait anymore. Olivia pulled out the divorce agreement she had drafted two months ago and messaged her lawyer. “Mr. Davis, I’ve decided to go through with the divorce. Please help me draft another divorce agreement.” The reply came quickly. “Alright, same terms as before?” “Yes, but I want to finalize the divorce as soon as possible.” “The fastest we can do now is one month. Let me draft the agreement and we can set up a time to meet.” “Okay.” “By the way, are you sure about this decision?” Her finger hovered over the screen for a moment before Olivia typed a single word. “Yes.” In an instant, Olivia felt like she had lost all her strength. She put down her phone and stared blankly out the window. As long as Ethan agreed to the divorce, she could be free of this marriage in a month. One month… That would be enough time for her to get her affairs in order. Her marriage to Ethan had been an accident. Ethan was the one who proposed to her. At the time, Sophia had left him to go abroad. Olivia knew he had feelings for someone else, but she still agreed to marry him. After all, he was the only person who had been kind to her after her grandmother passed away. Even though he was as cold as ice after they got married and hard to get close to. But Olivia kept telling herself, Ethan was different. As long as she was good enough to him, even the hardest ice could be melted. All this time, her relationship with Ethan wasn’t exactly loving, but it was normal. But less than a year after Sophia returned, his icy exterior had melted into sharp blades. Cutting Olivia over and over until she was bloody and broken. She was truly exhausted. She didn’t want to be entangled with him anymore. As she was lost in thought, she heard the sound of the door opening. The lights were turned on. She shielded her eyes from the sudden brightness and heard the familiar sound of shoes being taken off. “Why are you sitting in the dark?” Hearing Ethan’s question devoid of any real concern, Olivia only replied with two words. “Didn’t feel like it.” Ethan paused briefly as he was taking off his coat. She seemed a bit strange today. But he only thought about it for a moment before continuing to change. Olivia looked at him and called his name seriously. “Ethan.” Ethan responded with a noncommittal “Mm” without even looking up. The response was more like that of strangers than familiar spouses. “Let’s get divorced.”

Ethan finally looked at her. “Don’t be ridiculous.” With those simple words, he dismissed her statement as a joke. “I’m serious.” “I had four surgeries today. I’m exhausted.” In the past, whenever he brought up work, it was a signal for Olivia to be quiet. Ethan unbuttoned his sleeves and walked into the living room nonchalantly. She caught a whiff of Sophia’s favorite plum blossom perfume. Olivia felt nauseous. She closed her eyes briefly and continued speaking. “I’ll draft a divorce agreement and let you look it over. If you don’t have any—” Olivia’s words were cut off by a ringtone. “Little White, answer the phone! Little White, answer the phone!” Sophia’s voice came from Ethan’s coat pocket. Little White was the nickname Sophia had given Ethan. A nickname she had used since middle school. An intimate nickname that only Sophia used for him. Ethan glanced at Olivia. “I didn’t know the ringtone changed.” His explanation sounded perfunctory. When he answered the phone, his voice became exceptionally gentle, a complete contrast to just moments ago. “Sophia, what’s wrong?” It was always like this. Sometimes Olivia couldn’t tell who was really Ethan’s wife. After hanging up, Ethan looked down at Olivia. “Sophia has a low fever today. She said she’s craving your pumpkin porridge.” Olivia gripped her pants leg tightly, looking at him in disbelief. “Ethan, do you know what time it is?” The clock on the wall showed it was past midnight. Ethan replied flatly, “You’re a freelancer, unlike us. It’s fine if you sleep in tomorrow.” Olivia gave a self-deprecating laugh. She was an illustrator, so her time was indeed quite flexible. But that wasn’t a reason for Ethan to order her around. Apparently her health meant nothing in his eyes. Olivia took a deep breath, staring at him intently. “Ethan, let’s set that aside for now. Can you please respect me? I’m trying to talk to you about divorce.” Ethan’s cold expression finally changed as he frowned. “Sophia is sick. Olivia, be sensible.” Ethan looked at her like she was being unreasonable. Olivia struggled to breathe. She used to love his eyes the most. She could still remember the first time she saw Ethan, sitting on her family’s garden wall holding a cat, glancing back at her. Those clear yet cold eyes. One look was enough to capture her heart. One look was enough to make her fall in love hopelessly for thirteen years. Only now did she realize she had fallen in love with an idealized version of Ethan that she had created in her mind. “You didn’t come home for five days, and now you want me to cook for Sophia as soon as you’re back. Ethan, am I really the one being unreasonable?” Faced with her questioning, Ethan replied nonchalantly. “It’s just one meal, you’re being petty. Olivia, Sophia is your stepsister.” How ridiculous. Every argument in the past Always ended with that line. She’s your stepsister. Those words were like a curse. Hanging over Olivia’s five-year marriage. Olivia laughed coldly, looking at Ethan with increasingly unfamiliar eyes. The difference she thought existed turned out to be no difference at all. Ethan was no different from her family. “Ethan, remember this – her last name is Lewis, my last name is Hayes. I don’t have any random stepsister, and I don’t need anyone to assign me a stepsister!” She spoke each word clearly and forcefully. Ethan’s eyes flashed with disbelief. “Olivia, why are you acting like a shrew?”

Five years. She had thought that even if five years of marriage couldn’t earn his love, it could at least earn his respect. But she had overestimated herself. Olivia wanted to ask him. Ask how he could say such cruel words. Ask what she had done wrong to deserve such torment from him. Olivia opened her mouth, but her throat felt stuck. She lowered her eyes, her voice hoarse. “I’ll have the divorce papers drawn up.” Ethan walked past her towards the kitchen. “I’m very tired today. I don’t want to argue with you.” Watching Ethan roll up his sleeves in the kitchen, Olivia turned and went back to the bedroom. Listening to the sounds from the kitchen, Olivia felt a pang in her heart. Ethan had germaphobia and never cooked. Only now did she realize that germaphobia could be selective too. Olivia wiped away the tears in the corner of her eyes. She didn’t have time to be sad now. Besides divorce, there were many other things she needed to do this month. Olivia took out paper and pen, thinking about what she needed to accomplish. After finishing these tasks… She wanted to see the ocean. The winter beaches of Florida must be very warm. Embracing the sunshine as she left this world would surely be painless. Thinking this, Olivia smiled for once. As Olivia closed her notebook, she heard Ethan’s voice. “I won’t be coming home tonight.” Only then did Olivia remember her test results were still outside. She hurriedly ran out, bumping right into Ethan. Ethan scrutinized her face. “What are you in such a rush for?” Olivia tried to appear calm as she grabbed her bag. “Nothing, just getting my bag.” Ethan pressed further: “Really nothing?” He felt Olivia was acting very strangely today. Olivia glanced at him: “Aren’t you going to deliver porridge to your mistress?” Taken aback, Ethan turned to grab his coat by the door. “I’ve told you, there’s nothing between Sophia and me.” After he left, Olivia finally let out a sigh of relief. Ethan cared a lot about his image. If he knew she was sick, he would definitely refuse to divorce her just to save face. She and Ethan lived next to the downtown hospital. But she hadn’t gone there for her checkup. Because Ethan was a surgeon at the downtown hospital. And Sophia had started working in pediatrics there this past year on his recommendation. Ethan didn’t like her going to the downtown hospital to find him. To avoid causing Ethan trouble, she had chosen to go to the district hospital 10 miles away. But thinking about it now, Even if she had gotten checked at the downtown hospital, Ethan probably wouldn’t have noticed. Few people at the hospital knew about their relationship. Olivia carefully hid away the test results. She couldn’t let anything get in the way of the divorce. It was very late now. Olivia curled up in bed, exhausted. Tomorrow she still had to go back to her family home. The Hayes mansion wasn’t far. Only an hour’s drive from where she lived with Ethan. After getting married, she rarely went home except for holidays. Olivia looked at the neatly trimmed garden in front of her and rang the doorbell. She had come today to retrieve her grandmother’s jade pendant.

A few minutes later, someone came out from inside. It was Olivia’s brother, Ryan. Seeing Olivia, his expression was surprised and strange. “Why are you here?” It didn’t sound like how one would greet a sister they hadn’t seen in a long time. More like seeing someone they disliked. Olivia was already used to it. “I need to see Mom about something.” Ryan hesitated before opening the door. “Come in, Mom’s in the living room.” After entering the yard, Olivia immediately noticed the newly planted flowers. Winter jasmine filled nearly half the garden. It was Sophia’s favorite flower. That area used to be where she had planted red camellias to please her father. Now there was no trace of them left. Noticing her gaze, Ryan said, “Sophia likes winter jasmine. Dad had them planted.” It sounded like an explanation, but was really just informing her. After all, none of her things mattered in the Hayes household. Olivia looked away. “Oh.” Ryan gave her an odd look. In the past, Olivia would have been hurt hearing things like this. Why was she so calm today? Ryan tried to detect some signs of distress on her face, but found none. Before she even stepped into the living room, laughter could be heard. Her mother Linda was holding up a finished cheongsam, comparing it to Sophia’s figure. “Frank, look, how’s the cheongsam I embroidered for Sophia?” Her father Frank nodded appreciatively. “Beautiful. The yellow winter jasmine embroidery is very elegant.” Sophia smiled and linked arms with Linda. “Mom’s handiwork is the most beautiful. I love everything she makes!” Linda looked at Sophia with loving eyes. “Such a sweet talker.” Sophia liked wearing handmade cheongsams. Linda felt the ones sold outside weren’t good enough, so she had been making them herself for Sophia for many years. Sophia was in her thirties but still acted like a child, pouting. She held up the dress and twirled around. “Ethan, will this dress look good on me for New Year’s?” Only then did Olivia notice Ethan sitting on the sofa, hidden by the wall. Ethan looked up at Sophia with a smile. The misty blue sweater made him look especially gentle. Where was any trace of how he acted in front of Olivia? “It looks good.” Hearing Ethan’s warm voice, Olivia felt a stabbing pain in her heart. He had never complimented her on looking good. Not even once. The scene before her eyes was warm and loving. Just like a real family. Ryan coughed. “Dad, Mom, Olivia’s back.” Everyone’s smiles froze. Linda turned and made eye contact with Olivia. Linda’s eyes darted away, then she spoke awkwardly. “Olivia’s back.” Her tone was distant and polite, completely lacking the affection she showed Sophia. Frank sat up straight, not even sparing Olivia a glance. “What are you here for?” That tone of voice made her sound like the outsider. Then again, other than sharing the Hayes name, she was nothing like the Hayes family. Sophia waved the cheongsam and smiled at her. “Sis, this is the one I asked Mom to make for me. Don’t think too much of it.” Hearing this, Frank snorted coldly. “Your mother can make dresses for whoever she wants. Does she need Olivia’s permission?” Sophia’s eyes flashed with smugness. It was always like this. A few words from Sophia and the family would despise her. In the past she would argue back, but now she had no energy for it. Ethan watched the silent Olivia, feeling confused. Olivia wouldn’t usually be this indifferent. What was wrong with her today? Olivia suppressed the pain in her heart and walked forward. “Dad, Mom, I didn’t mean to disturb you.” “Nonsense, how could Mom ever find you a bother.” Linda went to take Olivia’s hand but was avoided. Linda’s smile froze on her face as she awkwardly withdrew her hand. Olivia didn’t want to exchange pleasantries and stated her purpose directly. “I came today to take back the white jade pendant Grandma left for me.”

Sophia was Olivia’s stepsister. She was also the orphaned child of Frank’s deceased war buddy. When Sophia was three, Frank’s comrade stepped on a landmine while trying to save Frank and died. His wife committed suicide soon after. Frank felt extremely guilty and took the initiative to raise Sophia. He even brought Sophia to live with the Hayes family. The Hayes weren’t particularly wealthy, but could easily afford to raise another child. But Sophia had trouble getting along with Olivia. So they sent Olivia to live with her grandmother in the countryside. The white jade pendant Olivia’s grandmother left was specifically meant for Olivia. At the time, Linda was very distraught over her mother’s passing and cried while holding the pendant. Olivia felt bad for her mother and gave her the pendant. But Linda had also said that whenever Olivia wanted it, she could come take it back. Linda nervously smoothed her hair. “Olivia dear, why are you asking about the pendant as soon as you arrive? Why don’t you catch up with everyone first?” In the past, she always cared about them when she came back. But did they appreciate it? As soon as Sophia returned, they never spared her a single glance. It was they who trampled on her concern, not her who didn’t give it. Linda’s demeanor made Olivia suspicious. “Mom, where’s the pendant?” Linda couldn’t meet her eyes. Sophia’s clear voice rang out. “Sis, do you mean this pendant?” Sophia pulled out the pendant from her neckline. “I didn’t know it was from your grandmother. I thought Mom bought it for me.” Olivia’s body trembled as she looked at Linda. “Mom, that’s the pendant Grandma left for me!” Linda tried to explain. But before she could speak, Frank interrupted. “What’s yours or mine? Olivia, don’t you understand? If Sophia wants the pendant, are you really going to fight her for it?” Olivia felt it was getting hard to breathe. She could give up everything else. But this was Grandma’s pendant! She and her grandmother had relied on each other for over a decade. The pendant was the only thing her grandmother left behind! Frank continued to berate her. “You dare raise your voice at your parents over a mere pendant? Where are your manners?” “That’s right,” Ryan chimed in from the side, “It’s just a pendant, what’s the big deal? Olivia, you’re being too petty.” “Enough,” Linda pulled on Ryan’s arm and said to Olivia, “Your sister likes it, so just let her have it.” Olivia looked at the silent Ethan. Ethan felt uncomfortable under her gaze. His eyes moved to the pendant in Sophia’s hand. He had some impression of that pendant. The first time he met Olivia, she was holding that pendant. But Olivia owed Sophia too much. Ethan spoke flatly: “It’s just a pendant. If Sophia likes it, let her have it.” Olivia looked at the people before her, feeling they were complete strangers. “Just a pendant?” She suddenly laughed. Her grandmother had been her only family until she was sixteen. “That was left to me by my grandmother! What right does she have to take it?!” “She’s your sister!” Olivia shouted with all her strength: “She’s not!” Hearing Olivia say this, Frank’s eyes widened in anger. Olivia didn’t give him a chance to speak. “Dad, for Sophia’s sake, you sent me away and ruined my future. Now you want to give her my pendant too? You owed your war buddy! I don’t owe anyone anything!” Back then, Sophia wanted to study medicine abroad while Olivia was about to start college. There was enough money for both of them to study. But to give Sophia a better life, Frank gave her double the living expenses. At that time, Olivia had just passed the art exam. But Frank told her to stop studying art. To continue learning to paint, she begged many times. Frank remained unmoved. Having his sore spot poked, Frank stood up from the sofa and slapped Olivia hard across the face. “What are you doing!” Linda pulled Frank back and went to Olivia. “Olivia, your father didn’t mean it. Be the bigger person and apologize to your father. Let’s put this behind us.” Linda always tried to smooth things over like this. Her actions made Olivia feel utterly helpless every time. “You knew that was from Grandma, why did you give it to Sophia!” Olivia grabbed Linda’s hands, forcing her to look at her. “Mom, that was from Grandma! I’ve already given up everything else, why do you have to take away my last memento?” Linda was at a loss for words. Sophia spoke up from the side. “Sis, don’t blame Mom. It’s all my fault. I’ll give it back to you.”

“Nonsense!” Frank glared at Olivia. “If you dare take back the pendant today, I’ll disown you as my daughter!” “Olivia, you’re making it very difficult for Mom.” “Don’t be angry.” Sophia comforted Linda. “Sis, don’t make Mom and Dad argue. The family’s finally together, let’s keep the peace.” Sophia came to stand in front of her, blocking the view of the others in the room. She dangled the pendant, speaking softly so only Olivia could hear. “If I’d known this was your grandmother’s keepsake, I never would have wanted it.” “How unlucky.” With a flick of her fingers, Sophia dropped the pendant on the floor. The sound of the pendant shattering echoed in Olivia’s ears. She was speechless for a moment. Sophia feigned surprise and covered her mouth. “Oh no, Sis, I didn’t mean to. Why did you push me?” Olivia crouched down shakily to pick up the broken pieces. When she stood up, she saw everyone staring at her intently. Afraid she would do something. Ethan even stood up to shield Sophia. Olivia had originally wanted to make a scene. But now she was truly exhausted. She silently put away the pendant fragments and stared at Ethan, enunciating each word clearly. “Meet me at the civil affairs office on Monday. Let’s get divorced. I’ll set you free. And I wish you two all the best getting back together.” Ethan felt his heart skip a beat. Could it be… she found out? Before anyone could speak, Olivia turned and ran out into the rain. “Olivia, take an umbrella.” Linda stood in the living room holding an umbrella, but Frank snatched it away. “What umbrella? This little rain won’t kill her. Look at her, daring to fight with her sister over a broken pendant. Is this the good daughter you raised?” Linda stood by the door, sighing repeatedly. Ethan was in a daze for a moment before noticing the small bloodstains where the pendant had shattered. Just as he was about to go after her, Sophia suddenly grabbed his sleeve. “Ethan, did I do something wrong? Why does my sister hate me so much?” Ethan comforted her: “Sophia, it’s not your fault.” When Ethan looked back, Olivia was already gone. It was just a small injury, she should be fine. Thinking this, Ethan helped Sophia back to the living room. Olivia didn’t get a taxi until over 10 minutes after leaving. Once in the car, the driver handed her a dry towel. “Miss, dry yourself off so you don’t catch a cold.” Olivia took the towel. “Thank you.” The driver tried to console her as he drove. “These days, there’s nothing that can’t be overcome. Just hang in there and it’ll get better.” The driver’s words made her shed a few tears. She used to believe that too. But now she couldn’t hang on anymore. Just then, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Mr. Davis. “Ms. Hayes, I’ve drafted the agreement. Do you have time to meet tomorrow?” “Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Davis. Let’s meet tomorrow.” The phone showed the location – a cafe near her home. Mr. Davis’ law office wasn’t in that area. And tomorrow was Sunday. It seemed he had added an extra workday for her sake. She had first asked Mr. Davis to draft divorce papers six months after Sophia returned. She had gone back and forth, hesitating many times since then. Mr. Davis understood better than anyone how reluctant she was to let go. But he was also the one who most often advised her that she needed to let go. Ethan’s coldness towards her was obvious even to strangers. She had been too foolish and naive before. Always thinking that boy who had helped her in her times of need would eventually fall for her.

The next day, Olivia received the divorce papers. Looking at the large words on top, Olivia felt a bit dazed. “Ms. Hayes, as you know, there’s a 30-day cooling off period for divorce now. After that, as long as both parties agree, you can finalize the divorce.” Olivia nodded and placed the papers on the table. “Thank you for taking the time to help me on a weekend.” Mr. Davis sighed and gave a wry smile. “It’s nothing. If I can help you escape this misery, I’ll have done a good deed.” Just then, an accusatory voice suddenly sounded behind Olivia. “Olivia, what are you doing here?” Olivia turned around to see Ethan and Sophia. Sophia’s gaze swept over her and Mr. Davis. “Sis, are you on a date?” Those words seemed to strike a nerve with Ethan. He walked over and grabbed Olivia’s wrist. “So this is why you’re not home on weekends? To come see him?” No wonder Olivia had talked about divorcing him. Olivia wrenched her wrist free and turned to apologize to Mr. Davis. “I’m sorry, Mr. Davis. You can leave first, I need to deal with some family matters.” “You… Sigh.” Mr. Davis looked at Ethan. “Mr. Hayes, I’m just Ms. Hayes’ lawyer.” With that, Mr. Davis got up and left the cafe. People around kept glancing their way. Olivia spoke quietly to Ethan. “Let’s go home and talk. Don’t make a scene here.” Ethan was about to say something but Olivia cut him off. “Don’t you care about your reputation, Dr. Hayes?” They lived near the downtown hospital. This cafe was often frequented by hospital staff. Ethan cared a lot about his image. Hearing Olivia say that, he didn’t speak further. After returning home, Olivia took out the divorce papers. “Tomorrow, let’s go to the civil affairs office to get a number and apply for divorce. In a month, you’ll be free.” Her words didn’t make Ethan happy, but seemed to please Sophia. However, Ethan first asked Sophia to leave. “Sophia, go home first. This is between me and my wife.” Sophia’s expression stiffened momentarily before returning to her gentle demeanor. “Okay, talk it over with her properly. Don’t let her misunderstand us. Divorce is a big deal, tell her not to be impulsive.” Olivia laughed coldly. Even as she was leaving, she still had to verbally attack her. After Sophia left, Ethan sat down on the sofa and looked over the divorce papers. For a long while, he didn’t speak. His gaze moved from the papers to Olivia. “You really want to divorce me?” Ethan noticed the jade pendant on the table, glued back together over and over. “Just because of a pendant? Sophia didn’t mean it, I can buy you a new one to replace it.” Olivia looked at him calmly and asked: “In what capacity will you replace it? As my husband, or as Sophia’s ex-boyfriend?” “Sophia is right, you’re still being impulsive.” Ethan tossed aside the divorce papers. “Olivia, you were the one who drove Sophia away from us back then.” Olivia was stunned. When had she ever driven Sophia away? “You forced Sophia to leave, telling her to let me go to you. Sophia told me everything when she came back.” “Do you know how much Sophia suffered abroad all these years? You owe Sophia.” Ethan’s words were like knives, cutting into her already wounded heart once again. Olivia looked at Ethan with difficulty. In his heart, she was actually so despicable. “Sophia doesn’t blame you for her leaving, and I won’t blame you anymore either.” He spoke as if he was granting her great mercy. “I didn’t…” The words of explanation died in her throat. What was the point of explaining now? He firmly believed this “old story”. In his eyes, she was the sinner. A sinner’s words would not be believed. Olivia paused, then suddenly asked him. “Ethan, do you know what happened the day Sophia returned?” Ethan frowned in confusion: “What happened?” That day was their fourth wedding anniversary. Ethan had promised to come home after work to be with her. She had wanted to tell him they were going to have a baby. But Ethan stood her up. She waited for him in the heavy snow for four hours. She was holding the ultrasound results when she fell on her way to find him. The baby was gone. The baby she had waited four years for. Gone.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296348”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn