Category: English

The night my fiancé’s ideal love returned home, Gabriel’s unruly friends locked me in a water tank at the auction house. Through the glass, he lightly touched my scales, which had turned bluish from dehydration. “Chloe, just do me this favor, will you?” “It’s just a little performance, right?” The elite crowd below was bidding excitedly, while Gabriel whispered gently to his ideal love, “Don’t worry, mermaid tears are incredibly valuable. We can sell them and buy you that sports car.” It was then I realized Gabriel’s amnesia was just a ploy to lure me onto land. He claimed he loved me, yet he was willing to drain me of my blood and tears. Later, the Merfolk arrived, riding on the waves, and Gabriel knelt on the rocks, offering his heart in repentance. But I flipped my tail, creating a massive wave, and without looking back, I sank to the ocean floor. 0 Chained roughly, I was forced to curl up in the small water tank. A man with a beer belly grinned at me, showing yellow teeth. “Sis-in-law, we all want to see you perform. Fiona’s back today, why not dance for us?” Another man climbed a ladder and yanked my hair to make me look up. “We’ve already watched your private videos with Gabriel. Sis-in-law, stop pretending to be so innocent.” “Plus, Gabriel said the highest bidder can have you for the night.” “I’ve wanted to try sis-in-law for a while now, hahaha.” I couldn’t believe the men in front of me. My heart sank. He had said today was about celebrating our anniversary, yet I had become merchandise on this ship. “You showed them those videos?” Gabriel stroked Fiona’s waist. “So what if they saw them? It’s just flesh.” “Chloe, just do me this favor. Fiona wants to see you perform.” “This is your chance to impress her; it’s an honor to make her happy.” Fiona nestled in Gabriel’s arms, coyly saying, “Gabriel, Chloe seems unwilling. Isn’t this too much?” Bitterly, I slammed my tail against the glass, choking back my words, “I’m your fiancée. Why are you doing this to me?” The huge splash drenched Fiona’s clothes, and she shrank against Gabriel’s shoulder, eyes red. Gabriel punched the glass, “Chloe, don’t be ungrateful! Fiona is like a sister I grew up with.” “Do you really have to ruin everyone’s mood on her return?” I scoffed, turning around, “A sister you grew up with? Then what am I?” Gabriel impatiently lit a cigarette, “You’re just a mermaid. Even if I didn’t bring you ashore, you’d die someday.” “I helped you experience life on land. Now it’s time for you to repay me.” “It’s your honor to make Fiona happy.” Fiona leaned in and kissed Gabriel’s cheek, claiming her territory. “Gabriel said mermaid tears are the most valuable.” “Once we get them, we’ll buy a sports car.” Exhausted, I slumped against the glass, realizing in Gabriel’s eyes, I was merely merchandise. Gabriel waved his hand, “Enough talking, dance for us.” Seeing me unmoved, Gabriel finally picked up the long whip nearby and lashed it across me. In an instant, several scales flew off, and shocking red welts appeared on my pale skin. I painfully clung to the water tank’s edge, trying to leap out, only for Fiona to press a cigarette butt into my fingertip. She snorted coldly, “The lowest of mermaids, your only worth is to please us.” Gabriel tightened the whip around my neck viciously. I clung to it desperately. The feeling of suffocation engulfed me. His eyes were blood-red, “Didn’t I tell you to behave?” “Do you really want to embarrass me?” The beer-bellied man couldn’t stand it and patted Gabriel, “Gabriel, don’t break her. We still need to enjoy ourselves tonight.” “Sis-in-law’s mermaid body must feel great.” 0

Their words stabbed my heart like blunt knives. Three years ago, Gabriel and his friends were surfing and encountered extreme weather. Gabriel was swallowed by the waves, and I risked everything to save him ashore. In the process, my tail was shredded by a paddle. Gabriel was the first human I ever saw. His eyes were brighter than gems at the ocean’s depths. Ignoring the pain, I just wanted to save him. In gratitude, Gabriel took me home to heal, even though it violated Merfolk laws. But for him, I decisively severed ties with my family. On land, I endured dehydration, my scales turning bluish, and the pain pierced to the bone, almost costing me half my life. But Gabriel would hold me every night, comforting me. I naively thought that was love. I believed I had won the bet with my family, only to lose everything. Gabriel watched me with interest, “Didn’t you say you’d fully transform into a human after a year on land? Turns out you can’t change your nature.” Fiona covered her nose with a look of disgust, “No wonder there’s a fishy smell. It’s disgusting.” “I don’t know what you’ve been through these years, Gabriel, but you can’t just pick anyone to spite me, right?” I looked down at my tail, now turning white. When we first met, Gabriel had praised its beauty. He had held it tenderly, vowing to spend his life making it up to me. Someone beside me rubbed his hands, sneering, “This mermaid’s definitely fun. Gabriel doesn’t know how lucky he is.” Fiona’s face turned black in an instant, “What do you mean by that?” The speaker was suddenly tongue-tied, “Fiona, I didn’t mean it that way…” In anger, she grabbed a whip, ready to strike my face. I grabbed it, yanking Fiona halfway into the water tank. She screamed in terror, flailing, and Gabriel pulled her out, holding her waist. Tearful, Fiona cried, “Gabriel, I just wanted to throw the whip far away, not hurt Chloe.” “Why did she suddenly become so aggressive?” “I heard mermaids used to eat people. Chloe, you can’t act like this, even if you’re angry.” Gabriel pulled me from the water, throwing me to the ground. He slapped me across the face. I turned my head, one side of my face swelling instantly. Gabriel approached slowly, gripping my neck viciously, “Chloe, do you really think you’re something special? Touch Fiona again, and I’ll kill you!” “Do you think I kept you around to endure your fishy smell for nothing?” “If it weren’t for the fortune mermaid tears are worth, I’d have killed you long ago.” “Did you really think I loved you?” I looked at him in disbelief. Gabriel kicked me in the waist. “You’re like a dead fish. No matter what I do, you never cry.” “Since that’s the case, this is the only way. You brought it on yourself.” After hearing those words, I couldn’t help but tremble. What I thought was love at first sight was Gabriel’s meticulously laid trap. And like a fool, I walked right in. Ending up with nothing, who could I blame? This was the happiness I sought after sacrificing everything. I opened my mouth and laughed. Gabriel, seeing my red-rimmed eyes, hesitated. He angrily called for a few people, “Strip her clothes! That way, everyone can examine the goods!” 0

As soon as he said it, the crowd erupted. Some even took out their phones to take pictures. The flash blinded me. Having been drugged, I couldn’t transform into human form quickly. I crawled forward slowly, only for Gabriel to drag me back savagely. He slammed my tail against an iron railing. The immense pain blacked me out. Rough, greasy hands reached for my shoulders. I thrashed wildly, screaming, “Get away! Don’t touch me!” “Don’t touch me!” Fiona came over, stomping on my hand with her sharp heel. She looked at Gabriel expectantly, “Gabriel, why don’t we cut off one of her hands?” “Anyway, she’s useless now. The main goal today is to get the mermaid tears, right?” Gabriel quietly gazed at Fiona, a hint of menace in his eyes. Everyone fell silent, the man kneeling next to me stopped. Fiona shivered uncontrollably. It was her first time seeing Gabriel like this. She realized she’d crossed a line, so she let go and coyly ran into his arms, “Gabriel, I was just joking. We still need the goods intact, right?” “Don’t be mad, okay?” Fiona’s attempt to smooth things over got the scene lively again. Gabriel scowled and ordered the men pinning me down to leave. They exchanged looks, unwilling to stop touching me. Gabriel snapped, “Didn’t you hear me? Get down!” On stage, only the auctioneer and Gabriel’s friends remained. Fiona threw Gabriel a flattering smile, and his friends anxiously watched him, fearing he’d change his mind, denying them their fun. I looked up, a glimmer of hope in my eyes. Even if he turned back now, it would be something. Gabriel smirked, “Start the bidding.” I froze, the laughter of the crowd filling my ears. I lay on the ground, helplessly laughing. I had overestimated Gabriel’s love for me. A bearded man in the audience raised his hand, “One billion!” “`plaintext On the exhibition stand, only the auctioneer and a handful of Gabriel’s friends were left. Fiona looked at Gabriel with a sycophantic smile, while the friends beside her cast worried glances his way. They were anxious that Gabriel might have second thoughts, depriving them of any potential gains. I glanced up, a spark of hope in my eyes. Even if he reconsidered now, it would be for the best. Gabriel smirked, “Let’s begin the bidding.” I stood there, frozen, as the sound of laughter from those people filled my ears. I laughed bitterly on the ground, realizing I had overestimated what little affection Gabriel had for me. A bearded man in the audience raised his hand, “One hundred million!” All eyes turned to him as he stroked his beard. “This woman crossed me before; once I get her, I’ll make sure she pays.” He was a CEO who had once collaborated with Gabriel. I had sued him for leaking company secrets. Now, I appeared before him, reduced to a mere servant in the most humiliating way. He got up and slowly made his way to the stage, giving me a kick. “Chloe, where’s your pride now?” One hundred million was nearly the highest bid. Everyone shook their heads in resignation, “Mr. Thomas really doesn’t hold back.” “This woman won’t survive in his hands; I’ve heard he has some peculiar tastes.” Mr. Thomas lit a cigar, “Gabriel, you keep your promises, don’t you?” Gabriel looked down at me, his gaze devoid of emotion. Fiona smiled and approached, “Of course, a deal’s a deal. Businessmen value their integrity.” Mr. Thomas came closer, yanking my hair and dragging me away. I struggled, shaking off his grip. For the sake of my life, I abandoned my dignity, half-crawling to Gabriel. 0

I clung to Gabriel’s coat, “Please, don’t make me go with him.” “I saved you once; help me this time and we’ll be even, alright?” Fiona kicked me aside, “You’re disgusting, Chloe. Can’t you do something about that fishy smell?” Gabriel pressed his foot on my shoulder, “Chloe, you can’t even beg properly, can you?” Someone piped up, “Gabriel, they say mermaid tears are priceless. Is sis-in-law going to cry today or not?” “Doesn’t seem like she’s too upset. Gabriel, maybe you should ease up.” Gabriel, who was impatient by nature, couldn’t stand such provocations. Moreover, he enjoyed indulging in bizarre behaviors. He grabbed my jaw and slammed me against the water tank, “Chloe, didn’t you say you loved me the most? Shed some mermaid tears for me now. Show me how much you love me!” “Cry!” Blood stained the glass. Gabriel, like a madman, continued to assault me. His eyes were completely bloodshot. I bit my lip hard to withstand the pain. The crowd fell silent, no one uttering a word. Mr. Thomas intervened, “I’ve already paid a high price for this woman. What if you ruin her for me?” Gabriel waved dismissively, panting heavily, “Who the hell do you think you are?!” Mr. Thomas chuckled, stroking his beard, “Gabriel, don’t forget who you really are.” Upon hearing this, Gabriel’s face turned ashen, and the hostility in him subsided somewhat. He looked at me with disgust, meticulously checking if any mermaid tears had fallen. As expected, there were none. Merfolk have a higher pain tolerance, and even under immense physical and psychological torment, I hadn’t shed a single tear. Gabriel made a call, and moments later, he hung up and dragged me by the hair to a monitor. My heart sank; it displayed the ocean region where the Merfolk lived. Gabriel sneered, “What if I start capturing your family? Would you cry then?”

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Three years after my death, my husband finally remembered me. The reason? His childhood friend Faye’s leukemia had relapsed, and she needed another bone marrow transplant. He came to the house where I used to live, intending to have me sign a donation agreement. But he found the place long abandoned. He asked the neighbors about me. “You mean Chloe? She’s been dead for years!” one replied. “I heard she was forced to donate bone marrow while she was sick. She passed away just days after returning home.” He refused to believe it, convinced the neighbors were conspiring with me to deceive him. Irritated, he snapped at them, “If you see her, tell her this: if she doesn’t show up in three days, I won’t pay another cent for that bastard child’s medical bills.” As he stormed off, the neighbor shook her head and muttered, “Poor child… he starved to death long ago.” Three years after death, my son and I were still restless spirits. Our attachments to this world were too strong, preventing us from moving on to the next life. Meanwhile, my husband Harrison had clawed his way up from the bottom of society, transforming into an enviable new business tycoon. I had betrayed him when he was at his lowest point. So he hated me. He wanted to flay me alive. Three years ago, he forced me to donate bone marrow to Faye while I was ill. Bone marrow extraction is invasive. Whether due to a procedural error or my weakened immune system, I developed a severe infection a week after the surgery. I fell into a coma with a high fever and died at home. My three-year-old son, left with no one to care for him, eventually died by my side. In those three years, Harrison never came to see us, not even a single phone call. Now, I held my son Timmy’s small hand as we floated in the air, watching Harrison kick our old front gate repeatedly. Three years without seeing each other, and he had changed so much. His eyes were cold and unfeeling. Familiar yet strange. Behind him stood Faye, wearing a mask and dressed to the nines. Her rosy cheeks and well-proportioned figure showed no signs of illness. Timmy, frightened by the loud banging, hid in my embrace. He looked up at me, his bright eyes a mix of excitement and fear. “Mommy, has Daddy finally remembered us? It’s been so long since he came to see us.” “But he looks angry. Did I do something to upset him?” “And who’s that lady standing there?” I stroked his head, my heart aching. My throat felt constricted, unable to utter a word. “Chloe, get out here now! Stop pretending to be dead!” Harrison shouted into the yard. The commotion drew the attention of Mrs. Johnson next door. She came out and asked Harrison, “Young man, who are you looking for? This house has been empty for a long time.” Harrison composed himself and asked, “Doesn’t Chloe live here? Has she moved?” Mrs. Johnson’s expression darkened. She sighed, “You mean Chloe? She died three years ago.” Harrison froze for a moment. Mrs. Johnson continued, “I heard she was forced to donate bone marrow while she was sick. She passed away just days after returning home. It’s such a tragedy.” Faye’s expression changed, her face turning pale. She protested weakly, “Ma’am, please don’t say such things. Donating bone marrow is safe; it doesn’t kill people.” “If she didn’t want to donate to me, she could have just said so. There’s no need to curse herself like this. It’s bad luck.” She spoke loudly, as if I might be eavesdropping from inside the house. Harrison, who had been in shock, suddenly relaxed upon hearing Mrs. Johnson’s words. A mocking smile appeared on his face. “Does she find it amusing to keep up this act? If she’s going to lie, she should at least make it believable. She should check if there are any cases of people dying from bone marrow donation.” Mrs. Johnson, confused by their conversation, simply repeated, “The poor thing was found dead in the house after several days…” Harrison’s face turned cold. He said to Mrs. Johnson, “I don’t know why you’re conspiring with her to deceive me, but please tell her this: if she doesn’t show up to donate bone marrow to Faye within three days, don’t blame me for cutting off the dialysis treatment for that bastard child she’s raising.” Mrs. Johnson was stunned. She shook her head and sighed, preparing to return to her own house. Harrison called out coldly behind her, “Remember! I’m only giving her three days. If she doesn’t appear, I won’t transfer a single penny for living expenses this month. Let her watch that bastard die right in front of her.” As she turned away, Mrs. Johnson’s eyes reddened. She muttered to herself, “That poor child starved to death long ago. If only I had gone to check on them, I might have been able to save him…” “Harrison, is it possible that Chloe doesn’t want to donate bone marrow to me, so she’s hiding?” Faye asked, her expression on the verge of tears. Harrison affectionately ruffled her hair. “Silly girl, it’s just a little leukemia. Even if Chloe doesn’t donate, I’ll search the whole country to find a suitable match for you.” Faye pouted, “But Chloe’s bone marrow is almost a perfect match for my body. The doctor said he’s never seen two people with such a high degree of compatibility.” Harrison glanced at the locked gate, his tone filled with determination and promise: “Then for your sake, I’ll move heaven and earth to find her!” At that moment, my heart couldn’t help but ache again. Looking at the two people standing before me, memories from years ago flooded back. Harrison and I were college classmates. Back then, he was like the morning sun piercing through a thin mist – warm and radiant. I fell for him first. We got together after graduating from college. I once saw him as my salvation, my whole world revolving around him. I followed him into his startup, sharing in the hardships. He promised to take care of me for life. At first, he really did. But ideals eventually gave way to reality. In the early days of his business, I often accompanied him to negotiate deals. That’s when I met Luke Jenkins, the heir to the Radiant Group. Luke was a spoiled rich kid who worked just for the experience. Ever since he met me, he buzzed around me like a fly, even trying to get handsy when drunk. Finally, during one incident when Luke tried to embrace me while intoxicated, Harrison smashed a wine bottle over his head. Because of this incident, we not only lost the Radiant Group contract but also had to pay all our savings to keep Luke from sending Harrison to jail. Of course, what we actually paid was far more than just money. That night, he held me in his arms and apologized. He said he was sorry, that when he succeeded one day, he would never let anyone bully me again. Indeed, after he succeeded, no one else bullied me. Only he did. I don’t want to reminisce anymore. I looked at that face, unseen for years yet colder and more unfeeling than ever. The stifling summer wind tousled his hair, deepening his already furrowed brow. He looked lost in thought. He held Faye in his arms, his gaze fixed on the waist-high weeds at the gate. The year I “betrayed” Harrison was our second year of marriage. By then, I was already over a month pregnant. But neither of us knew about it yet. At that time, Harrison’s business had started to show promise and had attracted several investors. It should have been smooth sailing, but for some reason, we suddenly hit a major setback. Even the investments we had secured were all withdrawn. The cash flow dried up, and our products started having one problem after another. We defaulted on our bank loans, and the mortgaged house, car, and factory were all about to be repossessed and auctioned off. During those days, Harrison couldn’t eat or sleep. To make matters worse, Harrison’s mother was diagnosed with cancer that year, requiring a huge sum for treatment. I pulled some strings to investigate the cause and discovered that the person sabotaging Harrison’s company was none other than Luke Jenkins, the man Harrison had hit with a wine bottle years ago. And now, he had come to me. He said he could arrange for Radiant Group’s investment arm to inject capital into Harrison’s company and even pay for his mother’s treatment. I knew he must have conditions. Would the devil do charity out of kindness? If he didn’t want my life, he must want something even more important than life itself. I asked him what was the point of doing this. Luke sneered, “I do it because I want to. What other reason do I need? I just enjoy watching you insects, furious yet helpless against me.” “Besides, I haven’t paid him back for cracking my skull open back then. It’s time for him to pay up.” I couldn’t understand Luke. He had a hundred ways to make Harrison’s life miserable, yet he chose me. Years later, I still vividly remember the scene that day. In a dimly lit private room, Luke held me on his lap. Harrison, walking in with the contract in hand, froze when he saw us. His eyes reddened as he asked hoarsely, “Why?” I told him, “You can’t give me the life I want, but Luke can…” Luke laughed loudly. His greasy hand pinched my waist. My heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand arrows. Despite the utter humiliation, I forced a coquettish laugh and playfully dodged. “Harrison, isn’t this good? I help you get resources, you sign a contract with Radiant, it’s win-win.” Disappointment gradually filled Harrison’s eyes. But he still resolutely reached out to me: “Chloe, come here! I don’t need you to do this. Whatever life you want, I’ll work hard to give it to you in the future.” His tone was pleading, his expression so miserable. At that moment, my heart felt like it was being crushed by a thousand-pound stone, making it almost impossible to breathe. He said, “Chloe, I don’t have to sign today’s contract. Come home with me…” The once confident and proud man, who hadn’t hesitated to smash a wine bottle over the head of Radiant’s heir, was now begging so humbly. Luke laughed, triumphant and carefree. “Harrison, look at the woman you cherished. She’s no different from the rest. With just a crook of my finger, she crawled into my bed.” “So tell me, what was the point of smashing that bottle over my head back then? Haha…” Harrison ignored his words, just staring fixedly at me. I smiled, wrapping my arms around Luke’s neck, and said to Harrison, “That’s right, honey. Don’t take things so seriously. Just let it go.” I don’t remember much of what happened later that night. I only remember him signing the contract, his eyes blood-red as he said to me: “Chloe, in this life, we’ll never be done with each other!” After that, he threw himself into his work like a madman. In just a few short years, he grew his startup into a listed company, even becoming an industry leader last year. He had succeeded. And I had become the biggest stain on his life. Of course, I didn’t show up during the three-day deadline he gave. Harrison came to our little house again. Timmy excitedly circled around his father, placing his transparent little hand into Harrison’s large one hanging by his side. He turned back to me, jubilant: “Mommy, I’m finally holding hands with Daddy!” My eyes stung with unshed tears as I forced a smile for him. All these years, Harrison had believed Timmy was Luke’s child, despising him and refusing to even look at him. Although I had done a paternity test proving their biological father-son relationship, he still refused to believe it, thinking I had paid for a fake report. Ever since that night, I had lost all credibility with Harrison. I asked him for a divorce. I wanted to end this toxic relationship too. But he just glared at me viciously: “Chloe, remember, you owe me for life. I told you we’d never be done with each other.” “Divorce? Dream on!” He brought countless women home to spend the night, being intimate with them right in front of me. Whenever I tried to argue, he’d tell me to think about how dirty I was when I rolled around with Luke. This situation continued until Faye returned to the country. After she came back into his life, he cut off all contact with those other women. The two of them openly went everywhere together. Even Harrison’s business partners referred to Faye as “Mrs. Ford.” My thoughts returned to the present. I watched as Harrison stood at the gate, calling my phone. The automated voice informed him the number was no longer in service. He frowned, opening my SnapChat. The last message there was still the one he had sent three days ago, urging me to come forward and do the bone marrow matching for Faye. Of course, I hadn’t replied. He opened my photo feed, pausing when he saw a picture I had posted four years ago. It was a candid shot I had taken – him sitting on the sofa, two-year-old Timmy hugging his arm, resting his adorable little head on Harrison’s shoulder. I thought it was a beautiful moment and captured it, but the next second he had pushed Timmy away in disgust. He stared at the enlarged profile picture for a long while, then returned to the chat window to send me a message, “Chloe, you brought this on yourself. The three-day deadline is up. From today on, I won’t transfer another penny for your living expenses.” He waited for a long time, but still no reply. He then kicked the gate hard in frustration. Timmy, who had been happily circling around Harrison, was startled by this sudden action and began trembling in fear. His lip quivered as he burst into tears and ran into my arms: “Mommy, what’s wrong with Daddy? I’m scared…” I held him close, comforting him: “Don’t be afraid, Timmy. Daddy can’t hurt you anymore. Look, there are butterflies over there. Do you want to fly over and play with them for a bit?” I tried to distract him. Timmy turned his head and saw several butterflies fluttering nearby. He broke into a smile through his tears, quickly wiped his eyes, and flew towards the butterflies. After kicking the gate a couple of times, Harrison became even more agitated. He kept massaging his temples, then pulled out his phone and made a call. “Hello, is this the locksmith?” … Half an hour later. Harrison pushed open the cobweb-covered gate. The grass in the yard was even taller than at the entrance, reaching up to Harrison’s waist. The place had clearly been abandoned for a long time. He stood in the yard, hesitating to go further. He had been here twice before and should have remembered that I kept the yard well-maintained, not like the overgrown mess before him now. The first time he came was to drop off Timmy and me. Two-year-old Timmy had just been diagnosed with uremia, caused by congenital kidney underdevelopment. Disgusted by Timmy’s “bad luck,” Harrison bought this small farmhouse in a remote village and made us move here. He transferred $2,000 a month for living expenses, which included Timmy’s dialysis treatment costs. The second time he came to this little house was to forcibly take me to do bone marrow matching for his “true love” Faye. If he still remembered, he would surely recall that the yard was full of hydrangeas and roses. I had even made a swing for Timmy. While he was still lost in thought, Faye called again. Her voice sounded weak: “Harrison, have you seen Chloe? Will she come for the matching today?” Harrison reassured her: “I’ll handle this. You just focus on following the doctor’s treatment. Don’t worry.” Faye’s voice choked up: “I know Chloe probably doesn’t want to donate bone marrow to me again. I understand. She’s already saved me once; I can’t be greedy and ask her to save me a second time. I don’t blame her for hiding now, really…” It was as if she was confirming that I was deliberately hiding because I didn’t want to donate bone marrow to her. Harrison was silent for a few seconds. To my surprise, he didn’t take Faye’s side this time. He said, “It’s not like that. I haven’t been able to contact her yet. How could she know about your leukemia relapse in advance to hide?” Faye was taken aback. She quickly explained, “Harrison, you misunderstood. That’s not what I meant.” Harrison cut her off: “Faye, don’t worry. As long as Chloe is still alive in this world, I will find her. Even if she’s dead, I’ll make sure she donates bone marrow to you before she dies.” Faye seemed relieved after hearing this. After hanging up, Harrison stood in front of the house door for a long time. Although the door wasn’t locked, he still didn’t push it open. If he had opened it, he would have seen… Two body outlines drawn in white chalk. Those were the outlines the police had drawn after Timmy and I had died. But he just stood there. In the end, he retreated from the yard and bought a new lock from the locksmith to secure the gate. I noticed a strange phenomenon. As long as we followed Harrison, we could leave the place that had been constraining us.

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My Sister Wants to Kill Me The moment my mother stepped forward to help my sister, I gave up struggling. Later, she underwent extensive plastic surgery to look exactly like me, sitting in my bedroom waiting for my husband to return. My parents hoped she would live happily ever after with my husband and enjoy a life of luxury. I laughed at their ignorance, not knowing how dangerous the man before them truly was. Today is the day Alexander Thorne returns from his business trip abroad. He’s been gone for over two months, and I’ve been dead for a week. My sister Natalie Reed nervously stands up when she sees Alexander enter the room. “Alex, have you had dinner? I asked the cook to make your favorite pumpkin soup.” This should be their first time meeting. Yet Alexander doesn’t seem to notice his wife has been replaced. I have to admit, Natalie did an impressive job of making herself look exactly like me from head to toe. Alexander hands his suitcase to the servant and rubs his temples. “I’ll have a bowl.” Natalie smiles softly, perfectly mimicking my mannerisms from the secretly recorded videos. She follows Alexander into the dining room. “Mrs. Wilson, please bring a bowl of pumpkin soup for Mr. Thorne.” Alexander turns and glances at Natalie when he hears this. We have many servants, but I’m still in the habit of doing many things myself. After all, I don’t have much else to do at home. Even though I’ve been in the city for almost two years, I’m still not comfortable ordering people around. Before marrying Alexander, I always lived in my hometown. Originally, Natalie was supposed to marry Alexander. The Thorne and Reed families used to be close for generations. The Thornes were the second most powerful family in the city, with no one daring to claim first place. The grandfathers of both families saw that they had a grandson and granddaughter of the right age, so they arranged a marriage between them. Twenty years ago, after both grandfathers passed away, the Thorne family fell victim to business sabotage. Alexander’s father brought up the marriage agreement again, hoping the Reed family would help save them. But by then, my father had already been won over by other powerful families. He decided to take advantage of the situation to carve up the Thorne empire, no longer caring about their past friendship. The Thorne Group went bankrupt. Alexander’s father died of depression, and his mother disappeared from the city with her son and the butler. Two years ago, Alexander returned from abroad with the Cloud Summit Group, devastating several major powers in the city. Not a single person who had taken advantage of the Thorne family’s downfall back then escaped. They either ended up drowning in debt with no way to recover, or were caught for their crimes and sent to prison. Family ruin became the norm. People in the business world were relieved this was happening domestically. They had heard rumors about how ruthless Alexander could be in less regulated foreign markets. When the Reed Group was on the brink of bankruptcy, my father remembered the old marriage agreement. Natalie was afraid Alexander would torture her to death out of revenge, so she cried and made a scene at home, insisting that I return from our hometown to marry him in her place. Business families tend to be somewhat superstitious, and my father was especially so. On the day Natalie was born, my father successfully signed a major deal that elevated the Reed Group to new heights. But on the day I was born, a project he had just acquired ran into problems, and the Reed Group lost half its assets. He firmly believed Natalie brought him good fortune, while I brought him misfortune. If it weren’t for my grandfather using his last dying breath to protect me, I probably would have been drowned in a chamber pot as an infant. So my father told everyone I was sickly and sent abroad to recuperate. In reality, I was abandoned in the countryside and randomly given to a blind widow surnamed Mendez to raise. My sister was named Natalie, with our parents wishing her peace and health. I was named Evelyn, with my father hoping for my early demise so I wouldn’t affect the Reed family’s fortunes. My grandmother felt sorry for me and secretly changed my name to Evelyn when registering me. Though I escaped an early death, I still ended up dying in the prime of my youth.

Natalie snapped back to reality and said softly, “I’ve been feeling dizzy these past couple days. I’m afraid I might drop the bowl.” Alexander stared at her intently for a few moments. I saw a flash of panic in Natalie’s eyes. How ironic. That night when she stabbed my heart with a dagger, she was so afraid I wouldn’t die that she even twisted it a few times to make sure. Natalie nervously changed her words, “I’ll go get it for you.” Alexander looked away and walked towards the dining room. “No need. If you’re not feeling well, get more rest.” I was stunned for a moment. In our two years of marriage, I had never heard him tell me to rest more. Now that I’m dead, I finally hear these rare words of concern. It’s also strange – my weak constitution that had plagued me since childhood rarely bothered me after those first few months in the Thorne household. I was hardly ever unwell in the past year. After all, we had shared a bed for two years. I gathered my courage and floated to his ear, calling his name. I wanted to ask him to go to the Reed house and bring me back. My grandmother had passed away. There was no one left in this world that I cared about. Although I died with regrets, living had also felt tiring. The freezer was too cold. I had always been prone to chills. I wanted to find a sunny place to stay. Besides, when I died, I heard them planning to cut me open to make it easier to dispose of my body in pieces later. Just hearing about it terrified me. If I was going to end up dismembered, I would have rather been drowned as a baby. At least then I could have kept my body intact. Even being cremated would be better – at least I would be whole when I died. Unfortunately, he had no reaction at all. He simply picked up his bowl and started eating. “I heard you’ve been going out a lot recently?” Hearing his question, my eyes lit up. Other than the Reed family, I didn’t know anyone else in the city. On my wedding day, my parents had told me that if I didn’t want my grandmother to run out of money for medical treatment, I should do my best to please Alexander. As long as the Reed Group remained stable, my grandmother’s medication would never stop. They said a married daughter was like spilled water – I shouldn’t come back in the future. So after marrying into the Thorne family, apart from occasional trips to the supermarket or walks, I hardly had any contact with the outside world. No wonder Alexander found it strange. Natalie obediently replied, “The weather has been changing a lot lately between morning and evening. My parents both got sick, so I went back to check on them.” At the mention of our parents, I was reminded of the scene when she tried to kill me. I had fought back desperately to protect myself. My mother, worried I would hurt Natalie, rushed forward with my father to pin me down. In that moment, I suddenly lost all strength in my body and allowed the dagger to pierce my heart. Alexander didn’t say anything, only responding flatly, “It must be boring staying at home all the time. It’s good to go out for a change.” I felt somewhat discouraged. How could someone as cautious and suspicious as Alexander not notice anything amiss? He even said things he had never said to me before. On our wedding day, my parents had smiled ingratiatingly at Alexander. They said my marriage to the Thorne family was to atone for the Reed family’s sins. He could take out his anger on me however he wanted. I would endure any beating or scolding – my life and death were in his hands. The Reed family would not object. Alexander didn’t actually use me as a punching bag, but he didn’t seem to like going out. So apart from our activities in bed, we hardly had any other interaction in our daily lives. After finishing the soup, they returned to the bedroom together. Natalie sat on the bed expectantly, watching Alexander finish washing up. Alexander leaned down towards her. His phone rang. After hanging up, he started changing clothes. I wasn’t surprised. He was most likely going to the company to deal with an urgent matter. A flash of dissatisfaction appeared on Natalie’s face, but she quickly replaced it with a smile when Alexander turned his head. “Your perfume is too strong. It was better before.” Natalie stared at Alexander’s retreating back in confusion, then quickly raised her arm to sniff. She found she couldn’t smell anything.

Natalie hurriedly called Mrs. Wilson to the bedroom. “Mrs. Wilson, can you smell any perfume on me?” Mrs. Wilson leaned in and sniffed Natalie’s arm and neck. “I don’t smell anything, just a bit of shampoo scent in your hair.” Natalie frowned, pacing back and forth before asking, “When you used to serve that dead girl, what did she smell like?” Mrs. Wilson thought for a moment. “I don’t think she had any particular scent. That poor thing didn’t know how to enjoy life. She had a whole cabinet full of perfumes but I never saw her use any. She didn’t have any feminine fragrance at all!” Mrs. Wilson was sent to the Thorne house by my mother six months ago. She said since I still hadn’t gotten pregnant, she was sending Mrs. Wilson, who was skilled at making medicinal dishes, to help improve my health. The change in the Reed family’s attitude towards me had made me happy for quite a while. Even though Mrs. Wilson never actually cooked a meal for me after she arrived, it still made me hopeful about my parents’ love. But later I realized that from the moment Mrs. Wilson appeared before me, it was the first step in the Reed family’s plan to help Natalie replace me. Mrs. Wilson came to the Thorne house to observe my living habits and secretly record videos for Natalie to imitate me. Hearing Mrs. Wilson’s mockery of me, Natalie’s lips curled into a smile. “Not only was she poor, she was also short-lived.” Mrs. Wilson looked confused. “Short-lived?” Natalie’s smile froze on her face, but she quickly recited her prepared lines, “She was always very weak. The old widow who took care of her was always saying she needed to take her to the doctor, hoping our parents would give more living expenses.” “All they did was ask our family for money. It was just a beggar raising another beggar! You could tell that dead girl had never seen the world. She did everything herself, which made it awkward for me to order the servants around.” I angrily rushed over and tried to punch and kick her, but my fists and feet passed right through her body with no effect. The Reed family only gave money for those first few years. They never gave another cent after that. It was all my grandmother scraping by collecting recyclables to provide for my food and clothing. When they needed someone to take my place, that’s when they finally remembered me. Mrs. Wilson started giving Natalie advice, “Why don’t you wash your hair a few more times with the shampoo in the bathroom? Maybe the scent from the shampoo you used at home hasn’t completely faded yet.” “Evelyn Reed didn’t care about these things. She just used whatever the Thorne household provided. She wasn’t as particular as you.” Natalie pressed her lips together in annoyance. “I’ve been using it every day! How has it not washed out yet? I’ll wash it again later.” After sending Mrs. Wilson away, Natalie made a phone call. “Master Shen, have you contained Evelyn Reed’s wandering soul like I asked?” I leaned in close to the phone to hear the response. “Don’t worry, ma’am. I’ve used my magic to trap her soul on the spirit altar. She doesn’t even have a chance at reincarnation!” Spirit altar… yeah right. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes as I floated around the room a few times. Although I don’t know why I’m bound to stay by her side, a truly capable master wouldn’t speak so obsequiously. He’s clearly just afraid of losing business.

Alexander didn’t return home for several days. Natalie waited until 8 PM. Looking at the table full of his favorite dishes, I licked my lips. To say Alexander and I had nothing in common wasn’t entirely accurate. When it came to food, our tastes were surprisingly similar. Natalie ate some vegetables and a piece of meat before putting down her chopsticks. She had always been very strict about managing her figure. Her total daily food intake was barely equivalent to one of my meals. Not only did she have specific requirements for cooking methods, she also strictly controlled her last meal of the day to be before 6 PM. My grandmother used to say being able to eat was a blessing, so I never deprived myself. Mrs. Zhang’s mouth-watering chicken was first-class! Just looking at it made my mouth water. I had to say Natalie was missing out. Alexander also stopped eating and looked at Natalie. “The food doesn’t suit your taste?” Natalie smiled serenely. “I haven’t had much of an appetite lately.” Alexander stared at her for a good while before saying, “The butler said your appetite was even better than usual while I was abroad. How come you suddenly can’t eat now that I’m back?” Natalie looked at Alexander’s expressionless face and shook her head repeatedly. “My appetite hasn’t been good these past few days. I might have caught a summer cold.” Alexander lowered his gaze. After a moment, he said, “First dizziness, now loss of appetite. I’ll take you for a check-up tomorrow.” Natalie instinctively wanted to refuse, but ended up smiling and agreeing. I knew she thought as long as they didn’t go to the plastic surgery department for an examination, she had nothing to fear. After all, only the three of them knew about my disappearance.

The Cloud Summit Group owns a hospital. I used to come here when I was sick to avoid spending money, conveniently charging it to Alexander’s account. The fact that Alexander was accompanying Natalie for the check-up nearly made my jaw drop. The hospital director handed the report to Alexander, saying, “Mr. Thorne, this is the full body examination report. Mrs. Thorne is in very good health.” “I remember when she came for her first check-up two years ago, her body was lacking in various vitamins. But this examination shows that problem is gone now. It seems the madam has been taking her supplements regularly.” Back then, I had just married into the family and was falling ill every few days. The director had suggested I get a full body check-up. My poor health was due to malnutrition. The hospital had prescribed a bunch of supplements to improve my constitution. But medicine is partly toxic, so after taking them for half a year and feeling much better, I stopped continuing. I wasn’t sure if the medicine actually worked, since they were now examining the well-fed Natalie. Alexander took the report and flipped through it casually. His hand suddenly paused on one page. Just as I was about to float over to take a peek, he quickly flipped to the back. After finishing, he asked, “Aren’t these recent symptoms typical of pregnancy?” I nearly choked on my saliva. Although his suspicion wasn’t directed at me, he knew I took contraceptives after every time. Besides, with my issues of cold constitution and weak blood, how could I possibly get pregnant? The director shook his head. “The weather has been hot lately. Many people are suffering from summer heat exhaustion. I’ve prescribed some Huoxiang Zhengqi water. Mrs. Thorne should feel better after drinking one box.” Alexander lowered his eyes, looking at the report in his hands without saying anything.

Meanwhile, Natalie saw Alexander talking to the director and felt a bit uneasy. She hurried over with the medicine the nurse had retrieved, interrupting, “Alex, is there something wrong with my health?” The director repeated what he had just said. Natalie relaxed upon hearing this. Just then, Natalie received a call from the Reed family asking her to come home for dinner. Seeing this, Alexander said he would accompany her. I floated along and got in the car with them. Since Alexander’s return this time, I felt his attitude towards Natalie impersonating me was a bit strange. For such a businessman who never did anything without profit, I couldn’t help but suspect he had some other motive. This was Alexander’s first time visiting the Reed house. My parents’ faces lit up with joy when they saw him. Their tone was full of fawning and flattery. As they sat in the living room, I was bound to stay within Natalie’s vicinity and couldn’t go too far. My mother held Natalie’s hand, examining her closely while quietly asking if she was eating well at the Thorne house and how she was sleeping. I didn’t want to watch her doting on Natalie. My gaze kept drifting towards the storage room in the backyard of the villa. That day, they had given all the household staff time off. After luring me there to kill me, they directly hid me in the freezer they had prepared in advance. I wanted to go see if I was still there. It was rare for Alexander to visit. If only he could take me away with him. At this moment, my mother gave my father a look. He immediately made an excuse to take Alexander to the study for tea and chess. I followed the mother and daughter to the bedroom. My mother spoke in a low, grave voice, “Your father and I cut that girl into pieces last night.”

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After my ex-boyfriend was recognized by a wealthy family and established himself in high society, his first act was to come back and seek revenge on me. All because I broke up with him the year he was diagnosed with leukemia. What he doesn’t know is that the anonymous donor who gave him bone marrow was me. And while he’s frantically searching for information about me to exact his revenge, I’ve been dead for three years. Zachary Thompson sat with one leg crossed over the other, one hand propping up his head, the other tapping lightly on the table. “Mrs. White, how have you been lately?” he asked, his voice polite but his expression cold. My heart raced. Zachary was going to cause trouble for my mom. “I’m doing fine, Zachary. How about you… how are you doing?” My mom sat across from him, looking nervously at the men in black suits standing behind him. “Oh, I’m doing great. Ever since your gold-digger daughter left me, everything’s been smooth sailing. Look, I brought you a little something,” Zachary said, his face dark. He then smirked and gestured for one of his men to bring out a stack of cash. “Zachary, what’s the meaning of this?” My mom looked at him, bewildered. “Isn’t this why Lily broke up with me back then? Because I had no money?” Zachary laughed cruelly. “If she comes out now and gets on her knees to apologize, all this can be yours.” He grabbed the stacks of money and started throwing them at my mom’s head. I watched as my mom trembled with anger, pointing at Zachary’s nose, unable to speak. “What’s wrong, Mrs. White? Surprised? I’m still alive, and now I’m the heir to the Thompson fortune.” I was furious at the scene before me. I rushed forward to slap Zachary, but my hand passed right through his body. Zachary remained seated, showing no reaction, as if he couldn’t sense my presence at all. I stared at my hand in disbelief, suddenly remembering that I had been dead for three years. “Lily… she can’t see you right now. You should leave,” my mom said, her voice breaking as tears welled up in her eyes. I floated nearby, helpless, wanting to tell my mom not to cry, but unable to do so. “Can’t see me? Is she doing something she’s ashamed of?” Zachary sneered. “Let me guess. Is she someone’s mistress? Or maybe she’s working at a nightclub, entertaining rich men?” Zachary lit a cigarette, his laughter growing louder, each chuckle like a thorn piercing my heart. “Enough! Lily isn’t like that!” My mom cried out, tears rolling down her cheeks as she tried to stop Zachary from continuing. “Isn’t like what? Am I wrong? Didn’t she leave me because I was poor and sick?” Zachary’s smile vanished. He swept the teacup off the table with his hand, sending glass shards and hot tea flying onto my mom. My mom’s arm was cut, blood seeping from the wounds. She sat frozen in her seat, ignoring the blood on her arm. Her mouth opened and closed, as if wanting to say something but swallowing it back. My spirit felt as if it had been scalded by the tea, anxiously floating around. Damn it! Why am I just a spirit? Why can’t I wipe away my mom’s tears? Why can’t I slap Zachary’s mouth for her? “Oh, I’m so sorry, Mrs. White. I accidentally knocked over the tea you just poured,” Zachary said, putting out his cigarette. He took a handkerchief from his assistant and leisurely wiped his hands. “Consider this money as compensation for my clumsiness.” “Oh, and remember to tell Lily, if she refuses to see me, I can’t guarantee I won’t do something… unpleasant.” Zachary flashed another wicked smile, glanced at my trembling mom, and left with his entourage of men in black. My mom shakily stood up and walked to my room. The room was still arranged the same as it had been three years ago. She picked up a photo from the bedside table, her fingers gently caressing it as if trying to touch the person in the picture through the glass. “Lily… Mom knows that Zachary has been holding a grudge all these years, but hearing him talk about you like that…” “It breaks Mom’s heart…” My tears fell uncontrollably, my chest feeling as if it were being squeezed by a giant hand, making it hard to breathe. I had been gone for three years, and every time someone mentioned my name, my mom would tear up and fall silent. Time hadn’t dulled her grief. She still watered the gardenia in front of the house every day and regularly cleaned my room.

The next day, when my mom went to work, her company told her she had been fired. She sat dazed on the sidewalk outside the company, mumbling, “What about Kevin’s medical bills now…” I floated in the air, looking at the strands of white mixed in with her black hair, feeling a lump in my throat. This job had been my mom’s only source of income. After I passed away, my brother also fell ill, and she could only find work as a cleaner to make ends meet. I guessed that my mom’s job loss was Zachary’s doing, and my guilt towards her deepened. I had thought that leaving him like that would make him give up and move on, but I didn’t realize his obsession would run so deep. Deep enough that three years later, he would lose his rationality and extend his anger to my family. My spirit followed Zachary, wanting to slap him hard to avenge my mom. I watched as Zachary entered a mansion. Inside, a woman took his coat and kissed his cheek affectionately. As I recognized the familiar figure of the woman, my mind went blank. It was Rachel Young. Rachel and I were high school classmates. She was beautiful and came from a wealthy family. Many boys pursued her, including Zachary. Rachel was used to being chased by numerous boys and knew they would give up before long. But she hadn’t expected that boy named Zachary Thompson to persist from freshman to senior year. So that year, she approached me. With a dazzling smile, she handed me a card. “Go find a way to get together with Zachary Thompson. I don’t care how you do it, just keep him from bothering me.” At that time, I was sick but didn’t dare tell the school, fearing they would make me take a leave of absence. Looking through her beautiful eyes at sickly, unattractive me, I had no choice. I needed money for medical treatment. I took the card, which contained more zeros than I could count at first glance. So I went to intercept this trouble for Rachel, mustering up the courage to confess to Zachary. Surprisingly, it went smoothly. That’s how Zachary and I got together. “Zachary, what’s wrong? Did something happen today?” My reminiscence was interrupted as Rachel gently massaged Zachary’s shoulders, asking about his day in an intimate tone. “I met someone who put me in a bad mood,” Zachary said, pinching the bridge of his nose, his voice heavy. “I’ll ask the housekeeper to make some sweet soup. You’ll feel better after eating it,” Rachel said, leaning on Zachary’s shoulder, her voice as gentle as water. Zachary tilted his head to kiss her lips. “It’s good to have you.” As I watched the man I had loved for years, my heart filled with an indescribable sourness. He already had a beautiful companion by his side, yet he still couldn’t let go of the past, insisting on reopening my mother’s wounds.

I hadn’t expected that Rachel would, because of Zachary’s words, follow the trail and learn about Zachary’s visit to my mom. The next day, she also went to my house. When Rachel arrived, my mom was doing some handicraft work. Rachel smiled at my mom, “Hello, Mrs. White. You remember Zachary Thompson, right? I’m Zachary’s wife.” “Hello, please have a seat,” my mom said after a moment’s hesitation, not showing any hostility despite what had happened with Zachary. “Mrs. White, my name is Rachel Young. I was also Lily’s classmate,” Rachel said. “I haven’t seen Lily in a long time. Could I possibly see her today?” My mom’s hands froze. She shook her head. “Rachel, I’m afraid Lily isn’t available to see you anymore.” Rachel covered her mouth lightly, speaking as if unintentionally, “How could she not be available?” “Don’t tell me Lily is really doing some disreputable work?” My mom’s hands stopped moving, her expression changing. “Rachel, you were Lily’s classmate. You should know what kind of person she was.” Rachel stood up with a light laugh, looking down at my mom. “Mrs. White, your precious daughter took a sum of money from me five years ago. Later, I asked her to leave Zachary.” “But now, your daughter has somehow managed to make Zachary keep looking for her.” “Tell me, who should I hold responsible for this?” My heart skipped a beat as I remembered something. In the fifth year of my relationship with Zachary, Rachel somehow learned that Zachary was from a wealthy family. She cornered me on my way home. “You’ve done well, but now I’m interested in Zachary again. You can get lost,” she said, still smiling beautifully, her voice gentle, but her actions contrasted sharply with her tone. She held a knife to my face, forcing me to look at her. I swallowed hard. “No, I have feelings for him now. I’ll try to pay back the money you gave me back then.” She laughed softly, signaling the group of men behind her to come and strip my clothes. As I struggled and resisted, she said: “It doesn’t matter if you’re unwilling. I’ll go tell him that you only got together with him for my money.” “Guess whether he’d want to stay with a gold-digger like you who’s about to die?” I immediately deflated, returning home in a daze. When I got back, I broke up with Zachary. He thought I was just in a bad mood and tried to comfort me as usual. I turned away, trying hard not to let him see my tears about to fall, and said harshly: “I’m done playing now. You can get lost.” “Someone else is pursuing me now, saying he can give me a good life.” Zachary was silent for a long time, seemingly trying to discern the truth in my words. “Lily, I can give you a good life too…” he said finally. Fighting the pain in my heart, I mocked him: “No matter how capable you are, you can’t compare to those rich kids, even if you work hard for ten or twenty years.” “Zachary, I’ve had enough of being poor with you these past few years. Stop disgusting me.” The light in Zachary’s eyes went out, filled with tears. He moved out that day, leaving the basement we had called home. Later, my illness worsened, and I could only hear about him from others. I heard that Zachary had returned to his family and become the young master of the Thompson family. I was genuinely happy for him. Then I heard that Zachary had developed leukemia. I cried on my hospital bed when I heard the news. That day, I searched online for a long time and found out that Zachary’s illness could be cured with a bone marrow transplant. “He’s just about to start living a good life, how can he die like this?” I thought. So I donated my bone marrow to him. I hoped he could live well on my behalf.

With a loud crash that I couldn’t stop in time, Rachel knocked over the basket in front of my mom. “What are you doing!” My mom grabbed Rachel’s hand. “Rachel, why are you here?” A male voice came from behind her. Rachel’s expression changed, and she rushed into Zachary’s arms. “Zachary, I just missed Lily a bit. But when I mentioned her, Mrs. White tried to hit me,” Rachel said, raising her wrist with a red mark, her eyes brimming with tears. Zachary looked at the mark, then raised his eyes to stare at my mom, his gaze cold and terrifying. “Mrs. White, it seems you didn’t take my words to heart last time,” Zachary said coldly to the men in black behind him, “Since Lily still won’t come out, smash everything in Lily’s room.” My mom shouted at Zachary, “No! You can’t smash anything!” But Zachary’s men moved quickly, rushing into my room. The first thing they smashed was the photo frame on the bedside table. The glass frame made a crisp sound as it shattered on the floor. My mom ran over, disregarding the glass shards, picked up the photo inside, and held it to her chest. “Take her away!” Zachary ordered. I watched helplessly as two burly men dragged my mom away. She clutched my photo, sobbing, her hands bloodied and mixed with glass shards, staining the person in the photo red. “Lily… my Lily, I’ve dirtied Lily’s photo.” The dull pain in my chest turned into a sharp knife twisting inside, making it hard to breathe. I never liked taking photos before, and even less so after I got sick and looked sickly. The only photo was placed by my mom on the bedside table, wiped clean over and over again. “Is this Lily? Let me see,” Rachel said, seeing my mom crying heartbrokenly while hugging the photo, she snatched it from her arms. “Give me back Lily’s photo!” My usually gentle mom lunged at Rachel, trying to grab the photo back, but was pushed to the ground by a large hand. My mom fell onto the glass-covered floor, her arms becoming a bloody mess. But she paid no attention to this, crying loudly, trying to pick up the photo that Rachel was now stepping on. “The crying is so annoying. Even after all this, Lily still won’t show up?” Zachary said, his face full of hatred and disgust as he grabbed the photo my mom had just picked up, tearing it into pieces in a matter of seconds. My mom’s cries stopped. She watched the photo pieces flutter down, trying to grab them but failing. “Lily’s photo is gone, the only photo of Lily is gone…” I crouched powerlessly beside my mom, not knowing whether to regret falling in love with someone like Zachary, Or to hate myself for not leaving more photos for my mom when I was alive. Zachary frowned, kicking the pieces on the ground further away, saying: “It’s just a photo, what’s the big deal? Is Lily dead and can’t take any more photos? Why are you crying like it’s a funeral?” My mom looked up with bloodshot eyes, screaming hysterically at Zachary: “This was the only photo of Lily!” Zachary lit a cigarette, snorting lightly, “I forgot, you’re Lily’s mother. Her gold-digging must be inherited from you.” “Tell me, how much money do you want for a photo?” He blew a smoke ring in my mom’s face, making her cough. “Tell Lily to come out now and kneel before me. I’ll compensate double for whatever damage was done to your house.” Zachary said, then seemed to think of something else. He took a drag of his cigarette and smirked. “Money is the least of my concerns now. If Lily performs well, I might even consider keeping her as my mistress.” I stood by, my fingers digging into my palms in anger. I never imagined Zachary would become so obsessed. Three years ago, I used his lack of money as an excuse. Three years later, he wants to buy my dignity with money in front of my mom. But I’m already dead, Zachary. “Zachary! How can you do this to Lily?!” My mom’s voice was hoarse from crying, her face filled with grief and anger. “How am I wronging her?! She wronged me three years ago when she left me at my most desperate moment!” “If it wasn’t for a kind-hearted person donating bone marrow to me, I would have died!” “She went off to enjoy life with rich men, all of this is a debt Lily owes me!” Zachary’s expression was almost distorted as he spat out his hatred for me through gritted teeth. “Lily is gone, she’s gone…” my mom said, her voice barely a whisper.

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My mother, pitying my seven-year unrequited love, got our adopted brother drunk and locked him in my room. The next day, photos of Blake Sullivan and me in bed went viral. He proposed to me with a cold face. The wedding reception ended hastily, and he retreated to the mountains to meditate. He only agreed to return when our daughter turned five. Our daughter, eager to see her father, insisted on going up the mountain to meet him. Olivia Winters, lying in his arms, saw the daughter who was a spitting image of Blake. Heartbroken, she left but accidentally fell off the cliff. Blake held Olivia’s body and cried for three days and nights. Afterwards, he returned to the family, becoming a universally praised good husband and father. I thought I had finally weathered the storm, but on our daughter’s fifth birthday, she accidentally fell into the sea. Without hesitation, I jumped into the raging waves during the storm. He watched us coldly from the yacht, his eyes full of terrifying hatred. “You two have ruined everything! You’re the culprits who killed Olivia Winters! This is what you owe her, pay with your lives today!” He decisively cut the lifeline short and sailed the yacht away without looking back. It wasn’t until my daughter and I were swallowed by the cold sea that I realized how much Blake Sullivan hated us. I woke up, reborn to the night Blake was drugged. “Aria! Open the door! Let me in!” I desperately held the bedsheet against the door and dialed the number of his true love…

My heart was racing, and my ears were ringing. “Damn it! The drug’s working too fast!” I cursed under my breath, stumbling backward. On the security camera feed, Blake Sullivan was standing outside my bedroom door. He was tugging at his hair in frustration, his shirt collar wide open, revealing his muscular chest. Muffled sounds of distress escaped his throat. The drug was already beginning to erode his self-control. I inhaled sharply as memories of my past life’s nightmare flooded back. If tonight’s script were to repeat itself, photos of Blake and me in bed would once again make headlines tomorrow. The tidal wave of public opinion would force him to marry me. After the wedding, he’d use meditation as an excuse to abandon me, leaving me as Mrs. Sullivan in name only. Later, I’d discover he had already been hiding his true love in the mountains. He only agreed to come down to buy a wedding dress for Olivia. Ironically, Olivia accidentally saw our daughter’s face, which looked exactly like Blake’s, instantly shattering her fragile nerves. After an argument, she fell off a cliff. Blake then poured all his hatred onto me and our daughter. No, living this life again, I absolutely cannot repeat the same mistakes! With trembling hands, I fumbled for my phone. “If you want to marry Blake Sullivan, come to the yacht right now.” After sending the text, I felt my cheeks burning up, and my breathing became rapid. “Damn it! I’ve been drugged too!” My mother’s crazed face suddenly appeared in my mind. “Aria, darling, Blake is so outstanding. Only you are worthy of him!” “Mom… what are you trying to do?!” “Don’t worry, my dear daughter. I’ll make Blake willingly marry you.” I leaned weakly against the cold wall, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. “Mom… you’re really going to be the death of me…” In less than ten minutes, urgent knocking shook the door, and Olivia’s shrill voice pierced through. “Aria James! What the hell are you up to? Why is Blake here? What have you done to him?!” “Aria, have you no shame? You’d do anything to get him, you’re despicable!” I took a deep breath, suppressing the strange sensations in my body, and said hoarsely, “Olivia, I know you and Blake have been secretly together for a while now. Whether you want to lock him in a room alone or join him in there, it’s up to you. I’m handing Blake over to you now.” With that, I yanked open the door and shoved Olivia into the room. I pushed Blake in as well. Then, without hesitation, I closed the door. From inside, the sound of tearing fabric immediately followed… I covered my ears and stumbled away.

I felt like my body was about to burst into flames. My rationality was torn to shreds, and all I wanted at that moment was to find a man, as quickly as possible. I stumbled and pushed open a door. The room was dimly lit, with a man standing by the window, his back to me. My voice was hoarse and tinged with tears as I lunged towards him. “Help me…” I cried out hoarsely, clinging to him like a drowning person grasping at a floating log. I hugged his waist tightly, pressing my burning cheek against his cool shirt. The man turned around, his handsome face filled with surprise. I didn’t care about anything else. I grabbed his collar, driven by instinctive desire, and pressed my burning lips against his. My kiss was clumsy, even a bit rough. “Mmph…” The man tried to push me away, but I clung to him desperately. “Please help me…” I mumbled incoherently, frantically pulling a diamond necklace from my bag and stuffing it into his hand. “This is very expensive, consider it payment for your trouble…” “I’m begging you…” I kissed him again, fumbling to unbutton his shirt. The man’s body stiffened, then he let out a sigh and pinned me against the wall. He whispered in my ear, his voice low and husky, “Aria James… don’t regret this.”

When I woke up, my entire body ached as if I’d been hit by a truck. I picked up my torn clothes from the floor, wrapped them around myself, and slipped out of bed. Back home, I rushed into the bathroom and examined myself in the mirror. My neck was covered in red marks, layers of deep and light bruises overlapping. Just as I walked out of the bathroom, I heard the front door open. I pressed an ice pack to my neck, hiding the marks. Blake walked in and frowned when he saw me with the ice pack. “What’s wrong? Got a stiff neck? Icing it so early in the morning.” I avoided his gaze, my eyes darting around nervously. “Um… yeah, stiff neck. Just icing it a bit.” Blake stepped closer, his gaze sharp. “Aria, drop the act! You think I don’t know your mom deliberately got me drunk last night?” His voice was cold, filled with undisguised disgust, “She’s always trying to push you onto me. You two are so pathetic, always clinging to me.” “What, couldn’t get into my bed last night, so you went out desperately looking for some random guy?” “You think I’d worry about you? That I’d run around like a dog looking for you? Dream on! Your little games of playing hard to get only disgust me!” I was stunned. How could he say such hurtful things? I hadn’t come home all night, wasn’t it to give him and Olivia a chance to be together? What right did he have to accuse me so self-righteously? “As you wished, I was with Olivia last night, and we’ll be together from now on. Olivia will be my wife, never you! So I suggest you give up on this foolish idea and stop doing these ridiculous things!” Blake tilted his chin up, his tone arrogant and smug, the fresh red marks on his neck clearly visible. I looked at Blake standing before me, my heart aching. Once, this man had been my everything, a mix of love and hate, deeply etched into my soul. Now, it was all in the past. Could I really let go? When I wake up from dreams at midnight, will I still feel regret? Fighting back the pain in my heart, I forced a smile, “Don’t worry, I’ll let you two be happy.” My voice was soft, but loud enough for him to hear clearly. “I’ll tell my parents that I don’t like you anymore. I won’t bother you again.” Blake was clearly taken aback by my words. His frown deepened, as if he couldn’t believe I would give up so easily. I suppose in his eyes, I, Aria James, should always be chasing after him. After all, my entire family had gone mad trying to arrange our marriage. They’d made him a close family friend, given him company shares, and even promised to transfer all the family assets to his name if he agreed to marry me. How ridiculous! Thinking back to my previous life, how much I had sacrificed to marry him, how much pain I had endured. After our daughter was born, I thought I had finally found happiness, but in the end, it led to the destruction of my family and the tragic deaths of both mother and daughter! Living this life again, I absolutely will not repeat the same mistakes! Blake was about to say something more when my mother’s questioning voice suddenly came from the pool area. “Olivia?! What are you doing here?!” My heart skipped a beat. I ran to the balcony and saw my mother standing by the pool, pointing at Olivia, who had just climbed out of the water. Blake’s face changed. He immediately rushed over, shielding the dripping wet Olivia behind him. “I brought Olivia here. She said she didn’t sleep well on the yacht last night, so I let her come here to rest.” “Yacht? Olivia was on the yacht last night too? What was she doing there? Weren’t you supposed to be with Aria last night?!” My mother’s face turned extremely unpleasant as her gaze darted between the red marks on Blake and Olivia’s necks. She looked up at me standing on the balcony. Feeling guilty, I shrank back and quickly retreated to my room, closing the door. Whatever was about to happen next, I couldn’t be bothered to watch.

A little while later, my mom walked in with a smile plastered on her face, followed by Olivia and Blake. “Aria, look who’s here.” Olivia linked arms with my mom, “Auntie, you’re too kind. Last night, thanks to Aria, Blake and I were able to be together. We came to thank her.” I sat on the edge of the bed, watching them. “Aria, come out, we’re waiting for you.” I walked out of the room to find a barbecue grill set up in the living room. Blake was grilling meat while Olivia handed out drinks. They were chatting and laughing. “Aria, come sit with us. Blake has grilled lots of food,” Olivia called out to me, as if she were the hostess of this house. I sat down in a corner and picked up a skewer of grilled meat. Blake grilled a prawn and held it to Olivia’s lips, “Olivia, try this.” Olivia ate the prawn and exclaimed, “Delicious! Blake, you should have some too.” She picked up another skewer and tried to feed Blake. Blake dodged, and Olivia chased him with the skewer, insisting on feeding him. They were playfully chasing each other. “Blake, you’re only feeding Olivia. What about your sister? She wants to eat your grilled meat too,” my mom said from the side, her smile a bit forced. Blake glanced at me, “Aria can grill her own food. Olivia is my fiancée, so of course she gets the best treatment.” Olivia picked up a slice of watermelon and held it to Blake’s lips, “How about I feed you with my mouth?” “Okay.” They kissed in front of me, seemingly seemingly unable to part. They only stopped when their faces had turned red from lack of air. Olivia touched her lips lightly and gently tapped Blake’s waist, “Oh my, Blake, you’ve made my lips all swollen.” She looked at me, “Aria, Blake must be addicted to my lips.” “You’ve never been kissed by him, so you wouldn’t understand.” I looked up to see my mom sighing as she watched them. I watched Olivia’s mouth open and close, feeling irritated. I made an excuse to leave. “I’m going to get some water.” I returned to the living room where my dad was sitting. He was looking outside, seemingly aware of everything.

Dad slammed his hand on the table in a fit of rage, causing the teacup to jump. “Aria James! You’re killing me! Last night, your mom and I got Blake drunk and sent him to your bedroom door, and you didn’t even open it! Are you stupid? You wasted such a perfect opportunity!” “Mark my words, that vixen out there will be moving into Blake’s house in no time! The cooked duck has flown away! I’m telling you, there’s no chance left! Do you know how many favors I’ve done to get you married to Blake? And you, you dropped the ball at the crucial moment!” I looked at him, my voice calm, “Dad, I don’t like Blake anymore.” Dad looked as if he’d heard the most ridiculous thing in the world. His voice suddenly rose, “What did you say? You don’t like Blake anymore? Aria James, have you lost your mind? Wasn’t it you who insisted on marrying only Blake? Wasn’t it you who was ready to die for him? Now you say you don’t like him? Are you toying with me?” His chest heaved violently, clearly furious. I took a deep breath, trying to make my voice sound more determined. “Dad, I’m serious. I really don’t like Blake anymore. I was foolish before, but now I’ve come to my senses.” “Besides, I don’t want to have anything to do with Blake anymore. Didn’t you say Ethan Grant from the Grant family is a good match? Why don’t you arrange for us to meet?” Dad was stunned, his anger dissipating somewhat. He looked at me. “You… you’re serious? You’re not just throwing a tantrum?” I met his gaze, my eyes resolute, “Dad, I’m serious.” Dad was silent for a moment, his expression softening and his tone becoming gentler, “Ethan Grant… that boy from the Grant family is indeed a good catch. His character and family background are impeccable. If you really want to ally with the Grant family, we can consider it.” He paused, then added, “But, Aria, have you really thought this through? About Blake… have you really let go?” I nodded and took out my phone, “Dad, give me Ethan’s contact information.” “Good, good, good!” Dad repeated the word ‘good’ three times and took out his phone to search. As I added Ethan on SnapChat and looked at his profile picture on the screen, I felt lost. Was giving up on Blake really this easy? Could the obsession from my past life really vanish like a dream? A few days later, I was driving past Blake’s house. Olivia was leaning against a red sports car. When she saw my car, she raised her chin, her face smug. She dangled the car keys in her hand, smiling at me, “Oh my, isn’t this Aria? What a coincidence! Isn’t this new car beautiful? Blake gave it to me.” She raised her voice, pointing at Blake who was walking a dog not far away, “Blake is so good to me. He even walks the dog for me every day. Unlike some people who chased after Blake for so many years and ended up worse off than a dog!” Olivia laughed lightly, her eyes full of contempt. My heart ached. In my past life, our daughter Sweetie never received even a shred of fatherly love from Blake, he barely even looked at her. But now, he was so attentive to Olivia’s dog. I felt a lump in my chest. Not wanting to engage with her any further, I stepped on the gas, ready to leave. But just then, Olivia rushed in front of my car, banging on my window and screaming. “Aria James! Get out of the car! How dare you look at me like that! Are you jealous of me? Jealous that Blake loves me?” She yelled and cursed while forcefully pulling at my car door, her nails scratching the paint. Blake heard the commotion and walked over, his face dark. “Aria James! What are you up to now? What did you do to upset Olivia? Why are you bullying her?” He pulled Olivia behind him protectively, glaring at me angrily. Olivia hid behind Blake, looking at me, “Blake, I’m so scared… I just wanted to say hello to Aria, but she… she seems to hate me so much, she even tried to run me over with her car…” “Enough!” Blake interrupted Olivia, roaring, “Aria James! That’s enough! How many times have I warned you not to cling to me? Not to harass Olivia? Why won’t you listen?” “Look at yourself! I’m so disappointed in you!” He pointed at my nose, his tone full of disgust. Turning to Olivia, his expression softened, “Olivia, don’t be afraid. I’m here, I won’t let her hurt you. Let’s go, ignore this crazy woman!” Saying this, he put his arm around Olivia’s shoulders and turned to leave, leaving me sitting alone in my car. Olivia nestled in Blake’s arms, turning back to give me a smile. My heart sank to the bottom. Blake had never changed. It was the same in my past life, and it remained the same in this life. He could never see my true feelings, always siding with Olivia. And I, for such a man, had wasted half my life, sacrificing my own happiness and that of my daughter. Thinking of my daughter, tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. This time, I must let go completely and start anew. For myself, and for my daughter, I absolutely cannot repeat the same mistakes!

I didn’t expect to end up in the hospital the next day. The door to my room was pushed open, and Olivia walked in arm in arm with Blake. The diamond ring on her finger was dazzling. “Aria James, the timing of your car accident is quite interesting,” Olivia spoke, her tone acidic. “Right on the day Blake and I were taking our wedding photos… Blake, don’t you think Aria still has lingering feelings for you, that’s why she…” She snuggled into Blake’s arms, leaving her sentence unfinished, but her implication was clear. I laughed, looking at the red roses on the bedside table, freshly picked by Ethan that morning. I had only realized during our meeting that he was the man I had spent that passionate night with. “Olivia, you’re overthinking. I have no feelings left for Blake.” Blake’s face darkened. He walked to the side of the bed and looked at me, his tone hard. “Aria James, what are you up to now? Why did you have to have an accident on the day Olivia and I were taking our wedding photos? Don’t you know how long we’ve been preparing for today?” He was suppressing his anger, his chest heaving. “I’ve told you so many times, we’re impossible. Why won’t you listen? Do you have to resort to this kind of attention-seeking?” I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “Blake, you’ve misunderstood. The car accident was just that – an accident. It has nothing to do with you.” “Is that so?” Blake didn’t believe me. Olivia’s eyes darted around, and she chimed in, “Blake, don’t say that about Aria. She might have just been careless. Besides, Aria doesn’t lack suitors. Maybe she’s already forgotten about you.” As she spoke, she adjusted Blake’s tie, giving me a triumphant look. Blake’s expression softened a bit, but his tone was still displeased, “Olivia and I are getting engaged. Aria, if you see me as a brother, you should be happy for us, not…” “I have a boyfriend now, and he treats me very well,” I interrupted Blake. Blake frowned, “Boyfriend? How come I don’t know about this? Who is he?” Olivia covered her mouth and laughed, walking to my bedside and shoving her diamond ring in my face, “Aria James, stop pretending. Even if you hired someone to act, Blake won’t believe it. He certainly won’t be jealous of your so-called fake boyfriend. His heart only belongs to me, and this diamond ring is proof. Are you envious?” Her smile was sweet, but her eyes were full of challenge. I turned my head away. Once, I too wanted Blake’s love, but that was in the past. Now, my heart belonged only to Ethan. “Even if you don’t have a boyfriend, it doesn’t matter. You’ll always be my sister,” Blake sighed, his tone patronizing, “I’ll take care of you, as long as you don’t harbor any delusions of marrying me.” I felt a wave of disgust. His so-called “care” was nothing short of a nightmare for me. “That’s right, Aria. You can consider us family. Blake and I will both take care of you,” Olivia chimed in, her smile fake. I knew that no matter how much I explained, they wouldn’t believe me. So I simply dismissed them. “I want to rest now,” I said flatly. Blake looked at me, his expression complex. He seemed about to say something, but Olivia pulled him away. After they left, I picked up my phone and played the voice message Ethan had sent proposing to me. “Aria, will you marry me?” His voice was gentle. Listening to his voice, the corners of my mouth turned up. It was while driving that I suddenly heard his proposal, causing me to get excited and crash into the roadside guardrail. It really had nothing to do with Blake.

During my hospital stay, Blake came to visit a few times, but I always turned him away, saying visiting hours were over. After being discharged, I moved in with Ethan, avoiding everything related to Blake. One evening, I returned home to get a bracelet. As I opened the door, I found myself staring into a pair of sinister eyes. Blake was sitting on the living room sofa, the wall light casting a long, thin shadow behind him. “Aria James, are you avoiding me?” His voice was low. My heart skipped a beat, but I suppressed my panic and forced a smile. “You’re overthinking.” “I hope so!” He stood up, his shadow looming over me. His brows furrowed, a storm brewing in his eyes. “My wedding with Olivia is imminent. I don’t want any more tricks!” “Then congratulations on your upcoming marriage.” I looked straight into his eyes, my tone calm. He stared at me, as if trying to see through me. Finally, his gaze fixed on my neck. “What’s wrong with your neck? Did you strain it again?” He reached out, gripping my chin and forcing me to lift my head. I panicked and raised my hand to cover the suggestive kiss marks on my neck. I stepped back, trying to create distance, but he grabbed my wrist, his grip so tight it felt like he might crush my bones. “It’s none of your business!” I shook off his hand, my tone icy. Blake’s face darkened to an extreme, his whole body radiating danger. A strong sense of unease rose in my heart. Not wanting to engage with him any further, I turned and fled back to my bedroom. From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a figure flashing behind the curtain on the second floor. Olivia was hiding behind the window, staring at me, her eyes filled with malice and distortion. The next afternoon, I dressed up carefully and went out to watch a movie with Ethan. Walking through the yard in my high heels, I saw that red sports car. Olivia was sitting in the driver’s seat, taking selfies with her phone. After the movie, I returned home. Just as I walked into the living room, a voice rang out. “Aria James! You vicious woman! Olivia almost died because of your perfume! Are you satisfied now?!” Blake rushed up to me, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me violently. I felt dizzy from his shaking. Frowning, I asked in confusion, “What perfume? What are you talking about?” “Still playing dumb?!” Blake roared, shoving me onto the couch. Then his body pressed down, pinning me to the sofa. At that moment, my phone rang, the screen flashing “Boyfriend”.

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After I donated my corneas to my son who was about to go blind, he mixed up my identity with Lily Brooks, my husband’s first love, due to memory confusion. Devastating news struck, and I was in so much pain that I didn’t want to wake up. But while I was semi-conscious, I overheard a conversation between my son and husband. “Dad, this way, Aunt Lily can stay with me forever!” “Yes, that’s my good boy! You acted so well!” The doctor who performed my surgery couldn’t bear to watch anymore. “Young master’s eyes were perfectly fine. You tricked your wife into donating her corneas to Miss Brooks. If she finds out, I’m afraid…” “There’s nothing to be afraid of. She loves me and Charlie so much. Besides, she’s an orphan. Where could she go without us?” “Lily has no one here, and she’s about to go blind. I can’t waste another minute!” I lay in bed, tears of despair soaking my pillow. They only cared about protecting Lily. But they didn’t know that because of the surgery, I was dying.

When I woke up, Lucas Carter, who was supposed to be by my bedside, was nowhere to be found. After returning home alone under the sympathetic gaze of the medical staff, I saw Lucas enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner with Lily Brooks. Seeing me return, Lucas hurriedly stood up. “Honey, you’re back.” “Why didn’t you tell me you were discharged? I could have picked you up.” “You’ve been through such a major surgery. It must have been tough. Charlie and I will take good care of you from now on!” His gaze was as gentle as ever, but I suddenly felt completely drained. Behind his mask of pretense was nothing but false sincerity. I ignored him and looked at Lily, who was acting like the lady of the house. “Why is she here?” Lucas coughed and explained. “Of course, it’s for Charlie. He only remembers Lily now. The doctor said they should spend more time together. It’s good for his recovery.” Charlie came forward and punched me, showing his loyalty. “Bad woman, how dare you bully my mom!” I bit my lip, feeling my blood run cold instantly. The pain of being betrayed by my dearest loved ones almost made me lose my balance. Before the surgery, the doctor had warned me. My body wasn’t suitable for this kind of surgery. Forcing it would only shorten my lifespan. But Charlie was so young. I couldn’t bear to watch him go blind. A pair of corneas was the last gift I, as a mother, could give him. But my wholehearted devotion was repaid with betrayal after betrayal! Everything was just a trap they set for me for Lily’s sake! Seeing the situation, Lily came forward to mediate, twisting her body. “Charlie, that’s enough. We shouldn’t hit people.” I looked at her smug eyes, trembling with anger. Sensing the tense atmosphere, Lucas quickly handed me a package from the side. “Honey, this is the discharge gift I prepared for you.” I looked down. Inside was a set of revealing lingerie. Lucas’s face instantly turned ugly as he tried to explain that he had grabbed the wrong package. But I never wore such things. He knew very well who it was bought for. I laughed bitterly and threw the clothes in his face before turning to go back to my room. But the sounds of laughter and joy outside were so loud they made my eardrums hurt. I had completely become an outsider in this family. But not long after, Charlie knocked on my door. He walked into my room without any courtesy and commanded me. “My toy is broken. Sew it for me!”

He was holding a rabbit plush toy that I had once sewn for him stitch by stitch. But now, the rabbit’s entire body had been maliciously cut beyond recognition. I looked at Charlie with trembling hands. Was this still the child I had nearly given my life to birth? But he wasn’t like this before. He used to sweetly call me “Mom” and was sensible enough to help with housework. But I don’t know when it started. He began to despise my increasingly haggard appearance from taking care of him. He pointed at my nose, “You’re so ugly now, no wonder Dad doesn’t want to come home to see you!” My heart was painfully stabbed, and a bucket of cold water was thrown in my face. Charlie held the bucket, impatiently glaring at me. “What are you staring at? Hurry up and sew it!” I looked at him deeply and calmly told him. “Go ask Lily to sew it for you.” With that, I walked towards the balcony to find new clothes. But the next second, I heard a click as the balcony door was locked. I was shocked and desperately pounded on the door, shouting. “Charlie, open the door!” But Charlie just snorted coldly, then directly pulled the curtains shut, ignoring my desperate cries for help. The night wind was bitterly cold, and my wet clothes clung to my body, making me shiver. My heart also turned completely cold. I curled up in the corner, seeking a bit of warmth. But at this moment, I heard a woman’s moan. “Oh, you naughty boy. Do you really like this outfit that much?” “Olivia is right next door. Aren’t you afraid she’ll come out and see us?” Lucas panted and teased. “Don’t worry, with Charlie keeping her busy, she won’t have time to bother us.” “Besides, we’ve been apart for so many years. Don’t you miss me?” The sounds of passion filled my ears, and I finally couldn’t control myself and vomited a mouthful of blood. That night, they were on fire in the room. While I was on the balcony, chilled to the bone by the cold wind. It wasn’t until noon the next day, when I was about to become dehydrated, that Lucas found me. He hurriedly took off his coat to wrap around my nearly lifeless body, and for the first time, he put on a serious face for Charlie. “Charlie, who told you to do this?” Charlie pouted, “She deserved it for not helping me sew my doll.” “But you can’t do that!” Charlie snorted and carelessly pulled Lily’s hand to run away. Lucas sighed and held my hand to comfort me. “Olivia, Charlie thinks Lily is you now. Everything he does is because he loves you.” “You need to understand him. Besides, I’ll always be on your side.” His eyes were deep and sincere, as if he still loved me very much. If I could ignore the fresh red marks on his neck, I might have believed him. I turned away, not wanting to look at him anymore. Seeing my attitude, Lucas also became angry. “Olivia Johnson, it’s getting old if you keep acting like this.” I laughed, “Is that so? Then I’ll just keep acting till the end.” “Unbelievable!” Lucas slammed the door hard as he left. The noise made my temples throb with pain. I lay on the couch, taking a long while to recover before getting up to go to the hospital. I needed to buy medicine.

The artificial eye was still a foreign object to me, causing excruciating pain every few days. The doctor told me there was a special medicine that might stabilize my condition. Otherwise, at this rate, I wouldn’t live past six months. But I had long since become a stay-at-home wife for love, with almost all financial power in Lucas’s hands. But I didn’t want to die yet. So I opened my phone and called him. But it was always busy. Until the last time, he hung up directly. I laughed and told the doctor to forget it. Leaving the hospital, my phone died, and the sky started pouring rain. My artificial eye had limited vision in the rain. But I could vaguely make out the father and son celebrating Lily’s birthday at a dessert shop. They were smearing cream on each other’s faces, looking as happy as in a romantic drama. But they usually hated sweets. As the rain trickled down my hair, I laughed bitterly, again and again. It turns out they didn’t dislike sweets. They just needed someone who could make them eat sweets. The continuous exposure to cold made me develop a high fever as soon as I got home. The artificial eye was still a foreign object, often making it difficult for me to sleep at night. But now, because of the fever, I dozed off in a daze. I hadn’t slept long before someone woke me up. Lucas brought me a small cake. “Here, Charlie and I brought you a strawberry cake. Wasn’t it your favorite before?” The old trick of giving a sweet after a slap. I looked into his eyes and said calmly. “That was before. I don’t like it anymore.” Lucas frowned. “Olivia Johnson, what exactly do you want to say?” I told him. “Lucas Carter, give me $300,000.” Surprised by my sudden request, Lucas was clearly bewildered. But before I could respond, Lily chimed in playfully. “I know why. There’s a new designer bag that costs exactly $300,000! Olivia must want to buy a bag!” “Throwing such a tantrum just for a bag, Olivia, you’re being so unreasonable.” Lucas’s eyes were full of mockery. “So you’ve been acting up all this time just to buy a bag. Olivia Johnson, I didn’t know you’ve become so vain and materialistic.” Charlie also chimed in. “That’s right, why should such a gold-digger stay in our house!” The three of them righteously accused me, and I laughed self-mockingly. Yes, a bag. They only knew that $300,000 was the price of a bag. But they didn’t know that $300,000 was also the price of my life. Lily walked up with a smile, stirring up more trouble. “Oh, don’t say that. Olivia is an orphan, with no mother to teach her. It’s normal to have some bad habits.” At the mention of my mother, my brain couldn’t even think before I instinctively slapped her. Lily wailed and fell into Lucas’s arms. Lucas was instantly enraged and pointed at my nose, cursing fiercely. “Olivia Johnson, apologize!” “Otherwise, you can forget about getting this money!” My heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly, making it difficult to breathe. Enduring the high fever, I propped myself up and looked at this man I had loved for seven years. Over the years, his appearance had barely changed, but his heart had become completely unrecognizable. In an instant, I didn’t want the money anymore. I didn’t want him or Charlie either.

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Everyone knows that Liam White, the heartthrob of A University, is hopelessly romantic. On the first day he met me, he confessed his love and gave me a card with five million dollars. When I was sick, he skipped classes to take care of me and personally prepared nutritious meals. He said, “Wil, I’ll always be by your side when you’re sick. I’ll take care of you forever.” To celebrate my birthday, he scoured the entire city to buy enough roses to fill an entire room. In the night sky, dazzling drones proclaimed his love for me to the world. [Wil, I love you forever] We embraced sweetly under the fireworks. Even in his room, it was full of my photos. Every day, he would post on social media about his love for me. But just now, I found a photo on his computer. The person in the photo looked almost identical to me. But she was wearing clothes I had never worn before. My hand froze on the mouse as I pondered the origin of this photo. But I was certain I had never taken this picture. Looking closely, the person in the photo seemed more fragile, with a hint of sadness in her eyes. The look she gave was somewhat reproachful, an expression I would never make. I suddenly remembered that my best friend Tanya had mentioned to me a while ago that Liam seemed to have had a crush on someone in high school. My heart suddenly felt a bit uneasy. Liam loved taking photos, and he loved taking photos of me too. But every time, he would make me pose in specific ways, never letting me pose freely. Whenever I wanted to pose on my own, his face would suddenly darken. I always thought it was just his unique photography quirk. So I would always comply with his wishes, and after taking the photos, he would always hug me and say: “Wil, you look best like this. I want to capture your most beautiful moments.” Afterwards, he would take me to various popular spots for couples and buy me all sorts of nice things. I always thought I was overthinking things before, but what if there really was something more to it? Considering the possible outcome, my body started to feel cold. My hand gripping the mouse tightened, involuntarily shaking a bit. Suddenly, I discovered a folder, but it was password-protected and I couldn’t open it. “Wil, have you finished checking the materials?” The moment I heard Liam’s voice, I instinctively exited the folder and returned to the initial page. My heart was racing violently, accompanied by a slight tightening that was somewhat painful. I turned to look at him, my face somewhat pale. “Wil, what’s wrong? Are you tired from writing your paper? I told you not to apply for your professor’s graduate program. You’re already so exhausted now, they’ll definitely squeeze you even more in the future.” “Besides, your boyfriend is so rich. After you graduate, I can just support you!” Liam hugged me worriedly, comforting me attentively. I buried my face in his chest and took a deep breath, still smelling that faint citrus scent, then wiped away the tears that had inexplicably fallen from the corners of my eyes. I looked up at the person in front of me, Liam’s eyes full of concern. In our four years together, he had always been very attentive to my emotions. Even though my body was very healthy and I had some natural athletic ability, he always thought I wasn’t good at sports. Every time I finished a sports competition, he would wait at the finish line looking at me with worry. My classmates all said he really loved me, and I thought he was very good to me too, just a bit too careful. “Liam, don’t be like this. I just ran 800 meters, you don’t need to be so nervous.” I wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. His face was even paler than mine after I had just finished running. He just carefully hugged me and said, “Wil, don’t participate next time. I’m worried about you, after all, your health isn’t good.” The last half of his sentence was too quiet, and I just thought he was too concerned about me. But thinking about it now, maybe there really was someone with poor health, just that person wasn’t me? Just thinking about this possibility made my heart ache. “Liam, this photo, I don’t think I’ve ever taken it?” I saw a flash of panic cross his face, but he quickly regained his composure. “Wil, where did you see this photo?” “On the desktop.” Without thinking, Liam blurted out, “I wanted to buy you new clothes, so I used AI to see how they would look on you. The result was very nice, so I bought that white dress set you haven’t worn yet.”

I looked straight into Liam’s eyes. There wasn’t a trace of lying in his eyes, just full of affection for me. His voice was steady, and the whole explanation was very reasonable, but it came so quickly that it gave me a strange feeling. It seemed as if he had prepared this reason long ago. I remained silent, but Liam panicked. His eyes reddened slightly as he took my hand. “Wil, don’t you believe me? Who else could it be if not you?” “You know, since being with you, except for business, I hardly ever spend time alone with other girls. I only love you.” His eyes were already glistening with tears as he explained, pleading with me with his gaze. My doubt seemed to make him extremely upset. “Wil, I love you. If I ever fall in love with someone else, may I die without a burial place!” With that, he hugged me tightly. I felt my shoulder becoming a bit hot. Liam’s words were too resolute, so resolute that I couldn’t doubt him anymore. Perhaps I was really overthinking things. I hugged him back. “I’m sorry, Liam. I’ve been too tired lately.” “I believe you love me. You wouldn’t lie to me.” Liam happily hugged me and spun me around upon hearing this. Not long after, he led me to the living room where the coffee table was filled with various fruits. Then he went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. In our four years together, Liam had gradually taken over my three meals a day. He said outside food wasn’t healthy. No matter how busy he was, he would always make time to prepare light meals for me with the freshest ingredients. When I was too busy to come home to eat, he would even deliver to my lab. My lab mates would say, “Why don’t you just hire a housekeeper? Isn’t it a waste of time to cook every day?” How did Liam always respond? He would say, “Wil loves my cooking the most.” But I had only told him I loved his cooking at the very beginning. As time went on, being someone who loves spicy food, I would often complain to him that the dishes were too bland. But he would just smile and say to me, “Eating light is good for your health.” He never mentioned making the food more to my taste. I kept staring at the kitchen. Perhaps Liam noticed my gaze, he turned back to look at me and then smiled gently. Not long after, he brought out three light dishes and a soup. The portion wasn’t large, just enough for two people. But I had accidentally been to the kitchen before and saw the ingredients Liam bought. There was definitely more than just this amount. At that time, I thought he was a novice and there was some waste, but the taste of his cooking was definitely not that of a novice. Thinking about it now, there seemed to be many loopholes. It’s just that I never doubted before, so I directly ignored them. After dinner, he sat beside me as I wrote my thesis. Suddenly, a clap of thunder outside, and Liam’s phone rang instantly. For a moment, I felt like my ears were going deaf. This ringtone, I had never heard before. Liam’s expression immediately became panicked, his movements became agitated. When I was busy before, he would never disturb me like this. I turned to look at him with some annoyance, but saw his face full of panic, anxiously saying: “Call the doctor quickly.” Then he left immediately without even considering me, followed by the sound of a car starting in the yard. Without Liam’s company, the thunder in the deep night became terribly frightening. I remember telling Liam that I was afraid of thunder. And at that time, besides sympathy, there seemed to be a bit of delight in his eyes. He said, “In the future, when there’s thunder, you’ll have me. I can protect you.” But Liam, you’ve broken your promise. When I need you now, you’ve abandoned me. I closed my computer and opened the location tracker installed on Liam’s phone. This was something he installed himself to prove his love for me. A strong urge told me to go to where the red dot was. I didn’t hesitate, put on my clothes and left. But I never expected to see such a scene.

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I was drugged at a business party. The next day, explicit videos of me spread like wildfire through our social circle. The whispers and stares around me were almost unbearable. My fiancé, Zack, held me gently, “Don’t worry, Aria. I’ll take care of those videos. I’ve even found the best hypnotherapist to help you forget all this.” As the hypnosis device was placed on my temples and his low voice guided me into darkness, I thought this was my salvation. But before I completely lost consciousness, I heard the hypnotherapist’s playful laugh: “Bro, just because she broke your stepmom’s bracelet at the engagement party, you let those thugs have their way with her? Are you fucking insane?” My heart sank. That bracelet was broken because Vanessa deliberately bumped into me! Then she played the victim, accusing me of looking down on her as a stepmother. “She intentionally humiliated Vanessa at the party,” Zack’s voice was ice-cold. “Vanessa cried all night, saying even her future daughter-in-law looks down on her. I had to teach her a lesson to ease my anger.” So, all this torment I’ve endured was just because he thought I upset Vanessa? Leo chuckled lewdly, “Since she’s already been played with and now I’m hypnotizing her, why don’t I… have some fun too?” My hair stood on end. In my heart, there was still a pathetically weak hope that Zack would retain some last shred of conscience. However, he casually uttered two words, as if throwing away trash: “Whatever.”

“Really? She is your fiancée after all.” Zack kicked the therapy bed carelessly, “Just rub against her outside, don’t go in. Get your kicks and be done with it.” He was meticulously cleaning a scalpel, suddenly pressing the blade against my neck. The coldness made me shiver. “That thug only touched her and filmed it. I didn’t let her actually get violated.” “You’re such a good guy!” Leo sneered, “You had us film it and send it to you, then called us to delete it. Who knows which idiot leaked it online? How could it possibly be completely erased?” Zack chuckled, “I told you to delete the video just to put on an act in front of her.” He cut open the ribbon on my collar with the scalpel, instantly exposing me. “When the jade bracelet broke, she should have understood that upsetting Vanessa was a sin. So I continued spreading the video online, to let her taste what it’s like to be gossiped about.” Three days ago, he had held my trembling body and sworn: “I’ve taken care of that thug and the videos online. Aria, I will never let another man see your body.” So it was all an act! But at the engagement party, I really didn’t mean to embarrass Vanessa. On the contrary, she suddenly let go of my hand, causing the jade to shatter into pieces on the floor. “Aria, it’s okay if you look down on me, but you shouldn’t have broken Auntie’s gift…” Her tearful expression caused an uproar among the guests. Zack gently defused the situation for me, “It’s fine, we can just buy a new one.” “Hurry up.” The click of Zack’s lighter and the camera shutter sound went off simultaneously, “I want to show Vanessa the live recording later.” Leo fumbled with his belt, panting as he gripped my waist, “I warned you to please Vanessa. Zack can’t stand to see her frown.” Yes, at the dinner before Zack took me to meet his family, a drunk Leo had cornered me in the club hallway, “You’re just a pretty face. Otherwise, a commoner like you would never be able to marry Zack, the prince of this city.” He looked me up and down lewdly, “But compared to his stepmom, your body is far inferior.” “Zack protects his stepmom like the apple of his eye. If Vanessa was ten years younger, you wouldn’t stand a chance.” How did I respond then? I said nonchalantly that Zack could distinguish between family love and romantic love, just like he could distinguish between champagne and red wine. In the midst of the pain from Leo’s disgusting touch, I vaguely recalled when we first started dating, Zack had used his suit jacket to cover my shoulder after a drunk man touched it. His eyes were red then, his voice shaking: “If anyone dares to touch you again, I’ll cut off their hands.” Through my lashes, I saw Zack leaning against the window smoking a cigar. Through the smoke, he smiled slightly as he dialed a number, “Vanessa, I’ll show you something good later to cheer you up.” The red recording light blinked on and off, just like the fireworks he set off for me on the night he proposed. That night he knelt on one knee and solemnly vowed: “I will always be your safe harbor. I’ll never let you suffer even the slightest grievance.” Tears gathered in my eyes. Now, the safe harbor had turned into a slaughterhouse.

When I opened my eyes, Zack’s fingers were tracing the bruises on my wrist. “Do you remember what happened last night?” His voice was as sweet as honey, but his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses were scrutinizing me. I tried to get up, but my body, ravaged by both the date rape drug and hypnosis drug, wouldn’t move. Lowering my eyes in silence for a moment, I looked up and blinked in confusion, deliberately unfocusing my gaze. “I don’t remember… My head hurts so much… My body hurts too…” He patted my head, his face full of doting affection, “Silly girl, you don’t even remember falling and hurting yourself.” I shrank into the blanket, my nails digging hard into my palm. The pain kept me alert, and also reminded me how disgusting his fake tenderness was right now. After all, he had given me an unforgettable lesson. Vanessa arrived just in time for dinner. “Oh my, Aria has gotten so thin!” She casually tossed her silk shawl onto the sofa, revealing her alluring collarbone, causing Zack’s eyes to darken. “Those videos online…” Zack coughed lightly, “Vanessa, Aria hit her head and forgot some things. Let’s not bring up the past.” Vanessa’s face froze for a moment, then she smiled again and took the bird’s nest porridge from the maid to feed me, “Then we need to nourish you well.” The freshly cooked porridge was scalding hot. She saw the steam rising but still shoved it into my mouth. I was burned and knocked over her bowl, spilling the sticky porridge all over her skirt. The moment Zack frowned, I immediately trembled like a frightened rabbit: “I’m sorry… my hand shook…” His gaze lingered on my reddened lips for a moment, but he finally sighed and got up to help Vanessa wipe her skirt, his fingers caressing the back of her hand soothingly. That night, I was finally able to walk on my own. When I tried to escape through the front door, I found guards posted there. I overheard their contemptuous discussion, “The young master’s fiancée looks so pure and innocent, who knew she’d moan even more seductively than a nightclub girl in that video when she was unconscious.” I felt like I’d fallen into an ice pit. Just how many people had seen that private video of me? As I stumbled back to my room in a daze, I saw through a crack in the study door that Vanessa was placing a glass of milk on Zack’s desk. The strap of her silk nightgown was slipping off her elbow in a suggestive manner. Her well-maintained skin glowed like a young girl’s in the moonlight, looking nothing like a stepmother twelve years older than Zack. Vanessa deliberately leaned forward, her chest brushing against Zack’s right arm as he typed. I clearly saw his Adam’s apple bob. Zack restrained himself from touching her, but his gaze was fixed on her fallen strap. “Vanessa, it’s cold at night. Put on a robe.” Vanessa grasped his wrist as he held out a robe, caressing it as if touching a lover. An ambiguous atmosphere flowed between them. The sound of me stepping on my skirt startled them. Zack immediately stood up to open the door. When he saw me, the air froze for a moment.

After a moment of deadly silence, he broke the silence of our eye contact. “When did you come? Can you walk now? Why are you out here?” I lied in panic, looking up at him with moist eyes, “I just came. I felt anxious when I couldn’t see you, couldn’t sleep.” Zack seemed surprised and touched by my “dependence”. He came forward and picked me up in his arms, his movements as gentle as if I were made of porcelain. “Be good, I’ll tell you a story to help you sleep.” I looked up and saw Vanessa’s twisted face behind him, full of malice. It seemed that because I had ruined Vanessa’s plans, her hostility towards me became even more obvious. The next morning, she cornered me in the stairwell. “Aria looks so pale,” her fingers with wine-red nail polish dug into my shoulder, “You’re not pretending to be sick to get Zack’s attention, are you?” I winced in pain and tried to pull her forceful hand away, but she grabbed my wrist instead, squeezing so hard it felt like she would crush the bone. “Aria? Where are you?” Zack’s voice calling for me came from around the corner of the stairs. Just as I was about to call for help, Vanessa suddenly pressed my hand against her waist and threw herself down the stairs like a self-destructive snake. “Be careful!” I reached out as she fell, but only grasped thin air. When Zack rushed over, he saw her fall like a broken-winged butterfly down the long, high staircase. Blood seeped from her knees, arms, and forehead, blooming like red plum blossoms on the white marble. “It wasn’t me…” My trembling explanation was cut off by a slap. Zack pinned me against the wall by my throat, his pupils crawling with bloodshot: “How dare you?!” “She pushed me…” Vanessa pointed at me, shaking, tears falling, “She hates me…” Zack’s eyes turned completely cold. His fist fell. By the time I counted to the hundredth blow, I finally heard the crisp sound of three of my ribs breaking. The taste of blood rose in my mouth. Before my vision blurred, I saw Vanessa’s curled lip – it was a victor’s smile. In the darkness, I was thrown onto the cold floor. Opening my swollen eyes, I saw Zack gently wiping Vanessa’s tears with a silk handkerchief, his lips pressed against her earlobe as he whispered: “She really never learns. Vanessa, I’ll get revenge for you. This time, I’ll let you watch in person as a group of men ravish her.” Vanessa’s light laugh was like a poisonous snake’s hiss, “Can I choose the men myself?” “Of course, whatever makes you happy.” As the basement door lock clicked shut, I fumbled to break off my necklace. Cold tears mixed with blood splattered onto the screen of the mini communicator hidden in the necklace. As I pressed the SOS button, the screen’s cold light illuminated the black and blue handprints on my collarbone. “Brother, I lost the bet. Come save me…” Five years ago, I ignored my brother’s objections and went on a hunger strike to be with Zack, the notorious playboy prince of the city. My brother looked at me with disappointment, “I’ll agree for now, but you must hide your identity as the princess of the Jiang family in the capital. If you can last ten years together, I’ll give you all the Jiang family’s vast fortune as your dowry.” I smiled naively, “Brother, he’s already reformed and sworn to love me in this life, the next life, and for all eternity. You can put your mind at ease…” Hah, back then I was confident we would love each other for ten years, a hundred years… but in reality, we couldn’t even make it to five years.

The pain from my broken ribs made me convulse in my unconscious state. As Zack’s shoe tip ground into my tailbone, an extreme pain simultaneously shot through my abdomen. He dragged me up the stairs by my hair. The blood flowing from my lower body left a winding red trail on the steps, like a skinned snake. Vanessa sat primly on the leather sofa, her freshly done almond-colored nails tapping lightly on a wine glass. Six men stood in front of her. The shortest one had a snake tattoo on his arm – It was the same hand that had pressed down on the back of my neck in the video of the thugs violating me. “Zack…” I crawled over and grabbed his pant leg. Blood foam seeped from the corner of my mouth. “We’ve been together for five years. You said you would protect me forever…” His pupils behind the gold-rimmed glasses constricted slightly, but after Vanessa’s light laugh, he violently kicked me away. I crashed into the coffee table. Shards of glass pierced my palms, the pain making my vision go black. “Remember this lesson.” Zack sat down next to Vanessa. “Next time you dare disrespect Vanessa, I’ll have them take you out in public to humiliate you.” The men laughed lecherously as they surrounded me. Rough hands reeking of cigarettes tore open my collar. I looked at Zack. He was lowering his head to fix a strand of Vanessa’s hair, as if our five years of love had been nothing but an absurd dream. “Stop!” The sound of an explosion shattered the floor-to-ceiling windows. My brother burst in with a SWAT team just as I was being pinned to the blood-stained carpet. “Take them all away!” The police handcuffed Zack. He struggled to turn back and look at me in disbelief, his glasses askew revealing bloodshot eyes underneath: “When did you call the police?” My brother’s suit jacket wrapped around my shaking body. He pressed my head to his chest, not letting me look back: “Don’t look at him. He’s filth.” Three days later in a VIP hospital room in the capital, the news was reporting that Zack had paid an enormous bail and was released on bail pending trial. He stood on the steps of the detention center, his eyes sinister as he faced the media cameras. I flinched reflexively. My brother turned off the TV and pushed a sedative into my IV drip. “Aria, don’t be afraid,” he wiped away the cold tears from the corner of my eye. “No one can find you here.” When Zack kicked open the front door of his house, the lingering smell of my blood still hung in the foyer. He looked at the empty home, his hand pausing as he loosened his tie. Like a suddenly abandoned wolf dog, his nostrils flared as he tried to catch my last scent. The sound of Vanessa’s high heels approached from behind: “I told you so. She ran off with some man long ago…” “Shut up!” A crystal vase shattered against the wall. Three days ago, this was where he had pinned me by the throat, demanding to know how I dared hurt Vanessa. He frantically dialed his private investigator, shouting, “Find out who the man was that took Aria away!” Vanessa threw the framed wedding photo of me and Zack from the coffee table into the trash, venting her anger. “That man looked so intimate with Aria. Who knows how long she’s been cheating on you behind your back…” Zack suddenly flipped over the entire coffee table, startling Vanessa into silence. A week later, a haggard Zack began throwing money at accessing all the city’s traffic camera footage. He stared intently at the last image of me on the city’s surveillance – In the footage, I was wearing a mask, being carried into a black Maybach by a tall man. “Enhance the license plate!” When the license plate “A·88888” came into clear view, Vanessa’s coffee cup suddenly crashed to the floor beside him. This license plate belonged to someone extremely wealthy and powerful. Afterwards, Zack barged into my best friend Rachel’s bridal shop, demanding to know when I had seduced the Maybach’s owner. Rachel calmly trimmed a veil with scissors, “The princess of the Jiang Group doesn’t need to seduce anyone.” “All these years Aria pretended to be poor, and you actually believed it?” She chuckled lightly. “Your family’s assets aren’t even a tenth of the Jiang Group’s. Yet you thought she was after your money and status, how little you thought of her!” Rachel’s expression suddenly changed. She hurled the scissors at Zack’s face, cutting a bloody gash. “You even dared to have people violate her?! Prepare to die! Adrian won’t let you off!”

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A gold digger owes my family money, but she’s trying to seduce my brother to write off her debt. She even wants me to hand over my salary card for her to manage. “Sis, you’re such a big spender. Don’t you want to save up for your dowry? You can’t expect to use my future husband’s money to support yourself, can you?” she says with a sickly sweet smile. What an idiot. She has no idea that the money is mine, and so is the company. I’m actually her creditor, her sugar mama. Come on, let mama teach you how to be a decent human being! That afternoon in our family SnapChat group, my brother announced he was bringing his girlfriend home. Everyone was excited. My brother is short and has always been a bit of a dreamer, spending most of his time playing video games at home. He’s never had a girlfriend before. Now that he’s bringing someone home, and apparently a pretty girl at that, everyone in the group chat is over the moon. I’m happy for him too. Mom prepared a huge feast and told me to come home early. I rescheduled a few meetings, made arrangements at the company, and headed home with a hastily purchased gift for the girlfriend. As soon as I stepped through the door, I heard a sickeningly sweet voice. It was my future sister-in-law, Amber. “What’s the deal with your family? They knew we were coming, so why didn’t your sister come home early to help cook? Look how your mom is sweating from all the work.” My brother quickly tried to appease her, “My sister isn’t very good at cooking, and she’s usually busy with work.” Amber let out an exaggerated sigh, “Why would a woman be so busy? The bosses at her company are all men, how busy could she really be? If she can’t even cook, it’ll be hard for her to find a husband. No wonder your sister isn’t married yet.” My mom’s voice came through, flat and emotionless, “Amber, can you cook?” Amber immediately snuggled up to my brother, acting coy, “If Lucas wants me to, I’ll learn. Lucas, do you want me to?” My brother, clearly under her spell, replied, “I couldn’t bear to see you work so hard.” Amber tsked, “You know, whether a woman cooks or not depends on how much her man cherishes her. If she can get her man wrapped around her finger without cooking, why would she need to?” My mom’s expression darkened even more. At this point, my brother quickly tried to smooth things over, “Mom, Amber didn’t mean it like that. She’s still young, don’t take it to heart.” Amber, trying to change the subject, asked, “Why isn’t your sister back yet?” She shook her head, “You really spoil her. The whole family waiting for dinner just because of one daughter. This would never happen in our family.” Hearing this, I had a pretty good idea of what kind of person this girl was. I pushed open the door, glancing at my embarrassed brother. I unceremoniously tore off the packaging of the new handbag I’d bought as a gift and tossed it on the sofa. This gold digger didn’t deserve such a carefully chosen present.

To my surprise, Amber’s eyes lit up when she saw the handbag on the sofa. She then gave me a once-over, noting my casual, unbranded clothes with a hint of disdain in her eyes. I looked at her too. There was something familiar about this Amber. Before I could place where I’d seen her before, Amber started her act again. She deliberately placed her own handbag on her lap, pretending to reach for a tissue. That’s when I realized that her bag was the same model as the one I’d just bought. Wait a minute, mine was a limited edition that was hard to get. There was only one in our city. Looking closer, I noticed that the hardware on her bag looked dull. Suddenly, it all made sense. It was a knockoff, and not even a good one. She patted her bag, “You know, women should treat themselves well. When buying things, always go for the authentic items. It’s so embarrassing to be caught with a fake.” Then she turned to me, “Sis, where did you buy this bag? Let me check if it’s real. I have an app for that.” My mom, maintaining what little composure she had left, put down a bowl and called to my brother, “Lucas, serve the food.” Amber, hearing this, immediately jumped to “protect” her man, “Sis, you’re closer. Why don’t you do it? I’ll help you check if your bag is authentic.” She opened her phone, navigating through several pages before landing on a QR code scanner. “It’s not showing up. Sis, did you get scammed? Where did you buy this online? Mine is from a professional buyer. I can introduce you if you’d like. If you mention my name, you’ll get a discount.” I looked at my brother, who gave me a pleading look. Giving him a bit of face, I replied, “I bought it from the store.” Just then, the doorbell rang. It was my secretary, who had come specially. As soon as she saw me, she apologized, “Ms. Tang, you forgot to take the warranty card and the complimentary silk scarf when you left earlier.” Amber’s expression changed. She stared at the elegantly packaged items, then at her own bag, speechless. By this time, my dad had finished setting the table and sternly told my brother to invite the “guest” to eat. From the initial smiles to now referring to her as a “guest”, it was clear that my parents had already written Amber off.

Well, this would probably be the last meal we’d have with her anyway. I didn’t pay much attention to her, only feeling sorry for all the dishes my mom had prepared. Except for her annoying smacking while eating, everything else was tolerable. But apparently, even a table full of food couldn’t keep her mouth shut. “Sis, that bag must have been expensive, right?” “It was okay.” “Wow, you’re so generous. ‘Okay’ for such an expensive bag? I guess it’s easy to spend when it’s not your own money, huh?” Her tone was dripping with sarcasm. My dad immediately frowned. I casually picked up a couple of shrimp and put them on their plates. I wanted her to say more, to expose more of herself, so my brother could see clearly what kind of person she really was. My parents understood my hint and kept quiet. I raised an eyebrow at her and smiled, “I’m not sure I understand what you mean.” Amber pursed her lips in a smile, “Oh, sis, don’t play dumb. There’s only so much money in this family. If you spend a lot, naturally someone else has to spend less. And you’re a woman, you’ll be married off eventually. So, in the end, aren’t you just spending our money?” So, she was here to grab the family fortune. I looked at my brother. He just kept his head down, saying nothing. A chill ran through my heart. Our parents were always busy with work when we were young, so I was the one who took care of him. From childhood to adulthood, I always gave in to him, and because of his weak health, I almost never refused him anything. I never thought all of that would be worth less than a gold digger he’d only known for half a month. I said slowly, “How we spend our family’s money is our business. If I remember correctly, doesn’t the Ye family still owe our company a large sum of money?” Amber’s eyes immediately welled up with tears as she leaned towards my brother, “Lucas said it was fine. We’re all going to be family soon. Why should family talk about who owes what? The money was used by family, so it should be written off.” I couldn’t help but laugh. My brother immediately tried to comfort her, then turned to me for help, “Sis, can we not talk about this now? Let’s just eat.” Amber immediately put on a pitiful yet insistent face, “Lucas, you can’t spoil your sister like this. You’ll end up ruining her. We need to clear things up. I heard she makes tens of thousands a month at the company. Sis, you’ve got it all figured out, huh? You’ll eventually get married and leave, and all that money will go to your husband’s family. You’re just benefiting outsiders!” It was clear she had rehearsed these words, speaking with such conviction and fluency. My mom couldn’t hold back anymore, “Since when does an outsider get to worry about our family’s affairs?” Amber looked hurt, “Mom, Lucas and I are getting married next week. How am I an outsider?” My dad suddenly looked up at my brother. This time, my brother gritted his teeth and nodded silently, “Amber has given me everything. I… I can’t let her down.” Amber seized the opportunity, “Since we’re getting married anyway, I’ll be the woman of the house soon. I think not only should Lucas give me his card, but sis should hand over her salary card to me too. I’ll manage it to prevent her from overspending. Otherwise, she might end up with no dowry at all.” I looked at her greedy face and smiled slightly. “Just managing the house isn’t enough. How about we register a company and make you the legal representative?” Amber’s face lit up with joy, “That would be perfect!” Looks like she had no idea she was about to get into big trouble.

Amber left, but she kept sending messages on SnapChat, trying to control everything remotely. My mom had barely said two words before my brother jumped to Amber’s defense, saying she was the most pure-hearted and kind girl he’d ever met. “She’s not like other girls on the internet who just want my money. She said she fell in love with me at first sight and only wants to marry me and have my children.” I couldn’t help but laugh, “They say don’t judge a book by its cover. But you’ve seen her true colors, and you still think she’s innocent?” When you’re head over heels in love, you don’t listen to reason. The more you try to discourage it, the more they think it’s true love. My dad, furious, slapped him, “You brainless fool! What does this girl see in you? Your lack of a real job? The fact that you’re still living off us? She comes in demanding we write off over ten million in debt her family owes, and wants to control your sister’s salary. What kind of person does that?” My brother gritted his teeth, “Amber is just thinking about our future.” Just then, Amber’s voice came through my brother’s phone. “Your sister has too much control. She manages everything, so of course Lucas doesn’t get a chance. Does she not want to see us happy? Besides, Lucas is the son. You’ll eventually marry out of the family. Don’t tell me you want to take the Tang family’s assets to benefit outsiders? That would be so shameless…” He had been livestreaming our entire conversation to Amber. My mom clutched her chest, too angry to speak. I quickly poured her a glass of water and asked my dad to help her sit down and calm her. Alright, at this point, I knew that unless we gave him a harsh wake-up call, he wouldn’t realize how foolish he was being. Amber’s voice continued through the phone, sharp and aggressive, “Your sister said she wants to open a company for me? I hope she’s not just trying to fool me like she’s fooling Lucas. Lucas is too nice, always giving in to you, but I’m not a pushover.” I looked at my brother. His expression was indifferent, clearly agreeing with her. Looking at this brother I had cared for so many years, who now seemed like a stranger, I smiled, “As it happens, the company is planning to set up a new subsidiary to handle a batch of auction items. Amber seems to know a lot about luxury goods. Why doesn’t she become the legal representative and director?” Amber was overjoyed, “Now that’s more like it. This is just the beginning. Everything that belongs to us, I’ll take back one by one!” Yes, everything that belongs to you – the debt and the consequences of your greed and incompetence – will all come back to you, one by one.

Under their urging, the sole proprietorship company under Amber’s name was quickly set up. Amber wanted money. I had my boyfriend’s company transfer one million dollars to her company under the guise of purchasing a custom-made painting. Of course, no antique was actually given. But the money was indeed transferred to her account. Amber quieted down for a few days, even putting off the matter of marrying my brother. Soon after, I ran into Amber at a cocktail party. She was carrying a lambskin Hermès bag, not minding how odd it looked in the sweltering heat. The hundred-thousand-dollar price tag of the bag seemed to have given her a sense of belonging in this setting. When she saw me, she seemed a bit flustered. I immediately understood. This kind of event was a great opportunity to network and expand resources. Now that Amber had upgraded her status, wasn’t she eager to find an even better catch? Now that I was here, she must be feeling guilty and probably thinking of ways to make me leave quickly. Sure enough, as I was chatting with two business partners, she walked over with a glass of wine. “Sis,” she said with a sickeningly sweet smile, “You’re so dedicated. At your age, you’re still working on weekends instead of resting. If all employees were like you, the bosses would be able to buy new cars!” I smiled, “Nice bag.” Amber shifted her bag to a different angle. Her Twitter was already full of photos of this bag from every possible angle. She turned to look at my business partners, proudly handing out her business card with an oversized title: CEO. I couldn’t help but smirk. Amber grinned, “Sis, no need to be envious. If you work hard enough, you might have your own company someday.” I smiled, “Ms. Ye, there’s no need to call me ‘sis’. Come to think of it, I’m actually younger than you. By exactly one year.” Amber let out a surprised “Oh,” her face turning a bit awkward. My two business partners looked at me in surprise. Amber clearly misunderstood their surprise and became more animated, “Let me introduce you. This is the assistant general manager of Tang Corporation. Just an employee. If you want to talk business, you should find someone who can actually make decisions. I’d advise you two gentlemen not to back the wrong horse.” One of my partners coldly said, “We don’t care if Ms. Tang is a general manager or the boss. We trust Ms. Tang as a person. And who are you? You look familiar… Oh right, weren’t you the one handing out business cards and trying to add everyone on SnapChat earlier?” The other partner chimed in, “Amber Ye? Isn’t that the name of the local deadbeat distributor who owes Tang Corporation millions?” Everyone around turned to look at Amber. Whispers and murmurs filled the air. Amber’s face darkened, and she turned away in shame and anger. By the end of the party, Amber hadn’t left. She was huddled in a corner. When I wasn’t looking, she had collected countless business cards. I shook my head. There wasn’t a single man here as naive and foolish as my brother. But there might be quite a few con artists.

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On the day of my birthday party, my grandfather, Harvey Macleod, asked me which guy from the Cameron family I was going to marry. I didn’t hesitate for a second and picked Arthur Cameron from the Cameron family. My family’s elders were all shocked as hell. After all, everyone in our circle knew that the heir of the Macleod Group was head over heels in love with Charles Cameron, the eldest son of the Cameron family, and would rather die than marry anyone else. In my previous life, I did get married to Charles. But just three months later, I caught Charles having an affair with my illegitimate cousin, Eliza Macleod. At that moment, his eyes were full of tears, and he begged me for forgiveness. “I’m begging you. It was just an accident.” I softened my heart, but Harvey still found out about it and had Eliza sent far away to a foreign country. Charles thought it was my doing and hated me with a passion. In the following few years, the elders in my family passed away one after another. Our company always got beaten to the punch in the market, and our top-secret documents were stolen. I was hit and killed by a car on the day I found out I was pregnant. Given a second chance at life, I decided to let them have their love. But I never expected that when the news of my engagement was announced, Charles burst into the engagement party and begged me to marry him.

As soon as I stepped out of the study, I saw Charles Cameron. He was sitting in the middle of the crowd, decked out in a designer suit, but his eyes kept drifting towards the door. When his friends saw me, one of them nudged him hard. “Here comes your groupie… Oops, I mean, your fan.” Charles gave me a dismissive glance. “What are you doing here?” he said, sounding disappointed. In my past life, I would’ve rushed over and tried to smooth things over with him. But the image of that truck slamming into me was still fresh in my mind, so I just replied coldly, “It’s my birthday party. Why wouldn’t I be here?” Charles instantly flew off the handle when he heard how icy I sounded. “Violet Macleod, what’s your deal? Looking for a fight? I took time out of my schedule to come to your party, and this is how you act? Just because you ran to your grandpa doesn’t mean we’re getting married.” One of his friends chimed in, “Violet, what’s your problem? Apologize to Charles! If you hadn’t shamelessly pestered Charles every day, he wouldn’t have bothered with you.” I was speechless. “If you’re not happy at my party, feel free to leave. And as for my wedding plans, they’ll be announced at my grandpa’s 80th birthday party next month. It’s none of your business, so don’t bother asking.” Although I intended to marry Arthur Cameron, I had not yet asked him. Though in my previous life… I couldn’t be so hasty as to announce it here now. “Wedding plans?” One guest perked up. “Sounds like their grandfathers are finally ready to step down. We’ll finally know who’s taking over the Cameron Group.” My grandfather, Harvey Macleod, and Frankie Cameron, Charles’ grandfather, had been best friends their whole lives and should have retired ages ago. Since I was the only daughter in the Macleod family, they’d made a deal that whoever I married would get a 20% share of the Cameron Group from Frankie. In my previous life, with the 15% Charles already owned, marrying me made him the boss of the Cameron Group. Things were about to change big time for the Cameron Group. His friends started cheering. “Charles, you’re gonna be the top dog!” Charles looked proud. “Violet, just because I’m marrying you doesn’t mean you’ve won. I can’t stand how smug you look. “I learned my lesson from last time. I’ll marry you, but there’s no way I’ll become a part of your family. Before we marry, you’d better give your poor sister a good job.” I was about to tell him it had nothing to do with him when I realized that he’d been reborn, too. In my previous life, it was a servant of the Cameron family who tipped me off about his affair with Eliza. And now, he was still up to the same tricks. I was about to kick him out when I heard a timid voice behind me. “Violet?” Eliza Macleod came over, looking weak, with bruises all over her face. Everyone started whispering. Charles rushed to her, looking heartbroken. “What happened? Who did this to you?” Before Eliza could answer, Charles turned around and glared at me. “Violet, how dare you play these dirty tricks again?” I tried to explain, but Eliza interrupted me, “It’s nothing serious. I just tripped on the way here. Today’s Violet’s birthday. Even though she’s never liked me, I still wanted to wish her well.” Charles shot me a look of disgust. “Violet, you could never be as kind as she is.” Eliza grabbed Charles’ arm. “Don’t be mad, Charles. I’m sure one day Violet will forgive me.” Charles wrapped his arm around her protectively. “Let’s go see a doctor right away. I don’t want you getting hurt worse.” As they walked away, he shot me a warning look. “Violet, keep your hands off Eliza. If you mess with her again, our engagement party will not happen on time.” With that, he dragged Eliza away.

That night, the birthday party was in full swing, but Eliza and Charles were nowhere to be found. They didn’t show up until the party was almost over and only my close friends of the same generation and a few close businessmen were left chatting. Eliza had changed her clothes. Her face was flushed, and her lips were swollen. Charles looked like he was on cloud nine, and there were faint red marks peeking out from his open shirt collar. Everyone knew what they had done and kept looking at me, while my friends just shook their heads, looking like they wanted to say something but held back. In my previous life, I would’ve stormed over and smacked Eliza. But this time, I just picked up a cup of coffee from the table and took a sip. Charles stood protectively in front of Eliza, waiting for me to blow up. When I ignored them, though, he started scowling, clearly annoyed. Eliza pulled Charles in and started kissing him right there as if no one else was around. Charles didn’t stop her and even let her sit on his lap. It was their business, and I couldn’t care less. But my best friend, Sienna Smith, couldn’t take it anymore and yanked them apart. “Eliza, Charles is practically Violet’s fiancé! You’re so shameless.” Before Eliza could respond, Charles exploded. “Sienna? Last I checked, the Smith family has a bunch of projects funded by the Cameron family. How dare you lecture me? Violet hasn’t said anything. Who are you to butt in?” “Charles, watch your mouth,” I shouted. Sienna was kind to me, and I wasn’t about to let him trash-talk her. “The leading man at the Cameron Group hasn’t stepped down yet. What makes you so sure that I’ll pick you and that you’ll get that 20% stake?” Charles stared at me, then burst out laughing. “Are you trying to play hard to get? Everyone knows you’re crazy about me. Who else is there? One of my sisters has married off overseas, and the other has locked in her room making art all day. And my little brother’s in jail doing time. You wanna join him?” Then, he thought of something and added, “Look, Violet, whatever beef our families had is old news. Your mom’s gone, and no amount of holding grudges will bring her back. Let it go, for everyone’s sake. Eliza’s innocent in all this.” Innocent? I almost laughed out loud. When my mom, Amelia Macleod, was pregnant, Eliza’s mom, Ivy Wilson, showed up at our door with Eliza. She claimed my dad, Blake Macleod, had knocked her up and ditched her, and she called Amelia a homewrecker. During the fight, Ivy pushed Amelia down the stairs, and Amelia and the baby died. But it turned out that Eliza wasn’t even Blake’s kid but was my deadbeat uncle’s, and Ivy was just a cocktail waitress. Amelia and the baby were the real victims. Lost in thought, I didn’t notice Charles grinning. He thought it was my acquiescence and happily said, “Oh yeah, happy birthday.” With that, he added, pulling off his tie and tossing it at me, “Here. It is for you.” Eliza said in a loud voice, “Charles, do you think she’ll like it? She might blame me for stealing her gift again.” As she spoke, she tugged at her collar to show off a necklace. Charles shrugged. “Don’t worry. She doesn’t like anything but what I’ve used. You didn’t steal anything. Once I give something to you, it’s yours.” They snickered as the tie smacked me in the face. It stung like a slap. In my previous life, I had indeed enjoyed collecting things that Charles had used, including the ring he wore when we met, the tie from our wedding, and the watch from his big promotion. I kept them in fancy boxes, thinking they were precious mementos. He laughed at me and said they were all rags that were worn once and thrown away, and that I was the only one who considered them a treasure. Mortal things were precious because they were endowed with feelings, and he didn’t love me, so he naturally wouldn’t understand. I sighed, picked up the tie, and chucked it in the trash can, saying, “Trash belongs in the trash.” Charles went crazy. “Fine, Violet! Our wedding’s getting put on ice!”

That night, Eliza and I got home together, and she had a smug look. “Violet, so what if you marry Charles? You can have his body, but you’ll never have his heart. Oh, maybe he won’t even let you touch his body either,” she said. Without Charles around, she finally dropped her innocent act. “I made your mom dead, and I can sure as hell steal Charles, the man you love the most. Just wait, Violet. Everything that’s yours will end up being mine eventually.” Eliza thought she could get on my nerves, but I just gave her a cold glance. “Then I wish you could move out of the maid’s room soon,” I said. After that, I ignored her and walked straight into the mansion. Harvey came to talk to me and said that Arthur needed some more time to think it over. Charles probably almost forgot that he had another younger brother. Frankie had a daughter who had given up her inheritance rights to become a cop because she had fallen in love with a policeman. Later, they both died in the line of duty, leaving behind only their son, Arthur. Frankie and his daughter had had a huge falling-out because of that marriage decision. After she died, Frankie felt remorseful. But Arthur didn’t go back to the Cameron family very often. With my reminder, Frankie felt that he owed Arthur. Even if Arthur didn’t marry me, Frankie would still leave him a portion of his property. Charles was dead set on getting the Cameron Group, but he had no idea that he could never get it all. I was looking forward to seeing how Charles would fare in this life. On the day of Harvey’s 80th birthday, all the big shots in our circle showed up. To make sure the party went smoothly, I checked Harvey’s health with the doctor one more time. When Eliza saw me there, she walked straight towards me. These past few days, Charles had taken Eliza to a bunch of luxury stores. I checked her social media account, and every single fancy Instagram post was screaming about how close they were. When she saw me, she came over and smiled, “Violet, Charles is such a great guy. He took me to buy so many luxury things. And not only that, he even measured me himself and said he was going to order a custom-made dress for me.” Seeing I ignored her, she continued, “Charles also said that even after you two get married, I shouldn’t be shy around him. We’ll be family, and he should do things for me.” Eliza kept interrupting my conversation with the doctor. I turned around and was about to tell her to buzz off. But when I saw the brooch on her chest, I froze. That brooch was the birthday gift my parents had given me when I was a kid. They loved each other deeply. Amelia had designed the brooch herself, and Blake had found the best craftsman in Winussland to make it. It was a symbol of their wish for me to have a happy and fulfilling life. Later, after that horrible thing happened, Amelia died, and Blake lost his will to live and never came out of his room. So, I never received a birthday gift from them again. There was only one such brooch in the world, and I didn’t even want to wear it myself. I grabbed Eliza’s collar, pushed her into the corner, and looked down at her. “Where did you get this brooch?” Suddenly, Eliza started choking up. “Violet, even though you’ve always hated me, I’ve always thought of you as my dear sister. Charles just bought me a few clothes because he felt sorry for me. You shouldn’t hit me just because you’re angry.” I wasn’t falling for her act. I didn’t ease up my grip and said viciously, “Tell me. Where did you get the brooch? Who gave it to you?” Eliza just stared at me with widened eyes. I was so disgusted that I tried to snatch the brooch, but another hand grabbed my wrist tightly. A cold voice came from behind me. “Violet, what are you doing? Do you want to hit her right in the open?” Charles stood protectively in front of Eliza and glared at me. “Is this how you, the Macleod family, treat your kin?”

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