Category: English

After my car accident, I decided to feign amnesia to mess with my husband and son. “Who are you?” I asked. A glint of amusement flashed in my son’s eyes as he brought a woman from outside the hospital room and said, “Ma’am, my parents and I are just here to visit.” My husband stood silent beside him, implicitly approving of his son’s little game. 1 “Ma’am, my parents and I are just here to visit,” my son’s soft, innocent voice echoed in the hospital room. With a bandage wrapped around my forehead, I looked down at my five-year-old son, Evan Blake, holding onto two hands, a mischievous grin on his face. My husband, Lucas Blake, standing beside me in his perfectly tailored suit, looked at me with an intense, searching gaze, but didn’t correct our son’s choice of words. The woman Evan held onto wore a long, flowing white dress. She looked elegant and gentle but turned slightly flustered when I stared at her, tucking her hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture. When Evan noticed my attention on Annie Wynn, he quickly stepped forward, positioning himself protectively between me and Annie, his “mother figure.” If I were truly suffering from amnesia, I might actually believe I was watching a perfectly happy family of three. Evan tugged on Lucas’s hand, whispering, “Dad, now that Mom’s lost her memory, can you finally get divorced?” Though he spoke in a whisper, he made sure I could hear him clearly. I knew his little trick—he was punishing me because yesterday I’d scolded him, embarrassing him in front of the housekeeper. He’d been angry, so this was his payback. This was how Evan enjoyed himself—making me the target of his pranks. But I had no intention of playing his game any longer. Since I’d claimed memory loss, I might as well keep going. I’d pretend there was no son, no husband. “Excuse me… who are you?” Evan looked at me, shocked and slightly flustered. “You really don’t remember me? You can’t forget me—I’m the kid you love most…” Lucas furrowed his brows, his cold gaze growing even frostier, his voice laced with annoyance. “Nina Shaw, stop acting. The doctor said it’s just a minor concussion, not serious. Don’t think you can pretend to have amnesia to get out of a divorce.” Evan chimed in, his little face scrunched up with displeasure, echoing Lucas’s impatience. “Yeah, stop pretending! You love us too much to ever forget us!” I was starting to feel a headache forming. Before I could reply, a nurse knocked on the door. “The patient needs rest,” she announced firmly. “Please, all non-family members, step outside.” Without a word, Lucas and Evan turned and left with Annie trailing after them. The young nurse entered, glancing back at them and said, “Your husband was here earlier—he just stepped out to grab some soup for you.” “My… husband?” My mind stalled a bit. Wasn’t my husband just escorted out by you? The nurse blinked in surprise. “Yes, he’s very handsome, I remember him from four years ago when I worked in obstetrics. He never left your side then; he always waited outside so attentively during your prenatal checkups.” She continued, “We all thought he was one of the rare ones—tall, kind, attentive, and not once on his phone. We actually started to believe in love again, thanks to him.” She paused, then laughed a little. “By the way, who are those two? They’re good-looking, but they looked like they were here to collect a debt or something.” I couldn’t help but chuckle. During all fourteen of my prenatal checkups, Lucas hadn’t come once. The man who had always been by my side was my younger half-brother, Chris Shaw, who was only eighteen at the time. I didn’t bother explaining my relationship with Lucas and Evan—soon enough, it wouldn’t matter. Moments later, Chris came in with a food container, slightly out of breath. My stomach growled at the sight; I hadn’t eaten all day, and the hunger pangs had turned to pain. Chris carefully opened the container, setting out the soup, napkins, water, and spoon with meticulous care. “It’s warm water, and your favorite congee with pork and egg. Eat up—I’ll peel the egg for you.” Ever since I first met Chris at fifteen, he’d been a steady, dependable presence. With a few bites, my stomach finally settled. When I looked up, I noticed his eyes were red, his lips trembling as he spoke with a hint of a quiver. “When I heard you’d been in a car accident… I was scared to death.” I felt a pang of warmth, a bittersweetness welling up. Who wouldn’t be terrified of a car crash? I’d been lucky, at least, not to be badly hurt. I’d thought I’d give Lucas and Evan a little scare, to make them laugh by pretending to lose my memory. But a person without a heart… well, how could they feel worry? 2 A few days later, I was discharged from the hospital. I told the doctors firmly that, aside from Lucas and Evan, I remembered everyone and everything else just fine. The doctor explained to Lucas that my memory loss was only temporary, caused by the concussion, and that I’d gradually regain full recollection. Back in Lucas’s house, I climbed the stairs, ignoring the cheerful piano melody coming from the living room. Evan and Annie were playing a duet, and when they finished, Annie gave him a proud thumbs-up. “Our little pianist, you’re amazing!” Evan blushed and grinned. “It’s because you’re such a good teacher!” The perfect picture of a loving mother and child. Without a word, I continued up the stairs, watching Evan’s smile vanish when he noticed me. Annie quickly stood up. “Mrs. Blake, how are you feeling?” Standing on the staircase, I nodded politely. “I’m nearly recovered. Please, carry on.” I didn’t dislike Annie—I envied her. She wasn’t a third party in my marriage. No, she was Lucas’s unforgettable first love. Though I had married Lucas, the truth remained: the unloved one is the real outsider. Lucas had first fallen for her at eighteen. And last month, when Wynn Corporation declared bankruptcy, Annie had returned. Her entire savings had gone toward covering her family’s debt, and her music degree wasn’t much help for finding high-paying work in the States. So, Lucas had made her Evan’s piano teacher at a monthly rate of $60,000. 3 “New Mom is the best! I love my New Mom!” Evan’s loud voice echoed through the living room. “Evan, I’m not—don’t call me that,” Annie replied, visibly uncomfortable. Evan wasn’t pleased with her response. Wrapping his little arms around her leg, he said, “If you keep calling me ‘Evan,’ I’ll get mad. You need to call me ‘Evie’! You’re so much nicer than my mom—I like you the best!” He glanced upstairs toward my room, ensuring I wasn’t there, then continued, “Can you just move in here? I’d love to see you first thing every morning. Dad said it’s fine, and our house is so big! You could have anything you want here.” Lucas had indeed offered Annie to stay in our house to save her the trouble of commuting, but she had politely declined, opting instead to rent a place. “Evan, you need to practice today’s piece,” Annie reminded him gently. He shook his head, determined to have her stay. “Are you scared of my mom? Don’t worry, Dad and I will protect you. She’d do anything Dad says—she wouldn’t dare do anything to you.” Evan knew exactly what to say to jab at my weak points. I put on my pearl earrings, moving deliberately as I walked downstairs. Annie looked visibly uncomfortable as I approached. “Annie, why don’t you stay here?” I said. “I know you spend hours on the bus every day. Don’t worry—you’re more than welcome.” Evan looked stunned, caught off guard. Usually, if Lucas drunkenly uttered Annie’s name, I’d tear up. I suppose he thought he’d found the perfect weapon to punish me. But today, his weapon seemed to have lost its sting. “I want ice cream!” Evan demanded. “Get me two, no—ten of them!” The only response was the sound of the door closing behind me. After days of looking a mess in the hospital, I needed a skincare session. A driver was already waiting for me outside. As the door clicked shut, Evan’s expression crumbled. “Sir, here’s the ice cream,” the housekeeper said, retrieving it from the freezer. “Who said I wanted it?” He threw the ice cream to the floor, his eyes fixed on the closed door. Could Mom really not remember him? 4 When Lucas’s mother, Laura Blake, learned that Annie had returned to the States and was teaching Evan piano, she wasted no time in bringing over bags of high-end gifts. She settled on the sofa beside Annie, taking her hand in a show of affection. “Annie, my dear,” she said warmly. “You’ve been through so much. Just think, if only you and Lucas had ended up together from the start, then Wynn Corporation would’ve had him to manage it. You wouldn’t be in this position now.” Annie’s face flushed with embarrassment. “Laura, that’s not something we can say now. It’s all in the past, and I’m grateful Lucas offered me work.” “Why shouldn’t I say it?” Laura gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “With you teaching Evan, I’m so at ease. And, you know, Lucas is filing for divorce. Surely you realize what that means?” She lowered her voice, adding, “Don’t worry, darling. Evan adores you, and so do I. You’d never feel out of place with us. Besides, Lucas has every intention of helping Wynn Corporation get back on its feet.” Though Laura knew I was home, she hadn’t informed me of her visit, so I stayed out of their way, listening from afar. Both Lucas and Evan liked Annie, and clearly, so did his mother. From the very beginning, Laura had wanted Annie as her daughter-in-law. Annie came from a sophisticated, well-established family, a perfect match for the Blakes. And the moment Lucas had met her, he’d been smitten. Laura was thrilled, quickly making arrangements for their marriage. Unfortunately for them, Annie hadn’t shared Lucas’s feelings. She’d rejected his confession and left to study music abroad. Laura, though disappointed, respected Annie’s independence, admiring her ambition and sense of self. As for me, from a small, ordinary family, I’d been labeled vain and ambitious, supposedly marrying Lucas for wealth. Laura’s restraint kept her from making her disdain obvious, but I could sense her disapproval. Sometimes, I wondered if Annie had married Lucas from the start, maybe everyone would have been much happier. 5 A buzzing noise jolted me from my thoughts—a notification that my insurance payout from the accident had finally come in. I’d thought the accident would be a distant memory over time, but closing my eyes brought everything back as if it had just happened. It was pouring rain that night, and Lucas and I were driving on the highway when he took a call. I could hear the voice on the other end clearly: “Mr. Blake, we’ve got a group of debt collectors causing trouble at the Wynn residence. They’re harassing Miss Wynn.” Lucas shot a quick glance my way. I knew he wasn’t asking for my opinion—he was telling me he intended to go to Annie’s. I was silent as he turned onto the road that led us farther from home and closer to the Wynn residence. “Just drop me at the next rest area. I’ll get a cab,” I told him softly. Once I got out, even with an umbrella, I was soaked within seconds. Lucas sped off in his black Bentley, splashing water in my face as he disappeared. That was when I felt it—the rusted-out feeling of love, washed clean in the rain. The old taxi I’d hailed started slipping on the slick highway. When the car spun out, my heart lurched, and I instinctively tightened the seatbelt across my chest. My mind blanked, but my pulse hammered in my ears. With a deafening crash, my head slammed against the window. For a brief, stretched-out moment, time seemed to slow down, and my life unspooled before me—all of it tied to Lucas. At ten, my parents had stretched their finances to buy a house in New York’s wealthiest neighborhood. They’d encouraged me to get close to Lucas, their “little prince of the city.” I was enchanted by his good looks and followed him around for seven years. At seventeen, I realized I was in love with him, though he despised me. I spent a year pining after him, enduring insults from his social circle as they mocked me for my “pathetic crush.” I’d hear whispers of “the clown girl,” echoing wherever I went. At eighteen, Lucas met Annie. I watched him fall head over heels and later fall into despair when she left. At twenty-one, he’d gotten drunk and pulled me close, kissing me passionately. But he kept murmuring Annie’s name between kisses. I should have pushed him away, slapped him even. But my father’s business was struggling, and our family needed money. And—well, being with Lucas was something both my parents and I had long wished for. So I let him hold me, enduring each time he’d say her name while he held me. When his grandfather found out, he’d insisted Lucas marry me to protect the family’s reputation. And I got my wish—I married Lucas Blake. At twenty-two, I was pregnant. The baby gave me terrible morning sickness, and labor was a nightmare. … Memories—painful, knotted memories. When I woke up, I was lying in the hospital, every part of me sore and my head splitting. Now, at twenty-seven, my son was calling another woman “Mom,” and my husband didn’t seem to care. I pretended to be unfazed, but each moment felt like a thousand tiny cuts, reminding me of the reality I was clinging to. The people I couldn’t bear to lose were eagerly waiting for me to leave. Maybe happiness was never meant to be mine. “Would you ever lash out at someone you loved?” I wanted to ask Lucas and Evan that question. But I already knew the answer from the way they looked at Annie. Lucas had fallen in love with her the moment they met. Evan, too, had taken to her instantly, showing affection he’d never shown for anyone else. People become fixated on their first choice, the thing they fell for at first sight. Evan was more and more like his father each day, from his looks to his habits, even his temperament. They both adored Annie. I never considered Annie the “other woman.” From the beginning, it was I who had taken what was hers. They say pain comes from chasing the wrong things. This marriage was over. It was time to return Lucas and Evan to Annie. 6 Lucas had prepared the divorce papers the same day Annie came back to town. He’d been wanting this for a while, eager to pursue her once more. Just as he’d hoped, I called the family lawyer and arranged to meet at Lucas’s office. “I agree to the divorce,” I said calmly, meeting Lucas’s gaze. He looked a bit startled. The lawyer, Mr. Hepburn, handed each of us a copy of the divorce agreement. I quickly signed my name on the dotted line, my pen making swift, clean strokes across the page. When it was Lucas’s turn, he hesitated, his fingers gripping the pen until they turned white. Mr. Hepburn spoke up gently, “Mr. Blake, perhaps you’d like to take more time to consider before signing.” I knew what Lucas was feeling. Maybe even a pet, after years together, could create some attachment. And here I was, after sixteen years, someone who had always followed close behind him. “I’ll take custody of Evan,” he said, his gaze testing me. I nodded. I wanted neither of them. Lucas gave me one last, searching look, as if he were trying to find a glimmer of sadness or reluctance in my face. But there was nothing for him to find. With clenched teeth, he pressed the pen down hard, scrawling his name in large, angry letters. Satisfied with the financial division, I gathered my things and left Lucas’s office. The room felt emptier in my absence, and Mr. Hepburn shivered slightly, sensing the frosty aura Lucas left in his wake. “Mr. Blake, should we release a public statement about your divorce?” “No need. She’s just throwing a tantrum.” Lucas’s expression relaxed slightly, seeming almost reassured by his own words. “Keep this quiet. She’ll be back on her own.” After all, she’s only forgotten about me and Evan temporarily. She loves us both so much—she’ll remember soon enough. The doctor did say the amnesia is only temporary. Once she remembers, she’ll be back, probably crying and begging me to take her back. This divorce? Just a way to punish her for forgetting us so completely. Once she returns in tears, I’ll forgive her, and we’ll remarry. Lucas’s anxiety melted away as he took a sip of coffee. Mr. Hepburn, drenched in sweat, dabbed his forehead with a napkin. Divorce papers signed, assets divided, and yet Lucas thought it was just a phase?

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294836”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #校园School

Blake Sterling drank excessively during a social event, triggering an acute heart attack. After being rushed to Riverbend General Hospital, he died. After his death, over a dozen banks and predatory lenders came after me for repayment, and I only then realized he was buried in massive debts. I sold everything I could, but it was just a drop in the bucket. The loan sharks forced me to work at Neon Nights Club. For ten whole years, I endured abuse and contracted numerous diseases. The doctor told me I had at most another month to live. Walking aimlessly on a desolate road, a luxury car hit me, sending me flying. Out of the car came my husband Blake Sterling, who should have been dead for ten years, and his first love, Aurora Blake. “Why did you fake your death?” I raged. “Because I won a $200 million lottery, and I didn’t want to share it with you.” This malicious man enjoyed the prize money alone, living happily with his first love, but left me with enormous debts. He reversed the car, cruelly running me over. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day he faked his death. Content

“Sister-in-law, death cannot be undone. Please accept your condolences and move on,” attending physician Jasper “Jazz” Collins comforted me. He was also a good friend of my husband, Blake Sterling. I touched my face, smooth and delicate, whereas in my previous life, after contracting numerous diseases, my face was covered with dense pustules. I realized I had been reborn! Blake Sterling’s “corpse” lay peacefully on the bed, covered from feet to head with a white cloth. I bawled loudly, rushing forward to tear off the white cloth. “You bastard, how many times have I told you not to drink, not to drink, and you just didn’t listen. Now you just closed your eyes and left me alone in this world, so lonely. How am I going to live?” As I cried heart-wrenchingly, I slapped him hard. Blake’s face turned red from my slaps, but his body remained motionless, likely because he was given a sedative or similar drug; he couldn’t move, but his consciousness was still present. Seeing Blake’s face turn red, Jazz quickly came over to stop me. Because the dead don’t blush. “Sister-in-law, please calm down. I know you’re deeply grieving, but venting your frustration on Blake’s corpse is of no use,” Jazz stood in front of the “corpse.” Jazz and Blake were in cahoots. In the entire scheme to fake death, Jazz was key. He was the attending physician responsible for declaring Blake dead and issuing the death certificate. “Jazz, as a renowned doctor, you couldn’t even save your best friend. How can you live with that?” I cried, using all my strength to hit him. “Sister-in-law, I did my best…” Jazz winced in pain, “Stop hitting me. When Blake was brought in, it was already too late to save him.” I ignored his explanations; I just wanted to beat him up. This bastard, in my previous life, helped Blake fake his death, causing me to bear enormous debts and live a life worse than death. “You and he are sworn brothers. You promised not to seek the same birth year, month, and day, but to die on the same year, month, and day. Now, go die and join my husband below.” I transformed into a shrew, scratching him hard, leaving his face bruised. “Sister-in-law, that was just a joke after drinking.” “Smack!” I, holding back tears of grievance, gave him two hard slaps. “Sworn brothers are under heaven’s witness, but you called it a joke? While my husband saw you as a brother, you see him as a monkey? I now seriously doubt you didn’t try your best to save my husband.” Jazz looked embarrassed, “Sister-in-law, I swear, I did my utmost to save Blake, but I’m not a god; it was truly beyond saving.” I collapsed to the ground, sobbing, “Husband, wake up! How could you abandon me alone…” “Sister-in-law, no matter how much you grieve, Blake won’t come back. Please take care of yourself.” He said, handing me a bottle of water. “Drink some to calm down.” “Drinking more water won’t ease my inner pain.” I directly smashed the water bottle on his head. In my previous life, I drank this water, then passed out. When I woke up, my mother-in-law was already holding Blake’s urn. So, this water must be tainted. “Ah!” He cried out in pain, “Sister-in-law, don’t go too far.” “Too far? You, as my husband’s brother, didn’t shed a single tear, and yet you say I’m too far?” Jazz hesitated, looking guilty, “I… I’m deeply saddened.”

“Jazz, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you,” I said softly, wiping my tears. “I understand, sister-in-law. I don’t blame you.” “Although Blake is gone, I want him to live on in another way.” I looked tenderly at Blake’s “corpse.” Jazz looked puzzled, “Sister-in-law, what do you mean?” I took out my phone and called the hospital’s organ donation office. “Yes, it’s my husband, he just passed away. I want to donate his organs to those in need.” Upon hearing this, Jazz turned pale. A slight oversight. They never expected me to donate his organs. “Sister-in-law, how can you unilaterally decide to donate Blake’s organs?” Jazz asked, anxious, sweating profusely. “I’m his wife. I have that right.” “Blake is dead, but you’re still tampering with his corpse. This is really disheartening.” I frowned, confused, “Jazz, you’re a doctor. How could you say such a thing? My husband is dead, but his organs can still save many people. As a doctor, don’t you have that level of awareness?” After hearing this, he became dazed, his face pale. The organ donation doctor was upstairs. He quickly entered the room, saw me, and tightly held my hand, moved: “Ma’am, thank you for supporting the medical field. Here’s the donation agreement. Please sign it.” I quickly signed. Jazz, sweating and panicked, said, “Blake’s mother hasn’t agreed to the donation yet. According to regulations, if even one direct relative refuses, the donation cannot proceed.” “Jazz, my mother-in-law is a person of great integrity. Besides, Blake told me when he was alive that if he ever dies, he would donate his organs to those in need. Blake has always been a kind-hearted person. I must help him fulfill his last wishes.” “When did Blake ever say that?” Jazz questioned. “Do we have to tell you every single thing between us, Jazz?” I retorted. He was speechless. “My husband died of a heart attack. Except for his heart, all other organs can be donated—his eyes, organs, bones, skin—give them all to those in need. The remaining skeleton can be donated to the medical university for practice or research.” “Ma’am, your generosity is truly touching. To be honest, there’s an 18-year-old girl urgently needing a kidney transplant, and a child needs a cornea…” During our conversation, Jazz grabbed his phone and walked out of the room, likely urging my mother-in-law to come quickly. “That’s urgent. Hurry and push my husband away. Extract the organs immediately. Every minute counts; any delay could cause the organs to deteriorate.” I maintained a noble expression. The donation doctor pushed the bed outside. “Can’t leave!” Jazz blocked the door, sweating profusely, forehead dripping with cold sweat. “Dr. Collins, what are you doing?” The donation doctor was puzzled. “Jazz, please step aside. If the donation is delayed, my husband’s last wishes cannot be fulfilled.” I scolded him. “Blake actually… Anyway, he can’t leave… sister-in-law, I’m begging you.” Jazz was frantic, almost revealing the truth. “Dr. Collins, please don’t interfere with my work.” The donation doctor pulled his face. “Dr. Reed, Blake’s mother hasn’t arrived yet. Sister-in-law, no matter what, you need to let your mother-in-law see Blake one last time.” Jazz insisted. “First, extract the organs, then it’s not too late to see him. You heard what was said earlier, there are patients waiting for organ transplants. Saving lives is like saving from a fire; no time to waste.” “I heard what this family member said too, Dr. Collins, please step aside, or I’ll report you to the dean.” Dr. Reed snapped. “Scarlett Monroe, you wicked woman, your son just passed away, and you want to dismember him for his organs? I won’t spare you.” My mother-in-law burst into the room, furious.

“Aunt Evelyn, it’s not dismemberment, it’s organ donation,” I explained. “Who allowed you to do this?” “I’m helping Blake fulfill his last wish.” “You’re talking nonsense. How could my son donate his organs? I absolutely refuse.” My mother-in-law pushed Dr. Reed away, “Get out of my house! I won’t donate my son’s organs.” Dr. Reed left the room, displeased. Jazz sighed deeply, his nerves slightly relaxing. Blake on the bed was probably relieved to have escaped death. “My poor son, you died, how can I live on…” Aunt Evelyn feigned despair, collapsing on Blake and crying uncontrollably, “It’s all your bad luck, your curse, you killed my son. I want you to pay for this.” Aunt Evelyn turned her wrath on me, slapping me. I was furious. In my previous life, Aunt Evelyn had sent Blake’s “corpse” to the crematorium, obviously knowing Blake had faked his death. “Vivian Harper, get it straight. It wasn’t me who killed Blake, it was you!” I pushed her aside, growling fiercely. Aunt Evelyn was stunned, “You lie! How could I kill my own son?” “Why was Blake so desperate to socialize and make money? It’s all because of you. You have a gambling problem, losing money every day. How much debt have we paid off for you? Don’t you know what’s going on in your heart?” I raged. “My gambling debts only totaled about $1 million.” “Vivian, what you say is so light. The average wage in our city is only $1,800. Most people never save up $1 million in their lifetime.” “Two months ago, your medical expenses were over $20,000, paid by us. Don’t think I don’t know. You weren’t injured from a fall; you were beaten and hospitalized.” “You hang out at the mahjong parlor every day, hooking up with married men. You were beaten up by someone else’s wife, right? I understand you’re lonely, empty, and itching for attention, but why can’t you just find an old man properly, instead of hooking up with married men?” “You’re talking nonsense.” My mother-in-law’s face was filled with shame. “I’ve seen your discharge summary, your scandalous tales have already spread. You disrespect your elders. It’s all your fault Blake died.” I cursed loudly, feeling very satisfied. “Shut up!” My mother-in-law hysterically lunged at me, trying to choke me. I dodged quickly, she crashed into the wall and instantly fainted. “Mother-in-law…” I anxiously lifted her up and rushed to an empty bed across the room. Jazz followed closely. “Jazz, hurry and save my mother-in-law. Nurses, nurses come quickly…” I shouted down the corridor. Soon, several nurses rushed into the room. Jazz was giving Aunt Evelyn treatment. Taking advantage of the gap, I put a bag of Blake’s clothes on the bed, then pushed Blake up the elevator. At the entrance, the funeral home car was already waiting. I pulled out a thousand dollars for the driver, telling him to take the fastest route. After driving a portion of the way, I received a call from Aunt Evelyn, which I didn’t answer. Then, a call from Jazz followed, which I also didn’t answer. In the back of the car, it was only me and Blake. I opened the bag of clothes, searching for the lottery ticket, and quickly found it inside my phone case. The lottery ticket was tucked into a folded $100 bill. He always liked to put a $100 bill in his phone case, symbolizing “Money in my hand, I have the world.” The lottery was a single bet, 40 times, with a prize of $200 million. With this money, this life, I could finally enjoy life. I tore off the white cloth and saw Blake’s crotch was soaking wet. It seemed the organ donation incident scared him into wetting himself, confirming that although he couldn’t move, he was still conscious. “Blake, I found the $200 million lottery ticket. Aren’t you suspicious why I knew about it? I’m telling you, I was reborn.” “In my last life, you and your first love were living luxuriously, but you left me with piles of debt. Predatory lenders forced me to work at Neon Nights Club, I got sick with diseases, and in the end, you ran me over with your car. Are you even human?” “You loved faking your death so much, so in this life, I’ll grant you. After you enter the crematorium, you’ll taste the pain of being burned alive.” I gritted my teeth. Blake’s eyelids suddenly twitched a few times. “Scared? Didn’t expect it to turn out this way? Regret it? Want me to spare you? That’s impossible. I must cremate you today.” Aunt Evelyn and Jazz kept calling, but I simply turned on ‘Do Not Disturb.’

After more than 30 minutes, we arrived at the funeral home. Originally, I thought we could be cremated immediately, but there were six slots ahead. I asked the staff, and they said my turn would be at least three hours later. I panicked; Aunt Evelyn and Jazz must be on their way right now. Suddenly, I had an idea. I pounced on Blake, crying loudly: “Husband, what are we going to do? I can’t cremate you before 11 AM. If we miss the time, you can’t reincarnate forever…” The waiting family members all looked at me. I knelt on the ground, begging them, “In our hometown, there’s a custom that cremation time can’t exceed 11 AM. Otherwise, the soul won’t catch the ferry to the Spirit City. Uncle, Auntie, can you let me cut in line?” Some of them showed compassion, some hesitated, some were undecided. I took out my phone, “I’ll compensate you $3,000.” Hearing the money, they agreed to let me cut in line. I transferred $3,000 to each of the six prior families. After more than ten minutes, I pushed Blake into the cremation chamber. I noticed Blake’s middle finger twitching a few times. I leaned over Blake’s ear and said, “Scared? Regret? It’s too late.” The cremation chamber staff told me to wait outside. I begged, “Sir, please let me give my husband his final farewell.” After saying this, I gave him the last thousand dollars in my pocket. “Good journey, husband!” I personally pushed him into the cremation furnace and pressed the red ignition button.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294852”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #校园School #重生Reborn

When the zombie apocalypse broke out, I was watching my former bullies turn on each other from the comfort of my cozy, climate-controlled underground bunker. I felt a surge of satisfaction as I snapped a picture of myself enjoying a hot pot meal while my little dog happily munched on a juicy steak beside me. “Want some?” I posted in our class SnapChat group, watching their reactions evolve from threats to desperate pleas. I only replied with one sentence: “Dream on, idiots.” October 21, 2025. It was the third day of the zombie outbreak, and the fragile order at school had begun to crumble. On the first day, the school had hurriedly summoned students to a designated “safe room,” offering a brief respite from the chaos outside. They provided us with a week’s worth of food. But human nature is unpredictable. Many people, in their desperation to survive, began stealing food. As supplies dwindled and we lost contact with the outside world, fear took hold. What started as unity quickly devolved into the worst of human nature. People began fighting over who ate how much. Today was no different. “Let Aria go outside to get supplies. She’s fearless, aren’t you, Aria?” Vanessa’s voice wasn’t particularly loud, but in the eerily quiet room, it seemed to echo. All eyes turned to me. “Yeah, Aria’s dad was a psychic or something. She’s probably not scared of those things,” someone chimed in. “She’s pretty big too. She could probably carry back a lot of stuff.” The voices grew louder. They stared at me, speaking casually, but their eyes were full of threat. They seemed to have forgotten that I was just a girl. Before I could react, someone pushed me towards the door, feigning encouragement: “You can do it!” I looked at the horde of zombies outside, then back at the people inside. Their expressionless faces were more terrifying than the zombies. They shoved me out the door. I tried to resist, but the commotion attracted nearby zombies. They lurched towards me as the people inside held the door shut. I saw Vanessa’s smug smile as she watched me. I turned and walked towards the zombies…

The pain jolted me awake. I suddenly stood up. The whole class turned to look at me, accompanied by some snickering. “Aria! What are you doing?” The English teacher’s voice pierced my ears. I was still processing the vivid sensation of being torn apart by zombies. Looking at the familiar classroom, I wondered if it had all been a dream. A familiar, nauseating voice spoke up beside me: “Teacher, Aria’s dad was some kind of psychic who just died. Maybe he’s sending her messages from beyond.” The class erupted in laughter. “That’s enough! Aria, take your book and stand at the back of the class!” The English teacher slapped her desk loudly. I obediently took my book and walked to the back of the classroom. I was still thinking about that dream. If it was a dream, it felt too real. The sensation of being ripped apart by zombies still lingered on my skin. As soon as class ended, I rushed to the bathroom with my phone. There was no news of zombies in the country yet, so I searched foreign platforms for related information. Sure enough, I found something about zombies. In the video, a man staggered towards the camera. He was covered in blood, his face unrecognizable. The visible parts of his skin were mottled with black and blue veins. I was certain – he wasn’t human. He was a zombie. Exactly like the ones in my dream. I confirmed it then – I hadn’t been dreaming. I had traveled back in time. I exited the page and checked the date. September 28, 2025. One month until the zombie outbreak. I had to find a safe place within this month. Knock knock knock! Someone was pounding on the bathroom door. “Aria, hurry up and come out!” It was Vanessa. I remembered everything she had done in my previous life. It was just like her to do such things. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm. It wasn’t time yet. I walked out to see her and her two sidekicks. Vanessa raised her hand and slapped me, then spoke coldly: “You’re so slow. Be quicker next time!” “Taking so long in the bathroom, maybe a ghost was pulling you down,” one of her minions sneered. “How could she be afraid? Maybe she inherited her dad’s psychic powers!” Vanessa laughed, her eyes full of mockery. They said I wasn’t afraid simply because my dad had been a psychic. My mom died when I was young, and my dad had raised me alone. I was never ashamed of his profession, but I always avoided the topic around my classmates. Then my dad died of stomach cancer, and my homeroom teacher brought Vanessa to visit me, pretending to care. When I returned to school, I became the target of everyone’s mockery. They didn’t seem to care that I had become an orphan. They just thought it was fun. Led by Vanessa, they threw balls at me during PE class. One person started it, then more joined in. They poured toilet water into my water bottle. They smeared glue on my chair and wrote disgusting things on my desk. I tried to tell the teachers, but each time it only led to worse bullying. Some people, when subjected to this kind of treatment for a long time, choose to silently endure it. I was one of them. I ignored them and walked straight out of the bathroom. Their vulgar insults grew louder behind me. I went directly to the teachers’ office to find my homeroom teacher. “Teacher, I’ve been feeling really unwell lately. I’d like to take a few days off,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. I knew very well what I was shaking about. In my previous life, my ending was a tragic death. This time, I absolutely wouldn’t let that happen again. The homeroom teacher noticed the red mark on my face, probably thinking I had been self-harming. She took out a leave request form, approved a week’s leave for me, then told me to relax for a few days before coming back. I took the form, thanked her, then turned and walked straight out of the school. I had no intention of returning to that nightmarish class.

They all knew Vanessa was bullying me, but not a single person came to help me. I’m not a saint. I just wanted to get away from these people. Their lives or deaths were none of my concern. I walked out of the school gates and took a taxi home. My dad was a psychic who had helped countless wealthy executives. These people all had one thing in common – they were very generous with money. Over the years, my dad had also saved up a considerable sum for me. I entered the house and took out the two bank cards my dad had given me before he died. He told me one card contained the money he had saved for me over the years, and the other was a large insurance policy. After his death, the insurance company would pay me a million dollar benefit. Together, they totaled 1.7 million dollars. At my dad’s funeral, all sorts of people came to pay their respects. Their careers had all benefited from my dad’s help to some degree. Seeing that I was alone, they discussed among themselves and decided to leave me an education fund. Initially, I didn’t want to accept this money, but they were very insistent, demanding that I take it. Now I had to thank them for leaving me $300,000. I looked at the modestly sized house before me. Though small, it was in the city center, so the price was certainly not cheap. I couldn’t live in a house in the city center. I had to sell it and find a new place to settle down. I quickly contacted a real estate agent and asked them to help me sell the house within three days. I didn’t mind if the price was lowered. Next was finding a place where I could safely lay low.

I took out my phone and searched for houses in the suburbs. I thought that maybe if I got away from the city center to a sparsely populated area, there would be fewer zombies. Opening a certain app, I searched for suburban houses and was surprised to see an old bunker for sale. I immediately decided to buy this bunker. The bunker was spacious, definitely cool in summer and warm in winter, and much cheaper than a small villa in the suburbs! I contacted the seller right away, saying I wanted to buy it immediately and needed to see it now. To avoid attracting attention, I lied to the seller, saying I wanted to develop it into a weekend getaway. I told him it was a secret project and asked him not to tell anyone. Seeing how decisively I bought it, the seller sincerely promised he wouldn’t let anyone else know. Soon, I signed the purchase contract with the seller. Now there were 29 days left until the zombie outbreak. I had found a safe house, and next was to fill my safe house. After two busy days, I finally started furnishing my new home. I was too afraid of anyone knowing my address, so I contacted the largest construction market in the neighboring city and told them my requirements. Replace the entrance door with the best security door, and install three layers. Build a two-story small villa inside the bunker, to be completed within 10 days, using the best materials for all the hard decorations. The renovation foreman looked at me in confusion. I lied, saying I was building a private luxury hotel here and needed to protect the guests’ privacy. I was paying a high price, which immediately silenced any further questions from the renovation foreman. He just smiled and said, “Rich people really know how to play.” In my previous life, I died early and didn’t know how long this zombie apocalypse would last. To ensure I could live comfortably, I started buying in bulk. The zombie outbreak would definitely lead to power outages, so I immediately ordered 50 solar power banks. Cooking would also be an issue, so I bought 100 bottles of propane and stoves. To avoid any accidents, I needed to buy 50 boxes of charcoal. The bunker was still being renovated, so for now I was just buying daily necessities, self-defense items, and entertainment. I sat in my room thinking about what else to buy. Toilet paper always seems to run out without notice, so I bought 2,000 packs, and 200 boxes of sanitary napkins. Since I wouldn’t be able to go out once the zombies came, I bought 5 sets of pajamas for each season – spring, summer, fall, and winter. For underwear, laundry detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, shower gel, facial cleanser, and skincare products, I bought enough for three years in one go. Looking at the list in my notes, I fell asleep peacefully, planning to go to the wholesale market first thing in the morning.

On the third day after my rebirth, the first thing I did when I woke up was check the time on my phone. I was still afraid that my rebirth was just a dream I had before dying. Seeing the date on my phone, my anxious heart settled down. I quickly got up and got dressed. On the way to the wholesale market, I passed by a breakfast shop I often ate at. I went in and ordered my favorite breakfast, savoring every bite knowing these meals would soon be rare. I quickly arrived at the wholesale market and bought everything on my list from yesterday, telling the merchants to deliver in a week. Seeing how much I was ordering, the shop owner’s smile never left his face. Just as I finished buying everything, I got a call from the real estate agent. “Hello, Ms. Collins. The house you asked us to sell has a buyer,” the agent said excitedly. “Can they pay in full?” That was my main concern now. I knew a house in the city center wouldn’t be hard to sell, but what I needed now was cash. The agent’s voice became even more excited, “Yes, we found a buyer who can pay the full amount in one go.” I breathed a sigh of relief and continued, “Alright, you can handle the rest then. I’ll move out of that house within a week.” After hanging up with the agent, my phone vibrated with an incoming message. It was from an unknown number: “Aria, don’t think you can escape my grasp just because you’re on leave. I know your home address. I advise you to come back soon. Without you around, we have no one to play with.” Looking at the content of the message, I knew without thinking that it was sent by Vanessa. Perhaps due to the physiological fear I always had of her, my hand holding the phone still trembled involuntarily. She said she knew my address now, and I had nowhere to hide at the moment. Thinking of the safe room the school arranged for us in my previous life, an idea came to mind. I’d return to school in a couple of days. Two days later, having dealt with the house issues (the house had been sold and I was temporarily staying in a hotel), I returned to school with just a few belongings. Sure enough, as soon as I entered, I received Vanessa’s “welcome ceremony” – a pile of garbage fell on me from above the door. No one in the class helped me. They even thought it was funny. They mocked me, laughing at my disheveled state. I clenched my fists. Just endure a little longer, I told myself. They would soon face their retribution. I walked to my seat. Just as the bell was about to ring, I left the classroom with my backpack. I knew they would definitely tell the teacher, but I didn’t care. I went directly to the so-called safe room, which was actually just the school’s large auditorium. It was a temporary safe room set up by the fire department. After doing this, they left to rescue others. I entered the auditorium. It wasn’t very large – in my previous life, only about 80 people from the whole school survived. Many teachers, for the sake of their families, ran straight home, only to become zombies on the way. Some teachers stayed behind with the soldiers to maintain order. Scenes from my previous life kept flashing through my mind. It was here that they pushed me out. I opened my backpack and installed ten hidden cameras in different inconspicuous places. Satisfied with my work, I left the school. Just as I stepped out of the school gates, I received a call from the renovation foreman saying that everything I had requested was completed and they had already cleaned up. They were just waiting for me to come and check. Because I paid a high enough price, everyone’s work efficiency was very high. I couldn’t help but think to myself: Money really is good. I called the wholesale market owner, telling him they could deliver the goods tomorrow. The owner on the other end of the phone, hearing it was me, quickly agreed with a smile, saying they would definitely deliver tomorrow. Next was stockpiling. I first went to a furniture store and bought a lot of soft furnishings. Since the money from selling the house – $1.2 million – had been credited to my account, I could spend freely to meet my needs. I bought the best sofas, beds, and other furniture. Then I went to an electronics store and bought two laptops, three tablets, and 50 power banks. After that, I took a taxi directly to the bunker. When I stepped into the bunker, I couldn’t help but marvel – money really can make anything possible. I was very satisfied. I added another $1000 bonus for each worker. They were all quite embarrassed, saying this was just their job. Seeing their reactions, I couldn’t help but give them a word of advice. “Guys, with the pandemic flaring up again, you should stock up on supplies at home. I heard the neighboring city’s outbreak is recurring.” I glanced away, trying to sound casual as I said it. I couldn’t save everyone. In my previous life, I died at the hands of others. This time, I had to protect myself above all else. After seeing off the renovation team, the people from the wholesale market and furniture store arrived next. Seeing such a large operation, I used the same excuse to fool them. All the items I bought were now stored in this bunker. Looking at the room filled with my favorite furnishings, I suddenly felt very secure.

Now there were 10 days left until the zombie outbreak. I went to buy food that could be stored for a long time. As for vegetables and fruits, I’d have to wait a while before purchasing those. As I was walking down the hill, I saw two little dogs following me, wagging their tails. Looking at the two chubby puppies, I thought that maybe adopting them would be a good idea. They could add some joy to my life. I beckoned to them, and the two little guys came running over, one white and one black. They were so small that I could hold one in each hand. After settling the two puppies, I returned to the city’s largest farmers’ market. This biggest farmers’ market had everything you could think of. Anything related to food could be found here. Most importantly, no matter how much you bought here, no one would think it strange. This was exactly what I wanted. I bought 50 boxes of instant noodles, 100 boxes of cola, 10 boxes each of various canned foods, 100 bags of rice, 50 barrels of cooking oil, 10 boxes each of various dehydrated vegetables, 20 bottles each of seasonings, and lots of flour, noodles, peanuts, etc. Now it was time for my favorite snacks: 20 bags each of soy milk, black sesame paste, milk, and yogurt; 10 boxes each of chocolate, nuts, sunflower seeds, potato chips, chicken feet, jelly, pork jerky, beef jerky, and spicy strips. And for the two puppies’ food, 50 bags of 20-pound dog food, 20 cans of puppy milk, and 5 boxes each of various puppy foods. Watching the merchants load two large trucks full, I was very satisfied. I had the drivers head straight to the bunker. Fortunately, I used the same excuse, so these people didn’t say much. Seeing all these goods delivered, my heart gradually calmed down. Looking at the tightly closed door, I thought about installing some cameras outside as well, in case of any unexpected situations. Said and done, after categorizing all the items, I lay down on the bed and could finally breathe easy. Taking advantage of the current electricity and internet, I bought memberships for all video platforms and downloaded my favorite TV shows and movies I hadn’t seen onto the computers, tablets, and USB drives. Just as I was about to fall asleep, my phone suddenly rang. I looked at the caller ID – it was Vanessa’s number. I answered the phone expressionlessly. Contemptuous laughter came from the other end, as if showing off to someone: “See? I told you she wouldn’t dare not to answer.” I remained silent. The voice on the other end became more unrestrained: “Aria, did you forget the message I sent you the other day? Did you forget how much it hurt when you got beaten up?” I listened quietly, my hand tightly clenched into a fist, but my reason was still telling me that now wasn’t the time. When they were truly desperate, that would be the best moment to strike them down. Seeing that I didn’t speak, Vanessa became somewhat angry and frustrated: “Have you forgotten that I still have leverage over you? Bitch!” Hearing this, I couldn’t hold back anymore and retaliated: “Vanessa, have you forgotten that you’re already 18? If I report what you’ve done to the police, you’ll face criminal charges.” My voice was firm and strong.

Vanessa had repeated a year. She should have been a senior by now, but due to poor grades, she was forced to stay back. Also because of face issues, she took a year off, so she was still in the same freshman class as us. Hearing what I said, Vanessa stammered a bit, but to maintain her image, she still shouted back loudly: “Bitch, who do you think you’re talking to? Do you believe I’ll post your photos in the class group right now?” “Go ahead. Worst case, we’ll meet at the police station,” I said and hung up the phone. She wouldn’t dare post them. Such a person who only bullies others would be very afraid of facing any threat herself. I was confident she would be more afraid, so I was certain she wouldn’t post anything. Vanessa had photos of me. They called me to the bathroom, beat me repeatedly, then tore open my clothes and took pictures of me at my most vulnerable. At that time, I didn’t dare resist, silently enduring their torment, just because I had no family left. Now with zombies about to come, I wasn’t afraid of anything anymore. Thinking of myself back then, tears still fell. The two puppies seemed to sense something and came over to gently lick my face. Perhaps with the company of these two little ones, I quickly fell asleep. When I woke up, it was time for my final round of shopping. Still at that farmers’ market, I directly bought a whole cow, two pigs, 30 chickens, 20 ducks, and various frozen fish, shrimp, and frozen foods. After the merchants delivered everything, I looked at the two extra-large freezers now filled to capacity, feeling increasingly satisfied. The next few days were just waiting.

On the second day of holing up in the bunker, there were 5 days left until the zombie outbreak. My homeroom teacher called me. I hesitated for a moment but chose to answer the call. The homeroom teacher spoke cautiously on the other end: “Aria, are you feeling any better?” I knew she was afraid my emotions hadn’t settled down yet. I rubbed my nose and replied: “Teacher, I’m much better now. But I’d like to take another week off. I’ll study at home on my own.” Hearing that I would study at home, the teacher quickly stopped me: “No, no. Aria, what I care about is your mood, not your grades. Isn’t it better to start studying again after you’ve sorted out your emotions?” Hearing her caring words, my nose tingled. Since my dad passed away, no one had cared about my feelings like this. Relatives at home only feared I would become their burden, keeping their distance from me. With a slightly nasal voice, I said to the teacher: “Okay, teacher. I’ll adjust my emotions well.” The voice on the other end sighed in relief, gently saying: “Then you just rest well at home. If there’s anything, you can talk to me. I’ll hang up now.” “Teacher, wait!” I quickly called out. “What’s wrong?” I stammered a bit: “Teacher, the pandemic is recurring quite frequently lately. It’s best to stock up on some food at home.” The teacher chuckled lightly: “Alright, teacher understands.” After hanging up with her, I looked at the remaining cameras from last time’s installation. Even though the large door I built now was sturdy enough, I was still worried about the worst-case scenario, so I chose to install them at the entrance, to monitor the situation outside at all times. Said and done, I carried the two cameras out the door, with the two puppies trotting behind me. After installation, I checked my inventory of supplies again. Then I discovered the biggest problem – I hadn’t bought water! Heaven knows how devastated I felt at that moment. Looking at this open area, I wondered if I could dig a well. I immediately called the renovation foreman from before and asked about the situation. The foreman’s answer was that it was possible, and it would only take one day. With the zombie outbreak countdown approaching, I directly offered a high price for the foreman to come over immediately. Three hours later, the renovation foreman arrived with his tools, smiling at me and saying: “This tool works very fast, but the noise is quite loud.” I quickly told him: “It’s fine, foreman. Just do it. I’m in a hurry now, so it doesn’t matter if it’s noisy.” After hearing this, the foreman immediately got to work, and I watched from the side. I have to say, sometimes these tools are not only attractive to boys but also to girls. The two puppies, hearing the loud noise, quickly ran into the house, trembling. At 11:30 PM, water appeared in the well. I smiled happily. The foreman thoughtfully cut stones to surround it and set it up for me. I gave the foreman some extra money, but he waved his hand with a smile and left directly. After the foreman left, I began living a free and easy life in this bunker. Today I eat steak, tomorrow I eat lamb leg, feeling quite comfortable. Watching time pass bit by bit, I also gradually began to feel scared. Even though I had already experienced the zombie massacre in my previous life, I was still very afraid.

he day before the zombie outbreak, a video titled “Real-life Train to Busan” suddenly went viral. But it existed for less than a minute before being taken down. I knew this was the government’s method to stabilize public sentiment. My hand also began to shake uncontrollably, my whole body feeling cold. Seeing that something was wrong with me, the two puppies came over and kept nuzzling my hand with their heads. Feeling their warmth, I started to calm down. I opened the cameras I had placed in the safe room and checked if anyone was there now, but I saw a disgusting scene. During the evening self-study period, Vanessa and a senior boy walked into the auditorium. I knew this boy. In my previous life, he was the one who pushed me out with his own hands. I would recognize that face even if it turned to ashes. But I remembered this boy, Luke, had a girlfriend. His girlfriend even knew Vanessa. They were originally classmates in the same grade, but because Vanessa was held back, she ended up two years behind them. As soon as the two entered the auditorium, they embraced and entangled with each other. Luke pinned Vanessa against the door. This position happened to be right where I had installed one of the cameras. The two’s movements gradually quickened, and some unseemly sounds came from the screen. I nearly threw up. I always knew Vanessa was a disgusting person, but I really hadn’t imagined they would do such revolting things at school. Holding back my nausea, I made a video of them doing their dirty deeds, then listened to their conversation. Vanessa, panting, said, “Have… have you… told that… that bitch… clearly yet?” Luke, with a greedy and urgent tone, replied: “Her family has money. It’s useful to keep her around.” The two continued their sordid act, their voices rising and falling until they finally stopped. Vanessa lay in Luke’s arms, saying with lingering desire: “That’s good. I thought you had developed real feelings for her.” Luke kissed her once, looking displeased: “How is that possible? Her figure isn’t as good as yours, and she’s so prissy. It’s only because she has money, otherwise who would care about her?” Their whispered words made me feel sick to my stomach. Fighting the strong physical discomfort, I edited their video. To destroy a person, it’s not enough to just let them die. Death would be too easy for her. 12 hours until the zombie outbreak, I sat on the soft bed, watching the news outside. 10 hours until the zombie outbreak, zombies hiding in corners of the neighboring city began to emerge one by one, but there was still no movement in our city. 8 hours until the zombie outbreak, a video was sent to the phones of every student and teacher at the school, posted on each student’s phone, except for Vanessa and Luke, and their friends. 6 hours until the zombie outbreak, Vanessa arrived at school. Classmates looked at her with disgust, thinking that people had been pointing and whispering about her all the way to school. 5 hours until the zombie outbreak, Vanessa lost her temper in class, “Who the fuck filmed this!” Her phone received a text message that read: Vanessa, are you happy? 4 hours until the zombie outbreak, the dean of students burst open the classroom door. “Who is Vanessa? Come to the office with me! Bring your parents too!” 3 hours until the zombie outbreak, in the auditorium, Vanessa found Luke, her voice filled with panic: “Luke, what should we do?” Luke yelled at her, his face full of disgust: “What are you doing here? Don’t you think things are bad enough already?” Seeing Luke treat her like this, the panic on Vanessa’s face turned to ferocity, “Luke! You bastard! You enjoyed it when we were having sex, and now you’re disgusted with me?” Their argument grew louder. Luke’s girlfriend also walked over, her eyes filled with mockery, “I wondered who it could be. So it was you?” Her words weren’t strongly aggressive, but they were full of humiliation. Vanessa’s face alternated between white and red. 1 hour until the zombie outbreak, a man wearing hiking clothes appeared on the street in the city center. He walked unsteadily, slowly approaching the nearest person.

At first, no one noticed him. Until… he walked towards a girl listening to music and waiting for the bus at the bus stop, and bit into her neck. People saw his appearance. His eyes no longer had normal pupils, only whites with a slight blue tinge. The veins on his skin were prominently visible. He let out a scream among the crowd, his teeth shaped like a chainsaw. People screamed and scattered in all directions. He tore into the girl, swallowing her flesh bite by bite. Many people had already fled, but there were always some who weren’t afraid of death, taking out their phones to film. Perhaps having just received nourishment for his body, his movements began to become rapid. He ran to the person filming and directly bit into their head. The girl he had just eaten was now exposed to the bone, the flesh on her body rotting. But she actually began to move and crawl up. Time of the zombie outbreak. I sat in my safe house, watching different people’s perspectives on my phone.

Meanwhile, at the school, a scream broke the silence, also interrupting Vanessa and Luke’s argument. People who had fallen down on the playground stood up again one by one. They moved slowly but with consistent steps, walking towards the teaching building where many people were gathered. I turned on the cameras installed in the hall. The school acted quickly, already transferring some people to the safe room. Of course, among them were Vanessa and her minions, as well as Luke. I looked at the faces in the camera, the same as in my previous life, with one new face I hadn’t seen before. But I recognized that person, a classmate who had been bullied by Vanessa just like me. Goosebumps instantly covered my body. So my rebirth hadn’t changed anything. When I left, someone else took my place to suffer the same fate. Just like in my previous life, the school gave them the only food available and told them to wait for rescue in the auditorium. I couldn’t bear to watch some teachers, desperate to see their families one last time, rush out no matter what, deciding to do something more meaningful with the police. I switched the video feed to the scene outside the door. In my previous life, I had been sent to the safe room from the start, so I didn’t know what the outside scene looked like. The scene outside now looked horrifying. People on the streets had all turned into zombies, scattered here and there. Some gathered together, gnawing on a corpse, then separated, with the corpse joining the zombie group. Even though I was in a safe place, watching such scenes made my palms and back drenched in cold sweat. I couldn’t imagine what would have happened if I had only thought this was a dream. Would I have suffered the same fate as in my previous life?

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294868”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #校园School #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic

When I was brutally killed, my father, Detective David Harper, and my mother, Chief Forensic Examiner Dr. Marjorie Harper, were both cheering on my sister, Sierra, at her tennis match. The killer—someone my father had arrested years ago and who now sought revenge—cut out my tongue and then used my phone to call my father. He picked up, irritated, and answered with only one sentence before hanging up. “Whatever’s going on, your sister’s match is the only thing that matters today!” The killer sneered, “Guess I kidnapped the wrong one. I thought they’d care more about their real daughter.” When my parents arrived at the crime scene, they were shocked by the brutal condition of the corpse and cursed the viciousness of the killer. But neither realized that the person lying dead before them was their own daughter. My body was found in an abandoned building, the Maplewood Construction Site. The workers who stumbled upon me were so horrified they couldn’t stop retching as they called the police. My parents were rushed to the scene, pulled away from Sierra’s celebration at the Greenfield Country Club. Dr. Steve Norton, the forensic specialist, waited grimly and gestured for them to put on their masks. Dad, Detective David Harper, was one of the top detectives in the state, and Mom, Dr. Marjorie Harper, was the leading forensic pathologist. Even with all the crime scenes they’d seen, they froze momentarily at the sight of the mangled body. In the oppressive summer heat, my body had begun to bloat, my face smashed beyond recognition, reduced to a bloody, shapeless pulp, my features unrecognizable. My neck was barely attached to my head, and the smell of rot was overpowering. Mom closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and pulled on her gloves, beginning her preliminary examination. She looked down at my corpse with a trace of pity—a look she’d never given me in life. I watched, tensing as she slid off the bloodied ring I wore. It was part of a matching set I’d made for each of them, a gesture of love, but they’d once scolded me for trying to give one to Sierra, saying, “You’re just trying to stir up trouble, aren’t you? Bullying your sister again?” “Lena,” Mom had once said, “Sierra’s lived here for eighteen years. You’re our biological daughter, but she will always be more important in this family.” The memory of their harsh words echoed, yet I still believed they loved me enough to recognize my ring. But Mom, her expression unchanging, simply passed the ring to her assistant to bag as evidence. I should have known better than to hope. In their hearts, I’d never truly existed, even though I was their biological daughter. My brother Jack had always told me that my parents adopted Sierra because they couldn’t find me, and that I was the daughter they truly loved. But by the time I returned, there was no place left for me in that house. I was the outsider. After inspecting the scene, Dad sighed, turning to Mom. “What’s the situation with this body?” Mom removed her gloves, massaging her temples. “The victim seems to be around twenty. Cause of death appears to be a cut throat, but she was tortured for quite some time before that.” “Brutal,” Dad muttered, lighting a cigarette and drawing a long breath, his expression tight with worry. Even in death, it seemed I was a problem for them. Dr. Norton spoke up, “The killer’s still out there. Might be a good idea to keep an eye on your family. With two daughters, I wouldn’t let them out at night.” Mom’s annoyance flared. “Sierra’s usually obedient. It’s Lena I can’t control.” Dr. Norton, who knew our family well, watched Dad rub his shoulder. “You’ve got that shoulder issue again?” he asked Dad. “It’s nothing,” Dad replied. “I’ve got the heating pad Lena got me.” He stopped mid-sentence, momentarily taken aback. The rebellious daughter they complained about so much had cared enough to remember his shoulder pain. Dr. Norton patted him on the back. “You know, you should treat Lena a bit better. She’s your biological daughter, after all.” Dad shook his head. “Sierra’s tennis tournament was just the other day, and all she wanted was for Lena to come watch. But Lena ignored our calls. Sierra ended up disappointed and only took third place.” “She hasn’t been home in days,” he muttered bitterly. “Maybe she’ll never come back. She’s not like our Sierra; not the one we raised.” Hearing them blame me, I felt my spirit grow cold. I wasn’t staying away by choice. I simply couldn’t go home anymore. The ungrateful daughter they dismissed was already dead, lying here before them. My corpse, right in front of them, yet they didn’t know it.

At the case review, officers listened to Mom’s preliminary report with heavy faces. My condition was so horrific that facial identification was impossible. The Maplewood Construction Site wasn’t where I’d died; it was just the dumping ground, which complicated the investigation. Dad directed the officers to search around the site for suspicious activity. “Dr. Harper,” he said to Mom, “can you take a closer look and see if there’s anything new? Get the DNA samples to the lab right away.” Mom nodded and began examining my body as Dad left the room. They cared more about the case than they ever had about me. Mom had once stroked Sierra’s hair, saying how forensic science could be a beautiful way to honor the dead. I remembered how Sierra had rolled her eyes behind Mom’s back as if she found it ridiculous. I’d slapped her once, which had earned me a shaved head as punishment from Dad. Now, Mom gently brushed my hair back, whispering, “Dying this way…her family must be devastated.” I gave a dry, bitter smile. If my family cared about me, they’d be thrilled I was gone. Only my brother would probably feel sad. Mom’s hand moved to my back, where there was a large burn scar—something I got when I was abducted years ago. When they brought me home and saw it, Mom had remarked with disgust, “What happened to your back? Don’t scare Sierra with that.” Now, as her fingers touched the scar, I wondered if she’d recognize me. But her calm voice broke the silence, “This isn’t recent.” Suddenly, her assistant gasped, “Dr. Harper, there’s a piece of paper in her stomach!” Mom’s eyes widened, and she sighed, “The stomach acid has eroded it. Let’s see if forensics can extract anything useful.” At that moment, Mom’s phone rang with Sierra’s favorite song. Mom dashed out into the hall, her voice warm. “Sweetheart, what’s up? Mom’s at work.” “Tomorrow?” she paused and then, her voice softened, “Yes, Dad and I will be there for your match. Your brother’s still away on assignment.” Sierra’s voice echoed in my ears, playful and innocent. “You’re the best, Mom! I’d love it if Lena came to support me, too. I know she doesn’t like me much, though—it’s fair, I guess. I’ve kind of taken all the love you and Dad have to give.” Though she’d always been cruel to me, Sierra liked putting on an act of sisterly affection in front of Mom and Dad. Right on cue, Mom’s voice sharpened. “You’re our baby. Lena is just…nothing. She steals from us, bullies you behind our backs—she’s not my daughter.” “You don’t need to worry, honey. If Lena has to drag herself there in a wheelchair, I’ll make sure she attends!” Sierra chuckled sweetly. “Dad called earlier and told me to be safe. Mom, remember to tell Lena too.” “Take care of yourself, Sierra. So long as Lena doesn’t show up dead on our doorstep, I don’t care what she does.” Mom’s dislike for me was always evident. Maybe it was because I was the daughter they couldn’t shape into their ideal. When they found me, they hadn’t even changed my last name to Harper. In their eyes, Sierra was their only daughter.

After Sierra’s call, Mom got a call from my brother, Jack. “Jack, when are you back from your assignment? Your sister wants you to watch her match!” Mom blurted out before he could say a word. Jack had been the only one who showed me kindness when they’d brought me home. He’d held my hand and said, “Don’t worry, Lena. You’re home now.” On the phone, Jack hesitated. “Isn’t Lena’s math competition next month?” Mom cut him off, annoyed. “Lena, Lena! Sierra is the one who’s really your sister—how many times have I said that? Lena’s a bad influence, and she’s not fit to be a Harper.” Jack sighed, his frustration evident. “Mom, you really should give Lena a chance. She’s kind, and if you’d show her some care, you’d see it.” “She hasn’t answered my calls or texts,” he added. “Is she even at home?” Mom scoffed. “She goes wherever she pleases. I can’t tether her. Tomorrow is Sierra’s match, and if you can’t make it, no big deal.” Pausing, she added harshly, “Tell Lena if she doesn’t show up, she may as well never come back.” Just then, Dad returned, noticing her irritated expression. “Was the case difficult?” Mom shook her head, her tone exasperated. “It’s not the case. It’s Lena. I think she’s roped Jack into playing this disappearing act with her.” Dad exhaled loudly, clearly frustrated. “She knows we’re busy, and yet she pulls stunts like this. She’s so ungrateful. I’ll call her right now and straighten this out!” But call after call only went to voicemail. “She was better off never being found,” Dad muttered. “All she does is bring trouble.” Standing nearby, Dr. Norton had overheard everything. With a sigh, he murmured, “You both left your jobs for a year to look for her when she was taken. How did it come to this?” I wanted to smile, but bitterness filled me instead. They had found a version of me that didn’t fit their expectations. I was just a kid from the backwoods who didn’t know her place. When I came back at fifteen, the house was grander than anything I’d ever known. Mom and Dad were coddling Sierra as she cried. I stood there in patched clothes, staring down at my worn shoes with the torn toe. Sierra had looked up, pausing her tears to smirk, “Who’s this little street rat?” Mom and Dad’s faces had darkened, but not because of her words—they were disappointed in me. “Detective Harper, Dr. Harper.” A police officer approached with the incident reports. “No missing person reports over the last few days. The family didn’t notice she was gone. Do they not have a good relationship?” “Hard to believe some parents care so little,” someone muttered. I could feel the sadness wrapping around me like a heavy blanket, suffocating. They were heartbroken that some parents didn’t care about their kids, but not one of them thought to ask if I was safe during my disappearance. Years ago, they would have dropped everything for me. But now, they suspected my absence was a ploy for attention. Maybe I never should have come back. This was Sierra’s home, not mine. The years they should have spent loving me were already taken, and whatever love they had left was no longer mine.

Mom handed the partially digested piece of paper to Dr. Norton. Rubbing her sore back, she muttered to Dad, “I hope this can give us something. Did you remind Sierra to lock up?” Dad nodded, but there was a hint of unease in his eyes. “Marjorie, Lena’s not picking up her phone, and Jack hasn’t heard from her either. You don’t think…maybe I should get someone to check up on her?” Mom cut him off with an impatient sigh. “You know her—she’s probably hiding, waiting for us to come looking. This isn’t the first time.” “She’s just avoiding Sierra’s match. By tomorrow, she’ll be crying on the phone, begging for forgiveness.” The last time I’d gone “missing” was over the summer, when Sierra locked me in the school bathroom. I’d called for help until my voice was hoarse, and by the time I got out, my ankle was swollen, and I was covered in dirt. I went home, limping, hoping for a bit of comfort. But Dad had only hit me with a hard slap, with Mom shouting, “Sierra saw you sneaking off with some delinquent. How could I have raised someone so shameless?” I couldn’t speak for myself, only standing there while Sierra watched with a smug, hidden smile. Later, Jack had gently helped me clean up, saying softly, “It’s not that they don’t love you, Lena. They just don’t know how to show it.” But I knew better. Compared to Sierra, who was perfect, I would never have my parents’ love. The scales of their affection were always tipped against me. If I were still alive, I’d probably be at the station right now, bringing homemade soup for Mom and Dad when they had to work late. But this time, I couldn’t apologize to them like they expected. After all, I was dead. The forensics department quickly examined the paper. It turned out to be a receipt from a small shop. The killer had forced it into my mouth with contempt, taunting, “A little present for your mom and dad? Bet they’d just throw it in the trash.” Dad squinted at it. “Where’s this from?” Dr. Norton frowned, looking closer. “Looks like it’s from a place that sells charms and trinkets.” When they arrived at the shop with other officers, the store owner looked startled by their badges and uniforms. She took the crumpled receipt, checking the order number. “That was a young girl,” she recalled. “She said it was a gift for her parents, because of how dangerous their jobs are. I remember her well. She never picked them up, and she didn’t answer any of my calls.” The shopkeeper then brought out two small, red good-luck charms, explaining softly, “They’re for health and safety, long life and peace.” Dad took them, exhaling deeply. “Do you still have the security footage?” The shopkeeper nodded. “That girl spent so much time picking these out. Very quiet, very polite. I’d recognize her anywhere.” The security footage played on the small monitor, and the room fell silent. Mom swallowed hard, staring at the screen. “She…looks like Lena.” “Lena?” the shopkeeper replied. “That was the name on the order slip!” Dad’s face tightened, his voice low as he forced himself to stay calm. “It’s just a coincidence. I’m sure Lena’s somewhere laughing at us right now.” “Ma’am, did you and Lena plan this together? You know that obstructing police is a serious offense?” Just then, Mom’s phone rang again. Her voice wavered as she answered. “Julie?” It was her colleague, lab technician Julie Lee. “Dr. Harper, the DNA results on the victim are back,” Julie said urgently.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294884”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #校园School #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic #玄幻Fantsy

My brother-in-law’s son was diagnosed with leukemia. Instead of using their own assets, they wanted me to sell the house I bought before marriage to cover the medical expenses. I refused. My husband said, “My nephew is sick, and you can’t even sell a house for his treatment. Do you even deserve to be his aunt?” Do I look like someone easily fooled? So, I filed for divorce and left. I had to get away from a family with such distorted values. 0After a busy day at work, I got home and opened the door to an unexpected sight. Sitting in my living room were Grant and Debbie Hawley, my in-laws, along with Mason Hawley, my brother-in-law. I was puzzled. I hadn’t spoken to Grant and Debbie for years because of some past conflicts. Ryan always went back to see them on holidays by himself, but they hadn’t set foot in our home for as long as I could remember. Mason, who was always taking sides with his parents, never missed an opportunity to show me a cold shoulder. I was so fed up that I cut ties with him too. So why on earth were they all here, sitting together in my house? As soon as I walked in, Ryan rushed over to take my bag and shoes, acting like the perfect husband. Debbie, who had never been overly friendly, actually greeted me warmly. This was all too strange, and I knew something was up. Sure enough, the moment I sat on the couch, Debbie burst into tears, covering her mouth as she spoke. “Luke is sick.” I quickly asked, “What’s wrong with him?” Debbie’s tears fell even harder. “Leukemia.” I was shocked. I looked at Mason and saw his eyes were red, like he’d been crying. Even though Mason and I didn’t get along, his son Luke was a sweet kid—smart and adorable. Sometimes, when Mason was busy, Ryan would bring him home, and Luke would always greet me with a cheerful “Aunt Savannah.” The thought of such a well-behaved child being diagnosed with something so serious really hurt my heart. Debbie continued, “The doctors said it’s acute leukemia. There are only two treatment options: chemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant.” At this, I immediately spoke up. “With modern medical technology, leukemia has a high cure rate. Luke will be fine. Let’s all go to the hospital and get tested for a match.” Debbie nodded in approval at my response. “But,” she added, “the treatment, the hospital stay, and the surgery afterward will all cost a fortune. The doctors said it would cost at least $500,000 to $600,000. Mason only makes $5,000 a month, even if he worked himself to death, he wouldn’t be able to cover it.” As she spoke, Debbie began to cry again. That’s when I realized where this was going. Though I didn’t care for Mason, when it came to a child’s health, I knew what mattered most. I turned to Ryan and said, “We have $60,000 in our account. Go ahead and transfer it to Mason. It’s not much, but it’s something from us as his aunt and uncle.” Sixty thousand wasn’t a huge sum, but it was everything we had. We had a mortgage, a car loan, and regular expenses. By the end of the month, we barely had anything left. I thought I had done my duty as part of the family. Just as I was feeling proud of my generosity, I heard Grant scoff, “Sixty thousand? That’s not going to do much.” In that instant, all my goodwill evaporated. I didn’t say another word, just leaned back on the couch. Debbie took over, playing the good cop. “I feel like we’re all family, and in tough times, we have to pull together. Savannah, I know we’ve had our misunderstandings in the past, but I also know you really care about Mason. Now that he’s in trouble, you won’t just sit back and do nothing, right?” I let out a cold chuckle in my head. They were buttering me up, trying to squeeze more money out of me. I was already thinking about whether I could borrow more from my parents when Debbie hit me with something even worse. “Savannah, don’t you have that house over in Lakeview? You’re not living in it now, so why don’t you sell it to help with Luke’s treatment? Don’t worry, we’ll remember your kindness. When Luke grows up, he’ll be sure to show you his gratitude.” If I didn’t see their true intentions by now, I’d have to be a complete fool. I glanced at Ryan, noticing how he avoided my gaze. He clearly knew about this. But why should I sell my house? That house was bought for me by my parents before I got married. They poured all their savings into it to give me some security in life. Now they wanted me to sell it? The nerve. It was obvious they had discussed this before I even got home. Before I could respond, Debbie spoke up again, “Ryan agrees with this plan.” I glared at Ryan. “I don’t care what Ryan agreed to. That house is mine. I bought it before we got married. He has no say.” Debbie looked embarrassed for a second, but she didn’t give up. “Why are we even talking about what’s yours and mine? We’re all family, and this is about the Hawley family.” “Savannah, are you still holding a grudge because Mason said some mean things to you before? If that’s the case, I’ll apologize. But Luke’s life is in your hands.” Debbie was trying her best at emotional manipulation. Seeing through their schemes, I finally dropped the pretense and said coldly, “Don’t put that on me, Debbie. I’m just the aunt. Luke has his parents, and you and Grant are his grandparents. If a house has to be sold, why don’t you sell yours?” “That’s ridiculous! We need our house to live in.” “And yours is just sitting there empty. Why are you being so selfish?” So that’s how it was. They were a family, and I was the outsider. Their child was sick, and instead of selling their own home or cars, they expected me, the aunt, to make the sacrifice? Too bad for them, I’m not the pushover they think I am. No matter how much they tried, I refused to agree. In the end, Mason lost his temper and threw his glass on the floor with a loud crash. It startled me, but I stayed quiet. He stormed out, shouting, “Fine, if she won’t help, so be it! It’s not like Luke won’t survive without her.” With that, he slammed the door behind him. Grant banged his fist on the table, yelling, “Our family is cursed! Cursed!” Debbie joined in, crying out, “She doesn’t even consider us family! At a time like this, she’s still thinking about herself. So selfish.” Finally, when they saw there was no winning me over, they left in a huff. Ryan ran after them, but they slammed the door in his face. It was all a disaster. When Ryan came back, he was furious with me. “Savannah, you were way out of line today!” “How could you speak to my parents and brother like that? They’re going through a really hard time.” I raised my eyebrows and snapped back, “Oh, I haven’t even started with you, Ryan. Who do you think you are, agreeing to sell my house? You can’t make that decision! My parents bought me that house. You don’t get a say.” “Your brother has a house and a car. Why isn’t he selling those? Why are your parents’ assets off the table? And you want me to sell mine? Do you think I’m an idiot?” “You think I’m being harsh? I don’t care. Helping him is a kindness, not an obligation. And by the way, $60,000 isn’t nothing. It took us years to save that.” Ryan’s face turned red with embarrassment. He scratched his head. “But they only have that one house. They can’t sell it; where would they live?” Ryan was always like this—kind-hearted but spineless, with no principles. We met in college, and during our dating years, I loved how gentle and caring he was. But when it came to real life, his wishy-washy attitude drove me crazy. I gave him one final warning. “If you go behind my back and do something I can’t accept, we’re done.” 0Even though I had laid down the law with Ryan, I could tell from his expression that this wasn’t over yet. And I was right. One evening after work, I came home to find Ryan showing our house to a couple of strangers—potential buyers. Fury boiled inside me. I waited until they left before I let loose. “What the hell are you doing?” Ryan couldn’t even look me in the eye, but he tried to stand his ground. “If you won’t sell your house, then I’ll sell mine, alright?” I let out a bitter laugh. “Your house? Are you sure this is your house?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294900”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #校园School #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic #玄幻Fantsy

During the pandemic, my crush lost his job. After hanging up the phone, I rushed to his apartment complex that night. The power was out in his unit, and he was drinking alone in the dark living room. I hugged him tightly in the darkness and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll always be here for you!” That night, we crossed a line. The next morning, I snuggled up to my crush and called out his name affectionately: “Ethan.” A deep male voice breathed into my ear and asked, “Who’s Ethan?” My heart skipped a beat as I realized the voice sounded different! I opened my eyes to a face completely unlike Ethan’s. Frightened, I quickly covered myself with the blanket and exclaimed, “Who are you?!” He gave me a meaningful look, smiling like a mischievous devil, and asked while playing with my hair: “Last night, you snuck into my place while I was drunk, hugging and kissing me, and now you’re asking who I am, hmm?” I stared into those dangerous fox-like eyes, trying hard to control my emotions as I recalled everything that happened last night. During the peak of the pandemic, Ethan’s company had layoffs, and he lost his job. He lived in a high-risk area. To comfort him, I took a cab to his apartment complex that night. Even if it meant being quarantined together, I wanted to be there for him during this difficult time. When I reached his door, the power was out, and he was drinking alone in the dark. He hugged me tightly in the darkness. I thought my crush of seven years had finally reciprocated my feelings, so I boldly kissed him. He hesitated for a moment but didn’t pull away, so I assumed he had accepted me. Now that I think about it, did I get the wrong apartment number? “Who are you?” I asked again. Hearing this, the man suddenly flipped me over, pinning me beneath him. He bit my lip lightly and said, “Remember this: my name is Adrian.”

In a flash, my mind went blank, and I could only push him away. The soreness in my body reminded me of everything that had happened last night. I lifted the blanket, but remembering the man next to me, I quickly covered myself again. He lay there, half-exposed, and said with interest, “Don’t bother covering up. I’ve already seen everything.” Oh no, I had lost my precious first time to this devilishly handsome stranger! Heartbroken, I picked up my crumpled clothes from the floor. My blouse was left with only one button, clearly unwearable. He kindly offered, “Want to borrow something?” “You have women’s clothes?” I asked in return. He replied calmly, “No, but I can lend you a shirt.” I thought to myself, “…” How am I supposed to face Ethan later wearing another man’s clothes? “No need,” I declined. As I was about to get off the bed wrapped in the blanket to find my coat, I accidentally exposed him completely. My face turned red instantly. Seeing a man’s body for the first time made my heart race. I didn’t know whether to drop the blanket or pull it away. He good-naturedly handed me his outer shirt. After taking it, I threw off the blanket and hid in the bathroom.

As soon as I entered, just about to change clothes, he followed me in. I, barely covered, startled like a frightened bird, “What are you doing?!” He handed me my phone. Seeing it was Ethan calling, I snatched it from his hand, feeling guilty. Ethan’s hoarse voice came through the phone: “Where are you?” “I…” I glanced at the man who had politely closed the door, my expression complicated, not knowing how to respond. He seemed to lose patience: “Never mind, don’t come over.” “Why?” I asked. “I’ve got a bit of a cold. What if I infect you?” So he was concerned about me. My guilt instantly doubled. “Um… where exactly do you live? I think I got the wrong apartment number,” I said. “You came to my complex?” he asked. “Yeah,” I replied, blushing. There was silence on the phone for a moment, then he said in an extremely unnatural tone: “Why don’t you go back home? If you leave now, you can still make it!” I said worriedly, “How can I do that? You’re sick, I can’t leave you alone. What’s your apartment number? I’ll… I’ll go to the store first, then come find you.” After I finished speaking, Ethan became anxious too: “I’m fine, really. My uncle just got back from abroad, he can take care of me!” So the sickness was a lie, he just didn’t want to see me. Holding the phone, my head felt a bit heavy: “So, last night when you said you wanted to see me, that was…?” Seeing that I hadn’t hung up, he said somewhat exasperatedly: “Vivian, let’s just say I was drunk last night, I was talking nonsense… You really don’t need to come over!”

I hung up the phone, feeling dejected. I had pursued him for seven years. So I took time off work and came here despite everything, all because of some drunken nonsense? Well, he was right about one thing – I really didn’t need to go over there anymore. I washed my face to calm myself down, then tied the shirt I was wearing into a big bow at the waist. I put on my jeans and coat, carefully checked myself in the mirror, and found that nothing looked out of place from the outside. When I came out, the man was sitting on the sofa drinking coffee. He glanced at his phone and said casually: “Looks like someone was a bit presumptuous.” I rolled my eyes at him. Eavesdropping is eavesdropping, no need to act all proper. “Sorry, I got the wrong apartment. I’ll be going now.” He put down his phone and asked me: “Is my place a hotel? You come and go as you please?” I snapped back irritably: “What else do you want?” Should I stay and take responsibility? From the looks of his place, he seemed quite well-off, and he didn’t look like someone who couldn’t find a girlfriend. If he didn’t mind, I could make do. Right now, I had everything except a man and money. As we stood at an impasse in the living room, the doorbell broke the awkward atmosphere. I opened the door reflexively. A community worker came in and said that due to the pandemic, the entire building was being locked down, and they hoped we would cooperate with the quarantine. I agreed repeatedly, of course we wouldn’t cause trouble for others. Wait a minute, quarantine… that means I can’t leave, and I have to be quarantined here with this man for two weeks? I suddenly turned back to look at the man behind me, who had an amused expression, and asked stiffly: “So, what was it you wanted again?” This time, I was genuinely asking, not challenging. “Can you cook?” he asked. I nodded: “Yes!” When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I at least had that much sense. Besides, judging by his immaculate hands, he didn’t look like someone who could cook. Who knows if what he made would be edible? There were only the two of us here, so who else would cook?

After entering the kitchen, I washed my hands first, then skillfully opened the refrigerator, all in one smooth motion. The most common ingredients often only require the simplest cooking. A few minutes later, I placed two bowls of instant noodles on the dining table. When he smelled the aroma, he walked over with a look of disdain, “Is this what you eat for breakfast?” “What do you eat then?” I asked. Breakfast time is usually rushed, which working person would specially get up to cook nowadays? He stared at the two bowls of instant noodles and sighed: “Never mind, go sit on the sofa and watch some TV for a while.” So, I was banished from the kitchen area to the sofa zone. While watching TV, I kept sneaking glances at the kitchen. He complained my food wasn’t nutritious, so I wanted to see what delicious meal this pampered young master could whip up. As I was chatting with my roommate on my phone, I suddenly heard rapid footsteps coming from upstairs. My impression of the refined Ethan was shattered as he bounded down the stairs in a yellow pajamas, looking like a giant rubber duck with wings. “Uncle, I’m up!” he called out. I jolted up from the sofa, “E-Ethan?!” He looked at me in surprise, clearly not expecting to find me in his living room. “Vivian, why are you here?” he asked, bewildered.

“I…” I stared at Adrian, who was cooking in the kitchen, at a loss for words. Ethan came up to me and asked in a low voice: “Didn’t I tell you not to come?” Noticing his accusatory tone, I retorted: “Weren’t you supposed to have a cold?” Is this how someone with a cold acts? Just then, a deep male voice came from behind: “Ethan, is that what you’re calling yourself now?” I turned around to see Adrian placing two plates of toast and eggs on the table. This didn’t seem like his usual style, but his movements showed no signs of awkwardness. The way he set down the plates reminded me of my boss placing documents on my desk to assign tasks. At this moment, he had shed his earlier devilish demeanor and looked quite serious, very much like an elder questioning a child in the family. Sure enough, Ethan fidgeted in front of him and said: “Uncle… I’m all grown up now, it’s embarrassing to be called Ethan. My colleagues all call me Ian now!” Adrian snorted lightly: “No wonder your mom couldn’t find you at your company for half a month.” Ethan looked somewhat troubled. He introduced me to Adrian: “This is my uncle.” Then he explained to Adrian, “Her name is Vivian, um… my college classmate.” Anyone could hear the dismissive tone in his voice; he clearly wasn’t very welcoming of my sudden appearance. Just as I was wondering how to salvage the situation, Adrian nodded and inexplicably said: “Alright, let’s eat.” “Unc-” The word “uncle” got stuck in my throat. I didn’t know whether to say it or not, because at that moment, only one thought was running through my mind. Last night, while my crush was asleep, I had slept with his uncle downstairs???

Just as I was wondering what to say, I heard Ethan ask me: “Why are you still wearing your coat indoors? Aren’t you hot?” “I…” How could I take it off without him seeing that I was wearing his uncle’s shirt while we ate? I tried hard to come up with an excuse: “I’m… not hot. I like wearing thick clothes.” As if! Ethan glanced at the air conditioner suspiciously: “But it’s 77 degrees in here. Are you really not hot?” I replied: “It’s fine.” Mom, I can now lie with a straight face. At this point, I thought I heard Adrian snicker. My cheeks instantly felt like they were on fire. I pretended to go wash my hands to escape further questioning. I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom for a while, feeling like the inside and outside of the bathroom were two different worlds. The thought of the two men outside made me feel like I was sitting on pins and needles. If we stayed together like this, something was bound to go wrong. If only I could talk to the community workers and ask them to quarantine me somewhere else. Just as this thought crossed my mind, I heard someone knocking on the door outside. I turned my head and asked, “Who is it?” “Come out,” came Adrian’s calm voice. Had he come to hurry me to eat so quickly? I said nervously, “What for?” “To wash my hands.” “…” I had no choice but to turn the doorknob. I was immediately met with a handsome face. My heart started racing as I looked into his fox-like eyes that seemed to be smiling yet not. I just wanted to quickly get away, so I stumbled out, bumping into the doorframe. There were only two breakfast plates on the table. Ethan asked me, “Can you cook?” Feeling guilty, I nodded obediently: “Yes, what would you like?” I can look it up online and try to make it. At this point, Adrian had finished washing his hands and came out. He directly pushed his plate in front of me and said: “You eat mine.” Ethan looked at us oddly. Adrian had already pulled the other plate of breakfast towards himself and said calmly: “If you want to eat, go make it yourself in the kitchen.” Ethan immediately pouted in disappointment: “Uncle, I don’t know how to make breakfast. How about…” Adrian: “There are two more cups of instant noodles here. You can take those.” Ethan glanced at the two cups of instant noodles forgotten in the corner with a look of reluctant acceptance. He grudgingly picked up both cups, muttering: “It’s so embarrassing to eat this for breakfast.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294916”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #擦边Steamy #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn

After Edward’s undercover work ended, it felt like he had become a different person. He would often stare blankly out of the window, with sadness and melancholy in his eyes. He no longer lifted our daughter up and twirled her around, calling her “baby.” He stopped bringing flowers home after work, and he even avoided my affectionate gestures. Later, on the day our daughter Doris was hit by a car, I saw him tenderly kissing another woman in the rain. I was in a meeting when I received the news about Doris’s accident. When I heard the words “died on the spot,” I froze. I rushed to the funeral home like a madwoman, finding Doris’s contorted body lying on a cold table. The yellow dress I personally put on her that morning became her burial clothing. Chaos surrounded me—some people tried to console me, others were interrogating, and the truck driver was hurriedly explaining, “It was your daughter who ran the red light. It’s not my fault!” I collapsed to the ground, desperately yelling, “How could she run a red light? Where is her father? Where is her father?” “Mrs. Jane, your daughter was alone when she got off the bus. We didn’t see any accompanying adult,” a police officer told me. I had always taken Doris to her piano lessons, but this one time, she asked for her daddy to take her. Ever since Edward came back from his year-long assignment, his attitude towards us had become cold and distant. He liked to be alone, avoided eye contact with me, often made excuses to sit in the car and smoke, and even got irritated with Doris’s playful requests. Our beloved daughter couldn’t understand why her dad had changed. Innocently, she just wanted to mend their relationship. I agreed, sending the two of them off before heading to my meeting. I never imagined that this one time would cost Doris her life. I called Edward repeatedly, only to be met with busy signals. My own parents were far away, and with my mother-in-law gravely ill, I was left to face this devastating blow alone. Finally, under my signature, Doris was reduced to a small box of ashes. Holding her ashes, I walked back to the neighborhood like a zombie, only to find Edward. He was in the rain, gently lifting the face of another woman and kissing her deeply. The woman was petite, nestled softly in Edward’s arms. They kissed for so long that even I, as an onlooker, had not noticed. Doris’s tragic demise flashed through my mind, juxtaposed with the scene before me. It was almost laughable. At this moment, I didn’t know whether to feel anger or sorrow. I didn’t even have the energy to question or rage; I just stood there, empty-headed. I should have seen it coming. Given Edward’s unique job, I had always known I’d have to manage the household independently when I married him. For seven years, I worked during the day and tended to my ailing mother-in-law at night. I single-handedly set up our new home, carrying tiles up six flights of stairs to save a few hundred dollars. When I got pregnant, I fainted from vomiting in the bathroom and lay there for seven or eight hours before anyone discovered me. I attended prenatal appointments alone, feeling out of place among couples. My water broke in the middle of the night, but I took a cab to the hospital by myself and signed the necessary papers alone. When I was sad, he wasn’t there. When I was happy, he still wasn’t. I was like a lone ranger; many asked where my husband was, but due to confidentiality, I would brush them off, making me seem like a pitiful widow.

I always believed my sacrifices were worth it because he loved his job, and I loved him. We had happy times too. When he wasn’t busy, he’d travel two hours just to get a cake for me. He’d come home with a bouquet of roses, stay up all night to care for the newborn Doris, change diapers, feed her, and do household chores. He loved holding my face, pressing his forehead against mine, and saying, “Jane, thank you. Without you, we wouldn’t have this family. I will always love you.” Then he went on that year-long assignment. I didn’t know what he was doing, but once, I ran into him selling seafood at a market. I pretended we were strangers and walked past him. After that, we had no contact for a year. When he returned, he was like a different person. He could go the whole day without speaking a word and showed no concern for our household. It was like a stranger sleeping next to me. I tried to mend our relationship, but Edward found excuses to avoid me. He eventually looked at me with a strange expression and sarcastically said, “I never realized before how much you crave intimacy.” Now, I finally understood our problem. I stood there for a long time before the woman noticed me. She seemed flustered, pushing Edward away and nervously shrinking into his arms. Edward’s face showed a rare hint of panic. He instinctively shielded the woman before quickly calming down and said, “Jane, she’s innocent. Don’t take your anger out on her. I’ll come home and explain.” “No need.” I coldly looked at the man I once loved deeply and asked, “I asked you to take Doris to her piano lesson. Where did you go?” “I got a work call and couldn’t leave. I watched her get on the bus. It was only a couple of blocks after getting off. She’s four; she knows the way.” Edward explained. Grief made me double over, barely able to stand. Tears mixed with rainwater streamed down my face. Doris was only four years old. He let a four-year-old girl take a half-hour bus ride alone and then walk another kilometer to her lesson. He knew better than anyone how dangerous the world could be, yet he neglected his own daughter. “Is this ‘work’ you mentioned just making out with her?” I raised my voice, pointing at the girl in his arms. She looked young, possibly still in college, and she bit her lip nervously, trembling. Edward instinctively comforted her before looking at me with impatience. “Jane, stop scaring her. Try to understand the demands of my job, you used to be reasonable…” I couldn’t hold it in any longer and slapped him hard. The girl screamed and reached out to touch Edward’s cheek, her face full of concern. “We’re getting a divorce.” With that, I walked away without looking back. Two hours later, Edward came back. Seeing that I had packed up most of the house, he frowned deeply. “I’m exhausted. Can you stop acting like a child throwing a tantrum?” “You think this is a tantrum?” I was too tired to argue, just staring coldly at him.

“Edward, do you even care about this family? If you did, Doris wouldn’t have…” “Michelle started out as just a friend,” Edward interrupted me roughly. He was silent for a long time before slowly beginning to talk about the other woman. “This past year, she’s been there for me, doing everything for me.” As he spoke, his expression softened. Edward described Michelle as a foolish girl who knew he had a family but still loved him steadfastly. He said she had a hero complex and had risked her life to save him several times. He said she was carefree, liked to wear short skirts, and frequently had wardrobe malfunctions, but she would complain that he was too controlling. He talked about their countless nights huddled together for warmth, holding hands and leaning against each other, feeling like he was ten years younger. In the end, he said, “I know our relationship has gone beyond friendship. Give me time, and I’ll forget her and live properly with you.” Edward closed his eyes, looking pained. “She’s young and naive, but I can’t be. I’ve already wasted a year of her life. I can’t keep holding her back.” I could barely breathe. Edward knew what he was saying. He was telling his wife about his romance with another woman. It felt like I was the third party, forcing him to abandon his true love for family duty. Edward remembered her sacrifices for him, but what about mine? Did my seven years of love and dedication mean nothing? After a long pause, I regained my composure. “I’ll give you freedom instead.” I grabbed my suitcase and pushed past him, heading downstairs. Edward grabbed my hand, his eyes pleading. “Jane, I promise, today was my last meeting with her. I still love you. I want to give Doris a complete family…” “Don’t mention Doris!” I lost control, hurling my bag at him. Sharp decorations cut his face and neck, causing blood to flow. He stood there, stunned. I didn’t look back and left. I rented an apartment near my office, contacted a lawyer, and started packing up, arranging my daughter’s funeral. While I was busy, the hospital called. “Jane, your mother-in-law Alice has taken a turn for the worse. Please come quickly…” I grabbed my bag and rushed out. Alice had terminal cancer. After marrying Edward, I had taken it upon myself to care for her. I did everything except bear the pain of her illness. Over seven years, I spent at least four nights a week at the hospital. Only these past few days, overwhelmed by Doris’s situation, did I forget about Alice in the hospital. Rushing in, I didn’t expect to find Michelle chatting happily with Alice. She wasn’t wearing the short skirts Edward mentioned but was dressed modestly in long sleeves and pants, looking clean and respectable. Anyone would find her likable. Alice and Michelle seemed very close, talking like mother and daughter. “Alice…” I croaked. Alice quickly waved me over to introduce me. “Jane, this is Edward’s coworker’s sister. Did he mention her?” Michelle looked nervous when she saw me, standing up from her chair. She stammered, “We’ve met…” Not responding, I watched Michelle’s eyes redden as she lowered her head and ran out, bumping into Edward coming in. She seemed relieved, grabbing his sleeve and hiding behind him, looking at me. Edward held a medical report, frowning at me. “Jane, you can be mad at me, but my mom did nothing to you. Is this how you’ve been taking care of her?” He threw the report at me, words like “critical condition” and “organ failure” glaring back at me. Before I could respond, Alice shouted, “Shut up!” “If not for Jane, I’d have died in the hospital long ago. You, who I barely see twice a year, have no right to say anything about Jane!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294578”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #玄幻Fantsy #狼人werewolf #擦边Steamy #励志Inspiring #现实主义Realistic #校园School #后宫Harem

At graduation, I finally mustered up the courage to confess to my crush. But, as fate would have it, I got hit by a car. When I woke up, my crush stood right in front of me, staring at me coldly. “You’re awake? Great, let’s discuss the divorce agreement.” Me: ??? I haven’t even confessed yet! How did this turn into a divorce? At my graduation ceremony, I finally summoned the courage to confess to Zachary Warren, my long-time crush. On the other side of the crosswalk, Zach was standing there, looking sharp in his graduation gown, taking photos. I got so excited that I dashed toward him, completely missing the fact that the light was red. There was a loud crash. I was hit by a car, and everything went black. The next time I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the blinding white ceiling. And there he was. Zach, standing by my hospital bed. Still as handsome as ever. This might be the first time we’ve been this close. Zach was looking up at the IV drip, but his gaze slowly shifted to my face. I accidentally noticed the ring on his left hand. I’ve had a crush on him for so long. So, he’s already taken? Suppressing the bitterness in my heart, I forced a smile and greeted him, “Zach, what are you doing here?” As I tried to sit up, I noticed that my arm was wrapped in thick bandages. The next second, Zach sat on the chair beside my bed, his voice cold and distant. “Jennifer, you’ve really mastered the art of manipulation. Risking your life just to push for a divorce?” I stared at Zach, completely confused. What is he talking about? Divorce? I haven’t even graduated yet, let alone gotten married. Where is this divorce thing coming from? Just then, a nurse came into the room, holding a tray for bandaging wounds. “Dr. Williams, you’re still here? Miss Niles, you don’t realize how lucky you are. You were hit by a car, but thankfully Dr. Williams happened to be nearby. He gave you emergency care right away. Otherwise, it wouldn’t just be a broken arm you’re dealing with.” The nurse bent down and carefully disinfected my wound. After she rested my hand on the side of the bed, I noticed… I was also wearing a ring on my right hand! And it matched Zach’s ring. A couple’s ring! A wave of fear and uncertainty washed over me. After the nurse left, I grabbed Zach’s sleeve in a panic. “Zach, you graduated from NYU Medical School in 2018, right?” He frowned, clearly annoyed. He shook my hand off and looked at me coldly. “Since you’re awake, let’s go over the divorce agreement.”

This is absolutely ridiculous! I was on my way to graduation, got hit by a car, and now I’m being accused of “faking an accident” to force a divorce from Zach? Either I’ve lost my mind, or Zach has. “Wait, Zach!” Before I could finish, a little kid suddenly ran into the room, jumping right into Zach’s arms. Me: ??? Wow, this kid is so adorable. I reached out with my good arm to pinch his cheek, but he immediately hid behind Zach, clearly scared. “Sorry, little guy. You’re just too cute. I couldn’t help myself.” Zach shot me a disapproving look. It suddenly hit me that I hadn’t even gotten to the main point. “Zach, this might sound crazy, but I don’t remember anything you’re talking about. All I recall is being on my way to the graduation ceremony…” Before I could finish, Zach cut me off impatiently. “So, you’re telling me you’ve lost your memory?” Amnesia? Yes, that must be it. Amnesia is the only explanation for why I don’t remember any of this. I nodded sincerely. Zach’s icy expression didn’t soften. He pulled a document from his bag and tossed it onto my lap. “This is the divorce agreement. The terms are exactly as you requested. If you have no objections, just sign it.” I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. The little boy in Zach’s arms looked sad, his lips trembling. “Zach, shouldn’t we avoid discussing such topics in front of a child? It’s not good for his emotional well-being.” “How considerate of you, Jennifer,” Zach sneered. “That’s our child.” … “And yet, when you were having dinner with another man, did you ever think about how that might affect his emotional well-being?” I hadn’t even processed his first sentence when the second one hit me like a ton of bricks. I stared at the little boy in disbelief. So, I didn’t just get married—I have a child too? But the little guy paid no attention to me. He buried his face in Zach’s neck, refusing to even look my way. Too much information. My brain couldn’t handle it. I was officially out of commission.

It took me a whole day to wrap my head around everything. It seems I really did lose my memory. I’m still me, and Zach is still Zach. The only difference is—we’re married, and we have a kid. But that divorce agreement sitting on the bed speaks volumes: there’s clearly a problem with our marriage. The problem is… did I cheat? No way, right? Why would I cheat on Zach? He’s good-looking and smart. I must’ve been crazy. So, what went wrong? How can I get my memory back? I scratched my head, completely frustrated. “Mommy.” A tiny voice came from the door. I looked up to see a small face peeking through the slightly open door. “Daddy said you need to disinfect your hand. Here’s the iodine. He said you should do it yourself.” The little boy held a bottle tightly in his tiny hands. I gestured for him to come closer. “Mommy’s hand hurts. Can you bring it over for me?” The boy hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded and shuffled over to the bed, placing the iodine on the bedside table. I pulled him onto my lap and studied his features. His eyes were big and round like mine, his nose straight like Zach’s, and his face… a perfect combination of both of us. This was our son. I couldn’t resist hugging him tight and planting a big kiss on his cheek. He smelled so sweet and innocent—absolutely irresistible. When I looked up, his face was bright red. He froze for a moment before wrapping his little arms around my neck and hugging me back tightly. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, “Mommy, you smell nice.” This little guy is the sweetest thing ever. As I basked in the joy of my son’s affection, the door opened again. Zach entered, his familiar presence filling the room. “Daddy!” The little boy immediately ran to Zach and held his arms out, waiting for him to pick him up. Zach had just showered, wearing casual loungewear, looking effortlessly sexy and relaxed. His hair was still slightly damp, with droplets running down his neck and disappearing into his collar. I swallowed. This man was dangerously attractive. As he came closer, my heart started racing. But then Zach’s words shattered my moment of bliss. “Jennifer, don’t you think it’s a little late to start being a good mom to Cooper?” “I… I didn’t mean to…” I tried to explain, but the look on Zach’s face told me he wouldn’t believe a word I said. So, I stayed silent. “Whatever. Do what you need to do. I’m heading out.” As I left the study, Cooper peeked out from Zach’s neck and gave me a glance. Watching the two of them so close, a wave of sadness washed over me. What good are a husband and child if my husband doesn’t love me? Even my son seems closer to him. I started questioning everything. Why did we get married in the first place? Why did we have a child? Outside, the full moon hung high in the sky. The night breeze blew through the balcony, scattering my emotions. Nothing has changed. Except for me.

The master bedroom had only one large bed. The entire room was decorated in a minimalist black, white, and gray palette. Apart from that, it was immaculately tidy, with a light scent of gardenias floating in the air. I recognized it instantly—it was my favorite fragrance. I headed to the walk-in closet, looking for my pajamas. But all I saw was a row of black clothes. And they were all men’s clothing. … I had no choice but to knock on the door of Zach’s study. “Zach… I mean, honey, sorry to bother you.” Zach looked up from his laptop, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses. His whole demeanor was both tempting and distant. “Do you know where my pajamas are? I looked through the closet in the master bedroom but couldn’t find them.” Zach stared at me for a few seconds without saying a word. Just as I was about to give up and leave, he suddenly stood up and walked toward me. He towered over me, standing at six foot one while I barely reached five foot five. I felt like a child standing in front of him. Zach smirked, slipping his hands into his pockets. “So, are you planning to carry on with this amnesia act?” I gulped, unsure of what to say. The truth was, even if I told him the truth, he wouldn’t believe me. Thankfully, he didn’t make things difficult this time. He walked past me, heading toward another part of the house. I stood there, confused and not sure what to do next. He glanced back at me from the corner of his eye. “Well? Aren’t you coming?” I immediately followed him, keeping a safe distance. “Thanks.” Two minutes later, I eagerly opened the closet door in the guest bedroom to grab my pajamas. But the moment I saw what was inside, I slammed the door shut, my face flushed with embarrassment. Oh my God! “This is…” I didn’t even finish my sentence, but I knew Zach understood. He stood by the door, arms crossed, silently watching me with a look that said, “Keep going, I’m just here to watch the show.” … Taking a deep breath, I slowly reopened the closet door. Inside were outfits so revealing, they looked like they belonged on a nightclub dancer. Tiny scraps of fabric—there was hardly anything to cover up with! Was this how I dressed after graduation… I mean, after I got married? Had my style become this… provocative? To make things worse, Zach didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving. I ignored his piercing gaze and continued searching through the clothes. But I couldn’t find anything even remotely “normal.” … I sighed inwardly and, for some reason, turned to Zach and asked, “Honey, which one do you like seeing me in?” His eyes immediately darkened, and without a word, he turned and walked out of the room. The door slammed shut behind him, and the sound made me jump. Why did he get mad? They say women are hard to understand, but men are even more of a mystery. I grabbed some pajamas and headed to the bathroom. A wild thought crossed my mind: could our impending divorce have something to do with… issues in the bedroom? After my shower, I wrapped myself in a robe and headed to Cooper’s room. The nursery was cozy, and it was clear Zach had put a lot of thought into it. Everything was designed with care. I tiptoed over to his bed. Cooper was fast asleep, clutching a little stuffed animal. I gently tucked the blanket around him and wiped his thumb, which he had been sucking on. For the first time, I felt a real connection to being a mother. But I still didn’t know how old he was. I looked over at our marriage certificate. It was dated four years ago. That meant Cooper must be around three. I ruffled his hair and quietly left the room. Just as I closed the door, I turned around and saw Zach standing right in front of me. We were so close that if I looked up, I could bump into his chin. My back pressed against the door, and Zach didn’t seem to realize—or care—that he was invading my personal space. My heart raced so fast, I thought it might leap out of my chest any second. “Are you done?” “Yeah.” The air was thick with awkwardness. I had no idea what to say next. “So… are you going to bed now?” Zach didn’t respond or make a move. I tightened the robe around me, making sure he couldn’t see the revealing pajamas underneath. “Okay, I’ll go to sleep first, then.” I stepped aside and practically bolted to the master bedroom. Without a second thought, I jumped into bed, pulled the covers over me, and lay still. Moments later, the bedroom door opened, and Zach walked in. He paused when he saw me lying in bed, seeming a little surprised. He stood there, just staring at me. His gaze made my scalp tingle. “Honey, which side do you usually sleep on?” No answer. Has Zach always been this strange? He’s so quiet, always just staring coldly, without saying a word. Frustrated, I got out of bed and stood by the side. “You pick first.” Zach finally moved. He walked to the other side, lay down, and shut off the bedside lamp with a loud click. … Now we were in total darkness. Great. Thankfully, I don’t have night blindness, or I’d really be angry right now! I fumbled in the dark, trying to get comfortable under the covers, but I couldn’t sleep. My mind was a chaotic mess, and to make matters worse, my arm, which was still sore from the accident, started to hurt again because of the way my robe was pressing against it. I shifted slightly, but Zach didn’t react, so I sat up and tried to remove my robe. As I finally managed to shrug it off, rubbing my sore arm, Zach suddenly opened his eyes. Before I could react, he rolled over and pinned me beneath him. I gasped, my breathing instantly becoming erratic. In the dark, I couldn’t see him clearly, but I could feel how close he was—so close that our breaths were mingling. “Jenny, what are you doing?” Zach asked, his voice low. “What do you mean?” “You wanted to get married, you went through so much trouble to get a divorce, and now you’re lying next to me, trying to seduce me. Jennifer, I don’t have time for your games. What do you want?” “Seduce you?” I stared at him, completely stunned, when suddenly I felt a chill across my chest. Looking down, I realized that my pajamas were way more revealing than I thought. No wonder Zach thought I was trying to seduce him. “I… I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry.” I reached for the robe I had tossed onto the floor, but Zach had already had enough. He got up from the bed, clearly done with the conversation. “Jennifer, I don’t care what you’re thinking. I don’t have any feelings for you anymore. I hope you understand that. Whether you’re faking amnesia or trying to seduce me, it doesn’t matter to me.” “I’ll sleep in the guest room tonight. Do whatever you want.” Zach left. And now, I was alone in this big room, with nothing but my sadness.

I couldn’t sleep. I just lay there, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling until dawn. Around 7 a.m., I heard Zach’s voice outside, speaking to a woman who kept saying “okay, okay.” It was probably the nanny, I guessed. A little while later, the front door closed, and I heard the sound of the car engine starting. Zach had gone to work. I stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling while my mind raced. I’ve never been an outgoing person—if I were, I wouldn’t have been crushing on Zach for so many years without saying a word. But now, not only had my crush succeeded, but I had also become his wife. Along with the shock, there was a sense of joy I couldn’t suppress. I thought this was my one big chance from fate, but it turns out I played my cards terribly in this marriage. Emotional intelligence really is my weakness. As I was lost in thought, the bedroom door suddenly opened. A woman in a nanny uniform walked in. The moment she saw me, she apologized repeatedly. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t think anyone was in here.” “It’s fine, I was just about to get up.” I smiled at her, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she slowly walked into the room. “Mr. Warren left for work. I assumed no one was here since you usually slept in your own room.” My own room? Suddenly, memories from the day before came rushing back. There was definitely a bed in that other room where I grabbed my clothes. So, I had been sleeping in a different room all this time? Does that mean Zach and I had been living separately? It all made sense now—Zach’s strange behavior yesterday. Oh no, this is embarrassing. I buried my face in my hands, and a flood of regret washed over me. Hearing our conversation, Cooper came running to the bedroom door, his bare feet thumping against the floor. He stood there looking at me with big, expectant eyes, but didn’t dare come in. “Cooper, come to mommy.” I gently called to him, holding out my arms. The little guy’s face lit up with excitement. He sprinted across the room and jumped into my arms, knocking me onto the bed. He flashed a big smile, his tiny teeth showing. “Mommy,” he said, nuzzling his head against my chest. My heart melted. No matter how much Zach might hate me right now, Cooper is still my baby. I would always love him. After saying goodbye to the nanny, I took Cooper out for some quality time together. We went shopping. I bought him a bunch of cute clothes and treated myself to some more “normal” outfits. Honestly, the clothes I wore after getting married were a bit… much. Holding Cooper in my arms, I watched as he happily ate his ice cream, his face smudged with cream. I gently wiped his mouth. “Cooper, what was Mommy like before?” Cooper pouted, his voice soft with a hint of sadness. “You didn’t like Cooper.” Then he added, “You were always so mean.” Kids don’t lie. Hearing this broke my heart. So, I really had changed that much, to the point where even I wouldn’t recognize myself? Then why did Zach marry me? Was it out of love? If so, he sure had an interesting taste. “Mommy, I want that!” Sitting in my lap, Cooper pointed at a McDonald’s poster advertising the latest family meal. Well, kids will be kids—can’t resist the temptation. Me: “Let’s buy it!” An hour later, Cooper and I sat side by side on the couch in Zach’s office, looking like two children who had just been caught misbehaving.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294594”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #玄幻Fantsy #狼人werewolf #擦边Steamy #励志Inspiring #现实主义Realistic #校园School #后宫Harem #重生Reborn

Before my A-Levels, I was diagnosed with stomach cancer—because I was starving. When I told my mum, she thought I was lying and cut my allowance even more. She said that when she was my age, she only had £60 a month, and here I was, getting £100. I should consider myself lucky. She wanted me to learn the virtue of thrift. Later, she and my dad went on holiday and left me with no money. I ended up starving to death. She held my body, crying uncontrollably. “Mum, why are you crying?” “Now that I’m dead, you won’t have to spend any more money on me. Isn’t that something to be happy about?” After finishing my check-up at St. Thomas’ Hospital, I went home with the late-stage stomach cancer diagnosis in my hand. As soon as I walked in, my mum was on her phone. She glanced at me and said, “Starting next month, your allowance will go from £300 to £100.” I froze, the test result still in my hand, thinking about how to give it to her. She continued, “You’ve got it so good now. When I was your age, I had £60 a month. £100 is more than enough for you.” I bit my lip gently, hesitated, and then said, “Mum… it’s not really enough. Could you give me a bit more? I’m… sick.” I slowly pulled the diagnosis out of my pocket and handed it to her, still hoping that despite everything, she was my mother and would care. But in the next second, she knocked the paper out of my hand. “Since when did you learn to lie like this? When I didn’t lower your allowance, you were fine. The moment I cut it, you suddenly have all these problems?” Her voice was sharp, her eyes filled with anger, as if I was her worst enemy. Timidly, I stepped forward and mumbled, “Mum, I’m not lying…” But she only got angrier, pointing at me and shouting, “Oh, now you’re talking back, are you? You ungrateful little pest!” She grabbed a feather duster from the sofa and hit me with it. At that moment, my dad, who was outside hanging up the laundry, came over, pushing me gently towards my room. He smiled at her and said, “Come on, love, no need to hit her…” “She’s gone rotten! All I wanted was for her to learn the value of money, and now she’s lying about being ill! I just watched a video—some student made millions in their first year at uni, supporting their family. Why should I still have to support her?” “She’s such a burden—always sulking. It would be better if she were dead…” I closed my bedroom door quietly, my heart being sliced to pieces by each word. Maybe it would be better if I were dead… It wasn’t the first time I’d heard her say that. But it hurt every single time. Mum, do you really wish I were dead? When I die, I’m sure you’ll be happy. The doctor said I wouldn’t live more than three months. By then, I’m sure you’ll be relieved. But Chloe doesn’t want to give up…

Since my monthly allowance had been cut to £100, after buying my school supplies, even if I only ate bread and pickles, I still couldn’t make ends meet. With A-Levels coming up, I had very little time. I only had Sunday afternoons off, so I spent that time handing out flyers. The boss, Mr. Cooper, knew about my situation and gave me a slight raise. I worked one day a week, and I earned £100, paid on the spot. One day, after a long day of distributing flyers, I came home, and the first thing my mum did was glare at me. “I’m missing £100 from my purse. Did you take it?” I was confused, and before I could say anything, she stormed over and pulled my bag from me. She rummaged through it and only found some loose change, but she wasn’t satisfied. She started searching my pockets. Finally, she found £100 in my jeans. Her eyes burned into me like a demon from hell. “Who told you to steal from me?” she hissed through clenched teeth. I was terrified. Every time she looked at me like that, I knew there would be punishment. My legs started trembling, and my voice shook as I stammered, “I didn’t… I didn’t…” “That’s the money I earned from my part-time job. I didn’t steal it.” But she didn’t believe me. She slapped me and yelled, “You’ve been lying to me your whole life! Didn’t I raise you better than this?” “Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think you can fool me with these lies? Today, I’ll teach you a lesson and show you who’s in charge!” She pulled the charging cable from the plug, grabbed my hair, and dragged me to the floor. Then, she whipped my leg with the cable. It hurt so much. But my heart was numb. From primary school until now, her “military discipline” had gone from confusing me, breaking my heart, and making me rebel, to leaving me completely numb. She had perfected her methods of “education.” The charging cable was her favourite because it hurt but didn’t leave lasting marks, unlike sticks or coat hangers. She also knew how to pinch me in the most painful spots without leaving a bruise, tie elastic bands around my arm so tightly that my hand would go numb, and wrap a towel around a stick so it would hurt but leave no visible wounds. It’s laughable, isn’t it? All of these were things my own mother tested on her daughter. Her only daughter… Right then, the pain in my stomach flared up again, twisting and turning like something was tearing it apart. I started to wish that I could just die during one of these “lessons.” At least then, the pain would stop.

All the money I earned was taken by my mum. Now, I had less than £10 to my name. To stretch it out, I decided to only eat one piece of bread every three days. But I’d overestimated how long I could last with stomach cancer. By the first morning, I fainted while running during PE. Ms. Thompson carried me to the nurse’s office, and after a quick check, the nurse said I’d collapsed from low blood sugar. A classmate, who had come along with the teacher, explained my situation to her. Ms. Thompson was shocked when she heard about how my mum treated me. It wasn’t unusual for students to faint from exhaustion and stress in school, but given my situation, she felt she had to call my mum. When my mum heard what had happened, she was reluctant to come, but Ms. Thompson insisted. When she arrived, she found the teacher encouraging me to eat the food she’d bought for me. My mum, furious, slapped me in front of everyone. “You liar! You said you’d fainted! Here you are, looking perfectly fine. Why didn’t you just die?” Ms. Thompson, stunned by the sudden slap, froze in shock. After a moment, she spoke up, standing between us. “Why would you say something like that? Can’t you talk without being so cruel?” But my mum continued to rant, accusing me of being deceitful, saying I’d manipulated everyone for money. Then she glanced at Ms. Thompson and sneered, “First she couldn’t trick me, and now she’s got you fooled, hasn’t she? Or are you just trying to seduce her?” The teacher slammed the table in anger. “Madam, I’m Chloe’s form tutor,” she said firmly. By now, the whole canteen had turned to look at us. Embarrassed, my mum’s expression softened, and she mumbled, “Sorry, I didn’t know you were her teacher.” “She’s just such a troublemaker. I’ve only been trying to teach her to save money, and now she’s lying to me, stealing from me, and pretending to faint because she hasn’t eaten…” Ms. Thompson, her face pale with shock, interrupted her mid-sentence. “She’s not lying. Chloe fainted from low blood sugar, and I called you.” She went on, “I’ve heard from her classmates that all Chloe eats at school is bread and pickles. Sometimes, she only has one meal a day because you won’t give her any more money.” My mum, caught off-guard, stammered, “But I do give her money. I give her £100 a month! When I was her age, I got £60, and she gets £40 more than I ever did.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294610”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic

In the dead of night, I was jolted awake by a loud snoring sound. I was alone in my flat—how could there be a man snoring? Suddenly, I remembered a film where a man was hiding under a woman’s bed… I immediately picked up my phone to call Tom, but my best friend Rachel texted me just then: “Don’t trust your boyfriend; he’s going to kill you!” At midnight, I was awoken by the sound of snoring. Groggy and half-asleep, I instinctively thought it was Tom, but then I remembered we had just had an argument and he hadn’t come to see me tonight. I sat up in shock. The snoring stopped abruptly. I quickly turned on the light. I lived in a single room flat of about twenty square meters, and it was clear there was no one else in sight. Could I have been dreaming just now? But the snoring had been so vivid and real. At this point, I hadn’t thought much about it and assumed it was just my stress from work causing hallucinations. I went to the bathroom and then back to bed. I didn’t turn off the light; after all, that snoring had been far too real, and I felt a bit scared. The light gave me a semblance of comfort. But just as I lay down, the snoring began again. This time, it was so clear, it felt as if it was right next to me! I was truly terrified; my heart skipped a beat. I sat up again, and the snoring disappeared once more. I sat there, dumbfounded. Then I remembered the film about a man hiding under a woman’s bed… If that snoring was real and so close, then the person making that sound had to be in the room! If I couldn’t see them, they must be… hiding under the bed! I grabbed my phone to call the police. But what if the snoring was just a figment of my imagination? How would I explain that to the police when they arrived? I glanced around the room and found only a pair of scissors for protection, so I picked them up and opened the door, ready to flee at any moment. In the end, I grabbed a clothes pole and reached under the bed, sweeping left and right. The clothes pole didn’t touch anything. I finally breathed a sigh of relief, summoning the courage to lift the bed sheet that touched the floor. Under the bed was nothing but a thick layer of dust. Only then did I feel reassured and let out a long sigh. It seemed it had indeed been my imagination. I closed the door and lay back down, trying to sleep; the snoring didn’t return. But just as I was about to doze off, my smart speaker suddenly chimed: “Game on, please answer the question. Is she virtual?” What was happening? Had I mumbled in my sleep? Or was it malfunctioning? So I shouted, “Smart speaker, shut up!” It seemed to malfunction and didn’t receive my command; instead, it continued: “Is she female?” The smart speaker was right by my bedside, and I grabbed it to try to turn it off, but no matter how I pressed the buttons, it wouldn’t respond. “Is she from a Japanese anime?” “Is she from a novel?” … This was definitely not a hallucination, nor was it a dream! Then I recalled the snoring, and a chilling conclusion hit me—there was something unclean in this room! For the first time in my life, I felt such intense fear! Run! That was the only thought in my mind! I didn’t even have time to put on shoes, wrapped in my pajamas, I bolted out of the flat. I lived on the 25th floor, and the lift was still on the 1st floor. I thought about taking the stairs, but the corridor was too dark, and I was too scared to go. I wanted to call the police, but how could I explain this to them? In the end, I trembled as I took out my phone to call Rachel. But she hung up immediately and soon replied with a text: “What’s wrong?” I figured she might not be able to take the call, so I replied that I was encountering a ghost and needed her to come save me. As I typed, my hands shook, and I wasn’t sure how many typos I made in that simple sentence. But I knew she would understand. Just then, the lift arrived, and I hurried in, pressing the door close button. As soon as the doors closed, they opened again. But the corridor was empty; there was nothing there.

The lift doors closed again, and it began to descend normally, with no more anomalies. When it reached the 18th floor, the doors opened again, and still, no one was there. What was more terrifying was that the doors stayed open for a long time; I pressed the button frantically, but to no avail. The only reason the doors wouldn’t close was that someone was still trying to get in! I felt tears prick at my eyes, hesitating to escape the lift, when suddenly the doors shut. On the 16th floor, the doors opened. Finally, I saw someone. It was a middle-aged woman, dressed in red and green, looking very flamboyant, as if she were going to meet a lover. I was sure she was human. I felt like I had grasped a lifeline and quickly stepped aside, hoping to ask her for help once she entered. But she frowned at the lift, mumbling to herself, “Why are there so many people at this hour?” She took a couple of steps back. “I’m the only one in here!” I trembled as I told her. But it seemed she didn’t hear me; until the lift doors closed again, she never got on. I finally realized—this lift was full of ghosts! My back instantly went cold, and I hurriedly pressed the button for the 9th floor; I had to get out of here! I pressed myself against the side of the lift, keeping a wary eye on my surroundings. 9th floor. As soon as the doors opened, I dashed out. That was when I noticed a fat man waiting by the door. Seeing the lift doors open, the fat man stepped inside. “Don’t go in!” I shouted, “There are ghosts in there!” The fat man hesitated, looked back at me, but ultimately ignored my warning and entered the lift. Suddenly, a loud beeping sound echoed in the lift. I knew that sound only occurred when it was overloaded! There was only the fat man inside; even at his heaviest, he couldn’t be over 300 pounds—how could it be overloaded? With a confused look, he exited the lift, mumbling, “What a strange experience.” Finally encountering a living person gave me some sense of security, so I hurriedly approached him and said, “Mate, I—” “Blimey!” the fat man exclaimed, not waiting for me to finish before he turned and ran back to his flat in sheer panic. I immediately chased after him. Even though I didn’t know him, I believed he was the only person who could alleviate my fear at that moment. Besides, I always felt an inexplicable trust towards fat people, as if I thought all of them were good people. But that fat man dashed into his flat and slammed the door shut. I banged on the door, yelling “Help me,” hoping he would come out, but the door remained firmly closed. Just then, my phone suddenly rang. I quickly checked; it was Rachel texting me. “It’s too late; I can’t come alone. What about your boyfriend?” Despair washed over me as I sat on the floor. I understood why she wouldn’t come, and given I mentioned a ghost, she probably thought I was joking. Then I remembered my boyfriend, Tom. We were in a cold war, but we hadn’t officially broken up. In such a dangerous and terrifying situation, I couldn’t afford to let my pride keep me from reaching out to him first. I dialed his number, but he hung up. I was furious and scared! How could he still be angry at a time like this? I quickly sent him a text: “Tom, come save me!” He finally called back, anxious and asking what was wrong. “Tom, please come quickly! I’m so scared!” Tom reassured me, “Don’t be afraid; there’s no such thing as ghosts; it’s all in your head. I’ll be there soon; find somewhere safe to hide.” I asked, “How long will it take?” “About an hour; I’m quite far away.” “An hour?” I stammered, “I’ll be scared to death in an hour!” “Then I’ll call the police right now; just wait.” The call ended. Tom’s voice vanished, and I fell into panic again. Wait a minute! Why did Tom just say, “There’s no such thing as ghosts”? I had never mentioned to him that I was encountering a ghost! Could it be that he was pulling a prank on me to get revenge?

He had a background in computer science, and I heard he once hacked into some pretty serious websites. I thought with his skills, making the smart speaker malfunction or causing the lift to break down wouldn’t be an issue. With that thought, remembering how scared I had been, my anger flared up. Just then, Tom called again. Once I picked up, I exploded, “Are you out of your mind? It was just an argument! Do you really need to scare me like this?” I could imagine Tom on the other end of the line, laughing uncontrollably, which only made me angrier. But Tom sounded bewildered. “What’s wrong? How did I upset you?” “Was it you who messed with the smart speaker and the lift?” “What do you mean? Wait, calm down; the police will be there in ten minutes,” Tom said, sounding a bit exasperated. He actually called the police? If he was just trying to scare me, he wouldn’t have done that. I hung up with doubts and dialed 999 to verify what he said. “Hello, this is 999 emergency services…” “Hello!” I interrupted, “Did you receive an emergency call about something happening at the Oasis estate?” “Yes, I took that call; we are already on our way. The caller stated that a female resident in flat 2503 was in danger.” That female resident was me! “Yes, that’s me! Please hurry!” “We are on our way; we’ll be there within ten minutes. Please stay on the line, find somewhere safe to hide, and contact us if you’re in danger.” He actually called the police! Which meant I was truly in danger! But the police wouldn’t arrive for another ten minutes—where could I hide? I had given up hope on the fat man and banged on the door across from me, but got no response. Maybe there was no one living there. I had to try another floor. I thought about taking the stairs, but the corridor was pitch black, and the lift offered some sense of safety. So, I bravely pressed the lift button. The doors opened, and there was no one inside. I swallowed hard, closed my eyes, and stepped into the lift. I only dared to open my eyes after I heard the doors close behind me. Nothing seemed amiss in the lift. I relaxed a bit, hesitating, before pressing the button for the ground floor. The security office by the entrance seemed like the safest place! As I stepped out, the estate was eerily quiet and dim, with only scattered lights that barely illuminated the path ahead. I made my way toward the estate’s entrance. I was almost convinced I had encountered a ghost, but as I walked out and down, I hadn’t been harmed. Perhaps the ghosts in my flat and the lift were harmless. With that thought, my fear lessened somewhat. When fear stopped overwhelming me, I remembered something else. How did Tom know I was encountering a ghost? I had only told Rachel about it; if Tom knew, it could only mean they were together! What were they doing alone together in the dead of night? No wonder they weren’t answering my calls! No wonder Tom got angry and left when I said a few trivial things yesterday! My phone rang again—it was Tom calling. “How are you? Are you okay?” he asked with concern. I didn’t respond and instead asked, “How did you know I was encountering a ghost?” Tom paused for a second before saying, “Because… because Rachel’s phone card is with me; she’s been dead for two months.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294626”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #校园School #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic