Category: English

I never thought my boyfriend would go to such extremes just because I inadvertently upset his half-sister while showing our affection. During an extreme sports event, Lucas pushed me off a high platform. The head injury left me blind, but he stayed by my side, seemingly devoted. It wasn’t until the third year of my blindness that my sight finally returned. To surprise Lucas on his birthday, I deliberately told him I couldn’t make it. When I arrived at the movie theater he had rented out, filled with excitement, I was horrified to discover my intimate videos playing on the big screen. “Lucas, bro, thanks for sharing such interesting videos with us,” one of his friends said. “She can’t make it today. Don’t breathe a word of this to her, or you won’t get to see any more,” Lucas replied coldly. “Lucas, if you’re so afraid of her leaving, why did you push her off that platform back then?” “She deliberately provoked Rachel, which led to Rachel’s suicide attempt. This is just teaching her a lesson.” I fled the scene, my heart shattered. I immediately made an appointment for an abortion and agreed to go abroad to take over the family business.

The moment I left the theater, my legs gave out, and I collapsed on the ground. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. My mind was reeling from Lucas’s words and the intimate videos on the big screen. I took out my phone and called my parents overseas. “Dad, Mom, I’m ready to go abroad now.” “Mia, you’ve finally come around. We need to fly to another country for a while, and getting visas and passports will take some time. Your father and I will wait for you here in a month. That should give you enough time to settle things at home.” After hanging up, Lucas’s call came through. “Mia, my friends want to come over tonight. Let’s have a little get-together, okay?” His tone was gentle, completely different from his cold voice in the theater. “Okay…” I struggled to control my emotions, trying to sound normal. “I knew you’d understand, baby.” Lucas’s voice echoed in my mind, mockingly. Lucas and I had been classmates since high school. Back then, our grades were neck and neck. We were both rivals and teammates. In college, he fell in love with extreme sports, while I focused on my studies but still accompanied him on his adventures. He said he loved my boldness, and I loved his sincerity and courage even more. Perhaps the Lucas of the past was too dazzling, which is why I couldn’t let go for so long. But he chose to hurt me without hesitation for Rachel Sullivan. That night, Lucas brought the group from the theater back to our home. I pretended I still couldn’t see, carefully asking, “Lucas, is that you?” Lucas glanced at me, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. “It’s me, baby. I brought some friends over.” Several disgusting gazes roamed over my body. “Sister-in-law is quite a beauty,” one of them said, his tone filled with malice rather than compliment. They sat down in the living room, and I quietly sat to the side. At first, they chatted about other things, but suddenly, my intimate video was cast onto the TV screen. They boldly watched the video in front of me, but muted it so I wouldn’t notice. My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my palms as I struggled to control my emotions. As they watched my video, they kept eyeing me lecherously, grinning. My body trembled uncontrollably. “Baby, what’s wrong?” Lucas asked. Once, when Lucas called me ‘baby,’ I would pretend to find it cheesy while secretly feeling sweet inside. Now, hearing those words only made my skin crawl. “It’s nothing, Lucas. I’m a bit tired. Can I go back to the bedroom?” Lucas studied me for a moment, seeming to sense something was off. He hesitated for a long while before letting his guard down. “Go ahead, baby. We’ll chat for a bit longer and then leave.” I nodded and made my way back to the room, holding onto whatever I could for support. Those sickening, leering gazes only disappeared after I entered the bedroom. “She’s quite a dish. Even hotter in person than in the video.” I leaned against the door, gasping for air. It felt like an invisible knife was piercing my arteries, leaving me bleeding profusely. That night, I lay quietly against the bedroom door. Lucas hugged me from behind, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Baby, are you asleep?” I didn’t respond, but my tears had already soaked the pillow. Early the next morning, Lucas left for work, and I went to the hospital alone.

“Your uterine wall is very thin. If you abort this child, there’s a high chance you won’t be able to conceive again.” I placed my hand on my belly. My nose stung with unshed tears. I’m sorry, baby. Mommy is so sorry. But I can’t keep this child. I have to do this for myself. An hour later, I was lying on the operating table. As the cold instruments entered my body, I slowly closed my eyes. When I left the hospital, there was no longer a little life growing inside me. I had originally planned to share this good news with Lucas on his birthday. But now, it seemed pointless. My phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. “Baby, are you pregnant?” My heart skipped a beat. “I found your test results in a gift box at home. Baby, why didn’t you tell me earlier? Where are you now? I’ll come pick you up.” “At… at the hospital.” Soon, Lucas’s car pulled up in front of the hospital. He got out to help me. “Why did you come for a check-up alone? It’s dangerous.” “It’s fine…” Perhaps feeling guilty after learning about my pregnancy, he unexpectedly took me shopping for jewelry. Just as we entered the jewelry store, a familiar voice sounded from behind. It was Rachel Sullivan. “Sister Mia, what a coincidence!” “Rachel?” I didn’t respond. Back then, Rachel had attempted suicide just because I posted a photo on social media. If it weren’t for her suicide attempt, I would never have known she was deeply in love with Lucas. “Brother Lucas, what are you two up to? Can Rachel join?” “Sure.” Lucas was always like this. Whenever it came to Rachel, he would agree to anything. Rachel linked her arm with Lucas’s, and they walked side by side towards the counter. The sight stung my eyes. I gripped my cane tightly, my knuckles turning white. “You two make such a lovely couple,” the sales assistant said sweetly, as they often do when seeing couples. Lucas looked a bit embarrassed, finally noticing me behind him. “Please help her find a suitable bracelet.” The assistant paused but didn’t say anything. She took out a new design from the counter. “This lady has very delicate wrists. This bracelet would be perfect.” The assistant put the bracelet on my wrist. I pretended to feel it carefully. “Do you like it?” Lucas leaned down to ask. I nodded. Did I like it? How could I? “Brother Lucas, I want one too,” Rachel said, tugging at Lucas’s arm. “Please get me another one just like it,” Lucas said to the assistant. “I’m sorry, sir, but this is a limited edition. We only have one in stock.” “Brother Lucas, I really want this one.” Lucas glanced at me, then without hesitation, took the bracelet off my wrist. “Baby, let’s give this one to Rachel. We can choose another one for you.” Of course, she could have it. I’ve already given you to her anyway. Behind Lucas’s back, Rachel looked at me triumphantly, as if declaring victory. “Sister Mia, can I come home with you today? I’d love to taste your cooking.” I remained silent, waiting for Lucas’s response. “Of course you can. Mia, I know you can’t see, but Rachel doesn’t come over often. Don’t be so stingy.” He didn’t consider the danger of me cooking while blind. He only cared about what Rachel wanted. “Alright.”

Soon, I had laid out all the dishes on the table. In the living room, Lucas was watching extreme sports videos with Rachel. “Brother Lucas, when will we see you take on new extreme challenges?” “I don’t like it anymore. Haven’t since three years ago. But if Rachel wants to see, I could consider it.” Just like me, his once-favorite hobby was abandoned three years ago. Otherwise, how could he give up so easily? At the dinner table, the two chatted happily in front of me, completely ignoring my presence. Feeling unwell, I retired to the bedroom early. But I was soon awakened by Lucas’s angry shouts. “Mia Anderson! What did you put in the food?!” Lucas grabbed my neck and dragged me to the dining table. “You might be blind, but don’t you know Rachel is allergic to cilantro? Are you trying to kill her? How could you be so vicious!” Rachel looked weak at the table. In the past, I might have believed I had accidentally added her allergen. But now, I was absolutely certain I had never put cilantro in the food. “Brother Lucas, don’t blame Sister Mia. It’s my fault for being allergic to cilantro.” “I didn’t put any in!” I replied firmly. My definitive answer seemed to fuel Lucas’s rage. He flipped the table and slapped me hard across the face. “When did you learn to lie? How can you be so sure, you blind woman? Lying without even thinking it through.” With that, Lucas picked Rachel up in his arms and left our chaotic home. As they left, Rachel gave me a contemptuous look, mouthing the words, “You deserve it.” Lucas didn’t come home for many days after that. During those days, Rachel kept sending me photos of Lucas taking care of her. Her social media was also updated daily. “Being cared for like a child, so blissful.” “Even food tastes better when fed by the man you love.” I turned off my phone and burned all our photos together to ashes. It wasn’t fair that only I was trapped in memories, and it shouldn’t be. On the seventh day, Lucas returned. Seeing the house restored to order, a flash of guilt crossed his face. “Mia…” Lucas hugged me from behind once again. “I’m sorry. I know I was a bit too emotional the other day.” Lucas buried his face in the crook of my neck. Not every apology deserves forgiveness. “Lucas, do you like me?” My voice was flat, devoid of emotion. “I do.” “Then do you like Rachel?” Lucas frowned, pulling away from me. “Mia Anderson, Rachel is just my sister. Can you stop being so suspicious all the time? It’s annoying. I’m tired, you know?” “Okay.” Realizing his tone had become harsh, Lucas hugged me again to comfort me. “Mia, how about we go out for some fresh air these next few days? Let’s go camping, okay?” I nodded. Seeing my obedience, Lucas smiled with satisfaction. It’s almost over, Lucas. We’re nearly done.

Every time Lucas took me out to relax, I used to be excited for days. But this time, my heart couldn’t stir even a ripple. As we drove along, Lucas seemed very happy. I just quietly watched the changing scenery outside the window. “Lucas.” “Hmm?” Hearing me call his full name, he seemed a bit uncomfortable, furrowing his brow. “Do you still like extreme sports?” “I used to love it, but that kind of passion has an expiration date.” Does that include me too? But I never voiced that question. I should have realized earlier that he had long lost his former courage and passion. Soon, the car entered deep into the mountains. The scenery here was beautiful, but few people ventured this far, perhaps because it was too remote. Lucas didn’t let me do anything, setting everything up himself. For a moment, I thought I saw that radiant boy from the past. At night, Lucas held me as we sat under the stars. “Baby, I know you can’t see, so let me describe it to you.” Lucas described the starry sky to me, while my heart was in endless turmoil and pain. I couldn’t even tell which was the real him anymore. “Lucas, if you lost me one day, what would you do?” But this question was drowned out by the sound of a ringing phone. Seeing it was Rachel, Lucas immediately answered. “Brother Lucas, I’m so scared. Can you come and stay with me?” Lucas turned to look at me, hesitating for a few seconds. During those few seconds, I was in utter torment. I stared straight ahead, maintaining the appearance of being blind. “Rachel, wait for me. I’ll be right there,” Lucas said soothingly. “Baby…” “Go ahead.” “I knew you’d understand. Wait for me, I’ll be back soon.” Lucas left. The moment he departed, the surroundings became terrifyingly quiet. My eyes were brimming with tears. I looked up at the sky he had described. There wasn’t a single star, only a blanket of dark clouds. All the beauty was just his fabrication. How foolish had I been these three years? In his eyes, I was probably nothing more than a clown. I sat there dazed all night. At dawn, I opened my phone. The first post on social media stabbed my eyes. It was a photo of Lucas holding Rachel’s hand tightly as they slept peacefully. Their ambiguous relationship, disguised under the name of siblings, went far beyond acceptable boundaries. Everything was so sickening. As daylight broke, my tears had dried up. I stumbled down the mountain, each step feeling like it took all my strength. When I arrived home, I found Lucas and Rachel watching an extreme sports documentary in our living room. It was the documentary Lucas and I had treasured from our past. Seeing me, Lucas was startled, as if suddenly remembering something. “I’m sorry, baby. I forgot. Are you hurt?” “No,” I replied, my voice calm and indifferent. “I’m really sorry, Sister Mia. It’s all my fault. Otherwise, Brother Lucas wouldn’t have left you alone,” Rachel said. I didn’t respond, heading straight to the bedroom. “Mia Anderson, I’ve already said I forgot by accident. Why are you giving Rachel the cold shoulder? If you have any complaints, take them out on me. Don’t hurt Rachel.” A slap followed by a sweet gesture – this had become Lucas’s norm. I closed the door tightly. In the afternoon, Rachel knocked on my door. “Sister Mia, let’s go out together.” I pressed my lips together, not responding. The next moment, Lucas kicked the door open. “Mia Anderson, what do you mean by not answering? Rachel has already humbled herself to ask you. What more do you want? You don’t have the status of a princess, but you sure have the temper of one.” I was forcibly dragged out. Walking side by side on the street, the two of them chatted happily, completely ignoring me. Suddenly, we heard the screech of brakes nearby. A car came speeding straight towards us. Instinctively, I reached out to grab Lucas. But Lucas hugged Rachel and threw themselves to the side, holding her tightly in his arms. I was hit by the car and thrown several meters away. It felt like my internal organs were shattering. I lay in a pool of blood, my consciousness fading. In moments of danger, a person’s instinctive actions reveal their true feelings. I was never… his first choice. How can love be divided between two people? Seeing me close my eyes, Lucas panicked. His hands trembled as he dialed for emergency services. “Mia… hang on a little longer.”

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After I Got Sick, He Cried His Eyes Red from Worry and Ran All over Town to Raise Money for Me, But I Still Broke His Heart I, Elodie Sterling, got sick while working at a club and drinking with guests. The doctor told me to raise money fast. I begged my mom, Nova Sterling, to lend me some. Nova shoved me aside and sneered, “Your mouth down there’s a mess. What was wrong with the one up here? Still works fine, doesn’t it?” I was so broke I didn’t even have pride left. I was scrambling for money anywhere I could. Then my boyfriend, Beckett Hastings, found me, eyes bloodshot. He kept shoving money into my account. “You need cash, right? I’ll give you whatever you want! A hundred grand, will that cover it? A million, just say the word!” I let out a cold laugh. “I’ve got a gynecological disease. You still wanna send me money?” Beckett pulled me into his arms, his voice shaking. “I’ll send it. I’ll send it all…” I clutched my stomach as I walked out of the hospital. The doctor told me I had a serious gynecological condition and needed money fast for treatment. This was all thanks to Nova. I didn’t even know when it started. At some point, my dad got addicted to gambling. Nova not only didn’t stop him, she made me pay off his debts. She said, “We raised you till you were eighteen. It’s time to pay us back.” Nova told me being a prostitute was the fastest way to make money. Then she hooked me up with a shady club, just like that. The money did come fast. But so did the filth. I was about to call Nova when she beat me to it. “Your dad lost money again. Send me five thousand dollars now. I heard you’ve been busy lately. You must’ve made a lot, right?” I hesitated, then spoke, “Mom… I’m sick. Didn’t I already give you all my money? Can you loan me just a little? I’ll pay you back once I get better.” Nova exploded, “Sick? Oh, cut the crap. You just don’t wanna pay, huh? You want me to tell the whole school what you’ve been doing behind closed doors?” I was choking on tears. “Mom, I’m not lying. I’m really sick. I can show you the diagnosis…” She interrupted me without mercy, “Quit the damn excuses. Send the money, or you’ll regret it.” She hung up on me with a loud snap. I needed thirty thousand dollars for surgery. I only had five hundred dollars left to my name. All the money I’d made at the club had gone straight into Nova’s pocket. I even picked up a part-time job at school to make ends meet. But I had no choice now. I had to ask him for help.

Just as I got to the school gates, Beckett stopped me. I’d met him while working part-time at the campus café. He took one look at my pale, weak face and pulled me into his arms. “What happened to you? You look terrible. Are you sick?” Hearing the concern in his voice made me break down and start sobbing. I couldn’t imagine how he’d react if he ever found out I was a prostitute. I tried my best to steady my voice. “It’s nothing, just a stomach issue. I just got back from the hospital. I’ll be fine after some rest. Don’t worry.” “How can I not worry?” he frowned. “You didn’t reply to my texts all morning. And didn’t you say you loved taro cake? Look, I got you some. Maybe if you eat it, your stomach will feel better.” He gave me a goofy grin, dangling the bag in his hand. Beckett was loaded. His clothes, pants, backpack, laptop, and any single item cost more than I could make in two months of entertaining clients. I thought, “Life was just unfair. Some people are born into wealth. Others can’t even afford a train ticket in their whole lifetime.” He was one of the sugar daddies I targeted at school. I hesitated for a long time, looking conflicted, before I finally spoke, “Beckett… can you lend me some money?” “Of course,” he said instantly. “How much do you need? I’ll transfer it right now.” He never said no to anything I asked. I couldn’t say it out loud. I just held up three fingers. “Transaction complete. Three thousand dollars.” I froze for a second at how fast he sent it. For a moment, I almost wanted to say yes to his confession, to throw it all away and just be with him. “I’ll pay you back,” I told him, looking into his eyes. He pouted playfully, pretending to be angry, “What, are we strangers now? If you keep being so formal, I’m gonna get mad.” But I knew I didn’t deserve him. I only approached him for one reason, his money.

The surgery money was still far from enough. Desperate, I went back to selling my body. Things were already awful. What was a little worse? While others went to class, I skipped school to sleep with clients. After a week of no attendance, my academic advisor noticed my week-long absence and called me in for a talk. “Can you explain why you’ve been skipping class for an entire week? Is something serious going on?” Just as I opened my mouth, a sharp pain twisted inside me, like a blender was tearing my insides into pulp. I broke out in a cold sweat. My vision blurred, and everything went black. I collapsed to the ground.

I woke up to the smell of antiseptic. Nova was outside talking to the doctor. The moment she saw I was awake, the doctor hurried over to check on me. Nova stood there, arms crossed, throwing me disgusted glances every few seconds. The doctor told her, “Her condition is serious. She needs to stay hospitalized for a few days and then schedule surgery. If we wait any longer, it might be irreversible.” Nova looked doubtful. “Surgery? For something like this? Can’t you just give her some meds? Young people heal fast. Look at her. She seems fine. And I don’t have money for surgery.” The doctor got visibly angry. “This isn’t some minor illness! Medication alone won’t help. She’s already in the late stage. As her guardian, you have a responsibility…” Nova snapped, “What kind of doctor are you? This isn’t about responsibility. If I had money, of course, I’d get her the damn surgery. Since you care so much, why don’t you pay for it?” Frustrated, the doctor stormed off. I stared blankly at the ceiling, desperate inside. For the first time, I thought, “Maybe dying wouldn’t be so bad. If I died, I wouldn’t have to sell myself any more. I wouldn’t have to be sick. I wouldn’t have to feel what it’s like for my mother to throw me away like trash.”

After the doctor left, Nova tossed two thousand dollars in cash onto my face. She could’ve sent it digitally, but she wanted to humiliate me. I didn’t even know if these two thousand dollars were my money or hers. It didn’t matter. Whoever earned it, it was all the same, equally dirty. Nova had a job. She also worked as a hostess at a nightclub. Back when I was still in high school, she came home around 3 a.m., reeking of booze and smoke. Her chest was barely covered, makeup smeared. Before she came home, I had to cook and leave dinner out for her. But every time, she’d complain that my cooking sucked and then throw the entire table of food onto the floor. She’d drag me out of my room, away from my homework, and force me to cook all over again. She’d rip up my finished assignments and scream, “Study? What good does it do?! Do you think studying puts food on the table?! Go find some man to support you already. Stop wasting my damn money!” She never used her earnings to pay off my dad’s debts. She blew it all on designer perfumes, Chanel bags, and luxury makeup. I once asked her, “Don’t you have money too? Why make me earn it to pay Dad’s debts?” She slapped me hard. “You think raising you was free? Now it’s your turn to pay us back. We’re not here to support you. You’re here to support us. Got it?” Nova said I was nothing more than a money-making tool. The cash was scattered across the floor. I lay motionless in bed, letting her spit poison at me. “What did I do to deserve such a useless child? Can’t do anything right. Maybe if you had a brain, you wouldn’t have gotten yourself sick. “You’re just dead weight. “You know what? You should just jump out the window right now and die. Save me the trouble of wasting more money on you.” I listened quietly as her words cut through me like knives. I didn’t say a word. Seeing me stay silent, she started shoving me and then hitting me in a frenzy. Covered in blood, I begged her to stop.

I always seemed to run into Beckett at my lowest. After Nova finally cooled off, I snuck out quietly. And, of course, I ran right into him. “What happened? Who hit you?” He grabbed my hand and gently brushed my cheek. I wanted nothing more than to throw myself into his arms and tell him everything that had just happened. But I couldn’t. If he found out I was sick, he’d turn and walk away in a heartbeat. Even if Beckett liked me, really liked me, it wouldn’t matter. On the first day of college, Nova had made it clear. I wasn’t here to study. I was here to bait a guy. That was the mission she gave me. She said her life was already hard enough, and she needed me to help her live a better one. At first, I refused. Then she threatened me with my nude photos. Eventually, I met Beckett. And once I found out he came from money, I set my sights on him. I’d link arms with him, call him sweetly, and Beckett would melt every time at my sound. Whenever Beckett made coffee, I’d lean in close, pretending to admire it. When he got scalded by hot water, I put his fingers in my mouth, pretending to soothe the pain, but really, I was flirting with him intentionally. I made cute little desserts for him. I would often prepare small, inexpensive surprises for him. And finally, one day, Beckett confessed his feelings. But I kept stringing him along because he wasn’t the only guy I selected.

I pushed Beckett’s hand away. But he followed behind me, voice low and pleading. “What’s wrong? Did I do something? Why won’t you talk to me? “Please… just say something. You’re scaring me right now.” The more Beckett cared, the more disgusted I felt with myself. I hated myself. I thought, “What did I ever do to deserve someone like him? Why was I using such a good guy? But did I really have another choice? If I could, I’d confess for real. I’d tell him I like him too.” I walked faster, his voice fading behind me. I didn’t want to let his kindness go to waste anymore. Back in my dorm, I sent him a long message on WhatsApp. Then I shut off my phone.

I was getting worse. If it went on like this, I really wouldn’t make it. I opened a loan app and withdrew ten thousand dollars. I could earn more money later. Right now, saving my life came first. I went to the hospital again. But as I stood at the entrance, someone called out from behind me. “Elodie? Wow, what a coincidence. What are you doing here?” I turned around. A blonde guy in a black tracksuit was pushing a bike, grinning at me with that sly, up-to-no-good look. He squinted those seductive eyes, staring me down. It was Ronan Carver, another rich guy I was stringing along. He walked right up, eyeing the names of the gynecological departments on the hospital sign. “Oh? Are you sick? Here to see a doctor?” I didn’t say anything. He kept going. “Well, well. Didn’t expect you to catch something like this. Just wait. Beckett’s gonna find out soon. Let’s see how he reacts then.”

ack at school, people kept turning to look at me as I walked by. I told myself I was just being paranoid and kept going. Then a guy ran past me, did a double-take, and shouted to his buddies, “It’s really her!” Free Point “Stay away from her, man. You don’t wanna catch something.” Exaggerated laughter followed from behind. I quickened my pace back towards my dorm. The campus utility poles were plastered with my photos. One of them showed me standing outside a gynecology clinic, and someone had scrawled words like whore and slut beside it. For a second, I didn’t even feel shocked because maybe I was a whore. I let out a bitter laugh and started tearing the pictures down. But then, garbage, eggs, and even ink started flying at me from all sides. I just stood there, silently letting them vent, mock, and humiliate me. I didn’t know how long I stood there until suddenly, someone picked me up. Beckett wrapped his jacket around me and stepped out of the crowd, carrying me in his arms. “Don’t be scared. I’m here now. I’ll protect you.” Beckett held my head to his chest and gently stroked my hair.

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After I was forced to donate my kidney to my sister, she finally got pregnant with my husband’s child. My parents and brother took my savings, my car, and my house to congratulate the newlyweds. On their wedding day, my best friend – the only one who knew about my death – sent a row of funeral wreaths… along with my death certificate. I watched as a flicker of panic crossed the faces of my parents and brother, which had been cold towards me for over twenty years. On the day of Mark and Evelyn’s wedding, they each called me, wanting me to come back. Although the calls didn’t go through, it didn’t stop the three of them from discussing how to transfer my house to Mark and Evelyn. My dad said, “It’s just a house. Lily is being too stingy.” My mom said, “It’s been six months. Evelyn just had a kidney transplant and got pregnant. She needs someone to take care of her. Lily hasn’t even come to help.” My brother said, “Hmph, don’t let me see her. If I do, I’ll force her to sign over the house to Evelyn.” My dad took a deep breath and nodded, “That’s all we can do. If she won’t consider Evelyn’s needs on her own, we’ll have to make the decision for her.” They finished their discussion in a few sentences and turned their attention to wedding preparations. I floated in the air, watching them busily prepare for the wedding. Surprisingly, I felt no ripples in my heart. Perhaps it was because I had never felt any familial love from them. Even in death, I didn’t expect them to show any concern for me, who had been missing for six months. Because my sister needed cord blood, my 40-year-old mother desperately gave birth to me. Whenever my sister had a need, I, as her younger sister, had no right to say “no.” From something as big as a kidney to something as small as a pencil. This range also included my Harvard acceptance letter and my husband, Mark. Mark was a classmate I met after retaking the SATs and getting into Yale. We were in the same class. We got together because of our shared interests. We were very much in love and happy. So, with no one paying attention to me, we got married very smoothly after graduation. I think if it weren’t for that chance encounter with my sister on the street, I probably would have lived out my life peacefully like this. The first time my sister saw Mark, her eyes seemed to light up. It was a look I was all too familiar with. Since childhood, whenever she set her eyes on something, they would emit this light – that intense desire to possess, which loomed over me like a nightmare. I knew she had her sights set on Mark. And in the days that followed, she deliberately seduced him. From the moment Mark said, “I don’t think your sister is as bad as you say,” I watched them grow closer and more intimate. They even had sex in my house.

Before it happened, my parents gave me a report of uremia. It was my sister Evelyn’s. My father looked troubled and said, “I know it’s difficult to ask you to donate a kidney to your sister, but without your kidney, your sister will die.” My mother’s tears had already fallen. “Your sister is still so young. You’re sisters, you can’t not help her. If your father and I had kidneys that matched your sister’s, we wouldn’t have to come to you.” I looked at the report and at my birth parents. I asked, “Did Jack also do a kidney matching test?” Jack is my brother. Like my sister, he’s the apple of my parents’ eyes. From childhood, whatever my sister had, my brother had, and whatever my brother had, my sister also had. Only I… had nothing. My parents fell silent, their eyes not daring to meet mine. I tugged at the corner of my mouth, my heart like still water. Their attitude had already made it clear that they hadn’t planned to ask Jack to donate a kidney. In this family of five, if someone had to be sacrificed, it would definitely be me. If someone could benefit, it definitely wouldn’t be me. I refused my parents’ request. They started scolding me. They scolded me for being inconsiderate, for being ungrateful, for disregarding the bond between sisters. I walked in front, and they followed behind, scolding me. They didn’t care how passersby looked at them. They were determined to make me agree to donate the kidney. I didn’t listen or speak, letting them make a scene. Until we got home. I opened the door. The three of us simultaneously saw Evelyn and Mark, both naked, in the throes of passion. Actually, before this, I had already seen Mark and Evelyn’s chat history. The explicit content had made me nauseous for many days. Now, seeing their naked bodies entangled, I thought I would scream and go crazy, then pull away the blanket they were using to cover themselves and call the neighbors to come and see. But in reality, I was incredibly calm. I even managed to pull out a smile and say to my parents, “Under these circumstances, do you still want me to donate a kidney to her?” My parents looked embarrassed, but only for a moment. They quickly regained their composure and asked Mark and Evelyn to get dressed. Under my dad’s organization, the five of us sat on the sofa. The four of them sat together, opposite me. Looking at their happy faces, I felt I should take out my phone and take a “family photo” for them. In this marriage, I was the extra one. In this family, I was also the extra one. My dad broke the silence. He said, “Since this is the case, you and Mark should get divorced soon, while you don’t have children. Neither of you has lost anything.” My mom hesitated for a moment, but still bravely said what was on her mind: “Mark doesn’t have a future with you, but he’s still our son-in-law. In the future, when we meet, we’ll still be family.” The meaning was very clear. They had already accepted Mark and Evelyn. I had anticipated this outcome. When I looked through Mark and Evelyn’s phone chat history, I also saw their family group chat. In the family group, there was my dad, my mom, my sister, my brother, my husband, but I didn’t exist. That group had been established last year. The five of them would often inform Mark and Evelyn about my schedule in the group. Several times, to let Mark and Evelyn date smoothly, my brother, who disliked me, would ask me to go shopping, and my parents, who didn’t like me, would ask me to come home for dinner. During that half year, I once thought that I had finally gained the love of my family. I didn’t expect it to be just a fleeting illusion in the end.

Evelyn was already used to this kind of scene. Faced with my silence, she brought out her usual coquettishness, which only I found affected. “Lily, don’t blame Mom and Dad, and don’t blame Mark. If you want to blame someone, blame me. It’s all my fault.” I looked at her and said slowly, “Mm, it’s your fault. So are you going to kneel down and apologize to me?” Evelyn was momentarily speechless. At this moment, my mom’s eyes darted towards me: “How dare you speak to your sister like that? Apologize.” When Evelyn snatched my pencil, I cried and made a fuss. In the end, I apologized to Evelyn to end the matter. When Evelyn took my college acceptance letter, I still cried and made a fuss. Again, I apologized to Evelyn to conclude the affair. Now, my husband had been snatched by Evelyn. I didn’t cry or make a fuss, showing self-awareness, yet my birth mother still said that one word: “Apologize.” I smiled slightly and looked at my mother: “Alright, I’ll apologize.” I stood up and bowed 90 degrees to Evelyn. Then, devoutly and seriously, I said: “I’m sorry, sister. If I had known earlier that you liked Mark, I shouldn’t have married him. I should have sent Mark to your bed.” Hearing me say this, my parents and sister’s faces darkened slightly. Mark hadn’t expected me to be like this. He hurriedly stood up and supported me, his face full of guilt: “Don’t be like this, Lily. We’ve wronged you.” The guilty expression on his face should be genuine. Mark wasn’t someone who could pretend. I tried to find a hint of reluctance to part with me on his face. But his next words made me feel that the world’s malice towards me was truly great. Mark said: “Your sister’s uremia is in the late stage. If you don’t help her, she really has no way out. Lily, people have two kidneys, you won’t die with one less. Your salary is so high, with good care you can recover to a normal person’s level.” The guilt on his face was gone without a trace. Instead, it was replaced by full calculation. Pitiful calculation. At the mention of kidneys, Evelyn’s whole body weakened. Seeing Evelyn’s discomfort, my parents, along with Mark, pressured me. My dad said: “This is your sister, donating a kidney is your responsibility.” My mom said: “I gave birth to you because of your sister, you should be grateful.” Mark said: “Evelyn is the person I love most, I can’t live without her. For the sake of our past love, help us.” I didn’t have the ability to argue against the group. I also didn’t have the attitude to act weak and pitiful. I certainly didn’t have a compassionate heart that embraced all of humanity. So, I chose to escape. I fled that place empty-handed, not even taking the bankbook hidden in the cabinet. I refused their request. I refused to save Evelyn. I refused to be forced to give up everything like when I was a child. I’m grown up now, I have the ability to resist, I choose my own life, I protect my own body.

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I attended a private auction with my Uncle Jack. Little did I know that the items up for bid were intimate photos of Bella, the girl everyone thought was the real heiress. Uncle Jack urged me to place a bid. But just then, I received a text message: “If you dare to bid, I’ll reveal your secret.” In that moment of hesitation, a man swooped in and won the bid for Bella’s private photos. I thought Uncle Jack would be angry with me, but to my surprise, he suddenly chartered a yacht, saying he wanted to celebrate my 20th birthday. He boasted that he’d give me an unforgettable surprise! But I never imagined that on the yacht, in front of everyone, he would display photos of me from when I was trafficked. Uncle Jack stood behind Bella, coldly addressing me, “You didn’t want to bid on others’ photos, so how about yours? Let’s see if you’ll bid on yourself.” I stumbled backward in disbelief. The screen displayed a series of degrading photos. In them, I was filthy, living in a pigsty, my eyes lifeless. Today’s attendees were all from high society – wealthy heirs and heiresses. They sneered at me, “We always knew this so-called ‘real heiress’ was trash, but we didn’t expect her to be this dirty, like a filthy pig.” “Holy shit, there are even photos of her in bed with old men!” I instantly recalled a terrifying scene from years ago, shuddering uncontrollably. Instinctively, I searched for Uncle Jack, but he was busy chatting with Bella, not sparing me a glance. Yet it was he who had once offered me a helping hand. Now, he was pushing me back into hell. Suddenly, Bella spoke up, “Everyone, please stop. My sister must be so upset.” She then playfully tugged on Uncle Jack’s ear, as if scolding him. Everyone watched this scene curiously. After all, Jack wasn’t just some rich kid, but a real business tycoon. Jack didn’t disappoint. He affectionately patted Bella’s head. The next moment, he slowly swept his cold gaze over me, landing on the large screen behind him. “Tonight, everyone enjoy yourselves. Consider this Bella’s 20th birthday celebration.” So that’s why Uncle Jack said he wanted to celebrate my birthday early. It was just a ruse; he only wanted to celebrate Bella’s birthday. After a pause, Jack glanced at me again, “Those photos were my first big gift to Bella. I’ve decided to auction these photos to all of you, and the proceeds will go to Bella to do as she pleases.” Bella tugged on Jack’s sleeve before continuing, “My sister was trafficked into the mountains before. I think the children there are so pitiful. I’ve decided to donate all the auction money to those children.” Jack smiled slightly and led the applause. The applause echoed throughout the room, each clap feeling like an invisible slap to my face. Everyone looked at me as if I were merchandise for sale. I excused myself to use the restroom, my body trembling as I entered. But when I came out, several people were already bidding on my photos. “This one’s not bad, she looks like a dog. Do you think if I gave her some food back then, Lily would have knelt like a bitch?” The man who said this made an obscene gesture. The men in the room burst into laughter. Jack frowned and immediately covered Bella’s eyes. “Bella, you’re still young. Don’t look, it might taint your eyes.” But had Jack forgotten that I was actually a year younger than Bella? It was just that when I first came back, Bella insisted on calling me sister, so the family defaulted to me being the older one.

Seeing me return, people mocked even louder. The next moment, a waiter looked at me disdainfully, “Miss Lily, while you were away, several gentlemen have already placed bids. The current highest bid is two million. Are you in or out?” I looked at the big screen. This photo was of me fighting with pigs for food. Because I refused to submit, that family starved me. After Uncle Jack brought me back, he once cried in front of me, vowing never to let me suffer again. I closed my eyes, swallowing the tears in my heart, and said hoarsely, “I’ll place a bid.” As soon as I finished speaking, Jack laughed coldly, “Lily, when it’s your turn, you’re not selfish anymore?” “Since you want to bid, let’s add a few videos to the mix.” Instantly, the big screen displayed a video. I watched in horror as the scene unfolded. It was a shadow I never wanted to touch in my life. In the video, I was pinned down by two men, with another man violating me. I was screaming in pain, like a lone beast fighting alone. I was so scared that I fell to my knees, hugging my head and shaking. Jack reflexively took a step towards me but was quickly pulled back by Bella. “Uncle, don’t provoke my sister anymore. She seems to be having an episode. Although my sister doesn’t like me, and even caused… that incident, I believe she didn’t mean to.” Jack immediately stopped in his tracks, as if awakening from a trance. “She deserves it.” I slowly raised my head and looked at Jack again. He clearly knew I had depression, yet he still chose to provoke me like this. The waiter ignored me and smiled at the crowd again, “Next is the second photo, a full-body nude. Starting bid is 5.2 million.” I looked at the image on the screen in horror. How did Jack have this photo? He had ordered these photos deleted when he rescued me. But Bella’s words instantly solved my confusion. “Uncle, I just wanted to see some photos of my sister in the mountains, and you actually spent a whole week recovering these high-resolution images. I don’t know what to say.” Jack still hugged Bella affectionately, “Bella, I’ll give you anything you want.” The young ladies present looked at this scene with envy or jealousy. “You had these photos recovered?” Jack just smirked, his eyes filled with amusement. “Just because I didn’t bid on Bella’s photo?” Jack only reacted when he heard this name. His sharp gaze cut into my heart like a knife. I watched bitterly as Jack turned to hold Bella’s hand tenderly. That big hand once firmly held mine as we crossed mountain after mountain. I always thought he was my real uncle. Until that night when I turned eighteen, he burst into my room. After that wild night, I realized he had no blood relation to me. But after that night, he never mentioned it again. He gradually became indifferent towards me.

I spoke up again, interrupting this seemingly warm but actually filthy and hypocritical scene. “I’ll place a bid.” But this time, these men shouted at me like crazy beasts, “Are you fucking kidding? We let you have the last one, but you can’t have this one. I want to take it back for some fun!” The men exchanged knowing glances, revealing creepy smiles. “Yeah, I gotta say, Lily’s got a nice body. You can really see it when she’s naked. I’m getting excited just looking at it.” These insulting jokes made me feel like I was back in those nightmarish years. But this time, Jack silently allowed it all to happen. “Come on, guys, bid higher. You’re adding pennies at a time. My Bella is getting anxious.” Jack held Bella’s waist, his eyes filled with enough affection to drown everyone present. Bella turned and buried herself in Jack’s arms, playfully patting his chest, “Uncle, you’re always teasing me. I just feel bad for my sister bidding. She doesn’t have money of her own, just the allowance the family gives her.” I suddenly had a bad feeling. Sure enough, Jack frowned and sneered, “I almost forgot. Lily, you just returned to the family, but everyone gave you a million dollars. No wonder you’re so reckless.” He then coldly froze all my bank cards in front of everyone. “Since you want to bid on yourself, use your own money.” Everyone knew I grew up in the countryside and was a useless bumpkin, even after returning to the family! “Looks like Mr. Cold is really angry. He used to protect Lily so much, spoiling her to the core.” “Who would have thought that after a few years, Bella would be the spoiled one.” “It’s all Lily’s fault. Even though Bella isn’t her real sister, she shouldn’t have let other men buy Bella’s private photos.” The woman who spoke was immediately glared at by those around her, reminding her that Jack was still on stage. “I’ll place a bid.” I said again in a hoarse voice. “This woman’s got guts. She doesn’t think Mr. Cold will still cover for her, does she?” “You never know, what if she has private assets?” Bella tugged on Jack’s sleeve, pretending to be innocent, “Uncle, didn’t you give my sister a lot of money before? Is she planning to use that money to bid? But that sounds a bit strange, doesn’t it?” I thought Jack would immediately demand that money back. But he just remained silent, lost in thought. I won this photo again. But the next set of photos terrified me even more. This photo showed me lying on a dirty little bed covered in blood, with a baby sleeping next to me. I immediately went crazy, rushing up to punch the big screen. This was an indelible pain in my heart. Those bastards ruined my life! “This photo is even more intense. Who knew Lily had a child out of wedlock?” “She actually had a bastard child with an old man in the mountains. Lily is such a slut. No wonder Mr. Cold ignores her. He probably thinks she’s too dirty.” I turned to look at Jack with trembling lips. Was he treating me like this because he thought I was dirty?

Jack looked at me without emotion and walked towards me, letting go of Bella’s hand. But he asked me to hand over the black card he had given me before. “I’ve decided to give that black card to Bella as a gift.” Before I could speak, he signaled with his eyes, and the next moment, a waiter searched me in front of everyone on the ship and handed the cards I was carrying to Jack. Jack held up two cards and looked at them, saying flatly, “They’re dirty. Destroy them.” He then walked back to Bella, taking out a brand new card from his pocket and handing it to her. “I wouldn’t let Bella use something dirty that someone else has used.” Instantly, my heart felt as if it had been pierced by a thousand arrows. I could barely stand, swaying as I stood at the stern of the ship. The waiter’s voice rang out again, enjoying the show, “This photo’s bidding price is 3 million. Additionally, the winner can specify one thing for the person in the photo to do.” With these words, the whole place erupted. Those men with green eyes in their sockets looked like they wanted to strip me naked with their gazes! “So, can we make Lily perform a striptease right here?” Unexpectedly, Jack sneered, his words seeming to nail me to a pillar of shame, “It’s not like she hasn’t done it before.” “Damn, who knew Lily was such a wild one under that country bumpkin appearance. Did she learn all this while servicing people in the mountains?” I had indeed danced for Jack before. It was his birthday, and I didn’t know it was called a striptease. I only knew that if I danced, those people wouldn’t beat me and might even give me food. But after I danced for Jack that time, he was so heartbroken he almost punched himself. He solemnly told me, “You must never dance in front of anyone again.” I remembered, but he forgot! When I came back to my senses, the bidding price had already reached 5 million. “Uncle, look how upset my sister is. She’s about to cry but can’t. She probably has no money left. Why don’t we call it off? I really can’t bear to see this.” “Bella, I know you’re kind-hearted, but your kindness towards enemies is hurting yourself.” Jack brought his business tactics to educate Bella, as if I were some unforgivable villain. I could barely control my swaying body. So in Jack’s heart, I had already been classified as an enemy? “Alright, Mr. Huang’s highest bid is now 5 million. Is there anyone else? 5 million once, 5 million twice, then…” I directly interrupted, my heart as dead as ashes, uttering three words, “I’ll place a bid.” But now everyone knew I had no money left. They didn’t buy it, “Lily, you country bumpkin, do you know the rules? If you bid without money, you’re disrupting order. You’ll not only go bankrupt but also have to compensate everyone present.” Another sneer was heard, “Why are you explaining to her? This idiot wouldn’t understand. Besides, talking about bankruptcy, I think she’s already bankrupt now, isn’t she?” But I ignored their words and insisted on speaking again: “I’ll place a bid.” Seeing my stubborn appearance, Jack felt a surge of anger in his chest, “Don’t let her fool you. How about this, whoever wins the bid, I’ll throw in several sets of exclusive premium photoshoots.” The next moment, he snapped his fingers, and the screen displayed various nude photos of me, some in a dark basement, some in fields, and some even in pigsties. People got more excited with their bids, quickly reaching 10 million. But at this moment, Jack suddenly spoke up to bid, “13.14 million.”

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On our 5th wedding anniversary, my wife’s first love suddenly appeared at the party and started cutting himself with a knife. “Why? Why won’t you divorce him and be with me? Do I have to die for that to happen?” Ryan pleaded with tears in his eyes, begging me to give my wife Chloe to him. He knelt down and started banging his head on the floor frantically. Chloe was distraught. To comfort Ryan, she immediately booked tickets to take him abroad to clear his mind. She even took off her wedding ring and put it on Ryan’s finger. Afterwards, she explained to me matter-of-factly: “If it wasn’t for your sister bullying him back then, how could he have tried to drown himself?” “What I’m doing now is much better than what your sister did.” I watched the video of Ryan putting his arm around my wife’s waist and smirking at me, but said nothing and just nodded. Chloe thought I had become more understanding and obedient. She was very pleased and declared that she would make it up to me after Ryan’s emotions stabilized. But what she didn’t know was that I had already bought a plane ticket to leave the country. She had also unknowingly signed our divorce papers. Our home together was already gone.

The next day, while Chloe was accompanying her dear Ryan abroad, I packed up all my belongings and took a taxi to the airport. “He’s going abroad to chase after the missus again. When will he realize that she doesn’t love him?” I overheard the housekeepers gossiping behind my back as I was leaving. “I know, everyone knows the missus and Mr. Cooper were childhood sweethearts. If it wasn’t for his sister seducing Mr. Cooper and then abandoning him back then, the missus would have married Mr. Cooper long ago. How could it be his turn?” “Shh, don’t say that. He’s pitiful enough as it is. It’s all because of that awful sister of his who passed away.” I was used to hearing this kind of talk. It was only after marrying Chloe that I learned Ryan Cooper, her first love, was the man who had tried to drown himself and became mentally unstable after breaking up with my sister. After that, Chloe’s personality changed drastically. She repeatedly humiliated me for Ryan’s sake. The housekeepers also started targeting me, trying to curry favor with Ryan. Thinking of this, I turned around and smiled coldly at them. “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to find Chloe this time. I’m leaving the country and never coming back.” I ignored their mocking expressions and left without looking back. Just as I reached the front gate, I got a call from Chloe. Her self-righteous voice came through the phone: “I sent you a location. Go there to test the new medication.” I smiled bitterly as I opened the map to the medical facility she had sent. After Ryan fell ill, Chloe spared no expense to find miracle drugs to cure him. But the experimental drugs had major side effects and weren’t guaranteed to work. She couldn’t bear to see Ryan suffer, so she forced me to be the test subject for Ryan’s medications instead. At first I refused desperately, but Chloe had people forcibly take me to the medical facility and tie me down to test the drugs. Several times I felt terribly sick from the side effects. During those times, Chloe would comfort me gently. In my hazy state, I thought I saw glimpses of the Chloe who used to love me before we got married. I thought she would eventually come to her senses. Until Ryan had another episode, and she insisted on having me test an extremely dangerous drug, ignoring the doctor’s warnings. That time, the drug nearly killed me. I was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. But Chloe never came to see me once. She was too busy reading bedtime stories to Ryan at the nursing home. I finally gave up hope. The Chloe who used to love me dearly before we married was truly gone. “I don’t have time,” I replied curtly. “No time?” Chloe said coldly. “You have to make time. Don’t forget, Ryan’s illness is because of whose sister. You must atone for your sister’s sins to Ryan. Otherwise don’t blame me if I divorce you!” “His illness has nothing to do with me or my sister. As for divorce…” I was about to say “then let’s get divorced”, when Ryan’s weak voice came through the phone. “Chloe, it’s okay if Adrian doesn’t want to. I can test the drug myself.” “No way, the doctor said this drug has some side effects. We’ll wait until after it’s been tested before you take it, okay sweetie?” Chloe’s voice was as gentle as flowing water. Compared to how coldly she treated me, it was like two completely different people. I no longer felt the hurt and anger I used to. I only felt numb and cynical now. Seeing my silence, Chloe naturally assumed I had agreed. Her tone softened a bit. “Adrian, I know you always feel awful after testing the drugs. But Ryan’s condition is improving day by day. As the brother of the person mainly responsible, shouldn’t you feel happy about that?” “Ryan already said he doesn’t blame your sister anymore. You should learn from his magnanimity and forgiveness. He’s always been kindhearted, but ended up like this because of your sister.” Ryan chimed in softly: “It’s alright, this isn’t really Adrian’s fault after all.” Though he said that, there was a hint of mockery in his tone. Chloe didn’t notice and replied tenderly: “You dummy, always so naive. If someone sold you, you’d probably help them count the money.” Ryan said coyly: “With you here, who would dare try to take advantage of me?” The two of them went back and forth flirtatiously. I stayed silent, not bothering to argue anymore. Back then, Ryan had obsessively pursued my sister even after she broke up with him. He cheated on her multiple times when they were together. My sister couldn’t take it anymore and asked to break up, but he framed her by attempting suicide and making her look like the bad guy. Afterwards, he packaged himself as an innocent victim whose feelings were toyed with. Meanwhile, my sister faced relentless cyberbullying and took an overdose one night. I had tried to explain the truth to Chloe countless times, but she never believed me. “Hurry up and go test the drug. Don’t delay Ryan’s treatment. He’s not feeling well right now.” Chloe hung up before I could respond. Not long after, I saw Ryan’s latest social media update. The two of them were strolling hand in hand on a beach, looking like the perfect couple. As the light glinted off Ryan’s hand, I saw he was wearing the wedding ring Chloe had taken off at my birthday party to comfort him. I scrolled down further. At 7 AM that morning, Ryan had carried Chloe on his back to climb a mountain and watch the sunrise. His face looked rosy and healthy, without a trace of illness. The two of them were like newlyweds on their honeymoon. I smiled sardonically, not bothering to confront Chloe anymore. In the past, I always thought that once I proved my sister’s innocence, Chloe would regret her actions. Now I realized Chloe didn’t care about the truth at all. All she cared about from beginning to end was Ryan. I was about to get in the car when I got a panicked call from a friend. “Adrian, quick, check the trending topics online. Those photos must be fake, right?”

I clicked on the trending topic and was immediately assaulted by intimate photos of myself from various angles. My vision went black for a moment. The comments below were full of vicious rumors and mockery. [Who knew Adrian Shaw looked so prim and proper on the outside, but was such a slut in private.] [I’ve seen Adrian Shaw before he married Chloe. He was already like this, working as an escort at clubs.] [Chloe is so generous to share her toy with us. When do we get a turn to play?] Countless filthy words flooded my eyes. My whole body broke out in a cold sweat. I had no idea when Chloe had taken these photos of me. My heart and temples were pounding uncontrollably. I quickly tried calling Chloe. She didn’t pick up after over a dozen calls. My mother called to berate me for bringing shame to the family. It was a while before Chloe finally called back. Faced with my questions, she was nonchalant: “Ryan was playing with my phone and accidentally posted them. Why are you making such a big deal out of it? I’ve already had people delete the photos.” I bit my lip until it bled: “Don’t you know many people have already saved them?!” “So what if they saved them? Just don’t look at them and it’ll be fine. Ryan didn’t do it on purpose. Don’t tell me you want him to apologize to you?” “He did something wrong. Shouldn’t he come apologize?” “Dream on. Keep this up and I’ll divorce you!” “Fine, let’s get divorced then.” There was a pause on the other end of the line. In the past, no matter how fiercely we argued, I had never mentioned divorce. We got married in winter and went to Iceland for our honeymoon. She insisted on bringing Ryan along, saying he wasn’t feeling well. While skiing, she told me to give my coat to Ryan. When I refused, she forcibly took it off me and left me on the ski slope. By the time I made it back to the hotel, frozen stiff, she ordered me a bowl of pear soup and apologized. “Ryan’s body has never fully recovered since he tried to drown himself that year. I was worried he’d catch a cold, that’s why I acted so hastily.” She pleaded for my forgiveness with tears in her eyes. I softened, thinking of how good she had been to me before. I told her it was okay. I thought my forbearance would be rewarded with Chloe’s care and remorse. I thought eventually the truth would come out and she would have a change of heart. But I never imagined my yielding would only make her more and more excessive. Chloe seemed to think I was just saying it in anger. After a moment of silence, she said dismissively: “Come on, it’s just a few photos. Why are you acting like it’s the end of the world?” “Ryan even told me to pass on his apologies. I didn’t expect you to be so petty, threatening divorce over such a small thing.” “Fine, to make it up to you for this incident, I promise we’ll have a proper celebration for your birthday when I get back. Happy now?” “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you mention divorce. Go online and post an apology statement for me. Then we can put this behind us.” “You have 10 minutes. Otherwise I really will divorce you.” Afraid I would keep pestering her, Chloe quickly hung up. In the past, whenever she threatened divorce, I would obediently do as she said. But what I cared about was never the divorce itself, but losing the chance to be with her. Now I finally understood that a relationship that started wrong was doomed to go wrong and end wrong. I insisted on not giving in. I sent her a message: [This was Ryan’s fault to begin with. I don’t know what state of mind he was in to “accidentally” post so many photos. As the victim, why should I take responsibility for him? Either he apologizes, or I’m pressing charges.]

After sending the message, I turned off my phone and continued heading to the airport. After marrying Chloe, even though she didn’t treat me well, she would always try to make it up to me afterwards. Sometimes with cash, sometimes with jewelry and gifts. I sold all the jewelry and gifts, saving up a sizeable amount. This money would be enough for me to live comfortably from now on, without having to rely on anyone else. On the way to the airport, I stopped by to hand over the signed divorce papers to the staff. When getting Chloe to sign the papers earlier, I had hoped she would notice. But Ryan had another episode then, so she rushed out the door and signed the last page without even looking. “Are you sure you don’t want to take another look?” I had asked, clinging to one last shred of hope. “No need. If it’s the liability waiver for the drug trials, it must be fine,” she had replied. I smiled bitterly. As long as it involved Ryan, she would agree without hesitation, not caring about my life or death. I handed over the documents. The staff told me they needed to confirm the breakdown of the relationship with the person directly before they could process the divorce. I showed them sweet photos Chloe had taken with Ryan, as well as our smashed wedding photo that she had broken in a rage over Ryan. The staff still said it wasn’t enough. “We need verbal confirmation from the person themselves.” I reluctantly turned my phone back on. As soon as it powered on, countless messages and missed calls from Chloe popped up. Because I hadn’t gone online to apologize within her set time limit, causing damage to the company’s and her reputation. She hurled all kinds of insults at me, finally declaring she would divorce me. I showed all the messages to the staff one by one. There was pity in their eyes, but they still shook their heads. I had no choice but to call Chloe. After a long time, she finally picked up. “Chloe, our relationship…” “What relationship? Nothing you say now matters. Ryan fainted because you threatened to sue him. Get over here and kneel down to apologize to him right now, or I’m divorcing you!” Thinking I would beg for forgiveness like before, Chloe hung up immediately. The staff finally believed me. With sympathetic looks, they started processing the paperwork, saying the divorce certificate would be issued in a month. As I walked out of the civil affairs bureau, a black van suddenly pulled up. Several bodyguards rushed out and forcibly dragged me into the van. The bodyguards took me on a private jet to the resort island where Chloe and Ryan were staying. Because I struggled too much, the bodyguards tied me up. Looking around the villa, I realized it was the one Chloe had bought to make up to me years ago. Familiar laughter drifted in from outside. I called out Chloe’s name as the door opened. Ryan sauntered in wearing my slippers and the couple’s pajamas Chloe and I used to share. His hair was disheveled as he walked in with the air of the man of the house. “I casually mentioned it to Chloe, I didn’t expect her to actually have you brought here.” As he spoke, he stomped on my fingers. His pupils reflected my pained expression with glee. “Your face looks so much like your sister’s. So much that I want to destroy you like I destroyed her. What right did she have to act proud in front of me? She even dared to try to dump me.” “I’ll tell you the truth – your sister didn’t commit suicide. I killed her.” My features twisted in agony as tears rolled down my reddened eyes. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Chloe walked in from outside and instinctively bent down to check my injured fingers: “How did you get hurt?” As soon as the ropes were loosened, I forcefully pushed her away and shouted: “Ryan killed my sister!!” Chloe’s eyes flickered: “What nonsense are you spouting? Your sister overdosed because she couldn’t handle the criticism. It had nothing to do with Ryan.” I laughed bitterly. Ryan hid behind Chloe, smiling mockingly: “Chloe, is Adrian still mad at me?” “What right does he have to be angry? It was just a few photos. Adrian, apologize to Ryan right now and I’ll forgive your tantrum.” I lunged at Ryan. “I’ll make you pay for my sister’s death!!” Chloe forcefully pushed me away. I crashed into the table behind me. Sharp pain immediately shot through my lower back as I gripped the table for support. After carefully checking if Ryan was frightened, Chloe yelled at me furiously. “What’s wrong with you?! If anything happens to Ryan because of you, I’ll never forgive you. Go downstairs now, the doctor for the drug trial is here too.” “I won’t go.” “What did you say?” Chloe furrowed her brows. “Adrian Shaw, this is your duty. If you keep being unreasonable, I swear I’ll divorce you!” “I have no duty towards a murderer.” I bit my lip and threw the divorce papers at Chloe, ignoring the pain. “Also, we’re already divorced!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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