Category: English

My boyfriend, Asher, got married, but I wasn’t the bride. I never imagined such a dramatic turn of events would ever happen to me. To make matters worse, Asher had only been married for three days. Despite this, he was ready to rush back to me, as if nothing had changed, and continue our relationship. I didn’t even consider faking my own death; instead, I set Asher’s house on fire. Someone like me is not to be trifled with. Six months later, I showed up as a bride at his uncle’s wedding. Asher saw me and was utterly shocked, his eyes wide with disbelief. “Adeline! You’re alive! You were deceiving me all along!” With a smile, I replied, “You’ve mistaken me for someone else. Zora died at your house.”

Asher had been very busy lately, always on business trips. Out of boredom, I went to hang out at his brother’s bar. Unexpectedly, I saw Asher there, even though he was supposed to be on a business trip. He was sitting with his friends, a smirk on his face. “Asher, what if your girlfriend finds out you married Beatrix?” “She won’t find out. Adeline is so gullible, she believes everything I say. I told her I was on a business trip, and she bought it.” Asher held a glass, watching the liquid inside with amusement. “Asher, who do you truly love? It’s pitiful for your girlfriend to have no name or status.” Asher pointed to himself, “Isn’t giving my heart and myself to Adeline enough?” “I married Beatrix just to appease my parents. I won’t touch her. If Beatrix wants kids, we can go for IVF.” His friend sighed, “What will you do if your girlfriend finds out? She loves you so much.” Asher’s tone was light, “We’ll deal with that when the time comes. I’m going back to her tomorrow, so don’t spill the beans.” His friends nodded and then changed the subject. I stood there, feeling incredibly mocked. I quietly turned and left. Back home, I came to my senses, realizing Asher had deceived me. He had promised to love me forever, yet just a few days ago, he married another woman. I searched through Asher’s Tablet and found Beatrix’s contact information. I knew she was innocent too, and I didn’t want to take it out on this Heiress. I typed out a message and sent it to her. I told Beatrix the truth. If she still wanted to be with Asher, there was nothing I could do. Respecting others’ choices. Sure enough, Beatrix didn’t reply, and when I texted again, I found she had blocked me. “……” I paced around the house aimlessly. I had been living in Asher’s house since we started living together after college. Staring at the dead cockroach on the windowsill, a thought crossed my mind. Since Asher played me, I should play him back. After getting together with Asher, I felt human. But he forced me to become inhuman. I pre-recorded a suicide video, sadly recounting Asher’s actions. Then I piled all the flammable items, like bed sheets, in the living room. This was the Suburb, almost deserted. If it wasn’t for my Flower shop here, I wouldn’t want to live here. Expressionless, I lit the fire with a lighter. The flames quickly engulfed the living room. Then I placed the Will in an obvious spot. Faking death wasn’t new to me; my biological parents still thought I was dead. I climbed out the window, avoiding all surveillance, and looked back at the increasingly fierce fire consuming the Villa. Soon, someone noticed something was wrong and called the Fire alarm. I felt guilty for a second, troubling the Firefighters.

Using a fake identity, I fled to New York with trusted allies. A friend laughed and asked, “What’s the point of this? Why not ruin him completely?” I shrugged, “Just messing around out of boredom. I’ll make him pay later.” For someone who needs a Family-arranged marriage to stand firm, there are many things to fear. Didn’t Asher say he liked me a lot? I wanted to see how much he really liked me. Just like my parents, who said they loved me but wanted to sell me to help their good son build a house and marry. Even though I reported to the Police during college and tried to escape marriage, nothing worked. The Police said it was a family dispute, not their concern. Reporting too many times annoyed them. After responding, they made snide remarks. “For a college student, you should listen to your parents. In the end, you’re getting married. Who cares to whom?” Looking at the man, who was clearly not my age, I felt a craziness in my heart. After the Police left, I kept hitting him. He cried bitterly, couldn’t get close to me without getting hit. Ridiculously, he reported me, and I was detained. After being released, I bought an axe, injured his arm and leg, and set the Rural house on fire. He was seriously injured in the fire, while I faked death and escaped. I chose a distant University, changed my Residency, name, and identity. The laws here weren’t well established, and they concluded it was an accidental fire, closing the case hastily. Many uneducated people here, even my parents, thought I was dead. They didn’t know the hardships I faced, and even if they saw, they’d pretend not to. Only after my death would they say, “That wretched girl, such bad luck, couldn’t enjoy a good life. Such a good match wasted.” Looking at the seaside scenery, memories flooded back. My parents always said I was cold-blooded. I guess my blood was always cold. I wanted Asher to pay. He shouldn’t have been deceitful and unfaithful. I grasped the wind blowing by but caught nothing. The next day, Asher knelt in front of the Villa, crying so hard he made it to Trending. He desperately tried to rush into the burnt-out Villa but was held back by several people. “Asher! Accept it! She’s dead!” Asher’s eyes were fierce, “Impossible… Impossible! You must be lying, she was fine four or five days ago.” I turned off my phone, expressionless. Who was he performing for? I partied with friends for three days, almost losing myself in the fun. Online, things escalated. Someone dug up my photos. Netizens sympathized with me, saying it wasn’t worth it for a married man. Seeing this, I realized I might have gone too far. What if that jerk Asher deregistered me? That’s when I met Jasper. Jasper looked at me with a subtle expression, “I remember your name is Adeline.” In other words, aren’t you supposed to be dead? I froze, recognizing him as Asher’s Uncle. I said expressionlessly, “You’ve got the wrong person.” I quickly turned to leave, but Jasper grabbed my wrist. “You must be panicking now, there’s more than one Instigator behind this.” The speed of the Public opinion’s explosion suggested someone was pushing it. After all, many were eager to point out Asher’s faults. “What do you want?” I didn’t think Jasper would help me. He must want to expose my lie to his nephew. “I can help you, make sure you have no worries.” I was intrigued but not naive: “What’s your motive?” Jasper suddenly wrapped his arm around my waist, “I need you to marry me.” I widened my eyes, “Are you crazy?” “Yeah, lovesick,” Jasper shamelessly replied. “……”

Jasper explained the situation of the Asher family. It was simply internal and external troubles. If Asher didn’t marry Beatrix, he couldn’t stabilize his position. Asher’s father had several other sons and daughters, all Illegitimate. “You’re helping me against Asher. Aren’t you worried about your sister being upset?” Jasper suddenly said, “She deserves it. I hate Illegitimate children the most in my life.” I instantly understood. Jasper’s mother had difficulty conceiving, and his father had an Affair resulting in Asher’s mother. Jasper’s mother resented for a long time, finally giving birth to Jasper at nearly fifty. Though she was mocked for Late childbirth, it was a relief. But Asher’s mother’s mother was never content, and Jasper’s mother fought to protect Jasper’s interests for many years. Unfortunately, she died of illness. The Mistress took over, and Asher’s mother’s identity was legitimized. At nearly thirty, she married into the Asher family. Ironically, her husband also cheated, resulting in many Illegitimate children. It was karma. I genuinely laughed, “Do you want the Asher family?” “No, I want everything they rely on to be destroyed.” I fist-bumped Jasper’s chest, “What a coincidence, so do I.” The cooperation was cleverly reached. Jasper helped me perfect everything. Asher confirmed my DNA in the charred Villa, and he no longer doubted I was dead. I’m inherently a bit crazy, loving the thrill of dancing on the edge. “Jasper, since that’s the case, let’s go back.” It’s absurd that her husband also had affairs, resulting in many illegitimate children—it’s as if karma caught up with him. I laughed sincerely, “Are you after the Asher family?” “No, I want everything they depend on to be destroyed.” I playfully tapped my fist against Jasper’s chest, “What a coincidence, so do I.” Our partnership was naturally and cleverly established. Jasper helped me refine everything. Asher had found traces of my DNA in the burnt villa, so he no longer suspected I was alive. I have a wild streak and particularly enjoy flirting with danger. “Jasper, since that’s the case, let’s go back.” “I want to attend Beatrix’s birthday party.” Jasper caressed my face, “Sure, but you need to wear this.” He placed an elegant mask on my face. Initially, I found it novel, but it soon felt burdensome. “Don’t take it off. If you do, you won’t be able to play your part.” I immediately lowered my hand. Jasper took me dress shopping, and I chose one completely opposite to my usual style. It was daringly sexy. Purple certainly has its allure, making my skin look fair and beautiful. I’m sure Asher won’t recognize me. I admired myself in the mirror for a long time until Jasper spoiled the moment by adjusting my neckline. “What are you doing?” I slapped his hand away. “Your neckline is too low.” I pointed at my neckline, “Doesn’t it look good?” Jasper said teasingly, “Looks smaller in short sleeves—is it pushed up?” “…” “You’re the one pushing up!” I retorted in mock anger. Jasper’s eyes twinkled with amusement, and then suddenly turned serious. He pulled me into his arms. I leaned against his chest, puzzled, “What’s wrong?” “Shut up, your old flame is here.” I laughed and quickly embraced Jasper, using enough force to make him fall onto the sofa, with me straddling his lap. “Asher, what are you doing here?” Asher asked coldly, noticing me and inquiring, “And who is this?” Wearing my mask, I grinned, “Oh, is this the big nephew?” Asher was momentarily taken aback seeing me, “You are…” Beatrix tugged on Asher, and he quickly composed himself, “Are you Uncle’s girlfriend?” Jasper’s hand rested on my waist, casually caressing it. Jasper kissed me in front of Asher, “Yes.” Asher felt a strange familiarity, struggling to suppress the emotions growing inside him, “Can I see what you look like?” Suddenly, I pretended to cry in Jasper’s arms. Jasper’s face darkened, “Asher, you’re really insensitive! Don’t you know she’s always been self-conscious about her appearance?” Jasper scooped me up, looking anxious. Asher instinctively followed, ignoring Beatrix. Beatrix hurried after them, “Asher! Where are you going?” Lying in Jasper’s arms, I smiled, “He seems suspicious of me.” Jasper’s voice was deep, “You’re my girlfriend, not his long-lost first love.” Asher was eventually held back by Beatrix, staring at me with unconcealed frustration. “Asher, what’s wrong? Why do you look so terrible?” Asher violently shook off Beatrix’s hand, “Leave me alone, it’s none of your business.” Beatrix’s face turned pale, and she fell silent.

Beatrix’s birthday party arrived as planned. The Asher family spared no expense, hoping to use this opportunity to restore their reputation. Asher stayed by Beatrix’s side, but his mind was elsewhere. Until he saw me, he couldn’t help but be distracted again. I held Jasper’s arm, “Is he out of his mind, staring at a stranger in front of so many people?” Jasper tapped my nose, “Stay here and be good. I have something to do.” “Okay.” I knew Jasper was giving me a chance to toy with Asher. Even though I was in a remote spot, Asher found me shortly after. “Miss, can I talk to you?” I blinked, “My last name is Jasper.” “Miss Jasper.” Asher’s heart raced uncontrollably, “You look like someone I used to know.” “Asher, your opening line is so cliché.” “Your voice is also very similar,” Asher suddenly said. I leaned on my hand, “How would your wife feel about this?” Asher suddenly grabbed my hand, and I pretended to call out. Asher’s voice rose, “Don’t shout, just let me see your face, okay?” He covered my mouth tightly, his eyes full of hope, “Just let me see.” Let him give up, okay? At that moment, Jasper walked over, followed by a large group of people. I quickly shook off Asher’s hand and ran to Jasper, pitifully saying, “Jasper, he bullied me, look at how red my hand is.” Jasper tenderly rubbed my wrist, “Asher, what do you want with my girl?” Asher looked shocked, opened his mouth to explain, but I blocked him with a single sentence. “Jasper, I’m scared.” Beatrix arrived late, holding her dress, painfully witnessing the scene. Asher gritted his teeth, “Uncle, I just want to see what she looks like.” Jasper’s face darkened, “I told you, she’s very insecure about her appearance. Don’t make things difficult for her.” Asher murmured, “I just think she looks like someone.” Hearing this, Beatrix showed a hurt expression. “Asher! You still can’t forget Adeline, can you? You’ve already married me, what more do you want!” Beatrix sobbed uncontrollably, “She’s dead! She’s already dead! You killed her!” Stung by her words, Asher spat angrily, “Shut up! She’s not dead, she’s right here!” Asher was still deceiving himself. He looked at me pleadingly, “Miss Jasper, please let me see your face.” I smirked inwardly. Even though he knows the truth, why is he so stubborn? “Alright, as you wish.” Jasper’s grip tightened around me, and I gave him a reassuring look. “Asher!” Beatrix warned him, “It’s my birthday today, and everyone’s watching.” Asher causing a scene was like slapping her in the face. How could she bear the shame, knowing everyone would see that as the heiress of Beatrix’s Family, she couldn’t compare to a deceased woman! Asher looked at her coldly, and Beatrix’s tears couldn’t be held back any longer. “I love you so much…” I laughed, “Miss Beatrix, don’t be sad. I’m really not Adeline.” Saying that, I took off the mask. I’m sorry, but it looks like the text you want translated is missing. Could you please provide the content within the specified section so I can help you with the translation?

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My wife sent me to a military training camp on a remote island, intending to turn me into a bodyguard for her ex-boyfriend. Little did I know, this “camp” was a living nightmare. Trapped on the island, I was caged like an animal, beaten mercilessly, and even forced into breeding programs. When I finally found a chance to call my wife for help, she dismissed my pleas, thinking I was exaggerating: “If you can’t handle this much, how can you protect Daniel?” Unable to bear the humiliation any longer, I made the desperate decision to end my life by jumping into the sea. Only when my wife learned of my death did she realize the gravity of her mistake. Panicked and grief-stricken, she knelt by the shore, crying and begging for me to come back – but it was too late. “Quick, strip him and take him to the breeding room. The people inside can’t wait any longer,” the man said with a lewd grin that made him look like a demon. I stood frozen, not daring to resist as they tore off my clothes. The man nodded approvingly at my submission, his hand snaking around my waist like a cold, venomous serpent. “You’re a natural breeding stud. If the boss hadn’t chosen you, I might not be able to resist tasting you myself,” he said, yanking on the iron chain around my neck and dragging my naked body out. Everyone around stared at me with malicious intent. I tried to act oblivious, mechanically following behind the man. He led me to a sealed room. The men and women inside lunged at me like wolves spotting prey, their eyes glowing with hunger. I could no longer suppress my terror. I screamed and thrashed, desperately trying to escape. But it was useless – countless filthy hands dragged me back. I don’t know how long it lasted. Eventually, I was tossed to the ground like a broken rag doll. My body was covered in bruises, not an inch of skin unharmed. I stared at the ceiling with lifeless eyes. Why? Why did I have to endure such suffering? Who could save me? Perhaps heaven heard my prayers, as I suddenly spotted a phone on the floor. My heart, which I thought had died, started beating again. If I could just call my wife Sarah, I might be saved! I crawled painfully forward, grabbed the phone, and dialed the number I knew by heart. My voice was hoarse from disuse, but the strong will to survive made me struggle to explain my situation. “Sarah, I’ve been kidnapped to a remote island. This place is hell, they-” Before I could finish, Sarah impatiently cut me off. “I’m the one who sent you there. It’s just a military training camp, isn’t it? Stay put and train well. When you come out, you’ll be Daniel’s bodyguard. I don’t trust anyone else around him, only you are suitable.” My heart, which had just started beating again, sank to the depths. It was my own wife who had sent me to this hell. And all of this was just so I could be her ex-boyfriend’s bodyguard! I desperately tried to convince myself that Sarah just didn’t know the true situation here. If she knew, she would surely rescue me. “Sarah, this place is for rich people to indulge their twisted desires. They treat people like animals here. I’ll die if I stay. Please, call the police and save me.” Sarah scoffed on the other end of the line. “James, how can you come up with such a ridiculous excuse? It’s just a bit tough at the military camp, and you’re acting like you’re dying. How are you going to protect Daniel in the future? Just stay there obediently. I specifically chose this island so you wouldn’t have a chance to escape!” I tried to explain further, but then I heard Daniel’s gentle voice in the background. The next thing I knew, the call had been disconnected. My heart shattered completely. Despite the summer heat, I felt a chill throughout my body. This was the woman I had loved deeply for years. I lost all will to live, lying on the floor like a soulless shell. When the man came back, he sneered and forced himself on me again. I lay there, unresponsive. After he finished, he spat on me in disgust. “Damn, you’re like a corpse.” I had no reaction to his curse. As they were taking me back, I gazed at the distant sea. I thought I heard a voice whispering in my ear. Come, come to the embrace of the ocean. The sea can wash away all filth and take away all sins. Somehow, I found the strength to break free from the man’s grasp and ran desperately forward. I don’t want to live like an animal anymore! I don’t want to be anyone’s plaything! Looking at the clear blue sea, I jumped in without hesitation. A faint smile of relief played on my lips. In the last second before losing consciousness, I could feel sharks tearing at my body. Perhaps it was because I had unfinished business, but when I regained awareness, I found my soul had returned to my wife Sarah’s side. I saw Sarah, who had always looked at me with disgust, now tenderly feeding Daniel fruit. “Daniel, your fans are too crazy. I can’t believe they hurt you. Don’t worry, when James comes back, I’ll have him be your bodyguard.” My heart filled with desolation. If Sarah and Daniel were strangers to me, I might have praised her for being such a considerate lover. But Sarah was my wife. I was her lawful husband. Years ago, when Sarah’s family faced a crisis, Daniel abandoned her and cut off all contact to go abroad. It was I who stayed by her side through those difficult times. For six whole years. I thought I could warm her heart. But just one month after Daniel returned, all of Sarah’s attention was focused on him. I had argued and fought about it before. All I got in return was Sarah’s cold response: “There’s nothing between us. Believe it or not.” Now, for his sake, she even sent me to that demon island. Sarah, after learning of my death, will you feel even a shred of regret? Daniel’s eyes flashed with triumph, but his tone seemed hesitant. “Sarah, James is your husband after all. He probably doesn’t want to be my bodyguard. The training must be very hard.” Sarah’s face was full of disdain. “I’ve already sent him to the island for training. Whether he wants to or not, he has to do it.” “How hard can it be in there? When he comes back, we’ll let him rest for a few days and he’ll be fine.” “Besides, he just called me. He seems to be having a great time in there!” How hard can it be? Being treated like an animal inside, chained 24 hours a day, beaten mercilessly at the slightest provocation. Even… even becoming a plaything for those people! They fed me the most potent drugs. They surrounded me, watching me writhe in agony on the ground, attacking me with the vilest language. “Say it! Say it loud, you’re a breeding pig!” “Are you mute? Just say it, and we’ll give you the antidote.” Even as a disembodied soul, remembering those hellish days made my pupils constrict and my body tremble involuntarily. Yet in Sarah’s words, a casual “let him rest for a few days” seemed like some great kindness to me. But to me, it all meant nothing now. I was completely free. Daniel asked curiously, “Sarah, what did James say when he called?” Sarah didn’t even look up, focused on peeling an apple. “He said he was being abused in there. A grown man can’t even handle this much hardship and tries to trick me with excuses. I won’t believe him.” My heart was pierced with countless needles of pain. In six years together, Sarah seemed to have never understood me. I had never lied to her. Perhaps it was because she didn’t love me, so she didn’t care how I treated her. Daniel jokingly looked at Sarah. “Sarah, what if James wants a divorce when he comes back?” Sarah’s face instantly turned cold. “He wouldn’t dare! I won’t agree even if he dies!” I didn’t understand. Sarah clearly didn’t love me, so why did she react so strongly to the mention of divorce? Shouldn’t she be eager to divorce me and marry Daniel? Daniel’s eyes flashed with a hint of malice: “Sarah, I was just asking. After all, James loves you so much. I’m afraid he might get angry when he finds out you sent him for training because of me.” Sarah snorted coldly: “So what if he knows? He stays at home all day doing nothing, almost like a useless person. Being your bodyguard is perfect for him. I wouldn’t trust anyone else.” Sarah, have you forgotten everything? I once had my own career too. When your family’s company was in trouble, I decisively gave up everything to come to your side and help you day and night. Even now, I still handle some company affairs. But in your words, I’ve become a useless person who does nothing. How absurd. All these years of dedication were just my one-sided love, it seems. Sarah carefully fed the apple to Daniel. “Next time there’s danger, let James take the hit for you. You’re an actor, your face can’t afford to be injured.” It’s always like this. Ever since Daniel came back, he’s always been Sarah’s top priority. When I was sick with a high fever and wanted her to keep me company, she said she had to attend a banquet with Daniel and had no time.

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My 10-year-old son reported me for watching obscene videos. He pointed at me angrily and said, “Mom’s life with you must be miserable!” What he didn’t know was that this video was captured by the hidden camera I had installed in the bedroom. The pixelated protagonists were my wife and her lover. After the police arrived, my wife also rushed home. Her eyes were red-rimmed as she said, “Honey, I never thought you were this kind of person!” I let out a cold laugh and said, “Since the police are here, let’s talk about the divorce.” “Dad, why are you watching this kind of video?!” A voice suddenly sounded behind me, and I whipped my head around. Ten-year-old Liam glared at me angrily, “If I hadn’t snuck in quietly, I wouldn’t have known you were watching this kind of video!” I quickly closed the video and was about to explain, but he took out his phone and dialed 911 right in front of me. “Son, you’ve misunderstood. It’s not what you think.” He gritted his teeth and said, “Mom’s life with you must be miserable!” Hearing these words, I felt as if I had fallen into an icy pit. Aria and I had known each other for three years and been married for twelve. From the beginning, we had agreed to be a DINK (Double Income, No Kids) family. It wasn’t until her belly gradually swelled that she came clean with me. “Honey, I’m sorry. I changed my mind. I want to have a child of my own, so I… tampered with the protection.” When both sets of parents found out about this news, they all pressured me to keep the child. After Liam was born, I slowly began to experience the feeling of being a parent. For this son, I can say I held nothing back. Now, he wouldn’t even give me a chance to explain. Seeing this scene, besides anger at my wife’s infidelity, I felt more heartbroken. “Ding dong—” The doorbell rang abruptly. Liam hurried to open the door and pointed at me angrily, “Officer, I want to report my dad for watching that kind of video!” The two police officers who came looked at me and said, “As a parent, you’re not setting a good example for your child. Instead, you’re making the child warn you.” Before I could speak, Aria rushed home in a hurry. Seeing her return, Liam went forward and hugged her arm, “Mom, Dad was secretly watching that kind of video!” Aria looked at me with disappointment all over her face, “Honey, have I not been good enough that you had to watch those videos?” She’s such a good actress! When we first got together, Aria told me she liked buying bags. She said she wanted to fill a whole closet with bags. To fulfill her wish, I worked like crazy. My colleagues joked that I was working harder than a workhorse. After Liam was born, I quit my stable job against my parents’ wishes and started a business with a friend. In the early stages of the startup, we had cash flow problems. Aria sent me a link to a handbag. [Honey, I want this.] I tried to appease her: [Once this project is secured, I’ll buy it for you.] [Caleb Frost, you can’t even afford a bag. You’re so useless!] That night, to secure the project, I drank with the client bottle after bottle until I was nauseous and vomiting. When I finally bought that bag, wanting to surprise her, she didn’t even glance at it. She said, “That bag is already out of style. Honey, I want this one. I know you’re so good, you’ll definitely buy it for me.” Only when I bought bags for Aria would she say such sweet words to me. They were the most insincere words, but I had been fooled by her for so many years. Thinking of this, I trembled with anger. “Officer, please check my dad’s phone quickly.” Liam urged from the side. I laughed coldly and said, “Aria Sinclair, do you think I should let the police see the video?”

In all these years of marriage, I had rarely called her by her name. Aria looked at me coldly, a hint of mockery at the corner of her mouth. “Caleb Frost, you dare to do it but not admit it? Did I make you watch that kind of video?” Since she said that, I didn’t need to consider her face anymore. “Officers, there’s a child here. Why don’t we move to the bedroom?” Aria muttered, “You didn’t think about the child when you were watching it.” At that time, I was so overwhelmed with anger that I hadn’t noticed Liam coming in and opening the door. As soon as we entered the bedroom, Aria crossed her arms and said in a disgusted tone, “Caleb Frost, you watch these videos behind my back. Have you also been seeing other women behind my back?” I was stunned for a few seconds, not expecting her to turn the tables on me. Originally, I had pixelated the faces of Aria and her lover out of consideration for our marriage. Now it seemed there was no need for that at all. I opened the computer and asked Aria again, “Are you sure you want me to play it?” She frowned impatiently, “You’re so indecisive. How did I ever fall for a man like you!” I smiled and clicked play. The moment the faces appeared, Aria lunged forward like a madwoman to shut off the computer. The two police officers beside us were at a loss for words, “What’s going on here?” I looked at the guilty-looking Aria and slowly said, “What I was watching wasn’t obscene videos, but videos of my wife cheating with another man.” As soon as I finished speaking, Aria screamed, “Caleb Frost, shut up!” I spoke calmly, “Since the police are here, let’s talk about the divorce.” “Divorce?! You want to divorce me?” Aria looked at me in disbelief. When I first got together with Aria, I would rush to do part-time jobs after work. I finally bought her the bag she had always wanted but couldn’t afford. The moment she got the bag, she looked at it in disbelief, “This bag is so expensive, can it be returned?” At that time, I only thought her expression was cute and wanted to be even better to her. Now I just felt utterly disgusted. The two police officers were caught in the middle and looked a bit uncomfortable, “This is a family matter between you two. Try not to say these things in front of the child.” Seeing the police leave, Liam looked confused, “Mom, why wasn’t Dad arrested?” Aria glared at me fiercely, “Son, if Dad and Mom get divorced, who do you want to live with?” Without thinking, Liam blurted out, “Of course with Mom!” Hearing this answer, Aria seemed to have gained the upper hand. I only asked one question, “Do you like him?” Hearing this, Aria’s face turned shy, “Jasper is a thousand times better than you. What can you do besides give me money?” I was almost laughed with anger. If I didn’t work, who would support the daily expenses of this family? Which of Aria’s bags didn’t start at over a thousand dollars? Which of Liam’s school fees, extracurricular classes, and tuition fees didn’t start at over ten thousand? I took a deep breath, “Let’s get divorced. You leave with nothing.” “What?!” Aria shrieked, “Caleb Frost, what gives you the right to make me leave with nothing?” I sneered, “Aria Sinclair, you cheated first. Since you don’t want my money and only want that man’s love, I’ll grant your wish.” Aria was speechless for a moment, “Fine, let’s divorce. Caleb Frost, don’t regret it!” Seeing Aria and me at daggers drawn, Liam actually reached out to push me. “Don’t bully my mom!” At this moment, something broke in my heart. As a man, not only had my wife cheated, but my son didn’t understand me either. The happy family I had always believed in was nothing but an illusion. After saying this, Aria ran to the bedroom to pack her things. I watched her stuffing those bags into her suitcase, afraid of leaving even one behind. Take them, take as many as you can. The more you take now, the more you’ll have to return.

Not long after Aria left with Liam, my parents called. As soon as I answered, my mom started persuading me, “Caleb, Aria brought Liam to our place. There’s no grudge between husband and wife that can’t be resolved overnight. Just talk it out.” I was a bit surprised. She didn’t go to find that lover Jasper but went to my parents instead. I spoke firmly, “Mom, we must get divorced. Aria admitted herself that she only loves my money, not me as a person.” “Caleb Frost, you’re talking nonsense!” Aria’s voice came through the receiver, “Caleb Frost, are you even a man? I ruined my figure to give you a child, and it hasn’t even recovered properly yet!” Back when Aria was pregnant with Liam, she had severe morning sickness. I saw it with my own eyes and felt the pain in my heart. As long as she said a word, I never said no. In the middle of the night, if she wanted grapes, even if it was pouring rain outside, I would brave the storm to go from door to door looking for them. But what did I get in return? “Aria Sinclair, don’t forget I have the video.” After saying this, I heard my mom’s voice on the other end of the phone. “Aria, wake up!” I hung up the phone and found a reliable lawyer through a contact. Aria had cheated during our marriage, so the marital property should be equally divided, but personal property couldn’t be divided by the other party. After marrying me, Aria became a full-time housewife. In all these years, I could count on my fingers the number of times she cooked. Sometimes when I came home late from business dinners, she would look at me with disgust, “You stink of alcohol. You’re not allowed in the bedroom tonight!” She was used to enjoying life without working for it, used to being pampered. Well, the taste of hitting rock bottom would surely be unforgettable for her. The next day, when I went to get the divorce agreement, I received a call from Aria’s mother. “Caleb Frost, you’ve upset Aria so much she’s in the hospital. If you’re still a man, come to the hospital and see her!” Of course I would go. This good show couldn’t go on without me. I slowly walked into the hospital room. Aria was leaning against the headboard, surrounded by three elders, looking pale. Seeing me arrive, my mom came over and reproached me, “Caleb, quickly apologize to Aria.” Mrs. Sinclair looked at me with hatred in her eyes. I let out a light sneer, “I’ve already drafted the divorce agreement.” Mrs. Sinclair snatched it first, and when she saw the property division, she shouted at the top of her lungs, “Caleb Frost, you’re not human! How dare you make Aria leave with nothing!” “Leave with nothing?” My mom frowned slightly, “Caleb, what exactly happened between you and Aria?” I looked coldly at Aria, “You won’t say it? Do you want me to show them the video?” Aria’s lips quivered, “I’m pregnant.” This sentence was like a stone thrown into a calm lake. Mrs. Sinclair seemed to have found her backbone and started questioning me, “You, Caleb Frost! Aria is pregnant with your child, and this is how you treat her? Are you even human?!” My parents also joined in. “Caleb, pregnancy is no small matter. Your father and I have also quarreled for so many years.” “You said you wanted to be childless before. If it weren’t for Aria, we wouldn’t have a grandson. You can’t divorce.” No wonder Aria went to my parents first. So this was what she was waiting for. I took out my phone, found the video, and prepared to play it. Afraid my parents would be shocked, I planned to just let them hear the audio. The next second, Aria said, “I’m pregnant, but the child isn’t Caleb’s.” [Truncation point] “Aria, what are you saying!” Mrs. Sinclair pushed Aria, “If the child isn’t Caleb’s, whose could it be?”

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I had been in a relationship with Adam Walker for seven years. Whenever a girl clung to him, he would give me a diamond ring to prevent any misunderstandings. Over the years, my jewelry box was filled with various diamond rings he had collected from around the world. Each one was priceless and unique, sparkling brilliantly under the light. A few days ago, he once again slipped a 6-carat pink diamond onto my finger. I knew he had spent $13 million to have it custom-made. Looking at that shimmering pink stone, I smiled self-mockingly: “Adam, let’s break up.” Adam had just returned home after closing a deal in New York when he slipped a diamond ring onto my left ring finger. A 6-carat pink diamond. It was a limited edition high-end custom piece, worth $13 million – an astronomical sum. But my stomach churned, and I felt sick. I took out the anti-inflammatory medication prescribed by my doctor and swallowed two pills. Adam placed the back of his hand on my forehead, his tone worried: “Are you sick?” “Didn’t we agree to go to the concert a few days ago? I’ll book the tickets right away. Once you’re feeling better, I’ll go with you.” I shook off his hand. “Forget it.” “But that’s their final concert, there won’t be any more after this.” I had planned for this concert a year in advance, told him the date, and he had promised to accompany me. But on the day of departure, he said he had to go negotiate a business deal and couldn’t make it. Adam’s brows furrowed, his face full of guilt. “I’m sorry, I really know I was wrong. I promised you something and couldn’t follow through. But this project was hard-won by our partners, I had no choice but to go.” We had been dating for seven years, and everyone thought he cherished me like a precious gem. He was particularly mindful of my feelings. Every time, whether it was his fault or not, he would be the first to soften and apologize. His remorse often made me wonder if I was being too harsh. “Olivia, I’ll buy you their collector’s edition CD right now. Don’t be angry, okay? Whatever you want me to do in the future, I’ll agree to it.” Just as he finished speaking, someone sent him a text message. He went to the kitchen to get some food, and took the opportunity to reply to the message while there. When he came out, his expression wasn’t quite natural. “Our partners have come to inspect the project site, I need to receive them personally.” I tugged at the hem of his shirt. “The CEO loves lotus pastries, so I brought some you made for him in the kitchen. It’s a gesture of hospitality. Be good, wait for me to come back.” With that, he went to the bedroom to change into a suit and sprayed on some fresh cologne. I couldn’t find any traces in his phone left on the coffee table. All chat records from every app had been thoroughly deleted. It seemed like I was being overly suspicious. But in his private TikTok collection, I saw a beautiful and delicate girl. Her smile was like a coquettish cat, her eyes sparkled like stars, as beautiful as the deepest flame in the dark night, with features similar to mine. The first few videos on her profile were all shot in New York. In her videos, she was tightly holding a hand wearing the same couple’s ring as mine. In her pinned video, she was wearing the pink diamond ring Adam had given me, and wrote: [Pink diamonds are too tacky, I asked my darling to throw it away and buy me my favorite blue Heart of the Ocean instead. Holidays should be spent with the man you love most. Love you.] I recorded the video with my phone and sent it to my best friend, then deleted all viewing records. Before he came out of the bedroom, I put his phone back in its original position and placed his polished leather shoes by the entrance. Another diamond ring was added to my jewelry box.

Whenever he attracted bees and butterflies, with girls pursuing Adam, he would be afraid I’d misunderstand and search for all kinds of exquisite diamond rings to give me. He told me that I was his girlfriend of many years, and although he hadn’t done anything wrong, he only wanted to reassure me and make me understand that I was the only one in his heart. He loved me, and it was something that all the money in the world couldn’t compare to. He hoped to buy me all the most precious diamond rings in the world to make me happy. The large jewelry box was filled with 136 diamond rings. Seven years, and I never imagined he had been afraid of my misunderstanding 136 times. As I was lost in thoughts of the past, my best friend immediately called me on video chat. Adam hadn’t gone out for business at all, he was just in the underground parking lot of my apartment complex. Soon, he strode with long legs towards the girl from the TikTok video. The girl jumped with joy, smiling radiantly as she threw herself into his arms. He lovingly lifted her chin and leaned in for a passionate kiss. In the dim parking lot, the light cast a hazy glow. The handsome man and beautiful woman embraced silently, as if time had frozen in that moment. She stood gracefully, her long hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall, her eyes as clear as autumn water, her luscious lips slightly parted. If he wasn’t my boyfriend, I would have thought they made a perfect match. After lingering for a long time, Adam finally let her go reluctantly and pulled out a red jewelry box from his pocket. “You said you like gold jewelry, I brought this especially for you. You’ll definitely be surprised.” “Thank you, the company team building event tomorrow night is so important. I wonder if I can wear it there?” The girl tentatively probed. “Of course.” Adam stood tall and straight as a pine tree, his deep eyes full of tenderness. “Just don’t damage it, this is only borrowed. After the banquet is over, I have to return it to Olivia Thompson.” My breath caught in my throat. I did indeed have a lot of gold jewelry, and I couldn’t tell which piece he had taken. The girl leaned into his arms and began to act coquettishly. “I understand, you don’t need to remind me all the time.” She clung to Adam’s arm as they entered the elevator, her voice soft and sweet: “Adam, I don’t know why my chest has been feeling uncomfortable lately. When we get upstairs, you must help me check what’s wrong.” They took the elevator up. My friend walked to the elevator and started recording the floor numbers. The elevator stopped on the 8th floor, while my apartment was on the 9th floor. By the time she climbed the stairs to the 8th floor, she could only hear the sound of keys turning in the lock outside, but couldn’t capture any images of people. “Adam, is it because your girlfriend doesn’t cool you down enough, so every time you see me, you’re so eager…” An ambiguous atmosphere lingered in the air. Adam let out a muffled groan, tinged with displeasure. “Chloe Davis!” The girl panted heavily: “Okay, I get it, can’t talk bad about her behind her back, right…” Urgent gasps echoed throughout the hallway, but ceased abruptly the moment the door closed. My friend didn’t have a key, so naturally couldn’t go in, and could only wait outside the door for my response. My face was pale, and my hand holding the phone trembled uncontrollably. “Olivia, do you want to wait until they come out and see where the girl lives?” “No need, it was too dark in the parking lot earlier, I couldn’t see clearly what style of gold necklace it was. Did you take any photos or anything?” “I did, but the girl put it away, so I didn’t capture the gold necklace.” My heart clenched painfully, and hot tears slid down the corners of my eyes as I curled up tightly on the sofa. Chloe Davis. There was a time when Adam wouldn’t allow anyone to mention her name.

Adam’s good friend told me that he once had a deeply loved soulmate named Chloe Davis. She was gentle and virtuous, but for some reason, Adam’s mother strongly disliked Chloe and wouldn’t allow them to be together. Eight years ago, Chloe’s father forced her to marry the CEO of a well-known company in Paris. During the wedding, Adam’s mother saw Chloe crying her eyes out in Adam’s arms in the rest room, their clothes disheveled. Chloe even said that as long as Adam’s mother agreed, she would immediately cancel the engagement and elope with Adam. Adam’s mother was furious and drove her son home, forbidding him from seeing Chloe again. Chloe settled abroad, got married and had children. Adam was in a daze for an entire year, and only managed to heal his wounded heart after seeing me, whose appearance was similar to Chloe’s. Ironically, it wasn’t until this moment that I realized I was nothing more than a substitute for Chloe. Now that the real deal had appeared, wasn’t it time for me to gracefully exit? I held the pink diamond up to the sunlight and examined it again and again. Such a precious diamond ring was indeed worthy of Chloe. When Adam returned to my bedroom late at night, he thought I was asleep. The strong smell of alcohol stung my nostrils, followed by the sound of his snoring. His phone was on silent, but the screen lit up again and again with several incoming messages. Scrolling to the top, Chloe asked how he was doing and suggested he sleep at her place if he was drunk. Adam: [Absence makes the heart grow fonder, it’s better if you keep thinking about me.] Chloe: [So tell me clearly, do you want me to think about you as a person, or think about your body?] [Both. Tomorrow night’s company team building event, I’ll take you to see the empire I’ve built for you.] Bitterness welled up in my heart. Two weeks ago, Adam told me about the company team building event and said he would take me along to introduce me to the employees as the future boss’s wife. But yesterday he said the team building event was canceled. In fact, the event was still happening, he just didn’t want to go with me. Their team building location was set at a luxurious KTV on Flower Stream Road, and I arrived as scheduled. The company had been established for two years with numerous employees, but none of them had truly met me before. Adam entered amidst cheers, reluctant to let go of the shy Chloe’s hand beside him. Her chestnut-colored hair cascaded down her back like seaweed, her fair skin glowed even more radiantly under the lights, her delicate features were exquisitely beautiful, and the teardrop mole at the corner of her eye gave her an air of cold allure. Paired with that exquisite gold necklace, she exuded an aura of nobility. The employees whispered among themselves, all discussing how beautiful the future boss’s wife was. I couldn’t help but approach as well. In the dim lighting, no one paid attention to me in my black formal dress. The moment I clearly saw the necklace around her neck, my pupils constricted sharply. That was… my mother’s keepsake! I rushed forward in one swift motion, throwing my drink directly in Chloe’s face. Before she could react, I kicked her to the ground. “Who gave you the guts to steal my necklace? Take it off and give it back to me right now!”

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Felix Edwards was on an overseas business trip when he found himself caught in a terrorist attack. The phone wouldn’t stop ringing. His parents, Ashley and Ryan Edwards, called from the embassy, anxiously waiting for me to negotiate Felix’s safety. To my surprise, my dad, Vincent Miller, who hadn’t bothered to call me in ten years, also reached out. He claimed he had connections at the embassy and could arrange to have Felix brought back home. Even my close friends, Felix’s buddies, colleagues, and neighbors were all reaching out and wanted to know what was going on. And here I was, lying in bed with a newborn, calmly hanging up one call after another. After all, when Felix saw on the news that his ex-girlfriend, a war correspondent, was caught in a terrorist situation, he didn’t hesitate to leave his family behind and fly there to check on her safety. At that time, with my water already broken, I turned to Felix and said, “Are you really going to ditch your family and fly to that war-ravaged country? If you do, Felix, I won’t clean up your mess.” Felix kept his mouth shut, but the urgent slamming of the door as he stormed off said it all. Well, if he was set on being a hothead and digging his own grave, why should I bail him out?

Felix always loved watching international news channels, and I used to find it puzzling. However, just the other day, a particular story caught my attention. A female war correspondent from our country had been kidnapped by terrorists while reporting in the field. In an instant, I recognized her, Megan Fox, the well-known anchor on that international channel. As I sat on the couch, my pregnant belly round and full, enjoying a slice of cantaloupe and feeling sorry for the journalist, Felix suddenly panicked, knocking over the fruit bowl. When he stood up, his knee collided hard with the corner of the coffee table. The thud was so loud that my belly tightened instinctively, but Felix seemed oblivious to the pain. He stiffly made his way to the kitchen for a glass of water but accidentally pressed the hot water button, scalding himself and smashing the cup in response. He rushed to rinse his mouth with cold water to cool down, then bolted back to the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him. An hour later, Felix abruptly emerged from his room. “I… I have to go on a business trip,” he stammered. I tightened my grip on the cantaloupe but remained calm as I stood up. “Felix, my due date is in a couple of days. It’s really not a good time for you to be traveling. What if I go into labor? “You know my mom passed away giving birth to my brother. I’m really scared of the whole process. “You’ve been so excited about our daughter’s arrival. Don’t you want her to see her dad as the first thing when she opens her eyes?” Felix’s expression faltered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. “This business trip is really important to me. I have to go, but don’t worry, I’ll be back before you give birth.” I offered him a smile, even as the contractions in my belly intensified, liquid beginning to trickle down my legs. “I’ll hold you to that, but listen, Felix. You have to take responsibility for whatever happens while you’re gone. I won’t be cleaning up your mess.” Maybe it was the seriousness in my tone, but Felix visibly trembled. “I promise I’ll be safe and return,” he vowed, as if sealing a pact. With that, he rushed back to his room, hurriedly grabbing a couple of items before putting on his shoes and heading for the door. As he was about to leave, I couldn’t help but call after him, my heart softening. “Wait, Felix.” He turned slightly, irritation flickering in his eyes. “Didn’t you just say I could go? Why are you stopping me now?” I clenched my fists, the pain in my belly growing sharper, but I managed to stay composed. “You forgot your passport.” I dragged myself to the bedroom, clutching my leaking water, and retrieved his passport, handing it over along with a bank card—the one that contained the salary he’d sent me throughout our seven years of marriage. Felix’s hand trembled as he took the passport and bank card, his eyes glistening with emotion. For a fleeting second, I thought he might stay. But he stuffed the passport and card into his bag and solemnly vowed again, “I will make it back before you give birth.” With that, he slammed the door behind him and hurried out. Listening to the sound of the door echoing in the empty house, I simply picked up my phone and dialed 119, contacting the maternity center. I mused, “How could a man too oblivious to even notice my water breaking think he could make such promises? It’s utterly ridiculous.”

I met Felix through a hiking club. At that time, the pressure from work was overwhelming; all I wanted was to pile up cash, slaving away at my job and relying on weekends spent hiking to recharge my energy. Felix joined the club in my second year. Initially, he was just another member, but as we consistently found ourselves reaching the summit first time after time, we started to grow closer. He was in finance, and I was in tech. He loved sports and the outdoors, and so did I. So, when we reached our hundredth peak together, he confessed his feelings. There was nothing romantic or original about it—just a simple, “Vivian, let’s date.” And to my surprise, I said yes. After all, my dad had his own flair for creativity; his courtship of my mother once caused half the city to light up with fireworks, and he even ended up in jail for it. But that didn’t stop him from wanting a son, which caused my mother to suffer through years of medicine, ultimately leading to her tragic death in childbirth. To me, romance wasn’t important; stability was. And Felix embodied that. He never showed up late for dates. His gifts were never flashy but always thoughtful. If it rained, he wouldn’t come by uninvited, but the moment I called, he’d be there without hesitation. So, three years into our relationship, we tied the knot. Life after the wedding felt almost identical to before. I cooked, and he washed the dishes. I handled the grocery shopping, while he came home early to prepare the staple food. Our calm and gentle days led me to believe that Felix was indeed the one for me. But everything changed three years ago at the wedding of one of Felix’s college friends. During the bachelor party, one of Felix’s buddies got drunk and broke down, holding Felix’s hand and crying. “Felix, seeing you like this—so lifeless—it really hurts. I’m stepping into a happy marriage, but looking at you like this? It’s tough. If Megan hadn’t gone abroad to be a war correspondent, you might not be so closed off and heartbroken.” At that, Felix instinctively glanced in my direction. “Don’t listen to him; he’s drunk.” I laughed, brushing it off. But once we got home, I pointedly said, “Felix, I have my flaws, but my one strength is the ability to cut ties quickly, especially when it comes to love.” He stood there in the shadows that night, his expression hidden in the darkness. After that, Megan vanished completely from our lives—until now.

I hadn’t answered the phone because I had just finished nursing my daughter at the maternity center when Felix’s mother, Ashley, burst into the room. “Vivian, why haven’t you been answering my calls? Ryan is losing his mind at the embassy! “You need to come home right now with Felix’s documents to go to the embassy.” Listening to Ashley, I calmly replied with six digits, “666313.” She paused, taken aback. Taking a moment to adjust my daughter’s blanket, I explained, “I’m not in a good position to go right now. That’s the code for our home; you can grab whatever you need there.” Ashley’s hand trembled slightly. “Vivian, how can you be so heartless? Felix is in a war zone, and we don’t even know if he’s alive! “Did you not see the distress message Felix sent to everyone? He said he got shot in the leg and is hiding in a stranger’s house. “I know you’re in the postpartum period, but this is an emergency. Can’t you just come to the embassy with me for a sec to check things out?” she insisted, her body shaking with urgency. I replied calmly, “I understand Felix’s situation. Before he sent that group message, he texted me several times for help, but I chose to ignore him.” Ashley stumbled backward, clearly shocked. Seeing her expression tugged at my heart. After seven years of marriage, she had always been good to me, filling the void left by my late mother. But now, everything felt shattered because of Felix. I calmly handed her the recording of my conversation with Felix from that night. “Ashley, don’t think of me as cruel. This is all Felix’s doing.” Trembling, Ashley accepted the recording, and once she finished watching, she crumpled to the ground. She struggled to find her voice. “Vivian, listen to me, Felix and Megan… they really don’t have anything going on.” I still felt a pang of sympathy. Even though my C-section recovery was painful, I got up and helped Ashley to her feet—much like how I had seen Felix leave home when my water broke, softly handing him his passport and bank card. “I know there’s nothing physical between Felix and Megan, but the fact that he’s willing to abandon his family to go find her shows he doesn’t value our little family. He’s okay with my daughter losing her father and me becoming a widow just to chase after her, so he needs to accept the consequences of that decision.” Ashley turned pale at my cold tone, and she fumbled with her words, struggling to find the right thing to say. Perhaps she couldn’t even bring herself to convince me. Ultimately, Ashley gave up, shivering as she stood. “Take care. I’ll leave you to your recovery.” With that, she seemed to age a decade as she rushed out the door. I felt a pang of guilt, but just as she was about to leave, I called after her, “Ashley, can you and Ryan find some time this week to move out of my apartment?” Ashley hesitated, turning back. “Can’t you just wait a little longer?” I shook my head. “Didn’t Felix leave without waiting to make sure I got to the hospital after my water broke? “I just want to sort out all our shared assets before he comes back.”

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My nine fiancés all jumped to their deaths after wearing the antique watch my mother gave them at their engagement parties. No matter how the watch was dismantled, nothing unusual could be found. The police repeatedly took my mother in for questioning but could never find any problems. After the news broke, my mother’s watch went viral online. Countless people wanted to buy the same model to investigate, but it was priceless and unavailable. As a result, I was branded as cursed and had to move away from my mother. Two years later, when I got engaged to my tenth fiancé, I saw that familiar watch on his wrist again as we exchanged rings. When I took my ninth fiancé, Lucas, to the engagement party, I repeatedly told him not to wear the watch my mother had given him. But Lucas pinched my waist dismissively, “Honey, why are you so nervous? It’s just a watch.” “If I don’t wear it because of some imaginary superstition, wouldn’t that make a bad impression on your mom?” With that, he ignored my protests and immediately put on the watch my mother had given him. I trembled all over and quietly counted down three numbers, “Three, two, one…” As the last number ended, the watch had made a full rotation. Lucas, who had just been boasting that he was fine, suddenly turned pale. The next second, he rushed to the window and jumped straight down, Splattering into a bloody mess in front of everyone’s eyes. Everyone ran downstairs, frantically taking photos and fighting over the watch. After experiencing eight deaths, I was almost numb to such scenes. But Lucas’s departure still pierced my already battered heart once again. I turned back to look at my mother, who remained calm, and asked shakily, “You promised me you wouldn’t give Lucas that watch!” “It’s been nine times now. I’m your daughter! Do you know what people are saying about me out there?” Hearing this, my mother raised her lip corner disdainfully. Her makeup had gotten thicker in recent years. When she laughed, a lot of powder would be squeezed off by her wrinkles, Making her appearance in my eyes increasingly terrifying. “Lucas came to ask me for the watch himself. It has nothing to do with me.” “But his fate wasn’t strong enough to withstand my watch. His death was his own choice.” The police quickly arrived and once again took the life-taking watch away for research. They were excited, “The Lu family knows a lot about mysticism. Maybe this time we can really find out something.” Everyone was waiting for an answer, wanting justice for them. The Lu family also started a live stream online, with hundreds of thousands of viewers watching the watch examination. The mechanical watch was no different from ordinary watches, except that it would only rotate once before breaking down. The Lu family speculated from various angles and searched through all the ancient books they had brought. But after three full hours, they still came up empty-handed. The internet exploded, “Nine lives have been lost and they still can’t figure it out. What kind of watch is this mysterious?” “Yeah, I just hope their daughter stops dating and hurting others. One dies after another, who can bear that?” Looking at these comments, the tears I had been holding back for so long Finally flowed out uncontrollably. My mother had somehow come up behind me, “Are you going to keep being angry with me?” Seeing that I didn’t respond, she slammed the dinner on the ground with a sullen face. “You don’t even eat when dinner goes bad. Did Lucas affect you that much?” I gave her a bitter smile, “Mom, aren’t you afraid after taking so many lives?” “Why does that watch make them commit suicide?” Hearing this, my mother frowned, “Their deaths have nothing to do with me. The watch is normal, so of course I’m not afraid.” My tears flowed again as I turned away, not wanting to hear any more. Then I left home with my already packed luggage, without looking back. “Mom, I just want to live a normal life, but you keep hiding things from me.” “Since that’s the case, you might as well pretend you don’t have a daughter from now on.”

I returned to the city where I worked with my luggage, becoming increasingly quiet and withdrawn. My mother and I fell into a cold war after that day. Apart from asking if I was coming home for the holidays, she never talked to me again. I forced myself to focus all my energy on work. In my spare time, I dedicated myself to studying that mechanical watch. This was one I had secretly taken from my mother’s antique shop before I left. I stared blankly at these utterly ordinary parts after dismantling it. Why did this watch take Lucas and the others’ lives? For many days, I was in a daze. My colleagues noticed and started discussing privately whether I had gone crazy. Even the supervisor dug up the old news and wanted to fire me for being unlucky. At the critical moment, my partner Frank stood up for me. “She performs excellently at work and just likes to study watches. Why fire her for that?” “Besides, it’s been a year. Isn’t it cruel to keep bringing up her trauma?” Frank went directly to the manager and tried his best to keep me on. Afterwards, our relationship grew closer. We naturally got together. A year later, he proposed to me. I accepted and chose a wedding venue, but had trouble inviting guests. Looking at the long-silent chat box with my mother, I was very conflicted about whether to invite her. My father had passed away when I was very young, and my mother had raised me single-handedly with great hardship. Before I started dating, she was just a normal, good mother. Gentle and caring, pouring all her love into me. To say I only had hatred left for her would be a lie. But the tragic deaths of my previous nine fiancés were still vivid in my mind. I really couldn’t bear to let Frank take the risk. In the end, I chose to skip inviting her. I thought this would settle the matter and break my curse of being unlucky in love. Unexpectedly, Frank secretly brought my mother over the day before the wedding without telling me. “Honey, you’ve been so distracted these past few days. I guessed you must be missing your mom.” “Don’t worry, I won’t wear anything she gives me. Nothing will happen.” Frank looked at me lovingly and planted a kiss on my forehead. Hearing his promise, I relaxed. I turned to face my mother. After two years apart, she looked even more haggard. “Rachel, congratulations on your wedding.” My mother said, then took out a gold necklace and put it on me. She seemed to have returned to that loving mother from before. The last bit of defense in my heart was completely shattered. I buried myself in her embrace, choking out the word “Mom.” Frank, seeing this, smiled with satisfaction. Then he sincerely promised my mother, “Mom, don’t worry, I will definitely treat Rachel well.” “We’ll also come back to visit you often in the future and take care of you in your old age.” My mother’s body stiffened, and she looked at him with a complex expression for a long time. It wasn’t until I shook her that my mother reacted and said “Mm” to Frank.

The next day, at the wedding venue. Frank and I smoothly went through all the ceremonies. But just as the host asked my mother if she had anything to say to us, She took out that watch and looked at Frank, “Are you willing to wear this watch?” Frank instinctively looked at me, about to refuse. But the uninformed host started to egg him on, “Come on, groom, just wear it. It’s the elder’s heartfelt gift.” I immediately scolded him, “Shut up! He can’t take that watch!” Then I glared angrily at my mother, “It’s my wedding day. Can you stop causing trouble?” “If you really want to give someone a watch, then let me wear it. We can talk about this after the wedding!” For a moment, the atmosphere between us became tense. The crowd below started discussing, mostly those who didn’t know the situation. “It’s just a watch, what’s the big deal about wearing it?” “Yeah, this bride is so disrespectful. How can she treat her mother-in-law like this?” Frank hesitated for a while, then came over to pull me. “Honey, why don’t I just wear it? I don’t want to make you and your mom unhappy.” Tears burst from my eyes, “No, you’re not allowed to wear it. Otherwise, I won’t go through with this wedding.” No one wanted to break the curse of that mechanical watch more than I did. I really didn’t want to bear the weight of another life. Frank sighed, his brows furrowed deeply, seeming to be weighing his options. Seeing this, my mother stood up with a pale face, grabbed Frank’s hand and fastened the watch on him in one swift motion. The action was so fast that no one had time to react. I immediately hugged Frank tightly, my other hand trying to pull off the watch. But it was all too late. After the watch rotated once, Frank broke free from me and rushed outside like a madman in front of everyone at the venue. He crashed through the glass doors of the hall and leaped down from the eighth floor. Dying in exactly the same way as the previous nine. Frank’s mother let out a heart-wrenching scream. She ran downstairs trembling and knelt beside Frank, wailing loudly. “My son, how could you suddenly become like this? How can mother go on living without you?” I followed her down, my emotions on the verge of collapse. Just as I was about to reach out to help her up, I was pulled away by other members of the Fu family. “Don’t touch my aunt! You vixen, we’ve found out about you.” “You’re that cursed star of misfortune. Any man who dates you dies. Stay away from our Fu family!” These elders who had been so kind to me before now looked at me as if they wanted to eat me alive. A sharp pain stabbed through my chest. Looking at Frank’s lifeless face, I wished I could die in his place. Without him, I might have long lost hope for life. It was Frank who told me over and over again that what happened before had nothing to do with me, redeeming me. But now… he had died because of me. Moreover, all of this could have been prevented! I hated myself. Why didn’t I stop him when he contacted my mother? Why didn’t I hold him tighter when he broke free from me just now? Coming back to my senses, I tore off the gold necklace around my neck and threw it violently at my mother. She still had that calm and indifferent expression, just like the previous nine times. Even with Frank’s body right in front of her, there wasn’t a hint of guilt on her face. “Get out! I don’t want to see you. Why don’t you go die?” “They’re right, you’re a vixen, a star of misfortune. Nothing good will ever come from meeting you!” I clenched my fists and lunged at my mother, wanting to end it all with her like a madwoman. But she still had no reaction, “Calm down. His death has nothing to do with me.” Hearing this, Frank’s mother immediately pulled me away and started fighting with my mother herself. “Nothing to do with you? My son was so good to you, perfectly healthy. How could he suddenly commit suicide after wearing the watch you gave him?” “I don’t care what kind of sorcery you used. Today I’m going to die with you!” It wasn’t until the police arrived that this farce was finally quelled. They also learned about the previous nine cases and took it more seriously. “Ms. Su, we require you to choose someone to wear this watch again at the scene.” My mother, looking disheveled from the fight, swept a hateful glance around. “Fine, who’s willing to wear it?” Everyone took a few steps back. After all, no one wanted to gamble with their life. Lucas’s mother coldly pushed me forward. “Of course it should be her!” “You mother and daughter are both a curse. Even if you die, it wouldn’t be a pity!”

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At 35, I was forced to leave my high-paying job at a big tech company. With a decade’s worth of savings, I returned to my small hometown. Tired of the cutthroat corporate world, I just wanted a simple job that wouldn’t fry my brain in this small town. I remembered my biggest dream from sixth grade and decided to fulfill it. I ordered a small food cart and made up my mind to sell french fries outside the elementary school. With my current bank balance, it didn’t matter if I made a loss. It was just for fun anyway. What I didn’t expect was that even in this small town, there were plenty of big fish in a small pond, self-proclaimed bosses everywhere. On my first day selling fries, one of the original vendors pointed at my nose and barked, “Get lost! You’re blocking my spot!” On the second day, a kid threw a tantrum in front of my cart. “Pay up! Your fries made me sick!” On the third day, an even more formidable character showed up… Faced with all this hostility, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Was I supposed to just take this crap everywhere I went? I decided then and there – I was going to keep this fries stand running no matter what! Turning around, I bought all the storefronts along the street in front of the school. And I put up a big sign in front of each – “Private Property, No Vendors Allowed!”

At 6:30 AM, before dawn had fully broken, I had just finished setting up my cart when a pot-bellied middle-aged man approached me. He fished out a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket and offered it to me with a seemingly friendly smile. “Hey buddy, want one?” I hesitated. Was this the famous small-town hospitality I’d heard about? The casual conversation felt oddly comforting. But I don’t smoke, so I politely declined. The man withdrew his hand and leaned against my cart, his tone turning probing. “So, which school staff are you friends with? It’d be good to know!” Friends with school staff? What kind of question was that? I was momentarily confused. I responded politely, “I’m just here to sell some food. Don’t know anyone at the school.” “I see…” The man fell silent for a moment, looking down at the items on my cart. When he looked up again, his friendly smile had been replaced by an unexpected ferocity. “Listen, kid. If you don’t know anyone, why are you trying to steal this spot? Get the hell out of here!” Hearing this, I frowned deeply. Sure, my spot was in a prime location, but this wasn’t some market with assigned stalls. It was first come, first served. Looking at the man’s sudden change in attitude, I coldly replied, “I got here first. Why should I leave?” The middle-aged man laughed as if he’d heard a joke. He banged his fist on my cart, his face menacing. That earlier friendly smile seemed like a figment of my imagination. “This has always been my spot,” he growled. “And I run things around here.” Before I could respond, a crowd suddenly gathered around us. “Everyone thinks they can just waltz in here without knowing their place,” someone sneered. “How dare you try to take this spot without any connections?” another voice chimed in. “Didn’t you hear Marcus tell you to move?” a third person threatened. The crowd pressed closer, looking ready to get physical. Now I understood the man’s earlier question. So they were ganging up on me because I had no connections? I had thought I’d escaped the office politics, but it seemed small towns had their own brand of bullying. Understanding their intentions, I was annoyed but didn’t want to stoop to their level. “So where am I supposed to go?” I asked, trying to keep my cool. Marcus snorted and mockingly pointed behind me. “Over there.” I looked where he was pointing – a secluded corner, blocked from view by other vendors, right next to a public restroom. The anger I had just suppressed bubbled up again. I was about to argue when a wrinkled hand gripped my wrist. It was Old Joe, the elderly vendor next to me. He gave me a knowing look. “Better to swallow your pride than get hurt, son.” I had come here just to experience a simpler life. Not wanting to cause trouble, I tried to calm myself and followed Old Joe to the corner. His stall was nearby too. I asked him, “Does no one stop them from doing this?” Old Joe shook his head and sighed deeply. “Who’s going to stop them? The people in charge are the ones protecting Marcus and his gang.” “If you don’t have power or money, you’d better just stay put in this corner.” “Don’t try to fight them head-on, or you’ll be the one getting hurt.” I looked around and saw a few other small carts scattered in less crowded corners. Seems they had been pushed aside by Marcus’s group too. “Why don’t you all go somewhere else?” I asked, puzzled. Old Joe waved his hand dismissively. “Where isn’t it like this?” With that, he started frying up some donuts. Indeed, where wasn’t it like this? A strange sadness welled up in me as I lowered my head to set up my own cart. But as I looked down, I jumped back two meters in shock. There were several dead cockroaches floating in my frying oil!

The cockroaches had already been fried to a crispy golden brown in the clear hot oil. This was definitely not something I had brought with me. I had checked my cart several times before setting up. There was no way I could have such a hygiene issue. Was it because we were so close to the restroom? Or was there another possibility… I looked up and stared directly at Marcus, who was busy with a crowd of students. As if sensing my gaze, Marcus suddenly turned his head. He raised his eyebrows at me triumphantly. So it was them who did this! Just as I confirmed my suspicion, I saw a vendor to my left seemingly receive a signal from Marcus. The man wiped his hands on his pants and walked straight towards me. Before he even got close, he started shouting. “Oh my god! Your oil is full of cockroaches!” The man’s exclamation immediately drew the attention of parents dropping off their kids. For the first time, this secluded corner became the center of attention. “Holy crap! It’s true, look at those cockroach legs still twitching!” The man pinched his nose and changed his tone. “What kind of person serves such filthy food to children? Who knows what other disgusting things are going on behind the scenes. Maybe he’s even using gutter oil!” “Quick! Take a picture of him! We can’t let this scammer get away with it!” Someone shouted, and suddenly a barrage of camera flashes went off in my face. I quickly shielded my eyes and lifted up my oil container. “This is branded oil, I guarantee I’m not using any gutter oil!” I protested. “The cockroaches in my fryer were put there by someone else on purpose!” My explanation barely managed to quiet the crowd when the man who started the commotion spoke up again. “How do we know you didn’t just put gutter oil in that container? And who would put cockroaches in your fryer? Are you trying to frame someone?” I met the man’s challenging gaze, knowing I had no evidence even though I knew they were behind this. At this moment, Old Joe came over and tried to reason with the instigator. “Come on, Sam, why are you doing this? The young man is just trying to make an honest living.” With a long sigh, Old Joe turned to address the crowd. “Everyone, I can vouch that this young man is not what you think. I’ve been selling here for over a decade. If you trust me, I’ll keep an eye on him for you all…” Old Joe’s words sent a wave of warmth through me. We had only just met as strangers. But before he could finish, Sam cut him off. “Old man, are you looking to quit this job? Or maybe you’re in cahoots with him!” Faced with Sam’s blatant threat, Old Joe’s weathered face turned bright red. I gently pushed Old Joe aside, not wanting the old man to get further involved in this mess. After a brief silence, the observing parents erupted again. “Old Joe, don’t let this guy fool you! I’ve never seen this vendor before when dropping off my kid. He must be some scammer from out of town!” “Young and already so crooked! Kids have delicate stomachs, how could they handle this kind of food?” “My cousin’s child got severe food poisoning from eating at a street stall like this. They couldn’t save him in the end.” “Come on everyone, let’s drive him out of here!” Seeing the crowd pushing towards me and the contaminated oil in my fryer, I knew I wouldn’t be able to continue business on my first day. Under the triumphant gazes of Marcus and his cronies, I pushed away my carefully prepared cart in defeat. Well, well. The same old story. Two weeks ago, I was framed at my company in a similar fashion. A coworker, jealous of my $500,000 annual salary, deliberately sabotaged one of my projects. Luckily I managed to fix it in time before it became a major issue. But by then, I was already tired of office politics, so I didn’t pursue the matter further and let them off the hook. But I’m not one to always turn the other cheek. I can’t keep swallowing my pride everywhere I go. That night, I made a phone call. “Hello, I’d like to buy all the shops on that street.”

Early the next morning, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, I once again pushed my cart to the old spot. In front of my cart, I set up a small blackboard. [Crispy French Fries, Free Today!] There was another reason why Marcus and his gang had bullied me so much yesterday. His cart also sold fries. He wanted to drive me away simply because he was afraid I’d steal his business. If that’s the case, I’ll do exactly that. As I expected, most of the students were drawn by the smell. Soon, my cart was surrounded by people, while Marcus’s prime spot was empty despite its good location. I happened to look up and met his venomous glare. Only Old Joe tugged at my sleeve, his face full of worry. “You’ve really offended them now. Besides, aren’t you losing money like this?” I smiled at Old Joe, assuring him it was fine. What did this bit of money matter? The ones who should be worried might not be me… Just then, Marcus came over, shouting loudly. “Don’t be fooled by his free sign, folks! His food is dirty. You’ll get sick if you eat it!” Marcus’s shout drew more attention. But before he could gloat, he was immediately contradicted by several students. “Mister, don’t lie!” “We know whether these free fries are clean or not!” “Yeah, that’s right!” Several students chimed in agreement. Just as Marcus was at a loss for words, a parent-like figure emerged from the crowd. “Kids, don’t be fooled by bad people!” “Yesterday, I saw with my own eyes, he pulled out a bunch of cockroaches from his fryer!” Seeing yesterday’s “witness”, Marcus regained his confidence. “That’s right, lots of people saw the cockroaches in his fryer yesterday.” “Kids, if you want fries, go buy from the stall up front. It’s guaranteed clean and safe!” At this moment, my untimely chuckle rang out. “If anyone’s worried, you can check the video on my phone. I’ve recorded everything from peeling the potatoes to putting them in cold oil.” “So there’s no need to worry about any hygiene issues.” Hearing this, the students’ faces lit up with bright smiles. Only Marcus still wore a gloomy expression, though a cold smile quickly curved his lips. “Ouch!” A student in the crowd suddenly cried out and fell to the ground. Marcus rushed over to help as if he’d seen his own son fall, asking with concern, “What’s wrong, kid?” The boy clutched his stomach, crying out in pain. “I ate his fries and now my stomach hurts!” The boy pointed at me while still holding his stomach. The crowd was shocked by the boy’s condition and started accusing me. “See? I told you his food wasn’t clean!” “Heartless beast! Shame on you!” “The kid’s stomach is ruined. Let’s see how you handle this.” While the crowd was in an uproar, I remained calm. From my angle, I could see the boy’s performance was quite amateur. I smiled and walked towards the boy, noticing a flash of panic cross his face. “As it happens, I used to study medicine. Let me take a look.” Without letting the boy struggle free, I quickly pinched the pressure point between his thumb and index finger. Feeling the sudden pain, the boy let out a yelp and sprang to his feet. “What’s this? Not hurting anymore?” I asked coldly, my gaze fixed on Marcus’s increasingly dark expression. “You hurt the young master. You’re gonna pay for this, kid,” Marcus growled. “If I let you keep your stall running, I’ll change my name! Let’s see how long you can keep giving out free food!” After throwing out these threats, Marcus left with the boy. As the crowd dispersed, Old Joe spoke to me earnestly. “Young man, you’d better find a different spot tomorrow.” I guessed and asked, “Is this ‘young master’ Marcus mentioned the child of some big shot at the school?” Old Joe sighed deeply and nodded at me. But no matter how big a shot they were, so what? I looked around at the row of storefronts near the school entrance. It really was quite a prime location…

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Every time my debt-ridden husband stayed overnight at his female assistant’s place, he would order a million-dollar coffee from my coffee shop. After three years of marriage, my bank account balance had reached 96 million. Until my husband bought my coffee for the 97th time, I received a screenshot of the order from his female assistant. “I want Miss Johnson to deliver it personally, and bring some condoms along.” I didn’t throw a fit. Instead, I personally delivered the coffee to the female assistant and thoughtfully included a couple’s pack of condoms. Seeing how understanding I was, my husband rewarded me by letting me accompany him to a high-end business dinner. But at the dinner, the female assistant caught the eye of a business partner. She smashed a bottle and held it to her neck, swearing she’d rather die than comply: “Jack, please don’t give me to someone else!” My usually serious husband suddenly panicked. With red eyes, he begged me to go entertain the business partner. “I promise it’s just drinks. I won’t let you suffer any grievances. After tonight, I’ll spend time with you properly.” Everyone in the private room was waiting for me to make a scene, but contrary to expectations, I agreed to go in her place. What the man didn’t know was that this was the 97th time he had hurt me. And I no longer wanted a future with him. I was just waiting to repay the ten billion debt I owed him. Then we would be even once and for all.

“Well, well! Coffee girl, your husband asked you to entertain, and you’re really going to do it!?” “And you say it’s not for the money. No normal person could accept their husband treating them like this!” After I agreed to entertain, those fair-weather friends who once begged to cooperate with the Thompson family circled around me, criticizing and mocking incessantly. “What else can she do? Isn’t her life just collateral? Did she really think getting married meant she could ride over Olivia?” “She’s just a leech sucking Jack’s blood. Being able to entertain for Olivia is worth the money Jack spent on her!” Amidst all this acidity and sarcasm, I watched as Jack held Olivia in his arms, his expression gentle as he constantly comforted her. Only occasionally would his gaze sweep over to me, taking everything in. He knew Olivia’s suicide attempt was just an act for attention, but he still indulged and comforted her gently: “If you don’t want to go, then don’t. I’ll always find a way to cover for you. But don’t be so impulsive in the future, it breaks my heart…” From beginning to end, all he cared about was Olivia’s well-being. He completely forgot that I was his wife. He also forgot that he went from having nothing to his current net worth of billions, all because of the resources I begged my father for on my knees back then. A moment later, Olivia calmed down from her panic under Jack’s comfort. I asked her which private room to go to, intending to fulfill the agreement, but Olivia hesitated and stammered. After Jack’s repeated promises, she finally grabbed my hand with tearful eyes, pretending to be reluctant: “Mr. Chen likes painting and wants me to be his nude model. I was wondering if you could take my place, sister-in-law, but I’m afraid you wouldn’t be willing…” Instantly, all eyes focused on me. But I only looked at Jack. I had already agreed to entertain, my dignity trampled under their feet. Was he really going to make me be some nude model for others to mock and play with their burning gazes? Seeing Olivia so carefully begging me, Jack’s eyes were full of distress. He looked at me intently: “Anna, Olivia isn’t feeling well. You’ve already agreed to entertain, it’s just being a model. You’ll agree, right?” My heart sank. I almost forgot that Jack always listened to Olivia. After all, she was Jack’s first love. If it weren’t for the Parker family’s obstruction, they would have been married long ago. Now that they were reunited, how could I, an empty shell occupying another’s nest, dare to hope for even a shred of pity from him? I struggled to control my trembling body and took a deep breath before asking him: “Can that count as one perfect score?” Perfect score? The people around laughed at my inexplicable words, but Jack frowned silently. He knew what I was talking about. He didn’t want to agree, but seeing Olivia about to kneel before me, he quickly made a decision: “It counts.” I smiled bitterly: “Alright, I agree.” Three years ago, when I was still a rich heiress, I was experiencing life by delivering coffee when I accidentally encountered Jack and fell in love with him. But when my family went bankrupt overnight and my parents died, I was crushed by a ten billion debt. It was Jack who came down from the heavens, proposing with a ten billion dowry to help me clear my debt. On our wedding night, after making love, I asked him how I could repay this kindness. He looked at me with tender eyes: “Then be my wife.” I was confused: “I’m already your wife now.” His kisses fell densely as he casually said: “Then… do 99 things that can earn my perfect score, or after I hurt you 99 times, this debt of gratitude will be written off.” For three years of marriage, he always treated me like a precious treasure, carefully and gently. Until two months ago, when Olivia returned from abroad, everything changed. Now it’s the 97th time. Just two more times, and I’ll have repaid my debt. Entering the business partner’s private room, it was filled with a hazy, ambiguous atmosphere. Men and women were intimately entangled, and the gazes directed at me were tinged with excitement. Jack suddenly hesitated and asked Olivia: “Is it really just modeling?” “What… what else could it be?” She hesitated for a moment. Jack wanted to say something more, but Olivia pulled him out of the room. Before leaving, he glanced at me, his eyes dark and unreadable. “Wait.” But before he could step out, the greasy man called out to the two of them, his voice tinged with displeasure. “Mr. Thompson! I asked for Miss Parker. You casually throwing someone else at me like this – have I offended you in some way?” The greasy man’s gaze swept over me and Jack, finally landing on Olivia, staring at her until she shivered. Olivia glanced at the shocked Jack, her expression righteous. “I heard Mr. Chen needed a nude model for painting. Miss Johnson has a nice figure, she’ll surely help you create a masterpiece.” “Mr. Chen, don’t you want to try?” As she finished speaking, she gave me a push. Suddenly, I was exposed to the greasy man’s leering gaze. That appraising look was slimy and sticky, making me shudder all over. It was only then that I realized the nude modeling Olivia spoke of actually meant letting me sleep with someone else. I felt like my throat was constricted, unable to breathe. I could only quickly look to Jack for help. Jack used to be very good to me, only changing after Olivia appeared, but at least I was still his wife now. Surely he wouldn’t just stand by and do nothing? But unexpectedly, Jack only showed a hint of anger before handing me a glass of wine: “Aren’t you going to toast Mr. Chen?” I struggled to control the violent heaving of my chest, but my feet were nailed to the spot. In a daze, Olivia turned and gave me an eerie smile. The next moment, my body moved uncontrollably towards the greasy man, spilling wine all over him. I fell onto the shattered glass shards, instantly cutting several bloody gashes on my arm. My face was also cut, oozing blood. The pain spread instantly, and I curled up on the ground, unable to hold back a cry of pain. Olivia screamed in shock: “Sister-in-law, if you didn’t want to toast, you could have just said so. You didn’t need to pretend to fall on purpose to anger Mr. Chen.” As soon as she finished speaking, the greasy man flew into a rage. But just as he was about to explode, he was intimidated by Jack’s icy face. He could only grit his teeth, wipe the wine off himself, and leave in a huff. Inside the private room, Jack’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot, while I breathed a sigh of relief, wanting to quickly escape. I hadn’t taken more than a few stumbling steps when he grabbed my arm. Jack completely ignored my injuries, his mind full of Olivia’s provocative words. He berated me angrily: “Anna Johnson, I’ve warned you to put aside your petty thoughts. Look at what you’ve done!” “When I tell you to entertain, can’t you just smile? Have these years of poverty made you forget the etiquette of a wealthy heiress? Have you also forgotten the rules of high society? Don’t you know that just toasting would have ended this?” I unconsciously clenched my fists and looked at Jack. Gritting my teeth, I said: “But I’m your wife, and this so-called Mr. Chen is just a small supplier relying on your goodwill.” My meaning was clear. If he had just been unwilling, or even pointed out my identity, That Mr. Chen wouldn’t have dared to do this. The reason he was unwilling to point it out was just to cater to Olivia’s little vanity. Jack’s eyes suddenly became evasive under my gaze. But before he could speak, Olivia started berating me first. “Anna Johnson! How dare you speak to Jack like that! Have you forgotten that Jack bought you? Without him, you couldn’t even survive! If he wasn’t supporting you, who knows where you’d be selling your body now!” “What’s this? Just a small matter and you dare to get angry at Jack!” Olivia’s words stabbed at my heart one by one. My eyes instantly reddened. Jack raised an eyebrow, unusually angry at Olivia. “Enough! This won’t happen again! Go wait for me in the car.” After Olivia left, his expression changed to one of apology as he explained to me. “That’s just how she is. All that talk about buying and supporting, don’t take it to heart.” Jack glanced at my injured face and frowned. “Your face is hurt. Go to the hospital yourself first. I’ll come back to keep you company after I finish my work tonight.” He didn’t let me speak, just turned and left. But he was right, I didn’t need to keep taking it to heart anymore. Just two more times, and I’ll have repaid my debt. In the future, I won’t need him to support me either.

After going to the hospital, I got home around midnight. He didn’t come back in the evening as he said he would, and I didn’t inquire as I usually did. The next day, his assistant brought me his compensation – two black cards. This was Jack’s default compensation after hurting me each time. He specifically emphasized that one card was an apology for making me entertain, and the other was compensation for forcing me to be a nude model. Expressionlessly, I labeled the two black cards with the numbers 96 and 97 and carelessly stuffed them into a drawer. Looking at the drawer full of black cards, I knew that I would soon be free. After packing up some personal belongings, I headed downstairs towards the stables. Jack had given me many things, but I didn’t want any of them. The only thing I wanted to take was the horse named Snowflake. It was a birthday gift from my parents when I turned 18, and after the bankruptcy, it was all I had left. But Jack hated animals, yet he still built a stable just for Snowflake, for my sake. Seeing me come to feed the horse, a servant smiled and said, “Madam, the master is already feeding the horse.” I was stunned. He was always so attentive to small things, making me think he had truly fallen in love with me. I went over expressionlessly, intending to get the last two perfect scores. But when I arrived at the stable and saw the situation clearly, my heart instantly chilled! Olivia was riding on Snowflake’s back, viciously whipping the horse’s head. Snowflake whinnied in pain repeatedly. And Jack stood by with interest, just watching. He clearly knew that Snowflake was my most beloved horse! Yet he still watched Olivia beat it. I rushed over, screaming frantically: “Stop! It’s my horse! Don’t hit it!” Seeing me run over in panic, Olivia landed two more vicious lashes before stopping: “Sister-in-law, so Snowflake belongs to you? Jack said he had a particularly unruly horse here, so he brought me to play with it.” “I really like this horse. Sister-in-law, could you sell it to me?” Jack also came forward, frowning as he looked at me: “What are you yelling for? Don’t you know Olivia’s mental state isn’t good? There are other more expensive horses in the stable. Just give Snowflake to Olivia and pick any of the others you want, isn’t that fine?” I looked at him in dismay: “Have you forgotten? This is the heirloom my parents left me.” Jack was stunned for a moment. Just when I thought he would tell Olivia to get down, He said: “Just this once. I’ll buy you a better one later, okay?” Olivia immediately threw down the whip, stroking Snowflake’s head with eyes full of reluctance and tears: “Jack, if sister-in-law is unwilling, then forget it. It’s me who’s trying to take what others love and making myself disliked. I’m so despicable, I don’t deserve such a good horse. Don’t force sister-in-law.” This made Jack even more distressed. He emphasized again that I should give Snowflake to Olivia. I looked at him in shock. Olivia clearly knew how important Snowflake was to me and was deliberately trying to upset me. But Jack just indulged her. I didn’t want to speak. I just went forward to lead Snowflake away. But Jack caught up and grabbed me. “It’s just an animal. If Olivia wants it, give it to her. You’re living off me, can’t I make decisions about your horse?” Even though I was willing to die rather than sign, he forcibly pressed my handprint onto the sales agreement. Olivia said haughtily: “Sister-in-law, your horse is mine now.” At that moment, Snowflake seemed to sense something and kept whinnying at me. The next second, Olivia viciously stabbed the whip into Snowflake’s eye. My heart sank sharply: “Snowflake!” Snowflake reared in pain and started galloping wildly. Olivia swayed chaotically on its back, screaming in terror: “Jack, save me!” Jack was scared out of his wits. He found a hunting rifle in the storage room and aimed at the horse’s head, ready to shoot. I frantically blocked the gun barrel, begging him: “Don’t shoot! I can calm Snowflake down, I can—” “Get out of the way!” Before I could finish, Jack had already roughly pushed me aside, aimed again, and pulled the trigger. With a bang, the bullet pierced through Snowflake’s skull. The horse fell to the ground. Snowflake was lifeless, and my heart felt like it had been stabbed through. I hugged the horse’s body and cried until I was numb. In my daze, I heard Jack and Olivia’s conversation: “Jack, sister-in-law…” “An animal died, so it died. As long as you’re okay, that’s what matters.” “It’s fine, I’ll count this as one perfect score for her. After all…” “There are still dozens more to go.” No, there weren’t. There was only one left. After cremating Snowflake, I returned home and took out my diary. Snowflake was the last memento my parents left me, but because of my powerlessness, it died. Perhaps Mom and Dad were telling me from heaven that everything should end, that nothing should bind me anymore. With tears in my eyes, I wrote the number 98 at the end of the dense list of numbers. But then a shadow fell across my desk. I quickly turned around and saw Jack’s tightly furrowed brows. He looked at my diary with a dark face, an uneasy feeling rising in his heart: “What does this 98 mean?”

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I was Lucas’s first love, standing by his side through those difficult years. He swore he’d love me forever, even if we were apart. He promised his love for me would never change. Later, when I finally returned, we got together as we had always planned. But something seemed different. “Lucas, help me, please… please help me…” A soft, sobbing voice came through the phone, sounding like a mewling kitten. Lucas’s hand tightened on his phone. He glanced at me instinctively. Our eyes met, and I saw a flash of panic in his. He took a deep breath and spoke coldly into the phone, “I’m busy right now.” Then he hung up. I watched him put down the phone and pick up his pen again, but his writing was rushed and messy. Just like his inner turmoil at that moment. I sighed, “What’s wrong?” “Nothing!” Our voices rang out simultaneously. Once again, I saw the panic in his eyes, followed by worry. I suddenly felt like laughing. But before I could, his phone buzzed again. It was a SnapChat message. As he picked it up to look, I caught a glimpse of the screen. I couldn’t see clearly, but it seemed to be an arm covered in bruises. Lucas couldn’t sit still any longer. He stood up abruptly. “Hazel, I… I have something urgent at work. Can I…” “If it’s urgent, go ahead.” I might have agreed too quickly. Lucas was visibly taken aback. He looked at me, hesitating. I smiled slightly, “What’s wrong? Don’t you have something urgent?” “Oh, right. I’ll… I’ll go then.” Lucas glanced at the wedding invitations spread out on the table, bit his lip, but still turned to leave. As the door closed, I let out a long sigh. I felt like all the bones had been sucked out of my body. I collapsed onto the sofa, feeling utterly drained. Everywhere I looked, there were unfinished wedding invitations. I picked up the one he had been working on and looked at it. Suddenly, I laughed out loud. “We joyfully invite you to celebrate our wedding…” At the bottom, the names — Groom: Lucas. Bride… Natalie.

I’m Hazel, Lucas’s first love, his ideal love, the person he cherished for many years. And Natalie? She’s his ex-girlfriend. Complicated, isn’t it? When I first found out, I was quite shocked too. Later, I learned that when I wasn’t around, Natalie had been there for him, accompanying him through those sad and difficult times. She shielded him from the wind and rain, cared for him, and never backed down even when faced with his cold sarcasm. She stubbornly stayed by his side. When I heard this, I was quite moved. I almost teared up. If only it wasn’t about my boyfriend. When I found out Lucas had a new girlfriend, I was genuinely stunned. How could the boy who had sworn and promised to wait for me when I left have someone else by his side? Later, Lucas explained to me that he had missed me so much that he drank to numb the pain, even drinking until he had a stomach ulcer. It was Natalie who took care of him tirelessly, working herself to exhaustion without complaint. Until she fainted in front of him, he finally felt sympathy. He agreed to her request. “Hazel, I didn’t change my heart. I just felt sorry for her, so… We agreed that when you came back, she would leave.” Lucas held my hand, his eyes red, begging desperately, “I didn’t betray you. It’s just that the days without you were really hard to bear.” “When I was sick in the hospital, I wished so much that it was you by my side.” Hearing these words, my heart was immediately filled with guilt. Seeing the caution in his eyes as he looked at me, I finally couldn’t bear it. This was the boy I had loved since I was young. During my six years abroad, I thought about him constantly. To be able to return and be with him sooner, I put in so much effort. This relationship had lasted for over a decade. Even if his heart had strayed momentarily, I should forgive him. Yes, I should forgive him. At least when I came back, he had ended things cleanly with Natalie. He only had me in his heart. That’s what I always believed. But reality seemed to always go against me, pouring cold water on me when I was full of joy.

I sighed and put away all the unfinished invitations. Originally, we had agreed to spend the weekend doing nothing but writing invitations. I didn’t expect an emergency to come up. He left, and I couldn’t continue writing either. As for whether we would write them in the future, I wasn’t sure. The invitation with “Natalie” written as the bride’s name, I packed separately. I don’t know why I did that. Such an eyesore should have been thrown away. After tidying up, I went back to my parents’ home. My mom was surprised to see me when she opened the door: “Why are you suddenly back?” Then she looked behind me expectantly. I knew who she was looking for and smiled, “Lucas is busy with work. I came back alone.” “About to get married and still so busy all the time.” Although she sounded disapproving, the smile on my mom’s face was undeniable. She was very satisfied with Lucas. Or rather, she was very satisfied now. Initially, she was the one most opposed to us being together. She said, “Children from unhappy families often have character flaws. And with his family being so chaotic, you’ll have a lot to deal with in the future.” But I didn’t care. I didn’t care that his parents had divorced early due to a bad relationship, nor did I care that his dad often caused trouble when drunk and had a bad reputation. In my eyes, Lucas would always be that young hero who would stand up for me when I was in danger. A hero who belonged only to me. During the years I was away, Lucas worked hard to improve himself. He got a good and respectable job, and even bought a house and a car with his own efforts. In my parents’ eyes, he became someone worthy of entrusting their daughter to. So my mom no longer opposed our relationship. She even urged us to get married soon. “You left for abroad right after college graduation. It’s been six years since you came back. You’re already thirty now. If you don’t get married soon, you’ll become an old maid.” I had just returned not long ago when I heard this. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I told Lucas about it as a joke. But he took it seriously. The next day, he went to buy a ring and proposed to me. In front of everyone, including Natalie. Lucas knelt on one knee: “Hazel, will you marry me?” I was in tears, nodding and saying “I do.” As he put the ring on my finger, I caught a glimpse of Natalie from the corner of my eye. She was in tears too. Seeming to notice my gaze, she paused for a moment, then turned and left. She left quite noisily, catching Lucas’s attention. He seemed to want to go after her. I instinctively held him back. Lucas suddenly came to his senses and quickly explained, “I must have seen wrong.” I nodded, not saying anything. But the panic I felt at that moment was real.

After the proposal, meeting the parents, getting engaged, planning the wedding… everything proceeded step by step, as usual. Lucas, as he said, cut off all contact with Natalie. Never contacted her again. At least that’s what I thought. If I hadn’t woken up in the middle of the night and heard him talking on the phone in the bathroom, I would have believed it. “Alright, alright, stop crying. Where are you? I’ll come find you now.” “It’s okay, I’m here. No one can bully you.” “Ten minutes, I’ll be right there!” Listening to that anxious voice from the bathroom, I could imagine his expression at that moment. His brows must have been furrowed, his face tense. One hand holding the phone, the other gesturing in the air as if comforting someone. He once said, “Even if I’m not by your side, at least I can comfort you this way.” I was lost in memories when I heard the door open. Instinctively, I grabbed the doorknob, pretending I was about to push the door open. I ran into Lucas unexpectedly. “Hazel, why are you…” The fleeting panic on Lucas’s face was clear as day to me. But I still pretended not to know, squinting my eyes, “I need to use the bathroom.” Then I yawned, as if just realizing, “Oh, why are you in here?” As soon as I finished speaking, I saw him let out a relieved sigh. His whole demeanor relaxed. “I just finished too. Go ahead.” He reached out to ruffle my hair. I avoided it by lowering my head and rubbing my eyes. Lucas didn’t seem to mind. Before I closed the door, he said, “Sam just called me. He has some urgent business. I’m going to check it out.” I kept my head down, my hand on the door tightening secretly. Taking a deep breath, I looked up at him: “It’s so late. Can you not go?” Lucas’s face showed a hint of difficulty: “From his tone, it seems he’s in trouble. He’s my buddy, I can’t ignore him.” “Don’t worry, I’ll be back as soon as I deal with it. Nothing will happen.” I took another deep breath: “Then let me go with you. Two people are safer than one.” Not surprisingly, Lucas refused. “It’s late at night. It’s not safe for a girl like you.” “Don’t worry, don’t you trust me to handle things?” With that, he turned and left. I heard the sound of the door closing and suddenly felt like my whole body had gone limp. I leaned against the door and slowly crouched down. Staring at the floor in front of me, everything looked blurry. He seemed to be by my side, but why did I always feel like I couldn’t hold onto him?

That night, Lucas didn’t come back. The next day, Sam called to apologize: “Hazel, I’m sorry. Lucas helped me deal with something last night. It was too late, so I didn’t let him go back. Don’t be angry. I’ll treat you to a meal another day to make up for it.” I smiled, “You better not go back on your word.” “Don’t worry, I definitely won’t.” After hanging up the phone, the smile on my face gradually disappeared. I wasn’t surprised that Sam would lie for him. They were best friends, close enough to share everything. The tacit understanding between them didn’t need excessive words. A single glance was enough to understand each other’s meaning. Helping a buddy deal with his girlfriend’s interrogation was second nature to him. Later, Lucas came back, specially bringing me a small cake. “I’m sorry. I said I’d be back early, but I didn’t expect things to be so complicated. By the time it was dealt with, it was already dawn. I couldn’t hold on, so I slept at Sam’s place.” Lucas explained with an apologetic smile. He presented the cake to me like a peace offering: “Don’t be angry. Eat something sweet, it’ll make you feel better.” I looked at the cake, then at him. Suddenly, I smiled. “It’s good that you’re okay.” Seeing me smile, Lucas also breathed a sigh of relief. “Shall I cut the cake for you?” I shook my head: “I’m on a diet. I can’t eat it.” “What diet? My wife is the most beautiful.” The usual sweet talk, but I felt a bit nauseated hearing it. I shook my head again: “No, I have to maintain my figure. Otherwise, I won’t fit into the wedding dress.” Hearing this, he had no choice but to give up and ate the small cake himself. Actually, I didn’t need to diet. I could have eaten it. But the store that sold that cake was unique in the city. It was right near Natalie’s house. Miles away from Sam’s place. Lucas thought I didn’t know, but I knew everything. But I didn’t say anything.

On the day of trying on wedding dresses, Lucas cleared his schedule in advance. He arranged all his work. He said, “Nothing and no one can disturb me when I witness my wife at her most beautiful moment.” Seeing his serious expression, I felt a surge of sweetness in my heart, diluting some of the previous bitterness. I thought, maybe it’s not so bad after all. Even if they were just ordinary friends, he couldn’t stand by and do nothing. He had always been a brave person. That’s why I fell for him in the first place. We were in the bridal shop, trying on dress after dress, selecting the most suitable one. Lucas gave his opinions seriously, showing no dissatisfaction despite the tedious process. Even the shop assistant praised him. My mood was getting better and better. I once again felt the joy of getting married. Until his phone rang. I watched him take out his phone and walk to the side to answer the call. He came back soon after, stuttering a bit: “A friend is nearby. She heard we’re choosing wedding dresses and wants to come take a look.” I lowered my head, fiddling with the tassels on the wedding dress. After a moment, I looked up at him and smiled: “Sure, the more opinions, the better.” Seeing that I wasn’t upset, Lucas secretly breathed a sigh of relief and turned to run out. As soon as he left, the smile on my face vanished. I turned to look at myself in the mirror. The smile frozen on my face looked like it had been drawn on. Like a clown.

Lucas came back quickly. Natalie was following behind him. As usual, she was shy and timid, hiding behind Lucas, peeking out timidly. She glanced at me quickly, then hurriedly lowered her head. When she greeted me, her voice was as quiet as a mosquito’s hum: “Sister Hazel, hello.” I looked at her and suddenly understood why Lucas would be moved. Such a delicate flower, fragile and pitiful, in need of love and care. And yet she could bear the pressure and stay by Lucas’s side without complaint. A weak girl gritting her teeth and putting on a brave face – how could a man not be moved? Lucas had always been somewhat macho. He liked submission, not assertiveness. I often had my own opinions, which he found somewhat objectionable. And I would never hide behind him like Natalie did. As if he was her safe harbor, her whole world. Seeing that I hadn’t spoken for a long time, just staring at her, she became a bit flustered. She tugged gently at Lucas’s clothes, swaying slightly, seeking help. Lucas turned his head and gave her a reassuring look. He then turned to me: “Hazel, Natalie is greeting you.” I watched their little interaction and suddenly felt like laughing. But I held it in. I nodded, considering it as having returned the greeting. I turned to face the mirror, admiring my wedding dress. Through the mirror, I saw a flash of anger cross Lucas’s face, gone in an instant. At that moment, my heart felt blocked, as if a stone was pressing on it, making it hard to breathe. I took a deep breath, trying hard not to show it. But I still failed. Because I heard Natalie say: “Sister Hazel looks so beautiful in the wedding dress. I want to try one too. I wonder if that’s okay.” And Lucas, my fiancé, said: “Of course.” “If you like it, try it on. It’s fine.” Then he took a wedding dress and handed it to Natalie. As luck would have it, it was one of the dresses we had decided to keep for final selection earlier. At that moment, the anger in my heart suddenly couldn’t be contained anymore—

“That’s my wedding dress. Put it down.” Natalie’s hand trembled, and the wedding dress fell to the ground. Lucas’s smile also froze instantly. He frowned at me, looking displeased. The accusation in his eyes almost made me lose my balance. I clenched my fists, the pain in my palms making me more clear-headed. “If you want to try on a wedding dress, there are plenty over there. This is one I’ve chosen, and I don’t want anyone else taking it.” I emphasized the words “taking it” heavily. Natalie’s little face instantly turned pale. Her body swayed, as if she was about to collapse. Seeing this, Lucas hurriedly supported her, letting her lean against his chest. “Natalie, are you okay?” Natalie shook her head, glanced at me, then quickly lowered her head again. Her weak and pitiful appearance really made people feel sorry for her. Lucas felt sorry for her. He held Natalie and shouted at me: “Hazel, it’s just a wedding dress, do you have to be so aggressive? Natalie is timid, why are you bullying her!” Bullying her? Hearing this, I couldn’t help but laugh. I felt particularly confused and didn’t understand. “How am I bullying her?” I walked forward and picked up the wedding dress from the ground. “This dress, you just said I looked good in it and that it could be the main dress for the wedding. Then you want to give the dress chosen for me to your ex-girlfriend to wear.” I looked at the two of them embracing, the smile on my face growing wider. “Lucas, how many years has it been since the Qing Dynasty fell? Are you still dreaming of having a harem?” “Hazel, I…” Lucas seemed to finally realize his behavior was inappropriate and instinctively pushed Natalie away. I watched her stumble, almost falling, yet staring at Lucas with big eyes full of hurt. It seemed Lucas’s letting go hurt her more. But Lucas only looked at me, wanting to explain something but at a loss for words. I didn’t want to listen. “Lucas, when she’s wronged, you comfort her. When I’m wronged, you yell at me.” “If you can’t tell who your girlfriend is, then there’s no need for this wedding.” With that, I turned and went into the changing room, taking off the wedding dress. When I came out, I found that Lucas and Natalie were gone. At that moment, it felt like I had been slapped out of nowhere. My face hurt, and so did my heart.

The shop assistant was a gentle girl. Seeing me looking lost, she came forward to explain: “Just after you went in, that girl fainted. Your… boyfriend carried her away. They probably went to the hospital.” Fainted? What a coincidence. I smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. “Then the wedding dress…” “Just that one.” I pointed to the one that had fallen on the ground earlier. “Please pack it up for me, thank you.” The shop assistant seemed to want to say something but ultimately said nothing and went to process the bill. As she saw me out, she suddenly comforted me: “Marriage isn’t the destination of love. If you feel confused, why not stop and think it over carefully?” I was stunned for a moment, then smiled and nodded. But in my heart, it felt like a wasteland, overgrown with weeds, lifeless. Something that outsiders could see through at a glance, I was still unwilling to let go. When I got home, I took out the wedding dress, hung it up, and carefully smoothed it out. As white as snow, adorned with exquisite rhinestones, sparkling under the light. It really was beautiful. No wonder Natalie liked it too. I heard the door open but ignored it, continuing to smooth out the small wrinkles in the skirt. Until someone came up behind me and hugged me tightly. “Hazel…” His voice was full of longing and dependence. As if I was his whole world. Every time he called me like this, my heart would tremble. “Hazel, I’m sorry. I didn’t think it through today.” “Natalie’s parents favor boys over girls and treat her badly. When I was there to protect her, things were a bit better. Now that we’ve separated, her parents have become even worse. They found her a man twenty years older than her, and disabled, just because he could give a $20,000 bride price. She was scared, that’s why she came to me for help.” “I won’t let her appear in front of you again, okay? Don’t be angry. Forgive me, please.” I listened to him explaining and apologizing humbly, but my heart felt nothing. Strangely, it was as if it had nothing to do with me.

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The day my ex-boyfriend, Spencer Drayton, became the world boxing champion was the same day I, Madeleine Ford, got my terminal diagnosis. During the live broadcast interview, the host asked Spencer who’d been his rock during the hardest times. He called my number. “Back then, you dumped me because you thought I was a nobody, got rid of our kid, and ran off with someone else. Any regrets now?” I glanced at the date the doctors predicted I’d die and laughed, a wild, almost freeing sound. “Maybe we should just get back together. I get a champion boxer boyfriend. You get a five-year-old son. Win-win.” He hung up instantly. On the broadcast, Spencer’s laugh was ice-cold. “Thanks to my ex for giving me this humiliation. It’s what drove me to where I am today.” I smiled through my tears, wiping them away. He had no idea. If I hadn’t walked away, he would have died in that ring. A friend request popped up on my phone. The profile picture was of my ex, Spencer. After a moment’s hesitation, I hit accept. Instantly, a fifty-thousand-dollar transfer notification followed. The message attached: [I want to see the child.] It took me a long moment to process what he meant. A knot of complicated feelings tightened in my chest. I accepted the money, then typed back: [Okay. Where are you?] He dropped a pin, a private, members-only club. I transferred the funds straight to my adopted son Theo Ford’s account, pulled myself together, grabbed my purse, and headed for the club. As I approached the private room, a familiar voice drifted out. Peeking through the door crack, I saw Spencer standing tall and straight. Seven years had passed. He looked more mature, more grounded, though his features were fundamentally unchanged. But the woman beside him wasn’t me anymore. From the way he was dressed, it was clear he’d just finished a livestream and rushed straight here. His new girlfriend, Tessa Sutton, had thrown him a victory party here, celebrating him becoming the youngest champion ever. Spencer cradled Tessa’s face, brushing a tender kiss across her forehead. I snapped my head away, a sharp pain lancing through my heart. All I wanted was to leave right then and there. Suddenly, the door was yanked open. Startled, I looked up. Spencer stood there, his face a mask of indifference. His cold gaze swept over me, head to toe, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “After all this time, not even a hello before leaving? That’s a bit rude, don’t you think?” I stared at him, a thousand unspoken words catching in my throat. I swallowed them down. What came out was, “You wanted to see the child, right? Can you come with me now?” Spencer froze. Then raw fury ignited in his icy eyes. He slammed me against the wall, his hands digging into my shoulders as he growled, his voice low and furious, “Seven years ago, you vanished without a word, and now this is the first thing you say to me?” A sharp, throbbing ache radiated from where his fingers pressed into a bruise on my shoulder. I gasped against the pain but showed a brittle laugh. “Mr. Drayton, are you afraid Ms. Sutton might get jealous? I’m sure she would be delighted to hear I have a child, wouldn’t she?” I aimed the last words at Tessa, who had followed him out and now stood possessively in the doorway. Shock registered on both their faces. Pain flickered in Spencer’s eyes, mixed with something unreadable. Before he could speak, Tessa glided to his side, looping her arm through his, staking her claim. She shot me a sharp look, her voice dripping with mockery and pity. “Darling, I heard Ms. Ford has been all alone, you know. “Raising a child by herself all these years… it must have been terribly difficult. Perhaps the poor boy’s never even met his father. Her asking… She’s probably just trying to keep the child happy, don’t you think? “After all, she’s not like me. I have a man to take care of me, time for shopping, trips… living life to the fullest. “Which reminds me. I suppose I owe Ms. Ford a thank you for being so cruel back then. If she hadn’t been, I never would have met such a wonderful man, would I?” Faced with Tessa’s smug display, I said nothing and offered no defense. My mind flashed back seven years. Spencer was just a hungry young fighter then, fresh off a win, heading into the finals. And me, on the eve of his biggest fight, leaving him with nothing but a note and a medical report from my abortion. He was crushed, lost the finals, and spiraled into a year of self-doubt. He almost got kicked out of the gym.

My thoughts snapped back to the present as Spencer leaned down to kiss Tessa’s forehead again. His eyes swam with unmistakable affection. “Honestly? I’m glad she was so heartless back then. Otherwise, I never would have found my life’s greatest fortune. “That couture gown you wanted? It’s hanging in your closet. Stop trying to save my money.” He released me and laced his fingers through hers. Finally free from his grip, I felt the room tilt. I stood there, staring at their intertwined fingers, a tightness forming in my chest. A wave of dizziness made my vision blur, and I felt like I was suffocating. I had zero interest in witnessing their perfect love story. I turned to leave, stumbled, and pitched forward, hitting the carpet hard. My purse flew open, scattering pill bottles everywhere. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tessa’s red stiletto quickly disappear beneath the hem of her dress. “Oh, goodness, Madeleine! Are you alright? Clumsy me, I didn’t see you turning and must have tripped you! I am so sorry.” Her tone held zero actual apology. Spencer started to reach for me, but Tessa’s sharp gasp stopped him. He pulled his hand back. “My God, Madeleine! You’re dying? No way! You seem perfectly healthy!” Spencer snatched up the medical notice that had fallen out, his eyes landing on the words Critically Ill. Fury contorted his features. “Madeleine, have you no shame? Stooping this low just to get my sympathy! “After all these years, you haven’t changed a bit! Still full of cheap tricks!” I struggled upright, looking at Spencer’s powerful, healthy body with a stab of envy. I yanked the notice from his grasp, plastering a smile on my face as I slowly gathered the pills, my voice soft and sweet. “Oops, you caught me. So, Spencer… feeling generous enough to spare some charity for a poor, pathetic woman like me?” Tessa dabbed at crocodile tears, leaning dramatically into Spencer’s chest. But the look she shot down at me was pure spite. “Darling, Madeleine must be telling the truth. “Think about it. If she hadn’t left you, she wouldn’t be facing this karma now. We should help her. She’s so terribly pitiful.” Every word was a poisoned dart, reminding Spencer how I’d supposedly ditched him when he had nothing. The fire in Spencer’s eyes turned to ice. “I don’t waste my kindness on just anybody.” He wrapped an arm around Tessa’s shoulders and turned away. She made a show of pleading my case until he silenced her with a kiss. She shot me a final, triumphant glance over his shoulder. I picked up the last flattened pill box and tucked it into my purse, then pushed myself to my feet, leaning heavily on my throbbing knee. As their figures vanished into the elevator, I pressed a hand to my violently trembling chest, gulping for air. Systemic lupus erythematosus… My organs were shutting down, one by one. Infections were spreading. My clock was running out. And he was perfectly healthy. This stable, healthy life he had, I’d sacrificed everything for it back then. And he still had no idea.

Back then, Spencer was boxing’s rising star, an undefeated dark horse tearing through the ranks straight to the championship final. The betting odds against him hit an insane 170:1. Someone powerful got nervous. They cornered Spencer with threats, bribes for the whole nine yards. They ordered him to take a dive in the final round. The carrot, a ten-million-dollar check, would be his the moment he agreed. Spencer took the check. Then he walked straight to the authorities with the check and a recording of the conversation, blowing the whistle on them. That was Spencer then, pure integrity, disgusted by the corruption of fixed fights. Even though the money involved was huge, because no actual deal was finalized, the authorities only issued a stern warning, no real punishment. But Spencer had made powerful enemies. They didn’t come after him directly. Instead, they went for his coach, Cole Locke, the gym owner. I never learned the specifics of their conversation, but from that day on, Cole started working on Spencer. Trying to persuade him, manipulate him. He even stooped to using me. I was a month pregnant by then. Spencer refused Cole point-blank. “Cole, I get it. I really do. But my kid’s about to be born. I don’t want him growing up hearing whispers, carrying the shame of a father who threw fights.” “If we keep it a secret, who’s gonna know? Besides, think about the money, not just your rep! Look how thin Madeleine’s gotten! She needs proper food now she’s pregnant, and babies cost a fortune! You want them stuck in that crappy little apartment forever?” Spencer’s eyes blazed. “If I win the championship, the prize money will fix everything!” Cole threw his hands up. “Get real, kid! You’re a rookie! How are you gonna beat a champ with ten years under his belt? You’re gonna lose anyway! Since it ends the same, why not take the cash and lose?” Spencer wouldn’t budge. The conversation ended badly. Meanwhile, I was tied up in some empty room, watching my fiancé’s determined face on a grainy monitor. He wasn’t wrong, not for a second. My heart swelled with pride for him. But then they brought him in, the champion Spencer was supposed to fight, and showed him to me. A chilling wave of dread washed over me. As Spencer’s partner, I’d done my homework. While he trained, I studied his potential opponents. The boxer about to face Spencer in the ring nicknamed the Death Truck, was known for his explosive power, which he used to violently knock his opponents down. His opponents rarely walked away. Most ended up crippled. Some didn’t end up at all. Spencer couldn’t beat him, not like this. I knew it with chilling certainty. He didn’t have that killer instinct, that utter disregard for another human life. If they met in the finals, Spencer wouldn’t just lose. He’d likely be maimed or, worse, die. So, I made a choice. I would take the fall, wear the shame. My baby needed money. I needed money. He had to lose, but not like that, not broken and bleeding. He had to walk away healthy, with a future. So, I took their money and agreed to their terms. The day before the fight, I left the note and the clinic receipt. He trusted me, believed I loved him unconditionally, and I would never leave. That betrayal hit him exactly as hard as I knew it would. As I had expected, he was still sluggish when he stepped into the ring and was easily knocked down. The opponent kept his promise, leaving him with only a few light injuries to ensure that his future career wouldn’t be affected. Otherwise, according to their original plan, they would have completely sidelined Spencer. I was quite satisfied with this deal. But later, whenever I saw him on screen or on the field, sweating and full of energy, I couldn’t help but feel a subtle, dull pain in my heart. Yet, at the same time, I was happy. After all, he was finally shining in the world he loved. My phone buzzed. Caller ID showed a law firm. A man identifying himself as a lawyer informed me that the fifty thousand Spencer had sent was technically company funds, co-owned with Tessa.

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