Category: English

On our wedding day, Alexander’s ex-girlfriend sent him a notice that she was critically ill. She said she just wanted to wear a wedding dress one last time before she died. To fulfill her wish, Alexander locked me in the dressing room and prepared to hold the wedding ceremony with her. Through the door, his impatient voice rang out. “Can’t you be less cold-hearted? She’s dying. What’s wrong with letting her have this moment?” Later, the boy next door who had a crush on me for years climbed to the rooftop and begged me to marry him instead. Alexander, with reddened eyes, pleaded with me, “Are you going to throw away our seven years of love for him?” I brushed his hand away, “What else can we do, let him die? It’s just getting a marriage license. Don’t be so cold-hearted.” There was still an hour before the wedding ceremony was set to begin. I sat at the makeup table, looking at the photo Alexander’s ex-girlfriend had sent to my phone. In the picture, she was wearing the wedding dress I had chosen, smiling as she clung to Alexander’s arm. Alexander was looking down at her, his eyes full of tenderness. She sent a message saying: [He said I look better in this dress than you would.] She also said: [If you want your wedding ceremony to go smoothly, beg me.] I turned off my phone and asked the makeup artist, “Is it really because the size was altered incorrectly that I can’t wear the wedding dress we originally decided on?” The bridal shop I had chosen was also responsible for my makeup and photography. To ensure everything would look perfect on the wedding day, I had spent a lot of money and had numerous discussions with their team. But now, the makeup artist couldn’t even look me in the eye. I knew what was going on. I thought about how when Alexander accompanied me to try on wedding dresses, he was either answering phone calls or working on his laptop. But with his ex-girlfriend, he was all smiles. I gripped my phone tightly and took a deep breath. “Please ask Alexander to come here.” I needed an explanation. The makeup artist’s assistant went to call him. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, at the overly tight bodice that made it hard to breathe. Perhaps clothes that don’t fit should never have been put on in the first place. The wedding officiant arrived before Alexander did. His face showed the same guilt, along with a hint of apology. “I’m sorry, Miss Amelia, but you won’t need to attend.” “Won’t need to attend?” I almost laughed in anger. “Are you telling me that at my own wedding, I, the bride, can’t show up? Is that what you mean?” The officiant opened his mouth to explain, but Alexander walked in. He said, “It was my idea.” Alexander was wearing the white suit I had chosen for him, but the bowtie at his collar wasn’t the one I had picked out. Seeing my gaze fixed on his bowtie, he looked uncomfortable and cleared his throat. “Sophia is having surgery in a few days. The hospital has given her a critical condition notice. She said her only wish is to wear a wedding dress once.” I laughed coldly, “At my wedding to you?” I knew about Sophia. It wasn’t until the third year of my relationship with Alexander that I learned he had an ex-girlfriend who had lost all her hair due to chemotherapy. They had grown up together, and their families were close. Even after breaking up, they couldn’t completely cut ties. Because she was receiving treatment in another city, Sophia’s parents had asked Alexander, who lived in the same city as us, to take care of her. At first, I respected and sympathized with her, feeling sorry that a young woman in the prime of her life had to suffer from illness. But from the moment she started making Alexander deliver porridge to her in the middle of the night after our dates, my impression of her took a sharp downturn. Time and again, I held back because she was ill. Alexander also seemed to understand the boundaries and always put my wishes first. Whenever Sophia asked him to do something, he would report it to me. Only occasionally, when the situation was truly urgent, would he go to her, and he would bring me along. Until today. When did Alexander try on wedding dresses with her? And when did he decide to give her the wedding dress I had chosen, letting her take my place in the wedding ceremony?

Perhaps it was because the air conditioning in the dressing room was too strong, but the more I thought about it, the colder I felt to my bones. Alexander reached out to hold my hand, but I shook him off. I looked up at him steadily: “Bring the wedding dress back. I don’t want her to wear it.” Alexander frowned: “Stop making a fuss, Amelia. It’s just a ceremony. We can have another one anytime.” His downturned lips and the irritation in his eyes hurt me. I said, “Fine, let the wedding dress go. But if she wants to hold a wedding ceremony, does the groom have to be you?” Was it her being unreasonable and making demands because of her serious illness, or were you already drifting in our relationship and just taking the easy way out? Perhaps because I had exposed him, hitting a nerve, his face turned ugly. Alexander let go of me and walked towards the door, throwing words back at me. “Dating you has become so tiresome. You never consider my face, always making a scene until everyone looks bad.” Am I the one not considering his face? Am I the one making unreasonable demands? The sound of the door locking brought me back to reality. I picked up my skirt and banged on the door hard: “I don’t agree. The wedding I’ve been carefully preparing and looking forward to for so long is not just a ceremony…” Through the door, his impatient voice rang out. “Can’t you be less cold-hearted? She’s dying. What’s wrong with letting her have this moment?” She’s dying. Just because she’s sick, I’ve been tolerating so much for years, and now I have to give up my own wedding and husband. But am I the one who made her sick? I gripped the doorknob and calmed down: “Alexander, think carefully. Don’t regret this.” There was a pause in the voice outside the door, then the sound of determined footsteps fading away. I slid down to the floor, hugging the exaggerated skirt, feeling completely empty inside. She really ruined my wedding. Sophia had done it. The phone on the makeup table started ringing urgently. It was a call from my parents. Before I could answer, the call ended. The dressing room was right behind the main hall, separated by just a door. I could clearly hear the commotion from the hall, exclamations of shock and unrest. Then, guided by the officiant, there was applause. Sophia’s account sent me another video. The camera was pointed at the big screen, where all the pre-wedding photos of Alexander and me that we had put so much effort into had been AI-replaced with Sophia’s face. All those days of enduring the hot sun for makeup, the aching backs and feet, the hours of adjusting poses for aesthetics, had all become Sophia’s trousseau. This made me even angrier than Alexander’s words. Even though I was shaking with anger, my hand still opened the next video. In the video, she was walking towards Alexander, step by step under the spotlight. In the shadows behind her, my parents were looking around for me with upset expressions, but were being held back by two security guards. Seeing this, I finally couldn’t hold back my tears, which fell drop by drop onto my parents’ faces on the phone screen. I had chosen the wrong person. Why did I have to involve my parents in this humiliation along with me? I didn’t watch the rest of the videos. In the midst of the excitement on the other side of the wall, my mind gradually cleared. After studying myself in the mirror for a long time, I took off the ill-fitting wedding dress, removed my makeup, and changed back into my previous clothes. I could only feel grateful. At least I had seen clearly before getting the marriage certificate.

The long ceremony finally ended. The door to the dressing room was opened, and Alexander stood in the doorway. He rubbed his brow, looking quite drained: “I’ll make it up to you for this incident, and I’ll also go to explain to your parents…” I interrupted him: “No need. They’re my parents, not yours.” They have nothing to do with you, so there’s no need. He was stunned. Alexander looked exhausted: “Don’t say things out of anger. You know Sophia is also suffering from her illness. What’s wrong with us letting her have her way?” Even now, he still thought there was nothing wrong with this, still speaking up for Sophia. For a moment, I didn’t know what else I could say to him. I said: “If you think it’s just anger talking, then let it be. I’ll pack my things and move out today. I’ll have someone sell the marital home. If you don’t want to sell it, just transfer the money my family put in back to my account.” After saying this, I saw my parents standing not far away and hurriedly chased after them, leaving behind a “That’s all.” There were many relatives gathered around my parents. As I rushed over, I heard someone say, “How could she be dumped like this?” My second aunt was still lecturing, “It’s not good for a girl to be too strong-willed. Changing brides on the wedding day, what a loss of face.” I pulled my parents away, feeling heartbroken at the embarrassment on their faces. Not caring that my second aunt was my elder, I retorted. “Are you my second aunt or Alexander’s? His last-minute change shows his lack of responsibility and trustworthiness. His failure to discuss it with me shows his self-centeredness and disrespect for me. What does this have to do with whether I’m strong-willed or not? If I had known even a day earlier, today’s groom wouldn’t have been him!” My second aunt was left speechless and walked away muttering. Mom held my hand, and I could clearly see the worry on her face. I comforted her: “It’s okay. If we don’t get married, we don’t get married. I don’t care about it anyway.” After sending them off in their car, I went alone to pack my things at what was supposed to be our marital home. My words were clear, and my mind was very rational. But emotions can’t be controlled. Why do the tears keep falling on their own… The marital home was decorated by Alexander and me together. There were too many traces of him inside. The ceramic pot was something he bought after learning about my menstrual pain, saying he would make nourishing soup for me every week. The walk-in closet was designed by him after seeing me like a high-heel carousel on TikTok. After it was installed, I laughed that the colored lights he put in were too flashy, but he just hugged my waist and asked for a reward. I met him in college, and then we were in a long-distance relationship for a year because of work. At that time, he put in a lot of effort to pursue me. When he confessed, he said he saw me debating fiercely in a competition, looking very impressive. At that time, in his eyes, I was shining brightly. But now he complains that I’m too strong-willed. The light in his eyes has become painful to him. I packed up my things bit by bit, gradually extracting myself from the memories. When I finished packing, I realized that our seven years together amounted to just a box and a half tall. I was just wondering how to drag this box out and throw it away when the door was pushed open. My best friend, Olivia, rushed in like a whirlwind. Seeing her, the strength I had been putting on completely crumbled, and my nose stung unbearably. Olivia gave me a hug, squeezing me tightly, “If I had known, I would have been your bridesmaid. At least you wouldn’t have been so helpless.” She had disliked Alexander for a long time, hating his indecisiveness and inability to let go of his ex-girlfriend. She disliked him so much that she didn’t want to attend my wedding. She even said harshly that if I married him, I would definitely regret it. To put it bluntly, it was okay while Sophia was alive, but if Sophia died, how could I compete with a dead person? For this, she and I had a falling out. Now it seems she was right on the mark. I’m so grateful I can still have such a friend back. With Olivia around, the days weren’t so hard to get through. She had specifically applied for a business trip to avoid my wedding. But as soon as her plane landed, she heard about what had happened. Worried that I might be hiding alone crying, she rushed to find me. She even took annual leave to keep me company, which moved me deeply. The day she was bustling about trying to set me up with someone new, Alexander showed up at the door. I laughed coldly. When a scoundrel comes to the door, I have to properly shut the door and beat the dog!

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When I transferred to this school, Parker had already dated every pretty girl here. He joked with his buddies, “I’d rather date a dog than Zoe.” I am Zoe. But a month later, his best friend cornered me and confessed his feelings. Seeing the marks on my body, Parker suddenly went crazy: “Who gave you permission to touch her?” “Um… could you please give this to Parker?” I took the light pink love letter. This was the eleventh one this month. Everyone knew I was Parker’s childhood friend, and they also knew he would like anyone but me. So they felt safe asking me to deliver love letters. But as usual, when Parker received it, he would raise an eyebrow, thinking about who the girl was, and then sneer: “My standards are not that low.” He threw the letter back into my arms: “I can’t accept someone on your level.” His buddies all laughed. And Parker’s eyes were filled with mockery when he looked at me. Why? Because the first love letter Parker tore up was mine.

Parker and I were childhood sweethearts. Our parents were close friends, so they naturally assumed we got along well too. At first, we did. Until a certain… accident. It was a game of Truth or Dare. Parker got dared, and someone asked if he dared to kiss me. At that time, we were naive but extremely competitive. He asked me, “Do you mind?” But before I could react, he kissed me. “Tch, it’s nothing special.” From that moment on, I was no longer the untouchable flower or the top student in everyone’s eyes. Instead, I became one of Parker’s possessions.

Parker’s grades were not good. Because of this, his parents hoped I could study with him. But on the day we agreed to go to the library together, I stood alone at the bus stop waiting for him for nearly an hour, only to see his SnapChat story about winning ten games in a row at an internet cafe. I took a taxi to that shady internet cafe. Inside, it was smoky, and there was even a girl sitting on Parker’s lap. They were cheering for him. He suddenly turned his head and met my gaze. Returning a malicious smile.

“Zoe, are you fucking insane!” Parker got scolded by his parents and had all his pocket money taken away. He couldn’t go to the internet cafe anymore because I told on him. “You shouldn’t go to places like that,” I said word by word. At that time, hiding my feelings for him, I stubbornly and self-righteously tried to be good to him. But what I got in return was his increasing disgust. Parker grabbed my chin: “What right do you have to control me?” “You really think you’re my girlfriend just because of one kiss? What a joke!”

Parker had a very handsome face. Coupled with his rebellious personality, he quickly attracted a lot of attention at school. Many girls wanted to win him over. He welcomed them all, flirtatious and heartless. Just playing basketball casually, his excellent skills would make the whole court cheer. But Parker was merciless, throwing the basketball hard and without hesitation at me. “Sorry.” He said carelessly, watching me hug my arm in pain, and apologized lightly: “You won’t hold a grudge against me, right? My little childhood sweetheart.” So, everyone knew he hated me.

I gradually accepted this fact. I carefully put away the love letter I had once written for Parker, stroke by stroke, with a girl’s heart, and stopped paying attention to his affairs. But in front of our parents, we still needed to pretend to have a good relationship. “Parker’s grades have improved recently, it must be thanks to little Zoe. I’ve cut some fruit, you two eat.” Parker’s mother smiled. Parker seemed to be in a good mood too. He just gave me a warning look discreetly. Of course, his improved grades were not my credit. It was because he had recently started dating the school beauty with excellent grades. They often “tutored” after school. If only I hadn’t caught them kissing in an empty classroom that day.

I had originally removed Parker from my world. But we were in the same school, seeing each other all the time. As the top student in our grade for years, I had just won the outstanding student award for the city and needed to give a speech on stage the next day. So I stayed behind after school a day early to rehearse with the teacher. I passed by that empty classroom. The sounds inside were faint and ambiguous. I just turned my head slightly and caught Parker’s eye through the gap in the curtains. He was pressing a girl against the desk. But in the moment he looked up, he caught me. At that time, I knew he had marked me down in his heart again.

The school beauty, Parker’s girlfriend, was consistently second in our grade and also my classmate. But after dating Parker, her grades began to visibly decline. This quickly caught the attention of the teachers. They called me over: “Has she been acting strange lately? Or is she in contact with any bad influences?” I just shook my head: “I don’t know.” But the truth couldn’t be hidden for long. Somehow, the fact that I was questioned spread. Parker and the school beauty’s affair was exposed, his parents found out, and his father, who had a violent temper, took him home and beat him. That day, no one was at my house. Parker barged into my room forcefully. “I underestimated you.” He pushed me, and I lost my balance, hitting the desk. The drawer fell out, along with its contents. Parker’s hand holding my wrist froze. Because we both saw the light pink love letter on the ground. It had my name and Parker’s on it. And he was all too familiar with my handwriting.

“Oh, so it was jealousy?” Parker had a look of sudden realization. He tore up that love letter, then grabbed me. I struggled: “I didn’t tell on you.” He raised an eyebrow: “Now there’s something more important than that.” Parker took the scissors from the desk and cut off a lock of my hair: “Zoe, I’d rather date a dog than you.”

Parker used that lock of my hair to make amends with the school beauty. But this couldn’t change his father’s decision to transfer him to another school. On the day Parker left, the school beauty cried for a long time. I thought they would be together forever. But it didn’t take long for the school beauty to receive photos of Parker being intimate with other girls. And my lock of hair, along with the missing part of my sideburns, were all forgotten. The school beauty’s grades later plummeted. She begged me to help her arrange a meeting with Parker, just once, she wanted to see him. I couldn’t refuse successfully. But I didn’t expect that on the day I went, Parker was drunk in a bar. He recognized me and forcefully kept me there. “Zoe, isn’t this what you wanted to see the most?” He smiled in a frightening way. So the next day, what the school beauty received were photos of Parker forcefully kissing me against the private room door.

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One month after my death, my once-loving husband welcomed my sister-in-law into our home – the same woman who had run me over. He cooed to her, “Maggie occupied your rightful place for far too long. She should have died earlier. If it weren’t for my social status, you wouldn’t have had to suffer all these years.” My beloved son chose to reconcile unconditionally with them in court. He embraced his aunt, claiming he had always seen her as his birth mother. Watching from above, I nearly fainted from anger once again. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself reborn. My reborn husband pushed me aside and tightly embraced my sister-in-law: “In this life, I will never let you go again.” I turned away expressionlessly, seeking out his ill-fated brother instead. … “Ethan, this is your brother’s engagement party. Where are you taking your sister-in-law?” “Olivia, isn’t Ethan your fiancé? Quick, go after them and see what’s happening!” Amidst the buzzing gossip around me, I found myself inexplicably pushed to follow them. Confused, I ran to the alley entrance, where I saw Ethan holding his soon-to-be sister-in-law, Olivia, tightly in his arms. He said passionately: “Olivia, I love you. I won’t let you marry my brother.” “Thank God we’ve been given another chance. Trust me, I’ll give you a life beyond your wildest dreams.” Everything before me reminded me that this was reality. I had been reborn, back to the day of Olivia’s engagement. In my previous life, Ethan and I were seen as the perfect couple. Not only did Ethan hold a high position, but he also treasured his wife like a precious jewel. Everyone who saw us would sigh, “That’s the love of the older generation.” But only I knew that he had always been cold and indifferent towards me. I thought that’s how all marriages ended up, that we had simply worn into familial affection. So for decades, I served the family diligently, tending to his difficult mother and caring for our young child. But I never imagined that just a month after Olivia ran me over, he would ostentatiously marry her. It turned out that the perfect marriage I saw was merely a compromise Ethan made for his reputation. Looking at the passionate couple before me, I sneered and turned away. After Ethan’s dramatic gesture at the engagement party, gossip spread like wildfire through the town. The other protagonist, however, was overlooked. When I found him, he had already returned home. Despite being the one whose engagement was disrupted, his face was remarkably calm. “Ethan, your wife and my fiancé have run off together. Will you marry me instead?” I ran up to him, my palms sweating. Ethan looked at me, suddenly dumbstruck, and stammered, “Is that possible?” Then, as if afraid I might change my mind, he grabbed my hand: “You said it yourself, no taking it back, okay?” Walking home, I still felt like I was in a dream. Until Jack jumped in front of me, blocking my path. “Maggie, let’s break off our engagement.” Jack looked at me coldly. Before I could react, he glanced at the villagers watching nearby and raised his voice. “I’m about to get a big promotion. We’re not a good match anymore.” The town had implemented a special development measure, and our community had one promotion spot available. In my previous life, Jack had been the only one from our community to get promoted, riding the wave of the times and soaring to success. The surrounding crowd started to murmur. “Has the promotion spot already been decided?” “The Jack family is going to make it big now.” The flattery from those around greatly pleased Jack. “Let me tell you, don’t think you can cling to me just because I’m successful. In this life, I’ll only love Olivia…” I laughed bitterly, nodding to interrupt him. “Fine, let’s break off the engagement then.” Hearing my answer, Jack was stunned for a moment: “You said it yourself. Don’t come crawling back later wanting to change your mind. I won’t allow it.” Jack snorted lightly and walked away haughtily. Looking at Jack’s arrogant back, I suddenly remembered how in my previous life, when Jack faced public scrutiny for moving on too quickly after my death, he hastily called a press conference. Facing the cameras, he cried profusely: “Maggie’s only dying wish was for me to take care of her lonely sister-in-law.” “No matter what people think of me, I don’t care. I’ll fulfill Maggie’s wish until my dying day.” Even after I had died, I still had to pay the price to maintain his reputation. Seeing that I had truly agreed to break off the engagement, the villagers suddenly surrounded me. “Maggie, you’re such a fool. It’s not easy to find someone with Jack’s prospects.” “You and Jack have been engaged since childhood. How can a young woman just break off an engagement like that?” “If you ask me, a woman who can’t keep her man in check is just incompetent.” Seeing everyone’s heated discussion, I calmly said: “My engagement was with the Jack family, not just Jack himself.” The surroundings suddenly fell silent. An older woman stepped forward and asked me, “Maggie, what do you mean by that?” “Since it’s an engagement with the Jack family, marrying Jack’s older brother Ethan is the same thing.” The crowd suddenly erupted. “This is outrageous! People will spit on you if word gets out.” I interrupted them. “That day, everyone saw Jack run off with Olivia to break the engagement.” “Ethan and I are also following our parents’ wishes and the matchmaker’s arrangement.” As I spoke, I pretended to wipe away a tear. Seeing me looking pitiful, those around sighed. “Although Ethan is from the first wife, he’s still part of the Jack family.” “But with Ethan’s circumstances, Maggie will have a hard life if she goes with him.” “I don’t care about those things. Today, everyone can bear witness. Jack is the one who changed his mind and broke the engagement. From now on, we have no connection.” When I returned home, my parents had already heard the rumors about Jack and Olivia. My mother couldn’t stop crying, while my father sat on the bed smoking his pipe and sighing. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have agreed to your childhood engagement with the Jack family.” I hurried to comfort them. When they heard my decision to be with Ethan, my parents were shocked.

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Jack’s Pampered Girlfriend Threatens to Break Up for the 99th Time He handed me the divorce papers. “Emma, just sign them. It’s only to pacify the little one. Once she calms down, we’ll remarry.” My heart turned cold as I decisively signed the divorce agreement. The onlookers marveled: “Jack, you’re really something! You’ve got your wife completely under control!” “Share your secrets for taming a wife with us, bro!” Jack smugly stubbed out his cigarette. “She loves me to death. For me, she’d willingly be my dog!” Laughter erupted behind me like fireworks, illuminating the disgrace of my ten-year marriage. That night, he brought the young girl home. The girl’s pleading voice, like a little rabbit’s, echoed throughout the night. I picked up my pre-packed luggage and turned to leave. The housekeeper tried to stop me, but Jack looked at me with contempt. “Let her go. She’s nothing without me!” “Does she still think she’s that triple crown winner from back then?” He kissed the young girl’s face spitefully, his eyes fixed on me. The next day, the whole city was betting on which day Jack’s disobedient ex-wife would come begging back. But what they didn’t know was that my best friend Sophie, a famous director, was already waiting for me in a stretch limo outside, ready to take me to Cannes. This time, I was really leaving. 0

Seeing that I wasn’t jealous, Jack hurried after me. I waited silently for him to speak, but he just grabbed my suitcase. “Emma, the little girl’s dream is to become an award-winning actress. She wants to see the trophies. Bring them out for her to play with!” I glanced down at my fingers, which couldn’t bend due to injuries from filming. The price of becoming a triple crown winner was the pain throughout my body. He knew how important those trophies were to me. He also knew I would definitely take the trophies when I left, yet he deliberately tried to stop me. Seeing my silence, he frowned impatiently. “Aren’t you tired of looking so miserable all the time? It’s bad luck!” “Just tell me, how much? Is $100 million enough?” Money? If we’re really talking about money, how much would the prime ten years of an award-winning actress be worth? I smiled bitterly, looking at Lily’s face, which bore a 60% resemblance to my younger self. They say a man’s loyalty is always to an 18-year-old girl. I wonder how long this girl, who debuted under the name “Little Emma”, could accompany Jack. I handed her the trophy, sincerely wishing: “I heard you’re from the same drama school? I hope your dreams come true soon!” Seeing my obedient demeanor, he nodded with satisfaction and took the initiative to be nice to me. “As long as you take good care of the little girl, I might consider letting you be her supporting actress.” I smiled bitterly: “Me, her supporting actress? Does she dare to accept that?” Back then, because of Jack’s words: “I worry about you. Why don’t you stop filming and just be Mrs. Lawrence?” I announced my retirement at the award ceremony where I won Best Actress. The ten years I spent in the Lawrence family were my most precious years from 25 to 35, but what he gave me in return was one affair after another! And now he wants me to be a supporting actress for his little girl? I picked up my luggage and turned to leave. At that moment, Jack viciously threw the trophy at me. 0

Crystal shards flew everywhere, cutting my leg and leaving wounds of various sizes. Crimson blood flowed from my leg. He looked at me with cruel eyes, without a trace of pity: “Emma, I’m letting you be Lily’s supporting actress, and you dare to act proud?” “Without me, you’re nothing. I made one triple crown winner, I can make another!” “You want to leave? Fine, take off all your clothes!” “Everything you eat and use, which of it wasn’t given to you by the Lawrence family!” Lily hid in Jack’s arms, trembling and crying with red eyes. “Jack, don’t fight with Emma because of me. It’s all my fault for being delusional, wanting Emma’s lead role. I don’t want it anymore, okay?” A year ago, my former friend in the industry encouraged me to make a comeback as the lead in his new movie, playing a mute female painter. I spent a year learning painting and sign language for this role. But just before filming started, I was notified that I had been replaced by Lily, the young girl Jack was pampering outside. Afterwards, he personally wrote an article praising the girl’s acting talent and her young, delicate face. I became the laughingstock of the industry overnight. Everyone said that the once-glorious triple crown winner would soon become the Lawrence family’s discarded wife. Jack pulled the girl close and kissed her heavily, his eyes fixed on me. “My leading lady role is only for obedient women!” “Someone, strip her clothes off!” I looked at Jack with red-rimmed eyes. After ten years of marriage, how could he be so heartless towards me? The housekeeper tried to reason with him: “Mr. Lawrence, don’t you remember that your wife just had a miscarriage last week, you…” But he became even more irritated: “Who asked for your opinion? Strip her!” The servants around us looked at me and Jack, hesitating to act. I took off the suit jacket over my silk dress and the red-soled high heels on my feet. The shoes fell to the ground with a dull thud. “Is this enough?” I turned to leave, but he tore my dress. “You have to leave this dress too, including your underwear!” I looked at Jack in disbelief: “I bought these clothes myself. They have nothing to do with you!” He sneered: “You bought them? You’ve been a housewife for ten years. Where did you get the money? Strip her naked!” The servants swarmed over and stripped off my remaining dress. I struggled desperately, but they kicked my stomach hard. Blood flowed from my body. I hugged myself to cover up, biting my lip tightly as tears fell uncontrollably. He held Lily and looked down at me: “See? This is what happens when you don’t obey!” Lily wrapped her arms around Jack’s neck and kissed him. “Lily is the most obedient. I’ll never make Jack angry, unlike some people who don’t know what’s good for them!” Jack’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his eyes full of desire. He picked up Lily, and the girl’s surprised cries came from inside the room. The housekeeper looked at me with sympathy and took off her coat to cover me: “Miss, this is really too much!” I buried my face in the coat and finally broke down crying. I never thought that in this home where I had devoted ten years of my life, the only one who would give me a shred of dignity would be a housekeeper I had known for less than three months. 0

Wearing the housekeeper’s uniform, I walked barefoot out of the Lawrence mansion. Not far from the door was a parked stretch limo, my ticket to a new life. I hurried my steps towards it, but was forcibly dragged back to the Lawrence house by a group of people. It turned out that Jack and Lily had been playing too roughly. A fallen red candle had ignited the bedsheets, burning the girl’s arm. Lily looked at Jack with tears in her eyes, pitiful and delicate. “Jack, my arm is burned. How can I be the leading lady now? You have to think of something!” I stared at the dense red marks on Lily’s body and the scattered dog leash, whip, and red candles on the floor. So this was what the usually calm and controlled Jack liked in private. I smiled bitterly, my heart aching. Lily noticed my gaze and, whether intentionally or not, twisted her body. A rabbit tail fell from the bed. She covered her mouth apologetically: “I’m sorry, Jack really likes little rabbits!” “Sister, you don’t mind, do you? After all, you’re older now and can’t play like this anymore, right?” I looked at the girl’s face, so young it could drip water, and her smug expression. Unfortunately, she didn’t understand that no one can stay young forever. I found this farce utterly boring and checked my watch: “Jack, did you drag me back just to watch this show?” “I have urgent matters to attend to. I don’t have time to play house with you!” Jack angrily grabbed my hand, his face arrogant. “Who said you could leave? You really think I can’t let you go?” “You’re thinking too highly of yourself!” “I brought you back to borrow your skin for Lily to use!” I stared at Jack in disbelief: “Do you know what you’re saying? What right do you have to harm my body!” Jack bent down, his eyes full of cruelty. “You’re just a dog I raised. How dare you talk about rights!” “Lily’s body is delicate and can’t be marked. We can only use your skin.” “Dr. Yang, proceed!” A group of people rushed over to hold down my hands. I struggled desperately: “No!” But the needle mercilessly pierced my skin, and I gradually lost consciousness. 0

When I opened my eyes again, everything was white. The smell of disinfectant stung my nose. Excruciating pain came from my arm, and fresh blood seeped through the white bandage. I let out a hiss of pain. Hearing my movement, Jack looked up from behind his laptop. He pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses: “You’re awake. Feeling better?” “I hired the best plastic surgeon to do the skin graft for you two. Rest well for a few days, and you’ll be able to leave the hospital soon.” I struggled to pick up the water glass on the table and threw it at him. “Who gave you permission to touch my body?” But he didn’t get angry. Instead, he held my hand and gently coaxed me. “Alright, alright, I went too far this time. But I invested $100 million in her movie and signed a $1 billion performance bond. I couldn’t let her face be ruined, or I’d lose big!” “If you’re upset, how about we remarry next month?” Just then, a nurse rushed in: “Miss Lin has woken up and is causing a scene in her room. Mr. Lawrence, she’s asking for you.” Jack impatiently replied: “There are so many doctors here. What use is it to find me!” He sent the nurse away and continued to comfort me softly: “We only signed divorce papers. We haven’t gotten the official certificate, so it doesn’t count.” “We’ve been husband and wife for so long. Why play this running away game? Aren’t you afraid of being laughed at?” “If you don’t like living with Lily, I’ll arrange another house for you. How about that?” How ridiculous. Since when did the mistress move in, and the original wife had to hide outside? I coldly withdrew my hand: “No need!” No need. We will never have anything to do with each other again in this life. Just then, the nurse rushed in again: “It’s bad! Miss Lin has gone to the rooftop!” Jack anxiously wanted to run to the rooftop but was also worried about me, so he insisted on pushing me along. The young girl stood on the edge of the rooftop. As the wind blew, her body swayed precariously. She cried, her tears falling like petals: “I heard everything. You didn’t really want a divorce. You were lying to me!” “But I’m already pregnant. How could you do this to me?” “I can’t let my child be born out of wedlock. If you won’t get a divorce certificate and marry me, I’ll jump right now!” I had never seen Jack so flustered and dismayed. He approached the girl with red eyes, step by step: “Lily, come down. You and our child are my treasures. I’ll give you anything you want!” “If I’m lying, may I die a terrible death!” Jack swore with his hand raised, his words sincere, putting on quite a show of deep affection. I glanced at the sunlight in the sky, which made my tears flow. So love doesn’t disappear, it just transfers. The girl who had been threatening suicide moments ago heard these words and leaped into Jack’s arms with open arms. He held Lily tightly, as if embracing the moon of his heart. “We’ll divorce immediately. We’ll go get the certificate tomorrow. I’ll give you anything as long as you’re happy!” Watching this scene, my eyes reddened slightly. Her child was a treasure, so what was my child? A week ago, I had just been diagnosed as pregnant. Jack was in a hurry to leave for the young girl’s birthday. I tried to stop him, but he pushed me down the stairs. When I woke up, the baby was gone. He showed no remorse: “So weak and fragile, how could it be worthy of being my child!” “It’s gone, so what? It was just a cell. We can have another one!” But now he treasured Lily’s child so dearly. I wiped away my tears and silently left. 0

Jack spent the night in the neighboring hospital room with Lily. The passing nurses pointed at their closed door, blushing and exchanging knowing looks. I watched all this coldly, silently retrieving my confiscated phone from Jack’s abandoned bag. There were multiple missed calls, all from my best friend and confidante, Sophie. Back then, we had left the dance troupe together to venture into the entertainment industry. She became a small-time director, while I became a small-time actress. Unlike me, who stopped at being a triple crown winner at 25, she remained unmarried and childless, dedicating herself to filmmaking and becoming the head judge at Cannes. She had heard about Jack’s outrageous behavior and enthusiastically invited me to Cannes to film her new movie. She said: “An experienced, mature actress like you is wasted on domestic trivialities.” “You should shine on the international stage. I have a new film here, want to come?” The word “come” turned over in my mind for a long time before I finally made up my mind and typed it out: “I’m coming!” We had agreed to meet yesterday, but unfortunately, I was delayed by Jack. I called her back: “I ran into some trouble and was delayed. Tomorrow afternoon, wait for me outside the civil affairs bureau. Congratulate me on being single again!” Sophie’s excited voice came from the other end of the phone: “Really? You’re finally willing to divorce? That’s fantastic!” The next day, to please the young girl, Jack took Lily and me to get our divorce certificate. As soon as the red divorce certificate was in my hand, he rushed off with Lily to get their marriage certificate. The staff members all looked at me with sympathy. But I happily handed out candy to them. The young girl who stamped my divorce papers looked at me with wide eyes, and soon she gave me a big smile. “Sister, congratulations on your divorce!” I accepted her blessing and walked out of the civil affairs bureau building in high spirits. Sophie, wearing sunglasses, was leaning against a stretch limo. As soon as she saw me, she gave me a big hug. “My leading lady, I’ve finally got you!” “Come on, let’s go catch some stars!” 0

Looking at her passionate face, I remembered our days in the dance troupe. We were only 17 or 18 then. She danced male roles, I danced female roles. Until the dance troupe was bought by a coal baron who wanted us to dance vulgar shows. On that starry night, the wind blew her hair. “Do you believe me? If we get out of this hellhole, I’ll definitely make something of myself!” “Come on, I’ll take you to catch stars!” Back then, we young people were full of dreams for the future. We quit our stable jobs at the dance troupe. We ventured into the entertainment industry. She confidently said she was tired of being manipulated by others. She didn’t want to be an actress anymore. She said she wanted to be a female director, a famous director. I applauded her, and then we each went our separate ways. I once thought I was luckier, meeting Jack right after my debut. He shielded me from countless covetous gazes. He let me focus solely on acting, but I didn’t know that the gifts bestowed by fate had already been priced in secret. The preferential treatment I was so proud of in my youth became the chains that trapped me for the latter half of my life. Fortunately, I had the courage to break those chains. I was about to board the plane with Sophie. Meanwhile, Jack was holding a press conference for his new movie with Lily. At the conference, a reporter asked: “Mr. Lawrence, there are rumors that your relationship with your wife has changed. Miss Emma has already gone to Cannes with Director Sophie to film a new movie. Is this related to your marital problems?” Hearing this, Jack angrily swatted away the reporter’s microphone. “Which media are you from? I don’t answer questions about my private life. Please focus on the new movie produced by Lawrence Entertainment.” After the press conference, Jack couldn’t help but dial that familiar phone number. But it kept showing: “The number you have dialed is busy!” Jack clenched his fist, wanting to smash his phone. A gossip account posted photos of me smiling and whispering with Sophie before boarding the plane. Jack looked at the woman in the photo again and again, wondering in his heart: was Emma always so fond of smiling? Then why did she always have a bitter expression when she was with me? Just then, sirens sounded outside the banquet hall.

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After my wife was assaulted, she became emotionally unstable and lost her appetite. Even when I put aside work to focus entirely on her, she would only tell me to get lost. Until one drunken night, my wife sent another woman to my bed. “This way, neither of us can blame the other,” she said. I could only swallow my hurt feelings. Little did I know, beneath this incident lay another layer of truth I was unaware of… The hangover headache made me reach for my phone on the nightstand to check the time. Then a hand helped me grab the phone. Someone was standing by the bed, staring at me ominously with bloodshot eyes, like a predator spotting prey and waiting to strike. “Honey, you’re awake?” It was my wife. I rubbed my head. “Lily, what’s wrong with your eyes? Didn’t you sleep?” Lily didn’t answer. Instead, she picked up the phone and made a call. “Hello, I’d like to report a rape.” Lily’s words shocked me. Just a month ago, Lily herself had been assaulted. Although the perpetrator had been arrested, that night’s events had become a thorn in Lily’s heart. In the weeks since coming home, Lily had seen countless therapists. But any mention of keywords related to that night would instantly send her into a frenzy, smashing things and cursing. She’d accuse us of rubbing salt in her wounds, of not letting her move on. Eventually, Lily’s mental state became erratic and jumpy. If she saw me standing close to any other woman, she would immediately rush over and slap me hard. “I knew you were disgusted by me. I knew it. I’ve been watching you for a long time. You want to divorce me and be with her, don’t you?” “I’m telling you, if I hadn’t gone to bring you an umbrella, I never would have met him. None of this would have happened.” She was right. I bore some responsibility for what happened. That day, I had worked overtime at the office until 10 PM. When I went downstairs, I realized it was raining. I tried to get a ride, but the Uber queue was over 50 people long. I tried to buy an umbrella, but several stores said they were sold out and only had plastic bags left. I declined the bags. So I asked Lily to come pick me up. But before she arrived, I got a call from the police saying my wife had been dragged into an alley and assaulted. She was extremely distraught. In my rush, I ended up going to the police station with a black garbage bag over my head. So in this state, when Lily suddenly and uncharacteristically uttered the word “rape,” I naturally couldn’t understand. “Lily, what are you talking about?” Lily ignored me and continued, “Shisen Road, Linxue Garden, Building 2, Unit 304. The rapist…” Lily glanced at me. “Marcus Wilson.”

She said my name. My heart skipped a beat. I couldn’t understand why she was falsely accusing me. Until I heard faint breathing behind me. I turned around and realized there was another woman sleeping in the same bed. She was curled up by the edge, which is why I hadn’t noticed her before. At that moment, I finally understood what Lily meant by “rape.” “I didn’t do anything. I don’t even know her,” I said frantically, grabbing Lily’s arm to prove my innocence. Lily just gave me a look, then turned and locked the door, leaving me alone with the woman. I wanted to wake her up and ask what was going on, but she was completely naked. I didn’t dare look. I deliberately made some noise to wake her up. Thankfully it worked, and the woman finally stirred. But the confusion in her eyes matched my own. The unfamiliar environment and my presence made her shriek. “Who are you? Why am I here?” She grabbed a pillow and started hitting me with it, angrily demanding to know what I had done to her. I could only tell her to calm down and try to remember what happened last night. But this was the woman’s first time in this kind of situation. How could she possibly stay calm? After cursing me and my ancestors, she asked where I had hidden her clothes. I looked around and saw her clothes scattered everywhere. Just as I picked them up to toss to her, the door opened again. “We received a report of a crime in progress. Please come with us,” said the police officers who entered.

Sitting at the police station again, I felt like I was on pins and needles. Fortunately, all the evidence showed that nothing had actually happened between me and the strange woman. We were both innocent. As for why she ended up in my bed, it seems she really had just drunkenly wandered into the wrong place. After getting lectured by the police, on the way home I asked Lily why she had said those misleading things. Rape accusations could ruin my reputation for life. Plus, my company was in the middle of a restructuring. I had a good chance at a director position. If anyone at work found out about this, even if it was all made up, it would still become the subject of gossip. Lily glanced at me. There was a hint of some indescribable emotion in her eyes. Her next words shocked me even more. “Because I did it.” “That woman – I carried her to the bed.” My eyes widened in disbelief. I turned to look at Lily, about to ask why. Just then, our taxi rear-ended the car in front of us. The driver got out, cursing loudly as he went to argue with the other driver. I glanced outside. The car we hit was an Audi. Apparently the other driver had changed lanes abruptly, causing the collision. But that wasn’t important. What mattered was my wife, and why she would try to frame me as a rapist. “Why?” I asked. Deep down, I had an inkling. But I needed to hear it from her own mouth, to extinguish that last flicker of hope in my heart. “This way we’re even,” she said. “Neither of us owes the other anything.” What a thing to say – that we’re even now. “Did you think about the consequences of doing this?” I asked. Lily seemed completely unconcerned as she turned to watch the argument outside. “Of course I know the consequences.” “But if you love me, you shouldn’t blame me.” I stared at her. The dim light cast shadows across her face. The red taillights reflected in her eyes, making her words seem even more vicious. On the way home, I didn’t say another word to her. I knew she blamed me for causing her to lose her dignity, for the public humiliation that left her unable to show her face. But if I’m being honest, I had never once looked down on her since the incident. I never showed even a hint of impatience. In fact, worried she might overthink things, I kept my distance from all other women. I turned down any work events I could avoid, just to stay home with her. We even moved far away from where it happened. I promised her parents I would never divorce her. What happened was an accident. More than anger, I felt heartbroken for her. Lily was the woman I had pursued for years, the apple of my eye. Even if her temper had become erratic, I felt it was understandable. But last night, that one work event I couldn’t skip was crucial for my promotion. I had to go. Yet it was this one time that Lily decided to set such a trap.

When we got home, Lily started changing the bedsheets unprompted. Her phone kept buzzing, probably someone calling. I wasn’t in the mood to listen. I went to the bathroom to have a smoke and clear my head. I chain-smoked half a pack, but still couldn’t calm down. I kept thinking about how over the line Lily’s actions were. I considered her in everything I did, but she clearly didn’t think of me at all. This was a critical time for my promotion. I was the sole breadwinner. We’d been married two years, and both sets of parents were eager for grandkids. If I could land the director position, we could significantly improve our lifestyle and reduce a lot of stress. Then we could start thinking about having a baby. But now, it had all gone up in smoke. I regretted asking Lily to bring me an umbrella that night. But I was also angry that she would use such dirty tactics to drag me down with her. I loved Lily, but after this, I wasn’t sure I loved her quite so much anymore. I shook out the cigarette pack and found it empty. I had to leave the bathroom, only to find Lily standing ominously by the door, staring at me. “My parents are coming over tomorrow,” she said. I felt annoyed. This kind of thing didn’t need to involve the parents. Besides, it wasn’t my fault to begin with. But Lily just repeated: “If it weren’t for you, how would I have gotten assaulted? You owe me for all of this.” Her words left me feeling ice cold. Of course, if doing this made her feel better, I wouldn’t hold it against her. But I never imagined she was actually trying to destroy me! Both sets of parents berated me harshly. I couldn’t explain myself. When neighbors asked about the police visit, Lily casually said, “Oh that? It’s because he committed rape.” Let me put it this way – when the incident first happened, Lily appeared as the victim and naturally garnered sympathy. But in her retelling, I was the perpetrator, so of course people condemned me. Everyone advised Lily to divorce me, calling me scum who didn’t deserve to live or even be in the same neighborhood as them. Even my company put me on leave, with no return date in sight. I became a target for everyone’s anger. Meanwhile, Lily transformed into the good woman, saying I had just made a mistake, that she loved me and chose to forgive me. Our reputations were completely reversed. Even when I said it was all a misunderstanding and the police could prove it, people said there’s no smoke without fire. I had no way to defend myself. I asked Lily to explain, but she said this was nothing compared to what she went through. If I couldn’t handle even this much, was I even a man? I laughed bitterly. How were these situations the same at all? Our circumstances were completely different. I had never aired her trauma in public. I protected her, shielding her from harmful rumors. But her? She seemed afraid people wouldn’t hurt me enough. She kept stabbing me in the heart with sharp swords. I thought, surely this is enough? Surely we’ve reached the limit? I went to talk to Lily, telling her she had to publicly apologize to me. Otherwise, I would sue her for defamation. “You wouldn’t dare!” Lily glared at me coldly. Her expression was so detached, as if I were a stranger to her. “You planned this whole thing yourself. I’ve put up with you for a long time. If you’re not willing to apologize…” I paused. “Then let’s get divorced.”

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As an innocent-looking girl (Note: In Chinese internet slang, this refers to a woman who appears pure and naive but is actually manipulative), I found Adrian Evans, the head of the Evans family, too tough to handle. So I decisively chose his playboy nephew instead. To marry into this wealthy family as soon as possible, I deliberately pretended to be drunk and flirted with the campus heartthrob, making Jason both jealous and guilty. Unexpectedly, it was that cold-hearted family head who came to pick me up when he received the call. “Miss Lily, shall I help you sober up?” Adrian asked. I had lived a life of luxury for seventeen years. But suddenly, I fell back into poverty. All of this happened because my dad, who worked in finance, was made the scapegoat by his company. He was an honest man who didn’t dare tell my sick mother the truth. Instead, he resorted to taking out online loans. I had a feeling something was wrong. People’s attitudes towards us changed drastically. On the day I received my college admission letter, my father invited close relatives and friends to celebrate. According to our hometown custom, guests were supposed to give red envelopes for a child’s college admission celebration dinner. The money he had given out on previous occasions should have been enough to cover my first year’s tuition and living expenses when returned. But to our surprise, no one showed up, and we were left with two tables of wasted food. By ten o’clock, with the oil congealing on the dishes, still not a single person had arrived. My dad started drinking alone, his eyes turning red. After settling the bill, he said he wanted to go for a walk. Worried he might do something rash, I followed him. He walked for a long time with a hunched back, reaching the city center where his new company was located. He stopped a car at the exit, saying nothing at first, and then just knelt down. Looking both pathetic and miserable, he explained that his violation of rules was arranged by Mr. Stern for the company’s benefit. He went on about how difficult his life had become, not even having money to buy a burial plot for his wife, and his child about to start college. He said he could barely survive… After he finished speaking, a cold voice came from inside the car. “Oh, aren’t you living quite well now?” The person in the car raised a hand, and a security guard came over, kicking my father’s things aside and roughly dragging him away. The food my dad had been carrying in takeout boxes spilled all over the ground. As he tried to pick it up, he started crying. On our way back, my dad “accidentally” fell into the river. After the accidental death insurance payout came through, we cleared all our debts, with only a small amount left as my living expenses. I was going to college on my father’s blood and sweat. He had done all he could for me, and now I had to do what I could for him. These people who drove him to his death – I wouldn’t let a single one of them off the hook.

During the summer break of my sophomore year, I found a part-time job at a coffee shop below that office building. Soon enough, I met Mr. Stern, my father’s former superior. He was in his forties, well-dressed, and smug with his newfound success. I caught his attention by upgrading his coffee to a large size. He had originally intended to take it to go but ended up staying to drink it in the cafe. Watching me busily working, he came over to place another order. I smiled and said, “Your stomach isn’t good, so it’s not advisable to drink too much iced coffee. How about switching to a hot drink?” He agreed readily and asked how I knew about his stomach issues. I explained that I had seen him holding his stomach when he came to buy coffee last week. I guessed that he probably didn’t have time for breakfast, rushing to work in the morning. Mr. Stern’s eyes lit up slightly. When he looked at me again, his gaze held a deeper meaning. As he took the milk tea, he casually touched the back of my hand. I didn’t shy away, only pretending to be embarrassed as I averted my eyes. Three days later, with Mr. Stern’s help, I entered Tiansheng Company, where my father used to work, as an intern. I heard that he personally delivered my documents to the general manager’s office to open the back door for me. Tiansheng Company’s successful acquisition couldn’t have happened without the “hard work and cooperation” of Tiansheng’s old finance team. But in the end, while others got promoted, only my honest father became the scapegoat, forced to resign and even had to pay compensation. Mr. Stern was now flying high, often talking about how “people should cherish their reputation and integrity.” Huh, just wait until I strip you of your feathers. As an intern in the general affairs department, I quickly memorized the HR system password. But when I logged in, I couldn’t find any of my father’s past records. I was told that due to a system upgrade, some data had been lost. Coincidentally, during the office move, two boxes of financial records were accidentally damaged. And of course, it was my dad’s portion. How incredibly convenient. Interns usually do odd jobs, and my “naive and cute” persona quickly won everyone’s favor. Especially Mr. Stern’s. He was clearly getting ahead of himself, thinking his “mature man” image had attracted an innocent young girl. Yet he was reluctant to invest too much, buying me a bunch of fake bags and clothes as gifts. On the day of the company’s summary meeting, I changed into the uniform cheongsam for receptionists and applied light makeup. Mr. Stern’s eyes lit up when he saw me. During the departmental reports, Mr. Stern came out for a drink of water. I deliberately waited for him on his way back. As he approached, I looked at him innocently. There was no one around, and behind me was the general manager’s office. Not a soul would come by. Sure enough, the moment I touched his palm with my finger, he couldn’t resist and pushed me into the general manager’s office. I only slightly hooked my arms around his neck, and his body immediately reacted. He pushed me to sit on the sofa, grinning as he placed his hand on my knee. I remained motionless, and his hand slowly moved. “You little minx,” he cursed, but with a smile on his face. His hand trembled as he reached for my zipper, which was already loose and suddenly broke completely. At that moment, I burst into tears. Mr. Stern was dumbfounded. I looked at him with a cold smile but cried even louder. Finally, male colleagues burst in, draping a jacket over me, while a female colleague slapped Mr. Stern across the face. Curses, angry shouts, and sounds of scuffling completely drowned out the stunned Mr. Stern’s attempts to explain. I just cried, not needing to say anything. Everyone was on my side. As Mr. Stern left in disgrace, I threw the fake bags and clothes with tags still on them that he had given me at him. Utterly humiliated, he reached out to hit me but was dragged away by security. I lowered my head and cried as the HR girl gently comforted me. “What a scumbag. Always talking about cherishing one’s reputation and integrity, and then he does something like this. Disgusting. He’ll definitely be disciplined for this.” Disciplined? That’s not enough. Just then, the assistant said the general manager wanted to see me. This general manager was Adrian Evans, the new boss from the acquiring company, the one my dad had begged that day. Heh, I’m coming right away.

Adrian Evans wasn’t old, but he had a cold heart. I heard he even snatched his brother’s position to dominate the family business. In the month since I’d been here, I’d seen him three times. Once for coffee, twice for documents. The day before the summary meeting, when I brought him coffee, he took a sip and said he didn’t want sugar. I took the cup back and drank a sip: “But it tastes really good.” Adrian looked up at me. “Really,” I said, looking at him innocently. He had thick eyelashes and deep-set eyes. I just held the cup and kissed him directly. Outside was the bustling corridor. When there was a knock on the door, I said I was momentarily overcome with emotion. He remained expressionless at the time and didn’t pursue the matter further. Then this incident happened the next day. I entered the general manager’s office. He sat in his chair, fingers interlaced, looking at me expectantly. I sat down in the chair in front of the desk, separated from him by the large office desk. On the desk was a photo of him with his family members. My gaze fell on the photo, and I immediately memorized it, a talent from my liberal arts studies. “I’ll help you settle your salary until the end of the month. Take a good rest at home tomorrow.” This was a veiled dismissal. In this matter, I was the perfect victim. All the events captured by the security cameras in the office corridor showed that I was innocent and coerced. How cold-blooded. I thought he would at least comfort me, his little employee, first. “I only want what I deserve,” I said, biting my lip. His gaze fell on my lips. The lipstick was applied just right, along with my shoulder-length short hair and slightly red eyes, presenting a pitiful image. Adrian looked at me for a while, then leaned back in his chair. “Don’t push your luck. Stern is lecherous and bold. But you’re not simple either — newly painted nails, right?” He smiled. “They left marks on the back of his neck. In that position, it’s hard to believe you were forced.” He truly was sharp-minded and ruthless. I had thought that kiss yesterday might have had some effect. I said, “I don’t understand what Mr. Evans is saying, but if this matter gets out on the internet, it will surely have a negative impact on the company…” Adrian thought for a second and chose to fire me. “Now that he’s been fired, at least no one in this industry will hire him. Half a lifetime of work has turned to nothing. Is that enough to satisfy your anger?” Not enough. On my way in, I had anonymously called his wife. She should be downstairs by now. I let go of the model I had been playing with in my hand, stood up supporting myself on the desk, my body seeming to go weak and swaying slightly. The jacket on my shoulders rolled off to one side, half draped over my arm. I stood up and walked straight towards the door. Suddenly, his voice came from behind. “This is an exception. Come back to work after resting for two days.” This was a concession. But I had a new plan now. I watched Mr. Stern’s pathetic beating from the corner window of the coffee shop downstairs. After his futile pleas at Adrian’s car window, he started cursing loudly, accusing Adrian of being ungrateful and abandoning him for a little slut. He asked how they could have easily covered up such a big hole without his suggestion. Security chased Mr. Stern away. Adrian’s car passed by the coffee shop, the window slowly lowered, and the person inside turned to look in my direction. I didn’t flinch, holding my coffee and taking another sip with a smile. Is that enough to satisfy my anger? Not at all. The real show is just beginning.

I returned to school and changed my phone number. After a long time, one day I suddenly received a call from the HR department of Tiansheng Company in my dorm room. They asked about my current situation and said there was a new internship vacancy, considering if I wanted to go back? It was the kind that could be converted to a full-time position after graduation by signing a tripartite agreement. I laughed and said they had the wrong number. The HR manager on the other end was stunned for a moment, saying it shouldn’t be wrong, that the name and photo matched. During the less than two months I worked at Tiansheng, all the addresses and contact information I provided were fake. To be able to call my dorm room, they must have put in quite some effort. But Adrian was too tough to handle, so I decided to choose his weak spot instead. As I was about to graduate from university, I met Jason’s parents once. Jason was known as the campus playboy and was the only son in his family. His mother was no match for him. After a bit of fuss from Jason, she softened and agreed to our relationship. She probably thought it was just dating anyway. Jason liked me for three reasons: first, my face; second, my grades; and third, my innocence. He said I was the only girl he had met who was this beautiful yet had such a clean record when it came to hotel stays. I was also the only beautiful girl he had seen doing such hard work as supermarket promotions. Of course, if I hadn’t known he would go to that supermarket to buy things, that his off-campus apartment was right next to that supermarket, why would I waste half a day doing promotions there with natural makeup? From before I met Jason, I knew exactly what I was doing. He loved to play around, a butterfly among flowers, hating constraints and calculations. He thought he had spent countless efforts to pursue me and cherished me immensely. Little did he know that those chance encounters and perfectly timed meetings, even the image of me that he liked, I had studied carefully beforehand. I planned to find a way to settle the marriage when he graduated, and then meet all of his family. But things happened a bit earlier than expected. One day, I was having dinner with Jason at a restaurant when his phone suddenly rang. He answered it, looking around, then waved to someone on the other side. Following his gaze, I saw his uncle, my former boss, Adrian Evans, who had his arm around Jason affectionately in that photo. Adrian was dressed formally tonight, with a well-dressed female companion. His gaze moved from his nephew Jason to me. Jason hurriedly introduced me. I looked at Adrian and smiled gently. He made a sound of acknowledgment: “Oh, so it’s Miss Lily?” His female companion asked him with a hint of jealousy: “You know each other?” Adrian said: “I happened to hear from my sister-in-law that Jason has a very beautiful girlfriend surnamed Jiang.” This was a cover-up. Jason’s mother hated me to death, and probably only cursed me as a vixen and schemer when she mentioned me. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Adrian and his companion prepared to leave. Jason said to me: “That’s the uncle I told you about, the one on the magazine cover last time.” I shook my head, pretending to be clueless: “Oh, I don’t remember.” Jason pinched my face and laughed: “Well, you’re face-blind. You probably don’t remember anyone except me.” Adrian’s footsteps slowed for a moment.

Leaving the restaurant, I decided to speed up the marriage process while Jason was still infatuated. According to the schedule, Adrian should be about to expose me, so I planned to settle things in two days, racing against time. Jason is usually most infatuated when he’s drunk, jealous, and feeling guilty. So I agreed to the class president’s invitation to a high school reunion this Friday. Conveniently, Jason had an unavoidable dinner engagement on Friday. His cousin, who he grew up with, had returned to A City from studying abroad, and it would surely be a night of wild partying. With many beautiful women present, Jason wouldn’t want me to go with him. On Friday afternoon, I dawdled in the dorm, carefully changed my clothes, didn’t wear any jewelry, just used a hairband to tie up my slightly curled hair. As I went downstairs, I ran into two junior students. I heard them discussing: “That’s Lily, isn’t she? She really is pretty.” Such comments had long become commonplace. The beauty of a young body always presents itself doubly, but it’s all just fleeting fireworks. I took a two-hour taxi ride to A City. More people came to the class reunion tonight than I had imagined. As soon as I appeared at the door of the private room, I heard the commotion inside. “I told you she would come, but they wouldn’t believe me,” the old class president came over first, looked at me with a smile, and pointed out the reserved seat for me. I recognized the boy sitting next to the seat, a cold academic achiever who I heard had already signed a very good job. His face was slightly flushed with alcohol. I went over and sat down without showing any emotion. As usual, there was old classmate sentiment, as usual, there was the clinking of glasses, as usual, there was subtle showing off and discreet probing. Everyone talked about youth, about the future, and it was quite harmonious. I sipped my drink slowly, controlling my alcohol intake. The academic achiever helped me fend off several rounds of drinks. “That’s right, if she drinks too much, Lily’s boyfriend will worry,” the class president said with a smile. The academic achiever immediately looked at me. I timed it just right, ignoring their probing, and just reached out to hold my forehead: “My head is a bit dizzy. I don’t want to drink anymore.” I needed this perfect slight tipsiness. Taking the opportunity to go to the restroom, I called Jason back. Sure enough, he asked why I didn’t answer the phone. It was noisy on his end, like he was still at a drinking party. So I said I was dizzy and whined for him to come pick me up later. He immediately got a bit angry: “You’ve been drinking?” In his mind, I had very low alcohol tolerance, he knew that. The background noise from the phone was chaotic, with young girls’ coquettish laughter. “Aren’t you drinking too?” I said and hung up the phone directly. I knew Jason would always come.

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Before my rebirth, Lucas and I were childhood friends. He was the brightest star in my life. Ten years later, we got married in the most beautiful cathedral in the city. Everyone said we were a match made in heaven. He was the heir to the Carter Group, but he always said he wanted to pursue freedom. So, I took on all the responsibilities for him. That autumn, I was kidnapped in a setup. He rushed into an abandoned factory to save me but was forever lost in the fire. My father-in-law knelt before the memorial tablet, coldly saying, “It’s all because you insisted on taking control. You killed my son!” For three whole years, I worked tirelessly to clear my name, finally waiting for the truth to come to light. On the deck of a cruise ship, I saw Lucas. He was gently wrapping a scarf around Rachel’s neck, with a two-year-old daughter in his arms. He turned to look at me, his eyes cold: “Emily, you were just a stepping stone for me to escape my family. You were never my true love.” As a huge wave capsized the ship, I returned to ten years ago, the day he first proposed to me.

I slowly walked down the stairs, holding onto the railing. Lucas was standing at the bottom, holding a cup of milk tea. “Remember your favorite caramel macchiato? I had someone buy it from the mall across the street.” He smiled as he handed me the milk tea, his other hand holding my favorite Japanese takeout. I let him lead me to the Bentley parked at the entrance, my heart churning with indescribable emotions. His palm was warm, but this temperature felt unfamiliar to me. Among the many potential suitors, I chose Lucas not only because we grew up together. More importantly, he wasn’t as worldly and smooth as other rich kids. He was always like an unrestrained youth, with light in his eyes and dreams in his heart. “Emily, why are you so absent-minded today?” He reached out to touch my forehead, his eyes full of concern. “Lucas, tell me, will you always be this good to me?” Holding back tears, I asked him this question seriously for the first time. He was stunned for a moment, then showed an indulgent smile: “Silly girl, for the past ten years, I’ve only had eyes for you. Don’t you understand that yet?” He pulled me into his arms and whispered in my ear: “In my heart, you’ll always be the most special person.” At this moment, I suddenly had a glimmer of hope. Perhaps the 28-year-old Lucas didn’t yet know he would change his heart, didn’t yet know he would use an explosion to escape. In this do-over, do we still have a chance to rewrite the ending? As long as I don’t take on the responsibilities he doesn’t want, don’t let him fake his death to save me. I leaned on his shoulder, listening to him hum our song. Before the party started, I was touching up my makeup in the rest room when my assistant rushed in panic-stricken: “It’s terrible! Mr. Carter is beating someone downstairs!” When I reached the hall, the usually gentle and refined Lucas was gripping Ryan’s neck, his eyes terrifyingly red. “I’ll fucking teach you to dare lay a hand on her again!” He punched Ryan in the face, “If you dare touch her, I’ll make you regret being born!” Ryan was already beaten bloody, and the guests were all backing away in fear. In the corner, a girl in a champagne-colored dress was curled up on the ground, sobbing. I rushed forward to stop Lucas: “Calm down first. There are so many people watching. We can settle this privately.” When he calmed down a bit, I walked over to the girl and offered her a handkerchief. “Are you alright? Do you want to go to the upstairs rest room?” She looked up at me, her eyes misty with tears. My heart suddenly tightened. That face, that alluring tear mole, wasn’t she the woman from Lucas’s new family in my past life?

In that instant, I felt the whole world crumbling. Lucas pushed me away forcefully, so hard that I stumbled back and hit the decorative cabinet behind me, cutting a gash on my arm with the glass. “How could you talk to her like that? Do you know how scared she is right now?” He stood in front of Rachel, glaring at me fiercely. “A girl gets bullied, and not only do you not comfort her, but you question her like this? Where’s your conscience?” I bit my lip, enduring the pain in my arm. “Lucas, don’t get so agitated. There are so many people watching. We need to be reasonable.” He sneered, his eyes full of unfamiliarity. “Emily Shaw, when did you become so snobbish?” “For the sake of appearances, you don’t even have basic sympathy? I really misjudged you!” He took a deep breath: “I’ll give you one day. By tomorrow, I want to see the truth!” With that, he took off his jacket and gently draped it over Rachel’s shoulders, carefully supporting her as they left, without even a glance at me. I stood there, watching my fiancé blow up at me for another woman. The whispers of the guests around me were like countless knives, cutting into my heart. The wound on my arm stung fiercely, but I knew this wasn’t the time to treat it. I forced myself to apologize to Ryan, arranged for someone to take him to the hospital, and then retrieved the security footage to clarify the truth. After dealing with all the guests and calming everyone’s emotions, it was already late at night. I could finally check my wound. The blood had long since congealed, and my clothes were stuck to the flesh. The security footage showed that the so-called harassment was just Ryan’s sleeve accidentally brushing against Rachel as he turned around. Lucas didn’t come back all night, only sending a cold text message: “Sorry, I was impulsive.” The next morning, I had just finished processing the termination paperwork for a batch of unqualified interns. Lucas barged into the office, his face ashen: “Why did you fire Rachel? Just because of yesterday’s incident?” The employees outside all stopped their work, pricking up their ears to eavesdrop. I looked up at him: “Lucas Carter, do you defend her so much because you’ve known her for a long time?” His expression froze, then he quickly put on a gentle smile: “Emily, are you jealous?” He tried to take my hand, but I avoided it. Not long after, he came in again carrying a large bouquet of roses. “Don’t be angry anymore. Rachel is my cousin. I just sent her home last night.” “Can you let her stay for my sake?” I sneered: “So now I need your approval to deal with unqualified employees?” “Before you questioned me, I didn’t even know her name.” He frowned at me: “Emily, you’ve been well-off since childhood. How could you understand her difficulties?” “She still needs this salary to take care of her sick grandmother.” His tone was full of reproach: “You’re already so excellent. Why can’t you give her a chance? Do you have to be so ruthless?” I stared blankly at this unfamiliar man before me. So in his eyes, my excellence was an innate privilege. So my efforts should all become stepping stones for others. So my happiness should all be given to that pitiful girl.

After that argument, I took a long leave and didn’t go to the company for fifteen whole days. Partly to sulk with Lucas, and partly to think about whether I should withdraw early to avoid repeating the mistakes of my past life. During this time, Lucas avoided me, but Mrs. Carter called every day asking me to come back to the old house for dinner. After much hesitation, I finally went. As soon as Mrs. Carter saw me, she took my hand sympathetically: “Oh, Emily dear, it’s all that silly boy’s fault for not knowing better. Don’t take it to heart.” “Mommy promises you, I won’t let any improper person enter our Carter family.” “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely stand up for you!” I held the bird’s nest soup Mrs. Carter had personally stewed for me, listening to her gentle words, my heart filled with mixed emotions. Just then, Lucas walked in with Rachel, laughing and chatting. In the short half month since I’d last seen her, Rachel’s fragile aura had completely disappeared, replaced by undisguised smugness. She smiled at me sweetly: “Sister-in-law, hello. This is a handmade aromatherapy candle Lucas and I made together. It’s a bit flawed, but I still wanted to give it to you.” Lucas stood beside her, silently allowing her behavior. I held up the bird’s nest soup. Even the scalding porcelain bowl couldn’t thaw the coldness in my heart. Mrs. Carter immediately darkened her face: “How rude! Giving someone a gift, and you choose a defective one? What were you thinking?” Rachel hurriedly took off the sapphire necklace from her neck: “I’m so sorry, sister-in-law. This necklace is a royal heirloom from the British royal family. I’ll give it to you as an apology!” That necklace, called “Destiny”, was personally bought by Lucas at an auction in London last year. I had naively thought he would put it on me at our wedding. It turned out that in his heart, the real “Destiny” was Rachel. I silently looked at the necklace, not reaching out to take it. Mrs. Carter pulled Rachel away: “Girl, come with me to look at the garden. Don’t always cling to Lucas. He’s about to get married.” Lucas sat down across from me, poured himself a cup of tea, his lips curled in mockery: “Looks like you still can’t let go of your status in this family. Even if you don’t go to the company, you still come to curry favor with my mom.” “Don’t worry, the position of future Mrs. Carter belongs to no one but you. Who else could please my mom so well?” I had never seen him look at me with such cold eyes. Tears welled up in my eyes: “Lucas, you won’t even give me the most basic kindness anymore?” He glanced at me, continuing to drink his tea leisurely. After finishing his tea, he went upstairs without looking back. Late at night, I was clearing my mind in the gazebo in the backyard when I suddenly heard whispers coming from the nearby rose garden. Rachel’s coquettish voice came through: “Auntie doesn’t seem to like me very much. What should I do?” Lucas chuckled: “My mom even dislikes me. In her eyes, there’s only Emily, the perfect daughter-in-law.” “Then in your heart, who’s more important, me or her?” Rachel pressed. Lucas laughed softly: “You’re always so greedy.” Rachel clung to him persistently. “The first time I saw you, I was moved by your innocence. The next time we met, I was conquered by your passion.” “No one in this world can compare to you. Happy now?” “As for Emily, she’s just like my mom. What’s so interesting about that?” “After we’re married and someone’s helping me manage the family business, I can take you traveling around the world. Don’t be angry, okay?” Before he finished speaking, the two were already kissing. I stood in the darkness, tears silently falling, feeling utterly ridiculous. So whether in this life or the last, I was just a bargaining chip for him to gain freedom. He deceived me clear-headedly, while I foolishly believed in this dream.

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I, Olivia Winchester, was abducted and sold when I was a little kid. After I managed to escape with great difficulty, I found out that I was actually the real daughter of the Winchester family. But my biological parents didn’t love me. Instead, they doted on their fake daughter, Shirley Winchester. During an emergency surgery, my mom and dad had put on their protective suits. And my brother, Isaac Winchester, clung tightly to Shirley, shielding her and insisting that she shouldn’t be the one to do this surgery. Yet, not a single person bothered to tell me that the patient had AIDS and that the doctor performing the operation needed to wear protective gear. Just like that, I was left exposed to the patient with my wounds out in the open. After going through such a life-and-death ordeal, what little affection I had for my family was completely drained, and I finally gave up on them. After the surgery was over, I calmly picked up the phone and made an anonymous tip. “I want to report a colleague for deliberately concealing the patient’s medical history, which put me at risk of being exposed to AIDS.”

“Why aren’t you wearing protective gear, Olivia?!” The shocked voice of my colleague, Jeana Louis, came from the doorway, with a hint of terror hidden in her eyes. I didn’t know what she meant at first. I was stunned for a moment and asked instinctively, “Why say so?” I hadn’t heard that the patient had a history of infectious diseases. But Jeana backed away repeatedly as if she was avoiding the plague. Standing as far away from me as possible, she said in a hurried tone, “This patient has AIDS and syphilis. You can’t come into contact with him. Didn’t Mr. Nathan Winchester tell you that? “Oh my goodness, are you crazy? How could you perform the surgery without any protective measures at all? “How old are you? Do you want to get infected with such a disease? Didn’t your teacher remind you during your internship?” Looking at my parents in their thick protective suits and Shirley being shielded by Isaac, I was dazed for a moment. AIDS couldn’t be cured in the medical field for the time being. Once I was infected, I would carry the virus for life. After my heart skipped a beat, I stiffly turned my head and looked at Isaac, who was keeping Shirley behind him. He was the best anesthesiologist in the hospital, and it was his responsibility to check the patient’s medical history before the operation. Words of accusation were on the tip of my tongue, but in the end, I joked, “Isaac, Jeana is just kidding, right? I didn’t hear about any infectious diseases before I came in…” “The patient does have AIDS. This emergency rescue was unexpected, and I didn’t have time to tell you,” he said. The smile on my face froze. My own brother just dismissed me with those few casual words. “Olivia, you’ve always been in good health, so it’s okay. Shirley is in poor health, so that’s why I didn’t let her assist with this surgery. Weren’t you always complaining that we were biased? Now that you’ve participated in this operation, you should be happy,” Isaac said. I couldn’t hear what he said next. My head was buzzing, my face turned pale, my hands were shaking uncontrollably, and tears were gradually welling up in my eyes. In the silence, I let out a scream. “Why didn’t you tell me!” This was an infectious disease. Even if I wasn’t their sister or daughter, but just an ordinary colleague, they should have told me the patient’s past medical history. My heart turned completely cold, but then I heard my mother, Cara Winchester, complaining impatiently, “Olivia, can you stop ruining the mood? “Your father and I guessed that you would put on this affected act, so we decided not to tell you. Besides, you’re just a junior nurse. It doesn’t matter whether you know the patient’s medical history or not. Shirley already knew about it, but she didn’t back down either.” I laughed self-deprecatingly. “She’s the furthest away from the patient and has the most comprehensive protective measures. Dad, Mom, Isaac, she’s the apple of your eyes, but aren’t I your family member too? Why didn’t you tell me about this?” In the silence, the operation went on in an orderly manner. My father, Nathan Winchester, didn’t even bother to spare me a glance. It wasn’t until the stitches were done that he snapped, “Olivia, you’re being so unreasonable! Your mother and I clearly taught you that family scandals should not be made public.”

There was nothing but blame in his tone. No one could remain calm when they learned that they might be infected with AIDS. What’s more, I had a wound on my hand. I stared at them blankly and finally realized that since I entered the operating room, they had been wrapped up tightly, wearing masks, goggles, and even double-layered rubber gloves. Throughout the operation, Isaac had seriously shielded Shirley behind him, preventing her from getting close to the operating table. I had thought that Shirley was scared, and because my parents had been constantly ordering me to assist them, I was so busy that I was sweating all over and didn’t have the time to pay attention to their strange attire. It turned out that they were so afraid that Shirley might be in danger that they gave this opportunity to me. My hands were shaking more and more, and I couldn’t help but think about how painful it would be if I were infected and had to go through the treatment in the future. But Cara was still scolding me. “The operation is done, and you didn’t have any accidents. I think you’re just being overly sensitive.” But this disease has an incubation period. I felt as if all the blood in my body had turned cold at that moment. Once I came to my senses, I immediately left the operating room, disinfected myself, took the anti-retroviral drugs, and washed my hands countless times. In the end, I lost my strength and leaned against the wall, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. Isaac never ate on time. Yesterday, I was worried that he would be hungry during his shift at the hospital, so I cooked his favorite steak sandwich myself. However, when I was cutting the meat, I accidentally cut my index finger. At that time, when I was holding the lunch box and casually mentioned that I had accidentally cut my hand and it hurt a bit, Isaac even took the first aid kit to put medicine on my wound and told me to have a good rest. He was the most outstanding graduate of his class. He definitely couldn’t have been unaware that AIDS was more likely to be transmitted when there was a wound, not to mention that the patient was constantly spitting up blood. I couldn’t help but wonder if Isaac really wanted me to die. ***** While waiting for the test results, my heart was pounding wildly. On the other hand, my parents, who had finished the operation, didn’t care at all where I had gone. When they passed by me, they didn’t even glance at me. Holding Shirley’s hands on both sides, they asked gently with soft expressions, “Shirley, you’ve worked hard during this operation. What would you like to have for dinner? That new French restaurant? Okay, it’s on us. We’ll take you there.” I opened my mouth, but I didn’t know what to say. I just stared blankly as they walked away. Ever since I was found by my family, my parents had never called me like that. They were not even willing to say one more word to me. “Olivia, come here.” “Olivia, time for dinner.” “Olivia, Shirley has a math problem she can’t solve. Teach her.” After I joined the hospital, their tone towards me was nothing but commands. At this moment, Isaac said, “What are you standing there for? Didn’t you hear that we’re having a family dinner? Hurry up.” These words instantly woke me up, and I instinctively looked up at Isaac. He frowned, still looking as unapproachable as ever, making people reluctant to get close to him casually. Perhaps seeing the tears that hadn’t dried on my face yet, he rarely softened his tone and said, “It was indeed my oversight not to tell you the patient’s past medical history. I’m sorry. But Dad is about to be promoted to vice president of the hospital, and you’ll benefit more when you work here in the future. So, stop making a fuss, okay? The hospital is really busy.” Finally, after thinking for a while, he added, “Also, Shirley has already gotten off work. You can help her write the report. I’ll send you the location of the family dinner on your phone later. You made a scene just now, and Mom and Dad are very unhappy. Apologize to them later.” He still spoke to me in a commanding tone, sounding cold and distant, as if he was just giving orders to a subordinate.

When I heard Isaac say that I would benefit from it, I laughed. But as I laughed, I couldn’t hold back a few tears. Ever since I started working in the hospital, I had been doing the toughest jobs, while Shirley always got the easiest ones. My parents were so afraid that she would get tired that they told all our colleagues that Shirley was too young to endure hardship. Once, I accidentally overheard Cara saying, “Don’t let Shirley get too tired. But you can ask Olivia to do the odd jobs. She wasn’t with us when she was a kid, so she can take the hardship.” She evaded the important facts and ignored the truth that I had been abducted when I was a child. She just said that I could endure hardship, while Shirley, who was showered with all the love, couldn’t. Even though Shirley’s grades were so poor that no hospital was willing to hire her, it was my parents who pulled some strings to get her in. During my internship, I was busy doing the work of two people all by myself. I had to write two reports. Most of the time, I didn’t even have time to eat. I was so exhausted that I would fall asleep as soon as I fell onto the bed. This was what Isaac meant by me benefiting from it. I forcefully held back my sobs and asked sharply, “Isaac, isn’t my life and safety important? It’s AIDS we’re talking about! Once infected, I’ll carry it for life. I’m only twenty years old! If I’m really infected, the consequences will be unimaginable…” Before I could finish speaking, I was interrupted. Isaac frowned even more. He sneered and scolded me in a mean tone, “Are you done? You’re fine now, aren’t you? You’re already a nurse. Can’t you stop being so delicate? I thought you had become independent and strong-willed since you were found…” He shook his head in disappointment as if he had sentenced me to death. “You’re totally hopeless now.” These words were so ironic. My heart, which had been filled with negative emotions, now deflated like a punctured balloon. I felt weak and defeated, and suddenly I thought of the day I was first found and brought back home. I was led by Isaac, tightly clutching the hem of my washed-out white dress, and my heart was pounding. I told myself in my heart that I had to stay calm, that I had to make my family like me and not drive me away. Then, I saw Shirley wearing an expensive little dress, walking down the magnificent spiral staircase step by step. She came up to me, took a good look at me, and then asked innocently, “Isaac, who is she? Is she the new servant in our house?” Isaac’s mouth was set in a tight line. He squeezed my hand a little harder, but he never denied what she said. He just said, “From now on, she’ll be your elder sister.” ***** At first, I was a bit resentful. Due to my parents’ negligence, I got lost and after going through a lot of twists and turns, I was finally sold to a poor rural area. I had been missing for five years. There, not only did I have to do the laundry and cooking, take care of an elderly person who couldn’t get out of bed, and even had to deal with her excrement right on the bed, but I also had to endure hunger. I refused to give up and studied hard. It was not until the family relaxed their vigilance that I walked for three days and three nights to the town and reported to the police. I thought that after being rescued, I could finally return to my happy home. However, by then, there was no place for me in the family anymore. Shirley had already become the apple of the whole family’s eye. After I got lost, my parents transferred all their guilt towards me onto Shirley, who bore some resemblance to me. Most of the time, they even instinctively showed favoritism towards her. Even if I just ate a piece of beef, they would scold me, “Shirley likes this. Can’t you wait until she’s finished eating? Why are you so gluttonous? It’s not like you’ve never eaten it before.” But I really hadn’t had meat for a long time. So I silently put down my fork, held back my grievances and sadness, and placed the plate of beef in front of Shirley, fearing that if I did something wrong, they might abandon me and I would be sent back to that rural area again. I gave in a great deal. Even three years ago, I gave up my secret crush. I wondered, “Haven’t I done enough? Why won’t my family fully accept me?” ***** A long time passed, so long that my colleagues all left work. Isaac glanced at his phone and said impatiently, “Stop playing the victim. Jeana just told me you’ve already taken the meds, so you’ll be fine!” Another message popped up on his phone. He took a look and then sneered at me, “Shirley was worried you’d have a meltdown and asked me to comfort you. So cut out that fake act of yours.” I came back to myself, licked my dry lips, and after a moment’s hesitation, said, “Thank her for me.” In truth, my heart was breaking. After being treated so unfairly by their own flesh and blood, no one could pretend nothing had happened. But I knew that even if I was suffering to the point of collapse, no one would care. My parents would just think I was being dramatic, and Shirley would just wipe her tears, hold my hand, and say in a weepy voice, “Olivia, I wish it had been me who got abducted instead…” Seemingly caught off guard by my response, Isaac froze for a moment before snapping, “Look at the mess you’ve made of yourself!” Before I could reply, he rushed off, no doubt to join the family dinner. After Isaac left, I stood there, rooted to the spot. The words my family had said echoed in my ears, each one twisting the knife in my heart. “When will you be as sensible as Shirley?” “Can’t you stop looking so gloomy all the time?” “If you make Shirley cry again, get out of this house!” These heartless words were like a sharp blade, severing the last thread of warmth between me and this family. I was abducted at eleven and found at sixteen, and I’d tiptoed around them ever since. Now, at twenty-one, I finally realized that my own flesh and blood truly didn’t give a damn whether I lived or died. I suddenly burst into laughter. It was as if a part of my heart reserved for family was cracking open, and a knife was slowly cutting away every bit of affection I’d held for them. As the wounds began to heal, I placed my hand over my beating heart and was surprised to find that I really didn’t care anymore. I no longer cared about my parents’ love, Isaac’s disdain, or Shirley’s constant provocation. Clumsily, I took out my phone and dialed the local health department’s number. I poured out all the words I’d been holding back for so long. “I want to report my colleagues for concealing a patient’s AIDS history and putting me at risk of infection.” Free Point After I finally saw things clearly, it was like a heavy cloud that had been weighing me down for ages suddenly lifted.

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Nathan was ashamed of my stammer and never brought me into his social circle. At a gathering with friends, his buddy joked, “How do you argue with a stammerer?” His childhood sweetheart laughed and said, “It takes her three minutes to say one sentence. So stupid. Last time she couldn’t get the words out, she almost cried from frustration.” Everyone burst into laughter. “Looks like he’s not planning to make it official.” Nathan shrugged carelessly, “She’s just a mute. I’ll dump her when I’m bored.” Later, I appeared at a banquet on the arm of his older brother. Speaking fluently. Nathan grabbed my wrist and demanded coldly, “When did you get better?” The man beside me put his arm around my waist and said with a smile, “Sorry, she’s always been quite sharp when it comes to cursing.” I rushed into the bar through the pouring rain, only to find the atmosphere inside at its peak. Nathan was kissing his childhood sweetheart Sophia amidst the cheers of the crowd. He held her chin gently, a smile playing on his lips. Sophia was crying, tears streaming down her face. She looked utterly pitiful. Nathan’s eyes darkened. “Still want to run away?” She shook her head between sobs. “No more running. I just beg you not to bully me anymore.” “Good girl. Drink this, and I won’t bully you,” he coaxed. I forgot to push open the door, frozen in place. A dull ache spread through my heart, as if countless needles were being buried inside. I had been with Nathan for three years. He was ashamed of my stammer and never brought me into his social circle. His childhood sweetheart Sophia had abandoned the down-on-his-luck Nathan years ago to pursue opportunities abroad. Now that she was back, Nathan immediately introduced her to all his friends. Sophia downed a glass of strong liquor, clearly already drunk. She clung helplessly to Nathan’s neck, looking utterly vulnerable. The possessiveness in Nathan’s eyes grew more intense by the second. Before things could get worse, I chose to push open the door and enter.

“Nathan, your m-medicine…” I stood dripping wet in the doorway, my voice trembling. On rainy days, the joints in Nathan’s fingers would ache terribly. It was an old injury from when he saved me years ago. I had run here to bring him his medication. Nathan’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “It’s still raining outside. Why did you come?” he asked coldly. “I was w-worried you’d be in p-pain—” Nathan gestured for a waiter to take the medicine, cutting me off. “It’s too rowdy here. Go home.” “Aww, Nathan really cares about his girl, huh?” one of his friends teased. Sophia was curled up in Nathan’s arms, gazing at me through hazy eyes. She was wrapped in Nathan’s jacket. Nathan was afraid she’d be cold, so he’d had the staff turn up the air conditioning. His friends were sweating but didn’t dare complain. Now that’s what you call caring. Suddenly Sophia tugged on Nathan’s sleeve, slurring, “Let her sing for us, okay?” “You want to hear her sing?” Nathan’s expression softened, pleased by Sophia’s conciliatory gesture. He knew full well that with my stammer, singing would only humiliate me. I took two steps back. “I-I’ll go now.” Sophia suddenly burst into giggles, mimicking me: “I-I’ll g-go now.” Nathan’s eyes lit up, a faint smile touching his lips. He grabbed Sophia’s wrist. “Let her go. Why are you leaving?” My face burned with humiliation. I turned and pushed open the door. As I left, I heard one of Nathan’s friends ask: “How do you argue with your stammering girlfriend anyway?” Sophia mumbled drunkenly: “It takes her three minutes to say one sentence. So stupid.” “…Last time she couldn’t get the words out, she almost cried from frustration.” Nathan let out a derisive laugh, his eyes overflowing with affection for Sophia. “You ungrateful little thing. You forget all the good I’ve done for you, and just get jealous of others.” “Nathan, when are you going to break up with the stammerer? Looks like you’ll be taking Sophia to a hotel tonight, huh?” another friend chimed in. Nathan leaned back on the sofa and said coldly, “She’s just a stammerer. I’ll dump her when I’m bored.” Then he looked at Sophia, a hint of something dark flashing in his eyes. “As long as it makes Sophia come back to me, it’s all worth it.” But he didn’t know that my stammer had already improved greatly. I had come tonight wanting to share the good news with him. Now it seemed there was no point.

I walked out of the bar in a daze. The sky was gray and it was still raining. A black Bentley was parked out front. I made my way to the car through the rain, wiping raindrops from my lashes. The window rolled down, revealing a sharp, handsome profile. The man inside wore a black suit that couldn’t hide his noble air. “Mr. Fu, I’m sorry to disappoint you,” I said softly. The cold man sitting in the car was Nathan’s older brother and the head of the Fu family business. Ethan. A few months ago, he had sought me out with a straightforward proposition. “Nathan is my brother, so I hope things go well between you two.” Presumably for the sake of his precious brother’s happiness, Ethan had brought in specialists from abroad and spent a great deal of money. That’s how my stammer had gradually improved. But now, Nathan no longer loved me. Ethan’s gaze shifted from his tablet to me. He uttered two words: “Get in.” I opened the car door, careful not to get water on the leather seats as I climbed in and huddled in the corner. Ethan had a unique aura about him. Dignified and reserved. Inspiring both respect and fear. He hung up a business call and turned to me. “So, want to consider liking someone else?” “What?” I met his cold, emotionless gaze, my heart tightening. Ethan spoke as if discussing a business deal. “You could marry me.” “Everything Nathan has, I have too. Even more.” “In terms of benefits, I’m the better choice.” Silence fell in the car after he finished speaking. Raindrops drummed on the roof. Like a frenzied symphony. I hadn’t processed his words yet. “Why…?” It seemed like he was… trying to steal his own brother’s girlfriend… Ethan’s lips curled slightly, his eyes still cold and clear. “You know Grandfather is pressuring me to get married. If you’re willing to help, all the better.” “As a reward, I’ll give you everything you want.” “Of course, you can refuse me. I’ll give you time to consider.” In that moment, I glimpsed a true businessman. Ethan was more mature and steady than Nathan. He knew how to control the big picture. And how to maximize benefits. The Fu family had saved my life. With such an enormous debt of gratitude, I didn’t seem to have grounds to refuse. Finally, I said carefully, “I’ll think about it. But if you find someone you like in the future, we should still get divorced.” Ethan’s gaze returned to his tablet. He said softly, “We’ll see when the time comes.”

That night, Ethan dropped me off at my rented apartment. I watched the black car disappear silently into the twilight, then opened my phone. Nathan had posted on social media a few minutes ago. The background was a hotel room. Sophia was curled up asleep beside him, her lips slightly swollen and her long hair disheveled. The caption read: “So obedient.” I looked up at the sky, taking several deep breaths to suppress the urge to break down. I sent Nathan a message saying “We need to talk.” He didn’t reply. It was as if he had died. I knew Nathan would never come back to me. For a whole month, Nathan completely disappeared. Finally, I gathered my courage and sent Nathan a breakup message. I blocked him on all platforms and married Ethan. Ethan was very busy with work and left on a business trip the day we got our marriage certificate. After leaving the civil affairs office, Ethan had his driver take me to his villa in the city center. He also had my things moved over from my rented apartment. On the third day after getting married, Ethan was still out of town. As night fell, the villa felt empty and quiet. I turned on a small lamp and walked into the master bedroom. The bedroom was done in gray and white, with a minimalist style and spacious layout. The walk-in closet next door was filled with Ethan’s expensive clothes and watches. And… a few of my clothes. At 10 PM, I heard the front door open. Thinking Ethan was back, I opened the bedroom door. A familiar voice drifted through the crack. It was Nathan. “My brother’s out of town. We’ll stay here tonight.” I heard Sophia’s breathless voice. “Nathan… I can’t breathe.” Nathan’s low chuckle. “You’ll have plenty to endure later.” In the silent, empty night, I curled up on the bed, listening to the sounds from next door, feeling like I couldn’t breathe. When Ethan pushed open the bedroom door, my eyes were swollen from crying. Teary-eyed, I asked, “Mr. Fu, why are you back early?” He had his jacket draped over his arm, as if he’d come straight from the front door. He hadn’t even taken time to put away his clothes. Travel-worn. His body carried the chill of the night air. “Why are you crying?” he asked. That cool tone somehow gave me an immense sense of security. He took off his watch and cupped my chin, leaning down. “This is your house. Why didn’t you ask them to leave?” The hot, rough touch of his fingers scorched my skin. My ears instantly turned red. “He’s your brother…” Ethan had been willing to cure my stammer for Nathan’s sake. What right did I have to throw out his own brother? Just then another strange sound came from next door. Sophia’s voice was soft and coquettish. I tried to get out of bed to find some earplugs, but in my haste I tripped over a stool. My knees hit the floor with a thud. “Ah…” I cried out in pain. Next door suddenly went quiet. Ethan sighed and bent down to pick me up. “What’s the rush?” He was carrying me out of the bedroom when suddenly there was a knock at the door. Nathan called tentatively, “Brother… did you… bring someone home?” The next second the doorknob started to turn. I froze, not daring to move. In the urgent moment, Ethan calmly supported me, pressing my back against the door. Frightened, I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck. Clinging to him like a koala. Hot and cold, our body heat intermingled. I looked down. His clear eyes reflected hints of lazy amusement. I had messed up his tie, exposing a small patch of his exquisite, tempting collarbone below his Adam’s apple. Ascetic yet alluring. It was really… unfair. “Mr. Fu…” My voice was trembling. I suddenly realized what a suggestive position we were in. Ethan suppressed the meaningful look in his eyes. “Can you moan?” I shook my head. Outside, Nathan was getting impatient. “Brother, open the door. Did you bring a woman home?” Ethan smiled at me, but his words held no warmth. “Do I need to report my love life to you?” He was clearly used to being dictatorial. Nathan choked. “I thought I heard—” “You heard wrong.” Ethan stroked down my waist, moving lower. As my breathing grew more rapid, he asked softly: “If you can’t moan, then sing.” “Don’t worry, your voice sounds good.” This was the first time anyone had complimented me. My face flushed red as I held back, not sure what came over me as I blurted out: “Little bunny, be good…” I stopped after half a line. Ethan was looking at me strangely. “That line is hard to resist,” he said, his voice tinged with teasing laughter. Like a feather, tickling my heart. I lowered my head, not daring to look at him. My face felt hot and red. Suddenly it went quiet outside. Nathan’s voice shook. “Brother, who exactly is your girlfriend?” Ethan locked the door with a click. In an unyielding tone, he said: “Tonight is my wedding night with your sister-in-law.” “She doesn’t like noise.” “So take your woman and get out.”

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When I married Gabriel, I was 20, and he was 3 My mother said he was kind-hearted, successful, and could take care of me. For four years after our marriage, Gabriel treated me extremely well. Until I found my aunt’s photo in his wallet. 1 Gabriel spoiled me. He would give me anything I wanted, and being older, he seemed to have endless patience. I whined on the phone, “If you’re not coming home tonight, I might go out and find other men.” “I have to work late tonight, be good and stay home,” Gabriel paused, “Remember that bag you mentioned last time? I’ve already ordered it, it’ll be delivered tonight.” I giggled, “Why do you always try to appease me with bags?” “Don’t you like them?” His deep, magnetic voice made my heart flutter. I quickly said I loved it and kept him talking, the atmosphere turning flirtatious. After four years of marriage, I had truly experienced the benefits of being with an older man. He was so gentle, I couldn’t find a single flaw. Even when I deliberately acted up or caused trouble, he would always soothe me gently. He had a lot of money and a lot of love, and he gave both to me without hesitation. My heart was filled with warmth. Until my best friend told me she saw a woman walking arm in arm with Gabriel across the street. 2 That night, I had a huge fight with Gabriel. I didn’t even get a chance to appreciate the new bag before I threw it at his face. “What’s the meaning of this? Is your overtime work actually dating other women?” I was shaking with anger, my eyes red. Gabriel’s expression was cold, but when he looked at me, his eyes were only filled with gentleness and helplessness. He tried to approach me, but I pushed him away. “That was your aunt, darling. She just came back from abroad and happens to be cooperating with our company. We were having a business dinner.” “My aunt?” I was confused. My aunt was back? My aunt was a free spirit, 33 years old, single, traveling abroad. We hardly ever saw her throughout the year. She’s back? Why didn’t she tell me? Seeing my reaction, Gabriel pulled me into his arms, “Are you still angry?” I snorted and took out my phone to call my aunt. The call connected quickly. The woman’s soft voice came through the phone, and I felt Gabriel’s body stiffen for a moment. I glared at him and asked, “Aunt, you’re back?” “Yes, sweetie. I just called your mom. What’s up?” “Aunt, did you have dinner with my husband’s company tonight?” “Yes, I did. It was business, couldn’t be postponed. I drank quite a bit and almost tripped crossing the street. How embarrassing! Luckily your husband was there.” My doubts were completely dispelled. I arranged a welcome dinner with my aunt and hung up. Gabriel held me tightly, “Are you still angry?” “Hmph!” I pushed him away and picked up the new bag from the floor, feeling heartbroken about its condition. Gabriel was still patient, comforting me for a while longer. Finally, he carried me upstairs. 3 When I woke up early the next morning, Gabriel was already gone. He was busy with work and left early. And I found a photo in the wallet he had left behind. In the photo, a young woman looked radiant, smiling brightly with curved eyes. Her left hand was holding Gabriel’s arm, and her right hand was making an old-fashioned peace sign. Her appearance was somewhat similar to mine. No! It was very similar. With trembling hands, I stuffed the photo back. Gabriel was eleven years older than me, he must have had lovers in the past. I could let that go. But the woman in the photo was Olivia, my aunt… My husband and my aunt. What kind of relationship did they have? And what did they take me for in these four years of marriage? Like a thunderbolt, scenes from the past involving Olivia flashed through my mind. When we got married, he asked several times why Olivia didn’t attend the wedding; during New Year’s family gatherings, when my mother called Olivia, he would always lean in to say “Happy New Year”; even the clothes he bought for me were always in the cream color that my aunt loved to wear… There were too many similar incidents, scene after scene flashing through my mind, leaving me confused and shocked. The photo was old, the color fading at the edges, evidence of how many times the owner’s fingers must have caressed it longingly. Trying to avoid the reality, I stuffed the wallet into the bedside drawer. A moment later, I masochistically entered Gabriel’s study. He had warned me several times not to enter his study, and I wasn’t interested in what was inside, assuming it was just some important documents of a workaholic. I pushed aside the documents on the desk and looked at the photo album hidden beneath them. The album was filled with photos of a young couple on every page. I slowly flipped through, looking at the dates behind each photo, until I reached the last one. [October 26, 2016]. This photo was a long-distance shot taken at the airport on the day Olivia left the country six years ago. Her black hair was flowing, and her expression was melancholic. I was also in the photo. I was just a sophomore then, very reluctant to part with my aunt who had always doted on me. I was hugging Olivia and crying. I hadn’t noticed someone taking a picture from afar. On the back of the photo, there was a message written in neat handwriting. [Olivia, our ten years end here.] A month later, I met Gabriel for the first time in the cold winter. Two years later, after my college graduation, I unhesitatingly married him. 4 Everything between Gabriel and me. It was all a lie. 5 Gabriel came home very late. His posture was straight, his tailored suit and neatly combed-back hair making his handsome features look somewhat distant and cold. Those indifferent eyes seemed to melt when they saw me on the sofa. He smiled as he walked towards me, “It’s one in the morning, why aren’t you asleep?” In the past, I would have snuggled into his arms, craving his warmth. Now, I just felt disgusted. I avoided his outstretched hand and threw the photo I had been clutching onto the coffee table. These were the photos he had treasured and hidden in his study. Of course, he recognized them at a glance. Gabriel’s expression froze, but he managed to maintain a smile. “You went into my study?” he asked gently. “Yes.” Gabriel lowered his eyes and silently picked up the photos from the coffee table. “Don’t do it again.” His tone was calm, the worst attitude he had ever shown me since our marriage. I sneered, “There won’t be a next time, Gabriel. After all these years together, what exactly did you take me for?” I stood up, looking up at him. Time hadn’t left any traces on his face; he was still handsome and youthful. I stared into those seemingly affectionate eyes and saw him frown tiredly. “Alright, stop making a fuss. Let’s go to bed,” he sighed, as if yielding. “You think I’m making a fuss?” I asked. Gabriel avoided the question: “Sophia, haven’t I been good to you?” Without waiting for my answer, he continued, “I believe I’ve treated you well. At least in this marriage, I’ve never wronged you. So, can’t you understand that there are some things I can’t give you?” “Some things? You mean love?” I asked. He remained silent, implicitly agreeing. I wanted to laugh, but tears welled up instead, “So I’m just a replacement. You’ve been so good to me, but you’ve never loved me.” “You’re an adult. Love is too luxurious…” “Am I not worthy?” I interrupted him. I wanted to ask if I, Sophia, wasn’t worthy of sincere and passionate love. Should I be grateful for being a replacement? Uncontrollable sadness made me cry incessantly. Gabriel brought a warm, damp towel to wipe my tears, his movements gentle. But I felt even more miserable. See how gentle he was. So gentle that he remained calm even as he watched me break down. In this marriage, I was the only one who had invested my whole heart.

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