Category: English

In the fifth year of my marriage to Daniel Thompson, he had an affair with his personal assistant because I couldn’t get pregnant. He brought her home, took over the master bedroom, usurped my position as the lady of the house, and occupied the place by his side. I never made a fuss, just packed my bags and prepared to leave. But he sneered and said, “Don’t forget, your parents’ lives are in my hands.” His friends bet in front of me, guessing when I would kneel and beg Daniel to take me back. At the auction, he helped his little assistant humiliate me. What he didn’t know was that my parents were already dead, and he was the one incapable of having children. As I watched my long-lost love return, I secretly vowed. This time, I would not only leave, but also ruin his reputation completely. … Once again, as I watched Olivia Baker cling to Daniel Thompson in front of me, I no longer felt much of anything. But he still refused to let me go, speaking in a commanding tone. “Olivia is due to give birth in a few days. Quit your job and stay home to take care of her food and daily needs.” Hearing this, I suddenly realized that these five years of marriage seemed meaningless. “Daniel, let’s get divorced.” … After a brief silence, mocking laughter erupted from the karaoke room. “Did I hear that right? Rachel wants to divorce Daniel? Wasn’t she the one who desperately clung to him in the first place?” “Don’t fight me on this, I bet she’ll be back on her knees begging Daniel to take her back within a day!” “Sis, what’s gotten into you? Are you jealous of Olivia?” “What, are you feeling sorry for her?” Daniel coldly retorted, his gaze towards me growing icy. “Are you sure about this?” “Yes, I’ll send you the divorce papers.” With that, I turned to leave, but Daniel suddenly called out to stop me. “Rachel Wilson, don’t forget, your half-dead parents still need the Thompson family’s support.” He dared to bring up my parents. Seeing I remained silent, he stood up and looked down at me imperiously, his tone threatening. “You’d better think it through. Do you know how much your parents’ annual medical expenses are? Can you afford it?” Olivia chimed in from the side. “That’s right, sis. Uncle and auntie are still waiting for life-saving treatment.” I glared at their hypocritical faces, wanting nothing more than to slap them both. Meeting my reddened eyes, Daniel spoke coldly: “Name your price. How much to take care of Olivia?” How much was five years of a marriage where I was treated like dirt worth? I didn’t bother to calculate. I only knew that the last time I refused him, I ended up being forced to drink with executives at a karaoke bar until I had a gastric hemorrhage. I took Olivia’s hand and pretended to say to her: “I’ll take good care of you and the baby.” Hearing this, Daniel surprisingly gave me an out: “Don’t worry, as long as you take good care of them, your parents will be safe and sound too.” Just as he finished speaking, Olivia, whose hand I was holding, suddenly collapsed to the ground with a miserable cry. I stood there stunned, not knowing what to do. Daniel slapped me hard across the face. He carried her back to the bedroom and ordered the housekeeper to call the family doctor. Seeing this situation, not only did the people around find it amusing. I found it funny too. Following them into the bedroom, seeing Olivia’s emotions had calmed, I turned to leave. But Daniel coldly grabbed my hand. “Apologize!” “What…” Before I could finish, he kicked the back of my leg. With a thud, I fell to my knees in front of Olivia before I could react. My knees were bleeding, but I heard him yell angrily: “You made Olivia fall, shouldn’t you apologize to her?!”

I looked coldly at Daniel. In our five years of marriage, I had apologized countless times. Apologized for mistakes in documents. Apologized for disturbing his work. Apologized even for seeing him go to hotels with Olivia… Swallowing my grievances, I knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Olivia three times, saying “I’m sorry” with each bow. I looked indifferently at Daniel and spoke flatly: “Is that enough?” Staring at the blood on my forehead, he paused before speaking with disgust: “Who are you putting on this act for? If you want to leave, then leave. You’re bad luck. Don’t end up harming Olivia and her child.” Seeing he didn’t seem to want to trouble me further, I breathed a sigh of relief and quietly left the Thompson mansion. I took a taxi to the hospital and received my parents’ death certificates from the doctor. They had died last week, but Daniel was still using them to threaten me. At the time, the hospital called asking me to pay the bills. My salary hadn’t come in yet, so I called Daniel crying, but all my calls went unanswered. I tracked his location and rushed to the hotel, but the lobby manager wouldn’t let me in. I didn’t care and kicked open the door, immediately seeing Olivia half-naked on the bed. He hurriedly covered her, speaking fiercely: “Who allowed you to come in?! Get out!” I knelt down outside the door and begged: “Can you lend me $50,000? I…” Before I could finish, he cut me off: “Are you deaf? I told you to get out! Forget $50,000, I won’t even give you $5. Assistant! Throw her out!” I knelt on the ground begging desperately, crying my heart out, gasping for breath, with no shred of dignity left. I saw Olivia provocatively showing off the ring on her ring finger. The unique diamond ring was priceless – she couldn’t afford it. I knew Daniel must have given it to her. But I had no energy to argue with him. I crawled over and grabbed Olivia’s feet, pleading: “Olivia, I won’t fight you for anything. Please lend me $50,000, I’m begging you.” But her response was a cold snort, followed by Daniel’s slap that sent me crashing to the floor beside the bed. “I told you to get out!” I was thrown out of the hotel and brought home by his assistant, forced to kneel on the cold tiles in the living room. I was ordered to apologize non-stop. If I slacked off even a little, a bucket of cold water would be poured over me. It was at this time that my parents died in the hospital when their oxygen machines stopped working. Looking at my parents’ death certificates, tears unconsciously fell from my eyes. I cried heartbrokenly, attracting attention from many people. The doctor told me to restrain my grief and took me to identify my parents’ bodies in the morgue. I had my parents’ bodies cremated and carefully placed the ashes in urns. My once loving parents had become two wooden boxes. Unable to accept it, I fainted at the crematorium from overwhelming grief.

When I opened my eyes after fainting from shock, I saw Daniel dealing with work matters. Our eyes met for a long while. He picked up a glass of water and moved to feed me. But I shook my head and took the glass, drinking it all in one go. Seeing this, Daniel’s outstretched hand paused. His chest visibly heaved as he spoke with some displeasure: “How are you feeling? Better? I only just found out that uncle and auntie had passed away…” Before he could finish, I cut him off: “Please give me back my phone.” Perhaps my tone was too cold. Daniel was stunned for several seconds before handing me the phone from the table. Glancing at the divorce agreement I had drafted on the phone, he frowned and asked unhappily: “Rachel, who’s getting divorced?” I hadn’t seen him ask so many questions before. Feeling irritated, I spoke directly: “Us.” Hearing my reply, he spoke with displeasure: “How long are you going to keep this up? Your parents’ deaths were an accident. Don’t you trust me?” I waved my hand, not wanting to get into this trouble. My tone was calm: “I was just joking.” He immediately breathed a sigh of relief, changing his tone to comfort me: “I know you’re heartbroken about mom and dad passing, but you can’t joke about things like this.” I didn’t answer. The next moment, his assistant walked in to tell him: “Mr. Thompson, Miss Baker is awake and asking to see you.” Seeing him torn, I lay down and closed my eyes: “Go see her. I’m a bit tired and want to sleep.” Before leaving, he leaned close to my ear and instructed: “Cooperate well with the doctors’ treatment. I’ll come see you after I check on her.” I kept my eyes tightly shut without responding. Only when the room was completely quiet did my tense body finally relax. But the next second, a call from an unfamiliar number came through on my phone. I answered reluctantly, my tone cold: “What is it?” But the other person didn’t care about my strange tone, excitedly saying: “Rachel! Chris is back!” One sentence made my brain short-circuit. I asked in disbelief: “What did you say?!” “Chris Carter has completed his mission! He’s returned to base!” I almost instinctively jumped out of bed, yanking out the annoying IV in my hand, and rushed out of the hospital to take a taxi to the military base in the suburbs. And in my heart, I silently started the divorce countdown. In three days, I would completely leave Daniel Thompson. Reuniting with Chris Carter was an extremely difficult thing. He had been traumatized and forgotten me completely. He wouldn’t allow anyone to approach him, just mumbling words others couldn’t understand: “Silly girl, silly girl… I want to see my silly girl!” But I knew he was calling my nickname. The doctor told me that to fully recover, we would need to go to America to find the top medical team, with only a 50% chance of success. As my phone screen lit up, I turned my gaze to the divorce agreement on my phone. My thoughts drifted to Daniel Thompson. I silently modified the terms from “adultery during marriage, assets split 50/50” to “I don’t want a penny.” I wanted to sever all ties with him. At this moment, Daniel also called me, anxiously asking: “Rachel, where are you? Why aren’t you resting properly in the hospital?” I was immersed in the joy of reunion, but had to perfunctorily respond to him: “What is it? I’m very busy right now.” “I’ve neglected you these past few days. I want to take you to the new product auction to make it up to you.” Seeing I didn’t respond, he persisted: “How about tomorrow? The Zhike Ziye new product auction. I’ll take you to see if there’s anything you like.” These words touched me a little. But his next words slapped me in the face again: “But Olivia is insisting on going to the Bund with me. Tomorrow I’ll take you after I get back.” I smiled mockingly, simply replying with a “Mm” and agreeing to his trap. If I still liked him because of my parents before, I would definitely have a big fight with him. Then sulk alone, but now I wanted to leave and didn’t care about anything he did. After all, divorce is no small matter. I had to prepare a big gift for him. Seeing I agreed, he didn’t think much more of it, tossing aside my unusual behavior. He thought I would be like before, comforting myself and then eagerly going back to him. But I had already awakened and wouldn’t make the same mistake again. Daniel Thompson, you and your illusory love. I don’t want any of it anymore.

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My half-sister Nancy was supposed to be my husband’s soulmate, but she was afraid of Hector Shang and asked me to marry him in her place. For my mother’s medical bills, I reluctantly agreed. Two years of marriage, and my husband wasn’t at all like the rumors said. Instead, he was incredibly loving and affectionate towards me. Before our third anniversary, Nancy wanted me to “return” him to her. But as I was blocked at the door, Hector gently caressed my face, his eyes dark and possessive, “Lily, have I been too indulgent with you?” “Lily.” Hector called my name softly. His husky bedroom voice, combined with that devastatingly handsome face, made him an absolute Adonis. “Hector~” “Lily, relax, don’t be afraid.” Hector was always so considerate in these matters. Completely unlike the rumors that painted him as cruel and ruthless. I dare say you couldn’t find a more model husband than him. But Hector’s true love was supposed to be my sister Nancy. I was just a substitute. “Focus on me.” Unsatisfied with my distraction, Hector bit down on my collarbone. I winced in pain. “Hector Shang, are you a dog?” The corner of his mouth curved into a smile. “Mm, I’m yours alone. If you don’t want me, I’ll turn into a mad dog.” His teasing made me laugh, which only encouraged Hector more. “Gentle~” “They say our Lily even speaks in such a sweet voice, I simply can’t hold back.” Hector braced his hands on either side of my pillow, his eyes growing darker with desire as he sought me more urgently. After a night of passion, I woke to find Hector already preparing to leave for work. “Lily, tie my tie for me.” Ever since he learned I could tie a tie, he’s had me do it for him almost every day. Hector sat on the edge of the bed as I carefully tied his tie, unaware of how his gaze grew more intense. A broad hand gently stroked my shoulder. I frowned and glared at him. “Don’t distract me.” After I finished with the tie, he grabbed my waist and pulled me onto his lap, kissing me deeply for a long time. Only when my lips were swollen did he finally let go. “Lily, I want to die in your arms.” “You scoundrel!” I laughed as I shooed him off to work, not taking his words to heart. With me, Hector was always the gentle husband, unlike the rumors. I was just about to go back to sleep when I heard my phone ring. “Hello.” “This is Nancy Shen. I’m sending you an address. Meet me there, we need to talk.” She hung up before I could reply. The truth is, I’m not really Hector Shang’s wife. My sister Nancy is.

Apparently, Hector had his eye on Nancy back then, but she was afraid he would be abusive and volatile like the rumors said. So Nancy came to find me. At the time, I desperately needed money and had gone to the Shen family to beg. “Didn’t you say you’d never take a cent from the Shen family?” “Didn’t you say you’d never come back to this house, even if you were dead?” I ignored my sister’s taunts and knelt on the ground crying as I begged our father. The truth is, Nancy was Father’s daughter from before he was married. She always called herself the child born of true love. My mother was originally the young lady of a prestigious family. After marrying Father, she helped him climb the social ladder to join high society. But after my mother’s family fell on hard times, Father divorced her without hesitation. Mother and I had no choice but to move to my grandmother’s home in the countryside and become self-reliant. But Mother had always been frail since birth. The hard work took its toll and she fell ill. I went to beg Father, and he soon agreed to lend me money, on the condition that I marry Hector Shang in Nancy’s place. At the time, I foolishly agreed without really understanding. The day I moved into the Shang family home, Nancy mocked me. “Congratulations, from now on your life will be hell.” “I hear Hector Shang is abusive. With your weak little body, who knows if you’ll be able to take it.” So this substitute marriage was actually a deep pit. That’s what I thought too. But after marriage, Hector was extremely doting towards me. Jewelry and designer goods flowed into the Shang home like water. I had bodyguards escorting me whenever I went out. I never had to lift a finger for anything. Every time I felt Hector’s love, I would think to myself: He must really love Nancy. Otherwise, how could he change from the rumored volatile, violent man into this incredibly gentle person now? I needed to go out, but I had to shake off the bodyguards. Reluctantly, I called Hector. “What is it? I just got to the office and you already miss me?” “Be good and wait for me to come home tonight.” Steeling myself, I spoke up, “I want to go shopping with friends. But every time you have bodyguards follow me, I feel too embarrassed to ask them out.” There was silence on the other end for a moment before he replied. “Alright. Keep your phone on. Will you have dinner with me tonight?” Hearing his pitiful tone, I immediately agreed. “Of course, I’ll definitely be back for dinner with you.” “Mm, have fun, darling.” After hanging up, Hector sighed and gazed out the window at the birds flying by. Indeed, no matter how beautiful the cage, it can’t keep her.

When I met Nancy, she was dressed impeccably in designer clothes, exuding an unmistakable air of wealth and status. “What did you want to see me about?” I had no patience for pleasantries with her. When she first entered our home, she drove out my mother and me. How could I not resent her? If not for her and her mother, I wouldn’t have suffered so much. And my mother wouldn’t have worked herself sick just to pay for my college tuition. Nancy stirred her coffee and laughed derisively. “Mrs. White, have you gotten so used to being a rich man’s wife that you think you can take over permanently?” I knew Hector’s true love was supposed to be her. So in my relationship with him, I always felt guilty and uncomfortable. “You’re the one who didn’t want him.” “Well now I do.” Nancy’s words left me completely stunned. Seeing my shocked expression, Nancy slowly continued, “It’s time for us to return to our rightful places.” Return to our rightful places… Give Hector to her? No, return him to her. My heart sank. I couldn’t hide the unwillingness on my face. Nancy noticed and warned me, “Your mother’s medical bills are still being paid by the Shen family. Are you sure you don’t want to return Hector to me?” I felt frustrated and snapped in a low voice. “He’s not an object for you to want when you feel like it.” “And then give away when you don’t want him anymore!” Nancy laughed lightly. “Lily, don’t overestimate yourself. You have no right to negotiate.” “Hector has only ever loved me. You’re nothing but a substitute. Don’t think you actually belong in that world.” Nancy’s scathing words left me completely silent. I’d heard from Father that when Hector came to propose marriage, just the engagement gifts alone were worth two years of the Shen family’s profits. So they didn’t dare refuse the marriage, afraid of Hector’s retaliation. Everyone in the city knew that Hector was ruthlessly vengeful. Rumor had it that when he was driven out by his stepbrother and mistress years ago, he went to the countryside with his mother to recuperate. But when he returned years later, he immediately crushed the entire company. Now that stepbrother couldn’t even find a job, let alone start a business. Hector didn’t spare Father either, personally reporting his bribery and sending him straight to jail. He wouldn’t give that stepbrother any chance to survive. This ruthlessly cruel man was only gentle with me. I knew it wasn’t because he favored me, but because of his true love, Nancy. “Lily, what’s mine is mine. You can’t steal it away.” “Father was like that, and so is Hector.” I felt suffocated inside. I didn’t dare to bet. I was afraid Hector would retaliate if he found out the truth. I didn’t dare gamble with my mother’s wellbeing. And I didn’t dare bet on Hector’s illusory love for me. What I learned from Father was that love is the most unreal thing in this world. Fleeting and ephemeral. “Give me a month.” Hector’s birthday happened to be at the end of the month. “Two weeks.” For the first time, I stood up to Nancy and prepared to leave. “If you’re willing to wait, I’ll return him to you. If not, then forget it.” Nancy’s voice came from behind me. “Fine.” After I left, Nancy cursed under her breath. “Little bitch, now you dare threaten me!” The truth was, Nancy didn’t really want my leftovers either. But seeing how good Hector was to me, it made her insanely jealous. All of this was supposed to be hers. I walked out onto the street, feeling like I had nowhere to go. Did I really have to return him to Nancy? I walked aimlessly until I reached the company building. Suddenly I desperately wanted to see him.

Hector was in a meeting. His assistant told me to wait in his office and brought me some coffee. Suddenly lowering his voice, the assistant said to me. “Ma’am, it’s lunchtime but the CEO is still in the meeting. He’s rejected all the proposals. Could you maybe…” I understood what the assistant meant and decisively stood up to go to the meeting room. This wasn’t the first time I’d been asked to do this. I knocked on the door of the meeting room, well-practiced. As soon as I pushed it open, Hector’s piercing gaze, so sharp it could be felt even through his glasses, made everyone feel a chill down their spine. But his eyes quickly softened as he stood and walked towards me. “Why are you here?” “I wanted to have lunch with you.” The employees behind him gave me a thumbs up. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Now that the wife was here, the CEO would finally calm down. Hector ordered some food and gestured for me to look out the window. “I heard you can see the most beautiful fireworks in the city from here on New Year’s Eve. Let’s come then.” New Year’s was indeed approaching, but by then, I would probably already be gone. “Mm…okay.” He keenly noticed something was off with my mood and frowned seriously. “What’s wrong? Didn’t enjoy shopping? Or you don’t want to see the fireworks? Prefer to stay home?” I looked at his concerned eyes, thinking to myself that I had deceived him. “It’s nothing. I just feel so happy being with you.” My childhood wasn’t happy. After Father was discovered to have a child from before marriage, my parents argued constantly. So I never felt much security growing up. Later, when Nancy was brought home to be raised, I was too timid and got bullied a lot. But Father always turned a blind eye. Only when Mother made a fuss would he pay any attention. Hector’s love for me was almost unconditional. Buying me whatever I wanted, coming home on time and avoiding social events, no scandalous rumors, a perfect gentleman in every way. Though he would get angry for a long time if he saw other men talking to me. I knew it was just because he cared about me too much. No, cared about Nancy. Hearing me say this, Hector’s expression softened. “Me too.” “Lily, you’re a gift sent to me from heaven.” There was something in his eyes I couldn’t quite understand…nostalgia?

I looked at Hector. He had no idea I wasn’t Nancy. When we first got married, Hector would still call me “Nanxi”. But I always felt uncomfortable, so I told him my nickname was “Lily”. He was so happy then, calling me that over and over. He said me telling him my nickname meant I was starting to accept him, to grow close to him. “Hector, do you really love me?” Hector didn’t understand my question and teased. “What’s gotten into you today?” “I’ll prove to you tonight that I only love you. I’m saving all my energy for you.” His flirting made me blush. Hector’s gaze was always so gentle when he looked at me. That night, I was especially proactive. Probably because I was afraid of our impending separation. After this, we’d be strangers. Hector held me in his arms as I wrapped my legs around his waist, clinging tightly to his neck. In the heat of passion, my neck arched in a perfect curve. He placed a kiss on my throat. It made my body tremble. He wasn’t doing much better. Groaning, his breathing ragged and uneven. “Lily, you’re so good tonight.” Praised like a child, I tried even harder to please him. But he still maintained the upper hand. I drifted off to sleep in a daze. In my hazy state, I heard him say: “Lily, I’ll love you forever.” “When will you recognize me?” “Silly girl.” When I woke up, Hector had already left for work. There was a message from him on my phone. “Rest well. It’s my fault for indulging in your temptation last night. If you’re sore, remember to use the ointment.” I blushed and hid under the covers. After tidying up a bit, I went out. Thankfully Hector wasn’t having me followed anymore. Nancy was accompanying me to handle the paperwork for going abroad. “Accompanying” really meant making sure I actually left. “After I’m gone, you better treat my mother well. Otherwise, I can come back anytime and expose you.” “Don’t worry.” Nancy knew not to jeopardize her big plans over small matters. After finishing the paperwork, I went to my mother’s nursing home. She was frail now, mostly bedridden. When I arrived, I saw her knitting. “Lily, why are you here?” “I was just passing by.” Mother looked at me contentedly, stroking my cheek. “Lily’s gotten so pretty. Your husband really knows how to take care of you.” I had told Mother the medical bills were paid by my husband. With no one from the Shen family visiting her, Mother never knew the truth. “What’s wrong? Did you have a fight with your husband?” “No…” I paused for a moment. “Mom, my husband and I might have to go abroad for work. You stay here and focus on treatment. Once you’re better, I’ll come get you.” Mother quickly tried to reassure me. “Don’t worry about me. You two just focus on your work. I don’t want to be a burden.” Tears welled up in my eyes as I buried my face in her embrace. “Mom, I’m sorry.” I might never come back in this lifetime. To keep our agreement, I had to stay away forever. Only then would Nancy ensure my mother’s treatment. “What are you saying? It’s Mom who’s useless. Otherwise you wouldn’t have had such a hard time.” The pampered young lady had a difficult time adjusting to life in the countryside. But Mother still had her pride. Even when times were tough, she refused to ask the Shen family for help. Though sometimes she would wonder if she had failed Lily. “No, I have the best mom in the world.” Mother came from a scholarly family. Like her, I was well-read and knowledgeable. And she gave me all her love. After leaving the nursing home, I suddenly felt nauseous, like I was going to throw up. My eyes widened in shock. Could I be pregnant?

I’m not sure what I was hoping for, but I went to the hospital for a pregnancy test. It would take some time for the results though. What I didn’t expect was for Hector to show up. In that moment, I felt anxious. If I really was pregnant, it would be impossible to “return” him. A despicable part of me begged: please let me be pregnant. I think…I’ve fallen in love with him. Hector looked tense. “Why didn’t you tell me you were getting a pregnancy test?” If this hospital wasn’t partly owned by him, he wouldn’t have known his wife came for a test. “I…I wasn’t sure if I was pregnant.” “I was afraid…of getting our hopes up for nothing.” Afraid of getting my own hopes up. Hector let out a relieved sigh and hugged me. “There’s nothing to worry about. We’ve only been married for three years. We have plenty of time.” “Besides.” He lowered his voice mysteriously. I leaned in to listen. “If we have a baby, I’ll have to abstain…” I quickly covered his mouth, embarrassed as I looked around. How could he say such things? Hector grinned and moved my hand away. “It’s true. Not only would the baby steal my wife, but I’d have to compete for your attention.” Suddenly I felt hopeful too. If it was a girl, Hector would surely spoil her rotten. “Do you want a boy or a girl?” “As long as you’re the one having it, I don’t care if it’s a boy or girl.” In that moment, my heart was filled with joy and anticipation. Suddenly a nurse called out a name. “Nancy Shen, please come in.” Hector helped me up, acting as if I was already heavily pregnant. But I was lost in thought. The nurse had just called my sister’s name. I had almost forgotten – I was just a substitute. “Based on Mrs. Shang’s test results…” The doctor trailed off, glancing at Hector. He tensely gripped my hand. “Is something wrong with my wife? Or the baby?” I grew worried too. The doctor shook his head. “It’s like this – the chances of Mrs. Shang getting pregnant are quite low…” Rich people care most about having heirs. The doctor was clearly trying to gauge our reaction. My eyes immediately darkened. So I wasn’t pregnant. And it would be difficult for me to get pregnant. It felt like the last bargaining chip I held had just crumbled to dust. As we left, Hector put his arm around my shoulders and made me look at him. “Lily, the truth is I don’t even like children. I only want you.” I knew he was lying to make me feel better. Seeing how dejected I looked, Hector joked to try and cheer me up. “Maybe I’m the one with the problem. Not putting in enough effort. We still have plenty of time, it’ll happen eventually.” I looked at him helplessly. Hector didn’t know that I just felt like I had lost my last reason to stay by his side. “It’s okay, don’t worry about it.” That night as I lay beside him, I had trouble falling asleep. Suddenly Hector pinned me beneath him, with a slightly threatening tone. “Stop overthinking. It’s just a baby. If we have one, great. If not, that’s fine too!” “You’re my wife. I don’t want to share you with anyone.” I looked up at him as tears slid down from the corners of my eyes. He gently kissed away the tears, then slowly kissed my neck. That night was especially tender and passionate. Hector was extremely enthusiastic, as if trying to distract me. “If you really want a child and we can’t have one, we can always adopt.” I cried, “I just want to have your baby.” “We will, someday.” The night was wild. I initiated several times. But in my heart, I had started a countdown. Because I knew Hector’s birthday was approaching soon.

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My husband, William Harris, fell in love with my best friend Sarah Ward after undergoing a heart transplant. Because the donor was Sarah’s boyfriend, Daniel Wilson, William insisted he was Daniel. I tried everything, desperately hoping to bring back the man I once loved. Until one day, I overheard a conversation between William and Sarah. “William, you tricked Paige into thinking you received my boyfriend’s heart transplant just so you could be with me. Don’t you regret it?” William’s voice was cold and indifferent. “She’s just a woman. It doesn’t matter if I threw her away. As long as I have you, that’s all I care about.” So it had all been a carefully staged lie. A setup. A betrayal. “Get out of my house! How dare you covet your best friend’s man?” William threw the water cup at me in disgust, and it shattered against my forehead. Fresh, red blood started to flow down from my forehead. “Paige, maybe you should go for now. I’m just afraid his heart can’t handle this much stress,” Sarah said softly, cowering in William’s arms while looking at me. I watched the strong bond between the two of them. It seemed like that they were unable to part. My heart felt like it was being torn apart. A painful, scattered sensation overwhelmed me. One was my husband of five years, and the other was my best friend from university. William, due to his congenital heart condition, had received a heart transplant from Sarah’s boyfriend, Daniel, who had passed away in a car accident. When he woke up from the surgery, he insisted that he was Daniel. I forced a smile and placed the soup box on the table beside the hospital bed. “Sarah, this is the soup I spent three hours making. Please have William drink it later.” I came out of the bathroom after tending to my wound, and as I passed by the hospital room door, I saw Sarah throw the box directly into the trash can. I paused for a moment, sighed, and decided to leave. Back when William was diagnosed with heart disease, I was not only worried but also surprised. I had been married to William for two years, and his routine was always disciplined. As a university teacher, he had even represented the school in a basketball match. Two months ago, he was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. While I was sleepless, worrying about finding a heart donor, Sarah’s boyfriend had an accident. Daniel’s car brakes failed on his way to work. Coincidentally, his heart was a perfect match for William. However, William woke up from the heart transplant surgery and insisted he was Daniel. He no longer recognized me. When I went to bring William home, he coldly refused. “Paige, I’ll say it again. I’m Daniel, not your husband. I’ve seen many women like you, vain and shallow. You disgust me.” “Paige, maybe Daniel… William should stay at my house. It will help his recovery.” So, I packed up and moved into Sarah’s house. The first night back, I carefully prepared a table full of dishes, all of William’s favorite foods. I hoped that he would recover soon. “Ugh, Paige, are you doing this on purpose? Don’t you know I’m allergic to eggs?” William took a bite of the pie, realized it had egg in it, and quickly spat it out, glaring at me. I didn’t know if Daniel was allergic to eggs. I only knew that William loved my eggs benedict. “You really are Daniel. Daniel is allergic to eggs.” I saw Sarah tearfully covering her face in distress, and William stepped forward, gently holding her and comforting her. I thought, “William, are you still William?” I left the house in despair to take out the trash and saw a figure standing still over there. It was David Parker, one of William’s close friends. I approached and greeted him. “David? How did you know William moved into Sarah’s house? Although, he probably doesn’t want to see you.” David glanced at me, silently sizing me up but didn’t speak. His gaze shifted back toward Sarah’s house, and then he turned and walked away. “How strange,” I thought.

By the time I returned, William had already fallen asleep. After all, he had just been discharged from the hospital, and his body still needed to recover. “Paige, don’t worry. As long as Daniel’s heart and William’s body don’t have any rejection, I will return William to you,” Sarah said carefully, walking out of William’s bedroom, giving me a firm promise. But the very next day, Sarah collapsed and was hospitalized. “Paige, you poisoned Sarah? You vicious woman!” As I anxiously arrived at the hospital, what greeted me was a heavy slap from William. “William, don’t blame Paige. I ate something bad myself,” Sarah said, her face pale, getting out of bed to stop William from unleashing his fury on me again. Seeing Sarah was about to collapse, William, unable to care about me, hurriedly stepped forward and caught her in his arms. “Sarah, you’re too kind. You don’t need to protect her!” I covered my cheek, looking at William with pain in my eyes. I thought, “William, do you even remember when you married me, you knelt in front of me, promising you’d never let anyone bully me? So, that didn’t include yourself!” Sarah stayed in the hospital for three days. Although the doctor suggested she could be discharged that day, William insisted on having the doctor prescribe three days’ worth of nutrition fluids because he was worried. I watched as William carefully cared for Sarah by her bedside, thinking, “Does he know that, during the days when he was unconscious, I took care of him just like this?” “Paige, you got Sarah hospitalized. If you still have any conscience, you should take action to atone for it.” I thought, “Yes, as Sarah’s close friend for four years, I know her eating habits well. I’m jealous of your love for Sarah, so I poisoned her food. William, is that really what you think? But you’re my husband.” I began caring for two frail patients, taking over all the household chores and meals at Sarah’s home. “Paige, I know you didn’t do it on purpose. Maybe it was something I ate outside. Don’t mind what William said,” Sarah explained, looking guilty. “Sarah, you know, William is my husband, at least for now.” I watched as Sarah’s face turned pale instantly. “Paige, stop with your dirty thoughts. Don’t even think about it. If you dare to say anything to hurt Sarah again, you better watch out!” William warned, pulling Sarah protectively behind him with disgust. I wearily took off my apron and laid it on the table. “Even if you are Daniel inside, you can’t escape the fact that your body is my husband, William.” I left Sarah’s house, feeling overwhelmed by everything. I needed to pick up Coco. Coco was a parrot I had raised. Ever since William had been hospitalized, I entrusted it to his friend, David. “Liars, liars!” As soon as I arrived outside David’s door, I heard Coco’s squawk. “If I told you I’m actually Daniel, would you believe me?” I looked at David, who was clearly annoyed, with a wry smile. “David, what are you joking about? Or have you fallen for Sarah too?” Feeling frustrated, I ignored him and picked up the birdcage, turning to leave. “Why does it feel like everyone around me is bewitched?” I thought. I took Coco to the park and walked with a stranger, an old man. For the first time, I felt relaxed. My phone kept ringing, and fearing something might have happened to William, I quickly answered it. “Paige, are you atoning for your sins like this? It’s already this late and you’re still not home to cook? Do you want Sarah to starve?” William’s furious voice came through the phone. I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Was he really implying that without me, they would starve to death?

After all, I had promised Bella that I would take good care of him, so I still went to the market. Bella Harris, William’s older sister, was a girl who grew up with us in the orphanage. Her life had ended at just twenty-three. She had been drugged and assaulted while working a part-time job at a bar. When we got her call, William and I rushed out of class without hesitation. On the large hotel bed, Bella lay there naked and hopeless. Blood poured from between her legs and her wrists, soaking the sheets in dark red. I grabbed the blanket with trembling hands and quickly covered her, holding her close in panic. I felt like I was losing her. “Paige, I won’t be able to protect you anymore. What I worry about most is William. Please… take care of him for me. “William, I know you have feelings for Paige. Treat her well. Or I won’t be able to rest in peace, even after I’m gone.” I saw William’s eyes turn red, brimming with hatred, his fists clenched, his face twisted in fury. Bella died in the prime of her life, while the man who ruined her, protected by power, walked away unscathed. William and I leaned on each other, working and studying harder than ever. But I never forgot Bella’s final words. I took good care of William. I returned from the market with Coco and hurried to make dinner. “William, William!” As soon as Coco saw him, it called out his name. I didn’t miss the faint smile that briefly flashed across William’s face. I thought, “William, do you still remember Coco?” Back then, William had been preparing for the university recruitment exams. Worried he wouldn’t have time for me, he had spent an entire month’s living expenses to buy Coco from the pet store. I thought, “William, do you still remember that month we lived off nothing but bread? We couldn’t even afford noodles.” “Liar, liar! William is a liar!” Coco said again. I was busy cooking and didn’t notice how William’s eyes turned cold. That afternoon, I went back home to get Coco’s food and supplies. “Coco?” I called its name as I entered, but to my surprise, there was no response. I didn’t even bother taking off my shoes and rushed inside. Coco’s lifeless body was lying in the cage, cold and stiff. Panic surged through me. I reached out with trembling fingers to touch it, but its body was already rigid. My mind went completely blank. “Paige, I saw it chirping nonstop. I thought it was hungry, so I gave it a little chocolate, but…” Before Sarah could finish, I slapped her hard across the face. I told her. I told her how much Coco meant to me. It was family. William stormed out and slapped me back, then quickly checked Sarah’s cheek before turning to glare at me. He warned, “It’s just a damn animal. So what if it’s dead? Paige, touch Sarah again and I swear I won’t let you go.” I held my cheek, stunned, staring at him. “William, that was Coco. Our Coco.” I searched his face, hoping desperately for a flicker of guilt, or sorrow. But all I saw was coldness and ruthlessness. When I arrived at Bella’s grave, I saw a bouquet of gardenias resting there. These were her favorite flowers. She loved them because they symbolized lifelong devotion. “Was it William?” I thought. I looked around with hope, but there was no one. Only my own lonely, stubborn figure in the empty graveyard. Maybe I was wrong. Right now, William was probably somewhere comforting the fragile Sarah. I let out a bitter laugh at myself. I buried Coco beside Bella. “Bella, look. You won’t be alone anymore. Coco will keep you company. And don’t worry. I’ll take care of William.” It wasn’t until the sun dipped below the horizon that I turned and left. Only then did a man step out from behind the tall tree.

I returned and found William wasn’t home. “Paige, William is Daniel. I know it’s hard for you to accept. But Daniel came back to me. As my best friend, shouldn’t you be happy for me?” Sarah said, swirling the wine in her glass, a mocking smile tugging at her lips. I stared at her, not understanding how Sarah had become this person. We had spent four years together in college, practically inseparable, sharing everything. She knew how much William meant to me. “Why are you putting on this act? If you love Daniel so much, why are you still clinging to William? “Is it just because William has Daniel’s heart?” “Paige, after all these years, you still don’t understand me,” she sighed, looking at me with a hint of pity. “Paige, do you think William will still want you after seeing you hurt me?” I heard the click of the door unlocking. Sarah’s expression instantly changed. She smashed the wine glass, grabbed a shard, and slashed it across her own arm. Blood streamed down in a chilling red line. Before I could react, she stumbled toward the door in panic, just in time to crash into William as he stepped inside. “William! I won’t call you Daniel anymore, just please, tell Paige not to kill me!” I didn’t even get a chance to explain. William stepped forward with long strides, shielding Sarah behind him, and shoved me hard. I fell straight onto the shattered glass, red liquid spreading beneath me. Whether it was wine or blood, I couldn’t tell. “Paige, didn’t I just warn you?” The coldness in William’s eyes cut into me like a blade. I couldn’t bear to look anymore. Without another word, he scooped Sarah into his arms and rushed out the door. “Paige, I won’t let anyone bully you.” William’s old promise echoed in my ears. “William, treat Paige well.” Bella’s dying wish flashed in my mind. I looked around the empty room. My body was so numb I couldn’t even feel the pain anymore. Dazed, I walked out. Just as I was about to faint at the bottom of the stairs, I collapsed into someone’s arms. I woke up again to see David. My injuries had already been treated. “Paige, don’t you want to know the truth?” he asked, handing me a file. “I’m the Daniel Sarah’s been talking about. “Sarah’s favorite flower is the daffodil. She always said people should only love themselves. She has a mole right here, on her chest…” “Stop…” I shut my eyes tightly, refusing to hear more. There was no way David could know her so intimately. But David went on. “Back then, Sarah didn’t want to make our relationship public. So she made up Daniel. “Which means William has been lying to you this entire time, working with Sarah to deceive you.” I spent a few days recuperating at David’s place, and William hadn’t sent me a single message since. David, on the other hand, was always out from dawn to dusk, but he would bring back delicious food for me every evening.

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I had an arranged marriage with Lucas Gray. I couldn’t forget my childhood friend, and he had an unresolved love for his childhood sweetheart. The kicker? Those two were actually a couple. Originally, we agreed to secretly sabotage their relationship and then divorce once we succeeded. But when I saw them kissing, Lucas forcefully kissed me. He said, “Your childhood friend kissed my sweetheart. I can’t let myself be at a disadvantage.” I believed him. Until later when I got pregnant. I cried! He said, “It’s legal, and you made the first move.” 0 On the day Lucas and I got our marriage certificate, the wedding photographer tried multiple times before sighing in frustration. “Are you two really here to get married?” “Sir, you look like you have a grudge against this lady.” I chuckled. “You’re right, he does kind of hate me right now.” That’s because the person he wanted to marry wasn’t me, but his childhood sweetheart Bella Johnson. I was actually quite satisfied with him though. Even though the person I wanted to marry wasn’t him either, but my childhood friend Zack Carter. But what could we do? My unattainable childhood love and his unresolved sweetheart were passionately in love with each other. After discovering their relationship, I tried every way I could to break them up. But my efforts were largely ineffective. Then my family received a marriage proposal from the Gray family. I was happy about it. Arranged marriages, you know – all wealthy heirs understand. It’s just a piece of paper, not about feelings. The key point is that his situation was truly similar to mine. I’d gain a highly intelligent ally. We could break those two up and then divorce later. Plus, I heard from my dad that the Gray family had willingly conceded several big projects to seek this marriage alliance. At least three hundred million dollars in profit per year. No matter how you look at it, I was coming out ahead. Looking at Lucas’s gloomy face beside me, I had to admit his looks were really not bad. Even angry, he was so handsome. I should try to cheer him up a bit. I stood on my tiptoes and hooked my arm around Lucas’s neck, whispering in his ear. “Don’t worry, we’ll figure out our situation in due time.” “Come on, let’s take the photos first.” I grabbed his hand and adjusted our position. He looked at his hand tightly gripped in mine, then at me. His expression changed from gloomy to expressionless. Well, as long as we could get the photos taken, that was fine. After leaving city hall, Lucas drove me home. I was flipping through our two red marriage booklets when I suddenly spoke up. “Husband.” The car suddenly slowed down. Lucas turned his head, his eyes locked on me with complex emotions. I continued. “Sigh, I’ve wanted to call Zack ‘husband’ for so long. I wonder if I’ll ever get the chance in this lifetime.” Before I finished speaking, Lucas let out a heavy breath and suddenly floored the gas pedal. Terrified, I grabbed Lucas’s arm and promised him. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely make sure you get to call Bella ‘wife’!” Lucas didn’t respond. His face was tense, and the car sped up even more. I gripped the handle and screamed repeatedly. This was too much, Lucas. Just because he couldn’t marry the girl he liked. Was he trying to drag me down with him? 0

That evening, I moved into Lucas’s house with my belongings. Not much, just one suitcase. I hadn’t planned on staying long anyway. It was just to appease our parents, and to make it more convenient when we discussed plans to break up the other couple. Lucas wasn’t home. I toured the rooms one by one with my suitcase. Finally, I chose a large south-facing suite. “I’ll stay in this room.” The housekeeper, Mrs. Wilson, looked troubled. “This is the master’s room.” “It’s so empty it looks unused. What a waste to let him have it. I don’t care, I want this one.” As we were at an impasse, Lucas strode over and pushed me into the room. “Fine, we’re married after all. We’ll share.” “Sharing is fine.” I was certain he would remain chaste for his beloved Bella. I relaxed and flopped onto the bed. Then the mattress dipped beside me. Lucas’s lips curved into a smile as he flipped over, trapping me in a small space. Since he had just returned from the office, he was still in his suit. The silk satin tie hung by my ear. I couldn’t resist, mimicking a move from manga. I reached out and grabbed his tie, twisting my wrist to wrap it around once. The tie shortened, bringing Lucas’s face closer. He was so handsome, with sharp, defined features and captivating phoenix eyes looking down at me. His hot breath burned my cheeks. We remained frozen for a long time. My heart was pounding like a drum. I looked away, no longer daring to meet his gaze directly. “Bella really has no taste, rejecting someone as handsome as you to like Zack instead.” I was the first to back down, releasing his tie and pushing him away. “You’re the same.” Lucas walked to the bathroom door and took off his suit jacket. “I’m not the same. Zack and I grew up together. The timing of when you meet is very important.” “Timing?…” Lucas repeated those two words, chewing them over as he started unbuttoning his shirt. I jumped off the bed and quickly headed for the door. At the doorway, I paused and turned back. “Lucas, you look super hot in a suit. Wear them more often in front of Bella.” Turn, close door, all in one smooth motion. I let out a breath and swallowed hard. I had accidentally caught a glimpse of his chest muscles. They were so… full… 0

That night, I lay in bed texting Lucas. “You there?” He replied instantly. “Mm.” “Let’s discuss our battle plan for breaking up Zack and Bella.” “Fell asleep.” Damn, this Lucas doesn’t seem to care at all. He stopped replying to my messages altogether. For the next few days, whenever I caught him, I’d ask, but he always brushed me off with various excuses. Eventually he just started leaving early and returning late from work, going straight to his room and locking the door as soon as he got home. I stayed up late writing a detailed plan, but he wouldn’t even look at it. He was really slacking off, totally unreliable. Men, if they don’t put in effort, how can they find love? I’d have to rely on myself. Finally, on Saturday, I caught Lucas just as he was leaving his room. “Even CEOs need to rest, right?” “Time to put some effort into your love life.” Lucas looked me up and down for a few seconds, his brows furrowing. I twisted into an S-shape and did a little twirl for him. “Just bought this sexy dress. How do I look?” “Going to seduce Zack with it. Won’t he be head over heels?” Lucas averted his gaze, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he paused for a good while. “No good. You’re flat-chested. That dress just emphasizes your flaws.” ??? You can call me eye candy, but saying I’m flat-chested is not okay! Angry, I walked up to him and put my hands on my hips, sticking out my chest. If I wasn’t half a head shorter than him, I would’ve shoved my chest in his face to open his eyes! “Where am I flat? Where?!” “I’m a B cup! 34B!” “Are! You! Blind!” The sexy dress was a low-cut, tight-fitting spaghetti strap number. I’d even stuffed in two extra pads. I’d definitely squeezed out some cleavage, yet he dared to call me flat! Lucas tilted his head back towards the ceiling, turned around and fled into his room. With a bang, the door was locked. Soon after, the sound of the shower running came from inside. Oh? Taking a shower to smell nice before seeing Bella? What a closet romantic. 0

In the end, I changed into a plain black dress. Lucas was right, we were going to spy on them, so it was better not to stand out too much. But he wore an all-black suit. Looking arrogant like some young mafia boss. We had barely started tailing them when several fangirls came up asking for his SnapChat. So the situation became: Zack and Bella strolling arm in arm. Me hiding and sneaking around behind them. And Lucas lagging behind, smiling and dealing with fangirls. I was fuming. I rushed over, about to start scolding him. But then I heard Lucas’s deep, magnetic voice. “Sorry, I’m married.” Then he looked at me with eyes full of tender affection. Lucas was such a good actor. That one glance was full of the deep love of a man who adored me to the bone. I quickly swallowed my anger and put on a smile, linking my arm with his. Instantly, I received several glares from the fangirls. I curved my lips and raised my chin. Why did I feel a sense of pride, like I was showing off that this handsome man belonged to me? 0

Flirting with those floozies almost made us lose sight of our targets. I pinched Lucas’s arm, gritting my teeth as we hurried to catch up. Zack and Bella went into a movie theater. Lucas and I quickly bought tickets and sat right behind them. The movie was a romantic French art film. I couldn’t focus on it at all, staring at every move the couple in front of us made. They held hands for a bit, then whispered to each other. I anxiously poked at Lucas, telling him to quickly think of something. But he just took my hand in his. “Watch the movie properly. It’s very artistic.” Fine, fine, fine. No wonder no one loves you. Our rivals are right in front of us, about to kiss, and you still have the mind to appreciate art. So infuriating! I tried hard to pull my hand away, but he held it firmly. Just as I was about to turn and scold him, the couple in front had already started kissing. I frantically tugged at the hand he was gripping, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. I leaned close to Lucas and whispered urgently. “What do we do?! They’re kissing!” “Should we use the soda or the popcorn?!” I was so eager my butt had left the seat. Lucas remained as calm as an outsider, not responding. His eyes were fixed on me as he suddenly pulled hard. I lost my balance and fell into his arms. He cupped my face and lowered his head. In the dim light, I couldn’t see clearly, but his eyes seemed to be sparkling. An ambiguous atmosphere arose spontaneously. The way he looked at me was exactly like how the male lead in the movie gazed at the female lead. I recoiled in shock, trying to dodge backwards. “Hey hey, what are you doing?” Lucas lowered his voice, full of endless temptation. “I can’t let myself be at a disadvantage.” “…” His kiss fell lightly. His lips were surprisingly soft, with a hint of coolness. In the stuffy movie theater, it was like a cool drink, quenching my thirst. My head was in a daze. Lucas only let me go when I was nearly out of breath. I was gasping for air, my face flushed red. The couple in front had disappeared, but Lucas acted like nothing had happened. By the time Lucas helped me into the car, I was in tears. Lucas rarely showed a panicked expression. He hurriedly wiped my tears, asking softly what was wrong. I cried out loud. “Lucas, that was my first kiss!” “I hadn’t even kissed Zack yet, and you took it! You owe me, you owe me!” But Lucas just smiled. The kind of smile that showed all his teeth. “Then I’ll let you kiss me once too, to make it up to you.” He grinned at me mischievously, looking just like a playboy toying with someone’s feelings. I couldn’t stop crying. Lucas took out his suit handkerchief and wiped my tears. He cupped the back of my head, really about to kiss me. I pushed him away forcefully, giving him a solid slap. “Lucas Gray, you’re taking advantage of me!” “Do I look like the kind of woman you can just play around with?!” Not giving him a chance to speak, I rushed out of the car and took a taxi home. 0

I stayed at home for half a month. I turned off my phone completely. Lucas came every day, but I refused to see him. Finally my parents couldn’t stand it anymore. “You newlyweds have been fighting long enough.” “Lucas said earlier that you two got along well. If it’s not some major issue, just forgive him.” What sincerity? What sincerity does he have? Coming to my house after work every day and lingering outside – is that what he calls sincerity? I irritably pressed buttons on the remote, flipping through channels. This stupid TV didn’t have anything I wanted to watch. But from the corner of my eye, I was drawn to something shiny in my mom’s hands. In a black velvet box lay a dazzling piece of jewelry, sparkling brilliantly. I scooted over. “Mom, what’s that?” Getting closer, I saw it was a diamond necklace. Shaped like a phoenix with spread wings, ready to take flight. Even though I’d seen many nature-inspired designs before, I was still struck by its powerful sense of vitality. “This is Lawrence’s new work. Only he could create such a lifelike piece of art.” My mom’s eyes were full of admiration. Her fingertips kept tracing the edge of the box, like she didn’t even dare to touch the necklace itself. I smacked my lips beside her. “His works are so rare, how did you get this, Mom?” My mom glanced at me and sighed, with a regretful look like I was wasting a treasure. She shoved the box into my arms. “Lucas brought it. It’s for you, to apologize.” I couldn’t help but smile, my lips curving upwards. I may not really appreciate art, but what girl doesn’t love sparkling diamonds? Opening the card at the bottom of the box, my expression changed. I suddenly sprang up from the sofa. [Zack and Bella are having dinner at Rose tonight. Change clothes, wear the necklace, and let’s go together.] Rose was a famous romantic restaurant known for proposals. What was Zack planning to do by taking her there?! I quickly picked out an evening gown that best matched the necklace, slipped on some heels, and rushed out the door. Lucas was wearing an all-white suit, hands in his pockets, leaning casually against his Maybach. I seriously suspected he was deliberately posing. Like some cliché Prince Charming. I looked down at my own pure white gown. Fine, then I guess I’m the cliché Snow White. As soon as I got in the car, Lucas took my hand. “What are you doing? Trying to take advantage of me again?” “We’re legally married. How can it be called taking advantage?” “We’ll go in like this. When Zack sees us, he might be shocked and realize the one he truly likes is someone else.” “This is using jealousy to trigger deeper emotions hidden in one’s heart.” As expected of the heir to Gray Corp, his methods were more sophisticated than mine. I gripped his hand back, sliding my slender fingers between his to interlock our hands. “Then let’s make it look more convincing.” His long fingers trembled slightly, then held mine tightly. 0

I was so nervous that I didn’t notice Lucas sitting up straight, his posture slightly stiff. Entering Rose, I thought we’d sit to the side and pretend to run into them by chance. But to my surprise, Lucas led me directly to sit opposite Zack and Bella. What a dramatic confrontation. My palms were sweating nervously, sticking to Lucas’s hand. Bella, with her bright eyes, spoke up first. “Luke, what’s this about?” “My wife, Lily Nelson.” Luke? She was still calling him that even though he’s married? I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and showed off the big diamond on my ring finger. Eat your heart out. Zack’s expression did become a bit unnatural. “Lily, when did you two…?” I linked my arm through Lucas’s, feigning intimacy. “We just got our marriage certificate a month ago.” “It’s a business marriage.” To avoid misunderstanding, I added that last part specifically. “Congratulations. Is that necklace Lawrence’s new work? I tried so hard to get it but couldn’t. I can’t believe Luke got it and gave it to his wife. He really dotes on you.” “Zack, I want one too.” Bella clung to Zack’s arm and pouted. I stared at Zack, my smile growing wider. Zack pressed his lips together without responding, lowering his gaze. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. “I have some good news to share too.” Bella held out a gold-embossed invitation. “Zack and I are getting engaged. The engagement party is the day after tomorrow.” “We’d like to invite you two as a couple.” She emphasized the word “couple” heavily. Lucas took the invitation, his expression natural. “We’ll be there.” Engaged? They’re getting engaged? My head suddenly felt like it was exploding, my ears ringing. My stomach felt empty and nauseous. I retched a few times and left the table. As soon as I turned away, tears started falling. I quickened my pace, running out of the restaurant. Behind me, I heard Bella’s surprised exclamation. “Is Lily pregnant?” 0

The night of Zack and Bella’s engagement party, I got drunk at a bar. I ordered eight male models to surround me, with two kneeling to massage my legs. If I couldn’t sleep with the man I liked, I might as well sleep with a hot guy, at least to make myself feel better. I was stroking the chins of the male models one by one, trying to decide who to take home tonight. That’s when Lucas burst into the private room. His face ashen, he fished me out from among the male models. I sprawled on the table, refusing to leave, my eyes still on the models. “Hey hey, what are you doing?” “I haven’t chosen who to take home yet.” Lucas’s expression darkened further. He hoisted me over his shoulder, looking as fierce as if he was kidnapping a bride. “If you want to crash a wedding, go to the engagement party.” “Did you come to the wrong place? Why are you looking for me?” Back home, I was tossed onto the sofa. The more I thought about it, the more wronged I felt. Tears and snot flowed freely. Lucas frowned, his lips pressed into a line as he wiped my face with a silk handkerchief. I clutched Lucas’s shirt hem, not letting him leave. “You owe me my male models. You owe me, you keep me company, waaah.” Actually, looking closely, Lucas was much more handsome than those male models. Great body too, and clean. Most importantly, those lips. So soft. I hooked my arms around his neck, hanging my full weight on him. I breathed into his ear, biting out each word. “Why don’t I just pick you for tonight.” Lucas’s eyes flashed. He looked down at me for two seconds. Then he grabbed the collar at the back of my neck and plucked me off him. “Look carefully. I’m not one of your hired male models.” I grinned at him: “You’re my husband.” Lucas didn’t hear clearly. “What?” As he leaned down, I pounced on him. Lucas held my hands, his breathing unsteady. “Lily, do you know what you’re doing?” He bent down and picked me up in his arms. With a few long strides, he carried me into the bedroom. “Lily, don’t regret this.” My head was so dizzy. Why would I regret it?

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My wife’s childhood friend killed my parents in a drunk driving accident. When I tried to report him to the police, my wife blindfolded me and dragged me into a dark basement. For three years, I lived without sunlight, enduring endless pain and torment. After every round of punishment, her cold, cutting voice would echo in my ears: “Do you still hate him, Evan?” Until one day, I lay sprawled on the freezing floor, begging into the phone like a broken man. “I don’t hate him anymore! I swear, I don’t hate him!” On the other end of the line, my wife laughed. When she finally came to let me out, I flinched away from her hug. She froze, confused and silent. And when I numbly asked her for a divorce, she snapped—completely and utterly lost her mind. The damp, suffocating basement reeked of mold. I sat slumped in a corner, dragging my mangled leg behind me. The wet walls soaked through my shirt, clinging to my skin. When the heavy door creaked open, the sudden flood of light blinded me, and I instinctively shielded my eyes. I heard footsteps. Panicked, I shrank deeper into the shadows without even thinking. “Mr. Carter, Mrs. Howell sent me to get you.” I glanced up slowly, my vision adjusting. It was one of Jessa Howell’s long-time bodyguards. Lowering my gaze, I muttered, “Alright.” I struggled to my feet, my body weak and unsteady. Dragging my injured leg, I hobbled forward a few steps. The bodyguard’s expression twisted with shock. “Sir, your leg… what happened?” I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging into my palms. My head hung low as I replied, “A cabinet fell on it. Probably fractured.” The bodyguard’s brows furrowed in disbelief. “Why didn’t you tell Mrs. Howell?” I let out a bitter laugh, ignoring his question. Tell her? And what would that accomplish? Would she have let me go to the hospital? Or called a doctor for me? “I’ll help you walk,” the bodyguard said awkwardly, stepping closer to support me. We hadn’t even made it out of the basement when I saw her—Jessa Howell—stepping out of a car with her childhood friend, Logan Reed. “Jessa, what did I tell you?” Logan said, his voice laced with mockery. “He’s obviously playing the victim to get your sympathy. Look at him—he can’t even walk on his own without someone holding him up. Pathetic.” Jessa’s gaze shifted to me at his words. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes sparkled with smug satisfaction as she strutted toward me. When she got close, she suddenly opened her arms, as if to embrace me. But I recoiled violently, stumbling back with a flinch. My body curled up instinctively, and I muttered through choked breaths, “Don’t hit me… please, don’t hit me… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” Jessa froze, her arms still outstretched, her face a mask of disbelief. Slowly, she lowered her hands, her expression darkening as she turned to the bodyguard. “What’s going on here?” she demanded. The bodyguard, clearly shaken by my reaction, opened his mouth to respond but hesitated. “Ma’am, I—” “Jessa!” Logan interrupted loudly, pulling her attention toward him. The bodyguard immediately clamped his mouth shut, swallowing whatever he had been about to say. Logan smirked, his tone dripping with condescension as he sneered at me. “Evan Carter, are you seriously holding a grudge because Jessa locked you up to reflect on your actions? Is this whole act just to make her feel guilty?” He let out a low chuckle. “Come on, drop the act. You already admitted you were wrong. Jessa and I have decided to let it go. We’re not even mad about you falsely accusing me anymore.” He emphasized those last three words—”falsely accusing me”—with a sharp, pointed edge. I froze, my trembling stopping as a hollow emptiness settled over me. Logan laughed again. “See, Jessa? What did I say?” I stayed where I was, crouched on the ground, unwilling to get up. Jessa’s voice turned cold, her words cutting through the air like ice. “Evan Carter,” she said from above me, “three years wasn’t enough for you to learn your lesson?”

“Come on, Jessa, don’t get worked up. We have that meeting with Mr. Collins soon,” Logan said casually, glancing at his watch. Jessa Howell turned to look at me, still crouched on the ground. Her fingers tightened around the strap of her Hermès bag as she snapped at me, her voice dripping with disdain. “Evan Carter, you’re such a pathetic loser! Look at Logan, and then look at yourself!” “For the past three years, it’s been Logan who’s stood by my side, helping me through everything. If it weren’t for him, I would’ve fallen apart by now! And you—just look at the sorry state you’re in! Do you really think you deserve me anymore?” With that, she looped her arm through Logan’s and turned to leave. Logan glanced back at me, a smug smirk on his face. He mouthed the word: “Loser.” I trembled as I watched the two of them walk away together. The bodyguard beside me looked down, startled. “Sir! Your little finger… What happened to it?” I slowly lowered my head, staring at my twisted pinky finger on my right hand. In three years, Jessa hadn’t even noticed it. She hadn’t noticed my limp either. She didn’t even look at me long enough to see the way my body had broken. I forced a bitter smile. “It’s nothing. Just an old break… didn’t heal right.” “…Let me take you to the hospital.” The bodyguard helped me to my feet, my weight leaning heavily on him as my strength gave out. Logan Reed had only come back into Jessa’s life three years ago. I’d always known she had a childhood friend—a boy she grew up with, someone her family and mine used to joke she’d marry one day. When his family hit hard times, they sent him abroad. For all those years, Jessa stayed single. She never showed interest in anyone else. I knew why. She was waiting for him. But I was waiting for her. During that time, my family introduced me to dozens of women, but I turned them all down, one after another. I was so steadfast in my devotion that my parents started to wonder if I might secretly prefer men. Then, one day, Jessa showed up at my door, drenched from the rain. “Evan,” she said, trembling, “I’m done waiting. Do you have someone you want to marry?” “If you don’t… what about me?” I couldn’t contain myself. I wrapped her tightly in my arms, overwhelmed by the love I’d been holding back for so long. She never knew how deeply I loved her. After we got married, I gave her everything I had—my patience, my devotion, my unconditional love. And for a while, it seemed to work. I thought I’d finally won her heart. But everything changed the moment Logan came back. When my parents were killed, I found a witness who confirmed what I already suspected: Logan Reed had been the driver. He was drunk. When he hit my parents, he panicked and tried to flee. But when they were still alive, he ran them over again. And again. Just to make sure they couldn’t survive. But Jessa refused to believe it. She swore up and down that Logan had been with her all night. She even testified for him in court. And when I finally brought my witness forward, the man suddenly changed his story. I became the crazy husband. The jealous fool who was desperate to make Logan pay for “stealing” Jessa’s love. But I’ll never forget that day. When I arrived at the hospital and saw my parents’ mangled, lifeless bodies on those cold slabs, I thought I’d lose my mind. And I’ll never forget what Jessa did next. She tricked me. She told me she wanted to help, wanted me to calm down. And then she locked me in that basement. Her face was cold, unfeeling, as she said, “Evan, you’re too emotional. You need time to reflect.” At the hospital, the doctor frowned as he examined me. “What happened to your hand?” he asked, glancing at the bodyguard. “Are you his family?” The bodyguard hesitated, then nodded stiffly. The doctor sighed and shook his head. “This injury’s been left untreated for too long. Even if we reset the bone, it’ll never fully heal.” “And your leg,” he added, gesturing toward my limp. “What happened there?” I glanced sideways at the bodyguard. We both knew the answer, but I couldn’t say it. Jessa had made it clear: if I ever told anyone about the basement, she’d make sure I never found out where my parents were buried.

The bodyguard dropped me off at the villa and left without a word. Before opening the door, I clearly saw him input the passcode. It wasn’t the same as it used to be. This time, the code was Logan Reed’s birthday. I limped inside, taking in the house that was both familiar and utterly foreign. Everything looked the same as it had three years ago, yet it was completely different. By the door, there were two pairs of slippers—one for a woman, clearly Jessa’s, and the other for a man. Logan’s. In the bedroom, there were two pillows on the bed. The closet was divided—her clothes on the left, his on the right. In the bathroom, two toothbrushes sat neatly in matching cups. The counter was cluttered with men’s toiletries, from shaving cream to cologne. Every detail screamed the obvious: Jessa and Logan were already living together. As I stepped out of the bedroom, a soft thud drew my attention. Turning toward the living room, I saw two figures entwined in the dim moonlight, locked in a kiss. The sound of their intimacy was suffocating. “Click!” I flipped the living room lights on. Jessa turned, her flushed face frozen in shock. She instinctively pushed Logan away. “When did you get back?” she asked, her voice defensive as she rubbed her temple. “I drank too much,” she continued quickly, “and if it weren’t for Logan bringing me home, I don’t know how I would’ve escaped those old drunks at the party.” Her tone shifted, becoming accusatory. “Evan, things like this—you should’ve been the one handling them. If you hadn’t lost your mind back then, I wouldn’t have had to struggle so much all these years.” I stood silently, unmoving, letting her words wash over me. She kept complaining, her voice relentless, until Logan walked out of the kitchen carrying a glass of warm water. “Here, drink this. It’ll soothe your throat,” he said gently, offering it to her. The tenderness in his actions, the way he hovered beside her—it was the kind of care that made him look more like her husband than I ever had. Jessa rolled her eyes at me, sighed heavily, and took the glass from Logan. After finishing the water, she spoke again, her tone flat. “Logan’s been looking for a place to stay. Until he finds one, he’ll be living here.” Her words hung in the air, daring me to respond. But this time, I did. “I know,” I said quietly. “His things are already everywhere in your bedroom.” Jessa’s face hardened, the glass slipping from her hand and shattering on the floor. “You went into my bedroom?” she asked sharply, her voice low and cold. The sound of her tone, combined with the crash of glass, sent me spiraling. For a moment, I was back in that suffocating, moldy basement. My mind went blank. The only thing I could do was stammer out an apology. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” Jessa froze, her expression softening with confusion as her brows furrowed. She stepped closer, her voice quieter now. “Evan, what’s wrong? I was just asking a simple question.” I didn’t respond. Before I could, Logan let out a dramatic sigh, breaking the tension. “Evan, man, this is just too much,” he said, shaking his head in mock pity. “I didn’t expect you’d still hold such a grudge after three years. You’re not seriously pretending to be this broken just to make Jessa feel guilty, are you?” Jessa blinked, as though Logan’s words had suddenly illuminated a truth she hadn’t considered. “Is that it, Evan?” she asked, her voice sharper now. “I’ve told you a hundred times—Logan was with me that night. He was at a business dinner, keeping me company. Why can’t you believe me? Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused him? You almost ruined his life!” Her voice cracked as her frustration grew. “Because of you, Logan lost his job. His company fired him because of your ridiculous accusations. Everywhere he goes, people whisper behind his back, calling him a killer. Do you have any idea what you’ve done to him?” Her eyes burned with anger as she continued. “He almost jumped off a building, Evan! He almost ended his life because of you!”

My silence finally pushed Jessa Howell over the edge. She grabbed a glass from the table and hurled it at me. The glass shattered on impact. Blood began trickling down my forehead. Jessa froze, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at me. “Why… why didn’t you dodge?” Dodge? Could I even dodge? Hadn’t she made it clear that I wasn’t allowed to? If I had tried to avoid it, she’d have threatened to desecrate my parents’ remains—to feed their bones to the dogs. Jessa always meant what she said. I still remembered her icy words from years ago: “Evan Carter, if you dare spread lies about Logan, I’ll make sure you regret ever being born.” And in that dark, damp room, she followed through on her threats. When Logan lost a few strands of hair from stress, she sent people to beat me senseless. When Logan couldn’t eat, I wasn’t allowed to eat either. Not only that—she controlled how much water I could drink. When Logan almost jumped off a building, she had my legs and hands broken. Now, as the blood dripped steadily down my face, my vision blurred. I blinked, trying to stay conscious. Jessa rushed toward me. “Logan! Get me the iodine and some bandages!” Logan didn’t move. He stood there, watching with a smirk. “Jessa,” he said slowly, “this is exactly what Evan wants. He stood there and let you hit him so you’d feel guilty. Don’t fall for it.” Jessa hesitated, her hand still reaching for my arm. Then, as if Logan’s words flipped a switch, she let go. Her voice dropped, colder than before. “Evan Carter, are you serious? Do you really think pulling a stunt like this will give you control over me?” She straightened, her tone sharp and commanding. “You’ve been out for a while now, haven’t you? Have you even apologized yet? If you get down on your knees right now and sincerely apologize to Logan for your reckless accusations, I’ll let this go. I’ll forgive you.” Logan chuckled mockingly. “Just an apology, Jessa? That’s all?” Jessa glanced at me, her expression conflicted, before nodding firmly. “Yes. Evan, get on your knees and apologize.” The blood on my forehead dripped onto her hand, the warmth making her flinch. She yanked her arm back instinctively. Logan stepped forward, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. He handed her a tissue and carefully wiped the blood off her hand. “Evan,” he said with a smirk, “what are you waiting for?” Jessa’s expression darkened, and she looked at me expectantly. I raised my head slowly, my breaths shallow. After a long pause, I took a deep breath and spoke, my voice steady. “I’ll apologize. I’ll even kneel. But first, I want to know—where are my parents buried?” Jessa froze, caught off guard by the question. Logan’s expression flickered, his eyes darting away. The room fell into silence. After what felt like an eternity, Jessa turned to Logan, her brows furrowing. “Logan,” she said cautiously, “I remember you handled that. Where are they buried?” Logan’s shifty gaze told me something was wrong. I took a step forward and grabbed his arm. “Where are they?” I demanded. “Let go of me,” he snapped. I tightened my grip. “Tell me where you buried my parents!” Logan’s face darkened, but then he broke into a twisted smile. “Evan, you seem angrier than ever. What’s your plan? Make Jessa believe you’re sorry, and then turn around and run me over with a car, just like you think I did to your parents?” Jessa’s eyes widened in shock. “Evan Carter, let go!” she shouted. I didn’t move. “I said, let go!” Her voice grew sharper. “Do you want to go back to that basement? Is that what you want?” Back to the basement? No. Anything but that. My hand dropped from Logan’s arm, and I turned to look at Jessa, exhaustion etched across my face. “Jessa,” I said softly, “let’s get a divorce.” The room fell silent. Jessa stared at me, her expression cracking as if she couldn’t process the words. “Divorce?” she repeated, her voice shaky. “Are you joking?” Her tone turned incredulous. “I told you to let go of Logan, and your response is to ask for a divorce? Are you seriously doing this over a little scratch on Logan’s arm? Evan, what the hell are you trying to pull?” I didn’t answer right away. I just looked at her—the woman I had loved so deeply, who had turned my life into a waking nightmare. Every day in that basement had been a living hell. I couldn’t believe she had done all of this for Logan. I couldn’t believe she had ordered people to torment me, just to make him feel better. I spoke again, my voice devoid of emotion. “If you love him so much, I’ll let you have him. Isn’t that what you want?” Jessa’s composure shattered. Her eyes darted away, her guilt written plainly across her face. “Evan, stop talking nonsense. Be reasonable. I never wanted to divorce you. Logan and I—” “But I want to divorce you.” I cut her off. Her face twisted, her anger returning in full force. Logan, on the other hand, laughed mockingly. “Evan, where would you even go? Jessa owns the company. You’re limping, your hand’s messed up—you’re going to end up homeless. Is that what you want?” His words hit me like a blow, but I refused to show it. Jessa, however, looked startled. “What? You’re limping? What happened to your leg? And your hand?” I followed her gaze as she looked down at my injuries. Then I laughed bitterly and raised my hand. “You didn’t already know? Why are you acting so surprised?”

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0 It was late at night, and I had just put my daughter to sleep. I was leaning against the headboard, scrolling through my phone when a news alert popped up. “On February 17th at 9 PM, Jason Stewart, CEO of Zenith Corp, was involved in a car accident in Los Angeles. He has been rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. Sources say Jason suffered severe head trauma and is currently in a coma. Stay tuned for updates…” The accompanying image showed a nearly totaled Bugatti Chiron. Jason was being lifted onto a stretcher, his head covered in blood, eyes closed, brows furrowed even in unconsciousness. I felt a sudden wave of disorientation. It had been three years since I’d last seen him. Those memories of intimate moments, of heartbreaking pain – things I once thought I’d never forget – now felt like a lifetime ago, blurred by the passage of just a thousand days and nights. I lowered my gaze, about to put down my phone and go to sleep, when suddenly there was a violent knocking at the door! Worried the noise would wake Emma, I quickly slipped on my slippers and went to the living room. But when I looked through the peephole, I froze. Jason stood there, his head still wrapped in bandages that were starting to bleed through. His face was contorted with frustration. “Jane, open up!” he shouted. “I know you’re in there, I asked the doorman!” I was at a loss, my mind a jumble as I opened the door. “Weren’t you just in a car accident a few days ago? How did you-” Jason barged in as if he owned the place, barely sparing a glance at the men’s slippers by the door. “It’s freezing out there,” he complained, tossing his coat at me. “Why the hell are you living in this dump? What happened to that villa I bought you?” I was stunned by his familiar tone, momentarily at a loss for words. When we broke up three years ago, it had been ugly. Jason’s face had been so dark with anger, I thought he might actually kill me. He had said: “Jane, you and your new boy toy better stay the hell away from me.” “Or I can’t guarantee his safety.” Now he was acting as if nothing had happened, casually dropping onto the sofa and patting his thigh, raising an eyebrow at me: “Come here.” The dim lamplight cast shadows across his face, his eyes still holding that sharp, slightly cruel glint I remembered. But with his handsome features, that cruelty became a kind of rebellious charm. I took a step back, frowning. “What are you doing here? We broke up, remember?” Jason scoffed. “Oh please, I know you too well.” “You’ve probably been crying at home these past few days, haven’t you?” “Come on,” he beckoned impatiently. “So I went to the hospital with Olivia, big deal. Do you have to be so petty about it?” When I still didn’t approach, Jason stood up with a sigh and pulled me close, placing his hand on my stomach with unexpected gentleness. “I get it, you’re pregnant so your emotions are all over the place, right?” “If you really want this baby so badly, then let’s keep it. I’ve even picked out names – if it’s a boy, we’ll call him James. If it’s a girl-” I finally realized what was wrong. The Jason in front of me was talking about events from three years ago. I grabbed his wrist, my voice catching in my throat. “Jason, did you lose your memory?” He paused, then shrugged it off. “They all keep saying I hit my head and lost my memory. What a load of crap. My mind’s a bit fuzzy, but it’s no big deal. Nothing important anyway. You can fill me in on the details.” He pulled me close, tilting his head back to look at me with eyes full of love, as if we had never been apart these past three years. I pushed him away, struggling to keep my voice steady. “Jason, we broke up. I-” He quickly cut me off, the warmth vanishing from his smile. “Jane, that’s enough.” “You really expect me to believe that?” His thin lips curled into an arrogant smirk. “After all these years by my side, if you wanted to leave, you would’ve done it long ago.” “You can’t live without me.” Just then, the sound of a doorknob turning came from the hallway. I shoved Jason away hard. My daughter came out rubbing her eyes, clutching her favorite stuffed rabbit. “Mommy.” She frowned at Jason. “Who’s that?” 0

My breakup with Jason had been far from amicable. I was Jason’s childhood friend. His parents had taken me in when we were kids, basically giving him a playmate. From day one, everyone told me I had to look after Jason, to take care of him. I was three years older than Jason, so I naturally fell into a big sister role. Jason was spoiled rotten as a child, with a nasty temper. When I first arrived, he often tormented me. He’d put snakes in my bed, gather his friends to mock my background, drag me out of bed in the middle of the night to snarl at me: “Jane, don’t you dare think you’re really my sister.” “You’re just a stray dog my family took in, got it?” I knew I had no right to argue with Jason. The truth was, I was grateful to Jason’s parents. They had taken me out of foster care. If not for them, I probably would have ended up trafficked by my crooked caseworker. But kids’ tempers come and go quickly. Under my constant care, Jason soon softened. He became affectionate towards me, not letting others bully me. When he couldn’t sleep, he’d come to my room. He started calling me “sis”. I always thought I’d play the role of his sister forever. Until Jason fell in love at 19. With Olivia. The Stewarts and Olivia’s family were equally wealthy. Like Jason, Olivia was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She was a dazzling, beautiful girl who became the campus sweetheart in her freshman year, catching Jason’s eye. They naturally got together, but both being spoiled, Jason and Olivia had explosive tempers. They fought often. During one of their fights, to make Olivia jealous, Jason kissed me right in front of her. Our relationship changed irrevocably in that moment. Jason and Olivia quickly made up, but Jason never explained that kiss to me. We both tacitly agreed to never mention it again, but we both knew we could never go back to how things were before. Jason and Olivia were together for three years before finally breaking up after a big fight. Heartbroken, Olivia left the country. And Jason, in a drunken stupor one night, crawled into my bed. I still remember that chaotic night. His breath heavy with alcohol as he nuzzled my neck, pinning my hands above my head: “Don’t reject me,” he slurred, his actions forceful but his voice pleading. “Don’t reject me.” I lay frozen, finally managing to ask in a trembling voice: “Jason, do you know who I am?” He answered with a kiss. Much later, when I was nearly asleep, I vaguely heard him sigh in my ear. “You’re Jane.” … And just like that, we were together. No confession, no ceremony, not even a word of affection exchanged. I still played the role of his caretaker, looking after Jason’s daily needs. He was just more intimate with me now. We’d walk on the beach at sunset, cuddle up to watch movies in the dark of night, hold each other close as thunder rumbled outside. For a while, I felt truly happy. I’m not sure when I fell in love with him, but I knew I did. So when Olivia came back looking for Jason, I endured it. When he stood me up on my birthday to have dinner with her, I endured that too. I loved Jason. I knew he still had a lot of growing up to do, so I was willing to give him chances to make mistakes and correct them. Until I found out I was pregnant. I sent Jason the test results. It took him a long time to call me back. His voice sounded distorted over the phone, irritated: “Jane, I don’t want a kid right now.” “I’m not ready to be a father, I still want to have fun. Don’t keep it.” Half an hour later, a friend doing her residency at the hospital sent me a photo. It was Jason and Olivia. He was supporting her carefully, his movements as gentle as if handling a priceless treasure. My friend sent a voice message: “Why is Jason here at the OB-GYN with some other girl? She looks pregnant. Who is she?” That’s when I understood. It wasn’t that Jason didn’t want children. He just didn’t want my child. From the very beginning, he had never forgotten Olivia. This girl who first taught him about love was the one that got away, someone he could never let go of. Now that she was back, I was just a substitute to be discarded. Along with my child, tossed aside like garbage. After that, I broke up with Jason. But Jason kept dragging his feet, refusing to agree. With no other choice, I enlisted an old classmate to help me stage a scene of reuniting with an ex. I’ll never forget Jason’s eyes that day. He stared at me as if he wanted to burn me alive with his gaze. “Jane, you and your new boy toy better stay the hell away from me.” “Or I can’t guarantee his safety.” His final words dripped with contempt: “You’re nothing but a dog I kept around.” “Remember this – I’m the one dumping you, not the other way around!” After that day, I never saw Jason again. He soon went abroad to expand the business. I heard he got engaged to Olivia. Both families were thrilled – it was a perfect match. Their engagement made the front page news. And now, he’d been in an accident, his memory reset to three years ago. In the silent living room, even the sound of traffic was muffled by the night. A heavy silence settled over us. I picked up my daughter, speaking softly as Jason stared at me in shock: “Jason, we’ve been broken up for three years.” “I’m… married now. With a child.” 0

It took Jason a moment to react. He opened and closed his mouth, disbelief and confusion warring on his face as he reached out to grab me. “That’s impossible,” he said, seemingly trying to convince himself as much as me. “Jane, how could you possibly be married to someone else?” “Don’t you love me?” His gaze shifted to the child in my arms. He forced a smile, “I lost my memory, so… this child is mine, right?” “Did you keep that baby from back then without telling me?” I stepped back. “Jason, stop this madness!” “This isn’t your child!” The light in Jason’s eyes was gradually consumed by darkness. “Not mine? Then whose child is it?” he snarled, grabbing my arm. “Jane, who the hell did you have a kid with?!” “With me.” Just as I was starting to panic, the door opened and Mark walked in, taking our daughter from my arms. The night air clung to his black suit, making it slightly damp, but his powerful presence made him seem anything but disheveled. He regarded Jason with mild interest. “We have a guest? You should have told me,” he said, handing me a package and completely ignoring Jason’s increasingly dark expression. “That cake you like – I almost didn’t get there in time to buy it.” Jason looked Mark up and down, his fists clenching. “Jane, when the hell did you get mixed up with him?” Before I could answer, Mark laughed. It was a cold, mocking sound devoid of any warmth. “When?” he echoed. “To be precise, we got together three years ago, had our daughter two years ago, and got married this year. Which ‘when’ are you asking about, Mr. Stewart?” In the quiet living room, the two tall men faced off. Rage blazed in Jason’s eyes while Mark regarded him with the condescending air of an adult humoring a child, emanating the confidence of a victor. I sighed, pulling Mark back as I addressed Jason: “What he said is true.” “Jason, we’ve been apart for a long time now. We both have our own lives – you’re about to marry Olivia, and I’m married with a child.” “You just lost your memory in the accident and can’t remember clearly right now. We stopped…” I paused before continuing, “We stopped being part of each other’s lives a long time ago.” “Part of each other’s lives?” Jason took a step back, his expression suddenly turning bitter. “Jane, we lived together for over a decade.” “And now you’re telling me we’re just ‘part of each other’s lives’?” I lowered my gaze, speaking softly: “You’ve grown up. We both need to have our own lives now.” Mark leaned against me, holding our daughter in one arm and taking my hand with the other, silently asserting his claim. The three of us stood together, physically not far from Jason but separated by an invisible, impassable line. After a long moment, Jason laughed. He stared at me, his voice cold. “Fine, Jane.” “You win.” 0

After Jason left, Mark didn’t say anything, but I could tell his jealous side was acting up again. He was so distracted, he barely kissed Emma when she asked for a goodnight kiss. His whole body radiated an aura of: “I’m angry, explain yourself now.” I sighed and went to hug him. “I didn’t know he was coming. He just showed up at the door, having lost his memory. I explained everything to him.” “It won’t happen again, okay?” Mark yanked off his tie and tossed it on the floor, saying nothing as he sprawled his long legs out on the couch. After a while, seeming to have calmed himself down, he finally spoke: “When I heard he’d lost his memory and immediately flew back, I had a bad feeling. I rushed back as fast as I could, but he still got in.” He looked utterly disgusted, swearing for the first time I could remember: “Damn it, why couldn’t that crash have killed him?!” I nearly laughed at his reaction. Mark always seemed so cool and composed, like nothing in the world could ruffle him. But when it came to Jason, he turned into such a jealous mess. Back when Jason first went abroad, Mark had practically thrown a party to send him off, hoping he’d never come back. Now that we’d just gotten married and Jason was back to stir things up, of course he was upset. It took a lot of coaxing and swearing I’d never get entangled with Jason again before he finally calmed down. But he still took out his frustrations on me after Emma went to sleep, leaving me sore all over. The next morning, I dragged my aching body out of bed, silently cursing Mark. What happened to men losing their drive after 25? If anything, he seemed to be getting more intense! Just then, my phone rang. It was an unknown number. Thinking it might be a delivery, I answered, but before I could speak, a familiar female voice came through. Even over the phone, I could hear the contempt in Olivia’s tone. “Jane, let’s meet up.” I frowned. “What for?” “I think we need to talk about Jason. Don’t you agree?” I rubbed my temples in frustration, cutting straight to the point: “I have nothing to do with Jason. I didn’t cause his accident or his memory loss. Whatever issues you two have, work it out between yourselves. It has nothing to do with me.”

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My brother is a psychopath. He’s bipolar, and when he tried to stop me from marrying my fiancé, he broke his own leg. Later, I was murdered—betrayed by my fiancé and my best friend, who had plotted together to kill me. On the day of my funeral, while I lay six feet under, they celebrated, laughing and planning how to spend my inheritance. My brother, with his broken leg and all, chased them across the globe like a man possessed. Covered in blood, he dragged their severed heads back to my grave. He cradled my corpse, his fingers brushing my hair, and whispered softly: “Don’t worry, kiddo. Your big brother’s always here.” Now I’ve been given a second chance. When my fiancé wrapped his arms around me and asked me to drug my brother’s water, I shoved that disgusting man away. “What’s wrong with my brother?” “He’s just a little too good at loving me.” “Lila, all you have to do is pour this into your brother’s drink.” “He’d never suspect anything from you.” “This stuff could knock out an elephant. Once he’s out cold, I’ll take you away tonight. Sound good?” His fingers lightly pinched my wrist as he spoke, but my mind wasn’t on him at all. My gaze wandered past him to the shadows beneath the swaying branches of the hawthorn tree outside. There stood my brother. Dressed in a white button-down shirt, a chef’s knife hanging loosely in one hand, he stood at the door, his expression dark and unreadable. His eyes locked onto the two of us.

When I fully realized I had been reborn, I was already being dragged back into the house by my brother. In his left hand, he still held the knife. His right hand fumbled by the doorframe for something—probably rope. Not finding any, he yanked off his own tie and used it to bind my wrists. “You’re not seeing Josh again.” Josh. My fiancé. The man who had just asked me to drug my brother. I stayed quiet, watching as my brother meticulously tied the knot. He even padded the tie with a bit of cloth so it wouldn’t chafe. “Liam,” I called softly, grabbing at his fingers. He froze for a moment. In my past life, I couldn’t even stand to touch him. My gesture now threw him off for a second or two. Then his hand pressed over my mouth. “Shut up.” “If you so much as beg for that bastard, I’ll kill him myself.” In my previous life, this was how the rift between us began. I was blindly in love with Josh, never realizing that he and my best friend were working together to kill me for my money. I thought he was my soulmate. I clung to him desperately, even as my brother tried to warn me that Josh wasn’t who I thought he was. But I didn’t listen. Blinded by anger, I lashed out at Liam, yelling things I can never take back. “You’re a freak, Liam! You’re trying to control me like I’m some kind of prisoner!” “Do you know why everyone in the neighborhood avoids you? It’s because you’re a monster!” “I hate you! I hate that you’re my brother! Why couldn’t I have been born into another family?!” I’ll never forget the look in his eyes that day. He stood there, pale and hollow, his sharp features carrying the kind of beauty that felt fragile, like glass about to shatter. He didn’t yell back. He didn’t argue. He simply tied me up, turned, and said in the calmest voice: “Dinner’s fish head soup with tofu.” …My favorite dish.

When I snapped out of my memories, I realized I was already tied to a chair. My brother was in the kitchen, cooking dinner. Yes, my brother is a mentally unstable control freak. But what did he ever do wrong? He simply didn’t know how to love me properly. I zoned out again, only to notice my brother standing in front of me, staring down at me. “What’s wrong, Liam?” I looked up at him with a smile. His voice came out low and hoarse, tinged with hesitation. “Why aren’t you fighting me?” His voice hadn’t always been this rough. It had become like this after years of yelling at construction sites and odd jobs to make ends meet—all for me. “You don’t have to tie me up, Liam,” I said gently. “I’m not going to run anymore.” I’ll stay by your side. I’ll help you heal. But he just stared at me coldly. “Can’t fight you into submission, so now you’re trying to sweet-talk me?” He didn’t believe me. He still thought I’d run. Turning sharply, he walked away without a second glance. I cleared my throat, letting my voice soften just enough to tug at his heartstrings. “Liam… it hurts.” Three seconds. That’s all it took. He was back in front of me, frantically kneeling down as if I’d lost a limb. “Where does it hurt? Do we need to go to the hospital? I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He reached out, but then hesitated, his hand trembling in midair. I’d yelled at him before, screamed at him to never touch me. Guilt flickered in his eyes. I reached out, letting my fingers run through his soft black hair. His entire body froze like a statue, his expression one of pure disbelief—like he couldn’t process what had just happened. Leaning down, I traced the corner of his eye with my finger. “Liam, this time…” “Let me protect you.”

I meant it. This time, Josh and that so-called “best friend” of mine, those two despicable people, wouldn’t get away with anything. They had no right to stain my brother’s hands with their filth. “Lila, didn’t I tell you to drug your brother yesterday?” Standing next to the convenience store, Josh shoved his hands into his pockets, his brows furrowed in frustration. In my previous life, I’d been so obsessed with him it was like I’d been cursed. He treated me like a puppet, always bossing me around because he knew I’d do whatever he asked. “If you don’t knock him out tonight, don’t expect me to help you run away.” In my past life, I’d listened to him. I’d slipped the drug into my brother’s drink. But for some reason, Liam had woken up halfway through. He’d fought through the haze, stumbling after me despite barely being able to stand. I could still remember the sound of his body tumbling down the stairs, the sickening crack of his leg breaking. His eyes had been so red that day, as if they were bleeding. Even lying on the ground, he’d reached out for me, still trying to stop me from leaving. “Don’t go! Come back! They’re bad people!” His voice, already ruined, had been raw and broken as he begged me: “Trust me. Your brother will never lie to you.” “Not even if it kills me.” But back then, I’d thought he was just a lunatic trying to trap me in his twisted little world. Josh probably thought his threat would send me into a panic. But I didn’t even blink. Instead, I glanced at him with calm indifference and asked, “This drug… it won’t kill him, right?” Before Josh could answer, my “best friend” Danielle conveniently appeared, sauntering over with a popsicle in hand. “Oh, Lila, don’t overthink it. Just use enough to knock him out. That’s all.” She smiled sweetly, but her words dripped with venom. “Besides, your brother’s a total scumbag. He deserves it.” A scumbag? A “scumbag” who, in my last life, hunted you two down across continents to avenge me? A “scumbag” who dragged his broken body to make sure justice was served for the sister who never even trusted him? You think I don’t know my own brother? I looked up at them, my heart burning with hatred so deep I could barely contain it. I wanted nothing more than to tear them apart right there and then. But not yet. I glanced down at the bag of powder in my hand, my mind already working out a plan. Patience, I told myself. Not yet.

“You went to see Josh again, didn’t you?” The moment I walked through the door, I was pulled into his arms. His sharp nose brushed against my neck as he inhaled, his breath light and shallow. My brother always smelled faintly of hawthorn flowers, a scent that clung to him like it was a part of his soul. Under the dim light of the lamp, Liam’s face looked almost ghostly pale. His features were striking, carved out like ink spilled on white paper—beautiful, but fragile, as if the slightest touch might shatter him. “I wasn’t—” I started. “Shut up.” He cut me off roughly, his knuckles brushing against my shoulder blade. The unfamiliar sensation sent a shiver down my spine. But this time, I didn’t pull away. It suddenly struck me that Liam was like a stray dog, desperate and cautious, making sure the broken little doll he’d picked up still belonged to him. I smiled faintly, reaching up to brush the messy strands of hair falling into his face. And then I froze. He was burning up. “Liam, you’re running a fever,” I said, my voice trembling as I steadied him. He looked worse than usual, his face drained of color, his body clearly struggling. Yet he still stood there stubbornly, his eyes fixed on me. “You promised you’d be back by six,” he rasped, his voice cold and hoarse. “I had to wait for you.” … The clock was already nearing nine. It hit me like a punch to the gut: I’d completely forgotten the time because I was so caught up in my own mess. Even with his fever, even knowing I’d forgotten, Liam had waited for me. He always waited for me. He collapsed onto the couch, his exhaustion finally catching up to him. His eyes widened slightly when he saw me heading to the kitchen. Because for the first time in my life, I was making him dinner.

I’ve always been good at cooking. In my past life, I’d bent over backward trying to impress Josh, making him elaborate lunches and dinners to win his approval. But for Liam? I’d never bothered. If anything, I’d sneer at him, mock him for how little he had. It wasn’t until much later that I learned he’d kept the half-eaten sandwiches I threw away, holding onto them like treasures. The shrimp and scallop porridge simmered perfectly on the stove. When it was ready, I blew on a spoonful to cool it down and held it up to his lips. Liam stared at me, suspicion flickering in his eyes, as if I’d laced the food with poison. “Are you going to eat or not?” I asked calmly. Reluctantly, he bit down on the spoon, his gaze dropping, strangely obedient. It was hard to believe that these were the same arms that, in another life, had severed the heads of Josh and Danielle in a fit of vengeance. “Liam,” I said softly as he ate, “have you ever thought about our future?” He paused, watching me carefully. “I’m about to graduate,” I continued. “Your job’s unstable. Why don’t we sell the house and move to the coast? “I want to open a flower shop.” In my past life, I’d never included Liam in my plans. If anything, I’d told him to get lost. But he was the one who raised me. The one who sacrificed everything for me. “Don’t you like flowers, Liam?” I asked, leaning closer. “You always smell like hawthorn…” Before I could finish, his hand darted out, gripping my chin firmly. His calloused fingers brushed against my lips, rough but deliberate. The way he looked at me made my breath hitch. His eyes were raw, burning with a possessiveness he didn’t bother to hide. “What are you trying to say?” “Coast, flowers… Are you planning a getaway?” His voice was low, almost a whisper. “Don’t lie to me, Lila. Please.” The way he said my name, like it was something sacred, made my chest ache. “You know as well as I do,” he continued, his voice trembling, “that the first thing you’d do in a new place… is leave me behind.” … He wasn’t wrong. In my past life, that’s exactly what I would have done. Liam was like a wounded animal, scarred from years of betrayal. No matter what I said now, he’d see it as another trap, another way to hurt him. We stared at each other in the quiet room, the tension thick and suffocating. “Prove it,” he said finally, his voice steady but his eyes pleading. “Prove what?” I whispered. The lights flickered once, twice, and then went out, plunging the room into darkness. And in the darkness, Liam showed me exactly how he wanted me to prove it. I collided with his chest, his hands catching me by the waist. He was burning. His fevered body radiated heat as he let out a low, guttural sound. Before I could react, his fingers tilted my chin up, and his lips crashed against mine. His mouth was scorching, his fingers trailing down the back of my neck, leaving fire in their wake. I felt like I was melting, my senses overwhelmed by the intensity of his touch. He wasn’t just kissing me; he was claiming me, tearing down every wall I’d ever built between us. And then, in the middle of it all, I found myself gripping his shirt, kissing him back. Liam froze, his breath faltering before he pressed his forehead against mine, his voice breaking in the silence. “Just like this,” he whispered. “Don’t leave me, Lila.”

I finished washing the last of the dishes in the kitchen. Liam was in the living room, but I couldn’t bring myself to face him. I was stalling. After all, we’d just done something I never thought I’d do—not in this lifetime or the last. I’d always known Liam’s feelings for me weren’t purely familial. We weren’t related by blood, but the way he looked at me… it was like he’d been holding himself back for years. He wanted me, but he’d never dared to act on it. How do you face someone after that? Even after living two lives, I didn’t have the answer. But as I stood there thinking, Liam walked in like nothing had happened. “Thirsty?” Before I could respond, he cornered me at the sink, holding a steaming mug of milk. He pressed it to my lips. I had a habit of drinking milk before bed, but it was obvious this cup had already been his—the faint imprint of his lips lingered on the edge. I took a sip, my lips brushing the same spot his had. “Good girl.” He ruffled my hair like I was a child. “Liam,” I called softly. He raised an eyebrow. “You need to work on your kissing skills,” I teased. “What?” His laugh was low and disbelieving. “I said—” Before I could finish, he bent down and kissed the corner of my mouth, quick and unexpected. “…!” I grabbed his tie, pulling him closer. “Liam, now do you believe me?” I asked, my voice steady. “I’m not running anymore. I’ve given myself to you completely—” But he didn’t say anything. He just stared at me, his expression unreadable. “I’ve opened myself up to you—” Suddenly, my head started to spin. The room swayed, and I blinked up at him, confused. No… The milk. Liam cupped my face, his calloused thumb brushing over my eyelid. I couldn’t move. My limbs felt heavy, and my thoughts grew hazy. His voice sounded distant, like it was coming from the other end of a tunnel. “You did well this time, Lila.” “But you shouldn’t have left the drug so close to the top of your bag.” “It fell out earlier.” “You almost managed to kill your brother.” … No. He misunderstood. The drug wasn’t meant for him. I’d kept it to have it tested, to gather evidence against Josh and Danielle. But Liam thought I’d planned to use it on him. He thought everything I’d done tonight had been some grand performance to lull him into a false sense of security. I tried to speak, to explain, but my body wouldn’t obey me. My eyelids grew heavier and heavier, until I couldn’t keep them open anymore. The last thing I heard was Liam’s voice, quiet and bitter. “You hate your brother that much?” “Lie to me once, lie to me twice… when does it end, Lila?”

When I woke up, my head was pounding. I couldn’t move. Something was tight around my neck and wrists, pinning me in place. Liam had tied me up. “Liam…” My voice was hoarse as I looked at him in exasperation. “You have to let me explain.” … He stood over me, his expression cold and detached. Liam was tall and wiry, his frame almost fragile, like glass that could shatter at any moment. But his strength was undeniable—whether it was in my last life when he dealt with Josh and Danielle, or now, as he handled his “disobedient” sister. His pale fingers brushed against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. “Liam,” I said again, more firmly this time. “Shut up.” The command was sharp, his voice rough and frayed. He leaned down, capturing my lips in a kiss that was anything but gentle. His lashes brushed against my cheek, tickling me, but I couldn’t move. Even the softest of his touches felt overwhelming. I wanted to resist—I had to resist—but the moment I tasted him, I couldn’t help but respond. He consumed me completely, his scent, his warmth, his presence crowding every sense I had. But as his lips moved down to my jaw, trailing fire along my skin, the last shreds of my rationality snapped me back to reality. I wasn’t here to let Liam practice his kissing skills. “Liam—” I coughed, breaking the moment. He released me reluctantly, irritation flickering across his face as he rubbed my back. “You choked?” he asked, his voice still laced with anger. “Who’s the one who needs more practice?” His words were accusatory, but I could hear the hurt buried underneath. “I’m not lying to you, Liam,” I said firmly, meeting his gaze. “The drug was from Josh. He wanted me to use it on you.” “I kept it because I wanted to have it tested—to prove what they’ve been doing. That’s all.” “It’s you who doesn’t trust me.” Liam’s eyes narrowed as I spoke, but his expression didn’t soften. Instead, he leaned down, his lips brushing against mine again. I knew then that no matter what I said, my explanations would fall on deaf ears. He didn’t believe me. Frustrated, I pushed him away. He stepped back slightly, one eyebrow raised, a small smirk curling at the corner of his lips. “Oh, so the drug was for testing?” “Not to poison your poor brother?” He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper that sent a chill down my spine. “Lila, are you going to tell me next that everything you’ve done… was for me?” His voice cracked slightly, the vulnerability in his words almost hidden under his cutting tone. “Do you even love me, Lila? Even a little?” I opened my mouth to answer, but the words caught in my throat. How could I explain? In my last life, I’d done everything possible to hurt him. I’d spiked his food with sleeping pills, planted stolen goods on him to get him arrested, and ruined his reputation with our neighbors—all so I could escape him. Half of the awful things people said about Liam were my fault. So how could I convince him to believe me now? For now, I’d have to take a different approach. With a sudden burst of energy, I sat up, grabbed his face, and kissed him. His lips were warm, softer than I’d expected. He froze, his eyes widening slightly, like he couldn’t believe what had just happened. I pulled back, watching as his expression shifted, his eyes filling with something raw and wild. And then he snapped. I didn’t even have time to react before he pushed me back onto the bed, his hand cradling the back of my head to cushion the impact. The mattress dipped under our combined weight as he leaned over me, his fingers lacing through mine as he kissed me again, harder this time. His lips moved to my neck, his voice low and ragged against my skin. “You’re going to be the death of me, Lila.” … In my past life, I owed Liam everything. In this life, I don’t know if I can fix him. But I can promise to stay by his side, even if it means we destroy each other in the end.

iam’s cooking was amazing. It would’ve been even better if my hands weren’t tied and he wasn’t feeding me one spoonful at a time. “Liam…” I dragged out his name, trying to sound sweet. The silver spoon paused just before my lips. “Lila.” His tone was calm, indifferent even. “The last time you acted like this, you almost got me arrested.” He was just stating a fact, but under the table, my leg brushed against his. He froze for a moment. A faint blush crept onto his pale face, making him look almost innocent. If I hadn’t been pinned to the bed just hours earlier, feeling him devour me like a starving wolf, I might’ve believed it. “Liam, do you believe in fate?” He didn’t answer, so I continued. “I had a dream last night. A dream about the future.” “In the dream, I married Josh. You broke your leg trying to stop me. Later, Josh and Danielle conspired to kill me.” “You dragged that broken leg of yours halfway across the world, hunting them down to avenge me.” I stared into his eyes, making sure every word sounded as sincere as possible. “So now, I really, really hate Josh.” I poured my heart into those words, but Liam’s expression didn’t change. His beautiful eyes were as cold and reflective as a frozen lake. “Oh, really?” he said finally, leaning in close. His breath skimmed over my neck, sending goosebumps down my spine. “Funny. I had a dream too.” “In mine, my little sister was so desperate to escape me that she made up a beautiful lie.” “She tricked me into believing her, made me think I finally had her… and then she left me behind.” … For a second, I wondered if Liam had been reborn too. Because in my last life, that was exactly what had happened. The night I drugged him, I’d held his face in my hands, promising I’d never leave him. I could still remember the way his eyes had turned red, how he’d clung to my wrist like it was the only thing keeping him alive. “Lila, you won’t leave me, right? You’ll stay, right?” he’d asked, his voice trembling. And then I’d put him to sleep and left him behind. … If that’s what he dreamed, then maybe it wasn’t so strange that he wanted to keep me tied up. I chuckled lightly, and Liam frowned at me. “Forget it, Liam,” I said, my voice soft. “No matter what you do to me, I’ll accept it.”

I swear, this was the last time I’d ever lie to Liam. I turned the shower to the coldest setting and let the icy water wash over me. While drying my hair, I blasted it with cold air, making sure the chill seeped straight into my bones. My health had never been great, so it didn’t take much for me to catch a cold. As soon as I felt the cold settle into my sinuses, I sniffled, knowing I was on the verge of a fever. When I walked out of the bathroom, towel in hand, Liam was sitting on the couch. His dark eyes locked onto me with a piercing intensity. I stumbled toward him, letting out a dramatic “oh no” as I collapsed into his lap. Even though it was sudden, Liam’s arms instinctively came up to catch me. For a moment, I felt like one of those seductive fox spirits from old folklore, luring a scholar into my trap. But Liam’s gaze was steady and unwavering, cold enough to make me shiver. “Go to bed,” he said flatly. “…” I squeezed his thigh, testing his patience. His hand shot out to grab mine, holding it in place. I tilted my head, watching the way his throat moved as he swallowed. “Why are you ignoring me?” “Don’t move,” he warned. His voice was calm, but there was a flicker of something dangerous beneath it. “Go to sleep.” This time, his tone carried a sharper edge, a clear warning. “Liam, I’m so good to you. Don’t you like it?” I whispered, shifting slightly on his lap and brushing my fingers against his throat. His pupils dilated, and a low grunt escaped his lips. He was still holding back. My brother, always holding back. “Fine,” I said, feigning disappointment. “Next time, I won’t be so nice to you.” “After all, Liam, you’re the one who keeps pushing me away.” Before I could finish my sentence, his hand gripped the back of my neck, pulling me forward. His lips crashed into mine, cutting off whatever words I was about to say. Sometimes, I really did feel sorry for Liam. I was the one tied up, but he was the one who was truly trapped. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. “Are you scared, Liam?” I murmured against his lips. He didn’t answer right away. When he finally did, his voice was hoarse. “Yes,” he admitted quietly. “You’re acting so strange, Lila. I’m terrified it’s all a trap.” “But you know what? Even if you dug a pit and stood in front of it, smiling as you told me to jump…” “I’d still jump.” It was the middle of the night, and I couldn’t sleep. My body felt like it was burning up. I got up and knocked on Liam’s door. “Liam… I think I have a fever,” I mumbled, my vision blurry as I looked up at him. For a moment, random thoughts filled my foggy mind—Liam really was handsome. If he’d gone to school like a normal person, I bet a lot of girls would’ve fallen for him. But unfortunately, Liam had given up everything for me. Without hesitation, he scooped me up in his arms. “We’re going to the hospital.” He didn’t even stop to think. His coat was already wrapped around me as he carried me out the door. He pressed his hand to my forehead, and I felt his fingers tremble. I must’ve been really hot. Liam always panicked because of me. He was so perfect in every way, but it seemed like God had given him a weakness—me. His entire life had been ruined because of me.

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I stared at the black fabric I had just pulled out of the washing machine, my fingers unconsciously tracing the torn lace edge. The tear in these yoga pants was right in the crotch area. The material was high-quality, Lily’s favorite Lululemon brand. She always said this fabric was breathable and form-fitting, perfect for yoga without any risk of exposure. But now, these four-figure yoga pants had a vicious tear in the crotch, as if something sharp had forcibly ripped them open. What concerned me more was the suspicious white stains along the edges of the tear. They had dried and crusted, feeling hard to the touch. I leaned in for a closer look and caught a faint, fishy smell that made my stomach churn. “What are you looking at?” Lily’s voice came from behind. I instinctively stuffed the yoga pants into the laundry basket and turned around with a forced smile. “Nothing, just finished the laundry,” I said casually, but my eyes couldn’t help but linger on her face. She had light makeup on today, with perfectly drawn eyeliner and soft pink lipstick. She looked polished and elegant. “Oh,” she responded indifferently, walking to the fridge to grab a bottle of yogurt. “I’m going to the gym tonight, so you’ll have to eat dinner alone.” I nodded, watching her scoop up the yogurt. A drop of white liquid fell from the spoon, leaving a small stain on her shirt. She frowned and grabbed a tissue to wipe it off. “By the way,” I asked, trying to sound casual, “what happened to your black yoga pants? How did they get torn?” She paused for a moment, the spoon clinking against the glass bowl. “Oh, that,” she continued scooping the yogurt, “I accidentally caught them on some equipment during training yesterday. Just my luck.” “Is that so?” I stared at her profile. “The tear looks pretty bad.” “Yeah,” she smiled, tossing the empty yogurt container in the trash. “But it’s fine, I’ve had them for a while anyway. I’ll buy a new pair soon.” I watched her walk into the bedroom to change, but my heart felt heavy. She had only bought those yoga pants last month. She even posted about them on social media, bragging that they were limited edition and hard to get. And knowing her personality, if she had really accidentally torn them, she would have been devastated. How could she be so nonchalant about it? I walked back to the laundry basket and picked up the yoga pants again. The edges of the tear were jagged, as if they had been forcibly stretched open. Upon closer inspection, I found a small electronic key sewn into the inside of the waistband, engraved with a series of numbers: XX-032

XX was the abbreviation for a high-end gym in our city, and 0321 was a locker number. I remembered that Lily did have a membership at that gym, but she usually went with Victoria and rarely went alone. As I was pondering this, Lily came out of the bedroom, dressed and ready to go. She wore a pair of gray sweatpants and a loose hoodie, looking fresh and sporty. “I’m leaving,” she said, picking up her bag and heading for the door. “Wait,” I called out to her, “Why have you been going to the gym with Victoria so often lately?” She stopped and looked back at me, her eyes shifting slightly. “What do you mean? We’ve always gone together, haven’t we?” “But you used to only go on weekends. Why are you going every day now?” I probed. She laughed it off, saying lightly, “Work’s been stressful lately. I just want to exercise more and relax a bit.” I nodded, not saying anything more. She turned and left, and I stood by the window, watching her walk quickly towards the community gate where a black SUV was already waiting. The window rolled down, and Victoria waved at her. Lily opened the door and got in. The car soon disappeared from view. I returned to the living room, picked up the yoga pants, and carefully examined the electronic key. The VIP lockers at XX Gym were only for premium members, but Lily’s membership was just a regular one. I opened my phone and searched for XX Gym’s official website. I discovered that their VIP membership fee was over $10,000 per year and required strict vetting to obtain. Lily’s income was decent, but not enough to justify such an extravagance. As I was thinking, my phone suddenly vibrated. It was a text from an unknown number: “Don’t forget, Wednesday at the usual place for the reshoot.” I stared at the message, feeling uneasy. Lily’s phone was still on the coffee table; she had forgotten to take it with her. After a moment’s hesitation, I picked it up and unlocked it. Her password was still my birthday, which gave me a small sense of relief. I opened her text messages and found that she had been frequently communicating with an unknown number over the past few days. The messages were mostly brief exchanges like “See you Wednesday” and “Remember to bring clothes.” I scrolled to the top and found the first message from a month ago: “Wednesday, 3 PM, XX Gym VIP area. Remember to wear those black yoga pants.” My heart started racing, and my fingers trembled slightly. As I continued scrolling, I discovered that they met every Wednesday, and each time, those yoga pants were mentioned. The last message was sent yesterday: “Good performance today. Let’s continue next time.” I put down the phone, feeling like a heavy stone was pressing on my chest, making it hard to breathe. Lily had been going to the gym every Wednesday, always wearing those black yoga pants. And today, those pants were mysteriously torn, with suspicious white stains. I picked up the yoga pants again, re-examining the tear. The lace around the edges was ripped, as if something had forcibly stretched it open. Suddenly, I had a thought. I picked up my phone and searched for “yoga pants tear.” The results that popped up made me freeze. The first search result was a post on an anonymous forum titled “Exposing the Gym’s Hidden Camera Industry.” I clicked on it and found that the original poster had detailed how to use the gym’s changing rooms and equipment areas to secretly film female members. There was even a specific “yoga pants series” because these pants were form-fitting and easily damaged, making them ideal targets for hidden cameras. My hands started shaking as I continued reading. The poster mentioned that those who set up hidden cameras usually chose VIP lockers because there were fewer people and more blind spots in the surveillance. They would also install tiny cameras in the lockers to specifically capture footage of female members changing clothes. I suddenly stood up, grabbed my car keys, and rushed out. XX Gym wasn’t far from my house, only a ten-minute drive. I had to go see for myself what was hidden in that VIP locker. I drove there quickly, my mind replaying Lily’s recent unusual behavior. She always came home late, sometimes with strange bruises on her body. When I asked, she would say she accidentally bumped into something while working out. She also frequently received text messages from unknown numbers, always deleting them nervously after reading. I parked outside the gym and walked quickly towards the VIP area. The security guard at the entrance stopped me, but when I showed him the electronic key, he let me through. I found locker 0321 and inserted the key. The door opened with a click. It was empty except for a small SD card lying in the corner. I picked up the SD card, my fingers trembling slightly. I knew that it must contain some dark secret. I found a corner, inserted the SD card into my phone, and opened the file manager. There was only one video file, named “0321-20231004”. Taking a deep breath, I clicked on the video. The image was blurry at first but soon came into focus. The camera was aimed at a dimly lit room with workout clothes hanging on the wall and a yoga mat on the floor. A woman wearing black yoga pants had her back to the camera, doing stretching exercises. My heart rate suddenly increased. I knew that silhouette all too well – it was Lily. She seemed completely unaware of the camera’s presence and continued with various yoga poses. The camera angle was very low, as if filming from the ground up, providing a clear view of her lower body. Forcing myself to keep watching despite my discomfort, I saw the scene suddenly change. Lily walked towards the camera and crouched down, apparently adjusting something. At that moment, a hand suddenly reached out from off-screen and grabbed her ankle. Lily cried out in surprise and tried to break free, but the hand was strong and pulled her to the ground. The image began to shake violently. I could only vaguely see Lily struggling on the floor, while the owner of the hand never came into view. The video abruptly ended there. I stared at the blank screen, my mind completely blank. Lily had been secretly filmed, and the person behind it clearly had malicious intentions. I suddenly stood up, rushed out of the gym, and drove straight home. I had to get to the bottom of this. However, when I got home, Lily wasn’t there. Her phone was still on the coffee table. I picked it up and saw that the unknown number had sent another message: “Meet at the usual place tonight. Remember to wear those black yoga pants.” I gripped the phone tightly, a sense of foreboding washing over me. Tonight, I had to go to this “usual place” myself and see who was behind all this. I sat on the couch, clutching Lily’s phone. That text message felt like a thorn, piercing my heart. The content was simple, yet it sent a chill down my spine: “Meet at the usual place tonight. Remember to wear those black yoga pants.” The usual place? Where was that? The VIP area of XX Gym? Or somewhere else? I stared at the phone screen, my mind racing through Lily’s recent whereabouts. She went to the gym every Wednesday, but aside from that, she didn’t seem to have any other regular haunts. I opened her messaging app and scrolled through her recent chats. Besides her daily conversations with Victoria, a contact labeled “Coach” caught my attention. Their chat history was brief, mostly about scheduling training sessions, but the recent messages were strange. “Meet at the usual place tonight. Remember to wear those black yoga pants.” This was the latest message from him, identical to the text on Lily’s phone. I frowned and clicked on his profile picture. It showed a middle-aged man, around 40, with a muscular build, wearing a tight tank top with an XX Gym badge on his chest. His name was Jack, and he was Lily’s personal trainer. As I continued scrolling through their chat history, I noticed that starting a month ago, Jack had been frequently asking Lily to “add extra sessions,” always reminding her to wear those black yoga pants. Lily’s replies were mostly “Okay” or “Got it,” occasionally asking questions about the training. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But the torn yoga pants and the video on the SD card made it impossible for me to believe in this facade of normalcy anymore. I decided to go to XX Gym myself and see what this Jack was up to. I drove to the gym and walked straight to the front desk. The receptionist smiled and asked how she could help. I showed her Lily’s membership card and said I wanted to find Coach Jack. “Coach Jack is in a session right now. You can wait in the lounge area if you’d like,” the receptionist pointed to the nearby sofa area. I nodded and sat down in the lounge, but my eyes were fixed on the training area. Not long after, I saw Jack walk out of a private training room, followed by a tall woman – it was Lily. She was wearing a tight sports top and black yoga pants, the same style as the torn ones. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, and her face was flushed from exercise, looking energetic. Jack said a few words to her, then patted her shoulder before turning towards another private room. Lily headed towards the changing room, apparently getting ready to leave. I stood up and quickly followed her. The changing room door was slightly ajar. I stood outside, overhearing a conversation between Lily and Victoria. “Why are you so late today?” Victoria’s voice sounded displeased. “Coach Jack said we needed extra training, so I stayed a bit longer,” Lily’s tone sounded tired. “Extra training? Did he make you wear those yoga pants again?” Victoria’s voice suddenly rose. “Yeah, he said these pants help with the training,” Lily’s voice lowered, sounding a bit guilty. “Help with training? I think he has other intentions!” Victoria scoffed. “Do you know his reputation at the gym lately? I’ve heard he often gets handsy with female members.” “Don’t say that. Coach Jack is a good person. He’s just helping me correct my form,” Lily’s tone was urgent, as if defending herself. “Correcting your form? Then why does he always make you wear those yoga pants? Don’t you find that strange?” Victoria’s voice was tinged with sarcasm. “I…” Lily fell silent, seemingly at a loss for words. Standing outside, I felt a tightness in my chest. Victoria’s words further confirmed my suspicion that Jack’s “extra training” with Lily was definitely problematic. Just then, the changing room door suddenly opened, and Victoria walked out. She was startled to see me standing there. “What are you doing here?” Her tone was surprised, but she quickly regained her composure. “I’m here to pick up Lily,” I said calmly, my eyes fixed on her face. Victoria’s expression was peculiar. She glanced back at the changing room, then lowered her voice to tell me, “You’d better be careful. Jack isn’t a good guy.” I nodded without saying much. Victoria turned and left, and I walked into the changing room to find Lily sitting on a bench, changing her shoes. She looked up in surprise when I entered. “Why are you here?” Her tone was flustered, as if she hadn’t expected me to show up. “I’m here to pick you up,” I said, walking to her side, my eyes falling on her yoga pants. The crotch of these pants was intact, clearly not the pair I had found in the washing machine. Lily noticed my gaze and instinctively pulled at her waistband, as if trying to hide something. I crouched down, grasped her wrist, and asked in a low voice, “Have you been hiding something from me lately?” Her body tensed, and her eyes darted around. “No, why would you think that?” I stared into her eyes, trying to read her expression. Her gaze was evasive, as if she couldn’t look at me directly. I took a deep breath and decided to confront her directly. “I found a pair of torn yoga pants in the washing machine, with white stains on the crotch,” I said quietly, my voice tinged with suppressed anger. Lily’s face instantly turned pale. She yanked her hand away and stood up, trying to leave. I grabbed her and pulled her back onto the bench. “What are you hiding from me?” My voice trembled slightly, a sense of unease rising within me. Lily lowered her head, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her shirt, seemingly engaged in an intense internal struggle. After a long moment, she finally said in a low voice, “I… I don’t know how to tell you.” “Then start from the beginning,” I forced myself to calm down, sitting beside her and holding her hand. Lily was silent for a while before finally speaking: “A month ago, Coach Jack suddenly approached me, saying there were issues with my posture that needed extra training to correct. He asked me to come to the gym every Wednesday night, wearing those black yoga pants, saying it would help him see my movements more clearly.” “And then?” I pressed. “At first, he was really helping me correct my form, but later…” Lily’s voice trembled, “he started touching me inappropriately, claiming it was to help relax my muscles, but it made me very uncomfortable.” My heart sank. I squeezed her hand, encouraging her to continue. “I tried to refuse, but he threatened to post videos of my training sessions online if I didn’t cooperate,” Lily’s voice was on the verge of tears, “I… I didn’t know what to do, so I just went along with it.” I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the rage building inside me. That bastard Jack, using such despicable methods to threaten Lily. I clenched my fists, silently vowing to make him pay for this.

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I had cared for Sebastian, my comatose husband, for five years with unwavering devotion, enduring countless hardships. But on the day he woke up, he gifted my half-sister, Olivia, with million-dollar jewelry and professed his love for her. I thought it was all a misunderstanding. I believed that if I explained patiently, he would realize that I was the one who had cared for him all these years. That was until I overheard his conversation with his brother, Lucas. “Sebastian, you know full well that Evelyn has been taking care of you all these years. Why are you deceiving her? Don’t you have any feelings for her at all?” “She’s been Mrs. Grant for so long, she should be content. My heart has always belonged to Olivia. I know I’ve wronged Evelyn. If she’s really upset, I can give her 5% of the Grant Corporation shares.” Outside the room, separated by a single door, I wept silently. So he knew all along that I was the one who had cared for him. He just didn’t love me. If that’s the case, I’ll step aside one last time for the sake of my younger self. From now on, we’ll be worlds apart, never to meet again!

Outside the study, my knuckles turned white as I gripped the tray holding his medicine. Sebastian’s words were heavy, like a dirty, wet rag being slapped onto my already battered heart. The pain was suffocating yet sobering. “I’m glad Olivia wasn’t the one who married me during these five years I was in a coma. She’s so gentle, and my mother is so domineering. She would have suffered greatly.” “I couldn’t keep her by my side when I fell into a coma, but for the rest of my life, I can’t let her down!” Bang! His brother, Lucas, had always been hot-tempered. “Do you know what you’re doing? It’s called using someone and then discarding them! It’s morally bankrupt! You want to have your cake and eat it too!” “Evelyn took care of you for five years. We all saw it. She’s an exceptional woman. And Olivia? She was selfish and reckless back then. After you fell into a coma because of her, she ran away!” “Now that you’re awake, she knows you’re her brother-in-law, yet she’s still flirting with you. You’re hurting a woman who truly loves you for someone like her. Do you have any principles left?” “Lucas, you can’t force love. I never wanted Evelyn to marry me in the first place. If I could, I wish she had never come into my life. Olivia’s reputation was ruined because of me. I need to give her a proper status.” The room fell silent. After a moment, Lucas spoke, his voice muffled: “What about Evelyn? If you and Olivia are so in love, why don’t you just divorce Evelyn and set her free?” “She took care of me for five years. If I don’t keep her around, it would look bad for Olivia if word got out.” “Lucas, I just love Olivia too much. I want to give her the best of everything. I know I’m wronging Evelyn, but I’ll divorce her slowly, so she won’t be too hurt. After the divorce, whatever compensation she wants, the Grant family can give her.” Hearing this, I could barely stand. It took all my strength to keep the medicine tray steady in my hands. But the heart-wrenching pain surged uncontrollably towards my throat. For five years, I had endured countless hardships, only to be told in the end that I was never wanted. Olivia merely had rumors of an affair with him and it was considered ruining her reputation. What about me, who had been married to him for five years? Could everything be erased with just a simple “you can’t force love”? I stepped back slowly. Scenes from the past years flashed through my mind like a slideshow. Originally, it was my half-sister Olivia who was engaged to Sebastian. But when Sebastian fell into a coma after a car accident, Olivia refused to marry him and suffer. My father, not wanting to offend the Grant family, had me marry Sebastian in her place. For five years, Sebastian’s mother made my life difficult countless times, but I endured it all. There were numerous times when Sebastian seemed like he wouldn’t make it, but I cared for him tirelessly, not only out of duty but also to repay him for standing up for me when I was bullied years ago. Finally, he slowly began to show signs of improvement. He would tightly grip my hand when his mother scolded me. He would smile when I read him news stories. In the end, he would only let me near him. If it was anyone else, he would frown. These reactions made me believe that after five years of care, he had finally developed feelings for me. When he woke up, he solemnly told me that since I had married him, he would only recognize me as his wife for the rest of his life. I believed him wholeheartedly, even when he asked me to give way to my half-sister at every turn, even when he gave Olivia million-dollar jewelry. When he explained to me that it was just out of gratitude, I believed it all. I thought he just couldn’t remember what happened during his illness. But he remembered everything, he knew everything. He just didn’t love me.

The argument inside the room grew more intense. Lucas left with a final “Don’t contact me anymore” and slammed the door. He came out so quickly that I didn’t have time to hide. He bumped into me, causing me to fall and spill the medicine all over the floor. “Evelyn, are you alright?” he asked, helping me up. I shook my head, and he sighed. “Evelyn, I’m sorry you’re being mistreated. Call me if you need anything.” He left quickly, without looking back. When Sebastian came out of the room and saw me, there was a flash of coldness in his eyes before he feigned concern. “Honey, why are you here? Are you hurt? Didn’t I tell you to wait for me in the bedroom?” I dodged his outstretched hand, leaving him frozen in place. If I hadn’t come, how would I have known that his affection was all an act, just to protect Olivia and trick me into a divorce? “Olivia called to hurry us back,” I said flatly. “Alright,” he replied. At the mention of Olivia, he didn’t pursue the matter further, only a barely noticeable hint of joy on his face. My heart ached for a moment, as if pierced by a needle. This pain intensified when I stepped into the Carter family home. Olivia threw herself into Sebastian’s arms like a bird returning to its nest. He didn’t reject her, instead taking out a sky-blue necklace worth nearly a million dollars that he had bought at an auction, and gave it to Olivia. Olivia joyfully put it on and turned to me with a smile. “Sister, you don’t mind that Sebastian bought me such an expensive necklace, do you?” “No, I don’t. The name of this necklace might not sound good, but it has a beautiful meaning.” Even if I turn my heart towards the bright moon, this necklace is called Bright Moon. The nearly million-dollar price tag bought not only the value of the item itself but also the story behind it. A brother-in-law courting his sister-in-law, and doing so in such a high-profile manner, truly shows his devotion. Thinking about the jewelry he had given her before, each one was full of meaning. I, with my romantic notions, really thought he had mistaken Olivia for the one who had cared for him for five years and was giving her gifts out of gratitude. A bitter smile involuntarily spread across my lips. I felt those five years were wasted. “That’s enough. It’s just a necklace. Do you have to be so sarcastic towards your sister?” my father’s face darkened. Even though I hadn’t said anything, he still thought I was bullying Olivia. “Olivia, that’s your brother-in-law. Why are you standing so close to him? Evelyn lost her mother early, you should be considerate of your sister, understand? Evelyn, don’t be angry. You know I’m on your side. I’ve always treated you like my own daughter, even more than Olivia. Even though Olivia was originally in the marriage agreement, since you married into the Grant family, I’ll make sure your sister acknowledges that!” My stepmother, as she had done since I was young, seemed to be speaking up for me with every word, but in reality, she was pushing me further into the fire with each sentence. She shot Olivia a look. Olivia immediately took off the necklace and returned it to Sebastian. Her eyes, looking up from below, were full of coy reluctance and grievance. “Sister, don’t be angry. I don’t want the gift anymore. Sebastian, here, take it back.” The way she called him “Sebastian” was filled with a thousand twists and turns. Sebastian’s face immediately darkened. The gentle gaze he had when looking at me turned incredibly cold. “Evelyn Carter, you’ve really been spoiled rotten! You married into the Grant family, it’s time you put aside your spoiled, unreasonable attitude!” “Olivia took care of me for five years. You’re my wife, you should be thanking her. Quickly apologize to Olivia and give the necklace back to her!” Spoiled? Ever since my mother passed away, I forgot what it meant to be spoiled. If they really cared about me, Then when Sebastian fell into a coma, I wouldn’t have been the one forcefully married into the Grant family in Olivia’s place.

Looking at their united front against me, I suddenly realized that I had always been the outsider in this family. With my father and stepmother, with Sebastian and Olivia. I was the only redundant one in this family. Even though they knew I had done so much, they just trampled on my sincerity and love over and over again, treating it like mud. They all loved Olivia, while I was just an eyesore to them. If that’s the case, then I’ll withdraw, permanently withdraw. Sebastian, as you wish, you don’t need to deceive me anymore. I’ll set you free. Swallowing back the hot tears in my eyes, I apologized softly. “Olivia, I’m sorry. This necklace should have been yours from the beginning.” “I’m going to pay respects to my mother now.” Sebastian, I’ve repaid your kindness. This is the last time I’ll give way to you. I turned and left, my chest burning with pain, but my hands and feet numb with cold. My heartbeat was like a drum, pounding inside me. “Evelyn Carter!” Sebastian’s voice was loud, but I didn’t turn back. He watched my departing figure, inexplicably feeling a moment of panic. My desolate silhouette made Sebastian want to rush forward and grab me. But he was held back by Olivia’s hand on his arm, and he suppressed that momentary panic. While they were happily discussing Olivia’s marriage prospects as a family, I was at my mother’s gravestone, dialing my lawyer’s number. “Hello, this is Evelyn Carter. Please prepare divorce papers for me. Also, help me cancel all my identity information.” After hanging up, I dialed another number. “Hello, can you arrange a fake death for me seven days from now?” Seven days later, I would disappear forever from Sebastian’s world. After completing all the arrangements, I returned to the villa late at night. The villa was empty. All day long, Sebastian hadn’t sent me a single message. He was always like this when he was with Olivia. Such obvious indifference, I had never noticed before. I didn’t have many possessions. After coming to the Grant family, I had even less. Packing up, there was only enough to fill a small suitcase. These personal items were mailed away. The rest were things I had bought for Sebastian to use. He hated me so much, he probably wouldn’t want to keep anything from me. I smashed those items one by one and threw them into the firepit. As the flames flickered, I looked at the house I had lived in for five years. There were no traces of me left inside. … Sebastian returned the next evening. I was in the study, finishing the last part of my manuscript. The competition three days later was very important to me, determining whether I could enter the company I aspired to join. When Sebastian came in, I didn’t notice. Instead, he stood behind me for a long time. “Evelyn, why didn’t you go back to your parents’ house after paying respects to your mother? Don’t you know how worried Mom and Dad were?” Sebastian’s sudden voice startled me. I put down my pen and looked at his questioning expression, finding it amusing. Calling my birth mother “your mother” but referring to my stepmother so intimately. Then again, it was never me he wanted to marry. “Didn’t it not affect you all? I won’t affect you in the future either.” I said with a hint of sarcasm. Sebastian immediately changed his expression. The gentleness and thoughtfulness that once intoxicated me now made my hair stand on end. “Evelyn, I just didn’t want you to misunderstand, that’s why I didn’t go back. Yesterday, I didn’t mean to scold you. It’s just that Olivia saved my life, so we should treat her better.” He knew I couldn’t resist his flirtation. Every time I got angry, he would just hug me, and I would be happy again. But this time, my gaze fell on his collar, where there was a long brown hair. He smelled of women’s perfume, making me nauseous. Last night, he must have spent it in Olivia’s bed. My brother-in-law and my half-sister, in my family home, were they really that impatient? My stomach churned. Fortunately, my phone rang just in time. I abruptly pushed Sebastian away and rushed out. The message on my phone was from my lawyer. [Ms. Carter, everything has been arranged according to your instructions. Six days from now, all your identity information will be completely erased. Wishing you a happy life.] “What did you arrange? Why are you canceling your identity information? What are you planning to do six days from now?” Sebastian grabbed my shoulder, his expression tense. I don’t know where his nervousness came from. I quickly dimmed my phone screen. “It’s just game identity information. I don’t want to continue playing anymore.” “Oh, by the way, six days later, I’m planning to give you a surprise.”

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Emma, my wife of ten years, suddenly posted on Instagram during her business trip abroad. In the photo, she was sporting a visible baby bump, coyly nestling in the arms of a blonde man. Beside them stood two identical boys. The caption read: “For you, I’d give up the whole world.” Shocked, I called Emma. As soon as she picked up, her impatient voice came through, “Don’t call me unless it’s urgent. How many times do I have to tell you I’m busy? Can’t you understand that?” She hung up a second later. I stared at the photo of the two children, my hand unconsciously moving to my abdomen, where a deep scar remained. So this was why she insisted on us being child-free and wouldn’t let me treat my injury. Looking at the woman I had loved for over twenty years, I broke down in tears. After ninety-nine unanswered calls, Ms. Wilson, my assistant, came to see me. I promptly asked her to call Emma, telling her I was hospitalized. Ms. Wilson looked at me quizzically, but a second later, the call connected. “Hello, Wilson. What’s up?” Emma’s cheerful voice came through the phone. I could imagine her smiling, lazily draping her legs over that Frenchman. “Mrs. Hamilton, Mr. James has been hospitalized. When do you think you can return? The company needs you,” Ms. Wilson said. Emma paused, her tone changing, “He’s sick again? What can he do right? He’s utterly useless.” “I know. Arlo and Cyril are turning ten. I’ll be back in two days after spending some time with them.” After hanging up, Ms. Wilson looked at me awkwardly, stammering, “Mr. James, about this…” I waved her off, “You can go back to the office now.” Three days later, Emma returned. I sat haggard on the sofa, the coffee table littered with empty bottles. She bounced over excitedly, hugging my neck and planting a kiss, “Darling, Wilson said you were sick. Are you better now? Did you miss me?” “I’m not leaving for a while this time. You can take a few days off from work to rest and recover.” She took out a watch, “Look, I bought this gift especially for you. I had our names engraved on it. The moving hands represent my never-ending love for you.” If it weren’t for the pungent cologne on her, I might have believed her. After all, she constantly professed her love and affection for me. So much so that she was tightly embracing that French man right before boarding the plane, leaving her drenched in his cologne. I gazed at Emma desolately, my eyes finally resting on her slightly protruding belly. With a hoarse voice, I asked, “Are you pregnant?” Emma froze, blurting out, “No!” I smiled bitterly, “I saw your Instagram post. Does the ‘whole world’ you’re willing to give up include me?” Emma paused, immediately took out her phone, and opened Instagram. Her expression changed several times. After a moment, she slowly took off her clothes, undoing the belly band, “James, since Hamilton has already posted about me on Instagram, I won’t hide it from you anymore.” “They are my husband and children abroad. They are also my family.” I looked at her in astonishment. Her face was calm and natural, without a trace of shame or remorse. I sat up straight, glaring at Emma, “Do you know what you’re saying? Husband and children? What am I then?” Emma took my hand, carefully putting the watch on my wrist. She spoke casually, “They are my family abroad, it has nothing to do with you. Hamilton’s home is in France, he won’t come to China. It doesn’t affect your position at all.” “He runs his trading company, you do your tech research and production. You two don’t conflict.” “Besides, I’m doing this for our family. Look at you, your health isn’t good, you can’t have children. The Hamilton Group is such a big company, it needs an heir, right? Hamilton is tall, handsome, and a graduate from a prestigious university. There’s nothing wrong with me giving the Hamilton family an excellent heir.” I stared at Emma in shock. If she wasn’t standing right in front of me, I would have thought someone had replaced her personality. In the twenty years I’ve known her, I never knew her values were so warped. Had she been poisoned by some ‘advanced culture’? My chest heaved violently. The scar on my abdomen, where I had taken a bullet for her, still ached on rainy days. And now she was so casually dismissing me. On our wedding night, her vow to remain child-free to spare me from surgery still echoed in my ears. How could she now speak so righteously about an heir?

Just as I was about to question her, the phone suddenly rang. Emma glanced at it and immediately stood up, “I’m tired from the flight. I’ll sleep in the other room tonight. You should rest early too.” She patted my shoulder, “Honey, I know it’s hard for you to accept right now, but we’ve known each other for twenty years, been married for ten. We’ve been through so much together. I do love you, please try to understand me.” I desperately grabbed Emma’s hand, “Let’s have our own child. We can terminate this pregnancy, okay?” Emma froze for a moment, then angrily shook off my hand, “James, I never knew you could be so cruel. He’s already six months along, moving in my belly. How can you bear to terminate him? He’s a living being too.” Emma finished speaking, and the phone rang again. Emma glared at me as she answered the call. A childish voice came through, “Mommy, Arlo took Cyril’s ice cream again. Daddy said to call you.” Emma’s face visibly brightened, her voice softening, “Cyril, be good. When Mommy comes, I’ll buy you more ice cream, okay?” A man’s deep voice sounded nearby, “Darling, it’s fine. They just miss you so much, and so do I. What should we do? We’ve only been apart for a day.” The man’s voice was light-hearted yet helpless. Emma glanced at me and walked towards the bedroom. Although she lowered her voice, I could still hear her, “Alright, alright, big baby. Didn’t I say I’d come to be with you all in a week at most?” “Ham, don’t post on my Instagram next time… Okay, okay, I’m not blaming you. Just remember to block certain people next time. Mmhmm, love you too.” I collapsed onto the sofa, my heart feeling as if it was being pricked by countless fine needles. It wasn’t intensely painful, but it spread an unbearable, suffocating feeling throughout my body. Emma and I had grown up as childhood sweethearts, recognized by everyone as the perfect couple. When I was twenty-two, just back from abroad, Emma’s parents suddenly died in a car accident. The company was left leaderless, and Emma’s uncles and cousins began eyeing the Hamilton Group greedily. Within a month, the company faced a cash flow crisis, and half the clients had left. At that time, Emma hugged me fearfully, “James, what should I do? What can I do?” At that critical moment, I got down on one knee and proposed to Emma in front of the entire company. I promised never to take a single share of the Hamilton Group, and that our children would take the Hamilton surname. My father was furious, threatening to disown me. He didn’t even attend our wedding. Within six months of our marriage, I stabilized the company, suppressed several ambitious relatives, and fired her uncle. Little did we know that her uncle, harboring resentment, colluded with her eldest uncle to hire an assassin to kill Emma. When the gun went off, I shielded Emma. The bullet passed through my abdomen, damaging my pancreas and leaving me infertile. That day, Emma held me, crying uncontrollably, swearing she would love only me for the rest of her life, never to leave or betray me. Later, her uncle was sent to prison, and her eldest uncle resigned voluntarily. From then on, we had full control of Hamilton Group. Emma, your vows still echo. How could you do this to me? What does your love mean? Sympathy? Exploitation?

I fell asleep in the living room without realizing it. When I opened my eyes again, it was already bright outside. I suddenly felt dizzy and congested, probably from the cold night air. Emma suddenly opened the door, happily talking on the phone, “Yes, yes, follow the location I sent. Four people for cleaning, as soon as possible. Yes, I have relatives arriving this morning. I can pay extra.” I looked at Emma confused. Relatives? Most of her relatives were estranged, and my side of the family had cut ties. A bad feeling rose in my heart. I shook my head. It couldn’t be. She said yesterday that the blonde man wouldn’t come to China. She promised me it wouldn’t disturb our life. Seeing Emma bustling about happily, I couldn’t help but ask, “Emma, who’s coming?” Emma seemed to just remember my presence. She smiled awkwardly, came over, and said softly, “James, I’m sorry. Hamilton suddenly decided to bring the kids overnight. He only told me after they were already on the plane. I couldn’t stop them.” “Hamilton is impulsive and emotional. Please don’t be angry.” She hugged me briefly, patting my back, “Don’t worry, they’ll only stay for two days at most. I’ll send them back right away, okay?” “Don’t be upset. Look, I still need to prepare the room and get things ready for the kids. There’s so much to do…” “Oh, right, Hamilton mentioned wanting to try some Chinese specialty liquors. Could you go to the supermarket and buy a few kinds? He also wants to try some local specialties. Please buy those too. I’m too busy to go myself. For pajamas and toiletries, just choose the best ones.” As Emma spoke, she started directing the cleaners to tidy our bedroom, changing the sheets and carpet. Watching her instruct the cleaners to move my things to the downstairs guest room, I couldn’t hold back my anger anymore and shouted, “Emma, what do you mean? Letting him stay in our bedroom?” Emma didn’t even pause, “You can sleep anywhere. The master bedroom is spacious, and Hamilton is bringing two children. They’ll be more comfortable there.” I asked coldly, “You mean I should sleep downstairs while my wife accompanies her lover and illegitimate children right above me?” Emma froze for a moment, then angrily retorted, “James, how can a grown man be so petty? What do you mean by lover and illegitimate children? I’ve told you, they are my family too. Hamilton flew all the way here overnight. He’s accepted you.” “He’s not even jealous about you being here. Why are you fussing over a room? When did you become so narrow-minded and small?” I was stunned for a moment. So this is how she saw me. Two men, and she couldn’t distinguish between us. So when her lover comes, I should be considerate and buy food and drinks for him, otherwise I’m narrow-minded and small? Anger erupted. I smashed the vase on the coffee table, “Emma, you’re cheating on me and calling me narrow-minded? Then tell me, what’s not narrow-minded?” “A threesome? He takes the first half of the night, I take the second? Or I get odd days, he gets even days, and you flip a coin on Sundays?” Seeing me red-faced and furiously pointing at her, Emma threw down the towel in her hand, equally enraged, “James, you’re despicable. How did you become so filthy and dirty-minded? I work hard for this family, and all you can think about is that kind of thing? Are you even human?” We erupted into our first fierce argument since marriage, arguing as if the sky was falling.

Suddenly, Emma stopped. Following her gaze, I saw a tall, handsome blonde man standing at the door with two identical little boys. This was my first time seeing Hamilton in person. Just as I had seen in the Instagram post, he was handsome and sunny, exuding an aura of overwhelming masculinity. And me… Red-eyed, disheveled hair, a thin frame wrapped in wrinkled clothes after a night of drinking. I was truly outclassed. Hamilton stood at the door, shrugging helplessly with his hands spread, “Emma, I really didn’t know I would cause you trouble. I’m so sorry.” He turned to leave, pulling the two children with him. Emma panicked and ran over, hugging him from behind, “Hamilton, I won’t let you leave!” Hamilton turned around, embracing her in his broad chest, gently kissing her forehead, “Emma, have I put you in a difficult position?” “But the kids really missed you. They insisted on coming to find you. Arlo hurt his head, and I couldn’t console him.” Only then did Emma notice that one of the little boys had a bandage on his head, looking at her pitifully, “Mommy, my brother hit me.” Emma immediately hugged him lovingly, “Baby, I’m sorry. Mommy wasn’t there to take care of you.” Emma picked up the child and enthusiastically welcomed them in. Hamilton saw me, his blue eyes filled with nonchalant amusement, “James, I’m sorry for the intrusion. This is a gift I brought you from France.” He took out a rolled-up painting and slowly opened it. It revealed a lush green meadow with a towering tree casting a dense shade. A thin, weak donkey lay under the green canopy. My pupils dilated suddenly. I didn’t expect a foreigner to be so insidious. This was blatant provocation and mockery. Emma put down the child and said happily, “Hamilton, you’re so thoughtful to bring a gift.” She rewarded him with a kiss on the cheek. “You Chinese value human relationships. Your family is naturally my family,” Hamilton said with a light laugh, wrapping his arm around her waist and quickly kissing Emma. Right in front of me, they showed me what a real French kiss looked like. A full five minutes later, Emma, red-faced, finally stood up straight from Hamilton’s embrace. She impatiently criticized me, “Look at Hamilton. Why can’t you learn from him? He’s so attentive and considerate in everything.” I laughed coldly, raising the painting in my hand and slowly tearing it from the middle, then tearing it again. Emma’s pupils suddenly dilated, her face gradually turning ugly. An unclear meaning also appeared on Hamilton’s face. Emma suddenly rushed over and slapped me across the face, “James, how dare you insult Hamilton like this? What position are you putting me in?” “Hamilton generously brought you a gift, and you tear it up in front of him? Do you have any manners left as a man? You’ve disappointed me so much!” I looked straight at Emma, pointing at Hamilton, “Emma, since everyone’s here today, let’s settle this. Do you want him or me?” “If you want me, send your lover and illegitimate children back to France right now, and never see them again.” Emma coldly looked at me, “What if I choose Hamilton?” I was stunned for a moment. After a long while, I said, “Then let’s get divorced. I’ll let you two be together.” Emma stared at me, her head held high, “James, do you have to make a scene? Do you have to force Hamilton and the children away?” I stared at her coldly, not wanting to explain or accuse anymore. The air was silent. Emma took a deep breath, turned and pulled out a blue marriage certificate from her bag, placing it in front of my eyes, “Hamilton isn’t a third party. He’s my legal husband abroad. If anyone should leave, it’s you.”

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