Category: English

As I opened my eyes, I saw the severe weather warning on my phone. A shiver ran down my spine. I spotted an open bag of chips that Tyler had left untouched. Grabbing it, I devoured it ravenously. After finishing the chips, I still felt hungry, so I started rummaging through the fridge. Jack, my husband, looked at me with disgust. “Are you some kind of starving ghost? Can’t you eat more politely? You’re embarrassing yourself!” I ignored him, not bothering to explain. The memory of hunger and cold from my previous life was still vivid. Seeing Jack’s nonchalant attitude towards the flood warning, I had no intention of alerting him. Instead, I grabbed the keys to our high-rise apartment in the city, planning to stock up on food. As I was about to leave, I saw Jack and Tyler chatting happily with Lily and her daughter Rose at our villa’s entrance. I approached them coldly. “What are you all talking about? You seem so happy.” Jack flinched, his tone unnatural. “Just some neighborly chat, you know, building relationships.” Tyler impatiently added, “Mom, they say neighbors are better than distant relatives. What’s wrong with Dad and I getting to know our neighbors?” Seeing how they blamed me, my heart ached. Usually at home, these two only called me to cook, barely talking to me otherwise. Now they had so much to say to our neighbors. I looked at Lily, the single mother next door, with hostility. “Don’t you know that single mothers often attract gossip? Aren’t you worried about my husband and son ruining your reputation?” Lily seemed unbothered, even a bit shy. “I don’t care what others say, as long as you don’t mind, Jack!” My husband puffed up proudly. “If anyone dares to gossip, I’ll teach them a lesson!” I felt like an outsider. Watching Tyler eagerly share his precious toys with Rose, I felt utterly disappointed. As I was about to leave for our apartment, Jack followed me, annoyed. “I’m just being friendly with the neighbors. Why are you so petty? What’s there to be angry about?” This sentence instantly brought back memories from my previous life. Back then, when I tried to make Lily and her daughter leave our home, Jack had said the same thing. After Jack and Tyler had lectured me, they had stayed in a bedroom with Lily and Rose. I had wondered if I was truly being selfish and considered apologizing to Jack and the others. But as I approached the bedroom door, I overheard Jack saying, “That old hag can’t compare to you. If she wasn’t still making money for me to spend, I would have divorced her long ago.” Tyler chimed in, “Aunt Lily, I wish you were my mom instead. I really want you to be my mom!” I gave Jack a cold look. “I’m not angry,” I said calmly. I headed out, planning to drive to our old apartment. Jack noticed the keys in my hand and asked curiously, “Honey, why are you taking those keys? We haven’t been back to that apartment since we moved to this villa. It’s probably unlivable now!” I hesitated, wondering if I should take Jack and Tyler with me this time. But remembering how they had forced me out to find food in my previous life, my heart turned cold. “I want to tidy it up. I’ll be working overtime at the company for a while, so I’ll stay there. It’s more convenient, and I won’t be able to take care of you and Tyler.” Hearing that I wouldn’t be home due to overtime, Jack frowned. I knew he wasn’t worried about me, but about who would cook for them. So I added thoughtfully, “I’ll transfer some money to your account later. You and Tyler can buy food for the next few days.” Jack’s frown disappeared, and he said cheerfully, “Alright then, go get the apartment ready. Don’t let it interfere with your overtime!” As I drove away, I didn’t head straight to the apartment. Instead, I went to the largest supermarket in the city. During the catastrophic flood, food shortage was one issue, but power outage was even more terrifying. At its worst, the flood had brought ice rain. Many people died from severe colds due to the extreme cold. The world had become a vast ocean, and if our apartment hadn’t been above the 38th floor, it would have been submerged too. The reason I had drowned in my previous life was because my hands, frozen stiff while paddling a raft, had slipped, causing me to fall into the water. At the supermarket, I first spent a fortune on several generators and a lot of coal. I also arranged for workers to install a coal stove in our apartment. After that, I rushed to stock up on food. Looking at my bank balance, I didn’t feel the least bit of regret. After all, the villa we currently lived in was bought entirely with my own money. Since marrying me, Jack had always found excuses not to work. And I had foolishly spent all my money on him and Tyler. So this time, I was determined not only to survive the flood but also to improve my quality of life. I bought plenty of hotpot ingredients, vegetables, and meat. Instant noodles, quick-cook rice noodles, rice, and other necessities were all on my shopping list. I also stocked up on fruits and medicines. Many people in the previous flood had died not because their illnesses were severe, but because they lacked medication. Besides these, I bought many other miscellaneous items. After all this, I hired a renovation company to replace the door of our apartment with a vault-grade one and to improve the waterproofing of the entire place. When everything was settled, I looked at the apartment packed full of supplies and felt a sense of security wash over me. These supplies would easily last me through the month-long flood, maybe even for a year or more if needed. [Truncation point] Before the catastrophic flood hit, I decided to return to the villa one last time. It wasn’t out of kindness or a desire to warn Jack and Tyler. On the contrary, I wanted to make them believe the flood warning was just a hoax. When I got home, I realized I had worried unnecessarily. In my previous life, if I hadn’t prepared an inflatable raft after seeing the news on my phone, our family wouldn’t have been able to return to our apartment after the flood hit. This time, without my intervention, not only had Jack and Tyler not stocked up on food, they had even taken the fruits and vegetables I had bought earlier to share with our neighbors. Through the front door, I saw Jack hosting a lavish meal for Lily and Rose, while Tyler was thoughtfully peeling crayfish for Rose. My eyes grew colder at the sight. Just as I was about to enter, I heard Rose say in a sweet voice, “Big brother, I wish I could eat at your house every day. I really love playing here!” Tyler excitedly replied, “You can come whenever you want! As long as that old hag of my mom isn’t home, you can come every day!” Rose forced a smile, eating the crayfish Tyler had peeled for her. “Your mom is really annoying. I hope that old hag is never home.” Seeing the happy family of four inside, I pushed the door open. Jack was startled, stumbling as he stood up. “Honey, why are you back so suddenly? You didn’t even call to let me know!” I coldly looked at Lily and her daughter, saying bluntly, “Why should I tell you? So you can hide your mistress in advance?” Lily and Rose turned pale. Tyler stood up and said, “Mom, what are you talking about? Dad and I are just trying to be good neighbors. Don’t you know the saying ‘neighbors are better than distant relatives’?” I laughed coldly, not wanting to say a word. Jack awkwardly tried to pull me to sit down and eat with them. Sitting in the chair, I pointed at the feast before me and said, pinching my nose, “Honey, is this food spoiled? How could you serve rotten food to our neighbors?” Jack was surprised and immediately bent over the table to smell the food. “That’s not right, it’s not spoiled. I just ate some myself!” I smiled and said sarcastically, “Are you sure it’s not spoiled? I smell something fishy.” Lily was infuriated. She turned red and left with her daughter. Jack wanted to go after them, but seeing me sitting in the chair, he dejectedly walked back. I was about to speak when Jack interrupted me. He pointed at the news on his phone and said, “Honey, I think this catastrophic flood might actually be real. Living in this villa, if the flood really comes, we’ll have nowhere to hide. We’ll be submerged directly!” I glanced at him. In my previous life, Jack had no thoughts of prevention. Why had he changed this time? But his next words made me understand his intentions. “Honey, didn’t you clean up our apartment? That building is tall, above the 38th floor. Even if the flood comes and the whole city is submerged, it won’t reach our place. Why don’t you stay there for the next few days and stock up on some food for me and Tyler? When the flood comes, we’ll pack up and join you!” I see, so he’s eager for me to leave because he’s been having too much fun with the neighbors while I’ve been away. I pretended to hesitate and said, “Honey, why don’t you and Tyler come with me to the apartment now? We don’t know when the flood might hit. It’s better to be prepared.” Hearing that I wanted them to come with me to the apartment, Tyler immediately protested. He hurriedly said, “I’m not going! The villa is so comfortable, and I have friends to play with here. You can go by yourself!” Jack quickly glared at Tyler, and Tyler realized he had said too much, so he shut up. But Tyler was still afraid that if I really forced him to go back, he wouldn’t be able to play with Rose next door. So he stubbornly said, “I’m not going back to the apartment no matter what. I can’t get used to living there!” Jack looked at the news on his phone, his expression becoming hesitant. He seemed to be genuinely considering whether to come with me to the apartment. Just as I was cursing myself for speaking up, we heard a door closing next door. Followed by a cat’s meow. But to my ears, this meow was clearly imitated by a person. Jack’s hesitant expression immediately turned joyful. After a moment of silence, he awkwardly said to me, “Honey, let’s discuss this later. I’m going to take Tyler out for a walk first!” Seeing the barely concealed smile on Tyler’s face, I immediately understood what was going on. I nodded understandingly and said, “Alright, you two go out for a walk. I won’t join you. I’ll clean up the house a bit!” The two of them excitedly left. I didn’t clean up. Instead, I watched from behind the window. I saw Lily and Rose walking in front, with Jack and Tyler happily following behind, looking every bit like a family. When I followed them out, I saw the four of them enter a convenience store. Tyler generously said, “Aunt Lily, you and Rose can have whatever drinks you want. It’s my treat today!” Jack laughed and scolded, “Since when can you afford to act generous, you little rascal? Lily, take whatever you want. It’s on me!” Knowing that both Tyler and Jack’s money came from me, and now they were using my money to buy things for Lily and Rose, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I burst into the store, shouting, “What are you doing? Who are you buying things for?” My voice was so loud it nearly made Jack fall over. The other customers in the store all turned to look. Seeing my fury, Lily quickly pulled her daughter to hide behind Jack. Jack laughed awkwardly and said in a low voice, “Honey, weren’t you cleaning at home? Why are you here?” I looked at him angrily and said, “If I hadn’t come here, I wouldn’t have seen you buying drinks for your mistress!” Hearing me say this, the surrounding customers’ eyes filled with a strange look. Lily, seeing the situation, started crying pitifully. “Sister Emily, it’s not what you think. It’s just so hot today, and Jack was kind enough to buy us a drink.” I didn’t go easy on her at all, directly scolding, “Don’t you have your own money? Why do you need my husband to buy you drinks?” Lily looked even more pitiful, wiping her few tears. “Sister Emily, how can you say that about me?” Before I could speak, Jack, seeing Lily cry, stepped in front of me. He shouted loudly, “Emily, what nonsense are you talking about? What’s wrong with neighbors buying each other things and deepening our friendship?” I laughed coldly. “What’s wrong? Inviting a single mother and her daughter to our house for meals, eagerly buying them drinks… If I hadn’t been home today, I bet this ‘friendship’ would have deepened all the way to the bedroom!” Jack’s face turned red, unable to say a word in response. The surrounding customers, seeing Jack’s expression, seemed to understand what was going on. They started whispering and pointing at Jack and Lily. At this moment, Tyler, who had been silent, suddenly said viciously to me, “You’re a bad mom! You’re deliberately slandering Aunt Lily. You’re a terrible person!” Seeing my son side with outsiders, my anger grew even more. After all the hard work I had put into raising him, buying him toys, paying for tutoring classes, buying him nice clothes, and now he calls me a bad mom. I angrily slapped him across the face. Tyler immediately started wailing, covering his face and shouting that I was a bad mom. Seeing that I was hitting harder and harder, Jack stepped in front of Tyler. “Emily, have you lost your mind? Why are you hitting our son?” At this point, the manipulative Lily suddenly spoke up: “Sister Emily, you can’t hit your son just because he’s telling the truth. This only proves that you’re feeling guilty!” I took a deep breath, not to admit my mistake, but suddenly realizing my approach was wrong. That’s right, hitting my son would only make others think I was guilty. So, hitting Lily, this manipulative woman, should be okay, right? With that thought, my eyes darted towards the mop handle in the convenience store. Without much thought, I grabbed the mop and shoved its dirty, grimy end right into Jack’s mouth.

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I Dated 8 Guys at Once They all saw me as a substitute. But I didn’t care. As long as the money kept coming, they were all my darlings. Later, they discovered each other’s existence. And they were furious. I’m a master of time management. I’ve been dating eight guys simultaneously for three months. None of them have discovered the others’ existence. They all think they’re the one I love most. They often feel troubled and annoyed by my affection towards them. And they’ve repeatedly warned me to know my place and not harbor unrealistic hopes. Ha! The only unrealistic hopes I have are for their money. My first boyfriend, Jack Thompson, is a wealthy CEO, but he’s quite high-maintenance. He likes to roleplay office scenarios. Every date, he requires me to wear a white dress and pretend to be his secretary. During lunch breaks, I even have to play the piano for him. He’s so pretentious. But his combination of stupidity and wealth is irresistible. For our lunch date today, I followed his instructions. I wore a white dress, light makeup, and long straight hair as I waited in his office. When he returned from a meeting, he frowned immediately. He looked at me, his substitute, with disgust: “Trying to imitate her appearance won’t change anything. You still can’t compare to a single hair on her head.” I smiled politely: “As long as you’re happy.” This idiot is so dramatic – isn’t this exactly what he asked for? Hearing my response, his gaze grew even colder. Who knows what he imagined in his head. He said to me: “I’ve warned you before, don’t fall for me. I’ll only ever love her.” Alright, alright, I get it. You have your true love. I pinched myself, walked to the piano with reddened eyes, and played an awkward tune for him. Halfway through, he stood up angrily. Looking disappointed, he said: “This is unbearable. As expected, no matter how similar a fake may look, it’s still fake.” He left in the middle of our date. At the same time, $200,000 was deposited into my account. I wiped away fake tears and called out to his retreating back: “Jack Thompson, I don’t want your dirty money!” As expected, he turned back with a look of disgust. He said coldly: “Remember, there will only ever be a financial relationship between us.” Then he angrily transferred another $500,000 to me. Oh wow! How rebellious. I like it! After parting with Jack, I rushed to meet the next one. With eight men to juggle, even a time management expert like me stays quite busy. My second boyfriend, Ethan Brooks, is a university professor. Today he asked me out shopping. At the mall, he picked out dozens of outfits and had me try them on one by one. I spent the whole afternoon changing clothes, exhausted. But I still forced a sweet smile and said: “Ethan, are all these clothes for me? You’re so good to me. I love every piece.” I happily reached out to hold his arm. But he stood up abruptly, his face darkening as he avoided my hand. He frowned and said with disgust: “I’ve told you before, I hate anyone but her touching me!” Then he checked his watch and asked the staff to pack up all the clothes. He said to me: “I have to go. I’ve transferred you some money – buy whatever clothes you like, but don’t buy anything matching hers. I hate seeing others wear the same clothes as her. And don’t message or call me unnecessarily. I’m very busy.” With that, he turned and left. At the same time, $200,000 was deposited into my account. Yes, all eight of my boyfriends are the same. Although they pay me to date them, we just eat, chat and shop together. They’re determined to save their purity for their true loves. They won’t even let me touch their hands. This is… Exactly how I like it! After Ethan left, I checked my schedule. My next appointment was at 7pm. With boyfriend number three, Ryan Chen. A nouveau riche guy who wears giant gold chains and fur coats. His face isn’t bad, but his taste is terrible. Ryan was tired of being a backup option. Today he offered me a million dollars to have dinner with him and his crush. When I arrived, he asked me: “You know what to do later, right?” Considering the million dollar paycheck, I nodded obediently. After this job, I’ll have enough savings to retire and get out of here! I suppressed my excitement and said softly: “Ryan, I understand. I’ll perform well later to make your crush jealous. Once you two get together, I’ll leave quietly and won’t get in your way.” Hearing this, Ryan suddenly glared at me angrily, looking very displeased. “What? You don’t want to be with me?” Oh crap. I got carried away for a moment! After three months as a substitute, I know exactly how these stupid men operate! I quickly pinched myself, lowered my head, and said with reddened eyes: “How could that be… I don’t want to leave you, Ryan. If you have any feelings for me at all, please don’t make me go. I won’t interfere with you two, I just want to quietly stay by your side.” This response hit the mark. Ryan’s expression softened a bit. But he still said in an annoyed tone: “Impossible. My heart will always belong to her! I’ll give you two million today. If you know what’s good for you, don’t show your face in front of me again after this is over.” I nodded reluctantly: “I understand…” Stupid man, so high-maintenance! Ryan put his arm around me as we arrived at the private room where we were meeting his crush. When we opened the door, there was a moment of stunned silence. We found ourselves face to face with not just Ryan’s crush, but my other seven boyfriends as well! I was dumbfounded. I never imagined that the true love of all eight of my boyfriends was the same person! This girl looked about 80-90% similar to me. Just like how I usually dress up, she wore a white dress, had long straight hair past her shoulders, and big watery eyes. She looked delicate and fragile. No wonder… they often seemed lost in thought while looking at my face. While I was still in shock, the gazes of all seven boyfriends landed on me. No, more accurately, on Ryan’s hand around my waist. They all had dark expressions, looking at me with angry glares. Their eyes seemed ready to kill. The girl looked at Ryan’s hand on my waist with a slight start. Then her eyes reddened as a sad expression crossed her face. She asked timidly: “Ryan, is this your new girlfriend?” After she said this, the seven boyfriends’ glares at us grew even more furious. Ryan, ever the backup, melted at the sight of his crush’s teary face. He completely forgot our carefully planned scheme. He forcefully pushed me away, immediately distancing himself: “No, I don’t know her!” I stumbled and fell to the ground, but no one paid me any attention. The girl broke into a smile through her tears. She grabbed the hands of the two men on either side of her, tilting her head innocently: “Don’t always fight over me, you guys. Didn’t we agree before? I’ll never get a boyfriend in this lifetime, so the nine of us can stay together forever as best friends!” I got up awkwardly. I saw the eight boyfriends glaring at each other in annoyance, then looking at the girl with doting expressions. It was… quite a harmonious scene. I stared at this tableau in bewilderment. How is this okay? I suddenly felt that I may not have fully grasped the essence of this situation before. The girl’s name was Sophia Lin. She grew up as childhood friends with these eight men. Although she’s the same age as me, she’s completely different from an orphan like me who grew up without parents in an orphanage. She’s the daughter of the Lin Group, a little princess who grew up pampered and spoiled. That night, Ryan transferred me $5 million as compensation for pushing me down. After sending the money, he ordered: “Come have dinner with Sophia and me this weekend. We messed up this time.” He even started blaming me: “Why didn’t you cling to me when I pushed you away? Do better next time, got it?” After receiving the money, I blocked him without a word. Along with him, I blocked the other seven boyfriends too. Sorry boys. I’ve made enough money. This lady is done serving you. On the third day, eight luxury cars were parked outside my rented apartment. I was buying chicken at the market at the time. Just as I finished weighing my purchase, my landlady Mrs. Lin came running over in a panic. She told me anxiously: “Olivia, it’s terrible! Eight men came looking for you, all claiming to be your boyfriend. Now they’re fighting! You better go take a look! It’s getting violent, there’s blood!” When I returned with my chicken, I indeed saw my eight ex-boyfriends. They all looked disheveled and bruised, still fighting each other. I stared in shock. Why weren’t these guys standing by for their goddess’s beck and call? What were they doing here? How unlucky! I covered my face, preparing to sneak back home. But Jack Thompson spotted me. He coldly said: “Olivia Clarke, explain yourself. What’s the deal with these other seven?” As soon as Jack finished speaking. The others all stopped fighting and angrily turned to look at me. They were still frozen in poses of grabbing each other’s ties and arms. Holding my chicken, I felt slightly awkward. I pinched myself, then said with reddened eyes in a soft voice: “Stop fighting! Don’t fight over me anymore!” Good, this time I learned from Sophia Lin’s playbook. But it didn’t work. They still glared at me furiously. Their expressions were even fiercer than when Ryan had his arm around me that day. They all looked like they’d been utterly betrayed. Ryan Chen’s gold chains had been yanked off. He forcefully let go of Ethan Brooks across from him and yelled angrily: “Olivia Clarke, you dare cheat on me?!” Ethan Brooks straightened his tie. With a dark expression he said: “You found seven other men behind my back. Impressive.” Boyfriend number four wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and said through gritted teeth: “I’ve never been played like this before. Well done, Olivia Clarke. Claiming to love me while juggling eight guys behind my back. You think I’m an idiot?” Boyfriend number five was the most badly beaten, with two black eyes. He screamed at me hysterically: “Olivia Clarke, tell me, out of us eight, who do you really love?” Wait, weren’t you all getting along fine in front of Sophia Lin? Why are you making such a fuss over a substitute like me?! This doesn’t make sense! So I tried imitating Sophia Lin’s style. Teary-eyed and emotional, I tentatively said: “You’re all my best friends, and you all have the closest relationship with me. From now on, don’t ask who I love most! In my eyes, you’re all equally important to me. Even if I have a child someday, you’ll all be the child’s godfathers! Turn your open competition into secret care – take care of me, take care of our child. Let the child be the happiest in the world, loved by eight dads. Wouldn’t that be nice?” After I finished speaking, I looked at them with tear-filled eyes. Then I saw all eight ex-boyfriends with expressions like they’d just eaten shit. Okay, this time I hit the mark. Ethan Brooks looked at me with disgust, like he was looking at a lunatic. “You think you’re worthy of being my backup? Dream on.” Jack Thompson said coldly: “You’ve been a substitute too long and started thinking you’re the real deal. I’m warning you, don’t try to play games with me.” Everything was going well. But then a traitor appeared among them. Ryan Chen lifted his chin and said condescendingly: “You begged me before, wanting to stay by my side forever. Fine, I’ll agree now. As long as you cut ties with them from now on, I can forgive your past transgressions.” As soon as he finished speaking, everyone else turned to glare coldly at Ryan Chen. They seemed ready to gang up on him. The craziest one, boyfriend number five, had a different thought process. His way of grasping the key points was quite unique. He had a thunderstruck expression. “You’re pregnant? Whose is it?” After speaking, he looked around with reddened eyes. That cuckolded expression made everyone look like a potential baby daddy. Finally, he seemed to realize something. He pointed at Ryan Chen and said through gritted teeth: “It’s his?” Ryan Chen pointed at himself, then looked at me, dumbfounded. The next moment, everyone gnashed their teeth and glared fiercely at Ryan Chen. War was about to break out. Boyfriend number five was the first to rush over and punch him. Ryan Chen cried out in pain: “What are you crazy about?” Just as he finished speaking, Jack Thompson also punched him. After that, Ryan Chen was truly beaten up by the group. I took advantage of him getting beaten to slip away. After that day, the eight ex-boyfriends tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. In the end, they couldn’t help but call me, angrily demanding to know whose child it really was. I was speechless. Are you sick? There’s no child! So I irritably replied to them all: “Your father’s.” Then I simply changed my phone number. I ran into Sophia Lin unexpectedly when I went out that day. When she saw me, she suddenly dropped her innocent act. She even showed disgust, sneering disdainfully: “It’s you?” I blinked: “Ah, it’s me.” How does this person have two completely different faces? Seeing I didn’t respond, she frowned in displeasure: “Why are you back here, humiliating yourself like a clown? Hah, so what if you look a bit like me? You’re nothing but a fake. They only give you the slightest attention because of me! You think you can steal the men around me with your tricks? Keep dreaming. They’ll only ever love me!” Ah yes, yes. I didn’t care at all about her mockery. I even nodded vigorously. Who wants eight annoying men anyway! Only she can handle them. I sincerely pleaded: “Can you keep them under control and tell them to stop bothering me?” But Sophia Lin thought I was challenging her. She rolled her eyes like she’d heard a joke and sneered: “Are you dreaming? They only have eyes for me. Why would they actively seek you out? Stop being delusional!” But right after she finished speaking, Ryan Chen came looking for me. And he did it right in front of her. He hadn’t slept for two days and had bloodshot eyes. He’d been beaten pretty badly too – his face was swollen like a pig’s head and his arm was wrapped in bandages. He looked quite ridiculous. When he saw me, he gritted his teeth. He rushed over and grabbed my arm, not even noticing Sophia Lin next to me. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at me with a fierce yet pained expression. He said frantically: “Do you have any heart at all?! Aren’t eight of us enough for you? How could you go after my dad too?! Tell me, when did you and him start?” I stared at him silently, at a loss for words. I seriously pondered why Sophia Lin’s eight devoted admirers seemed just as unhinged as her. How could anyone actually believe what I said as a random retort? Ryan Chen stared at me painfully for a long while before finally compromising: “Fine, keep my little brother. I’ll raise him. As long as you behave from now on, I can pretend nothing happened.” I was shocked and greatly alarmed. Does your dad know about this?! Meanwhile, Sophia Lin standing next to me had turned pale. Then she seemed to think of something and put on a kind, understanding smile: “Ryan, I’m right here. Did you mistake her for someone else?” Ryan Chen was taken aback: “Sophia, why are you here?” His words made it clear he hadn’t mistaken me for her. The smile froze on Sophia Lin’s face. Because Sophia Lin was there, Ryan Chen didn’t pester me further that day. Things quieted down for two days after that. I thought my conversation with Sophia Lin had worked. She really had kept them away. But on the third day, all eight of them angrily showed up at my doorstep again. Jack Thompson said coldly: “What did you say to Sophia? Why did she cry all night after going home?” Ethan Brooks said expressionlessly: “I’m warning you, don’t use your scheming tricks on Sophia. She’s different from you – a poor person who grew up in the slums and only cares about money. She’s been pampered since childhood, pure and kind. When we were young, she even risked her life to save us without a thought for her own safety. We all owe her our lives. No matter what, she’ll always be the person I care about most. I can never allow anyone to hurt her.” Ryan Chen gritted his teeth: “I thought you might struggle raising a child alone, so I was planning to keep you by my side even after I married and had kids. I never imagined you’d have such vicious thoughts. If you dare do anything to Sophia, I’ll make you regret it for life!” Ex-boyfriend number four laughed coldly: “Don’t think we eight have any special regard for you. I’ve found out the truth – you’re not even pregnant. Hah, just a little trick to catch and release.” I really wanted to applaud him. Such high intelligence – did that really need investigating? Ex-boyfriend number five ranted: “Not only did you juggle eight guys, you even have such vicious thoughts. You’re not worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the pure Sophia! How dare you try to bully her? Did you think people wouldn’t get angry just because they didn’t show it? You’re treating everyone like fools!” Numbers six, seven and eight also took turns berating and cursing at me. I sighed, speechless. I get it, your one true love is Sophia Lin. I don’t even compare to a single strand of her hair. But I really didn’t want to get involved in your relationships! I sincerely believe you nine are a perfect match, meant to be together for life. So I thought for a moment and seriously suggested: “How about this? Don’t come looking for me anymore. That way your precious Sophia won’t be upset.” But they must have had a screw loose in their heads. Not only did they ignore my sincere advice, they even misunderstood that I was speaking out of jealousy. That I was competing with Sophia Lin for their attention. Ryan Chen laughed coldly with a “just as I expected” expression. He said disdainfully: “What, are you jealous of Sophia? I didn’t expect that after warning you so many times, you’d still harbor unrealistic hopes for me. Although you don’t even compare to a single hair on Sophia’s head in my heart, I can allow you to stay by my side as a hidden lover, considering your feelings. But only if you obediently go apologize to Sophia and swear never to appear in front of her again.” Jack Thompson’s face darkened: “Ryan Chen, are you asking for another beating?” Then he turned to look at me, still with that self-confident expression. He said in confusion: “You dated me for three months, loving me desperately, willing to stay with me even without money. Why did you then find these other seven men? Did they threaten you? Although my heart belongs to Sophia, I can help you get rid of them if you beg me, considering our three months together. Just stay obediently by my side from now on.” Ex-boyfriend number five ranted: “Bullshit, Olivia loves me most! She often cooks and does laundry for me.” Ex-boyfriend number four laughed coldly: “Cooking and laundry, that’s nothing. She doesn’t really love you. She stayed up all night taking care of me when my stomach hurt from drinking, often worrying and reminding me not to drink, even though she knows I have someone else in my heart.” Ex-boyfriend number seven chimed in: “Hah, that’s nothing. She knows I have someone I like, but she’s still willing to be her substitute. She always dresses up according to her habits to please me, and clearly remembers the day we met, my birthday, and all my hobbies. If that’s not love, what is?” Soon, they started arguing again over who I loved most and what I had done for each of them. They were all firmly convinced that they were the man I loved most. I silently plugged my ears and thought: I really don’t understand men’s damned competitive nature. Although they kept saying they loved Sophia most, they could still almost come to blows over the question of who I loved. After enduring for two minutes, I really couldn’t stand the noise anymore and quietly spoke up: “I really didn’t have any unrealistic hopes for you guys.” “I was just strictly following the service principles of the substitute industry, treating you nicely in exchange for money. Don’t take it seriously.” “You saw me as a substitute, I saw you as employers.” “We were all willing participants in this arrangement.” “Moral coercion is not okay.” “The first rule for us substitutes is to never fall in love with the client.” “Don’t worry, I swear I’ll stay far away from now on. I’ll never appear in front of you or Sophia again.” “I wish the nine of you a happy life together, till death do you part, with many children and grandchildren!” After I finished speaking. The eight ex-boyfriends who had been arguing over who I loved most all froze. They turned to look at me in disbelief, faces dark. “You’re saying your love for us was all an act?” The eight ex-boyfriends were deeply shaken. I also said in horror: “You guys didn’t fall in love with me, did you?” Help! Please no! They’re much better matched with Sophia Lin. Hearing my words, the eight men’s faces darkened as they laughed coldly in unison. They said in one voice: “Fall in love with you? You’re not worthy! I’ll only ever love Sophia in this lifetime!” After speaking, they gave me the usual warnings not to bother them and Sophia in the future. Finally they all turned to leave. I let out a heavy sigh of relief. Patting my chest, I thought: Thank goodness. You really had me scared there for a moment. I was so happy during the days they didn’t come around. I went back to visit the orphanage in my hometown. The old matron held my hand with tears in her eyes. “Child, don’t keep sending money back. Save some for yourself.” A bunch of little kids clung to me, calling me big sister. I patted each of their heads, smiling as I said: “Matron, I grew up here too. This is my home. You don’t need to be so polite with me.” I gave most of the money I earned from the eight ex-boyfriends to the matron. The matron never married, dedicating half her life and savings to the orphanage. I was abandoned in front of the orphanage and taken in by the matron. Although we’re not blood related, the matron always treated us orphans as her own children. All the kids who grew up here remember her kindness. After staying at the orphanage for a week, the matron gave me a jade bracelet. She sighed and said: “You’ve always been such a sensible and kind child. I still remember when you were seven, you snuck out and encountered kidnappers. You ended up saving a bunch of kids, nearly losing your own life. You almost scared me to death. I can’t believe how grown up you are now. Take this jade bracelet – you were wearing it when I first took you in as a baby. You were so young then, I was afraid you’d lose it, so I kept it safe for you. It’s very high quality jade, not something a poor family would have. There may be more to your story that we don’t know. If fate allows, perhaps you’ll be able to find your birth family someday.” I looked at the jade bracelet with mixed emotions: “If they abandoned me, there’s no need to find them now. Matron, you should sell this bracelet and use the money for the children’s food.” The matron smiled and glared at me, still forcefully pressing the bracelet into my hand. As I was preparing to leave, I ran into a well-dressed man in a suit. The matron greeted him with a smile. I learned that this man had also heard about the orphanage’s financial troubles and came to donate money to the matron. The matron asked me: “Olivia, do you remember him?” I was confused for a moment. The matron smiled and said: “This is Tiger. You saved a group of kidnapped children back then, remember? He had amnesia at the time and stayed at our orphanage for over half a year before his family found him. Although Tiger was older than you and half a head taller, he followed you around every day calling you ‘big sister’. You got annoyed and tried to shake him off but couldn’t. You even gave him the nickname Tiger because you said he was so fierce.” I thought hard and vaguely remembered someone like that. The man also seemed to recall. He looked at me in surprise, then smiled a bit shyly: “Is it really Big Sister Olivia?” Seeing this guy who was older and quite handsome calling me “big sister” made me embarrassed too. “You can just call me Olivia.” Tiger’s real name was Lucas Lee. He happened to work in the same city as me. He offered to drive me back together. On the way, we chatted about embarrassing childhood memories and became less awkward. He dropped me off at my door and we exchanged contact information. Lucas smiled and said: “I’ve wanted to see you again all these years when I visited the orphanage, but never managed to run into you. Are you free tomorrow? Give me a chance to treat you to a meal as thanks for saving my life back then.” I smiled and nodded. He suddenly reached out and ruffled my hair. “It’s great that Big Sister Olivia hasn’t forgotten me.” But just at that moment, eight men suddenly emerged from different directions in the darkness. When they saw each other, they were taken aback for a moment. They probably didn’t expect the others to be here either. Then they all glared angrily at Lucas. Jack Thompson spoke first: “Hah, I underestimated you. A few days apart and you’ve already found another man.” Lucas looked at them in confusion, then turned to me with a bewildered expression. I smiled awkwardly: “Sorry you had to see this. These are my eight ex-boyfriends.” The eight men seemed to recognize Lucas. Seeing it was him, their expressions grew even darker. Ryan Chen angrily said: “Lucas Lee, you again! It’s not enough that you keep Sophia hanging, now you’re going after Olivia Clarke too? I’m warning you, my patience has limits. Don’t think I won’t do anything just because Sophia likes you!” Ethan Brooks also stared coldly at Lucas: “What’s your relationship with Olivia Clarke?” I was stunned. I didn’t expect Tiger to be such a big shot. He was actually the true love of these eight ex-boyfriends’ true love! Lucas frowned slightly. Ignoring them, he asked me quietly: “Are they harassing you?” I nodded blankly. Hearing this, Lucas took my hand. Then he said coldly to the eight men: “I have no relationship with Sophia Lin and barely know her. But Olivia is my girlfriend. Please show some self-respect. I don’t want any of you bothering my girlfriend again in the future.” After Lucas finished speaking, all eight men immediately reddened with anger. They glared at him furiously. I became alert immediately. This scene was familiar! They had the same expressions right before they ganged up on Ryan Chen that day! Lucas was trying to help me get rid of these lunatics. He couldn’t suffer undeserved harm! I quickly stood in front of Lucas, glaring fiercely at them. “If you want to hit my boyfriend, you’ll have to go through me first!” As soon as I finished speaking, the eight men opposite us turned red with rage. I seriously wondered if they all had some kind of eye infection. Among them, Ryan Chen was the angriest. He still hadn’t fully recovered from the last beating, with bandages on his hands. Now he stared at Lucas and me, completely losing his cool. He stepped back, shouting in disbelief: “Why didn’t you protect me like this when I got beaten up last time?! Olivia Clarke, so you really don’t love me…” Lucas smiled and pulled me behind him, saying softly: “After I left the orphanage, my dad threw me into the military. I’ve had over ten years of training, don’t worry. They’re no match for me.” I looked at him skeptically. Surprisingly, in less than half an hour, Lucas had beaten down all eight men. You guys act so tough, but you’re all paper tigers! Not a single one can actually fight! Lucas flexed his wrist, completely unharmed as he glanced at them. Then he took my hand and went upstairs. He brought me to my apartment, then let go of my hand with a blush: “Sorry about that just now.” I waved my hand magnanimously: “Thanks so much for your help earlier.” He paused, seeming to want to say something but hesitating. “Weren’t these eight lunatics supposedly only interested in marrying Sophia? How did they suddenly start pursuing you?” Hearing him say this, I felt I’d found a kindred spirit. So I asked him: “How do you know these eight nutcases?” Lucas and I had a lot to talk about. We chatted about my ex-boyfriend squad and Sophia Lin. From him, I learned that Lucas, my ex-boyfriends, and Sophia all grew up in the same neighborhood. They attended the same schools from elementary through high school. But Lucas thought they were crazy and didn’t associate with them much. Mainly because my ex-boyfriend squad was deeply in love with Sophia, but Sophia didn’t like them. Instead, she liked Lucas. Because of this, my ex-boyfriend squad often picked fights with Lucas growing up. They would frequently curse at Lucas for being ungrateful, saying Sophia was so good to him but he ignored her. They said he must be blind. They even repeatedly pressured and bribed him to get together with Sophia. It was utterly selfless love on their part. At first Lucas would beat them up when annoyed, but later he decided they were all mentally ill and stayed away to avoid being infected. After hearing Lucas’s story, I was left speechless for a long time. They really are ridiculous! They’re truly a perfect match made in heaven with Sophia Lin! I also told Lucas why I knew them. During that time, the orphanage was short on money and about to shut down. I wanted to help the matron, so I agreed to be Jack Thompson’s substitute girlfriend. Later, the other seven men also found me. I figured being a substitute for one person or eight people was the same job. I could make more money this way, so I took them all on. Hearing this, Lucas said apologetically: “I’m sorry. I was in the military these past few years and couldn’t return in time. You’ve suffered.” I smiled: “There’s nothing to suffer about. Actually, I should thank those nine people for giving me job opportunities. I couldn’t have earned this much money working other jobs.” I paused, then said offhandedly: “I never imagined I really looked so similar to Sophia Lin. If I weren’t an orphan, I’d think she was my long-lost sister.” Lucas frowned slightly, looking at me intently: “You don’t look that alike. You are much prettier.” After saying this, he belatedly blushed. Lucas was quite considerate. Worried that I’d still be harassed by them, he often came to have meals with me. But when he dropped me off at home, we’d frequently run into those eight men. Although they were afraid of getting beaten up so they didn’t approach, they’d always glare at us fiercely from the roadside. It was… quite creepy. After a while, Sophia Lin actually came to find me. She looked at me disdainfully and directly threw 20 million dollars at me, telling me to leave Lucas. Then she sneered: “Olivia Clarke, why are you so shameless? Always going after my men. Whether it’s those eight or Lucas, you’re only approaching them for money, right? I’ve seen plenty of poor people like you. Those eight love me and would never marry you, so you’ve set your sights on Lucas? Hah, keep dreaming. The Lee family would never let a nobody orphan like you marry in. There’s 20 million in this card. If you know what’s good for you, take the money and get out of this city. Don’t show your face in front of Lucas or those eight again.” I looked at the card on the ground, then back at Sophia Lin. I couldn’t help but marvel – is this the power of love? Sophia Lin’s two-faced nature had gone unnoticed by her eight devoted admirers all these years. I ignored her and started to walk away. But as I passed by her, she suddenly fell to the ground. Then eight men suddenly appeared from the roadside! They first carefully helped Sophia Lin up, then glared at me angrily. Sophia Lin wiped away tears, saying in a pitiful voice: “I’m sorry, big sister. I know you dislike me because of those eight, but I really didn’t have bad intentions coming to find you today. I just heard your orphanage needs money, so I wanted to give you some to help…” Jack Thompson looked at the card on the ground, then at the wronged-looking Sophia Lin. He immediately yelled angrily: “You threw Sophia’s goodwill on the ground, and you even dared to push her! How could I have known such a vicious woman!” Ryan Chen also looked at me with disgust: “Aren’t you very poor? You’d even be a substitute for money. Now Sophia gives you money and you suddenly remember your pitiful self-respect.” Ethan Brooks said coldly: “So you’re jealous of Sophia, that’s why you played us all? You’re jealous that she was born into wealth, innocent and lively, pampered since childhood. While you grew up in an orphanage, with a dark heart, living in poverty every day. So you wanted to steal us and Lucas from her side, destroy her innocence and liveliness? How can there be such a vicious woman in this world!” I was speechless for a long while: “Whatever makes you happy…” I didn’t expect these guys to be such good storytellers. No wonder they’re the most compatible with Sophia Lin. I tried to leave, but the eight of them surrounded me, all with dark expressions like they were about to interrogate a criminal. Ethan Brooks said coldly: “You think you can leave so easily?” Jack Thompson frowned: “I don’t hit women. Slap yourself and apologize to Sophia, then I’ll let you go.” Ryan Chen said: “Don’t test my patience. No one is allowed to bully Sophia!” Admirer number four: “You pushed Sophia down and think you can leave unscathed? Dream on!” Admirer number five: “I actually had some good feelings towards you before. I never imagined you’d set your sights on Sophia. You dared to hurt her – I’ll make you regret being alive in this world!” I silently looked at them. I even saw Sophia Lin standing behind them. She was clutching her scratched arm, tears still clinging to her lashes, expression still innocent and pitiful. But the look in her eyes as she gazed at me was full of condescension and disdain. Yes, she looked down on me. Looked down on a poor person like me. They were all staring intently at me, waiting for me to slap myself hard. Waiting to see me in a miserable, humiliated state. Later, Lucas arrived. He forcefully kicked away Ryan Chen who was standing on the outside. Ryan Chen fell flat on his face with a miserable cry. His arm that hadn’t fully healed was injured again. Lucas walked to my side and took my hand. He stared at them coldly. In a deep voice he said: “Taking advantage of my absence to bully my girlfriend? Seems I went too easy on you last time.” Seeing Lucas protecting me, jealousy flashed in Sophia Lin’s eyes. Then her tears fell even harder. She clutched her arm and walked pitifully in front of us, saying softly: “Lucas, I’m sorry. I just wanted to help big sister. There’s been a misunderstanding…” Lucas frowned deeply and said coldly: “Enough, save it. That trick doesn’t work on me. You know very well what just happened. Keep your tears for those eight.” Sophia Lin’s face turned pale. She bit her lip and looked at Lucas with an even more wronged expression. Her eight admirers immediately became even more furious, glaring at Lucas. Jack Thompson said angrily: “Lucas Lee, are you blind? Mistaking a pebble for a pearl. Sophia loves you so much and is so good to you, but you fall for this vicious substitute instead!” Ethan Brooks glared at Lucas through gritted teeth: “I’m warning you, apologize to Sophia now or I won’t let you off! Sophia is so wonderful but you don’t know to cherish her, insisting on dating this Olivia Clarke instead! Sophia is pure and kind, while she’s vicious and scheming. She’s just a knockoff, don’t you understand?! Lucas Lee, you’ll definitely regret treating Sophia like this in the future!” I was speechless – why are these people so dramatic? I instinctively looked at Lucas.

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My name is Cynthia Johansson. After my husband Zane Knowles lost his memory, he demanded I leave our marriage with nothing, citing his mistress Camilla Fox’s pregnancy as the reason.   I agreed. After he regained his memory, he chased me to a foreign country, begging for reconciliation.  But by then, I had long lost all feelings for him. Because I, too, had recovered the memories I had lost.   “Sign your name. Camy is pregnant, and I need to divorce you.”   Across the table sat the man I had loved for seven years—Zane, the primary heir of Knowles Group.   And I was his wife.   “Zane, think this through,” urged the woman beside him, his mother, Mary Knowles. “You’ll regret this once your memory returns.”   That was right—Zane had lost his memory.   Three years ago, on our first wedding anniversary, he had driven to the supermarket to buy ingredients, saying he wanted to cook me a grand meal himself, just like he did when we were dating.   But he never came back. The day after I reported him missing, the hospital called to inform me that Zane had been in a car accident.   When I rushed there, I found Zane gazing tenderly at the girl who had saved him.   Then, the doctor told me Zane had lost his memory.   His memories had reset to three years prior—just one day before we first met.   He didn’t remember that I was the woman he had pursued for two years. Worse, he had fallen madly in love with the girl who brought him to the hospital.   The day after he was discharged, he asked me for a divorce. The look in his eyes was as serious as when he had confessed his love and promised to cherish me forever. It felt like a knife twisting in my heart.   I refused. I couldn’t let go of what we had.   So he moved out.   Over the next three years, I heard countless stories of Zane’s reckless devotion to that girl. After all, Knowles Group was influential, and Zane himself was handsome and accomplished.   But more than that—many of those grand gestures were things he had never done for me.  

Sometimes, I think love is the most fragile thing in the world. A person’s affection can shift entirely just because their memories have changed.   For three years, many people tried to talk Zane out of his foolishness.   Every relative and friend who had witnessed our love urged him to come home, even just for a while.   Later, they turned to me, saying that once Zane regained his memory, he would remember how deeply he had loved me.   So I endured. I endured when they told me Zane had bought the company where the girl worked just to keep her close. I endured when they said he had gifted her an entire island. I even endured when I learned they were living together and calling each other husband and wife.   But now, I couldn’t take it anymore.   “Fine,” I said with a smile. “Bring the papers. I’ll sign.”   “Thia, don’t do this.” Mary clutched my hand, tears streaming down her face. “Zane’s just lost his memory. He loved you so much, and you love him too. Fate has been too cruel to both of you.”   My parents had passed away long ago, and over the years, Zane’s parents had treated me like their own.   “I’ll be alright. Haven’t you always wanted a grandchild? She’s pregnant now. The child is innocent.” I wiped Mary’s tears away. “That girl isn’t bad either. Zane and I… I guess we just weren’t meant to be.”   “I can’t believe you’re giving up so easily.” Zane let out a cold laugh, his gaze devoid of any past affection—only the disdain one would reserve for a deranged woman. In his current memories, I was just the lunatic who refused to divorce, standing in the way of his perfect love.   “If I don’t agree, should that child grow up as a bastard instead?”   Zane glanced at my stomach and sneered, “Seems I never loved you that much to begin with. We were married for a year—why didn’t you get pregnant?”   I flung a glass of water in his face. “Get out!”   Wiping his face in a fluster, he still managed to throw out a final threat. “Once we’re divorced, this house won’t be yours either!”   After he left, Mary vented her anger on my behalf. “Thia, move in with me. Even if you’re no longer Zane’s wife, you can still be my daughter.”   I shook my head. Over the past three years, Zane had fought with his parents too. He refused to come home. When I went to his office, he had his staff block me.   But he needed my consent for the divorce. His friends were too ashamed to pressure me, so he turned to his parents. After being scolded by them a few times, he stopped visiting them altogether.  

After finally convincing Mary to leave, a friend brought me a message—the girl wanted to see me.   Camilla was the one who had taken Zane to the hospital that day. Now that she was pregnant, I was terrified that any meeting might result in her getting hurt or miscarrying, leaving me responsible. So I refused without a second thought. But my friend insisted that Camilla was determined—she was waiting at a café right now and wouldn’t leave until she saw me.   Those two were truly the bane of my existence. Grumbling under my breath, I stormed into the café and immediately spotted Camilla by the window.   Thinking about it, Camilla and I didn’t have any real enmity between us.   Some friends called her a homewrecker, but I believed the fault ultimately lay with Zane.   If anything, Camilla was the unlucky one. She had done a good deed by taking an injured man to the hospital, only to be relentlessly pursued by him afterward.   I knew exactly what Zane was capable of when he wanted a woman. His charm and resources were irresistible, and Camilla was just a young woman fresh out of college. No matter how strong-willed she was, Zane’s sweet words and grand gestures would wear anyone down.   Camilla wore a pale sundress, her long curls glowing softly in the sunlight—though her complexion looked off.   “Cynthia, thank you for coming.” Her voice was as gentle as her appearance.   Camilla and I were complete opposites. She was an art student—gentle, refined, and delicate, like the heroine of a romantic music video.   Before meeting Zane, I had been a botanist constantly trekking through forests. Because I became a team leader at a young age, my personality had grown assertive. Back then, Zane hadn’t taken over Knowles Group yet—he was still a thrill-seeking playboy. He had paid a fortune to join our expedition team, only to be scolded by me countless times for his lack of survival skills.   When he first pursued me, I refused. I loved my adventurous life in the rainforests and mountains. Being a wealthy wife might be many people’s dream, but not mine.   But Zane knew exactly how to manipulate people. He showed me something I had never had—the warmth of family. His parents were wonderful, truly treating me like their own. And he promised me that marriage wouldn’t chain me down—that he would be my support.   Those were all lies. In the early days of our marriage, I didn’t give up my career. It wasn’t until he wanted to have his own children that I considered temporarily switching to lab work. Then, right as I was finalizing the transfer, the accident happened—and he lost his memory.   My marital vows wouldn’t let me abandon him, so I took the lab position, continuing my research over the three years he kept demanding a divorce.   Now, I knew it was time to let go. I started missing the life I had before marriage.

I sat across from Camilla at her invitation. She must have been newly pregnant—her figure was still slender.   “Why did you insist on seeing me? I’ve already agreed to the divorce,” I said bluntly. I didn’t expect Camilla to burst into tears. “What are you crying for? I said I’d sign the papers.” I was baffled.   She just kept wiping her tears. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.”   Seeing such a delicate beauty cry softened my heart despite myself.   “You don’t owe me an apology. It’s not you who made Zane lose his memory. That was just…because of fate.” I took a sip of coffee. Normally, I drank it like water, but today, for the first time, the latte tasted unbearably bitter. “You’re having his child, so just…be happy with him.”   Camilla sobbed uncontrollably. “I never wanted this—really, I never wanted this.”   The attention of the café was now fixed on our table, and I felt exhaustion creeping in.   “Stop crying.” I reached over to wipe her tears. “I don’t blame you. Honestly.”   “Camy!” The café door slammed open, and Zane stormed in like a hurricane.   “I never thought you’d stoop this low!” He grabbed my wrist with enough force to snap it. “Camy did nothing wrong! If you’re angry, take it out on me!”   I had never realized until now that Zane was an idiot.   “Are you insane? Why would I hurt her?”   “Zane, Cynthia didn’t do anything to me. Let her go!”   Zane shoved me away violently. My hand slammed against the edge of the table with a loud thud.   I hissed in pain. I had fieldwork coming up—an injured hand would be a disaster.   But I’d underestimated Zane’s irrationality. He fussed over Camilla, checking her from every angle, only to confirm that her eyes were just swollen from crying.   “Cynthia, I’m the one who betrayed you. If you dare harass Camilla again, I won’t let you off easy.”   I couldn’t fathom how I’d ever fallen for a man like this.   “Zane, the divorce is happening. And one more thing—” I slapped him across the face. “If you’re so desperate for it, bring the papers sooner. Don’t fucking waste my time.”  

That evening, Zane’s secretary called. “Mrs. Knowles, why did you agree to the divorce?”   I pressed an ice pack to my wrist and corrected her, “Don’t call me Mrs. Knowles anymore. We’re divorcing. Given how eager he is, it’ll probably be finalized in a couple of days.”   “Ms. Johansson, but Mr. Knowles isn’t leaving you anything!”   I froze. “What do you mean, nothing?”   “Mr. Knowles consulted a lawyer this afternoon. He’s demanding you walk away with nothing.”   But I distinctly remembered Zane’s proposal vow: if he ever betrayed me, he’d be the one to leave empty-handed.   The secretary continued, “Including everything he ever gifted you—he wants it all back.”   He’d been thoughtful during our courtship. Knowing I didn’t care for jewelry or handbags, he’d named a star after me.   “Even the star?”   “Which star?” The secretary sounded confused. After some typing, she said, “Mr. Knowles only purchased the naming rights. He hasn’t filed to rename it yet.”   Or maybe he’d simply forgotten. I caught her implication.   The more I thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. A star bearing my name was as fleeting as our relationship—shattered the moment his memory disappeared.   “It’s fine. Those things were always his. Let him have them.” I was tired. Soon, none of this would matter anyway.   “Ms. Johansson, even though I’m Mr. Knowles’ secretary, the terms are unfair. You did nothing wrong in this marriage. He can’t treat you like this.” She hesitated. “I have no right to interfere, but…please don’t sign.”   I knew she meant well. Everyone knew my background—modest, orphaned, living in a shabby apartment before knowing Zane. Yet the heir of Knowles Group was stripping his blameless wife of everything.   “Thank you,” I said sincerely. “But honestly…none of it ever really mattered to me.”   The next morning, Zane’s lawyer arrived at my door.   “Ms. Johansson, these are the divorce papers drafted per Mr. Knowles’ instructions.”  

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I married Ethan Foster in what was essentially a marriage of convenience between our wealthy families. Our relationship had always been cold and distant after the wedding. Our parents couldn’t stand to see us like this anymore. They ordered us to work on developing genuine feelings for each other. Ethan said to me, “If you have any requests, feel free to ask. I can fulfill them all.” I replied, “Then bring home a collar.” Ethan’s voice was strained as he said, “You… You’ve got the wrong person. I’m not someone who can play those kinds of games with you. You shouldn’t do this either. It’s not good.” I shrugged. “Fine, then I’ll find someone else.” That night, he tightly gripped my hand against the collar, his eyes red as he said: “No one but me gets to be your puppy.” The marriage of convenience had landed me a sexually repressed CEO for a husband. Not only did he button his shirts all the way to the top, he wouldn’t even let me see him in the shower. Two years had passed with no progress in our relationship. If anything, things seemed to be getting even colder between us. Our parents couldn’t stand it anymore. They called multiple family meetings, ordering us to work on developing real feelings for each other. They wanted us to hurry up and become the model of a loving couple in our social circles. I’d heard this speech so many times I was immune to it by now. But Ethan seemed to take it seriously this time. He hadn’t been at the office long when he sent me a message: “Is there anything you want today?” I was busy at the time and casually replied: “No.” Ethan wasn’t satisfied with this answer. “Why not? A handbag? Jewelry? Are you sure there’s nothing?” I took a moment to respond again: “Really, there’s nothing.” Ethan could be a bit old-fashioned, but he was always generous when it came to these things. Clothes, bags, jewelry – gifts would arrive at the house every few days. Ethan still wouldn’t let it go: “If there’s anything you want, you can tell me. I can fulfill all your desires.” It seemed his family must have put quite a bit of pressure on him again. I petted the puppy’s head and replied to him: “Then bring home a collar when you come back.” Ethan had just left for work that morning when my best friend arrived carrying a puppy. She said she thought I might be bored, and they’d just had puppies at home, so she wanted to give me one. I spent the whole morning bonding with the puppy and learning about puppy care. I had most of the other supplies like food and toys ready, but I’d forgotten about getting a collar. Since Ethan was so insistent on me making requests, I figured I’d humor him. Ethan’s chat showed he was typing for a long time. After a while, he sent a video call request instead. The puppy had gotten restless in my arms and jumped down to run around. I answered Ethan’s video call and saw his face on the screen. He looked like he was trying hard to control himself as he finally spoke: “You…” “Don’t joke around with me like this.” I was totally focused on the puppy and frowned when I heard him say that. “I’m not joking. Puppies need training.” Ethan’s frown deepened. The hand visible on camera was clenched into a fist, like he was struggling to hold something back. After a long moment, he let out a slow breath and said: “You…” He paused, then continued in a controlled voice: “You’ve got the wrong person. I’m not someone who can play those kinds of games with you.” What a weirdo. He wouldn’t even wear a simple collar. Then why say he could fulfill any request I had? I kept my face neutral. “Fine, forget it then. I’ll find someone else.” Ethan tried to explain: “That’s not what I meant.” I didn’t give him a chance to say anything else. I hung up the video call and immediately ordered a delivery.

The delivery arrived half an hour before Ethan got home. The collar was very elegant. I took over a dozen photos and posted them on Instagram with the caption: “Looks like I’m a puppy parent now!” Ethan immediately commented: “?” I’d forgotten to hide the post from him. If he knew, my mom would find out. She’d rush over as fast as possible and insist on taking the puppy to raise herself, saying it was too much trouble for me. Realizing this, I quickly deleted the Instagram post. When I reposted it, I made sure to hide it from all the key people who shouldn’t see. Our house was so big that even with a puppy here, Ethan might not necessarily find out. I was admiring the photos of the puppy on my phone when I heard the screech of tires in the driveway. The sound of dress shoes on the floor followed. For some reason, my right eye started twitching. Through the gap in the not-quite-closed door, I caught a glimpse of Ethan’s shadow. But he didn’t come in right away. He stood outside the door for over 10 minutes before he finally seemed to work up the courage to lightly knock twice. I adjusted my clothes and said, “Come in.” Ethan entered with one hand in his pocket. His sharp gaze swept every corner of the room. I looked up at him after smoothing my outfit. “What are you looking for?” Ethan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Where is he?” Who? The puppy? He’d commented on my Instagram post, so he must have looked at it carefully. He had to be talking about the puppy. Since he already knew, there was no point in hiding it anymore. I answered him honestly: “He ran off.” Ethan’s hand in his pocket clenched into a fist, veins standing out on his arm. “Where did he run off to?” I gave him a strange look, not understanding why he was acting this way. Seeing I wasn’t answering, Ethan took a deep breath and said in a strained voice: “He just left you all alone like that? What kind of man is he?” My brow furrowed even more. “What are you talking about?” Talking about a puppy having responsibility? This fit my stereotypical image of Ethan perfectly. Ethan kept taking deep breaths, like he was trying to calm himself down. I didn’t want to keep having this nonsensical conversation with him. I turned to go dry my hair. Ethan stood behind me, his emotions seeming more under control now. “Why are you taking a shower at this time?” I sighed. “The puppy made a mess on me.” He must have been overexcited today. While I was playing with him, he peed all over me. I had no choice but to shower. Ethan clenched his fist again. He nearly crushed a decorative object nearby. After a long moment, he spoke through gritted teeth: “Don’t see him anymore. Let’s just pretend none of this ever happened.” I couldn’t believe this. What was wrong with me having a puppy? Was it illegal? Besides, it’s not like Ethan disliked dogs. He was clearly just looking for an excuse to argue. My own tone wasn’t very pleasant as I replied: “Why should I?” In the mirror, I saw Ethan staring intently at me. He spoke as if forcing himself to compromise: “It was my fault earlier. I shouldn’t have rejected you like that. If you really want to, I suppose I could… But you shouldn’t have…” He paused, then continued: “It’s my problem.” His attitude had changed so quickly, I didn’t have the heart to keep glaring at him. But before I could speak, Ethan went on: “As long as you don’t see him anymore, I’ll do whatever you want.” He kept fixating on the puppy. I was getting angry now. I slammed the hairbrush on the table and stood up. “Ethan Foster, I put up with you not treating me like a real wife before. But now you’re going too far, trying to control even little things like this. If you insist on being this way, we might as well get divorced!” We didn’t have much of a relationship anyway. I didn’t say that last part out loud, but Ethan had already pushed me against the wall and was kissing me fiercely. I don’t know how long it lasted before he pulled back slightly. His breathing was ragged and his eyes were a bit red as he said: “Divorce? Don’t even think about it! No one but me gets to be your puppy!” I stared at him blankly, my mind not quite processing what was happening. Just last night he’d been so guarded around me, not even letting me see him in the shower. How had he gone from that to wanting to be my “puppy” in one day? Ethan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he’d regained his usual composure. He brushed his thumb across my lips and apologized softly: “I’m sorry, I got carried away just now.” See, this was the real Ethan Foster. Apologizing even for a simple kiss. Before I could say anything, Ethan was already speaking in a conciliatory tone: “If you really insist on keeping it, I… I suppose I can accept that. But don’t let yourself get tricked, and try not to bring it around me if possible. As for divorce…” Ethan withdrew his hand without finishing the sentence. “You should get some sleep.” By the time I came back to my senses, all I saw was Ethan’s retreating back. My mind was a jumbled mess. I tried to sort through my thoughts. Ethan wouldn’t be jealous of an actual puppy. His loss of control earlier must have been because he thought I was talking about keeping some kind of boy toy “puppy.” But that made even less sense. If that were the case, knowing Ethan’s personality, he would immediately file for divorce. To end this loveless marriage of convenience. But he didn’t. Instead, he said things like “I can accept it” that sounded more like a jealous boyfriend. Come to think of it, over our two years of marriage, he’d always shown me proper respect and care no matter where we were. He never forgot my birthday or any anniversaries either. Could it be… that he had feelings for me? I chewed on my fingernail, pondering for 10 minutes, but still couldn’t come up with a reasonable explanation. I gave up and decided to just go to bed instead of wasting more brainpower on it. Just before falling asleep, I took out my phone, intending to check on the puppy through the security camera. But I accidentally tapped into the feed for outside my bedroom instead. It showed that after Ethan left my room, his footsteps had clearly slowed down. Then he leaned against the hallway wall, covering his eyes with the back of his hand. I turned up the volume. With my ear practically pressed to the speaker, I finally made out the faint sound of his muffled sobs. My heart clenched. Thinking back carefully, from the moment I’d misunderstood Ethan not letting me keep the puppy, every word I said had been laced with thorns. Then at the height of my emotions, I’d even blurted out something about divorce. Ethan didn’t know the puppy was a real puppy. So from his perspective, I was arguing with him over another man and even bringing up divorce, right? No wonder he cried. The root of the problem was me, so I should probably go comfort him a bit, right? Yes, just to comfort him. No other reason. After psyching myself up, I put on my slippers and headed straight for Ethan’s room.

His door wasn’t locked. Only a small night light was on. I snuck in quietly, taking off my shoes to creep up behind him. I wanted to see if he was still crying. But I’d barely gotten close when Ethan suddenly whirled around. In the dim light, I could see his eyes were a bit swollen. Oh no. I really had hurt him this time. I scratched my head awkwardly and apologized: “I’m sorry, I didn’t really mean it about divorce earlier. I just got emotional because you seemed to hate the puppy so much.” Ethan’s body was tense as he stared at me like he’d seen a ghost. Worried he’d be uncomfortable in that position, I turned him back around to lie flat. To show how sincere my apology was, I practically draped myself over him. I wanted him to see the honesty in my eyes: “I’ve apologized now, so please don’t cry anymore, okay?” Ethan seemed to be wound tight as a spring. He forced out through clenched teeth: “Get… off… first.” I ignored him. Ethan couldn’t take it anymore. He gripped my waist and set me to the side. To prevent me from hugging him again, he quickly sat up and turned on the light. The sudden brightness made me squint. Ethan’s hand immediately covered my eyes. Once he was sure I’d fully adjusted, he started to pull away. But I caught his hand and kissed his palm lightly. Ethan yanked his hand back like he’d been electrocuted. “What are you doing?!” We were sitting face to face now. I could clearly see his puffy eyes and ears that had turned bright red. Ethan belatedly realized this. He turned away, not letting me look at him anymore. I averted my gaze and asked, “Were you really crying in bed earlier because I mentioned divorce?” It didn’t seem like the Ethan I was used to seeing. But he had definitely started crying right after leaving my room. That word seemed to hit a sore spot for Ethan. His tone was a bit harsh: “I wasn’t crying!” I instinctively reached out to touch his slightly warm eyelids: “But your eyes are all swollen.” Ethan grabbed my wrist: “I was just watching a movie.” So stubborn. I pulled up that segment of security footage to show him: “You started crying as soon as you left my room.” Ethan barely glanced at it before taking my phone away. He said in a strained voice: “You’re mistaken. I didn’t.” I’d never realized Ethan could be so obstinate before. I tried to reassure him: “It’s okay if you cried. I won’t make fun of you. I just wanted to tell you that mentioning divorce earlier was impulsive. I won’t casually say things like that again.” Ethan frowned: “So you only came to comfort me because you saw me crying?” I nodded. A flash of disappointment crossed Ethan’s eyes. I explained: “I came to apologize because I didn’t want you to be upset.” It was only after seeing him cry that I realized how hurtful my words had been. Ethan’s breathing hitched for a moment: “Why don’t you want me to be upset? Is it because…” He trailed off there. I furrowed my brow: “I don’t have some weird fetish for watching people be miserable. Why would I want to see you upset?” But come to think of it… Ethan did look pretty… sexy… when he was crying. My gaze lingered on his slightly swollen eyes, then trailed downward. Maybe because he was about to sleep, or maybe because he’d been too busy being upset. Ethan’s pajama top had fewer buttons done up than usual. After my manhandling earlier, it was even riding up a bit to reveal his abs. My cheeks felt hot. I couldn’t bring myself to look directly at Ethan anymore. After forcefully shaking the inappropriate thoughts from my head, I spoke up: “I’m going back to bed now. Bye.” If I stayed any longer, I was afraid I might lose control. Just before getting off the bed, I suddenly remembered the most important thing I still hadn’t explained: “Oh right, about the puppy, you…” I’d meant to tell him he’d misunderstood. But as soon as the word “puppy” left my mouth, Ethan flopped back down and bundled himself tightly in the blanket. I poked him: “Ethan?” He closed his eyes: “I’m going to sleep now.” I tugged at his blanket, trying to get him to open his eyes. Before I could say anything, Ethan had already lifted the covers and pulled me in with him: “Time to sleep.” He seemed to have a visceral aversion to the word “puppy.” Curled up in his arms, I tried speaking again: “The puppy is a real puppy. The kind that barks.” Ethan kept his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. He clearly had no intention of listening seriously. Fine, I’d explain properly tomorrow. Sensing I wasn’t going to say anything else, Ethan held me even tighter. He was so warm. I quickly started drifting off to sleep. But in the middle of the night, my feet got cold again. I instinctively tried to burrow closer to Ethan. It took a couple tries before I realized his spot was empty. I was too sleepy to open my eyes, so I just called out groggily: “Ethan?” A few seconds later, Ethan lay back down. I was about to wrap my arms around his waist. But he caught my hand and placed it on his neck. He seemed to be wearing something. It felt a bit cool, like metal. His lips brushed my ear as he said: “I can be your puppy too. Don’t find anyone else, okay?” His breath tickled my ear. I buried my face in his chest, mumbling an incoherent: “Okay.”

When I woke up, I was still in Ethan’s arms. He was in the same position as when we’d fallen asleep, like he hadn’t moved all night. So what had I felt last night? Noticing me staring at him, Ethan casually pulled the blanket up higher to cover himself: “What are you looking at?” My mind was filled with the sensation from last night. Hearing his question, I instinctively pointed at his neck: “You’re not wearing anything there?” Ethan frowned, like he had no idea what I was talking about. I still wasn’t convinced: “Like a collar or something?” In our two years of marriage, I’d never dreamed about Ethan before. And I definitely wouldn’t have some risqué dream just from seeing him shirtless. So he must have done something while I was asleep! Ethan still looked confused: “Collar?” Then he had a look of realization: “You really want to see me wear one?” Yeah right. Playing dumb. I didn’t pursue that line of questioning. I threw back the covers and got out of bed. Ethan watched me pitifully: “Where are you going?” My gaze fell on his neck as I said deliberately: “To see my puppy, of course.” “I bought lots of cute collars yesterday. If you won’t wear one, I’m sure he’d love to.” Ethan clutched the blanket tightly, like he was struggling with some great internal conflict. After a long moment, he finally spoke: “I’ll come too.” I pretended to hesitate: “Is that appropriate? You said last night not to bring him around you.” Ever since realizing last night that Ethan probably had feelings for me, I felt no guilt about teasing him like this. It was his own fault for not saying anything. If he wouldn’t say it, I’d just have to test the waters myself. Ethan gripped the blanket so hard it wrinkled: “I’ll just take a quick look. To make sure he’s suitable.” I’d been planning to take him down to see the puppy room anyway. Hearing him say that, I nodded reluctantly: “Alright then.” Our destination was in the house, but I couldn’t tell him that yet. I could only hint vaguely: “You don’t need to dress up too formally.” He’d even put on shirt stays. If he found out we weren’t even leaving the house… I rubbed my nose, debating whether to reveal the truth now. After a moment’s hesitation, seeing Ethan turn back to pick out a tie, I decisively abandoned that idea. I couldn’t really blame myself. I’d tried to explain last night, but he was the one who refused to listen. Besides, I really wanted to see his expression when he met the actual puppy.

An hour later, Ethan had finally finished getting ready. To prevent him from suspecting anything, I’d even changed into a different outfit. Ethan looked down at the dress I was wearing: “Why are you wearing that one?” I glanced down at myself. This was a dress Ethan had sent over last month. I loved it, but I’d been saving it to take nice photos in, so I hadn’t worn it yet. I put it on today partly because puppies can see yellow well. And partly because I wanted Ethan to help me take photos with the puppy after I explained everything. Before I could answer, Ethan had already retracted his question: “Never mind, of course you should dress up nicely to see someone you like.” It was such a simple statement. But I detected a hint of sarcasm in it. Before my brain could fully process it, I blurted out: “If this counts as dressing up, then what do you call putting on shirt stays and styling your hair?” He looked more like he was going to intimidate a rival than just check things out. Ethan glanced at me: “Meeting the man my wife likes.” With that, he took my hand and led me downstairs.

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After my fiancé died in a car accident, I locked myself away for two full years. Every day, I stared at the ceiling, tears streaming down my face, my hair turning gray overnight. Until that day, when I climbed the mountain, forehead bloodied from kneeling and bowing, praying to a higher power. When I opened my eyes again, I had somehow returned to the night two weeks before the accident. I saw Ethan, not far away, laughing and clinking glasses with his friends. Hot tears ran down my cheeks, reminding me this was real. Then, the next second, his mocking words hit me like a slap: “I was only pretending to love her to get her in bed. She’s easy to handle—obedient, doesn’t make a fuss. Why not marry her? And as for other women… she’ll never find out.” 0I froze on the spot, my chest heaving violently. Everything was changing too fast—maybe I misheard? Instinctively, I took a few steps closer to Ethan, trying to confirm. “Rachel’s got no one left in her life. She can’t survive without me. I just have to do the bare minimum, and she’s grateful for days.” “She’s so starved for love, man. I bet if I dumped her, she’d be on her knees begging me to take her back. Don’t you think?” “Exactly. With her family background, me marrying her is already a favor. She should feel lucky.” Snowflakes swirled in the air, falling without purpose. I stood there, helpless, shocked, unable to believe what I was hearing. My hands trembled uncontrollably. The man I had mourned day and night, whose love I had clung to, Every word he spoke now cut into me like shards of ice. I stared at his familiar yet unfamiliar silhouette, my throat tight, unable to make a sound. Ethan, the man who had appeared in my dreams countless times, was right in front of me—yet somehow, he felt farther away than ever. My phone buzzed with a notification. It was a text from Ethan: “Baby, I’m heading home soon. Craving anything? ❤️” That emoji, the one he always sent, now felt like a cruel joke. At this time in the past, I’d have been at home, eagerly waiting for him. Not standing here, hearing the truth spill from his lips. Reality is often a blade wrapped in flowers, while lies are dressed up to look like love. I don’t even remember how I got back home. I collapsed onto the couch, my mind a chaotic mess, thoughts swirling with no resolution. After a while, the door creaked open, and Ethan walked in, carrying takeout in his arms. I looked up at him, unsure what expression to put on, silently watching as he approached. 0

Ethan set the food down, reached out to touch my face, and his expression shifted. He took my hand, blowing warm air onto my cold fingers, his eyes full of concern. “You’ve been cooped up all day again. Your hands are freezing. Did you not drink the ginger tea I made for you at lunch?” I could feel his warm breath on my skin, the strength of his hands. This wasn’t a dream. “Are you… really Ethan?” I asked. He flicked my forehead playfully and chuckled. “We were just in bed together this morning. What, half a day apart, and you don’t recognize me anymore?” I didn’t respond. My eyes studied his face, his features, every line and curve. I searched for something—anything—that set him apart from the Ethan I had loved. But everything was the same, down to the small mole near his temple. Next Friday… would he meet the same fate? After a long silence, I murmured, “I can’t dance anymore.” My voice was soft, almost as if I wasn’t sure who I was saying it to—him or myself. From the moment I woke up in this timeline, I had felt the weight in my legs, the heaviness with every step. Scars ran down my thighs, long and jagged, a price I’d paid for this second chance. Dancing was how Ethan and I had met. He’d fallen in love with me while watching my performance. Every time I saw him in the audience, I thought no one in the world could be happier than me. But now… I couldn’t even stand on tiptoes. Thinking about it, tears welled up in my eyes. I glanced at Ethan, hoping he might hold me, reassure me, help me find my footing again. He wiped my tears with his thumb, his face tightening as if he were worried. Then, he said gently: “If you can’t dance, don’t. Honestly, I never really liked watching you dance anyway. I don’t get the appeal. It’s boring. I’d rather we just spend time together, talking in bed. That’s more meaningful.” “And besides, I love you for who you are. No matter what, I’ll still love you.” Those words landed like nails being hammered into my skull. I couldn’t move. Ethan said he didn’t like watching me dance. A memory from my previous life flashed in my mind—Ethan watching me perform. This time, I finally noticed what I hadn’t before: the impatience in his eyes, the boredom. There had never been love. Only disdain. Only pretense. A phone call interrupted the silence. Ethan said there was an issue with a project at work and that he had to leave. He kissed my forehead before rushing out the door. Maybe he saw how broken I was. Maybe he didn’t care. My gaze drifted to the takeout he’d brought home. It was shrimp. I’m allergic to shrimp. I stared at the box for hours, unable to close my eyes. At 3 a.m., my phone buzzed with another text from Ethan: “Baby, I really love you. Let’s always be together.” 0

A long time ago, on this same night, Ethan brought home shrimp too. Just like tonight, he left again within an hour. Back then, I was always quick to make excuses for him. Maybe he forgot I was allergic. Maybe work was just too demanding. He didn’t have a choice, right? Even the late-night “I love you” text he sent me back then—it’s the same one I got tonight. Back then, I thought it was evidence of his love. Now, I realize it was probably guilt. Guilt for cheating on me, trying to absolve himself after crawling into someone else’s bed. Ethan’s so-called love was always full of cracks. If you looked closely, you’d see the tiny needles hidden in the lies—needles that slowly, relentlessly tore me apart. Suddenly, a thought struck me. I grabbed my phone and opened the location-sharing app Ethan had insisted we use. The moment I saw where he was, my fingers clenched the phone so tightly that my knuckles turned white. The frost-covered grass glistened in the early morning fog. The weak winter sunlight barely kissed the tops of the buildings. I took a cab to the place I had avoided ever since Ethan’s death in my previous life—the house we’d bought together for our future. Our dream home. I tried the door code a few times before realizing the lock had been changed. The house we chose together, the house meant to be ours—yet somehow, it had turned me into an outsider. Time crawled forward like molasses as I pressed the doorbell. “Coming! What, you couldn’t stay away for even an hour? I know you miss me, but…” A soft, feminine voice carried from inside. I should’ve screamed. I should’ve cursed her out. But instead, I just lowered my head and smiled bitterly. The door opened, and there she was—a girl in her early twenties, wearing a set of wrinkled pajamas. She froze when she saw me, her wide eyes filled with shock. Ignoring her, I stepped past and walked into the house. Nothing had changed. Every detail of the house—the placement of the bed, the design of the dishes—was chosen by me and Ethan, back when we were curled up in each other’s arms, dreaming about our future. We’d promised to move in after the wedding. Our wedding photo still hung in the bedroom. And across from it, on the unmade bed, lay Ethan’s shirt from last night. Scattered on the floor were a few discarded condom wrappers. It felt like something had grabbed my heart and was dragging it downward, squeezing it until I couldn’t breathe. So this is where you’ve been every night, Ethan. 0

“When did it start between you two?” I turned and calmly looked at the girl standing by the door. She flinched, her body stiff like a cornered rabbit. She didn’t answer, but the marks on her neck told me everything I needed to know. The truth was out in the open now, and my voice came out dry, cracking slightly: “February 13th. My 26th birthday. June 8th—the night Ethan proposed to me. And New Year’s Eve. He spent all those nights here with you, didn’t he?” “Or was it even earlier than that?” I walked over to the closet and opened it. Inside, Ethan’s clothes hung neatly alongside hers. My dresses, however, were shoved into the far corner, crumpled into a forgotten heap. My hand clenched the edge of the closet door, my knuckles turning pale. “You have two choices: pack your things and leave quietly, or I can call security to throw you out.” Her fists tightened, and she seemed to gather her courage, as if someone had whispered reassurances in her ear. “Ethan said I could stay here,” she said, her voice trembling but defiant. I laughed lightly and grabbed a handful of her clothes, throwing them at her. “Then call him. Let’s ask if his words still mean anything.” Her lips pressed into a tight line as she glared at me, clutching her clothes to her chest. An old memory surfaced, and I couldn’t help but ask, “Your name—Stacey, right? It’s you, isn’t it?” “Yes.” Her quiet confirmation hit me like a punch. I closed my eyes, the pieces falling into place. She left, slamming the door behind her, her frustration palpable. And I? I couldn’t stay in that house any longer. The walls felt toxic, suffocating, and I needed to get out. I stumbled down the street, my legs heavy, until I found myself sitting at a lonely bus stop. A butterfly fluttered by, its blue wings stirring faint memories. When I was a child, my father remarried, and my mother took me with her. Wherever I went to school, that’s where home was—just me and my mom. She was small and frail, and no one wanted to give her a chance to work. But she always smiled, her eyes crinkling with joy. She noticed me watching dancers through the studio windows and worked tirelessly to give me a shot at my dream. We didn’t have much, but she made sure I never felt like I was missing anything. But life wasn’t kind to her. Neither were people. She was hit by a car when I was in college, and the driver—a wealthy man—left nothing behind but a check before vanishing. On the seventh day after her death, I danced one last time in the studio. Then I went to the bridge near where she died and walked into the river. As the water pulled me under, I felt the world go quiet. No pain, just peace. And then, strong arms wrapped around my waist and dragged me back to the surface. It was Ethan. He said he’d been following me since the studio. He said he’d fallen for me at first sight but never expected to find me at the river. He told me that no matter how hard life gets, I needed to keep going. He even cried. A blue butterfly landed on his shoulder as the setting sun stretched our wet shadows across the ground. That was the first time we met. I had been so sure back then. I thought Ethan was the last gift my mother left for me. At first, he was perfect. He learned to cook for me, noticed every little change in my mood, kissed my forehead every morning, and asked me every night if I was happy. When did he start to change? Or was he always this way, just better at hiding it in the beginning? Ethan brought warmth into my life, only to extinguish it entirely. When happiness begins, the countdown to heartbreak starts too. I looked up and saw Ethan’s car pull up in front of me. The bus stop was bustling with people, but our eyes met through the car window. For the first time, I realized his gaze had changed long ago. My love for him had been a filter, making him seem extraordinary. Without it, I could finally see him for what he was—ordinary. Just painfully ordinary. 0

Ethan was out of breath, his tie wrinkled from what must have been a hurried trip to find me. I could guess that his mistress had already filled him in on what happened this morning. Sitting in the passenger seat, I turned my head to the window, watching raindrops slide down the glass and leave winding trails. Ethan gripped the steering wheel tightly, the veins on his hand faintly visible. Neither of us spoke. The silence between us was thick, the kind that comes before a storm. When a red light forced him to stop, he turned to me. “You said you wanted to see the ocean, right? Let’s go tomorrow, okay?” He hesitated before adding, “That woman… she didn’t mean anything to me. It was just a stupid fling. I won’t see her again. You can think of it as… just a small mistake. I’ve only ever loved you.” I almost laughed. There was a flicker of unease in his eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. Ethan reached for my hand, his voice soft, almost pleading. “This was my mistake. I know that. But I only did what… what any man might do. I’m begging you—give me another chance.” I took a deep breath, my tone cold and detached: “We’ve had location sharing on since the day we got together. I’ve never checked it before—not until today. And yet, you went to her anyway, knowing I could see it. Ethan, was my trust just another excuse for you to cheat?” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, his lips trembling slightly, but he couldn’t form a single word. The silence between us didn’t just pause the argument—it froze whatever love might have been left. I pulled my hand away from his and reminded him calmly, “The light’s green.” Back when we were dating, I used to live in constant fear of losing Ethan. I’d get anxious at the smallest things. While eating dinner, or scrolling through my phone, my mind would suddenly conjure the thought: What if one day we break up? That thought would hit me like a punch to the chest, leaving me breathless, the tears flowing uncontrollably. Even then, deep down, I knew Ethan didn’t really love me as much as I loved him. That’s why I was always so scared. That’s why I loved him so desperately, so pathetically. But now, as we approached the end of our story, I didn’t feel the sadness I once imagined. It wasn’t because I was ready to let him go. It was because I was finally ready to let myself go. I wanted to rescue the version of myself that had been locked away in that dark room for two long years. I wanted to pull her out and let her feel the sunlight again. 0When we got back to the apartment, I walked straight to the bedroom. I opened the closet, pulled out a suitcase, and began packing. Just a few clothes, a few important documents. Ethan stood in the doorway, watching my every move, the tension in the air thick enough to chill the room. “I told you I’ll change. What more do you want?” “Don’t forget—we’re engaged. We’re supposed to get our marriage license soon. This isn’t the time for you to throw a tantrum.” “Can you calm down and think for a second? Where would you even go without me? Do you have anywhere to stay? Do you even know what you’re doing?” His voice grew louder, more frantic, but my hands didn’t stop moving. When I zipped up the suitcase, I paused briefly, looked him in the eye, and said quietly, “Next Friday… don’t get in your car.” Before he could respond, my phone rang. The name on the screen belonged to a long-lost friend I hadn’t spoken to in years.

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In my previous life, I didn’t realize how much Jack Shaw hated me until the moment I died. All because I slapped his precious first love, Chloe Quinn. For that, he locked me in the basement for three days and nights. I had severe claustrophobia, and in that suffocating darkness, I screamed, begged, and struggled until I finally passed out in despair. When I woke up again, I was back to the night before my wedding to Jack. This time, I didn’t hesitate—I climbed out the window and ran. Three years later, I saw Jack again at my best friend’s wedding. He was there with the same Chloe Quinn, the woman who had ruined me in my past life. When Jack saw me, his eyes filled with disdain as he sneered, towering over me like he always had: “Nina Carter, is this your new game? You think just because our horoscopes are a perfect match, I have no choice but to marry you? You ran away for three years just to play hard to get? To make me fall for you?” He leaned in, his voice laced with arrogance. “Let me make one thing clear: it’s not going to happen. I can marry you again, but don’t even think about controlling me.” “In public, you can play the part of Mrs. Shaw. But at home, you’ll always be beneath Chloe.” I didn’t respond. Instead, I smiled, grabbed the arm of the man beside me—the heir of one of the most powerful families in the city—and said sweetly: “Honey, did you hear that? Sounds like a dog barking.” The moment I called another man “honey,” Jack’s composure shattered. His eyes turned bloodshot as he roared: “Nina! Weren’t you desperate to be Mrs. Shaw? How dare you call someone else your husband?!”

At my best friend’s wedding, I had just stepped off the stage in my bridesmaid dress when my parents dragged me to a table. “Nina,” my mom scolded, “you don’t answer our calls, you ignore our texts—were you planning to cut us out of your life forever if we hadn’t come to this wedding?” Her eyes were red, tears threatening to fall. “Mom, I already told you—I’m not marrying him.” Three years ago, I ran away because I refused to marry Jack Shaw again. In my previous life, when Chloe returned from overseas, Jack blamed me for everything that had gone wrong in his life. He claimed I was the reason he couldn’t be with her, the reason his freedom was gone, the reason his life was ruined. So, when I slapped Chloe for provoking me, Jack retaliated by locking me in the basement. For three days and nights, I was consumed by darkness, hunger, and the feeling of ants crawling all over my skin. That cold, helpless despair haunted me, even after I was reborn. For three years, I stayed away from my family, unable to face them or the memories of that life. The only reason I came back was because my childhood best friend begged me to be her bridesmaid. In this life, Jack hadn’t taken over his family’s business. Instead, he had entered the entertainment industry and become a mid-tier director—successful enough to be envied by others. Chloe sat beside him, her designer dress radiating sophistication, her brightly colored hair giving her a bold, carefree look straight out of a Western fashion magazine. Their fingers were intertwined, and Chloe’s eyes were full of disdain as she glanced at me. Compared to her, I was nothing. I wore a cheap, ill-fitting bridesmaid dress, my makeup hurriedly applied by the stylist. I didn’t need to look around to know what people were thinking—the judgment and scorn in their eyes were loud enough. “Wow, Mr. Carter,” one of the guests said with a smirk, “you must be so proud. Look at Jack—he’s made it as a director without relying on his family. And Nina’s been in the big city for three years now, hasn’t she? Surely she’s accomplished something too… right?” Another chimed in, shaking their head with a tut: “Nina, you’re being so stubborn. What’s wrong with Jack? The Shaw family has so much money. Marrying him would mean a life of luxury, and your parents could even get a nice dowry out of it. What’s there to complain about?” A woman across the table laughed and added, “Jack’s not even the type to mess around. He only has eyes for Chloe. So what if he likes to keep her around? You’re not as good as Chloe in any way, but at least you’d get to be Mrs. Shaw. Isn’t that enough?”

The voices around me grew louder, each person chiming in with their unsolicited opinions. To them, my marriage was nothing more than a transaction, a business deal where I was the product. And yet, Jack Shaw’s eyes never left me. For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw a trace of longing. Longing? I couldn’t help but laugh. In my previous life, Jack once told me I was the best woman he had ever met, that marrying me was his greatest fortune. I believed him. I poured my heart and soul into our marriage, into his family. But in the end, I found out the truth—he married me because his parents told him our horoscopes matched perfectly, that I would bring good fortune to his family. When I lay dying, he screamed at me, blaming me for ruining his life, for keeping him from Chloe Quinn, his true love. Now, in this new life, the very idea that he might feel anything other than relief that he didn’t marry me was laughable. Turning to the table, I forced a polite smile and spoke in a calm, measured tone. “Uncles, aunts, Jack already has someone he loves. Marrying me was a lie—a sham. That’s fraud, you know, and fraud is illegal. This isn’t the 1800s anymore. Even if you drag me to some ancestral hall, it won’t work. Besides…” I paused, my smile sharpening. “I’m already married.” Jack’s expression shifted from shock to disbelief, then finally to a mocking sneer. “Nina Carter, three years away, and you’ve learned how to lie so effortlessly? I know I’m the best man you’ve ever had access to. You can’t have me, so now you’re inventing some imaginary husband?” Beside him, Chloe leaned against his shoulder, her gaze dripping with condescension and hostility. “Miss Carter,” she said smoothly, her voice exuding false sophistication, “I’m not like you. I don’t define my worth by finding a man to marry. I have my own career and my own freedom. Jack and I are both free spirits, dedicated to a life without constraints. I’m not here to threaten your position—you’ll always be Mrs. Shaw. But let’s be real: you can’t shake what Jack and I have.” She tilted her head, her tone turning patronizing. “Look, Jack only married you to keep his family happy. Consider the dowry your compensation. And if you want, I can even offer you a job at my company. At least that way, you’ll get a glimpse of a world far beyond anything you’ve ever known.” Her words dripped with elegance and confidence, painting a picture of glamorous galas, exclusive auctions, and a life of freedom. But I knew better. Not once had I seen her name on any invitation list to the kind of events she claimed to frequent. I raised an eyebrow and turned to Jack. This was the independent, worldly woman he admired so much? Jack’s expression was a mix of discomfort and pride. “Chloe’s a jewelry designer,” he said, his voice tinged with arrogance. “That’s something you could never achieve, Nina. Look at your hands—they’re so rough. What are you doing with your life now? Still working as a reporter?” I nodded, unbothered by his insult. In my previous life, I had given up my career for him, abandoning opportunities to work with top mentors and eventually burying myself in the demands of his household. But in this life, I embraced my freedom, taking on the assignments no one else dared to touch. My hands bore the marks of hard work, but I felt no shame. Seeing my silent nod, Chloe let out a laugh, covering her mouth as if to stifle it. “Miss Carter, as long as you don’t cling to Jack after your divorce, I’ll have him send you $1,000 a month as support. That’s generous enough, isn’t it?” She wrapped her arms around Jack’s, her posture exuding triumph. To her, I was nothing more than a disposable servant she was graciously offering to pay off. The others at the table jumped in, their words dripping with mockery. “Being a reporter sounds fancy, but what’s the monthly pay? $500? $1,000, tops? Nina, are you even able to afford food for yourself out there?” “Women like you are better off finding a husband. What’s the point of struggling when you’ll just end up starving on your own? It’s a good thing the Shaw family is so generous. Otherwise, if you ended up in debt, your parents wouldn’t be able to bail you out.” Their ridicule grew louder, more cutting, and my parents’ faces turned dark with anger and embarrassment. Just as I was about to respond, a new voice cut through the noise. “Are you people mocking Miss Carter?” The room fell silent. Jack shot up from his chair as if spring-loaded. “Mr. Walters!” he exclaimed, his tone turning ingratiating in an instant. “What brings you here? Are you here to discuss a collaboration with my father? It’s such an honor to have you here!” Jack’s smile stretched wide, oozing flattery. After all, Mr. Walters was one of the most powerful figures in the capital—a man the Shaw family couldn’t even dream of currying favor with. But Mr. Walters ignored him completely. “I’m here because I happened to see Miss Carter.” I quickly stepped in, cutting him off before he could say more. “Mr. Walters, it’s an honor to see you again. The interview I conducted with you has already been finalized and submitted to the paper.” I stood up, subtly positioning myself between him and Jack. This was my best friend’s wedding, and my parents were here. I didn’t want to cause a scene. Turning to Jack, I met his gaze head-on. “Jack, I’m never going to marry you. I told you—I’m already married. My husband will be here to pick me up soon.” Mr. Walters seemed to understand my intentions. He glanced toward the door and said, “The heir to the Hayes family is stopping by to discuss business. I’m just here to check in before his arrival.”

The moment the name “Hayes family heir” was mentioned, the room fell into stunned silence. Everyone stood up, their faces filled with nervous excitement. “Mr. Walters,” Jack Shaw said eagerly, rubbing his hands together. “Could you do me a favor and introduce me later? Just a quick word with him would mean so much—” Mr. Walters gave him a polite but insincere smile. “Mr. Shaw, I think you should focus on sorting out your personal affairs first.” As his words landed, Jack turned to me, his expression immediately darkening. Pointing his finger at me, he began to shout, his voice full of anger and frustration. “Nina Carter! Don’t think you can just rely on that nonsense about our horoscopes matching to manipulate me! You’ve been lying through your teeth, making up some story about being married. Where’s the marriage certificate, huh? Show it to me!” His voice grew louder, his tone more accusatory. “You’re just trying to control me, trying to stop me from being with Chloe. Well, guess what? It’s not going to happen! If you’re so determined not to marry me, fine—I’ll take back the dowry tomorrow!” At that, my parents panicked. They immediately began apologizing to Jack while scolding me at the same time. “Nina, listen to your mother,” my mom pleaded. “I know you young women today have your own ideas, but we don’t have the luxury to be so stubborn.” “The Shaw family is offering five million dollars and a shopping mall as part of the dowry! You can’t just throw away your future over some silly idea you got from the Internet!” My dad’s face was grim, his tone sharp. “Think about your life, Nina. You’re not going to find a better offer than this!” I looked at them, their faces a mix of worry and anger, and my heart sank. Their desperation reminded me of my past life. In my previous life, Jack and I had once been… happy, or so I thought. But it was the kind of “happiness” that felt more like a performance, something we put on for his parents. Behind closed doors, he lived a life of indulgence while I gave up my career as a reporter to become the perfect “Mrs. Shaw.” I believed him when he said he loved me. I sacrificed everything for him, becoming the dutiful wife everyone expected me to be. But it all fell apart the moment Chloe Quinn came back into his life. He told me that women like Chloe—vibrant, passionate, full of life—were what real women should be. And me? He said I was nothing more than a rotting piece of driftwood, a coffin for his dreams. He blamed me for ruining his life, for making him feel like he was staring at death every time he looked at me. In the end, he resented me so much that he became violent, lashing out when I refused to fund his vacations with Chloe. My parents told me to endure it. And when he locked me in the basement for three days, they told me it was my fault for upsetting him. I died filled with hatred for him and for myself. This time, I wasn’t going to let history repeat itself. “I really am married,” I said calmly. I took out my marriage certificate and placed it on the table. My parents gasped, jumping to their feet in shock. “Where’s the dowry?” my mom cried. “Did you run off with some lowlife? You didn’t even get a dowry, and you call this a marriage? How am I supposed to explain this to the Shaw family?” “Five million and a factory, Nina!” my dad added, his voice shaking with frustration. “You need to divorce whoever this is and come with us to apologize to the Shaws immediately!” I stared at them, their words blurring together. In their eyes, I wasn’t their daughter. I was just a price tag—five million dollars and a factory. The people around us laughed mockingly, their disdain obvious. “Nina, come on. Don’t make your parents worry so much. Did you get involved in something shady out there?” “Look at this marriage certificate. It looks so cheap and fake—it’s probably just something she printed out to fool us.” But Jack wasn’t laughing. He stormed over to the table, grabbed the certificate, and ripped it to shreds. “Nina Carter, you’ve really outdone yourself this time,” he snarled. “You’ll fake a marriage certificate just to try and trick me?!” Chloe’s eyes flickered with jealousy, but she quickly masked it with a smug smile. “Jack, it’s just a horoscope match. There are plenty of other women born under the same stars. She’s nothing but a good-luck charm. Let’s just focus on greeting the Hayes family heir, okay?” Before Jack could respond, the hotel manager entered, followed by a team of bodyguards who quickly cleared a path through the crowd. Jack leaned closer to me, lowering his voice. “Nina, you think you can just run away because of some horoscope nonsense? Do you think playing hard to get will make me fall for you? “Let me tell you something—it’s not going to happen. “Agree to the marriage now, and I’ll take you back. But don’t even dream of controlling me. In public, you can be Mrs. Shaw. But at home, you’ll always be beneath Chloe.” Before he could say more, the crowd parted, and the heir to the Hayes family, Nathan Hayes, walked in. Jack eagerly stretched out his hand, only for the bodyguards to block him. Nathan ignored him completely, his sharp eyes scanning the room until they landed on me. He walked over, his expression softening. “Nina,” he said quietly, his voice full of complaint. “You said you were just here to be a bridesmaid for your best friend’s wedding.” I glanced at him, feeling a little guilty. “I was,” I replied, my voice soft. “You’ve never even worn a wedding dress for me,” he muttered, his lips forming a slight pout. Nathan Hayes, the cold and distant heir everyone feared, was now standing in front of me, looking like a sulking puppy. I quickly turned to my parents, pulling them closer. “Mom, Dad, this is my husband, Nathan Hayes.” My parents’ expressions shifted rapidly—from anger to shock, and finally to a fawning smile. They stared at our intertwined hands, their disbelief written all over their faces. Jack, however, completely lost it. He stormed over, his face red with fury. “Nina Carter! Did you blackmail Nathan Hayes into this? Did you dig up some dirt on him to force this marriage?!” His voice rose, filled with desperation. “You’re supposed to be my wife! How could he possibly want someone like you?!”

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I was handing out flyers when I spotted my girlfriend, Sophie, making out with the campus heartthrob, Henry, in a flashy sports car. Her clothes were disheveled, and the scene was anything but innocent. I knocked on the car window. Henry glanced at Sophie and asked, “Who’s that?” Sophie, lying in his arms, smirked and said, “Just some pathetic loser. If you want, I’ll break up with him right now.” She kissed him again, got out of the car without even sparing me a glance, and walked away. Henry licked his lips—where Sophie had just kissed him—and sneered at me. “Leave, dude. A beauty like her only belongs to guys who can handle her.” I stayed calm and asked, “I don’t care about the girlfriend. But tell me—why are you sitting in my car?” The smug look on his face vanished. He stared at me, confused. “What do you mean, your car?” I opened the glove compartment and pulled out the registration. “See this? My name’s on it. So, what are you doing in my car? You planning to steal it? Should I call the cops?” Henry’s face turned bright red. He scrambled out of the car and stammered, “Don’t call the police! My dad owns a repair shop. I saw this car parked at the shop and thought it looked cool, so I borrowed it for a drive. Please, don’t report me!” I raised my voice. “Borrowed? This is stealing! Since when does a repair shop let people take customers’ cars for joyrides?” Hanging his head, he muttered, “I’m sorry, man.” I sighed, trying to stay composed. “Let’s check the car for damage first.” He stayed silent while I inspected it. Sure enough, the hood had a noticeable dent. I glared at him. “What happened here?” He panicked and quickly blurted, “It wasn’t me! Your girlfriend sat on the hood to take selfies. She even posted them all over her social media—there’s your proof!” I pulled out my phone to check, but her posts were nowhere to be found. Henry handed me his phone. “She blocked you. Look at my feed.” Sure enough, there it was—photos of Sophie posing provocatively on the hood of my car, captioned with suggestive emojis. I smirked. “Well, these photos will make great evidence. You two better get ready for a court summons.” Henry’s face turned pale. “How much will this cost me?” I shrugged. “Probably around $15,000.” His jaw dropped. “But it was her who caused the damage! Why do I have to pay?” I rolled my eyes. “You don’t know how the law works, huh? You were both involved, so you’re both responsible. Looks like your dad’s repair shop won’t be making a profit this year.” The so-called campus heartthrob—a grown man—burst into tears. “That stupid girl! I told her this car had a carbon fiber hood! High-end cars like this need to warm up before you can sit on them. But no, she jumped on it right away to take her stupid selfies! My parents work so hard, and now I’m screwed because of her!” I climbed into my car and called an appraiser to assess the damage. I didn’t have the patience to keep listening to him cry. As I was about to roll up the window, he wailed, “Why are you the rich one? Sophie said you were just some poor loser handing out flyers for a living!” I glanced at him. “I wasn’t handing out flyers for someone else. Those businesses on Main Street? They’re mine. I was promoting my own stores.” He was speechless. I shut the window, cutting him off mid-sob. Right then, Sophie texted me: “So you saw everything. Let’s break up. Don’t blame me—it’s not my fault your parents couldn’t give you a better life. I’d rather cry in a Lamborghini than laugh on your bicycle!” I paused to think. Since I own both the Lamborghini and the bicycle, should she be crying or laughing? I decided to reply with: “See you in court.” But when I tried to send the message, I realized she had already blocked me. Seriously? She blocked me? The audacity! She owes me $10,000 for the repairs! Furious, I stormed into her dorm building. I didn’t care that it was the women’s dorm—I was getting my money. It was mid-morning, so most of the students were in class. The dorm was quiet as I made my way to her room. Just as I raised my hand to knock, I heard voices from inside. “Did you really do what I told you to?” a girl asked. Sophie replied, “Yeah. I told him I was on birth control.” The other girl sounded excited. “Good! I tracked your ovulation, so this is the perfect time. If you get pregnant, you’ll secure a future with him. Once you’re pregnant, he won’t have a choice—you’ll be in the family for good!” Sophie hesitated. “But what if he forces me to get an abortion?” The other girl scoffed. “Don’t worry. Once you’re pregnant, we’ll make sure he takes responsibility. You already dumped your boyfriend for him—he wouldn’t dare refuse!” I stood frozen outside the door, stunned. Sophie wasn’t just cheating. She was planning to trap Henry with a baby to marry into a wealthy family. Would she still feel so confident about her plan when she found out the car he drove was mine? I knocked on the door. When Sophie opened it and saw me, her face twisted in annoyance. “We already broke up. Why are you here? Listen, being poor is one thing, but being poor and shamelessly clingy is just disgusting.” She clearly thought I was here to beg for her back. Her two roommates—one of whom I recognized as her best friend, Jenna, who had been egging her on—stood behind her, glaring at me. Before I could respond, Jenna snapped, “Stop standing in the way of Sophie’s happiness. Let her live her best life!” I stared at them, dumbfounded. Since when was cheating in someone else’s car considered “pursuing happiness”? Back when Sophie and I first started dating, she always made snide comments. She’d say things like, “If a guy truly loves a girl, you can tell by how much he spends on her.” It didn’t help that her best friend Jenna constantly egged her on. Because of Jenna’s influence, I had spent a lot on Sophie—gifts, dinners, you name it. But today, I wasn’t here to win her back. I was here to take back what was mine. I said calmly, “Fine, we can break up. But that phone you’re using? I bought it. You should return it to me.” I didn’t mention the Lamborghini. Knowing Sophie, she’d find a way to cling to me if she knew the car was mine. For now, my priority was to get my things back. Sophie frowned, her tone icy. “Wow, you’re really that petty? Can’t you think about my feelings for once?” I stared at her, speechless. It wasn’t about being petty. She had betrayed me—why would I care about her feelings? Jenna, standing nearby, suddenly laughed and covered her mouth. “Sophie, don’t you see his game? He doesn’t really care about the phone. He’s just making up excuses so you’ll feel bad and stay with him.” Sophie smirked. “Oh, I get it now. You think I can’t break up because I won’t give you back the phone, right? Well, let me remind you—I’m with someone rich now. Giving back a phone is nothing to me!” She lifted her chin proudly. Jenna chimed in, “Girl, don’t let this loser intimidate you. I looked up the price of the campus heartthrob’s Lamborghini—it’s worth millions. Buying you a new phone would be pocket change for him!” Sophie chuckled. “Fine, I’ll give you your phone back. But let me make one last call. I’ll show you why I’m leaving you—for someone way out of your league.” I figured she was talking about Henry. Funny—when I dropped my car off at his dad’s repair shop, his dad had complained about struggling to afford rent. Sophie dialed his number, and Jenna urged her, “Put it on speaker! Let him hear the difference between a real man and a broke one.” Sophie nodded, clearly eager to show off. She turned on the speakerphone. The moment the call connected, Sophie’s voice turned soft and sweet. “Babe, my ex is here trying to make me give back the phone he bought me. Without it, how will I contact you?” But instead of sympathy, Henry’s voice roared through the speaker: “You crazy b**! Don’t you dare call me again! If I ever see you, I’ll beat the crap out of you!”** The line went dead. Sophie and Jenna were stunned. For a moment, no one spoke. Jenna was the first to recover. Furious, she grabbed a book from her bed and hurled it at me. “This is your fault! You must’ve said something about her behind her back!” Sophie’s face turned red with anger. “Yeah! He wasn’t like this before. You must’ve trashed me to him! You’re disgusting!” I sighed, exasperated. “I didn’t say a word about you. Just give me my stuff back.” Sophie shouted, “If you didn’t badmouth me, why would he treat me like this?” I rolled my eyes. It wasn’t rocket science. Sophie’s photos of her posing provocatively on the hood of my car had caused thousands of dollars in damage. Henry, who borrowed the car from his dad’s shop, was now saddled with debt. Of course, he was furious. Jenna sneered. “See, Sophie? This is why I told you to go for Henry. I could tell this guy was a spineless coward who’d only play dirty behind your back. He’s pathetic!” I turned to her. “So, you encouraged her to cheat on me? You’re admitting it?” Jenna rolled her eyes. “Cheating? Please. I was helping my best friend escape a dead-end relationship. What kind of friend would let her marry someone like you? She’ll thank me for this someday.” Sophie crossed her arms impatiently. “Fine, you can have the phone back. But I have one condition—you go apologize to Henry. Admit you lied about me and clear my name.” Jenna added, “Yeah, even if you have to get on your knees and beg, you owe Sophie an apology!” I took the phone from Sophie’s hand and said, “I’m not apologizing for something I didn’t do. And we’re not done here—I want everything else you owe me.” I walked into the room, sat at her desk, and started calculating. Gifts, money transfers—everything I had ever given her during our relationship. Sophie protested, “My friends are here. Do you really have to humiliate me like this? We were in love once—can’t you let me keep my dignity?” Ignoring her, I kept adding up the numbers. Jenna snapped a picture of me and smirked. “Wow, I’ve never seen a more pathetic man. I’m posting this to my story so everyone knows how disgusting you are.” I thought she was bluffing until I checked my phone. Sure enough, she had posted my photo with the caption: “Ladies, beware of broke guys. The poorer they are, the more entitled they feel. My bestie’s ex is harassing her right now—so creepy!” I frowned and said, “Why do you keep throwing around words like ‘poor’ and ‘rich’ in a personal matter between us? You might as well tattoo ‘gold digger’ on your forehead.” Jenna smirked. “Yeah, I’m a gold digger. So what? Do you even have the right to criticize me? If you were rich, you’d be the one lecturing me right now, not the other way around. But look at you—what have you accomplished?” She got more heated as she spoke and walked over to the window, pointing outside. “Rich men drive Lamborghinis worth millions, focused on their careers and ambitions. Meanwhile, broke losers like you sit here doing math, making the girls who once loved them feel sick.” Another roommate finally spoke up, clearly uncomfortable. “Sophie, maybe you should just pay him back. You were in the wrong here.” Sophie’s face darkened. “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you taking his side now?” Jenna jumped in immediately, her voice dripping with mockery. “Oh, it’s obvious, isn’t it? She’s jealous. You’ve got a boyfriend with a Lamborghini, and she can’t stand it, so she’s trying to undermine you.” The roommate’s face turned red. “You’re making things up! That’s not true!” I knew this girl—her name was Sarah. She was a scholarship student from a low-income family. I remembered her because, once, Sophie had asked me to buy desserts for everyone in her dorm to show off. Sarah was the only one who refused, saying she didn’t want to accept something she hadn’t earned. That left a strong impression on me. Sophie sighed dramatically. “Sarah, I know you’ve had it hard—you’re here on student loans and scholarships. I get that you resent rich people. But you know what’s more important than grades? Character.” Sarah’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you saying I don’t have character?” I blinked, stunned. Sarah was one of the most hardworking, self-respecting people I knew. And Sophie? Sophie had just been making out with another guy in my car while I was still technically her boyfriend. And she thought Sarah was the one lacking character? Jenna sneered. “I know girls like you, Sarah. You know Sophie broke up with him, and now you’re trying to play the nice, innocent one to win his favor. You don’t even aim high—you know you can’t land a guy with a Lamborghini, so you’re settling for this flyer boy with his $3,000-a-month gig.” Sarah’s fists clenched as she stood up, her voice shaking with anger. “I work as a tutor and make $2,000 a month on my own! I don’t need to stoop so low!” Jenna rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. To you, even crumbs are a feast. Don’t think I didn’t see you yesterday picking rice off the table and eating it. Girls like you are so pathetic you don’t even care how low you go.” Sarah’s eyes filled with tears. “It fell on the table, not the floor! What’s so pathetic about that?” “Enough!” Sophie’s shout cut through the tension. She slammed her phone down on the desk and turned to me. “You’re making me look bad. My biggest regret is dating you. Just finish calculating whatever you’re owed so I can go explain things to my new boyfriend.” Jenna jumped in immediately. “Don’t worry, Sophie. I’ll go with you. Once you clear things up, the rumors will die, and you’ll still be his little princess.” I ignored them both and kept working on the numbers. Of course, I didn’t include the cost of repairing the car—I didn’t want Sophie trying to worm her way back into my life to avoid paying. After calculating everything, I finally had the total: $1,800. I stared at the number, dumbfounded. Dating someone had cost me $1,800. I could barely believe it. My monthly expenses were only a few hundred dollars. It wasn’t until I totaled it all up that I realized how much I had spent. Sophie and Jenna were just as stunned. They were students—where were they going to find that kind of money? At first, they didn’t believe me. They double-checked my math, but eventually, they had to accept the amount was correct. Sophie looked uneasy. “$1,800… I don’t have that kind of money right now.” Jenna, however, wasn’t fazed. “Don’t back down, Sophie. I’ll help you pay him back. How you handle this loser will determine how your new boyfriend sees you. Even if we have to take out a loan, we’ll pay him back. You need to cut ties with this broke guy completely if you ever want to marry into wealth.” Sophie hesitated but eventually nodded. “Fine. We’ll figure out how to borrow the money. I can’t let my parents find out, though—they’d kill me.” I almost laughed. If $1,800 was enough to make her parents furious, what would they do when they saw the $10,000 repair bill for the Lamborghini? Sophie and Jenna scrambled to contact people and borrow money. To my surprise, they managed to raise it quickly. Their classmates chipped in—$200 here, $300 there—until they had over $800. Sophie was thrilled. “Wow, I have such great friends. Everyone’s willing to lend me money.” Jenna grinned. “It’s because of your selfies. Everyone sees you posing on a multi-million-dollar sports car. They probably think this is pocket change for you!” Sophie’s eyes lit up. She turned to me and said, “See? This is what real charm looks like. When you’re with a man who commands admiration, people naturally want to help you. If I were still with you, do you think anyone would lend me money in a pinch?” Jenna snorted. “Forget emergencies. Being with him is a disaster in itself.” Eventually, they managed to gather a little over $800.There was still $1,000 left to cover. Jenna bit her lip and said, “I know someone who works the streets—he can lend me the money. But if we can’t pay it back, things will get ugly.” Sophie hesitated, looking worried. “What happens if we can’t repay him?” Jenna waved it off. “Don’t worry about that. Your new boyfriend is loaded. A thousand bucks is nothing to him.” Jenna quickly called her “connection,” a shady-looking guy who was clearly a private loan shark. Without hesitation, he handed over the $1,000. Once they had scraped together the full amount, Sophie shoved the money into my hands and threw her phone at me. “There! Are you happy now? Get out of my life and never come back!” I nodded, then turned to Sarah, Sophie’s quiet roommate, and said, “Can you come with me for a moment?” Sarah looked startled, clearly confused as to why I was asking her to step out. Jenna sneered. “I knew it! These two have been sneaking around behind your back, Sophie. The moment you pay him off, he’s already moving on to your leftovers.” I sighed. The reason I needed Sarah’s help was simple—she worked on the student council and had access to the dorm directory. If I was going to send Sophie’s family an official court summons, I needed her home address. Blushing furiously, Sarah lowered her head and followed me out of the room. Jenna jeered after us. “You really are pathetic, Sarah. Going after Sophie’s castoffs? What, is that all you think you’re worth?” Sarah’s voice trembled with frustration. “I don’t have any interest in him!” Jenna scoffed. “Oh, please. Stop playing innocent. You’re just a wannabe trying to climb out of poverty. Girls like you don’t even have standards. You’re probably thrilled to even be noticed by someone who hands out flyers for a living.” Sophie added, her voice dripping with disdain, “Honestly, I’m glad I broke up with him. He’s all yours now. Let me give you some advice: trash goes with trash. Enjoy your happily-ever-after.” Once Sarah and I were in the hallway, she turned to me, her voice soft but serious. “I wasn’t standing up for you because I like you or anything. I just couldn’t stand how awful they were being. I don’t have time for romance—I’m focusing on my studies and tutoring to make ends meet.” I nodded. “I know. Between scholarships and part-time jobs, you barely have time to sleep, let alone date.” She gave me a curious look. “Then why did you call me out here?” I explained, “I know you have access to the dorm directory. I need Sophie’s home address. Can you share it with me?” Sarah froze, clearly alarmed. “What are you planning? Please don’t do anything reckless!” She grabbed my arm, her eyes wide with concern. “Look, I get it—you’re upset. But don’t let their behavior ruin your future. You’re better than this.” Her words caught me off guard. Did she honestly think I was planning to do something extreme? Realizing she was still holding my arm, Sarah quickly let go, her cheeks flushing red. “You’re hardworking, ambitious—you deserve better. Ten years from now, Sophie will regret the choices she’s making today. I’m sure of it.” I smirked. “It won’t take ten years. The repair shop is already assessing the damage to my car. If Sophie’s family lives nearby, they’ll be getting the repair bill soon enough.” Sarah blinked, confused. “What car?” I smiled. “The Lamborghini. It’s mine.” Her jaw dropped. I explained the whole story, from Sophie’s betrayal to Jenna’s insults, and how the car they thought belonged to Sophie’s “rich boyfriend” was actually mine. Sarah stared at me in shock, as if she couldn’t process what she was hearing. It wasn’t until I showed her the registration that she finally believed me. When she went to get the dorm directory, she looked like she was still in a daze, as if she were walking on air. Moments later, Sarah sent me Sophie’s address. To my surprise, her family lived just a few miles from the repair shop. What a coincidence. I called the shop, and they assured me they’d deliver the repair estimate to Sophie’s house within ten minutes. But then I remembered something important: Sophie had given me back the phone I’d bought her. How was I supposed to contact her later if I needed to follow up? Reluctantly, I decided to return the phone—for now. When I walked back into the dorm room, Sophie rolled her eyes. “Why are you here again?” I held out the phone. “You don’t have a phone anymore, so you can borrow this for a couple of days.” Jenna clutched her chest dramatically, pretending to gag. “I knew it! He’s just trying to weasel his way back into your life. This is all part of his pathetic act—he wants to play the ‘will they, won’t they’ game with you.” Sophie snapped. “Do you think I’m stupid? Stop following me around! You’re making me look bad in front of my friends!” Just then, Jenna’s phone started ringing. She frowned as she looked at the screen. “That’s weird, Sophie. Why are your parents calling me?” I froze. Wow, the repair shop was quick—looks like Sophie’s parents couldn’t reach her, so they called Jenna instead. Sophie grabbed the phone and answered, “Mom? What’s going on?” She didn’t put the call on speaker, but her mom’s furious yelling was loud enough for all of us to hear: “Don’t call me ‘Mom’! Do you even know how much your dad and I make? You’ve completely ruined us!” Sophie was dumbfounded by the sudden outburst. “What did I do wrong? What happened?” Clutching the phone, she walked to the corner of the dorm. But as the conversation went on, her face turned pale, and suddenly, she burst into tears. Jenna rushed over. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Sobbing, Sophie choked out, “Now I know why he’s so mad at me! I dented his car hood, and now he’s making my family pay for it! The repair estimate is $13,700! Where are we supposed to get that kind of money?” Jenna was stunned. “How does that even make sense? You just sat on it—how could it dent?” Sophie wiped her tears. “The bill already got sent to my parents. My mom said she’s forwarding me the photo of it. I’m supposed to check my phone.” Her legs wobbled as she collapsed onto her bed, too distraught to stand. Jenna bit her lip and said, “Don’t panic. I might have an idea.” Sophie sniffled. “What idea?” Jenna leaned in closer. “The only thing that might save you now is if you’re pregnant. If you have his baby, do you think he’d still have the guts to ask for the repair fees?” Sophie’s eyes widened, and then she nodded quickly. “You’re right! Even if he doesn’t care about me, he’d care about the baby, right?” Jenna got more excited. “Exactly! And if he still dares to ask, we’ll go to his family and make a scene!” Sophie sighed deeply. “I was hoping to use the baby to marry into a rich family, but now it looks like I’ll just be trading it for car repairs.” Jenna patted her shoulder. “Hey, $13,700 isn’t nothing. That’s two years of your parents’ salaries! And who says you still can’t marry rich? If his parents want to save face, they might even insist on a wedding. Forget the repair fees—they might give you a new car!” Listening to this nonsense, I debated for a brief moment whether I should warn Sophie. Her plan to use a baby for leverage wouldn’t stop my parents from collecting the repair fees. I started to speak. “Uh, actually—” Before I could finish, Sophie shot me a death glare and stomped over. She yanked the phone from my hand and snapped, “Shut up. Just leave. I don’t even want to hear your voice right now—you’re making my bad day even worse!” Jenna chimed in, her voice dripping with disdain. “Yeah, can’t you take a hint? We’re trying to figure out how to fix things with Henry. Why don’t you just get lost already?” I hesitated. “Maybe it’s better if you check the repair bill first—” Jenna cut me off with an angry yell. “Leave! Go! You’re such a loser. If you keep hanging around Sophie, we’ll accuse you of harassment and see you in court!” I shrugged. Fair enough. We’d already be seeing each other in court anyway. Sophie was already sending a voice message to Henry: “Please, can you come to the dorm? I just want to talk. I’m begging you.” Henry replied almost immediately. Sophie hit play, and his voice came through loud and clear: “Fine, you crazy b**. I’ll meet you downstairs. I’ve got some things to say to you, too.”** Sophie lowered the phone, her expression uneasy. “Do you think he’ll forgive me?” Jenna reassured her. “Just go down and beg him. I’ll go with you. Together, we’ll smooth things over.” She helped Sophie to her feet and shot me a nasty look. “Move, loser. Out of the way!” I ignored her and headed for the stairs. As I reached the ground floor, Sarah caught up with me. Sophie and Jenna walked past us, keeping their distance from Sarah like she was contagious. Sarah glanced at me nervously. “Are you really going to make Sophie pay that much money?” I shrugged. “I’m not going to scam her. She’ll pay exactly what she owes. But…” Sarah tilted her head. “But what?” I smirked. “I think they’re about to realize they’ve been begging the wrong person. Things might get… awkward.” When we got outside, Henry was already there. But something was off. He was standing by the curb, sniffling, his face streaked with tears. Most notably, there was a bright red handprint on his cheek. I couldn’t help but chuckle. If I had to guess, he’d already told his dad about the car damage and received some “tough love” in the form of a slap. Sophie and Jenna stopped in their tracks, stunned by what they were seeing. Jenna frowned and said, “This can’t be real. His family is rich—why is he crying like this over some car repairs?” Sophie hesitated. “Maybe he really loves that car. When we went out, he was always so careful with it, treating it like a treasure.” Jenna sighed. “They say a man’s car is his second wife. Guess that’s true.” I rolled my eyes. I don’t love my car like a wife. But of course, he had to be careful—it wasn’t even his car. It was mine. Sophie rushed over to him, putting on her most pitiful expression. “Baby, let me explain, please.” He snapped, “Explain to your grandma, you stupid b**!”** Before anyone could react, Henry completely lost it. He grabbed Sophie by the hair and slapped her hard across the face. Both Sophie and Jenna were too shocked to respond. Jenna rushed forward, trying to break them apart, while Sophie whimpered, “Baby, if you’re mad, just hit me. It’s my fault. I’ll do anything to make it up to you. I swear!” “I don’t want your apologies!” Fuming, Henry punched Sophie in the face, over and over. That’s when it finally sank in—this wasn’t just a tantrum. He was genuinely furious. The other students standing nearby were stunned into silence. Just moments ago, Sophie had stepped out of the Lamborghini, basking in the admiration of her peers. Now, she was being publicly humiliated, her hair yanked, her face punched repeatedly. Jenna screamed, “You’re going too far! She’s a girl, for god’s sake!” Henry didn’t care. His punches landed hard, and one of them even knocked out Sophie’s front tooth. Sophie spat out a mouthful of blood, staring at the tooth in disbelief. Panicking, she bent down to pick it up, crying, “Stop hitting me! My tooth! Jenna, go get some milk! We need to save it!” I couldn’t help but chuckle. “She’s actually right. If you put a knocked-out tooth in milk quickly enough, it might be possible to reattach it.” Sarah turned to me, her face pale. “Are you… laughing at her?” I shook my head. “Of course not. We used to date. Seeing her like this hurts me too.” Sarah narrowed her eyes. “Then why are you smiling?” I shrugged. “I just like to smile. They say people who smile a lot have good luck.”

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Rumors were swirling through high society that the Song family’s eldest daughter had gone mad. The once proud rose had now become Aiden Foster’s lapdog. With just one phone call from him, I would rush to his side, even if it meant delivering condoms for him and another woman. I would sprint there, even if I got into a car accident on the way and ended up bloodied and bruised. I would still make it to his side as quickly as possible. All just to make him remember me. The last thing he said to me was: “Disgusting.” In the end, I couldn’t wait for Aiden Foster to remember me. I sat on the window sill, staring blankly outside, clutching the diagnosis paper tightly in my hand. Suddenly, my phone rang, breaking the silence in the room. Seeing “Aiden” flashing on the screen, tears welled up in my eyes. I gripped the phone tightly as I answered, my fingertips turning white from the pressure, as if holding on tighter could grasp that fleeting, intangible hope. “Bring a box of condoms to room 1908 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.” Aiden’s voice came through the phone, his tone icy cold, devoid of any warmth. A stabbing pain gnawed at my stomach, and my hand holding the phone trembled uncontrollably. “Okay,” I responded with a bitter smile. Maybe this time he would remember me? I forced myself to ignore the churning in my stomach and dragged my heavy legs out the door, stumbling as I went. Each step I took required all the strength I had left. And with each step, my heart was torn into even smaller pieces. As I crossed the street, my vision blurred from the pain in my stomach. The noise from the surrounding traffic became muffled until a sharp, piercing screech of brakes suddenly rang out. Then, a tremendous force knocked me to the ground. Everything went black in an instant. Warm blood trickled down my cheeks, and I was terrified. A year ago, Aiden had also been knocked unconscious by a car, and when he woke up, he had forgotten me. No, I can’t forget Aiden! I trembled as I pushed myself up from the ground, struggling to stand. I wiped the blood from my face with a shaky hand. Everything was a blur of red, and I could barely make out the outline of a car nearby. Stumbling on unsteady feet, like a soulless puppet, I hailed a cab and weakly gave the hotel address. At that moment, my heart was numb, left only with deep pain and that ridiculous obsession. When I appeared at the door of the hotel room Aiden had mentioned, looking utterly disheveled, the door was ajar, and I could hear a woman’s coy laughter from inside. I took a deep breath, steadying my swaying form, and pushed the door open with trembling hands. I didn’t have the courage to walk in, so I just stood in the entryway and called out weakly, “Aiden…” Aiden got up from the woman, and when he saw me, his brows furrowed into a knot, his eyes filled with undisguised disgust. “What took you so long?” He carelessly tossed a red bill at me like he was throwing away trash, impatiently urging, “Stand outside, don’t dirty the place!” At that moment, my heart was shattered by Aiden’s cruel words. I stepped back with tears in my eyes, standing outside the door. My voice trembled, carrying a hint of pathetic hope as I asked, “Aiden, do you… really not remember who I am?” “Well, if it isn’t Scarlett Song, the top socialite!” The woman in the room came out wearing a sexy, fiery red dress. She looked at me with contempt and said, “Why have you made yourself look like this? It’s quite frightening!” She then pretended to be scared and threw herself into Aiden’s arms. This woman wasn’t the same one who had been with Aiden last time, but they shared one thing in common – she was also wearing my favorite red dress. It seemed Aiden had changed women again, but she was just another shadow of me. “Aiden, you’re with her, but you must still love me, right?” Why else would every new girlfriend be a reflection of me? Aiden frowned impatiently, as if shooing away an annoying fly. “Leave quickly, you’re an eyesore.” He then wrapped his arm around the woman’s waist and walked back inside, lowering his head to kiss her ear. “Baby, let’s get down to business.” He spoke loudly enough for me to hear. I knew he was saying it for my benefit. Even though he humiliated me like this, I still clung to a sliver of hope, thinking that next time, maybe next time he would remember me.

I had just hung up the phone with the doctor when I received a SnapChat from Aiden: “I’m having a party at my place today. Come over now.” Looking at Aiden’s tone, it wasn’t as cold as before. Could it be that Aiden had regained his memory? I carefully dressed up to hide the weakness showing on my face, not wanting Aiden to worry about my illness. I put on the red dress I loved to wear when I was younger. Aiden used to say red suited me best. When I arrived at Aiden’s house, he was laughing and playing with a group of friends in the garden. They were holding wine glasses, their laughter and chatter filling the air. “Aiden, do you remember me now?” My arrival brought their laughter to an abrupt halt. Aiden walked towards me, backlit and holding a hoe. “We’re having a party tonight, and there are too many weeds in the garden. Clean them up.” “What…” I staggered back a step, unable to believe what I was hearing. “Oh my, Miss Song dressed up so nicely to do some yard work?” A slender figure in a fiery red dress walked over, linking her arm with Aiden’s. He had changed women again. “What are you standing there for? Do I need to teach you how to pull weeds?” Aiden handed me the hoe, his tone harsh and brooking no argument. I looked at Aiden’s face. This man used to not even let me throw away trash when we went shopping. In an instant, my eyes filled with tears. I swallowed my humiliation, took the hoe, and bent down to start weeding. The sun blazed overhead, and soon sweat had soaked through my hair and dress. I clumsily swung the hoe up and down, the pain in my lower abdomen growing more intense. Aiden stood nearby, drinking and chatting with his friends. Occasionally, I could hear their deliberately raised voices mocking me. “I heard that the Song family’s eldest daughter has gone mad, like she’s obsessed. The once proud rose has now become Foster’s doormat.” “Yeah! The high and mighty socialite, with just one word from Foster, is obediently doing the work of a servant.” … I looked towards Aiden. He just held that woman, saying nothing. Backlit as he was, I couldn’t make out his expression. Did he think the same way? After finally finishing the weeding, I took a shower in Aiden’s guest bathroom. As I was debating whether to put on my sweat-soaked dress again, Aiden knocked on the bathroom door. “Wear this. I had someone throw away that other outfit.” I took the light-colored dress Aiden handed me, unsure of what he was thinking. “Hurry up and change. I have something else for you to do.” My heart swelled with hope once again.

“Aiden, what did you want me for?” “Scarlett Song, come here and pick out a suitable pair of dance shoes for my date.” I froze in place, the smile on my face instantly stiffening as my gaze fell on the broken heel of the woman in Aiden’s arms. I looked at Aiden in shock. “Aiden…” Aiden didn’t look at me. The woman gave me a challenging look. “Then please hurry, Miss Song. After all, I need to dance with Mr. Foster tonight.” I went back to the changing room. All the women’s shoes there were size 7, my shoe size. If Aiden had completely forgotten me, why would the changing room in his house be full of clothes and shoes that fit me perfectly? Aiden must still remember me! He’s only treating me like this because he lost his memory. I took a pair of high heels that matched her dress and brought them over. “Help her put them on.” Aiden held the woman tightly in his arms. He lifted her chin and kissed her right in front of me. The impact of this scene was like a bolt from the blue, shattering all the beautiful fantasies in my heart. I felt like an outsider, only able to watch helplessly as my boyfriend and another woman… But I still had a glimmer of hope in my heart. Maybe he was just acting on impulse. If he could look at me now, if he could notice the hurt in my eyes, if he could see my feelings for him, wouldn’t he stop being so cruel to me? But reality is cruel. He and that woman were inseparable, not sparing me a single glance. I walked up to them, crouched down, and lowered my head. Tears welled up in my eyes, dropping onto the surface of the high heels. I put the shoes on Aiden’s date. Aiden’s date, her face flushed and lipstick slightly smeared, nestled in Aiden’s arms and giggled, “Mr. Foster, Miss Song is so obedient!” Hearing the whispers and mocking laughter of the people around, I felt my dignity completely trampled underfoot. Along with this, waves of pain from my stomach swept through my entire body. The party was about to start. I didn’t want to stay and watch Aiden be intimate with someone else, so I found him and said, “Aiden, I’m not feeling well, so I’ll head home now. Have a good time.” “Wait a moment.” Aiden stopped me and walked towards his study. I stood there, confused, waiting for him. Aiden’s date looked at me with contempt in her eyes. “You should have some self-respect. Mr. Foster doesn’t like you anymore. What’s the point of clinging to him?” I gave her a cold look. “My relationship with Aiden is not something a passing fling like you can comment on.” Aiden came back with a somewhat worn book and handed it to me. “Take this book. Don’t take up my space anymore!” It was the sequel to “Blooming Dreams” called “Shores of Passion.” This novel was a rare edition, with only a few copies left in the world. It was something I had always wanted. I hugged the book to my chest and looked at Aiden gratefully. “Aiden, so you still remember…” I was about to say that he still remembered I liked this book, but Aiden’s date interrupted, “Mr. Foster, Miss Song insulted me while you were gone…” Aiden furrowed his brows and looked at his date with concern. “Scarlett Song, if you’re leaving, then hurry up. Stop being a nuisance!” Seeing Aiden like this, I turned and left, dejected. I kept comforting myself in my heart, maybe next time, next time he would remember me, remember all those beautiful memories we once shared. But I didn’t know how much longer I could keep up this self-deception.

Aiden invited me to his birthday party. When I saw the location, my heart skipped a beat. It was the villa he had originally planned to use as our marital home. As I stepped into the hall, the smell of alcohol and perfume hit me. The moment I appeared, Aiden’s gaze swept over to me, his eyes filled with mockery and coldness. “Scarlett, come here.” Aiden beckoned to me and patted the empty seat beside him, indicating for me to sit there. This time, there didn’t seem to be any other woman by his side. A glimmer of hope that should have been extinguished rose in my heart again. He was holding his birthday party in this villa and hadn’t brought another woman. Could it be that he remembered me? Aiden continued chatting with his friends. One of his friends jokingly said, “Foster, look at how devoted Scarlett Song is to you. Are you sure you really don’t remember anything from before?” My heart suddenly tightened. I instinctively perked up my ears, my gaze fixed on Aiden, full of expectation, hoping to hear the answer I wanted. Aiden picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and smirked, “Scarlett Song? She’s just a plaything when I’m bored! You guys really think I’d remember her?” “A year ago when I had that car accident, I forgot nothing except her. That shows she wasn’t important to me at all. Forgotten is forgotten, there’s nothing worth remembering!” These words hit my heart hard, instantly shattering that tiny, humble hope in my heart. I stared at Aiden in disbelief, as if I had never known the person before me. “But she’s done so much for you. Isn’t treating her like this a bit too much?” Another friend seemed to speak up, unable to bear it. Aiden shrugged indifferently. “It’s her choice, I didn’t force her. Every time I say something, she jumps to do it. Isn’t that perfect for keeping me entertained?” These words falling on my ears made me hurt so much I could barely breathe. So in his heart, all my efforts to win him back were just a joke. Those moments when I thought he might remember me were nothing but my own self-deception! The pain in my stomach intensified. However, Aiden seemed to think it wasn’t enough. He looked at me, his eyes flashing with malice. “But you know, if you want to be with me, there is a way.” “As the top socialite, you are indeed prettier than the other women I’ve dated, and you have a better figure too.” “If you willingly climb into my bed tonight and satisfy me, even if I can’t remember the past, I might consider officially being with you.” Aiden’s words were like a bucket of ice water poured over my head. The people around first froze, then burst into jeers and laughter. I looked at Aiden’s face, the one I used to be infatuated with, my heart filled with anger and despair. I felt the world spinning around me. The pain from my illness and the pain in my heart intertwined, almost overwhelming me. At that moment, I finally woke up completely. In this twisted relationship, I was nothing but a pitiful creature he could toy with at will. For that elusive hope of “he will remember me,” I had repeatedly put aside my dignity, enduring his humiliation. But he wasn’t my Aiden anymore. I slowly raised my head, straightening my back. Although I couldn’t control the physical pain, I didn’t want to be so weak and humble anymore. I stood up, looking down at Aiden, and said word by word: “Aiden Foster, I don’t need you to remember me anymore. My Aiden died in that car accident a year ago. This is the end between us!” Hearing my words, Aiden was stunned for a moment, his eyes flashing with a hint of panic that was barely noticeable. But soon, he regained his composure, the corner of his mouth curling into a disdainful smile. I didn’t look at him again, turning to leave. Aiden shouted behind me, “You’ll come back begging me. I know women like you too well. This playing hard to get trick, I’ve seen it all before. In a few days, you’ll be crying and begging for my forgiveness.” I didn’t turn back, just paused for a moment before continuing to walk forward resolutely.

After leaving Aiden, painting and taking walks became the main themes of my life. On this day, the sunshine was perfect. I sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the silk tree outside. The dappled sunlight under the tree reminded me of how Aiden used to stand there on such afternoons, watching me. My time was running out, and I wanted to use my brush to record the beauty I had completely lost. Just as I was about to paint Aiden standing under the tree, a sudden, intense pain struck me. The brush in my hand fell to the ground with a “thud.” I curled up in the chair, my hands tightly clutching my stomach, my body shaking uncontrollably. While I was struggling against illness and fate, Aiden kept barging into my life from time to time. As I was taking a walk in the park, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in my line of sight. It was Aiden. He stood under a tree not far away, hands in his pockets, looking arrogant. My heart sank, and I instinctively stopped. I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, pretending I hadn’t seen him, and walked around him to continue forward. Seeing that I had no reaction, Aiden strode over in a few steps, blocking my path. “Scarlett Song, you really think you’re something special! You even blocked my number and SnapChat!” He raised his chin, his tone carrying his usual arrogance, but with a hint of unnaturalness. I looked up at him coldly. “Aiden Foster, what do you want now?” Aiden’s lips curled slightly, revealing a faint, cold smile. “I’m just curious to see how you’re doing without me!” “How I live is none of your business. Please move aside!” I tried to walk around Aiden. But Aiden moved to block me again. “Don’t be in such a hurry to leave! Looking at your sickly appearance now, you must be hoping every day that I’ll have a change of heart, right?” I laughed coldly. “Aiden Foster, you’re really too full of yourself! I will never forgive you for how you humiliated me!” Aiden’s eyes flickered for a moment, but he still said firmly, “Humiliation? Didn’t you willingly accept it for so long? In the end, isn’t it just that you can’t let go of me? Now I’ve lowered myself to come find you, and you’re still putting on airs!” I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. “I once thought you were my Aiden and endured your humiliation, but now, I won’t be so foolish again!” Aiden snorted disdainfully. “There’s a limit to playing hard to get. You’d better apologize to me before my patience runs out!” I looked at him, feeling nothing but disgust. “Aiden Foster, even if I die, I won’t go back to you to be humiliated again!” With that, I used all my strength to push him away and walked forward without looking back. Aiden stood there, staring at my retreating figure for a long time. Then he regained his arrogant demeanor, snorted coldly, and turned to leave.

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The first year after I was reunited with my biological family, my foster sister Vanessa suggested we take a trip to Las Vegas to bond. For safety reasons, my fiancé Lucas decided to accompany us. Little did I know, they would rack up a massive gambling debt at the casino. To escape, Lucas left me behind as collateral and fled with Vanessa, disappearing without a trace. The casino thugs held me down, ready to take out their frustrations on me. As I struggled desperately, I caught a glimpse of the gang leader’s phone screen. The contact labeled “Casino Owner” was a number I knew all too well – it belonged to Dominic, the brother who had doted on me for over a decade. “Where’s that bitch? Bring her to me!” I cowered in the corner of the room, trembling. The locked door was being kicked in, one forceful blow after another. A week ago, I never would have imagined that the Las Vegas trip my fiancé planned would lead me to an underground casino. He and Vanessa gambled recklessly day and night, but in the end, I was the one who suffered the consequences. With a loud crash, the door flew open. Several burly men in black clothes rushed in. I held up a lamp to shield myself, looking at them fearfully. “Please don’t come any closer. Lucas has gone to get money. He’ll pay off the debt soon!” The leader spat on the ground contemptuously. “Stop lying to me, girl. I fell for your trick last night, thinking they’d pay up if we kept you here. But that bastard ran off with his girlfriend!” “What? They abandoned me and ran away?” “Don’t play dumb. I bet you’re all in on this scheme together!” Cold sweat trickled down my forehead. The “bastard” their leader mentioned was my fiancé Lucas, and the woman who left with him was Vanessa, my foster sister who had taken my place in the family for over a decade. They had actually conspired to leave me stranded here alone? “Boss, stop wasting time talking. Let’s teach this little bitch a lesson.” At the leader’s signal, several thugs surrounded me. With a flick of their wrists, they knocked the lamp out of my hands and roughly pinned me to the table. “Don’t touch me! Get away!” In my struggle, I accidentally kicked one of them in the shin. Immediately, a hand slapped me hard across the face. My cheek swelled instantly, and I tasted blood in my mouth. These men were brutal – if I didn’t think of something fast, I might actually die here! The leader approached me with a whip, tapping my face with the handle. “Behave yourself. I’ll show you what happens when you don’t pay your debts!” “Please, I have money! I can pay off the debt, just let me go!” “You think I’d still believe that crap? If you really had money, why would they leave you behind?” As I frantically searched for a way out, I noticed the leader’s phone screen. There was a contact labeled “Casino Owner”. When I saw the number, my eyes widened in shock. I knew that number by heart – it was Dominic’s!

Dominic was my adoptive parents’ biological son. Before I was reunited with my birth family, he had cherished and spoiled me for over a decade. He even plastered his room with my photos without my knowledge, harboring secret feelings for me. “Your boss is Dominic?” I blurted out. “Well, well, you’ve done your homework. This whole casino is the boss’s private business. Not many people know that.” My heart steadied. I shouted at them, “Dominic is my brother! We’re on the same side! Let me go now, and I can explain this misunderstanding to him!” The leader exchanged glances with his men, their faces twisted in mockery. Then, he kicked me hard. “How dare a piece of trash like you pretend to be the young miss! You don’t know your place. The young miss is the boss’s weak spot. You know what happened to the last person who tried to use her name? It’d scare you to death!” “Jay, bring me my club. I’m going to teach this audacious woman a lesson for the boss!” The kick left me dizzy, but I persisted through the pain: “I am your young miss! If you don’t believe me, call Dominic here to see for himself!” Just then, the leader’s phone rang. The caller was Dominic. I broke free from the thugs’ grip and lunged for the leader’s phone. “Give it to me! Let me talk to Dominic. He’ll recognize my voice!” The leader slapped me hard and pointed at me, ordering me to shut up. His men pinned me down again. He gave them a look, then answered the phone obsequiously as he walked out. “Hello, boss. I was just dealing with a deadbeat gambler. What can I do for you?” I tried to shout, but only got half a syllable out before a rag was stuffed in my mouth. “We told you to shut up, you stubborn bitch!” Someone shoved me to the ground, and the others started kicking and punching me. I curled up in a fetal position, nearly passing out from the pain. The gag in my mouth prevented me from even crying out. Dominic had always pampered me since childhood. He’d worry for days over a tiny scratch on my hand. His indulgence had made me proud and willful. Even after I returned to my birth family, I never suffered any hardships due to my personality. I wondered how Dominic would react if he saw me in this pitiful state. Just as I was about to lose consciousness, the leader returned with his phone, looking anxious. “Stop! Stop right now!”

The rain of fists finally ceased. “What’s wrong, boss?” The leader gave me a contemptuous look. “Don’t waste any more time on this woman. The boss says the young miss is missing. She was last seen at our casino. Gather all our men to search for her immediately.” I was stunned, my head still spinning from the beating. Dominic had been keeping tabs on my whereabouts even after I left, and he noticed I was missing? I propped myself up on shaky arms, making muffled sounds through the gag. One of the thugs kicked me. “Quiet!” “Boss, what should we do with this woman?” The leader’s face was grim as he pondered. “The boss is already on a plane, coming to look for the young miss himself. This woman claimed she was the young miss earlier…” My face lit up with excitement. Great, Dominic was coming! He would not only rescue me but also punish these blind fools. But the leader continued: “We absolutely cannot let the boss see her. He’s already anxious about not finding the young miss. If this crazy woman jumps out claiming to be her, it might set him off and he’ll take it out on us.” “You’re right, boss. Should we get rid of her?” The leader grabbed my chin, examining my face. “She is quite pretty, though.” “Lock her in solitary confinement for now. After the boss finds the young miss and leaves, we’ll train her to be a dealer to work off the debt.” I shook my head frantically upon hearing this. They wanted me to stay and become a dealer? I’d be trapped on this island forever! But no one cared about my opinion. They dragged me away like an animal, heading for the solitary confinement cell. No, this couldn’t happen. Dominic was coming soon. I had to find a way to see him. This was my last chance. Once I was locked up, it would all be over! As the two men were about to lock me in the cell, I stumbled to my feet and used all my strength to slam into the door before it closed completely. Then I grabbed a metal pipe from the ground and swung it hard at one man’s head. He clutched his head and collapsed in pain. Before the other could restrain me, I smashed the pipe into his face. After dealing with these two, my adrenaline surged. I ran forward at an incredible speed, as if my life depended on it. The sound of a helicopter came from above. It was Dominic. He had arrived!

I ran like a madwoman towards where the helicopter was landing. I saw the cabin door open. Dominic slowly descended the steps. My heart was racing, but before I could make a sound, a rough hand clamped over my mouth. Then my hair was yanked back violently. “You little bitch, how dare you hit me! You must have a death wish!” It was the man whose head I had struck earlier. He had caught up! The leader was respectfully waiting to receive Dominic. Noticing the commotion, he frowned and looked our way. He silently shook his head at the man holding me. I was immediately dragged behind a wall. Not far away, Dominic had come down. He looked travel-worn and worried. The leader immediately went to greet him: “Boss, we’ve pulled all the surveillance footage as you instructed. We’ll definitely find clues about the young miss’s whereabouts.” “Take me to the surveillance room.” Dominic strode forward, passing within arm’s reach of me. We were separated by just a wall. He suddenly paused, clenching his fist. As if speaking to me, or perhaps to himself, he said: “Aria, please be safe.” My face was covered in tears and blood. He was right in front of me, but I couldn’t make a sound. In the end, I was thrown into solitary confinement. To prevent me from escaping, they dislocated my arms, tied my legs, and gagged me tightly again. For the next few days, Dominic didn’t come. The underground casino was dimly lit, and Lucas had kept me confined to the hotel room during our stay. My face probably wasn’t captured on any surveillance footage. My hope was slowly fading away. But early one morning, I heard hurried footsteps and Dominic’s voice. “Boss, how can you be sure that person is the young miss just from seeing her back? Could you have made a mistake? She’s just a nobody left here to pay off a debt.” Dominic’s voice was agitated and slightly panicked. “Enough! Where are you keeping her?” “In… in the solitary confinement cell up ahead.” He recognized me! Hope surged within me. I tried to make muffled sounds to get Dominic’s attention. But the footsteps stopped about ten paces away from me. “Mr. Zhou, we just confirmed with the young miss’s fiancé. He said she’s already back in the country. She was never missing.” It was Dominic’s assistant’s voice. “Where does her location show?” “Also in the country. It shows she returned three days ago, but it just synced up due to signal issues.” Lucas had taken my phone when he left with Vanessa. It had a tracker Dominic had installed. Now he was using the phone’s location to mislead Dominic! The leader eagerly persuaded him: “Boss, you must have been mistaken. I knew that woman couldn’t possibly be the young miss!” Dominic instructed his assistant: “Contact the pilot immediately to prepare for our return. I need to see Aria with my own eyes to be sure.” “Yes, sir.” Hearing Dominic about to leave, I threw caution to the wind. I used all my strength to slam my head against the iron door of the cell, making a loud “bang”. Dominic’s footsteps halted. His tone turned cold: “Who exactly is locked in there?”

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That was the year Connor Hayes loved me the most. Late one night during study hall, I got locked in the pitch-black dorm building. He stood outside my window and sang songs all night to comfort me. Later, on our engagement day, he abandoned me and rented a bar to host a private concert for his childhood sweetheart, Madison Carter. He even sang the love song he’d written just for me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to that night when I was trapped. I poured a basin of cold water down from the window. “Shut up! Your singing is awful.” Today was supposed to be my engagement day with Connor. We’d invited only our closest friends and family. I smiled faintly, squeezed into a too-tight dress and uncomfortable heels, and rushed around for two hours straight. Despite downing countless glasses of champagne, I hadn’t even had a chance to take a sip of water. I overheard someone whispering, “Jeez, the ceremony’s almost over, and still no sign of the groom. I feel so embarrassed for the Fosters.” “Well, he is a celebrity. It’s normal for her to be the one making all the sacrifices.” “But this is just disrespectful. Who misses their own engagement party?” They were right. This was an engagement party without a groom because Connor never showed up at all. Fighting the churning in my stomach, palms slick with sweat, I kept calling Connor again and again. Usually, even if he had work, he’d have his manager contact me beforehand. Instead of being completely silent all day like he was today. More than anything, I was terrified something had happened to him. When it was all over, my parents couldn’t hide their disappointment. My family had always cared deeply about reputation, which was precisely why they never approved of my marriage to Connor. “I honestly don’t understand what you’re thinking, choosing someone like him. You’ve embarrassed the entire Foster family.” Before leaving, my mother squeezed my hand and said with painful sincerity, “Amelia, you’re the only one who truly knows how this relationship feels. It’s not too late to walk away.” My eyes welled up with tears, but I smiled faintly. “Mom, Dad, Connor just had an emergency. I’ll bring him home another day, and you can scold him all you want.” After the last guest left, I called Connor’s manager while absently stuffing leftover food into my mouth. The call went unanswered and disconnected again. I took a deep breath, staring blankly at the dark phone screen, my heart sinking heavily. My best friend, Ella Reed, stormed over and thrust her phone into my hands. “Look at this.”

It was a recording of a live stream. In the dimly lit center stage, Connor sang with deep emotion while the otherwise empty booths held only one person, someone I knew all too well. Ella’s voice crackled with fury, her hair practically standing on end with anger. “This livestream is trending everywhere. Now the whole world knows your fiancé has another girlfriend. “Amelia, we should go there right now.” “Ella.” I interrupted her abruptly, my eyes fixed on the replaying video, my voice barely above a whisper. “Did you know? “I was the first person to ever hear this song.” That was why I’d been able to overlook Connor’s screw-ups time and time again because he swore he wrote this song just for me. Back when he was a nobody, he told me I was the only listener he ever wanted to keep. Ella fell silent, gently taking back the phone I’d been clutching too tightly. “So what are you going to do now? The engagement party’s over. Are you planning to walk down the aisle alone at the wedding too?” She shook my shoulders in frustration. “Wake up! How long are you going to keep performing this one-woman show?” I didn’t answer. I just forced myself to stand. The day’s anxiety finally ebbed away, leaving only one thought. “At least he wasn’t hurt or in danger.” Wrapped in a cocoon of exhaustion and discomfort, I had no room for other emotions. I closed my eyes to steady myself, then sent Connor a simple message. [What time will you be home?]

It was already late by the time I finished handling everything. I was packing my clothes backstage when a hotel employee hurried over and handed me a gift with a card. He explained that a gentleman had left it along with a plastic bag containing stomach medicine. I glanced at it. The card on the gift said “Happy Engagement” and was signed simply with “Mr. Blake.” I froze for a few seconds, my throat tightening as my stomach seemed to clench in response. Before I could process this, Ella rolled down her car window and called for me. “Going to confront Connor?” I closed the car door and shook my head. “Go home.” From booking the venue to arranging the catering, I handled everything myself. Now, I just didn’t have the energy for a confrontation. I swallowed a stomach pill and drifted into an uneasy sleep. It was nearly ten when I got home. The apartment was completely dark. Clearly, no one had been back. I poured myself a glass of wine, sat by the window, and waited with uncharacteristic patience, minute by dragging minute. We’d moved in two years ago. Back then, Connor had just gained some recognition with his new album. Persistent stalker fans kept showing up at our door, forcing us to relocate to this more private, upscale, clean, and orderly neighborhood. Even the people here kept a cold, polite distance from each other. Nothing like the cozy place we’d once created together. And the apartment wasn’t the only thing we couldn’t go back to.

At two in the morning, the sound of someone entering the door code finally broke the silence. Connor was visibly startled when he saw me sitting by the window, dropping what he was holding. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” He knew my habits well. Usually, even when he came home late, I’d only wait until midnight before giving up, not like tonight. I set down my wine glasses, walked past him, and switched on the living room light. Instantly, the quiet space became as bright as day. Connor loosened his tie, carelessly tossed his suit jacket on the sofa, and strode over to embrace me. For a moment, I felt disoriented. Even the engagement suit he wore today, I was the one who had chosen it. Yet he’d worn it while running to someone else. “Tired?” he asked placatingly, treating serious matters with his usual casual air. I quietly inhaled the alcohol on him and raised my hands to push him away. Connor didn’t let go, explaining with complete confidence, “I had a last-minute emergency today. I didn’t mean to skip it. Besides, our families have already met. These ceremonies don’t really matter, right? “It’s late. Let’s not fight, okay?” When I remained silent, he suddenly remembered something and turned to pick up the paper bag he’d dropped. “I brought you a little cake from that place you mentioned you wanted to try. I stood in line specially for you.” He affectionately took my hand. But when he opened the box, the cake was completely smashed, its filling spilled throughout. Only then did I let out a bitter laugh. Connor, seeing my expression soften, immediately relaxed. “It’s okay. I’ll get you another one later.” Then I asked quietly, “Does she like this bakery too?” Connor froze. “Who?” I looked him in the eyes. “Madison.” “You… found out?” Connor’s voice instantly dropped, then sharpened with irritation. “Her mother passed away recently, and she was really upset today. I was worried something might happen to her, so I went to keep her company. You know she doesn’t have many relatives. We grew up…” I calmly finished his sentence. “You grew up together, practically like siblings.” Connor choked and then continued, after a moment, “I’ve already had the trending topic removed, and we’ll release a statement tomorrow.” I just said, “Oh,” and slowly started clearing the cake off the table. “Maybe you should just issue a statement saying you’re single.” He frowned, genuinely confused, “What do you mean?” “Connor.” The bitterness I’d been holding back finally reached my eyes. I blinked, trying hard not to lose composure, but my voice trembled uncontrollably. “I’m allergic to mango.”

It took Connor a moment to process what I’d said. Then, he became flustered. “I’m sorry. I completely forgot.” He took the fork from my hand and shoved the entire cake into the trash can as if venting his frustration. “Madison mentioned this flavor was good. That was why I specially…” I interrupted him abruptly, my voice drained, “I’m not interested in things other people like.” The engagement ring felt suffocating on my finger. I thought, “So this is how heartbreak travels, starting at the fingertips.” I twisted the ring until my finger turned red before finally managing to pull it off. Then, I casually dropped it into the wine glass on the table. Connor grabbed my wrist, his brow furrowed. “You’re upset over this?” He sighed with exasperation. “You know how packed my schedule is every day. It’s perfectly normal to forget little details sometimes. “You’re not seriously going to hold this against me, are you?” I thought, “You’ve forgotten far too much. It was like talking to a brick wall.” Connor started to say something else when his phone rang. I saw the name lighting up his screen with perfect clarity. After a moment’s hesitation, he released my hand. “You need to calm down. We’ll talk when you’re thinking straight.” Then he grabbed his coat and left. I stood motionless for a while, then started messaging Ella before heading to the bedroom to pack. From graduation until now, we’d accumulated countless shared memories. Most of our everyday items came in matching pairs: couple’s slippers, gaming consoles, throw pillows… Even the paintings on the wall were custom-made from our photos. Traces of our life together surrounded me completely. Facing the overwhelming mess, I took a deep breath and packed only a few clothes and valuables. It wasn’t until I was sitting in a late-night taxi, the night wind blowing against my face, that the day finally seemed to end. The alcohol amplified my emotions as I leaned dizzily against the window. From school uniforms to wedding dresses, our once-enviable young love. My thoughts drifted back to graduation year. The night Connor rushed to my house clutching his college acceptance letter, he was eager to tell the whole world we’d be together for many more years, long enough to grow numb, long enough for one to propose engagement out of fear of losing the relationship. In the end, it became a joke. My chest ached so intensely I could barely breathe. Suddenly, I opened my eyes in the darkness, hearing someone desperately calling my name. “Amelia, come to the window.”

My legs had lost feeling from being curled up too long. The slightest movement nearly sent me tumbling off the bed. In the moonlight, the school uniform on his body felt both intimately familiar and utterly foreign. I tugged at the collar, stunned for a long while, struggling to accept the impossible truth that I seemed to have truly returned to the past. “Amelia…” The calling voice faded in and out. I closed my eyes, steadied myself, and slowly moved to the window. The man below, separated by just an hour in my time but now ten years younger, suddenly appeared, momentarily disorienting me. The dormitory was on the second floor. Seeing me appear, Connor looked up and waved. “You begged me to come, remember? “How is it? Scared of being all alone in there?” He wore that cocky smile, his tone distinctly more arrogant than I remembered. Under the streetlight, his eyes looked sincere and bright, like freshly polished glass. I stared down at him, my breathing unconsciously quickening. My fingertips silently traced where the ring had been, but there was no mark, no indentation from years of wear. Everything was brand new. “The teachers are all in a meeting. I specifically skipped class to come keep you company. “If you hadn’t kept calling, I wouldn’t have bothered coming. “Want to hear a song?” ***** Too many years had passed. I’d almost forgotten. So many things I thought were gifts had actually been things I’d begged for from the start. Connor had a naturally good voice. After graduation, he signed with a company smoothly. During countless nights when I couldn’t see him, I fell asleep listening to his songs. Now, they sounded more like an enchanting curse. After so long, complex emotions tangled in my chest, leaving me utterly speechless. Perhaps thinking I was entranced, Connor sang with increasing enthusiasm. The streetlight hit him like a spotlight, creating a stage seemingly just for me. Then my phone rang unexpectedly. I snapped back to reality. On the other end was an anxious male voice accompanied by hurried footsteps. “I’m almost there, Amelia. Just wait for me. The dorm building lost power for maintenance. How did you get locked in?” I pulled the phone away to check the caller ID: Class President Logan Blake. I had no memory of him appearing during this night the first time around. The call fell silent for a long moment. Finally, breathing heavily, Logan asked, “Amelia, are you afraid of the dark?” Connor’s singing continued below. I stepped away from the window, turned the faucet on full blast, watched the basin slowly fill under the moonlight, and asked softly, “Logan, are you afraid of ghosts?” “What?” I chuckled softly, suddenly threw open the window, lifted that basin of freezing water, and mercilessly dumped it down. The singing below abruptly drowned in spluttering silence. I looked down, my slightly trembling fingers bracing the windowsill, and sneered at the drenched figure below, “Shut up! Your singing is awful.”

By the time Logan arrived to rescue me, Connor was long gone from downstairs. The next day, during the break period, Connor was called to the office for skipping evening study. With Logan vouching for me, not only did I avoid a scolding, but the homeroom teacher patted my shoulder sympathetically, comforting me by saying I must have been frightened and that it was the dorm manager’s mistake. Instead, it was Madison who walked over and blocked my path. “Connor got in trouble because of you, and here you are acting like nothing happened. You should tell the teacher the truth.” “Are you sure you want me to tell the truth?” I stared directly into her eyes, emphasizing each word, “Because we can start with exactly how I got locked in the dormitory.” Madison nervously released my arm. My past self would have been incredibly moved, rushing into the office without a second thought, eager to face punishment alongside Connor. So much so that in the many arguments and silent treatments years later, I would always be the first to back down because of his appearance that night. Now, it felt like another lifetime entirely. It was my affection that had given Connor too many free passes. Noticing my unusual demeanor, Madison softened her voice. “I was just worried. You know, we grew up together…” I frowned in irritation, having no patience for their oft-repeated childhood bond. Looking around, I realized Logan was nowhere in sight. Someone burst through the classroom door, shouting, “Connor fainted, and they took him to the infirmary!” “Probably fainted from getting chewed out.” “I heard he has a fever.” ***** Everyone started talking at once. My heart instinctively tightened, then I inwardly mocked myself. I thought, “Amelia, you really never learn, do you? Some habits needed to change starting now. This second chance wasn’t meant for me to make the same mistakes all over again.” Madison rushed out, pulling me along. She ran so fast that we accidentally bumped into someone at the infirmary corner. I rubbed my sore nose and crouched down to help Logan pick up the scattered papers. “Did you come to see Connor?” A voice sounded beside my ear. “Um…” I hesitated briefly. “Sort of.” Even though I was dragged here, I was partly responsible. Connor peeked his head out from the doorway, looking weak and sick, his voice feeble. “I knew you’d worry about me.” I glanced up at him. Connor’s lips were pale, his fever making it difficult to keep his eyes open, yet he still insisted on walking toward me while leaning against the wall. I looked down indifferently, quickly scanning the papers in my hands. The next second, I froze abruptly. Noticing my reaction, Logan took the papers from me. “Thank you.” I thought, “Maybe it was my imagination, but his voice seemed colder than before.” Connor reached for me, his voice hoarse. “Help me up. I can barely stand.” I hastily pushed his hand away, completely ignoring his shocked expression, and instead grabbed Logan’s sleeve, calling out instinctively, “Logan!” He slowly looked down at me. “Is there something else?” I thought, “Were you at my engagement party?”

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