Category: English

I’ve been married to Alexander for ten years, during which he’s slept with 99 different women in our house. And each time, he made me wash the sheets after their lovemaking. I endured silently, watching him change from one lover to another. Until the fifth month of my pregnancy, his 100th bedmate tricked me into going to a bar, where I was tortured for a day and a night. My lower body was bleeding non-stop, and I felt worse than death. For the sake of the child in my womb, I knelt on the ground begging him to take me to the hospital. He sneered, “Olivia, stop pretending.” “Even if you died, I wouldn’t spare you a glance.” With that, he continued his passionate encounter with his new flame on the bar sofa, in full view of everyone. By the time I was taken to the hospital, the child in my womb had already stopped breathing. Due to the inhuman torture, I also suffered a uterine prolapse, forever losing the right to have children. When I woke up, I desperately dialed a number: “Emma, send me the company’s financial reports. I’ll be back in three days.”

Hearing this, Emma on the other end of the line immediately became excited. “You’re finally coming back, Boss Olivia!” “We’ve all missed you so much!” “Wait, you’re not bringing Alexander back with you, are you?” Hearing Alexander’s name, I lowered my eyes, my tone a bit sour: “No, just me.” After hanging up, I saw a plump woman standing at the door of the hospital room. She was Alexander’s mother, Margaret. She played a significant role in the deterioration of my relationship with Alexander. “Already rushing to find someone to keep you?” “You slut, you really have no shame!” Margaret waddled to the bedside, her sour and mean face making me feel utterly disgusted. I glanced at her with disgust and said coldly, “What are you doing here?” Margaret snorted and reached out her hand to me, her whole demeanor haughty: “It’s time for this month’s alimony.” I frowned, about to say something when my phone suddenly rang. It was a video call from Sophia. “Which old man is this now?” Margaret muttered sarcastically beside me. I pretended not to hear and pressed the answer button. Instantly, a naked couple appeared in the video. “Oh my! In broad daylight, how scandalous!” Margaret only took one look before she was frightened into covering her eyes and backing away repeatedly. I didn’t say anything, just stared intently at the two people in the video. Sophia’s belly was slightly swollen, and her entire body was covered in love bites. And the man on top of her was none other than Alexander, who had ignored me yesterday. She drew circles on Alexander’s chest with her hand while panting lightly and asked: “Alex, weren’t we too harsh on Olivia?” Alexander sneered, his tone full of contempt: “Too harsh?” “Even if those men tortured her to death, I wouldn’t think it was too much.” “This time, I want to see how she pretends to be innocent!” Sophia giggled at this, sounding like a demon from hell. The video was abruptly cut off. I clenched my fists, my fingers digging deep into my flesh. I looked up at Margaret, my eyes cold: “Did you see clearly? This is your son!” “Go ask Alexander for the alimony. I don’t have any.” I thought Margaret would feel a bit of guilt, but to my surprise, she started boasting proudly: “My son is indeed amazing! So attractive to women.” “Olivia, let me tell you, if a woman can’t keep her man’s heart, it only shows that you’re incapable.” “Alex doesn’t earn money easily. Hurry up and give me the money.” With that, she reached out to grab my phone. “What are you doing?” I was startled and hurriedly hid the phone in my arms, but I underestimated Margaret’s strength. She forcefully pulled my arm and actually yanked me off the bed. “Clatter!” The phone was thrown several meters away, and I was thrown to the ground. Blood began to seep from my newly stitched wound, but I couldn’t care less. I struggled to get up and went to pick up the phone. Margaret got to it first, skillfully unlocking it. “PayPal: You’ve received $10,000.” Only when the cold female voice sounded did she throw the phone back to me, her tone dissatisfied: “Why so little money?” With that, she hurriedly left to get a spa with her girlfriends. I collapsed on the ground, my heart as dead as ashes. That was my last $10,000, money I had saved to buy milk powder for the baby in my belly. In the end, I couldn’t keep the money, nor could I keep the child. I had nothing left.

I forced myself to get up from the ground, the tearing pain in my lower body making it almost impossible to walk normally. I could only stand in place with an awkward posture. While I was still figuring out how to sit on the bed, Alexander’s call came through. “Olivia, what’s wrong with you? Can’t stand seeing me and Sophia happy together, so you called the police on us?” “I’m telling you, as soon as I get back, I’m kicking you out!” In the past, I would have argued with him and then humbly begged for his forgiveness. Even if it wasn’t my doing, even if I wasn’t at fault. I would have taken the blame just to appease him. But now, I calmly said: “It wasn’t me. Believe it or not.” Alexander went quiet for a moment on the other end, perhaps surprised by my attitude. But soon, he viciously said: “Don’t think you can tie me down just because you’re pregnant.” “You probably don’t know yet, but Sophia is pregnant too. Your child will never compare to hers.” “Getting pregnant is no big deal, giving birth is the real achievement.” I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by painful memories. The first time I got pregnant, I naively thought he would be happy too. But on the very night we found out about the pregnancy, he dragged me to a bungee jumping platform and pushed me off. I screamed in terror, but he said, “The fetus needs some stimulation to be healthier.” His mother, Margaret, was there backing him up. So, I lost my first child. The second time I got pregnant, he forced himself on me despite my objections. That night, the blood beneath my body stained the entire sheet red. Alexander was utterly disgusted, saying I was unlucky and had dirtied his family’s bed. What little love I had left disappeared that night. After that, I avoided him like the plague. No matter what he said or did, I acted as if I couldn’t see it. But then he turned around and told Margaret that I was cold and didn’t know how to take care of him. Margaret doted on him and took him to spas to have fun. I silently endured the contempt from both mother and son, struggling to maintain the facade of a happy marriage in front of others. And now, my third child was gone too. I might never be able to become a mother in this lifetime. It was time to end this absurd marriage. I hung up the phone without any regret. And following Alexander’s example, I blocked and deleted his contact. I got up and called the doctor. The doctor was shocked to see me on the ground. “Why did you get out of bed on your own?” “The bones in your thighs and arms are broken. Aren’t you afraid of misalignment if you move around?” I didn’t respond to his words, only pleading: “Doctor, can you give me the embryo?” The doctor sighed and said nothing more. Not long after, a glass bottle was brought to the hospital room. Looking at the tiny embryo in the bottle, my heart immediately tightened. It was so small, not even as big as my palm. Baby, I’ve waited for you for so long, but still couldn’t meet you. It’s mom’s fault, mom couldn’t protect you well. I took a deep breath. This kind of pain shouldn’t be borne by me alone. I was going to send Alexander a big gift.

In the afternoon, I had a terrible headache, so I closed my eyes and dozed off on the bed for a while. As soon as I closed my eyes, I fell into a deep nightmare. The dream was full of the abuse those people inflicted on me at the bar last night. I screamed for help desperately, but no one responded. Until I saw Alexander standing at the door, backlit. “Huff…” I struggled to wake up, realizing my back was already soaked. “Still playing the victim?” “You can sleep so soundly now, looks like those guys went too easy on you yesterday.” “Sophia is pregnant too. Why don’t you go be her postpartum nanny at the care center?” Alexander looked at me with an amused expression, his eyes gleaming with something indescribable. I looked at him calmly, indifferently saying: “Whatever you say.” Seeing no reaction from me, he found it a bit boring. He then sat down casually on the edge of the bed and punched my stomach hard. The stomach that had just been cleaned out immediately started to hurt intensely, and I couldn’t help but cry out in pain. The evil in Alexander’s eyes grew stronger, and he cruelly said to my stomach: “Little one, if you ever disobey me like your mother does, I’ll punch you to death just like this.” I knew he wanted to provoke me, to see my expression of pain, but I refused to give him that satisfaction. I gritted my teeth and stared at him intently. The silent confrontation only ended when Alexander’s phone rang. As soon as he answered the call, Sophia’s sobbing voice came through. “Alex, come quick, my stomach hurts so bad!” After hanging up the phone, Alexander’s face immediately darkened, and without a word, he slapped me hard. “I’m telling you, if anything happens to the child in Sophia’s belly, don’t even think about keeping your own child!” “You’ll have to kneel down and apologize to Sophia too!” My right cheek swelled up instantly. The taste of blood in my mouth grew stronger, and I spat it out with a “pah”. It turned out he had knocked out one of my teeth. But Alexander didn’t even look at me again, leaving hurriedly with a worried expression. I watched his departing figure, my heart a wasteland. After a long while, I took out my phone and booked a flight to Jinghai City.

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When I saw my stepsister Olivia crying and begging our stepmother not to marry her off to Lucas Grant, I knew she had also gone back in time, just like me. In our previous life, she was arranged to marry into the Grant family. Although it was a business marriage, Lucas was a genuine piano prodigy, the ideal man for many in their social circle. “Aria, let me tell you, your mom is dead. No one in this family cares about you anymore,” Olivia had said cruelly. “You only deserve to marry a dropout loser!” Now, having relived her life, she was still just as despicable. “I’ve taken so much from you, Aria. You must feel so wronged!” she said with false sympathy. “So I’ll be generous and switch the arranged marriage partner with you!” Our stepmother questioned why Olivia would pity a motherless child like me. I stood by silently, watching the scene unfold. “Olivia, what are you trying to do?” our stepmother asked suspiciously. Olivia whispered something in our stepmother’s ear, and her expression softened slightly. “Are you sure?” she asked. “I’ve heard that the Thompson boy isn’t a good person. What if he mistreats you after you’re married?” Our stepmother seemed genuinely concerned, hesitant to agree to Olivia’s request. “It won’t happen, Mom!” Olivia insisted. That was a lie. Derek Thompson had been suspended multiple times for fighting when he was in school. After dropping out, he’d gotten involved in all sorts of vices. “You love me the most. You wouldn’t refuse me this small favor, would you?” Olivia coaxed, snuggling up to our stepmother. Unable to resist Olivia’s pleading, our stepmother finally agreed, but not without taking a jab at me. “Lucas is only available because Olivia doesn’t want him. You should be grateful!” I didn’t care what they thought. The truth was, I didn’t deserve the talented pianist Lucas. As for the dropout troublemaker Derek… Let’s see how my dear stepsister handles that kind of marriage! In my previous life, it had been the same – Olivia and I were both pushed into arranged marriages. The difference was that she married a genius while I married a loser. Even though Olivia and her mother were the ones who had destroyed our family, I ended up feeling like an outsider. Olivia had been overjoyed to marry Lucas. But soon after the wedding, Lucas left for an overseas performance. The next news I heard about her was that Olivia had become a lonely wife. Lucas had gotten into a car accident on his way to the airport and ended up in a vegetative state due to an attempted murder. Olivia cried and threw tantrums, wanting to divorce Lucas. Our stepmother felt sorry for her, but our father wouldn’t allow it. A businessman’s daughter was meant to be traded for benefits. Even though our father favored Olivia far more than me, he wouldn’t take her back home and lose the business connections and shares from the Grant family dowry. Unable to bear the loneliness, Olivia chose to have an affair. The Hayes and Grant families were both prominent in business circles. Her scandal became widely known. The controversy subjected Olivia to intense online harassment. At the same time, my husband Derek Thompson unexpectedly gained popularity. Derek went from being a widely-shunned troublemaker to a wildly popular social media star, which Olivia couldn’t believe. She became depressed due to the online attacks. When she learned about Derek’s success, she suddenly said she wanted to see me. I couldn’t understand what she was unsatisfied with. Living alone in a mansion, driving sports cars, not having to worry about trivial matters – wasn’t that a good life? Out of family obligation, I went to visit her. To my surprise, she had murderous intentions towards me. Even though she should have been living better than me, she was resentful. She hugged me and crashed through the floor-to-ceiling window. We both fell. So after reliving her life, she immediately chose to marry Derek instead. Well then, let me enjoy all that fortune instead! In early June, Olivia and I had our weddings one after another. In my previous life, Olivia and our stepmother had intentionally scheduled our weddings on the same day to overshadow me. But this time was different. They couldn’t disregard the Grant family’s reputation so easily. Even though they were unwilling, they still attended my wedding with sour expressions. The wedding banquet was lively. It was the first big gathering I had attended since my mother’s death. Before, according to my father’s wishes, I wasn’t supposed to appear in public after my mother died. But soon after her death, his mistress and illegitimate daughter had moved into the Hayes home. “Nervous?” a voice asked beside me. I turned to see Lucas standing next to me. We were the only two outside the doors, quietly waiting to enter the hall and begin our married life. Lucas was incredibly handsome, even more striking in person than the young pianist I had seen in videos. “I…” I started to reply, but before I could find the right words, Lucas had already taken my hand. The doors decorated with flowers opened wide. I felt a bit flustered, but the warmth of his hand in mine was reassuring. After an exhausting day, I lay on the large bed in our new home, trying to relax. “Tired?” Lucas asked. “Want to come eat something?” If I wasn’t mistaken, Lucas was wearing a pink apron. “I’m not hungry,” I said, not wanting to impose on my first day living with him. But my traitorous stomach immediately growled, betraying me. “Have a bite,” he urged gently. His voice was so kind, and I was genuinely hungry after not eating all day. I ended up sitting at the dining table with him, eating the meal my new husband had prepared. I was surprised to discover those hands meant for playing piano could also cook. “I’m sorry,” he suddenly apologized during the meal. I wasn’t shocked. News of his upcoming music festival performance in France was already trending on Twitter. “I have to leave for France tomorrow. It’s such short notice, and it might affect your reputation too,” he explained. “It’s fine, go ahead with your work,” I said. Realizing that might sound too cold given our relationship, I added, “Your cooking is really good!” Lucas’s apologetic expression was replaced with a smile. “Thank you,” he said warmly. That night, Lucas naturally slept in the guest room. I tossed and turned in bed, my mind replaying memories from my previous life. Recalling the tragic news of Lucas’s death and thinking of his kind gestures today, I found myself not wanting him to die. I could have ignored it, but my mother always said good people deserve good things in return. In my book, Lucas counted as a good person. Someone so kind shouldn’t die! I rushed out of my room and knocked urgently on the guest room door. “What’s wrong?” Lucas asked, opening the door quickly. He probably hadn’t been asleep yet. “Lucas—” I panted, out of breath from jumping out of bed so suddenly. “Do you need to come in to talk?” he asked with concern, noticing I was barefoot. “No need!” I refused hastily, realizing how revealing my nightgown was. “Be careful tomorrow!” I blurted out. “Remember to check the car your assistant arranged for you.” Lucas looked puzzled, which was understandable. No one would believe such a strange warning. But if Lucas didn’t believe me, he could lose his life! I grabbed his sleeve rather rudely, almost begging, “Don’t take that car, whatever you do!” Seeing how agitated I was, Lucas reluctantly agreed. Back in my room, I caught sight of myself in the mirror and realized how disheveled I looked. The next morning, I woke to find breakfast on the table. The food was cold – Lucas must have left a while ago. I opened my phone to see Lucas had sent me several messages. “Breakfast is on the table. Remember to eat.” “Cold food isn’t good for digestion. The microwave is on the off-white cabinet in the kitchen.” After 7 AM, he sent a few more messages: “There was a problem with the car. I’ve reported it to the police and am waiting for them to handle it.” “Safely boarded the plane. Don’t worry!” He must have explained so thoroughly because I had been so worked up last night and he didn’t want me to worry. As for the earlier messages about breakfast, I suppose that counts as being considerate between a married couple. I thought about replying with a simple “OK”, but worried that might sound too curt. I decided to send a nodding emoji instead. By accident, my finger slipped and I sent a “Love you” sticker. Before I could unsend it, I saw Lucas had already replied with “Mm-hmm”. I closed my eyes in mortification, wishing I could disappear on the spot. While Lucas was abroad, I kept busy. In college, I had started a clothing design studio with a friend. It was doing quite well now. I took the design sketches I had brought from the Hayes house and took a cab to the office. “Well done!” my boss exclaimed. “Aria, I knew I was right about you from the start!” The studio owner was a senior I had met in college. She had discovered my talent at a design competition. She said I was born for this work and mentored me in design. Over time, we became friends and now ran this clothing design studio together. “Nicole, stop teasing me,” I laughed. “If you hadn’t picked me out of the crowd back then, who knows where I’d be struggling now!” It’s not that the Hayes family couldn’t afford to support me. The key was, did anyone in the Hayes family want to support me? As Olivia had said, no one in the Hayes family cared about me. Fortunately, I maintained my passion for design and had some talent for it. I could easily support myself. In my previous life, Nicole and I had also been running the Artistry Studio. But Derek and his father thought I was embarrassing and believed that marrying into their family meant I should serve them. To make me more docile, my in-laws had suppressed Artistry. The studio ran out of funding and completely collapsed. Nicole was left with a huge debt as a result. Thankfully, Lucas’s grandmother didn’t have such prejudices. Lucas’s parents had been living abroad for years. Apart from the wedding, even his grandmother hadn’t seen much of them recently. When I visited the family home, I brought a cheongsam I had designed and made myself. Grandma loved it, praising my good taste. When she learned I had made it myself, she was even more delighted. “Aria dear, you’re too good for our Lucas!” Grandma said, stroking my hand sympathetically. “How can you say that, Grandma? I’m the one who married above my station into the Grant family,” I demurred. Grandma frowned and lightly smacked the back of my hand. “Nonsense! I’m very fond of you as my granddaughter-in-law!” she declared. “You’re beautiful and have such a gentle nature. It’s Lucas who’s always busy and can’t take proper care of you.” He was indeed very busy, but he wasn’t neglectful of me. Every day he would send me messages – simple greetings and reminders about meals. For work, I was doing market research in a brand-name clothing store. Running into Olivia there was the last thing I expected. “Aria, don’t the Grants think you’re trashy?” she sneered. “Being Mrs. Grant isn’t good enough for you? You have to work as a sales clerk?” When we lived in the Hayes house, all of Olivia’s clothes had been custom-made for each season. I was surprised to see her out shopping for clothes at all. She probably mistook me for a sales associate because I was wearing our studio’s staff uniform. I changed my startled expression to a smile as I looked at her. “What’s wrong? Spending the Hayes family money makes you feel superior?” I asked coolly. “Did you eat too much salt? Why are you so nosy?” I wasn’t her mother – I didn’t have to indulge her. “Aria Hayes! How dare you mock me!” Olivia glared at me hatefully, like she wanted to devour me whole. Her mood suddenly shifted, her eyes gleaming with smug satisfaction. “Don’t get cocky, Aria. You’ll be a widow soon enough!” she taunted. Without hesitation, I slapped her across the face. “Who do you think you are? How dare you curse a member of the Grant family!” I snapped. The commotion had drawn attention from others in the store. Olivia didn’t dare make a bigger scene in front of all these wealthy elites. She ran off with her tail between her legs. Did she really think I was some kind of saint? “Aria, Derek isn’t just handsome – he has an eight-pack too. Bet you’re regretting your choice now!” Olivia messaged me on SnapChat. I had to admit, Derek’s looks were undeniable. He did have the kind of body that looked good both in and out of clothes. But some people are all style and no substance. His lack of morals and decency… I didn’t plan to tell her about Derek’s future circumstances. I was betting she would lose spectacularly. She couldn’t blame me – after all, it was her own choice, wasn’t it? I turned off my screen, ignoring her completely. For the next while, I tuned out Olivia’s boasting and threats. Besides going to work at the studio, I visited Grandma at the family home. The rest of my limited free time was spent at home. Grandma said she had taught Lucas piano herself. In her youth, she had been a renowned pianist too. I only excelled at violin, when my mother was still alive. As for piano, I only knew the basics. I asked Grandma to teach me, partly out of interest and wanting to understand more about Lucas’s world. It was also because I worried about Grandma being lonely. The elderly often become nostalgic. In my previous life married to Derek, his family were all country folk. They couldn’t teach me anything useful. All they knew were scheming and some backwards feudal ideas like “men are superior to women.” Grandma was delighted by my initiative. She held my hand and talked for a long while. “It’s wonderful that you have this interest!” she exclaimed. Grandma taught me very patiently. After a few weeks, I could play the pieces Lucas had composed. “You play beautifully. Lucas would be so happy to see you at the piano,” Grandma smiled, gifting me a book of sheet music with Lucas’s name on it. “Aria dear, how are things between you and Lucas lately?” she asked. How could things be between us when Lucas wasn’t even in the country? “Lucas is doing well, Grandma. We get along very harmoniously,” I said diplomatically. But Grandma’s expression still held eager anticipation. “Is that so?” she sighed heavily, unable to hide her disappointment. Could it be that Grandma was hoping for a great-grandchild? That was highly unlikely to happen. “Also, I…” I hesitated. “I’ve grown quite fond of Lucas.” Hearing that, Grandma’s bright smile returned. “I knew it! Lucas told me to take good care of you and make sure you’re happy in your new family,” she said. “I just knew my grandson was smitten with his sweet wife!” Was that true? He really was so thoughtful. And Grandma was wonderful too. “Thank you, Grandma. I’m happier here than I ever was with the Hayes,” I said sincerely. Lying in bed, I habitually opened SnapChat to check for work notifications in our studio group chat. The red dot next to Lucas’s cat avatar caught my eye. He had messaged me again. “It’s been resolved, don’t worry. I’m fine!” He forwarded me a news article. The headline “Famous Pianist Targeted” stood out starkly. These gossip accounts just love stirring up drama. They’ll fabricate all sorts of baseless stories just for views and clicks. They use misleading details to trick people into following the story. “OK, I understand,” I replied. “Come home soon.” A few minutes after sending it, I vaguely felt like I had overstepped. But it was too late to unsend. I exited the chat, trying to reassure myself. It’s fine, I’ve already embarrassed myself worse. What’s one little message? “Alright, I’ll be home soon,” came Lucas’s reply.

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The zombie apocalypse was upon us, and my neighbor Zoe Bennett was using her mysterious spatial ability to loot everything in sight. She swept away all the nearby supplies and even stole the relief materials the government had sent to our apartment complex. When we begged her to leave us something, Zoe sneered coldly: “In the apocalypse, kindness gets you killed. I gathered these supplies with my own ability. Why should I give anything to useless people like you?” In the end, we starved to death. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day before the apocalypse. As I was thinking about how to lead everyone against this locust-like woman, I turned to see my parents and neighbors glaring at her hatefully. It turns out, I wasn’t the only one who had been reborn. Bang bang bang— “Uncle, Auntie, open up! It’s Zoe. I’m a bit short on cash and need money for something important. Give me some quickly!” I was startled awake by a familiar female voice. Suppressing my shock, I rushed to the window to look outside. The landscaping below was still the same, with neighbors taking their children to play in the community park. There were no rivers of blood, no zombies roaming about – just a peaceful, harmonious scene. With trembling hands, I picked up my phone to check the date. Sure enough, I had been reborn. Reborn to the day before the zombie outbreak. And that parasitic voice at the door belonged to the culprit who had caused the death of my entire family – our next-door neighbor, Zoe Bennett. In my previous life, it was also at this time that Zoe suddenly knocked on our door, brazenly asking to borrow money from my parents. My parents ran a small supermarket on the ground floor of our building. Though modest in size, it was well-stocked and provided great convenience for the neighbors. Recently, the supermarket shelves had been emptied out, and a new shipment of goods was being delivered. So my parents had gone down early to help unload the supplies. I had never liked Zoe, and hearing that she had come to ask for money, I was in no mood to be polite and directly refused her. After being rejected, Zoe’s face twisted in anger as she said: “Emma, I’m asking your parents for money. What does it have to do with you? I need the money for something important! You’ll regret treating me this way!” With that, she turned and stormed off down the stairs. Soon after, I heard her voice again as she went around asking other neighbors to borrow money. At the time, I had no idea that she was desperately trying to gather funds to stockpile supplies. Because the zombie apocalypse was coming.

I had been working in another city and only came back to visit my parents during holidays. Zoe had moved in a year ago. Our building had two units per floor, so she became neighbors with my parents. She was around my age and had a sweet tongue, always calling my parents “Uncle” and “Auntie”. She quickly grew close to them. She even wanted my parents to become her godparents at one point. If I hadn’t gotten jealous and intervened when I found out, my parents might have agreed. After failing to become their goddaughter, Zoe didn’t give up. She still came over for meals every day and would casually take things from my parents’ supermarket. My parents felt awkward charging her money, and over time this Coopered her habit of taking things freely. She acted more like my parents’ daughter than I did. Except this “daughter” only took and never gave back. After borrowing money from other neighbors, Zoe began buying supplies in bulk. Until 8 AM the next morning, when the zombie virus broke out. I was in the supermarket helping my parents organize the shelves when suddenly all hell broke loose outside, filled with the moans of zombies and people’s screams. My parents’ first reaction was to lock the supermarket doors. Their second reaction was to immediately take stock of the supplies, planning to use these goods to help the neighbors survive the apocalypse until rescue arrived. But the next second, someone began pounding frantically on the supermarket door. Zoe’s voice called out for help. She said she was being chased by zombies and begged us to let her in and save her. My soft-hearted parents carefully opened the door. But the first thing Zoe did after entering was wave her hand, causing all the supermarket goods to mysteriously vanish before our eyes. When my parents pleaded with her to leave some supplies for everyone, Zoe’s sweet demeanor vanished. She coldly laughed as she pushed them aside: “In the apocalypse, kindness gets you killed. I gathered these supplies with my own ability. Why should I give them back? Let me tell you the truth – I’m the protagonist of this world. You rejected me as your goddaughter and chose that useless daughter of yours instead. You even refused to give me money to stockpile supplies. People who offend the protagonist never end well.”

In my past life, there was something very strange about Zoe. She seemed to have plot armor like the female lead in an apocalyptic novel. Even though her apartment hadn’t been renovated, it was somehow impenetrable. Even if we broke through the walls of my home next door, we still couldn’t enter her place. Later on, she also started appearing and disappearing mysteriously, able to vanish instantly and reappear somewhere else. This made it even easier for her to hoard supplies. We had no way of catching her, let alone taking back our supplies. Zoe was like a plague of locusts, always managing to sweep up all the nearby resources before we ordinary people could get to them, then escaping unscathed. Much later in the apocalypse, we finally received an airdrop of relief supplies on the rooftop, only for Zoe to wave her hand and steal it all away. Downstairs, one of our neighbors had a newborn baby. The infant’s parents had turned into zombies, leaving the child with no milk to drink. The grandparents knelt outside Zoe’s door with the baby, kowtowing and crying, saying they would do anything if she would just give the child some food. But from inside, Zoe could be heard cooing softly to her two large black dogs: “Buddy, Max, drink up! This milk is the good stuff. Mommy has stockpiled enough for you to drink for ten lifetimes.” Inside the door were her plump, well-fed dogs. Outside were the dying residents of our community. Separated by the door, we angrily asked her why she had to be so ruthless. Zoe coldly replied: “My dogs are far more precious than humans, and more reliable too. You ordinary people are just suffering by staying alive in this apocalypse. Dying sooner would actually be a mercy. I’m doing you all a favor.” That night, the neighbor’s infant starved to death. The grandparents, heartbroken and hopeless, opened a window and jumped from the 11th floor. Later on, even though our community banded together to resist the zombies and tried our best to survive, we still ended up either eaten by zombies or starving to death.

“Uncle, Auntie, are you home? You’re not answering your phones either. What’s going on? I really need money for something important!” Zoe’s impatient voice interrupted my recollections. I took a deep breath, grabbed the fruit knife on the table, and quickly opened the door while she wasn’t paying attention. In my past life, when Zoe came to borrow money from my parents, I had simply rejected her coldly. She held a grudge over that, forgetting all the kindness my parents had shown her before. But quite a few neighbors had lent her money.

The useless people, now without relief supplies, came begging at my door. They even tried to guilt-trip me, saying I had taken everything and their children had nothing to eat, that they were starving to death. They hoped I could give them some baby formula. Wait, what? Having children in the apocalypse? Oh, they were born before the apocalypse? Still, children are just burdens in this world. They’d be better off dead. Anyway, I wasn’t going to save them. While Buddy and Max feasted on gourmet food with me, the sound of kowtowing outside was so annoying. Thankfully, that child finally died, and the two old fools jumped to their deaths. That’s how it should be. The weak don’t deserve to live in the apocalypse. Later, these neighbors tried many methods to enter my home. But the spatial defense was too good, protecting my house completely. After some time, there was no more noise from those useless neighbors. They seemed close to starving to death. So, they opened their doors, deciding to venture out. But our community was now surrounded by zombies, and without vehicles, going out was suicide. They hesitated. My life had become comfortable but boring, so I decided to toy with them. I pulled out a broken-down car from my spatial pocket and casually tossed it at the entrance of the building. As expected, those fools took the bait, deciding to use this junk car to search for supplies, claiming they would save their families. But they didn’t know that I had drained all the fuel from the car. The remaining fuel would only get them about half a mile from the community.

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It was rare for James to have a weekend off. After much pleading, I finally convinced him to make sweet and sour pork ribs for me. While he was cooking, his phone on the coffee table chimed. I tapped the screen but couldn’t see clearly. Upon closer inspection, I realized he had installed a privacy screen protector. Instantly, an ominous thought crept into my mind. I suddenly recalled what a colleague had once said: “When your partner starts using a privacy screen behind your back, it means they have secrets.” Those words stung like a thorn in my heart. I tried to convince myself it was just a coincidence, but doubt grew like weeds in my mind. Fortunately, he hadn’t changed his passcode yet. I unlocked the phone. SnapChat showed a new message from an unfamiliar name. The content was simple and direct. “Miss you.” My heart clenched, my eyes fixed on those two words. Scrolling up, I found no other chat history. But those two simple words were enough to cut me deep. As I tried to calm myself, I accidentally knocked over the water glass on the table. James poked his head out of the kitchen, holding a spatula. “What’s wrong?” I forced a smile, quickly slipping the phone into my pocket. “Nothing, just wondering how far along you are.” “Not that fast,” he frowned, complaining, “This caramel is so hard to get right. Let’s eat out next time.” I paused briefly, then nodded in agreement, “Okay.” James seemed to have forgotten that I’m from New York and don’t like sweet food. The one who loves sweet and sour pork ribs is him. When we first bought this house, he had pointed at the kitchen, his eyes gleaming with confidence and anticipation. “This is my domain. No one enters without my permission!” Every weekend, he would hole up in the kitchen, experimenting with recipes just for me. Back then, he loved our home so much, loved creating beautiful memories with me. The phone in my pocket felt like it weighed a ton, digging into my thigh. After calming down, I decided to reply on his behalf. “Come over, she’s not here.” I was curious about who this person was and how James would react. Not long after, the doorbell rang shrilly. I quickly changed clothes and walked to the door. My hand rested on the cold doorknob. After a moment’s hesitation, I decided to open it. The person outside was clearly startled, the excitement on their face instantly freezing when they saw me. I studied her carefully, involuntarily comparing every detail from age to appearance to figure with myself. However, the conclusion was cruel—she surpassed me in every aspect. “You must be Emily.” “You know me?” “James mentioned you.” The thought that my name might have become a topic of amusement between them only deepened my disappointment in James. She seemed to remember something and pulled out a familiar food container from her bag. “I came to return this.” “Last time James brought sweet and sour pork ribs to the office, I suddenly had low blood sugar, so he gave them to me to eat.” Looking at the lunch box she was clutching—the one James and I had bought together at the supermarket—I couldn’t help but recall how reluctant he had been when I begged him to make sweet and sour pork ribs this morning. My anger instantly ignited. I deliberately called out loudly towards the kitchen, “Honey, someone’s here to see you.” James heard the commotion and came out of the kitchen. Seeing her, he looked bewildered. I carefully observed their reactions, but didn’t see the guilt and unease I had expected. “Why are you here?” James asked, confused. “I was in the neighborhood and remembered I hadn’t returned your container, so I texted you.” “What text?” James suddenly seemed to realize something, glanced back at me, then his face darkened. “Just leave the container and go.” However, she didn’t leave immediately. Instead, she stood at the door, her eyes fixed on me. “Emily, aren’t you going to invite me in?” I couldn’t help but sneer, deliberately making way while glancing at James. “Why don’t you invite her in? We just made sweet and sour pork ribs again today.” I deliberately emphasized “sweet and sour pork ribs,” and James’s face indeed changed. “Stop it,” he said. Sensing James’s displeasure, she slowly replied. “I just remembered I have plans nearby. I got too excited and forgot. I’ll come play another time.” I didn’t say anything more, just coldly watched James see her off. When he returned, his face was so dark it looked like it could drip water. “What, missing her already?” I leaned against the door, mocking him. James glared at me angrily, “Don’t talk nonsense, she’s just my colleague.” How could I let him off so easily? “Colleague? Then what’s with her sending you ‘miss you’ messages?” James looked exhausted, “We’re just working on a project together recently. The pressure is high, so we joke around to relax a bit.” I didn’t believe his nonsense at all, and we had a huge argument. After that, James’s relationship with me became very tense. I also slowly began to reflect on whether I had been too impulsive, but I also felt James’s explanation was too unconvincing. This life had become utterly frustrating. I told my best friend Rose about my suspicions of James cheating. She laughed for a long time. After my parents passed away unexpectedly, she and James became the most important people in my life. “What nonsense are you talking about?” “Back in college, James bought our dorm bubble tea for over a semester just to pursue you. I still remember there was no KFC on campus then, so he would take the bus for over an hour each time to bring you food, not even daring to eat a single fry himself, saving it all for you.” I laughed wryly, “Really? I’ve forgotten.” Rose animatedly discussed how James had pursued me in college, but it all felt so distant to me. Indeed, 10 years had passed. In two months, I would turn 28. Before leaving, Rose earnestly advised me. “Emily, talk things through with James and set a date soon.” “Don’t let it drag on too long.” Rose and I both tacitly avoided discussing it further. The sunk cost of a 10-year relationship was something I couldn’t afford to bear. That night, I took the initiative to text James, even sending him a sexy photo of me in black stockings. In the past, he would have playfully replied, “Hubby’s coming home right away, please be patient a little longer, my dear wife.” But today, he replied three hours later with just, “Working overtime.” I exited SnapChat and opened Facebook, searching for James’s account. The glaring “Active now” status. He wasn’t at the office. By the time I realized it, my carefully grown nails had already been bitten down to the quick. After my parents passed away, I developed a habit of biting my nails when anxious. James would worry about me, saying he’d help me quit this bad habit, even volunteering to apply bitter nail polish with me. But now… Thinking of this, I felt an inexplicable irritation. I had planned not to reply, but remembering Rose’s words, I typed again. “It’s okay, I’ll wait for you to get off work.” This time, he didn’t reply. I sat in the most conspicuous spot in the living room. The tight black stockings had long been replaced with loose loungewear, but they couldn’t hide my inner anxiety and insecurity. The wall clock showed it was already 1 AM. I held the photo album James had made for me during our college days, lost in thought. When exactly did our relationship change from inseparable lovers to roommates who barely see each other? “Door open, welcome home.” The mechanical voice of the smart lock broke the night’s silence, also awakening that faint hope in the bottom of my heart. I suddenly lifted my head, my gaze piercing through the darkness, trying to capture that familiar silhouette. James stood at the door for a long time before finally stepping over the threshold. But his eyes quickly darted away the moment they met mine. That instant of avoidance hurt more than any words could, leaving me feeling utterly hopeless and cold. He stood in the entryway and suddenly lost his temper. “Can’t you fix your habit of leaving shoes everywhere?” I was stunned for a moment, about to go tidy up, when I saw him carelessly kick my shoes aside. Once upon a time, he would carefully arrange my high heels, always make sure my electric toothbrush was fully charged, and pack away my seasonal clothes well in advance. But now, all of that had become a distant memory. Lost in thought for a moment, I saw James walk out of the kitchen with a glass similar to the one in front of me. The difference was, it was a brand new glass. He sat down directly at the dining table and poured himself a glass of water. I stared at the glass in his hand, remembering our old habit of sharing a glass, suddenly feeling a bit hurt. “Why aren’t we using the same glass anymore?” “No reason.” He seemed a bit impatient, slightly turning his body away and focusing on his phone. I didn’t want us to keep cold warring like this, so I mustered up the courage to hug him from behind. “What are you doing!” He shook me off like I was the plague. I stared at the red marks on my wrist, my heart shattering. “Today is our 10th anniversary,” my voice tinged with desperation and pleading. James’s body stiffened slightly, a flash of guilt in his eyes. But it only lasted a few seconds before being replaced by his cold gaze. “What gift do you want? Text me, I’ll buy it for you tomorrow.” His tone was as flat as if he were talking about something unrelated to him. “It’ll be too late tomorrow.” I tilted my head slightly, trying to win him over with the cuteness he used to love. He once said he loved it most when I puffed out my cheeks in anger, saying I looked as cute as a pufferfish. But now, his gaze only grew colder, as if I were a complete stranger. “Emily.” He coldly called out my name, making my heart skip a beat. Using my full name meant the invisible wall between us had grown thicker. “Stop it.” Those three short words cut like an icy wind. “We’re both 28 now, not kids anymore. Life isn’t built on anniversaries.” My heart contracted violently, as if struck by a heavy hammer, the pain unbearable. The man before me, in his suit and tie, mature and steady, was a far cry from the sunny boy in white who used to smile so brightly in my memories. I stared at him, trying to find a trace of the past in his face, but only saw unfamiliarity and resolution. Finally, I gave up arguing with him, just mumbling, “Yeah, I’m already 28.” He seemed to guess what I was going to say next and quickly interrupted me. “You know, my career is at a critical point right now, I don’t want to get married yet…” James was about to say more when his phone rang inopportunely. He glanced at me and quickly rejected the call. My heart sank, but I still maintained a calm facade, even with a hint of fawning. “So, when do you want to get married?” He didn’t answer me directly, nor did he let me continue waiting. Instead— “If you feel wronged being with me, then…” “Then break up with you? How did I become the bad guy?” The words that slipped out made us both calm down. In the end, it was James who broke the silence. “I’m not good enough for you.” I suddenly got angry, the emotions I had been suppressing all night reaching their peak. “Now you feel you’re not good enough? Why didn’t you think that when you were chasing me so publicly back then?” James’s face instantly turned ashen. His lips moved slightly, as if wanting to say something, but after a moment’s struggle, he gave up. Just like our relationship now, he didn’t even have the will to salvage it. I watched him walk towards the guest room with a black face, not saying a word. Until he struggled to open the door for a while and angrily turned back to shout at me. “Emily! Can you stop messing around! Open the door!” I kept a cold face, trying hard to suppress the displeasure and disappointment surging inside. “I told you to change that lock ages ago. The balcony window wasn’t closed today, and the wind was too strong, so it slammed shut. I can’t open it either.” He instinctively looked towards the balcony, as if to verify what I said. The atmosphere around us became even heavier, a suffocating oppression filling the air. Until he spoke first, breaking this silence. “Then I’ll go stay at a hotel.” The rational defense line completely collapsed at this moment. I suddenly stood up, my voice sharp and piercing. I hysterically shouted, “What, is this big house not enough for you now? Or are you just too lazy to even pretend anymore?” James’s face became extremely ugly, a flash of shock in his eyes. He seemed to have never seen me so out of control before, momentarily at a loss for words. “If anyone should go to a hotel, it should be me. After all, you bought this house, how could I make you leave.” I continued my high-frequency output, as if giving him a hard time could make me feel better. Or perhaps, deep down, I hoped that making a fuss like this would make him care about my feelings again. “Emily, you’re always like this, never considering others’ feelings when you speak or act.” “What do you mean?” I glared at him like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. “What do I mean? Last week when you deliberately called my colleague over, did you ever think about how I’d face people at work afterwards?” “Face them? How to face them? She sends you those ambiguous messages, and I can’t say anything?” “I don’t want to explain anymore. Think whatever you want.” He completely cold-shouldered me, ignoring my anger and insecurity. Then he walked towards the door without looking back. When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped, but didn’t turn around. “Emily, if you really can’t go on, let’s just end it.” I held my neck stiffly, not answering. The frustration in my heart was about to explode. At this moment, I was certain James didn’t love me anymore. After that day, James didn’t come home again. On Friday night, Rose sent a message in our group chat with three people. “Friends, I’m getting married!” Following that was an elaborately designed invitation. She tagged me and James. “You two college sweethearts must come support me, the time and place are written above, be there on time!” I waited for a long time but didn’t see James reply. Not wanting Rose to worry, I responded. “Mm, we’ll be there.” Just after I sent it, James’s private message popped up. “Just find some excuse, say I’m on a business trip or sick, I won’t go.” I hesitated for a few seconds, “But they’ve invited us, it’s not right not to go.” “Besides, Rose is my best friend.” I watched the “typing” indicator above the SnapChat dialogue box. After waiting for a long time, until— “Emily, let’s break up.” I stared at the screen, tears falling uncontrollably. Clumsily moving my already stiff fingers, I repeatedly typed on the keyboard, but hesitated and deleted each time. After a long while, I angrily pressed send. “Fine.” When I first met James, he was being scolded by our counselor. “James, I chose you as class monitor considering your poor family background. Being a student leader can add points, which will be very helpful for your future scholarship applications.” James bowed his back, “Yes, I’m very grateful to you. It’s just that I had a high fever last week and couldn’t help you move. Next time you need anything, I’ll be there immediately.” After overhearing a bit more, I learned that this tall boy had often been ordered around by the short, chubby counselor in front of him to do hard labor. “You say that, but I ask you for help because I know you’re a country boy. I’m just looking out for you a bit more.” “Yes, I…” “I’d say rather than looking out for him, why not introduce him to a proper part-time job? Besides, those few points from being a student leader are nothing compared to what he could get from winning a competition or something.” “Who are you?” Great, he doesn’t recognize me. “Who I am doesn’t matter, I just can’t stand you bullying people.” I walked over and pulled the dumbfounded James away. “Hey…” “Are you stupid?” James smiled bitterly and shook his head, “I know he doesn’t have good intentions, but I thought it’s better to avoid trouble. Besides, being a student leader looks good on the resume after graduation.” “You’re worried about your resume with all those first prizes you’ve won?” James was stunned, only now really looking at me. “You’re the… from the English Cup competition…” “Second place!!” I said angrily. If it weren’t for him butting in, I would have gotten first place, and the DSLR camera my dad promised to buy me would have been in my hands long ago. “Hi.” He scratched his head shyly and smiled. “Hi my ass.” I turned and left. After that, James became my shadow, following me wherever I went. It wasn’t long before he confessed to me. I didn’t play coy either. I had my eye on him since the English Cup competition, how could I let him go? The reminiscence came to an abrupt end. After I agreed to break up, James didn’t contact me again until that night. I was revising my new resume at the company when I suddenly received a call from James’s friend. “Sis, I’m with James at Mirage KTV. He’s drunk too much and we’re worried something might happen. Can you come pick him up?” I guessed James probably hadn’t told them about our breakup yet. “Alright, I’ll come over now.”

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I suddenly saw screenshots of my lawyer husband chatting with his young new intern in our shared photo album. I had forgotten we shared an iCloud account. “You’re a lawyer, surely you can find a way to leave her with nothing,” the message read. It’s true my husband is a lawyer. But they forgot one thing – I’m a seasoned judge who’s presided over cases for years. After judging so many other people’s cases, this time, I’ll be the plaintiff. “Olivia, we’ve got another case from Ethan’s firm. Looks like a new lawyer will be representing them this time – quite young too,” my judicial assistant said as she handed me the case file. I looked up from the documents I was reviewing and pushed the file back to her. “I’ve recused myself from all cases involving his firm. Make sure this gets returned.” My assistant hugged the file to her chest. “Right, of course. Even without you saying anything, Ethan’s associates win 9 out of 10 cases. He really is the top lawyer in the city.” I handed her the judgment I had just finished signing. “It’s not ‘even without me saying anything.’ I never say anything about it.” The assistant laughed awkwardly and left with the signed judgment. A moment later, the door opened again. A lively young woman walked in, clearly new to the profession and still quite naive. Behind her was Ethan, my husband. The young woman bounced up to my desk, beaming. “Judge Olivia, I’m representing a case that’s been assigned to you. I hope you’ll look kindly on it!” Ethan chuckled softly, his tone unusually indulgent. “In court, you should address her as ‘Your Honor.’ Only laypeople call her ‘Judge.’” The young woman nodded several times, revealing her inexperience. “Oh, I see. Your Honor, I’m Mia.” I frowned slightly. “Your case isn’t assigned to me. You’ve got the wrong person.” Mia looked confused and turned to Ethan, tilting her head in a naturally coquettish way that only young women can pull off. “But wasn’t it assigned to Judge Olivia when we filed?” To avoid conflicts of interest, I always recuse myself from cases involving Ethan’s firm. This is common knowledge. Ethan explained gently, with a patience I rarely saw from him. “Olivia and I are married. She doesn’t preside over cases from our firm.” Mia furrowed her brow slightly. “Oh? I thought the recusal rule only applied to you personally. Why does it cover the whole firm?” Ethan shrugged, indicating it was out of his hands. The two of them chatted back and forth in front of me. I had asked Ethan about this when I first started my career. What did he say back then? “Cases are judged based on the law. If you’re unsure, just refer back to the legal codes.” But the law doesn’t tell me what to do when a husband cheats.

I closed the file I was working on and interrupted Mia’s incessant chatter. “The courtrooms are on the other side. This is a private office area, lawyers and other unauthorized people aren’t allowed in here.” My blunt words left Mia stunned. She looked helplessly at Ethan. Ethan stepped forward to smooth things over. “Olivia, Mia’s new to the profession. She’ll need to interact with judges a lot. I just wanted to introduce her around.” Mia? I raised an eyebrow at Ethan. “That includes you, Mr. Jiang.” Ethan’s face flushed red then pale. “Olivia, don’t be so petty. Mia’s new, give her a break.” My hand paused as I was writing. My expression remained neutral. “Mr. Jiang, you said yourself to use formal titles in court.” My refusal to back down left Ethan at a loss. Annoyance flashed across his face. “Is this really necessary?” I rested my chin on my hand and looked at Ethan. “Well, do you think it’s necessary? How long before you replace this one?” “Olivia!” He used my full name, with a hint of warning. Sensing the tension, Mia quickly grabbed Ethan’s arm. “Ethan, let’s not bother Judge Olivia while she’s working. We can come back another time.” Her soft, pleading tone contrasted sharply with my unyielding stance. Ethan clearly preferred Mia’s approach. He took her arm and stormed out, slamming the door. My husband, holding another woman’s arm, completely forgetting it was my birthday.

With just an hour left of my birthday, the cake on the table had long since melted into a sad puddle. I scooped up a bite and put it in my mouth. It tasted awful. I sent Ethan a message: “Are you coming home tonight?” Lawyers often travel for work, so it wasn’t unusual for him to stay out. I never asked before. This time I texted because I had a feeling Ethan was still angry about what happened earlier. But I hadn’t wronged him. This really was the fifth young intern he’d brought around this year. They were all young and pretty new lawyers. He always brought them to the courthouse to get acquainted. Everyone knew what that meant. Out of respect for my position as a judge, no one said it directly, but I could feel the mocking glances. When those meaningful looks swept over me, I felt stripped bare for everyone’s amusement. They all wanted to see me humiliated. My once beloved husband was no longer my armor, but had become a stain. Ethan didn’t used to be like this. He used to be my shield. He would wait outside my dorm for three hours just to bring me materials for a competition. I’d poke him and say, “Why didn’t you call or text? I could have come down earlier.” He’d just grin sheepishly. “I figured you were napping. Wanted to let you sleep.” How could 20-year-old Olivia resist such a thoughtful, gentle Ethan? When I graduated and moved to his city for work, I showed up at his door with my suitcase. He was so surprised he couldn’t close his mouth. “You…you’re here? Why didn’t you tell me? I could have picked you up.” I stepped forward and hugged him. “You’re so busy with cases. I wanted to let you sleep in.” Ethan said we were meant for each other. But Ethan never said that meant we had to walk together. He didn’t say it because he had stopped walking with me. After he became successful, countless people gravitated towards him. We started to drift apart. The ping of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. I thought it was Ethan replying, but it was a message from Nathan. “Hey Liv, I’m back in the country!” I refreshed my social media feed and saw a new photo Ethan had posted. In it, Mia was smiling radiantly like a porcelain doll, while Ethan pored over some documents in the background. The live photo captured sound: “Ethan, with all this evidence, think we’ll make it home tonight?” Mia’s voice. “What if we don’t?” Half teasing, half joking. The way Ethan looked at Mia in the photo was familiar. It was how he used to look at me back in college. My heart sank. Ethan was serious this time.

Ethan never came home. That photo on social media kept me tossing and turning all night on the couch. Yeah, what if they didn’t make it home? Deep down, I knew there were problems between Ethan and me. We’d been going through the motions for years, but never confronted the issue head-on. I’d found long strands of hair on his shirts that weren’t mine. Smelled perfume I never wore. Even noticed the passenger seat adjusted in ways I didn’t like. But we maintained an unspoken agreement – I didn’t ask, he didn’t tell. Like many middle-aged couples, we silently papered over the cracks. The naive young lovers we once were had long since become jaded adults. I was enduring, night after lonely night, until I couldn’t take it anymore. When Ethan opened the door and saw me, he looked surprised. “Why aren’t you at work?” I turned my stiff neck to look at him wearily. “Took the day off.” Ethan was about to ask more but then spotted the sad remains of the cake. He smacked his forehead. “Olivia, I’m so sorry! I was working late at the office. I completely forgot your birthday.” He crouched beside me and rubbed the back of my neck. “Since you’re off today, why don’t we go out? We haven’t had a nice meal together in ages.” His eyes sparkled with a hint of his younger self. My heart softened a bit. “Okay,” I said. “I texted you last night but you didn’t reply. Figured you were working on a case.” Ethan loosened his tie. “You texted? I must have missed it.” I didn’t mention the photo he posted. Didn’t tell him I’d been up all night because of it. I’d checked again – the photo was gone. I knew it was Mia. Women have an intuition about these things. She’d deleted my message. Posted that photo from Ethan’s phone. This young woman was different from the others. Ethan came out of the bathroom after showering and hugged me, still damp. “By the way, the spare room’s been empty. Why don’t we let Mia stay there for a bit? She’s new to the city and needs a place temporarily. She’ll move out soon.” His eyes were bright and earnest in the steamy air. It’s hard for anyone to agree to have another woman living in their home. Ethan kissed my neck lightly. “Rent’s expensive in the city. You know junior lawyers barely make enough to get by. I’m her mentor, so you as the mentor’s wife should help out.” I wanted to refuse, but we’d already had that unpleasant encounter at the courthouse. I was afraid pushing it would make things worse between us. Marriage is half compromise, half tolerance. When you can’t tolerate anymore, that’s when it’s over.

Mia moved into the spare room. I had worried she might feel awkward, but my concerns were unfounded. “Olivia, can I use this towel?” She held up a pink hand towel. The blue one next to it was Ethan’s. Before I could say no, Ethan spoke up. “Can’t you buy your own stuff? Stop using my wife’s things.” He said not to, but handed her the towel anyway. Mia stuck out her tongue playfully. “Thanks Olivia.” Ethan had told her several times to call me “sis” at home. But Mia never did. There’s a big difference between “Olivia” and “sis.” “Olivia” is formal, for professional interactions. “Sis” acknowledges me as Ethan’s lawfully wedded wife. She knew what she was doing by refusing to use it. One day when I got home from work, I was surprised to see the gardenia I kept on the bedroom windowsill had been replaced with succulents. I loved tending to plants, and Ethan never touched them. “Where are the flowers? They were about to bloom. Why are there succulents now? Did you change them?” Ethan didn’t look up from his computer screen. “Mia probably did it. She said the place needed more greenery and bought some plants at the market.” Mia again. My heart clenched. It was hard not to notice how Mia had been slowly inserting herself into our lives, starting with that towel. The fridge was now full of her favorite drinks and snacks. I could barely find room to store ingredients for cooking. She’d replaced the plain white cotton throw on the couch with a cartoon print one. When I questioned it, she put on an innocent face. “Oh Olivia, I’m so sorry. I accidentally spilled milk on the old one today, so I had to switch it out.” Every time she changed something, she’d excitedly post about it on social media. Ethan liked every single post without fail. It looked like she was just sharing her life, but really she was staking her claim. They were all small things, but like grains of sand in your shoe – tiny, yet irritating. I unceremoniously tossed the succulents in the trash. Ethan looked up in surprise. It was the first time I’d shown any displeasure since Mia moved in. “I don’t like her touching my things.” For once, Ethan didn’t defend Mia. He just nodded seriously. “Don’t go in the master bedroom anymore. I don’t like it.” “Okay.” I thought Ethan had finally grown a conscience and felt guilty. But I forgot – people are quick to agree when they feel ashamed. [Pausing point]

I don’t know what Ethan said to Mia, but when I got home the next day, she was standing in front of me with red-rimmed eyes, clearly having just cried. She wrung her hands, sniffling. “Olivia, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize those things bothered you. Please believe me, I was just trying to help out around the house. I didn’t have any other intentions.” “Olivia, Mia’s young and didn’t know better. Don’t hold it against her,” Ethan said. It sounded like he was defending me, but really he was putting me on the spot. I’d only said not to enter the bedroom or touch my things. How did that turn into me holding a grudge? Ethan stubbed out his cigarette. “Mia, start looking for an apartment near the office. There should be some decent options.” At his words, Mia’s eyes went wide. Still red from crying, the look of dismay on her face was even more pronounced. I was confused too and glanced at Ethan. I had never suggested Mia move out. Clearly Ethan hadn’t discussed this with Mia either. She looked shocked and resentful, but swallowed it down. After a glance at me, she meekly agreed. “Okay.” I thought that would be the end of the Mia saga. In a while, Ethan would bring his sixth young, pretty intern to parade around the courthouse, continuing the endless cycle. But I forgot – human nature isn’t something that can be explained by legal codes. When my assistant rushed in to tell me about an emergency meeting, I tried to beg off. She hesitated, then said quietly, “Your Honor, you should probably go. I heard it’s about disciplinary action against you.” My heart jolted, but there it was in black and white on the official document – a disciplinary decision. A photo of a computer document had been posted online showing the damages amount from a traffic accident case I’d presided over. The amount in the photo was vastly different from what I’d actually awarded in the official judgment. Damage awards are based on laws and evidence. A judge can’t just make up whatever number they want. The amount in the photo far exceeded legal limits. Any legal professional would know it was absurd, but the plaintiff didn’t. Believing I’d ruled unfairly, the plaintiff had caused a huge scene at the courthouse. They’d even stirred up a frenzy online. Because of this, I lost my chance at a promotion and raise this year. My pending promotion was also canceled. The meaningful looks and hesitation from my superiors and colleagues made me deeply uncomfortable. Prying eyes in the courthouse multiplied, not even trying to hide their scrutiny anymore. I’d always kept my professional and personal lives separate. My rulings were always careful and fair. My work and career were the foundation of my confidence. I cherished them and never acted carelessly. Now because of this sordid affair, Mia had used underhanded tactics to interfere with my career. Mia, you’ve gone too far. I called Mia directly. Who else would do this? That photo was from my bedroom computer. She must have gone in there, altered the amount, and posted it online! I’d clearly told Ethan I didn’t want anyone in our bedroom! To my shock, the call connected to the sound of passionate moaning. Mia’s breathy gasps came through the phone, growing louder after the call connected. The challenge was unmistakable. I was all too familiar with the muffled grunts of the man on top of her. It was like someone had hit pause on my nervous system. My blood stopped flowing. I froze in place. The disciplinary action and the affair hit me simultaneously, mercilessly. Mia and Ethan were sleeping together. My husband was in the throes of passion with another woman as I listened on the phone. The charade we’d maintained for so long had finally, irrevocably shattered. When I got home, the house was tidy. Only Ethan was there, taking a shower. He came out and smiled brightly at me, not surprised to see me. “You’re home early today!”

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His serpentine tail coiled around me, and in a low, deliberate tone, he whispered in my ear, “You locked me up for so long, sis. Guess it’s your turn now…” As a top-tier biologist at the prestigious Genesis Institute, I never imagined that my failed experiment would lead to this moment—being vengefully kidnapped by the very snake-man I raised myself. When I woke up, everything was pitch black. Something cold and smooth was wrapped tightly around my body. I tried moving my arms to break free, but whatever it was constricted even more. Before I could fully process what was happening, a deep, lazy voice murmured near my ear. “I thought someone with your stamina would pass out for at least another two or three days. Didn’t expect you to wake up so soon.” The lights flickered on, and a familiar face came into view. There he was—Eli Hayes. His sculpted upper body was bare, and his massive, crimson-tinted tail shimmered ominously under the light. That very tail was coiled tightly around me, pinning me from the neck down. Even though I didn’t fully understand what had led to this, one thing was crystal clear: I had been kidnapped by Eli. “Eli, I suggest you let me go right now,” I said, glancing at the tail trapping me, my tone flat and unyielding. His gaze darkened. He grabbed my chin with surprising force, tilting my face toward his. “You’re still using that commanding tone, huh? Do you really think you’re still in your lab?” Pain shot through my jaw as his grip tightened. I sucked in a sharp breath. “Ahh… You… let go!” But Eli didn’t budge. His pale, strikingly handsome face moved closer, his voice soft yet dripping with mockery. “Who would’ve thought? The great Dr. Lane feels pain. I always thought your heart was made of steel… and your body too.”

His tail was wrapped around me so tightly that its coldness seeped into my skin, chilling me to the core. Being kidnapped by the very experiment I had raised from scratch stirred a whirlwind of emotions in my chest. I let out a sigh. “Eli, what do you want? What will it take for you to let me go?” Eli stared at me blankly, his face devoid of emotion. “Let you go? Wow, that’s a dreamer’s answer if I’ve ever heard one.” He paused, then suddenly smirked, his lips curling into a sly grin. “Actually, I could let you go… if you agree to one condition.” “What condition?” He leaned in, brushing his lips against the corner of mine. His cool breath tickled my neck, and the atmosphere grew unbearably tense. “Give me a child. If you do that, I’ll let you walk free.”

“…” The moment those words left his mouth, I felt my blood freeze. After three years of working with Eli, I knew one thing for sure: he never made empty promises. If he said he wanted something, he would stop at nothing to make it happen. But this? This was insane. “You’ve lost your damn mind!” I snapped, anger and disbelief coursing through me. “Have I?” he said, his voice smooth and composed. “I’m just trying to help you finish your experiment.” He chuckled, his tone laced with sarcasm. “After all, you spent three long years raising me as your test subject. Wasn’t your goal to create a new generation by perfecting the snake-man genome?” “…” I tried to pull back, but his tail only tightened further, rendering me completely immobile. “What… what are you even saying?” “I’m saying—if those female snakes could do it, why can’t you?” His smile turned wicked, his eyes devoid of any warmth. “Besides, compared to those random snake mothers, I find you far more… interesting.” “For science, sis, don’t you think it’s worth sacrificing yourself… just a little?” “You’re insane! I’m human, you’re… you’re an animal! We’re biologically incompatible!” “Who said we’re incompatible?” Eli’s expression darkened as his tail constricted even further. His cold, smooth body pressed closer, and his voice dropped to an icy whisper. “Don’t forget—I’ve spent years in your lab. Did you really think I was just sitting around, clueless? That I didn’t learn anything?” I froze. His words sent a chill down my spine, and memories of the past three years flooded back—a thousand tiny moments I had dismissed as harmless suddenly taking on a sinister edge. Eli seemed to relish the fear flickering across my face. His tail finally unraveled, and he shoved me onto the bed. “Let me give you some advice,” he said, his voice dripping with disdain. “You might want to rethink throwing around words like ‘animal.’ After all, even animals have feelings. “Sometimes, animals feel more than humans… people like you, for example.” He shot me one last icy glance before slamming the door behind him as he left.

By the year 2070, an unprecedented AU virus swept across the globe. Strangely enough, this virus posed no threat to humans. Instead, it wreaked havoc on every other species, decimating ecosystems and driving countless endangered species to extinction. In just three years, biodiversity plummeted to catastrophic levels. To combat this crisis, scientists began experimenting with splicing human DNA into animals, hoping to create a fusion of human and animal genes that could pass down resistance to the virus. But despite a decade of effort, no viable solution was found. Scientists failed to develop a virus inhibitor, and wildlife continued to disappear at an alarming rate. With no other options on the table, the gene-splicing program was humanity’s last hope. As a biologist specializing in oviparous animals, I was assigned to the egg-laying species division of the project. Over the course of two years, I fertilized and nurtured thousands of eggs—bird eggs, turtle eggs, snake eggs. Every single attempt ended in failure. After tens of thousands of trials, I finally succeeded. From the egg of a blood python, I hatched a new life form. The creature that emerged was a baby snake-boy, with the head and upper body of a human infant and a long, vibrant, crimson-patterned snake tail. To say I wasn’t disappointed would be a lie. What I had aimed for was a purebred snake capable of mating naturally with female snakes, not some hybrid mutant with potential human intelligence. Still, as long as he was functional—capable of reproduction and survival—it didn’t matter. His purity could wait.

The snake-boy survived the critical five-week mark—the point where nearly every other genetically modified animal had failed. That milestone confirmed it: he was my first successful experiment. “I’m Dr. Lane,” I said to him softly. “I’m your caretaker and researcher. If you’d like, you can call me sister.” I reached out to stroke Eli’s tiny head, my fingers gliding gently over his smooth, red-scaled tail. A surge of pride and affection welled up in my chest. Eli blinked up at me with wide, dark red eyes. His long lashes fluttered, and his small lips pursed in confusion. He didn’t understand a word I was saying, but his innocent expression melted my heart. “…Sis… ter,” he mumbled hesitantly, his little mouth struggling to form the word. I couldn’t resist running my fingers through his soft, jet-black hair. He smelled faintly sweet, and his small, delicate features were so perfect that, for a moment, I forgot he was just a lab experiment. Suddenly, his tiny, cool hands grabbed one of my fingers. Eli clung to my hand tightly, then nuzzled my arm with his smooth cheek. “…Sister…” he whispered again, his wide, glistening eyes brimming with innocence. I froze for a second, startled by the unexpected gesture. Then, before I could react, he leaned in and kissed my cheek with a soft, wet smack. I was speechless. Eli giggled and threw himself into my arms, waving his little hands as if asking for a hug. I opened my arms, letting him snuggle into my chest. He rubbed his soft black hair against my chin, squirming and rolling around in my embrace. And then, he kissed me again. This little snake turned out to be surprisingly clingy. But, well… he was warm, soft, and so adorably sweet that I couldn’t bring myself to mind.

Eli was the crown jewel of my research. I spared no effort in caring for him, personally overseeing every aspect of his daily life. From the moment he hatched out of his white snake egg to the day he opened his eyes and babbled his first words, I was always by his side. When Eli was seven months old, I had just finished feeding him from a bottle and was about to leave the room. But before I could pull my hand away, he reached out and grabbed my wrist, holding on tightly. His dark red eyes glistened as he stared up at me, his lips quivering in a pout. I tried to free my hand, but he clung even harder. For a seven-month-old, his strength was astonishing—on par with a grown man. I couldn’t help but marvel at his physical capabilities. If he was this strong now, how powerful would he become as an adult? But then I reminded myself that it didn’t matter. No matter how strong he got, the lab was fortified with state-of-the-art security systems. Even if he grew three heads and six arms, there was no way he’d ever escape. I softened my voice, trying to coax him. “Eli, be a good boy and let go. I need to go back to the lab.” Eli just pouted harder, refusing to let go of my wrist. I ruffled his hair gently. “If you let me go, I can work on making more siblings for you. Wouldn’t you like some brothers and sisters to play with?” His red eyes blinked up at me, unblinking, unmoving. I frowned, pretending to scold him. “Eli, if you don’t let go, I’m going to get angry.” Hearing that, he glanced up at me nervously, his thick lashes quivering. His lips pressed into a tight line, and he lowered his head. I thought my tone had scared him, so I reached out to comfort him. But before I could say anything, Eli suddenly shot me a sullen look, his cheeks puffing out indignantly. With a small, exasperated huff, he turned his back to me and refused to meet my gaze. …What? Did he just throw a tantrum? At seven months old? I didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh. Shaking my head, I grabbed the empty bottle and left the room. I had too many experiments to conduct to waste time soothing a sulking child. After all, Eli was just a test subject. There was no point in getting emotionally attached.

After Eli, I successfully nurtured a red-crowned crane. Unlike Eli, this time the result was exactly what I had hoped for—a purebred crane with no genetic abnormalities. I spent an entire afternoon immersed in the joy of the crane’s birth, running countless tests on its physical data, completely captivated. So engrossed was I that I didn’t notice my phone buzzing repeatedly on the desk. By the time I finished documenting the crane’s data, it was already 10 p.m., and I realized with dismay that I had missed Eli’s feeding time by a full two hours. Guilt-stricken, I quickly prepared his formula and rushed to his room, only to find the little snake-boy lying listlessly on his bed. His long lashes drooped, and he looked utterly drained, likely from hunger. Hearing my footsteps at the door, he lazily glanced up at me before turning his head away in a huff, clearly upset. I scooped him up and held him close, gently tilting his head to feed him, but he stubbornly refused the bottle. His little mouth stayed firmly shut, his expression filled with defiance. I sighed, knowing full well that he couldn’t understand my words, but I muttered anyway, “What will it take for you to forgive me?” To my shock, Eli suddenly opened his mouth and replied, “I won’t… forgive you…” The bottle slipped from my hand and clattered to the floor. I stared at him, utterly stunned. He was only seven months old. Not only could he understand me, but he had also started speaking in full sentences? Even a normal human child wouldn’t be able to say anything coherent at this age—at most, they’d babble “mama” or “dada.” Trying to stay calm, I picked up the bottle, wiped it off, and asked cautiously, “What… what did you just say?” Eli crossed his arms and shot me an icy glare. “I said I won’t forgive you.”

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My Mother, the Forensic Pathologist My mother is a forensic pathologist and a mother of two sons. She resented me because of my father’s death and became even colder after remarrying and giving birth to my brother, mistreating me at every turn. She even went so far as to personally dissect me to conceal evidence of my brother’s crime when he became a murderer. What she didn’t know was that the dead person was me. When it was revealed that the unidentified body was mine, she went mad. I’m dead. My soul floats in mid-air, looking down at my own horrific body. The woman before me right now is my birth mother. She’s a forensic pathologist, swiftly cutting open my body with a scalpel and removing the contents that had been forcibly poured into my stomach. She retches uncontrollably but has no choice but to speed up her work. My face and head have been corroded by sulfuric acid to the point where my features are unrecognizable. My cervical vertebrae are broken – the direct cause of my death. The revolting substances churning in my stomach were forced down my throat by my brother. Bits of flesh remain under my fingernails, torn from his body during my final struggle. I can’t help but recall the phone call my brother made to mom before she arrived. “Mom, where are you? I pushed someone down the stairs…” My brother nervously sought help from mom. After all, he had only been fond of pranks before, never going as far as causing someone’s death. Mom was clearly stunned on the phone. “Ryan, where are you? Don’t move, I’m coming right now!” “Okay, Mom, hurry up, I’m scared!” my brother urged anxiously. “Don’t be afraid, sweetie. Mom’s here for everything. We’ll talk when I get there!” Mom rushed to the scene in such a hurry she didn’t even dress properly, wearing only a mask and hat! When she saw the body lying on the ground, she didn’t even bother to ask why my brother had pushed someone down the stairs. She immediately crouched down and started cleaning up the traces my brother had left behind! My spirit in the air was in such pain I could hardly breathe. I always thought that no matter how much mom doted on my brother, she wouldn’t allow him to take a life so carelessly. But I never imagined she would actually come. She even destroyed the evidence of my brother poisoning me with her own hands! I cried out in anguish, running to mom and begging her to stop, telling her how much it hurt! But I was just a spirit, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make her notice me. I passed through her body, feeling her tremble. She was actually helping her son dissect her other son. At this moment, she surely didn’t know that this body she was destroying evidence from, this horrifically mangled corpse, was mine. I watched as mom used the knife to cut open my stomach and clean out the residue in my stomach with water she had brought! She even used the sharp blade to lift my fingernails and clean out the flesh my brother had left behind when I clawed at him. It was heartbreaking…

Mom dug a hole with many tools she could find and carried my body with my brother to dump it in. After filling it with soil, she put on plastic bags and cleaned up all the footprints she and my brother had left behind. Mom’s face was as dark as water. Having just finished dealing with the aftermath, her eyes flickered with a dim and complex light! She gripped my brother’s arm tightly, her voice low and stern: “Remember, not a word about what happened today!” Back home, the air in the living room was heavy. I watched all this from another world’s perspective, my soul floating in the air, powerless to change anything. “Why did you hurt someone?” Mom questioned my brother. My brother turned his head away, his voice choked with tears, “He was just a homeless man! He threatened to hurt our whole family! I… I just wanted to protect you…” Hearing him say this, my heart felt like it was being torn apart by a dull knife. Memories from my life came flooding back: every time I was neglected, every meal I couldn’t eat my fill, every time I was unfairly locked in the dark room… All the pain and despair once again eroded my soul. “You really disappoint me.” Mom said in a flat tone, without much more reproach. These simple words contrasted sharply with her violence towards me. It also made me question her identity, how she had lost the most basic human conscience. To cover up for her son, she personally disposed of the victim’s body. I couldn’t help but recall that ever since Dad passed away, from the time I could remember, Mom never liked me. She often wanted to strangle me on lonely nights. She kept saying Dad died to save me. But just a few years later, she remarried and had my brother. My position in this family became even more precarious, bullied and insulted, beaten by everyone. And my brother was the culprit. All the beatings I took from childhood to adulthood were because of his framing! I was beaten by Mom with a stick until I coughed up blood, then thrown into a dark room to reflect. The little bit of gentleness and understanding I had hoped for on countless nights, shivering in that dark room, now seemed so distant and illusory. Anger and helplessness stirred up the emotions that remained in this world. I rushed forward, trying to attack the brother who had deceived our mother and framed me many times. But when my fist passed through his body, there was no sensation, as if it were passing through air. “Why do you always favor him?!” I screamed at my mother, but the voice only echoed in my own ears. “Why has it always been me who gets hurt, from childhood till now! I’m your child too! Why are you so cruel!” I lived such a miserable life, while my brother grew up like a child bathed in honey. We had the same mother, yet lived completely different lives. Watching Mother gently caress my brother’s warm skin while I couldn’t even seek the most basic justice, an indescribable pain and sense of isolation overflowed from the bottom of my heart. Moonlight fell in patches on the old wooden floor outside, every corner of the house exuding an eerie and cold air. I looked around at this place once called “home”, which had now become a place where no one remembered my existence. Vaguely, I seemed to hear Father say to Mother before he passed away: “Take good care of the children!” But reality was so cruel and ironic. Mom took care of me until she saw me suffer endless torment, and then personally disposed of my corpse. All the grievances and harm I had endured over the years seemed to turn into sharp arrows, unable to be released even after death. I existed in this world like a ghost, both laughable and pitiful.

On a warm afternoon, Mom and my brother sat in the kitchen, laughter floating lightly. “Ryan, you need to exercise well, don’t get too fat, or your body functions will decline!” “It’s fine, Mom. Oh right, I want the latest sneakers, can you buy them for me?” My brother asked Mom casually, as if nothing had happened. He had already taken all the money from me. Now his vanity still wasn’t satisfied. “Of course! How much? Mom will transfer it to you! Is five thousand enough?” My brother flatteringly massaged Mom’s shoulders and legs behind her. “I also want a new phone!” “Okay, as long as you behave and listen well in the future, and don’t make any more mistakes, Mom will fulfill all your wishes!” I suddenly felt this family was disgusting. Perhaps because of Mom’s profession, this family seemed to have no concept of death at all. It didn’t seem to affect them at all. As if my brother had never killed anyone, and Mom had never hidden a corpse for my brother. The two of them were affectionate, mother and son, a very loving scene. I hid in the corner, my lonely soul floating in the air, looking at the mother who doted on her son before me, thinking of everything this mother had done to me, my heart ached to the point where I couldn’t breathe. People die, but have to face all this. My heart felt as if it had been torn apart. Suddenly, the phone ring broke this tranquility. “Hello?” Mom answered the phone, the smile on her face gradually freezing. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but we need you to come to the police station immediately.” A serious voice came from the other end of the phone. I watched from the air as she hurriedly put on her coat, a sense of foreboding rising in my heart. Mother was a forensic pathologist, and being urgently summoned in this situation always meant something terrible had happened. After arriving at the police station, Mother was taken directly to the autopsy room. A body lay on the table, already beginning to decompose. When she pulled back the cover, although the face was difficult to recognize, every detail of that body made her heart race. “The body is severely damaged! Who could be so cruel as to completely destroy the face, break the neck! Even the fingernails have been lifted!” As she described the horrific state of the body, her voice grew smaller and smaller. She gradually became familiar with this body, it was the body she had secretly buried underground in the wasteland! “Where did the body come from?” “It was reportedly discovered yesterday by a construction team during excavation.” The officer beside her added. Hearing this, Mom’s hand trembled, “Really…” “What’s wrong?” A colleague asked my mom. She was silent for a moment before responding, “Nothing!” I watched as Mother struggled to control her panic and anxiety. She picked up the scalpel and began to work. However, when the internal organs emitted waves of stench, she finally couldn’t hold back and ran to the corner to vomit. She had been a forensic pathologist for years and seasons, of course she wouldn’t vomit. Why would she vomit and feel sick? It was because that body was the one she had personally cleaned up! She knew too well what this body meant! The air was filled with the most suffocating mixture of death and chemical reagents. I floated helplessly in mid-air, tears blurring my vision, my heart aching as I watched my own cruel death being recreated before my eyes. At this moment, I could only cry silently, my role as an observer making me feel even more acutely the pain and crime hidden behind every action. Mother couldn’t sense my presence, but she would occasionally pause her work and look towards an empty space. As if she were looking at me. The whole process seemed to play out in slow motion: every cut, every drop of blood, every piece of muscle was clearly visible. Every knife that fell felt as if it were really stabbing into my body, painfully. This scene was too cruel and real, but it also reminded me. Even after leaving this world, those unresolved wounds still deeply affected me.

I couldn’t help but recall the moments before my death. My brother had asked me to meet him on the hill behind our house, saying he had something important to tell me. About my birth father! But when I got there, my brother immediately kicked me down. I had always been physically weak, while my brother was as strong as an ox! “Ugh… What’s wrong with you, Ryan! Why did you kick me?” Although I was physically weak, my temper wasn’t particularly good. I wouldn’t speak nicely to him after being inexplicably beaten by my brother. “Jack, how do you have the face to stay in our house? How can you shamelessly live off others! You’re a grown man, how can you be so shameless!” I was used to this kind of insult from him. “What did you want to tell me? You said it was about my dad!” “Do you know how your dad died? He was killed by you! But Mom didn’t tell you everything, your dad…” He trailed off. “What about my dad?” I asked anxiously, concerned about anything related to my father. “Give me all your money, and I’ll tell you!” He brazenly demanded money from me. “I don’t have any money!” He said he had something to tell me, so I was already very wary and had recorded our conversation on my phone. But my brother punched me in the eye, and while I was in pain, he forcefully shoved some unknown substance down my throat. “Ugh… you…” My brother didn’t give me any chance to fight back. He took my phone and saw that I had been recording. He suddenly went crazy, taking out sulfuric acid from somewhere and pouring it on my face. The pain was excruciating, and my mouth was full of blood. I couldn’t speak. I struggled to grab his leg, wanting him to spare me. But what I heard before I died was my brother taking my phone, forcing me to use my fingerprint to unlock it, and transferring all my hard-earned savings and the small inheritance my father had left me. I desperately tried to grab him, but he kicked me off the second floor. As I fell, I felt weightless, and when I hit the ground, my neck broke. I was completely lifeless. And my brother, after transferring all my money, smashed my phone and threw it in the trash. Suddenly, my thoughts were pulled back to reality. The police were still investigating this unclaimed body. Phones rang incessantly in the office, each ring seeming to strike my soul. When Mother returned home in a daze, the sound of my brother playing with the dog came from the yard. She stared at them for a moment before walking over and hugging my brother tightly. “Be careful,” she said softly, with deep fear and worry, holding my brother tightly in her arms. As if saying a final goodbye, she went to the kitchen and started preparing dinner, making my brother’s favorite braised pork. During dinner, the atmosphere was warm and peaceful. Mother suddenly spoke up: “Where’s Jack? I haven’t seen him for days.” “Oh, my brother hasn’t been home for several days.” My brother could sense the sudden change in atmosphere. “Maybe he’s out playing again!” Mother’s face immediately darkened. “What an ungrateful, ill-mannered thing! All he knows is how to spend the family’s money!” She angrily picked up some food for my brother. I watched this scene, listening to my mother’s accusations and resentment towards me, silently crying in the air. I wasn’t a person who cried easily. Life had already been so bitter, but seeing scenes that pierced my heart, even as a man, I couldn’t help but shed tears. Just then, the phone rang again. “Hello, is this Mrs. Peterson?” The tone on the other end was serious. “We’ve learned from the school that your son Jack hasn’t been seen for many days…” “What? Impossible! He’s just out playing, right?” Mother tried to remain calm. “We regret to inform you…” The voice on the phone paused, “There’s reason to believe he may have met with misfortune. We suggest you file a police report!” The unexpected news shattered Mother’s last hope. “No, how could that be possible, he’s just playing around…” she murmured softly, tears beginning to fall. When the authorities contacted her again, saying the deceased might be me and asking her to come to the police station to provide more information, my mom trembled as she answered her cell phone. “Is it… is it really Jack?” Her voice revealed indescribable pain and disbelief!

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In my previous life, I saved my brother Jason from kidnappers but was taken myself. Fifteen years later, my birth parents found me. Yet I never enjoyed their love, constantly framed by the fake daughter. Jason always held the impostor’s hand, looking at me with disdain: “Emily will always be my only sister.” As he wished, the fake daughter caused my death. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day of the kidnapping. Six-year-old Jason looked panicked: “Sister, save me quick!” This time, I didn’t rush over like before. I just coldly replied: “Brother, let’s meet again in fifteen years.” “Quick, catch that little boy! Don’t let him escape!” Urgent shouts rang out around me. I suddenly came to my senses and found myself sitting in a go-kart. Six-year-old Jason was running and crying. The scene before me was so familiar. I immediately realized that I had traveled back in time to when I was six, the day I was kidnapped. Soon, the kidnapper caught Jason and walked towards a van across the street. “Sister, save me!” Jason cried in panic. In my previous life, seeing my brother being taken away, I rushed to save him. But he abandoned me and left on his own. I was kidnapped and began a tragic and difficult life. “Sister, save me!” Jason’s cries continued. Without hesitation, I drove the go-kart away. Looking at Jason crying in the distance, I calmly responded: “Brother, let’s meet again in fifteen years.”

After Jason was kidnapped, our parents were devastated. They posted missing person notices and rewards on TV and in newspapers everywhere. Thinking back to the family I was sold to in my previous life, it took half a day just to walk to the nearest town market. Jason’s fate couldn’t be much better. Although my parents were truly heartbroken now, it didn’t matter. They would forget. Just like in my previous life, when they lost me, their biological daughter, they were also devastated and felt like dying. Later, out of longing for a daughter, they even adopted a girl. They poured all their love into that adopted daughter. They gave her the best of everything. Even when I returned, they didn’t care about me. When the adopted daughter got sick and needed a kidney transplant, they even wanted mine! So, nothing is irreplaceable. Not even parents or children.

Time passed quickly, and it had been almost a year since Jason disappeared. I often said I missed my brother very much. Whenever I did, Mom would cry uncontrollably. She couldn’t help suggesting to Dad: “Why don’t we adopt a boy?” I seemed to have guessed this would happen, so I also strongly agreed.

Since we were adopting a brother, of course it had to be with my approval. My parents took me to many orphanages and looked at many boys around my age, but I wasn’t satisfied with any of them. One day, we came to another orphanage that was in a remote location with poor conditions. After searching around without finding anyone I wanted, we were about to leave. The director suggested to my mother that we adopt a girl, saying they had a girl about my age who was very obedient and well-behaved. I pretended to agree. When that girl walked out, I was stunned. It was her, Emily Young. The adopted daughter my parents treasured like the apple of their eye in my previous life. She also seemed surprised to see me. Her sweet smile turned to shock as she blurted out: “How is this possible?” We stared at each other. Mom frowned. “Director Lewis, is this the girl you just mentioned?” Director Lewis looked a bit embarrassed: “I’m sorry, Emily may be a bit excited meeting you for the first time. Emily, this is the CEO of Long Sheng Group and his wife. Don’t be so impolite.” Emily seemed to come to her senses and quickly changed her expression to be very cautious and polite. “Uncle, Auntie, hello. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude earlier.” Mom nodded, studying her with curiosity, then asked a few questions. Emily answered everything smoothly with a sweet attitude. After the conversation, it was clear Mom had a good impression of her. Even Dad’s face showed satisfaction. But what could they do? The person holding Emily’s fate in her hands at this moment was me, Olivia Wilson. “Sweetie, shall we bring this big sister home with us?” Mom came to my side and asked gently. “No.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Emily’s face turned white. She looked at me anxiously and in disbelief. Her lips parted as if wanting to say something, but she held back in the end. Such a direct and clear attitude surprised my mother. She seemed to want to persuade me: “Actually, having an older sister at home would be nice. You could wear pretty dresses together, do each other’s hair, play hide and seek…” “No.” Seeing my firm attitude, Mom had to give up. She sighed lightly: “I’m sorry, Director. I’m afraid we won’t be able to adopt this girl after all.” “That’s alright,” the director said understandingly. “No!” Just then, Emily suddenly cried out in despair: “Why is this happening? Mom, I’m Emily! Dad, don’t you recognize me anymore?” My parents were startled by her words. Emily threw herself at my mother, hugging her tightly and crying, as if afraid she would leave the next moment. “Mom, I’ve been waiting here for you and Dad for so long. Please take me home, I don’t want to stay here another day. Where’s my brother? Why didn’t he come?” Mom was frightened by her strange words and hurriedly pushed her away. “Child, how can you randomly call me mom? Is something wrong with your mind?” Emily froze, wiped away her tears and explained: “No, Mom, my mind is very clear. In my previous life, you adopted me from here.” No one present except me knew what she was talking about. My parents’ expressions had completely changed. They probably never expected the girl the director recommended would be mentally unstable. The director looked embarrassed and ashamed, quickly calling someone to take Emily away. Emily was shocked and terrified. She kicked and hit at the others, struggling hysterically. “No, I won’t go! I want to go home with Mom and Dad! Get away from me! I’m the real daughter of Long Sheng Group. That woman is an imposter! Mom, I’m your precious daughter!” Emily was carried out like a little chicken by two aunties. For a long time after, we could still hear her heart-wrenching cries from the courtyard. Mom was still shaken as she quickly took my hand and walked out. “Olivia, let’s go. We can’t stay in this place. There are crazy people here.” The precious daughter in my mother’s eyes in my previous life had become a mentally ill crazy person in this life. Even I couldn’t stand my mother’s completely opposite attitudes, let alone Emily. It really cuts to the bone! 4 After three whole months of searching, I finally found Lucas Stone at an orphanage in a neighboring city. When the director took me to him, he was fighting with several other boys. His face was bruised, one eye was swollen, and his arm was bleeding. My eyes instantly welled up with tears. In my previous life, whenever other kids at the orphanage bullied me, he would fight back for me just like this. Lucas, this time it’s my turn to protect you.

When they heard I wanted to bring Lucas home, my parents both expressed confusion. Clearly, they had already heard about his usual behavior from the other kids at the orphanage. But I didn’t care at all and insisted on doing so. With no other choice, they finally agreed. And so, 8-year-old Lucas came home with me. I took him to the room on the second floor and opened the thick curtains. The floor-to-ceiling windows were spacious and bright. I turned around and gave him a warm smile. “Because in this life, it’s our turn to have some good days.” Of course he didn’t understand and just looked at me in confusion. “Who’s this?” Lucas pointed at a photo frame on the bookshelf. It was Jason sitting in a toy car, taken on his sixth birthday last year. “No one.” I picked up the frame and threw it in the trash without hesitation. I remembered in my previous life when Jason coldly told me he would only ever recognize Emily as his sister. Very well. In this life, I don’t need him as a brother either. After a while, Lucas looked up at me again and asked: “How long are you planning to keep me? Three months or six months?” As far as I knew, Lucas had already been abandoned twice before. He no longer had any expectations about being adopted. His temper grew increasingly volatile, getting into fights at the drop of a hat and keeping to himself. Until I appeared at the orphanage years later, and two equally isolated kids gradually became friends. Recalling this, I walked over to Lucas and said seriously: “Not three months or six months. You can stay in this family forever, until you want to leave on your own.” He looked at me for a very long time without saying anything.

Although my parents initially opposed bringing Lucas home, they soon accepted him. No one knew better than me how smart Lucas was. After just three piano lessons, he could play entire pop songs from memory. Two months into chess lessons, his teacher was no longer a match for him. The smiles on my parents’ faces gradually increased. They nurtured Lucas with all their efforts, just as they did me. Lucas was strikingly handsome, exceptionally talented in his studies, and though his personality was a bit aloof, his merits far outweighed any flaws. Some prominent figures even started strategizing for their daughters, discussing becoming in-laws with my father. Though pleased, my father politely declined. After all, we were still too young. From then on, my parents paid even more attention to Lucas, becoming stricter with his education. His food, clothing and other needs were treated exactly the same as mine, their biological daughter. Lucas and I also became as familiar and at ease with each other as we had been in my previous life.

One day after school, on our way home. A figure suddenly darted into the middle of the road, startling the driver. He swerved sharply, and the car spun out of control towards the other side. Lucas reacted quickly, lunging over to hold me tightly in his arms. There was a loud crash as the car hit a roadside flower bed. Lucas anxiously checked my body. “Are you okay?” I let out a sigh and shook my head. “I’m fine.” Fortunately, only the front of the car was damaged. All three of us were unharmed. The driver’s face had turned pale with fright. He angrily got out of the car, only to find a little girl standing across the street. “Driver, it’s me, Emily!” The girl said excitedly. “Little girl, do you know how dangerous what you just did was? Where are your parents?” the driver asked. Emily looked deeply disappointed. When she saw Lucas and me in the car, her eyes widened as she exclaimed: “Olivia Wilson, why are you two together?” Lucas turned his head and asked me curiously, “Who is that? Do you know her?” I shrugged. “I don’t know her.” Emily’s face turned pale as she shook her head frantically. “That’s impossible! How can this be? Where’s Jason? Where did Jason go?” The driver also turned to ask me: “Miss, is this your friend?” “I don’t know her. Let’s go,” I said. Hearing this, the driver got back in the car and started the engine. Emily panicked and ran up, banging on the car window. “Olivia Wilson, you can’t leave! I need to go see Mom with you! Stop! Stop the car right now!” I couldn’t be bothered with her and complained expressionlessly: “What bad luck today, running into a crazy person. Driver, when we get to the neighborhood, tell security not to let any unstable people in.” “Certainly, Miss Olivia.” The car sped away, with Emily chasing after us, screaming and shouting.

After getting home, I told my mother about what happened on the road. “That was so dangerous, we almost got in an accident. Mom, is that girl really crazy? How did she find our house?” My mother was clearly frightened too. She angrily called Director Lewis. The other end carefully apologized to my mother for a long time, saying they had already sent people to look for Emily and would take her away soon. Only then was the matter settled.

Not long after, the company’s business in Europe ran into some issues. My father decided to leave immediately. He told my mother he might be gone for quite a while, perhaps two or three years. The implication was that he wouldn’t be able to return home for some time due to the subsidiary’s affairs. Thinking of Emily’s lingering presence recently, I suggested to my mother without hesitation: “Mom, why don’t we move there to live with Dad?” My mother quickly adopted the suggestion. Just two weeks later, our family of four boarded a plane to France. The plane cruised at an altitude of 10,000 meters. I quietly gazed down at the clouds below, making a goodbye gesture. Farewell, Jason and Emily. If fate allows, we’ll meet again in fourteen years. During this long, difficult and painful time, you must persevere. Don’t have any accidents, and don’t commit suicide. You must live like insects – poor, pitiful, in pain, and without dignity. After all, that’s how I lived in my previous life. I believe we will meet again someday.

After walking out of the terminal, I immediately spotted our driver holding a sign with my name. Even after many years, he still looked the same. I quickly waved to him. But he didn’t look in my direction at all. It wasn’t until I walked right up to him and took the sign from his hands that I smiled and said: “Driver, what are you thinking about? I’ve been calling you.” “Are you Miss Olivia?” he asked, his eyes wide with disbelief. “How did you get so tall and beautiful?” “I’ve always been beautiful,” I laughed. The driver nodded enthusiastically, his eyes seeming to redden. “Yes, yes, of course. Miss Olivia has always been beautiful.” He then glanced behind me. “Did you come back alone? Where are the CEO, Madam, and young Master Lucas?” “They’ll be here in a couple days, after Lucas’ last performance. You know my parents – they never miss any of their precious son’s shows.” The driver clearly agreed with my words. “That’s true. Whenever the CEO calls me, as soon as he starts talking about young Master Lucas, he just goes on and on. Always saying how Lucas performed in Vienna last month, or how he’s going to perform at the White House next month. Sometimes I want to ask about you, but I can’t even get a word in. People who don’t know better might think Lucas is their biological child.” I shook my head with a smile. “Driver, I think you just wanted to ask about Chris but were too shy to interrupt my dad.” Chris was the driver’s son, who had gone to study in France ten years ago and had been living at our house. “Bah! I don’t care about that little brat. All he does is ask me for money.” On the way home, I noticed huge posters of Lucas hung all over the city’s CBD. “Genius pianist returns to homeland after 14 years – Premiere domestic performance” The hype was clearly working well.

We had long since sold our old house. Three years ago, Dad bought a seaside mansion in the suburbs with a beautiful view. The renovations were just completed last year. This was my first time stepping into this house. The decor was very nice, close to my dream home. The driver started rambling again: “Miss Olivia, why do you like living in such a high place by the sea? The view is nice, but you young people need to be careful driving. The coastal road has a lot of twists and turns, with cliffs on one side. You absolutely can’t speed.” “I know, don’t worry,” I said. While I was taking a bath, I heard the phone ringing outside. I was too tired from the flight to move, so I ignored it. But the person on the other end seemed very persistent, ringing for about ten minutes. I had no choice but to get up and answer.

“What are you doing?” I asked lazily, wrapped in a bathrobe and leaning on the sofa. “Young master, I’m taking a bath. Is there something so urgent you have to say it now?” “Mm.” The phone went quiet for a moment. “I booked a flight for the day after tomorrow.” Lucas’ voice sounded a bit weary. He must have been tired from practicing piano these past few days. “Alright, I’ll prepare a welcome home party for you, young master.” A light chuckle came through the phone. “How was the performance?” I asked. “Not bad.” “Congratulations. Okay, it’s 11:30 now. Go to sleep soon, you can’t stay up late.” “I know. Goodnight.” “Goodnight. Love you.” He hadn’t hung up yet. After a moment of silence: “What did you just say?” “Goodnight.” “The next part.” “Love you.” The other end went quiet again, as if even his breathing had stopped. I laughed. “What? Am I not allowed to say that? I heard your fans saying it when they greeted you at the airport last time.” Three seconds later, the dial tone sounded on the phone. Two days later. The driver brought my parents back from the airport, but I didn’t see Lucas. Apparently he had been picked up by the event organizers and might not be back until evening. I was about to eat when Mrs. Lin, our housekeeper, came running over to say someone was looking for us outside. “Who are they looking for?” I asked casually. “They said they’re looking for the CEO and Madam.” My father and mother both looked puzzled. “Looking for us? Who is it?” Mrs. Lin’s expression was conflicted, but she finally said it: “He says… he’s the CEO’s son.”

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I was born with the gift of prophecy. Whatever I say comes true. When I first learned to speak, I babbled that my dad would become rich. That night, he won the lottery jackpot of $100 million. When I was six, I said our neighbor’s missing grandson would return home safely. The next day, he was found dirty but unharmed at the town entrance. At eighteen, I commented online that the nearly bankrupt Chen Corporation would make a comeback against all odds. Sure enough, two weeks later, their stock prices skyrocketed, returning them to their former glory! Because of my gift, I became an honored guest of the Harrison family. But as soon as I stepped into their mansion, someone grabbed me by my hair and dragged me across the floor. “You slut! It’s not enough that you seduced my fiancé outside, now you’re throwing yourself at him in his own home? You must have a death wish!” a shrill voice accused. Wrongly accused, I tried to explain, but they were convinced I was the other woman and began beating me mercilessly. As my bracelet shattered with a crisp sound, I tasted the metallic tang of blood in my mouth. What they didn’t know was that besides my gift of prophecy, I also bore the curse of misfortune. Whoever made me bleed would be plagued by bad luck. It seemed the Harrison family was destined for a complete downfall.

“Miss Sullivan, please have a seat. The head of the family is on his way back from the office,” Mrs. Wilson, the housekeeper, said with a respectful smile. “He’ll be here any minute now.” I waved my hand dismissively. “Alright, no need to fuss.” I was born with the gift of prophecy. Whatever I say comes true. Mr. Harrison was initially skeptical about my abilities. Two years ago, he tested me by asking about their stocks. I simply said they would rise. That very night, their stock prices soared. The Harrison family, once on the brink of collapse, managed to stay afloat for two more years thanks to my single statement. Since then, Mr. Harrison knew I was the one he had been looking for. To get me to use my gift again, he pulled out all the stops. He even offered to make me an honored guest of the Harrison family, with a promise of lifelong respect and care. Only then did I reluctantly agree. After Mrs. Wilson settled me in, she went to the kitchen to prepare some fruit. The other servants treated me with utmost respect, their eyes filled with reverence. As I sat on the couch waiting for Mr. Harrison to return, a sharp pain suddenly shot through my scalp. I frowned and turned around, only to have a glass smash against my head, leaving me bloody and dazed. Clutching my forehead, I saw Vanessa Chen’s twisted face through the haze of blood. Seeing me injured, the two nearby servants immediately panicked. “Miss Sullivan is our master’s honored guest. Who are you?” one of them demanded. Vanessa gritted her teeth. “Don’t you dare touch me. I’m your young master’s girlfriend!” “You shameless hussy, how dare you seduce Lucas!” she spat at me. Her friends surrounding her all looked at me with contempt. “Look at her, so poor and pathetic. How could she compare to our Vanessa?” “Anyone with eyes can see who the better choice is.” “You cheap homewrecker, we’re going to teach you a lesson today.” They took turns calling me a mistress, reducing me to nothing. I frowned, my voice cold. “I’m not a mistress. Stop spreading lies.” As I turned to leave, Vanessa’s hand whipped across my face with a resounding slap. “Shameless bitch, don’t think I haven’t seen you hanging around my boyfriend all the time,” she snarled. “You’re probably scheming to seduce him every day, aren’t you?” Her long nails jabbed towards my eyes as she shrieked. Suddenly, I remembered Lucas Harrison. To get me to use my gift to help the Harrison family, he would come to me every day, showering me with attention. I had no idea Vanessa was his girlfriend. The servants around us quickly realized the situation and surrounded me, carefully trying to tend to my wounds. My voice was icy as I spoke, “Mr. Harrison invited me here to help. I have nothing to do with your boyfriend.” One of the servants timidly spoke up in my defense. “Miss Sullivan has the gift of prophecy. Whatever she says comes true.” Upon hearing this, Vanessa doubled over with laughter, tears streaming down her face. “You claim to have the gift of prophecy? Well, I might as well say I’m a fairy from heaven!” “You’ve said so many things, but I haven’t seen any of them come true.” I sighed inwardly. Although I did have the gift of prophecy, it only worked once a year. I wouldn’t use this ability carelessly. Vanessa sneered, crossing her arms. “Do I look like some fool who would believe such nonsense?” “You dare to be the other woman to me, Vanessa Chen? I’ll make you pay for this.” Her eyes bore into me like a venomous snake. The people around her took a step forward, their eyes filled with mockery as they looked at me. She was here for me. I took a step back, my voice hoarse. “If you lay a hand on me, the Harrison family won’t let you off.” Vanessa was the first to lunge at me, grabbing my head and slamming it against the floor. “You little whore, how dare you!” “Girls, let’s teach this homewrecker a lesson!”

I frowned as blood dripped from my forehead. Now thoroughly angered, I glared at Vanessa with cold eyes. “I’m an honored guest of the Harrison family. Who do you think you are?” “Leave now, and I’ll pretend this never happened.” Though you’ll still have a streak of bad luck, I thought to myself. Seeing that I didn’t take her seriously at all, Vanessa could no longer contain herself. With bloodshot eyes, she pounced on me, pinning me to the ground and raining blows on me. I was pressed against the floor, completely unable to fight back. But as she leaned in close, I managed to bite her ear hard. Vanessa clutched her ear, glaring at me with murderous intent. Her friends rushed over, pinning me down firmly, each of them slapping me across the face. A searing pain tore through my scalp as I was thrown backward onto the gravel path. I let out a muffled groan. A circle of pointed high heels surrounded me, forming an impenetrable barrier. As a heel ground into the back of my hand, I heard the faint crackle of my joints. The first slap made my right ear ring. “That’s what you get for being a homewrecker, you shameless bitch.” The second blow left my left cheek stinging and swollen. “Slut, I hate people like you who seduce other people’s boyfriends. You’re disgusting.” By the third slap, I could taste iron in my mouth. “Someone like you doesn’t deserve to live in this world.” They took turns yanking my hair back, my blood-matted strands sticking to my swollen cheeks. Their nails deliberately raked across the corner of my eye, warm droplets of blood rolling down into my collar. Their assault was so vicious that the two nearby servants were terrified. I looked at them and shouted, “Quick, call Mr. Harrison!” Gasping for air, I warned Vanessa coldly. “Let me go now, or I swear you’ll never set foot in the Harrison house again.” Vanessa let out a derisive laugh, kicking me repeatedly. “You think I don’t know anything? You’re just a country bumpkin. Gift of prophecy? Ha!” “You’re just trying to seduce Lucas while I’m not around. I’ve seen through your little plan.” She kicked me in the ribs with the tip of her shoe. As I curled up, my forehead hit the edge of the cement, and blood immediately covered my right eye. Finally, she grabbed the back of my neck and slammed me against the edge of the coffee table. As the porcelain cut into my chin, drops of blood splattered on the floor. She laughed coldly and delivered a savage kick to my stomach. “Bitch!” I clutched my stomach, curling up into a ball. “What are you doing?!” Mrs. Wilson finally emerged from the kitchen with a fruit platter. Seeing my pitiful state, her pupils constricted sharply. She hurried over to help me up. “Miss Sullivan is the master’s honored guest! The master instructed us to treat her well!” “Who dared to lay hands on Miss Sullivan?” She turned around and met Vanessa’s eyes. Vanessa let out a light chuckle. “Mrs. Wilson.” “Miss Chen, why are you here?” Mrs. Wilson asked, surprised. Vanessa looked at her coldly. “What honored guest? She’s just some country girl trying to climb the social ladder.” “Let me tell you, I’m going to be the future Mrs. Harrison.” Mrs. Wilson looked at Vanessa, then at me. Finally, she reluctantly let go of my hand. I couldn’t stand steady and fell back onto the floor. Vanessa sneered, her face full of triumph. “What gift of prophecy? I’d say she’s just a con artist!” “You tell me, does what she say really come true?” Mrs. Wilson’s eyes darted back and forth. She walked up to Vanessa. “What gift of prophecy? She’s just a fraud.” My heart sank.

Vanessa was very pleased with Mrs. Wilson’s flattery. I was bleeding all over and had no strength left to resist. I could barely breathe, let alone speak. Vanessa’s long nails dug into my chin, her gaze falling on the necklace around my neck. Before I could cover the necklace, she reached out and yanked it off my neck. “Give it back,” I cried out hoarsely, disregarding the bloody scratch on my neck. This necklace was the only thing my late mother had left me. I gritted my teeth. “Give it back to me!” I tried to get up to snatch the necklace back. But the two people holding me down on either side beat me again. Vanessa dangled the necklace in front of me. “This necklace means so much to you, huh?” “I can give it back to you. Why don’t you kneel down and beg me?” “If I’m in a good mood, I might just return it to you.” My eyes were bloodshot, my fists clenched tightly as I glared at her with hatred. Vanessa looked indifferent, holding the necklace with disgust. “Looks like you don’t care about this necklace that much after all.” “In that case…” She held the necklace, ready to throw it away. I released my bloodied lips. “I’ll kneel!” After saying those words, it felt like all the strength had been drained from my body. She bent down and patted my face. “I didn’t expect you to be so sensible.” “If you’re going to kneel, do it quickly. Time waits for no one.” I looked at the necklace in her hand, closed my eyes, and knelt down. Once I get back what’s rightfully mine, I’ll make her pay dearly. I knelt on the ground, my gaze fixed on her. “Give it back to me.” Vanessa looked triumphant. “You think I’ll give it back just because you tell me to?” “Let me tell you, this is what you get for being a homewrecker.” With that, she threw the necklace on the ground and ground it under her foot. I watched helplessly as the necklace shattered into pieces. My voice was hoarse. “I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you!” I got up from the ground and lunged at her, grabbing her throat. “Crazy bitch! She’s crazy!” Soon, I was pulled away by the people around her. Filled with hatred, I gritted my teeth. “Vanessa Chen, I won’t let you get away with this.” As soon as I finished speaking, they all burst into laughter. Vanessa laughed so hard she nearly fell over. “Oh my god, did I hear that right? You, a country bumpkin, won’t let me get away with this?” “Oh, I’m so scared! I’d love to see how you’re going to make me pay.” “Looks like you haven’t learned your lesson yet. Since that’s the case, give her another good beating.” The group surged towards me once again. This time, I didn’t resist at all. I quietly curled up on the ground, allowing their fists to rain down on me. “Hahaha, look at her! Has she been beaten stupid? She doesn’t even know how to fight back anymore.” Vanessa laughed so hard tears came to her eyes. I looked at the blood pooling on the ground and the corners of my mouth curved into a smile.

Seeing me smile, Vanessa flew into a rage. She roared, “You bitch, what are you smiling at?” “Do you believe I can make it so you never smile again in your life?” My voice was soft, laced with a hint of coldness, as I just looked at her. “You’re about to have your face ruined.” Hearing my words, Vanessa’s eyes widened in shock. Her face turned darker than the bottom of a pot. “You whore, how dare you curse me!” “I won’t let you off the hook.” She rolled up her sleeves and walked towards me. But in the next second, she fell to the ground. “Ah!” She screamed, her hand tightly covering her face. “Vanessa, your face…” one of her friends couldn’t help but speak up. Vanessa pulled out a mirror and screamed even louder. She covered the bleeding side of her face and glared at me viciously. My gaze fell on the razor blade that had suddenly appeared on the ground, and I curled my lips into a smile. Vanessa was furious. She pounced on me. “You evil-mouthed witch, who told you to curse me!” “Since you say such nasty things, I’ll make sure you can never speak again.” My nails dug into my palms as I spoke hoarsely, “You wouldn’t dare!” She raised an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t I dare? I’m going to be the future Mrs. Harrison. You’re just a nobody from the countryside. Why wouldn’t I dare to touch you?” She gave a signal to the people around her. I was immediately restrained. She took out two needles about the length of a forearm from her bag and walked towards me step by step. “Today, I’ll do justice for heaven and clean up that evil mouth of yours.” “Even if you pierce my throat, I’ll recover,” I said. As soon as I spoke these words, a golden light flashed in my pupils. But it was too fast for anyone to notice. She moved quickly, aiming the needle at my throat and stabbing down. I writhed in pain but couldn’t make a sound. Seeing me like this, Vanessa was extremely pleased. “This is what happens to whores like you.” Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably, and cold sweat broke out all over my body from the pain in my throat. My vision darkened, and I felt like I couldn’t hold on much longer. Mrs. Wilson ran up to Vanessa. “Young madam, this is exactly how we should deal with shameless women like her.” “Back in our day, we used to dunk these husband-stealing sluts in pig cages.” I bit my tongue, the taste of iron keeping me alert. Vanessa dusted off her hands and raised an eyebrow. “You’re right. Such a dirty woman should be dunked in a pig cage. Let’s take her to wash her clean.” She looked at me on the ground as if looking at garbage, her eyes filled with disgust. “Grab her,” she ordered. Just as she finished speaking, a voice came from behind. “Who are you? What are you doing at the entrance of my Harrison family home?” “Emma!” Mr. Harrison’s voice rang in my ears.

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Jack and I were high school sweethearts. We weathered hardships together and enjoyed luxury side by side. We built our company from the ground up, and I thought we were not just spouses, but inseparable allies. Until I accidentally discovered his will. “I bequeath all my assets to Lily Chen.” Lily was Jack’s childhood friend. I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. I was dying anyway, so what did it matter who he left his money to? Discovering Jack’s will caught me off guard. A few years ago, he had a near-fatal skiing accident in the mountains. Shaken by the experience, he had a lawyer draw up a will. I knew about this but wasn’t privy to its contents. He only had me as family, so who else could he leave everything to? The letter from Mr. Anderson, the lawyer, felt like a slap in the face. Wills need to be authenticated every few years while the person is still alive to ensure legality. I thought Jack and I had no secrets, so I opened the envelope for him. The contents stabbed at my heart. “I, Jack Foster, in the event of my untimely death, leave all my assets to Lily Chen.” Lily was Jack’s childhood friend; they grew up together. She had married an abusive man at her parents’ insistence, who frequently beat and berated her. Jack helped her divorce the scumbag and rented an apartment for her. I felt sorry for her and often looked after her. Sometimes Lily would call Jack in the middle of the night after having nightmares, and he’d rush over to comfort her. When Lily burned herself while cooking, he wouldn’t let her near the kitchen again and hired a personal chef to take care of her meals 365 days a year. I could tolerate all of this, but Jack’s will was something I couldn’t accept. Everything we owned now was created through our joint efforts. From a small, rundown grocery store to a nationwide, household-name brand. I stood by him as we went from eating steamed bread with water to dining in high-end restaurants. And in the end, he wanted to give it all to someone else. Just because Lily was a pitiful woman? I didn’t call Jack to question his reasons. After years of marriage, his explanation didn’t matter to me; only the result was important. And this result shattered the dream I’d held for years. Jack and I split the company’s assets equally, but I firmly believed in one principle: Where the money goes, so does the love. I didn’t care about Jack’s portion; money wasn’t that important to me anymore. This just proved that Jack didn’t love me at all. He didn’t care if the company would split after his death because of his actions, or if my interests would be harmed. I laughed at myself sarcastically and put the envelope back exactly as I’d found it.

“Emma, I’m not coming home tonight. Lily has a stomachache, so I’m taking her to the hospital,” Jack’s voice message came through just as I finished my check-up and was waiting for results in the hallway. I’d been having severe headaches for the past few days. I had planned to wait for Jack to return from his business trip before going to the hospital, but then I discovered that will. I kept my face expressionless, suppressing the turmoil inside as I replied with a simple “okay.” Thinking back, it seemed Jack hadn’t accompanied me to the hospital since we first started dating. He disliked the smell of antiseptic, finding it irritating, so I stopped asking him to come to avoid making him uncomfortable. Apparently, he could tolerate it after all. My head started to throb even more as I desperately tried not to think about him. The private hospital was efficient, and the doctor called me in to hear the results. Her expression wasn’t good. “Ms. Reed, the CT results aren’t very promising,” she said, getting straight to the point. I didn’t react much, just staring blankly as I listened. “There’s a tumor in your brain, but we can’t determine if it’s benign or malignant yet.” “However, if you undergo treatment promptly, there’s still a chance for a full recovery.” The doctor chose her words carefully, trying to console me gently. I found myself smirking, finding it oddly amusing as I propped my chin on my hand. “Doctor, am I dying?” The doctor, probably thinking I was in shock, became flustered. “If it’s benign, it shouldn’t be a major problem. You should consider follow-up treatment.” My mind was already elsewhere. I waved my hand dismissively. “I’ll think about it.”

I returned home without turning on the lights and collapsed on the sofa, scrolling through social media. Work complaints, daily life with spouses and kids, travel photos… I saw Lily’s latest post from half an hour ago. “Ate something too cold and now my stomach hurts. Never again! (crying emoji)” My finger hovered over that post for a long time before I finally broke down in tears. I had a deep-seated fear of anything cold – ice, winter, snow – everything frigid. That year when Jack went skiing, he was on an advanced slope. Given his skills, he shouldn’t have had any problems. But that day, my heart was racing with a bad feeling. Even though I was a beginner and couldn’t ski, I made my way down step by step. Jack’s binding came loose, and I watched helplessly as he lost control and tumbled towards the trees beside the slope. Without thinking, I threw away my poles and skis and rushed towards him. The snow was deep, up to my knees, and each step drained my energy. “Jack! Jack!” I called out his name, but there was no response. At the bottom of a huge rock, Jack lay unconscious, his breathing shallow. Using my limited first-aid knowledge, I found that his left thigh was broken, and he had several fractured ribs. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. The advanced slope was sparsely populated, and most skiers were moving too fast for me to ask for help. I took off my gloves, but my phone had no signal. But my husband was dying in my arms, and I couldn’t afford to wait. Jack wasn’t too heavy, but at over six feet tall, he wasn’t exactly light either. I struggled to support him by his arm, using all my strength to move. After a few steps, I tripped over a small rock, cutting my cheek. There was no time to feel the pain; I dragged Jack forward again. Our combined weight made the snow reach up to my hips, the bone-chilling cold invading every inch of my skin. But I couldn’t stop. I managed to move Jack onto the ski slope, nearly getting run over by someone skiing down. That person clearly noticed something was wrong with us but couldn’t stop. I had used up all my strength, and hypothermia was setting in. I could barely stay conscious, only hoping that person would be kind enough to notify the staff to rescue us. As I was about to close my eyes, I looked at Jack’s pained face and prayed that my love would be safe.

“Ma’am, you’ve just woken up. Try not to get too excited,” the nurse cautioned. Ignoring the IV in the back of my hand, I grabbed the nurse and asked about Jack. “Where’s my husband?” “His condition was more serious than yours. He’s been transferred to a hospital in the city for treatment.” The nurse reassured me that someone would be taking care of Jack, but she hesitated before leaving. “Ma’am, there’s something else. You need to prepare yourself.” “What is it?” I asked anxiously, worried that Jack’s injuries might be worse than I thought. “You were pregnant, but… we couldn’t save the baby.” “You were in the snow for too long, and it damaged your body, so…” “It might affect your ability to conceive in the future…” What? My mind went blank. My hand instinctively moved to my stomach. The flat abdomen showed no sign that a child had ever been there. Only a vague pain reminded me that what the nurse said was true. “How can this be…” I mumbled. It was our seventh year of marriage, our careers had stabilized, and we had just started talking about having a child. The nurse’s words hit me like a thunderbolt. Thinking of Jack still in the hospital fighting for his life, a dull pain spread from my heart throughout my body. “You’re still young. It’s not impossible,” the nurse tried to comfort me. I shook my head, silently suppressing my emotions and refusing to let the tears fall. In my twenty-some years of life, I had experienced countless setbacks and hardships, but never had I felt pain so intense that I couldn’t express it. Like a wooden doll, I quietly accepted treatment, took medicine, received IVs, until the doctor informed me I could be discharged. The hospital where Jack was staying had called me a few days ago to say he was out of danger and conscious. I didn’t go to see him immediately. Only after I had chewed and digested the pain alone did I walk into Jack’s hospital room with a bouquet of flowers. Lily was feeding him, the two of them sitting close together. Jack didn’t know I had also been in the hospital, but he didn’t reproach me for not coming to see him right away. “Emma, you’re here.” “Mm, are you feeling better?” “Don’t worry, sis-in-law. I’m taking good care of Jack,” Lily chimed in. At that time, I was too distracted to face Jack and was almost grateful for Lily’s presence. Later, I locked the hospital’s test results in a safe. I couldn’t bear to throw them away. I might never be able to have my own child again. That was my first and last child. No one else knew about it except me.

I dozed off on the sofa and woke up the next morning. It was the pain that woke me. The medicine the doctor prescribed was on the coffee table, but I had no intention of taking it. Jack had spent the night at the hospital and hadn’t returned yet. Usually, I would have called him to ask what was going on, but today I didn’t feel like it. With little life left, I didn’t want to endure the pain of treatment. I chose to enjoy life in the time I had left. I had worked alongside Jack for over a decade; it was time to rest. Maybe I’d go to a tropical country without winter, feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. As for my marriage to Jack, I didn’t want to make things too difficult. Not just because of our decade-long relationship, but also because I didn’t want to affect the company’s stock price. After all, we had built it from scratch, and I couldn’t bear to destroy it. I notified my lawyer to draft divorce papers and also made a will, leaving all my assets to a children’s foundation in the country I planned to visit. Life is short. I wasn’t afraid of death, but I feared dying without dignity. “Ms. Reed, can you come to the company? Mr. Foster and Director Thompson are arguing and about to come to blows.” Director Thompson was a veteran in the company, one of its key figures. Jack and I wouldn’t offend him lightly. How did it come to this? I had to put aside my plans and rush to the company. “What’s going on?” I arrived to find Jack and Director Thompson glaring at each other, with Lily sitting next to Jack, looking wronged. “Ms. Reed, please be the judge here,” Director Thompson angrily demanded, pointing at Lily. “Why is an outsider allowed to enter the company freely and go through the documents on my desk?” Lily, being called out, shrank back timidly. “Jack asked me to get some files,” she said. “And you could find them yourself? Should I call the police right now?” Director Thompson’s position was high, and many of the documents were trade secrets. Lily wasn’t a company employee, so she was clearly in the wrong. “Jack, what do you have to say?” I didn’t rush to pacify Director Thompson, instead looking at Jack. “I’ve already apologized for Lily. She’s never worked in an office before and doesn’t understand many things.” Jack was clearly favoring Lily, shielding her. I nodded, understanding the situation. I pulled Director Thompson aside to the stairwell and spoke quietly. “Please come with me for a moment. I have something to discuss.” Director Thompson had worked with me for many years and would at least hear me out. “I want to discuss something with you.” Looking through the glass window from the 60th floor, I surveyed what Jack and I had built over more than a decade. “I want to sell my shares to you at a low price.” “The condition is that you can’t disclose this to anyone until I allow it.” Director Thompson was shocked and quickly refused. “Ms. Reed, what are you doing? Just because I argued with Mr. Foster doesn’t mean you need to…” “I’m serious,” I interrupted. Selling the company shares to outsiders would be too obvious. It was better to hand them over to Director Thompson. Jack didn’t care anyway, so I didn’t need to consider his feelings anymore. With Director Thompson in charge, the company could continue to thrive. “Please don’t dwell on today’s incident.” Maybe Lily’s behavior was inappropriate, maybe she had always had designs on Jack, maybe… But at this moment, I hated Jack more. He didn’t deserve to inherit my legacy, nor did he have the right to let another woman possess what was mine.

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