Category: English

“I have a business dinner tonight, so I won’t be coming home. Don’t disturb me under any circumstances. This is important.” I held my phone, watching with my own eyes as my wife, who had claimed she needed to work overtime, walked into a hotel arm in arm with a man. That man was the one that got away in her heart, while I was nothing more than a cheap substitute for the love she couldn’t have. We had been married for five years, yet those five years of marriage couldn’t compare to the first day he came back. “Alright, take care of yourself. Don’t go too wild,” I replied sincerely before hanging up and starting the car. Now it was my turn to seek out my own lost love. “Ethan is coming back soon. Don’t you think you should explain things to your husband?” Olivia lounged lazily on the sofa, her eyes full of disdain as she coldly retorted. “Explain what? Is there any need? After all these years, doesn’t he understand the situation? He’s always been too scared to say anything, let alone make a fuss.” Olivia’s lips curled into a mocking smile, her tone dripping with contempt. The woman who had initially asked the question quickly nodded in agreement. “It’s hilarious. Jack is nothing but a doormat, isn’t he? Pathetically infatuated, loving you to death. Everyone knows we all see him as a joke.” She paused, then continued more bluntly, “But the Jack family has been down on their luck for so long now. He probably can’t bear to give up his meal ticket. He’s not just a doormat anymore; he’s practically a leech, refusing to let go.” As soon as she finished speaking, the room erupted in raucous laughter. I stood outside the private room, listening to the piercing laughter inside. I clenched my fists, remaining silent for a long while before slowly reaching out to push open the door. Instantly, the laughter ceased, and all eyes turned to me. They continued to laugh, looking me up and down with contempt in their eyes. Seeing this, Olivia casually adjusted her coat and stood up, saying nonchalantly, “You all keep playing. I’m leaving first.” The atmosphere in the car was suffocatingly tense, dead silent all the way. It wasn’t until we were seated in the car that Olivia suddenly spoke, her voice devoid of any warmth: “You heard our conversation, didn’t you?” My body suddenly stiffened, my throat feeling as if something was stuck in it. I couldn’t utter a single word. “Jack, don’t pretend in front of me. I know you heard everything. You’d better understand your place, got it?” Olivia glanced at me sideways, the warning in her eyes so intense it was almost palpable. In fact, even before marrying her, I knew crystal clear that I was nothing more than a substitute for Ethan. Five years had passed, and the situation remained unchanged. Back then, when my family went bankrupt, those who had once fawned over and curried favor with my family vanished without a trace in an instant. Meanwhile, those chasing after debts were like hungry wolves, constantly blocking our doorway. We were at our wit’s end. Just because my face bore some resemblance to Ethan’s, Olivia had set her sights on me. She generously spent a large sum of money to “buy” me from my parents into the Summers family. With that money, my family was barely able to clear their debts. Olivia had saved my family, so naturally, my parents were grateful to her. They repeatedly demanded that I do everything possible to please her. “Our family is truly blessed to have Olivia as a daughter-in-law. We must have struck gold. No matter what you think, you must serve her well and keep her happy!” For the five years after our marriage, I devoted myself wholeheartedly to taking care of her. I had thought that even if you raised a dog, after so long, it would develop feelings and know how to wag its tail to show affection. But I never imagined that from Olivia, all I would receive was endless mockery and sarcasm. She would occasionally warn me, reminding me to always remember my place, not to foolishly dream of replacing Ethan, and certainly not to entertain any fantasies of winning her heart. Our marriage was like a false farce, where I could only mechanically perform according to the script she had set. One misstep, and I would face nearly violent torment. My thoughts were a tangled mess. I suddenly snapped back to reality, instinctively gripping the steering wheel tighter as I squeezed out two words in a dry voice: “I understand.” Half a month later, Ethan returned from overseas. I gripped the steering wheel, playing the role of Olivia’s chauffeur. She had over a dozen drivers, yet she insisted on calling me. I understood this was her way of warning me. What I didn’t expect was for Ethan to corner me in the restroom. He smiled mockingly, pushing me against the wall. My head hit the tiles, causing excruciating pain. “You think Olivia loves you?” “A fake should be thrown in the trash and destroyed.” I kept my head down, saying nothing. He laughed, confident in his victory: “I heard the Jack family wants to make a comeback?” He suddenly lunged forward, grabbing my collar. The cold metal of his watch band pressed against my Adam’s apple. “Divorce her within two weeks, or else…” “I can destroy the Jack family.” Outside the stall, Olivia’s light laughter could be heard: “Ethan, why aren’t you coming out yet?” Ethan laughed too: “Are you that worried about me? You even followed me here.” Like a lowly coachman, I drove the two of them home. In the evening, I passed by the Hilton Hotel. The glass doors reflected two silhouettes. Olivia had her arms around Ethan’s neck, standing on tiptoe to kiss him. “Not coming back tonight.” I received her message on my phone. I didn’t reply, looking up to see the lights of the presidential suite on the top floor come on. My phone vibrated in my palm: “Business engagement tonight.” Later that night. I scrolled through their social media posts. In one photo, Ethan was bending down to wipe a wine stain off her skirt. The comments section was boiling like hot oil: “The real deal is back, time for the substitute to exit!” “Why hasn’t Jack divorced her yet? Does he want money more than dignity?” My finger hovered trembling over the power button when a new trending topic suddenly topped the list. #Sophia Lee, Stanford’s youngest visiting professor returns to the country# In the accompanying image, the woman stood under the spotlight in a laboratory, her white coat accentuating her cool gaze. I suddenly remembered years ago, when she smiled with her eyes curved into crescents, yet filled with unshed tears. “Come with me, please?” What did I say back then? “The Jack family needs me.” …… In the rearview mirror, a giant screen was looping Sophia’s interview. She said, “I came back for someone.” On a rainy night, a girl stood outside my house without an umbrella, stubbornly waiting in the pouring rain. On my phone, she sent me a message: “Jack, do you really not want me anymore?” At that time, the Jack family was on the verge of collapse. To avoid dragging Sophia down, I could only hide in my room like a coward, not daring to give any response. She refused to give up, calling me repeatedly. After much hesitation, I finally answered: “Go home, I won’t see you.” “…” “You’d better not try to get back together with me in the future!” After saying this, Sophia hung up the phone, blocked all means of contact, and never reached out to me again. Later, I heard that she had followed her family’s arrangements and gone abroad. I stared blankly at the photo attached to the trending topic. She had become the ideal version of herself that she had always dreamed of. This was good. I closed my eyes, feeling a sense of melancholy. I could almost imagine how scornful her attitude would be if she knew about my current situation. She would probably think I deserved it. After putting down the phone, I stared at the ceiling, lost in thought, not really thinking about anything, just spacing out. Suddenly, my phone on the bedside table vibrated, making a “buzz” sound as a notification popped up. I picked up the phone and saw it was a friend request, with her name as the note: Sophia Lee. After a long silence, I took a deep breath before accepting it. Immediately after, I received a photo. In the dimly lit bar, Ethan had his arm around Olivia’s waist, their behavior unmistakably intimate. This photo alone wasn’t enough to disturb my composure, but the person who sent it could. My heart grew cold, and I typed out a line: “Did you come specifically to mock me?” At the top of the chat box, the “typing” text appeared and disappeared several times. After a period of waiting, Sophia finally sent a message: “Is this really your choice?” I put down the phone wordlessly, not intending to respond to this question. On the bedside table lay the divorce papers. It wasn’t because of Ethan’s threat, but because I had already planned to divorce Olivia. Months ago, I had already asked a lawyer to draft the agreement. I just hadn’t found the right opportunity due to pressure from my parents. Rumors said I was Ethan’s substitute. Just something for Olivia to console herself with after losing him. But no one knew that for me, Olivia was also just a substitute. After a long while, when Sophia didn’t receive a reply, she sent another message: “Come keep me company for a drink. Let’s give them something to be excited about.” The bar was playing pulsating music, and the flashing lights made me squint. As I looked around, before I could locate Sophia, I felt a warm touch on my wrist. Then, a warm embrace. I caught a whiff of a subtle fragrance, and looking down, I saw Sophia burying her head in my shoulder. After a long while, she finally raised her head and looked into my eyes, saying, “Long time no see. Do you like this way of greeting?” “Uh… it’s a bit sudden.” Seeing my wooden expression, Sophia curled her lips into a light smile, “Scared you, didn’t I?” Her behavior was flirtatious, her words frivolous. I had to admit, after not seeing her for so long, she had changed a lot. Back then, Sophia was passionate and sincere. Every time she clung to me, she always made me promise over and over that I would never leave her, as if getting that promise would put her mind completely at ease. I tried to calm myself down, trying to appear as composed as possible. But as she held my hand and led me through the crowd, my heart kept racing. We walked through a long corridor, up to the second floor, and arrived at a booth in the corner. My gaze swept over the railing to the floor below, where I found Ethan and Olivia with a group of friends. Someone was egging Olivia on to feed Ethan some alcohol, their laughter extremely noisy. “I chose this spot on purpose. It’s close, and you can see clearly.” Sophia glanced at me, her cold tone revealing a hint of resentment, “Back then, you dumped me for this kind of trash? Huh, your taste isn’t great.” “You should understand everything now.” I pursed my lips, responding expressionlessly. Given Sophia’s status, it wouldn’t have been difficult for her to investigate what happened back then. She said this merely to mock me. Sighing inwardly, I honestly said, “I hurt you back then, but I don’t regret making that decision.” Sophia narrowed her beautiful eyes, her cold gaze unusually complex, “Really no regrets? Then why don’t you dare to look at me? Why do you keep avoiding my gaze?” “What are you afraid of?” She walked around the table to my side, leaning down to lift my chin, forcing me to meet her eyes, “Or is it that you just hate me that much?” Sophia pursed her bright red lips, silent for a moment before asking, “If I hadn’t used Olivia as an excuse, would you have even bothered to look at my message?” “You always liked to play these games. In your eyes, I probably couldn’t even compare to a single strand of her hair, right?” She asked and answered herself, suddenly leaning in so close I could feel her breath, “Tell me, wouldn’t it be interesting if Olivia saw you like this?” As Sophia leaned in closer and closer, the commotion from downstairs brought me back to my senses. I hurriedly pushed her away, “You’re not this kind of person. If you’re upset, you could get revenge on me in other ways. There’s no need for this…” Before I could finish speaking, Sophia forcefully pressed down on my shoulders and kissed me. She bit my lips with reckless force until the taste of blood spread on my tongue. Only then did she stop, “You think you know what kind of person I am? Five years have passed, and you’re still so full of yourself.” Indeed, the current Sophia was increasingly hard for me to figure out. I was the one who had pursued her initially, only to abandon her when my family fell on hard times. The deeper the love, the more thorough the hate. This was to be expected. The pressure on my body lightened as Sophia sat beside me, saying coldly, “You were even lost in thought just now. What were you thinking about? Your cheating wife downstairs?” For a moment, it felt like all secrets had been exposed. This marriage, as messy as mud, was indeed a pain I found hard to speak about. If Olivia found out about Sophia and me, how would she react? And what about the Summers family? No matter what, I couldn’t let Sophia get involved. Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I stood up and said, “I have to go.” As soon as I said this, Sophia became even angrier, “Are you running away again? The night has just begun.” “Stay and keep me company, won’t you?”

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In the seventh year of my marriage to Hector Smith, I proposed divorce. At that time, Hector was deeply in love with his secretary, Yael Larson. Meanwhile, I reconnected with Zack Cooper, my childhood friend and also my attending physician, after a long separation. Everyone had said that I was his beloved, his one and only wife. But then he openly bought Yael a top-tier riverside apartment. Everyone was betting on when we would get divorced. Meanwhile, I was counting down every day, ticking off the remaining items on my bucket list. That evening, Hector was hosting an important client reception, and I—who usually stayed out of his work matters—slipped on my coat, intending to make an appearance. As I pushed open the heavy door, every eye in the room swung toward me. Hector and Yael leaned against each other, but a moment later, someone snapped back to reality and continued to tease them, “Mr. Smith and Ms. Larson, you two make such a perfect couple!” A wry grin flickered across my lips. “Mr. Smith, I’m sorry for interrupting your good time—guess I should toast to you…” Without waiting for Hector to respond, I tilted my head back and downed the drinks in one go. Perhaps I drank a bit too hastily because a sharp pain stabbed through my stomach. I mechanically picked up some food, chewed it without really tasting it, and forced it down my throat. Yael, standing before me, did bear a resemblance to my twenty-year-old self. She rose to her feet, picked up her glass, and walked toward me. “Mrs. Smith, Mr. Smith and I were just working together. We didn’t mean to…” I gently pushed her glass aside and looked at Hector, whose expression had turned unreadable. I smirked. “Mr. Smith, I shouldn’t have interrupted your good time. I hope you won’t be upset.” Hector slammed his wine glass down forcefully, a hint of impatience flickering in his eyes. “Why did you have to come here and make a scene instead of talking about it at home?” Yael sensed Hector’s anger and tried to soothe him by patting his back. “Mrs. Smith must have some urgent matter. Maybe we should just call it a night?” Hector waved his hand dismissively. “Ignore her. Let’s continue.” With that, he picked up his glass to make another toast. My stomachache grew worse, and I decided to stop pressing Hector further. I stood up, clutching my stomach, and left, hearing Yael’s coquettish chuckle. “Since Mrs. Smith left sensibly, Mr. Smith, are you going home tonight?”

After seven years of marriage to Hector, I had never interfered in his affairs, no matter how many he had outside. But recently, he had been going too far. His relationship with Yael had even reached his mother’s ears, and she warned me not to let him disgrace the family name. Moreover, lately, I’d been jolted awake by nightmares, each time feeling as if I’d lived through half a lifetime, my heart tormented. So, I decided to gently warn him that it was time to rein in his behavior. But with this unbearable stomachache, I had no choice but to put it on hold. I drove to the hospital as fast as I could, barely holding it together. The doctor gave me a bunch of test orders. A few hours later, the doctor asked me, “What’s your name?” “Charleen Smith.” At that moment, I was in so much pain that I was drenched in sweat and curled up on the hospital bed. “How long has it been since you last had a bowel movement?” “Uh… about a week.” “The results just came back. Your constipation is caused by intestinal obstruction. You’ll need an enema shortly. Please get ready for it.” As soon as the doctor finished speaking, I was surrounded by nurses. By the time I got home after the enema, it was already the afternoon of the next day. Hector still hadn’t come back. I guessed that with his beautiful secretary by his side, he had completely forgotten about me, someone no longer in the prime of youth. In the fifth year of our marriage, Hector’s hotel business expanded rapidly. With that came his increasing all-night absences. Later, I learned that he had been constantly changing secretaries. But ever since Yael started working as his secretary two years ago, Hector had not hired another one. My friend kindly warned me to keep an eye on the women around Hector, so I wouldn’t end up being taken for a ride without even realizing it. I just smiled. They had no idea that I had never had any access to Hector’s money. Once again, when I arrived at Hector’s office building, the receptionist asked if I had an appointment. I guess I was probably the only wife who needed an appointment just to see her own husband. I called Hector and told him I couldn’t get in. Before long, Yael came to pick me up. “Mrs. Smith, Mr. Smith is busy at the moment. Could you please wait for a moment in the lounge?” The young receptionist looked surprised and muttered nervously, “Who knew Mr. Smith had a wife? I always thought Yael was Mrs. Smith. So thin and haggard—I can’t figure out what he sees in her.” Yael gave the girl a stern look, then turned to bring me a cup of coffee. “Mrs. Smith, please wait a moment. Mr. Smith will be here as soon as he’s done.” Hector wrapped up his meeting early and walked over to me. His brows furrowed as he asked, “Couldn’t this wait until I get home?” “I’ve been waiting for you for over a week, but you never went home. I want a divorce.” After hearing what I said, Hector finally looked up from his pile of documents in disbelief. “Don’t make a scene here. I’ll find time this weekend to go home and spend some time with you, okay? Your birthday is coming up in a few days. I’ll transfer 300 thousand dollars into your account. If that’s not enough, just let me know.” I forced a smile. In the seven years of our marriage, his celebration of my birthday had become increasingly perfunctory. His business kept growing, but the amount of money he transferred into my account kept shrinking. I was just about to get up and fling the bank card in his face when I didn’t notice Yael had come up behind me. I accidentally knocked over the freshly brewed espresso she was holding, and the coffee splashed all over her crisp white suit, staining it. Hector stood up and pushed me aside, his eyes filled with obvious concern. He took Yael’s hand and anxiously asked if she had been burned anywhere. This was the first time he so openly cared for another woman right in front of me. I slowly clenched my fists and gave a soft, bitter smile. Hector scolded me, “Apologize to Yael right now.” I picked up my bag, didn’t spare him another glance, and walked away. As soon as I got downstairs, my phone rang. “Are you Charleen?”

As the car moved slowly forward, my mind drifted back to the year I graduated. Hector and I had attended a charity event together. That was when we met Yael. Despite her frail and small frame, her eyes shone with an extraordinary toughness. We learned that Yael had lost her mother at a young age and was later abandoned by her family. Even after years of working part-time jobs to pay her way through high school, she still couldn’t afford her university tuition. On the verge of missing her chance to start university, she looked helpless but resolute. Perhaps because she reminded me of myself in some way, I inexplicably decided that day to sponsor her anonymously. Hector was somewhat reluctant at first, but eventually gave in to my persistence and agreed. Over the years, I regularly transferred money into Yael’s account through Hector’s account, without paying attention to her academic performance or what she did after graduation. I just never expected to see her again—this time among the job candidates at Hector’s company. Maybe it was all meant to be. The car pulled smoothly into the hospital parking lot. I got out without any hurry, even though the hospital had been urging me multiple times. I knocked on the doctor’s office door and saw a figure that seemed vaguely familiar. “Zack Cooper.” My mind raced, trying to place the familiar name. “Zack!” Zack, right in front of me, was staring intently at the computer screen with a cold, serious expression. He cut me off sharply before I could say anything. “Charleen, we found signs of a tumor in your digestive system from your last check-up.” I was stunned for a moment and calmly asked him, “Is it malignant?” “Yes, which is why we contacted you. We’d like you to consider being admitted to the hospital as soon as possible to start treatment.” For a moment, my mind went blank as I tried to process the information. “What if I don’t accept the treatment?” “I hope you will.” “What if I don’t? How long can I live?” “Half a year, maybe… shorter.” I walked out of the hospital with the diagnosis report in hand, feeling utterly dazed and disheartened. I drove home as quickly as I could, my mind in turmoil.

When I opened the door, I found Hector had actually come home. Over the past two years, his career had really taken off. I had recently heard that he bought Yael a riverside apartment, where he spent most of his time. Yael would cook and do everything to make him happy. He was lounging against the floor-to-ceiling window. The house was dark, and he stood there quietly with a cigarette in his mouth. Hearing me come in, he stubbed out the cigarette and stared straight at me. I kept my eyes down as I walked past him, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. His brows furrowed as he spoke softly, “Why have you lost so much weight lately?” His tone was gentle, unlike the coldness he had shown earlier in the day. For a moment, I felt like he was still the boy who loved me dearly seven years ago. “I bought your favorite cake,” he added. I pulled my hand free and walked over to the table. I picked up the cake and, right in front of him, threw it into the trash bin. Hector’s expression darkened. He reached out and pinned me against the wall. He gritted his teeth and said to me, “Charleen, what the hell is your problem?” I calmly met his gaze and said, “I want a divorce.” “Out of the question!” he growled. Then he buried his face in my neck, biting and nipping at my skin. He dragged me into the bedroom and threw me roughly onto the bed. He must have been driven mad by my words. He was like a wild animal out of control, tearing at my clothes with brute force. I felt sheer terror and began to scratch at him frantically. “Hector! You bastard! Let me go!” But Hector showed no signs of stopping. He pinned my legs to keep me from thrashing about and bit my neck hard. I cried out in pain. Hector leaned over me, trying to kiss the tears that were falling from my eyes. “Can’t you just be good for once?” he whispered. I turned my head away, dodging his lips that were about to touch mine. But he grabbed my chin and leaned in again. As his lips got closer and closer, just about to reach mine, his phone suddenly rang. It was Yael calling. Hector hesitated for a moment but eventually answered the call. I could hear Yael on the other end of the line, her voice thick with tears and a hint of drunkenness. “Mr. Smith, can you come pick me up? They took advantage of your absence and made me drink so much… I can’t hold on much longer… Can you come get me… please…” Listening to Yael’s plea for help on the other end, Hector remained silent. His eyes were fixed on me with an intense stare. “Charleen, as long as you ask me to stay, I will,” he said. I let out a cold laugh. I had humbled myself to beg him to stay. But he didn’t even wait for me to finish my sentence and hung up the phone, leaving me listening to the cold, relentless busy signal. Now he wanted me to bow down, swallow my pride, and submit to him. “Hector, you must be dreaming!” Hector was silent for a moment, then let out a self-mocking laugh. He held the phone to his ear and said to Yael, “I’ll come pick you up and take you home.” Without another glance at me, he got up and left, slamming the door behind him. After all that turmoil, I couldn’t sleep anymore. I pulled on a sweater and headed to the newly opened bar nearby to clear my head. I leaned against the bar, ordered a drink, and began to sip it on my own. The bar filled with the sound of a classic old song. A deep, husky male voice sang softly and smoothly. When the song ended, the crowd burst into applause. I looked up at the stage and saw a man dressed all in black, looking cool and somewhat familiar.

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Jacob’s first love got pregnant and came to our house asking him to take her in. I refused. That night, she jumped off a bridge, killing herself and her unborn child. Later, Jacob asked me to go bungee jumping with him. The moment he pushed me off, he whispered in my ear, “If you hadn’t been so heartless and turned Lily away back then, she wouldn’t have taken her own life. You owe her this life.” He took out scissors and cut the cord. I fell to my death. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day his first love came to our house pregnant, asking for help. I smiled and said, “What a coincidence, I’m pregnant too. Let’s take care of our pregnancies together.” “Knock knock knock—” A series of knocks came from outside the door. I woke up startled from my nightmare. The nightmare left me feeling cold all over. I dreamed that Jacob took me bungee jumping, and the moment he pushed me off, he took out a pair of scissors. His face filled with hatred as he said, “Olivia, if you hadn’t been so heartless and turned Lily away, she wouldn’t have taken her own life. You owe her this life.” “Go to hell!” Jacob cut the cord with the scissors, and I fell to my death. The knocking outside continued, accompanied by a familiar voice: “Jacob, are you home?” I suddenly came to my senses. It was Lily’s voice. Lily was Jacob’s college crush. In my previous life, six months into our marriage, Lily showed up at our door. She said she was pregnant, and the father of the child didn’t want to acknowledge the baby or marry her. But she wanted to keep the child, and in desperation, she came to ask Jacob to take her in. At that time, I was also pregnant, and naturally, I didn’t want Jacob’s first love moving in. So, I politely refused her. Lily left disappointed, and that day, Jacob gave me the cold shoulder. Although he didn’t say anything, his actions told me he blamed me for not taking Lily in. That night, Jacob received a call from Lily. Lily told him on the phone: “Jacob, are you abandoning me too? I have nothing left to live for in this world. I’m on the bridge now, goodbye forever!” “Lily, don’t do anything stupid, wait for me!” Jacob was in the middle of dinner, but he immediately put down his chopsticks, grabbed his car keys, and rushed out. I watched Jacob leave the house in a hurry, driving to the bridge Lily mentioned. My heart sank. Jacob didn’t return until dawn the next day. He sat dejectedly in the living room, smoking. I came out of the bedroom and asked him, “How’s Lily?” “She’s dead, along with her unborn child.” Jacob’s eyes were red, filled with regret and remorse. “Olivia, you shouldn’t have turned her away. We had plenty of room in our house, why were you so heartless?” I retorted, “Jacob, you think it’s my fault? There are plenty of hotel rooms, why did she have to stay at our house?” He didn’t respond, just kept smoking. From then on, we had a cold war for a while. As the baby in my belly grew bigger, he started to reflect on his behavior. He realized it wasn’t my fault. He bought a car full of flowers to apologize to me. He held my hand and said, “Olivia, I was wrong. It was Lily who couldn’t cope, I shouldn’t have blamed you.” For the sake of our unborn child, I forgave him. From then on, he never mentioned the incident again and focused on our life together. He made healthy smoothies for me every day, but I still miscarried. I was devastated, and he comforted me: “Olivia, don’t be sad. We’ll have children in the future. Let me take you bungee jumping, they say when you jump from a high place, all your worries disappear.” I went bungee jumping with him to try and relieve my depression. But he gave me a fatal blow. It turned out he had never gotten over Lily, he had been resenting me all along, to the point of pushing me off from a great height. Before pushing me, he cruelly told me: “Do you know why you couldn’t keep the baby? Because I added ingredients harmful to pregnancy in the smoothies I made for you.” Recalling these past events, I trembled with anger. He had actually harmed his own flesh and blood for Lily’s sake. I got out of bed and pulled open the curtains to look outside. I had been reborn, back to the day Lily came to our door pregnant, asking for help.

Jacob had left for work early this morning and wasn’t home. I took out the pregnancy test result from the drawer. At this point, I was also two months pregnant. I thought, if only I had been reborn before marrying him, that would have been so much better. I would have called off the engagement without hesitation. This child came at the wrong time. Lily called out from outside the door: “Jacob, are you there? Olivia, are you home? Open the door quickly.” I put away the pregnancy test result and leisurely went to the bathroom to freshen up. I heard Lily take out her phone and call Jacob: “Sob sob, Jacob, are you busy? I’m at your front door now, Olivia won’t let me in.” “What happened? Don’t cry.” Jacob replied on the phone, “Wait for me, I’m coming back right away!” Lily waited outside the door for a full twenty minutes before I opened it and looked at her: “Can I help you?” Lily had a suitcase beside her feet. She touched her belly and said to me, “Olivia, I’m pregnant. The baby’s father doesn’t want this child. I have nowhere to stay now, can you and Jacob take me in?” I wasn’t close to Lily, we had only met once before. She came to our wedding. At that time, I didn’t know she was Jacob’s college crush. If I had known Jacob had a first love he couldn’t forget, I wouldn’t have married him. Jacob was on his way back. I pulled Lily into the house and smiled, “What a coincidence, I’m pregnant too. Let’s take care of our pregnancies together.” Lily looked at my belly and asked, “How many months along are you? Does Jacob know?” “Just over two months, he doesn’t know yet. I don’t plan to tell him for now.” As soon as I finished speaking, footsteps were heard outside the door. Jacob was back. He saw Lily and me sitting on the sofa, first looked surprised, then relieved. He went to pour water for Lily, his tone revealing his concern for her: “Lily, why are you here? What happened?” “I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. I was hoping to stay at your place for a while.” Lily said, then glanced at me and added, “Olivia has already agreed.” Jacob was a bit surprised. He pulled me into the study, closed the door, and asked me: “Olivia, did you really agree to let Lily stay?” I generously replied: “Yes, she has nowhere to go now. If we don’t take her in, what if she does something desperate? Besides, we have three rooms, one more person won’t make a difference.” “Olivia, you’re so generous.” Jacob’s eyes lit up with joy, and he hugged my waist, about to kiss me. I felt disgusted but subtly pushed him away. He smiled and said: “You’re right, we have plenty of room. Let her stay for a while then!”

Jacob went to the living room and warmly greeted Lily. Lily said she hadn’t had breakfast yet. Jacob immediately put on an apron and went to the kitchen to make breakfast for Lily. He also said he would go to the supermarket later to buy chicken to make smoothies for her. He even asked Lily what fruits she liked. Lily coyly said: “You know, I like cherries, strawberries, and durian, preferably Musang King durian.” Jacob generously agreed: “Alright, I’ll buy them all for you later!” In the room, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Cherries are so expensive now, I can’t even afford them myself. And Musang King durian, several hundred dollars each, how dare she? Jacob cleaned out the guest room for Lily to stay in. He came over to say goodbye to me: “Olivia, I’m taking Lily to the supermarket, want to come?” I tried my best to contain myself: “No, you two go ahead.” Jacob nodded: “Okay, then tidy up the house a bit, I’ll buy your favorite oranges back for you.” “Go on.” I coldly watched Jacob and Lily leave. After they left, I quickly packed some luggage and dialed a long-forgotten number: “Ryan, are you free now? Can we meet?” Ryan agreed without hesitation: “Sure, where are you? I’ll come pick you up.” “No need, let’s meet at the coffee shop. I’ll go there myself.” Ryan cheerfully replied: “Okay.” I took a taxi to meet Ryan at the coffee shop. Ryan was my college classmate, once the campus heartthrob. He had pursued me before, and when he heard the news of my marriage, he, who never went to bars, got drunk at a bar that night. We hadn’t been in contact since my marriage, but I learned from mutual friends that he was starting a business in this city and was currently single. At the coffee shop, Ryan was already waiting for me. It had been a long time, and he looked more mature than before. At 6’4″, sunny and handsome, sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, he attracted quite a few glances. After some small talk, I said to him: “Ryan, I have a favor to ask.” “Olivia, whatever it is, just ask.” I confessed: “I had a fight with my husband. I was wondering if I could stay at your place for a few days?” If the events of my previous life hadn’t happened, I definitely wouldn’t have asked a male friend to stay at his place. However, my mindset was different now. Jacob thought it was okay for Lily to stay at our house. Well, I wanted to see how Jacob would react to me staying at the house of a male classmate who once pursued me. Ryan was stunned for a moment, then nodded: “Sure, you can stay as long as you want.” And so, I moved into Ryan’s home. After shopping at the supermarket, Jacob took Lily to the mall and maternity store, buying her many sets of maternity clothes and daily necessities. They returned home carrying bags of all sizes. Jacob peeled Musang King durian for Lily, washed cherries and strawberries, and brought them to her. Then, he went into the master bedroom to call me out to eat fruit. The master bedroom was empty. Jacob noticed the suitcase in the corner was gone, and when he opened the wardrobe, my most frequently worn clothes were also missing. He dialed my number. I was eating fruit that Ryan had cut for me. Jacob asked angrily: “Olivia, where are you? Why is your suitcase gone?” I calmly replied: “The house was a bit crowded, so I moved to Ryan’s place.” Jacob knew Ryan and was aware that he had pursued me before. He had always seen Ryan as a rival. Upon hearing this, Jacob exploded, shouting: “What are you doing at Ryan’s house? Don’t you know it’s improper for men and women to live together? Come back home right now!”

I mocked: “Oh, so you do know it’s improper for men and women to live together? I thought you didn’t.” Jacob realized that I was doing this because I was unhappy about him letting Lily stay at our house: “Olivia, can you stop being dramatic? You were the one who agreed to let Lily stay, and now you’re the one who moved to Ryan’s house. What exactly do you want?” “I pretended to agree as a test for you, and unfortunately, you failed the test.” I didn’t want to say more to him, just added, “That’s all. Ryan has cut some fruit for me, I’m going to eat now.” The last sentence was clearly meant to mock him. Jacob grabbed his jacket, intending to come to Ryan’s house to find me. As he passed through the living room, Lily called out to him: “Jacob, I heard everything just now. It seems Olivia doesn’t welcome me. How about this, I’ll pack my things and leave now.” Jacob stopped and explained to her: “Don’t take it to heart, Olivia is just throwing a little tantrum. I’ll go get her, she’ll come back with me.” “I don’t want you two to fight because of me, I should leave.” Lily said as she went to the guest room to pack her luggage. Seeing that she wasn’t joking, Jacob quickly put down his jacket and went to comfort her: “Don’t you have nowhere else to stay right now? Even if you want to leave, there’s no rush. I’ve bought so much fruit for you.” “Jacob, you’re so kind. If only I had chosen you back then…” Lily sighed, her eyes revealing a hint of regret. Jacob’s ears turned red, and he asked eagerly: “Lily, why didn’t you choose me back then?” Lily smiled lightly and said: “There were too many people pursuing me back then, and sometimes people make the wrong choice. Let’s not talk about the past.” Perhaps Lily’s words gave Jacob hope. He decided not to go to Ryan’s house to find me. He solemnly said to Lily: “Don’t leave. This isn’t your fault, it’s Olivia’s. She’s too petty.” “You stay here. If she wants to stay at Ryan’s house, let her.” After saying this, Jacob asked Lily to go to the living room and continue eating fruit. Lily then said: “By the way, can you accompany me to my prenatal check-up tomorrow?” “Of course, tomorrow is Saturday. Even if it wasn’t, I could take time off to accompany you.” Jacob agreed without hesitation, revealing his true nature as a devoted admirer. “You’re such a good man, Olivia is so lucky.” Lily praised Jacob, then went on to criticize me, “You’re so good to her, yet she still picks fights with you. I feel like you deserve better.” “Ah, her temper is indeed a bit much, unlike you who’s so understanding.” Jacob sighed, looking at Lily with newfound interest. Lily smiled coyly, and the two exchanged meaningful glances.

The next day, I went to the hospital early in the morning. Coming out of the operating room, I ran into Lily and Jacob. Jacob was surprised to see me in the obstetrics department. He pulled me to the end of the corridor and asked in a low voice: “Olivia, what are you doing here?” My face was pale, my voice cold: “Didn’t Lily tell you I was pregnant too?” Hearing the news of my pregnancy, Jacob wasn’t very excited, just a bit surprised: “What? You’re pregnant too? Did you come for a check-up today?” I shook my head: “No, I came for surgery. I’ve already terminated the pregnancy.” Jacob was furious: “Olivia, you terminated our child without asking me? What’s the meaning of this?” “Jacob, let’s get a divorce. I wish you and Lily happiness.” I turned to leave. Ryan came from afar, he had gone to get medicine for me. Seeing Ryan, Jacob rushed over and punched him, shouting angrily: “Ryan, did you persuade my wife to terminate the pregnancy? You’re asking for death!” Ryan punched Jacob back, and nurses came forward to separate them. Lily came over to comfort Jacob: “Don’t be angry, we can talk about this when we get back.” I pulled Ryan away, leaving Jacob and Lily behind. Jacob, grinding his teeth in anger, shouted at my retreating back: “Olivia, think carefully! If you leave with him, our marriage is over!” I had thought it through clearly. Divorce, we must divorce! After returning from the hospital, I rested at Ryan’s place for a few days. When I was able to get out of bed, I moved out of Ryan’s house and into a hotel. I had originally stayed at his place to anger Jacob, which was a bit impulsive. After calming down, I knew I shouldn’t have done that. I proposed divorce to Jacob. He was also angry and agreed immediately. However, when it came to dividing the assets, some disagreements arose. We had a house, a car, and 300,000 in savings under our names. Originally, we planned to sell the house and car and split the marital assets equally. But Lily persuaded Jacob: “Olivia’s salary isn’t as high as yours, how can she get half? Giving her a third is already generous.” Jacob thought Lily made sense, so he proposed that he keep the house, I get the car, and of the savings, he gets 200,000 and I get 100,000. Of course, I didn’t agree. Although my base salary wasn’t as high as his, my year-end bonus could match his entire annual salary. That car was bought with my year-end bonus. When we bought the house, my family also contributed half. When we didn’t have enough money for renovations, I used most of my pre-marriage savings. I had originally planned to live a good life with him, but I never expected I had misjudged him so badly. Now that we couldn’t continue our life together, splitting the assets 50-50 was already generous to him. Since we couldn’t reach an agreement, we had to file for divorce in court.

While I was preparing the materials for the divorce lawsuit, Lily was still living in my house. And I was living in a hotel. The master bedroom in my house had a large bathroom with a bathtub. The bathtub was connected to an app on my phone that could remotely control the water temperature and massage frequency. That night, my phone app popped up a message showing the bathtub was in use. Water temperature: 40°C. I immediately became alert. This bathtub was exclusively mine, Jacob hardly ever used it. He only liked showers. Moreover, he didn’t like water that was too hot when bathing, 38°C at most. I suspected Lily was using my bathtub. My house clearly had two bathrooms. Besides the one in the master bedroom, there was a public bathroom next to the guest room. To confirm my suspicion, I dialed a video call to Jacob. Jacob took about ten seconds to slowly answer the video call. He was working in the study, looking at me in the video with a cold face: “What? Realized you were wrong? I won’t forgive you.” I didn’t answer his question, instead asking directly: “Is Lily taking a bath in the master bedroom?” Jacob was nonchalant: “So what if she is? There’s no bathtub in the guest room, she’s just taking a bath in the master bedroom. We’re about to get divorced anyway, do you still care?” “I can’t believe this!” I switched the video call to a floating window, opened the app controlling the bathtub, turned up the water temperature, and randomly pressed the massage buttons. From the other end of the phone came Lily’s scream: “Ah—” Jacob quickly got up and walked to the master bedroom door, calling out: “Lily, what’s wrong?” “Why is the water getting hotter and hotter? And it’s spraying everywhere.” Lily scrambled out of the bathtub. “Be careful, come out first, don’t soak anymore.” Jacob said this and returned to the study, picking up his phone to question me: “Olivia, are you controlling the bathtub? Can’t you be less petty?” I frowned: “No matter how generous I am, I can’t accept another woman using my bathtub. Tell her to get out!” “You’re sick.” Just as Jacob was about to scold me, another scream came from the master bathroom: “Ah—” Jacob, without even hanging up the video call, rushed into the master bedroom with his phone. The camera swept across Lily lying naked on the bathroom floor, her body wet. Lily said tearfully: “Jacob, come help me up quickly. I slipped when I got out of the bathtub.” Jacob went over, took a towel to cover Lily, and helped her up. He probably forgot that I could still see everything on my end. How entertaining. I promptly pressed the record button.

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My brother has always hated me. He once told me to my face that he wished I was dead. So I granted his wish and got stomach cancer. But he regretted it. I still died though. With a smile, right in front of him. Jack’s call came just as I arrived home. The diagnosis report in my bag was already crumpled into a ball. He never used to call me on his own initiative before. “It was Dad’s birthday the day before yesterday,” he said. His voice was cold as ice, as always. “Why didn’t you come back…” “Because I didn’t want to,” I cut him off. “You went back, didn’t you? That’s enough.” “Even Tina came back from abroad at the beginning of the month.” Tina was our cousin who had lived with us since childhood. “Well, she was there, wasn’t she? After all, you only treat her like a sister anyway.” The person on the other end seemed to flare up in anger, and called my name in a low voice: “Mia!” I hung up. The last rays of sunset fell into the room. I sat at the desk, tearing the diagnosis report into pieces. As the scraps of paper fluttered down onto the table, my phone screen suddenly lit up. Jack: Mom’s death anniversary is coming up soon.

Jack is my brother. He has always hated me. Because I am the culprit who took away his mother. Over twenty years ago, during a difficult childbirth, I was born at the same time my mother lost her life forever on the operating table. It was a murder disguised as new life. No one welcomed my arrival. Because of me, Dad lost his beloved wife. And Jack lost his mother. This long-standing hatred began from the day I was born, and has continued until today. I didn’t intentionally miss Dad’s birthday. It’s just that on that day, I was in so much abdominal pain I nearly passed out before I realized something was wrong. But actually, if I didn’t go, he might have been more at ease.

Jack didn’t contact me again. I took a deep breath as I stood outside the company building. After graduation, I had joined his company. I worked my way up from the bottom, but no one ever discovered our relationship. The number of times I met with him was even fewer than his meetings with ordinary employees. Last week, a senior executive resigned. This week, they were going to announce the successor. Everyone said the position was mine for sure. At least before I got the diagnosis report, I had thought so too. In the hallway, I happened to run into a colleague. She greeted me and then leaned in with a smile: “Mia, don’t forget to treat us to a big meal when you get promoted.” I smiled and looked down: “It’s not certain yet.” “It’s definitely going to be you,” she linked arms with me. “You’re the best out of everyone here.” As we entered the conference room, Jack was there too. I happened to meet his gaze for a moment, before we both looked away like strangers. “Good morning, Mr. jack.” He didn’t look at me, just nodded. As indifferent as if we hadn’t argued that night at all. People gradually filled up the conference room. Jack cleared his throat, and my colleague immediately winked at me. I lowered my eyes to avoid her gaze. The next second, I heard a familiar name. “Tina .” A familiar figure came in from outside. Slender and graceful, Tina smiled as gently as ever. Jack stood beside her, introducing her to everyone: “Tina has just returned from abroad and will be taking over the position of Deputy Manager.” Some people instinctively looked towards me. I avoided their eyes and looked at the brightly smiling Tina on the stage. The atmosphere in the room seemed to stagnate for a moment. Invisible undercurrents swirled. I smiled and applauded. The scattered applause broke the somewhat eerie atmosphere in the conference room. Tina met my eyes, her eyes curved in a smile.

The coffee smell in the break room was so strong it seemed about to overflow. I stirred it with a spoon, took a sip, and felt some acid reflux as I swallowed. My colleague glared angrily. “How could they? She just parachutes in and steals your position? Are they so blatant about nepotism?” “Mia, aren’t you angry?” “This position was meant for you. You worked so hard, you even almost ended up in the hospital from overworking last time.” Her gaze fell on the shadows under my eyes: “Mia, I’m telling you, you don’t need to work yourself to death like this. Drink less coffee.” The warmth of the coffee seeped through the ceramic mug into my hands. I thanked her quietly: “Mr. jack must have his own considerations.” The girl’s eyes widened, and she was about to complain in a low voice when my phone suddenly rang. Jack’s voice was crystal clear in the small break room, with a hint of suppressed anger: “Mia, come to my office for a moment.” My hand shook, spilling a few drops of coffee onto my white shirt. The heat seeped through the fabric, scalding my skin. I responded softly: “Okay.”

The moment Jack’s office door opened, I saw Tina sitting on the sofa, her head slightly bowed. And a crumpled piece of paper in her hand. While Jack sat there, his face cold and angry. As always. People used to say that although Jack and I came from the same womb, only our eyes looked alike. Upturned at the corners, when not smiling, they naturally carried a cold aloofness that kept people at a distance. Unfortunately, neither of us liked to smile. And Jack had never smiled at me. “Although Tina is parachuting in, she has the ability,” he said. “Mia.” When he called my name, Jack frowned deeply. “If you have complaints, just say them directly. Gossiping behind people’s backs, uniting with colleagues to isolate Tina – Mia, is your viciousness ingrained in your bones?” In just half a day. I glanced sideways at Tina. She happened to look up and meet my eyes. Her face was full of collagen at twenty-something, her eyes red-rimmed, tears reflecting glimmers of light. Then she quickly lowered her head again. All the actors in this farce were in place, just waiting for me to play along. But I really had no interest in acting with them. “What other people say with their own mouths has nothing to do with me.” “Besides -” “Everyone’s not stupid.” A sob and the sound of something falling to the ground rang out simultaneously. The expensive pen that had been on the desk was now shattered. Black ink spread at my feet. “Mia! You…” A light piece of paper fell on his desk. Jack’s words were choked back. When he saw the text clearly, his anger immediately resurged: “Mia!” “Are you still a child?” “Are you throwing a tantrum?” The brand new resignation letter was crumpled into a ball and thrown back at my feet like trash. It’s not a tantrum at all. I’ve known for a long time. I don’t have the right to throw tantrums. Only children who are coddled have that right. And I don’t. “I’ll go to HR myself.” As I closed the door, his roar was also shut out. But I hadn’t gone a few steps before Tina caught up. “Mia.” Her voice still had a nasal tone as she carefully reached for my hand. “Mia, don’t be angry. I don’t want this position. I’ll go tell Jack. Don’t throw a tantrum.” “If I had known, I wouldn’t have come back. Mia, don’t let me ruin the relationship between you and Jack.” There was no one in the hallway. I stopped and looked at her. Tina’s eyes naturally carried an air of innocence and pitifulness. Combined with her slightly reddened eyes and nose tip, she could easily win others’ favor. Just like over ten years ago, when she had first arrived at our home. “Tina .” I stepped closer to her, gripping her chin, “This trick works every time -” “Doesn’t it?” Tina’s face instantly went pale. The elevator arrival chime sounded. I let go of her and turned to walk into the elevator. She seemed not to have recovered, standing rooted to the spot. I smiled at her: “You know very well, there was never any sibling affection between him and me.” “Come to think of it, you’re more like his sister.”

As the elevator doors closed, I saw my expressionless face reflected in them. My abdomen cramped with pain. Actually, in the beginning, my relationship with Jack wasn’t as bad as this. When we were young, although he didn’t like me, he never did or said anything excessive. Compared to Dad who treated me like I was invisible, Jack as a brother was the only person I was close to. Back then I thought, even if Jack didn’t like me, we were still family. That’s what blood ties meant. Until middle school, when Tina came to live with us. That’s when I realized. A brother could actually be so nice to someone else. Not always cold-faced, not telling her to “get lost”, not mocking her sarcastically. That was how a brother should really treat a sister. But Tina wasn’t satisfied. On the fifth day after she transferred to my middle school, when I came home after class, Jack slapped me hard across the face. I held my cheek and stared at him in a daze. He was saying things I couldn’t understand. Leading the bullying. Bad seed. Vicious. Apologize. But when I saw Tina standing behind him, head bowed and clutching his shirt, These scattered words suddenly pieced together into a complete lie in my mind. I tried to explain. But he didn’t believe me. The argument that erupted that day and the obvious favoritism suddenly shattered the naive and foolish thoughts I once had. Jack wasn’t stupid enough to not know right from wrong. It was just that he did it on purpose. I seemed to belatedly realize on that day. My brother truly harbored genuine hatred towards me. My relationship with Jack deteriorated rapidly. But unfortunately, in my foolishness and immaturity at the time, I only thought that rather than having him treat me like a stranger like Dad did, I might as well antagonize him. At least, Jack would see me. The tense relationship between us continued until I was eighteen. At eighteen, I was dragged into hell. After eighteen, my relationship with Jack suddenly became that of strangers. Like a war that abruptly ceased. We no longer argued, no longer lashed out hysterically, no longer confronted each other. Just cold, as if we didn’t know each other at all.

After finishing the paperwork and returning home, the sky outside was completely dark. The street lamps in the neighborhood hadn’t lit up yet. I could only faintly see the warm yellow light shining from the homes across the street. The abdominal pain had persisted from the afternoon until now. I curled up on the sofa. Hunger and pain crawled all over my body. I struggled to get up and open the refrigerator. A nauseating smell of rot hit me. I seemed to recall that the last time I had opened the fridge was over a month ago. I grabbed a handful of vegetables, washed them briefly, and put them on the cutting board. The sound of the knife falling was uneven. Bright red blood dripped onto the green leaves, blooming into a flower with a fishy smell. I was stunned for a moment. The pain grew from the wound. I only then realized that I had cut my hand with the knife. When the impulse arose, I couldn’t suppress it. Old and new scars intertwined, with a new one added. Extending from my arm to my wrist. The knife fell to the ground. I knelt down, gasping for breath. I seemed to be losing more and more control, doing things to harm myself. The doctor said before. When an attack comes, you must take your medication. But I didn’t. She also said to let your loved ones accompany you more. “Mia, interact more with your family, feel loved.” “It’s good for your condition.” But… I looked at the meandering trail of blood. But, I don’t have any family.

I didn’t eat the vegetables I stir-fried last night. They all went into the trash. Hunger and pain intertwined, finally causing me to pass out on the bed. Someone knocked on the door early in the morning. I groggily got up from the sofa and walked to the door, opening a crack. When I saw who was outside, I instantly became wide awake. The man’s brows were frosty as usual, his face expressionless. I instinctively pulled the door shut. The loud sound of metal clashing separated us. I quickly went back to my room to put on a coat and changed into long pants. When I opened the door again, Jack’s gaze fell on my face, icy cold. “Do you need something?” I skipped the pleasantries with him. His gaze lowered, falling on my wrist holding the doorknob. There was a small colorful tattoo there. Jack narrowed his eyes, his voice indifferent: “You got a tattoo on your arm too?” I didn’t respond. Jack seemed to take this as confirmation. His originally apathetic mood stirred again: “Do you have to hang out with that punk and turn yourself into the same kind of trash?” I knew Jack had always had a sharp tongue. When our relationship was at its worst, our words were like poisoned knives, mercilessly stabbing each other. But he couldn’t talk about Zoe. Because she was my only, my best, friend. The faint smell of tobacco from the man’s body entered my nostrils. The veins on my forehead throbbed wildly, making me nauseous. The abdominal pain that had subsided earlier came back with a vengeance. My hand gripped the doorknob tightly, shaking again and again. I finally couldn’t hold back. But the expected slap didn’t land on his face. Instead, he gripped my wrist tightly, the old scars coming into contact with another person’s body heat. I saw the flash of shock on Jack’s face more clearly than ever: “The scars on your wrist…” But before he could finish, I slapped him again. The man’s head tilted slightly to the side, a large red mark blooming on his fair face. I had used a lot of force. Wisps of tobacco smell bound my nerves. A cold fear rose from the soles of my feet, creeping bit by bit over my entire body. I forcefully wrenched my hand from his grip. My wrist was already red. I clasped my own hands tightly, just to keep myself from shaking so badly. “Mia…” “Get out.” I lowered my eyes, staring hard at my feet. “Don’t touch me.” “Get out!”

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After starting her job, my daughter earned her first significant paycheck. She bought a brand tie for her father and expensive health supplements for her grandparents. Even her aunt, who had married far away, received a gold necklace. I thought I could also get a gift from her, but she snorted, “You are the cause of my childhood pain. Why should I give you something?” My husband, instead of disciplining her, belittled me. “You treated her strictly when she was young. Do you think she will forget what you have done? You expect her to be filial to you, huh?” My daughter took the whole family on a vacation but left me alone at home. One night, due to old wiring in the house, a fire broke out while I was sleeping. I died in the blaze. My family took the compensation money from my death to start a new and pleasant life. But then, I opened my eyes and found myself back when my daughter was in sixth grade of primary school. She was crying and throwing books at me, yelling, “You’re such a control freak! Why are you my mother?” I calmly pulled out an agreement. “I won’t discipline you, but words are cheap. Sign this, and you’ll be free.”

“Why are you so controlling? You won’t let me do anything I want. Why do I have to do things your way? I hate you. Why don’t you just die?” My daughter, Greta Miller, cried while throwing books at me. The corner of a book hit my chest, and the pain made me gasp. My mind cleared instantly, and when I looked around, I found that the decor was eerily familiar. The suffocating sensation from the thick smoke seemed like it had happened just seconds ago, and the pain in my chest reminded me that what I had experienced wasn’t a dream. I picked up a textbook from the floor and saw the words “Grade Six” on the cover. I thought in astonishment, “I’m reborn, back to the time when Greta was in the sixth grade!” My daughter Greta Miller faced the transition from elementary to middle school. If she couldn’t get into a prestigious middle school, her education would lag far behind others. So during this year, I had been closely monitoring her studies and even hired renowned tutors for her, trying everything to ensure she got into the city’s top middle school. However, halfway through the semester, Greta couldn’t take it anymore. When she got home, she threw her backpack on the floor and stormed into her room. I reminded her to put her backpack away properly, and she exploded, hurling those hurtful words at me. She tore the review materials I had printed for her into pieces and threw them in my face. “If you’re so eager to study, why don’t you go study yourself? You always impose your ideas on me. You’ve never even asked me if I want to go to a prestigious middle school! You’re such a control freak. You make me feel suffocated!” Almost every week, Greta would have one of these outbursts. I calmly picked up the scattered textbooks and placed them on her desk. “You told me that you wanted to go to a prestigious middle school.” When Greta learned that the prestigious middle school adopted a university-style education system with no morning study sessions and elective courses, she was determined to get in. Hearing what I said, she gave me a disdainful look, filled with arrogance. “With my grades, getting into a prestigious middle school is a piece of cake. What business do you have meddling in this? My teacher said my scores had already exceeded the admission line. Why are you more anxious than me? If you want to push yourself, go ahead. Just leave me alone.” As Greta spoke, her emotions grew more intense, and her grandmother, Rose Miller, quickly came in to comfort her, “Don’t cry. Your mom is just crazy. With your excellent grades, I believe you’ll get in.” Then, Rose turned to glare at me, clearly annoyed. “You have gone too far. Greta is just a child. Don’t push her too hard.” Greta’s grandfather, Frank Miller, chimed in, “Don’t bring your work stress home. Greta is just a kid. If you drive her into depression, you’ll regret it later.” Listening to their defense of Greta, I couldn’t help but sneer, “I’m pushing her too hard? She only studies for an hour each night and goes to tutoring only half a day on Saturdays. For her enough sleep, I’ve even rescheduled her classes to Saturday afternoons. She’s in sixth grade, and the exam is in three months. At this rate, she won’t get into a prestigious middle school.” Greta didn’t even consider what I said and charged at me, trying to hit me. “You’re crazy. Experts say elementary students need enough rest. Yet you still send me to tutoring. You’re a control freak. You’re the cause of all the pain in my life! I’m not your puppet. Why do you always try to control me? Do you only feel satisfied when I’m a mindless study machine under your command?” Just then, my husband, Phillip Miller, burst into the room, his eyes full of blame. “Blanca Jones, can’t you let her rest a bit more at night? She’s just a kid. If she doesn’t want to study, then let her be. Why are you forcing her? You’re driving this family crazy!” His words were filled with complaints about me. Suddenly, memories of the previous life flooded back. I had tried to explain to Greta the importance of effort, but all I got in return was her misunderstanding and resentment. How ridiculous! My daughter, whom I had raised, blamed me for ruining her childhood. I turned to look at Greta and said calmly, “My previous approach was wrong. Tell me what you want me to do in the future.” Greta, nestled in Phillip’s arms, froze for a moment. Her eyes were full of inquiry as if she was trying to figure out if I was serious or sarcastic. “Are you serious?” I nodded. Seeing my calm reaction, she became emboldened. “I want you to never interfere with my studies. You can’t stop me from doing anything.” Without hesitation, I agreed, “Sure.”

Perhaps my response was too quick, and Greta simply couldn’t believe it. She stared at me with a suspicious look. “You’re lying, right? You promised me like this before, but you went back on your word the next day.” Phillip rolled his eyes at me with a frown and spoke with disappointment and accusation in his voice, “Blanca, I’ve had enough of you. Greta is just a child. You should let her rest more and enjoy the outside world instead of keeping her chained to her study all day. She’s so young and already shows signs of depression!” Rose added fuel to the fire, not caring that she was making the situation worse. “Blanca has issues. If she keeps educating Greta like this, Greta will have problems. She used to be such a nice girl, but now she cries at the drop of a hat. I’m considering taking time off work to take her to a psychologist.” Frank chimed in with a cold snort, “Take her to a psychologist? The one who needs therapy is Blanca! She’s the root of all the current problems. I can’t believe we were so unlucky to have her as our family.” Seeing them united against me, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly, “Why are you so worked up? I haven’t even said anything yet.” Rose shielded Greta behind her, glaring at me as if I were an enemy. “I know you. You said you wanted Greta to rest, but then you pushed her to study. You’ve gone back on your word more times than I can count!” I pretended not to hear her and turned to Greta. “Do you have any other requests?” She looked at me, pouting, “I don’t want to go to tutoring classes. It’s the weekend, and I just want to sleep in at home. And you can’t control how long I use my phone. I want to play on it as much as I want.” I agreed without hesitation. A flicker of joy flashed in Greta’s eyes, and she immediately printed out an agreement. “Words are cheap. Sign this, and you can’t change your mind later.” Phillip reminded her to make two copies of the agreement to prevent me from reneging later. I picked up the pen. Rose and Frank stared at me as if they were waiting for me to sign so they could celebrate right away. I quickly signed the agreement. Finally, I would be rid of this ungrateful daughter, and there was a part of me that was almost looking forward to it. When I was pregnant, the doctor warned me about poor sperm quality and recommended bed rest. To keep the child, I quit my job and stayed in bed for half a year until Greta was safely born. But compared to her peers, she was weaker both physically and intellectually. Without my constant effort and support, she wouldn’t have kept up with her classmates. Despite this, she believed she was exceptional thanks to the constant praise from her grandparents. In my previous life, I gave up my career to guide Greta through her studies, hired tutors, and even brought in professionals to create a learning plan for her. Being a stay-at-home mother meant relearning all the knowledge alongside the child. It was tiring, but seeing her grades improve made every late night and early morning worth it. Eventually, under my guidance, Greta got into a top university and landed a job at a famous enterprise after graduation. However, when she earned her first paycheck, she bought gifts for everyone except me. When I asked her why, disappointed, she told me I had no right to expect anything from her. Later, she took the whole family on vacation but left me alone at home. A fire broke out due to old wiring, and I was trapped inside and burned to death. As my soul floated in the air, I saw Greta standing by my charred body, staring blankly. The first thing she said was, “Serves you right. You did this to yourself.” At that moment, I let go of everything. Looking at the agreement, I suppressed my excitement. “I hope you won’t regret this.”

Greta took my words as a final act of defiance. She snorted at me and carefully placed the agreement in her small safe, treating it like a treasure. “I won’t regret this. Without your intervention, I’ll live more freely and happily.” She casually tossed her school uniform aside, jumped onto the bed, grabbed her tablet, and started playing a game. “Come online. I’m going to have a good enough time playing today.” She gave me a smug look as if waiting for me to say something to stop her. She had astigmatism since birth, and by the time she was in second grade, her vision had deteriorated to 400 degrees. To protect her eyesight, I spent thousands of dollars on corrective lenses and strictly regulated her screen time on phones and tablets to prevent further damage to her eyes. But Rose thought I was overreacting. “You think playing on a phone can blind her? Nonsense.” She even gave Greta another phone and deliberately said, “Greta, this is the new phone I bought you a few days ago. Play as much as you want. No one can stop you.” In the past, their behaviors would have infuriated me, but now, I didn’t care at all. What Greta had said spurred me on. I thought, “Instead of pushing her, I should push myself.” In my previous life, I gave up my career to take care of her. I had received job offers from several big companies, but I turned them down to focus on her life and studies. This time, I was going to rewrite my own story. My best friend, Nora Evans, heard that I wanted to find a job, and she was thrilled. “Blanca, you should have done this long ago. Why stay with those ungrateful people and waste your youth?” Even she saw things more clearly than I did. Nora and I made plans to meet for dinner. It wasn’t even eight o’clock when I got a call from Rose. The moment I answered, Rose’s angry voice came through. “Where the hell are you? We’re starving!” I cut into a piece of steak and put it in my mouth. “What does that have to do with me?” Rose instinctively retorted, “How doesn’t it? You used to cook for us!” I shrugged. “You are not disabled. Can’t you cook for yourselves? You said that you came to the city to help me take care of the kid and do household chores. If you can’t, go back to the countryside with Frank.” With that, I hung up and continued discussing my new job with Nora. Fortunately, with my solid qualifications, the company quickly responded, offering me a position with a monthly salary of 12 thousand dollars and weekends off. When I signed the contract, I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in a long while, I felt relaxed. In the past, I had always focused on improving Greta’s grades and taking care of my family, but I had only neglected my own well-being. Being with Nora made me realize how fulfilling and vibrant my life could be. After parting ways with Nora and returning home, I found the house in a mess. Phillip sat on the sofa with a straight face. Seeing me come in, he shot me a cold look.

“I thought you had died somewhere,” Phillip muttered angrily. I didn’t bother to argue with him. I had to prepare for my new job starting tomorrow. Seeing that I wasn’t responding, he lost his temper instantly. “Blanca, look at what you’ve done! The house is a mess. I work hard to support this family so you can take care of things at home. But you can’t even do that well. What good are you?” His words were accusatory, belittling me as if I were nothing. “Greta has been playing on her phone since she got home from school. Her eyes will be damaged. And she hasn’t written a single word of her homework! How does she expect to get into a prestigious middle school?” Phillip threw a blank worksheet at me, visibly agitated. Watching him panting and fuming, I couldn’t help but laugh. Phillip’s face turned even colder. “What are you laughing at?” “I thought you didn’t know! Huh, you do realize that staring at a phone hurts her eyes, and not doing homework will affect her grades?” I sneered. Phillip frowned, clearly not expecting such a direct rebuttal. He awkwardly scratched his nose. “Don’t give me that nonsense. You can’t just let Greta behave like this. You’re her mother. Don’t you feel guilty watching her fall apart? She means the world to you. You’ve vented your anger. Now it’s time to take responsibility.” With that, he plopped back onto the sofa, picked up his phone, and started scrolling through short videos, as if his words were an order to me. I pulled out the agreement I had signed in the afternoon. “I’ve signed the agreement, and I intend to keep my word. Shouldn’t we set a good example for our daughter? Besides, if you care so much about her, why don’t you step in and manage her education?” In my previous life, Phillip had always played the good cop to take all the credit when it came to disciplining Greta and left me to be the bad guy. Phillip snorted, “I’m exhausted from working every day. Can’t you handle things at home and educate her well?” I slapped my job application in front of him. “Sorry, but I’ve gotten a job now.” And the salary was higher than Phillip’s. Phillip was stunned, reading the application three times before accepting the reality that I had found a job. But he still wasn’t ready to give up. “Why do you need to go out and work? Don’t I earn enough to support the family?” He had gotten some nerve to say that! He only gave me 2,000 dollars a month for living expenses, which included utilities, food, and even medical bills for his parents. It was already a blessing that I didn’t have to subsidize him every month. I turned to question Phillip, “Would you be willing to stay home if I gave you 2,000 dollars a month?”

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I thought Ryan had given me a second chance at life when he helped clear my family’s debts after our bankruptcy. We were together for nine years, seemingly deeply in love. Until Emma returned from abroad, and I discovered their past connection. To please Emma, Ryan was willing to use me, who’s afraid of water, as a bet in a pool game. Later, when I wanted to break up, Ryan laughed arrogantly, “Without me, what could you possibly achieve?” But in the end, he was the one who broke down. I smiled and said, “Can you not be so emotional?” 0On the rooftop pool. The Emperor’s Game. As night fell, under the dark blue lights, Ryan stood in his suit, bending over to explain the rules while holding a ring toss. Behind him, his friends were opening champagne and watching the show. “Everyone stand back,” he said, pointing to the pretty girls in swimsuits in the pool. “Each person only gets one chance, and can only ring one person…” I looked away, clutching the Basque cheesecake in my hand, and asked softly, “Ryan, come eat some cake first. You’ve been waiting for a while, right?” Emma saw me and enthusiastically called out, “Lily, you’re here! Do you want to play too?” Emma was Ryan’s childhood sweetheart. She had just returned from abroad a few days ago. Ryan had been away for several days since then. We had a big fight because of this and had been giving each other the cold shoulder for days. Until tonight when he called and asked me to bring a Basque cheesecake. In my eyes, this was a sign of reconciliation. So I carefully applied my makeup and changed into a pure white dress that he liked. Carrying the Basque cheesecake he wanted. I shook my head and walked over to open the cake box, “I’ll pass. I’m not good at ring toss.” Emma looked at me as if she had heard the biggest joke ever, and said mockingly, “Who said anything about ring toss?” She turned her head towards the girls in the pool and gestured, “It’s over there.” “Ryan, what do you think? It must be fun!” Emma’s words became increasingly sarcastic, and no one dared to interrupt her. I gripped the ribbon of the cake box tighter, staring blankly at Ryan. “Ryan, you know I can’t…” I can’t swim. “Go change.” Under everyone’s gaze, Ryan turned and grabbed a swimsuit from the sofa and threw it at me. The cold fabric hit my face. Seeing that I didn’t move, he frowned and turned to look at me, speaking earnestly. “Lily, it’s just a game.” “Don’t be such a poor sport.” “Yeah, Lily, it’s just for fun,” Emma chimed in. I looked at him, my eyes unfocused. I guess he had hidden it for so long that I almost forgot he was always a playboy at heart. Emma cut a piece of cake, picked it up, tossed it around, and threw it onto someone’s shirt nearby. “How convenient.” “Come on, play! This one’s got some weight to it.” I touched the burn mark on my left index finger, watching them carelessly waste the cake I had spent the whole afternoon making. My heart was as tangled as a ball of yarn that had been clawed by a cat. The sky darkened, and the wind on the rooftop became chilly. After a long while, I trembled, suppressing the sourness in my heart, and walked over to put the swimsuit on the sofa. “You guys play. I’m leaving.” As I was heading back, Emma caught up with me and smiled, trying to comfort me, “It’s okay, Lily. If you don’t want to, forget about it…” The next second, catching me off guard, she pushed me hard into the pool. A huge splash erupted. “Ah!” The girls in the pool desperately tried to dodge. I’m afraid of water. Water rushed into my throat, making me feel suffocated. I struggled to stand steady, my skirt floating up due to buoyancy. Everything was exposed. Vaguely, I heard someone exclaim. “Holy shit…” Emma cried out from the edge, “Oh my, Lily, how could you be so careless?” I kept thrashing in the water, trying to find my balance. On the platform, Emma urged Ryan to distribute the rings. “Hurry up, Ryan!” “I want to throw!” Ryan handed out the rings. In an instant, all the rings flew into the water. And I was casually ringed by Lucas. I was soaked from head to toe, not even having the chance to wipe the water from my face or the wet hair sticking to it. The ring landed around my neck. “Ryan, I…” Lucas nervously rubbed his hands, waiting for Ryan’s “rescue.” Lucas’s family business wasn’t big, and he always followed Ryan’s lead. In recent years, Ryan’s family had been flourishing, riding the wave of the entertainment industry. Living a life dependent on others’ favor, Lucas naturally didn’t dare to make any mistakes. Even though everyone knew Ryan had no real feelings for me. He had even just used me as a bargaining chip, a commodity. But I was still his nominal girlfriend after all. Ryan extinguished the cigarette in his hand and passed the ring to Emma. He squatted down and looked at me. His expression was dark. After a long while. “Take her away then.” 0

Those careless words silenced everyone around. With just three short words, I understood their game. I struggled to shore, not caring if my dress was see-through. I threw on a bathrobe and headed for the exit. “What’s she playing at? If it weren’t for Ryan, she’d probably be in some old baldie’s arms right now.” “It’s all because Ryan values loyalty.” Behind me, all sorts of hurtful comments kept coming. Constantly chipping away at the hard shell I had rebuilt around myself. Yes, if it weren’t for Ryan. I should be drowning in millions of debt now, a rat that everyone would chase down the street. That pampered Miss Lily who grew up as the center of attention was long gone. It was Ryan who saved me. So, in their eyes, I should be eternally grateful to him. What’s a little pool game compared to that? Ryan seemed to have had enough and shouted harshly, “Shut up!” I composed myself, took a deep breath, turned around with a smile, and looked at Lucas, inviting him, “Shall we go?” Lucas froze in place, dumbfounded. The place instantly fell silent, you could hear a pin drop. Ryan’s face turned ashen as he rushed over, wrapping the bathrobe tightly around me, grinding his teeth, “You wouldn’t dare!” Ryan forcibly took me home. I developed a high fever on the way. When we got out of the car, Ryan climbed into the passenger seat to carry me. I pushed him away in my hazy state, “Don’t touch me!” He slapped my waist, his face grim, “Lily, stop making a fuss!” “Can’t you take care of yourself?” “Are you trying to anger me to death?” Hearing this, I couldn’t help but laugh sarcastically, “Isn’t this all thanks to you?” Wasn’t it him who knew I was afraid of water yet still made me get in? Ryan’s face turned ashen, and he wordlessly hoisted me up. In the night filled with cicada sounds and wind, an “I’m sorry” blew past my ear. Ryan fed me medicine. He tucked in the blanket corners and went to the kitchen to make porridge for me. When he brought it to me, the porridge was still steaming hot. “Have some porridge, it’ll warm your stomach.” I closed my eyes and kept my lips tightly shut, not making a sound. He let out a long sigh, scooped up a spoonful of porridge and blew on it. “Honey, be good, okay?” “When you’re better, I’ll take you to the Maldives. Didn’t you want to go for a long time?” Ryan coaxed me, this was his usual style. Going to the Maldives was a promise we made before Emma came back. After Emma returned, Ryan’s attention wandered, we had a big fight, and the trip was forgotten. As we were at an impasse, Emma’s call came through. “Ryan, take me home!” “Otherwise my dad will scold me again. He feels at ease when you take me.” Under the dim table lamp, Ryan remained silent for a long time, put down the bowl, and glanced at me. “Ask Lucas to take you. I’m a bit busy.” Ryan rarely refused Emma. “I don’t want that. I want you to take me!” I stared at the dark ceiling, my head throbbing and my nose sour, and said in a low voice, “Go then.” “Don’t keep her waiting too long.” 0

The next day was Grandpa Harrison’s birthday banquet. Ryan and I attended. All the notable people in the city were there. Emma was no exception. Ryan went to a private room with his friends to discuss business. I was bored and went to the dessert table. “Harrison really doesn’t know better, inviting all sorts of riffraff. Isn’t he afraid of bad luck?” “Well, when your parents die leaving a mountain of debt, it’s all settled. If it were me, I’d have followed them long ago. Where would I have the courage to hook up with Ryan?” Behind me, several familiar voices rang out. “Wow, of course she has to hold on tight. After all, Ryan is probably the best catch among all the eligible options.” Emma, imagining something, added, “But, Ryan said she’s really boring in bed.” “Well, she used to be a good little rich girl, it’s not surprising she can’t satisfy someone as free-spirited as Ryan.” My face flushed red, my hand holding the macaron froze, trembling involuntarily. Listening to them casually sketching out my past, slandering me at will. “Enough!” I turned around and slapped Emma with all my might. The wine glass in her hand slipped and shattered on the floor, splattering wine on her skirt. “Clean your mouth before you speak.” The hall fell eerily silent. I smoothed my skirt and looked up, saying, “If you’re so capable, then make him dump me and be with you.” “Stop stirring up trouble here.” Emma didn’t expect me to fight back. Covering her face, she screamed hysterically, “Lily, what’s wrong with you?” “Do you think you’re still that high and mighty young miss?” “Wake up!” Ryan came at the sound, gently pulling Emma’s hand away, “Let me see. Does it hurt?” I hadn’t held back earlier, and Emma’s right cheek was already red and swollen. Ryan turned around and looked at me coldly, “Lily, apologize.” “Don’t go too far.” He wasn’t furious or agitated, but I knew he was extremely displeased now. “Ryan, it hurts,” Emma started her act again, sobbing, “I don’t know what I did wrong for her to hit me like this.” “It’s okay, don’t be afraid. I’ll take you to the hospital.” Ryan’s voice was gentle. I was tired of watching this drama of mutual affection, and tired of arguing with a habitual liar. “I wish you two a hundred years of happiness and an early child.” “My tongue is sharp, so I’ll spare you the nasty words.” I turned around and went home amidst the whispers and scrutiny of the guests. 0

I used to be one of them. Ryan and I were sworn enemies. I was well-behaved, he was wild, neither of us could stand the other. Emma was Ryan’s little fangirl, following him around calling “brother, brother” every day. When I was seventeen, my parents committed suicide after a failed investment, and I fell to rock bottom overnight. All my friends in the circle avoided me. Only Ryan, despite his parents’ opposition, used all his money and even borrowed money to fill my bottomless pit. Ryan, who always loved freedom and excitement, sold his Lykan and Porsche. He bought the mansion that my family was auctioning off. He said he couldn’t let me be without a home. Even though we later lived elsewhere, that house was never sold. A nouveau riche tried to humiliate me with money, boasting “If you’re with me, I’ll give you endless money to spend.” Later, he was also beaten up by Ryan. And now, it was also Ryan who put Emma first, trampling on my dignity without hesitation. Back then, I thought Ryan was my salvation. Little did I know, he always had Emma in his heart. But he helped me out of friendship, and developed feelings that shouldn’t have existed. I stayed at home for five days. When I finally calmed down and went out again. The streets were full of pink billboards. But it wasn’t some celebrity endorsement, it was Emma and Ryan’s wedding photos. The wedding ceremony venue they chose was my home. That Chinese-style mansion that had been empty for a long time. I walked in incredulously. The stone lions at the gate were wearing ill-fitting pink collars. The well-maintained lawn inside was full of holes dug to plant Juliet roses, with soil everywhere. On the central axis, a heavy gold nanmu wood frame was set up, with their huge wedding photos hanging on both sides. Even the rooms were in a mess. Broken vases, family photos carelessly thrown on the floor, walls drilled haphazardly for decorations… The home in my memory was turned upside down. A sharp pain came from my chest, like a knife stabbing in and out repeatedly. “Where’s Ryan?” I held back the tears in my eyes. Now I just wanted to find him and ask what was going on. Emma casually kicked the family photo by her feet, shattering the frame. In the photo, my parents smiled kindly, holding me. I hurriedly crouched down, brushing off the dust on the photo. Tears fell uncontrollably onto it, blurring the image. “What do you want with him? Still clinging on? Wake up, Lily.” “Look at yourself, what do you have left? Still dreaming of marrying him?” She hissed, pointing at the decorations in the yard, then changed her tone, “Lily, don’t get cocky. What you care about, what you cherish, hasn’t it all become mine now?” “I just mentioned that I liked him, and both families couldn’t wait to start preparing for the wedding.” “I just said this mansion looked nice, and he used it to arrange the wedding.” “And you?” “You’re just his dispensable entertainment, understand?” Ryan walked in carrying a wedding dress, frowned when he saw me, “Lily, what are you up to now?” “Come to see your blessing come true with your own eyes?” Looking at his face, my eyes gradually reddened, my throat choked up, and I pointed at his nose and questioned loudly, “Why did you turn my home into this?” “You can do whatever you want, but why did it have to be this mansion?” He knew this was my last refuge. Ryan’s expression was cold as he knocked my hand away, “Lily, can you not be so emotional?” “The deed has my name ‘Ryan’ on it, not your ‘Lily’. I’ll transfer the place you’re living in now to you.” “I don’t want it! I just want my home!” Ryan smiled wickedly and said, “If you want this house, fine.” “Lily, apologize to Emma.” “I might consider giving it to you.” This time, he finally became that person who humiliated me with money. I laughed lightly, spat at him, and said, “Ryan, you really disgust me.” At seventeen, I saw him as my salvation and support. At twenty-six today, he had become unrecognizable.

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I Transmigrated into My Own Novel and Could Hear the Thoughts of the Man I Had a Crush On In the novel, my stepfather no longer despised me. He even doted on and protected me, not allowing anyone to bully me. Everyone said that Ethan Foster, the tycoon who dominated the business world, had a soft spot for someone. Whoever dared to provoke her would be in trouble. The story continued until the grand finale, where I saw myself tragically dying in prison. And the one who sent me to prison was none other than Ethan Foster, my stepfather who had been intimately involved with me every night. His kindness to me was only because his true love was dying, and only my bone marrow could save her. Back to the first chapter of the novel, I publicly gave up on confessing to my stepfather and tried everything to escape his control. December 12th was my 21st birthday. To celebrate, Ethan specially organized a grand bonfire party in the Maldives. The beach was decorated with countless flowers and heart-shaped balloons. In the center of the beach was an exquisite designer gown in pink. The few specially invited friends all looked envious. “Mr. Foster is so good to Ava! 999 pink roses and a designer birthday gift, I’m so jealous!” “Of course! I wish I had a stepfather like Mr. Foster too. He’s handsome and has a great body. I’d love to experience Ava’s life for just one day!!!” The familiar scene appeared before my eyes again. I was surprised, happy, and scared. It all felt too unreal. My stepfather used to be ashamed of me, despising me to the extreme, never willing to give me a kind look. Such a grand celebration was beyond my wildest dreams. After transmigrating into the novel world, a book of the novel I created appeared in my hands out of thin air. The first half of the book was exactly the same as what I had written, full of my imagined sweet life with my stepfather. Up until the last chapter where I stopped updating, the rest of the book was blank, with only the final page marked “Grand Finale”. However, in the grand finale, I ended up in prison and died a miserable death, while Ethan walked down the aisle with his true love. My heart suddenly clenched, as if all of this had really happened before. I was about to leave the dressing room to investigate when I saw my stepfather looking unwell, walking quickly towards the back door of the hotel. I quietly followed him and accidentally overheard him on the phone. On the other end of the line, I could faintly hear a woman sobbing. “Luna, listen to the doctor and take your medicine. I’ve found suitable bone marrow. You’ll be fine.” Luna? Is this the woman Ethan has been hiding in his heart? My stepfather never let me look at his phone. Once, I accidentally touched his phone and saw that his wallpaper was a girl smiling gently. Ethan was so angry when he saw that I had touched his things that he didn’t speak to me for a whole month. Such a gentle smile, he had never been willing to bestow upon me. Ethan comforted Luna for a long time before hanging up the phone. Just as he was about to leave, his assistant hurried over from the other side. “Mr. Foster, the contract you asked for has been signed. As long as Miss Ava is willing to sign, we can arrange Miss Luna’s surgery.” “Also, regarding Miss Luna’s drunk driving and hit-and-run incident, do you really want Miss Ava to take the blame? The other party doesn’t want money, they insist on Luna serving a full prison sentence.” “After all, Miss Ava grew up under your care. Are you really willing to do this?” Ethan remained silent, and the assistant understood his tacit agreement and left with a sigh. The heart-piercing words reached my ears, and I covered my mouth, not daring to make a sound. I thought heaven had taken pity on me and woven me a dream, but it turned out to be a sugar-coated poison. No matter how much my stepfather disliked me, he had never thought of throwing me away. But this stepfather was willing to sacrifice my life for another woman. My nose was already so sore that I could barely breathe. I bit my lower lip hard, trying to suppress my sobs. Through my blurry vision, I saw my stepfather just coldly smirk. Even his voice was not as gentle as when he was on the phone earlier, utterly heartless. Although he didn’t speak out loud, I could hear his thoughts. “Luna from the other world couldn’t be saved, but thankfully, heaven has given me another chance to make it up to her.” “In this novel world, Ava is immortal anyway. What’s a little suffering to her!” “I’ll fulfill her dream life, exchange her life for Luna’s. After she donates her bone marrow, I’ll take care of her for the rest of her life in the next world.” I crouched in the dark corner, unable to believe what I had just heard. He really was Ethan Foster! My beloved stepfather actually wanted to take my life!! After a long while, I returned to the beach. In the original outline, I was supposed to confess my feelings to Ethan on this day. I walked barefoot on the beach, feeling lost. When my friends saw me, they quickly pulled me to the center surrounded by flowers. A few friends saw Ethan coming over and were even more excited than I was. My indifference, however, was completely out of place with the lively atmosphere around me. “Ava, didn’t you say you had something to tell Mr. Foster? Don’t waste such a romantic moment!” “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Mr. Foster definitely won’t refuse, right, Mr. Foster!” Ethan, wearing a black suit, walked over from beside the bubble machine in the moonlight. The red flames from the bonfire illuminated his handsome profile, even the tides seemed to be accompanying the scene. Everything was just perfect. Everything was perfect, but I couldn’t bring myself to smile. Ethan noticed my pale face and, for the first time ever, took the initiative to hug me, whispering softly in my ear. “Don’t be afraid, Ava. Your father is here.” His deep, magnetic voice was like Satan luring one into the abyss, but I couldn’t indulge in this absurdity anymore. I took a deep breath and avoided Ethan’s embrace. I forced a smile that looked worse than crying and looked up to meet Ethan’s puzzled gaze. “Father, thank you for the birthday gift. But we should maintain some boundaries between us.”

My sudden aloofness caught Ethan off guard. In the real world, I loved him to the bone. If he showed me even a little kindness, I would want to stick to him all the time. But I still looked silly, not much different from before. Perhaps he was overthinking it. Ethan forced another smile: “Ava, do you have something on your mind? Tell me, I’ll help you.” I shook my head, my tone flat. “It’s windy by the sea at night. I’m just feeling a bit unwell.” For some reason, even though the person I had been dreaming of day and night was right in front of me, I couldn’t breathe. Before, I just thought he didn’t love me, but I could always warm his heart. But now, I wanted nothing more than to fly away from him immediately. But if I left now, it would only arouse Ethan’s suspicion. If he knew that I knew everything, he would surely use every means to torture me until I willingly donated bone marrow to Luna. The waves were surging one after another, the wind and waves getting stronger, and thousands of layers of waves rolled up from the depths of the sea. I sat on the beach chair, lost in thought, not even hearing when someone called my name several times. “Ethan Foster, your stepdaughter is quite cute.” Next to Ethan stood a man wearing a blue and white checkered shirt. When our eyes met, he raised an eyebrow at me. I recognized him, Nathan Cole, Ethan’s arch-enemy, a well-known playboy in the business circle. Ethan used to dislike him, which led to me disliking him too. But now I didn’t want to provoke anyone, my mind full of escape plans. Ethan looked displeased, his handsome face slightly flushed. He usually had a good tolerance for alcohol, so he must have drunk quite a bit this time. In the past, whenever Ethan came back drunk from social events, no matter how late it was, I would always brew sobering soup and wait for him, even if he didn’t even look at it. I heard Ethan’s thoughts again. “Losing your composure at the sight of a pretty boy, you’re just like your useless father!” “Your father couldn’t have children, he only adopted you to fight for the family fortune!” “If it weren’t for the old man insisting on giving you half of the family assets, I wouldn’t have raised you for so many years, causing Luna to resent me for all these years.” I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging into my flesh, but I couldn’t feel the pain. My heart felt as if it had been stabbed by countless sharp knives, the acute pain almost suffocating me. I held back my tears, trying not to show any signs of distress. Then I turned and took the lemonade from beside the beach chair, handing it to Nathan in front of Ethan. With a shy fake smile, I disguised the decay in my heart. “Brother Nathan, have some lemonade. It’ll make you feel better.” Nathan’s eyes were full of mischievous laughter as he placed his long, broad hand on my shoulder. “Little Ava has grown up, huh? Do you remember what you promised your brother when you were little?” I shook my head instinctively. “When you were little, you said I was handsome. You pestered your dad, saying you wanted to marry me. You even said we were betrothed and you’d be my bride in the future.” My face immediately flushed hot: “Brother Nathan, don’t joke around. What kids say doesn’t count.” Nathan pretended to be hurt: “Look, you’re single, I’m single. Why don’t we make a pair?” I looked at Ethan. He was staring intently at the hand on my shoulder, his face darkening as if a storm was brewing. Ethan hadn’t even noticed it himself, but a nameless jealousy was rising in his heart. He reached out his hand, ready to pull me away, but when he heard what I said next, his arm froze in mid-air before dropping back down. “What did you say?” “Ava Foster, say that again!”

“Okay.” “If Brother Nathan doesn’t mind, I’m willing to date him.” Little did I know, this one sentence completely overturned the jar of vinegar in Ethan’s heart. He shouldn’t be like this. Even if he was jealous, the object of his jealousy should be Luna, or more accurately, it couldn’t possibly be me. This time, reason lost to emotion. “I’m your guardian. Without my permission, you’re not allowed to date!” In front of everyone, he directly picked me up and carried me back to the car. But in the past, he couldn’t wait to stay three feet away from me. Ethan didn’t give me a chance to resist, speeding all the way to the airport. The car was dead silent, so silent that I heard Ethan’s thoughts again. “Ava Foster, from now on, I forbid you to leave my side even half a step.” “Alive, you’re a Foster. Dead, you’re a Foster ghost!” “Before Luna is cured, I won’t give you any chance to escape!” So that’s how it is… Sometimes I really want to cut open Ethan’s heart and see if he ever liked me, even a little bit. But whether he did or not, how does it matter? In his heart, I’ll never compare to Luna. But not long after we drove out, a red truck suddenly changed lanes and stepped on the gas, charging towards Ethan’s Maybach. Just as it was about to crash, my body involuntarily threw itself in front of Ethan, shielding him from the fatal blow. In that moment of mental blankness, I saw my former weak self. She said to me: “Ava, consider this the last time you act foolishly. From now on, you’ll have to walk alone.” The roar in my ears was very loud, ambulances and police cars kept blaring their sirens, and someone was shouting my name with all their might. Is it Ethan? It doesn’t matter whether it is or not anymore. When I woke up again, the cold white light in the hospital room stung my eyes, and the smell of jasmine mixed with disinfectant kept invading my nose. As my vision flickered, I saw Ethan’s eyes were bloodshot, his brows furrowed into a knot. Is he… worried about me? “Ethan Foster, if I died, would you be sad?” Ethan was silent for a moment, his voice much hoarser. “Don’t think too much. Just rest well.” He poured me a glass of warm water, but I heard him think: “Ava, I don’t know how to answer this question, but Luna’s illness can’t be delayed any longer.” “After the bone marrow donation is successful, I’ll find a way to make you forget all of this.” “I can give you anything except love. This is what I owe Luna. Her family ended up like this all because of me. I can’t ignore her.” I didn’t take the glass of water Ethan offered. Just then, he received a phone call. “Mr. Foster, Miss Luna is missing!” Ethan glanced at me, but it was just a glance. After that, he rushed out without even taking his coat. The glass cup placed on the bedside table wasn’t steady and fell to the ground, shattering into transparent pieces. The water stain on the ground suddenly reflected the face of a strange girl. Luna’s face was pale, which added a sickly beauty to her fine features. She walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and pushed open the glass, asking, “Are you the precious one Ethan Foster holds in the palm of his hand?” I shook my head slightly: “He cares about you the most. You sneaking out will make him worry.” I had imagined countless scenarios of meeting Luna, but I never thought it would be so peaceful, as if we were just friends who had just met. Luna smiled and shook her head as well: “He never mentioned having such a good girl by his side. I’ve done too many wrong things that have implicated you.” “I know everything. Even with your bone marrow, it won’t save me. It’s just that brother Ethan is too obsessed in his heart. He always feels guilty towards me.” “In any world, I’ve lived too tired a life. I don’t want to implicate anyone else because of me.” “This is our first meeting, I’m Luna. It’s also our last.” She smiled gently, seeming truly fearless, and jumped from the window without hesitation. Ethan saw this scene from outside the door. He ran to the window with all his might, but it was still a step too late. He could only watch the pool of blood below the high-rise building with grief. “Ava! Foster! What exactly did you do to Luna!”

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Betrayed by Love “Beep… beep…” The thirty-second call went unanswered. Caleb still hadn’t picked up. I had reheated the dishes on the table three times already. The homemade ice cream cake had melted into an unsightly puddle, worse than tears. My fingers gently caressed the gift box beside me. Inside was my pregnancy report. This was meant to be Caleb’s birthday surprise. I had imagined countless times how he would react upon seeing this gift. Perhaps he would be surprised, maybe delighted. It might even bring a change to our hopeless marriage. However, as time ticked away minute by minute, hope began to fade. I stubbornly sat in place, unwilling to give up. A part of me still clung to the slim chance that he was just temporarily delayed. Finally, at two in the morning, the door creaked open. My heart clenched tightly as I stood up from the darkness. Filled with joy, thinking Caleb had returned, I prepared to welcome him. However, the scene before me was like a sharp blade piercing straight into my heart. In the faint moonlight, Caleb had Natalie pinned against the wall. His lips urgently pressed against hers, his hands tightly gripping her waist as if trying to merge her into his body. “You know what? When I sleep with her, all I can think about is you,” Caleb’s voice, tinged with drunkenness, reached my ears with crystal clarity. “That one time with her, it was all forced. I felt disgusted when I woke up.” As these words registered, my world seemed to collapse. The gift box slipped from my hand, hitting the ground with a crisp, jarring thud. Their movements froze abruptly. Caleb turned his head, his gaze colliding directly with mine. A flash of panic and guilt crossed his eyes, but it was quickly masked by that familiar coldness. Caleb frowned slightly, seemingly displeased by my presence. I stood there, feeling as if all the blood in my body had instantly frozen, my hands and feet turning ice-cold. It was Natalie… Caleb’s ex-girlfriend, the one who had once abandoned him, had returned. Anger, sorrow, and despair intertwined into an invisible net, binding me tightly. “Aria, what are you doing there?” Caleb’s voice was cold, devoid of any warmth. I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, but my throat felt blocked, unable to produce a sound. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. “Since you’ve heard everything, there’s no point in hiding it,” Caleb’s tone remained icy. “I never loved you. Marrying you was nothing but a forced choice.” I looked at him, the last glimmer of hope in my heart completely shattered. The past gentleness and care, those seemingly beautiful moments, were all just my one-sided wishful thinking. Caleb turned his head, speaking softly to Natalie, his eyes full of adoration. “It’s late, you shouldn’t go back.” He looked at me again, his voice leaving no room for negotiation. “Tonight, I want Natalie to stay.” I gazed at him, feeling as if the person before me was a complete stranger. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm myself. “Fine, do whatever you want.” I tried to keep my voice steady, but the trembling tone betrayed my devastation. I turned and staggered back to the bedroom. That night, Caleb didn’t step into the room once. As morning sunlight filtered through the window, the house, which should have been filled with warmth, was permeated with a suffocating atmosphere. I hadn’t eaten all night and couldn’t sleep. My head was pounding from crying over last night’s events. When I walked out of the room on an empty stomach, I saw Caleb and Natalie in the kitchen, laughing and making breakfast together. Their intimate behavior made me feel like an intruder in my own home. Natalie noticed me and immediately put on a warm smile. To me, it seemed nothing but fake. “Aria, you’re up! Caleb and I made breakfast especially. Come and try some.” As she spoke, she walked towards me with a bowl of soup. Looking at the bowl, my stomach suddenly churned. The morning sickness from my pregnancy had been getting worse lately, and just the smell of food was making me nauseous. I quickly covered my mouth and ran to the bathroom. “Ugh…” I dry heaved in the bathroom, feeling so sick I could barely stand up straight. When I finally managed to pull myself together and wash my face, I returned to the dining area to find the atmosphere had turned ice cold. “Aria, what’s your problem?” Caleb’s voice was full of anger, his brows furrowed and eyes full of accusation. “Natalie kindly made you breakfast, and this is how you treat her goodwill?” I looked at Caleb, my heart full of hurt. “I didn’t mean to, I—” I tried to explain, but before I could finish, Natalie interrupted me. “Caleb, don’t be like that. Maybe my cooking isn’t good, and that’s why Aria doesn’t like it. I’m sure she didn’t mean any harm.” Natalie’s eyes were slightly red, putting on a pitiful act. But I caught the glimpse of triumph in her eyes. “Enough with your act!” I finally exploded, shouting. “I’m not feeling well and can’t eat. Is that a problem?” “Not feeling well?” Caleb’s eyes were filled with suspicion. “Don’t use that excuse to avoid apologizing!” “Natalie spent all morning making this breakfast. Not only are you ungrateful, but you’re also making a scene!” I looked at Caleb in disbelief. How could he think of me like this? “Who’s making a scene here?” “Why should I apologize just because I can’t eat?” There was no way I would bow my head to Natalie. Caleb impatiently cut me off. “Whether you’re really unwell or not, you must apologize to Natalie!” I raised my head defiantly, tears welling up in my eyes. “I did nothing wrong. Why should I apologize?” Caleb’s face darkened further. “You’re still being stubborn!” “If you won’t apologize, then drink this soup. You can’t disregard Natalie’s kindness!” I looked at the steaming hot bowl of soup, my heart filled with desolation. It was seafood chowder, the dish I hated most. After five years of marriage, he couldn’t even remember this. “Caleb, how can you treat me like this!” “Are you going to drink it or not?” Caleb’s eyes held no warmth, only a cold command. In his heart, Natalie’s feelings would always be more important than mine. Looking at this man I once loved deeply, who now seemed so unfamiliar, I was filled with anger and resentment. “I won’t drink it!” The next second, Caleb grabbed the bowl and forcefully tried to pour the soup into my mouth! The scalding temperature made me struggle, but I was no match for Caleb’s strength. As my head tilted back, the steaming hot soup burned its way down my throat. It wasn’t just my body that was scalded, but my heart as well! Using all my strength, I pushed Caleb away. With a loud crash, the bowl shattered into pieces. I looked at the cold Caleb and the smugly triumphant Natalie, and spoke each word deliberately. “Are you satisfied now?” Without waiting for their reaction, I rushed out the door, leaving without looking back. At the hospital, a nurse was cleaning and disinfecting my scalded tongue with saline solution. Her brows were tightly knitted. “Try to avoid injuries during pregnancy,” she advised. “It’s not advisable to use burn medication in the first five months of pregnancy. You’ll just have to bear with it for now.” “And you’re allergic to seafood. It’s good you didn’t drink much. Don’t you know what you can and can’t eat at your age?” I nodded vacantly, letting out a bitter laugh. Being forced to drink that soup had not only scalded my tongue. My throat and stomach were still burning and numb. “Being so careless, you might lose the baby, you know? You young people are really reckless!” she added. Finally, to be on the safe side, she suggested I check on the baby’s condition. I thanked her with a pale face, but didn’t tell her that none of this mattered anymore. Because I had decided not to keep this child. Originally, I had planned to surprise Caleb with the news of its arrival. But he had shattered my expectations and joy with his own hands. I clutched the registration slip tightly, my knuckles turning white, as I mechanically headed towards the obstetrics department. My steps were unsteady, each one feeling like I was walking on knife edges. As I sat in the waiting area, a familiar voice crashed into my ears. “Natalie, be careful! Don’t fall!” It was Caleb! I instinctively shrank back, like a startled deer. My hands involuntarily clutched at my clothes. Caleb was supporting Natalie, both of them walking over, chatting and laughing. Their happy appearance was like a sharp blade, stabbing straight into my already battered heart. He noticed me and stopped in his tracks, looking over with a puzzled expression. “Aria? What are you doing here?” Natalie followed Caleb’s gaze and looked at me, a flash of malice in her eyes. Just then, her number was called. Caleb told her to wait while he went to get the test results. Natalie nodded obediently, but as soon as he left, her face turned ugly as she walked towards me. She took out her phone, opened a video, and held it up to my face, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Aria, I didn’t want you to know this originally.” “But you’d better understand where Caleb’s heart truly lies.” The video showed Caleb at a classmate reunion, the night he got drunk. His friend asked him, “Caleb, I heard Natalie is coming back soon. What are your plans?” Caleb replied carelessly, “We’ve cleared up our misunderstanding. Anyway, I’ve sworn to treat her well and not let her suffer any grievances, regardless of our relationship status.” Combined with the tenderness in his eyes and the teasing from those around him, someone spoke up for me. “But your wife has been really good to you too. She loves you so much and has waited for you faithfully for so many years. I think you should forget about Natalie and just live happily with your wife.” Caleb took a drag on his cigarette and laughed coldly. “Her, sincere? She’s just like her father, only knowing how to force people with their methods.” “Otherwise, why would I marry a woman I don’t love?” “I’ve been good enough to her all these years, but I will never touch her!” The more he drank, the more unfocused his eyes became, and he kept calling Natalie’s name, his voice full of longing and deep affection. “Did you see that?” Natalie leaned in close to me, lowering her voice and enunciating each word. “The one who isn’t loved is the real third wheel. I’m pregnant too, and I know you look like that today because you’re pregnant as well. But you and that bastard in your belly shouldn’t exist. Caleb has always loved me from the beginning to the end. You’re nothing but a substitute who can’t even show her face in public. Know your place.” Every word was like a poisoned dagger, stabbing straight into my heart. My breathing instantly became rapid, my chest heaving violently. Caleb returned with the papers. Noticing the tense and strange atmosphere, he asked suspiciously, “What’s going on?” Natalie had already reverted to her gentle demeanor, linking her arm with Caleb’s. “Nothing, Aria just came for a health check-up.” “No wonder she wouldn’t eat my soup this morning. She really wasn’t feeling well.” “Caleb, don’t be angry with Aria anymore.” Caleb’s sharp gaze fell on me, as if trying to see through me. “You’re really unwell, not lying? Usually, you’re as strong as an ox. Only Natalie is naive enough to believe your act.” I trembled, opened my mouth, but my throat was dry. The words “I’m pregnant” almost slipped out, but I swallowed them back hard. I bit my lower lip tightly, my mind replaying the video Natalie had just shown me. The last shred of hope in my heart was completely shattered. Seeing my pale face, a complex emotion flashed in Caleb’s eyes. But he didn’t say anything more, turning to hand the papers to Natalie. His tone was so gentle it could almost drip water, his face wearing a smile I hadn’t seen in a long time. “The baby is doing well. Are you relieved now?” The two embraced lovingly, like an inseparable couple. Many people around cast envious glances at them. I averted my gaze, hearing the arrangements for me to enter the operating room. When I regained consciousness, the baby was already gone. I felt weak all over, unable to even sit up straight. Lying alone on the bed, I shed silent tears, but I didn’t regret this decision. During the days I focused on recovering in the hospital, Caleb didn’t call even once, which I was glad for. After being discharged, I returned home. Caleb and Natalie were cuddled up on the sofa, feeding each other. Seeing me push open the door, they stopped their actions. Caleb was the first to react, standing up angrily. “Aria, what do you mean by this?” “Do you know how many days you’ve been away from home? You even dared to block my number!” I didn’t speak, just stared at him silently for a moment. “Do you really care whether I stay in this home or not?” “It seems you two were quite happy while I was gone.” Hearing the sarcasm in my voice, Caleb awkwardly avoided my gaze. I couldn’t be bothered to argue with them and headed straight for the bedroom. Soon after, Caleb pushed open the door and came in. A trace of apology crossed his face. “I’ve been busy taking care of Natalie these past few days because she’s pregnant and not feeling well. I’m sorry for neglecting you.” Saying this, he took out a large gift box and thrust it in front of me. “It’s a new custom-made necklace. Do you like it?” “Let me put it on you.” I subtly avoided him, not at all interested in his casual attempt at appeasement. Caleb wasn’t annoyed and started speaking earnestly. “I haven’t had time to accompany you properly lately, but I promise I’ll treat you well in the future.” “I’ve already been forced into marriage by you and your father. What more do you want? So don’t mind Natalie’s presence.” “She’s just divorced and pregnant. I pity her and want to take care of her, that’s all.” He looked at me and said without hesitation, “As long as you don’t mind her presence, and we three can live well together, I can still treat you as well as before.” I stared at him, speechless, amused by his matter-of-fact words. Then, pointing at the door, I coldly said one word. “Get out.” As he left, he cast a disdainful glance at me, shaking his head to indicate that I didn’t know what was good for me. I kept a cold face and called my father with a grievance. “Dad, I’ve already bought a ticket to go abroad. I want to live with you and mom.” “I’m never coming back.”

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My mom runs a boutique selling silk nightgowns. The prices are steep: 2,000forashortone,2,000 for a short one, 2,000forashortone,4,000 for a long one. Yet, women flock to the store, swearing that her nightgowns are made from fabric so fine it makes their skin soft and their complexion glow like spring. But when my sister asked for one, Mom refused. Unhappy with the rejection, my sister decided to sneak into the storage room and take one for herself. That night, I overheard strange noises coming from the storage room. My mom runs her nightgown boutique next to a small nail salon. Her shop is quite unique: it only sells women’s nightgowns, and they’re available in limited quantities—just ten a night, sold only after sunset. One evening, a group of young women, dressed to the nines, gathered outside the shop, giggling nervously and shoving each other but refusing to step in. “Hey, pretty ladies! Why don’t you come inside?” I peeked out from behind my mom and waved at them. The most striking of the group—an older girl with long, flowing hair—flipped her hair dramatically and gave a coy laugh. She nudged one of the younger, blushing girls forward. “Mrs. Carter, do you still have any left? Get my little sister here a nightgown, would you?” She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “The longest, most form-fitting one you have!” “There’s still stock,” Mom replied, a faint smile on her face. The girl blushed, a soft pink spreading across her cheeks as she muttered awkwardly. “Well, uh, the last one I bought… I accidentally tore it.” She winced. “Mrs. Carter, can you please pick another one for me? I promise I’ll be more careful this time!” Mom’s expression immediately soured. “How many times have I told you? These silk nightgowns are made from the rarest material—you couldn’t put a price on them! If you buy one, you have to take care of it! How on earth did you ruin it?” “Oh, it’s because… well… it felt so good on my skin that I… never mind! Please, Mrs. Carter, just one more! I’ll pay whatever it costs. I promise to treat it better this time!” “Fine.” She clung to Mom’s arm, pleading until Mom reluctantly nodded. “Short ones are 2,000,longones2,000, long ones 2,000,longones4,000,” Mom said curtly. She gave the older girl a once-over and frowned at the excitement practically radiating off her. “For you, it’s double this time. $8,000. And you’ll have to put it on here in the store. No taking it home.” “Deal!” The girl stomped her stiletto heel in triumph, her face lighting up with joy. “Eight thousand dollars?!” The younger girl gasped, her face contorting in disbelief. She cast a cautious glance at Mom, and when she saw Mom wasn’t upset, she whispered to her sister. “Sis… are these nightgowns really worth that much? I mean, eight grand? Do you know how many hours we’d have to work scrubbing old men’s feet to make that kind of money?” “Trust me,” her sister said confidently. “Mrs. Carter’s silk nightgowns are unlike anything you’ve ever worn. Once you put one on…” Her voice trailed off, and her expression turned bashful. “Let’s just say they’re magical. They make you feel amazing. You’ll see for yourself. And once you wear one, you won’t have to worry about scrubbing feet anymore—you’ll have rich men chasing after you instead.” The younger girl hesitated, then finally nodded. “Mrs. Carter, please remember what I said. Get her the longest, most form-fitting one!” Mom smiled mysteriously, running her hands over the younger girl’s waist and sizing her up. “Don’t worry. We’ve got plenty in stock tonight—long ones, short ones, whatever you want.”

Mom led the two sisters to the back of the shop, where she slowly slid open a hidden door. “Wait… why do we need to go to the basement just to pick out a nightgown?” The younger girl stared nervously at the dark staircase leading down. She swallowed hard, her unease written all over her face. Mom gave her a cryptic smile. “A nightgown like this is different from anything else you’ve worn. The fit has to be perfect—length, size, everything. Otherwise, you won’t get a good night’s sleep.” Before the younger girl could protest, her sister grabbed her hand and pulled her down the steps. I watched as the hidden door closed behind them. Bored, I plopped down on the floor, waiting. Mom had always told me I wasn’t allowed in there. She said kids shouldn’t see what was inside—it wasn’t “appropriate.” But I wasn’t a kid anymore. Pouting, I pressed my ear against the door, straining to catch any sounds. What I heard was… strange. Rustling noises, faint murmurs, and the occasional sharp cry. Were they fighting over the same nightgown in there? I was puzzled. After two hours, I finally heard loud voices from behind the door. It sounded like they had made their choice. Brushing the dust off my pants, I stood up. Sure enough, a moment later, the hidden door creaked open, and Mom emerged with the two sisters. Both of their faces were flushed, but the younger one looked like she could barely stand, her legs trembling. The older sister was now wearing a short, fitted slip dress, while the younger one had on a long, sleek nightgown. But… they didn’t seem that long to me. I frowned in confusion. Still, they did look different—prettier somehow. The girls waiting outside the shop gasped when they saw the transformation. “Wow, your skin looks so radiant!” “And your complexion—it’s glowing!” The younger girl—apparently called Ann—touched her flushed cheeks, embarrassed but pleased, and hid behind her sister. Mom grinned, helping the girls out the door with a touch of pride. “This is just the immediate effect,” she said. “The more you wear it, the better it gets. We only sell to girls recommended by regulars. Save up your money, and you can all buy one someday.” “But remember this.” Mom’s expression turned serious, almost eerie. “These fabrics are extraordinarily rare. You must treasure them. Wear them with care.” “Whatever you do, don’t let them tear again.”

That evening, my sister came home sobbing uncontrollably. It turned out that her boyfriend of four years had dumped her. The reason? He said she was ugly. “Mom! I can’t live like this anymore!” she wailed. “How is it that you’re so gorgeous, but my sister and I turned out like this? Are you even our real mom?” Mom avoided her gaze, brushing it off with a casual excuse. “Oh, don’t blame me—it’s your dad’s fault. He passed on all the bad genes to you.” But we’d never even met our dad. Not once in our entire lives. “I don’t care!” my sister screamed. “Mom, everyone says your silk nightgowns can make women beautiful! I want to wear one too! I want to be just as stunning as those girls next door—you know, the ones who work at the nail salon? I’ll show Jason what he’s missing!” She begged and pleaded, demanding a silk nightgown so she could “transform,” but Mom refused. She wouldn’t explain why, only mumbling something about it being “for her own good.” Of course, my sister wasn’t having any of it. That night, she dragged me out of bed, shaking me awake. “You’re coming with me. We’re stealing one of those nightgowns.” “I know where Mom hides them,” she whispered, her cheeks flushed with excitement. “They’re in the basement under the storage room. Once I get my hands on one, I’ll look just like Mom—beautiful, with a perfect body. Jason will regret ever leaving me!” She was already imagining her ex crawling back to her. I, on the other hand, was panicking. “What if Mom catches us?” I whispered, trying to talk her out of it. But she wouldn’t listen. The storage room was far scarier at night. When the hidden door creaked open, the narrow staircase leading to the basement was pitch black. We stood at the top, staring into the darkness. Neither of us dared to take the first step. Finally, the temptation to be beautiful won out, and my sister mustered up her courage. She ran her hands along the damp walls, making her way down blindly, step by step. Every few steps, she’d glance back at me, her face pale, as if she expected some terrible creature to leap out from the shadows and drag her away. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, either. I’d seen how other people cared for silk fabric—how they’d hang it out in the sun to keep it fresh and dry. So why did Mom’s silk nightgowns have to be stored in such a dark, creepy basement?

Suddenly, there was a loud bang from the basement. I jumped, my heart racing. “Sister! Are you okay?” I called down, ready to run after her. “Don’t come in!” she shouted back. “I’m fine! It’s just… ahhh!” “Did you fall? Are you hurt?” I could hear her voice, trembling and breathless, but instead of sounding hurt, she sounded… excited. “I’m fine!” she called back, her voice muffled. “I found them! Mom’s nightgowns! Don’t come down here—I’ll put one on and come back up, okay?” She told me to stand guard outside the basement door, making me promise not to let Mom catch her in the act. Before I could argue, she slammed the door shut and locked it from the inside. An hour passed. Then another. I was pacing back and forth, panicking. “Sister! Hurry up! Mom always wakes up early—if she catches us, I’m dead!” I banged on the door, whispering urgently. But she didn’t answer. Instead, strange noises started coming from the basement. Rustling, thudding, and—was that crying? “Sister? Are you okay? What’s going on in there?” I pressed my ear to the door, my hands clammy with sweat. For a moment, everything went quiet. Then, finally, I heard her voice again—weak and trembling. “I’m fine,” she said, though she sounded like she could barely breathe. “It’s just… this nightgown is too long. It’s really hard to put on. Don’t come in!” Her words didn’t match her tone. She sounded fragile, almost like she was running out of air. I couldn’t help but wonder—what was she doing in there? Curiosity got the better of me. I crouched down and peeked through a crack in the wooden door. At first, I couldn’t see anything. The basement was so dark that it felt like staring into a void. But as my eyes adjusted, I began to make out a blurry figure.

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On Valentine’s Day, my flower shop was bustling with business. One customer sent me a picture through DoorDash, asking if I could make the popular cash bouquet that was trending online at the time. I quickly counted, and the bouquet required 52 one-hundred-dollar bills to be stacked. However, he had only paid me 50 dollars. “I want it exactly like the picture, or I’ll leave you a bad review!” I patiently explained that the cash needed to be paid for separately, but all my messages remained unread. As the scheduled time drew nearer, and not wanting to damage my shop’s reputation, I reluctantly decided to use training banknotes as a substitute. The next day, to my surprise, the customer showed up with people to smash my shop. “You fucking bitch! I’ve been so nice to support your business, and you try to fool me with training banknotes? Now my crush won’t even talk to me! “I’m telling you, if you don’t pay me 50,000 dollars for emotional distress, I’ll make sure you regret this!” Robert Morales stepped on the fresh flowers and gestured with his hands. “Pay up! If you don’t, I’ll destroy your flower shop!” Many customers around stopped picking flowers and looked over. I felt heartbroken seeing the blue hyacinths crushed under his feet. This variety had just arrived at the shop. I loved them and had planned to keep a few for myself. A regular customer, Clara Jones, spoke up for me, “There must be some misunderstanding. We’ve been regulars here for a long time. She’s not the kind of person to do this.” Robert immediately pointed a finger at Clara and cursed, “You fucking bitch! None of your damn business!” Then Robert turned to me, his face full of anger. “If it hadn’t been for her using training banknotes in the custom-made cash bouquet for my crush, my crush would have been touched by my sincerity and would have agreed to be with me already!” As soon as he said that, people around started to think I had taken money for nothing, and began to criticize me. An older man’s face darkened, and he cursed at me, “As a business owner, how could you do something so unethical? “You took the money but didn’t deliver, and now you’ve ruined their relationship! How could you, a young girl, be so greedy for money? “Aren’t you going to return the money and compensate him?” Other customers didn’t directly shout at me, but they were all gossiping about me. I glared at Robert’s smug face and remembered why I had used training banknotes for the bouquet. It turned out that the night before, he had only paid 50 dollars and asked me to make a cash bouquet that needed 52 one-hundred-dollar bills stacked inside. I sent him many messages explaining that I was just running a small business. I asked him to bring cash to my shop or transfer the money to me. But he didn’t reply to a single message. According to DoorDash’s rules, if the order wasn’t delivered on time, the shop’s reputation score would drop. I had worked hard for years to maintain an excellent reputation score with no negative reviews. As the deadline approached, I had no choice but to use training banknotes to make the cash bouquet and deliver it. That evening, I received a negative review and a refund request. The reason was that the product didn’t match the picture. My DMs were flooded with angry texts. [You fucking bitch! Who allowed you to use training banknotes?] [How dare you try to fool me with these training banknotes? I guess you’re thinking of closing your shop, huh?] [My crush won’t even talk to me. According to DoorDash’s rules, you must compensate me ten times the amount, that’s 52,000 dollars. If you don’t, you’ll regret it.] He requested a refund only. Looking at those messages, my head was spinning. I immediately appealed on DoorDash, and his refund-only request was rejected. He was hopping mad and left some threatening messages in the chat. [You’ll regret this!] But I didn’t expect that he would show up at my shop this morning to pick a fight. I pulled out my phone and showed everyone the entire chat history. “I didn’t take money for nothing. The chat history can prove it. “He wanted a cash bouquet made from 52 one-hundred-dollar bills, but only paid me 50 dollars. How can this even be possible? I’m just running a small business. I can’t afford to deal with this kind of hassle. “And I also told him I couldn’t do it. I called him multiple times, but he never answered.”

This was absolutely ridiculous. I couldn’t believe something like this happened to me. I felt wronged and wanted to cry. The customers gathered around to look at the chat history. Clara comforted me, “I always said Ms. Wilson was an honest person. How could she do something like this?” Robert sneered, contemptuously smashing a vase on the floor. “You old hag, who asked you?” He then stomped his foot on my beloved fabric sofa, leaving a big black footprint. He pretended to be the one in the right. “She promised the bouquet would look exactly like the picture, that’s why I gave this order to her. “But she even messed up the most important part of the bouquet. Isn’t it normal for me to ask for compensation?” My flower shop promised that if a customer provided a picture, the finished bouquet would have no more than a 5% difference. The bouquet I made, compared to the picture he sent me, was exactly the same, except for the training banknotes. “If you didn’t want this order, I could have gone to another flower shop. Since you took it, you should have made it exactly like the picture!” I had never encountered such an unreasonable thug, so I was at a loss for words. “I sent you many messages saying I couldn’t do it, but all remained unread. I tried calling you, but you didn’t pick up. DoorDash doesn’t allow merchants to issue refunds without reason, so I had no choice but to use training banknotes. “For a flower order, after the platform takes its share and I cover the costs, I only get a few dozen dollars. Do you expect me to pay out of my own pocket for you? Is that even possible? “You think you can get a bouquet worth 5,200 dollars for just 50 dollars? No wonder she blocked you!” I was furious. This was clearly extortion. Everyone around me felt sorry for me and stood up for me. “You’re a grown man, and you actually think you can get a bouquet worth 5,200 dollars for just 50 dollars? Where in the world does something like that even happen?” “You must be nuts! Ms. Wilson isn’t running a charity. She’s going to lose money on your order.” “Exactly. Ms. Wilson is the real victim here, dealing with a customer like you. What you’re doing isn’t business. It’s robbery!” The customers were all defending me. Hearing this, Robert got even angrier. He jumped off the sofa, pointed a finger at me, and cursed. “Stop spouting nonsense. She’s the reason my crush won’t talk to me anymore. That’s the truth, right? “Am I not entitled to ask for some compensation for mental distress? “And then…” Suddenly, he changed his tone and stared at me. “With such a tiny profit, how can you even run a flower shop? “Who knows how you even manage to keep this shop open? “Every day, you dress all fancy, and men are coming in and out. Who knows what kind of shady business you’re running!” Robert’s friend immediately chimed in, grinning lewdly. “Exactly! I’ve seen men going in and out of her flower shop at night. “I kept thinking this girl looked familiar. Turns out she’s a call girl, only charging 200 dollars for the whole night!” Robert laughed loudly. “Well, that’s definitely a small business.” He picked up one of the potted roses I had planted, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it. “With a private life like that, how can you still buy flowers from her? Aren’t you afraid of catching something?”

They spread rumors about me, causing my customers to drop the flowers and leave. I was so furious that my hands were shaking. I was shocked by his shamelessness. The flowers in my shop were delivered every night, carefully arranged by me for sale the next day. Yet, this guy spread rumors, claiming that I had an inappropriate relationship with the delivery workers. My flower shop had been running for almost five years. I worked hard every day. Not only were my prices lower than most other shops, but my flowers were air-shipped fresh every day, so fresh that you could literally see the water dripping off them. I had been running this shop with integrity, but he slandered me with lies. I clenched my fists, telling myself not to show weakness. “Everything needs proof. If you’re spreading rumors, I’ll take legal action.” Today was Valentine’s Day, one of the most profitable days of the year. I had hoped to handle this privately, avoiding the time-consuming police report. But this guy, Robert, clearly wasn’t going to let it go. I pulled out my phone and called the police. He tried to grab my phone, but I dodged him. When the police arrived, his attitude was still arrogant. They stepped over the flowers and vases scattered on the floor and took both of us to the station. Once at the station, his arrogance quickly deflated. He no longer had that thug-like attitude. “This lady reports that you damaged her shop’s property and spread rumors about her shop’s illegitimacy,” the officer said, taking notes. Robert’s face changed immediately. “This is a misunderstanding, officer! “If it weren’t for her using training banknotes that my crush found out about, my crush and I would’ve been together! “She’s the one who destroyed my relationship! I was just giving her a little lesson!” Of course, he didn’t mention the part where he tried to get a bouquet worth 5,200 dollars for just 50 dollars. He conveniently skipped that part. I interrupted, “Why don’t you mention how you tried to get a bouquet worth 5,200 dollars for just 50 dollars? Dream on! Your crush just blocked you, and that’s already too much for you! She blocked you but didn’t even insult you.” He was angered by me and shouted, “You fucking bitch! Officer! She’s admitting that she ruined my relationship! I’m so angry. I have a headache and stomach pain. I need to go to the hospital, and she owes me compensation for emotional distress!” He was throwing a tantrum on the ground. “Stay quiet!” He forced a smile. “Yes, sir.” The officer turned to me. “Can you explain what happened?” I presented the chat history and security footage, showing that he had attempted to extort me and then damaged my shop’s facilities. “He also spread rumors about my shop being involved in illegal activities. “I’m going to sue him for defamation.” Robert, now frantic, shouted, “Look at how well-dressed you are, and with all those men coming in and out of your shop, it’s hard not to suspect something! I just said a couple of things. Why are you suing me for that?” The officer tapped the table with his pen. “Stay quiet.” He finally stopped talking. The officer looked up at him and said, “You really think you can get a bouquet worth 5,200 dollars for just 50 dollars? Why don’t you just go rob her? Your actions are clearly illegal.” “And you spreading rumors about me being involved in illegal activities has damaged my reputation,” I added. The officer nodded. “That’s right. You’re guilty of provoking trouble and will be detained for four days. You need to compensate the shop owner for the damages. “As for spreading rumors, you’ll be detained for five days and fined 500 dollars…”

As soon as Robert heard that he had to pay such a large sum of money, he immediately backed down. I demanded legal action. The compensation I was entitled to was absolutely going to be received. After handling everything at the police station, I returned to the shop. I looked at the mess all over the floor and felt incredibly frustrated. This flower shop… I had spent five years building it up, little by little, into what it was today. The small chandelier hanging from the ceiling was something I had installed with my own hands. The fabric on the sofa was cut and sewn by me, piece by piece. The flowers and plants in the shop had been taken care of by me for a long time as well. In past years, I would usually make a little extra money on Valentine’s Day. But today, with the mess that Robert had caused, I couldn’t even make a profit—forget about earning money; I was losing everything. This couldn’t go on. I had to pull myself together. So, I began cleaning up the mess. I sold off the remaining fresh flowers at a low price. The next day, I noticed that there were noticeably fewer customers in my shop. But a few days later, a large order suddenly came in. The customer said it was for a birthday party. I couldn’t help but feel a little relieved, thinking that the loss caused by Robert might finally be recovered through this big order. I took a quick look at the recipient’s name—Jameson Cox. Robert’s incident had made me extra cautious. I decided to call the customer to confirm everything. It was a big order, and if the customer canceled at the last minute, I’d lose a huge amount of money again. The customer replied politely, so I felt a bit more at ease. Robert had been detained, so I assumed he would have learned his lesson. But I still felt a little uneasy inside. When I finally delivered and set up all the flowers, my previous unease turned into reality. Robert appeared with a group of people, grinning lecherously at me. “Hey, isn’t this the owner of Daily Blossom?” he mocked. I quickly realized that he was nothing but a thug—how could he possibly let this go so easily? “What do you want?” I asked, feeling both frustrated and unwilling to back down. I had worked so hard to run this flower shop. What did I do to deserve this? Was it just because I didn’t let him take advantage that he wanted to get back at me? Seeing my furious expression, Robert laughed loudly, but then his face turned dark. “I was locked up for ten days because of your call to the police, and I had to pay thousands of dollars in compensation. How could I just let you off the hook? No way!” He spat, spreading his hands wide. “One hundred thousand dollars in compensation, not a penny less. Otherwise, you’ll regret it!” To my surprise, just a few days later, even the amount of the compensation had gone up. One hundred thousand dollars—this was almost half a year’s profit from my flower shop. How could I possibly pay him that much? “That’s impossible! I won’t give you a single penny!” I said firmly. I dropped the flowers and walked out. He had a lot of people with him, and I was afraid of what they might do to me, so I left quickly, my palms sweating. I kept my guard up, thinking I would call the police if anything went wrong. But they didn’t do anything. Fortunately, they had already paid in advance. And since I believed there was nothing wrong with the flowers, I thought that even if they came up with all kinds of excuses, I was confident they couldn’t just get a refund. I kept reassuring myself. But when I got home and checked the messages on DoorDash, I was stunned.

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