Category: English

After transferring schools, I became a target for the rich boys—just another pawn in their twisted games. They acted like they were interested in me, but behind my back, they made bets about who could take my virginity first. What I thought was love was nothing more than a cruel wager. They shared my photos, my private messages, and even drugged me. Eventually, the whole school mocked me, calling me pathetic, desperate, and trash. I was bullied to death by their fanatical admirers. But when I opened my eyes again, the school’s golden boy grinned at me and said, “Rhea, what a beautiful name. May I take you to dinner?” Dinner? Sure. This time, let’s make it your last meal. It was my first day at St. Augustine Academy—a prestigious private school—and also the day I was reborn. I had originally been a top student at a public high school. But St. Augustine had lured me in with promises of a better future, offering me a full scholarship and, after graduation, a $150,000 bonus. That’s five years’ worth of my parents’ combined salaries. The tuition at St. Augustine was so outrageous that my family couldn’t afford even a single semester, even if we starved ourselves for a decade. But with their offer, I couldn’t resist. I thought transferring here would change my life. And I wasn’t wrong—it did. I became their prey, their entertainment, nothing more than a joke to pass the time. They chatted with me sweetly while secretly spreading my private messages and photos. They even made bets about my “first night.” The entire school looked at me like I was a walking punchline. In the end, I was cornered in a bathroom by a group of jealous girls—fans of the boys who had pretended to like me. They drowned me in a toilet, all while hurling insults: “Pathetic loser.” “Desperate fool.” “Daydreaming nerd.” I died humiliated, staring at the photos and messages they had plastered all over the school. As my life slipped away, all I could think about was how much I hated the ones who had orchestrated it all. I wanted to tear those monsters apart. But my consciousness faded before I could even begin to imagine revenge. And then… I woke up. I came back. If there’s such a thing as divine intervention, this was it. I didn’t have much time to bask in the joy of my second chance before I ran into one of the masterminds: Ethan Monroe. Ethan Monroe—the ever-charming gentleman with a smile so warm it could melt anyone’s defenses. How fitting for the heir to a family that monopolized the country’s energy industry. He had enough “electricity” to toy with anyone he pleased. “You must be the new transfer student,” he said, his voice smooth as silk. I pretended to be naïve, nodding shyly. Ethan glanced at the enrollment form in my hand. “Senior class 1A? What a coincidence—looks like we’re in the same class.” His smile was radiant, the kind of smile that had fooled me in my past life. I had fallen so deeply into the web he spun that I didn’t even realize it was a trap until the very end. What I hadn’t known back then was that none of this was a coincidence. Even my transfer to St. Augustine had been part of their plan. I was their carefully chosen prey. And Ethan? He was one of the ringleaders. I could still hear the mocking voices of his admirers in my mind. They had shown me videos of him—the perfect gentleman, his eyes filled with arrogance and disdain. “It’s too boring around here. Of course, we need someone to play with.” “She’s perfect. So desperate to change her fate. It’s hilarious.” And just like that, I had become their entertainment. As we walked toward the classroom, Ethan started giving me a brief rundown of the school’s history, describing it as a haven for the wealthy and privileged. “These kids don’t need good grades to secure their futures,” he said with a laugh. I wasn’t really listening. My mind was already planning. Ethan waved his hand in front of my face, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Rhea Carter. What a beautiful name. May I take you to dinner?” Dinner? Sure. This time, I’ll make it your last supper.

St. Augustine Academy was known for its sky-high tuition fees and rigorous admission process, which naturally kept the student population small. The entire high school division had only about 600 students. Among them, the most famous were Ethan Monroe and his three closest friends. Ethan, the golden boy, was the school’s heartthrob—charming, gentlemanly, and adored by all the girls. Chris Langston, the artsy intellectual, was the principal’s son and had a brooding, poetic vibe that made him stand out. Logan Brooks, the star athlete, had bronzed skin and a muscular build that made hearts race. And finally, Ryan Chase, the senior class valedictorian, was both a top-tier scholar and devastatingly attractive. Together, they were inseparable, and the rest of the school called them the “St. Augustine F4.” In my previous life, all four of them had conveniently “fallen” for me. The rest of my classmates were overly friendly on my first day, going so far as to give me the best seat in the classroom—a spot with a perfect view of the board. But I knew better. These people had treated me as a joke in my past life. My death had been tied to every single one of them. So I played along, smiling politely on the outside while cursing them to hell on the inside. At lunchtime, Ethan led me to his family’s private dining room on campus. The table was overflowing with gourmet dishes, and sitting around it were his three loyal friends. This wasn’t my first time here. In my past life, Ethan had also brought me to this restaurant. I’d stood there awkwardly, unsure of how to act, surrounded by handsome boys and an intimidating spread of international cuisine. I hadn’t dared move a muscle, let alone sit down. The entire meal, I’d been too nervous to speak or eat, instead watching Ethan for cues on what to do. Little did I know, every awkward moment had been caught on camera. They had uploaded the footage to the school’s private online forum, mocking me for my “small-town ignorance,” my inability to use proper table manners, and my so-called “wannabe” behavior. If they wanted a battle of public opinion, fine. Two could play that game. This time, I pulled out my phone and started recording. “Oh my gosh, is this truffle? It looks just like chocolate!” “And this? French foie gras? Isn’t that just… fatty liver?” “I can’t believe how lucky I am to receive such warm treatment from my classmates! Let’s all say thank you to our generous host!” I looked up from my phone, aiming my most innocent smile at Ethan, whose expression had soured into something resembling constipation. “Ethan, you’re so handsome. You wouldn’t mind if I shared this video to help everyone learn a little more about fine dining, would you?” Ethan forced a tight smile, his jaw visibly clenched. “Of course not.” In my past life, my high grades and desire to earn extra money for my family had led me to run a small social media account. Though it hadn’t made much, I’d gained a modest following at school. Ethan and his crew had chosen me as their target because they wanted to tear down the positive, hardworking image I’d built online. Well, if exposure was what they wanted, I’d give it to them—on my terms this time.

In my previous life, I’d been too young and naive to enjoy the luxury of the food in front of me. This time, I glanced at the four boys sitting around me. “No wonder everyone dreams of being a sugar mommy. Turns out spoiling a group of pretty boys feels this good!” The smiles on their faces froze instantly. Feigning surprise, I quickly added, “Oh no, did I just say that out loud? My bad!” “Don’t be shy, everyone! Let’s dig in—pretend we’re all family!” Channeling the spirit of a true host, I didn’t hold back, savoring every dish like a queen. Why let all this good food go to waste by just staring at it? After I’d eaten my fill, Logan Brooks eyed the empty plates in front of me with a mix of shock and admiration. “Rhea, your appetite is impressive. Want to go burn some of that off with me?” I glanced at his deliberately flexed bicep and flashed a bright smile. “Sure! But do you have an eight-pack?” He grinned. “Only six. Is that okay?” I shrugged, pretending to be excited as I raised my phone. “Guess we’ll have to see for ourselves!” But when it came time for Logan to show off his so-called six-pack, he hesitated and awkwardly pulled up his shirt halfway. I took a quick photo, then glanced at it with a raised brow. Wow. Bold of you to brag with… this. Are you not worried about the internet teaching you a lesson? Logan, however, seemed unbothered. He even tried to drag me to the school’s private gym to “show me the joys of fitness.” The gym, of course, was as luxurious as you’d expect from a place like St. Augustine—spotless, fully equipped, and free of the usual sweaty smell. As always, I whipped out my phone, angling it carefully to capture the entire scene before recording Logan as he guided me through the equipment. “Let’s start with pull-ups!” he said confidently. In my past life, I’d been so flustered and nervous that I hadn’t managed to do a single pull-up. Logan had taken the opportunity to “help” by wrapping his arms around my waist and lifting me. We’d been so close, I could feel his breath on the back of my neck. Blushing and weak, I couldn’t muster any strength. The school’s private forum had later exploded with the headline: “Chubby Girl Goes for the Kill”—mocking me mercilessly. Now, Logan stood in the same position, asking, “Need me to show you how it’s done?” I nodded, stretching my wrists and ankles. Fitness was Logan’s comfort zone, and after the embarrassment over his “abs,” he was eager to prove himself. He jumped up, knocked out a few pull-ups, and even flashed a sliver of his stomach. I watched through my phone’s screen, already imagining the views this footage would bring me. When Logan finished, sweat dripping down his face, he turned to me. “Want me to guide you through it?” I waved him off, grabbed the bar, and cranked out a set of pull-ups far more impressive than his. “Oh, by the way,” I said casually as I hopped down, “I used to be a personal trainer.”

St. Augustine Academy had its perks, but there was one thing I struggled with: the teaching methods. “Elite education” and “holistic development” were great buzzwords, but they didn’t exactly suit someone like me, who had transferred from a public school and still relied on grades to chase my dreams. In a classroom full of students who didn’t need to worry about their futures, I was the only one who cared about the upcoming college entrance exams. My desk partner happened to be Ryan Chase, the resident genius of St. Augustine. When he noticed me struggling with a question, he slid his notebook over. “Need help, Rhea?” I glanced at his messy handwriting, then at his face. To be honest, his handwriting was nowhere near as good as his looks. “Rhea, you seem stuck. Let me walk you through it,” he offered, assuming I needed his assistance. “You’re wrong,” I said bluntly. Ryan froze. “Where am I wrong?” “You’re overcomplicating it. If you use these two points instead, it’s faster and easier to understand.” Ryan looked like a deflated balloon, no longer eager to speak. The entire day passed without me learning much of anything. In my past life, this was exactly how it had gone. But back then, I’d let their words sway me. They’d told me grades weren’t everything, that I was already smart enough and should focus on building relationships instead. And like an idiot, I’d believed them. I’d gotten so caught up in their world of idle chatter and social games that I’d forgotten what mattered most: my studies. This time, I wouldn’t fall for it. We weren’t born equal. The heights they’d reached effortlessly were places I’d have to struggle my entire life to even glimpse. So, I created a strict schedule for myself, sticking to the study habits that had served me well before. After finishing my review for the day, I turned my attention to editing the photos and videos I’d taken. In my past life, the cyberbullying from one school had been enough to suffocate me. This time, I’d expand the battlefield. One school wasn’t enough. I wanted the entire internet to join the party. I uploaded the video to my account with the title: “My First Day at St. Augustine: Gourmet Food, Hot Guys, and Abs!” The name “St. Augustine Academy” was a magnet for attention, and the video’s view count skyrocketed, quickly breaking all my previous records. Comments flooded in: “OMG, how did she get so lucky? A transfer student with a $150,000 scholarship?!” “Those abs aren’t that great, though. Why was he bragging?” “Trying to show off but ended up getting schooled by the girl. I wonder how big his ‘emotional damage’ is right now.” “Girl, stay true to yourself! Don’t let the glitz and glam blind you!” Every single view and comment translated to money. Watching the numbers climb, I couldn’t help but smile. For the first time in a long time, I slept peacefully that night. Early the next morning, I got up and started memorizing vocabulary words. I had to admit, St. Augustine Academy lived up to its reputation. The campus was stunning, with a tranquil lake surrounded by lush greenery. I sat on a bench by the water, soaking in the scenery as I studied. Just as I was engrossed in my notes, Ethan Monroe appeared, carrying a perfectly arranged breakfast in his hand. “Rhea, you’re up early,” he said with a smile. I mentally reviewed the words I’d just memorized to make sure I had them locked in before turning to him. Ethan’s custom-tailored uniform accentuated his long legs, and he deliberately angled his face to show off his best side. I glanced at the breakfast tray he was holding—milk, bread, and fruit. “Is that for me?” I asked, pretending to gaze at him with wide, admiring eyes. Ethan nodded and even pulled out a picnic blanket, spreading it neatly on the grass. Once everything was set up, I casually pulled out my phone and started snapping pictures.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295698”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn

She didn’t care about the consequences—she gave me growth inhibitors without a second thought and even wrapped my chest tightly with bandages to keep me looking small. I thought my life was already miserable enough. But then, she pushed me into an even darker abyss. My mom abruptly ended the livestream, leaving the viewers on the other side confused. “What’s going on? Why did the stream suddenly cut off?” “I wasn’t done watching my sweet little angel!” She turned to me, her face cold and unforgiving, and slapped me hard across the face. “You clumsy idiot! You couldn’t even boil water without burning yourself. Do you want people to figure out what a mess you are with that miserable expression on your face?” Sweat beaded on my forehead as I bit down hard on my pale lips. The burning pain in my foot was unbearable, and my vision started to blur. I grabbed onto her hand, pleading, “Mom, my foot hurts. It really hurts.” She yanked her hand away, her expression indifferent. “You think I care? Do you know how much money I just lost because we had to stop the livestream?” Her voice was a blur of irritation in my ears as the pain overwhelmed me. I couldn’t hold on any longer and passed out. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. My mom was still there, holding up her phone, recording me lying on the hospital bed. She spoke to her audience in a concerned tone: “Sorry for cutting the stream earlier. Little Anna accidentally burned her foot with hot water and fainted. Poor thing is still lying here in the hospital bed…” As expected, the comment section quickly filled with messages of concern and sympathy. “My poor sweet Anna!” “She got burned? Will it leave a scar? She needs to rest and recover!” “Did Anna cry? Even a little splash of hot water makes me scream, let alone something like that!” Reading this, my mom leaned in and pinched the tender skin at my waist, hard. Tears welled up in my eyes instantly, spilling over as I tried to hold back a sob. The comment section exploded again: “Anna’s crying! My heart is breaking for her!” “Don’t cry, sweetie…” My mom sighed dramatically, putting on her best exhausted expression for the camera. “Anna needs to rest now, so we’ll end the livestream here today. Thank you all for your love and support!” She ended the stream and immediately dropped her act. The cold, calculating look returned to her eyes, but there was also a glimmer of satisfaction. She patted my head the way a loving mother might, but her words were anything but comforting. “Not bad, Anna. I didn’t expect this to work so well. Your little hospital stunt really brought in more fans. Good job.” I forced a weak smile, but it probably looked worse than crying. My parents divorced when I was young, and my mom got custody of me. When I was eleven, she stumbled upon a livestream where someone was selling homemade goods. She watched in awe as the influencer raked in money effortlessly. That night, she quit her job. Her new goal? To turn me into a “cooking prodigy” and make me the next viral sensation. At first, I frowned and resisted. But my mom knew how to get what she wanted. Her eyes would fill with tears, and she’d say things like: “Anna, do you have any idea how hard it’s been for me to raise you alone all these years? Do you know how much I’ve suffered?” “This is our big break! If I can make this work, I can finally turn our lives around. If you really care about your mom, you’ll listen to me… won’t you?”

Looking at my mom, I swallowed back the words I wanted to say. And just like that, my high-achieving, soon-to-be middle school self was pulled out of school by my mom, who was absolutely thrilled about her decision. My mind felt hazy. I vaguely remember a doctor standing nearby. “Ma’am, your child is stable now,” the doctor said. “There are other patients waiting for this bed. If you keep occupying it unnecessarily, someone else won’t get the treatment they need…” She was politely trying to convince my mom to discharge me. But my mom wasn’t having it. She planted her hands on her hips, pointed a finger at the doctor, and started yelling. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you seriously kicking a patient out of the hospital? Where’s your compassion? Did you lose your humanity along with your medical ethics?” The doctor frowned at her nonsense but eventually walked away, clearly unwilling to argue further. As soon as the doctor left, my mom smirked, looking smug and victorious. The area around my hospital bed was crowded with fruit baskets and flower arrangements—all sent by my “fans.” She grabbed a plum from one of the baskets and popped it into her mouth. “Pretty nice, huh? Just lying there while I’m out here killing myself for you. Do you know how hard it is for me? Pretending to be you, thanking fans, entertaining visitors? My back’s practically broken!” Then her tone softened as she reached out to stroke my hair. “But it’s all for you, sweetheart. Everything I do is for you. The money we’re earning? It’s all going to be spent on you. You’ll remember how much I’ve done for you, won’t you?” I lowered my gaze, my eyes dull and lifeless. This wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want fans. I didn’t want attention. I just wanted to live a quiet, normal life. As the hype around my injury finally died down, my mom declared it was time to “get back to work.” The hospital staff, probably relieved to see us go, cheerfully sent us off. The moment we got home, my mom tossed a cookbook at me. “Learn this recipe,” she ordered. “Don’t even think about sleeping tonight if you don’t get it right.” I caught the book out of habit. This was nothing new to me. But when I flipped it open, my eyes widened in shock. The recipe was for sweet and sour fish, a dish that requires years of knife skills and precise temperature control to perfect. “Mom, can I learn something else instead?” I asked, my voice trembling. She glared at me, her eyes sharp and unyielding. “Your fans love this stuff. They’re the reason we’re making money. If they want sweet and sour fish, you’ll make sweet and sour fish. Stop complaining!” I clenched the recipe tightly in my hands. If they told me to die, would I have to do that too? That night, I felt like I was losing my mind. Every word in the recipe burned itself into my brain. I moved like a machine, repeating the same motions over and over again. Chopping onions, ginger, and garlic. Scaling fish. Ten, twenty, thirty fish… My hands turned pale from soaking in water for so long. The sharp edges of the fish scales left cuts all over my fingers, blood dripping down onto the cutting board. But I couldn’t stop. My mom stood right next to me, watching my every move like a hawk.

She let out a loud yawn. “You’re so useless. You’re the reason your poor mother can’t get any sleep. God, I’m exhausted…” Her words startled me, and my knife slipped, slicing into my hand. She rushed over immediately, grabbing my hand to inspect the wound. “What were you thinking?! If you cut yourself, how are you supposed to go live tomorrow?” she snapped, her tone sharp but filled with urgency. Then, without hesitation, she brought my bleeding finger to her mouth, sucking on it to stop the bleeding. The night dragged on endlessly. By the time the sky started to lighten, my mom was already setting up the camera. She dabbed a thick layer of foundation on my face, carefully covering the dark circles under my eyes. Then, with a sharp slap to my back, she barked, “Stand up straight! Stop looking like you’re about to keel over!” I forced my heavy eyelids open and plastered on the familiar smile I had perfected over the years. “Hi, everyone! Good morning! Today, I’ll be making sweet and sour fish,” I said cheerfully into the camera. The chat lit up immediately with comments. “What? Anna’s making sweet and sour fish today? That dish is so hard—I’ve tried it a dozen times and still can’t get it right!” Standing off-camera, my mom shot me a warning look, her lips silently mouthing instructions. As I scaled the fish, I responded to the comment with a practiced tone of humility. “Actually, I’m not very good at it either. I just glanced at the recipe last night and thought I’d give it a try today.” By this point, after a sleepless night of chopping, slicing, and practicing, I had the steps down perfectly. But I knew I couldn’t make it look too easy. My mom’s sharp eyes monitored my every move, her lips twitching in a silent threat to keep me in line. An hour and a half later, I finally finished the dish. The comments exploded in praise. “Is Anna secretly a culinary prodigy? She only read the recipe once and made this? Incredible!” “Ugh, when I compare her to my son, I feel like crying. All he knows how to do is eat!” My mom’s face lit up as the compliments poured in. She leaned closer to the screen, practically whispering to herself. “Come on, send gifts. Keep sending gifts…” It was as if the viewers could hear her thoughts. “Let’s encourage Anna! Sending her a few flowers…” One gift turned into two, then ten, then dozens. The money kept rolling in, and my mom’s grin grew wider with every notification. Just as she was basking in her success, one comment popped up on the screen, catching her attention: “I’ve been following Anna for three years now. She’s really grown up into a young lady. Her body’s developing so well…” My mom’s smile froze, her brows furrowing slightly. More comments followed. “True, it’s like watching her grow up before our eyes.” “Yeah, she’s turning into a real beauty…” I felt my face drain of color, my chest tightening in silent panic. Please, just stop. When the livestream finally ended, my mom seemed pleased with the money we’d made, but her expression was darker than usual. She walked toward me with purpose, and I instinctively stepped back, my voice barely audible. “Mom…” She didn’t say a word. Instead, she grabbed the hem of my shirt and yanked it up, exposing my torso to the cold air. I froze, my entire body trembling.

“You didn’t follow my instructions?” I shook my head frantically. “Mom, that waist binder—it was too tight. I couldn’t breathe, so I took it off last night…” Before I could finish explaining, she slapped me hard again. Her eyes burned with anger. “You’re already refusing to listen to me? What will you do in the future?” My mom had decided that I was going to be a “child cooking prodigy” on social media. And for that to work, I had to look the part—I had to stay small, young. She grabbed a roll of bandages and began wrapping them tightly around my chest, layer after suffocating layer, as if she were trying to crush the life out of me. When she was done, she stepped back, looking pleased with the flat result. But then, as if noticing something else, she stood back and measured my height with her hand. “No, no. This won’t do.” She turned and started rummaging frantically through a drawer, eventually pulling out a syringe. Her grin was sharp and menacing as she advanced toward me, backing me into a corner. I sank to the floor, powerless. I didn’t want to stop growing. I didn’t want to be trapped in the body of a child forever. But my protests were useless. My eyes stared blankly as she plunged the growth inhibitor into my arm without hesitation. Every day, I lived as “Anna’s Cooking Adventures,” the account my mom had created for me. My life revolved around kitchen grease and smoke, spending late nights in the kitchen perfecting recipes. I had no freedom. But my mom’s efforts weren’t in vain. My videos caused a sensation online, gaining more and more attention. I became the “perfect child” everyone envied. Comments flooded beneath each video: “With a daughter like this, I could die happy!” “Can we trade kids? I’ll take Anna!” “Anna is officially my future daughter-in-law. Calling dibs now!” “How dare you compete with me? Anna belongs to my family!” As my popularity skyrocketed, a cooking competition show for kids reached out to my mom. When she got the offer, she was ecstatic. She made several announcement videos thanking my fans. “Anna’s going to be on a cooking show! Thank you all for your love and support!” The comments rolled in like a tidal wave: “What? My daughter is going to be on TV? Of course we’ll watch!” “Which channel? I’ll tune in immediately!” That year, I was fifteen. But I found myself standing among a group of eight- and nine-year-olds, competing against them as if I belonged. The night before the show, my mom wasn’t taking any chances. She added even more layers of bandages around my chest and injected me with another round of growth inhibitors. Under the watchful eyes of the audience, I stood out. Among the younger children, my skills and experience shone, and I advanced easily to the finals. The show became a massive hit. The unique concept and drama captivated viewers, and soon, everyone was debating the final rankings. My fans were relentless, clashing with the other contestants’ supporters online. But I had the largest following by far. To most people, my victory was already a foregone conclusion—the other kids were just there to fill the stage. When the night of the finals arrived, I stood under the spotlight, with the audience cheering my name. But during the most critical step of the competition, I lost control of the heat. The dish burned.

And so, despite being the favorite to win, I ended up in last place. “Anna just had a little slip-up this time! She’s been amazing in her livestreams and videos before.” “No one’s perfect. It’s normal for Anna to make mistakes now and then!” My fans rushed to console me, but my mom wasn’t having any of it. The moment the competition ended, she stormed backstage, clearly looking for me. Panic surged through me. If she caught me, I knew I wouldn’t escape unscathed. For the first time, I defied her—I ran. She chased after me, her voice echoing with curses. “You little brat! Just wait until I catch you. You’ll regret this!” As she was about to grab me, a figure suddenly stepped in front of me. My eyes lit up with hope. I collided into the man’s chest, and he immediately crouched to check on me. His voice was deep but gentle. “Are you okay?” My mom, trying to suppress her fury, called out in a cold tone, “Anna, come here.” But I clung tightly to the man’s shirt, my tear-filled eyes pleading with him as I shook my head. Understanding my silent request, the man stood up and positioned himself between me and my mom, blocking her view of me. My mom, now livid, snapped, “Who the hell are you? This is my child. How I handle her is none of your business!” A few onlookers started whispering nearby, and one of them muttered something just loud enough for my mom to hear. “That’s Mr. Thompson—the show’s main investor.” Instantly, my mom’s expression shifted. Her anger vanished, replaced by a forced, ingratiating smile. “Oh, Mr. Thompson! My apologies, I didn’t recognize you! Haha, silly me! So… what did you think of Anna’s performance? Wasn’t she great?” I didn’t catch the rest of what she said because Mr. Thompson gave a subtle signal, and the person who had been whispering earlier gently took my hand and led me away. Around the corner, I turned back just in time to see Mr. Thompson handing my mom a bank card. I didn’t understand what it meant, but after a while, the person escorting me told me it was time to go home. I didn’t want to go back. I sat outside the studio for hours, watching the sky grow darker and darker. But eventually, I gave in to reality and headed home. When I got there, I was surprised—my mom didn’t yell at me or hit me. For the first time, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe it was because of that man? But then, she handed me a card. Written on it was the address and room number of a hotel.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295714”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic

My husband, Declan Morgan, has imprisoned me, and I’m too afraid to resist. I witnessed Declan murdering someone and burying the body. The body was my ex-husband. Are there more bodies in the basement? Could Declan be a serial killer? I’m terrified and too scared to find out. Declan noticed my improved spirits recently and decided to take me out for a meal. I steadied my trembling legs and cautiously picked up some food with my chopsticks. “Why aren’t you eating the vegetables?” I kept my head down, obediently reaching for the vegetables with my chopsticks. Being cut off from the outside world for so long makes me feel disconnected. Why hasn’t anyone come looking for me? I do have friends; they like me and invite me out every month. “Nora, is the food not to your taste?” I shook my head. It’s been a long time since I’ve had food this good; it reminds me of my mother’s cooking. But “mother” feels like a distant memory now. Declan seemed in good spirits today and didn’t rush to take me home after dinner. He even took me to an amusement park. Unbelievable. I saw police officers helping a lost child find their parents. I told Declan I wanted some octopus balls from the other side. He left me in a shaded area to wait. I approached the police officers. Yes, I wanted to reveal Declan’s crimes. “I’m sorry, my wife has a history of mental illness. I’m really sorry for the inconvenience.” I’m not sick. But when Declan pulled out my medical records, all my protests became futile. I was taken back home. Declan didn’t blame me. He just held me gently. I felt uneasy. “Why is Nora trembling?” “Is big brother scary?” A little. But how could I tell him that I saw him commit murder and bury the body that night? I don’t want to be the next victim. Even if the deceased was my relative. I nuzzled against his shoulder, trying to please him. A low chuckle spread above me. “Good girl.” It seems instinctive; subconsciously, I feel that doing this means I won’t get hit. Declan stopped taking me out after that. This house has a basement, and when he wasn’t home, I often lingered by the basement door. I was both eager and terrified about what might be behind that dark door. Fortunately, fear outweighed curiosity, and I never went in. But I didn’t realize Declan noticed my every move. Perhaps Declan was being nicer to me. I opened the door. The room was dark. But on the table by the door, I spotted a phone with a lit screen. The table was dusty, but not the phone, as if someone had deliberately placed it there. I took the phone and hid it under the mattress; Declan wouldn’t think to look there.

“What did Nora do today?” Did Declan find out something? “I slept, watched TV, and—thought about you.” During these days of confinement, I learned to please him, or so I thought. He didn’t press me further, which was a relief. “Some friends want to visit. Do you want to see them, Nora?” I didn’t want to, but Declan mentioned my friends. How could someone who illegally imprisoned me dare to invite my friends over? Doesn’t he fear my retaliation? Then again, what can a “mental patient” like me do to him? It was quite lively today. “Nora, is Declan good to you?” “I heard he had a ‘The One That Got Away’ in college; have you ever met her?” In college? I attended the same college as Declan; he was three years ahead of me. Some girls liked him during his sophomore year, but he turned them down. He said he already liked someone. The only interaction I had with him was when he helped me move some things during a sports event, and I sprained my ankle. Yes, I might be the only girl who had close contact with him; his back was broad as he carried little me. My thoughts were interrupted by Declan’s gentle gaze. “Declan is good to me. As for ‘The One That Got Away,’ I’ve never met her.” Sometimes I narcissistically wonder if I’m his ‘The One That Got Away.’ After seeing him kill, I doubt his kindness stems from love. That would be too absurd. “Declan, your wife really defends you in front of others.” The speaker looked familiar, but I couldn’t remember who it was. Ever since Declan confined me at home, my memory has become increasingly jumbled. “This is Ethan Carter; he used to pursue you.” Really? He’s quite handsome and sunny, but he doesn’t seem like someone who would get along with Declan. “Has Phoebe really forgotten about me?” I didn’t know how to respond. “It’s been a while since you’ve seen each other, so it’s normal for Nora not to remember you.” Declan helped me out, but I wasn’t happy at all. If only Ethan could help me escape. Declan is a great cook. When I have no appetite, he always learns new recipes. “Nora, I didn’t expect you to have the best food among us sisters.” “Yeah, our senior is tall, handsome, a big boss, and a great cook. Let us enjoy this for a few days, good sister.” I wish, but I can’t even make it out the door before Declan catches me. Sometimes I feel ungrateful. Why am I not satisfied with such a great man? But he’s a murderer! I need to be alive to enjoy it, and I’m not that lucky.

Something still feels off. Declan didn’t give me a phone or a computer, but he never said I couldn’t use his. So why did I take a phone with no internet? I’m baffled by my own stupidity. “Declan, why don’t I have a computer or phone?” Youth has no price; I questioned my husband face-to-face. Oh, he said I gave him my phone and computer myself and told him not to give them back. But why do I have no memory of this? I probably need to see a doctor. When I powered up the phone, there were several missed calls from unknown numbers. Then there was a call from six months ago. The contact was labeled “Trash.” I’m a polite person; why would I label someone like that? Declan seemed to notice my confusion and told me it was my blind ex. Okay, I was skeptical. “Do you want to go out tomorrow? I have a business trip coming up, and I want to take you with me.” Is he afraid to leave me alone at home? Fine, let’s go. Staying in this house all the time isn’t good for my condition. The coastal place is hot, but the scenery is nice. Declan said it was a business trip, but it felt more like a vacation. He took me out every day, like walking a dog. “Ma’am, your husband, Declan Morgan, is suspected of being involved in a disappearance case. We may need you to come with us.” Did the police find something? I cooperated fully. I thought I would be free if I answered the police’s questions properly. But they only asked about Declan’s whereabouts after he confined me. Wasn’t he always with me? How could he be a suspect? Why can’t the police see that Declan illegally imprisoned me? On the way back home, I looked at Declan with a hint of doubt. Maybe he already guessed what I was thinking. We had lived here for half a month. It was time to leave. A sudden incident stopped us, which was really frustrating. My ex-husband had been missing for a long time, and I hadn’t contacted him since our divorce. But my former in-laws didn’t see it that way. They confronted Declan, demanding to know where their precious son was. It’s laughable. Even now, they don’t see me as a person. I was like a stray dog they took in. “Uncle, Aunt, you must be mistaken. I’ve already divorced your son. His whereabouts have nothing to do with me.” Naturally, I didn’t want to deal with them. “When you contacted me, it wasn’t to bully my wife. As for your son, I’ve heard rumors; he’s probably long gone.” What was Declan talking about? How did he know Finn? Finn’s parents were angry, and his mother raised her hand to slap. As disgusting as ever. “If Finn played around so much, he probably ran into trouble and went to meet his maker.” Declan dared to say it. But it’s the truth—Finn is dead. When he died, I even set off fireworks to celebrate.

Finn’s parents are convinced we know where their son is. They’re constantly hounding us, almost moving into our house, but Declan remains unfazed. After all, the man is dead; show some compassion to his parents. Ethan’s arrival brought me some relief. Ethan served in the military for a few years, and I inexplicably felt admiration and trust for him. “Aren’t you ever going to tell her?” Outside, it was quiet, and Ethan’s voice was jarring. I held my breath for a long time, but Declan didn’t respond. When I opened the door, Declan’s expression returned to the gentle one I knew. All that was left for me was Ethan, red-faced. Angry? Ethan seemed surprised I was awake, cautiously watching me. Of course, I had to pretend I knew nothing. I casually asked Declan to warm up a cup of milk for me. As Declan headed to the kitchen, it was just Ethan and me sitting across from each other on the sofa. After days of subtle probing, I knew by now that Declan would indulge my every whim, as long as it didn’t mean sending him away. Just as Sunny said, he loves me deeply. “Ethan, Sunny mentioned you once pursued me, but I can’t recall it.” Ethan’s face turned pale abruptly. It seemed like there was more to the story. “You know my ex-husband,” I stated firmly. Ethan was startled by my assertion. His bright eyes stared at me, revealing nothing of what he might be thinking. The milk was delightful, and so was Declan. Ethan quickly composed himself and started discussing Finn’s parents with Declan. It turned out that Ethan had already asked his cousin, the bureau chief, to arrange our return. Ethan still had his uses. Despite it being the height of summer, I found myself breaking out in a cold sweat.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295731”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic

“Have you made a decision?” Ryan tapped the contract on the table. “You might end up staying in the UK indefinitely.” I gave a wry smile. On the day Asher proposed to me, his long-lost love was hospitalized. Asher rushed off to the hospital from the proposal, leaving me to handle the guests and journalists on my own. At that moment, my heart broke completely. Without hesitation, I signed my name on the contract. “You’ll be flying to the UK in three days. The branch there will take care of your accommodation and meals. Will you be ready?” “Plenty of time, thank you.” As I left the law firm, I let out a deep sigh. Asher, you let me down. (1) Three days ago, Asher proposed to me. Jasper rented an entire stretch of coastline, arranged a grand fireworks display, as if to announce to the world he was marrying the girl he loved. Jasper knelt down before me and asked, “Lily, will you marry me?” His eyes were red, and his hand trembled slightly as he held the ring. “I will!” I managed to say through my tears. His eyes flickered, and he let out a relieved breath. Jasper slipped the ring onto my finger and gently embraced me. Amidst the cheers and blessings, I heard him whisper in my ear, “The result…” “The result?” A brief moment of panic passed, and I heard him say, “The result is you, that’s wonderful…” I smiled, wiping away the tears at the corners of his eyes, feeling that he truly loved me. But just as I was basking in happiness, Asher’s phone rang at the worst possible moment. I glanced at the screen; it was an unfamiliar number. “Jasperllo?” Asher answered in a different tone. “What did you say!? I’ll be right there!” he said, quickly ending the call. “What…” “Lily, there’s a problem at work, I’m sorry! I have to go!” Asher interrupted me, jumped into his car, and drove off without looking back, leaving the journalists and audience puzzled, speculating on his sudden departure. I smiled awkwardly, explaining he had an emergency, that he was busy with work. The crowd dispersed, skeptical, as if the grand and absurd drama had ended, marking the beginning of a tragedy. Exhausted, I returned to the villa, waiting until the middle of the night for Asher to come back, reeking of alcohol. “What happened?” I approached him, only to be pulled into his arms. I froze, detecting an unfamiliar perfume on him. “So good… so good…” Jasper murmured into my neck, his emotions unclear. I helped him to bed and received two messages on my phone. One was from Ryan, asking if I wanted to work at the overseas branch, promising a good future but requiring a long-term stay abroad. The other was a photo from a friend at the hospital. In the photo, a girl with black hair and a white dress was hugged tightly by Asher, as if he feared losing her. Caption: Is this your boyfriend? I was thunderstruck. Yes, it was the man who had just proposed to me. The woman in his arms was Emily, his childhood friend, whom everyone said once saved his life by donating blood after a car accident. But in truth, Emily fainted from fear, and it was I, accompanying my mom on duty, who donated the blood. That day was July 23rd. All of Asher’s passwords are 0723. I planned to tell him the truth on the day of his proposal, thinking he would love me more. Looking back, I was wrong. I looked at the man who had just proposed to me, wondering if he was hoping Emily would come back when he was waiting for my answer. Did he regret proposing to me when he rushed to Emily? Did Asher ever truly like me? As these thoughts intertwined, my mind was unexpectedly clear. I replied to my friend saying I knew, and told Ryan I would consider the overseas position. Then, exhausted, I put away my phone, crafting a plan in my mind. The next day, Asher woke up exhausted and walked into the living room. I handed him a glass of warm water. “Drink,” I said coldly. Asher, looking guilty, said, “Thanks… um…” “You drank too much yesterday,” I cut him off. “Sorry.” Jasper gently hugged me, but this embrace lacked the sincerity and love he had shown Emily. “Now, can you tell me what happened?” Asher’s eyes flickered like he didn’t know how to start. As we stood there, the doorbell rang. “Asher!” A sweet voice accompanied by the click of high heels approached—it was Emily. She boldly opened the door herself! “0723, I can’t believe you still use that date as a password after all these years.” Emily gave me a malicious look, “This is Lily? She’s beautiful.” “Lily, this is Emily, she’s my… friend.” I looked at Emily dragging a suitcase in and smiled slightly, “A good friend, I see. No wonder she knows the house password, and you left the proposal to see her.” “Don’t blame Asher, Lily. I came back to the country yesterday and accidentally got into a car accident. Asher came to see me out of friendship.” Emily leaned closer to Asher, acting pitifully. “I didn’t know you and Ms. Emily had such a special bond?” Emily, pretending to be surprised, hooked her arm around Asher’s, “You didn’t know? When we were kids, Asher had a car accident, and I was the one who donated blood to save him. That day was July 23rd.” Asher turned to look at Emily with a tenderness I had never experienced. A classic case of someone taking over, Asher silently allowed Emily’s transgression. My heart grew colder. “Sorry, Lily. I just got back and haven’t found a suitable place to stay, so I have to stay here for a while, is that okay, Asher?” She looked up at Asher, smiling sweetly, as if I was the outsider. “Of course!” Asher responded swiftly, not even glancing at me, let alone asking for my consent. At that moment, I lost all hope. “Well, then, you two talk. I have work at the law firm.” I walked out without looking back, dialing Ryan. “Draft the contract, I’m going to the UK.” (2) “Have you made up your mind?” Ryan tapped the contract again. “I just heard you got proposed to yesterday. If I had known, I would have…” Ryan scratched his head, annoyed. “No, I should thank you,” I interrupted him, signing my name on the contract. “As long as you’re sure, three days later you’ll fly to the UK. Everything will be arranged by the branch there. Will you manage?” “More than enough.” I left the law firm, raising my hand to shield my eyes from the sun, noticing the glaring diamond ring on my ring finger. I took it off in disgust, hesitating whether to throw it away. “Fancy meeting you here.” A pair of leather shoes stopped in front of me. “Running into each other so soon?” I looked up into a pair of captivating bright eyes, a handsome face with a delighted smile. “Jasper?” I said in surprise. “After all these years, aren’t you going to give me a hug?” I smiled wryly, but before I could refuse, Jasper pulled me into a hug. It was a strong embrace, filled with complex emotions, and I cried uncontrollably. Was it the same kind of hug Asher gave Emily? Jasper and I were high school classmates. His family runs a family business, and he went abroad after graduation. We hadn’t kept in touch much these years. I fulfilled my dream of becoming an international lawyer, and I thought we’d gone our separate ways until today. At the café, Jasper handed me two tissues. “You scared me. Why the sudden tears? Who bullied our Lawyer Lily?” My nose was stuffy, and I didn’t answer his question, changing the subject instead. “What brings you back suddenly?” “Not suddenly. Your law firm’s UK branch is handling my company’s IPO business, so I came to meet my partners.” Jasper smiled at me, “Impressive Lawyer Lily, looking forward to working together.” I couldn’t help but laugh. Jasper spoke, “Feeling better now?” “Mm?” “You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you going to share?” Jasper crossed his arms, looking like he had seen through everything. “You can’t hide it from me.” Just as I was contemplating whether to speak, a piercing female voice interrupted. “Oh, isn’t this Lily? What are you doing here?” Emily? What’s she doing here? “What are you doing here?” Emily was accompanied by a visibly angry Asher. “Who are you?” Asher’s sharp gaze fell on Jasper sitting across from me. “Me? Jasper.” Jasper leaned back lazily yet authoritatively, the tension between them was palpable. “I’m just saying, Lily, Asher proposed to you yesterday, and today you’re out with another man? That’s not good, is it?” The crowd murmured, until someone spoke from the crowd. “Jasper? Is that the Jasper from the Bennett family…” Emily? What is she doing here? “What are you doing here?” Asher, standing next to Emily, looked visibly angry. “And who might you be?” Asher’s piercing eyes zeroed in on Jasper, sitting across from me. “Who, me? I’m Jasper.” Jasper leaned back in his chair, exuding a laid-back yet commanding presence, creating an air of tension between them. “Honestly, Sister Lily, Asher just proposed to you yesterday, and today you’re meeting another man? Isn’t that inappropriate?” The crowd murmured until a few voices rose above the rest. “Jasper? Could it be the Jasper family…?” “Oh! Now I remember! Jasper’s the CEO whose company is doing remarkably well overseas!” Jasperaring this, Emily and Asher looked visibly uncomfortable, unsure of how to respond. “Mr. Jasper is my client. Is there an issue, Miss Emily?” I asked coldly, raising my voice. “An An means no harm; she’s just concerned about your reputation. Don’t misunderstand her intentions.” Asher lowered his voice, trying to defuse the situation. Reputation, right? I smiled, knowing the real troublemaker was right in front of me. “I’m quite curious,” Jasper chimed in. “As Miss Emily mentioned, Mr. Asher proposed to Lawyer Ye yesterday, and today Lawyer Ye met me for business. So, Mr. Asher, why are you here with another woman just a day after your proposal?” Jasper’s smile was icy as he glanced at Asher. “I’m Asher’s…” Emily started. “I wasn’t asking you.” Jasper interrupted her sharply, his expression turning cold. “Why would a colleague call someone ‘brother’ so affectionately?” someone in the crowd remarked. “She’s a cousin,” Asher lied. “She’s just my sister~~,” another guest added sarcastically. I tried hard not to smile. Jasper smiled, satisfied. “I see. Well, Mr. Jasper and I have some business to discuss. If there’s nothing else, please excuse us.” Staying any longer would be impolite. Emily’s mouth twitched, her ears turning red. “I’ll wait for you at home,” Asher said, pulling Emily away, restoring the calm. Jasper noticed my barely concealed smile and seemed in good spirits. “You probably guessed what’s going on,” I said, looking at him. “Yeah, I pretty much figured it out.” Jasper turned to me. “Let me share some good news.” “Oh?” “I know Emily.” “You know her?” I leaned in, surprised. “She didn’t seem to recognize you earlier.” “Well, I know her family and some of her scandals, which might be useful to you.” I looked at Jasper with anticipation. “Lilyt to know?” “Yes.” “I’ll tell you, but I have one condition.” “What is it?” “Be my girlfriend.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295747”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

My business partner secretly sabotaged my company, pushing me to the brink of ruin. Meanwhile, my wife, who should have been my closest ally, stood by and watched coldly. I hit rock bottom, exhausted and broken. My cash flow dried up, and years of hard work were destroyed in an instant. To my shock, I saw my wife embracing my business partner intimately at the company. I begged her to help me find a way out, but she replied with annoyance: “I’m not interested in what you’re saying. Your problems are such a headache!” But what they were trampling underfoot was my last hope. In the end, that hope was crushed beyond repair. As I wept over my ruined business, I saw my partner’s latest social media update: “Enjoying a thrilling night with a married woman. So exciting!” I instantly recognized the alluring figure in the glamorous dress as my wife. That night, I called a number I hadn’t dialed in years: “Dad, I’m giving up on my entrepreneurial dream. I’ve booked a flight home in ten days to take over the family business.”

Emily stormed into our home, shouting angrily: “You’re the only one moping around here! Why do I have to come home in broad daylight to see your miserable face?” “So your business failed, is it really that bad? If you can’t handle this little setback, are you even a man?” “Mark didn’t intentionally put you in a difficult position. Do you have to cut ties with him over this small matter?” I laughed bitterly, overwhelmed with grief and anger. Since she came in, she hadn’t even glanced at me or offered a single word of comfort. Instead, she was berating me for distancing myself from Mark, as if she felt sorry for him. He had deliberately manipulated the contract, causing me to fall from the top to rock bottom. Not only that, but he had also left me with nothing. My entrepreneurial dream could never be realized now! Seeing my grim expression, she finally approached me, halfheartedly glancing at my haggard face, and softened her tone: “Honey, if the business failed, just start over. Once you recover, you can keep working hard!” “Didn’t you always want to become a business tycoon? You need to pull yourself together!” I laughed coldly inside. This was the woman I had loved and cherished for seven years, yet at this moment, she seemed like a complete stranger! I coldly observed her. Emily was wearing an elegant suit and high heels. Apart from her new smartphone, she hadn’t brought anything else. It seemed she had only come to check on me briefly, with no intention of staying to keep me company. Emily felt uncomfortable under my gaze and realized something. “Honey, you’re just facing a small problem that you can solve on your own. I have a party to attend tomorrow, so I won’t be staying here with you tonight.” A small problem? If she cared about me even a little, she would have noticed my utter despair when my career collapsed. But she didn’t. She was too busy entangling with Mark, leaving me to struggle in pain. While I was running around trying to save the company, she was putting on sexy lingerie to enjoy the thrill of an affair with Mark. My heart turned cold, and I asked disappointedly: “So, you just came to check on me? Did you want to see if I was dead yet?” Emily’s face darkened, and she snapped: “Jack, what are you talking about? What do you mean by checking if you’re dead? We’ve been married for seven years, is this how you see me?” I smirked sarcastically. “Since you’ve seen me, you can go now.” Emily didn’t leave. Instead, she raised her phone to my face. “When you offended all your business friends, Mark’s wife happened to get the news and came over. I was at the company working overtime with Mark, discussing the next project plan.” “His wife misunderstood our relationship. You need to quickly record a video to clarify things and explain to her.” She said this with a completely natural expression, as if she and Mark were truly innocent. “What do you want me to explain?” Emily looked a bit embarrassed but still had to say it. “Well, when his wife came late at night, Mark and I were working on a new idea. Anyway, just explain that it was business-related material, that’s all!” As soon as she finished speaking, I suddenly remembered Mark’s social media post mentioning his plans to spend a sweet night with a married woman. I immediately understood. They had been caught in the act of having an affair by Mark’s wife. How dare she ask me to help her clear things up! Seeing Emily’s now unfamiliar face, I could no longer contain my emotions. I let out a hysterical roar and swatted the phone out of her hand.

Even now, I couldn’t believe Emily had really cheated on me. We had been married for seven years. I was afraid she might suffer even the slightest hardship with me, so I spoiled her rotten. She used to be an ordinary employee at the company. Seeing her struggling and often being excluded by colleagues, I asked Mark to make her my assistant. At first, Mark disagreed, but when I offered to deduct her salary from my own wages, he finally agreed. I didn’t lack money; I started my business just to realize my own value. But my parents, in an attempt to force me to return home and take over the family business, cut off my financial support. Later, I gave up an arranged marriage to marry Emily, which caused another rift with my parents. I haven’t been in contact with them for three years now. To give Emily a better life, I worked day and night. When I got home, I would do the housework, truly treating her like a queen. But now, she had betrayed me. During my bankruptcy and downfall, she was having an affair with Mark in the company office, and now she wanted me to explain it away for her. Why should I? What right did she have to treat me like this? Anger rushed to my head, and at this moment, I could no longer control myself. I exposed her on the spot. “Emily, do you take me for a fool? Don’t think I don’t know about your dirty business with Mark!” Emily was stunned, then picked up her handbag and hit me hard on the head with it. “Jack, you’ve grown some nerve! How dare you point your finger at me and speak to me in such a loud voice!” I had already suffered a heavy blow in the business world during the day, and I was physically and mentally exhausted. I felt dizzy and sick. She hit my head so hard that I felt like I was about to pass out. Even though I tried to maintain my composure, the pain in my heart still came like a flood. I was in so much pain that I could barely breathe, gritting my teeth hard. “You knew about us, yet you still called that old woman over! You deliberately wanted to embarrass me, didn’t you?” “You useless piece of trash, why didn’t you just die from bankruptcy today!” “Mark is from a rich family. It’s your honor that he’s interested in your wife! Do you think he gave you so many business opportunities because of your few lousy business ideas?” “Hurry up and record that clarification video for me. If Mark isn’t happy at home, don’t think you’ll have an easy time at home either!” I was hit so hard that I felt dizzy, my heart aching as if it was about to break. Using my good hand, I grabbed Emily’s arm tightly and threw her to the side. I had never been as angry as I was at this moment, my voice almost tearing my throat: “Emily, you’re just Mark’s used-up plaything! You have a husband, and he has a wife. You two doing such shameless things, how can you face me?” “Now you want me to clarify things for him? What should I clarify? That you two are having an affair?” Emily fell to the ground, looking at me in disbelief. I had never spoken a harsh word to her before, and she didn’t expect that I actually had a temper. She became furious with embarrassment and pointed at me angrily: “Jack, you can insult me, but you have no right to insult Mark!” She waved her new smartphone and the clothes she was wearing. “If it weren’t for Mark, could I live such a good life? Your little income is barely enough to make ends meet. How could I hold my head high in front of my friends?” “When I first met you, you dressed decently and were willing to spend money on me. I thought you were quite rich, but it turns out it was all for show! Did you trick me into marrying you just to make me suffer and struggle with you?” “Jack, you deceived me first by pretending to be rich! Why should I, Emily, have to live a hard life with you? I haven’t asked for a divorce for the sake of our child, you should be grateful for that!” She stood up in front of me, looking down at me arrogantly and smugly: “But you need to understand something! From now on, when Mark and I are intimate, you stay far away. Don’t interfere with our good times!” “I really don’t want to look at you for another second now. Seeing your pathetic face makes me angry!” At this moment, Emily’s phone rang. She picked it up and looked at it, a smile involuntarily appearing on her face. When she turned to look at me again, her expression darkened: “Record the clarification video yourself and send it to me. Mark needs me for something urgent, I have to go!” With that, she slammed the door and left. I was shaking with anger, waves of pain washing over my heart. I got up, wanting to chase after Emily and argue with her, but as soon as I stood up, I fell heavily to the ground. I buried my head in my knees, letting out bursts of painful cries. Seven years of marriage, I had given her my heart and soul, but she had stabbed me in the back! She not only trampled on my true feelings but also on my dignity! In her heart, I was just a lowly, humble piece of trash, while Mark was her beloved! I laughed coldly. So every time she stayed late at the office under the pretext of discussing plans for me, she was actually having an affair with Mark in the office! No wonder she always made excuses about being tired and wouldn’t let me touch her. Even when she agreed once after my repeated begging, it was just perfunctory. But when she was having an affair with Mark, she played so uninhibitedly, so shamelessly! I punched the ground hard, gritting my teeth, tasting blood in my mouth. I really wanted to rush to the company right now and beat this pair of scoundrels to death, then jump from the top of the building! But I couldn’t. I still have an adorable son. He’s only six years old. I can’t let him become an orphan at such a young age. Thinking of the son I had raised single-handedly, tears streamed down my face. He was so sweet and sensible. I lay back on the sofa. I need to get out of this predicament quickly, then take my son away from here.

After staying at home for seven days, Emily never showed her face again. Except for urging me a few times to record a clarification video for her, she didn’t say a single word of concern for me. The last bit of hope in my heart was wiped away. I decided to pull myself together and start looking for new opportunities. In two more days, I would take my son and leave this place. When I returned home, Emily wasn’t there. My mother-in-law had been helping to look after my son these past few days. When she saw me come back, she gave me a disgusted look. “It’s just a business failure, yet you’ve been staying at home for seven days. What a pathetic man!” I ignored her. When I first got together with Emily, she was quite satisfied with me. Later, to marry Emily, I had a falling out with my family, and my parents cut off my financial support. But I had always been working hard, trying my best to give Emily the best life, and I was always respectful to my mother-in-law. I don’t know when it started, but they changed, becoming more and more disdainful of me. Thinking about it now, it probably started when Emily got involved with Mark. She suddenly started spending money lavishly. I was too trusting of her and our relationship. I should have noticed her affair earlier. But it’s too late to say anything now. Seeing me with a gloomy face, my mother-in-law snorted coldly. “Comparisons really do make people miserable!” My heart skipped a beat. Did she know about Emily’s affair? Remembering that Emily often took our son to stay at her parents’ house, I realized my mother-in-law had been covering for their affair all along! Poor son of mine, ending up with such a mother and grandmother. My son, hearing my voice, rushed out from the bedroom. Then he said disappointedly: “Oh, it’s just Dad. I thought Mom had finally come back!” “Grandma, when will Mom and Uncle Mark come back? I can’t wait to get my gifts!” I turned my head to look at my mother-in-law. Her face became unnatural, and she guiltily turned away. During these few days while I was at home, Emily had been fooling around with Mark the whole time. But I didn’t want to say these things in front of my son. Children are innocent. I picked up my son and asked softly: “What gift does my baby want? Dad will buy it for you!” But my son pouted: “I don’t want anything from you! You’re so poor, what good gifts could you buy? Uncle Mark always brings me limited edition toys from abroad!” My heart turned cold, and I gently put my son down. He ran to my mother-in-law’s side and continued to ask when Emily would come back. Then my son pointed at me, using the same disdainful tone as my mother-in-law: “Grandma, didn’t you say Uncle Mark is my real dad? Why does this dad still come back?” “What real dad?” I looked at my son in disbelief. What did he just say? The son I had raised single-handedly actually despised me and wanted to acknowledge Mark as his father? Wasn’t he closest to me? After staying with his grandmother for just a few days, he was ready to accept an impostor as his father! What did he mean by Mark being his real dad? “Uncle Mark and I both had blood tests. Grandma said the paternity test report shows Uncle Mark is my real dad.” Hearing this, I couldn’t help but laugh, and then as I laughed, tears started falling. My heart suddenly ached sharply, and I laughed at myself for being a complete fool! Looking at my son’s face that increasingly resembled Mark’s, I understood everything at once. I had been raising someone else’s son for six years! I silently went back to the bedroom, packed all my things into a suitcase, and left this home without looking back. I sent a message to my lawyer, asking him to handle the divorce case fully. Emily was the one at fault, and I would make sure she got nothing! Then I sent the evidence of her affair with Mark to Mark’s wife. On the day I called my parents, they resumed their financial support for me. I checked into a hotel and turned off my phone to get a good night’s sleep. The next day, I set off on my journey home.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295763”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic

I, Ava Lancaster, went to pick up my car at the wash only to find a box of condoms and two pieces of paper stuck under the wiper. I was furious, my face burning. When I looked at the papers, I felt like I was going to throw up. One was a close-up photo of a man’s private parts, and the other was a WhatsApp QR code. The message that came with it read: [Hey, rich lady, take a look at me. I’m young and capable.] I sneered and immediately sent his contact info to every loan shark platform I could find. I thought, “You want to play, huh? Let’s see how many lives you’ve got to risk!” After work, I happily went to the car wash to pick up my car. But when I got in, I found these things under the wiper. Frowning, I used a stick to carefully remove the box of condoms, but when I did, the contents slowly leaked out of the box, carrying a strange smell with them. “Ugh. ” I turned away, gagging. What the hell was this? Pinching my nose, I used the stick to open the two pieces of paper. When I saw what was on them, I dropped the stick in shock. I snapped a photo in anger, planning to go to the car wash and demand an explanation. I came here often. The one who washed my car was a young girl named Isabella Mason, the boss’ daughter. She was good at her job and always greeted me warmly. In casual chats, I learned that she was only about 17 or 18 and had dropped out of school early. I felt sorry for her, so I decided to support her business, bringing my car here every few days. Over time, we became regulars, and she called me Ava while I called her Isabella. Besides her, there were occasionally one or two men around, probably her dad, Henry Mason, and her brother, Luke Mason. The place was small, and when I showed up, a few cars were already waiting. Isabella was still wearing her black work uniform, smiling as she chatted with customers while washing cars. When she saw me, she smiled and said, “Ava, your car is parked outside, just like usual. You only need to pay me 30 bucks.” Her smile was contagious, but I couldn’t bring myself to smile. I pursed my lips. “Got a minute? I need to talk to you about something. Let’s find somewhere quiet.” She must have noticed how serious my expression was because she quickly called her brother, Luke, to help her with the car washing. Luke, clearly not wanting to get up, groaned and reluctantly dragged himself out of the lounge chair. “What a waste of time. You want me to help with something so simple? Pathetic!”

I frowned, confused. How could someone as nice as Isabella have such a brother? Isabella shot me an apologetic glance, then gently tugged at Luke’s shirt, speaking quietly, “Luke, stop. Ava needs to talk to me.” Luke looked at me. Then his eyes slowly wandered up and down my body, eventually stopping at my chest. He smiled and rubbed his chin, giving me a lecherous look that made my stomach turn. I glared at him, furious. “If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll take your eyes out!” I had a bad temper, and I wasn’t about to let this slide. The tension between us grew thick, and other people nearby started to notice and gather around. Isabella quickly stepped in front of me. Luke gave me a dismissive glance, then rolled his eyes. “You’re wearing this to make us look, aren’t you? Isn’t this all to attract men?” I felt a wave of anger rush to my chest as I glanced at my outfit, a short-sleeve top and a long skirt. Isabella turned bright red, almost in tears, and grabbed Luke’s sleeve. “Luke, stop! Ava is one of our regulars!” Luke didn’t show an ounce of remorse. Instead, he shoved Isabella to the ground with one arm and pointed at her, cursing. “You good-for-nothing, shut up! Crying like a baby, did your mom die or something? You want me to beat you to death? So what if she’s a regular? Who knows how she got that car? Looks like she’s selling herself to afford it!” With that, he pretended to raise his arm, and Isabella instinctively shielded her head, trembling on the ground, crying softly. I furrowed my brows, so angry that I almost wanted to twist his head off and kick it like a ball. Around us, people started whispering, “This guy’s got no shame! He’s hitting his own sister and cursing his own mother to death!” “Ugh, when did we have such scumbags among men?” Someone spat on the ground. Luke heard them, and his face turned gloomy and angry. He slammed his water gun on the ground and yelled at the crowd, “You sons of bitches! What the hell are you talking about?” He got even more worked up, swearing nonstop, and practically cursed out everyone in the store. Isabella quickly tried to calm him down, warning that if he kept it up, they’d lose all their customers. But he just waved her off and slapped Isabella across the face. “Shut the hell up! This is my damn store! Who the hell are you, a loser, to talk back? I’ll do whatever I want!” Most people didn’t want to get involved and decided to leave. They drove off with grumpy faces. Isabella hurried after them, apologizing profusely. In the end, only a few of us were left standing there. “Ugh, just two or three people? Get to work, or what, you gonna sit at home doing nothing?” he spat, waving his hand before storming off to the back room to play on his phone. He slouched on a chair, scrolling through some questionable videos, drooling all over himself. Isabella wiped her tears and silently picked up the water gun, getting back to work. I felt a little bad for her, but I didn’t say anything. I knew that in a family like hers unless she helped herself, no one else could pull her out. Isabella quickly pulled herself together, smiling as she asked, “Ava, you were about to talk to me about something earlier, but I couldn’t leave. If you still want to, go ahead and say it now.” I nodded and gently asked, “Isabella, did anyone suspicious come by the store today?”

“No, not at all,” she replied right away. I nodded, already pretty sure about the answer. If she hadn’t seen anyone suspicious, then it had to be someone she knew. I glanced over at Luke, then took out my phone and showed her a photo. “I found these in the car when I picked it up earlier. Do you know who left them there?” I stared at her, watching her reaction. She froze for a second, instinctively looking toward Luke. Then she looked away, her eyes shifting nervously, and after a long pause, she muttered, “I don’t know, but I’ll wash your car again right away, Ava. Please don’t be mad.” She gave me a pleading look, and I didn’t say anything more. I just nodded and stood by, watching her work. The water from the gun soaked her through, her clothes completely drenched. Her eyes earlier had already given it away. It was Luke who did it. As for why she was covering for him, I could guess. She probably didn’t want to make a scene and mess with the business. Confronting someone like Luke head-on was definitely risky, so I thought for a while before coming up with a better way to get back at him. I posted his QR code on a bunch of different platforms. Study abroad, insurance, renting houses, loans, male infertility treatment, funeral services. Not long after, Luke’s angry voice echoed from the back. “You bastard, who the hell’s dying in my family? Get the hell away from me! “I told you, don’t post any funeral stuff, you dumbasses!” He hung up, only for the phone to ring again a moment later. “Study abroad? You think I’m paying for that? Get the hell out!” Watching him rage like that, I finally felt some satisfaction. A while later, there was some noise at the door. A middle-aged woman was carrying a drunken man inside. The man was mumbling nonsense as they stumbled in. Isabella rushed forward. “Mom, you just got out of the hospital, and your wound isn’t even healed yet! How can you be carrying Dad like this? Put him down now, or your wound will tear open again!” I understood immediately. Isabella’s mother had just been discharged from the hospital, but her father was one of those unreliable men, drunk again and needing his sick wife to drag him back. Chloe smiled and patted her daughter’s head. “The wound’s healed, sweetie. I know I was in the hospital for a while, and you had to take care of the car wash shop on your own. You must be exhausted. Now that I’m back, I’ll help you out.” Isabella’s eyes glistened with tears. She shook her head and said, “Mom, just focus on taking care of yourself.” Chloe Mason sighed, “I’m getting old, not as useful anymore. I’m in and out of the hospital, dragging the family down. And it’s wearing you out.” Earlier, I had been wondering why Isabella put up with her brother’s bullying and didn’t leave her family. Now, I understood, it was because of her mother. I pretended to play with my phone, but I was secretly keeping an eye on them. Henry was holding a bottle of liquor in his right hand, stumbling along with Isabella’s support. As they passed me, Henry shoved Isabella aside. “Who’s this gorgeous lady? Heh, let me touch.”

I was startled and quickly stepped back. But he came at me even more aggressively, grinning maliciously. “This girl’s got some spunk. Running away? Let me show you how I catch you!” At that moment, Luke whistled at me and cheered. “Dad, nice job! This girl’s got a lot to offer.” The whole family acted like they were out of their minds. It was broad daylight, and they dared to act like this! I looked around. The few customers who had been waiting had already left. Panicked, I ran toward my car, hoping to drive off quickly. Suddenly, someone grabbed me from behind. The sickening feeling made my whole body tremble. Luke’s voice was in my ear. “Dad! Come here, I’ve got her.” A sharp pang of fear gripped my chest, and tears instantly filled my eyes. I struggled desperately to break free, but it was useless. Soon, my body’s instinct to protect itself kicked in, and I lost all strength. My body went stiff, and I felt completely helpless, unable to resist. I immediately looked at Isabella and Chloe, crying out for help. They were frozen in place, clearly terrified by what was happening. Henry, clearly pleased with himself, stumbled toward us, praising Luke for his good work. I was frozen in fear, panic flooding my mind. I kept screaming and struggling. “Let go of me! What you’re doing is illegal!” Luke and his dad exchanged a look, then chuckled, “Illegal? We’re not doing anything serious. A few days in jail, and we’ll be out. “And you’re not even resisting. Deep down, you’re probably enjoying this, huh? Playing hard to get,” they mocked. Each word hit me like a slap to the face. I cursed them in my mind. “To hell with enjoying it. I’m terrified, which is why my body’s frozen like this!”

Just then, a loud thud sounded, and Henry fell in front of me. Isabella had rushed up and shoved him to the ground. I seized the moment and broke free from Luke’s grip. Luke didn’t hesitate. He raised his arm and slapped Isabella across the face with all his might. “You damn troublemaker, trying to ruin everything! You think I won’t kill you?” Isabella covered her face and shouted at me, “Ava, run!” I scrambled to my feet and quickly bolted toward my car. Luke tried to stop me, but Isabella held him back, and I could hear them arguing behind me. Once I got into the car, I shifted into gear, my fingers trembling. In the rearview mirror, I saw Isabella desperately grabbing Luke’s leg. Luke kicked her several times, and she fell to the ground like a beaten dog. But she didn’t let go of his leg. My heart surged with warmth for her. As I drove onto the street, my whole body continued to shake uncontrollably. I gripped the steering wheel tight and swore to myself, “I will make them pay for this.” I instinctively drove to the police station, wanting to file a report. But in the end, I stopped in my tracks. “What could I report? Attempted assault? Or would they just charge him with indecent exposure? What punishment would he get? A fine of a few hundred dollars? A few days in detention?” I thought about the condoms and disgusting images in the car. Luke clearly wasn’t doing this for the first time. Even if I reported it now, they’d still find ways to harass other girls. Because we wore nice clothes, we were labeled as sluts. Because I bought the car I liked, they’d spread rumors that I made my money in the wrong way. Because I got a management position, they’d maliciously slander me, claiming I slept around to get ahead. I thought, “Is this really fair? These men’s perverted actions seem to have little consequence, so even their punishments are mild and meaningless. That’s not what I want. I want him to fear me, to never dare to do something like this again.” Standing in the elevator, I thought again about Isabella’s bloodied face in the rearview mirror. I wondered what had happened to her in the end. Maybe I could help her escape from that family if she was willing. A man in the elevator spoke, breaking my thoughts. He was on the phone, his tone furious. “I almost passed out today! Damn it, I drove my sister’s pink car to the car wash, and some idiot shoved a condom in the car! Only picking on young girls, huh? “Don’t let me find out who did it, or I’ll kill that bastard! “The guy at the car wash isn’t any better either. His sister’s been beaten up and is covered in bruises, but he’s still working, playing on his phone. “What kind of world is this? I’m done with it.” Looks like he was another victim of the same kind. The elevator doors opened, and the man walked out. Watching his back as he left, I got an idea of how to get back at them.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295779”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #校园School #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn

My breakup with my girlfriend was ugly. The year she loved me the most, I accepted $500,000 from her father to make her abort our child and disappear. She knelt before me, crying and begging me not to be so cruel. She gave birth to our child in secret and left the baby at my rented apartment. She said she would hate me for the rest of her life. Six years later, when we met again, she had found a boyfriend from a similar background and was about to get married. I came to her in a desperate state, hoping to borrow some money. She forced me to attend her wedding, wanting me to witness her marrying another man. She asked if I regretted my actions. What she didn’t know was that I had been raising our child alone. That child was now sick and dying. Six years after our breakup, I ran into Emily again during the lowest point of my life. It was at a class reunion, and no one expected Emily to show up. Someone joked, “Emily, you never keep in touch with us. Why did you suddenly decide to come to the reunion this year?” “Did you hear Jack was coming and still have feelings for him?” I sat in the corner, my back suddenly stiffening as I looked up to see Emily coldly staring at me. Everyone knew how much Emily used to love me. She was the daughter of a wealthy family, but she fell in love with me at first sight. That year, she cut ties with her family for me, giving up everything just to be with me. We lived in a tiny rented apartment, sharing instant noodles and porridge, living a hard but happy life. Every passionate night, we held hands and vowed to be together forever. Until later, when she got pregnant. Her parents despised my background and were furious. They approached me privately, offering me $500,000 to force her to abort our child and leave her. That day, Emily knelt before me, begging me not to abandon her. She pleaded over and over, crying: “Jack! Jack… I don’t want anything else, I just want you. Let’s work hard together, earn many times that $500,000, and build our own home, okay?” “I’m begging you, don’t leave me, and don’t abandon our child…” Later, Emily secretly went to a private hospital to give birth to our child. She left the baby in front of my rented apartment, separated by a small door. I heard Emily say: “Jack, I’ll hate you for the rest of my life.” “You’ll never have a good day again.”

No one knew how ugly things got when Emily and I broke up. Someone pushed me towards Emily, laughing and asking her: “Emily, you used to love Jack so much you’d give up your life for him. How did you two end up breaking up?” Everyone was urging us to get back together. Emily’s best friend glanced at me and smirked: “There are plenty of guys chasing after Emily. Who does Jack think he is? Being with him was already a mistake. You think Emily would still pine for him?” She said there was a man who had been pursuing Emily for three years. That man was richer than me, more handsome, and more suitable to be Emily’s boyfriend. Emily had been dating him for three years, and her best friend highly approved of their relationship. Apparently, they were about to get married. Everyone’s laughter died down, with only Emily’s best friend still smiling, inviting everyone to attend Emily’s wedding. She tossed the invitation at me, hitting my face before falling into my lap. I lowered my head and saw Emily’s name on the invitation, next to another man’s name. The man’s name was William. Just from his name, you could tell he was a gentle and sophisticated person, someone suitable for Emily. I thought, he surely wouldn’t make Emily sad. After six years apart, reuniting like this, knowing Emily was doing well was enough. Fighting back the pain in my heart, I looked up and forced a casual tone, saying: “Congratulations.” Emily stared at me intently. Hearing my congratulations, she suddenly smiled. For a moment, I thought I saw a glimpse of the past when she used to look at me with a smile and say, “Jack, we must get married.” Only this time, she said, “Jack, don’t come to the wedding.” “My husband would be upset if he saw you, and I’d be heartbroken if he’s upset.” I clutched the thin, red invitation card, stunned for a moment. Smiling and nodding, I softly said, “Okay.” That day, everyone said Emily seemed to have truly fallen out of love with me. No one could have imagined how deeply we once loved each other. In the end, she was getting married, but the groom wasn’t me. Everyone thought Emily would always wait for me. Everyone was curious about who this William was, wondering how he had captivated Emily so completely. Knowing Emily didn’t want to see me anymore, I left the reunion early. On my way home, a friend sent me a photo of William. William looked handsome in the picture. I heard he was very caring, the type of man Emily really liked. My friend asked me, “Jack, don’t you think William’s profile looks a lot like yours?” “Do you think Emily might still love you? Is this really how it ends between you two?” I let out a soft sigh, stayed silent for a long time, then smiled and said, “It doesn’t matter. I don’t care.” I didn’t want to get entangled with Emily anymore. I thought she would never know. Our daughter was sick and dying.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295795”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #校园School #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn

I fell and started bleeding profusely after shielding Lucas from a flying teacup, threatening my pregnancy. As the ambulance arrived, Lucas’s first love called, asking him to bring her some sanitary pads. Despite the paramedics’ objections, he insisted on leaving. “I’m not a doctor. It’s useless for me to stay here. Don’t be so dramatic,” he said coldly. “I’ll be back after I deliver these to Lily.” I fell and started bleeding after shielding Lucas Gray from a flying teacup. As the ambulance arrived, Lucas’s first love called, asking him to bring her some sanitary pads. Despite the paramedics’ objections, he insisted on leaving. “I’m not a doctor. It’s useless for me to stay here. Don’t be so dramatic,” he said coldly. “I’ll be back after I deliver these to Lily.” With those words, Lucas hurried across the street and hailed a taxi. I curled up in pain on the stretcher as the paramedics lifted me into the ambulance. Sharp pain spread through my abdomen, as if invisible hands were violently twisting my insides. I was drenched in cold sweat, unable to utter a word. The paramedics’ angry comments reached my ears. “What kind of person is he? His wife is in this condition, and he just runs off? What if we need a signature for surgery?” “Never seen anyone refuse to accompany their family member after calling an ambulance. What could be more important than your loved one’s life?” “A dog would be more loyal than that.” My own husband, willing to abandon his critically ill wife to buy sanitary pads for his first love. How ridiculous is that? Tears slid down my cheeks as I watched Lucas’s retreating figure through blurry vision. Then, I lost consciousness.

When I regained consciousness, four hours had passed. Lucas still hadn’t shown up. The hospital room was eerily quiet. I instinctively tried to sit up, but the sharp pain forced me back down. A nurse entered with an IV drip and quickly stopped me. “You just had a miscarriage surgery. Don’t move.” I froze, tears streaming down my face, blurring my vision. So, before I even had a chance to feel its presence, that little life had silently slipped away. Did the baby sense that its father didn’t care about it, and decide not to come into this world? The nurse tried to comfort me, “You’re still young. You can have children in the future.” I forced a smile, staring at the fluorescent light on the ceiling for a long time until my eyes hurt. Then I turned and picked up my phone from the bedside table. There were only work messages on it. Nothing else. Lucas had said he’d come back after delivering the sanitary pads to his first love. But he hadn’t appeared even after the surgery was over. A hint of mockery crossed my pale face. In his eyes, buying sanitary pads for his first love was more important than my life.

My relationship with Lucas was an accident. Years ago, my father, for the sake of a business deal, deliberately drugged me and sent me to the bed of a 50-year-old coal tycoon. After escaping with all my strength, I accidentally stumbled into Lucas’s room, where we ended up having sex. This scene was caught by the media and became trending news. My parents, of course, wouldn’t miss this opportunity to climb the social ladder. My father deliberately used the pressure from public opinion, and in the end, Lucas and I were forced to get married. Although he was like those pampered rich boys, arrogant and unruly, I thought this marriage was just a forced arrangement, maintaining only appearances, and would eventually end in divorce. When did things start to change? Perhaps it was the first time he stood up for me against his parents, shielding me like a protective lion. “She’s the wife of the Gray family. If you want to give her a hard time, you’ll have to go through me first,” he had said coldly. He would cancel all his appointments on my birthday to personally bake me a cake. He once rented hundreds of drones to form my name in the sky, lighting up fireworks across the entire city for a whole night. He took me on a motorcycle trip around the entire Northwest. Once, when I mentioned craving chestnuts, he made a special hour-long detour just to buy some for me. Although our relationship didn’t have a good start, it didn’t prevent us from enjoying a happy married life afterward. I thought our relationship would continue like this. But when did things change? I guess it was the day his childhood sweetheart returned from America after her divorce. That day, we had planned to attend a concert together. He stood me up. I waited stupidly in the cold wind for three hours until the concert ended, but he never showed up. It was the first time he had broken a promise since we got married. Later, I found out from online photos that he had gone to pick up his first love. After that, his first love would always “coincidentally” appear wherever we went – friend gatherings, movie nights, and so on. At first, I would question him, but he would always laugh it off carelessly, saying, “We’re just friends.” Eventually, I got used to it, even became numb to it. I even started counting down the days of our marriage.

Meanwhile, Lily posted on her social media: “During that special time of the month, I’m so glad you’re always here for me. Touched, heart emoji.” The picture showed a pack of sanitary pads and a man’s profile. The comments section was flooded: “Ooh, are you two… back together?” “Lucas still loves you after all.” In their circle of friends, Lily and Lucas were like Cinderella and Prince Charming. Although Lily was the daughter of his family’s former housekeeper, she had managed to climb the social ladder using her connection with Lucas. Everyone in their circle supported their relationship. However, as the Gray family was a top-tier company in the country, they would never allow their pride and joy to marry a housekeeper’s daughter. For them, girls from such backgrounds were fine for casual dating, but could never be welcomed into the Gray family. To prove herself, Lily had hastily married a wealthy suitor and moved abroad. It wasn’t until a month ago that she returned to the country after her divorce. I stared at that post for a long time. As I was about to exit, I accidentally liked it. The next second, Lucas called. Before I could speak, Lily’s voice came through the speaker. “Hey, sis! Are you okay now? I just found out that Lucas left you alone to buy me pads. That’s terrible! I’ve already scolded him for it. How could he treat you like that? I’m apologizing on his behalf.” Her words held no trace of sincerity; they sounded more like bragging. She then complained to Lucas, “It’s all your fault. How could you abandon her when she was in such danger? If anything had happened to her, I wouldn’t have forgiven you.” Lucas lazily replied, “The doctors were already there. I couldn’t have done much anyway. Besides, you were more urgent, weren’t you?”

Lily feigned embarrassment, “What are you saying? Don’t make your wife misunderstand.” Her tone couldn’t hide her smugness. I calmly spoke up, “Are you two done talking?” Lily continued in her coy voice, “Sis, Lucas and I are just friends. Please don’t misunderstand.” Before she could finish, Lucas’s lazy voice interrupted, “Why are you explaining? My wife isn’t that petty.” “Honey, you sound fine. I won’t come over tonight. Take care of yourself, and I’ll visit you in the morning, okay?” He made a kissing sound into the phone, “Love you!” The line went dead. I held the phone, frozen for a moment, before putting it down. I couldn’t help but laugh, but as I laughed, tears involuntarily streamed down my face. Tonight was supposed to be the usual Gray family dinner. During the meal, someone intentionally mentioned the recent trending photos of Lucas and Lily looking intimate. Mr. Gray warned him to be careful and not mess around outside. Lucas, seemingly deliberately defiant, raised an eyebrow and said nonchalantly, “Even if I wanted to divorce and marry her now, do you think you could stop me? You think I’m still the same Lucas you can push around?” Indeed, the Gray family was now entirely under Lucas’s control, and he had the power to protect whoever he wanted. His provocative attitude angered Mr. Gray, who threw his teacup at him in a fit of rage. As the cup was about to hit his face, I instinctively shielded him. The scalding tea poured down my back. Seeing this, Mr. Gray stormed off angrily. Lucas quickly pulled me towards him, trying to lift my clothes to examine the wound. I instinctively stepped back but tripped over a chair and fell to the ground. Intense pain suddenly overwhelmed me. He urgently called for an ambulance. Seeing his anxious gaze, I thought the old him had returned. I remembered when I accidentally cut my finger while cooking, and he anxiously dragged me to the hospital. The doctor had joked that if we’d arrived any later, the wound would have already healed. I instinctively gripped his arm tightly, unable to hold back a painful groan, “It hurts so much…” He kept comforting me, saying the ambulance would arrive soon, telling me not to be afraid. But unexpectedly, just as the ambulance arrived, he received a call from Lily and left without hesitation.

It wasn’t until the next morning that Lucas finally showed up. He brought my favorite dumplings, acting as if nothing had happened, and offered them to me. I didn’t take them, my eyes unconsciously glancing at the clock on the wall. It was already 10 AM. He followed my gaze and feigned sudden realization, “Lily wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t go out, so I delivered to her first. That’s why I’m late.” “Don’t worry, nothing happened between us.” He leaned closer with a mischievous smile, reaching out to stroke my hair. But the pungent jasmine perfume emanating from him made me want to vomit. I frowned and instinctively leaned away. Seeing this, his expression froze, and he opened his mouth as if to say something. I looked straight at him and said flatly, “Let’s get a divorce, Lucas.” His smile gradually faded, his face instantly darkening. His tone was filled with disbelief and incomprehension. “Just because I went to deliver sanitary pads to Lily? You want a divorce over such a small thing?” “You know I tricked her into the water back then, which caused her painful periods. Is it wrong for me to take care of her?” “She was worried you’d be upset about it, and she couldn’t sleep all night because of it.” I had heard before that when Lucas was young, he loved to play pranks. When he first met Lily, he tricked her into getting into the water, saying there was money in it. But it happened to be during her period, and ever since then, she experienced painful menstruation. In his view, I was just upset because he had abandoned me yesterday. And me? If I hadn’t shielded him from that teacup yesterday, I wouldn’t have miscarried and ended up in the hospital. As my husband, he didn’t even ask about my condition. Lucas looked at me with disappointment, as if I was being unreasonable. But I didn’t care anymore.

Lucas didn’t agree to the divorce and stormed off angrily. In his view, I was just throwing a tantrum, deliberately acting out. After all, without his protection, where could I find someone better? After that day, Lucas never contacted me again. He had always been the golden boy, used to being adored. He was waiting for me to apologize first. But how could that be possible?

After being discharged from the hospital, I contacted a lawyer to draft divorce papers. Then I rushed home to pack my luggage for a business trip. In my opinion, no matter how rich others are, it’s better to have your own money and capabilities. As I was going downstairs, Lucas’s mother was sitting in the living room, looking displeased at my suitcase. “Going on another business trip?” The company I managed required frequent travel, with about a third of each month spent away. I gave a light “Mm” in response. Hearing this, she slammed the magazine she was holding onto the coffee table and scolded, “You’re a woman, always busy with work and never at home. Married for years and still no children?” “A woman should stay at home, support her husband, and raise children. Why are you competing with men for business?” Lucas’s mother had always been dissatisfied with me. In her view, since I married into the Gray family, I should have quit my job and stayed at home to prepare for pregnancy and raise children. She then commanded, “Quit your job immediately. If I don’t have a grandchild within a year, you two should get divorced.” In the past, out of respect for Lucas, I rarely talked back. I always tried to tolerate her unreasonable demands. But now, I didn’t want to serve anymore. I smiled and said, “No need to wait. We can divorce anytime. I’ll step aside.” Her face changed, and she glared at me angrily, about to say something. I continued, “Actually, there was a child, but unfortunately, you weren’t destined to meet. I miscarried two days ago.” As soon as I finished speaking, there was a commotion at the door. Lucas stood there, his eyes full of disbelief. “What did you say?” He strode over and gripped my hands tightly. “Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?” If he had paid even a little attention to me, he would have known why I was hospitalized. I forcefully pulled my hands from his grip, a hint of mockery flashing in my eyes as I sneered, “Isn’t all this because of you?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295811”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic

After getting fired from my job, I unexpectedly won two hundred million dollars in the lottery. However, my wife, who had promised to pick me up, left me stranded. I trudged ten kilometers home through the pouring rain, only to find my wife throwing an extravagant welcome party for her first love at our place. When they mentioned me, everyone looked down their noses. My mother-in-law rolled her eyes and said, “That deadbeat lost his job, and you still want to pick him up after work? Nobody let him in later!” My ten-year-old daughter clapped in agreement, “Grandma’s right, Mom should divorce that loser! I don’t want to call a loser my dad anymore; I like Uncle Liam, who’s handsome, rich, and can buy me limited edition Barbie dolls!” My heart felt like it dropped into freezing water as I looked at my beloved wife. But she just laughed softly and said, “We’ve been married a night, so there’s some attachment. As long as he agrees to let Liam move in and rekindle our past, I can let him be my husband in name. What’s wrong with him living off me for a few years?” At that moment, I realized the real fool was me. But when I actually suggested a divorce as she wanted, they regretted it deeply after seeing me in a luxury car with my new wife and newborn daughter.

“Mom, let Uncle Liam sit next to you, and Grandma and I will make a heart behind you…” As I opened the door, my wife, daughter, and mother-in-law were taking a family photo on the couch with a stranger. They were all huddled together, grinning widely at the camera. When they heard the door, they finally noticed me. Their smiles froze. The atmosphere was tense for a moment. Then, the laughter continued, as if I were invisible. They changed positions and kept taking photos. Not a single person acknowledged me. It wasn’t until they finished taking photos that my mother-in-law gave me a disdainful look and said: “Oh, Ethan, you have legs, you can walk back, can’t you?” “I thought you got laid off and forgot how to walk, and that Olivia had to pick you up.” I was drenched and my hands and feet were numb from the cold. After being laid off today, a storm hit. My wife had promised to pick me up after work, but she never showed up, even late at night. I walked ten kilometers in the rain to get home. Before I entered, I heard their disdain and ridicule behind my back. I just didn’t expect that even after I returned home, they would still ignore me and laugh with another man. A bitter feeling arose in my heart, I opened my mouth to speak. Suddenly a cake was thrown at me! Splat! My face was covered in cream. I looked up. My daughter, Ava, was hiding behind the man, looking at me with disdain: “Dad is lazy! He doesn’t work hard to earn money for me and mom, such a loser!” “Not even worth Uncle Liam’s toe!” My heart was suddenly pierced with pain. This was the daughter I had loved for ten years. Facing her mother’s first love, Liam, she was full of admiration and joy, but for me, there was only sarcasm and ridicule. At this moment, my silent wife finally spoke, frowning as she scolded our daughter: “Ava, how can you talk to your dad like that? You’re being too rude!” She acted like she was defending me, even bringing me a towel and gently saying: “Ethan, don’t take the child’s words to heart. Go change your clothes, we can talk later.” As I took the towel, I noticed the undisguised disdain in her eyes. I felt even more desolate inside. Just as I was about to head to my room, Liam suddenly walked over to greet me: “Are you Ethan? I just got back from abroad, Olivia insisted on throwing me a welcome party, I couldn’t refuse, so I came.” “I heard you just lost your job? It’s okay, the current economic climate is tough, I might be able to help you find work.” His friendly demeanor only made me feel more pathetic. Before I could respond, my mother-in-law impatiently pushed me: “What are you standing there for? Hurry up and thank Liam!” “You’re over thirty, and still getting laid off, you’re embarrassing Olivia!” I was almost knocked over by the push. Yet, my beloved wife and daughter seemed oblivious, their attention entirely on the other man. This was clearly my home, yet I felt like an outsider. In the end, I didn’t say anything and went to my room to wash up. When I came back out, they were already seated at the dining table, eating. No one called me over. There wasn’t even a place set for me at the table. Olivia finally stopped eating and glanced at our daughter: “Ava, go get your dad some dishes.” My daughter rolled her eyes at me, “I’m not going. He doesn’t even have a job to support me, mom, and grandma anymore, why should I?” “Dad, don’t you have hands? Are you planning to be a useless bum forever?” Such sharp and cutting words, coming from my daughter’s mouth. Inside, I felt nothing but bitterness and self-mockery. Olivia glanced disapprovingly at our daughter, softly saying to me: “Ethan, you’ve spoiled this girl too much. Go get some dishes from the kitchen, come sit next to me. We’ll squeeze in…” Before she finished, my mother-in-law suddenly stood up. I thought she was going to help me get dishes, since she used to do that when I was the one earning for the family. But instead, she took the dog’s bowl and shoved it into my hands. “There are no dishes in the kitchen, wash this and use it.” At that moment, I felt deeply mocked. This was the family I had worked hard to support for ten years… “No need, I’m not eating.” I turned to leave, but Liam spoke up in surprise: “Ethan, you’re not angry, are you?” “I just asked around for you, my company is looking for a janitor, five thousand a month.” “It’s not very glamorous, but if you do well, there’s a chance to get promoted to supervisor.” I knew very well that he was trying to show off his capabilities to Olivia by belittling me. Just as I said “no need,” my mother-in-law suddenly stood up and slammed the table! She yelled at me: “Someone’s offering you a job and you’re being picky?” “Are you not going to support your wife and child? Planning to live off my daughter’s money, huh?” At that moment, I couldn’t contain my anger anymore. When we first got married, my mother-in-law had a stroke and was paralyzed, Olivia couldn’t work while taking care of her, so I supported the family. After my mother-in-law recovered, Olivia wanted to start her own studio, and I used my hard-earned savings to invest in her. But she never contributed a penny to household expenses. Now Olivia finally spoke, frowning as she reminded me: “Ethan, you’ve lost your job!” “As the breadwinner of this family, you must take responsibility.” “And by the way, Liam just returned to the country, he’ll be staying in your room for now. He’ll pay rent, which will help ease our financial pressure. You can move into the small storage room.” Her words seemed so reasonable, as if refusing was irresponsible. It finally dawned on me. They were taking advantage of my jobless and penniless situation, forcing me to accept Liam’s presence. In that moment, any last attachment I had to this family vanished. Thinking of the two hundred million about to be in my hands, I no longer held back and said coldly: “No need to worry, I’m moving out!”

“No job, out to beg, huh? What a disgrace!” “Don’t stop him, let him get lost!” My mother-in-law couldn’t help but mock me. Olivia looked at me in disappointment, ignoring me, turning her attention to serving our daughter food. My daughter rolled her eyes again, clinging to Liam’s arm, sweetly saying: “Uncle Liam, give mom some veggies, she loves them.” The harmonious scene only highlighted my role as the out-of-place clown. I decisively went back to my room, packed up, and was about to leave with my suitcase. But suddenly, my mother-in-law came over, roughly snatching my suitcase, looking at me like I was a thief. “You can leave, but let me check if you’ve stolen anything from the house!” She started to open my suitcase. I wanted to part on good terms, but I didn’t expect my mother-in-law to go so far! I grabbed my suitcase back, angrily saying: “You have no right!” Seeing this, my mother-in-law was convinced I was guilty of something, and she started cursing at me. The commotion quickly drew Olivia’s attention. After hearing both sides, Olivia frowned and stared at me for a few seconds. She suddenly dragged me into the room, closed the door. She spoke earnestly to me: “Ethan, stop making a fuss, okay?” “I know you’re upset about losing your job, and I understand you don’t want to be a janitor. I’ll ask Liam to arrange a driver position for you, is that okay?” “Now that you don’t have a job, you should at least show your worth at home, right?” Listening to her self-righteous reasoning, I felt utterly disappointed. “The worth you’re talking about is supporting you and your mom when I can make money?” “And when I can’t, just being a servant at home, watching your first love take my place?” Olivia’s face turned ugly. She snapped back angrily, “Ethan, what nonsense are you talking about?” “Which man doesn’t support his wife and kids in this world? Are you the only one suffering? I’m trying to talk to you nicely, but you’re being ungrateful!” “Don’t forget, you’re the one who’s unemployed now!” I didn’t want to argue anymore, I pushed the door to leave. But my daughter suddenly rushed over, slamming a document against me, shouting: “Loser dad, divorce mom now!” “When you’re not able to earn, you just stay home and let life pass by, watching your first love take charge, right?” Rosalie looked furious. “Stop talking nonsense, Ethan!” she snapped. “Which man doesn’t support his family? You’re the only one complaining! I’m trying to have a civil conversation, and you don’t even appreciate it!” “Remember, you’re the one who’s out of a job!” I had no interest in arguing further and made my way to the door. Suddenly, my daughter rushed over, thrust a document at me, and shouted: “Dad, just divorce Mom!” “I want Uncle Liam to be my dad!” I looked at the document closely—it was a printed divorce agreement. Rosalie had already signed her name in the bottom right corner. My mother-in-law stood by with a pleased expression, saying, “Smart girl! We need to get rid of this freeloader!” Pointing at me, she commanded: “What are you waiting for? Sign it!” “Rosalie didn’t even want to bring up divorce out of pity for you. But now, it’s the right time!” Looking at Rosalie’s cold demeanor, I hesitated no longer. I grabbed a pen, signed my name, and tossed it onto the floor. “Fine, divorce it is! See you at City Hall at 9 AM tomorrow!”

As I left the house, the rain had already stopped. I pulled out a crumpled lottery ticket from my pocket, revealing a winning amount of 200 million dollars. When I was laid off, I told my family, feeling down, and bought a lottery ticket on a whim. I never expected to hit the jackpot. I was filled with excitement, eager to share the news with Rosalie. I even planned to buy a big mansion for the family, expand her studio, buy luxury handbags for my mother-in-law, and a limited edition Barbie doll for my daughter… But all those dreams shattered with the recent events. At the hotel, I intended to book a room temporarily, but was informed: “Sorry, sir, your card has been canceled.” My heart sank. All the money I earned over the years went to the family, and this card was given to me by Rosalie for living expenses. Before leaving home, I thought I could manage without the savings I had accumulated over the years. But I never thought Rosalie would be so heartless. It’s laughable how I used to save every penny for this family, never daring to order takeout over ten dollars! I called my only friend and college buddy, Sienna, for help. As soon as she heard I was broke, she immediately transferred six thousand to me. She even ordered food to be delivered to me. It wasn’t until that evening that I finally had a hot meal. The family I loved deeply and gave everything for couldn’t even compare to an ordinary classmate. It’s so ridiculous. The next day at 9 AM sharp, I arrived at City Hall. I immediately spotted Rosalie and Liam in matching outfits, holding hands and chatting at the entrance. My mother-in-law had even gotten her hair done, looking joyful. Even my daughter, Ava, wore a festive red dress with matching hair clips. “At least you came to your senses, not dragging my daughter and granddaughter into a miserable life with you!” “Rosalie, hurry and get the paperwork done,” my mother-in-law urged. I didn’t waste words and headed straight into the hall. Rosalie looked at me with a complex expression before following inside. In less than half an hour, the divorce certificate was ready. As I was about to leave, Rosalie suddenly called out to me, holding out a card with a face full of pity: “Thank you for leaving Ava’s custody and the house to me.” “There’s twenty thousand in this card. Take care of yourself.” Looking at her fake sympathetic face, I didn’t even want to speak. But I took the card anyway; after all, it was my hard-earned money, and not taking it would be foolish. Then, I went to claim my prize. After taxes, the 200 million was quickly deposited into my account. I immediately arranged to meet Sienna for dinner. She was the one who helped me when I was most desperate. Not just last night, but over the years, whenever my mother-in-law was sick or there were major family expenses, Rosalie would never lower her pride to borrow money. I had to repeatedly ask Sienna for help to get through those tough times. So now that I’ve turned the tables, I must repay her. I arranged to meet her at a mall and headed straight for the luxury stores to pick out a gift for her. Sienna was worried I was acting out of impulse and kept trying to pull me away, saying: “Ethan, it’s too expensive here. Let’s go.” Stubbornly, I continued picking out clothes and bags for her. Just then, Rosalie entered the store with my mother-in-law, daughter, and Liam. Seeing me, Rosalie’s smiling face instantly fell. “Ethan, are you stalking me?”

“Ethan, as a man, can’t you have some dignity? Now you’re pestering?” My mother-in-law couldn’t hold back and pointed at me, yelling. I replied calmly: “You think too highly of yourselves. I’m picking out a gift for my friend, why would I need to stalk you?” Sienna stood awkwardly, holding a bag, unsure of what to say. Liam suddenly burst out laughing: “Picking out a gift? Ethan, it seems you’ve never been to a luxury store. Do you even know how much that bag costs? At least a hundred grand!” “Even I had to think twice before buying this bag, but you?” He shook his head with amusement. Rosalie looked at me with disappointment, saying: “Ethan, all you have is the twenty thousand I gave you.” “Are you really going to throw away your future just for pride?” “If you find yourself with nowhere to turn, begging me won’t help!” I almost laughed out loud. I’m making over ten grand a day just in interest, matching her monthly salary. Why would I need to beg her? “Who said Ethan can’t afford it? It’s just a hundred grand. We’ll buy it!” Sienna mustered the courage to speak up. While talking, she quietly slipped a card into my hand, hinting for me to use it. I knew that was all of Sienna’s savings over the years. At that moment, to support me, she was willing to take it out, filling my heart with warmth. I’ve always known how she felt about me. But back then, I was in love with Rosalie, so I never responded to her feelings. Now, I truly felt like I had been blind all these years. To have fallen for a woman like Rosalie. I gave Sienna a gentle smile, “It’s okay, I have money.” Saying that, I handed the card to the clerk. “Charge it.” As the clerk processed the card, my mother-in-law burst out laughing, amused by the situation. Rosalie frowned, looking at me with disappointment. Liam, holding my daughter, leisurely observed me, as if watching a clown. Soon, the card machine beeped: “Transaction successful!” In an instant, everyone’s eyes were on me. Especially Rosalie, whose eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at me. “Ethan, where did you get the money?” Liam raised an eyebrow, understandingly saying, “Oh, I get it. Ethan, you’re taking out a high-interest loan to impress a girl?” “You’re quite the character!” He sneered, smirking. I couldn’t be bothered to explain to them and was about to leave when a store clerk suddenly pointed at me, exclaiming: “Ah! I remember now, this gentleman is the one who won the 200 million jackpot yesterday!” “Two hundred million?!” The store erupted, and everyone started talking about me. My mother-in-law was stunned for a moment, then scoffed, “Him? Impossible, a loser like Ethan doesn’t have that kind of luck…” Before she could finish, Rosalie, staring at her phone, interrupted with a pale face: “No, mom, something’s not right!” “The news says the 200 million winner really is…” “Ethan?!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295635”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

When I abandoned my strategy and disclosed the existence of the system, my ex-girlfriend—whom I couldn’t let go of—surprisingly agreed to marry me and promised to give me a child. I thought my sincerity had moved her, so I enthusiastically prepared for the wedding. But instead, she lured me onto an operating table. “You are a strategist capable of indefinite revival, but he is in the final stages of heart failure and is dying.” “Don’t worry, once his surgery is successful and he’s recovered, I’ll fully return to the family and help you complete your mission.” What she didn’t realize was that the moment she took my heart, my strategy had already failed, and my memory was wiped clean. A month later, when she smiled and called me “husband,” asking if I had thought of a name for the baby, I was bewildered. “We don’t even know each other, where is this child coming from?” “Nora, this isn’t the road to the wedding venue, is it?” I sat in the passenger seat, observing the unfamiliar scenery outside, calmly speaking. My wife, Nora Johnson, visibly flinched and then held my hand tightly, smiling as she explained: “Declan, are you getting cold feet about the wedding?” “We’ve planned this wedding for so long. Where else would we be going?” Listening to Nora’s explanation, I remained silent, not responding. Even though she hid it well, she overlooked one detail. Since I arrived in this world to complete my mission, we have been together for a full seven years. I know her too well. Whenever she lies, she instinctively bites her lip. And the moment I asked, she immediately locked the car doors. It felt like she was afraid I might jump out of the car and escape. Thinking about this, I wasn’t surprised, but rather felt a sense of relief. I silently took out a cigarette from my pocket. With a click, the lighter sparked a flame. I took a deep drag, the nicotine filling my lungs with a bitterness that made me especially clear-headed. “Nora, I’ve been by your side for seven years; there’s no need to deceive me.” I exhaled a puff of smoke, my tone calm but tinged with self-mockery. “It’s unnecessary and pointless.” “You’re actually taking me to the hospital to help Theo Brooks with a heart transplant, aren’t you?” Hearing Theo Brooks’ name, Nora suddenly slammed on the brakes, nearly causing a rear-end collision. But I wasn’t surprised by Nora’s reaction. After all, he was once her first love, just a step away from walking down the aisle with her. After a while, her face regained composure, and she forced a smile that was more of a grimace. “Declan, my relationship with Theo Brooks is long over.” “Now I just want to be with you, Declan, believe me.” Unfortunately, even though her words sounded nice, her eyes flickered incessantly, never daring to meet mine. I took a deep breath and interrupted: “On such an important day, why aren’t you wearing a wedding dress and insisted on driving yourself?” “We clearly hired a driver and a fleet, didn’t we?” Upon hearing this, the car interior fell silent, leaving only the crackling sound of burning tobacco. After a while, she lowered her head and admitted: “You are a traveler; you can revive until the strategy task is completed. But he is in end-stage heart failure and can’t hold on without surgery.” “He is so kind and so young; he shouldn’t end his life so hastily.” Her voice carried a hint of a sob, as if pleading or explaining. I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh: “So, this is why you tricked me into marriage, so you could take my heart for his surgery?” “Do you know this is illegal…” Before I could finish, Nora kissed me to silence me, her tears falling onto my face. The sweet kisses of the past now tasted only bitter. “Don’t say anymore… I really can’t watch him die.” “Since we’ve already gotten the marriage certificate, help me one last time, okay?” “Once his surgery is successful and he recovers, I’ll fully return to the family and help you complete your strategy task.” She clutched my hand, seemingly using all her strength to say these words. I looked at her almost pleading request and couldn’t help but smile bitterly. I’ve strategized with Nora for seven years and have never seen her bow to anyone. Whether facing threats from superiors or false accusations from peers, she always maintained her pride and principles. But now, as long as Theo Brooks could survive, she didn’t care about anything else. Sure enough. Before I could refuse, I felt dizzy and my body gradually lost strength. But Nora seemed to have anticipated this, calmly saying: “Declan, don’t struggle. I added a handful of sleeping pills to breakfast today.” “To save him, I have no choice.” With that, Nora stepped on the gas pedal to the floor, heading in the opposite direction of the wedding. … When I woke up again, the car was parked outside an abandoned private hospital. After all, a living heart transplant doesn’t comply with medical regulations. Soon, a group of people dressed in surgical gowns and masks had me fully restrained. “Miss Johnson, you’ve finally brought the heart source. If you delay any longer, Mr. Brooks won’t make it.” Upon hearing this, Nora’s face turned white, and she rushed towards Theo Brooks’ hospital room, leaving me, the mobile heart, behind. Soon, Nora saw Theo Brooks lying on the hospital bed, pale and barely breathing. “Theo!” “How did you end up like this?” She exclaimed, rushing forward to hold his hand, her heart seemingly shattering. “It’s okay now, everything’s okay now. Soon you’ll have a new heart.” Her voice trembled, carrying a sob. Theo Brooks weakly smiled, gripping her hand in return, his eyes full of relief at being saved. “I knew you’d come, Nora.” And I, bound to the side, watched this touching scene unfold and couldn’t help but smile self-deprecatingly. In her eyes, Theo Brooks was her everything, so what was I? A partner to make ends meet? Or a mobile blood pack to save a life? But this question may never have an answer. From afar, Nora noticed my gaze. She suddenly turned to look at me, slowly approaching as if wanting to embrace me. But I moved aside, avoiding her touch, my expression cold. “Go on, aren’t you going to save your precious Theo? Hurry up.” Nora froze, then spoke with a trembling voice: “Declan, I’m sorry.” “But rest assured, once Theo’s surgery is successful, I’ll immediately return to the family and help you complete the strategy task.” I said nothing to her promise. Because she didn’t know, when my life became a tool to save Theo Brooks, my strategy had already utterly failed. The next moment, as the anesthetic began to take effect, my consciousness gradually blurred. Just when I thought the system would erase me for failing the strategy, it suddenly spoke: “Host strategy task failed! Erasing… host’s entire memory of Nora Johnson.”

Hearing the system’s punishment, I was stunned. I didn’t expect the system to only plan on erasing my memories of Nora Johnson. And not my life. This wasn’t so much a punishment; for me now, it was more like a release. The next moment, the system pulled my soul from my body, and the past seven years with Nora Johnson unfolded before my eyes like scenes from a movie. Seven years ago, I had just arrived in this world. With language barriers and struggles everywhere, I began to decay, buying drinks at night and nearly freezing to death in the icy wilderness. It was Nora Johnson who saved me, taking me back to her rented apartment. Even though I hadn’t showered for a month, reeking of a sour stench, Nora was unfazed. She even brought over two cases of beer, drinking with me until we passed out. That night, she shared a lot. She said she once wanted to die too. But thinking of a promise with someone, she gritted her teeth and held on. That night, she laughed so openly and purely. Like a beam of light, illuminating my shattered heart. From that day on, I put away all my thoughts, deciding to live for Nora Johnson. From now on, her wish was my wish. Her dream was my dream. Perhaps because of similar experiences, we quickly got together. Back then, we were still poor, and suppliers were delaying payments, leaving the company with no funds. At the end of the year, our feast was merely an upgrade from packet noodles to cup noodles. Even so, we still found joy in it. Nora Johnson and I squatted in the rented apartment, eating cup noodles. I boasted about my talents and abilities, saying once the company went public, I’d throw the grandest, most enviable wedding for her. That day, she laughed so happily. Like a crescent moon, lighting up my world. I thought we’d keep going like this. But then Theo Brooks returned to the country, shattering my illusions. As the year came to a close, our feast was simply upgrading from bagged instant noodles to cup noodles. Yet, we were content with this. Nora and I sat in our little rented apartment, eating instant noodles. I ambitiously talked up my talents and abilities, telling her that when the company went public, we’d have the grandest wedding ever, one that would make everyone green with envy. That day, she laughed joyfully. Her smile was like a sliver of moonlight that brightened my whole world. I believed we would continue on like this forever. But everything fell apart the day Declan Carter returned to the country. She, who placed her career above all else, unceremoniously ditched a supplier worth thirty million and drove straight to the airport without a second thought. She returned to the office a week later, acting as if nothing had happened. But after that, her interactions with Declan Carter became more frequent. At first, I wasn’t worried. I thought that our years together wouldn’t be easily shaken by a long-lost first love. But seeing her start to giggle at her phone left me panicking. That was the unmistakable sign of being in love, something I knew all too well. Later, I discovered that the “promise” she’d held onto all this time was with Declan Carter. They had agreed that no matter what happened, she’d wait for him to return and marry her. And she had waited, up until now. But thankfully, it’s all finally coming to an end. I released her, and in doing so, I freed myself. Just as my soul was about to press the button to erase these memories, the tightly shut doors of the operating room suddenly burst open. In came Nora, leaving me stunned. What was she doing here? She rushed in to interrupt the surgery, and the doctor quickly blocked her. “Miss , the surgery is in progress, please leave!” But she ignored him, her eyes anxiously fixed on my body, already opened up on the operating table. Seeing this, a flicker of hope sparked within my soul. Could it be… Did she regret it? Does Nora still care about me? But the next moment, she grabbed the doctor’s arm and urgently said: “Doctor, can you take his liver and kidneys too, to give to Declan?” 3. She confirmed that I was unconscious, sighed in relief, and continued: “Declan just told me his liver and kidneys have been damaged by years of medication. A new transplant would help him recover faster.” Listening to Nora’s casual words about taking my organs, it felt like my heart was being crushed in a juicer. Is this what she meant by loving me? She even planned for Declan’s post-surgery recovery, not wanting him to endure any discomfort. And what about me? The wedding and kids could wait and be sacrificed! A bitter smile spread from the corner of my mouth. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and silently selected the option to erase my memories. Keeping such feelings would only bring more pain. I’d rather remember nothing. From now on, I’ll live for myself! … I don’t know how much time passed. The strong smell of disinfectant forced my eyes open. A young nurse came over and adjusted my IV bottle. “You’re awake? How are you feeling?” “Alright, where am I?” The nurse frowned. “You’re in a hospital. You’ve been in a coma for a week.” A week? I tried to recall, but my memory was blank. Seeing my confusion, the nurse sighed, looking unsurprised: “All the other patients have family taking care of them, but you’ve had no one visiting for a week. Your bedside was as quiet as a morgue.” “Now that you’re awake, contact someone you know and get ready to pay the bills later.” I opened my phone, ready to contact my parents. A series of unread messages popped up, all from a man named “Declan Carter.” “Luke, the surgery was a success! Thanks to your organs, I survived! Love you, muah!” Attached was a photo of Nora nestled in his arms. “Nora made me soup today, so happy! Luke, take care of yourself too!” In the picture, Nora was feeding him steaming chicken soup. “Nora said she wants to take me out in the sun today, I’m so excited! Luke, when will you be discharged? Let’s go together!” Day after day, Declan Carter sent messages flaunting his relationship with Nora, his words filled with pride and provocation. I just frowned. Who’s this idiot? Why is he tagging me all the time? The woman in the photo looks nice, but is that worth boasting about? Nutcase! I muttered and blocked him without hesitation. But shortly after, the door to my hospital room swung open. It was Declan Carter and Nora. Declan rushed over, hugging me excitedly. “Luke, you’re finally awake! So you were in the room diagonally across? Why didn’t you say something earlier? I would’ve been here right away!” “After all, if not for you, I would’ve been dead!” His tone was exaggerated, his expression overly dramatic, calling me his lifesaver, though his eyes were full of disdain. I was speechless. Can’t this guy talk properly? Why act like a show-off? He’s been tagging and mocking me, and now he’s pretending to be a good guy? I coldly pushed him away. “Get lost, do I know you? You’re disgusting.” Declan was momentarily stunned, then a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes as he collapsed theatrically to the floor. “Oh no! Luke, I knew you’d be angry with me!” “Maybe I should just die!” He clutched his chest, acting as if he couldn’t breathe. Nora quickly supported him, comforting him: “Declan, don’t get worked up, the doctor said you’re still weak after surgery.” Then she turned to me, holding my hand, and earnestly advised: “Luke, I know you’re upset, but that’s all in the past.” “You’re fine now, isn’t that enough?” “Why push Declan? He’s just had surgery and is still weak.” I looked at this beautiful stranger in front of me, not feeling the slightest bit moved, only a vague sense of disgust. Who is this woman, doesn’t she get it? He fell on his own, how can she blame me? And how is he weak? He’s been up late every night tagging and provoking me. He seems perfectly fine! Before I could think further, Nora sighed and, holding my arm, earnestly said: “Alright, dear, no matter what, it’s all in the past.” “I know you probably won’t forgive me easily.” “So…” She paused, seemingly realizing something, and gently explained: “I came today to tell you a surprise.” With that, Nora took out a test report from her bag and looked at me lovingly. “Dear, I found out I’m pregnant. Weren’t you always asking for a child?” “You finally got your wish!” “Have you thought about a name?” “Right, before it shows, let’s quickly reschedule the wedding. It’ll be even more luxurious than what you planned.” “From now on, the three of us will live happily together, okay?” She placed one hand on her belly and held my hand with the other. Her gaze was tender, as if she was deeply in love with me. But I shook off her hand, looking at her with disdain. “A child?” “We don’t even know each other, where’s this child from?” “Is finding a sucker to take over the new trend now?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295651”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #励志Inspiring