Category: English

1 During the latter half of the Levitan Group’s online auction, my phone buzzed repeatedly with notifications from my smart vacuum. Gizmo is stuck. Please assist. My brow furrowed. My husband, Samm, was an extreme germaphobe with severe obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Everything from the alignment of the coasters to the exact angle of the bedsheets had to be precisely positioned. Even our intimate moments required a rigorous sanitization process beforehand. Every cleaning path of our robot vacuum, Gizmo, had been meticulously programmed by Samm himself. It was practically impossible for the machine to get stuck. I opened the vacuum’s camera feed while texting my husband back home. “Gizmo is sending distress signals. Check on him when you get back from work.” A few minutes later, his reply came through: “K.” Just as I was about to message the building manager, a pair of pale, bare feet appeared on the camera feed. In the next second, a familiar, soft giggle echoed through the speaker. “Let’s do it right here.” A pair of women’s slippers was carelessly kicked aside. I closed the feed, immediately backed up the video, and forwarded it to my assistant, Paige. “Compile a complete inventory of all marital assets. Book me a flight. I’m heading back to New York immediately.” … I strode out of the conference room. Paige hurried to catch up, flipping open her folder. “Ms. Ashford, I identified the woman in the video.” She handed me a photograph and briefed me as we walked. “Her name is Fiona. She’s an intern who joined through the youth recruitment program you established. She only has an associate degree and was assigned to clean and organize the executive suite.” I glanced at her resume. “She was given a rare opportunity in the executive offices, yet she chose to throw it away. Add her to the layoff list.” I handed the folder back, took a couple of steps, and paused. I tapped my finger on Fiona’s name. “Pull all her expense reports, corporate card transactions, and keycard access logs. Every single one.” “Understood, Ms. Ashford.” We waited in the elevator lobby for three minutes. With a soft chime, the elevator doors slid open. Before we could step in, the regional manager blocked the way, holding a massive bouquet of roses in one hand and a tablet in the other. “Congratulations on winning the bid, Ms. Ashford! Mr. Levitan rented out an entire restaurant floor. Tonight is a celebration for our overseas team!” The tablet screen lit up, showing a video call from Samm. “You’ve worked hard these past two months. I’ll make it up to you when you return.” His voice was deep and steady as he sat upright in his office chair. I didn’t say anything, gently pushing the roses aside. “What’s wrong? You look pale,” Samm’s face filled the screen, his expression intense and focused. I swallowed the bitter lump in my throat and forced a neutral expression. “Nothing. I’m allergic to roses.” The screen went quiet for a second before he let out a soft laugh. “I thought you liked them. I’ll remember that next time.” Next time? My chest tightened with a sharp, familiar pain. The first time he had ever sent me roses, my face swelled so badly I had to stay indoors for three days. Back then, Samm had been so guilt-ridden that he had the entire rose garden at our estate paved over overnight. But now, his memory only held the preferences of his intern. Samm glanced at his watch. “I only have a minute. I have an international board meeting.” I froze, my eyes landing on the vibrant checkered tie around his neck. It was loud, flashy, and completely unlike anything in his closet. “Samm, do you know what day it is?” He paused, rubbing his temple. “Right. I almost forgot. It’s your birthday.” He glanced up, scanning the flight information projected on his screen. “I’m sorry. The last flight out tonight has already departed. Let’s celebrate tomorrow instead.” Before I could speak, a pale, slender hand entered the frame. “Samm, can you zip me up?” The call was abruptly disconnected. The black screen of the tablet reflected my pale, hollow face. The manager beside me held his breath, while Paige asked softly, “Ms. Ashford, should I cancel your ticket?” “No. We fly tonight.” Three hours later, my flight landed. The arrivals gate was packed with people, each holding a bunch of red roses. The scent was suffocating. I pulled my coat collar up and hurried through the crowd, covering my nose. “Happy birthday, Fiona!” A familiar masculine voice cut through the noise, freezing me in my tracks. Looking up, I saw twenty-four rose-shaped fireworks bursting across the night sky, marking Fiona’s twenty-fourth birthday. In the center of the crowd, a girl in a white dress and a ponytail threw herself into Samm’s arms. He caught her, spinning her around. When they stopped, his usually cold, distant eyes held a tenderness I hadn’t seen in five years. “You are the best gift the universe has ever given me, Fiona.” A bystander whispered in envy, “Must be nice. She casually mentioned wanting to see the ocean, and her billionaire boyfriend flew her out overnight.” Another joined in. “When you have that kind of money, you can celebrate anywhere.” I stood in the crowd, pulling a pack of allergy medication from my purse and swallowing the pills dry. The bitterness lingered on my tongue. Taking my phone out, I dialed Samm’s number. A few yards away, the man pulled out his phone and switched it off. I gripped the phone so tightly my fingers throbbed with a sharp ache. As I suddenly loosened my grip, my diamond wedding ring slipped from my ring finger, rolling into the bustling crowd and vanishing from sight. For five years, I had memorized every single one of Samm’s triggers. Every time we shared a bed, I scrubbed myself raw, terrified of causing him even the slightest discomfort. Thinking back to the footage of Samm and Fiona, a wave of nausea washed over me. I dialed my mother-in-law’s number. “Eleanor, Samm is having an affair.” There was a long pause on the other end, followed by a soft, resigned sigh. “Victoria, you know how Samm is with his condition. It was a miracle he found a woman he could tolerate. Try to be understanding.” She already knew. Sensing my silence, she tried to soothe me. “Victoria, I promise you, the Levitan family only recognizes you as our daughter-in-law. Once you give us an heir, I will transfer the majority of my Levitan shares to you. With nearly forty percent of the company’s stock, you can live comfortably without worrying about Samm’s little distractions.” Her voice was dripping with sweet persuasion, offering a tempting fortune. But what she didn’t know was that on the day our families merged our business interests, my parents had already transferred all their Levitan shares to me. The last shred of warmth I felt for this family evaporated under her empty promises. Paige sent me a link to an online profile. “Ms. Ashford, this is Fiona’s private account.” I tapped the link. The pinned post was a grid of photos. Eight showed sweeping views of the city skyline, while the center photo was a selfie. The angle of the shot could only have been taken from Samm’s and my private penthouse suite. The pink diamond necklace my parents had gifted me for our wedding was draped around her neck. The caption read: The view from our private suite. It feels so good to have someone who remembers every little thing I like. I scrolled down. During a charity golf tournament last year, I had sprained my ankle. Samm had only helped me up before breaking into a cold sweat, visibly shaken by his severe germaphobia. Yet, on Fiona’s profile, the man who couldn’t bear human touch was kneeling on the floor, gently massaging her ankle. The caption: A little slip, and the big boss gets so worried. Although only his profile was visible, I had gazed at the small mole on his jawline too many times to mistake it for anyone else. I systematically compiled every image and forwarded them to my lawyer. It was only when my hands gripped the steering wheel that I realized I was shaking. I drove straight to the Levitan Hotel. Throwing the keys to the valet, I took the private elevator to the penthouse. When the doors opened, the place was a disaster. My custom-tailored gowns in the walk-in closet were covered in neon yellow stickers reading Trash and tacky. The silk nightgown from my wedding night lay crumpled on the floor, slapped with a label that read Desperate and cheap. Even the organic herbal remedies and therapeutic salves I had painstakingly prepared for Samm’s skin condition had been dumped into the trash can. I clenched my teeth, stepping back out of the closet. Taking deep breaths, I used my phone to document every piece of damage. I also took a photo of a white pill lying under the coffee table, texting Paige to have it collected and analyzed. Years of corporate experience had drilled one rule into my mind: always leave a paper trail. The next morning, Paige knocked on my door with a cup of coffee. “Ms. Ashford, I tried to pull the security footage, but the hotel staff said the penthouse cameras require authorization from either Mr. Levitan or Fiona. They refused to hand it over.” I let out a cold laugh. The Levitans might own the hotel chain, but the Ashfords were a legacy family of architects and builders with just as much leverage. Our marriage had been a merger of equals, though my feelings for Samm had been genuine. Knowing how protective he was of his personal space, I had managed the hotel’s interior operations without ever stepping on his private authority. Now, that respect was being used against me. I looked up and handed her a stack of financial reports. “Request the footage as a major shareholder of Levitan Enterprises. My personal property was damaged and stolen. Pulling those tapes is entirely within my legal rights. Also, publish the layoff notice we drafted yesterday immediately.” By afternoon, I was holding a team meeting in the hotel’s conference room when Fiona, dressed in a light summer outfit with a beach bag slung over her shoulder, burst in. “On what grounds are you firing me?!” she demanded, her eyes welling with tears as she looked around at the watching staff. “I was just doing my job for Mr. Levitan, and you’re throwing me out! I don’t have a wealthy family or a big background. I’m just trying to make a living! Just because you were born with a silver spoon, Ms. Ashford, doesn’t mean you have to ruin my life!” Faced with her performance, I slammed the folder containing the evidence onto the table. “Doing your job? You used Samm’s authority to embezzle high-end hotel vouchers and resell them for personal profit. The paper trail is right here. Do you want to review it?” Instead of backing down, Fiona let out a bitter laugh. “Ms. Ashford, I really don’t understand what you’re so afraid of.” She spread her hands, raising her voice so everyone could hear. “I’m just a cleaner. How could I possibly have the power to do all that? If my presence bothers you so much, I’ll leave! But the rest of you better watch your backs. Our dear Ms. Ashford doesn’t tolerate anyone she doesn’t like!” Giving me a venomous look, she leaned in and whispered, “If you push me, you’ll be the one who ends up humiliated. Just watch.” With that, she ran out of the room, crying hysterically. A few employees looked as though they wanted to speak up for her, but none dared to. Not even five minutes passed before Samm’s name flashed on my screen. I ignored it. Seconds later, whispers of “Mr. Levitan” echoed outside the room. Samm strode in, wearing his signature white gloves to avoid direct contact with the door, keeping a careful distance from me. “Did you issue Fiona’s termination?” “Yes.” “Victoria, you’re letting your personal feelings interfere with business again.” Looking at his cold, dismissive eyes, my remaining respect for him crumbled further. “Have you been up to the penthouse lately?” Samm frowned, adjusting his cuffs. “What does that have to do with Fiona’s termination?” I held up a flash drive. “She vandalized and stole my personal property, and she embezzled hotel assets. It’s all on this drive.” Samm interrupted me impatiently. “I authorized her access to the penthouse. She’s just a young girl who got curious. There’s no need to make a mountain out of a molehill.” “A molehill?” I let out a sharp laugh and tossed the flash drive at him. “Take a look for yourself and tell me if it doesn’t meet the threshold for grand larceny.” Samm’s face darkened. He pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the spot on his suit where the drive had hit him. “Whatever is damaged, I’ll pay for it. I’ll have her apologize to you. But you will withdraw the termination. Fiona did nothing wrong, and she shouldn’t have to endure this kind of humiliation.” I stared at the white gloves he wore. I was the one who had them custom-made by hand from Europe every month, keeping spares in our home, his car, and his office. Yet, he had never once tried to see things from my perspective. He only stood on his moral high ground, correcting me. My voice turned entirely cold. “The notice stands. Samm, I want a divorce.” Samm fell silent for a moment, then scoffed. “So that’s what this is about. You’re upset because I can touch Fiona without any issues, aren’t you?” He tossed his handkerchief into the trash can, a lie slipping easily from his lips. “Victoria, my relationship with Fiona is purely professional. I am simply looking out for an employee.” I lost every ounce of my patience. Stepping closer, I held up my phone. “Looking out for her? Samm, is this how you look out for your employees?!” As I drew near, Samm instinctively slapped my hand away. A sharp, burning pain flared across my skin. “I’m sorry,” Samm muttered, his brow furrowing as he stared at the red mark on my hand, hesitating to reach out. “You got too close.” I put my hand behind my back. “Leave.” The remaining staff members exchanged uneasy glances, keeping silent for the rest of the meeting. By evening, a heavily edited video of Fiona’s confrontation in the lobby was circulating online. It showed only her weeping about being bullied, while I sat there looking cold and unbothered. Public opinion flared up instantly. People began twisting the operational guidelines and standard auditing policies I had established, claiming I was exploiting lower-income workers. Within hours, I was painted as a bitter, insecure heiress abusing her power. I stared at the toxic comments flooding my screen. “Find out who leaked the video and who is driving this narrative,” I told Paige. I had seen this kind of online smear campaign since I was a child. Later that night, Fiona’s account updated. She posted a photo of two hands clasped together, showing off matching diamond bands. Samm’s back was turned to the camera. The caption read: He said once I wear this ring, I’m his forever. Someone commented: Why is his face always hidden? Is he married? Fiona replied immediately: What do you know? He’s a prominent businessman. He has to maintain his privacy. I scoffed and typed a reply: I know quite a few prominent businessmen, but I don’t seem to recognize this one. A few seconds after posting, a text from an unknown number popped up. It was Fiona: Delete that comment right now, or I’ll make sure you regret it! I didn’t bother replying. By nightfall, my comment had climbed to the top of the thread. Thousands of users began questioning Fiona’s role in Samm’s life, calling her out as a homewrecker. Panicking, she made a grand announcement: her boyfriend would be proposing to her at a luxury hotel the following day, and the entire event would be livestreamed. I opened the livestream link and watched the waiting viewer count climb past one hundred thousand. The next morning, I met with my lawyer to finalize the divorce agreement, ensuring every asset division was precise and documented. On my way back to the hotel, Paige called. “Ms. Ashford, we traced the source of the leaked video. It was Fiona herself. Should we file a defamation lawsuit?” “No. Keep the evidence. We’ll settle everything at once.” The moment I stepped into the hotel lobby, a group of beauty influencers holding phones blocked my path. The woman at the front raised her voice. “Are you Victoria Ashford? What kind of fake vouchers are you selling? The hotel refuses to let us check in!” She reached out to shove me, but I caught her wrist firmly, stopping her in her tracks. “First, did you verify the identity of the person who sold you those vouchers? As a major shareholder and design consultant, I have no reason to sell fraudulent vouchers. Second, all legitimate hotel vouchers are registered with the buyer’s name. Yours have no registration numbers, meaning they are counterfeit.” A few people in the crowd began to hesitate. “She has a point. And her voice doesn’t sound like the person we spoke to online.” The leader wasn’t convinced, thrusting her phone near my face. “You’re just making excuses! The girl who sold them to us said her name was Victoria Ashford! I don’t care, you’re the one pocketing our money!” I smiled calmly. “If I were the seller, there would be transaction records. You are welcome to check. However, if you can provide the contact information and payment details of the person who sold them to you, I will personally arrange for you to stay in an executive suite for free today.” The group wavered, whispering among themselves as they sat down in the lobby to look up their purchase history. Right then, the lobby manager entered, accompanied by several police officers. The lead officer stepped forward, showing his badge. “Are you Victoria Ashford?” I nodded calmly. “We received your report regarding stolen property. Please accompany us to the scene to identify the items.” I glanced at the influencers, my lips curving slightly. “Of course. Everyone, please follow me.” At the end of the top-floor hallway, the penthouse door was slightly ajar. Romantic music drifted out into the corridor. Inside, Samm was down on one knee. Fiona, wearing my pink diamond wedding necklace, was crying tears of joy. A phone was set up nearby, broadcasting the scene live, carefully framing only the side of Samm’s face. Just as Fiona was about to say yes, I pushed the door wide open. In the dead silence that followed, only the rapid clicking of camera shutters filled the room. I covered my mouth in mock surprise, looking at them. “Samm, why are you proposing to our cleaning lady in our hotel?”

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1 Five years after I cut ties with my mother, the Chief of Homicide, I live-streamed a murder on the dark web. The very woman who once swore she wouldn’t care if I died in a ditch had personally extradited me, locking the heavy steel cuffs around my wrists. In the interrogation room, my mother looked as if she had aged a lifetime overnight. Her hair was shot with gray, and her hands shook so violently she could barely point her finger at me. “Zachary, how did you turn into this?” she whispered, her voice cracking. “A total disregard for human life, three cold-blooded murders, and a live broadcast to mock the law. I wish I had never brought you into this world.” Watching her chest heave with righteous anger, I curled my lips into a mocking smile. “You never liked me much when I was obedient anyway,” I said, leaning back. “Your heart has always belonged to your precious adopted son, hasn’t it?” I pulled a blood-stained commendation medal from my pocket and tossed it onto the metal table between us. “You always said he was better than me, that he was the one destined to inherit your legacy. So how come he couldn’t even beat a failure like me?” My mother’s pupils dilated. She lunged across the table, grabbing me by the collar. “What did you do to Dominic?!” I didn’t answer. I just stared into her eyes and smiled. Just as the air was leaving my lungs, she abruptly let go of me, stumbling backward. With trembling fingers, she pulled out her phone. “No, it’s not possible, it can’t be,” she mumbled to herself, desperately dialing Dominic’s number. The words My Baby Boy flashed on the screen in bold letters. But there was no answer. And there I sat, her biological son, right in front of her, lacking even the right to be in her contacts list. After her fifth call went straight to voicemail, she snapped. “It was you!” she screamed. “Dominic told me he won a vacation voucher. You lured him out of the country!” If the deputy hadn’t held her back, she would have torn me apart with her bare hands. “Dominic just graduated from college, Zachary! How could you do this to him?” At the thought of the other three young victims who had died on my live stream, my mother looked as if she might faint. The deputy grabbed his radio, his voice urgent. “We have a fourth victim. All units, initiate an immediate search for Dominic’s location!” My mother carefully picked up the blood-stained medal from the floor, clutching it to her chest as if it were a holy relic. When I was a child, she wouldn’t even let me look at her medals; yet she had let Dominic wear this one as a lucky charm every single day. “Zachary, where did you hide him?” I shrugged. “Find him yourself. You never believed a word I said when we lived together, so why start believing me now?” My mother clutched her chest, her face pale with fury. The look she gave me was filled with pure hatred. “When I adopted Dominic, I only wanted to give you some company,” she hissed. “I never blamed you for being less capable than him, but your mind was always twisted. When he got top marks, you chose to cheat on your exams instead of studying harder.” She took a ragged breath. “When you wanted to drop out, I found you a decent job at the factory, but you couldn’t even keep your head down. You ran around with thugs. Dominic went to convince you to return to school, and you hired people to beat him up!” Her eyes were bloodshot, her knuckles white. “Dominic was the one who cried and begged me not to lock you up. He didn’t want you to have a criminal record. I gave you money for a prep school, and you took it and ran off to some lawless border town to make quick cash.” She slammed her palm onto the table. “I have spent thirty years in force, putting monsters behind bars, and I end up raising a murderer for a son!” The deputy and the recording officer stared at me with undisguised disgust. Ever since Dominic had entered our home, everyone had looked at me with those exact same eyes. I was used to it. I let out a cold snort, closed my eyes, and met her anger with absolute silence. My silence only enraged her further. She pulled a small, tarnished gold locket from her pocket and threw it at me. “When your father was alive, we had nothing. He worked extra shifts assembling cheap holiday lights until he nearly went blind just to buy you this locket. He said you deserved to have what other kids had. After he died in that crash, this was the only thing you had left of him, and you pawned it for a pack of cigarettes!” Her voice trembled with disgust. “It was Dominic who used his own allowance and scholarship money to buy it back for you! And just because I wouldn’t let him hand it back to you until you sorted your life out, you went around telling everyone Dominic was my secret bastard!” At the mention of my father, my breathing caught. I stared fixedly at the little gold locket resting on the metal table. Seeing that her words had finally pierced my armor, my mother softened her tone. Her hands, which used to swing me high into the air when I was a little boy, now pressed flat against the cold table. “Zachary, tell me where Dominic is,” she pleaded. “You’re still young. If you cooperate, we can still ask for a lighter sentence.” I let out a loud, mocking laugh. “Are you kidding me, Mom? I’ve killed people. What kind of lighter sentence are you talking about?” I leaned forward, my voice dropping to a whisper. “You just want to wrap this up quickly so you can send me to the gallows and get back to your precious adopted son.” “You!” My mother choked on her words, her face turning crimson. The deputy quickly stepped in, handing her a bottle of blood pressure medication. When he turned back to me, his eyes were filled with disgust. “Zachary, you’ve gone too far,” the deputy said, his voice cold. “I’ve been to your mother’s house. The walls are still covered in your elementary school certificates. They’re yellowed with age, but she never had the heart to tear them down.” He took a step closer. “Dominic lived in a small, curtained-off corner of the living room for years, while your bedroom was kept exactly as you left it. Your mother dusted it every single day, keeping it spotless. Whenever colleagues praised Dominic, she always made sure to clarify he was her adopted son, never once speaking ill of you. She didn’t even change his last name to hers. Her love was silent, and you warped it into this?” My mother wept quietly into her hands. “Zachary, do you know why Dominic worked so hard to get into the police academy?” she sobbed, throwing the medal onto the table. “He felt guilty. He thought his presence in our home divided my love and brought you unnecessary pressure. He gave up his own dreams to inherit my badge so you could live your life without any burden.” She covered her face, crying like a lost child. “He was disqualified during the background check because of his biological mother’s record, and he wept for days. You had the chance, and you threw it away. I failed as a parent. Why did I ever adopt him? If I hadn’t, none of this would have happened.” This was the first time I had ever seen my mother cry. To me, she had always been an invincible shield, a guardian of justice. I stared at the medal on the table, a bitter smile playing on my lips. She claimed to love me, yet she had forgotten that my dream, my very first dream, had also been to wear that uniform. She had forgotten how she used to ruffle my hair, teaching me self-defense moves, playing cops and robbers with me in our tiny backyard. The person who had systematically destroyed that dream, ensuring I could never wear the badge, was the very boy she was mourning. “Zachary, if you still consider me your mother, tell me where he is,” she pleaded, looking up. “Is he alive?” I stared at my silver handcuffs. Once, I had worn a silver bracelet she had made for me. It had been lost so long ago I couldn’t even remember what it looked like. Just like I couldn’t remember what it felt like to be loved. “Susan, if you still consider me your son, go to my father’s grave,” I said quietly. “The clue you want is there.” The moment the words left my mouth, my mother bolted out of the room. The station mobilized every available officer, rushing to seal off the local cemetery. But there was no sign of Dominic there. Inside the columbarium, right beside my father’s urn, they found only a small, dusty digital voice recorder. My mother returned to the interrogation room, her face pale, holding the recorder in her hand. “This is your clue?” she asked, her voice tight. “This device has been sitting in that grave for five years. What does this have to do with Dominic?” The technician spent a grueling hour restoring the corrupted audio files from the dusty recorder. The file was two hours long. When the audio began to play, a heavy, suffocating silence fell over the room. The sound of a teenager crying and begging for mercy echoed through the speakers, desperate and raw. My mother slammed her fist against the wall. “Zachary! You recorded yourself bullying Dominic five years ago? Were you trying to drive him to suicide?!” I laughed so hard tears began to stream down my face. “Susan, everyone says you’re a brilliant detective, that you love me so much. Have you managed to brainwash yourself too? If you actually cared about me, how can you not even recognize my voice?” I stood up, the chains of my handcuffs rattling against the metal table. “That’s me, Susan! That was me being tormented, begging for mercy, and being ignored! It was me! It was me!” My mother’s eyes widened in horror. The audio continued to play. Then, Dominic’s voice came through the speaker, light and dripping with malice. “Scream, Zach. Scream louder. Let your dead dad hear how his precious little boy is being broken, haha.” My voice on the tape was raw from screaming. “You’ll pay for this, Dominic! My mother is going to lock you up!” A sharp, violent slap echoed through the recording. “Your mother?” Dominic sneered. “Are you still living in a fairy tale, Zach? It’s survival of the fittest. You think she’s going to choose you? A failure who cheated on his exams and can’t even get into a community college, or a straight-A student on a scholarship? Who do you think Susan will believe?” Even though I had known the answer back then, my younger self on the tape kept screaming, stubborn and desperate. “My mother is the Chief of Homicide! She won’t be fooled by a monster like you! Your mother was a murderer she caught! She took you in out of pity, but you’re rotten to the core! You framed me for cheating, you stole my locket, you paid those thugs to violate me!” The audio suddenly glitched, looping on the words violate me over and over again, like a curse echoing in the small room. My mother stood frozen, turning into stone. Everyone in that room knew who Susan had chosen to believe five years ago. And even now, she struggled to accept the truth. “This… this isn’t real,” she whispered, her lips turning blue. “You forged this, didn’t you? You made this up to frame Dominic!” The technician looked down, his voice barely audible. “Captain Beckett, the audio is completely genuine. There are no signs of editing or digital manipulation.” My mother collapsed into her chair, her face completely blank. Looking at the tiny recorder, my mind drifted back to that cold afternoon five years ago. After months of being framed by Dominic, I had bought that cheap recorder to gather proof. I had gone to my father’s grave to cry and tell him what was happening, only to be cornered by Dominic and three older thugs he had hired. As they dragged me down, I managed to slip the recorder into the gap beside my father’s urn. It had stayed there for five years, waiting for the light of day. “How could this happen?” my mother murmured. Just then, the door was kicked open. “Captain! We found the fourth victim!” The officer handed a stack of photos to my mother. In the pictures, Dominic was kneeling, his arms stretched out and pinned to a wooden cross in a decaying offshore warehouse. His head hung low, frozen in a posture of eternal repentance. His body was pale and cold, having been dead for days. My mother’s chest heaved, and before she could take another breath, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed onto the floor. The next time I saw her was the day before my trial. She wore civilian clothes, her shoulders slumped, her spirit completely broken. In the visitation room, she slowly picked up the receiver. “Zachie.” The nickname felt as if it belonged to another lifetime. “Why didn’t you tell me Dominic was hurting you?” I toyed with the black telephone cord. “I did tell you. You just chose not to believe me.” Tears spilled from her eyes. “I taught you to use the law to protect yourself. Why did you have to kill them?” I stopped playing with the cord and looked her straight in the eyes. “Susan, even now, you still don’t believe me.” I let out a soft sigh. “But it doesn’t matter. After tomorrow, your wish will finally come true.” “What do you mean?” The guard tapped my shoulder, signaling that my time was up. I hung up the phone and walked away, ignoring her hand slamming against the glass partition. The next day, the courtroom was packed to the brim. “The defendant, Zachary Beckett, committed four counts of homicide in an offshore territory, three of which were broadcasted live on the internet with extreme cruelty, causing severe social harm…” The gallery erupted into shouting. The families of the victims wept and screamed for justice. “My daughter was so young! He stabbed her to death!” “My wife had a heart attack watching that stream! He destroyed our family! He deserves the death penalty!” I remained silent, looking toward the back row. My mother sat with her face buried in her hands, refusing to look at me. “I have nothing to say,” I told the judge. The gavel fell. Death penalty. The courtroom erupted into cheers. I closed my eyes and whispered in my heart: Mom, your wish has finally come true. Susan walked out of the courtroom in a daze. When she finally came to, she found herself sitting on her old sofa, staring at a faded photograph in her wallet. It was a picture of me when I was seven, missing a front tooth. I had lost that tooth in a schoolyard fight. She remembered holding me that day, telling me: “When you are bullied, tell Mom. But while you are waiting for me to get there, you must protect yourself. Strike back if you have to.” Strike back? Susan’s face turned white. She grabbed her keys and bolted back to the police station. “Pull up the live stream of Zachary’s murders! There is something wrong with this case!”

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1 Seven years into my relationship with Tina, I realized I was trapped in a slow, silent punishment. Every time she chose her childhood friend, Lucas, over me, a piece of the evidence that I had loved her was stripped from my mind. The first time it happened, she left to spend Lucas’s birthday with him, and I woke up unable to recall the first time she and I had ever held hands. The second time, she put his name on a project proposal I had pulled all-nighters to write. When I woke up the next morning, the memory of the pouring rain on the night she confessed her love to me was gone. For our seventh anniversary, she booked a private fireworks display by the waterfront, plastering it all over social media for everyone to see. But when her call came through, urging me to hurry, I was sitting alone in the office breakroom, staring blankly at the unsaved number flashing on my screen. “Stop playing around,” she said, her voice sharp. “You know exactly what day it is.” Beside her, someone chuckled. “Tina, is your boyfriend throwing a fit again?” She sighed, her impatience cutting through the receiver. “He’s always like this. The more important the day, the harder he tries to make a scene.” I watched the fireworks burst against the night sky outside the window. There was no jealousy in my chest, no dull ache of betrayal. I simply asked, quite sincerely, “I’m sorry, but who is this?” … When the phone rang a second time, I handed it to the receptionist, asking politely, “Do you know whose number this is?” The receptionist blinked, staring at the screen that read Tina. “Uh, Thomas, that’s Tina. Your girlfriend.” I stared at the name. My fingers pressed against the rim of my mug, the heat from the coffee barely registering. “I don’t have a girlfriend,” I said. The call connected, and Tina’s voice came through, sharp and hushed. “Thomas, cut it out. The fireworks are almost over. Get down here.” In the background, a man offered a soft, mocking chuckle. “Don’t be so hard on him, Tina. Thomas is probably just jealous.” Tina sounded as if she had pulled the phone slightly away, though she made no effort to hide her words from me. “He always does this. The more you humor him, the more entitled he gets.” I brought the phone back to my ear. “Ms. Shen, if you’re a client, please go through the proper channels. If not, please stop calling me.” There was a cold, heavy silence on the other end. Then, a sharp laugh. “You still remember my last name, yet you’re pretending you don’t know who I am?” I didn’t answer. I hung up and blocked the number. The receptionist stared at me, bewildered. “Thomas, haven’t you two been together for seven years?” That number, seven, echoed in my mind, but it brought nothing with it. It was as if someone had pulled every photograph out of an album, leaving behind nothing but empty plastic sleeves. On my desk sat a blank leather album I had uncovered from my locker earlier that afternoon. The cover was worn, but the pages inside were painfully clean. Each sleeve had a tiny numbered sticker in the corner, from one to seven. I had asked my colleagues if it belonged to me. They laughed, saying of course it did, and reminded me that I put a new photo in it every single anniversary. Yet, when I searched my phone, I couldn’t find a single photograph of Tina. When I left the building, Tina was waiting by the entrance, holding a sleek silver gift box. Her tense expression softened slightly when she saw me, and she reached out, grabbing my wrist. “Alright, let’s go. I’m here to pick you up.” I looked down at her hand. “Let go of me.” She didn’t. Instead, she pushed the silver box into my arms. “This is for you. Happy seventh anniversary. Lucas said the watch from this fireworks collection was stunning, so I had them reserve a set for us.” I didn’t hold onto it. The box slipped from my grip, hitting the concrete with a dull thud. A delicate silver necklace slid out, its pendant shaped like a tiny, intricate firework. The receptionist, who was walking out behind me, gasped softly. Tina’s face darkened instantly. “Thomas, do you really have to humiliate me in public?” I bent down, picked up the box, and handed it back to her. “This isn’t mine.” She stared at me for several seconds, then let out a dry laugh. “You’re getting really good at this act. Before, when I was an hour late, you’d ignore me for two days at most. How long are you planning to stretch it this time?” Lucas stepped out of her car, wrapped in her gray scarf. “Thomas, I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice laced with practiced fragility. “I wasn’t feeling well today, so Tina took me to the clinic first. She only put together the fireworks show because she was worried you’d be upset.” I looked at the scarf around his neck. It was a deep charcoal gray, with a crooked, hand-stitched ‘T’ in the corner. He noticed my gaze and touched the wool lightly. “Oh, this? Tina said it was just sitting in her car collecting dust, so she told me to wear it.” Tina stepped closer, pulling the scarf tighter around his neck. “He has a cold, Thomas. Stop staring at him.” I asked quietly, “What does that letter mean?” Tina froze for a fraction of a second before recovering her cold composure. “Nothing. Just an old rag.” An old rag. My fingertips brushed the cover of the empty photo album in my bag, and a fleeting, disjointed image flickered in my mind. A cold winter night, someone clumsily threading a needle, promising that we would fill this album with a new photo every year, and on the seventh, we’d finally get married. But before the face in the memory could clear, Lucas let out a soft, dry cough. Tina immediately let go of my wrist, turning to support him. “Get in the car first,” she murmured. Then she looked back at me, her voice commanding. “Thomas, stop making a scene. Bring the album tomorrow. I’ll help you remember everything.” Before the car door clicked shut, Lucas caught my eye through the window, his fingers resting deliberately over the stitched ‘T’. When I brought the empty album into the conference room the next morning, Tina was busy adjusting the projector height for Lucas. Lucas, cradling his laptop, smiled up at me. “Thomas, you’re here. Tina mentioned you were originally running this project. I was worried I wouldn’t present it well, so I was hoping you could back me up today.” I slipped the album into my bag and pulled out a chair. “Why is his name on my proposal?” Tina’s finger paused on the remote control. Her voice was flat. “Lucas is up for a promotion, and he needs a strong portfolio piece to show the board. Your position is secure, Thomas. You don’t need this one victory.” I stared at the title slide. The strategy was the result of seven straight nights of my life, but the footer now read: Presented by Lucas. The department head tried to smooth things over. “Come on, Thomas, you and Tina are practically family. Don’t sweat the small stuff. The kid needs a break.” Lucas quickly pushed his laptop toward me. “How about I do the opening, Thomas, and you handle the core strategy? You’ll still get all the credit.” Tina frowned slightly. “He claims he can’t even remember who I am. What is he going to present?” A few people in the room snickered. The sound was soft, but it felt like a needle pricking the back of my neck. I stood up and unplugged the projector cable. “If I’m not fit to present it, then this proposal isn’t fit to be used.” Tina grabbed my wrist, her grip firm enough to keep me from moving the cable. “Thomas, professional meetings are not the place to vent your personal frustrations.” I looked down at her hand. “You said last night you’d help me remember.” Her eyes softened a fraction. “Let’s get through the meeting first. This afternoon, I’ll take you to the old art studio where we had our first date.” Lucas’s laser pointer slipped from his fingers, clattering onto the table. He leaned down to retrieve it, his voice dropping to a fragile whisper. “Tina, my stomach is acting up again. I think I forgot to take my medication this morning.” Tina immediately let go of my wrist. “Where is it?” “Probably in the car,” Lucas murmured. “I can go get it myself.” But she was already grabbing her coat. “I’ll go with you.” I stood in front of the door, holding out the printed copies of the proposal. “Before you leave, change the name back.” Tina looked at the papers, refusing to take them. “Thomas, don’t force me to say things that will embarrass you in front of everyone.” “You already have,” I said. She brushed past me, her shoulder clipping my bag. The empty photo album tumbled out, hitting the floor and sprawling open. A yellowed sticky note slipped out from the first page. It was her handwriting: Year One. Under the fireworks, I promise: Tina will always choose Thomas first. The room fell dead silent. Lucas picked up the note, his eyes instantly welling with tears. “Oh… so this was yours, Thomas? I’m so sorry. I thought Tina wrote this for me years ago. No wonder she told me yesterday that the old promise didn’t count anymore.” Tina’s expression shifted. “Lucas.” He quickly covered his mouth, looking horrified. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” I took the note back from him. “What does that mean?” Tina avoided my gaze. “It was just a silly joke.” “Was the scarf a joke too?” I asked. Her patience finally snapped. “Thomas, an old scarf, a dusty note, do you really have to cross-examine me over every little piece of the past?” The department head cleared his throat. “The clients will be here any minute. Thomas, maybe you should step outside and cool off.” I looked at the faces around the table. They all knew whose work that proposal was. They knew Tina and I had been together for seven years. Yet every single one of them was waiting for me to back down. Lucas hovered by the doorway, offering a soft, conciliatory murmur. “Thomas, why don’t we put both our names on it? Having you as the co-author still looks great.” I let out a quiet laugh and closed the album. “No need.” Tina’s shoulders relaxed slightly, as if she believed I had finally come to my senses. She reached out to smooth my lapel. “I’ll see you this afternoon at the studio. I’ll help you remember.” I stepped back, avoiding her touch. “Ms. Shen, your clients have arrived. You should get on stage with Lucas.” The clients walked in, and Lucas immediately took his place at the podium. Tina cast one last look at me before stepping up beside him, clicking the remote to display the first slide. A text from an unknown number buzzed on my phone: Want to know the third thing you forgot? Go to the old art studio. Don’t bring Tina. When I walked into the dusty studio, the elderly owner looked up, surprised. “You’re finally here to pick up the painting,” he said. I hesitated. “What painting?” He dragged a long cardboard tube from beneath the counter, blowing the dust off it. “The fireworks landscape you and Tina painted seven years ago. You told me you were saving it for your proposal on your anniversary. Actually, Tina was here a few weeks ago. She wanted to alter the signature.” My grip on the tube tightened. “Altered to what?” The owner glanced toward the door and lowered his voice. “To some young fellow named Lucas. He said those fireworks were where his and Tina’s story began.” The bell above the door chimed. Tina pushed her way in, followed by Lucas and a few colleagues from the firm. She frowned when she saw the tube in my hand. “Who told you to come here alone?” Lucas stepped forward, his eyes bright with false excitement. “Oh, the painting is here! Tina has been looking for this everywhere. She wanted to display it at my promotion party.” I looked at Tina. “Is this painting not mine?” She remained silent for a long moment before reaching out and taking the tube from my hand. “It’s just a silly college sketch, Thomas. It doesn’t matter who uses it.” The studio owner spoke up, indignant. “How does it not matter? Thomas painted the entire skyline back then. Tina only painted that tiny silhouette at the bottom.” The colleagues began whispering among themselves. Lucas’s face paled, and he stammered, “I… I didn’t know. Tina just told me this painting meant a lot to her. I thought she wanted me to have it.” Tina pulled the yellowed canvas from the tube. In the corner of the painting, under the bursting colors, were two small figures, one in a white dress, the other holding a camera. In the signature block, the name Thomas had been lightly rubbed away with an eraser, and the name Lucas had been faintly penciled over it. I stared at the smudged canvas. A sudden image flashed in my mind: a hand covered in bright acrylic paint, holding mine, a warm voice whispering, We’re using this when we propose. Nobody else gets to touch it. Sensing my silence, Tina’s voice softened. “Thomas, you forgot anyway, didn’t you? If it’s gone, let it go. We’re trying to start over here, but you have to give me a way to reach you.” I looked up at her. “And starting over means erasing my name?” Lucas’s eyes filled with tears again. “Thomas, please don’t misunderstand. The party is starting soon, and Tina just didn’t want me to go up there empty-handed. I never wanted to steal what’s yours.” The department head chimed in. “Thomas, you’re not in the right headspace. Don’t make a scene in front of the clients. Lucas just landed a massive account. He needs this night to go smoothly.” Tina handed the canvas to her assistant. “Get this framed.” I reached out to stop him, but Tina caught my hand. Her voice was a low, urgent whisper that only I could hear. “Don’t do this to me, Thomas. Lucas cannot afford any mistakes tonight.” Lucas was always the one who couldn’t afford to make mistakes. I pulled my hand back, my fingernail dragging across the edge of the canvas, leaving a thin, white scratch. Tina’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “Thomas, this childish behavior has to stop.” The celebration was held in the small hall right next to the studio. Lucas stood before the framed painting, giving a speech about how the fireworks symbolized his journey and the deep trust Tina had placed in him. As the room erupted into applause, Tina stood right behind him, adjusting his microphone with an encouraging smile. Two guests near me whispered, “Tina really treats Lucas differently. Even with Thomas losing his memory, she still puts Lucas first.” The other laughed quietly. “Seven years doesn’t mean a thing. At the end of the day, the one who gets chosen is the winner.” I sat in the corner, holding the empty album, turning the pages one by one. The second page was empty, but on the third, there was a torn piece of an old medical receipt from three years ago. The clinic’s name was listed, and the department read: Cognitive Evaluation, Initial Consultation. Before I could read the doctor’s name, Tina walked over and snatched the paper from my hand. “This is garbage,” she said coldly. I looked up. “I was going to the hospital three years ago?” She folded the receipt into her palm. “You were under a lot of stress back then. I took you for a check-up, and the doctor said you were fine.” Lucas strolled over, holding a glass of juice. His eyes lingered on her closed hand as he murmured, “Tina, Dr. Harris just asked if you were still planning to bring Thomas in for his follow-up tomorrow.” Tina’s expression hardened. “Lucas.” He instantly shut his mouth. A cold sensation crept up my spine as I looked at the two of them. Dr. Harris. Follow-up. Original plan. The gallery lights illuminated the stolen painting. As I looked down, I saw a slip of paper peeking out from Tina’s coat pocket. It was an appointment card. The patient’s name was mine, but the notes section had only three words: Stimulus-Induced Recall. When I slid the appointment card back into Tina’s pocket, Lucas was kneeling on the carpet, carefully tying the delicate leather straps of her heels. She sat on the sofa, her emerald dress brushing his wrist. Lucas looked up, his voice barely a whisper. “Tina, what if Thomas sees us? Won’t he be upset?” Tina didn’t look away from me as I approached, though her foot remained in his hands. “He doesn’t remember anything anyway. Why would he care?” I stood by the door. “I’m coming to the appointment tomorrow.” Her hand paused on her cufflink, then she stood up, smoothing her skirt. “I was planning on taking you anyway, Thomas. I told you, I’m going to help you remember us.” Lucas bit his lip. “But the doctor said we need familiar faces and settings. Shouldn’t I come too? I’ve been there for almost everything these past few years.” I looked at Tina. “Why was he there?” She avoided my eyes, picking up my album. “Because you’ve forgotten too much. I can’t explain it all on my own. Lucas is observant. He can fill in the blanks.” The next day in the consultation room, Dr. Harris flipped through my files, his expression grave. “Thomas’s memory loss isn’t just a simple case of stubbornness. Severe emotional distress will only worsen these blackouts. Ms. Shen, I warned you before: do not use substitute stimuli.” I looked at Tina. “What is a substitute stimulus?” Tina cut in, her voice clipped. “Doctor, his mood has been highly unstable lately. Please just get to the point.” Dr. Harris sighed. “It refers to taking his personal milestones or keepsakes, handing them to someone else, and making him watch. It forces his brain to actively shut down to avoid the pain of betrayal.” Lucas, sitting on the adjacent chair, clutched the edge of his shirt. “Doctor, isn’t that a bit dramatic? Tina was just trying to show him what he was missing.” Show me. The memories of the gray scarf, the fireworks painting, the stolen proposal, none of it had been an accident. Tina reached out and took my wrist, her voice softening. “Thomas, don’t look at me like that. You were becoming so hypersensitive back then. I only did it to help you accept reality, to stop treating everyone around me like an enemy.” I looked at her. “So you knew I would forget?” She was silent for a beat. “I knew you’d be hurt. I didn’t think you’d actually forget.” Dr. Harris pushed a consent form across the desk. “I do not recommend proceeding today. Unless Thomas consents, we cannot perform the situational stimulus.” Tina reached for the pen. “I’ll sign for him.” I pressed my hand flat against the paper. “No.” Her brow furrowed. “Thomas, don’t you want to remember me?” Lucas chimed in, his eyes red. “Thomas, Tina canceled two board meetings and went to so much trouble to gather all these things for you. Don’t throw her effort back in her face.” I stared at Tina. Her eyes held exhaustion, but beneath it lay a deep, unwavering certainty. She was absolutely certain that I was just throwing a tantrum. She believed that once the past was laid out before me, I would crawl right back into my place. Outside the office, her assistant knocked gently on the glass. “Ms. Shen, the waterfront venue is ready. The pyrotechnics team wants to know if they should proceed with the seven-year proposal script.” The proposal script. My fingertips went numb. It felt as if a heavy velvet curtain had been violently ripped away inside my mind. The rain from seven years ago, the smell of acrylic paint in the studio, the clumsy stitch on the charcoal-gray wool, and her voice whispering under a canopy of light: On our seventh year, you’re going to marry me. The memories rushed back. But as they flooded my mind, they brought no warmth, only a profound, chilling detachment. The woman standing in front of me had taken every promise she ever made me, stripped them down, handed the pieces to another man, and then brought me the ruins to prove she still cared. Tina didn’t notice the shift in my eyes. She let out a long breath, looking as though she had finally won. “Perfect. Thomas, let’s go to the waterfront. I’ll give you the proposal we missed. Once you see the fireworks, I know you’ll remember.” Lucas’s face drained of color, his fingers desperately clutching her sleeve. “Tina, let me come too. Just in case Thomas gets overwhelmed, I can help explain the details.” Tina hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding. “Alright. Come with us.” I looked down, letting out a quiet, humorless laugh. I reached into my bag, tore the very last page out of the photo album, and slipped it into my coat pocket. The wind off the river was freezing. In the middle of the decorated deck stood the stolen fireworks painting, flanked by the gray scarf, the silver necklace, and seven empty photo frames. Tina handed a small velvet box to Lucas. “Hold onto this. Give it to me when the first firework goes off.” Lucas took the box, a triumphant gleam in his eyes. “Of course.” She turned back to me, holding her hand out. “Thomas, enough. Walk with me to the painting.” I looked at her open palm, then at the ring box in Lucas’s hand, and finally at the sky where the first launch was about to ignite. Tina finally sensed the eerie stillness in my demeanor. Her brow furrowed. “Thomas? Did you… did you remember something?” I didn’t answer her. Instead, I reached out, took the velvet box from Lucas’s hands, and clicked it open. Engraved on the inner band of the platinum ring were two letters. They weren’t S & T. They were S & L. Lucas lunged forward to grab it, his voice trembling. “Thomas, don’t touch that! It’s just a prop for the ceremony!” I snapped the box shut and handed it back to Tina. “Here is your prop. And here is your co-star.”

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Every time I argued with my boyfriend, Ethan, he would call off our wedding. We had been together for three years, and he had postponed our big day ninety-nine times. On the hundredth time, during a severe storm, his ex-girlfriend’s power went out. He literally kicked me out of the car in the pouring rain just so he could rush over and spend the entire night with her. When he came home the next morning, he handed me a box of cake. I didn’t take it. He sighed, his voice laced with impatience. “Stop acting crazy, Chloe. Nothing happened between us. I just stayed with her because she was scared.” “If you’re going to make a scene over this, consider next month’s wedding canceled again!” Right then, his phone rang. He turned around to answer another call from his ex. This time, I didn’t chase after him to apologize. I just calmly called the venue and canceled the wedding myself. Just like every other time, Ethan slammed the front door on his way out. I knew he did it on purpose. He was waiting for me to swallow my pride, run after him, and beg for his forgiveness. But I just sat on the couch, not moving an inch. There were no tears, no panic, and no desperate urge to fix things. Suddenly, I was just incredibly exhausted. I had done nothing wrong, yet I was always the one on my knees, begging for his love. The AC was blasting, but the cake on the coffee table was already starting to melt. Just like my relationship with Ethan. No matter how hard I tried to patch things up, the cracks between us only grew wider. I dipped my finger in the cream and tasted it. It was sickeningly sweet, but it couldn’t mask the bitterness in my heart. Ethan and I had been dating for three years. In our first year, on the night of our engagement party, he ran off to Hailey’s house to fix her fuses and didn’t come back all night. In our second year, when we were supposed to finalize the wedding date, he took Hailey on a road trip to a neighboring city because she “needed a friend.” And today, because of one phone call from her, he left me stranded in the middle of a storm. As I sat there in a daze, the bedroom door suddenly opened. My heart skipped a beat as Ethan walked toward me. Seeing a bit of cream on the corner of my mouth, he let out a soft, helpless sigh. He pulled out a tissue and gently wiped it away. “Chloe, I’m sorry. I lost my temper earlier.” “I know you don’t like her. I’ll try to avoid seeing Hailey in private from now on.” My defenses crumbled. Hearing those words, tears finally rushed to my eyes. This was the first time in three years he had ever initiated an apology. But before I could even speak, he continued: “When I was at Hailey’s last night, someone took a picture of us and posted it on Instagram. Now everyone is calling her a homewrecker.” “She lives alone, she was terrified of the blackout, and now she’s being dragged into our drama. I need you to post a statement on your Snapchat and Instagram to clear her name.” In an instant, all my warmth turned into a sick joke. He had abandoned me time and time again for his ex. And now, the only reason he was lowering himself to apologize to me was to protect that very same woman. I looked at the face of the man I had loved for five long years, and a laugh escaped my lips. Ethan took it as a yes. “I knew you’d understand, Chloe.” “I’ll send you the screenshots. Once you clear the air, maybe write a quick apology to Hailey so everyone can move on…” Before he could finish, I cut him off. “In your dreams.” Ethan froze. The tenderness on his face vanished, replaced by instant irritation. “Chloe, there is nothing going on between Hailey and me! Why do you have to be so malicious?” “Do you know what these rumors are doing to her reputation? She was crying hysterically on the phone just now!” I stood up from the couch, staring directly into his eyes. “I don’t care about her feelings, and I don’t want to hear her name.” “You want me to defend her? Not a chance.” I clenched my fists, forcing my voice to remain steady. Ethan let out a bitter laugh. “Fine. Fine. Fine.” “If you’re going to be like this, next month’s wedding is officially off.” “And Chloe, don’t you dare come crawling back to me this time!” ***

The heavy thud of the door closing felt like a fist squeezing my heart. It hurt so bad I could barely breathe. Right then, my phone buzzed. I thought it was Ethan. But when I picked it up, it was a message from Hailey. *Chloe, my power went out last night and I was so scared of the dark. Ethan only came over to keep me company. Please don’t misunderstand.* *Honestly, only insecure women get paranoid every day.* I stared at the screen for a few seconds. I didn’t reply, nor did I delete it. So, the emergency that made Ethan kick me out of his car in a raging storm was just a simple power outage. Yet, when I had a high fever and could barely move, I asked him for a glass of water, and he called me “dramatic.” I let out a bitter laugh. When a man doesn’t love you, it’s so obvious. Even if they hadn’t slept together yet, his heart was already gone. Over the next three days, Ethan didn’t return. I didn’t waste any time. I started packing my things. The apartment belonged to him, so I was the one who had to leave. On the fourth day of our silent treatment, my best friend Sarah invited me out to clear my head. In the past, I would have declined just to stay home and wait for Ethan’s call. But this time, I agreed immediately. I also needed to go to the bridal shop to cancel my wedding dress. But I never expected to run into the last two people I wanted to see. Ethan and Hailey were standing right inside the shop. When Ethan saw me, his eyes lit up for a fraction of a second before quickly turning into a look of sheer annoyance. He frowned. “I told you the wedding was called off. Why did you follow me here? If you’re not embarrassed, I am.” Before I could speak, Hailey piped up with a smirk. “Ethan, don’t be so harsh. Chloe’s probably just terrified you’ll actually dump her. After all, the wedding date is so close.” “But Chloe, you’re really embarrassing us women. If I were you, I’d at least hold out until the day before the wedding to beg for him back.” The friends standing with them laughed and chimed in. “Man, Ethan, you really have your woman on a tight leash. One word and she comes running to the bridal shop. Teach us your ways, bro.” The flattery clearly boosted Ethan’s ego. He looked at me like he was granting me a royal pardon. “Fine, I get it. Since you want to get married so badly, I’ll agree to it. Happy?” I used to tolerate these jokes. But today, looking at Ethan’s smug face, I felt nothing but disgust. I looked him dead in the eye and said coldly, “I’m not here for you. I’m here to cancel my dress.” I walked past them straight toward the counter. Everyone froze. They didn’t expect this reaction from me. Hailey was the first to recover. She grabbed my wrist. “Chloe, stop playing hard to get. Ethan already said he’s coming home tonight.” “If you make him angry now, you’re just going to blame me for it later.” “Hailey, the only way you can get back with Ethan is if we break up. Stop acting so innocent. It’s pathetic.” With that, I snatched my wrist back. I didn’t use much force, but she let out a dramatic shriek and fell backward—right into Ethan’s arms. With teary eyes, she whimpered, “Ethan, maybe I should just leave.” “Your friends already think I’m a homewrecker because Chloe keeps misunderstanding us.” “I can take her hitting me today, but what if she comes to my house next time? How am I supposed to live like this?” Ethan’s face darkened completely. He wrapped his arm tightly around Hailey and glared at me. “Chloe, apologize. Now.” His tone left no room for argument. But I didn’t flinch. “No.” His jaw clenched. “If you don’t apologize, we are done. For real.” Even though I had already checked out of this relationship, hearing him say it still made my chest ache. But I kept my face blank and smiled coldly. “Fine. Let’s break up.” ***

My mood was ruined, so after canceling the dress, I went straight back to the apartment. I thought I would toss and turn all night, but I actually slept peacefully. In fact, I slept so well that when I walked downstairs the next morning and saw Hailey in the kitchen, I thought I was still dreaming. She was wearing Ethan’s oversized white button-down shirt, her bare legs fully on display. Ethan, who never cooked, was actually standing at the stove making breakfast. Hearing me walk down, they both turned. Ethan frowned but said nothing. Hailey, however, immediately started explaining. “Chloe, please don’t misunderstand! I drank too much last night and threw up on my clothes. I couldn’t find my keys, so Ethan had no choice but to bring me here.” I let out a dry laugh. “No choice? He looks pretty thrilled to me.” Ethan slammed his spatula onto the counter. He whipped around, glaring at me with pure irritation. “Chloe! That’s enough!” It was laughable. He had brought another woman into our home, and he was telling me *that’s enough*? He only dared to do this because he knew how much I loved him. He had used the “cancel the wedding” threat to control me for three years, and it had worked every single time. I used to think my love and patience would eventually change him. But I forgot that constantly lowering your standards only teaches a man to look down on you. Seeing my silence, Hailey bit her lip dramatically. “I’m sorry, Ethan. I’m just causing more trouble. I’ll leave right now.” She made a show of walking toward the door, but Ethan caught her wrist before she could take two steps. “You’re barely wearing anything. What if you run into some creep outside?” “Eat breakfast first. Once your clothes are dry, I’ll drive you home myself.” He then shot me another annoyed look. “Chloe, is your goal in life just to make everyone miserable first thing in the morning?” “Acting like this only makes me regret ever dating you.” The living room fell into a dead silence. Even Ethan seemed to realize he had gone too export. He opened his mouth to say something, but I didn’t give him the chance. “Ethan, you’re not the only one who regrets this.” “And you don’t have to leave. I am.” I walked upstairs. Ten minutes later, I came back down rolling my packed suitcase. Ethan’s eyes widened. A flash of joy crossed Hailey’s face, though she quickly masked it with her usual innocent act. “Chloe, please don’t do this. Ethan and I are just friends.” “I literally had nowhere else to go last night and no clothes to wear. He was just being nice.” I usually didn’t bother wasting my breath on her, but her acting was so insufferable I couldn’t resist. “Nowhere to go? No clothes to wear?” “Did every single hotel and mall in New York shut down last night, forcing you to sleep at another woman’s boyfriend’s apartment in his shirt?” Hailey’s face turned pale. Unable to find a comeback, she looked at Ethan with puppy-dog eyes. “Chloe…” “Shut up, Ethan. I don’t want to hear a single word from you.” I grabbed my handle and walked out. Behind me, Ethan’s furious voice echoed down the hall. “Fine! Have it your way! Don’t marry me then, see if I care!” Then came the deafening sound of the door slamming shut. He left with Hailey. From that day until the day before our scheduled wedding, he never contacted me once. And I didn’t sit around waiting. I handed in my resignation at my design firm and started finalizing my departure. Ethan didn’t call, and I enjoyed the peace. By the time my resignation went through, it was the day before what should have been our wedding. My phone was blowing up all day. They were all messages from our mutual friends. *Chloe, are you still throwing a tantrum? Ethan’s already cooled down. Just text him first and this will all blow over.* *Chloe, Ethan hasn’t even seen Hailey lately. You’re taking this too far!* *The wedding is tomorrow, Chloe. Stop playing hard to get. Men like Ethan don’t grow on trees. If you actually dump him, you’re just handing him over to the girls waiting in line.* Looking at the messages, I just smiled. Ethan was the one who crossed the line, yet everyone assumed I was the one who had to beg for him back. I sent a mass reply to the group chat: *Ethan and I are officially over. Anyone who texts me to take him back will be blocked. Thanks!* I cleared my chat history, blocked everyone associated with Ethan, and deleted my fingerprint from the apartment’s smart lock. I left my engagement ring on the coffee table, sent Ethan one final text, and headed to the airport without looking back. ***

On the other side of town, Ethan was pacing around his apartment, utterly restless. He kept checking his phone. But the screen remained black. In the past, Chloe would always come crawling back within three days. But it had been a week, and there was nothing. Was she actually furious this time? All he did was stay over at Hailey’s for one night. Was that really worth this massive reaction? Then, a sudden thought hit him. He had called off the wedding last year and the year before that. Both times were because of Hailey. No wonder… A pang of guilt hit his chest. Maybe he had crossed the line. He pulled out his phone and typed a message: *Chloe, didn’t you say you wanted to go to the beach? Once I’m done with this busy week, I’ll take you.* But when he hit send, a red exclamation mark appeared. Chloe had blocked him on Snapchat. His chest tightened. He tried calling her number, but a cold, automated voice told him the call couldn’t be completed. She had blocked his number, too. The apartment felt instantly freezing. Just as he was about to call Marcus to find out where Chloe was staying, a text notification popped up from an unknown number. It was Chloe’s final text. *Ethan, we’re done. I left the ring on the coffee table.* Ethan froze. He ran to the living room, and there it was—the diamond ring, sitting silently on the glass table. He picked it up, panic rising in his chest. He snatched his friend’s phone and dialed the number he knew by heart. It rang for a long time before a calm voice answered. “Hello?” Ethan’s breath hitched, his heart aching at the sound of her voice. He wanted to apologize. He wanted to tell her to come home. But his damn pride got in the way, and the moment he opened his mouth, his voice came out sharp and defensive. “Chloe, blocking me and sending breakup texts? Do you really think this petty drama is going to scare me?” “I was already planning on cutting Hailey off, but your behavior is ridiculous. If you don’t come home right now, the wedding is off for good!” Silence met his words. Ethan gripped the phone, his heart practically in his throat. *Just give in a little, Chloe. If you just say sorry, I promise I’ll never see Hailey again,* he thought desperately. But Chloe’s response shattered his hope. “Suit yourself.” “Ethan, we are done. Don’t call me again.” The line went dead. When he tried to call back, he was blocked on that number, too.

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My younger brother, Daniel, was in a horrific car accident and needed emergency surgery. Since I was stuck abroad on a business trip, I had to beg my wife to go to the hospital and sign the consent forms. She promised she would. But the moment she hung up, she booked a flight out of the country with her newly purchased humanoid robot to go on a vacation. When the hospital desperately tried to find someone to sign for the surgery, they couldn’t reach her. By the time I rushed back, all that was waiting for me was Daniel’s cold corpse. A few days later, my wife—who barely ever posted anything—updated her Snapchat Story. “A brand-new life experience. Honestly, nothing beats a robot.” Attached was a picture of her and the robot in a hotel room, both of them disheveled and barely dressed. With a numb face, I tapped the screen and left a like on her story. Then, I decided to press the activation button for the robot’s self-destruct system. “Let’s get a divorce, Chloe.” The moment I learned of Daniel’s death, I wiped the tears from my face and sent this text directly to my wife. Five years. I never expected our marriage to end like this. After all, I used to love her to the point of losing all my dignity. I chased her for three long years before she finally agreed to be with me. When we finally walked down the aisle, I couldn’t even bring myself to say a harsh word to her. Even though I knew deep down she didn’t love me that much, I accepted it. As long as I could keep looking at her, it was enough. Everyone around us could see I was the pathetic doormat in this relationship, but I was happy to be one. But Daniel’s death was something I could never forgive. Our parents died when we were young. Daniel and I raised each other. Just when I finally started making good money and things were looking up, he got into that car crash. It happened so fast, catching me completely off guard. I didn’t give up on him. I kept hoping he would wake up and call me his big bro again. And Chloe Vance completely shattered that dream. A week later, I had already finished Daniel’s funeral services. During this entire time, that divorce text was like a stone dropped into the ocean—no reply at all. But the second I liked her Snapchat Story, her call instantly came through. “What is your problem, Ethan? Did you like my story just to disgust me, or are you trying to mark your territory? Leo is just a robot! Are you seriously jealous of an AI?!” “Besides, I’m not a doctor. How was I supposed to save Daniel anyway? It’s your own fault for being useless. You ruined my vacation experience. You are so incredibly annoying.” Her dismissive, casual tone made my heart, which had already gone numb with pain, ache violently all over again. The moment I landed from my business trip, I had rushed to the hospital, only to be met with my brother’s death certificate. Only later did I find out that Chloe had actually flown first-class to Europe with that robot. The hospital had called her dozens of times to get her signature for the emergency surgery, but her phone was turned off the entire time. The blood in my veins felt like it was boiling. I bit my lip so hard that the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. “Do you even have a conscience, Chloe? You promised me you would take care of Daniel! Instead, you turned around and went on a trip with that machine! Is he even human? Does he understand human feelings?!” Before I could finish, Chloe cut me off sharply. “Leo is different! He understands my heart! He’s not like those other cold blocks of metal! So what if I want to make him more perfect?” “When I said I wanted to order him, you agreed to it! You said it would be nice to have someone keep me company so I wouldn’t be lonely. Why are you standing on a moral high ground accusing me now? Don’t you think you’re being ridiculous?” “Whatever. Leo is waiting for me. Don’t call me unless it’s important. Maybe you should think about what you did wrong to force me to rely on a robot in the first place. Got it?” Her self-righteous tone made my blood run hot, followed by a deep, hollow chill. It was the middle of summer. Sweat was dripping down my forehead, but my body wouldn’t stop shivering. I actually thought Chloe loved me. I thought she cared when she promised to visit Daniel. But even now, as I brought Daniel’s ashes back to our empty apartment, she hadn’t asked about him even once. Right. She was probably drowning in the manufactured tenderness of her robot. Watching the guests leave the funeral, I finally understood. My heart was completely dead. You can’t force love. If it’s rotten, you might as well throw it in the trash.

I returned to our quiet house. It was empty and covered in a thick layer of dust. Taking a deep breath, I cleared a spot on the couch, sat down, and started drafting the divorce papers and the division of assets. She was a spoiled rich girl; she probably wouldn’t care about my modest savings anyway. But I wasn’t going to leave her a single penny. After consulting with a lawyer, I suddenly remembered something. I dug out the manual for the robot we had ordered and began studying its specifications. With the rapid advancement of AI, humanoid robots had become the latest trend. When Chloe eagerly ordered one, I hadn’t objected. I thought it would keep her company when I was busy with work. Who knew things would turn out like this? Right then, Chloe’s call came in again. “Have you reflected on your behavior yet? It’s been days. You should have figured out what you did wrong by now.” I stared at the text on the manual for a long time, and a cold, self-deprecating laugh escaped my lips. Oh, I figured it out, alright. If you love the wrong person, you have to take your heart back. “What did I do wrong? Why don’t you tell me?” My cold, indifferent tone caught her off guard. There was a long pause on the other end. “How dare you speak to me like that?! Ethan Miller, don’t think you can throw a tantrum at me just because your brother died!” No wonder she was shocked. For the past five years, I had always spoken to her in a gentle, pleading voice. I had never shown an ounce of attitude. I didn’t have the right to. Whenever we had a disagreement, I would swallow my pride. If she was even slightly unhappy, she would yell at me. And even when I did nothing wrong, I would beg for her forgiveness like a dog. I really was a pathetic, text-book simp. But starting today, I was done being a doormat. Seeing that I was silent, Chloe got bolder over the phone. “I seriously don’t get why you’re giving me attitude. If you hadn’t been so busy with work, would I have turned to Leo? Honestly, this is all your fault!” “Ever since he arrived, have you shown him any kindness? He’s so fragile and innocent. He needs our love and care. He and I just… did a few things. Why is that such a big deal?!” Even through the phone, I could picture her throwing her head back in that arrogant, snobbish way of hers. A dull, crushing pain squeezed my chest, making it hard to breathe. Thinking of Daniel’s lonely death, I clutched my chest, unable to speak. Five years of marriage, and she had never once stood by my side. She used my love as a weapon to walk all over me. I used to be blinded by love, even enjoying the pain. But Daniel’s death tore away the last veil of my self-delusion. How ironic. I cleared my throat and said flatly, “Are you done?” Chloe choked on her words, her voice softening slightly. “Fine, whatever. I’m coming home in a few days. My mom wants us over for dinner. You’re coming, right?” She was offering an olive branch. She wanted things to go back to how they were—with me being obedient and never complaining. But I would never let that happen again. There were too many things to settle. We might as well lay it all out. With that in mind, I didn’t say much and simply replied, “Sure.” Chloe let out a tense, slightly guilty laugh. “Should I pick you up?” “Sure,” I said. Her usual arrogance was gone, replaced by a sudden, anxious need to please. How amusing. Don’t worry, Chloe. This is only the beginning.

A few days later, in the evening, I stood by the driveway waiting for Chloe. It was pitch black by the time her car finally pulled up. “Sorry I’m late. Leo wasn’t feeling well, so I had to run some diagnostics on him first.” Chloe looked apologetic. Following her gaze, I saw Leo sitting in the passenger seat. “Hello, Ethan. Long time no see.” I had to admit, the technology behind these humanoid robots was terrifyingly advanced. If you didn’t know, you’d never guess he was a machine. His looks, movements, and even his facial expressions were identical to a human’s. “Chloe said the passenger seat has a better view, which helps me learn about the human world. So she let me sit here. You don’t mind, do you?” His deep, smooth voice made my hands freeze. Was this robot seriously trying to gaslight me like a cheap green tea b*tch? Chloe didn’t hesitate to chime in. “Why would he mind? It’s just a seat. It’s no big deal.” I silently got into the back seat without saying a word, my mind drifting back in time. It seemed that ever since we got married, anything concerning me was always “no big deal” to her. Two weeks ago was our fifth anniversary. I had left work early and prepared a candlelit dinner to celebrate. But I waited until midnight, only to see her walking in, arm-in-arm with Leo. “I took Leo out to the amusement park. I totally forgot today was our anniversary. Oh come on, it’s a small thing. We can just celebrate it next time.” Even now, I could clearly remember Chloe’s careless shrug, and the smug, subtle smirk on Leo’s face. Seeing that I was quiet, Chloe kept glancing at me through the rearview mirror. I stared back, expressionless. “Something on my face?” She seemed hurt by my coldness and smiled awkwardly. “No, you just don’t look very happy.” That was a first. Chloe had never cared about my feelings before. She usually wished I didn’t exist. “My brother just died. It’d be weird if I were happy.” My words instantly made her stiffen, and her face turned pale. Leo turned around from the passenger seat, his lips curling into a perfectly simulated, innocent smile. “Daniel’s injuries were too severe, Ethan. Even with the surgery, his survival rate was less than five percent. According to my database, his death was inevitable. I believe you should have prepared yourself for this grief earlier.” A surge of hot anger rushed to my brain. Before I knew it, I threw a heavy punch straight at his face. “Ethan!” Chloe screamed as she slammed on the brakes. Leo’s smile didn’t even flinch. Instead, my hand felt like it had struck a block of solid steel. My knuckles immediately swelled up and began to bleed. “I apologize, Ethan. It is my fault.” The sincerity in Leo’s eyes looked incredibly real, and the anger I had bottled up for days finally erupted. I let out a harsh laugh. “You’re a piece of scrap metal. Don’t talk to me about human feelings.” Leo’s artificial smile slowly froze, his eyes darkening. Wow. This robot’s programming was truly impressive. “Ethan, can’t you be nice to Leo?!” Chloe snapped, immediately jumping to his defense and glaring at me. “He is a member of our family! Don’t go too far!” I looked at their shoulders touching. They looked like a beautiful, loving couple. And I was just the unwanted third wheel. Even though I had resolved to let go, seeing this still made my heart sting. Pulling myself together, I cast a cold glance at her. “Not for long.”

“What does that mean?!” Chloe wanted to press further, but the cars behind us started honking loudly, forcing her to hit the gas. Soon, we arrived at the Vance estate. Her parents were already waiting at the front door. “Chloe, sweetheart! And Leo, you’re here!” Chloe’s mother, Eleanor, took Chloe’s bag and greeted Leo with a massive grin. The three of them chatted happily as they walked into the house, leaving me standing alone by the car. They weren’t welcoming me. I had known this for a long time, but being there forced me to face the harsh reality all over again. Chloe’s parents had never liked me. Since the day we married, they had never given me a warm look. No matter how much I tried to please them in the past, it was never enough. Once, when I couldn’t take it anymore, I complained to Chloe. But she just brushed it off. “You’re lucky to have married a girl like me. It’s normal for them to be a little cold. Just deal with it. You’re living with me, not them.” So, I dealt with it. I even felt grateful for her words back then. How pathetic. I thought I was the luckiest man alive. But Leo’s arrival changed everything. “Leo, dear, just sit down. You don’t need to help!” In the kitchen, Eleanor stopped Leo from picking up the dishes, her face practically glowing with affection. “You sweet boy, you’re so thoughtful. You always try to help every time you come over. Unlike some people.” She shot a nasty glare in my direction. “Some people just sit there like statues, doing absolutely nothing.” If this were the past, I would have panicked, rushed into the kitchen to apologize, and started scrubbing dishes with a flushed face. But today, I sat back, crossed my legs, and smiled. “You’re right, Eleanor. I wasn’t born to be a servant. I don’t do manual labor.” Eleanor froze, clearly shocked. She didn’t expect the usually obedient Ethan to suddenly bite back. She opened her mouth to snap at me, but Chloe shot her a warning look, so she stayed quiet. At the dinner table, Eleanor kept putting food on Leo’s plate. Even though Leo couldn’t eat, he politely declined with a charming smile. “Thank you, Eleanor. Your cooking looks lovely. However, my digestive system cannot process organic food yet, so I must politely decline.” Eleanor waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, it’s fine, dear! Just hearing you say that makes me happy. Some people just stuff their faces without saying a single nice word.” She was targeting me again. I put down my silver fork and laughed coldly. “I’d love to compliment the food, Eleanor, but considering you know I have a life-threatening seafood allergy, and literally every single dish on this table is seafood, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say.” Eleanor gasped. She looked at my empty plate and felt a brief flash of embarrassment, which she quickly masked with annoyance. “You know Chloe loves seafood. Can’t you just tolerate it for once? Or take an EpiPen?” Tolerate. Always asking me to tolerate. I used to do it because I was a simp. But Daniel’s death taught me that staying silent gets you killed. “Forget it. If any of you actually cared, you wouldn’t serve me a plate of dry, stale bread every single time I come here. Do you think I like eating cardboard? No, I just don’t have a choice.” Eleanor’s face flushed red with anger. She pointed a trembling finger at me, speechless. “Ethan, you are being completely out of line!” Chloe slammed her fork down and screamed. “How dare you speak to my mother like that!” I looked at her calmly. “She’s your mother, Chloe. Not mine.” Chloe stared at me in disbelief. “What is that supposed to mean?” My eyes grew cold and distant. “It means I’m done being the idiot husband of a woman who uses an AI robot to satisfy her sexual needs.” “And besides,” I turned to look at Leo, whose face had gone completely dark, “this robot was custom-made to look exactly like your dead high school sweetheart, wasn’t it?”

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My twin brother and I look exactly alike, but our parents have only ever loved him. Even after I got early admission to Harvard with a full ride, my mother got down on her knees and begged me to take the SATs for my brother, Dylan, who was failing all his classes. I told them it was a federal crime, but my father kicked me so hard he broke my ribs, watching me gasp for air on the floor. “If you won’t take the test for him, you might as well die.” In sheer despair, I agreed. But once I got into the exam room, I wrote “DUMBASS” in giant letters on every single page of the test. I completely destroyed Dylan’s dream of getting into an Ivy League school. In fact, he wouldn’t even be allowed to retake the test… “You selfish brat! You got your golden ticket to Harvard, but you’re going to let Dylan’s future rot? You know his grades are terrible! What kind of brother are you?” My mother’s face was twisted in rage as she screamed at me, as if I had committed some unspeakable crime. But all I did was refuse to commit exam fraud by taking the SATs under Dylan’s name. It was illegal. If we got caught, my Harvard admission would be revoked, and I could even face prison time. But my mother wouldn’t listen to a word. After she finished screaming, she dropped to her knees with a heavy thud. She sobbed, begging, “Ethan, please. I’m begging you. Just take the test for him! Have you forgotten what you did to him? You pushed him down the stairs when you were kids! If you hadn’t pushed him, he’d be a hundred times smarter than you. He wouldn’t be struggling to get into college! You ruined his life, and now you won’t even help him with this? How can you be so heartless?” I hadn’t forgotten. How could I ever forget? When we were kids, Dylan wanted the last piece of cake in my hand. He tripped and fell down the stairs trying to snatch it. But when he woke up, he told our parents that I pushed him. From that day on, I was branded as the evil twin. No matter how much I explained, they never believed me. Dylan got double the cake, double the toys, and all the love because of his “injury.” In the years that followed, he framed me over and over again. My life became a living hell, and my parents treated me like I was invisible. Even now, my mother’s heart only beat for Dylan. She wanted me to take all the risks, face prison, and throw my life away just for him! But I was her son, too! Richard, my father, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke. “I’m not asking for a perfect score. Just get a decent score so Dylan can get into Columbia or NYU. You are twins. I raised you to support each other. Are you really going to be this selfish when your brother needs you?” Because of my refusal, my father’s face was dark. He looked like a wild animal ready to tear me apart if I said no again. His cold glare made me shiver, and my heart bled. Before I could speak, Dylan, who had been staring at his phone like a ghost, finally looked up. He smirked at me with pure disdain. “Look at this coward, scared of his own shadow. Just shut up and go, Ethan. We have the exact same face. No one at the testing center will ever know.” My mother quickly chimed in, “Exactly! You two look identical. Even we can barely tell you apart sometimes, let alone a bunch of exam proctors.” I felt a wave of absolute despair. How could they say they couldn’t tell us apart? We looked the same, yes, but since we were kids, they always managed to identify Dylan perfectly whenever there was a toy to buy or delicious food to give. All their love went to him. And now, they wanted me to ruin my life for him. What about me? What would happen to me if we got caught? In their eyes, was Dylan’s life meant to be bright and glorious, while mine was meant to rot in the mud? I wanted to fight back. I wanted to run away. But looking at the deep wrinkles on my parents’ faces, I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and forced myself to speak. “Exam fraud is a federal crime. If they find out, I will go to prison. How about this? Starting today, I will tutor Dylan every single day. We still have time before the test—” Before I could finish, Dylan’s fist slammed into my face. The rest of my words were cut short, drowned in the metallic taste of blood pooling in my mouth. Dylan glared at me, his eyes filled with fury. “You think you’re so smart, don’t you? Trying to rub your high grades in my face? If I could study, would I need you to take the damn test for me? I’m letting you do this because I’m throwing you a bone. Don’t be ungrateful!” With that, Dylan threw me to the floor and turned to scream at our parents. “Look at the perfect son you raised! So selfish! He gets to go to Harvard while I don’t even get into college! I already made a bet with the guys. If I don’t get into a top school, they’re going to break my hands! You’re trying to ruin me! I’ll just go die! Is that what you want? Are you happy now?!”

Dylan kicked the coffee table over with a loud crash. The boiling hot soup on the table splashed all over me, burning my skin. My vision went blurry from the sharp pain. My mother, who had been kneeling on the floor just a moment ago, scrambled up to grab Dylan’s hands, crying tears of pity. “My poor baby! Your hands are so beautiful. What would you do without them?” Then she whipped her head around to glare at me, her eyes filled with pure malice. “Look at what you’ve done to your brother! How did I ever give birth to a monster like you?” She acted as if I was the one who made the bet, as if I was the one threatening to chop Dylan’s hands off. Faced with Dylan, she was a loving mother. Faced with me, she was a vengeful enemy. It was as if I wasn’t her son, but her mortal foe. My father finally threw off his fake mask of civility. He walked over and slapped me hard across the face. “I told you this ungrateful little shit wouldn’t help. You wanted to negotiate with him, Eleanor? I say we just beat him until he learns to obey.” The slap made my ears ring loudly. I couldn’t hear anything for a long time. When the ringing finally faded, I heard my father’s voice. “If you don’t agree to take the test for Dylan today, I will beat you to death, you ungrateful bastard.” My father raised his hand to strike me again, but my mother stopped him. For a split second, a tiny spark of warmth rose in my battered heart. But then, my mother said, “Don’t hit his face, Richard. We never hit Dylan’s face. People at the testing center will get suspicious.” Ah. They were just worried about getting caught. Of course. Since we were kids, whenever I was beaten until I bled, Dylan was coddled like a fragile glass doll. If he even scraped his knee, they would rush him to the ER. “Are you going to do it or not, you piece of shit?” Dylan snapped, losing his patience. Looking at my “family” standing over me like a pack of wolves, I suddenly let out a bitter laugh. So this was the family I had been craving love from. Seeing me laugh, my father lost his temper completely. He lunged forward and kicked me squarely in the chest. A sharp, sickening crack echoed in my ears. A wave of agonizing pain exploded from my chest, radiating to every nerve in my body. Darkness crept into the edges of my vision, and I coughed up a mouthful of blood as I collapsed onto the floor. Looking up at them standing over me like demons, feeling the cold touch of impending death, I finally gave in. I didn’t want to die… So, I had to agree. Once I agreed to take the SATs, Dylan suggested that I should start “living his life” to get used to the identity. As soon as my broken ribs healed enough for me to move, I was forced to go to Dylan’s school pretending to be him. The moment I walked through the school gates, a guy with a messy, loose outfit slung his arm over my shoulder. “Yo, Dylan! You’re finally back.” I glanced at him but didn’t say a word. He kept talking, “You promised to buy the boys drinks to celebrate your upcoming graduation and your new sports car. You’ve been MIA for days, man. We’ve been waiting!” I didn’t want to talk to these people, but his words caught my attention. “What new sports car?” “Come on, Dylan! You said your parents promised you a new Mustang once you graduate high school. Don’t tell me you’re backing out now!” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a sleazy whisper. “Besides, didn’t your mom sign that exclusive contract for your brother with that tech firm? Your family must be loaded right now! How about lending some cash to your boy?” A tech firm contract… An alarm went off in my head. I suddenly remembered a shady, third-rate tech startup that had offered me a “technical advisor” position a few weeks ago. I had researched them. The company was notorious in the industry for wage theft, extreme exploitation, and senior executives who sexually harassed interns. The contract was a predatory 20-year binding agreement. They only recruited top-tier students from elite schools to use them as cheap labor and positive PR before tossing them aside. Signing it meant throwing away your entire life. I had rejected them outright. I never imagined my mother would forge my signature and sign it behind my back. She was selling my future! A suffocating weight pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. The guy beside me kept rambling, “Man, your mom is awesome! Selling your brother’s future just to buy you a sports car!” Yes. My parents were so good to Dylan. They forced me to commit a federal crime for him, signed away my life to a toxic company, and used the signing bonus to buy him a luxury car. What about me? My parents had never given me a single penny of allowance. I was so poor I couldn’t even afford lunch at school. When I got sick, I had to endure it alone. I almost died of a high fever in my dorm room once. But whenever I asked them for money, they would scream at me, calling me a financial burden, telling me to drop out of school and work in a factory. We were born from the same parents, so why was there such a brutal difference? What did I do wrong? Looking at my stolen future, a wave of helplessness washed over me. I couldn’t even take another step. I just wanted to collapse on the pavement and scream.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that Dylan was incredibly popular at school. He spent money like water, constantly buying drinks and fast food for his classmates and teachers, so everyone loved him. Meanwhile, because I always wore old, ragged clothes and couldn’t afford to pay for class activities, I was constantly bullied and isolated. Only my desk mate, Daisy, was kind to me. She never looked down on me. My chest still throbbed with pain, making it hard to speak, but I forced myself to stay at school until the final bell. I knew if I went home early, my parents would only find something else to scream at me for. Back when I was studying for my own exams, they never cared. But now that I was taking the test for Dylan, they watched me like hawks, terrified I would ruin his chance. Even when I was recovering from my broken ribs, they piled SAT prep books on my bed, forcing me to study. When I finally walked through the front door, they were already eating dinner. Sitting at my spot was a paper plate and a plastic fork, with a pile of cold, leftover rice. I couldn’t remember when it started, but I was always forced to use paper plates and plastic forks, treated worse than a stray dog. Meanwhile, Dylan always ate from the finest china, and when he was angry, he would throw those heavy plates right at my head. And today was no exception. The moment I walked in, Dylan muttered, “Ugh, my appetite is ruined,” and slammed his plate onto the table. The beautiful ceramic plate shattered into pieces. My mother gasped. “Oh, my sweet boy!” Then she turned to me, screaming, “Grab your garbage plate and get upstairs! Stop ruining our dinner!” Then she turned back to Dylan, her voice dripping with honey. “Dylan, honey, you need your nutrition. Have some more lobster.” Looking at this family that I would never be a part of, the urge to run away flared up again. I sighed inwardly, picked up my paper plate, and turned to head upstairs. Suddenly, Dylan’s tone changed. He let out a nasty, mocking laugh. “Hey, come here. I want to show you something.” He pulled out his phone and played a video. Seeing the intimate, blurred figures on the screen, my heart stopped. A cold, suffocating terror gripped my throat. Dylan chuckled, “That little fat girl is actually pretty fun in bed, though she kept crying and calling out your name. Annoying as hell.” He burst into a loud, mocking laugh. “By the way, dear brother, that stupid girl is Daisy, right? She actually thought I was you. She kept crying, ‘Ethan, please stop…’ It was fucking hilarious!” Daisy… The only person in the world who was kind to me, the only person who gave me warmth! And she was defiled by this monster, Dylan! If she found out it wasn’t me, if she knew there was a video… she would be completely destroyed! How was I supposed to face her now? My blood ran cold, and my heart felt like it was about to explode. Looking at the face that looked exactly like mine, I threw a heavy punch right into his laughing mouth. In that moment, I genuinely wanted to kill him. I agreed to take his test. I gave him my future. I gave him everything. But why did he have to touch Daisy?! He took my parents’ love, he took my toys, he took my entire life, and now he had destroyed the only beautiful thing I had left. I went feral, pinning Dylan to the floor and slamming my fists into his face. But watching his bloody, crying face didn’t bring me any peace. I only felt a deep, agonizing ache in my chest, and tears finally spilled over. The chaos ended when my mother slammed a heavy wooden rolling pin against the back of my head, knocking me out cold. In the days that followed, they locked me in my room, forcing me to study until the day of the SATs. During those dark days, something inside me broke, and then rebuilt itself into something cold and sharp. Originally, I just wanted to get it over with, let Dylan have his Ivy League spot, and leave this family forever. But now, I wanted to destroy him. I wanted him to regret ever touching Daisy. I wanted to burn his entire world to the ground. If he wouldn’t let me live, I wouldn’t let him win. On the day of the exam, my parents escorted me to the testing center like prison guards. Before I got out of the car, they warned me, “You better get a score high enough for Columbia, or we’ll skin you alive.” I nodded obediently. But once I sat down in the quiet exam room, surrounded by nervous, hopeful students, I calmly wrote Dylan’s name on the bubble sheet. Then, on the essay section and every single page of the test booklet, I wrote “DUMBASS” and “LOSER” in giant, bold letters. I wrote down every disgusting, vile insult my parents and Dylan had ever thrown at me. You want to go to Columbia? Go work at a drive-thru, you piece of trash. I let out a quiet smirk, unable to wait to see the look on their faces when the results came out.

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The yacht was going down. A massive whirlpool spun in the dark ocean, and water was rapidly filling the cabins. My wife, Chloe, was already on the rescue boat with her childhood sweetheart, Julian. She tossed me a single lifebuoy. Looking back at me with impatience, she yelled, “Ethan, you’re a strong swimmer, but Julian has a phobia of water! If he doesn’t take the lifeboat, he’ll die!” With that, Chloe abandoned me. I could only watch as the rescue boat carrying them sped away into the night. But she forgot one thing. Ten years ago, the person who nearly drowned and developed a crippling fear of water to save her life… was me. As the freezing, pitch-black ocean swallowed me whole, I felt myself slipping into the deep. I died. When I regained consciousness, I was floating above the ocean as a ghost. Looking down at the calm, silent water, a deep, instinctual terror gripped my soul. The memories of my death came rushing back like a nightmare. The sinking yacht, the panicked screams, and the cold, disgusted look in my wife’s eyes. When the whirlpool first hit, the vessel shook violently. My first instinct had been to shield Chloe in my arms. The impact threw me against a heavy wooden table, bruising my spine. My vision blurred, and my chest throbbed with excruciating pain. But Chloe didn’t even spare me a glance. She pushed me away in a panic and stumbled through the chaos toward Julian. I watched her gently help Julian up, checking him for scratches with an tenderness she had never shown me. A dull, aching pain bloomed in my chest. Then, someone yelled, “The hull is breached! It’s sinking! Get to the lifeboats!” Terrified, Chloe grabbed Julian’s hand and ran. I stared at their retreating figures, a bitter taste in my mouth. It was always like this. Whenever Julian was around, Chloe became completely blind to my existence. Yet, I was her legal husband. As the water rose to my waist, I forced myself to stand, desperately fighting the pain in my back to escape. Luckily, a coast guard member spotted me and dragged me out to the deck. But before I could even feel relief, Chloe’s voice pierced through the wind, freezing me in place. “What do you mean there are only two spots left on this lifeboat?” The rescue officer nodded grimly. Chloe noticed me coming out. Her brows furrowed, torn between her choices. Julian, his face pale and weak, spoke up. “Chloe, you and Ethan should go. He’s your husband. I… I’ll be fine.” Chloe’s expression changed instantly. “No way! You saved my life once, Julian. I will never abandon you!” She turned to me, biting her lip, and said decisively, “Ethan, you know how to swim. I’ll leave the lifebuoy for you.” With that, she turned around and helped Julian onto the rescue boat. I stared at her, unable to believe my ears. Swallowing the immense grief rising in my throat, I begged, “Chloe, please. Don’t leave me here. You know I—” Chloe looked back, cutting me off with pure irritation. “If you don’t stay, who will? You saw it yourself—there are only two seats left. Do you expect me to stay behind?” “No, that’s not what I mean…” “Then what is your problem? You’re a great swimmer. You have the lifebuoy. You’ll be perfectly fine!” Her eyes flashed with annoyance, as if I were a spoiled child throwing a tantrum. “But Julian is different. He has a severe phobia of water. If he doesn’t get on this boat, he will die!” Her tone grew harsher. “I tolerate your petty jealousy on normal days, Ethan, but this is a matter of life and death! Can you stop being so incredibly selfish?” I froze, feeling as though she had plunged a dagger straight into my heart. But if I stayed here, I would die too. Yes, I used to swim. But she forgot that ten years ago, after I nearly lost my life saving her from drowning, I became terrified of the water. I hadn’t stepped into a pool since, let alone the ocean. It was me who had the phobia, not Julian. Julian smirked triumphantly behind her back, though his voice remained meek. “I’m terrified of the water, and Chloe knows that. I’m sorry to trouble you, Ethan. Don’t worry, Chloe and I are just friends now. We will send help for you as soon as we land.” “Why are you even explaining things to him, Julian? Ignore him. A toxic mind only sees toxicity,” Chloe snapped. And just like that, I was left behind, watching them disappear into the fog. Seconds later, the yacht went under. Cold, salty water rushed into my nose and throat. Recalling my final moments, a sharp pain radiated through my spectral body. So, even souls can feel heartbreak.

A sudden wave of dizziness hit me, and my spirit was pulled violently through the air. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in our house. Staring at the familiar living room, my eyes stung, but as a ghost, I had no tears to shed. I heard a noise coming from the master bedroom. Joy sparked in my chest—Chloe was home! She was a notorious workaholic, always staying late at the office or traveling for business. She was rarely home during the day, and even when I was bedridden with fever, she wouldn’t come back. I didn’t know how long I had been dead, and I thought I’d never see her again. I rushed toward the bedroom, instinctively reaching for the doorknob, but my hand passed straight through it. Right. I was dead. I floated through the door, but the sight inside froze me in my tracks. The warmth in my chest vanished, replaced by an icy chill. Why was Julian in our house? Why was he lying in our bed? Rage consumed me. I lunged forward, trying to drag him off the mattress. “Get out! Get the hell out of my house!” But my hands sliced through his body, and I fell helplessly to the floor. I had to watch as Julian leaned weakly against the headboard while Chloe blew on a spoon of hot soup, carefully feeding him. “My old symptoms are acting up again. I hate making you come home to cook for me every day, Chloe. You’re working so hard,” Julian murmured. Chloe smiled gently, shaking her head. “You don’t have any family in this city, Julian. It’s only right that I take care of you. Don’t thank me.” I sat on the floor, completely numb. But I was alone here too. When we got married, Chloe’s old-money family disapproved of me, so I packed my bags and moved across the country to her city, starting from scratch to build a life for us. I worked myself to the bone just to give her the lifestyle she deserved. Yet, every time I fell ill, Chloe would only complain about how inconvenient it was. If she was in a good mood, she’d toss a bottle of pills at me. If she was annoyed, she wouldn’t even ask. Watching her tend to Julian with such devotion, my heart suffered a slow, dull ache. So, she did know how to care for someone. She just never wanted to care for me. After finishing the soup, Julian asked with feigned concern, “It’s been a week now. Still no word from Ethan?” Chloe’s face darkened, and she slammed the bowl onto the nightstand. “Don’t bring him up. Just thinking about him ruins my day. He’s a grown man, yet he’s so incredibly petty! He’s probably hiding somewhere, refusing to call just to make me feel guilty.” “Could something have happened to him? The ocean can be so unpredictable,” Julian said, his eyes gleaming with hidden satisfaction. “What could happen to him? He’s a strong swimmer, he had a lifebuoy, and we already reported his location to the rescue teams. He’s fine,” Chloe replied, though she sounded slightly agitated. Chloe wasn’t done venting. “Ethan is getting completely out of hand! Whether he’s alive or not, he should have at least sent a message. He’s definitely throwing a tantrum because I left him behind. I don’t get it. How can a grown man be this spiteful?” I let out a hollow laugh. I was dead. How was I supposed to text her? Through a Ouija board? “If Ethan were even half as considerate as you, Julian, my life wouldn’t be this exhausting,” she sighed. There it was again. In her eyes, Julian was a saint, and everything I did was a crime. Because of her job, Chloe spent long hours in front of a computer, which gave her chronic back and eye strain. Worried about her health, I bought her the best massage chairs and wellness supplements, constantly reminding her to use them. My reward? Angry outbursts. *”Can you stop nagging me, Ethan? Don’t you have your own life? Stop suffocating me, I’m not your prisoner!”* Yet, Julian only had to offer a few cheap, empty words of comfort, and she would beam with joy. “Don’t say that, Chloe. He only acts that way because he loves you so much. Since his whereabouts are still unknown, maybe you should call the search and rescue team again?” Julian suggested. “There’s no point,” Chloe dismissed coldly. “If he’s dead, it’s his own damn fault.”

Listening to Chloe’s heartless words, I realized something shocking—my heart didn’t hurt as much anymore. After all, what could I expect from a woman who didn’t care about her missing husband, yet treated her ex-boyfriend’s mild cold like a medical emergency? My only regret was realizing her true nature so late. I didn’t want to watch them play house anymore, but the moment I saw Chloe, I felt an invisible chain binding me to her. I couldn’t move more than a few yards away from her. I felt like an absolute clown. I was miserable while alive, and now I was forced to watch my wife and her lover as a ghost. Frustrated, I turned my gaze to the empty wall in the hallway. Our wedding photo used to hang there. A bitter feeling washed over me. After all these years together, did Chloe really have no feelings for me at all? Suddenly, a phone vibrated. Julian had fallen asleep. Chloe quietly stepped out of the bedroom, eagerly grabbing her phone. But when she saw the caller ID, her excited expression instantly collapsed. It was Marcus, my one and only best friend in this city. “What do you want?” Chloe’s tone was incredibly sharp. Marcus’s voice came through, cold and dark. “Chloe. Where the hell are you?” Chloe rolled her eyes. “None of your business. State your purpose, I’m busy.” A heavy silence fell over the line before Marcus exploded. “Busy with what?! Busy playing nurse to that pathetic loser, Julian?! Do you have any idea what happened to Ethan—” “Don’t shout at me, Marcus!” Chloe barked back. “Watch your mouth, or go to hell!” Marcus took a deep, shaky breath. “Let me ask you something. Have you even checked the rescue updates for Ethan recently?” “No. He’s a grown man. Can’t he find his own way home? He survived the crash and didn’t even bother to text me. His ego is getting way too big,” Chloe scoffed. “He can’t text you, Chloe! He will never text you again! Because he is dead! Ethan is dead! You are his wife, how can you be this fucking heartless?!” Marcus roared into the phone. Chloe let out a condescending laugh. “Oh, please. Does Ethan know his best friend is making up fake deaths for him now?” Marcus gasped, utterly bewildered. “You don’t believe me?” “Why should I? Use your brain, Marcus. Ethan can swim, and he had a lifebuoy. Staying afloat until help arrived would be a piece of cake for him. Besides, he’s too stubborn to die.” Marcus was practically hyperventilating with rage. “He *used* to swim, Chloe! That was ten years ago! Ever since he almost drowned saving your worthless life, he developed a severe phobia of water! He hasn’t touched water since!” “Chloe, you are a monster. Ethan was your husband. He loved you more than life itself, and you left him to die alone in the dark!” Chloe froze. “What rubbish are you talking about? Julian was the one who saved me back then.” “Bullshit! Julian didn’t show up at the hospital until hours later! If you had waited for him to save you, you’d be a skeleton by now! Think back to that day, Chloe! Who actually dragged you out of the water?!” “That’s impossible… I clearly remember…” Chloe’s voice trailed off. The annoyance on her face cracked, revealing a sliver of panic. Marcus let out a humorless laugh. “What’s the matter, princess? Memory coming back?” Ignoring his mockery, a sudden dread crept into Chloe’s eyes. Her voice trembled. “You… what did you say happened to Ethan just now?” “He’s dead, Chloe! He’s dead!”

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Because Selena Gray,the female student sponsored by Don Matteo Moretti,wanted to see a porcupine,Matteo had someone fire seven hundred crossbow bolts at our son,turning him into a living target. I was forced to stare at the surveillance feed,watching black fletching pierce Nico’s throat,watching every plea spill out of him with blood. I screamed in despair,”Even if you don’t love me.But Nico is your blood.He is the Moretti heir.How can you be this cruel?” Matteo sneered.”Who told him to score a perfect seven hundred on the heir assessment and show off in front of Selena?Selena wanted to see a porcupine.These seven hundred bolts are his lesson.” He slapped me across the face.”She cried all night.So I want you to feel pain too.” Looking at Nico,barely alive on the monitor,he loosened the ropes holding me down and told me the address of the training island. Before he left,he bent close and whispered viciously,”The speedboat’s out of fuel.Run fast.Maybe you’ll still get to see a living porcupine.” … When I found Nico,blood was seeping from his neck.A thick black bolt had gone through his left eye and pinned him deep into the dirt. His eighteen-year-old body was covered in seven hundred crossbow bolts.Blood kept flowing out of him. I dropped to my knees,but I did not even dare to lift him.”Nico!” “It’s all Mom’s fault…” His remaining right eye opened with great effort,just a slit,and he still tried to smile at me. “Mom,don’t cry…You’re here.Nico isn’t scared.” My shaking hand touched his face.”Don’t be scared.Mom is taking you to the hospital right now.” I gathered him up as carefully as I could and rushed toward the dock.But just as I was about to board,the guards stopped me. “Moretti private boat.No outsiders.” I hurried to explain. “I’m the Donna of the Moretti family.The one in my arms is Moretti family heir,Nico.I came here on this same boat today.You’ve seen me.” “You’ve got some nerve,pretending to be our Donna.I saw the Don and his Donna today,and they looked very much in love.Do you have any idea what happens to people who pull a stunt like this?” The guard scoffed.”And the heir passed his assessment.He went to Europe to celebrate.Why would he be in a place like this?” Looking at Nico’s weakening face,I hurriedly tore off my necklace and showed him the family photo inside the pendant. “I really am the Donna of the Moretti family.” When the guard saw the photo,his face filled with anger. “Where did this crazy woman come from?How dare you fake a photo with the Don and the heir?You want to die?” The crowd closed in around me at once. With trembling hands,I opened the pinned contact in my encrypted messenger and started a video call. The screen lit up.Matteo leaned bare-chested against the headboard,a fresh lipstick mark stamped on his collarbone,his face filled with pleasure. Beside him,Selena was completely naked,moving up and down on top of him.With a taunting smile,she said,”Mrs.Moretti,calling at a time like this?Did you want to join us and enjoy yourself too?” Matteo let out a mocking laugh and gave Selena’s breast a squeeze.”Her?During sex,she’s like a puppet.No matter how rough it gets,she never makes a sound.Letting her join would only make me sick.” At that,Selena kissed the corner of his mouth smugly.”Then I suppose I’ll have to comfort the Don properly.” “Matteo!” I clenched my teeth and forced down the nausea.”Nico is in critical condition.Let us on the boat now,or he’ll die.” Matteo frowned impatiently.”Are you done yet?Those bolts had their heads removed.They were only glued to him.Did you really have to pour blood all over Nico just to lie to me?” “I’m not lying!”I turned the camera toward Nico.”Look for yourself.The bolt heads went through his body.I’m begging you,all right?As long as Nico can be saved,I’ll sign the divorce papers.I’ll give up the Donna’s position.” Matteo froze for a moment,his gaze falling on Nico’s face. But just as he seemed to waver,Selena suddenly began to cry. “Don,you said this boat was only for me.If she gets on,I’ll feel uncomfortable.” “Besides,Nico is the Moretti family’s genius heir.Making a few fake bolts look like they went through him would be easy for him,wouldn’t it?” The moment she finished,Matteo’s expression changed.He glared at me in disgust. “You two make me sick.Nico Moretti,I’m warning you.If you keep acting with your mother,don’t blame me when I strike you off the succession list.” At those words,Nico’s breathing suddenly quickened,and tears fell hard from his eye. My heart ached,and I wanted to explain,but Matteo only let out a cold laugh. “Still pretending?Fine.I’ll see how far you take this.You want to board the boat,do you?Selena’s boat doesn’t allow other women on it.You know what to do.” He smiled contemptuously,and that smile stabbed through my heart like a needle. Once,he had loved me and Nico. But ever since this sponsored student gave him a taste of something new,he has changed. I stared at Matteo in disbelief.”Nico is your son!For that woman,you won’t even care about your own blood?” Matteo looked at me coldly.”If you don’t dare keep acting,kneel and apologize to Selena.Then stay on the island and accept family punishment.In three days,I’ll send someone to pick you up.” At that,I gave a bitter smile. The boat in front of me was the last one leaving the training island today. It was also Nico’s last chance to live. Looking at Nico’s deathly pale face and his faint breath,every last bit of self-esteem inside me was crushed. Then,under Matteo’s gaze,I yanked the folding knife from my keychain. The blade cut across my face without hesitation.The instant the pain hit,warm blood welled out. I stared hard at the screen.”Now,can I get on the boat?”

Matteo leaned closer to the camera in shock.”Elena,are you insane?” The next second,Selena immediately hugged him,her voice trembling. “Don,is she threatening me?I’m so scared.” Matteo seemed to jerk the camera back as if burned.His eyes went cold,and he ordered the guards, “I want to see how long they can keep acting.Let them on.” Then he turned and comforted Selena in a low voice.”If the boat is dirty,we won’t keep it.I have someone order you a new one from Italy.” Pain stabbed through my heart,but I had no time to care.I carried Nico onto the boat. After we reached shore,the family ambulance I had called took Nico and me straight to the Moretti family hospital,and he was rushed into surgery that night. While I waited for Nico to come out,one of the nurses forced me to have my wound treated.I had just finished when the doctor came out of the operating room. I rushed forward.”Doctor,how is Nico?” “The heir has suffered severe blood loss,but the family blood bank still has reserves.Donna,you and the nurse need to get the Rh-null blood bags immediately.” I nodded and ran with the nurse. But just as we were about to get the blood,several bodyguards rushed in.Without a word,they pinned me to the floor and covered my mouth. Before I could react,a familiar figure walked over and took the blood bags in front of me. I struggled to lift my head and saw Matteo barking at the nurse. “Send all Rh-null blood to the VIP ward on the third floor right now.If anything happens to Selena,every one of you is out of the Moretti medical system.” Matteo did not notice me on the floor at all.He walked away quickly. The nurses’whispers cut into my ears.”It’s just a scrape on her leg.Does she really need all the life-saving blood?” I fought free of the bodyguards and caught up to Matteo on the third floor,grabbing his arm. “Matteo!Nico has lost too much blood.He needs Rh-null.” When he saw it was me,disgust creased his brow. “Elena,I just care a little more for the student I sponsor,and you get jealous.But now you’re lying that the heir is dying?What next,will you bring me a corpse and force me to admit I was wrong?” “And if you hadn’t faked that bloody scene just to get on the boat,Selena wouldn’t have been so upset that she fell down the stairs and hurt her leg.” “All the blood here is being kept for Selena.If you dare touch it,I will make you regret it.” He pried my hand off and turned to leave,but those blood bags were Nico’s hope of survival. I dropped to my knees and clung to Matteo’s leg.”Please.I only need two bags of Rh-null.” Just then,Selena appeared. “If the Donna wants blood…it’s not impossible.” She leaned against the ward door,smiling with amusement,looking nothing like a patient who needed a transfusion. Matteo kicked me aside and hurried to support her.”She just wants attention.You don’t need to pay her any mind.” Selena coyly tapped Matteo’s chest,then lifted an eyebrow. “I just want to see how far the Donna will go for this little performance.” After she said that,her gaze on me turned dark and unreadable. “Don,I want you inside me.” “But my leg is hurt,and I can’t move very well.Can the Donna stay and help?” “If she could do me a favour,perhaps I could do her one in return.” In an instant,I understood what she meant. I stood up and clenched my fists,ready to hit her,but Matteo stepped in front of me.”What,Elena?Done acting now?” “I’m not acting!” I cried hoarsely,”Matteo,Nico has already been taken into surgery.” “You are the Don of the Moretti family.One word from you,and you can find out exactly what happened to Nico.If you don’t believe me,I’ll take you to see him right now.” I grabbed his hand to lead him away,but Matteo shoved me off. Then he slapped me hard across the face.”Enough.” “If you can’t keep acting,kneel and apologize.Otherwise,do as Selena said.” He took Selena inside.Soon,low gasps and the dull thud of the bed frame hitting the wall came from the ward. Just then,the nurse rushed over anxiously.”The other blood banks won’t make it in time.Donna,please think of something.The heir won’t last much longer.” In that instant,all the anger drained out of me. I walked into the ward. Clenching my teeth,I went to the bedside.Under Selena’s smug gaze,I held her waist,pressed down her weakened legs,and helped her match Matteo’s movements. By the time they finally finished and came out,everyone was looking at me with pity. I ignored every strange look and took the blood bags to save Nico. The moment I reached the stairs,Matteo rushed out. It was as if my obedience had suddenly stung his pride.His eyes were full of embarrassed rage. “For the sake of acting,you can even do something like that?” Before the words had fully left his mouth,he kicked me down the stairs. I tumbled all the way down.Bones cracked again and again,and blood spilled across the floor. Matteo looked down at me coldly. “Useless thing.”

After saying that,he walked up to me and,while my vision was going black,snatched the blood bags from my hands. Then he tore off the seal and slammed the blood bag onto the floor. “For a performance,you’d even sell the Donna’s dignity.Elena,how was I ever blind enough to marry a woman like you?” “Get out.” Enduring the pain,I picked up the blood bags. Selena gave a soft laugh.”Don,look.Doesn’t she look like a dying dog?” I seemed not to hear their mockery.With my hand pressed tightly over the puncture in the bag,I tried to stand and leave,but my body had gone numb. In the end,I crawled out of the ward,leaving streaks of blood behind me,and pushed the remaining blood bags into the family doctor’s hands. “Please.You have to save Nico.” After a long time,the operating room light went out.The doctor looked exhausted,but relieved. “The heir has been brought back.He’s very weak.Tonight is critical.” “Don’t worry,Donna.We will do everything we can.” I caught sight of the medical waste bin inside the operating room.It was piled high with crossbow bolts,blood-soaked cotton swabs,and syringes.My heart felt as if it had been carved open. But at least he was alive. I wept with joy,thanked them again and again,and stayed beside Nico after he was transferred to the ward. His face was pale.His breathing was weak,but steady. The taut string inside me loosened slightly.I went with the doctor to have my injuries treated. When I wheeled myself back to the ward alone,I saw Selena standing by Nico’s bed with a group of people. I stared at Selena nervously,trying to get closer,but the bodyguards stopped me. “Selena?What are you doing?” Selena turned to look at me,an innocent smile on her face. “I got close to the Don for the Moretti family’s power.He even got me pregnant with Moretti blood,but because of this little bastard,he still hasn’t kicked you out of the Donna’s position.” “I wanted to put on a little show so the Don wouldn’t suspect me when this bastard died.But who knew he would actually be saved?” The news of Selena’s pregnancy did not stir anything in me.I begged hoarsely. “When Nico is discharged,I’ll divorce him immediately.I’ll take Nico and leave.We’ll never disturb you again.” Selena said nothing.She simply took out a glass bottle,opened the cap,and shook it lightly. A single drop fell onto the bed.With a hiss,acrid white smoke rose,and the bedding was instantly corroded. It was the industrial corrosive used in dockside warehouses to destroy evidence. My eyes nearly split with rage.I lunged forward,and the wheelchair was violently overturned. I crashed to the floor and crawled toward the bed with both hands and feet. “No!Selena!Let him go.He just survived.I’ll take him away right now.” Selena made a gesture,and the bodyguards’fists and feet rained down on me. Her gentle voice drifted over.”But it’s all right.Now…he’ll just rot into a lump no one can recognize.” Through the shifting shadows of legs,I watched with my own eyes as Selena tipped the bottle in her hand.The liquid poured over Nico’s cheek,neck,and chest. Nico let out one hoarse scream,then fell silent. In moments,only a ruined,rotting shell remained on the bed,so mangled it no longer looked human. Flesh had collapsed,and acrid smoke curled upward.

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After my online relationship finally became real,I happened to see a post on our school’s anonymous confession wall. “If you could go back six months,what would you change?” Some people in the comments said they would retake the SAT. Some said they would break up with their ex sooner. Some said they would stop their parents from getting divorced. Only one comment was pushed all the way to the top. “I’d ask for her contact myself.” “Then my friend wouldn’t have given me the wrong account,and I wouldn’t have spent half a year talking to another girl.” “Now we’ve already met in person.I guess I can only keep going with the mistake.” I was about to scroll past. Then I realized the avatar,the ID,even the profile bio,were exactly the same as my boyfriend Ethan Hale’s. The boyfriend I had just met in person. Everything suddenly made sense. I finally understood why,after we met in person,he was still gentle with me but clearly distant,nowhere near as sweet as he had been online. And why,when he saw me in person for the first time,he had frozen so obviously for a second. Because,the affection he had given me had been meant for someone else all along. … The next afternoon,I met Ethan at the school cafe. He was sitting by the window,still wearing his deep-blue team jacket.Ethan Hale was one of the most popular boys at Westbridge Prep,the son of a board member,and the football captain. And I was just an ordinary scholarship student. If it had not been for that online relationship that began with a mistake,he and I probably never would have crossed paths at all. “You’re here?” When Ethan saw me,he pushed the hot chocolate in front of him toward me. “Less sugar,no whipped cream,extra cinnamon.You didn’t eat much dinner yesterday.Is your stomach still bothering you?” He had always been thoughtful. Even before we met in person,he had never missed a holiday gift or a birthday surprise. He knew I worked at the cafe after school and often forgot dinner,so he would order a sandwich ahead of time for me.Yesterday,when we had pasta together for the first time,he had naturally picked the mushrooms out for me. Mia had once said with envy that I must have been blessed by the goddess of love. But now I knew. None of that kindness had really been meant for me. Ethan waved a hand in front of my face and smiled. “What’s wrong?Now that we’ve met,you’re suddenly afraid to look at me?You’ll have plenty of time to stare later.Drink something first before your stomach starts hurting again.” Under the table,my hand clenched tight. In the end,I pushed my phone toward him. On the screen was that answer from the anonymous wall. The smile slowly faded from Ethan’s face. “Six months ago,did Noah give you the wrong account?” Ethan was silent for a while. People moved in and out of the cafe.Someone nearby was talking about a weekend party,and someone else was rushing through a college application essay.Only at our table was the atmosphere somber. After a long time,he finally said,”At first,I really did think you were Ava.” I had already guessed it. But hearing him say it out loud still made me feel humiliated. Ava Whitmore. Student council vice president,cheer captain,daughter of a board member,and the girl everyone at Westbridge Prep thought was the perfect match for Ethan. Six months ago,at the fall dance,she had been standing right beside me. She had been wearing a silver slip dress,beautiful in a cool,untouchable way. I had been wearing a white server’s shirt for my part-time shift,carrying a tray as I walked through them. That day,Noah said a friend of his wanted to know me. Later,Ethan followed me on Instagram. He said he remembered the way I had stood under the lights.He said I looked pretty when I smiled.He said the first time he saw me,he thought I was different from everyone else. So he had mistaken me for someone else from the very beginning. I put the note I had prepared in front of him.Ava’s Instagram was written on it. “This is her contact.You don’t have to keep settling for me just because your friend gave you the wrong account.” “If she’s the person you wanted to know,you can go know her now.” Ethan frowned. “Lily,I never said I was settling.” I looked at him. “I don’t want to be the idiot pretending she doesn’t know anything.” His expression turned a little ugly. “That answer was just something I wrote casually.I didn’t think you’d see it.” “So if I hadn’t seen it,were you planning to keep pretending nothing happened and keep dating me?” Ethan said nothing. His silence gave me my answer. For the past six months,I had really thought I had something good. During the six months we dated online,every planned video call fell apart because something always came up.That was why he didn’t realize I wasn’t the girl he wanted until we finally met in person. But he would order food for me before my late shifts,stay on the phone while I revised my college application essays,and remember which days I had exams and which nights I worked until closing. I had thought all of that was love. Now I realized maybe he had only kept going because he found out he had the wrong person and did not know how to end it. “Don’t worry.” I picked up my bag and stood. “I won’t tell anyone we talked for six months,and I won’t let Ava know you mistook me for her at first.” “When we see each other at school,we’ll just be regular classmates.” Ethan looked up at me,his expression complicated. “You really don’t have to do this.” “I do.” I cut him off. I did not want to be the mistake in anyone’s story. And I did not want this to be dug up later and twisted into me stealing Ava’s boyfriend. Ethan was silent for a long time before he said quietly,”As compensation,I can promise you one thing,as long as it’s something I can do.” He looked serious. As if he would not feel at ease unless I agreed. I did not want anything from him.But I did not want to keep arguing with him either,so I nodded. Only then did he seem to let out a breath. “Drink something first.This hot chocolate’s gone cold.I’ll buy you another one.” I glanced at the hot chocolate on the table. Then I picked up my bag and turned to leave. “No thanks.I have class this afternoon.”

When I got back to class that afternoon,Mia could tell something was wrong with one look. She dragged her chair closer and asked in a low voice,”Weren’t you meeting your online boyfriend?” “Why do you look like that?” For my meeting with Ethan yesterday,I had changed into a dress and even swapped my evening shift at the cafe with someone else. In the end,it had only been a wrong-person mess. I spread my textbook open and pretended to look for a pen. “It’s nothing.We met offline and realized it wasn’t a fit.” Mia frowned. “Was he ugly?” “No.” “Then his personality sucked?” I paused. “Something like that.” She was about to keep asking when someone in the front row suddenly shouted excitedly. “Check the anonymous wall!Ethan and Ava got photographed!” The classroom instantly came alive. I lowered my head,but I still could not stop myself from opening my phone. In the photo,Ethan stood by the parking lot with a cup of coffee in his hand,and Ava stood in front of him,smiling as she took it. The comments were full of people screaming over them. “Finally together?” “The perfect Westbridge couple.” “I knew they would end up together.No one else is good enough.” I stared at the last comment and suddenly found it funny.They were right.Someone like Ethan should have chosen Ava. Not me. Before school ended,Ava came over to my desk. She was wearing a white knit top today,her hair loosely tied back,looking pretty and harmless. “Lily,right?” I nodded. “Ethan said you helped us.”She put a gift bag on my desk.”Just a little thank-you.” I glanced at the logo on the bag.It was a brand I usually did not even dare to look at for too long when I passed by. “No,it’s okay.” “Take it.”Ava smiled.”If you hadn’t given him my account,we might never have had the chance to get to know each other.” She did not speak loudly,but everyone around us heard. Some people looked over with envy. Someone whispered that Ava was so generous,giving a gift just because I had passed along an account. I pushed the gift bag back.”Really,I don’t need it.” Ava’s smile faded a little. “Do you not like me?” As soon as she said that,the people nearby went quiet. I could only take the bag back. “Thank you.” Only then did Ava smile with satisfaction.”Good.By the way,are you close with Ethan?” My heart tightened. “No.I just know Noah.That day,he asked me for your account,so I helped pass it to Ethan.” Ava stared at me for a while,as if she was trying to decide whether I was telling the truth.At last,she smiled. “So that’s what happened.” As soon as she left,Mia leaned in. “Since when do you know Noah Brooks?” “The fall dance.I was working there.”I stuffed the gift bag into my backpack.”We only said a few words.We’re not close.” Mia clicked her tongue. “Your luck is insane.Your own online relationship failed,and you still somehow set up Ethan and Ava.” I pulled at the corner of my mouth. “If I were really lucky,my online relationship wouldn’t have failed.”

The next day after school,it suddenly started raining outside. I had not brought an umbrella,so I could only stand at the entrance of the academic building and wait for the rain to let up. That was when Ava came over,naturally linking her arm through mine. “It’s pouring.How are you getting home?Ethan’s coming to pick me up.We’ll drop you off.” I was just about to refuse when a black SUV stopped at the steps. The window rolled down,and Ethan looked at me.”Get in.This rain isn’t stopping anytime soon.” With both of them saying it,refusing again would only make me look deliberate. But when I was about to get in,Ethan suddenly opened the front passenger door for me. “Don’t you get carsick in the back?” My hand froze on the rear door handle,and Ava looked at me too. The truth was,I did not get carsick.I had once thrown up on the school bus because I had been exhausted from work and had not eaten breakfast. Later,when Ethan asked about it,I casually said I had felt sick in the car.I had not expected him to remember it for so long. I smiled.”You remembered wrong.I don’t get carsick.” Ethan paused,then quickly corrected himself. “I was asking Ava.” Ava’s expression eased a little. She got into the passenger seat,and I sat in the back,looking out the window the whole way. Rain slid down the glass,and Ava looked at me through the rearview mirror several times. “Lily,didn’t you have an online boyfriend before too?” My fingers tightened. Mia really could not keep anything to herself. “Yeah.” “You broke up?” “We met in person.It wasn’t right.” Ava gave a soft laugh.”That’s how online relationships are,I guess.Behind a screen,anyone can pretend to be devoted.” I did not answer,and Ethan did not say anything either. When the car stopped near my house,I almost immediately opened the door. “Thanks.I’ll go now.” That night,after I showered,a message from an unfamiliar number popped up on my phone. It was Ethan. “Stay away from Ava at school from now on.She’s smart.She’ll notice things she shouldn’t.” I stared at the line,and my chest suddenly felt blocked. Just a few days ago,he had still been my boyfriend.Now,after seeing me in person,he could only remind me not to make his girlfriend suspicious. I replied:”To keep her from misunderstanding,we shouldn’t contact each other anymore.” After sending it,I blocked that number too. When I went to school the next day,my eyes were a little swollen.Mia handed me a bottle of ice water. “You didn’t actually cry all night over that internet guy,did you?” “No.”I unscrewed the cap.”I just didn’t sleep well.” She was about to say something else when Ava happened to walk by.I did not know how much she heard.I only saw her steps pause for a second. After the last morning class,my advisor asked me to bring some documents to the reception room.She said a board member’s son was there to discuss sponsorship for the spring charity dance. I walked in with the files in my arms,and as soon as I opened the door,I saw Noah Brooks sitting inside. When he looked up and saw me,his eyes lit up. “Lily?We meet again.”

The last time I had seen Noah was at the fall dance. That day,he had worn a black suit and smiled like he owned the room,standing by the drink station as he asked for my contact. He said a friend of his wanted to know me,and I thought that friend was Ethan. Thinking about it now,everything had started with that sentence. Noah stood from his chair and held out his hand. “I told you we were meant to run into each other.” The teacher beside us looked at me,then at him. “You two know each other?” “We’ve met once.”I set the documents on the table.”We’re not close.” Noah looked wounded. “That’s cold.” I ignored him. Once the teacher stepped out to answer a call,Noah immediately leaned closer. “I heard about you and Ethan.” My heart sank. “What did you hear?” “He said I gave him the wrong account that day,so he mistook you for someone else.”Noah frowned.”But I never gave him the wrong account.” I froze. “What do you mean?” Noah looked at me. “At the fall dance,the person I wanted to know was you.” “I saved your account on my phone so I could add you later.Then I went to the bathroom for a few minutes,and he took my phone and added you himself.” For a moment,I could not speak. The more Noah talked,the angrier he got. “By the time I found out,the two of you were already together.I asked him what the hell happened,and he said he thought you were Ava.Like I’d believe that.” So Noah had not given him the wrong account.Ethan had been lying from the start. He had taken my account,then later pushed the entire mistake onto one sentence:his friend had given him the wrong account. I was about to speak when a voice suddenly came from the door. “Noah.” Ethan stood there,his face cold.”What are you doing here?” Noah leaned back in his chair,smiling in that obnoxious way of his. “Talking sponsorship.Catching up with Lily.Is that a problem?” Ethan looked at me,his voice clearly holding back anger. “Since when are you two so close?” Before I could answer,Noah cut in first. “Earlier than you think.Closer than you want.” Ethan’s face darkened. “Lily,stay away from him.” That sentence was directed at me. I suddenly almost wanted to laugh. “What right do you have to tell me what to do?” Ethan stopped. “I’m only warning you.Noah doesn’t take relationships seriously.” The smile on Noah’s face faded too. “And you do?You’re so serious you have a girlfriend and still run around telling another girl who she can talk to.” The air froze. Footsteps sounded outside the door,and Ava walked over with a folder in her arms,just in time to see the three of us standing together. Her gaze landed on Noah first,then shifted to me. “Lily,I didn’t realize you and Noah were this close.” I explained,”We’ve only met a few times.I’m just here to deliver documents today.” Noah grinned.”I’m still working on it.Maybe someday I’ll be her boyfriend.” Ethan shot him a cold look.”Nobody asked about later.” Ava’s smile became a little strained.She linked her arm through Ethan’s. “Let’s go.” Ethan made a sound of agreement.Before leaving,he looked at me again. There was something complicated in his eyes that made me uncomfortable. I lowered my head and sorted the documents,pretending not to see it.

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Kellan’s wolf howls — and it’s not for me. I’m standing under the full moon, and the future Alpha’s eyes are blazing gold. But he’s not looking at me. His whole body is being pulled toward the other end of the Ceremony grounds, toward Meadow — the Omega, the quiet girl who always sits at the edge of the pack. His wolf howls again. Raw. Guttural. Like something cracked open inside his chest. The Moon Goddess has spoken. Kellan and Meadow. True mates. I watch my brother Ronan sprint after him, shoulder-checking wolves out of his path. Flynn is right behind, clearing the way. Not toward me. Toward her. Kellan and I have been together eight years. Eight years of him telling me he’d mark me soon — not yet, not now, the timing isn’t right. I never pushed. Then a few weeks ago, he had Ronan sign me up for the Mating Ceremony behind my back. By the time I found out, it was too late to pull my name. “Just a formality,” he said. “If the Goddess pairs us, I’ll mark you that same night. It’s best blessing, isn’t?” I believed him. But lately something had been off. The way Kellan’s eyes lingered on her a beat too long at pack gatherings. The way he tensed when she stood too close. I noticed. I always noticed. I just told myself it didn’t mean anything. Now the Goddess didn’t pair us. She paired him with her. My scent is still drifting through the crowd. Unmatched. Unclaimed. I feel exposed — stripped bare on a stage no one’s watching anymore. Then I feel it. A pull. Not warm. Not safe. Something raw and jagged, like a hook dragging through my ribs. A howl rises from the far edge of the grounds — low, broken, starving. Gold eyes lock onto mine. Garrick Thane. The rogue who wandered onto our territory three moons ago. No pack. No rank. Three previous mates — all dead. His wolf is responding to my scent. I feel the bond trying to latch on — my wolf stirs, restless, confused. She wants to answer. My body wants to step forward. I don’t move. The Ceremony grounds go dead silent. Then the whispers start. “A Gamma’s daughter — Moon-paired with a rogue?” “Well… at least it matches.” The crowd parts as Kellan walks away with Meadow, Ronan and Flynn flanking them. Nobody looks back. The crowd is thinning out. Kellan, Meadow, Ronan, Flynn — they’ve already disappeared around the Elder’s tent. I follow, not sure what I’m going to say. Not sure what there is to say. Then I hear their voices. Kellan’s voice. Ronan’s. Flynn’s. Low. Careful. Pleased. “I knew it.” Kellan exhales like he’s been holding his breath for months. “I’ve been sensing her for weeks — every time Meadow walked past, my wolf went insane. I just needed the Ceremony to make it official.” Ronan keeps his voice down. “So that’s why you had me sign Briar up.” “If the Goddess confirms it in front of the whole pack, nobody can say I chose this. It’s not me leaving Briar — it’s the Goddess’s will.” Kellan pauses. “Who’s going to argue with that?” “What about my sister?” Kellan’s voice doesn’t waver. “She’s a Gamma’s daughter. No wolf is lining up for her. As long as she thinks nothing’s changed between us, she’ll stay.” “Worst case — she rejects the rogue. She’ll feel some pain. After that, she’s got no Moon-given mate. Nowhere to go. She’ll have no choice but to stay by my side.” Flynn laughs softly. “Just sweet-talk her a little. She’ll get over it. She always does.” I stand in the dark, and a bitter laugh scrapes out of me. So the Ceremony wasn’t a formality. It was a trap. He needed the Moon Goddess to hand him an excuse — and she did. Fine. If this is what the Goddess gives me, I’ll take it.

The walk home is short. When I push through the door, the smell of stew hits me first. Ronan gets to me before I’ve taken two steps inside. Voice low. “So? What are you going to do?” Dad and Mom both look up from the table. I hang my coat on the hook by the door. “Nothing.” Dad slams his mug down. “Eight years with the future Alpha, and you couldn’t even hold onto him at the Ceremony? How do you let something like this happen?” I don’t answer. I learned a long time ago — all he does is point fingers. He never stands up for me. Never once took my side. Maybe because Meadow is the daughter of his old flame. Anything involving that family, he bends over backward. Every single time. This time, none of it is my fault. Mom opens her mouth. All she does is push a bowl of stew closer to me. She’s never had a spine. Whatever Dad and Ronan say goes. I smile — thin and knowing. I stopped expecting her to speak up for me a long time ago. As long as she’s safe. That’s enough. Who I end up with doesn’t matter anymore. I’ve barely sat down when there’s a knock at the door. Ronan opens it. Kellan and Flynn walk in side by side. Meadow is right behind them. She steps inside and her whole face lights up when she sees my father. “I came to join dinner — is that okay?” Dad beams. “Of course. Sit down, sit down.” He pulls out a chair for her himself. By pack law, Kellan and Meadow are Moon-blessed. As for me — I didn’t accept Garrick’s claim. I didn’t reject it either. To everyone at this table, that’s not worth discussing. Meadow sits next to Kellan. He sets a cut of venison on her plate, then seems to remember I exist and drops something onto mine. “Briar. Eat.” I look down. Root vegetables. Overcooked, the way I’ve hated since I was a pup. He found his true mate tonight and he’s so happy he can’t even remember what I don’t eat? Ronan starts cracking jokes. “Did you see that rogue at the Ceremony? Garrick Thane actually showed up. What she-wolf would ever accept him?” Flynn jumps in. “No pack, no rank. Been on our territory less than three moons. And every mate he’s ever had? Dead.” Dad takes a slow sip from his mug. “The Goddess chose Kellan and Meadow. You can’t fight the Goddess’s will.” “Meadow and her mother have had it hard enough. Nobody is going to force them to reject a Moon-given bond.” He glances at Kellan. “The Moon Blessing would be held in two days. After that, things will settle. Briar will figure it out.” Mom’s eyes go red. She stares down at her plate. I’m about to tell her not to worry when Kellan takes my hand. His voice is patient. Almost rehearsed. “Briar, nobody wanted this. I didn’t expect my wolf to respond to Meadow.” “But nothing changes between us, okay? You’re still mine.” I take a sip of stew. “Okay.” He blinks. I never give in this fast. Before, I’d push back — make him coax me, reassure me, say it again. But he blinks once, and his hand slips out of mine. Quick. Relieved. Like setting down something heavy he’d been dreading. “Meadow, you alright?” Her cheeks flush. “My mom made me join the Ceremony. I didn’t have a choice either. I’m just glad it was you — at least you’re someone I know.” “I’ll go along with whatever you all decide.” They start planning. The bonding ceremony. The feast. The pack howl. Like this was always the plan. I finish eating in silence and set down my bowl. “You all keep talking. I’m done.” The chair scrapes the floor. The table goes quiet for a beat. As I walk away, I hear Meadow whisper, “Is she upset?” Kellan, calm and sure: “Don’t overthink it. Briar’s not the sensitive type. Probably just tired.” I slow for half a step. Tired. So that’s what it means now. It explains away everything — every last thing I’ve swallowed. And everyone at that table sleeps just fine.

I walk out into the yard. The moon is high but the light feels cold. “Briar.” Kellan comes after me. He still carries Meadow’s scent on his skin — soft, sweet, clinging. “You barely ate. Are you mad?” “Yes.” He lets out a short laugh. “Don’t be like that. The Goddess pairs it — nobody could’ve predicted what happened.” “I told you — nothing changes between us. You’re still—” “Kellan.” I cut him off. He stops. I look him in the eyes. “I told you from the start. I didn’t want to join the Mating Ceremony.” It’s ancient. Sacred. The Goddess reveals your true mate through scent. For thousands of years, the pack has honored this. I respect it. But I didn’t want to join — I already had a mate. Apparently I was the only one who thought that mattered. He stiffens. “It already happened. What’s the point of bringing this up now?” “Exactly. Nothing I say matters. Because you never listen.” That look — the one I’ve seen for eight years — slides across his face. Annoyed, but holding it in. He knows he’s in the wrong. He just doesn’t think being wrong means he has to bend. “Briar, what’s the point of dragging this out? It was the Goddess’s will, not mine. If you’re really that upset, I’ll talk to Meadow. We’ll smooth things over—” “Smooth things over?” I stare at him. “You heard my dad at dinner. Meadow can’t reject the bond. You want to put an Omega and her mother through that kind of pain? How are you going to smooth that over?” He pinches his temple. “Briar, be reasonable—” “Reasonable?” A laugh scrapes out of me. “I try to reason with my dad — he says I’m talking back. I try with my mom — she tells me not to make a fuss. I try with my brothers — they calls me petty. I thought it’d be different with you, Kellan. But you’re telling me to be reasonable too?” His mouth opens. “I’m not—” “You’re not listening. You just assume I’ll give in. Every time.” The way Dad assumes I’ll shut up. The way Mom assumes I’ll swallow it. The way Ronan assumes I’ll let it go. “Briar…” His voice goes soft. He reaches for me. I step back. Turn into the dark. His footsteps follow — two steps, then stop. Someone calls his name. Meadow’s voice, probably. Soft and worried. Or someone inside, wanting to talk about the ceremony. He doesn’t come after me. Three years ago, when he asked me to be his chosen mate, his eyes were full of light. Warm and sure and mine. I can’t even tell where that light went now. When I circle back to the yard, they’re gathered around the bonfire. Meadow pokes at the flames with a long stick, her face lit by the glow. “Kellan, do you think Briar minds us being out here…?” Ronan waves it off. “Forget about her. The more you tiptoe, the worse it gets. Just ignore her.” Flynn grins. “Kellan’s wolf answered your scent. If that’s not the Goddess’s will, what is?” Meadow’s cheeks burn. “Don’t say that — she’ll hear…” Kellan smiles but doesn’t correct a word. “I’m going to make sure it’s done right. You deserve that.” A Moon Blessing. A feast. A pack howl. Everything a she-wolf dreams of. Everything that was supposed to be mine. Meadow ducks her head. “But my mating cloak… there’s no time to have one made.” Ronan laughs. “Kellan already handled it. Briar’s cloak has been resized to fit you.” Meadow looks up. “Really? But what about Briar?” “She won’t need it.” Kellan’s voice is easy. He tucks a strand of hair behind Meadow’s ear. Firelight spills across his shoulders. I go still behind the old oak. That cloak. I had it commissioned from the old she-wolf who crafts the finest pelts. Kellan offered to take my measurements himself. It came back a little too tight. I thought it was an honest mistake. Now I know whose body he was measuring for. Meadow’s voice drops. “But nobody in this pack has been rejected by the Goddess in thirty years. She must be hurting so much…” Kellan looks at her — soft and sure, like she’s already his. “She worries about everyone when she almost got claimed by a stranger.” He tucks the hair tighter behind her ear. “Briar does what her family tells her. She’s got no Moon-given mate now, nowhere else to go. She’ll stay.” “Did she fight me earlier? She didn’t. She’s more scared of losing me than anything.” Meadow mumbles. “I just feel bad for her…” “Don’t.” He watches the fire. “She’s only giving up a title. She’ll still be by my side. That’s more than most Omegas get.” The night wind carries his voice and his laughter to where I stand. A chill crawls down my spine. Slow. One vertebra at a time. I shut everything down. And I walk straight in.

Everyone in the yard sees me at the same time. The voices cut in half. Kellan is standing by the bonfire, hands in his pockets. Meadow runs toward me and grabs my sleeve. “Briar! You’re back! I was just about to come find you—” I lift my hand to pull free. She stumbles backward with a gasp and drops to the ground. “Meadow!” Kellan crosses the yard in three strides. He shoves past me so hard I stagger back, my foot catches on the pile of burned-out logs from the bonfire, and I go down. My palm lands flat on the embers. The pain is instant — white-hot, searing through skin. My whole body curls inward. Ronan and Flynn rush over. All three of them crouch around Meadow like she’s made of glass, lifting her up, brushing dirt off her clothes. Nobody looks at me. Kellan turns. His eyes land on me, and all I see is anger. “What is wrong with you?” “Meadow was worried about you — worried you were out there alone. And the first thing you do when you come back is shove her?” The pain pulses up my arm in waves. Moonlight catches the blisters already swelling across my palm. He notices my hand. His voice drops half a degree. “…You okay?” I don’t look at him. I push myself off the ground on my own. A laugh scrapes out of me. “Worried about me? So worried she’s out here celebrating around a bonfire?” Kellan stiffens. “What are you talking about? A bonfire after the Ceremony is pack tradition.” Sure. Tradition. But what does any of it have to do with me? “Move.” My voice is quiet. His jaw tightens. “You shoved her and you’re walking away without even an apology?” I lift my head and look him straight in the eyes. My palm throbs with every heartbeat. “Apology?” I say. “Ask her. Did I touch her?” He doesn’t turn around. But behind him, Meadow sniffles — soft, barely there. That one sound swallows everything he was about to say. “Briar. For both our sakes — apologize. Now.” “If this is really for both our sakes,” I look at him, “then come with me. Right now.” “Reject the mate bond. Leave the pack. Forget the Ceremony, the Goddess blessing — all of it. Walk away with me. Do you dare?” His lips move. I wait for him to speak. Wait for him to step toward me. He hesitates. His head turns — just slightly — and I see what he sees. Meadow standing behind him, chin tilted up, watching him with those wide eyes. “Briar…” His voice sinks low. “Don’t push me like this. We don’t have to figure everything out tonight. Meadow, she’s—” “Forget it.” I cut him off and brush the ash from my clothes. “I was joking.” I already knew the answer. Why wait for him to say it out loud? I turn to leave. Behind me, Meadow’s voice wavers. “Her hand is burned — I’ll get the med kit—” Kellan catches her arm. His voice is a low rumble, thunder buried under skin. “Don’t. She shoved you first. She’s putting on a show. Don’t give her the satisfaction.” I push open the bedroom door and walk in. The footsteps outside fade. I sit on the edge of the bed and look at my hand. The burn sits right in the softest part of my palm. It hurts. It hurts so much that everything else has gone numb.

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