Category: English

As the New Year drew near, I, the top sales manager at my company, closed a massive deal. To celebrate the $3 million annual bonus that was about to hit my account, a colleague suggested we treat ourselves to a $9 manicure at the salon downstairs from the office. But when I arrived home excitedly, ready to share the good news with my husband Mark, his expression soured the second he noticed my nails. “You just have money to burn or what? How are you supposed to do housework with those things?” Mark’s sister, Tiffany, shrieked in protest. “Sarah, how much did Mark pay for that manicure? You’re such a wasteful spender!” I just laughed it off. Fine, whatever. If that’s how it’s going to be. Then I’m done being your unpaid maid! The minute I walked through the front door, Tiffany’s complaining voice echoed through the house. “Sarah, why are you home so late? Hurry up and make dinner—I’m starving!” My husband Mark Miller came over, planning to check the groceries I’d bought. But his eyes immediately locked onto my new manicure, and his face turned dark. “You were late because you went to get your nails done, weren’t you?” “Where do you get off wasting money like that? It’ll ruin your ability to do housework!” Hearing Mark’s accusations, I instinctively defended myself. “It wasn’t expensive. This manicure only cost $9.” My mother-in-law Brenda Miller, who was sitting on the couch munching snacks, dramatically stood up and pointed at me, launching into a rant. “Are your fingers made of gold? Wasting all that money… do you realize how many household things $9 could buy?” “My son works so hard for his money, and you’re just throwing it away like this!” Tiffany grabbed my hand, scowling as she chimed in with Brenda. “Sarah just loves wasting money. What’s even the point of that stupid manicure? You should save up and buy me a new designer purse instead.” Brenda snorted. “I’ve lived this long and never splurged on something so pricey for my nails.” “Besides, if you cook with those things on, aren’t you going to poison the whole family?” After saying that, Brenda grabbed my hand, ready to drag me back to the nail salon to get the manicure removed and get our nine dollars back. I pulled away, growing irritated. “That money can’t be refunded.” “Besides, I didn’t spend Mark’s money. I have my own salary, and today I even…” Before I could finish, Mark suddenly cut me off. “Aren’t your earnings our money too?” “All you do is fool around with these silly things, and you can’t even take care of your husband or respect your mother-in-law. Go ask around—no one has a daughter-in-law like you!” I always thought I was a good wife. After we got married, Mark moved his mom and sister from their hometown to live in the house I bought. Over the years, his monthly salary was barely over a thousand dollars, and I covered all the household expenses. Tiffany never got a job after college, and I gave her monthly allowance—not to mention her constant demands for money to buy designer bags and luxury items. Even Brenda, who gambled every day, would hit me up for money whether she won or lost. Yet Tiffany carried the designer bags I bought her, Mark wore the clothes I purchased for him, and Brenda flaunted the bracelet I gifted her. And this family had the audacity to call me wasteful over a $9 manicure. When Brenda realized she couldn’t get the manicure money back, she threw a fit. “I don’t care! One way or another, you need to get that stuff off your nails.” Only when I told her removing the manicure would cost extra did Brenda back off, but she immediately started in again about how wasteful I was with money. Brenda glanced around, then put on a fake conciliatory tone. “Here’s a compromise—hand over your debit card. I’ll hold onto it from now on so you don’t go wasting money again.” Tiffany snickered and joined in: “Exactly, you can’t be trusted with your debit card anymore.” “Today it’s a manicure, tomorrow it’s your eyebrows, and who knows? Next thing you’ll be all dolled up flirting with other men.” Mark was insecure and not the sharpest tool in the shed. At Tiffany’s words, he immediately reached for my purse. “Hand over the debit card—now!”

Mark was strong, and he quickly tore my purse open. But my debit card wasn’t inside. No matter how much he searched, he couldn’t find it. Brenda saw brute force wasn’t working, so she softened her tone and tried to reason with me. “Sarah, I won’t spend your money if I hold onto your debit card. I’m just keeping it safe for you.” “You’re young and can’t manage money. I’m doing this for your own good. Just give me the card, and I’ll drop the manicure thing.” Brenda gave Mark a look, and he caught on right away. He tried to put his arm around my shoulders, but I stepped back. “Honey, you heard Mom. She’s doing this for our own good. Once we save up enough, we can even get a bigger house.” “You, as a woman, having all this money and spending it recklessly… what if you actually… you need to think about me, right?” “No.” I refused without hesitation. Before Mark could get angry, I spoke first. “It’s not that I don’t want to give it to you. It’s just that all my money is temporarily invested in a new company project. It’ll double in returns.” Brenda and Mark hesitated, clearly tempted by the promise of double returns. Only Tiffany spoke up sarcastically, “How do we know you’re not just lying to us?” Tiffany was right—I hadn’t invested anything. I just didn’t want to hand my money over to their family. Seeing I wouldn’t budge, Brenda started again, saying it didn’t matter if the card had money or not—she just wanted to hold onto it. In the middle of the argument, my phone rang. My dad’s trembling, tearful voice came through the receiver. “Sarah, your mom… something happened. You need to come home right away and take her to the hospital…” Before I could ask what happened, Brenda snatched my phone and started yelling at my dad on the other end. “How did you two raise your daughter?” “Sarah not only wastes money and flirts with men all day, but she also acts like she owns the place and disrespected her elders at home! She’s completely out of line!” My dad was silent for a moment, then I heard strangers shouting in the background. “Help! Someone just passed out here!” The call cut off abruptly. I was both furious and terrified, desperate to get to my parents. But Brenda, seeing me try to leave, grabbed my arm and blocked the doorway. “You can leave, but you have to hand over your debit card. Otherwise, who knows what you’ll do with that money!” Enraged, I pushed Brenda away. “Get out of my way!” Brenda stumbled back and fell to the side. But as I ran downstairs, I noticed Mark and Tiffany chasing after me. “Sarah, how dare you talk to my mom like that? Get back inside and apologize to her!” Mark blocked my path, and he and Tiffany cornered me at the building entrance. It was rush hour, and neighbors, hearing the commotion, gathered to see what was going on. I didn’t want to get stuck arguing. I just told them I had to leave and to stop blocking me. Brenda also came downstairs. Seeing the crowd, she suddenly plopped down on the steps and started sobbing loudly. “This is a nightmare! How did we ever end up with a daughter-in-law like Sarah!” “She’s a spendthrift who’s wasted all my son’s money, and now she even has the nerve to hit me! Everyone, please tell me if this is right!” I couldn’t take it anymore. I shook off Brenda’s hand, which was grabbing my pant leg. Then, ignoring the accusations and curses behind me, I rushed to my parents’ house.

Thankfully, I arrived just in time. My parents had already been taken to the hospital by kind neighbors, avoiding a real tragedy. My mom had accidentally fractured her leg, and my dad had fainted from stress and shock. To keep them from worrying, I only mentioned there’d been a small disagreement at Mark’s house. But the next morning, Mark showed up at my parents’ hospital room with a whole group of relatives, barging in without hesitation. “Sarah, you hit my mom and think you can just run off? Do you think our family has no backbone?!” Tiffany shouted angrily, and Mark’s relatives immediately joined in with their accusations. “You wasteful gold-digger! Your mother-in-law says a few words, and you lay hands on her? Unbelievable!” “Sarah, you shameless woman, assaulting someone in public! Dozens of people saw it!” “Mark’s too soft on you. If I had a disrespectful, wasteful wife like you, I would’ve taught you a lesson long ago.” “Sarah, you owe us an explanation today!” My parents woke up, shocked and scared by the chaos. I had to hold back my anger and told Mark, “My parents are still in the hospital. Don’t make a scene here. If you have something to say, we’ll go outside.” But Brenda started shrieking again. “Oh no you don’t! I need to let your parents see what a disrespectful daughter they raised!” Brenda tried to get to my parents, but I stepped in front of her. My voice shook as I spoke. “What exactly do you people want?” Mark had clearly been waiting for that question. He threw a document in front of me and said arrogantly, “You bullied my mom, so you need to kneel and apologize to her. After that, sign this agreement.” I read through the agreement, barely able to believe what I was seeing. The document stated I had to hand over all future income—salary, bonuses, everything—to Mark, and get his permission for every single purchase. That’s when the ugly truth about this family finally hit me. When Mark and I first started dating, he seemed so caring that I willingly supported his family. But I never imagined they’d try to completely control me over something as small as a manicure. They ate my food, spent my money, and now they wanted to bleed me dry? Not a chance. I scoffed inwardly. Mark thought I was about to cave, but then he added another demand. “Tiffany’s seeing this rich guy now, and you need to buy her new clothes and jewelry to help her make a good impression.” Tiffany jumped in: “You also need to buy me a house. I found this villa downtown, only $10 million. That shouldn’t be too hard for you, right?” “Of course, I’ll throw you a bone in return,” Tiffany said condescendingly. “Once I marry into that rich family, you can stay home and take good care of my brother and mom. Maybe if I’m feeling generous, I’ll have my husband help you out.” Looking at this family, still delusional that I’d bow down and妥协, I simply said coldly, “Dream on.” “Mark, I want a divorce.” The word “divorce” made Mark, Brenda, and Tiffany freeze—like they never saw it coming. The relatives behind them were the first to recover. “Sarah, you won’t apologize AND you have the nerve to ask for a divorce?” “You think divorce will make this go away? Think again!”

Mark’s relatives acted like they were morally superior, treating me like some kind of criminal. Seeing my parents looking worried again, I called hospital security and had everyone escorted out. The hospital room finally quieted down. My mom seemed like she wanted to ask something, but I gave her a reassuring look. “Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone push me around.” Meanwhile, my annual bonus had come through. After covering my parents’ hospital bills and other expenses, I still had $3 million left. I planned to use the money to take my parents on a world trip and hired a lawyer to draw up divorce papers. Mark called several times, saying they’d forgive me if I came back, apologized, and agreed to their demands. I scoffed, but I still went back. Not to back down, but to cut all ties with their family for good. Mark wasn’t home when I arrived. Brenda and Tiffany were on the couch, munching snacks with trash all over the floor. When they saw me, Brenda spoke sarcastically. “Oh, you finally decided to come back? Hurry up and sweep the floor and clean the kitchen.” I ignored her and went into the bedroom. While packing my suitcase, I could hear their conversation from the living room—obviously meant for me to hear. “It’s all my brother’s fault for being too soft. He’s spoiled Sarah rotten.” “But since she’s back, at least she knows her place. This time we need to teach her a lesson so she never forgets who’s in charge.” I didn’t respond. Tiffany had come to stand beside me at some point. “What’s this?” Tiffany reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out three airline ticket confirmations. When she saw the destination was Sanya, Tiffany started laughing. “Looks like you’re planning a family trip to apologize, huh? At least you have some sense.” “But why only three tickets? Guess you know you don’t deserve to come. When we get back from Sanya, I expect that villa to be bought already.” Tiffany kept rambling, even calculating how much money she should ask for new clothes. I ignored her and went into her room. Tiffany’s room was full of designer clothes, bags, and makeup—all things I’d bought for her. Since we were getting divorced, I was definitely taking all this stuff back. Tiffany looked confused until she saw me packing up her things. Then she rushed over to block me. “Sarah, are you crazy? What do you think you’re doing with my stuff?” “Your stuff?” I scoffed. “I bought all this.” Tiffany stared at me defiantly with her head held high. “So what if you bought them? They’re with me now, so they’re mine! Don’t touch my things, or my brother will deal with you when he gets home!” I pulled the divorce papers from my bag without expression. “Fine.” “I’m waiting for him to get back so we can get divorced.” Brenda heard the noise and ran in. When she saw the divorce papers, her face showed pure disbelief. “Sarah, have you lost your mind? You actually want a divorce!” I looked at the two of them, their faces showing different expressions, and said clearly, “Yes, I’m getting a divorce, and I’m taking back everything that belongs to me.” “And those three tickets are for me and my parents.” “You people… don’t deserve to go!” After that, I ignored Brenda and Tiffany, dropped the divorce papers, and dragged my suitcase out. As I left, I could still hear Brenda and Tiffany shouting hysterically. “You’ll regret this!” “Sarah, my brother won’t let you get away with this!”

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A decade after my abduction, my parents exhausted every resource searching for me. To cope with their grief, they adopted a young girl named Mara. The day I was rescued and brought home, our house overflowed with my childhood photos. Only Mara huddled in the corner, voice trembling as she asked: “Now that she’s back… are you going to send me away?” That night, Dad reprimanded her sharply for the first time. Mom held me sobbing, vowing to make amends for all those years of suffering. But when I tried integrating into the family, I accidentally broke one of Mara’s hair clips. Suddenly, Mom flew into a rage and slapped me. “How can you be so cruel? Are you trying to kill your sister?” “She was there for us in our darkest moments! How dare you hurt her?” “If I had known you were this kind of person, I would never have brought you back!” She tossed all my clothes off the balcony, then pulled Mara inside and locked the door behind them. I stood in the pouring rain, staring at the door I’d fantasized about for so long. Whatever family bond I’d imagined shattered completely in that moment.

Cold rain pelted my face, mixing with the stinging slap mark on my cheek. I lifted my hand to knock, but it fell limply back to my side. From inside, Mom’s soft, comforting voice drifted out: “Don’t cry, Mara. Mommy’s here.” “No one’s going to hurt you. Daddy brought that hair clip all the way from Europe just for you.” “It breaks my heart that it got ruined.” I was only wearing a thin nightgown. The rain soaked through to my skin instantly, and the cold seeped into my bones. I curled up in the corner by the door, trying to leach some warmth from the icy wall. My head grew heavy. My eyelids felt like weights. Footsteps echoed in the hallway. I summoned every last bit of strength to lift my head and reach toward him. My lips moved. I whispered weakly, “Dad…” He saw me. His steps hesitated for a second, then he walked around me with a scowling expression. He pulled out his keys and unlocked the door. Glancing back at me, he said: “Your mother’s upset. Just stay out here and think about what you did. Don’t make her any angrier.” “Mara’s not feeling well. Don’t fright her.” The door slammed shut in my face. My outstretched hand froze mid-air. Then slowly, I pulled it back and hugged my freezing knees to my chest. Before I slipped fully into unconsciousness, I heard Mara’s laughter from inside. When I opened my eyes again, the harsh white of a hospital room greeted me. A nurse walked in. When she saw I was awake, she picked up the nearby phone. “Hello, is this Stella Lane’s family? She’s awake now. Her fever has broken.” Mom’s voice came through the phone: “Got it. We’re tied up right now. We’ll swing by later.” The nurse hung up and poured me a cup of water, muttering under her breath: “What kind of parents are these? Their kid’s fever hit 104 degrees, and they can’t even bother to come?” I gripped the cup. Warmth slowly returned to my fingertips, but my heart plummeted to my stomach. They were busy. Busy comforting Mara, who’d suffered such a terrible injustice over a hair clip. And me? Their biological daughter who’d been kidnapped for ten years and was now hospitalized with a high fever? I was just an inconvenience. I threw off the blanket and got out of bed. I made my way to the billing desk alone. I only had a hundred dollars in my pocket—money a police officer had given me. I pushed it through the window. “Ma’am, I don’t have enough money. Can I pay the rest later? I promise I’ll pay it back.” The woman at the window looked up at me and pushed the money back. “Forget it, kid. Keep the money and buy yourself something to eat.” I walked out of the hospital. Sunlight hit me, but it offered no warmth. I didn’t know where to go. The place they called home no longer had room for me.

I wandered the streets aimlessly until nightfall. My stomach growled with hunger. That’s when I remembered the hundred dollars in my pocket. I went into a convenience store and bought a loaf of bread and a bottle of water. I squatted on the steps outside the store, nibbling slowly on the dry, crusty bread. A black car pulled up in front of me. The window rolled down, revealing Mom’s face. “Get in! Haven’t you embarrassed us enough already?” I clutched the bread in my hand and silently climbed into the back seat. Mom hit the gas. The car lurched forward violently. She stared at me through the rearview mirror with icy eyes. “Stella Lane, you really have some nerve, don’t you?” “Running away from home now? Do you have any idea what the neighbors are saying behind our backs?” “They’re accusing us of abusing you!” I looked down and said nothing. Mom’s voice sharpened. “And you’re still eating? Your sister was so worried she couldn’t even touch her food!” “We spent all day looking for you, and what were you doing? Having a grand old time out here by yourself!” I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I looked up and met her gaze. “You locked me out. I had a fever. Dad saw me too.” “But he didn’t care.” Mom slammed on the brakes. The car screeched to a stop. She whipped around, eyes bloodshot, and screamed at me: “How dare you talk back? You broke her hair clip and now you’re throwing a fit like we’re the bad guys?” “We raised Mara for ten years. She’s our whole world!” “You broke her things and you think you’re justified? She was with us through the hardest ten years of our lives.” “And you? What have you ever done for this family?” I opened my mouth, but no words came out. She was right. What had I done for this family? All I’d done was drain their finances. And Mara? She was the medicine that healed their pain. Now that I—the real source of their suffering—had returned, of course they found me repulsive. The car started moving again. It drove all the way back to the neighborhood I both recognized and felt like a stranger in. The lights were on at home. Dad and Mara sat on the couch watching TV. When they heard the door open, Mara immediately jumped off the couch and threw herself into Mom’s arms. “Mom, you’re finally back. I missed you so much. Did you find her?” She looked up and saw me standing at the door. She shrank back timidly behind Mom. Dad walked over. With a stern expression, he pulled me inside. He pointed to a beautifully wrapped cake box on the coffee table and said: “Go apologize to your sister. She won first place in her piano competition today.” I looked at Mara’s tear-streaked face and suddenly found it absurdly funny. So that was it. I’d been locked outside in the rain and developed a fever because I’d ruined their celebration. I looked at Dad firmly. “I didn’t do anything wrong. She pushed me first.” Dad’s face turned pale. He raised his hand as if to hit me. Mara grabbed his arm just in time, crying and shaking her head as she pleaded: “Dad, don’t! It’s not her fault. It’s mine. I shouldn’t have fought with her over things.” Mom pulled Mara into her arms and shot me a venomous glare. “Look what you’ve done to your sister! You’re nothing but trouble!” “This family was fine until you came back and ruined everything!” She shoved me into a corner. “Stand here and think about what you’ve done! You don’t eat until you figure it out!” Then she pulled Mara along, and the three of them—a happy family—cut the cake together. They lit candles and sang a celebration song, even though it wasn’t anyone’s birthday. Mara made a wish under their adoring stares, a blissful smile on her face. I stood in the corner watching them, my stomach churning with pain. For ten years, I’d endured unimaginable horrors. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of coming home. But I never imagined that home wouldn’t be mine anymore.

That night, I stood in the corner until midnight. My legs went numb and lost all feeling. They ate their cake, watched TV, and went to their rooms to sleep. Not one of them glanced my way again. The living room light clicked off. I felt my way back to the room they’d assigned me—a tiny storage closet converted into a bedroom. It was crammed with junk. There was only a narrow cot inside. I lay on the bed, listening to laughter coming from the next room. It was Mom reading Mara a bedtime story. “And so, the prince found Cinderella.” Mara’s voice was drowsy. “Mom, what about her? Is she a princess too?” Mom was silent for a moment. Then she sighed softly. “No, she’s not. She’s just a lost child.” “She’ll find her own way and leave soon enough.” “You’re our only princess, Mara. No one can take that away from you.” I buried my head in the musty blanket. So that’s what I was to them. A temporary visitor who’d leave any day now. The next morning, I woke to the sound of arguing in the living room. I quietly cracked the door open. Mom was holding a report card, her face dark with anger. “Mara, what is this? Why did your grades drop so much this month?” Mara hung her head, wringing her fingers pitifully. “It’s all her fault. Ever since she came back, you two stopped caring about me.” Dad immediately stepped in front of Mara, frowning at Mom. “Why are you yelling at her? Mara’s been stressed lately. She’ll do better next time.” He turned toward my room, his voice growing cold. “This is all Stella’s fault. If she hadn’t come back, none of this would’ve happened.” Mom slammed the report card on the table, her chest heaving. “No! For Mara’s future, we can’t let her stay here anymore.” “I’m calling someone today. We’re sending her away. Back to where she belongs.” My whole body went rigid. My heart skipped a beat. Send me away? Where were they planning to send me? Back to the traffickers? Dad hesitated. “That’s… not really appropriate, is it? She is our biological daughter, after all.” Mom sneered. “Biological? What has she done besides cause trouble since she got back?” “Did you forget what the doctor said? Mara can’t handle emotional stress.” “Are we really going to sacrifice our Mara’s life for this useless waste of space?” Dad said nothing. I leaned against the door, sliding down to the floor. My whole body felt frozen. So Mara had a heart condition. So my existence was a threat to her life. No wonder. No wonder they treated me so cruelly. Everything made sense now. At noon, Mom cooked a whole table of dishes—all of Mara’s favorites. For the first time, she served me a piece of braised pork. “Stella, eat more.” I stared at the greasy meat in my bowl. My stomach turned. Dad joined in. “You probably didn’t get to eat well out there. Now that you’re home, things will be better.” I lifted my eyes and watched their little performance. It made me sick. They’d already arranged to get rid of me. Now they were putting on one last show of warmth? Mara sat across from me, eating her meal while shooting me smug, taunting looks. After the meal, Mom brought over a bowl of soup and placed it in front of me herself. “Stella, I made this chicken soup especially for you. Drink it while it’s hot. It’ll help you recover.” The bowl had a few red dates and goji berries floating in it. It looked nourishing. But I caught a faint, strange medicinal smell. My heart sank.

I held the bowl of soup. My fingers turned white from gripping it so hard. Mom urged me, “Why aren’t you drinking? It won’t taste good once it gets cold.” Mara added fuel to the fire. “Does she not appreciate it? Mom spent so long making it.” I lifted my eyes slowly, scanning the faces of all three of them. Dad was looking down at a newspaper—but he was holding it upside down. Mom’s smile was stiff. Mara had a smug little grin on her face. Suddenly, I understood. This soup was their parting gift to me. They weren’t planning to send me away. They were planning to make me disappear permanently. I picked up the spoon and scooped up some soup. Under their expectant stares, I slowly brought it to my lips. Then I tilted my hand. The entire bowl of soup spilled onto the floor. “Oops. My hand slipped.” I said casually, then looked up at Mom. Mom’s face went deathly pale. Then rage exploded across it. She lunged at me, hand raised to strike. “You little bitch! You did that on purpose!” I didn’t flinch. I just stared at her coldly and asked, word by word: “What did you put in the soup?” Mom froze mid-motion. Panic flashed through her eyes. Dad threw down his newspaper and stood up, yelling at me: “What are you talking about? Your mother made that soup out of the kindness of her heart!” I let out a cold laugh. I bent down and dabbed a bit of the spilled soup from the floor, bringing it to my nose. “Sleeping pills, right? A very large dose.” I’d seen this trick before with the traffickers. That’s how they dealt with children who didn’t obey. They’d put them to “sleep.” Or they’d never wake up again. Mom and Dad’s faces changed completely. Mara’s smug expression vanished too. She shrank back behind Dad, looking scared. I straightened up, my gaze sweeping over their horrified faces. “You’re not my real parents, are you?” Mom and Dad’s expressions froze. Shock filled their eyes. I kept going, my voice calm but clear. “I was old enough to remember things when I was taken.” “I remember my real parents. And they weren’t like you.” I pulled out a crumpled photograph from my pocket. I’d found it in an old box in the storage room. It was a family photo. The little girl in it wore a silver locket around her neck. “I remember this locket. It had my name engraved on it.” “My name is Stella. Not Stella Lane.” I looked up, my gaze burning into theirs. “Who are you people? Why did you bring me back?” “Were you afraid the police would find me and I’d expose your secrets?” Mom’s lips began to tremble. She couldn’t say a word. Sweat beaded on Dad’s forehead. He forced himself to stay calm and yelled: “You’ve lost your mind! We’re your biological parents! That fever must’ve fried your brain!” I ignored his outburst. Instead, I turned my gaze toward a wooden box in the corner. It was my old toy box from when I was little. I remembered it clearly. “If you’re really my parents, then why don’t you open that box?” “Inside, there’s proof of my real birthmark. And photos of me with my real family.” As soon as I finished speaking, the entire living room fell deathly silent. Mom and Dad stared at the box. I walked toward it, step by step. “Too scared? Then I’ll do it for you.” Just as my hand was about to touch the box, Mom suddenly screamed. “Don’t touch it! Don’t you dare touch it!” She rushed over and shoved me to the ground. Then she grabbed Dad’s hand, trembling. “Honey! She remembers! She remembers everything!” Dad lunged at me, snatched the photo from my hand, and tore it to shreds. Then he grabbed me by the hair and dragged me into the dark storage room. “You’re staying in here! And you’re not going anywhere!” The door slammed shut. I heard the lock click into place.

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All because I happened to save the heir to the Hayes fortune, I found myself forced into an engagement with him. I even gave up my spot at a top university after graduation to become his wife. But after we married, Julian would rather stay at a hotel than so much as glance in my direction. Foolishly, I thought I might win his heart someday. Then three years later, my best friend Serena showed up holding a child who looked just like Julian. I caught my breath. That’s when it hit me—he wasn’t coming home because he was with his mistress. I went to confront him, only to get hit by a truck right outside. Before I died, I made one last phone call, begging him to help me. But I heard him say: “You’ve been taking Serena’s rightful place all these years. It’s time you stepped aside.” “Quit bothering me.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Julian had his heart attack. Looking at the man collapsed on the ground, I shouted for my best friend Serena in the crowd. Julian’s eyes fluttered open in discomfort, his chest heaving. He croaked, “Get lost.” Then he froze, finally recognizing the woman in front of him. “Serena? What are *you* doing here?” He scanned the crowd and spotted me standing in the corner. In my past life, I was the one who rushed over immediately, giving him CPR without hesitation. But the first thing he did when he woke up was push me away, his eyes filled with disgust. In front of everyone, he used all his strength to prop himself up, like he’d just been touched by something he utterly detested. But not anymore. “Julian, thank goodness you’re okay! I…” Serena dropped to her knees beside him. When she saw he was awake, she threw her arms around him and burst into tears. Julian gently patted her back to comfort her. Then he let Serena help him to his feet and leave, without so much as a second glance my way. I knew Julian’s heart attack had been caused by someone secretly switching his medication. In my past life, he’d figured out who was behind it quickly enough, so there was no need for me to go out of my way to warn him. The emergency had left me drained. Back in the classroom, I collapsed onto my desk to catch my breath. During the break, Julian walked over to my desk and gave me a dismissive look. “Aubrey, what game are you playing now?” I was confused. “What?” Julian sneered coldly. “Deliberately calling Serena to save me in front of everyone? Are you that desperate to push me to her? Or are you trying to make everyone see you as some kind of ‘savior’?” My chest tightened. “Think whatever you want. I’m not feeling well.” Julian probably thought I was faking it. He smirked. “Playing hard to get now? You’ve certainly got a lot of tricks up your sleeve.” He walked off, and the room filled with whispers and snickers. Everyone in our social circle knew I was head over heels for Julian—my love was both desperate and unshakable. He once said he liked girls with long, soft hair, so I never cut mine. He also mentioned light-colored clothes looked nice on girls, so my closet never saw anything dark again. He preferred quiet, elegant girls, so I turned down friends’ invitations and stayed home to diligently study various arts. It was only after the lessons of my previous life that I understood: Serena met all the criteria he mentioned because she was the one he truly liked. No matter how hard I tried, I wasn’t even worth a second of his attention. Soon, word spread throughout the grade about Serena saving Julian and his taunts during the break. During the last class of the afternoon, the Dean of Students and two security guards entered the classroom. “Aubrey Miller, please come with us for questioning.” The whole class turned to look at me. I pushed myself up from my desk. “Questioning about what?” The Dean looked serious. “You were the first to discover Julian Hayes’s condition. His parents have asked the school to conduct a thorough investigation and rule out all possibilities.” I froze. Julian suspected me? “I was clearly trying to help him.” “That’s exactly what we need to clarify,” the Dean said, his tone leaving no room for argument. They led me to a dusty storage room behind the gym, filled with old equipment. “You’ll need to stay here temporarily until the investigation is complete. This is Mr. Hayes’s request.” “You can’t do this!” I tried to break free, but I was weak from fever. The security guards pushed me into the storage room and locked the door. “Mr. Hayes will take responsibility. You’ll be released once the investigation clears you.” The room was thick with dust. I slid down the wall to the floor, dizzy and disoriented. I don’t know how long I was locked in there. Darkness fell. Before I completely lost consciousness, I vaguely heard the lock click, and then a pair of arms lifted me.

When I woke up again, I was home. I still don’t know who saved me. I heard Julian’s family had already handled the situation. After the annual celebration, he personally walked Serena home. He also publicly announced to everyone, “Serena saved my life. The Hayes family must repay this debt of gratitude. Let the engagement be arranged.” Even though I’d resolved to completely let go of Julian in this life, hearing those words still stung. He believed Serena had saved his life. But if I had been the one, he would’ve just accused me of being manipulative and having hidden agendas. Last time, it was only because the story of me saving him went viral online that Julian reluctantly agreed to our engagement. I went downstairs, only to find Serena and Julian at my house. When she saw me, Serena put on a troubled expression. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller, Julian is the one Aubrey likes. I can’t agree to the engagement—it would break my best friend’s heart.” My parents didn’t even get a chance to speak. Julian stepped in front of me, blocking my path with his tall frame. “Since you heard everything, I’ll be straightforward.” “Aubrey, I don’t like you. No matter how hard you try, it won’t change anything. We should both accept that.” I replied softly, “Okay, don’t worry about it.” “I won’t bother you and Serena anymore. I wish you both the best.” Julian narrowed his eyes, studying me intensely. From behind, I heard my mom’s relieved voice: “It’s good you’ve come to terms with this. Now focus on your future.” I tried to ignore Julian’s questioning stare, smiling and nodding. “I will.” After the engagement was announced, Julian started showing up around my house frequently, since Serena often came to visit me. Before, seeing him was practically impossible. I had to ask his friends for his whereabouts, and I couldn’t even get mad when they made fun of me for being a pathetic tag-along. Now, with college application season wrapping up, I’ve seen him more in the last two weeks than I did all of last year. But it didn’t make me happy at all. Serena, pretending to be kind while actually showing off, would say to me, “Aubrey, Julian got me this SAT prep book. Want to take a look?” “Julian also had someone get me these insider materials from an Ivy League summer program. Do you want to borrow them to copy? He found so many for me.” Yet in my past life, even our engagement ceremony had to be pushed by my parents. Just as I was spacing out, Serena accidentally knocked over an ink bottle, staining the limited-edition autographed jersey Julian had just given her. “Julian!” She cried out, rushing to him, then glancing at me. “Aubrey must have done it by accident. Please don’t blame her. It’s my fault for not putting away your gift properly…” Julian’s expression darkened. “Aubrey, you act so reasonable and understanding in front of your parents, but privately you’re still targeting Serena?” “You’ve been picking on Serena since we were kids. Haven’t you had enough by now?” A bitter taste filled my mouth. I said, slowly and clearly, “I didn’t.” Serena immediately hung her head. “Julian, it’s all my fault, completely my fault. I’m so clumsy.” Julian stepped in front of her, his tone clearly warning me off. “I couldn’t say much about your past behavior, but now Serena is my fiancée.” “I’ll be around a lot during this time, until your parents feel reassured.” In my old life, I would’ve been thrilled to have more interactions with him. Seeing me stay quiet, Julian paused, then warned, “Watch yourself. Keep your distance so Serena doesn’t get the wrong idea.” That evening, Serena batted her eyes and asked Julian to help with homework, then deliberately sent me Snapchat photos of them together. I didn’t react much. The next day, as I rushed out clutching my textbooks, Julian blocked my path. “Trying to get my attention with this act?”

“No, you’re overcomplicating things.” Even without last night’s nonsense, I’d long decided to focus all my energy on studying. Julian clearly didn’t believe me, looking me up and down. “You should know I don’t like messy girls. Trying to get my attention with this trick is just dumb.” I ignored him, walking straight back to my room to change into my comfiest hoodie and jeans, pulling my long hair up in a casual ponytail. The simple, fresh look made me feel incredibly at ease. Julian stood on the stairs, giving me a cold, indifferent look, but his hand on the railing was clenched tight. Veins stood out on his hand. Just then, Serena wrapped her arms around him from behind. “Julian, Aubrey’s changed so much lately. Is she still upset about us getting engaged?” Julian looked away. “Let her throw her little fit.” “Once she realizes this act isn’t working, she’ll go back to her old self.” I left without looking back and headed to the city library. To prepare for a crucial academic decathlon, I asked Liam—the top student who always aced everything in our class—for help. It should’ve been our first real conversation, but it felt like we were old friends. We talked about everything, and there was an amazing connection between us. Walking out of the library that evening, I hummed a happy tune, still replaying different ways to solve a problem in my mind. As I passed through the small garden behind the school gym, I unexpectedly saw Julian sitting alone on a stone bench in the path, hunched over slightly with his hand pressed to his stomach. His face looked pale under the dim streetlights. Having been married to him for three years in my past life, I knew he had serious stomach issues. At this hour, he probably didn’t want Serena to see him like this, so he was suffering alone. I originally didn’t plan to get involved, already walking past him. But I was in a good mood today, and I also didn’t want anything to happen to him at school—especially after the recent emergency. More drama wouldn’t be good for anyone. After hesitating for a moment, I stopped a few feet away and said in a flat voice, “The nurse’s office should still be open now.” Julian looked up sharply, and our eyes met. He probably expected me to rush over all concerned like I used to—even take him to the nurse’s office. A faint sneer appeared on his lips. “What, Aubrey? Trying to use this to remind me of the ‘debt’ I owe you again?” He hadn’t even finished speaking before I looked away, turning and walking straight toward the school gate. I didn’t notice the faint twitch at the corner of his mouth or the increasingly intense gaze following me as I walked away. Things stayed quiet for a few days after that. Until one day after class, by the lockers, Julian suddenly appeared looking furious. He slapped a folded piece of paper onto my locker door just as I was about to close it. “Aubrey, how could you be so shameless?” I was confused. I froze, instinctively unfolding the paper. It was covered in delicate handwriting expressing admiration and longing for Julian, with a big heart drawn at the end… “Wh-what is this?” Julian scoffed, lowering his voice in the busy hallway but dripping with sarcasm. “I almost thought you were really over me. Guess you were just playing hard to get this whole time.” “Acting all indifferent, but secretly writing this cringy stuff and shoving it in my locker? Can’t let go that badly? What are you trying to prove with these childish games?” I hurried to explain, “I didn’t write this! I never—” “Save the excuses, Aubrey,” he cut me off, his eyes showing obvious disappointment. “You really let me down.” He stopped looking at me, turning to Serena who was waiting nearby. He took her hand and walked off without hesitation. Only a final, cold warning floated back on the breeze: “Next time, know your place.” Their wedding date was officially announced. Serena didn’t have many friends in town, so my parents asked me to help with the upcoming school anniversary gala. They came by on gala day, taking my hand and saying earnestly, “It’s good you’ve moved on. Now focus on your college applications.” I touched the encouragement bracelet Liam had given me on my right wrist, my cheeks flushing slightly. “Yeah… I have a friend I’m working hard with now.” My mom looked surprised. “Where’d that come from? You always said you weren’t close with anyone in class.” Me: “Huh?!” So who exactly have I been doing homework with every day? Julian, overhearing our conversation, smirked. He probably didn’t take it seriously, thinking I was lying. But seeing how sure I was, his brow furrowed slightly, and a hint of irritation flashed in his eyes. When no one was around, he cornered me by the side exit of the auditorium, leaning close to my ear and whispering: “As long as you’re sensible and don’t hold onto unrealistic fantasies, I’ll still treat you like a little sister and spend some time with you.” I said earnestly, “I have my own goals now. I won’t bother you anymore.” Julian scoffed, grabbing my wrist. “Then tell me, why does your bracelet look a lot like mine?” “Coincidence.” Not far away, Serena watched jealously, her eyes filled with resentment. Before the gala started, backstage suddenly erupted into chaos. Serena’s performance dress had been slashed, leaving a huge hole. On the dressing room mirror, “DIE” was scrawled in lipstick. Serena cried hysterically. When everyone gathered to comfort her, her gaze fixed directly on me. “Aubrey, I know you’ve liked Julian for almost ten years, but you can’t blame me for winning him over.” “You clearly agreed when the engagement was announced that day, so why are you trying to ruin my long-awaited performance now?” The whole room erupted in murmurs. Everyone knew about my intense crush on Julian, so I was obviously the prime suspect. When Julian arrived, Serena buried herself in his arms, sobbing, “Julian, maybe I should just give you back to Aubrey. Otherwise, I can’t imagine what other crazy things she might do…” Slap! A hard slap hit my face. Julian had publicly humiliated me before, but this was the first time he’d actually hit me. I looked at his angry face, my eyes going blank. “Julian, won’t you believe me even once?” “Do you even deserve to be believed?” He watched coldly as I fell to the floor, speaking cruelly and without emotion: “If you’re going to be this shameless, don’t blame me for being ruthless.” “I’ll talk to your parents myself. Someone, do it.” He told his friends to grab my jacket and scrawl “SLUT” across it with a marker. He said he was going to punish me the same way I “bullied” Serena. I kept crying and struggling. Until someone shouted, “Stop!” A familiar pair of hands helped me up. I buried my face against the person’s shoulder. I faintly heard Julian’s voice drop sharply, with a hint of annoyed confusion: “Who are you? What’s your deal with Aubrey?”

My jacket was torn and messy. Liam quickly took off his school jacket and draped it over me. He then dipped a tissue in water and carefully wiped the words off my clothes. Only then did he look at Julian. “Does that even need to be asked?” “Can’t you tell? I’m Aubrey’s friend.” Julian secretly clenched his fist, his gaze fixed on Liam’s arm protectively around me. On his wrist was a bracelet similar to mine. Two seconds later, he suddenly relaxed his tense muscles. A look like he saw through everything crossed his face. “Aubrey, you’re pretty clever, aren’t you? Finding someone to help you put on a show.” “Where’d you find this guy? He’s quite the actor.” Noticing Julian’s attention had shifted, Serena started whining and crying again: “Aubrey, since you have other friends now, you should really let go of your feelings for Julian. Why make such a scene? Are you trying to play both guys?” “Even if my performance is ruined today, do you still hope to get close to Julian again?” Julian scoffed, “Delusional!” My parents must have heard what happened and came over from the front row. My parents, still confused about what was going on, only saw me being protected by Liam. They exchanged a confused look, asking blankly: “Liam… you and Aubrey…?” As soon as they spoke, Julian froze, his expression changing. He mumbled, “Liam… Liam…” He finally recognized Liam’s powerful family background, and an unfamiliar unease came over him. But he still kept a calm front, chin slightly raised. He let out a faint scoff: “I didn’t realize Liam had so much free time.” “Shouldn’t he be preparing for his own competitions instead of getting involved in this drama? Is he just playing some ‘friend’ game with her?” Liam ignored him, politely answering my parents. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller, Aubrey and I are study partners. I’ll explain more to you later.” “The priority right now is to sort this out.” At this point, my parents also noticed Serena hiding behind Julian, her eyes red and teary. “Serena, why are you crying?” “What happened? Did someone bully you?” Serena choked back a sob, then gave me a fearful glance. “No, no one bullied me.” She was clearly trying to look like she was suffering in silence. “Serena is too kind to upset your parents,” Julian said, his voice deceptively casual. “I’ll be direct. Out of jealousy, Aubrey ruined Serena’s performance outfit and told her to die. Her intentions were really malicious.” “So I just taught her a small lesson.” Hearing him speak so confidently, my parents looked at me in disbelief. “Is that true, Aubrey? Didn’t you promise me you didn’t like Julian anymore? Why would you do something like this?” “Speak up, Aubrey! Don’t run from this! If it was you, admit it. If not, explain yourself!” My tears soaked Liam’s shirt, and I felt his arm tighten around me. Being misunderstood by Julian just made me angry and upset. But if even my parents didn’t trust me, I was truly heartbroken. I lifted my face. When they saw the smudged marks on my clothes, they gasped. “Dad, Mom, I didn’t do it.” “They framed me. They didn’t even give me a chance to explain.” My dad’s angry gaze turned to Julian, his voice shaking with fury: “So you just accused my daughter without any proof and then dared to treat her like that!” “Is that what you call ‘a small lesson’?!” Julian met his gaze without backing down. “The security footage was deleted.” “Aubrey is the most likely suspect. There’s no one else.” “Deleted footage?” Liam suddenly raised an eyebrow. “Funny, data recovery happens to be my specialty.” All the color drained from Serena’s face.

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A female coworker who’d only been at the company for a month asked to borrow $400,000 from me. I said no. She called me a loser to my face. “A guy in his thirties who doesn’t even have $400k? That’s pathetic if I’ve ever heard it. If I were you, I wouldn’t even want to show my face in public!” She started spreading rumors around the office that I must be a gambling addict. Otherwise, why else would I be broke? What she didn’t realize was my family owns eight rental properties—including the very office building where she works. The second I walked into the office, I could feel everyone staring. Their looks were weird and uncomfortable—people were whispering and pointing. I’d barely sat down when Madison, the new office clerk, let out a bitter laugh. “No wonder you’re flat broke. You can’t even get to work on time. What were you up to last night?” “Probably blew all his cash gambling again. Total degenerate.” I froze and turned to Madison. “Who are you talking about?” Madison rolled her eyes. “Take a guess.” She settled into her desk chair. “Some loser who can’t even scrape together $400k. Just looking at you gives me secondhand embarrassment.” That’s when it clicked. A few days back, Madison had come up to me awkwardly, saying she needed to borrow money to “get by.” I was willing to help with a small amount, but then she hit me with the $400,000 request. And we’d only known each other less than a month. I asked her what the money was for. Madison acted like it was the most normal thing in the world. “Don’t worry about what I need it for. You’re in your thirties—you must have at least $400k saved, right?” “If you lend it to me, I’ll make sure you’re rewarded.” Her finger traced suggestively along my shoulder. I felt a wave of disgust. “I don’t have that kind of money. Ask someone else.” I brushed her hand off and walked away. Madison looked shocked by my refusal. Her expression instantly turned ugly. “You’re pathetic! You don’t even have $400k?” “The boss pays you good money every month, and you haven’t saved a cent? I bet you gambled it all away.” “I’ve seen plenty of addicts like you. You’ll get what’s coming to you.” Before I could respond, Madison stormed off in her tight skirt. Days later, Madison was still bitter about me refusing to lend her money. I frowned, about to say something, when the boss called me into his office. Within two minutes, Madison walked in too. She shot me a dirty look, then deliberately stomped on my foot with her high heel. I winced in pain and instinctively lifted my foot. Madison immediately wobbled and fell to the floor, hitting her forehead on the corner of the desk. The boss jumped up, quickly calling for someone to bandage her up. That’s when Madison pointed at me in front of everyone in the office, sobbing loudly. “Ryan! Why did you trip me? Just because I told everyone the truth, you’re getting back at me?” I was stunned, still trying to process what had just happened. Derek, Madison’s loyal little follower, immediately stepped forward and pointed at me. “Ryan, what’s your problem? Are you even a man? Picking on a woman like that!” I frowned. “I didn’t trip her. Believe what you want.” Derek scoffed, glaring at me. “Bullshit! You expect us to believe Madison tripped and hit her head all by herself?” “You’re just a petty little man who did this on purpose.” That’s when Madison suddenly burst into dramatic tears. “I might as well tell everyone. A few days ago, Ryan came on to me, but I rejected him. I guess he’s been holding a grudge ever since.”

Derek went ballistic, practically jumping out of his skin. His chubby finger nearly poked my nose. “Ryan, you’re delusional! Who do you think you are, hitting on her? Take a good look in the mirror, loser!” Everyone in the office knew Derek had a thing for Madison—he’d been chasing her nonstop. Hearing I’d supposedly hit on her pushed him over the edge. “I like her? Are you kidding me?” I frowned and shot back. Madison looked shocked, then her eyes welled up with tears. She gave the boss a pitiful look. The boss’s face turned stormy. He slammed his hand on the desk, cutting me off. “Enough! Everyone be quiet! Ryan, seriously? Arguing with a woman?” His voice dripped with impatience, like I was the one being unreasonable. Madison shot me a smug grin, her eyes full of contempt and mockery. She and Derek left the office one after the other, trailing a sickly sweet perfume that made my stomach turn. The boss walked over to me. “Ryan, the company’s already struggling. We don’t need this drama. Just let it drop.” He patted my shoulder lightly, but it felt more like an insult than reassurance. His words made me feel suffocated. Just because I’m a guy, I deserve to be bullied, falsely accused, and humiliated? I clenched my jaw, swallowed my anger, and nodded. “Fine.” I turned and headed back to my desk. When I got there, what I saw made my blood boil. My workspace was a disaster—coffee stains and water everywhere. Disgusting. The keyboard was sticky and smelled revolting. Worst of all, the project materials I’d spent a month collecting were soaked in coffee. The papers were wrinkled and stuck together—completely ruined! That was a month of my hard work! “Who did this?” I couldn’t hold back my anger anymore. Several female coworkers who always hung around Madison started snickering. “Oh no, who made Ryan all upset?” “Who else? He got rejected and now he’s embarrassed!” “Tsk tsk, hitting on her and then framing her when she said no. Serves him right!” I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. I knew getting angry would only make things worse. My eyes landed on the security office in the corner. I walked over and knocked. “Come in.” The boss’s voice came from inside, still irritated. I pushed the door open and got straight to the point. “Boss, I need to see the security footage.” “Someone destroyed a month’s worth of my work. They need to be held accountable.” But the boss just frowned and gave me a dirty look. “Ryan, are you ever going to drop this? It’s such a small thing. Is this really necessary?” “It’s just some documents. You can collect them again.” “You’re a grown man. Why are you being so petty? Get out. I’m busy.” When I left the office, Madison gave me a smug look, her eyes full of obvious mockery. She looked at me and spat out one word: “Loser.”

As I packed my things, the gossipy coworkers nearby started whispering again. “Tsk, he really thinks he’s something special. Just a pathetic guy who got rejected.” “Exactly. Look at him, thinking he has a shot with Madison? Total delusion.” Every word reached my ears. I didn’t bother responding. I just packed my stuff and left. Actually, the boss and I went to the same college. He was a few years ahead of me, technically my senior. Back in school, he’d started an internet project and was looking for investors. My dad happened to be expanding his investment portfolio at the time, so I helped connect them. Later, when the boss started his company, I wanted to experience normal work life, so I took a random position here. Over the years, the boss never knew my background, but he’d always treated me decently. But this time, even though he knew I’d been wronged, he chose to side with Madison just to keep the peace. Just because I’m a guy, I deserve to be bullied? The next day, I’d barely arrived at the company when the boss called me into his office. Madison stood next to him, looking at me smugly. The boss’s face was grim. “Ryan, I’ve looked into what happened yesterday.” “Apologize to Madison publicly and cover her medical bills. Then we can put this behind us.” I almost laughed out loud at the absurdity. Madison spread lies about me, and now I have to apologize to her? “Why should I?” The boss’s expression turned even darker. “Ryan! Can’t you be reasonable? The company is in a critical phase right now. Do you have to stir up trouble?” “I’m trying to save you from embarrassment. Otherwise, word gets out that you hit on her, got rejected, and pushed her down? How would that look?” “Besides, Madison’s being generous by not making a bigger deal out of this. Otherwise, you’d be the laughingstock around here.” I laughed bitterly. If I apologized, I’d be confessing to something I didn’t do. “Fine. If that’s how you see it, I won’t apologize, and I won’t pay a cent.” When the boss realized I was serious about quitting, he panicked. “Ryan! Don’t get cocky just because you closed a few deals!” “You think that’s because of your skills? It’s because of our company’s reputation!” “Go ahead and quit! Let’s see if you can land any projects without us!” He pointed at my face, practically yelling. Madison tugged at the boss’s sleeve innocently. “Boss, don’t be angry.” “If Ryan doesn’t want to apologize, it’s okay. I can handle a little injustice.” “Please don’t fire him in anger. That wouldn’t be good for the company.” Her fake concern only made the boss angrier. His face turned red as he shouted, “You think I’m scared of you, Ryan? You think this company can’t survive without you?” “Who do you think you are? Get out of my office!” I frowned, looking at this unrecognizable version of my boss. I was completely disappointed. All these years, I’d considered him a friend. That’s the only reason I’d stayed in such a low-level position for so long. And this is how he repay me. He probably forgot that more than half the company’s projects came through me. They were doing business because of my dad’s connections, not his. Without me, I’d like to see where he’d find new business. “Fine. I quit!” It wouldn’t be long before he came crawling back.

I went back to my desk and started packing. The male coworkers who usually orbited around Madison were like rabid dogs, pointing at me and mocking me. “Ryan, karma’s finally caught up with you! Thinking you had a shot with Madison? Look in the mirror!” “Exactly! Did you really think you were somebody? Without this company, you’re nothing!” “Ryan, let me tell you, open your eyes from now on. Not everyone is in your league to chase!” Derek looked smug, acting like he’d already won Madison over. I glanced at him and smirked internally. This guy would wag his tail for days if Madison so much as looked at him. “What, you got a problem?” Derek saw I wasn’t responding and got bolder. “Want me to teach you what self-awareness means?” He walked toward me, looking like he wanted to pick a fight. I’d been training in Muay Thai since I was a kid. Dealing with jerks like him was easy. Before he got close, I kicked him. “Ahhh!” Derek screamed and collapsed, curling up like a shrimp on the ground. “You… you hit me? You’re dead! I won’t let you get away with this!” He was still talking tough from the floor. I looked down at him with contempt. “You? You think you’re worth my time?” I finished packing and left without looking back. As I reached the door, Madison actually chased after me. “Ryan, stop right there!” She blocked my path. “It’s not too late to regret this. If you get on your knees and apologize, I’ll forgive you!” She smiled smugly, acting like she had me cornered. I found her laughable. This woman really thought she was something special. I rolled my eyes. “I don’t hit women, but you better get out of my way.” “You…” Madison glared at me furiously. “We’ll see how you survive without a job. I’ll make sure Blake blacklists you across the entire industry.” I turned and walked away, ignoring that lunatic. When I got home, I called our business partners to pay them a visit and inform them of my resignation. Sure enough, they all expressed interest in terminating their contracts. A few days later, Blake called me, absolutely furious. “Ryan! Did you do this on purpose?!” His roar nearly burst my eardrum the moment I answered. “Do what on purpose?” I asked coldly. “Don’t play dumb with me! Did you say something to those partners? Why are they all terminating their contracts?!” He was practically yelling. “Heh.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Weren’t you the one who said I was useless and would be nothing without the company? What’s wrong? Now that they’re pulling out, you’re panicking?” “You!” He was speechless. “Who was it that said I was useless? Now you want to beg me? Too late!” I let out all the frustration I’d been holding in. “Ryan, don’t push it! I’m telling you, if you come back now, I’ll pretend nothing happened!” He was still being stubborn. “Dream on!” I hung up. Come back? In his dreams. After this whole mess, I finally saw things clearly. He never cared about me as a friend. If that’s the case, I didn’t need to coddle him anymore.

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The first time I met the college girl Liam had been sponsoring, I had just chased down a client’s Bentley in my heels to get a contract signed. Watching the sweat beading on my face, Chloe looked me up and down with a critical gaze, then pouted and whined in a sickeningly sweet voice, “Babe~ Is this your top-tier executive assistant? She looks like she just rolled out of someone’s bed. Did she use her body to land this deal?” My professional composure faced an unprecedented challenge. My calm expression almost cracked. Even the dogs digging through trash cans at dawn would call me a workaholic. Headhunters had offered me eight-figure salaries to poach me, and yet someone actually thought I slept my way to the top! I immediately pulled out my phone. “Dad, I’m done with this training period. Once I wrap up this current project, I’m coming home to take over the company.” Before I could even open my mouth to explain, Chloe fumed, “You definitely slept your way into being an executive assistant!” “Liam, get rid of her! Keeping trash like her in the company is just ruining our image!” Liam frowned, soothing her with a helpless tone, “Chloe, you’ve misunderstood.” “Harper is a high-level hire. Her professional skills are on par with my own.” His usually sharp mind seemed completely blinded by love, failing to notice Chloe’s blatant hostility towards me. “Harper has been my executive assistant for three years. Her abilities are impeccable. She’ll be interning you, so learn from her.” Chloe tilted her chin up, looking at me with disdain, “I graduated from a prestigious university. Which garbage school did she go to? Does she even qualify to teach me?” The air froze instantly, but she looked smug, thinking I was too scared to speak. It was Liam who finally broke the silence, “Harper has a Ph.D. from MIT, Chloe. You should learn to be humble.” Chloe’s fair face flushed red, and she mumbled stubbornly, “Who knows if that’s even true…” She shook Liam’s arm, batting her eyelashes playfully, “Well, I’ll have to keep an eye on her then, so she doesn’t get a chance to tempt you!” She saw herself as Cinderella from a fairy tale. And I was just the wicked sidekick, obstructing her love story. Liam rubbed his temples, looking at me with a mix of apology and a plea for help. I instantly understood. Solving my boss’s problems was part of my job. I maintained my smile and said softly to Chloe, “Chloe, you’ve misunderstood. Mr. Davies and I have a strictly professional relationship.” “If you don’t believe me, I can pull up our SnapChat history for you.” Liam seized the moment to placate her, “Chloe, stop messing around. Go wait for me in the break room, I’ll be there after I sign this contract.” Only then did Chloe reluctantly allow herself to be persuaded, glaring fiercely at me before she left. Liam called out to me, his tone somewhat complex, “Thank you for dealing with this. Your salary will be doubled starting this month.” As I stepped out of the office, Chloe gave me a disgusted look and declared loudly, “Harper, you need to change that trashy outfit! Dressed so indecently, who are you trying to seduce?” I looked down at my conservatively styled dress, utterly confused. Before I could even speak, she continued to accuse me, “Your chest is so big, and you deliberately wear curve-hugging clothes. You’re probably just begging people to touch you.” This dress was my standard client-ready outfit; it was nothing like the way she described it! Seeing that Chloe refused to back down, Liam sighed helplessly, “Harper, from tomorrow, please wear a pantsuit to work.” I glanced at the scorching sun outside and nodded expressionlessly. It would be a lie to say I didn’t feel a pang of bitterness. When I was younger, I was dazed with grief after my mother passed away and almost drowned. He saved me. That’s why, when I needed to gain experience before taking over the family business, I chose to come to his company. Even when Davies Corp was on the verge of collapse, I stood by Liam, helping him navigate the tough times and bring the company back from the brink. We were boss and employee, but also the closest of friends. He even used to joke that if we weren’t married by thirty, he’d give me a grand wedding. I never took him seriously. But now, I suddenly felt that he wasn’t the exceptional man I remembered.

Liam Davies invited the CEO of StarCorp Group to a gala at an elite club. As the key project manager, I was also invited to attend. But to my surprise, Chloe Miller was there too. She was wearing an inappropriately short dress, clinging sweetly to Liam. As I was discussing project details, Liam nodded in agreement. Chloe probably felt ignored, so she interjected with a syrupy sweet voice, “Harper is so impressive! She can help Liam close such a huge deal.” “You didn’t happen to get it by flashing your assets at the boss’s house, did you? Thank you for sacrificing so much for our company.” The moment she finished speaking, the private room fell silent. I calmly replied, “Chloe, you’re joking. This project’s progress is thanks to Mr. Davies’ and the other CEOs’ decisive judgment, as well as our team’s professional proposal.” Chloe flashed a suggestive smirk, “I don’t believe it! Harper is so good at everything, her skills in bed must be just as impressive, right?” She was making explicit jokes without any inhibition, which wasn’t just childish, it was utterly foolish! Liam’s brows furrowed. “Chloe, stop messing around.” She playfully stomped her foot, then picked up a glass and held it out to me, “Liam, do you like her? You’re defending her so much!” As she spoke, she “accidentally” fumbled, spilling the entire contents of the glass down my front. The chilled liquid instantly soaked through my dress, revealing the blurred outlines beneath. She gasped dramatically, her malicious smirk barely suppressed, “Harper, I’m so clumsy, I’m really sorry.” “Anyway, you’re going to be entertaining guests with drinks later, so a little wetness just livens things up, right?” Her sarcasm and slander, dripping from every word, were especially grating, as if I were some kind of hostess for hire. Everyone thought Liam and I were more than friends, but not quite lovers. But only I knew that I truly considered him a trusted companion, someone I could depend on. I had pulled all-nighters for months when the company’s cash flow was tight, drinking until my stomach bled to secure an investment. And he had once traveled against the crowd into an earthquake zone to find me when I was on a business trip. Even my dad was surprised that someone as naturally suspicious as me could trust another person so completely. But now, he hadn’t once stopped Chloe’s disgraceful antics. I looked down at the mess on my chest, my gaze turning icy. A few of the partners stepped in to smooth things over, “Chloe, that joke went too far. Harper is a crucial business partner, not a hostess.” “Mr. Davies, your company’s people need to be reined in.” “Harper is a talent we’d kill to poach, Mr. Davies. You should really appreciate her.” Chloe’s expected mockery didn’t materialize; instead, everyone acknowledged my professionalism. I met Chloe’s gaze, chuckling softly, “Since you’re so eager to drink, Chloe, I’m happy to oblige.” Her face instantly fell.

I immediately asked the server for two large glasses and filled them with high-proof whiskey. Seeing me swallow a full glass of whiskey without flinching, Chloe’s face was a mask of shock. I pushed the other glass toward her. “I’m done. You’re not scared now, are you, Chloe?” When I was three, I snuck into my dad’s wine cellar in our French estate and drained a whole bottle of Lafite. This whiskey was nothing. Liam shot me an annoyed glance and said in a low voice, “Harper, stop joking around. Who doesn’t get drunk when they drink like that?” The moment he spoke, I knew he was defending Chloe. I put down my glass, nodded to the other executives, and said politely, “Excuse me, I’m just going to touch up my makeup.” Chloe, however, followed me in. “Harper, do you hate me? You’ve been with Liam for so long, and you never won his heart. You’re just a broken plaything to satisfy his urges!” Seeing that I was too annoyed to respond, Chloe frantically tried to shove me. I instinctively dodged, and she missed, actually slapping herself across the face! I was stunned, watching as Chloe, tears streaming down her face, rushed out. I mumbled a silent “oh no” and followed her back to the private room, where she had already buried her face in Liam’s chest. “Liam, Harper hit me.” “I only wanted to apologize to her in the restroom, but she called me your mistress and said I wasn’t worthy of you.” Liam froze, looking at me with shock and disbelief. She cried so pitifully, yet her words twisted the truth completely. Liam’s brows were tightly furrowed. He looked at the tear-stained Chloe in his arms and asked uncertainly, “Harper, what exactly happened?” I laughed sardonically and sighed. “Mr. Davies, do you really believe such a clumsy setup?” “We weren’t the only two in the restroom just now. Mrs. Thompson from GrandCorp was also there. Why don’t you ask her?” Chloe’s crying stopped abruptly, and she turned pale, making a scene. “Liam, women understand women best. She’s approaching you with ill intentions!” “Harper looks down on me. She wants to be your wife!” Liam was irritated by her crying and looked at me with a mix of scrutiny and disappointment. “Chloe is still young and naive. Even if she said something wrong, you shouldn’t have resorted to violence.” Once, during a business war, a rival company bribed someone to frame me. Back then, Liam stood by me without hesitation, unequivocally stating that he would always believe in me. Now, it seemed even the most unshakable business relationship couldn’t withstand him being blinded by hormones. Seeing me remain silent, Liam still chose to calm things down. He wrapped an arm around Chloe’s shoulder comfortingly, his voice tired, “Harper, it’s a small matter. Do you really have to make such a scene in front of everyone?” “You’re my employee; you should know your place, stick to your duties, and stop dreaming of things that aren’t yours!” “This matter ends here today. You’ll write me a disciplinary report tomorrow!” With that, he put his arm around the still-sobbing Chloe and walked away.

I stood there, watching their retreating backs, and sighed heavily. Mr. Miller, a familiar contact, handed me a hangover tea, saying meaningfully, “Someone of your talent, why endure such baseless accusations? StarCorp Group always has an open door for you.” For some reason, my mind flashed back to Liam Davies at twenty. Young and flamboyant, he faced a failing company without fear. His eyes were determined as he pointed to the tallest skyscraper in New York and said, “Harper, I will definitely bring Davies Corp back to prominence.” But now he had achieved it, yet he had also become a stranger to me. He couldn’t tell right from wrong, and he was no longer qualified to be my business partner. I pulled out my phone and sent my dad a text: [Cancel the partnership with Davies Corp next week. I’ll announce it myself at the press conference.] The signing ceremony with StarCorp Group was held in the company’s conference room, with media cameras pointed at the stage. I meticulously checked the process and contract details, ensuring everything was flawless. This was my last project at Davies Corp, and I had to end it properly. Liam Davies and Chloe Miller appeared together. Chloe was dressed especially elaborately today, in an expensive designer outfit, practically screaming “I’m the lady of the house.” The signing ceremony proceeded smoothly until the final step, which required projecting the final contract for signature onto a large screen. Chloe eagerly volunteered to run the presentation. But the next second, a series of indecent photos appeared on the screen! The woman in the photos had my exact face, naked and entangled with different men in lascivious poses. The conference room was enveloped in a pin-drop silence, followed by an outbreak of gasps. Chloe whimpered in feigned panic, “Oh, I accidentally pressed the wrong button, Ms. Hayes, I’m so sorry.” “I had no idea your computer had so many private photos stored on it!” She seemed to be apologizing, but in reality, she was defaming me, confirming that these photos were indeed mine! And to top it off, she even displayed a forged medical report. The report clearly showed my name, with a diagnosis of an unmentionable STD! Chloe gasped dramatically, “Ms. Hayes, I’d heard your private life was extremely promiscuous, but I never imagined it was true. You wouldn’t infect the entire business community, would you?” She actually used such despicable tactics to ruin my reputation! I was overwhelmed with a crushing sense of humiliation. Liam’s face was pale with fury as he told a staff member to shut off the screen. But the whispers and contemptuous stares from the attendees pierced me like knives. “I can’t believe Harper is so open behind closed doors; her figure is really good.” “No wonder she climbed the ranks so fast; turns out she had special methods.” “Mr. Davies and the company’s reputation are completely ruined. She really is a slut who slept her way to the top.” The signing ceremony ended abruptly. I straightened my spine and walked back to my office amidst the murmurs. I didn’t have many personal items, mostly files and work notebooks. I calmly packed them into a box; there was nothing left to cling to here. The office door was pushed open. Chloe swaggered in, her chin held high in triumph. “So you’re packing up to clear out already? Enjoying the taste of public disgrace?” Her finger traced the prized trophy on my desk. It was the Emerging Entrepreneur Award Liam and I had won together when we pulled the company back from the brink of bankruptcy. He had insisted my name be engraved on it, saying I deserved half the credit. Chloe picked up the crystal trophy, a nasty grin on her face, “Still keeping this old junk? You’re not actually hoping to make Liam feel sentimental, are you?” With that, she made to smash it on the floor! My eyes widened, and I instinctively stepped forward to stop her, “Put that down! Liam and I are just colleagues…”

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Three years into our marriage, I was diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer. All I wanted was one final, proper meal with Julian. Instead, he abandoned me at the restaurant, left me to drown in the pouring rain, and served me divorce papers, all to be with Chloe, the woman who haunted his heart. He called me greedy, accused me of scheming, and forced me to leave with nothing. I simply smiled, signed the papers, wished them happiness, and then vanished from his world. After I left, he went completely insane. He smashed open my art studio, a place I never let him enter, only to find the walls covered with his portraits. He found the hidden transfer records of how I’d secretly filled the financial gaps when his company faced ruin. And tucked away in a corner he never bothered to look, there was a crumpled medical report. Only then did he realize I wasn’t after his money; I was just clinging to the last shred of love left in my dying life. Later, all of Manhattan saw the once arrogant and untouchable Julian Sterling kneeling at my tombstone, reduced to a sobbing wreck as he begged for a final glance. The wind might have heard his pleas, but I was long gone.

Audrey’s POV Today marked our third wedding anniversary. It was also the day I was handed my death sentence: late-stage gastric cancer. Three months, the doctor said. I clutched the thin report in my pocket, its sharp edges digging painfully into my palm. My stomach twisted in a familiar spasm, so intense that cold sweat beaded on my forehead. It was 9:30 PM. Two and a half hours had passed since our seven o’clock reservation. I’d sent him dozens of texts and called him five times. No answer. I told myself he was probably just busy. Julian was the CEO of Sterling Corp, constantly swamped with work. Being busy was his default. Over the past three years, I’d grown used to waiting. But a voice deep inside mocked me: Audrey, stop deluding yourself. Today, Chloe was back. The woman Julian held precious in his heart, the one he’d loved for ten whole years – his precious first love. And me? I was just a mere stand-in, a convenient pawn he used to appease his grandfather when he was at his lowest. My stomach clenched, harder this time. With trembling hands, I fumbled out two painkillers and dry-swallowed them. The bitterness did nothing to calm the storm raging inside. Just then, my phone screen finally lit up. It was Julian. I almost instantly hit “accept.” “Julian, are you done with work? I’m still at the restaurant.” “Who told you to wait?” His voice on the other end was devoid of warmth, impatiently cutting me off. “Audrey, can you stop being so childish? I have something extremely important going on today.” Extremely important… I heard a soft, fragile voice in the background, laced with tears: “Darling, I’m so sorry, did I interrupt something? I just got back, and I’m a little scared.” It was Chloe. So, his “extremely important” business was comforting his precious Chloe. “It’s fine.” Julian’s voice instantly softened, a tenderness I’d never heard from him, a warmth that had always been denied to me. “Don’t be scared. I’m right here.” It was a tenderness that felt like a knife, plunging straight into my heart and twisting brutally. I asked, “Julian, are you… coming back tonight?” It was our wedding anniversary. Even for just a second, I wanted to see him. The phone line went silent for a few seconds, then came an even deeper impatience. “Audrey, are you done making a scene?” “Chloe just got back to the country; she’s not feeling well. I need to be with her.” “Just take a cab home yourself. Don’t make a spectacle of yourself here.” A spectacle. My hopeful waiting, in his eyes, was nothing but an embarrassment. The rain outside intensified. The restaurant played soothing music, but I heard nothing but Julian’s cold words, a spectacle. The pain in my stomach surged again, like countless needles piercing me. My vision blurred from the agony, and breathing became a struggle. “Julian…” I gasped, using my last ounce of strength. “My stomach hurts.” I hoped he’d hear the vulnerability in my voice, hoped for even a second of concern. However, all I got was a cold scoff. “Audrey, what new game are you playing? Playing the victim won’t work on me.” “If you love acting so much, why don’t you go win an Oscar?” Beep… beep… The call was ruthlessly disconnected. I stood frozen. The rain outside blurred the entire world. Five years of loving him, three years married. In his heart, I was nothing more than a manipulative, insatiably greedy woman. Yet, I couldn’t shed a single tear. I paid the bill and walked out of the restaurant. The cold rain instantly drenched me, chilling me to the bone. I shivered uncontrollably. I didn’t call a cab. I walked step by painful step down the deserted street. By the time I reached the villa, I was soaked through. The living room lights were blazing. I pushed open the door. Julian sat on the sofa, his face grim. On the coffee table in front of him lay a stack of documents. Seeing me enter, he didn’t even lift his eyelids, just commanded in his usual tone, “Come here.” I stiffly moved my feet, each step like walking on razor blades. He finally deigned to look up. His deep eyes held nothing but raw, unconcealed disgust. “You’re tracking water everywhere. It’s filthy.” I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. He seemed too lazy to hear my explanation, directly tossing the documents in front of me. Divorce Settlement. “Chloe’s back,” Julian’s voice was flat, as if stating something entirely unrelated to him. “We’re getting a divorce.” I lowered my head, staring at those bold words. The sharp pain in my stomach strangely vanished. So, this was his three-year anniversary gift to me. Divorce papers.

Audrey’s POV I didn’t bother to read the specific terms of the agreement, just stared at those few words. Three years ago, Sterling Corp faced a crisis, and his grandfather was gravely ill. Julian was trapped, besieged from all sides. But Chloe, when he needed her most, chose to leave the country to pursue her music dreams, walking away without a second glance. It was I who used all my mother’s savings to plug the company’s financial hole. It was I who stayed by his side, sleepless nights, when he was blackout drunk. It was I who painstakingly prepared the perfect strategy to counter the board’s attacks. It was also I who learned to cook all sorts of stomach-soothing soups when he suffered from gastritis. I thought even the coldest heart would eventually warm to me, that my love could melt stone. But I forgot that Julian’s heart wasn’t stone; it was ice. Ice that only melted for Chloe. He married me because I bore a slight resemblance to her, and because his grandfather had practically blackmailed him with an ultimatum. For three years of marriage, he was utterly cold to me, grudging me even a civil glance. He never took me to any public events. In all of Manhattan, hardly anyone knew who I was, Mrs. Julian Sterling. He hadn’t even touched me once. We were husband and wife, yet we lived more like strangers under the same roof. Every effort, every attempt to win his favor, was twisted into ulterior motives and insatiable greed in his eyes. “What? Not enough for you?” Julian saw my continued silence and sneered, a cruel twist to his lips. “Audrey, don’t be so greedy.” “This villa, plus ten million in the account, is more than enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life.” “Don’t forget, you married me for money, didn’t you? Wasn’t that your whole game?” I slowly lifted my head, looking at his handsome yet cruel face. All I ever wanted was him. But what was the point of saying that now? I forced a faint smile. “Mr. Sterling is truly generous.” He frowned, then the contempt in his eyes deepened. “Good, glad you see sense.” I ignored him, turned, and went upstairs. I took a hot shower and changed into clean clothes. The pain in my stomach seemed to ease a little, but the hollowness in my heart grew wider. The next morning, I went for a follow-up at the hospital. The scent of antiseptic in the hallway was thick and suffocating. I sat on a cold bench, waiting for my number to be called. “Audrey?” A warm male voice spoke above me. I looked up, seeing a familiar face. The man, in a white coat and gold-rimmed glasses, had kind eyes and was looking at me with a hint of uncertainty. “Daniel Harrison?” I was surprised. Daniel, my college classmate and the president of our art club back then. He’d always looked out for me, like an older brother. We’d lost touch after graduation; I never expected to see him here. “It really is you.” Daniel sat beside me, his voice gentle. “What are you doing here? You look terrible. Are you not feeling well?” My eyes burned, and I choked back a sob. It had been so long since anyone had shown me such genuine concern. I shook my head. “It’s nothing, just a bit of stomach trouble. Here for a check-up.” I couldn’t tell him the truth. I didn’t want anyone to see my weakness or my mess. Daniel, a gastroenterologist, clearly didn’t buy my flimsy excuse. But seeing that I didn’t want to elaborate, he didn’t press, just sighed. “Audrey, you’ve lost so much weight. Have you been well these past few years?” Have I been well? I married the man I loved most, yet I lived the most miserable life. I lowered my eyes. “I’m doing great.” Daniel looked at me, his gaze complex, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, it just turned into another sigh. He pulled out a business card from his pocket and handed it to me. “This is my number. If you ever feel unwell, you can always come to me.” “Thank you.” Leaving the hospital, Daniel insisted on driving me home. I couldn’t refuse him, so I got into his car. The car drove smoothly; we chatted about college memories, and the atmosphere lightened considerably. The gloom that had pressed on my heart for years seemed to lift a little. The car stopped at the villa gate. Just as I was about to get out, my phone buzzed. It was a text message from Julian. I opened it. A photo glared from the screen. In the picture, Daniel was gallantly opening the car door for me, a gentle smile on his face. The angle made it look incredibly suggestive, as if I was desperate to throw myself into his arms. Immediately, a second text popped up. “Already found a new fling? Audrey, you wasted no time, did you? Then hurry up and sign the papers. Don’t hold me back.” He’d had me followed. In his mind, I was that kind of disgusting woman. I looked out the car window. Daniel’s car was already a distant, blurry shadow. I returned to the villa. Julian wasn’t there. Good. I took out the divorce agreement and flipped to the last page. I picked up a pen and slowly signed my name where required. From this moment on, Audrey Harrison and Julian Sterling were completely severed.

Audrey’s POV After signing, I collapsed onto the sofa. The dull ache in my stomach returned, but I was too tired to reach for the pills. Compared to the pain in my heart, this physical discomfort was nothing. Julian didn’t come home for three days, probably enjoying his little world with Chloe. Good. That gave me quiet time to pack my things. There wasn’t much that truly belonged to me in this villa. Aside from a few clothes, it was just my art supplies and paintings in the small studio on the second floor. That studio was my sanctuary, my only forbidden zone. I never let Julian in. Because inside, it held all my love and all my deepest vulnerabilities. I was packing my art supplies when an unfamiliar number called. I hesitated but answered. “Audrey, it’s me, Chloe.” On the other end, Chloe’s voice was sweet and delicate, laced with a carefully crafted fragility. My hand tightened around the phone. I stayed silent. “Audrey, please don’t misunderstand. I don’t mean anything by it.” “I just wanted to meet you in person. There are some things I think we should clarify face-to-face.” “I’m busy.” I refused her outright. “Audrey, I know you’re still angry with Julian.” “But matters of the heart truly can’t be forced.” “Julian’s heart has always belonged to me. I’m truly sorry for your wasted three years.” Her voice sounded full of apology, but I could picture the triumphant smile on her face. “Just one meeting, okay? Downtown café. I’ll be there.” She hung up before I could speak. I didn’t want to go. But it was time to end this. I changed and took a cab to the café. Chloe was already there, wearing a white dress, her long hair draped over her shoulders. She looked pure and innocent, the picture of delicate vulnerability. No wonder Julian was so obsessed with her. She saw me and immediately stood up, offering a sweet smile. “Audrey, you came.” I ignored her familiarity, sitting across from her. “What do you want? Just say it.” Chloe stirred her coffee, head bowed, an expression of hesitation on her face. “Audrey, I know you’ve sacrificed a lot for Julian.” “But Julian recently mentioned to me that your spending has been very high, and he’s a bit worried…” Just a while ago, one of Sterling Corp.’s subsidiaries hit a major financial crisis. It was I who, anonymously, injected the last of my mother’s inheritance into the company, helping him through the tough spot. That was fifty million dollars. I hadn’t told anyone about it. “Julian said he knows you hold resentment, but he thinks it’s low for a wife to resort to this.” “He’s worried you might be siphoning off assets, so he’s temporarily frozen your bank cards.” Chloe looked up, eyes wide with feigned concern. I felt a wave of nausea. So, he not only thought I was cheating but also stealing his money. That’s why he’d frozen my cards. How utterly pathetic. I used my own money to save his company, and he thought I was robbing him. What a joke. I forced a cynical smile. “Are you finished?” Chloe was momentarily stunned by my reaction, then quickly reverted to her fragile demeanor. “I’m not here to accuse you.” “I just hope we can part ways amicably. Julian… he truly loves me.” As she spoke, she lifted her hand and casually brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. A massive pink diamond ring on her slender finger sparkled, an obnoxious flash. “Julian gave this to me yesterday. He said he designed it himself. He called it ‘My Only One.’” “He said, I’m his only one.” She looked at me, her smile full of blissful pride and blatant showing off. I recognized that ring. It was from my design sketch. A year ago, I spent an entire month designing it, naming it “Audrey’s Embrace,” a silent plea for a love I thought was finally mine. I’d left the design in his study, hoping to surprise him. But he hadn’t even glanced at it, tossing it straight into the trash. He’d said, “Audrey, keep your trash away from me. Don’t soil my sight.” Turns out, he didn’t dislike it; he just disliked it because it came from me. He had picked up my discarded design, had it made into a ring, and given it to his only one. And I was the pathetic joke. A sudden, violent spasm tore through my stomach, more intense than any before. I bit down hard on my lower lip, refusing to make a sound. I wouldn’t show any weakness in front of this woman. Chloe watched my agony, a flicker of triumph, cold and sharp, darted in her eyes, but her voice was laced with false concern: “What’s wrong? You look so pale. Are you feeling unwell?” Julian had seen me like this before. When my stomach pains flared, he’d just watched coldly, calling it a cheap trick to gain sympathy. They truly were a match made in hell. I took a deep breath, looked up at her, and said, “Chloe, don’t touch what isn’t yours.” Then, I looked at the ring on her hand and smiled. “And by the way, that ring is called ‘Audrey’s Embrace,’ not ‘My Only One.’” “I wish you both eternal happiness.” I stood up, no longer looking at her stunned face, and walked away. The moment I stepped out of the café, I could no longer hold myself upright, leaning against the wall, coughing violently. I slowly opened my palm. Blood. Dark and coppery.

Audrey’s POV Back at the villa, I immediately collapsed into bed. The physical pain and mental exhaustion intertwined, suffocating me. Chloe’s words, that ring, felt like poisoned thorns, tearing me apart. I thought my heart had turned to ash, but it still hurt. The next day, Julian’s assistant called, asking me to come to the office. I guessed it was about the divorce papers. This was only my second time stepping foot in Sterling Corp in three years. The first was three years ago, when I delivered the anonymous investment contract. The receptionist didn’t recognize me and stopped me. I gave my name and said I had an appointment with Mr. Sterling. After an internal call, she reluctantly let me through. I took the CEO’s private elevator to the top floor. The moment the doors opened, Mark, Julian’s assistant, was waiting anxiously. “Mrs. Sterling, you’re finally here.” Mark whispered, carefully. “Mr. Sterling is waiting for you in his office. He’s not in a good mood.” I nodded and walked towards the CEO’s office. I pushed open the door, and a wave of oppressive silence, thick with anger, hit me. Julian sat behind his enormous desk, his face stormy. Across from him, Chloe was weeping, her shoulders shaking, looking utterly pathetic. Seeing me enter, Julian’s gaze shot towards me like a sharp blade, full of icy rage. “Audrey, how dare you show your face here?” What did I do? “Julian, don’t blame her, it’s all my fault… all my fault…” Chloe sobbed harder, wiping away tears and choking out words. “I shouldn’t have left such important design drafts on the desk. I never thought… my sister… would…” Design drafts? A cold dread settled in my stomach. I had a terrible feeling. Sure enough, Julian snatched a stack of files from his desk and hurled them at my feet. “Tell me! Why did you do it?” Julian stood up, striding towards me, his tall figure radiating an intense pressure. “You leaked the company’s latest design drafts to our competitors to get back at me, didn’t you?” I froze. “I didn’t.” “Didn’t?” Julian scoffed, pointing at the crying Chloe. “Chloe saw you with her own eyes, sneaking around, rummaging through her things in her office.” “And then, this morning, our rival company released designs identical to ours! You still dare to deny it?” I looked at Chloe. She hid behind Julian, but a flicker of triumph was visible in her supposedly innocent eyes. I understood instantly. This was another one of her setups. Such a flimsy excuse, yet Julian bought it hook, line, and sinker. “I didn’t go into her office.” I tried to keep my voice steady. “I came to the company today because your assistant…” “Enough!” Julian roughly cut me off. “You still want to argue now? Audrey, I really underestimated you!” “I thought you were just greedy, but I never imagined your heart could be so malicious!” “To get revenge on me, you’d even sabotage the entire company’s interests!” His voice was loud, and the office door hadn’t been completely shut. Employees from the secretarial pool peered in, their faces alight with anticipation of a spectacle. I had become the company’s laughingstock. In front of everyone, my own husband was pointing a finger at me, accusing me of malicious intent. My heart felt squeezed by an invisible hand, making it impossible to breathe. I looked at this man who refused to seek the truth, only believing his precious Chloe. I just felt utterly exhausted. Loving someone to this extreme, I realized, left no room for hate. Only an empty ache. I gave up explaining, gave up struggling. I looked at the man I had loved for eight years. Then, I smiled softly. “Julian.” I spoke quietly. “I’ll sign.” Julian was taken aback by my sudden words, clearly not understanding. I ignored his shock. I walked directly to his desk, picking up the divorce settlement from the scattered papers on the floor. The agreement was stained with coffee, looking as messy as my three years of marriage. I turned to the last page, pointed to my signature, and showed it to him. “I said, I agree to the divorce.” Then, I slowly removed the wedding ring from my left ring finger. Julian had casually asked his assistant to buy this ring three years ago when we got married. It had no special design, and the size wasn’t even quite right. Yet, I had treasured it, wearing it for three full years without ever taking it off. Now, this cold metal band finally left my finger. I gently placed the ring on the desk, pushing it towards him. The metal clinked against the surface, a clear sound that felt like the death knell of my pathetic marriage. I looked up at him and said, “I wish you both eternal happiness.”

Audrey’s POV The entire office fell into a dead silence. Chloe stopped crying, staring at me in shock. The employees gathered at the doorway also widened their eyes. And Julian-that usually impassive face-showed a crack for the first time. “You…” His throat bobbed, as if he wanted to say something. But I no longer wanted to listen. I turned and walked toward the door. As I passed Chloe, I stopped and whispered, in a voice only she could hear, “Chloe, you won. I hope you never regret it.” Chloe’s face instantly paled. I didn’t look at her again, walking straight out of the office. Behind me, Julian’s roar, thick with suppressed rage, followed. “Audrey! Stop right there!” I didn’t stop. From the moment I signed my name and took off the ring, Julian, this man, was no longer anything to me. I returned to the villa and began packing my few belongings. Clothes, documents, and a photo my mother had left me. I took nothing else. I didn’t want any of the things Julian had bought for me. I only wanted what was truly mine. An hour later, Julian returned. He kicked open the bedroom door, his eyes bloodshot, glaring at me like a cornered beast. “Audrey, what is this? You think you can threaten me like this? Do you think I care?” I looked at him and found it almost funny. “Mr. Sterling, are you misunderstanding something?” I zipped my suitcase shut, stood up, and met his gaze calmly. “We’re divorced. I’m simply fulfilling the agreement and moving out of your house.” My calmness seemed to enrage him further. He grabbed my wrist, his grip so fierce it felt like my bones would shatter. “Divorced? I haven’t signed the papers, so this divorce isn’t final!” he snarled, gritting his teeth. “Audrey, don’t think you can just walk away so easily! You still owe me!” I owe him? For him, I abandoned my dream of becoming an artist. I sacrificed my pride and self-respect, almost even my life. What exactly did I owe him? “Julian, let go.” I was furious. “No!” He stubbornly clung to me. “You need to explain yourself! Why did you leak company secrets?” “Why did you suddenly agree to the divorce? What game are you playing now?” He still didn’t believe me. Even now, he still thought everything was a carefully orchestrated plot of mine. I suddenly felt incredibly tired. Too tired to even argue. “Believe whatever you want to believe.” I closed my eyes. “Julian, I’m exhausted. Let’s just end this, okay?” “End this?” He laughed as if I’d told the biggest joke. “Audrey, you were the one who shamelessly insisted on marrying me. And now you’re just walking away like this? What do you take me for?” I opened my eyes, looked at him, and said, “I take you for… the man I was blind to, the one I loved wrong.” His pupils constricted. His grip on my hand unconsciously loosened. He took a step back, staring at me in disbelief. This was probably the first time in three years I’d spoken such harsh words to him. I didn’t look at him again. I picked up my suitcase and walked straight downstairs. As I passed the locked art studio on the second floor, I paused. I looked back, taking a long, deep look at that door. Inside that room lay the love of my entire youth. Now, I was saying my final goodbye to them too. Julian followed me down. He noticed my gaze and scoffed. “What? Can’t bear to leave your dirty secrets? Still putting on a show?” I ignored his taunts, dragging my suitcase, and continued down. The front door of the villa was right in front of me. Outside, the sun was bright, almost blinding. I took a deep breath and pulled the door open. The moment I stepped out, Julian’s cold voice came from behind me. “Audrey, the agreement states very clearly, you leave with nothing.” “Aside from your personal belongings, not a single thread in this house belongs to you.” My steps faltered, but I didn’t turn back. “Don’t worry. Your things? I find them disgusting.” With that, I dragged my suitcase, leaving without a backward glance, walking out of the prison that had held me for three years. Behind me, the villa door slammed shut with a resounding bang. Goodbye, Julian. Goodbye, my foolish youth and love. From now on, I am just Audrey. Audrey, living for herself. The moment I stepped out of the villa complex, my tightly wound nerves suddenly snapped. Pain instantly overwhelmed me. The intense agony blurred my vision, and I almost collapsed. I grabbed a nearby tree trunk, gasping for breath, cold sweat soaking my back. Audrey, hold on. You’re free now. You can’t fall here. I desperately tried to hail a cab, but as I took a step, an uncontrollable metallic taste flooded my throat. I doubled over, coughing violently. Each cough tore at the wound in my stomach, making me curl into a ball. I opened my hand, staring at the bloodstains on my palm. My consciousness began to fade. So, this is what dying feels like. It’s fine. Freedom. Just before I completely lost consciousness, a black sedan screeched to a halt in front of me. The door opened, and a frantic figure rushed towards me. “Audrey! Audrey!” It was Daniel’s voice. He lifted me from the ground, and I could feel his arms trembling. “Don’t be scared. I’m taking you to the hospital. You’ll be okay, you’ll be okay…” He tried to comfort me, his voice laced with panic. Leaning against his warm embrace, smelling the faint scent of antiseptic on him, I felt a rare sense of peace. I struggled to open my eyes, wanting to thank him. But in the end, I passed out completely.

Julian’s POV In one of Manhattan’s most exclusive private clubs, I was drinking with a group of friends. Chloe nestled beside me, smiling as she poured me a drink. “Julian, congratulations! You finally dumped that leech and got your freedom back!” one of Julian’s cronies shouted, raising his glass. “Exactly! Women like her, who’ll do anything for money, should’ve been kicked out ages ago!” “Chloe, you’re so much better, kind and beautiful!” Everyone chimed in, their words full of contempt for Audrey and flattery for Chloe. I swirled the red wine in my glass, remaining silent. Yet, Audrey’s resolute back as she walked away, and her words, “I find them disgusting,” flashed uncontrollably in my mind. I tilted my head back and downed the wine in one gulp. “Julian, what’s wrong? You don’t seem happy?” Chloe’s keen senses picked up on my mood, and she asked with concern. “Nothing.” I set down the glass. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. Audrey was finally out of my life; I should be celebrating. But why did I feel this hollow ache in my chest, a suffocating sense of panic? I even felt a hint of regret. Regret that I hadn’t chased after her. No. How could I regret it? I wished Audrey would disappear completely! It must be the alcohol. Just then, my phone rang wildly. It was an unfamiliar number. I intended to ignore it, but the persistent ring wouldn’t stop. Finally, I swiped to answer. “Who is this?” “Julian.” A cold, unfamiliar male voice came from the other end. “It’s Daniel Harrison, Audrey’s college classmate.” Audrey’s classmate? The man from the photo? I scoffed. “What? Not enough money, so you’ve come to extort me? Let me tell you, you won’t get a single dime!” This had to be a new scheme Audrey and that man cooked up together. A few seconds of silence on the other end. Then, Daniel’s voice came through, dripping with ice. “Julian, are you satisfied now?” “She’s dying.” She’s dying. Those two words exploded in my ears. It was utterly preposterous. “What the hell are you talking about?” I roared. Another new trick. What wouldn’t Audrey do for money, to stay by my side? Feigning illness, playing the victim, and now even claiming she was dying. It was truly laughable. “Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, you can come and see for yourself at City Central Hospital.” Daniel’s voice was devoid of warmth. “Late-stage stomach cancer. An acute gastric perforation caused massive internal bleeding. She’s in surgery now.” “Julian, if anything happens to her, I swear I won’t let you get away with it.” Late-stage stomach cancer? My mind went blank with a loud buzz. My hand, clutching the phone, tightened uncontrollably. Impossible. Absolutely impossible. Audrey had always been perfectly healthy. How could she have stomach cancer? This must be a new scam she and that bastard were trying to pull. Yes, it had to be. “Quite the performance.” I forced myself to calm down. “Tell Audrey this pathetic stunt won’t work on me. You think I’ll come rushing to her side? Dream on.” With that, I hung up. “Julian, who was that on the phone?” Chloe leaned closer, asking cautiously. “Some con artist.” I tossed my phone onto the table, picked up my glass, and took another large gulp. The burning liquor didn’t quell the growing irritation and panic in my heart. Daniel’s cold voice. The words late-stage stomach cancer. They echoed like a curse in my mind. I thought of Audrey’s perpetually pale face. I remembered the numerous times Audrey had clutched her stomach, groaning in pain, cold sweat on her forehead. I recalled the piercing red I’d accidentally seen when Audrey was leaning against a wall, coughing… No. It couldn’t be. Audrey was just faking it. She was just trying to win my sympathy. But my heart, for the first time, began to pound uncontrollably. “Julian, what’s wrong? You look awful.” Chloe’s voice pulled me back from my chaotic thoughts. Chloe’s face, so like Audrey’s yet more delicate and alluring, sharpened my irritation. This face… it’s so annoying. “I’m not feeling well. I’m going home.” I stood up, grabbed my jacket, and left the club without a backward glance. But I drove to the hospital. I had to see for myself if that woman was truly dying.

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Five years. Two thousand days and nights. I perfected the role of “Jax’s favorite toy.” By day, an indispensable assistant. By night, an obedient one. I never once asked for a title, never craved his affection. Even in bed, I meticulously copied her every move, her every whisper. Everyone said I was hopelessly in love with Jax. Until the night I learned Chloe had returned. Scarlett POV The lighter flared, its blue flame spitting and dancing in the dim room. Jax King leaned against the headboard, shirtless, his sharp features already hazing behind the fresh cigarette smoke. I didn’t look at him, just bent to pick up the clothes scattered across the floor. My knee scraped against the silk sheets, sending a sharp sting through my nerves. “Chloe arrives tomorrow.” His voice was hoarse, like he was announcing an arrangement that needed no discussion. My fingers paused on a button, just for a second, then quickly, deftly fastened it. “I know. My resignation letter is in your email. I’ll complete the handover with Miss Chloe tomorrow.” Jax King scoffed, the cigarette still between his lips. The next second, he reached out, clamping my chin, wrenching my face to his. “Scarlett, this professional act of yours, it’s sickening.” His fingers tightened, pressing painfully into my jaw. I didn’t utter a sound, just lowered my eyes, gazing at the angry red marks still scarring his torso. I’d left them there, moments ago, in a moment of lost control. “Good,” I said, my voice flat. “Because you won’t ever have to see it again.” He stared at me, his gaze dark and heavy, saying nothing. Soon, he released me, grabbing a check from the nightstand. He held it between two fingers, then casually tossed it onto my lap. “Five million. With the five million from our contract five years ago, that’s ten million total. Settled.” I picked up the check, glancing at the numbers. Just enough. Barely enough for Leo’s heart transplant next week. “Thank you.” I folded the check, slipped it into my bag, and started to get up. But a hand suddenly seized my wrist. The world tilted, and I was back on the bed before I could blink. His body was a hot, inescapable weight. “Taking the money and fleeing?” His breath was hot against my ear, his voice chillingly soft. “We’re not done.” I pushed against his shoulder. “Jax, Chloe’s back tomorrow.” “So what?” He bit hard, right on the fresh hickey blooming on my collarbone. The force was brutal. “Until she walks through that door, you’re mine. And I’ll have you whenever I damn well please.” I gasped, a sharp intake of breath from the pain. “No marks. She’ll notice.” That did the trick. His movements stopped instantly. He propped himself up, looking down at me, his gaze cold and hard. A moment later, he rolled off the bed and walked straight into the bathroom. The sound of running water quickly filled the room. I lay on the tangled sheets, staring at the chandelier on the ceiling. Didn’t care? How could I not? Five years ago, desperate for Leo’s surgery money, I signed that contract. I told myself it was just a deal. But the truth? I was already gone, lost to him the moment I first saw him, back in the campus library. For five years, I loved him. I wore white like Chloe. Drenched myself in her perfume. In the bed, I even mimicked her whispers, her sighs. Now the original was back. And I, the substitute, it was time to dissolve. I sat up on the bed, my legs still shaky. I straightened my clothes, checking that the five-million-dollar check was tucked securely against my body. That was the most important thing now. Outside the door, the electronic lock chimed. “Jax! I changed my flight! I’m back early!” The voice was clear, light, bubbling with undisguised joy. My fingers, mid-button, froze. The water in the bathroom stopped. The bedroom door swung open. Chloe, draped in a custom-made designer dress, fluttered in like a delicate butterfly. Our eyes met. The air seemed to drain from the room. Her smile faltered. Her gaze, sharp and calculating, raked over my disheveled hair, my slightly swollen lips, and the faint, undeniable bite marks I hadn’t quite managed to hide. “Scarlett?” Her voice turned sharp. “What are you doing in Jax’s room, so late?” Before I could speak, the bathroom door opened. Jax walked out, wrapped only in a towel, his hair still dripping. Seeing Chloe, he clearly paused. “Chloe, why are you back so early?” He strode towards her, passing me without a single glance. “Jax…” Chloe’s eyes welled up instantly. “Why is she here? What are you-” He pulled her close, murmuring soft comforts against her hair. Then he looked at me, his tone chillingly calm. “Scarlett was just here with some urgent documents,” he said smoothly. “I accidentally spilled coffee on her, so she came in to change.” Chloe sniffled, clearly unconvinced. “Documents that needed to be delivered… right onto your bed?” “The documents are over there.” He gestured to a file on the nightstand. It was an employment termination agreement. Dated today. His way of saying goodbye. Chloe saw it and laughed, tears still clinging to her lashes. She looked at me, a triumphant smirk playing on her lips. “So you’re leaving. I almost thought you were trying to seduce your boss, no boundaries at all.” I squeezed the strap of my bag, my fingertips aching. My gaze, against my will, drifted to Jax. He was bent over, gently wiping away Chloe’s tears, a tenderness so alien to me, it was almost laughable. “Well, the misunderstanding is cleared up,” He looked at me. “Scarlett, aren’t you going?” “Right.” I nodded. “Enjoy your reunion.” As I turned to leave, I heard her playful voice behind me. “This sheet is dirty, Jax. I can’t possibly sleep on it.” “I’ll have new ones brought up immediately.” “And I don’t like the smell in here.” “I’ll have everything dealt with tomorrow.” I closed the door, shutting out their voices. In the elevator mirror, my reflection was ghost-pale. The final five million. At last. Seven days. After Leo’s surgery, I would vanish. Goodbye, Jax.

Scarlett POV Monday. Top floor conference room, King Group headquarters. The air hung heavy and suffocating, thick with unspoken fear, like a tomb. “This is the best you could come up with?” Jax slammed a folder onto the long table, papers scattering everywhere. The executives sat with bowed heads, no one daring to speak. I stood behind him, bending to pick up the scattered documents, neatly categorizing them, and stacking them back on the corner of the table. “Jax,” I reminded him, “you have a video conference in ten minutes.” He irritably tugged at his tie. “Cancel it.” “It’s with the CEO of UBS. We can’t cancel.” I handed him the tablet. “All the relevant data is compiled, key points highlighted.” He scanned the screen, his expression visibly softening. The conference room door suddenly swung open. Chloe strolled in, carrying several exquisite insulated containers. “Jax! I brought you lunch!” Every eye in the room snapped to her, even the executive mid-report froze. Jax frowned. “Why didn’t anyone announce you?” “I just wanted to surprise you, honey!” She strode over in her heels, pushing me aside without a second thought. “Scarlett, darling, I can handle the little things. Why don’t you go take a break?” I took a step back. “Miss Chloe, this is a conference room.” “I know, silly.” She opened one of the containers, and the rich, savory scent of chicken soup instantly filled the stark, silent room, a jarring contrast to the tension. “Everyone’s working so hard, taste some of the soup I made!” No one dared to move. Jax rubbed his temples. “Chloe, we’re in a meeting.” “Even busy men need to eat, right?” She spooned a mouthful of soup, lifting it to his lips. “Here, open up.” I saw him hesitate for a second, then he took it. “Is it good?” “Mmm.” She beamed, then turned to me. “Scarlett, darling, you look positively ghastly. Too much stress from the handover? Here, have some soup!” She approached me, holding a steaming bowl. “No, thank you.” “Don’t be shy!” She insisted on pressing the bowl into my hands. With a sudden, deliberate jostle, Chloe let out a theatrical shriek, her hand conveniently “slipping.” The scalding hot soup splashed all over my chest and abdomen. I gasped, my back hitting the wall. My white shirt instantly became a second, burning skin, clinging transparently to my flesh. The skin, right before my eyes, turned an angry, blistering red. “Oh my god, Scarlett! How could you be so clumsy?!” Chloe cried, covering her mouth in feigned horror. “I was only trying to be nice, and you just dropped it!” Cold sweat beaded on my forehead, the agony clawing at me. I bit back a cry, my gaze locked on Chloe, pure venom in my eyes. “You did that on purpose.” “I did not!” She whirled and buried herself in Jax’s arms. “I was just trying to be kind, and she’s being mean and blaming me!” Jax stood up, his eyes briefly flicking to the angry red patch on my chest. It looked bad, even to him. His foot barely moved- “My hand got splashed too! It stings, Jax…” Chloe whimpered, crying even louder in his arms. He looked down at her hand. Then, he looked up at me, his voice hard as stone. “Scarlett, apologize to Chloe.” I stared at him, head snapping up, disbelief coiling in my gut. “Apologize? Me?” “You didn’t hold the bowl steady,” Jax said, his voice cold. “And you scared her.” The conference room was silent, like a tomb. Everyone knew Chloe had done it on purpose, but Jax had spoken. So it was my fault. My chest felt like it was on fire, but my heart burned worse. In his eyes, Chloe’s fake tears mattered more than my burning skin, more than my very life. “I’m sorry.” I lowered my head, my voice raw and hoarse. “Louder,” Jax pushed. “I’M SORRY! I WAS UNGRATEFUL! I WAS CLUMSY!” I yelled, refusing to cry. “Now get out. Go fix yourself up. You’re an eyesore.” I turned and left. In the restroom, I turned on the faucet, splashing cold water over and over onto my chest. The pain made me tremble. My phone buzzed. “Scarlett,” the voice on the other end was urgent, “Leo’s condition has worsened. He needs surgery this week. Is the money ready?” “It’s ready.” “I’ll transfer it right away.” I hung up, taking a deep, shuddering breath. Just a few more days. Just a few more days, and I would finally be free. I tended to my wound, changed into a spare black turtleneck sweater that covered all the marks, and returned to my desk. A tube of burn cream sat on my desk. No note. Just the cold, clinical gesture. I recognized the brand. Thousands of dollars a tube, top-tier, imported stuff. The kind that works wonders. I picked it up, then tossed it straight into the trash. Less than two minutes later, the internal phone rang. I walked into the CEO’s office. Chloe was gone. Only Jax remained. “Did you use the medicine?” he asked, not looking up from the documents he was reviewing. “Tossed it.” His pen scraped, tearing the paper. Jax looked up, his eyes dark and menacing. “What’s with the attitude? Chloe is going to be my wife. What’s a little inconvenience? Haven’t I paid you enough?” “Your ‘compensation,’ Jax, tastes like poison.” Jax laughed, a cold, humorless sound. He yanked open a drawer, snatched out a velvet box, and slammed it onto the desk. “Is this the attitude I get after paying you ten million?” The lid sprang open, revealing a glittering diamond necklace. “There’s a charity auction tonight. Chloe needs someone to model a necklace. You’re roughly her size. You’ll do it.” I stared at the necklace. I’d seen it two years ago, when I accompanied Jax on a business trip to Paris. I’d lingered, admiring it. “Like it? I’ll get it for you for your birthday,” he’d said. But on my birthday, Jax had been on a FaceTime call with Chloe, completely forgetting. Now it was Chloe’s prize, and I was merely the mannequin. “Jax, I’m injured. I can’t wear a gown.” “Then wear a high-neck dress. Figure it out.” Jax cut me off impatiently. “This is your last task before you leave. Do it well, and I’ll have accounting transfer the five million immediately. Mess it up…” He smirked, a cruel glint in his eyes. “Or your brother’s surgery? It can wait.” My blood ran cold, freezing in my veins. He knew exactly where to twist the knife. “Fine.” My voice, when it came, was a hollow whisper. “I’ll do it.”

Scarlett POV 8 PM. The Grand Victoria yacht. The charity auction blazed with lights, a glitterati gathering of the city’s elite. In the backstage dressing room. The makeup artist’s hands trembled as she saw the raw, weeping burn on my chest. “How… how can you wear a gown like this? One brush of fabric, and that skin’s coming right off.” I took the gauze, my face expressionless, and simply wrapped it around the wound a few times. “It’s fine. Just tie it tight.” The gown was a deep-V, backless mermaid dress. To hide the damage, the stylist added a delicate lace choker. It covered the worst of the burns, but ironically, only enhanced the raw, fragile vulnerability in my eyes. A hush fell over the room the moment I stepped into the spotlight. The spotlight caught me, illuminating the ‘Beloved’ diamond necklace glittering at my throat. But it was my face, stark and unreadable, that truly held their gaze. Cold, distant, like a dark rose blooming on a cliff’s edge, I was later told. Jax, seated at a table below, stared at me, his fingers absently tracing the rim of his wine glass. It was then I realized, for the first time, how truly I belonged in black. I used to wear white, pink, trying to mimic Chloe. Now, those colors seemed utterly bland. “Wow, who’s that model? Never seen her before, her presence is incredible.” “I hear she’s Mr. King’s assistant.” “His assistant? With looks like that?” The murmurs reached me faintly. Jax’s face darkened. I stood on stage, my gaze empty, not looking at anyone below. Jax raised his paddle, a casual flick of his wrist. “Fifty million.” A collective gasp rippled through the room. The price had just quintupled. The auctioneer frantically hammered his gavel. “Fifty million once! Fifty million twice! Sold!” On stage, I heard the number, my lashes fluttering. Fifty million. A casual flick of his wrist, just to buy a smile for Chloe. And I? I stood here, a piece of merchandise, enduring this agony for Leo’s paltry five million, his only hope. Just my luck. After the auction, I returned backstage. The moment I stepped in, Chloe, flanked by several bodyguards, blocked my way. “Take it off, now.” Chloe said, arms crossed, a sneer on her face. I reached for the necklace clasp. “Wait.” Chloe stepped closer. “Don’t you dare touch it with your filthy hands. I have a phobia of dirt. You’re disgusting.” “What do you want, Miss Chloe?” “Kneel.” Chloe pointed to the floor. “Crawl over here. Let me take it off myself.” I looked at Chloe’s twisted face, and a sudden, bitter laugh escaped me. “Chloe, Jax isn’t here. You can drop the act.” Then- Chloe’s hand lashed out, slamming hard against my face. “You pathetic bitch! You think Jax doesn’t know who I am? He adores me! He’ll protect me no matter what I do! You’re just a worn-out toy he’s done with!” My head snapped back, the sharp tang of blood filling my mouth. I didn’t fight back. Because through the mirror, I saw him. Jax. Leaning against the doorframe. He watched it all, silent, unmoving. My heart, finally, froze solid. Slowly, I sank to my knees. My knees hit the hard floor with a jarring thud. I crawled, inch by inch, towards Chloe, tilting my head back like a sacrificial lamb. Chloe let out a triumphant laugh, then roughly yanked the necklace off. The lace choker snagged. She gave it a violent tug. The gauze ripped away, tearing at the raw, tender skin beneath. “Ah! Blood! Ugh, that’s disgusting!” Chloe cried, throwing the necklace to the ground in revulsion. Jax finally moved. He strode in, shedding his jacket and roughly wrapping it around my trembling shoulders. “That’s enough.” Jax’s voice was low, devoid of emotion. Chloe instantly adopted a startled expression. “Jax, she’s bleeding! It’s so gross and scary!” Jax didn’t look at her. He just stared, hard, at me in his arms. My face was ashen from the pain, sweat plastering my hair to my temples, but I was still smiling. “Jax,” I said, “mission accomplished.” I shoved his hand away, shrugged off the jacket still warm with his scent, and let it fall to the ground. “The money. When will it be transferred?” Jax stared at the jacket on the floor, his eyes instantly turning menacing. “Do you have to be so transactional?” “We’re done. No more debts.” I pushed myself up, clinging to the table, swaying, but standing tall. I started for the door. “The transfer message by 9 AM tomorrow. Otherwise…” I turned back, my eyes hollow, dead. “I’ll send Chloe every single video from the past five years.” Jax’s eyes went wide, then narrowed to slits. “Are you threatening me?” I laughed. It was the first time I’d laughed so wildly, so desperately, in front of him. “Jax, even a cornered animal bites. Don’t push me.”

Scarlett POV The next morning, 9 AM. Hospital emergency room. My wound from last night was badly infected, spiking a fever, so I was stuck in the ER, hooked up to an IV. My phone screen lit up. No transfer message. Just a text from Jax: “Come to the office. We’ll talk.” I stared at the screen for three seconds, then yanked the IV from my hand, not even bothering to stop the bleeding, just slapped a flimsy bandage over it. I grabbed my bag, ready to leave. Just then, Leo’s attending physician stopped me. “Scarlett,” he began, “Dr. Mason made arrangements for Leo before he left, but his family has frozen his personal accounts. They’re demanding he go back and honor an arranged engagement. Until he does, not a cent moves. And they’ve got him on lockdown at home. So, about the funds…” My face went white. I knew Dr. Mason, the brilliant surgeon who’d been discreetly helping us, had nearly faced Jax’s wrath over this. His family, terrified of Jax’s power, had disowned him. I couldn’t drag him down any further. “‘Two hours,’ I cut him off, my voice steely. ‘The money will be there in two hours.’” King Group CEO’s office. When I pushed the door open, Jax was feeding Chloe cherries, one by one. Seeing me, Chloe deliberately nipped his finger, purring a playful complaint. “So sweet, Jax. You should try one.” Jax pulled his finger away, not even looking at me, and slowly, meticulously, wiped his hand with a wet wipe. “You’re here?” I walked to his desk, holding up my phone with the payment QR code. “Jax. It’s nine o’clock. Transfer the funds.” Jax tossed the wipe into the trash, leaned back, crossing his legs. “What’s the rush? Leo’s been in that hospital for ages. What’s a little longer?” “The doctors said tonight is the absolute last deadline.” My hand trembled, but my voice was steady. “Jax, don’t play with a man’s life.” “A life?” Jax scoffed, pulling open a drawer and tossing a stack of photos onto the desk. “See for yourself. Is this your dying brother?” Photos scattered across the floor. All of Leo. He was in a hospital gown, yes, but in the hospital’s garden, he was laughing with a young nurse, a drink in his hand. The photos were clearly taken from angles designed to deceive, showing Leo looking rosy and perfectly healthy. “Is this why you faked his illness to get five million?” Jax stood, advancing on me step by step, his eyes blazing with fury. “Scarlett, you’d curse your own brother to death for money? Is your heart truly that black?” I froze. Those were photos from last week. That was the day he had a brief remission. He’d forced himself downstairs for some air, just to make me think he was getting better. He hadn’t touched that drink. He was back in his room, coughing up blood and collapsing into a coma, minutes later. “No, it’s not…” I tried to explain. “Shut your mouth!” Jax clamped a hand around my throat, pushing me back against the desk. “Or is it that this money isn’t for Leo at all, but for your little runaway fantasy with Dr. Mason?” He threw another photo. In it, I’d fainted from low blood sugar, and Dr. Mason had caught me. The camera angle made it look like a kiss. Chloe, from the side, gasped. “My God, Scarlett! Are you really using Jax’s money to support a lover?! That’s utterly repulsive!” The air squeezed from my lungs. I looked into Jax’s eyes, filled with utter disgust, and suddenly, I didn’t want to explain anymore. What was the point of explaining? He only saw the ‘truth’ Chloe painted for him, twisted and ugly. “‘Yes,’ I choked out, a defiant whisper. ‘I am supporting a lover. So give me the money.’” Jax’s hand tightened, the storm in his eyes growing fiercer. “Fine. Very good.” He released me, and I collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. “You want money, huh?” Jax pulled out his wallet, flicked out a hotel room key card, and threw it at my face. “Tonight, there’s a dinner with Mr. Hayes. He’s… taken a particular interest in you. Spend the night with him. Keep him happy, and I’ll transfer the five million directly to you.” I stared at the key card on the floor. Mr. Hayes. A notorious pervert, rumored to have ruined more than one young woman. “Jax,” I whispered, my eyes burning, refusing to shed a single tear. “I’m your assistant.” “In my eyes, there’s no difference.” Jax turned his back to me. “Take the card and go, or watch Leo die. Your choice.” I knelt on the floor, my nails clawing five deep gouges into the plush carpet. A long time passed. Slowly, numbly, I reached out and picked up the key card. “Fine.” I stood, my body swaying slightly, but I stood tall. “As long as the money gets transferred, I’ll go.”

Scarlett POV 8 PM. The Grandeur Hotel, Room 888. I stood at the door, took a deep breath, and swiped the key card. The room was dark, but I heard the sound of water running in the bathroom. I stumbled to the coffee table, poured a glass of hard liquor, and threw it back. The fire in my throat barely dulled the twisting agony in my gut. The click of the bathroom door opening. But it wasn’t Mr. Hayes who emerged. It was Jax. He was wrapped in a bathrobe, his hair wet, his eyes dark with menace, as if he wanted to devour me whole. I froze. “You? Where’s Mr. Hayes?” “So eager to please that old pervert?” Jax strode towards me, shoving me onto the sofa, then looming over me. “Jax! What are you doing!” I struggled. “What am I doing? Inspecting the merchandise.” Jax roughly tore open my collar, buttons scattering. His cold fingers slid beneath my shirt, no preamble, just a brutal, humiliating penetration. “Since you’re so willing to whore yourself out, let’s see if this body of yours is even worth five million.” “Let go of me!” I thrashed violently, trying to knee him. Jax pinned both my hands above my head with one hand. His other hand continued its ruthless exploration. “Already wet?” Jax lifted his hand, his fingers glistening, a thin, suggestive trail in the air. He smirked coldly. “Scarlett, you’re perfectly trained. Who else but me could make you react like this?” Humiliation. A raw, burning shame unlike any I’d ever known. I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood, refusing to cry out, refusing to give him the satisfaction. I lay there, a dead weight, letting him light a fire, only to cruelly extinguish it. “Say something!” Jax, infuriated by my silence, bit down hard, right on the fresh, tender burn on my chest. A jolt of agonizing pain tore through me. It was where Chloe had scalded me yesterday, barely scabbed over, now broken open again. “Does that hurt, Scarlett?” Jax lifted his head, my blood smeared on his lips, smiling cruelly. “Good. Remember this pain, Scarlett. This is the price of betrayal.” He suddenly lost interest, getting up and adjusting his bathrobe. “Mr. Hayes isn’t coming tonight.” Jax looked down at me, disheveled and exposed. “You’re filthy. I wouldn’t want you to infect him.” I pulled my ripped clothes around me, curling into the corner of the sofa. “The money…?” “The money’s already transferred to the hospital account,” Jax said, lighting a cigarette. “But I froze the account again.” I snapped my head up. “What do you mean?” “Leo’s surgery is postponed.” Jax blew out a puff of smoke. “Chloe’s dog went missing last night. She’s upset, and she wants you to help her find it. The funds stay frozen until you do.” “Jax! This is a life! Your bodyguards could find it faster!” I shrieked, tears finally falling. “No. Chloe specifically requested you.” Jax flicked his ash. “Find the dog. Then we’ll talk.” Just then, Chloe’s voice came from outside the door. “Jax, aren’t you done yet? It’s going to rain, and my Snowball is still out there!” Jax stubbed out his cigarette and turned to leave. “Get dressed. And get out there to find that dog.” I watched his retreating back, despair washing over me like a tide. My hand closed around the fruit knife on the coffee table. For a split second, all I wanted was to plunge it into his heart. But I couldn’t. Leo was still on that breathing machine, waiting for me. I dropped the knife, trembling as I buttoned my last button. Find the dog. Fine. If it meant saving Leo, I’d walk through hell.

Scarlett POV The rain poured down in sheets. A desolate, muddy hillside on the outskirts of town. “Snowball! Snowball!” I stumbled through the thickets, sinking deep with every step. My thin shirt was drenched, clinging to my skin. Rain and mud blurred my vision, stinging my eyes. Jax’s car sat idling on the roadside, its headlights cutting through the rain, twin beams of cold, unforgiving judgment. Chloe rolled down the passenger window, shouting through a megaphone. “Scarlett, go check that ditch! Snowball loves to burrow in places like that!” It was a putrid, muddy ditch. I stood at the edge, trembling. My stomach churned with agony, my vision swimming from low blood sugar. “No… I can’t…” I whispered. “What was that?” Chloe didn’t quite hear me. She turned to Jax, pouting. “Jax, Scarlett isn’t willing. Looks like Leo’s surgery fund…” “I’LL GO!” I screamed, closed my eyes, and plunged into the stinking ditch. The cold, foul-smelling muck swallowed me whole, up to my thighs. Rotten branches tore at my skin. I fumbled through the mud. No dog. Nothing. “Oops. My mistake.” Chloe’s laugh, from the car, was unrestrained. She raised the megaphone again. “Scarlett, move it! My Snowball is a champion! Worth far more than your worthless brother rotting in that hospital bed! If Snowball gets sick from this, can your brother’s pathetic life even begin to cover the cost?” I had no strength left, no will to even acknowledge Chloe’s venomous words. Every step was like walking on thorns. I dragged myself to the car, my hand bracing against the window, gazing at the two dry, immaculate figures inside. “Jax, please… just a quick call to the hospital?” My voice was barely a whisper, utterly humble. “The doctors said it’s now or never.” Jax looked at my pathetic state, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. But it was quickly replaced by cold indifference. “Find the dog first.” “Please…” I suddenly sank to my knees. In the mud, facing his car window. “Jax, I’m begging you. I’ll do anything. Take my life if you want. Just unfreeze the funds, please?” I slammed my head against the ground. Again. My forehead struck sharp rocks, blood mingling with rain, streaking my face. Jax’s knuckles whitened on the steering wheel, his grip like a vice. He made a move as if to open the door. “Jax, look! Snowball! Over there!” Chloe suddenly pointed towards a tree on the hillside. The little white Pomeranian was huddled under a distant tree, seeking shelter. “Scarlett, go get it.” Jax commanded coldly. “Bring it back, and the money will be transferred instantly.” I looked up, through the blood and rain, towards the hilltop. A steep, treacherous slope, the earth loose and slick. “Fine.” I stood, swaying, then began to climb. It wasn’t just a dog. It was Leo’s life. The rain intensified, thunder rumbling. I scrambled, hands and knees in the mud, nails tearing into the earth, inching my way towards the tree. “Woof!” The startled dog snapped, its teeth sinking deep into my wrist, perilously close to the artery. Blood welled up instantly. I didn’t let go. Clutching the animal, I turned back. Then the ground vanished beneath us. The hillside collapsed. Dog and I were swept down in the cascade of earth and mud, consumed by the slide. As consciousness bled away, I thought I heard Jax screaming my name. But what did it matter now?

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On New Year’s Eve, my husband, Daniel, personally handled the kidney transplant for me, his wife, who he claimed was suffering from uremia. As I was slowly regaining consciousness, I overheard the anesthesiologist and nurse talking. “Dr. Daniel was truly ruthless this time. He personally removed his wife’s healthy kidney to transplant into his mistress.” “I heard Audrey wasn’t sick at all; Dr. Daniel forged her medical records. The one truly in late-stage uremia was Holly.” “So now, what’s inside Audrey’s body is…” “Holly’s failing kidney. Dr. Daniel personally sewed it in.” I simply couldn’t believe my ears. The moment I opened my eyes, I struggled to prop myself up, a tearing pain erupting in my abdomen. “Daniel, I’m asking you, was I ever sick?!” My voice was hoarse. “Not before, but now you are.” He walked to my bedside. “Holly’s kidney, stage four uremia. I personally put it in you.” After saying that, Daniel turned and left. Watching his retreating back, my heart turned to ash. I sent a message to a phone number I hadn’t contacted in ten years: “I want to leave Daniel, and go with you. But before I go, Daniel has to pay!”

Holly and I were in the same room, with only three meters separating our beds. But the difference between us was worlds apart. My husband Daniel, my mother, and even a few familiar nurses, all hovered around Holly as if she were the center of the universe. “Holly, does it still hurt?” Daniel held her hand, his voice filled with tenderness. “Daniel, I’m fine…” Holly’s eyes were teary, but she forced a smile. “I just feel bad for Audrey, she must be in so much pain, right?” “What pain could she be in?” My mother said without turning her head, as she spoon-fed Holly soup. “Audrey’s always been healthy; losing a kidney is nothing. But you, you’ve always been weak since childhood. Now that you have a healthy kidney, you must take good care of yourself.” Holly saw that I was awake and suddenly burst into tears: “I’m sorry, it’s all my fault… I shouldn’t have accepted this kidney… but Daniel said if I didn’t, he would never speak to me again…” She struggled to get out of bed, pulling at her incision, and her face turned ghostly pale from the pain. “Holly!” Daniel and my mother exclaimed in unison. Daniel immediately pressed her back down. When he turned to look at me, his eyes were terrifyingly cold. “Audrey, can you please stop making a scene?” I turned my head away, not wanting to see any of them. My mom brought over a plate of freshly baked cookies. “Audrey, have some too. You used to love them when you were little.” I looked at the almonds on the cookies and suddenly burst out laughing. I laughed until tears streamed down my face. “Mom,” I said softly, “I’m allergic to almonds. Have you forgotten?” My mom’s hand trembled slightly. Daniel impatiently snatched the bowl. “If you’re not going to eat it, then don’t! Holly had good intentions, do you have to be so ungrateful?” “Daniel,” I looked up, at this man I had loved with all my heart for ten years. “If you love her so much, why don’t you give her your own kidney?” Slap— A loud slap. I turned my head, a metallic taste of blood filling my mouth. Daniel grabbed my hospital gown, dragged me off the bed, and pulled me towards the door of the ward. “Go outside and clear your head!” He pulled open the ward door, and the cold wind rushed in. “Daniel! Audrey just had surgery!” My mom finally cried out. Daniel paused for a moment. Holly’s weak voice chimed in, perfectly timed: “Daniel… don’t be like that to her… it’s all my fault…” Daniel’s hand loosened. Then, he pushed me out the door. Bang— The door closed behind me. I stood barefoot in the hallway, dressed in a thin hospital gown. Outside the window at the end of the corridor, fireworks exploded one after another, illuminating the city’s night sky. New Year’s Eve. Families everywhere were gathered. My husband was in the ward with another woman. My mother was making cookies for that mistress. And I, who had just had a healthy kidney removed and replaced with a failing one, was thrown into the hallway like a dog.

I don’t know how long I stood there. Until my legs went numb, and the pain from my incision became unbearable, almost numb itself. The door opened. Daniel walked out, and when he saw me still standing there, he froze. “You’re still here?” There was a hint of panic in his voice, quickly overshadowed by disgust. “Who are you trying to get sympathy from? Holly has been crying ever since because of you.” I turned my head and looked at him. “Daniel,” I said, “you will regret this.” He scoffed, “Regret? My biggest regret was marrying you. If it wasn’t for the pressure from your family back then, I would have already—” “Married Holly already?” I finished his sentence. His expression changed. “Daniel! The car’s here!” My mom’s voice came from the ward. “Holly said she wants to go home for the holiday, hurry and carry her downstairs!” Daniel gave me a long, deep look. “Do you want to come back with us?” I didn’t say anything. He took my silence as agreement. Daniel carefully carried Holly into the back seat, and my mom quickly got in after her. I stood by the car, looking at the seats, which were already full. “Audrey,” Daniel said, a hint of awkwardness in his voice, “How about… you make do and sit in the trunk? It’s only a ten-minute drive.” Before I could answer, Holly softly said, “Audrey, you really should come home with us. We’re family.” Family. How ironic. My mom also said, “Audrey, just make do. Holly is a patient, she can’t be out in the cold.” So, on the first day of the New Year, in the freezing ten-degree Fahrenheit night, I, fresh from kidney transplant surgery, was shoved into the car trunk by my husband and mother. Thud. The lid slammed shut. Darkness and bone-chilling cold enveloped me. My incision tore open with every bump, and I curled up in pain, biting my wrist to keep from crying out. Through the thin car wall, I could hear their cheerful chatter. “Daniel, drive slower, I feel a little dizzy.” “Okay, I’ll drive slower.” “Holly said she wants shrimp,” my mom’s voice faintly drifted in, “Let’s buy some fresh ones.” “You’re both so good to me…” They leisurely picked out items in the market. I was in the trunk, my body temperature slowly draining away. Three hours. I endured three hours in the darkness and cold. When the trunk finally opened again, I was so frozen I couldn’t speak. Daniel saw my pale face and paused. “Audrey… I’m sorry, I forgot you were still in here.” He reached out to help me, but my mom called from a distance, “Daniel! Come get the seafood!” He hesitated for a second. Then turned and walked away. “Audrey,” he said, looking back, “If you’re cold, just get out and walk around. We’ll call you when we’re done shopping.” I dragged my almost rigid body out. I stood by the roadside, watching them, a family of three. My husband, my mother, and the woman who now carried my kidney, walking towards the parking lot, laughing and chatting, loaded with bags of seafood. I stood there for ten minutes. Then, I saw that familiar black sedan slowly drive out of the parking lot. It didn’t stop. It didn’t look back. It just drove straight away.

It would take thirty minutes to walk home from the seafood market. This was the same road Daniel and I had walked countless times, hand-in-hand, when we first got married. He didn’t like takeout, so I learned to cook. He didn’t like vegetables, so I’d find creative ways to hide them in meat. He loved seafood, so I’d endure my allergies and accompany him to the market countless times, noting down the names and cooking methods of every type of fish and shrimp. He used to say, “Audrey, having you in my life is my greatest blessing.” Now, that blessing belonged to Holly. By the time I reached my building, the sky was already beginning to lighten. The house was brightly lit, and I could hear fierce arguing. I pushed open the door. Holly was pulling a suitcase, sobbing dramatically: “Audrey must hate me, I shouldn’t have come back!” My mom clung to her tightly, “Holly, don’t talk nonsense! This is your home!” Daniel saw me, clinging to me like a drowning man grasping at a straw: “Audrey! Quick, tell Holly you didn’t get lost on purpose!” I looked at them. Suddenly, I felt so tired. “Daniel,” I said, “didn’t you tell me to get out and walk? I walked back.” He froze. “Do you know I just had surgery?” I asked softly. “Do you know what it means for someone who just had a kidney removed to walk for thirty minutes in ten-degree Fahrenheit weather?” “I…” Daniel’s mouth opened, but no words came out. “You don’t know,” I finished for him. “Because your heart is only for Holly.” Holly suddenly rushed forward and dropped to her knees before me with a thud. “Audrey, I’ll give you back your kidney! I’ll give it back right now!” She tore at her hospital gown, revealing an incision in the exact same spot as mine. “Holly!” Daniel and my mom exclaimed in unison. Daniel immediately picked her up, then turned and roared at me, “Audrey! Are you only satisfied if you drive her to her death?!” I laughed. Laughed until tears streamed down my face. “Daniel,” I said, “take a closer look at her incision.” He froze. “A kidney transplant incision is usually in the mid-abdomen, at least fifteen centimeters long.” I slowly lifted my hospital gown, revealing the bandage-wrapped incision. “But hers…” Everyone’s gaze fell on Holly’s side. There was a bandage there, but it was only half the size of mine. Daniel’s mouth opened, but no words came out. “You all conspired to deceive me,” I said, each word deliberate. “You forged my medical records, tricked me into signing the surgical consent form, and took my healthy kidney. Daniel, you’re a doctor; you’ve committed aggravated assault.” Daniel finally panicked. “Audrey, let me explain…” “Explain what?” I cut him off. “Explain how you fell in love with Holly? Explain how you gradually plotted to make me ‘voluntarily’ give up my kidney? Explain how you convinced my mom to lie to me?” I turned to my mom. “Mom,” I asked, “Why?” She wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Holly… Holly saved my life…” Her voice trembled. “That year, in the car accident, she pulled me out of the wreckage…” “So you repay your debt using your daughter’s kidney?” I laughed, tears streaming down my face. “Mom, that year, in that car accident, I called 911. I gave you 500 milliliters of blood. How could you forget that?” My mother collapsed to the floor, covering her face and crying. Seeing this, Holly also cried and suddenly ran out the door. “Holly!” Daniel chased after her. My mom also scrambled up and stumbled out after them.

Only I remained in the house, along with a table full of now-cold seafood. Just then, I received a text message: “Happy New Year. Do you like this gift? Your kidney, your husband, your mother, they’re all mine now.” I put down my phone. I walked to the mirror. The person in the mirror had a ghastly pale face, red rashes all over, thick bandages wrapped around her abdomen, like a ridiculous monster. I looked for a long time. Then, I picked up my phone and dialed Alexander’s number. The call connected. “Three years ago, you asked me if I would leave Daniel and go with you. Now, I agree.” On the other end of the line, Alexander’s deep voice came through: “Location.” “Come to my place.” The call ended. I walked into the bedroom, retrieved my passport and a bank card from the safe. The bank card was secretly given to me by my dad before he passed away. He said, “Audrey, don’t let Daniel know about this money. Men can’t be trusted; you need to have a backup plan for yourself.” Back then, I laughed at him for being overly cautious. Now I know he was right. After packing a small bag, I returned to the living room and left a note on the dining table: “Daniel, I’ll send you the divorce papers. From today on, we’re both free.” “Mom, the debt of raising me, I’ve repaid with a kidney. From now on, we’re even.” As soon as I finished writing, the doorbell rang. I pulled open the door. Outside stood Alexander, tall and imposing, with a stern gaze. Behind him was a black Porsche. He took off his coat, wrapped it around me, and lifted me into his arms. “Alexander,” I asked, “where will you take me?” He opened the car door, gently placed me in the passenger seat, and leaned over to fasten my seatbelt. Then, he looked into my eyes and said, “Somewhere he’ll never find you.”

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The day I gave birth to our daughter, my husband, Julian Blackwood, threw a fake paternity test showing no blood relation in my face. “Harper, I’ve been so good to you. How could you cheat on me? We’re getting a divorce! Take this bastard child and leave with nothing. I never want to see either of you again!” I held my sleeping newborn daughter in my arms and calmly nodded. Just last night, I’d overheard them at the delivery room door. Julian’s adoptive sister, Stella Blackwood, was clinging to his arm, whining: “Julian, my dying wish is to spend a year alone with you, to relive our childhood affection. Can’t Harper just take the baby and leave for a year, please?” Julian’s face was full of doting affection. “Silly girl, don’t say such unlucky things. Just be a good girl and have your appendectomy. The next year, I’ll only be with you.” Lying on the operating table, tears silently streamed down my temples. He had no idea. The man who’d waited ten years for me would come to pick me up tomorrow. Not just for a year, but for this entire lifetime. I wouldn’t be coming back.

Stella and Julian weren’t blood-related. She had a twisted, possessive obsession with him. Right now, Stella was pointing at my daughter, covering her mouth in a dramatic gasp: “Bro, no wonder this kid rubbed me the wrong way. Turns out she’s a bastard!” She practically shrieked, her long, sharp nail poking an indent into Lily’s delicate skin. “So ugly, all wrinkled up like a tiny old man. They say daughters look like their dads, Harper, you really aren’t picky, are you? You’ll eat anything.” Julian’s expression was distant and cold. “Harper, since this isn’t a Blackwood child, she doesn’t deserve this VIP room. Take the baby and get out, now.” I looked up at Stella, whose face was alight with smug triumph. Dressed in Chanel couture, a single diamond on her high heels could buy a hundred VIP rooms. Then I thought of myself, emerging from the delivery room, alone with my daughter, not even a nurse to help me. I laughed bitterly. It turned out that my daughter and I together weren’t worth Stella, his adoptive sister’s, whimsical little tantrum. Cradling Lily, I struggled to drag my legs. With every slight movement, a hot gush of blood surged from beneath me, staining the bed. Stella shrieked, “Ugh—that’s disgusting! So much filthy blood, it’s ugly and smells awful. I’m going to have nightmares tonight!” She screamed and burrowed into Julian’s arms, One hand forcefully yanking the blanket off me. Cold air rushed into the bed, exposing my body, clad only in a hospital diaper. An eight-centimeter incision on my stomach was trickling blood, which mingled with the postpartum discharge below, dripping onto the floor. The open hospital room door revealed people passing by. I was utterly humiliated, feeling as exposed as if I’d been stripped naked and left on the street. “Cover me up.” My voice trembled with shame. Julian’s face tightened uncomfortably. He turned his body to block the view from outside, reaching out to pull the blanket back. “Alright, alright. Going out looking like this, people will think the Blackwoods did something to you.” He glanced at the bodyguards. “Go, get a wheelchair. Take her to a regular room.” Stella immediately protested. “Julian, this is the wicked woman who cheated on you! She deserves to walk out like this, so everyone in the hospital can see what a shameless woman looks like and what kind of price you pay for infidelity!” “But…” “Julian! At a time like this, are you still going to protect this woman and her bastard child?” Stella’s eyes instantly welled up, her voice sharp and shrill with accusation. Seeing her like this, Julian sighed, his eyes filled with doting helplessness. “Fine, fine. You’re the Blackwood family’s precious gem, my only sweetheart. Whatever you say goes.” Stella hummed in satisfaction, And swaggered out ahead of me, clapping her hands and loudly broadcasting my “cheating scandal.” “Everyone, come see! This is the shameless woman who cheated and then tried to trick my brother into raising her bastard! She’s a filthy tramp, everyone needs to keep their eyes peeled, or she might seduce your men too!” The gazes of the people around me were like razor-sharp knives, piercing me from all directions. Someone, enraged, grabbed a thermos and threw a container of rice porridge all over me. The hot porridge scalded my exposed skin, instantly raising blisters. Julian didn’t even spare me a glance. He stayed by Stella’s side, silently kicking away tiny pebbles from her path, Doing everything he could to clear her way. Watching this scene, my chest felt like it was crushed by waterlogged cotton, so heavy I could barely breathe. I bit my lip and made it to the regular room, my legs like jelly. Powerless, I lay on the bed, Curling up with my daughter. Lily, you don’t have a father anymore, But it’s okay. After tonight, we’ll both have a new life.

That night, Lily suddenly burst into loud cries, her body burning with fever. I struggled to get up, carrying her to the door, Only to be blocked by bodyguards. “Ms. Harper, I apologize, but without Mr. Blackwood’s or Ms. Stella’s orders, you cannot leave the room.” I clutched my daughter close, yelling at the bodyguards, “Let me through! My daughter has a high fever, she needs medical attention immediately!” The bodyguards stood impassively in front of me. “We apologize. Until you repay the wedding gifts worth eight hundred and eighty thousand, you are not permitted to leave the room. If you run, Mr. Blackwood will hold us accountable for the money. Please don’t make this difficult for us.” My whole body went cold. Something in my mind seemed to explode in an instant. Eight hundred and eighty thousand in wedding gifts? Everyone said marrying Julian was like a sparrow flying into a gilded cage, Becoming a high-society wife, with endless riches and glory for life. But no one knew. Because of Stella’s comment: “Julian, if Harper truly loves you, she wouldn’t spend a penny of your money. Otherwise, how is she any different from those gold-diggers eyeing the Blackwood family’s power?” From our wedding day until now, None of my living expenses were included in the Blackwood family’s daily budget. The designer gowns and expensive jewelry for events, Even the luxury car we rode in together, Would have its “fare” demanded by Stella after the event. My short three years as Mrs. Blackwood. I’d already drained all my life’s savings from my previous job. My account didn’t even have a hundred dollars left. Where was I supposed to get eight hundred and eighty thousand to give Julian? My daughter, distressed by the fever, was crying herself hoarse in my arms. I looked at the bodyguards with desperate eyes, my voice humbled to the dust. “I’ll find a way to repay the money.” “Please, just this once. She’s a premature baby. It’s already dangerous that she wasn’t kept in an incubator. If her fever keeps rising, she’ll die…” Three days ago, Stella had an appendicitis attack. The doctor had scheduled her surgery three months from now, at the same time as my due date. Stella cried until she was sobbing. “Julian, if my surgery clashes with Harper’s delivery, you’ll definitely abandon me to take care of Harper, won’t you?” Julian tried to comfort her, But Stella cried even harder. “Julian! You’ve changed! The old you would never let me suffer from appendicitis! Now that you have Harper, you don’t love me anymore, your whole heart is with her. I’m going to go underground and tell Mom and Dad you’re bullying me!” She then plunged herself into the swimming pool. And I was forcibly given an induction shot. Julian wiped the tears from my eyes. “Harper, she’s my only sister. She’s young and prone to jealousy, I need to reassure her. You understand me, right?” “Once the baby is born, I’ll make it up to you and Lily.” “Don’t worry, I’ll handle everything.” But what I got in return was, A forged paternity test, A crude, melodramatic charade played out for my daughter and me. The two bodyguards looked pained, but still stood firm at the door. “We’re sorry, ma’am. Mr. Blackwood instructed before he left that you couldn’t leave until the money was repaid.” In just a few minutes, Lily in my arms was burning up like a furnace, her cries growing faint. Just as I was about to threaten the bodyguards with a knife to my throat to make way, Julian arrived, his brows furrowed. His face was terribly grim. “Harper, this is a hospital, not a marketplace. Shouting like this, have you forgotten all your class, Mrs. Blackwood? You’ve disturbed Stella’s finger dressing.” I followed his gaze and saw the Hello Kitty band-aid on Stella’s fingertip, And the twenty-odd doctors trailing behind her. My heart felt like it had been pierced through. No wonder I’d been calling for a doctor for so long and none came. Julian had called them all to treat Stella’s finger. I swallowed the bitterness, took a few steps forward with Lily, and choked out, “Lily has a fever, please call a doctor.” Julian’s brows tightened further, his foot about to shift. Stella suddenly bent over, clutching her lower abdomen, and cried out weakly in pain, “Julian, I hurt so much, I feel awful. Am I going to die…?” Julian’s gaze instantly fixated on Stella. Sweeping her into his arms, he yelled at the cluster of doctors, “Prepare for surgery immediately!” I reached out and grabbed Julian, looking at him urgently. “Our daughter…” Stella wrapped her arms around Julian’s neck, burying her head in his shoulder. “Julian, I’m so scared. This surgery will cut out a piece of me, I won’t die of pain, will I?” “Can you make all the doctors do my surgery, please? More doctors mean more assurance. My biggest regret in life is not being able to properly repay you, Julian. I don’t want to die just yet.” Her voice was soft and clingy. Julian was utterly charmed, his heart melting into cotton. “Okay, I’ll not only have all the hospital doctors on standby for you, but the elite medical team I arranged will also arrive in ten minutes. I won’t let anything happen to you.” “What about our daughter?”

My knuckles were white as I held Lily, my lips bitten until they bled. All doctors on standby for Stella, who would save our daughter? Julian glanced at the baby in my arms, a look of impatience on his face, then turned to a doctor. “Who’s a pediatrician? Stay and take a look.” “Julian, hospitals charge for consultations, and Harper still owes us eight hundred and eighty thousand. How would she even have money?” Stella snuggled in Julian’s arms, giving me a malicious smile. “But out of three years of goodwill, I can condescend to help her,” “If I lose a piece of flesh, she has to pay too.” Stella gestured to a bodyguard, who kicked over a medical waste bin. Needles scattered across the floor, glinting coldly. She looked down at me, chin raised. “Find all of them, and I’ll cover this consultation fee for you.” Julian cast a fleeting glance at me and instructed his assistant, “Do as Ms. Stella says.” He then carried Stella away in a rush to the operating room, without a single backward glance. I knelt on the floor, using my bare hands to scrape and search. Soon, my ten fingers were covered in needle pricks, Bloody and raw. Not a single piece of clean skin. Later, hearing Lily’s even fainter cries, I had no choice but to use my tongue to lick for them. Half an hour later, I held a pile of needles, looking at the doctor. Blood continuously welled up in my mouth as I spoke. “They’re all here. Please save my daughter…” Having said that, I could no longer hold on and completely fainted. When I woke again, my nostrils were filled with the smell of disinfectant. I instinctively reached out, but didn’t touch the soft warmth I expected. “Lily…” I stumbled out of the room and saw my daughter in the doctor’s office. The female doctor who had treated her last night was gently rocking her, feeding her milk, Her eyes full of sympathy. “Sigh, what a tragedy. She was born a little princess, but because of a family squabble, she can’t even drink her mother’s milk. It’s so pitiful.” Her colleague whispered, “Isn’t that the truth? And Mr. Blackwood personally supervised the forging of the paternity test. He said he’d blame the hospital a year later, claiming we messed up the test, surely able to coax the mother and daughter back. Spending millions to have the whole hospital put on an act – rich people sure play their games.” “That’s not all. I also heard that Stella is just an adoptive daughter. Anyone with eyes can see she’s got a thing for her brother. Last night, during rounds, I personally saw that adoptive sister kiss Mr. Blackwood on the lips while he was asleep. He woke up five minutes later and didn’t say a word.” The two exchanged knowing glances, pursing their lips in unspoken understanding. I leaned against the wall, my eyes aching. Stella was an adoptive daughter of the Blackwood family. Because they were siblings in name, My jealousy would be seen as destroying their sibling bond, as irrational tantrums in the eyes of outsiders. As long as Julian uttered, “If it were as messed up as you think, I’d have married her long ago. Would it even be your turn?” I would be speechless. Yes, He was the heir to a powerful fortune, high above everyone else, Of course, he wasn’t a match for an ordinary working woman like me, who worked nine to five. But why did he send me tens of thousands of roses, patiently guide me through the dark period after my family’s passing, teach my boss a lesson for making inappropriate comments to me… And even shield me during a car accident, ending up in the ICU himself? I still remembered him swearing on our wedding day, “Harper, in this life, I will always love and respect you, and never let you down.” But hearts change in an instant, and “forever” was just an embellishment. Looking up again, Julian stood before me. Meeting my bloodshot eyes, he uncharacteristically showed concern. “You just gave birth, why aren’t you resting?” A waft of Stella’s usual perfume drifted over, Making me dizzy and nauseous. Avoiding his touch, I stepped back a few paces, “Aren’t we getting divorced? Sign it now.” Julian froze for a few seconds, his face darkening, a cold sneer forming on his lips. “Harper, don’t play games. You’re penniless. Leave me, and you’ll be sleeping on the streets with your child tonight.” I met his gaze, my voice cold. “The child isn’t yours, why are you worrying?” This taunt enraged Julian. Taking the divorce papers from his assistant, his signature pressed hard through the paper. Before I could even pick up the last pen stroke, Julian snatched the agreement, pointed towards the hospital entrance, veins bulging on his neck, “Ungrateful woman, get out of my hospital immediately!” I held my daughter and walked out. Seeing the dark sedan across the street, I quickened my pace. However, before I could take a few steps, two bodyguards suddenly appeared and forcibly dragged me back.

“Did you see the trending news? Mrs. Blackwood forced to divorce, all because of that adoptive daughter.” “She’s truly evil. If it were me, I’d expose her online too.” All through the hospital, people were discussing the same thing. This was clearly Stella’s doing. I didn’t understand her purpose in putting herself in the spotlight. Until Julian slapped me, without bothering to distinguish right from wrong, “Harper, I never imagined you could be so vicious. No wonder you were so eager to sign the divorce papers earlier. You had already planned to deal with Stella, didn’t you? Using a post-delivery divorce to gain sympathy, even roping me into your schemes. You’re truly malicious.” “The media will be here any minute, you must publicly apologize to Stella. Do you know how awful the insults online are? Stella is still so young; if I hadn’t arrived in time, she would have been provoked into slitting her wrists!” On the hospital bed, Stella sat perfectly fine, Whole and unharmed, not even a red mark on her wrist. A person pretending to sleep won’t wake up, no matter how much you call. Besides, someone else was waiting for me. “No need for all that trouble.” I handed Lily to a nurse who had followed us, pulled out my phone, and started a live stream. I bowed deeply to Stella. “Ms. Stella, I’m sorry. Regarding the false rumors online, I sincerely apologize to you. You are not a manipulative, wicked sister. It was I who was too malicious, getting irrationally jealous of your sibling bond with your brother, intentionally divorcing him, posting online to gain sympathy, and hiring trolls to attack you.” Then, I bowed to her again. “Ms. Stella, you and Mr. Blackwood have always been completely innocent, merely a normal brother-sister relationship. It was my jealousy that led me to use unscrupulous means to frame you. Please forgive me.” I spoke each word clearly and forcefully. With every sentence, Julian’s and Stella’s faces turned paler. Stella, because I had forever nailed them to the pillar of sibling shame. Julian, who looked at me with complex eyes, a flicker of uneasy panic in his heart. Stella glared at me hatefully, Then suddenly, she tugged at her hair, her voice trembling like a sieve. “I’m not a bad woman, I’m not a bad woman! It was Harper who cheated, she cuckolded my brother. She didn’t cherish him, so I will. If this is called depraved and shameless, then let me die…” Her sudden outburst broke the fleeting panic that had just surfaced in Julian. Julian pulled her into his embrace. “Stella, we’re not blood siblings. In fact, there was even talk of us marrying when we were children. Even if you truly like me, you’ve done nothing wrong.” As his words fell, countless rose emojis erupted in the live stream, The screen filled with “999+” messages. They stung my eyes. A large group of reporters pushed through the door, pointing cameras at my face, snapping furiously. “Mrs. Blackwood, does this mean you were the other woman all along?” “Mrs. Blackwood, you were just an ordinary person. To marry into such a wealthy family, you must have used some underhanded tactics, no? Could you tell us about them?” “Don’t you feel guilty for breaking up a golden couple just to marry into wealth?” Flashbulbs popped wildly in my face, They wanted to brand me with every humiliating word imaginable: “homewrecker,” “low-class,” “slut”… Amidst the shoving, I saw the wicked smile on Stella’s face. She subtly tilted her head, and a reporter caught the signal, Sharply turning his lens towards Lily in the nurse’s arms, snapping away. “Damn, is that the bastard child? She looks like a monster, Mrs. Blackwood really isn’t picky.” “Like mother, like daughter. You can tell they’re morally corrupt just by looking. Take more photos, they’ll be useful for future footage. Let’s call it ‘Homewrecker’s Legacy,’ it’s bound to hit headlines.” My fury boiled over, and I slapped the reporter who said those words. I didn’t hit him hard, but he suddenly collapsed to the ground, unmoving. “Oh no, Mr. Davis has a heart condition, you can’t touch him!” “Ah! He’s not breathing! You murderer!” A reporter pointed at me, his eyes filled with hatred, as if he wanted to devour me. “Don’t touch her, any problems, talk to my lawyer.” No sooner had Julian spoken than Stella again clutched her lower abdomen, looking distressed, “Julian, I got too emotional just now, my incision feels like it’s split open…” I held Lily, looking helplessly at Julian. Julian gave us a deep look, then bent down to pick up Stella, saying to me, “Wait for me.” Then his back disappeared down the corridor. And I was surrounded by enraged reporters, handcuffed with cold metal. … Three months later, at the courthouse, “This court rules that Ms. Harper Rhodes is sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of three million dollars for involuntary manslaughter.”

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On our wedding night, Ashton held me close and suddenly said: “I’ve been having an affair. It’s her birthday tonight, and I need to be with her.” My head started spinning. “If you love someone else, why did you marry me?” He got up and started getting dressed. My kiss marks were still visible on his neck. “Nora, I love you. But we’ve been together too long. I need some excitement.” My throat tightened. “So you’re going to leave me on our wedding night to celebrate another woman’s birthday?” He pinched my cheek. “You’re already my wife. We’ll have plenty of nights together in the future. Just let her have tonight.” “And if I don’t?” I asked. He smiled. “Then we’ll divorce. But you’ll get nothing!” Ashton sighed and stroked my hair. “Remember the day you tried on your wedding dress? I was in the fitting room right next to yours, taking her virginity. She didn’t dare make a sound, holding back her moans like a kitten. That kind of thrill is something you can’t give me. Do you understand?” All the blood in my body seemed to freeze, yet tears kept streaming down my face. That day, I had been so happy trying on what I thought was the most beautiful wedding dress. When I came out, I couldn’t find him anywhere. When I called, his voice sounded strained. He said he had an urgent business deal to handle. I thought he was just in a bad mood, so I stupidly tried to comfort him, telling him not to work too hard. Ashton caught my tears, his voice gentle: “Actually, I didn’t want to miss a single second of you in that wedding dress, but that little temptress was too clingy. I didn’t get out of bed all day.” I stared blankly at the ceiling for so long I forgot to blink. Ashton clicked his tongue and lifted my hand to kiss it. “I’m sorry, Nora. I know you’re hurt. If you really want a divorce, I can give you a villa in the city center as compensation.” “But if you’re willing to endure this for me, everything I have is yours. My heart too.” Today was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. I married the man I’d been with for eight years. Dream wedding, million-dollar diamond ring—everything felt like a fantasy. Just five minutes ago, we were making love, completely lost in each other. Now I was crying like a fool, asking him: “Why did you tell me? Why tonight of all nights?” Ashton wiped my tears over and over, his eyes almost tender: “Silly girl, because I care about you. I know I’m terrible, but now that we’re married, I should be honest with you.” He paused, then suddenly smiled: “Of course, there’s another reason. I’ve been dying to see your reaction when you found out the truth. Just like I imagined—so pitiful it makes me want to take care of you even more.” “So, let’s not divorce, okay? I’ll still love you like before, hmm?” I slapped him hard across the face. I grabbed everything within reach and threw it at him, screaming with all my strength: “Get out! Get the hell out!” Ashton tilted his head and wiped the corner of his mouth, standing up with a light laugh. He straightened his collar and walked toward the door. “Nora, calm down. I’m going to celebrate her birthday now.” The door closed softly. I saw my reflection in my ring—like a person who’d lost their mind.

I huddled in the corner of the bed, tearing at my hair like a madwoman. I banged my head against the wall over and over, until the pain became numb, until my consciousness sank completely into darkness. The moment I closed my eyes, I was transported back eight years. In that cramped room, Ashton stood between me and my abusive father, shielding me with his body. His back was a bloody mess. I screamed for them to stop. When the police sirens finally wailed, he smiled at me with a missing tooth: “Don’t be afraid, Nora. No one will ever hurt you again.” Later, we stayed in homeless shelters, collected recyclables. His thin back was my bed. Eventually, he worked construction sites, did sales jobs, until he finally earned enough for a tiny studio apartment. He held me tight and said: “Nora, we have a home now.” Those memories were too beautiful. I drowned in them in my dreams for too long. When I opened my eyes again, I’d been woken up by my best friend Jessica bombing me with SnapChat messages. “Nora! It has to be fake news! Ashton loves you so much! It can’t be true!” I numbly clicked on the link she sent. One glance made my whole body freeze. Ashton caught with his mistress having sex at a rooftop restaurant, witnessed by hundreds of people. It was trending everywhere. My hands shaking, I called him to demand answers. His voice was hoarse: “Oh, that. We just got carried away. I didn’t want you to see it. The news is hard to suppress. If you really can’t handle it, deal with it yourself?” Like a walking corpse, using the last of my strength, I went to the address he’d sent me. In a daze, I remembered when he was just starting his business. A real estate mogul’s daughter and an import-export tycoon’s heiress both pursued him. The whole city was betting on which wealthy family he’d marry into. But Ashton surprised everyone. He contacted hundreds of media outlets to publish just one sentence: “I have a girlfriend. I love her very much. Only death can separate us.” From that day on, the whole world knew Ashton loved me. That’s why today, his betrayal felt so shocking to everyone. I found Ashton’s second home, but ran into his assistant Richard at the door first. The way he looked at me, full of pity, made my breathing stop. I pushed open the door. Clothes were tangled all over the floor. Ashton was lounging on the sofa with a woman. Hearing the noise, he patted her back: “Get dressed. My wife is here. Show some manners.” The woman slowly pulled on her dress, acting cute as she asked him to zip up the back. Then she stuck her tongue out at me: “Sorry, I didn’t think Ashton would really leave you to celebrate my birthday. I got too excited and we got carried away.” She blinked, as if suddenly remembering something, and gasped: “I think we didn’t use protection. But I’ll take the morning-after pill, so don’t be mad, okay?” I covered my mouth as my stomach churned violently, bending over in painful dry heaves. Ashton’s expression changed. He immediately got up to support me: “Nora? What’s wrong? Are you okay? I’ll take you to the hospital!” I pushed away his hands as he tried to hold me. Tears and vomit came out together in a pathetic mess. Ashton’s face darkened as he barked at the woman: “Get out!” The woman stamped her foot and whined. Ashton frowned but still went over to kiss her lips, coaxing softly: “Don’t pout. I’ll have Richard buy you the pill later. Tonight I’m still yours, okay?” Only then was she satisfied. She deliberately draped her lacy underwear over his shoulder and shot me a provocative glance before leaving. Ashton casually tossed the scrap of fabric onto the sofa, then turned back with concern in his voice, gently rubbing my back: “Nora, feeling better? I know this is hard for you to accept. I understand. So if you want a divorce, I won’t blame you.” I wiped the filth from my mouth and looked up, staring at him with red, swollen eyes. “Ashton, I’m not divorcing you.” I didn’t even know what I was thinking. Maybe it was disgust, anger, but mostly it was unwillingness to let go. I didn’t want to cut my losses. I was like a gambler who’d lost everything, desperately clutching at the chips that said he still loved me. I cried, I screamed, I even held a knife to my own throat as a threat. Ashton finally gave in and promised he’d end things with that woman completely. See? He still cared about me. As long as he loved me, maybe everything could still go back to how it was. But I never expected the slap in the face to come so quickly.

A month later, on my birthday, photos of him getting intimate with Jessica in her office went viral. The double betrayal felt like a dull knife slicing my throat. I violently coughed up blood. I used all my strength to write a long expose, bribing media outlets to try and destroy both their reputations. But Ashton crushed all my struggles with one simple move. He produced a forged psychiatric evaluation and announced to the world that I was mentally unstable. At the same time, he paid a fortune to send Jessica to a top overseas university, saying at a press conference: “She is an exceptional woman. I look forward to her return after graduation.” I became a joke. And Ashton, after the spotlight faded, gently took my hand. His tone helpless yet indulgent, like comforting a child who didn’t understand: “Nora, last time you threatened me with your life, I was very unhappy. Sleeping with Jessica was just a little lesson for you.” He sighed: “I’ve been patient with you. I haven’t found anyone new for a whole month, but a man’s nature—you can’t stop it.” “I thought since you two were such good friends, you wouldn’t make such a scene. I’m disappointed.” “If you pull this again, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” The day after he said that, he found a college student. To show off his affection, and more importantly, to warn me. He sold our original studio apartment. That place held all our memories from when we were young. In that tiny studio, we once shared a single cup of instant ramen, dreaming about our beautiful future. He said he’d never let me down. I got on my knees and begged him. I could give up everything, just please keep that apartment. But I failed. The apartment money became Chloe the college student’s allowance. After two months with Chloe, he moved on to Lily, a restaurant server. My mental state was deteriorating. I went back and forth between therapists and an acupuncture clinic. I often ended up looking like a pincushion. Until one day I came home early and found Ashton with someone in our marital bed. This wasn’t the first time, but it was the first time I witnessed it myself. I attacked him like a madwoman, attacked that woman, and beat her badly enough to send her to the hospital. To get revenge for his new lover, Ashton had me committed to a psychiatric hospital. Three days of electroshock therapy. The day I came home, the bedroom door was locked. I could hear his heavy breathing inside: “Nora, wait outside for a bit. We’ll be done soon.” I waited from daylight until late into the night. When Ashton came out, I’d already slit my wrist with a knife. I woke up in the hospital. He was at my bedside with dark circles under his eyes. He gripped my hand tightly, his voice trembling: “I’m sorry, Nora. I went too far this time.” “But how could you gamble with your life like that?” “If you really can’t take it anymore, you can ask for a divorce. I’ll give you satisfactory compensation.” Eight years together—saying we hadn’t suffered would be a lie. But he suffered much more than I did. We didn’t eat well, but at least I could eat my fill. He was always hungry, collapsing at construction sites, collapsing on the street, collapsing right in front of me. That year I was so afraid he’d starve to death because of me, I threatened to break up, went on a hunger strike. That was the first time he cried, begging me not to leave: “Nora, don’t go. If you leave, I really won’t make it.” Now, lying in the hospital bed, I gently touched his face and asked seriously: “Ashton, do you still love me?” He squeezed my hand hard and kissed my palm over and over: “Silly girl, how could I not love you?” During my hospital stay, he seemed to transform back into the Ashton who used to love me most. We held hands, hugged, kissed, gave ourselves to each other.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “349760”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn