Category: English

After My CEO Girlfriend Let Her Assistant Take My Project, I Quit, and the Company Went Bankrupt After securing a big project for the company, I received a ring from my girlfriend, Pamela Carlson. Overjoyed, I posted it on Instagram, thinking that she was finally ready to announce our engagement. But then, my girlfriend’s new male assistant, Russell Burnett, slapped me across the face and flipped my desk. He said, “Scott Hebert, you’re the director for crying out loud! Stealing a gift meant for me from my wife, do you have any shame?” Not only did my girlfriend not defend me, but she also said I wasn’t worthy of my position and publicly announced that her assistant would be taking over the project I had just landed. It was then that I realized. The person my girlfriend wanted to announce wasn’t me but him. Soon, the whole company was watching, phones in hand, enjoying the spectacle. But I wasn’t angry. Instead, I calmly shoved my ID badge into the assistant’s arms. I said, “So, you’re the president’s worthy partner now. I’ll consider the director position as my apology. Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness.”

Seeing my unexpected reaction, a colleague shocked me by pulling me aside and whispering, “Don’t act impulsively. It’s just one project. We can always negotiate another.” But he didn’t know I wasn’t acting on impulse. The day before, I had overheard my girlfriend’s assistant talking to her in her office. He said, “Pamela, I want to make a name for myself. If you hand me this new project, I’ll make sure it succeeds, and you’ll be impressed.” At the time, I didn’t think much of it. I had been Pamela’s secret boyfriend for seven years. I turned down offers from big companies to help her start this one. I was the one who brought in 90% of the projects for the company, and she knew how hard it had been for me. She was a principled person and would never mess with something as serious as a project. Besides, she had once lost a project to people who used flattery to climb the ranks. She hated that kind of behavior. So, when I received the ring from Pamela, I thought she had finally realized that I was the one for her and was ready to settle down with me. I had no idea that Russell would turn the tables on me, accusing me of stealing and humiliating me in front of everyone. I also never imagined that Russell, who had only been with the company for a few months, could make Pamela abandon all her principles for him. At that point, I figured I had nothing left to stay for there. Pamela still didn’t realize that their childish plan had been exposed. She thought I was just being jealous. She suddenly furrowed her brow and looked at me. “Why are you acting so dramatic?” Ever since Russell came into the picture, she had started looking at me with suspicion. I didn’t bother to argue anymore. I simply said, calmly, “I really did give it to him.” I had given him both my girlfriend and my position. I wasn’t planning to stay any longer. Just as I was about to leave, Pamela coldly grabbed my arm and pulled me into her office. The company was not large, and the office soundproofing was not good, either. As soon as she closed the door, the employees outside, who had been watching, started chatting excitedly, praising Russell and asking when they’d be getting married and having kids. Russell shyly replied, “Having kids is tough on the woman. I can’t decide when that’ll happen.” He acted like he was Pamela’s real boyfriend, and with her tacit approval, the employees believed it without question. Pamela, sensing my silence, paused while pouring water. Realizing that she owed me an explanation, her usual strong tone softened as she said, “Russell’s just kidding. He doesn’t know any better. He was just joking around, don’t take it seriously. He has relatives at Nebula Group, and it’s thanks to him that we got this project.” I looked at her, speechless. What a joke! Nebula Group, the main client, had its own professional technical department and never needed to outsource. From the start, they had rejected the collaboration. It was me, stubbornly insisting and trying everything I could, sending gifts, begging for meetings, that finally got a chance to talk with the project manager. He generously gave me thirty seconds to present our product. After seeing my capabilities, he offered me a high price but couldn’t poach me, which was when he agreed to the deal. I had been working overtime, running around day and night for the project, but she saw none of it. Russell casually mentioned his relatives, and she believed every word. If she had just thought for a second, she would have understood clearly that if Russell really had those connections, he wouldn’t be working as an assistant in this small, rundown company. Or maybe she understood everything but was just pretending to be clueless. Seeing that I didn’t speak for a while, Pamela looked down for a moment and then stood up and made me a cup of coffee. She leaned in close and whispered in my ear, “We’re just acting. The person I’m really going to marry is you.” In the past, every time we argued, when she softened her tone and made promises, I always forgave her. So, she probably thought it would be the same this time. With a casual wave of her hand, she said, “Get back to work. I’ll take care of the project.” But what she didn’t know was I no longer wanted her. I pushed my chair back, stood up, and said, “No need to make a big deal out of it. I’ll just leave.” With that, I pulled out my resignation form, quickly filled it out, and, without hesitation, turned and walked out of the office.

When Russell saw me leaving, he rushed over, blocking my way, and said with a pretend look of grievance, “Scott, I know you’re an expert. You’re right, I’m not fit for the position of tech director. I’ll give it back to you.” He grabbed his ID badge and tried to push it towards me. I just gave him a light push, and he stumbled, falling over the chair and knocking over the computer, causing a commotion among the colleagues around us. Russell quickly got up. Facing the concerned looks from his coworkers, he waved his hand with a smile, saying it was no big deal. Pamela, startled by the noise, hurried over in her four-inch-high heels. After confirming that Russell was fine, she furrowed her brows and glared at me. “Scott, don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re an old employee.” The colleagues around us immediately started to chime in, “Yeah, Scott, the changeover is for the company’s growth. Don’t use your seniority to bully the new guys.” The harshest words came from Alan Jordan, whom I had trained. “It’s just a few projects. Do you really think you are the boss now? You’ve gotten addicted to forming cliques, huh? You can’t even respect a genius like Russell?” We had worked together for many years, and I was the top sales performer. In the past, everyone would respectfully call me Scott whenever they saw me. Now, they all watched me with glee, hoping I would leave right away. It didn’t matter. Let them say whatever they wanted. I wasn’t going to play along anymore. I left the company without saying a word. Pamela hurried after me. When she saw that there was no one else around, she rubbed her forehead and said, “You’ve just been working too hard lately. I’ll approve some time off for you. Take a break. Today is the seventh anniversary of our relationship. Stay home and wait for me. I’ve prepared a surprise for you.” As she finished speaking, the elevator arrived, and I stepped in without saying a word. At home, I made myself something to eat. I didn’t wait for her, and she didn’t come back until it was dark. I put on my shoes and tidied up before heading out to meet the client. On the way, I ran into a colleague. The boy was a bit slow on the uptake, so he didn’t distance himself like the others. He greeted me cheerfully. “Scott, you’re going to Mr. Burnett’s promotion party thrown by Ms. Carlson, right? Let’s go together. We’ll split the cost of the ride.” He was excited about not having to take the subway anymore, but I shook my head and said, “No.” He gave me an awkward glance and asked, “Didn’t Ms. Carlson invite you?” I shook my head indifferently and walked away. I faintly heard him muttering, “Pamela really does protect her men.” But I didn’t turn around. She never defended anyone except Russell. For Russell, she would do anything, even stand me up, which wasn’t a one-time thing. When I was hospitalized with pneumonia, she said she would visit after a meeting, but I waited until morning before she finally showed up. She claimed she had been working late, but in reality, she had been watching a movie with Russell. Not long ago, we had planned to take a couple’s photo shoot. I waited in my suit until the store closed, and then she casually strolled in, saying work had delayed her. In fact, she had been shopping with Russell, picking out some clothes for him. There were countless similar incidents. Every time I questioned her, she would scold me, saying, “Work is more important.” This kind of relationship was just exhausting. At the café, the head of the client team looked at the progress I had submitted and couldn’t stop praising it. “Scott, have you ever thought about switching jobs? Your salary could multiply tenfold.” This time, I didn’t refuse. The client head was happy to hear my response and said we could discuss any conditions I had. After the meeting, I went home. Pamela had already packed the food and was sitting on the sofa waiting for me. Once again, she was late. In the past, she would offer excuses, but this time, she didn’t say a word. After a brief silence, she pushed the food box toward me. “You must be tired, don’t cook. Just heat this up and eat.” I looked down at the food. The plastic container held a mix of different dishes, unappealingly thrown together. There were stir-fried and boiled dishes and even a piece of pie soaked in soup. It was obvious that they didn’t finish the food, and she packed it up carelessly. She hadn’t even bothered to pack the food separately, just shoved everything into one big box. It was so unappetizing. I waved my hand. “No need, I’ve already eaten.” Pamela gave me a long, deep look. Her usual coldness gave way to a rare moment of softness as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around my waist. “Sorry. He just got promoted, so I had to make an appearance as his boss. I know you’ve had a tough day, so let’s go get our marriage certificate this weekend.” Ha! It sounded so sweet. But when I got promoted to director, I was so happy that I threw a celebration for myself. I eagerly sat in the private room, waiting as the waiter reheated the dishes five times. By the time the restaurant closed, none of my colleagues had shown up. The messages I sent out were met with silence. Some kind-hearted colleagues quietly asked if I had offended the CEO. I was confused at the time, but later, I found out. While I was away from the office, she coldly scolded every colleague who had planned to attend the dinner. “Is the workload too light for you? Got too much free time? Always thinking about food, drinks, and fun. Are you all that useless? You’re just wasting the company’s money. You’d be better off leaving now!” Thinking back on it, I pushed her hand away from my waist, which had been groping me, and said coldly, “No need for that, Pamela. Let’s break up. ”

The atmosphere in the room instantly froze. Pamela gasped, her controlled emotions finally spilling over. “I’ve sacrificed all this for the company’s growth. Other people’s boyfriends would be happy, but you just don’t get it!” I didn’t bother with her twisted logic. She continued talking about how important the company’s development was, and how, once the company went public, I’d have a place in it. I was sick of hearing it, so I raised my hand to interrupt her. “I don’t need that. I’m packing up and moving out now.” Pamela had been the boss for so many years, and it was the first time her words were interrupted. Her face turned bright red with anger. She glared at me for a long while before letting out a cold snort. “No need. I’ll just leave!” With a bang, she slammed the door behind her. I didn’t chase after her. I quietly packed my things. The client had arranged a free, luxury single dorm room for me, and I could move in at any time. Just as I finished packing, I called the moving company. By the time most of my stuff was moved, I happened to run into Russell dropping Pamela off at home. They walked side by side, fingers interlaced, chatting and laughing. Pamela, usually cold and distant, was now looking down with a soft smile, standing next to Russell with the look of someone who was relying on him, the image of a gentle and obedient woman. Russell was the first to notice me and deliberately tightened his grip. Pamela, sensing something was off, followed his gaze and saw me. She quickly pulled her hand away. She walked up to me, ready to explain as usual, but when she saw me loading my things into the car, she froze for a moment before asking, “Where are you going so late?” Really? Couldn’t she see the moving company’s big sign on the side of the van? I was about to continue moving my things when Pamela blocked my way, suddenly shoving a bag of clothes into my hands. When I didn’t move, she took the clothes back and held them up to me. “I know you’ve been busy and haven’t had time to buy clothes. I passed by the mall and picked these up for you.” Bought for me? I wore XL sizes, but this brand of shirt was an M. On the receipt from the bag, the last four digits of the card used to pay were Pamela’s, and the total came to over ten thousand dollars. This wasn’t just a casual buy, was it? She probably picked it out for me while shopping with Russell. She was really generous. Just two days ago, I bought a 200-dollar shirt and asked her if it looked good. She’d scolded me for wasting money and lectured me for over an hour about how hard it was to make money. She even said no matter how nice my clothes were, they weren’t as important as real ability. So, what was this now? Money was easy to make, huh? I shoved my hands in my pockets and looked at them coldly. “No need. As the saying goes, a person is judged by their clothes, a horse by its saddle, and a dog runs happily with a bell. You can keep such an expensive gift for Mr. Burnett.” Russell paused when he heard this, and after a long moment, he suddenly threw the shirt down in anger. “You dare insult me?” His eyes were red as he glared at me and rushed toward me, ready to strike. I stayed where I was, and with one slap, he fell to the ground. “Not just that, I’d dare to hit you, too.” Russell was as thin as sticks. The only reason he could hit me earlier was because I was caught off guard. Now, I gave him a slap right back. Pamela screamed and rushed to hold Russell her face full of concern. “Scott! Let’s talk this out! Why are you hitting him? If you’re leaving, then leave, but don’t come back!” She didn’t need to say more. I wasn’t planning on returning. I turned around, got into the moving truck, and drove off toward a new life.

After I left, I directly joined the client’s company and was entrusted with an important role. Back at Pamela’s company, as the client, I was welcomed by the receptionist. As I walked into the office area, I saw Russell, now wearing a director’s badge, walking confidently between the employees’ desks, giving orders. “Make this logo a bit bigger but shrink that part. I didn’t say pure black. I meant the kind of iridescent black like a crow’s wings. “After looking at it again, the first version is still better overall. But I like the font from the seventh version, and the color from the sixteenth. Get it to me by the end of the day.” The office was filled with tension and frustration. Someone couldn’t hold back and retorted, “This design was approved by the client a long time ago. The main issue now is the program’s stability.” Russell snorted, “The client is just a nouveau riche. Does he even understand what true art is? I’m the one overseeing this, with my top-tier aesthetic sense. The client will definitely be satisfied. Maybe if he’s happy, he’ll even give us a bonus.” Please! Our company developed a new system just to make life easier for users, not to host an art exhibition online! And besides the colorful, illegible text, were they trying to contribute to the ophthalmology department at the hospital? With Russell’s level of work, it was no wonder the results were getting worse. The program crashed as soon as it started, and the quality had drastically fallen apart. A colleague spotted me, and the hostile glares I once received were now replaced with looks of desperation. As for Alan, the employee I had trained who used to talk big, he had been kicked out of the core team and was now relegated to fetching coffee with his own money. Russell gave me a contemptuous glance. “I guess I should recommend to Ms. Carlson that we need a security position. Otherwise, anyone and everyone will just waltz in.” The receptionist bent over, about to remind him to be careful with his words since I was representing the client. But before she could say anything, Pamela strutted by in sky-high heels, clearly thinking I had come to apologize. She scoffed, “Well, well, if it isn’t Mr. Hebert! Realized how tough it is to find a job now, so you’re back, huh?” Russell let out a chuckle and said in a seemingly kind tone, “I’ve always believed in Scott’s abilities. I think we can offer him a supervisory role. If he works under me, it won’t take long before he’ll make a name for himself.” Pamela crossed her arms, looking at me with disdain. “A supervisor? He’s not even close to being worthy of that! He can come back, but he’ll have to start from the bottom as an entry-level employee, with half the salary and no performance bonuses.” The other colleagues gasped, quickly distancing themselves from me, afraid the bad luck would rub off on them. I couldn’t hold back a laugh. Pamela still had no idea that I had transformed into her client, no longer that obedient little follower. Pamela raised an eyebrow, curious. “What are you laughing at?” I quietly pulled a contract out of my briefcase and slapped it onto the table. “Let me reintroduce myself. I’m Scott, the Director of the Technical Department at Nebula Group. I’m here to inform you project suspended, and contract terminated.”

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### My husband, Ethan Carter, was the CEO of a publicly traded company, a man who was admired and envied by many. He traveled for work every month, like clockwork. Everyone knew him as a “wife guy,” someone who spoiled me endlessly and never missed a chance to show his love. Every time he came back from a trip, he brought me thoughtful gifts. This time, he’d been in Charleston for business and returned with a single peach blossom branch. Because he couldn’t take it on the plane, he went out of his way—lugging it onto trains and even the subway—just so he could bring a piece of Charleston’s early spring back to me. As he handed it to me, Ethan spoke softly, his voice as warm as ever. “The spring comes early down there,” he said. “I couldn’t wait to bring it back for you to see.” But just before he walked through the door, my phone buzzed. It was a text from that same unknown number that had been messaging me for weeks: “Your husband and his little assistant took their romantic getaway to Charleston this month.” Attached was a photo: Ethan and his secretary, Emma, locked in a passionate kiss beneath a canopy of pink blossoms. I stared at the picture, my stomach twisting. When Ethan turned away to take a shower, I set the peach blossom branch in the most unnoticeable corner of the room. My hand brushed against my slightly rounded belly as I picked up the phone and made a call I hadn’t dared to make in three years. “Dad,” I said, my voice breaking. “I’ve made a mistake. I’m leaving Ethan.” They say a marriage without your parents’ blessing is doomed from the start. Three years ago, I walked down the aisle against their wishes, thinking love was enough. Now, it was clear: that wedding had been a mistake. It was time to cut my losses and walk away.

“Honey, can you send a file to Jack for me? It’s on my phone,” Ethan said. “Sure,” I replied casually. Hearing my response, Ethan turned on the shower, humming as the water began to run. His phone was sitting on the table, unlocked, as it always was. Ethan never hid anything from me—he’d even joked about handing over his phone if I ever wanted to check it. I entered the passcode, my birthday, and the lock screen opened. After sending the file, my eyes fell on the name “Emma” in his message list. The chat history was clean—just work-related texts. Ethan was meticulous like that. He’d never leave anything incriminating behind. But curiosity got the better of me. I tapped on Emma’s profile and opened her social media. Her latest post stopped me cold. It was a photo of two hands intertwined beneath a canopy of pink blossoms. The caption read: “I told him I loved peach blossoms, so he brought me all the way to Charleston.” The post was clearly hidden from both her coworkers and me, but one mutual friend had commented underneath: “Is it your mysterious, handsome, rich boyfriend again?” Emma’s reply was a simple “Yes.” Two weeks ago, I’d started receiving anonymous texts from an unfamiliar number. The first one read: “Your husband, the man who swears he loves you more than anything, is cheating on you.” Since then, every day, I’d received more and more “evidence.” Photos, locations, details—everything pointed to Ethan and Emma. Apparently, Ethan’s monthly “business trips” were just elaborate vacations with her. They’d watched sunsets on beaches, kissed under the Northern Lights, and held each other in snow-covered forests. I’d even had the photos verified by a professional. They weren’t fake. Ethan. Emma. And me. We’d all been high school classmates, though I’d barely known Emma back then. When Ethan told me a few months ago that Emma had applied to be his assistant, I’d thought nothing of it. In fact, I encouraged him to hire her—after all, it was nice to help an old classmate. Who could’ve known I was hiring my own replacement? Scrolling further through Emma’s social media, I found more posts. Every month, there were photos of trips to different cities, each captioned with romantic lines: “A life well-lived is half mountains and seas, half you.” “The sun is setting, and we’re falling in love.” “Going to beautiful places with the person I love most.” Every destination matched Ethan’s business trips. Every caption matched the anonymous texts. Some of the photos showed a man’s silhouette—his face deliberately cropped out. But I didn’t need to see his face. I knew that figure. I’d recognize Ethan anywhere. There were other photos, too: jewelry, designer bags, luxury items. The gifts Ethan had brought home to me? She had them too. Three years of marriage. Three years of meticulous care, of devotion that everyone envied. The perfect husband, they said. And yet here he was, betraying me. As memories of our life together flashed through my mind—his sweet words, his warm embraces—they all turned into jagged shards, stabbing into my heart. I felt the baby move inside me, and I instinctively rested a hand on my belly. “I’m sorry,” I whispered softly. The next moment, I felt warm arms wrap tightly around me. Ethan was back, holding me close from behind, his head resting in the crook of my neck. “What are you saying to our baby, huh?” he murmured. “I missed you so much while I was away.” I didn’t respond. The thought of him whispering the same words to her just days ago made my stomach churn. “What’s wrong?” he asked, gently turning me to face him. His eyes were full of concern as he noticed my red, swollen eyes. I shook my head and waved a hand in front of my face, trying to explain it away. “It’s nothing. Pregnancy hormones. I’ve just been emotional lately.” Ethan knelt in front of me, his hand resting on my belly. “Hey, little one,” he said softly, his eyes lighting up. “Your mom is working so hard for you, so you better behave in there, okay? No causing trouble.” He pressed his ear against my belly as if listening for a response, then looked up at me with a grin. “Babe, our baby just told me they understand.” His joy, his tenderness—it was all so convincing. How could he love me like this and still hold someone else’s hand under a canopy of blossoms? I gave him a weak smile, and he stood, brushing his thumb across my lips. “You know,” he said, his voice low and husky, “the doctor said we’re past the three-month mark now, so…” He leaned in to kiss me, but I couldn’t take it anymore. I bolted for the bathroom and threw up violently, the nausea overwhelming me. Behind me, Ethan followed, his hand rubbing circles on my back, his voice full of concern. “Babe, this pregnancy is really taking it out of you. Let’s make this the last one, okay? No more after this.” He thought it was just morning sickness. He had no idea that I wouldn’t be having this baby either.

“You’re terminating the pregnancy?” The doctor froze mid-exam, looking at me in disbelief. Outside the room, Ethan stood by the window, scrolling through his phone, a soft, tender smile spreading across his face. That smile—so familiar, yet so foreign—made my chest ache and my stomach churn. “Yes,” I said firmly, breaking my gaze away and turning back to the doctor. “You’re sure? Does your husband know?” she asked cautiously. “I’ve seen him come with you to every appointment. He seems so excited about this baby, even with how busy he must be. Running a company like his can’t be easy.” Ethan Carter—self-made billionaire, founder of a multi-million-dollar tech company at just 30 years old. His face was a regular feature on business channels, and even the doctor had heard of him. He had his share of admirers, women who swooned over his looks, wealth, and the fact that he was madly in love with his wife. “This is my decision,” I said, my tone unyielding. “Please don’t tell him.” The doctor sighed, hesitant, before launching into a string of reasons why I should reconsider. I didn’t hear a word of it. A failed marriage. A child born into a loveless home. Why bring someone into the world only to suffer? Better to give them a chance with a different set of parents. It was Ethan’s day off, and he’d woken up early, thinking I was still asleep. He tiptoed into the kitchen, careful not to make too much noise. But pregnancy had made me a light sleeper, and I lay there, staring at the ceiling as the faint light of dawn crept in. I could hear him tinkering in the kitchen for nearly half an hour. When he finally came back into the bedroom, I quickly shut my eyes. “Time to get up, sleepyhead,” he whispered as he gently pinched my cheek. I opened my eyes to see him standing there, wearing an apron and grinning like he’d just conquered the world. Ethan had started taking cooking classes after I got pregnant—something about making sure I ate well. Since marrying him, I hadn’t stepped foot in the kitchen. He even left work early every day just to cook dinner for me, much to the delight of his employees, who joked that their boss was a “top-tier wife guy.” “Your husband’s cooking hasn’t gotten rusty, has it? I made all your favorites,” he said proudly, gesturing to the table. But before I could even respond, his phone buzzed on the counter. He grabbed it quickly, but not quickly enough. I saw the name flash across the screen: Emma. Ethan’s cheerful demeanor shifted in an instant. He answered the call, his voice calm but serious. “I understand. I’ll be there soon.” Hanging up, he turned to me with an apologetic expression. “Something urgent came up at work. I’m really sorry, but I have to go. Please make sure you eat breakfast, okay? Take a short walk after—it’s good for you and the baby. I probably won’t make it back for lunch, but I’ll have a meal delivered for you. Call me if you need anything. Oh, and don’t forget, we have the high school reunion tonight. I’ll come home to pick you up.” Ah, the reunion. I’d almost forgotten. Before leaving, Ethan walked over to me, smoothing the crease between my brows with his thumb. He kissed my forehead softly, whispering, “Don’t be upset, alright?” You see, his performance was flawless. Not a single crack showed as he smoothed his words over me like silk. Even as he prepared to run into another woman’s arms, he didn’t falter. The door closed behind him, and the sound of it felt like a cue for my tears to fall. I stared at the breakfast he’d made, the food now tasteless in my mouth. My stomach turned, and I scraped it all into the trash. When something no longer tastes good, you throw it away. Forcing it down only makes you sick. People are no different. That evening, Ethan came home to pick me up for the reunion. He knelt down in front of me to help me put on my socks and shoes, as he always did. From this angle, I could see the collar of his shirt—and the faint marks peeking out from underneath. Those weren’t there this morning. Ethan didn’t open the front passenger door for me like usual. Instead, he guided me to the backseat. That’s when I saw her. Emma was sitting in the passenger seat, her lips curling into a polite, almost saccharine smile as I hesitated. Ethan cleared his throat awkwardly. “Emma’s going to the reunion too. I figured it made sense for the three of us to go together.” “She gets carsick,” he added, almost too quickly. “The front seat is better for her.” Emma turned toward me, her head tilting slightly, her voice soft and sweet as honey. “You don’t mind, do you, Jane? You’re so far along now—it’s probably more comfortable for you to sit in the back anyway.” The blue diamond necklace she wore caught the light, sparkling brightly. It was identical to the one around my neck. I said nothing, just nodded and climbed into the backseat. As we drove, I listened to their laughter, their easy banter. My head began to pound, the ache growing worse with every mile. I reached up and unclasped the necklace, slipping it into my purse. I didn’t need it anymore.

“Well, well, look who’s here!” “If it isn’t the golden couple from our class reunion!” The moment Ethan walked in with my hand in his, the room erupted in cheers and playful teasing. Back in high school, Ethan’s pursuit of me had been nothing short of legendary. Everyone, even the teachers, knew about it. But since we were both straight-A students, they turned a blind eye to his over-the-top efforts. Ethan had even changed his college plans to follow me, chasing me all the way to university. By freshman year, he’d started a business from scratch, determined to be “worthy” of me. His persistence became the stuff of school lore. By the time we were about to graduate, I finally gave in. I let myself be swept away by his devotion. I still remember the night I said yes—how he cried so hard he couldn’t even speak, swearing over and over: “Jane, I’ll love you and only you for the rest of my life.” Inside the reunion, three empty seats were waiting for us. Ethan sat between me and Emma, his assistant. He frowned slightly before turning to me, his voice soft and almost apologetic. “Jane, can we switch seats?” That simple gesture earned yet another round of teasing from our old classmates. “Look at Ethan, such a gentleman! Doesn’t even want to sit next to a single woman!” “Jane, what kind of spell did you cast on him? He’s still head over heels after all these years!” “Seriously, you two make the rest of us look bad. Every time I see your posts on social media, I swear my teeth hurt from how sweet you guys are!” Ethan laughed along, pulling me closer as he smiled and said, “What can I say? I just love my wife.” Then he looked at me with the kind of gaze that made everyone else swoon—a gaze full of warmth and tenderness. Everyone believed Ethan adored me. But I knew better. His love, like the gifts he showered me with, had long since been divided into two equal shares. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Emma’s forced smile. Her lips twitched upward, but the way she looked at Ethan—her eyes filled with longing and frustration—gave her away. “Emma’s boyfriend must be treating her well too,” someone chimed in, nodding toward the massive diamond necklace around her neck. “Look at that rock—he must have some serious cash.” Emma touched the necklace, her fingers lingering on the jewel as her eyes flicked to me. “He treats me very well,” she said, her voice tight but filled with pride. “Every month, he takes me somewhere special. Buys me so many things I can barely keep up. Just last month, I mentioned wanting to retire in Florida one day, and he went ahead and bought a house there. Oh, and this necklace? It’s a limited edition—only ten in the world.” Only ten in the world. Eight million dollars each. Ethan had bought two. “Wow, sounds like your boyfriend could give Ethan a run for his money,” someone joked. “When are you bringing him to meet us?” Emma smiled sweetly, her gaze softening as it landed on Ethan. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll all meet him one day.” Ethan didn’t look at her. Instead, he picked up some food and placed it on my plate. Halfway through dinner, Ethan excused himself to take a phone call. Not long after, Emma slipped out too, saying she needed to use the restroom. I waited a moment, then followed. By the time I reached the stairwell, I heard their voices. Emma had her hands draped around Ethan’s neck, her voice laced with a mix of frustration and desperation. “You’re not going to just ghost me, are you? Ethan, it’s been two years. Don’t you dare act like I don’t mean anything to you.” Ethan’s tone was calm but firm, his expression unreadable. “As long as you don’t mess with Jane, as long as you stay quiet and keep your place, I’ll take care of you. You know that. But if she finds out…” His voice dropped, cold and threatening. “If she leaves me, I’ll lose it.” Emma’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but then her lips curled into a small smile. “Fine. Then I’ve got some good news for you: I’m pregnant.” My heart froze. It felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over me. Ethan’s expression flickered—shock, then calculation. He tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk playing on his lips as he reached out to lift her chin. “You’re pregnant? And yet here you are, throwing yourself at me. Aren’t you worried about losing the baby?” Emma bit her lip, her cheeks flushing as she pressed herself closer to him. “I can’t help it. I see you, and I just…” She trailed off, her voice soft and breathy as she leaned into him. Ethan chuckled, his hand moving to the back of her head as he pulled her in. Under the dim stairwell light, they kissed like no one else existed. I stood frozen in place, my back pressed against the wall, my entire body trembling. My phone buzzed in my pocket, snapping me out of my daze. It was a text from my doctor. “Your appointment is scheduled for Saturday.”

Saturday morning. I handed two documents to Ethan, placing them on the table in front of him. “These are two insurance policies I got for the baby. They need both parents’ signatures.” Ethan took my hand, his signature smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “The baby isn’t even born yet, and you’re already getting insurance?” “A friend recommended it. I thought it was a good idea,” I replied with a soft smile. Ethan stared at me for a moment, almost mesmerized. “Jane, you’re so beautiful when you smile. You should smile like this more often.” As he picked up the documents, ready to read them over, I panicked and stopped him. “I’ve already read through them. They’re fine. No need to double-check,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. He ruffled my hair affectionately. “Oh, come on. Let me take a quick look. What if you missed something and got scammed?” My heart raced as his hand moved toward the papers. Just then, his phone buzzed on the table. I was close enough to hear the voice on the other end—it was Emma. Ethan answered the call and walked out onto the balcony, his tone low and familiar. A few minutes later, he came back, his expression tight. “Something came up at work. I need to go deal with it,” he said, grabbing a pen and signing the documents without another glance. “Ethan!” I called out as he was about to leave. He paused in the doorway, turning back toward me. “Yeah?” “Do you remember what you said on our wedding day?” His brow furrowed slightly before his features softened. “If I ever betrayed you, you’d leave me without a second thought,” he recited, word for word. “That’s right,” I said with a small smile. Ethan crossed his arms, leaning casually against the doorframe, his expression full of confidence. “What, are you testing me? Don’t worry—I’ve got every word burned into my heart.” I watched as he turned back to the door, his hand lingering on the doorknob for a few seconds before he hesitated. Then, he walked back to me and wrapped his arms around me tightly. “I don’t know why, but I feel uneasy today,” he murmured against my ear. “I’ve told you before—I’ll love you and only you for the rest of my life. Don’t forget that, okay? Wait for me to come home.” I nodded silently, and only then did he seem reassured enough to leave. When I heard the sound of his car engine fading into the distance, I opened the documents on the table. The bold title at the top read: Divorce Agreement. For a moment, I just stared at the words, lost in thought. Ten years. From high school sweethearts to now, our story had stretched across a decade. But this was where it ended. I packed up my belongings, called a courier to take them away, and donated everything Ethan had ever given me—including the baby items he’d bought. After learning I was pregnant, Ethan had been over the moon. He’d dragged me to baby stores every chance he got, buying everything we could possibly need from birth through toddlerhood. “You’ve bought way too much,” I’d scolded him once, laughing. He waved me off with a grin. “So what? If I can’t spoil my own kid, who else am I going to spoil?” Back then, we had both been so excited for this baby—the perfect symbol of our love. Now, all of it was gone. I left a copy of the signed divorce papers on the couch, grabbed my bag, and walked out the door. On my way to the clinic, my phone buzzed again. It was the same unknown number that had been messaging me for weeks. “Who do you think Ethan loves more—you or the other woman?” Attached was a photo. Ethan was at a doctor’s appointment with Emma. The way he looked at her—soft, caring—was identical to how he used to look at me. Maybe Ethan didn’t even realize it himself, but the scales in his heart had already tipped in her favor. I typed out a reply: “Ethan and I are divorced. The baby will be gone too. Stop sending me these messages. I wish you and him a long, happy life together.” After hitting send, I blocked the number. I’d known from the very first message that it was Emma. No one else would fight so hard to drag their love out of the shadows and into the light. On the day of the procedure, as I was being wheeled into the operating room, I received a text from my dad. He and my mom were waiting to take me home afterward. Just as I was about to enter the room, I saw them. Ethan and Emma were walking out of another doctor’s office down the hall, hand in hand. Our eyes met. Ethan froze, his hand slipping free from Emma’s as panic swept over his face. “Jane!” he shouted, pushing through the crowd toward me.

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A week before our wedding, my fiancée Chloe told me she needed to marry her first love Ryan first, before she could marry me. Apparently, Ryan’s mother had passed away, leaving behind a dying wish for them to get married. “Ryan’s mom always hoped he would settle down. I’m just fulfilling an old lady’s last wish, don’t overthink it,” Chloe explained. But our company had already planned to launch the “True Love” jewelry collection on the day of our grand wedding. She impatiently retorted, “It’s just a billion-dollar project. How can that compare to Ryan’s filial piety? If you’re so keen on making that money, go find someone else to marry.” Faced with her cold words, I understood everything clearly. I turned and dialed home. “Sis, can you help set me up with a new bride?” When I got home, my sister-in-law looked shocked. “You’re calling off the wedding?” “No, she’s marrying someone else.” I gave a bitter smile. To be with Chloe, I had fought tooth and nail against my family’s objections to finally get my parents’ approval. We even scheduled the launch of the “True Love” jewelry collection on our wedding day. But now, it was all for nothing. My sister-in-law was stunned for a long while before saying, “Then I guess Stella is the only option. Her family’s been pressuring her to get married, and she’s been looking for a match recently.” I frowned. Stella was my arch-nemesis. On my engagement day, she had even cursed that my marriage would fall apart. Who knew her words would come true. Time was tight, so I could only say, “Alright, it’s her then. Can you ask about her intentions? If not, I’ll have to find another way.” My sister-in-law spoke quickly, “No need to ask, she’ll definitely agree.” “What?” Before I could ask further, a group of people surrounded me. “Are you Chloe’s fiancé? You’re so handsome!” “Are you here to pick up Chloe after work? You two are so sweet together.” I gripped the steering wheel, lowering my eyes to hide the self-mockery in them. Chloe had introduced me to her colleagues and friends early on. In everyone’s eyes, we were the enviable model couple. But who would have thought, she was about to marry someone else. After saying goodbye to everyone, Chloe got in the car and handed me a toy airplane. “Ryan asked me to give this to you. He said you embarrassed him at the funeral yesterday, so you should apologize when you have time.” The airplane was a miniature version, obviously a freebie that came with buying the real product. I had seen it in Chloe’s shopping cart a couple days ago. I said flatly, “I don’t want it.” Chloe frowned, “What are you upset about now? You barged into the funeral saying I wasn’t his fiancée and embarrassed him. He didn’t hold it against you and even thought to bring you a gift. How can you be so ungrateful?” The Chloe who used to protect me was gone. Now she cherished someone else. Chloe irritably opened the window for some air. After a while, seeing that I wasn’t going to comfort her, she finally said, “Fine, today’s a good day to try on wedding dresses. I won’t argue with you.” This was the first time she had backed down this year. When we arrived at the bridal shop, the attendant greeted us: “Miss Chloe, the 120 custom wedding gowns Mr. Li ordered for you are ready.” But Chloe’s attention wasn’t on the dresses. She was looking down at her phone, her expression slightly urgent. Noticing my gaze, she quickly put away her phone, a hint of apology on her face: “William, something came up with Ryan. I need to rush over there right away. Can you help me pick out a dress? I trust your taste.” With that, she hurriedly hailed a taxi and left, leaving me alone. The attendant came over tentatively and asked, “Mr. Li, will you be selecting the dress yourself?” I looked away and nodded. Of course I would choose a dress. But not for Chloe. After all, there was a new bride now. I drove home, thinking Chloe would be gone all night. But she returned before dinner. She strode over to me, holding a takeout box. “I went all over town to buy this for you – dim sum from Hei Rui’s.” I looked at the box of shrimp dumplings. There were three fewer than usual, and one had a bite mark, clearly eaten by someone. Half an hour ago, I had seen Ryan’s social media post. The photo was of the very meal in front of me. “My wife still remembers to buy me late night snacks. Thanks honey, muah!” I put down my chopsticks with a self-deprecating smile, instantly losing my appetite. “I don’t want it. Throw it away.” Chloe looked at me with displeasure, but held back from lashing out. She sat down next to me and complained: “You have no idea how pitiful Ryan was today. My parents went to his place demanding a bride price. He was so upset he cried.” “Ryan just got back to the country and doesn’t have much money. I was thinking of giving him my bride price first.” She shook my arm, as if trying to act cute. I looked at her sarcastically, “So I’m supposed to pay the bride price for your husband?”

In the past, I cared so much for Chloe that I would give her anything she asked for and do anything for her. But now she had woken me up herself. Thinking back, ever since Ryan returned to the country, everything she did was for him. She had forgotten that I was supposed to be the one spending the rest of my life with her. My response angered Chloe: “What do you mean by that? You’re not willing? You’d better understand this – Ryan is my best friend. You’d better make him happy, or I won’t marry you!” With that, she stormed out, slamming the door. Feeling frustrated, I went down to the park for a run. After just one lap, I got a call from Stella. Thinking of Stella’s perpetual icy expression, I hesitated for two seconds before answering. “Once you’re on my ship, you’re my person. Try to run and I’ll break your legs!” Stella’s first words were a direct hit. I stayed silent, and she continued: “Send me your ID card first so we can get the marriage license.” “I’m afraid you’ll change your mind.” Stella, you’re acting strange. In my mind, I had already imagined thousands of ways she could use this marriage to torment me. In the end, I could only squeeze out, “See you at the wedding, Miss Song.” Just as I finished speaking, Chloe suddenly appeared behind me: “You’re inviting Stella to our wedding? I forbid it!” She glared at me as if facing a formidable enemy: “William, didn’t I tell you not to associate with Stella? Her intentions toward you aren’t pure. If you insist on inviting her to our wedding, don’t blame me for getting upset!” Before I could say a word, she had already laid down her ultimatum. Chloe had always disliked Stella, harboring an inexplicable hostility. When we first got together, she even had a jealous outburst because Stella and I often bantered on social media. After that, I gradually cut off contact with Stella. But she actually said… Stella had impure intentions toward me? I was about to ask further when Ryan suddenly stumbled and leaned against Chloe’s neck. “Chloe, you’re pinching me…” Only then did I notice their intertwined fingers as they walked. Chloe coughed awkwardly twice, but made no move to let go of his hand. Ryan gazed at Chloe tenderly, then turned to me with a helpless expression: “Will, I’m sorry. Chloe and I were just practicing the wedding procedure. Please don’t mind.” “I won’t tell anyone about you hitting me or vandalizing my mother’s grave. But please don’t hurt Chloe. True love can’t withstand tests.” I didn’t want to watch this act, so I turned to leave: “Since you’re so eager, I’ll have someone beat you up tonight and dig up your mom’s grave.” Slap! Chloe slapped me hard across the face. “William, how can you be so vicious?!” Her brows were furrowed, her chest heaving. I’m vicious? She believed someone else’s lies so easily, yet five years of our relationship couldn’t earn me even a shred of her trust. Anger suddenly welled up inside me. I wanted to confront Chloe, but Ryan stepped in front of her: “Will, please. As soon as the wedding’s over, I’ll return Chloe to you.” “Have mercy and don’t hurt the people around me, or Chloe.” As he spoke, he was about to kneel before me. Chloe quickly wrapped her arms around his waist to stop him from kneeling, glaring at me furiously. “William, stop playing your rich boy bullying games!” “You know I hate that the most. If you still want to marry me, stop making trouble!” With that, she warned me not to appear before them again until the wedding. But the very next day, Chloe contacted me herself. She started off with a barrage of scolding: “William, you really went and dug up Mrs. Wood’s grave. I can’t believe you’re this kind of person!” Utterly confused, I called my assistant to investigate, only to uncover a shocking truth. Ryan’s mother… wasn’t dead.

No wonder Ryan could be so heartless as to dig up his own mother’s grave to frame me. It turns out her death was all a scam. I texted Chloe: “Ryan’s mother isn’t dead. The truth is in the email I sent you.” Whether she looked at it or not was no longer my concern. My flight was booked for three days later. Stella had made the reservation herself. When Chloe came back, she saw me packing. Half my clothes were thrown out, with a small portion being shipped to South City. “Why are you packing clothes?” Chloe asked, her expression doubtful. I gave a perfunctory reply: “Moving.” She was silent for a moment, not catching on to anything amiss, and continued on her own: “The Li family company is in South City. We’ll be settling there after we get married, so it’s good to pack early.” Then she fixed me with a harsh stare. “Apologize for Ryan’s mother’s incident as soon as possible. Don’t make things difficult for me. How about on our wedding day?” With that, she tossed down her phone and went to look for her ID. Today was the day she and Ryan were getting their marriage license. She didn’t come back until late that night. I opened my phone to find a message from Ryan pop up. It was a dim photo of a beautiful woman. In the picture, Chloe was wearing a maid outfit, looking at the camera. I closed my eyes, my heart still aching despite myself. I forcefully suppressed that feeling and turned off my phone. Late into the night, the phone by my pillow vibrated every hour. Each time it vibrated, it was Ryan sending me provocative videos of him and Chloe. Until early the next morning, when Stella sent me a message. “Mr. Li, the flowers have bloomed. You may slowly return.” The attached photo showed two red booklets. And a pot of vibrant red peonies. I hadn’t expected her to still be caring for the plant I had casually given her years ago. Inexplicably, a strange feeling welled up in my heart. I replied with a single word: “Okay.” I put down my phone to pack up my work files on the computer. I didn’t notice when Chloe had returned. She was packing her daily necessities: “I’m moving in with Ryan for a few days. He’s too busy preparing for the wedding on his own. Remember to show up on time for the wedding in two days. Don’t be late.” After saying that, she went on a long explanation about how she was just going to help out normally, telling me not to make trouble again. “Mm, I won’t go,” I said, keeping my eyes lowered. After last night, the last bit of affection I had for her had completely dissipated. Seeing my calm demeanor, a nameless panic swept over Chloe. She suddenly hesitated. But thinking of Ryan’s cloying acts of affection, she loosened her grip on her phone. William loved her so much, what could possibly go wrong? Thinking this, she breathed a sigh of relief and stopped arguing with me, disappearing from my sight. I watched her retreating figure and made a phone call. That evening, a helicopter landed in the square. A man walked up to me: “Mr. Li, the helicopter you ordered has arrived. It will safely transport you to South City in half an hour.” I nodded, then handed him an envelope. “Deliver this envelope to the wedding venue tomorrow. It’s my wedding gift for the bride and groom.”

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## My CEO girlfriend betrayed me by cheating with her puppy-eyed assistant. So, I erased myself from her world—completely. Every day, Laura’s driver would drop off a box of fresh fruit for James Wyatt. But there was always one piece missing. James didn’t think much of it until, one day, the driver handed him a single strawberry. Moments later, James received a photo from the driver, Adam Cross. In the photo, Laura lay naked beneath Adam, a crushed strawberry caught between her legs. At that moment, James realized that the home he had dreamed of for six years was nothing but a long-constructed illusion. Today, that illusion shattered for good. James had once told Laura: “If I ever find out you’ve betrayed me, I’ll vanish from your world completely.” And when James disappeared, Laura went mad. “Mr. Wyatt, your identity change package is fully processed. The new papers will take effect next Wednesday. We’re just calling to confirm.” James glanced across the room at Laura. She was surrounded by her bridesmaids, glowing in her wedding dress, the picture of happiness. “I’m certain,” he replied. The employee on the other end remained detached. “Understood. Your new documents will be mailed to your address. Please remember to sign for them.” “Good luck with your new life, Mr. Chase.” James Wyatt had chosen the name Chase Ryder for his new identity. He wanted a name that symbolized moving forward, breaking free, and running toward a life where no one could hold him back. He had decided on it the day he resolved to leave. Hanging up the phone, James turned to see Laura in her wedding dress. Next week was supposed to be their wedding day. Her bridesmaids fussed over her, showering her with praise. “Wow, Laura, you’re really getting married so soon! Whoever’s marrying you is the luckiest man alive!” “Seriously, Laura, the CEO who swore she’d stay single forever is finally tying the knot! Who would’ve thought?” Laura smiled, a mix of shyness and happiness lighting her face. “What can I say? I found the one, my soulmate. I’m the lucky one for finding James. I couldn’t wait to marry him.” She ran her fingers over the embroidered tulips on her dress. One of the bridesmaids noticed the gesture and chimed in, “This design is stunning! Must’ve cost a fortune, right?” Laura nodded, her gaze drifting toward James. Her eyes brimmed with love. “It’s not about the price. This pattern means so much to us—it’s our flower, the tulip. The embroidery took 2,192 stitches, all done by hand. I designed it myself. James’s suit has a matching tulip, too.” “Because,” she added with a radiant smile, “our wedding date marks six years together.” Her bridesmaids erupted into cheers, brimming with envy. To everyone else, James and Laura were a perfect couple, the epitome of true love. They had known each other for ten years and been together for six. James had stood by Laura’s side as she transformed from a carefree young woman into the accomplished CEO she was today. He had waited so long for this wedding. Laura’s happiness wasn’t fake. If James hadn’t discovered Adam Cross, he might’ve believed that their love had truly reached its fairy-tale ending. Laura had hired Adam as her new driver. One evening, after dropping her off, Adam handed James a box of strawberries. The strawberries were flawless, red and ripe, clearly expensive. But the gift box had been opened, and one was missing. James didn’t think much of it—after all, it was just a strawberry. Later that night, James received a friend request on a messaging app. Once he accepted, a photo popped up almost immediately. In the photo, Laura was completely naked, tangled up with a man who held her from behind. Between their legs was a crushed strawberry. Her neck, where she once proudly wore a matching couple’s tattoo with James, was covered in hickeys, bruised with the unmistakable marks of passion. James’s hands trembled as he clutched his phone. The man’s face wasn’t fully visible, but James recognized him instantly—it was Adam Cross, Laura’s new driver. The same man who had dropped her off that evening. James rushed to the bathroom, retching violently as though he could expel the betrayal from his body. Hearing the commotion, Laura ran in after him, wrapping her arms around him in concern. “What’s wrong, honey? Have you been overworking yourself because of the wedding? Or did you eat something bad?” she asked, her voice filled with worry. “I told the housekeeper to be extra careful with everything this week. How could you get so sick? I’ll fire them tomorrow!” Tears welled up in her eyes as she fussed over him. “Do you want to go to the hospital? I’ll call someone to drive us. Please don’t scare me like this, James.” Her concern seemed so genuine, so heartfelt. James glanced at her chest. That night, she wasn’t wearing her usual silk robe, but a high-necked silk nightgown instead. “You don’t like high-neck clothes,” James said flatly. “Why are you wearing them so often lately?” Laura’s hand flew to her neck, her panic betraying her for just a moment before she regained her composure. “Of course I like them! I just want to avoid sun damage before the wedding—you know, I want to look my best for you.” Sun damage? At night? Under the covers? James closed his eyes, despair washing over him. Laura. It seemed he could no longer find the “truth” in her anymore.

The group around James was still laughing and teasing when his phone suddenly buzzed, cutting through the noise. The screen lit up with an unmarked number. James knew exactly who it was—Adam Cross, the man who had been bombarding him with taunting messages over the past few weeks. He hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly pressed the answer button. But instead of a voice, it was a multimedia message notification. As the photo loaded, James felt his chest tighten as if an invisible hand were squeezing his heart. The image was devastating. Adam was wearing his custom wedding suit—the one James had commissioned specifically for the big day. The suit didn’t quite fit, hanging slightly loose on Adam’s frame, but that didn’t seem to matter to him. Adam’s face was flushed, his expression a mix of smug satisfaction and taunting arrogance. His eyes gleamed with triumph, as if he had just won a prize. The background of the photo was a messy bedroom, but none of that registered in James’s mind. All he could see was Adam’s face, with that infuriatingly smug look. The caption was short but cut like a dagger: “Laura said this makes it official—I’ve basically married her already.” The words stabbed into James’s heart, twisting cruelly. A wave of nausea churned in his stomach, rising so violently that he thought he might collapse. How could this have happened? How could she, the woman who once gave up everything for him, who had filled her home with tulips just because he offhandedly mentioned liking them—how could she turn into this stranger? Tulips. They used to be the symbol of their love. Now, they were nothing but a cruel reminder of betrayal. It was years ago when James had casually mentioned, “I’ve always loved tulips, but I read somewhere that keeping them indoors can make your hair fall out.” Laura had laughed, throwing her head back teasingly. “What kind of man likes flowers, huh?” It was just a passing joke. But a few weeks later, Laura had stunned him. She blindfolded him, walked him into her small apartment, and uncovered his eyes. Before he could even take in the sight, the sweet scent of tulips filled the air. When he opened his eyes, he was surrounded by dozens of them—every corner of her apartment bursting with vibrant blooms. “So? Do you like it? Surprised?” she had asked, grinning from ear to ear. James was speechless. “But tulips… they might make you lose your hair. I’d never dare keep so many.” Laura had waved it off, completely unconcerned. “Who cares? I’ve got plenty of hair to spare. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.” Every spring, her apartment would be filled with the gentle fragrance of tulips. It became their thing—a symbol of their love, their shared joy, their bright future. Back then, Laura had been so pure, so full of life and hope. Her eyes sparkled with dreams of a future they’d build together. But all of that had shattered today. James’s phone screen still glowed, the image of Adam and Laura mocking him in the dim light. He squeezed his eyes shut, desperate to block out the betrayal, to erase the image from his mind. But the harder he tried, the more vivid it became. And then Laura’s voice broke through his thoughts from behind him, sweet and filled with concern. “James, aren’t you going to try on your suit? We need to make sure it fits perfectly. The wedding’s next week, you know. Everything has to be just right.” Her tone was so natural, so cheerful, as if nothing had happened. James turned to face her. There she was—Laura, the woman he had once loved with all his heart. Her face, once so familiar and comforting, now felt like a stranger’s. He forced a smile, trying to conceal the storm raging inside him. But his voice betrayed him, trembling slightly as he replied, “You go ahead and focus on your dress. I… I’m not feeling well. I’ll try the suit some other time.” Laura’s smile faltered, replaced by a look of worry. Without hesitation, she knelt down beside him, ignoring the awkwardness of her bridal gown. “Are you okay, James? You’ve been looking unwell lately. Please, let’s go to the hospital. I’ll call someone right now. I’m really worried about you.” Her concern, so genuine and tender, only deepened James’s pain. How could someone who still seemed to love him so deeply have done something so unforgivable? For a moment, he wanted to convince himself that Adam wasn’t real—that this nightmare was just a figment of his imagination. And then she said his name again. “James, let me call Adam to drive us to the hospital. He can take us right away. I’ll find the best doctor for you.” Adam. That name snapped James back into reality, like a slap across the face. The very man who shattered his world was still being invited into their lives so casually, so freely. A driver? A personal assistant? A… bed companion? James shook his head, forcing himself to remain calm. He couldn’t let her see through him—not now. “No, it’s fine,” he said, his voice steadier this time. “I just need some rest. Don’t worry about me.” Laura hesitated but finally nodded, her concern still plain on her face. James took a deep breath, steadying himself. He had already decided to leave. There was no point in dragging this out any further. Soon, he would vanish from her world entirely. And when that day came, let’s see if Adam could keep her entertained forever.

James used his supposed “illness” as an excuse to avoid trying on his wedding suit. Though Laura seemed a bit worried, her friends quickly whisked her away, chatting about dinner plans. Laura assumed James’s upset stomach was due to the stress of wedding preparations and his irregular meals. Determined to take care of him, she decided to prepare a hearty dinner to help him “bounce back.” They all headed to a mutual friend’s house for dinner. The meal was meticulously planned, and Laura took charge in the kitchen, personally cooking James’s favorite dishes. Her friends pitched in, helping with the setup while Laura hummed cheerful tunes under the warm kitchen lights. James stood by the doorway, watching her. She looked so serene, her every move exuding warmth. There wasn’t even a hint of guilt or unease in her body language. But the nausea in James’s chest twisted tighter, like an invisible thread pulling taut around his heart. When the meal was finally served, Laura uncorked a bottle of red wine to make the evening feel more romantic. She smiled and gestured for James to sit, her eyes brimming with both expectation and an unspoken apology. Around the table, their friends couldn’t stop marveling. “James, you really hit the jackpot with Laura. She’s amazing—so thoughtful!” one of them gushed. Laura, hearing this, smiled modestly and replied with a gentle laugh, “No, no, I’m the lucky one. James is such an incredible man—I’m just grateful to have him.” Her voice carried sincerity, layered with affection. But for James, her words felt like heavy stones sinking into his stomach. He stared at the table laden with food, but his appetite was nonexistent. Yet he knew he couldn’t let his emotions spill over—not now, not when he was just days away from disappearing out of her life forever. He forced a weak smile and said, “Laura, thank you for all this, but I’m really not feeling well tonight. I don’t think I can eat much.” Laura’s face immediately clouded with worry. “In that case, why don’t we reschedule? We can have dinner another night. You really don’t look good today,” she said, her voice full of concern. “Anyway, we’ve already planned the bachelor party for tomorrow night—we can all catch up then.” None of the friends at the table suspected a thing. They just saw a loving couple, with Laura doting on James and James seemingly unwell. Their comments were filled with admiration for their relationship, calling it “couple goals.” If only they knew the truth. Later that evening, Adam arrived to pick them up. Laura climbed into the passenger seat, explaining, “James isn’t feeling well. Let him stretch out in the backseat so he can relax.” Her tone was casual, almost dismissive, as if the arrangement made perfect sense. Adam, ever the professional during work hours, barely spoke. He kept his eyes on the road, saying only what was necessary. If anyone else saw them, they’d think he was just a quiet, dutiful driver. But James wasn’t naive. From his spot in the backseat, he could see Adam’s eyes in the rearview mirror—the subtle glint of arrogance, the faint smirk hidden behind his otherwise neutral expression. James clenched his fists but said nothing. When they finally arrived home, Adam parked the car, and Laura and James got out together. As they stepped into the elevator, James broke the silence with a seemingly casual suggestion: “Don’t you think it’s a little unsafe having a male driver around all the time? I know someone who’d be a better fit—more trustworthy and easier to rely on. What do you think about switching drivers?” Laura didn’t even flinch. Her voice remained calm and even as she replied, “No need. I’ve gotten used to Adam. He’s attentive and handles everything perfectly—not just driving, but other tasks too. He’s been great.” I’m sure he’s even better in bed, James thought bitterly. But he kept his expression neutral, unwilling to betray the storm raging inside him. Laura, oblivious to his thoughts, walked into the apartment as if nothing was wrong. She turned on James’s favorite playlist, poured some tea, and started chatting about tomorrow’s party plans. Then her phone buzzed. James noticed her glance at the screen. Her cheeks flushed, and she bit her lip, trying to suppress a smile. “James,” she said suddenly, her tone shifting to one of apology, “there’s something urgent at work—I need to head to the office. I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to stay with you tonight. Get some rest, okay?” Her voice carried a mix of regret and determination. James didn’t argue. He simply nodded and said, “It’s fine. You go ahead. I could use some rest anyway.” He knew perfectly well there was no “work emergency.” But he didn’t care anymore. He was numb to it all. Once Laura left, James walked to the window. He stood there, watching as she got into the car. Adam was already waiting for her. The car didn’t move right away. Instead, it stayed parked for a long time. James could only imagine what was happening inside. Eventually, the car pulled away, disappearing into the night. Two hours later, James’s phone buzzed. It was a message from Adam. Another photo. This time, it was taken inside the car. The seats were disheveled, the interior a mess. It didn’t take much imagination to figure out what had happened.

Laura didn’t come home that night. It wasn’t until the following evening, at the bachelor party, that James saw her again—and she wasn’t alone. Adam was with her. The sight of them together was like a hand tightening around James’s chest, but he forced himself to remain calm, his expression betraying nothing. Laura, as composed as ever, explained with a cheerful smile, “Since we’re all drinking tonight, I didn’t think it was a good idea to leave my driver waiting in the car. Hope it’s okay that I brought him inside!” One of Laura’s friends chimed in with a teasing grin, “Laura, you don’t have to ask for permission to bring someone. But seriously, where did you find this driver? He’s kinda cute!” Adam’s expression was smug, dripping with arrogance, as if he were silently flaunting his victory. James only glanced at him briefly, his face devoid of emotion, before looking away. Laura noticed James’s indifference and didn’t linger. She brushed off the jokes and left Adam where he stood, making her way over to James. “James, are you feeling okay? You don’t look so great. Are you still feeling under the weather?” she asked, her voice soft with concern. “I’m so sorry about last night,” she continued, her tone genuinely apologetic. “Work’s been crazy lately with the wedding coming up. I had to stay late at the office and ended up crashing in the breakroom. But as soon as I finished everything, I came straight here. You’re not mad at me, are you?” Her words were so sincere that if James had pushed back, he would’ve looked petty. Adam, ever the opportunist, seized the moment. “That’s true,” he said with mock innocence. “She kept telling me to drive faster so she wouldn’t be late to see you.” The words seemed harmless enough, but James knew better. Adam’s smirk said it all. Laura shot him a sharp glare, silently warning him to shut up. Then, turning back to James, she wrapped her arms around his and gave him a playful shake. “James, you’re not mad, right? I promise, after the wedding, I’ll make more time for you. I just need to get through this busy streak, okay?” Their friends jumped in with teasing remarks. “Man, James, how’d you land a wife like Laura? She’s a total catch!” “Forget saving the world—you must’ve saved the entire galaxy to marry someone like her!” Laura blushed, pretending to deflect the compliments, but her smile was unmistakably pleased. She leaned closer to James and said, “Come on, don’t listen to them. I’m just lucky to have you. You’re the one who has me wrapped around your finger.” The party was lively, filled with laughter and games. When it came time for a round of Truth or Dare, the energy hit its peak. Someone asked Laura directly, “Have you ever done anything to betray James?” Without missing a beat, she answered, “Never. I belong to James, and only James, for the rest of my life.” Her voice was firm and confident, like she was making a public vow. The room erupted into cheers and applause, everyone marveling at what a perfect couple they were. But when it was Adam’s turn, the game took a darker turn. As the newest face in the group—and an undeniably attractive one—he quickly became the center of attention. Someone asked him a bold question: “When’s the last time you… you know… hooked up with someone?” Adam smirked and, without a shred of hesitation, replied, “Last night. In a car.” The room burst into laughter, some people whistling and joking about his honesty. But for James, the words hit like a dagger to the chest. The pain was sharp and immediate, but outwardly, he remained composed, his face an unreadable mask. Laura, however, didn’t take it so lightly. Her expression darkened, and she shot Adam another warning look before excusing herself to the bathroom. A few moments later, Adam slipped out as well, claiming he needed to move the car. James hesitated for only a moment before following them. In the dimly lit hallway outside the restroom, James heard their voices. Laura’s tone was sharp, laced with anger and frustration. “I brought you here as a reward, and this is how you act? Dropping hints and making comments all night? Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” Adam, ever the smooth talker, sounded almost pitiful as he replied, “I didn’t mean to, Laura. I swear. I just… I love you so much. Seeing you with him, I just couldn’t help myself…” But Laura wasn’t buying it. Her voice grew colder. “You’d better not be doing this on purpose. If James starts suspecting something because of you, I swear you’ll regret it. James is my bottom line—don’t you dare cross it.” Adam, however, didn’t seem the least bit intimidated. “Fine,” he said, his tone suddenly playful. “Then punish me, Laura. I’ll be a good boy for you. Woof, woof.” Laura’s initial anger seemed to falter. Despite herself, she softened under his sweet words. It didn’t take long for her to forgive him, and within seconds, they were kissing passionately. James didn’t stay to watch. He turned and walked back to the party, his heart a mix of numbness and disgust. When Laura and Adam returned, her lipstick was smudged, and her hair looked slightly out of place. She tried to act normal, but James noticed every detail. He didn’t say a word. Not here, not now. He had no intention of causing a scene in front of everyone. The party carried on, the laughter and games continuing late into the night. But James felt like he was just going through the motions, detached from it all. In his mind, a single thought played on repeat: Just three more days. Three days until the wedding. Three days until he abandoned this façade of a life. Once his new identity as Chase Ryder was finalized, he would leave Laura and Adam behind for good.

The party finally wound down amidst cheers and laughter as the guests trickled out, leaving only James and Laura behind. James didn’t want Adam to drive them home. That car, no matter how thoroughly cleaned, was tainted—filled with the stench of their trysts. The thought made him sick. So, he came up with an excuse. “I ate too much. I think I need a walk to clear my head.” Laura didn’t hesitate for a second. She immediately dismissed Adam and offered to walk home with him. The night was calm, the streetlights casting a soft, amber glow over the empty streets. A cool breeze rustled through the trees, bringing a gentle chill to the air. Side by side, they walked in silence for a while, the quiet broken only by the distant hum of the city. The serene atmosphere seemed to bring them both back to the early days of their relationship. They started reminiscing. “Do you remember, James?” Laura said with a small laugh. “When we first started dating, you couldn’t even hold my hand without sweating buckets.” James smiled faintly, remembering how nervous he’d been on their first date. He also remembered the first meal she ever cooked for him, the long walks they used to take, the quiet moments filled with laughter and love. But those memories were now tainted. The woman who had once blushed at a simple kiss was now sneaking around with another man. The same woman who had giggled at his awkwardness now spent her nights tangled up with Adam in the very car he refused to step foot in. Laura, unaware of his thoughts, was still lost in their shared nostalgia. She looked at James with a kind of earnest affection, her eyes sparkling with conviction. James, feeling the weight of the moment, decided to test her. “I saw this post today,” he began, his voice casual, “about a couple who had been together for years. The night before their wedding, the bride cheated on him.” Laura’s brows furrowed slightly, but she quickly waved the thought away. “That’s ridiculous. I would never do something like that to you, James.” She spoke with absolute certainty, placing her hand gently on his arm. “I love you. I’ll always love you. No matter what happens, we’ll face it together.” Her words were like a dagger wrapped in velvet. James stared at her, trying to ignore the bitter taste in his mouth. He wanted to believe her. He wanted to believe that her promises were real. But he couldn’t. He’d already seen the truth—the stolen glances, the late-night messages, the lies. She had betrayed him. As she walked beside him, speaking with such conviction, all James could feel was a deep, aching disappointment. “People always say long-term relationships never work out,” he said, his voice low. “That if it’s meant to be, they’d get married sooner.” Laura stopped walking and turned to face him, her expression earnest. “That’s not true for us. We’re different, James. We’re going to be so happy together. We’re getting married in just a few days—what are you even worried about?” She smiled, her confidence unwavering. But James could see through her now, could see the cracks beneath her flawless exterior. “Laura,” he said, his voice unusually serious. “If you ever betray me, I’ll disappear. You’ll never see me again.” The way he said her name—her full name—made her pause. She blinked, surprised by the intensity in his tone. “James, I would never,” she said quickly, almost defensively. “I love you. You’re the only one I’ll ever love.” Her words were rehearsed, smooth, and confident. Maybe she truly believed that as long as she kept her secrets buried, nothing would ever change. It was almost laughable. Halfway through their walk, Laura’s phone buzzed. She glanced down at the screen, her brows knitting together ever so slightly before she answered. James couldn’t hear the voice on the other end, but he didn’t need to. He knew it was Adam. Laura’s tone was clipped but calm as she responded. After a few moments, she hung up and turned to James, her expression apologetic. “James, I’m so sorry,” she said, tucking her phone into her pocket. “My assistant just called—there’s something urgent at the office. I need to head over and take care of it. You go ahead and head home, okay? I’ll be back before you know it.” Her explanation sounded convincing enough, but James could see the faint flicker of anxiety in her eyes, the way her fingers tightened slightly around her phone. He nodded, his voice devoid of emotion. “Sure. Go ahead. I’ll see you later.” Laura smiled, kissed him on the cheek, and hurried off into the night. James stood there for a moment, watching her retreating figure. He didn’t need to guess where she was going or who she was meeting. He already knew. When James got home, he felt a strange sense of calm. There was no suffocating pain or overwhelming anger. Instead, he felt… free. The past few years of his life—every ounce of love and effort he had poured into this relationship—felt like wasted time. He had been building a future with someone who had been slowly eroding the foundation beneath him. But now, it didn’t matter. He walked over to the desk where all their wedding plans were laid out: the venue contracts, the guest list, the meticulously chosen decorations. It all felt so meaningless now. Picking up the phone, James began canceling everything. The venue, the caterer, the florist—each call felt like shedding a heavy weight. Next, he packed up his custom suit—the one he’d had made specifically for their wedding—and put it in a box to donate to a local charity. These things no longer represented joy or love. They were relics of a dream that had crumbled into dust. By the time he was finished, James felt lighter than he had in years. The pain was still there, lingering beneath the surface, but it no longer consumed him. He had made his decision. In three days, he would leave this life behind, along with Laura and Adam. He would start over as Chase Ryder, free from the lies and betrayal. And for the first time in a long time, James felt like he could finally breathe.

Early in the morning, Laura rushed home, her face filled with anxiety and unease. She had just received a call from the wedding planner, informing her that James had canceled their original wedding venue. A cold fear crept into her chest. The wedding was only two days away. What did this mean? Why would James cancel the venue now? She didn’t dare let her thoughts spiral further. Flinging the door open, she spotted James sitting calmly on the couch, a cup of tea in hand, looking completely unbothered. His composure only amplified her unease. Laura hurried over to him, her voice trembling slightly as she asked, “James, what’s going on? Why did the wedding venue get canceled? I got a call from the planner, and it scared me to death! Please tell me this is some kind of misunderstanding.” James had already prepared a calm, plausible explanation. He glanced up at her with a small smile, his demeanor steady—almost too steady. There was a subtle chill in his eyes, but it was so faint, it was easy to miss. “Oh, that? I found out last night that the venue supposedly has some bad energy—bad feng shui, if you believe in that sort of thing. And, well, I didn’t want to risk it affecting our marriage.” He took a sip of tea and continued, his tone light but measured. “I decided to cancel it and booked another place instead. It’s a surprise, though. I’ll show you on the day of the wedding.” Laura’s shoulders relaxed, her worry melting away. “So that’s it? You just wanted to surprise me?” She let out a relieved laugh, shaking her head. “I was so scared you were upset with me. I’ve been so busy lately, I thought maybe you were angry that I haven’t been spending enough time with you.” She reached for his hand, her smile softening. “After all this craziness is over, we’ll have so much time together. Once we’re married, nothing else will matter.” She had completely forgotten that the venue James had just canceled was the one they had dreamed about since they first got together—the place they had once called their “perfect wedding spot.” To her, this change was just James being thoughtful or practical. So, she nodded and accepted his explanation without further question. But what Laura didn’t realize was that every word James spoke, every measured action, was hiding a deep and bitter pain. Laura sat down beside James, leaning her head gently on his shoulder. Her smile was radiant, her voice filled with genuine happiness. “James, in just two days, I’ll be your wife. I feel like the luckiest woman in the world.” James didn’t respond right away. He looked at her, at the woman who seemed so blissfully unaware of the weight of her betrayal. Her happiness almost felt like a cruel joke. How could someone who had so thoroughly betrayed him still sit here, smiling as if their love was untarnished? Last night, another photo from Adam had landed in his inbox. In the picture, Adam was naked, wearing nothing but a pair of fluffy animal ears and a matching tail. He was kneeling on a bed, smirking at the camera. The caption read: “Laura just can’t ever seem to get enough, can she?” James had stared at that photo for a long time, feeling a mix of revulsion and numb acceptance. And now, here she was, sitting beside him, playing the role of the perfect fiancée. As they talked, James’s eyes drifted to her neck. That’s when he saw it—a faint but unmistakable mark just below her collarbone. A hickey. The sight of it made his blood run cold. For a moment, he couldn’t take his eyes off it, his gaze hardening as he stared. The mark seemed to mock him, a silent confession of everything she’d been hiding. Laura noticed his shift in demeanor. Following his gaze, she immediately realized what he was looking at. Her hand flew to her neck, covering the hickey as her face flushed with panic. “It’s not what you think!” she blurted out, her voice unsteady. “I… I got bitten by a mosquito last night. That’s all it is.” The excuse was so flimsy, so ridiculous, James almost wanted to laugh. But he didn’t. Instead, he forced a small smile and reached out to pat her hand reassuringly. “It’s fine,” he said softly. “I believe you.” Inside, James felt hollow. It doesn’t matter anymore, he thought to himself. In just two days, I’ll be gone. Out of her life, out of this mess. She can keep her lies, her secrets, and her lover. None of it will matter to me anymore.

James sat alone on the couch, shrouded in darkness, as if he had melted into the shadows themselves. The faint glow of his phone broke the silence. A new message. It was from Adam. “I know you and Laura are getting married the day after tomorrow, but do you really think a wedding means you’ll own her forever?” “Here’s a fun thought: if I ask her to spend the night with me, do you think you’ll even see her before the ceremony?” James didn’t reply. He leaned back into the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling above him. In his heart, he already knew the answer. The moment Adam’s message arrived, the truth had been laid bare. And yet, some small, fragile part of him clung to hope. Hope that Laura—the woman he had loved for six years—might surprise him. Might prove him wrong. Laura, meanwhile, had also received a message from Adam. She got out of bed, her footsteps soft as she walked into the dimly lit living room. “James,” she said gently, her voice breaking the silence, “I have to go on a business trip for the next two days. I’ll leave tomorrow morning, but don’t worry—I’ll be back in time for the wedding.” “I need to pack a few things,” she added. “You stay home and get some rest, okay?” Of course. James thought to himself. The room remained shrouded in darkness, but James’s eyes burned like embers, piercing through the shadows. For a moment, his gaze was so intense, it was as if he had come alive again—his final surge of emotion before everything inside him collapsed. Before Laura could leave to pack, James stood up. His voice was soft, almost pleading. “Laura,” he said, his tone trembling slightly, “I’ve been feeling so anxious lately. I can’t shake the unease. Can you… can you not go? Just stay with me until the wedding. Please.” He stepped closer to her, taking her hands firmly in his. The desperation in his voice was unmistakable. “Business opportunities come and go,” he whispered. “But these days, these moments—we’ll never get them back. I need you right now.” His eyes glistened with unshed tears, his vulnerability laid bare for the first time. “I need you. Please, just stay with me.” Laura froze, startled by the raw emotion in his voice. She had never seen James like this before—so open, so broken. Without thinking, she reached out and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. “Okay, okay,” she said softly, her voice soothing. “I’ll stay. I won’t go. I promise.” James held her tightly, his forehead pressed to her back, his arms locked around her waist as if he were afraid she might vanish. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to believe that things could go back to the way they used to be. That her warmth, her presence, still belonged to him. But then, Laura’s phone lit up again, the glow cutting through the darkness like a knife. She reached for it, glancing at the screen. Another message from Adam. “Laura, I miss you so much. You’re about to be someone else’s wife, but tonight, can you be mine one last time?” Attached to the message was a photo of Adam, wearing nothing but a provocative costume. His smirk was full of confidence, his words dripping with temptation. “If you come over, I’ll do whatever you want.” James felt it. Her body stiffened in his arms. He could sense the subtle shift in her breathing, the way her skin warmed under his touch—excitement, longing. But it wasn’t for him. Laura gently pried his hands away from her waist, turning to kneel beside him on the bed. She rested her forehead against his, her voice soft but unwavering. “I’m sorry, James,” she said. “This is really important. I can’t skip it.” “But after the wedding, I’ll take some time off. A long vacation, just you and me, okay? I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” She didn’t wait for his response. She stood up, walked to the closet, and began picking out clothes for her “business trip.” James stayed where he was, his arms still wrapped around nothing but air. He leaned forward, forehead pressed to the spot where her back had just been, as if trying to hold onto the warmth she had left behind. But it was gone. And so was she. In that moment, something inside James finally broke. He didn’t cry. He didn’t scream. He didn’t even feel anger anymore. Instead, there was only a stillness—a numb, overwhelming quiet. He wrapped himself in the blanket, no longer caring whether Laura loved him or not. No longer caring about the memories they had shared or the promises they had made. He reached for his phone and opened the notes app, reviewing his plan for the next day. His escape route. His new identity. Chase Ryder. He read through every detail again, committing it to memory.

In a luxurious suite at a five-star hotel, Adam and Laura lay entangled on the bed, their naked bodies entwined in a way that made it hard to tell where one ended and the other began. Laura’s flushed face was still glowing from their passion, her skin marked with deep, violet bruises left by Adam’s lips—a testament to the intensity of their time together. For the past two days and nights, they hadn’t even stepped outside the hotel room. The clothes they brought remained untouched, as if they had no time or reason to wear them. It was as if they were trying to exhaust every last ounce of lust before it was too late. After their latest round, Laura was the first to recover. She sat up and reached for a glass of water, her voice rough and hoarse as she spoke. “Adam,” she began, her eyes fixed on him, “I’m marrying James in two days. I love him. He’s the only man I’ll ever marry, and I need you to understand that.” She paused, her tone growing more pointed. “James is my boundary. You can ask for anything else, but don’t you dare flaunt this in front of him. If you so much as try to mess with him, I promise you’ll regret it.” She narrowed her eyes at him, her glare cutting like a blade. Adam, still sprawled out on the bed, reached lazily for her, pulling her back into his arms. He nodded, but it was clear he wasn’t taking her warning seriously. Laura looked at him, her irritation fading into something softer. Stroking his hair gently, she allowed herself a small, indulgent smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll still take care of you after the wedding,” she said, her voice light, almost playful. “But we won’t see each other as often as we do now. Things will be… different.” For a moment, her thoughts drifted to James, sitting alone at home. Was he lonely? Was he sad? What was he thinking about, so close to the wedding? Her phone buzzed, cutting through her thoughts. She glanced at the screen and saw James’s name. Her lips curled into a smile. Of course he’s thinking about me, she thought. We’re so in sync—it’s why I love him. She reached for the phone, but Adam grabbed her wrist, pinning it to the bed. “Not yet,” he said, his voice low and teasing. “We’re not done.” Laura hesitated, but Adam’s mischievous grin and the fire in his eyes reignited something in her. The phone fell from her hand as she gave in to him once more. The room filled again with heat and muffled moans, while James sat alone on his bed miles away. He stared at his phone, the screen still lit with the unanswered call. His suitcase was packed, sitting neatly by the door. He didn’t move, his thoughts swirling like a storm. Finally, he let out a bitter laugh and muttered to himself, “She’s probably wrapped up with Adam right now.” When the call went to voicemail, James sighed deeply, as if releasing the last of his lingering doubts. He picked up his suitcase, walked out the door, and climbed into the waiting car. “Take me to the airport,” he said quietly. The car disappeared into the neon-lit night, leaving behind nothing but silence and emptiness in the home they had once shared. There was no love left here. At dawn, Laura caught the first flight back to Harbor City. She had arranged for someone to meet her at the airport and get her to the wedding venue as quickly as possible. She was in a hurry. She couldn’t wait to see the man she had dreamed of marrying for so many years. When she arrived at the venue, dressed in her wedding gown and veil, she was even a little early. Smiling to herself, she glanced at her watch, her heart swelling with sweetness. Today’s the day. I’m finally marrying James—the man I’ve loved for six years. The man I’ve always dreamed of being with. The car pulled up to the location James had promised—the “secret venue” he had mentioned just days ago. She stepped out, her makeup flawless, tears of joy welling in her eyes. Her smile was radiant. She could swear this was the happiest day of her life. But there were no guests waiting for her. No red carpet. No wedding march. No flowers, no tables, no arch, no balloons. Nothing. The summer wind blew across the empty lot, the scorching July sun beating down mercilessly. There was no sign of James. Her heart sank as a creeping sense of dread began to take hold. She rushed back to the car and grabbed her phone, dialing James’s number. The call went straight to voicemail. She tried again. And again. Each time, the same mechanical message played, cold and unfeeling. Her chest tightened, panic rising as she dialed over and over, desperate for him to answer. But he never did. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Laura collapsed to the ground, her phone slipping from her trembling hands. Her vision blurred, her mind spinning. And in that moment, she knew. The man she thought would always stand by her side, the man she thought she had wrapped around her finger… James was gone.

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I Supported My Wife in Her Career, Only to Find Out She Betrayed Me When her grandmother passed away, my wife, Patricia Rowland, claimed she needed to mourn and refused to be intimate with me for two years. She landed a major project in Ganlria and left for six months. The day before my birthday, I noticed a payment record for a maid outfit. I thought it was a surprise for me. Traveling 1,242 miles to see her, I discovered the truth. On her computer’s WhatsApp, a man had sent her a private message: [Baby, wait till you see how I punish you tonight!] A moment later, Patricia replied: [I can’t. Leopold Benton is here today.] He responded instantly: [Such a nuisance!] [Don’t let him touch you!] Patricia replied with a laughing emoji: [You’re such a jealous guy.] I stared in disbelief at the messages. Then, I glanced at the unwrapped maid outfit and the accompanying adult toys. What I thought was my birthday surprise was meant for someone else. I scrolled through their chat history. It was filled with flirty, suggestive exchanges and everyday musings, from work projects to little things like flowers and random musings. I closed my eyes helplessly. Suddenly, I understood why Patricia, once so eager to share her life with me, had grown distant. I thought she was busy with work, but it wasn’t her work keeping her preoccupied, it was another man! I clicked on his profile. His WhatsApp ID was Can’tHelpTeasingYou, while Patricia’s was SweetSurrender. I once thought she chose that name because of me. But the fool here was me. On his Instagram, I found a recent post. The two of them stood on Ganlria Tower, kissing passionately. Patricia tilted her head back, eyes closed, utterly immersed. The image stabbed at my heart. I remembered the first time Patricia and I rode a Ferris wheel. I was so terrified that I was drenched in sweat by the time we got off. She hugged me, promising we’d never ride one again. The woman in the photo seemed like a stranger to me now. I scrolled further. There was a photo of the man holding a new drone with the caption that read, “Birthday gift from my baby!” Last month, Patricia had asked me about the trendiest drones, saying she needed to buy one for a client. I recommended that exact model. Continuing, I saw a picture of her wearing a large diamond ring on her left hand. The man held her hand, kissing it gently. The diamond overshadowed the tattooed ring from our wedding vows, vows which she promised. Her promise from back then still seemed to echo in my ears. “I’ll engrave your name on my finger, so we’re bonded for life.” Now, she accepted another man’s ring, erasing those memories. Their shared life played out in the photos, attending concerts, wearing matching outfits, and adopting a pet together. I closed my eyes, breathing deeply before opening them again. I gritted my teeth. Suppressing the ache in my chest, I calmly recorded everything, their chats, his WhatsApp number, every detail. Then, I carefully wiped my fingerprints off her computer mouse.

When Patricia returned, she came back carrying a cake, her tone cheerful. “Happy birthday, honey!” After lighting the candles, she urged me warmly. “Make a wish, dear.” I smiled, reaching to touch her face. “It’s been so long… How about tonight?” Her expression shifted, and she instinctively stepped back. “Stop it. I’m not in the mood today.” A smile froze on my face, and my expression darkened. Sensing my change, Patricia grabbed my arm. “Don’t overthink it. I’m still mourning my grandmother’s death. You know how close I was to her. She practically raised me while my parents were away. I promised to mourn her for two years.” I sneered, “From what I know, there’s no custom in your hometown about avoiding intimacy during mourning, is there?” “It’s my fault, Leopold. Can you give me a little more time, please?” she said. When she saw my gaze fall on the open package, a flicker of panic crossed her face. She explained, “Honey, don’t misunderstand. This is something Barbara DeLeon bought and sent here. She’s new to dating and shy. I was planning to give it to her tomorrow.” Recalling the messages I had just seen, I clenched my fists quietly. I already knew she’d refuse me, but it still stung. She pulled a box out of her bag and handed it to me. “Here, a birthday gift for you.” It was a pair of ordinary running shoes. When I thought of that drone worth tens of thousands of dollars, bitterness rose in my chest. “Oh, by the way, how long are you staying this time?” she asked. I sneered, “How long do you want me to stay?” She froze for a moment and then smiled, “Of course, I wish you could stay with me forever. But you know, the company’s project is just getting started, and I really can’t take much time off.” She added, “I’m afraid you’ll get bored by yourself. How about this? I’ll take a break tomorrow and show you around Ganlria. That way, you can get back to work sooner, too.” Hearing the distance in her words, I pretended to be considerate and nodded. The next day, she took a cab to work. I installed two cameras, one in her apartment and another in her car. I knew the priority now was to gather evidence. She took a half-day off and spent the afternoon showing me around Golden Park. The whole time, she was busy replying to messages, occasionally laughing softly. When I looked over, she explained it was work-related. At dinner, she meticulously picked the spices out of my food, just as she always did. For a moment, I felt like she was still the woman I once knew. Then her phone rang. She instinctively rejected it. She gave me an apologetic look. “Honey, there’s an emergency at the office I need to handle. “Take your time. I might be back late tonight.” She kissed my cheek before leaving. I swallowed the wave of disgust that rose in me. Not long after, I heard her car start. I hurried to pay the bill and then flagged a cab. The driver asked, “Where to?” “Follow that red BMW,” I said.

Later, I turned on the camera in Patricia’s car. “I told you not to call me today,” she said sharply. The man chuckled, “I missed you.” “Ugh, you’re so smooth-talking,” Patricia replied, her tone playful. “I’m heading to the office. Wait for me there.” “We could go to a hotel,” the man suggested. “It’s too risky. Leopold has friends around here. Fine. I’ll make it up to you later,” Patricia cooed him for a while before hanging up. Her car pulled into the project department. I went to a café across the street and sat in a booth by the window. From there, I could see her in her office through the window. At some point, a man appeared in her office. His face wasn’t clear, but I knew he was the one. Patricia called me. “Honey, are you asleep?” I forced myself to stay calm, and I knew this wasn’t the right time to confront her. “Not yet.” “Ugh, something went wrong with the handover this morning. I’ll have to work late tonight.” “Don’t overwork yourself,” I replied, pretending to be understanding as usual. “Okay, I’ll bring you some late-night snacks when I get back. Go sleep now.” After hanging up, I watched through the window as the man grabbed her phone and tossed it aside. He pushed Patricia against the desk. In one swift motion, he lifted her onto the desk, positioning himself between her legs. Patricia resisted weakly, but the man walked to the window and pulled the curtains closed. Even with the curtains drawn, their silhouettes were cast clearly against the fabric. A sudden clap of thunder shook the sky, and heavy rain poured down. Raindrops pelted against the windows, making a loud, rhythmic sound. My wife was cheating on me with another man on a desk. I sat in a private booth, holding up my phone to record the scene. I wanted to rip them apart! I wanted everyone to see these two despicable cheaters. But I knew that blurry footage wouldn’t be enough. I needed to calm down and plan my next move. As I stared at the glowing city lights outside, my mind drifted back to five years ago.

It was the year the pandemic broke out. I was juggling a part-time job while studying at Moonria University. One day, I got an order to deliver medicine. That was the first time I met Patricia. She was burning with fever, barely able to stand as she clung to the doorframe. I couldn’t ignore her condition. I made her some medicine, but we both ended up quarantined in her house. Patricia was seriously ill. I couldn’t relax for a moment, caring for her around the clock. When the lockdown lifted, we got together. After graduation, I stayed by her side as we started a business in Moonria. We lived in a tiny basement and survived on dry bread and cold water. But I never imagined that one day, she’d betray all we had built together for another man. I first heard the name Brian Ellison in the second year of our startup. Post-pandemic, starting a company was incredibly tough. One day, she came home excited, practically glowing. “Guess what? I met someone amazing today. He gave us a five-million-dollar deal in one go! Our company is saved!” After that, she always prepared gifts for him on holidays. She said it was necessary to maintain a long-term partnership. But I never thought she’d one day offer herself up as part of the deal. They said love without a strong foundation crumbled like sand. I stayed up late coding, building our website, and assembling our core team. I worked hard to study finance, law, and management, all to support her. But against wealth and power, my efforts seemed utterly worthless. I lifted Patricia to new heights, only for her to play the part of a heartless betrayer. I didn’t blame her. I blamed myself for being blind. When Patricia got home, I pretended to be asleep. She set down a late-night snack by my side. “You didn’t eat well tonight, right? I brought you some steak. Try it. I noticed the hickeys on her neck. I smirked coldly. “What happened to your neck?” “Oh, the mosquitoes in Ganlria are so much worse than the ones up north. They’re driving me crazy. I’m going to take a shower,” she said, quickly covering her neck as she avoided my gaze. It was such a poor excuse. Yet it took me until now to see through her lies. I chuckled bitterly and threw the steak straight into the trash. That night, Patricia snuggled up to my arm in bed. I casually turned over, pulling my arm away. The next morning, I packed my suitcase and left early. “I got called back to Moonria for work,” I told her. Patricia sat up groggily. “I’ll take you to the airport.” “No need. Get some more sleep.” She opened her arms for a hug. “Call me when you land, okay?” “Sure,” I replied, ignored my physical discomfort, and played along with her act. I thought of the time years ago when I returned from studying in another city, arriving on a late-night flight. My flight was delayed, and Patricia waited for me outside the airport for five long hours on the freezing winter night. She caught a terrible cold because of it, and I felt guilty for days. After that, I never let her come to pick me up again. As I reached the boarding gate, Patricia texted me. [Are you at the airport yet?] I snapped a photo of the terminal and sent it to her. Then I tore up my plane ticket and called a friend.

My friend Jimmy Andrade was a travel livestreamer with millions of fans, and Patricia’s parents happen to be among his most loyal followers. I asked him to bring Patricia’s parents to Ganlria as part of a special event for his fans. After arranging everything, I sat down in the airport lounge. To avoid raising Patricia’s suspicions, I put my phone on airplane mode. Then, I connected to the surveillance cameras in Patricia’s apartment. I had seen her chat history with Brian before. Today was Brian’s birthday, and Patricia had already planned to celebrate it at her apartment. But my arrival disrupted her plans. Now, I was helping her fulfill them! As expected, Patricia left work early. She came home carrying a large cake along with bags of groceries. She once said cooking would hurt her skin, so I had taken the time to learn and cook for her, always trying new recipes to surprise her. The person I had cared for so much was now happily cooking for someone else. I felt women were truly shameless. Patricia had just set the dishes on the table when Brian entered the apartment. He acted like it was his own home, effortlessly punching in the door code and even slipping into my slippers. He hugged Patricia from behind. “With a lover like you, what more could I want?” “Stop sweet-talking me!” Patricia teased, tilting her head with a playful pout. “Wash your hands and eat.” “No, I want to taste you first!” “Stop it. Leopold left in such a rush today that I still feel uneasy. Let me make a quick call first.” Brian looked annoyed, but Patricia tiptoed and kissed him to calm him down. After that, she picked up her phone and stepped onto the balcony to call me. When she heard the out-of-service message, she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. I checked the time, turned off airplane mode, and called her. “Hey, honey, have you landed?” she asked. “Yeah.” “Alright, then, when you get to the office, could you… Ah!” I watched through the camera as Brian suddenly wrapped his arms around Patricia from behind, his hands wandering all over her. My throat tightened, but I feigned ignorance and asked in a hoarse voice, “What happened?” Through the phone, I heard Patricia’s shaky moan. “Nothing… I just spilled water on my hand. I’ll call you back… Ah!” I called again on purpose, but Brian snatched her phone and turned it off. “What are you doing?” Patricia grabbed his misbehaving hand. “Humph. You care so much about him. It’s making me jealous.” “I’ve already given you my heart and body. Isn’t that enough?” “No, I want you to have my child,” he declared arrogantly. “A child? That depends on whether you’re up to the task.” “How dare you question me? Fine, I’ll make you beg for mercy tonight!” When he mentioned having a child, I thought she would refuse. She once told me she disliked kids and wanted to be child-free with me. I respected her wishes and never pushed her. Now, she wanted to have a child with that scumbag. Listening to their vulgar words, I thought I had grown numb. But why could I still feel the sound of my heart tearing apart? She was blatantly cheating with another man, yet still acted like she loved me deeply. I thought, “How shameless! Since you’ve decided to throw away your dignity, why should I bother preserving it for you?” Jimmy texted me to confirm the plan. Without hesitation, I packaged the footage I had just recorded and sent it to Patricia’s family group chat. Then, I turned off my phone.

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After witnessing the agony my mother endured when she severed ties with my father, who had an affair, she taught me one undeniable lesson—never trust a man. That all changed when Damien appeared. To claim me, Damien gave me his liver. He became my mate, and for a time, our life was bliss. He poured everything into our family. But everything shattered the day I discovered something on his computer. I experienced the searing pain of breaking bonds with my mate. Years later, I returned, opening a café. Every morning, a letter quietly awaited me at the door. I picked it up, read nothing, and tossed it into the trash. Damien—my former mate—your late love means nothing now. Wasn’t that what you taught me, too? Once, Damien and I were the perfect mates in everyone’s eyes. We met in college when we were both dirt poor, scraping by on part-time jobs and late-night instant noodles. My parents divorced when I was seven. My mother tried to shield me from the truth, but I knew. That day is seared into my memory. She had come home early from a business trip, her heels clicking rhythmically on the tiles as she stepped through the door. She paused at the bedroom door—her breath catching as the unmistakable sounds of laughter drifted down the hallway. And then… she saw it. My father, strong and imposing, wrapped in the arms of his secretary—her perfume sickly sweet, mingling with the scent of betrayal that filled the room. Their bodies tangled beneath the sheets—his sheets—the ones my mother had slept in for over a decade,. His lips on her neck, her hands on him. My mother stood there in the doorway, her heart breaking in real-time. She didn’t scream. She didn’t yell. She simply… fell. She quietly wove the threads of the mate bond they shared—threads that had once been strong enough to tie them together for life—into the fabric of her past. In those first few hours, while he was still fumbling through his apologies, my mother quietly arranged the dissolution of everything he thought he had a claim to. The house, the money, the family name—all became hers. “You are no longer my mate. ” “Leave,” she commanded, her voice sharp enough to cut through the thick air of the room. “And never return.” I watched, hidden in the shadows, as my father left. The door clicked shut. Then, silence. I saw my mother crumble. Her wolf, once fierce, collapsed, its spirit torn from her. Her knees hit the floor, her body folding like a broken animal. She gasped, her shoulders shaking, arms clinging to herself as if to hold her soul together. In that moment, I understood—breaking mate bonds was as painful as tearing a wolf apart. That year, I was seven. She always thought I didn’t know. But the truth was as clear to me as the scars on my heart. Years passed, and my mother, ever strong, raised me alone. By the time I was in my second year of college, the burden had taken its toll. My mother, once vibrant and full of life, began to fade. Her wolf grew weaker with every passing day. She was always tired, always lost in the weight of her own thoughts. And then, one cold winter evening, she stepped into the street, unaware of the oncoming car. It hit her hard, sending her flying. She never woke up. At twenty years old, I was left alone. My mother was gone. It was also the year I met Damien. We crossed paths at a student council event. He was the host, tall and commanding, with a presence that made the room go still. I couldn’t help but glance at him more than once. And those brief moments of eye contact were enough for him to notice me. From that day on, he pursued me relentlessly. Damien was persistent, his charm undeniable. He’d appear at my side in class, offering help with assignments, his dark eyes always watching me, his every move calculated to draw me in. Because of my past, I’d built walls around my heart. when he asked me to be his mate, I rejected him without a second thought. “I can’t be your mate. I won’t be.” I thought he would eventually take the hint and give up, after all, that’s what all my previous suitors did. But he didn’t. From sophomore year to senior year, and even after I started my internship, he never stopped pursuing me. I couldn’t help but feel a little touched by his persistence. But the more kind he was to me, the less confidence I had. Because, back then, my father had treated my mother just as well.

Although my mother has passed away, as a strong and independent woman, she left me a substantial inheritance. This money is enough to cover my tuition, living expenses, and even if I wanted to study abroad, it would be more than sufficient. Having suffered because of men, my mother feared I would repeat the same mistakes. So, she entrusted the money to a trustee. Every year, I could withdraw a portion, but I wouldn’t be able to access the full amount until my monthly income exceeded the average withdrawal amount she left for me, and remained stable for two years. I understand why she did this. When my mother married my father, it was purely a downward marriage. My grandparents were so furious that they severed ties with her. My stubborn mother packed a suitcase and left with my father without a backward glance. Then, using her years of pocket money, she bought a house. From that point on, she never contacted her parents again. When I was little, I asked her, “Mom, don’t you miss your parents?” At that moment, my mother’s face grew pale, and she fell silent for a long time before replying, “Your grandmother and grandfather can’t look at me anymore. ” Then, holding me close, she said, “Elly, all men in this world are untrustworthy. I don’t want you to suffer like I did. I hope you’ll have the chance to regret your choices.” This money, it was my mother’s way of giving me the chance to regret. So, even after I married Damien, I never told him about the money. I knew that this money was my mother’s way of ensuring my security, so I silently made a decision: unless absolutely necessary, I would try not to touch it. At the time when Damien met me, I was living on a tight budget. When I didn’t have classes, I would go out and take part-time jobs to earn my living expenses. Because of this, he always believed my financial situation was the same as his. Looking back now, I wonder—if Damien had known that I wasn’t actually struggling financially, perhaps he wouldn’t have pursued me. What he wanted wasn’t someone with an independent personality, but rather someone who needed to cling to him like a parasite. But at the time, I hadn’t realized that. He chased me for three years, confessed to me forty times. At first, I rejected him outright. Then, I couldn’t bear to keep saying no, so I allowed those around us to say we were a couple without correcting them. I craved the feeling of being chosen, of being wanted that badly. The forty-first time he confessed, I said yes. Why? Because that year, I fell ill. And Damien, without hesitation, donated his liver to save me. Lying in that hospital bed, he confessed again. I looked at his pale face and thought, This man, who’s willing to give up so much for me, can’t be as heartless as my father. I decided to trust him. When I gave him my answer, he held me and cried like a child. But inside, I thought, Fate really is cruel. I’ve always feared love because of what my father did, yet it’s because of his mistakes that I ended up choosing someone to be my mate. Yes, my illness was the result of my father’s affair years ago. He contracted hepatitis B and passed it on to me. By the time we discovered it, it was too late. Even though my mother tried every treatment possible, the damage had already been done after years of living with the disease. The pressure of graduating finally broke me, and my body collapsed. The only option left was a liver transplant. At the time, all I could feel was the bitter irony. I never stopped to think that I was gambling with my happiness because of the pain my father caused me. And in that moment, I realized, this was a doomed start from the very beginning.

After I was discharged from the hospital, we moved in together. Every day was filled with the mundane—cooking, cleaning, the rhythm of simple happiness. I had to admit, Damien was an incredible partner. Stable, positive, never once raising his voice. In the year we lived together, we didn’t even have a single major fight. And then, one day, he proposed. In a room he’d carefully decorated, he knelt before me and held out a diamond ring. I thought about it for a long time, then agreed. I had no reason to say no. He truly was a great lover. Over the past year, he’d worked tirelessly, putting in overtime just to earn extra money. The money he earned—after paying off his family’s debts—was spent on things I loved. I could see it—the ring was the best he could afford, after paying off his family’s medical bills. It was his last sacrifice, and it was all for me. I thought, I’ve found my happiness. Two orphans, both having lost our parents, decided to marry, and so everything moved quickly. A month later, at our wedding, Damien confessed to me once more, his voice full of emotion. The audience—our classmates, our friends, those who had witnessed our journey—watched us in anticipation. The air was full of excitement and laughter. And then I turned to Damien, my voice steady, my gaze unwavering. “Damien, I will try my best to be a good wife, but if you ever lie to me, I’ll vanish from your world without a trace.” I don’t know if he truly understood, and honestly, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that this was my line—my final boundary. Of course, there was also the money. I never intended to tell him about it. Marriage was blissful at first, but as time passed, cracks began to form. We started arguing. He wanted children, but I didn’t. Damien didn’t force me. He simply held me close, let out a soft sigh, and said, “If you don’t want one, we don’t have to. We’ll wait until you’re ready.” I nodded quietly, noncommittally. Seeing I wasn’t particularly enthusiastic, he kissed my cheek and turned to sleep with his back to me. After that, Damien would bring up having children every now and then, probably hoping to influence me, just like he did with his constant confessions. He wanted me to gradually accept it. But what he didn’t know was that wanting a child meant something entirely different for me. I couldn’t take the gamble. I couldn’t gamble on him being a good father. I couldn’t gamble on him continuing to treat me well, as he had. I didn’t want there to be another woman like my mother—and another me—stuck in that cycle. As the days passed, Damien brought it up more frequently, his patience wearing thin. Finally, one day, we fought. In the end, Damien stormed out, slamming the door behind him. I will never forget the deafening sound of the door hitting the frame that night. But that night, I didn’t chase after him. I simply got out of bed, closed the door, and went back to sleep, lying on my side of the bed. The next morning, Damien was back. He had made breakfast, and as if nothing had happened, he called me to eat. After breakfast, he kissed me goodbye as usual and left for work. In that moment, I suddenly thought, Maybe having a child wouldn’t be so bad. After all, Damien grew up in a pack that valued lineage and tradition so much. The fact that he could accept my decision to not have children made me feel… maybe he was someone I could trust. But then I remembered what my mother had always said: “Never trust any man.”

In our third year of marriage, Damien started his own business. He founded a tech company, and with the clients he had accumulated from his previous job, the company took off. Suddenly, our life became luxurious. We moved into a new villa, bought a million-dollar car, and everything we wore and used was top-tier. But at the same time, he came home later and later, sometimes not coming home at all. I would sometimes wait for him, sometimes not. Damien still treated me well, except for one thing—he insisted that I quit my job. He said he had earned enough money for both of us to live comfortably for the rest of our lives, and he didn’t want me to work anymore. I knew the real reason. He felt embarrassed by my low income compared to the wives of his business partners and friends. Most of them were either daughters of well-established families or women as successful as their husbands, while I was working a job that paid only slightly above the average wage. Damien was a man of pride, so he asked me to stop working and become a full-time housewife. I agreed. Just as I hadn’t told him about the money my mother left for me, I also didn’t tell him that the company I worked for was one I had started with my best friend during our senior year. The startup had been exhausting, and that’s when my liver disease relapsed, requiring a transplant to survive. My best friend had been terrified when she saw my condition. She cried and swore never to let me overwork myself again. She had hoped I could stay home and just wait for the dividends, but I couldn’t sit idle, so I took a part-time job to pass the time. Truth be told, I had already achieved financial freedom long before Damien. But I understood him. He didn’t want me to be too successful or independent, so I never told him the full truth. Since he wanted me to be a stay-at-home wife, I did as he wished. I quit my job and spent my days reading books and tending to the flowers. I read a lot of books on marriage. They all said that women shouldn’t be too dominant; that’s the key to a lasting marriage. I thought I was doing well. On our third wedding anniversary, Damien gave me a diamond ring the size of a pigeon’s egg. Holding me close, he said, “Baby, thank you for everything these years.” He removed the small diamond ring he gave me when we got married, saying, “I didn’t have money back then, so I could only give you a small diamond ring. But I promised myself, once I had money, I’d buy you the biggest one.” He threw the small diamond ring into the trash can and slid the large diamond ring onto my finger. “Baby, I’ve made it.” The ring was beautiful, but it was too big, uncomfortable, and a bit inconvenient. I still preferred the small diamond ring. But I knew I couldn’t pick it up from the trash. He wouldn’t like it, and we’d argue. Yes, as Damien made more money, his temper grew worse. Even the smallest issues could set him off, and after we fought, he would apologize and tell me it was just the pressure from work. I understood him. After all, my father had been the same way. Perhaps all men were like this. Suddenly, Damien kissed me wildly, his kisses more intense and urgent than usual. Before, he was always tender and affectionate. As he kissed me, he mumbled, “Baby, let’s have a child.” “I have money now.” I didn’t directly refuse him. His excitement made me feel uneasy, but I didn’t speak up, and he carried me to bed. Damien, you still don’t know. It’s not because you don’t have money that I don’t want a child. Later that night, Damien slept deeply, and I stared at his handsome face, just like it was back in college. The pigeon egg-sized ring was so large that it was causing the fingers next to it to turn slightly red. I got out of bed to take a shower, found a box, and carefully placed the large diamond ring inside. Then, I picked up the small diamond ring from the trash. But I also found a receipt for a necklace. It was dated a month ago. I was certain he hadn’t given me a necklace. I glanced at Damien’s phone, which was resting by the pillow. I knew the password, and he knew mine. I thought about checking, but in the end, I didn’t. I felt a little scared. Was history about to repeat itself?

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My boyfriend had a grotesque obsession—he was a devotee. The more broken or incomplete a person was, the deeper his love became. Before we dated, I had no idea he harbored this horrifying fetish. Not until he locked me in his home, sawed off one of my arms and a leg, and held a photo up to my mutilated body to compare. “Emily, I love you so much,” he said, his voice soft as he gently touched my face. His smile was that of a lunatic—a monster hiding behind a mask of charm. That’s when I looked at the photo and realized who it was. My twin sister. Her name was Emily. The next time I opened my eyes, I was back. Back to the moment right after I had started dating Zach. I sat on the couch for a moment, shaking my head as I tried to process the overwhelming dizziness. Slowly, it dawned on me—I’d been given a second chance. My memories of my previous life weren’t entirely clear, like fragments buried under layers of fog. But certain things stood out vividly, like scars burned into my mind. I remembered how I died. A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts. I knew before even checking who it was. It was Zach. Today was the day I had agreed to move in with him. Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself and opened the door. “Claire, why’d it take you so long to open up?” Zach asked, his tone light and teasing. Zach was a doctor—bright, cheerful, and always polite. But his busy schedule made him seem distant at times. He shook the large bag in his hand and smiled. My stomach churned as I remembered what would happen if I went through with this move. If I moved in with him, it wouldn’t be long before his true nature came to light. The memory of what he did to me in my last life sent icy sweat trickling down my back. “Claire, are you okay?” Zach’s brows furrowed as he studied my face. “You’re not having second thoughts, are you? Don’t tell me you haven’t finished packing yet.” His concern sounded genuine, but I knew better now. “No, I’m ready,” I replied, keeping my voice steady. I had woken up in this body just this morning. Thankfully, the version of me from last night had already packed everything for the move. Zach led me to the couch and gently sat me down before heading off to load my things into his car. Watching him work, I struggled to reconcile the two versions of him in my mind. The perfect, caring boyfriend… and the sadistic monster he truly was. Zach had admitted it to me himself in my past life: he was a devotee. The more incomplete a person appeared—the more broken—the more he loved them. And as the pieces of my memory returned, I couldn’t help but suspect that my missing sister had something to do with him. I had a twin sister. When we were eight, our family was in a car accident. Both of our parents died, and my sister, Emily, lost an arm and a leg in the crash. I was luckier. Shielded by my mother, I escaped with only minor injuries. After the accident, we were separated. I was taken in by our grandfather, while Emily went to live with our maternal grandparents. The two families lived far apart, and as the years passed, Emily grew increasingly distant. She eventually stopped responding to my calls and messages altogether. A year ago, when I couldn’t reach her at all, I came to her city to search for her. Her grandparents told me she’d always been reclusive—not just with me, but with everyone. Even they rarely saw her. But now, recalling Zach’s preferences, I realized something chilling. Emily’s appearance—her missing arm and leg—was exactly what he desired. She fit his twisted obsession perfectly. So why had he pursued me? Was I just a replacement? And most importantly… what had he done to her? “Claire, everything’s ready. Let’s go,” Zach called cheerfully. I followed him to the car, sitting in the passenger seat as I tried to calm my racing thoughts. The moment I stepped into his car, I started noticing things I hadn’t before. The details were subtle, but unmistakable. The charm hanging from his rearview mirror? It was a cartoon version of Mickey Mouse, just like the one Emily had as her social media profile picture. The sticker on his steering wheel? It was of a celebrity my sister used to idolize. “Zach, you’re into him too?” I asked, motioning to the sticker. He glanced down at the steering wheel and chuckled. “Yeah, he’s so inspiring, isn’t he? Don’t you think he’s such a hard worker?” I didn’t respond. The celebrity in question had fallen from grace just last month after a massive scandal. Clearly, Zach wasn’t keeping up with the news. Which made his admiration for the guy seem even more bizarre. I sighed quietly, looking out the window. Knowing what I did about Zach, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Emily was already gone. But even if that were true, I wasn’t going to let her fate go unpunished. Whatever it took, I would find the evidence to prove what Zach had done. I would make him pay.

Zach’s job kept him busy, and he never let me visit him at the hospital. Even when I occasionally offered to pick him up after work, he insisted I wait for him in the parking lot. If Zach had really been involved with my sister, I figured someone at his workplace must have seen her. Today, I had the perfect excuse to find out. With school on break, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I prepared a homemade lunch, packed it neatly, and made my way to Zach’s office, asking for directions as I went. The moment Zach saw me standing at his door, he froze. Then, with a practiced smile, he grabbed my hand and quickly ushered me toward the stairwell. “Claire, what are you doing here?” I lifted the lunchbox, the explanation obvious. “Claire, the hospital has a cafeteria. You didn’t need to bring me lunch,” he said, his voice calm but his grip on my hand tightening. “Cafeteria food isn’t as good as mine,” I replied with a sweet smile. “I was worried you weren’t eating well. Besides, I had the day off.” Zach accepted the lunchbox, his expression softening with a grin. “You’re so thoughtful, Claire. But I’ve got a surgery coming up soon—I don’t have time to sit with you. Maybe you should go home or do some shopping until I’m done.” He sounded kind, but I could tell he was trying to get rid of me. When he’d opened the door to his office earlier, one of his colleagues had glanced at me with obvious surprise. I’d caught the look, even if Zach pretended not to notice. “Zach, do you not like it when I visit you?” I asked, tilting my head. He reached up to gently pat my hair, his tone soft and reassuring. “Of course not, but a hospital isn’t exactly a relaxing place to visit, and I’m so busy I wouldn’t be able to give you any attention. Be good, okay? Go home, and I’ll see you after work.” His words were sweet, but his actions betrayed him. He guided me firmly toward the stairs, practically pushing me down. When I glanced back at him, he was still smiling, even waving goodbye as if nothing was wrong. I stopped at the corner of the next floor, waiting until I heard his footsteps fade into the distance. Then, retracing my steps, I returned to his department and leaned against the wall near his office. The colleague who’d looked surprised earlier caught my attention—his name tag read Dr. Noah Hale. Of all the people I’d seen here, he was the only one who seemed to know something. I spent the next hour walking around the hospital, paying close attention to everyone I passed. But no one else reacted to me the way Dr. Hale had. Back in my car, I pulled out my phone and searched his name along with the hospital’s directory. His profile showed his consultation schedule: next Friday morning, he had clinic hours. As for Zach, he wouldn’t be seeing patients that day, which meant he’d likely be in the inpatient ward. If I timed it right, I could speak to Dr. Hale without Zach knowing. In my previous life, I hadn’t known much about Zach’s friends. I knew he played online games with a group of college buddies, but he never introduced me to anyone local. When I asked him about it, he’d always shrugged and said, “Doctors are busy people. No one has time for meetups. I don’t either—don’t I always come straight home after work?” At the time, his words had reassured me. I’d thought Zach was a homebody, someone who valued his time with me. But now, I wasn’t so sure. If Dr. Hale had met my sister, it meant he and Zach were closer than Zach had ever let on. I couldn’t approach him recklessly. He was Zach’s colleague and possibly his friend. If I made the wrong move, he might tell Zach everything, which would tip him off and ruin my plan. On Friday morning, I left the house with Zach as usual. He dropped me off at the school gates, unaware that I’d already arranged for the day off. Once his car was out of sight, I slipped away and headed straight for the hospital. After registering at the reception desk, I waited in line outside Dr. Hale’s clinic. Through the open door, I caught a glimpse of him. Unlike Zach, who radiated warmth with his sunny smile and charming dimples, Dr. Hale had a colder, more serious demeanor. He seemed sharp, calculating. Given their similar ages and the fact that they worked in the same department, it wasn’t hard to imagine they were on good terms. “Next,” a nurse called. I stepped inside and closed the door behind me. The sound of the latch clicking made Dr. Hale pause. He looked up from the file he’d been writing in, his expression briefly puzzled. Then, with a subtle lift of his brow, he studied me.

“Are you here… for a consultation?” I raised the registration slip in my hand and sat down across from him. “You know, if you’re here for a doctor, why didn’t you just go to Zach? Aren’t you his sister-in-law?” Sister-in-law? So that’s how Zach had introduced me last time. That confirmed it—Noah knew my sister. “You’ve met Emily, haven’t you?” I asked cautiously. “Emily? Who’s that?” His expression was unreadable, but he didn’t seem to be lying. My brow furrowed. Something wasn’t adding up. “Zach’s girlfriend—Emily,” I clarified. “Oh, you mean her. I didn’t know her name. I’ve seen her a few times before, that’s all.” “Where? When? What was the situation?” He looked at me curiously, remaining silent, as if trying to gauge my intentions. My throat felt dry as I swallowed nervously. It had been a year since I came to this city. A full year of searching with nothing to show for it. Aside from one fleeting clue from a former landlord, I hadn’t been able to find any trace of my sister. It was as if she’d vanished into thin air, her existence slowly being erased. I hadn’t anticipated things reaching this point. I scrambled to come up with an excuse, but Noah’s sharp, calculating gaze made me falter. I wasn’t smart enough to lie convincingly. He’d see through me in an instant. “How long have you known Zach?” I asked instead, deflecting. He hesitated for a moment before answering, his tone cold. “We were college classmates.” So they’d known each other for years. No wonder their bond seemed so strong. Coming here to question Noah, I realized, was a risk I couldn’t hide from Zach for long. If Zach found out I was searching for my sister, it might push him to act sooner. He could lock me away at any moment, just as he had in my previous life. But I had already died once. If it came to that, I could die again. “Dr. Hale, I need to ask you for a favor,” I said, lowering my voice. Noah didn’t respond, but the slight lift of his chin told me to continue. Taking a deep breath, I tried to sound sincere. “Please don’t tell Zach I came to see you. And… if possible, could we meet privately? I have something important to discuss, but now isn’t the right time.” I glanced back at the door, where the sound of impatient patients waiting in line was growing louder. “You don’t want Zach to know about the meeting either?” he asked, his tone skeptical. I nodded, meeting his eyes with as much honesty as I could muster. He studied me for a long moment before finally pulling out a business card and sliding it across the desk. “I don’t know what’s so important that you’d come to me, but you look serious. I have an hour for lunch later. Call me then, and I’ll hear you out.” Clutching the card like it was a lifeline, I left the hospital and found a small restaurant nearby. I booked a private room and spent the next few hours rehearsing what I wanted to say. Noah arrived on time. The moment he sat down, I didn’t waste a second. “Dr. Hale, my sister went missing a year ago. I moved here to find her, but I’ve found nothing. Last spring, I ran into Zach by accident—literally spilled his coffee backstage at a kids’ recital. That’s how we met. He pursued me after that, and now I’m his girlfriend.” Noah’s brow furrowed so deeply it looked like it could crush a fly. He wanted to interrupt, but he stayed quiet, letting me continue. “It was only recently that I realized my sister was involved with him before me. But he’s never mentioned her—not once. We’re identical twins. The moment you saw me, you recognized me, didn’t you? There’s no way Zach wouldn’t have recognized me too.” “So, what exactly are you saying?” Noah asked, his tone defensive. “Are you implying Zach is hiding something because he’s connected to your sister’s disappearance?” His reaction was expected. They were old friends, after all. Of course he’d instinctively defend Zach. “I wouldn’t make this accusation without reason,” I said firmly. “Zach has a serious… condition. He’s a devotee. He’s obsessed with people who are physically incomplete.” Noah’s expression hardened instantly. “What the hell are you talking about? Zach doesn’t have anything like that.” For the first time, I began hearing a different version of Zach’s story—one I’d never imagined.

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The first thing I did after being reborn was to jump off the rooftop of my girlfriend’s apartment and die at her doorstep. Everyone thought I had gone mad, but as I lay there dying, I smiled in satisfaction. The apocalypse was coming in seven days, and anyone who died within this window would transform into a nightmare creature. This time, I would become the King of Nightmares, the most terrifying being of all. Only by doing so could I exact my revenge on Fiona, the treacherous ex-girlfriend who cheated on me and stole my inheritance. She would pay the ultimate price. At midnight, I leapt from the rooftop of Fiona’s apartment. As I fell, a calm smile spread across my face. I wasn’t insane; on the contrary, I had never been more clear-headed. This was all for my return in seven days. The apocalypse was only a week away, and anyone who died during this period would rise as a nightmare creature. I wasn’t just going to become one of them. I was going to be their king. The most powerful and horrifying nightmare of all. Only then could I take my revenge on Fiona, repaying her betrayal and the pain she caused me in my previous life. In my past life, when the apocalypse hit, my best friend, Ethan, died in a car accident and became a nightmare creature. It was thanks to him secretly protecting me that I managed to survive the chaos. But my story ended with Fiona’s betrayal. To please a powerful nightmare in a black suit, she personally carved out my heart. That night, she had invited me over for dinner and drugged my food. When I woke up, I couldn’t move. Like a fool, I thought she was just playing some intimate game and told her to stop messing around. Then, I saw her holding a sharp knife, her lips curled into a seductive smile as she sliced open my chest. The drugs numbed my nerves, so I couldn’t feel the pain of the wound, but the terror in my heart threatened to drown me. I’ll never forget how she cut me 53 times with that knife before reaching in and pulling out my heart. At that moment, I became a cold corpse, a monster without a heart. Even as I died, I couldn’t understand how she could be so heartless. In my final moments, I asked her why she did it, my voice filled with despair. She sneered coldly and said, “You idiot, you were just a game to me.” When Ethan found out what happened, he was furious and tried to avenge me. But the nightmare that Fiona had allied with was too strong. Ethan died protecting me, his soul obliterated. I was left utterly hopeless, my consciousness swallowed by darkness. But fate granted me another chance. This time, I would change everything.

My first mission was to save Ethan. Although dying within the seven days before the apocalypse meant becoming a nightmare creature, the process involved unimaginable pain. Ethan’s life was exchanged for mine in the last timeline. This time, it was my turn to protect him and ensure he lived as a normal human being. I glanced at my phone. It was five in the afternoon. In exactly one hour, Ethan would die in a car accident. Without hesitation, I dialed a video call. “Hey. I’m at work. What’s up?” Ethan said, looking up from his computer screen. Seeing that familiar face made my chest tighten with guilt. In the last timeline, he was obliterated because of me. Now, having another chance to see him alive was a blessing. I steadied my voice. “After work, don’t leave the office. Wait for me.” “What’s going on?” Ethan asked, puzzled. “Just trust me. Stay put, no matter what happens. Promise me.” At 6:30 PM, I met Ethan as he left work. As soon as we stepped out of the office building, a black van hurtled toward us. I yanked Ethan back, narrowly avoiding the vehicle, though it grazed my arm. It was just a scratch. That van… It was exactly the same as in my last life. No license plate. This wasn’t an accident. Someone wanted Ethan dead. “Ethan,” I asked quietly, “have you pissed anyone off recently?” Ethan, straightforward and kind-hearted, wasn’t the type to make enemies. I couldn’t imagine who’d target him. “No, not at all,” he said, scratching his head. “Think harder!” “Wait…” His face paled as he recalled something. “Are you saying… that van was aiming for me?” I nodded. Ethan gripped my arm, his expression darkening. After a moment of hesitation, he confessed, “I just remembered something. But it might have to do with you.” A heavy feeling settled in my chest. “Three days ago,” Ethan took a deep breath, “I saw Fiona with another guy. Something about him felt… off.” “And he saw me too.” Ethan glanced at me nervously. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to act rashly.” My eyes turned cold. It was Fiona. That woman wanted to silence Ethan. In my last life, I was a fool blinded by love. I would never have believed someone as seemingly sweet and innocent as Fiona capable of such schemes. But now, I knew her true nature. She was a merciless devil. “Go home,” I told Ethan, keeping my voice steady. “Stay safe for the next few days. Leave the rest to me.” After hailing a cab to take Ethan home, I gave him one last instruction. “If I die, don’t be too upset. “Just keep burning spirit money for me as fast as you can. Burn as much as you can.” Spirit money was essential for building power in the nightmare realm. When I returned, I wouldn’t be alone. I’d have an army of nightmares under my command. “What the hell are you talking about? You’re not going to die!” Ethan punched my shoulder, his tone frustrated. I smiled faintly, handing him my bank card. “Use every penny in this account to buy spirit money and burn it for me. Don’t leave a single bill unburned. Otherwise, I won’t rest in peace.” There was no one else I could trust with this. Clapping his shoulder, I turned to leave. “Damn lunatic!” Ethan shouted after me, his voice a mix of anger and worry.

After saying goodbye to Ethan, I headed straight for Fiona’s apartment. She lived on the 19th floor, but I didn’t take the elevator. The building’s exterior had air-conditioning platforms on each floor. Using the surveillance blind spots, I climbed my way up. Peering through a gap in her drawn curtains, I saw Fiona’s bedroom. On the bed, Fiona entwined herself around a man like a snake. My stomach churned, not because she was cheating on me, but because of who the man was. It was Rivers, the nightmare creature Fiona had cozied up to in my last life. My fists clenched so hard my knuckles cracked. I wanted nothing more than to burst in and kill them both. These two scumbags. I wasn’t letting either of them off the hook. Inside, they continued their shameless flirting. Rivers’ hands roamed over Fiona’s nearly naked body as he grumbled, “When are you going to dump that loser? This sneaking around is ridiculous.” Fiona pressed herself closer to him and purred, “Be patient. Once I marry him, I’ll kill him. All his inheritance will be ours.” She giggled wickedly. “I’ve already done the research. Once he’s dead, his parents’ 50 million dollars will be ours to enjoy for the rest of our lives.” A chill ran through me. This woman kept pushing the limits of human depravity. I had always suspected she only dated me for my money, but now I had confirmation. To her, I was nothing more than a walking ATM. Rivers laughed smugly, “That idiot still thinks he’s found true love. Little does he know he’s just your cash cow. “Savage. I like it.” Fiona chuckled and replied, “A woman’s got to be ruthless to secure her place.” Watching this nauseating scene, I nearly smashed through the glass to give them each a blade to the throat. But I knew I wasn’t a match for Rivers yet. Still, I wasn’t going to let them off without a parting gift. Biting my finger, I used my blood to scrawl a curse on the glass—a vivid account of their betrayal and greed. As the two continued their sordid tryst, I stepped onto the edge of the balcony, glanced at my watch. It was midnight. Spreading my arms like a bat, I plummeted from the 19th floor. With the apocalypse drawing near, the rules of the world had already begun to change. Though my body was dead, my soul lingered in the mortal realm. Until my body was cremated, I would exist as a wandering spirit. I wanted to see how Fiona reacted to my mangled corpse and how terrified she’d be when she realized the nightmare had only just begun. My death was such a mess, and the apartment would surely be sealed by tomorrow. The police would certainly investigate the affair between them.

At 6:00 AM, a security guard patrolling the Starhaven Apartments discovered my body. “Someone jumped! Looks like they fell from the 19th floor. There’s writing in blood on the window!” The pounding on Fiona’s door was frantic. She stumbled out, her face pale with fear. When she saw my mangled body on the ground, she nearly fainted. The security captain recognized me immediately. “Isn’t this the guy who was always visiting Fiona? Why would he jump from her balcony?” Rivers sauntered out of the apartment, clearly annoyed. “What the hell is all this noise about so early…” The moment he saw my corpse, he froze, his face draining of color. Standing beside them in my spirit form, I watched coolly. If Rivers was this shaken now, just wait until I returned as the King of Nightmares. An elderly woman from the neighboring apartment peeked out and gasped at the sight of Rivers. Her expression quickly turned scornful. “Shameless!” she spat, her voice dripping with contempt. Fiona opened her mouth, trying to explain, but no words came out. By the time the police and paramedics arrived, the scene was sealed off. The bloody curse on the window, exposing their affair and murderous intentions, was crystal clear. The police immediately deemed Fiona and Rivers suspects in my death and arrested them on the spot. The curse ended with a chilling warning. I would return as a vengeful spirit, forever haunting them. As they were escorted past my body, both were trembling. Fiona’s forehead was slick with sweat, her lips quivering, unable to form a coherent sentence. Rivers, on the other hand, was visibly shaking, barely able to stay on his feet. Watching them squirm brought me immense satisfaction. This was just the appetizer. When the apocalypse arrived, I’d deal with them properly. My body was sent to the crematorium. Ethan rushed over as soon as he heard the news. This iron-willed man broke down the moment he saw my lifeless body, sobbing uncontrollably. “Why, Nathan? Why would you throw your life away over a woman like that?” he choked out, his voice hoarse. Standing beside him in spirit form, I felt a wave of impatience. “Damn it, stop crying and focus! Do you remember what I told you? Burning spirit money for me is the priority here!” Thankfully, Ethan pulled himself together. After seeing me into the incinerator, he wiped his tears and sprinted off. As the flames consumed my body, I felt the mortal realm slipping away. Then, an unseen force dragged me into the nightmare world.

The moment I entered the Nightmare Realm, the stench of blood nearly made me retch. The sinister aura was so suffocating, it felt like my soul might shatter under the pressure. The air was thick with an inexplicable sense of dread, as though countless unseen eyes were lurking in the shadows, watching my every move. Looking up, there was no sun or moon. Instead, three massive blood-red eyes loomed in the sky, their crimson veins pulsating as they scanned the warped land below. From my past life, I knew what they were—the Kings of Nightmares. When the apocalypse struck, these blood eyes would descend to rule the mortal world. As a newly dead nightmare creature, I was at the bottom of the food chain, a lamb awaiting slaughter. Surviving this newbie phase was my top priority. Here, strength was the only law. Powerful nightmares could crush weaker ones without a second thought, like humans stepping on ants. Around me was a twisted, broken urban landscape. Luckily, this area seemed relatively desolate and safe, at least for now. A battered Mercedes was parked by the side of the road. Without hesitation, I climbed in, seeking refuge. Minutes later, a colossal figure lumbered into view. It was a Famine Nightmare, towering three stories tall, bloated like a pig, with tusks jutting out of its mouth and bloodshot eyes oozing malice. Its stench of rot and decay filled the air as it searched for prey, its gaze filled with insatiable hunger. When it stopped near the car, I held my breath, silently praying it wouldn’t notice me. But the beast sniffed the air and turned its grotesque head toward me. My soul nearly shattered from sheer terror. Then, as if distracted, it lumbered toward a nearby building. A terrified newborn nightmare screamed as the Famine Nightmare ripped it from its hiding place. “Eat, eat, tasty!” the beast gurgled, saliva dripping from its maw. The newborn was as weak as me, and all he could do was to scream in despair. With a single gulp, it devoured the hapless creature. I curled up in the car, trembling. If it had spotted me, I’d have been dessert. Thankfully, I still had a chance to turn the tables. All I needed was for Ethan to burn spirit money for me. In the Nightmare Realm, spirit money was sustenance, fuel for growth and power. I had given Ethan my entire savings, enough to buy enough spirit money to catapult me into the ranks of the strongest nightmares. As I anxiously awaited his action, the Famine Nightmare finally moved on, satisfied. I let out a sigh of relief but stayed vigilant. Half an hour passed. My nerves were fraying, and I found myself silently cursing, “Ethan! Damn it, what are you waiting for?!” As I waited, I couldn’t help but curse myself. If only I’d prepared the spirit money in advance and had Ethan start burning it the moment I died, I wouldn’t be stuck in this mess. While I was busy berating my own stupidity, the situation escalated. Another powerful nightmare appeared. This time, it was a Hellhound Hunter, a monstrous creature with three wolf heads, each wreathed in ghostly blue flames. Its razor-sharp fangs gleamed as it snarled, exuding an aura even more terrifying than the Famine Nightmare. Its keen nose picked up my scent immediately.

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Gabriel Thompson was known in our social circle as “Mr. Yes-Dear.” Everything his wife said was right, everything she did was right. If anything wasn’t right, it was his fault. Everyone envied how I had married so well, until our anniversary party, when I smashed a bottle over his secretary’s head. “Mr. Yes-Dear” turned on me in front of everyone. “Either apologize or get a divorce. Choose one!” I smiled contentedly. “Well then, I wish you two all the best together!” As everyone stared at me in confusion, Scarlett Quinn, the secretary, fell to her knees in front of me. “Mrs. Thompson, please don’t misunderstand! I really haven’t seduced Mr. Thompson!” Her tear-filled eyes held a mixture of pleading and undisguised provocation. Just like before, when she had deliberately let me see her intimate encounters with Gabriel Thompson. The guests quickly reacted, laughing as they tried to mediate. “Mrs. Thompson, everyone knows how much Mr. Thompson loves you. Why fixate on this little secretary? Am I right, everyone?” A chorus of agreement followed, with smirks on their faces at my apparent overreaction. Yes, in their eyes, I was the CEO’s wife who got everything she wanted. With just a crook of my finger, my husband would fly across the country daily, just to hand-deliver grapes he’d picked himself to satisfy my cravings. He would also buy out an entire city’s fireworks and set them off in an instant when I was upset, his thunderous apologies drowning out all other sounds. They envied me to death, but behind my back they said I was just a pretty face with no substance, wondering how I deserved such an elite man. I don’t blame them for being foolish. If anyone’s to blame, it’s Gabriel Thompson for being such a good actor, playing the role of devoted husband for eight years. Little did they know that behind Mr. “Yes-Dear’s” public persona, his heart belonged solely to his right-hand woman, Scarlett Quinn. He had said before that he could give up anyone, except her. Today, I finally confirmed this point with my own hands. I turned my head slowly, looking at the angry man, and spoke softly. “Mr. Thompson, is that what you think too?” The man’s lips pressed into a thin line, his gaze cold and distant as if looking at a stranger. He didn’t answer my question directly, but instead picked up the secretary and carried her away. The guests who had been mocking me moments ago suddenly froze in disbelief, watching as the man fussed over the woman in his arms. “Don’t be afraid, Scarlett. As long as I’m here, no one will bully you!” That caring tone stabbed into my ears, more like a warning telling me not to cause trouble. But after eight years of playing the role of dutiful wife, I was tired of this fake life. I went up on stage and tore off the cover on the banner, pointing at the words “Divorce Anniversary” and raising my glass to the crowd. “Welcome everyone to my divorce party. Cheers!” In that moment, I felt no despair at being abandoned by my husband, but rather a long-awaited sense of relief. Because I had been waiting for this day for eight whole years. Finally, finally, I was free. How wonderful. Just as I was celebrating my escape from this cage, someone cried out. “Mr. Thompson jumped into the sea!” The next day, news of the Thompson Group CEO jumping into the sea for love flooded the entire media landscape of Kingston City. Uninformed netizens unanimously praised the CEO’s deep love, while condemning me, his “trophy wife,” for being cold and heartless. Meanwhile, the guests who had witnessed Gabriel Thompson’s infidelity and departure with his secretary at the yacht party yesterday now flooded me with messages of comfort. “See? Mr. Thompson still cares about you, otherwise he wouldn’t have jumped into the sea, right? He knows he was wrong, so why don’t you forgive him this once?” If it weren’t for the emotional video Scarlett Quinn sent me, perhaps I too would have thought Gabriel Thompson’s words were just a momentary slip. In the video, the shivering man tightly embraced the woman, constantly stroking her hair, his eyes full of tenderness. “It’s okay, everything will be fine. I won’t let you become a mistress that everyone despises!” Yes, he, a man afraid of water, would rather jump into the sea to create news than let her face people’s strange looks. He really loved her to death. This was his hot and cold love. After a night of drinking, I stumbled as I opened the door and fell to the ground, the pain making it hard to breathe. A cold voice broke the silence in the darkness. “Sophia Sullivan, I’ve already given you the position of Mrs. Thompson. What more do you want?” Yes, when he knelt before me and proposed so passionately, he publicly promised that the position of Mrs. Thompson would belong to me alone. At the time, I was blinded by love, completely ignoring that his affectionate gaze was directed at the tearful secretary beside me. He was using actions to tell her that I would only get an empty title. Scarlett Quinn was his true love, etched into his bones. I had argued and fought, asking him over and over if he had any feelings for me in his heart. He always looked at me coldly, without a hint of warmth. “As long as you don’t touch her, you’ll always be the one I love most.” What a cruel answer, piercing me to the core, making me realize he had never loved me. Before I could respond, a strong grip seized my wrist, pulling me over to his side. His slender fingers skillfully picked up the iodine and wiped my scratched cheek. I tried to turn away, but he held me firmly in place. “Mrs. Thompson, your face belongs to the Thompson Group too. It wouldn’t be good if it got marred.” Yes, there was a pre-arranged dinner tomorrow where the other party had specifically requested my presence. How could the CEO’s wife appear with a blemished face? I opened my mouth and bit down, breaking through his tough skin, channeling all my grievances and resentment as I swallowed the blood that both fascinated and disgusted me. The man’s hand bones trembled slightly, but he made no move to stop me. Only when my jaw ached and swelled did I let go on my own. He then gripped my chin, forcing me to look up. “Sophia, this is the last time. This is the last time I’ll tolerate you. Don’t push it!” He covered his hand as he turned to go upstairs. At the last moment, he paused and looked back at me. “Remember to cover up your wound with makeup tomorrow. I don’t want any more negative news about the Thompson CEO’s marital problems!” My fingertips dug into my flesh. I couldn’t hold back anymore and called out to him. “Mr. Thompson, have you forgotten what you said yesterday? Didn’t you say we were getting divorced?” Weren’t you going to let me go? The man didn’t respond, just kept walking forward step by step. I took a step forward, waving the blood-stained photos in my hand, and laughed. “Your precious darling is in my hands. Aren’t you afraid I’ll do something to her?” Almost instantly, the man reflexively appeared in front of me, grabbing my neck, his eyes bloodthirsty and turbulent. “Sophia Sullivan, tell me, what exactly did you do to Scarlett?!” I looked at the man who had lost control of his emotions with a light laugh, the corners of my mouth curving upwards, but I didn’t say a word. The force on my neck gradually deepened and intensified. In my ears was the man’s uncontrolled roar. “Sophia Sullivan, if anything happens to Scarlett, I’ll make sure you pay with your life!” Pay with my life? That’s fine. At least I won’t have to struggle in this hypocritical world anymore. Since he won’t let me leave, perhaps death is my best escape. I closed my eyes, waiting for death to come. But my phone rang at the most inopportune moment. The man answered it with one hand, and the woman’s habitual mockery filled my ears. “Sophia Sullivan, how do you like the big gift I sent you? Gabriel held me and took me again and again last night, while you spent another night alone in an empty room, right? How about I help you talk to Gabriel tonight, let him keep you company for one night, what do you say?” The force on my neck suddenly withdrew, and I fell heavily to the ground. The wound that had just been injured was hurt again, blood flowing everywhere. A burst of heat suddenly entered the cold air, scalding to the touch. “Sophia Sullivan, wake up! Without my permission, you’re not allowed to die!” How laughable that he doesn’t know I’d rather die than live a life worse than death. Gabriel Thompson, this time, he won’t be able to keep me. I woke up groggily in the hospital to see Gabriel Thompson slumped at my bedside, his tightly furrowed brow indicating his anxiety. Actually, when I was drifting in and out of consciousness earlier, I heard him calling out to me. “Sophia Sullivan, didn’t you say you loved me? Then you have to live, live on and love me well!” I used to think that way too, to just keep loving him. But time is a butcher’s knife, wearing away all my patience and love, also letting me see my true heart clearly. It’s not worth wasting my youth on a man who doesn’t love me. A gust of wind blew into my collar, and the man suddenly woke up. Seeing me awake, he was strangely excited. “You… you’re awake?!” Seeing that I didn’t speak, the man picked up a glass of water nearby to cover his awkwardness. “I’ve already talked to Scarlett about yesterday’s incident. Don’t worry, she… she won’t come bother you again in the future.” “You know, you really… getting angry is one thing, but why scare me with some random photo from the internet? You made me think… sigh, never mind, it’s all in the past. From now on, can we go back to how we were before, no more fighting, okay?” He brought the warm water to my lips, but was startled by the ghastly scars revealed on my arms as I pushed up my sleeves. “Who… who hurt you, Sophia? Tell me, who did this?!” It was rare to see panic and shock in the man’s eyes. Is he pitying me? But where was he when I needed him most as I hurt myself during depressive episodes? What was he doing when I was covering my scars with thick foundation? Right, he was laughing and chatting with his secretary, debating whether to have Chinese or Western for dinner, agonizing over whether to go to Northern Europe or South America. Every meeting and business trip became an excuse for their workplace romance. No one cared that I, the real CEO’s wife, was struggling painfully in the abyss. I slowly broke free from his restraint and said to his face, word by word: “I did it to myself. If you don’t let me go, next time it might be aimed here.” I slid my finger across my neck, and the man’s dark pupils trembled slightly along with it. He suddenly gripped my hand and forcefully pulled it down. “Sophia, I’m sorry. I can give you anything you want except divorce…” “Then can you break up with Scarlett Quinn?” “Crash—” The water glass nearby fell to the ground, shattering to pieces. I looked up at him and laughed freely. “See, you can’t do this either, can you?” The man’s face sank in an instant. His hands gripped my shoulders, digging into my flesh. “Sophia Sullivan, why do you have to force me? After being the CEO’s wife for so many years, have you learned nothing but threats and coercion?” “I’ve also learned to give up. Give up on loving you, Gabriel Thompson. I don’t love you anymore. Let go!” The fingers on my shoulders suddenly froze. The man’s face couldn’t stop trembling, his gaze toward me unclear and ambiguous. His dry lips twitched for a moment, about to question further, when his assistant rushed in urgently. “It’s bad, something’s happened to Secretary Quinn!” The man hurriedly left, but I grabbed his wrist. “Maybe I can help you this time.” But what responded to me was the man’s contemptuous mockery. “Sophia Sullivan, apart from being a pretty ornament, I really can’t see what other use you have…” The man left with a cold gust of wind. I didn’t try to stop him, but instead took out my phone and made a call. “Mr. Shen, I’ll be over shortly.” I’d like to see how his supposedly omnipotent secretary will get out of this predicament. Outside the top VIP room of “Nightshade,” the door was ajar. Seeing the mess on the floor and the blood-covered man, I could guess what had just happened. No doubt it was the classic scenario of a protective boss taking a knife for his subordinate, playing out the hero saving the damsel in distress. Only this time, he’d run into the notoriously difficult Samuel Shen. “Gabriel Thompson, let me tell you, your secretary’s delay of documents causing me to lose a multi-million dollar project is a small matter. Making my Shen Group bear the name of being untrustworthy is a big deal. I’m telling you, this isn’t over!” Sitting in the position of power, Samuel Shen looked down his nose, unwilling to budge no matter what Gabriel Thompson did. Seeing that begging was futile, the woman suddenly climbed onto a nearby window, shouting that she would jump. Gabriel Thompson was anxious, but as he leapt forward, he was restrained. Samuel Shen snorted coldly, and his two bodyguards approached step by step, frightening the woman into screaming repeatedly for them not to come closer. “What are you yelling for? Didn’t you say you wanted to die to make amends? I’m just helping you along. Go ahead and jump. If you die, maybe you’ll be reborn as a better person in your next life!” “Samuel, don’t touch her! I can give you anything you want!” “If I say I want the entire Thompson Group, will you give it to me?” This time the man didn’t respond. Not because he was unwilling, but because Thompson Group didn’t belong to Gabriel Thompson alone. He simply couldn’t make that decision. Samuel Shen urged again, and the bodyguard grabbed the woman’s arm. The woman’s legs gave way and she slid to the ground, desperately hugging the man’s leg and begging, only to be kicked away. “What trash, a real man wouldn’t cling to someone’s leg. Disgusting!” I coughed lightly and pushed open the door. Samuel Shen’s eyes lit up when he saw me, and he got up to make room. “Sophia Sullivan, does this mean you’ve agreed to my request?” I tilted my head to look at Gabriel Thompson, answering indirectly. “That depends on whether Mr. Thompson can agree to my request.” The man looked at the ashen-faced man on the ground, then turned to look at me, seemingly making a huge decision as he gritted his teeth and nodded. “As long as you can get Samuel Shen to calm down, anything you want.” I took out the divorce agreement I had prepared in advance from my bag and handed it over. Emotions roiled in the man’s eyes. “Sophia Sullivan, you really are calculating. Fine, I’ll give you what you want.” He broke free from the bodyguards’ restraint, took the pen without hesitation, and signed. He left carrying the secretary in front of everyone, but not forgetting to remind me. “Sophia Sullivan, don’t disappoint me, or you know the consequences.” Of course, of course I know the consequences. But having walked through hell, I won’t make the same mistake twice. I closed the door with my own hands, silently mouthing to the man through the crack. “Gabriel Thompson, I’m not just a pretty face. I never was.”

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Because I caused my sister’s death, I was the one my parents loathe the most. “You’re so cruel. Why wasn’t you who died instead?” “Don’t call me Mom! From this moment on, I’m not your mother. You have no parents anymore. Get out!” They threw me out of the house and welcomed a girl they had been supporting financially for years. A few years later, that girl developed kidney failure. To save her, my mother, an unflinching internal medicine doctor, took one of my kidneys without hesitation. My father, a high-ranking executive assistant, refused to cover my medical expenses. After the surgery, I was forced to leave the hospital alone, weak and in pain. Just hours after the procedure, my brain tumor acted up. I collapsed in a filthy garbage dump, abandoned and forgotten. That was where I died, helpless, unnoticed, and erased from their lives. I was dead, yet the pain in my lower back continued to grip my soul like a vice. My spirit drifted helplessly back to the hospital. Inside, my mother, Holly Bailey, and father, Neil Bailey, were at Melody Carter’s bedside, their faces full of worry. They had never looked at me like that. When they looked at me, their expressions were always cold and filled with disdain. “You’re so annoying. Can’t you just get lost? Don’t come looking for me again. I’ve already done enough for you.” As I was dragged out of the house, I heard Holly’s voice behind me. “Good thing Yvette’s kidney was a match for Melly. It’s the only useful thing that waste of space ever did.” Three hours earlier, Holly had taken my kidney with her own hands. She hadn’t allowed anesthesia, calling it punishment. Machines pinned me to the operating table, leaving me with no way to escape. The pain tore through me, leaving me writhing helplessly. Holly spoke, her words sharp and merciless. “This is what you get for killing your sister, Coral. You deserve this. It is the price you must pay.” Neil stood by, watching in silence as he handed her the scalpel. For years, I had believed I was the one responsible for my sister’s death. But as the agony of losing my kidney consumed me, a missing memory surfaced. I had not pushed Coral into the water. It had been Melody, the girl my parents had supported all those years.

Sometimes, I thought the truth might not matter. My parents hated me, and that seemed to be enough. Even so, I forced myself to make a call to Neil. My voice trembled as I told him the truth. When he heard, he laughed coldly, his voice dripping with mockery. “Liar. Do you really think I would believe something like that? How could I have a daughter like you? Melly is perfect. She would never do something like that. Only you could.” People’s biases were like mountains. They were unmovable. The mountain of hatred in Neil’s heart had been there for years. When I asked for help with my hospital bills, he refused. “Dad, I don’t have any money,” I said, my voice weak. “You’re lying again. Don’t you work part-time jobs? You just don’t want to spend your own money.” He didn’t know, or maybe he didn’t care, that all my money had gone to medicine. Years of malnutrition and stress had given me stomach cancer. I didn’t have long to live anyway. When I showed him my medical report, hoping he would finally understand, he glanced at it, frowned, and tore it into pieces. “Do you think I have time for these stupid tricks? I’m busy. I don’t get sick, so why would you? Did you fake this? If you really have stomach cancer, then go die.” Now I was dead. In the end, it wasn’t cancer that killed me. It was the infection from the surgery. When I told him I had spent all my money, his only response was, “Then go sell your body.”

The nurse called Holly to inform her that I was missing. “Yvette is gone. She was supposed to be in her hospital bed, but she’s nowhere to be found.” Holly frowned, her tone dismissive. “If she’s gone, she’s gone. What do you expect me to do about it?” When Melody had gone missing once, Holly had turned the entire world upside down to find her. This time, she did not care because I did not matter. Jack Scott, a doctor too, who was nearby, seemed concerned. “Why was she even in the hospital? The last time I saw her, she didn’t look well at all. Her lips were pale. How could you, as her mother, not notice?” Even strangers sometimes defended me. Holly cut him off before he could continue. “Do you even know what she’s done? My husband and I disowned her a long time ago. If she’s missing, it’s just another one of her games to get our attention. It’s all she knows how to do.” Their neglect had pushed me deeper into depression. I had often thought about leaving this world completely. Sometimes, I disappeared for days, wanting to sever every connection to anyone who cared. I had tried to jump or harm myself, but every time, teachers or classmates found me and brought me back. I had felt guilty for troubling them. That wouldn’t happen again. Jack seemed furious this time. “She’s just a child. How can you be so indifferent? Every time she comes to find you, she waits outside your office for hours, afraid to disturb you.” “I don’t want to see her,” Holly said coldly. “Even if she’s upset, she can’t have gone far. Are you going to look for her or not? Not unless she’s dead, and I need to bury her body.” Jack looked at her in disbelief. “I thought doctors were supposed to have compassion, but if this is how you treat your own daughter, then I can only imagine how little you care about your patients.” “This is not the same thing,” Holly snapped. Jack stormed out, his anger obvious. I felt guilty for causing their argument. They wouldn’t have fought if it weren’t for me. After Neil refused to pay my hospital bills, the nurses tried to reassure me. “No parents would abandon their child. Stay here. They’ll help you eventually.” But I knew they wouldn’t. I understood my parents better than anyone. To avoid causing trouble for the hospital, I staggered out of the ward on my own. I could hear the nurse calling after me. “Wait. You’re still bleeding. When did this patient even have surgery? It’s not on the schedule.” Now I was gone. I wouldn’t bother anyone again.

They waited outside the room, anxious and uneasy. Holly looked nervous, which was rare for her. “I performed the surgery myself. What if something goes wrong?” Neil reassured her as best he could. “Everything will be fine. Melly is a lucky girl.” Floating above them, I saw Melody sleeping peacefully under a neatly folded blanket. Her wound had been stitched with care. She had been raised with love and attention, but I had not. When Holly stitched my wound, it had been rushed and careless, as if spending any more time on me was a waste. A nurse approached hesitantly. “Dr. Bailey, there are still patients waiting to see you.” “Cancel them all,” Holly said. “I need to focus on Melly. Nothing else matters right now.” “But some of them traveled from far away,” the nurse protested. “Then let them wait. Or see someone else. I don’t care.” Holly rarely showed this level of emotion. She was usually the perfect professional, responding to patients like a machine. But when Melody was sick, she lost all composure. The nurse eventually gave up and left. Holly asked about me as if I were an afterthought. Neil casually mentioned that he had not paid my bills. “Good,” Holly replied. They began planning how to spend the money they had saved. They ordered gifts for Melody: flowers, toys, and dolls. The packages arrived quickly and piled up in a colorful heap, enough to fulfill any child’s dreams. But all I could think about was sitting by the garbage dump. I remembered seeing a little girl tossing her old teddy bear into the trash. She had glanced at me with disgust as she walked away. I had never owned a toy. For a moment, I wanted to crawl over and hug that bear. But I stopped myself. The bear’s fur was torn and dirty, but its eyes were still bright. Someone like me did not deserve something so beautiful.

They were still brainstorming what else Melody might like. Finally, Neil clapped his hands, his face lighting up with an idea. “Melly has always wanted to be our real daughter. Why don’t we make it official and adopt her?” Holly immediately praised the idea, urging him to hurry home and grab the necessary documents. Just as Neil left, a nurse rushed over, visibly flustered. “Dr. Bailey, Yvette isn’t playing a trick this time. Several people saw her leaving on her own. She just had surgery. Where could she have gone? There’s blood everywhere, too. The cleaning crew is scrubbing it up right now.” From the third-floor railing, the trail of blood was clearly visible. It stretched all the way from the hospital to the street outside. The cleaning crew worked tirelessly, hunched over as they tried to scrub the mess away. I felt guilty for causing them so much trouble. But I couldn’t stop the blood from pouring out of me. It just kept flowing and flowing, soaking into the floor. Even I felt scared as if my body was losing every drop it had ever held. Holly waved off the nurse impatiently, her expression full of irritation. “Don’t tell me about her anymore! This is ridiculous. Why is everyone so concerned about her? It would be better for everyone if she just died already. The world would finally be peaceful. Am I her mother, or are you? Don’t you think I know her better than anyone? It’s just another one of her stupid performances.” The nurse hesitated but eventually turned and left. Jack appeared moments later, striding down the hallway with anger etched across his face. He stopped in front of Holly, holding a stack of papers in his hands, disbelief evident in his voice. “You took your own daughter’s kidney to save your foster daughter?” He waved the papers at her. “If I hadn’t checked the operating room logs and noticed the discrepancies, I wouldn’t have figured it out. Do you realize it’s illegal to remove someone’s organ without proper authorization? Not to mention, she’s your daughter. Where is your humanity?” Jack had reviewed the security footage, where he saw me writhing in pain during the surgery. The memory seemed to weigh heavily on him, his anger mixing with genuine sorrow. He truly felt sorry for me. Holly, visibly flustered, regained her composure quickly and pulled out a signed organ donation agreement. “This was Yvette’s decision. She signed it herself. I didn’t force her.” She wasn’t lying. She had thrown the blank document in front of me and said, “Melody needs a kidney, and yours is a match. If you have any conscience left, you’ll know what to do.” I stared at the bold letters on the form, trembling as I instinctively touched my lower back. My hesitation lasted only a moment before Holly let out a cold laugh. “Of course, you’re just as heartless as I thought. Killing your sister wasn’t enough; now you want to watch your younger sister die, too? It’s just a kidney. You still have another one. Nobody’s asking you to give your life. I should never have had any hope for you.” The disappointment in her eyes cut me like knives, each word stabbing deeper until I felt like my heart had been torn apart. She hadn’t forced me to sign the document or press my thumbprint, but the weight of her expectations crushed me like a storm. Jack’s voice rose, trembling with fury. “You’re her mother. How could she possibly refuse you? Even if she signed the agreement, where is the hospital record of it? Did anyone here authorize this? And performing surgery on your own family member without proper approval violates medical ethics.” Holly faltered, her confidence wavering. She avoided his gaze but quickly found an excuse. “There’s an exchange conference next week, and the hospital is sending me as the representative. I have an internal medicine paper being published soon as well. Do you think the hospital can afford to lose me right now?” Jack’s eyes widened with shock. Holly sensed her advantage and softened her tone. “Let me make a deal with you. Once Melly wakes up, I’ll go look for Yvette. She wouldn’t want her mother to lose her job, would she?” Jack clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His anger erupted as he stomped the ground in frustration. “I regret ever being your teacher.” He turned and stormed away. For a moment, something flickered in Holly’s eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly. She frowned in irritation and muttered under her breath. “That old fool really thinks he’s important.” She shook her head and sighed, her voice filled with disdain. “And Yvette Bailey, always making my life harder.”

Meanwhile, Neil returned home to grab the adoption documents. On his way back, he passed by the garbage dump and hesitated for a moment as if something had caught his attention. He frowned and made a call, dialing my number. When I didn’t answer, he angrily sent a text message. Neil: [Yvette, haven’t you caused enough trouble? Come back already. Isn’t this all just about money? Fine, I’ll pay your hospital bill. For someone your age, you’re unbelievably manipulative.] He still thought I was just throwing a tantrum. If he had taken even a moment to sift through the trash, he would have found my body. It was right there, buried in the heap before him. I could see my foot sticking out, hidden beneath a crumpled bag of chips. Instead, he spit on the ground in frustration and walked away. When he returned to the hospital, Melody had already woken up. She lay on the bed, pale but smiling softly. Neil’s face lit up, and he rushed to her side. Holly placed a pile of toys and flowers around her bed. Melody’s face brightened with joy as she exclaimed, “Thank you so much!” Neil smiled and said, “We have an even bigger surprise for you.” He pulled out the documents and asked gently, “Would you like to become our daughter officially? You can call us Mom and Dad from now on.” For a man who had faced countless high-pressure situations as an executive assistant, he looked uncharacteristically nervous. Even Holly appeared anxious. “Melly, you don’t think we’re unworthy, do you?” Tears filled Melody’s eyes as she choked out her reply. “No, I just feel… so happy.” The three of them hugged tightly, their faces glowing with warmth and joy. I watched from above, feeling a hollow ache in my chest. Blood ties were supposed to be the strongest bonds in the world, but for me, they had only left me wounded and bleeding. If I hadn’t been their child, perhaps I could have run far away, free from the chains of my family. Holly mentioned that the hospital room was too shabby and suggested transferring Melody to a high-class suite. Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed from the garbage dump below. “There’s a body!” “It’s a corpse!” They were too far away to hear it. A nurse rushed over to my parents and said urgently, “We found Yvette. She was in the garbage dump. The body they discovered is hers.”

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