Category: English

My wife and I were getting married tomorrow. At her bachelorette party, she hugged her old flame. She said it was to leave her youth without regrets. I immediately called off the wedding. She didn’t understand and cried, asking: “We just had dinner, why are you overreacting like this?” I said: “Since you can’t let go of your youth, I wish you two a lifetime of happiness. Now, you’re free.” 01 The day before the wedding, I was triple-checking all the details. “Use only roses for the petals, absolutely no lilies or bellflowers – Olivia is allergic to those.” “Make sure there’s a spare pair of the custom insoles in the car. Olivia will be greeting guests for hours tomorrow, I’m worried her feet will hurt.” “Are the mini cupcakes ready? I heard brides barely get to eat on their wedding day, so I want her to have something while she’s getting her makeup done… They’re made with dairy cream, right? Vegetable cream is harder to digest.” … After getting affirmative responses to everything, I let out a heavy sigh of relief. I closed the door, lay down on the bed, and stared at the window with the big red “double happiness” character pasted on it, feeling both excited and nervous. I was getting married tomorrow. I wondered what Olivia was doing right now. I took out my phone and sent her a SnapChat message. She didn’t reply. While scrolling through my feed, I saw that her bridesmaid had posted a set of nine selfies. “Last night of freedom before the bestie gets hitched tomorrow! No regrets for our youth!” The first eight photos were just Olivia goofing around with her bridesmaids. I smiled, thinking she’d probably still be half asleep when I carried her out the door tomorrow morning. Then I swiped to the last photo and my world went black. It felt like someone had hit me over the head with a sledgehammer. I couldn’t breathe for a moment. It was an intimate photo of a man and woman. Olivia was leaning back, one hand propped on a table, her eyes hazy and lips parted. Less than an inch from her face was the profile of a man. He was staring at her intently, returning her passionate gaze. Their faces were so close they were practically breathing the same air, lips barely an inch apart. In the photo, the man’s hands were tightly gripping Olivia’s waist. Under the red lighting, it looked incredibly sultry. Just like a promo poster for some trashy romance drama. 02 I didn’t recognize the man, but I knew who he was. Ethan. Olivia’s first love that she had pined after for five years. From high school through college. We had shared our romantic histories before. Olivia had only vaguely mentioned having a crush on an older classmate, without going into details. So I hadn’t thought much of it, assuming it was just a fleeting infatuation from her school days. What did I care about her first love when I was the one by her side now? But this photo felt like a bullet through my chest. My heart clenched painfully. Olivia’s face slowly distorted before my eyes. My palm stung and I realized the metal edge of my phone case had cut into my skin at some point. I snapped out of my daze and looked back at the post, but it had already been deleted. I quickly called Olivia but there was no answer. I tried her bridesmaid instead. She picked up and I got straight to the point: “Where are you guys?” “We’re having dinner.” She hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. “Is something wrong?” “Give me the address.” I said. “That guy is still there, right?” Silence on the other end. Then I heard Olivia’s voice: “It’s your turn to drink! Who are you on the phone with?” “Just work stuff,” the bridesmaid said in a low voice. “I gotta go, my phone’s about to die.” “$1000,” I said. “What are you doing? What do you take me for?” “$3000, plus all the info on that guy.” “Well… you can’t say I told you.” I grunted in agreement. Soon, my phone was blowing up with notifications. 03 She had sent me Olivia’s secret Twitter account. I clicked through and saw she posted very frequently. Every meal, outing, and book she read warranted a post. And Ethan commented on every single one. Olivia: “It’s getting cold, time to knit a scarf for your loved one!” Ethan: “I got the scarf, but she’s at home so I can’t pick it up.” Olivia: “Hmph, forget it then.” It was a blue scarf – the birthday gift Olivia had given me last year. She claimed it took her two months to knit and I was so touched. I quickly dug out the scarf and sure enough, next to my name I saw some unraveled stitches. I could just make out the character for “Ethan”. And here I thought it was just due to her lack of skill. Turns out Ethan didn’t want it, so it got passed on to me. Olivia: “Made a wish at the temple today. Bless me!” Ethan: “What did you wish for? Tell me!” Olivia: “The thing you want to do most. (sticks out tongue)” Ethan: “See the stars in the Sahara Desert?” Olivia: “So smart, I’ll give you a kiss as a reward.” My mind flashed back to our third anniversary. We had gone to a temple to make wishes and hang prayer cards. I wrote that I would love the girl beside me with all my heart, asking all the gods to bear witness. She wrote: “I want to go see the stars in the Sahara Desert with the one I love.” I had invited her to go several times after that. But she always said she was too tired. Turns out it wasn’t that she didn’t want to go. I just wasn’t worthy. Is that right? 04 Valentine’s Day 202 I was stuck in a hotel due to COVID restrictions. Unable to spend the holiday with Olivia. She was mad at me for a long time. It took me a week to make it up to her. But I found her post from that day. A selfie of her and Ethan kissing in front of a mirror. The background was our bedroom. Caption: Love is always reckless. God damn it.

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Five years ago, I stormed off in a huff, leaving Asher. Later, he won the Best Actor award, but at the Starfall Awards Gala, he held up my photo, searching for me. “My beloved has been missing for a month. Please, help me find her.” Yet, news of my gruesome death had exploded countless times back in 2018. But Asher, traumatized, had developed amnesia, blocking out everything after my death. The day his manager announced Asher was stepping away from the spotlight indefinitely, the news of Asher’s suicide sent shockwaves. Asher’s name and mine were trending again. It all started when Asher, then 32, won the coveted Best Actor award at the Starfall Awards Gala for his film “Daylight Revelry.” After a heartfelt speech about his arduous journey, Asher, in front of the entire world, pulled out a faded, yellowed photograph. In the video, Asher looked directly at the camera, his flawless face etched with a hint of helplessness. “Folks, my beloved stormed off in a huff about a month ago. Please, help me find her. Her name is Chloe Nelson.” Asher’s voice was steady, almost as if he was indulging a playful child. Or, in another sense, it was a ridiculously enviable display of affection. But the guests at the awards ceremony were dumbfounded. Because everyone knew that in 2018, a brutal stabbing incident occurred at the city’s main airport. The killer was a sociopath, and I, protecting a child separated from their family, was killed instantly. Afterward, my name was on the trending topics for a month. Naturally, so was Asher’s. They unearthed that Asher and I had been together for 25 years. Our families were neighbors since we were kids, making us childhood sweethearts. They even found adorable clips of our romance in Asher’s Ins vlogs. After my death, everyone remembered Chloe Nelson. Time always quietly washes things away, making them blurry. Five years had passed, and everyone thought Asher was fine. Though he’d lost a staggering thirty pounds a month after my death, and developed severe depression six months after, and David had found him after six suicide attempts— Still, he seemed to recover. In the second year, when spring bloomed, Asher finally logged back onto Ins after a year. He posted a selfie and typed out sixteen words in half an hour. [I’m Asher, David tells me healing means facing the light again.] Asher’s fans flooded the comments. [Brother, you’re finally back.] [So brother, you’ll eat well and gain some weight today, right?] [Texas BBQ is seriously delicious!] Among them, there were rival fan accounts trying to rain on his parade. [Is the big movie star broke?] [What about Chloe Nelson? Mr. Deeply Devoted, do you still remember her?] In a blink, that comment was buried under angry comments, countless people fiercely condemning it. But to everyone’s shock, Asher saw it. He replied: [Why wouldn’t I remember Chloe?] Sometimes, text can seem devoid of emotion, unable to truly convey a person’s thoughts or actions. At first glance, his reply seemed powerful. But in reality, on the other side of the screen, Asher’s gaze was as lost as a child’s. He asked David the same question. David’s throat tightened. As always, he found a way to lie: “Just some crazy haters, no bottom line, they’ll make up anything.” His therapist had told him that Asher’s depression hadn’t truly healed. He had symptoms like a form of trauma-induced amnesia, subconsciously forgetting things he wanted to forget. Over the past year, through depression and self-harm, he had, by a cruel twist of fate, developed a self-defense mechanism when he was unhappy. This meant Asher would sometimes be normal, and other times he would forget. Right now, he was in a state of extreme sorrow. David had worked with Asher for years. He genuinely sympathized with this man who had grown up through such hardship but loved so fiercely. So, he had sincerely asked the therapist, “Then how can I make him happier?” The answer he got was to let him do what he was good at— Acting. David had initially worried about this, but later found his worries were unnecessary. The moment Asher stepped onto a new set and received his script, he would automatically immerse himself in the role, professional and dedicated. Only two accidents had occurred in these past few years. One was three years ago when Asher played a professional assassin. Facing a diligently trembling young actor, he suddenly burst into tears. Everyone on set panicked. Sweat poured down his face, and he looked anxious, just like the day I had died. Asher’s face was pale, and he bit his lips until they bled. David couldn’t alleviate his pain, only stay with him. About three hours passed. In the dimly lit room, Asher suddenly reached out to touch the faint rays of light. David thought he would forget again and then asked him about me. But Asher asked a different question: “David, is the child Chloe saved that day doing okay?” David had met the child. The child’s parents had also wanted to see Asher. He didn’t intend to hide it: “He’s doing great. The kid’s in middle school now.” Asher lowered his gaze and nodded, his voice hoarse: “That’s good.” David could only sigh and pat his shoulder. The next moment, the man, who had been feigning strength, suddenly let down all his guard, becoming as fragile as grass. Tears blurred his vision and slid down his face, looking utterly broken. “But what about my Chloe?” “My,” Asher’s throat bobbed, “my Chloe?” But I could only watch, even more helpless than him.

The second incident was at the awards ceremony. On Ins, there were over a dozen trending topics about Asher and me, all exploding. I remember Asher’s twelve years as an actor. From the moment he debuted, he publicly announced my name on Ins. David, who discovered him, advised him to consider his career and keep his relationship private, but Asher stubbornly refused. In his second year, he starred in a low-budget show that blew up overnight. His follower count exploded by hundreds of thousands overnight, and fans quickly noticed Asher’s pinned Ins post. It read: [My beloved, Chloe Nelson.] This deterred many new fans. I, too, had selfishly worried about Asher’s career, so I felt awkward and decided to break up with him. But as soon as I finished my breakup speech to Asher on SnapChat, tears streaming down my face, a total mess, Asher came into the room with his camera, taking pictures of me. He happily kept snapping unflattering photos of me. Too furious to stand it, I chased him in my sneakers. “You’re crazy! Why are you taking pictures of me?!” I chased him until I collapsed, exhausted. Asher would annoyingly flop down beside me, saying seriously, “My dear Ms. Nelson, you don’t need to cry about how special you are to me. I’m successful because I’m dedicated and talented, not because I’m single.” I called him narcissistic and full of himself, but the very next day, Asher updated his pinned post. Late at night, he wrote a full ten thousand words. It detailed our love story, saying we had known each other for twenty years. When Asher was little, he was abused, and on his way to the police station to report it, he fainted. It was me, timidly following him, who happened to save him. Afterward, Asher’s parents, Frank and Martha Miller, were convicted of domestic violence and sentenced to prison. His grandfather, who never liked him, saw my parents’ kindness and sent him to live with us. So, he became part of our family. My parents raised him until he grew up. For twenty years, my heart was as pure as water, but Asher secretly developed feelings for me. The day college entrance exams ended was Asher’s birthday. My parents were away on a business trip, and I carefully prepared all the birthday decorations for Asher. But as soon as the lights went out, Asher confessed his feelings to me. I still remember that scene. The dim, warm light, the faint scent of cake, and the pale-skinned boy with his eyes closed, making a solemn wish. Asher had been handsome since he was a child. So, for a moment, I was mesmerized. Then he blew out the candles and opened his eyes, and our gazes met. My pounding heart became deafening. “Did you make a wish?” I snapped back to reality, instinctively blinking and asking him. “Yeah, I did.” Actually, I never usually asked, but I was at a loss for words and subconsciously asked him what he wished for. That night, I was as innocent as a lamb being led to slaughter. Asher’s throat bobbed, wanting his wish to come true. His teenage crush seemed irrepressible, and he gazed at me with stubborn devotion: “Chloe, can we be together?” “…” Clearly, I was too young and confused, so I refused. After getting into college, we specifically chose different schools, thinking we’d go our separate ways for good. Then, the second year, Asher was in a car accident and got injured. During the New Year’s holiday, my parents were busy with social engagements out of town, so taking care of the injured Asher fell to me and a nurse. Asher was silent, and I ignored him. Then, on New Year’s Eve, the nurse went home for the holiday. That night, fireworks lit up the sky. Thrilled, I helped Asher to the balcony. Before we could even ring in the new year, his faint voice came from behind me. “Why won’t you let me watch the fireworks?” His tone carried a hint of sadness. I stupidly mumbled, “Huh?” The next second, huge fireworks burst across the sky. I was practically jumping with excitement watching them, but Asher was only secretly watching me. When the fireworks stopped, I noticed. Feeling awkward, I just rubbed my nose and looked at the ground, scuffing my sneakers on the pavement, wishing the ground would just swallow me whole. But then he tilted my chin up. Under the night sky, Asher seemed dim and hurt, his voice slightly hoarse: “Chloe Nelson, am I really that annoying?” I’m usually warm-hearted, so I quickly rushed to say, “No, no, of course not!” hastily explaining that I was just awkward, not that I disliked him. Asher pursed his lips in thought: “But you never said yes to me.” At that, I just wanted the ground to swallow me whole even more. The next time we met was in our junior year. My roommates were all eagerly pairing off, leaving me as the only single one. In true “wing-woman” fashion, they started parading their brothers’ profiles like treasures, and one even made a whole presentation for me. It was my social anxiety nightmare. I was stressing about it during Thanksgiving break when Asher coincidentally brought me some homemade cookies my mom had made. So, I pulled him over, grinning, and introduced him to my roommates: “See? This is my boyfriend, alright?” I gave him a quick pinch, a silent warning not to blow our cover. Asher, a born actor, played along perfectly. His smile was practically bursting, and he even offered to treat everyone to a fun three-day visit to the Drama Academy during the break. My roommates immediately ditched their boyfriends to come see the handsome couple. And Asher and I played temporary lovers for three days. On the last day, Asher treated everyone to dinner. That night, after a hearty meal, I was the only one completely sober, because Asher had shown ultra-possessiveness and wouldn’t let me drink. After I saw off my dear roommates one by one, Asher, seemingly drunk, collapsed onto me, conveniently dropping his apartment keys. I told him he was totally taking advantage of me. His eyes were beautiful, and when they turned red from the alcohol, his trembling lashes were even more captivating. “So, are you just going to leave me for dead?” Okay, completely smitten. The next year, Asher and I officially became a couple. After graduation, Asher frequently auditioned and acted. I remember in his third year, he landed a background role with five lines. We celebrated all night. I told him his future was so bright. In his fourth year, David discovered him, and by a stroke of luck, he starred in a low-budget, independent film that blew up overnight. So, at the very end of his long post, he wrote: [I won’t abandon the shoes that fit me best just because I’ve walked a long way, or forget the mud she’s cleaned off countless times. And I won’t lose my original intention just because I want fame. My original intention is Chloe Nelson. I’ve loved her for so many years.] That’s why Asher was hailed as the ultimate ‘relationship goals’ celebrity. I read his statement, my eyes welling up with tears, and jokingly posted on my social media: [Well written, but who exactly was your ‘shoe’ again?] Asher replied helplessly: [Me.] For all these years, Asher steadfastly kept his promise. He loved filming and often turned our lives into vlogs for his fans to watch. I was even dubbed the most envied girlfriend in the industry, people saying we were both one of a kind. Some even binge-watched our entire relationship history overnight and commented: [Girl, if you two ever break up, I’ll never believe in love again.]

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My ex-wife got into a car crash and lost her memory. She turned into a twenty-year-old girl, her memories perfectly frozen at the time she loved me the most. “Declan Davies, so ten years from now, you’re my husband!” Chloe Hayes jumped off the hospital bed, her face alight with shock and joy. She rushed over, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace. “I’m not dreaming, am I? Oh my god, my secret crush actually came true!!” I stood there, stunned by her embrace, but my heart was filled with nothing but desolation. “Chloe,” I said softly, “You forgot. We divorced last month.” “And,” I added, my voice cold, “you cheated.” 0 During a time when everyone else was buzzing with holiday cheer, I was the biggest sucker, waiting bitterly outside City Hall. I waited all day. I waited until the staff went home, but my ex-wife never showed. Damn it. She was the one who proposed the divorce, the contracts were signed, and now she was playing hide-and-seek with the final paperwork? Seriously? My eyes blazed with fury as I furiously dialed her number. But her phone was off. By the time it was dark and City Hall closed, there was no way I was getting divorced today. I trudged into the parking lot, ready to drive away. Just as I started the car, my phone rang. “Hello, are you Ms. Chloe Hayes’s family? We’re from General Hospital. Ms. Hayes was in a car accident…” 0

Great. Couldn’t even get divorced, and now I was getting a scam call. Without a second thought, I spat, “Yes, I’m Chloe Hayes’s husband. Is she dying? Don’t waste medical resources, just let her go!” “Yes, I said it. I’ll take full responsibility. Just wheel her straight to the morgue!” The person on the other end was clearly taken aback. “Ms. Hayes just has a fractured leg…” The doctor sounded young, clearly not used to dealing with frantic family members. His voice was a bit shaky. “We’ve already put a cast on her leg and set the bone. Would it be convenient for you to come down?” His words were vague. I frowned, a strange feeling stirring in my gut, but I politely waved it off. “No need. A fracture isn’t a big deal. I’m very busy, so I won’t be coming.” “Oh…” He sounded a little disappointed, but still asked, “Also, Ms. Hayes was in the car accident with Mr. Brandon Lee. We can’t reach Mr. Lee’s family. Do you know him?” At the mention of that name, I instantly perked up. “I know him. What happened to him?” “He’s severely injured, with extensive contusions all over his body. His hand might be permanently disabled, and he’ll have large scars…” “I’ll be right there!!!” I was overjoyed, practically bursting with delight as I yelled, “General Hospital, right? Which floor, which room? I’ll be there in twenty minutes!!!” Doctor: “We’re in the West Wing, fifth floor…” I hung up immediately, slamming my foot on the gas. My black SUV shot out like a shark, cutting forcefully into the bustling traffic. After that call, the gloom that had hung over me instantly dispersed. Yeah, my ex-wife broke her leg in a crash, who cares about her? But— That pretty boy getting disfigured, potentially left with a lifelong disability? That kind of good news doesn’t come around often. How could I miss a show like that?! 0

When it came to Chloe Hayes, I was completely indifferent. But hearing Brandon Lee was disfigured, I raced there, even impatient for the hospital elevator, practically scrambling up five flights of stairs. I was genuinely anxious, terrified I’d miss it. The doctors couldn’t believe how fast I arrived. With a beaming face and overflowing excitement, I burst into the ward. “Where’s Brandon Lee? How’s his hand disabled? How big are the scars? Let me see! Let me see!” Everyone in the room stared at me, their faces awkward. I wasn’t awkward at all. I just felt a surge of pure joy. “Where is he? Where is he??” But the next second, the curtain around the bed opened. Chloe Hayes, one leg in a full cast, looked at me with a bewildered, uncertain expression. My face instantly darkened. Yet, she gazed at me, her voice trembling, and confused. “Are you… are you Declan Davies’s… brother?” Me: “?!” I scoffed. “I’m your father!” That comment seemed to hit something in Chloe. She clutched her head, a pained expression on her face, and collapsed back onto the bed. The doctor pulled me out of the room and explained, “Ms. Hayes has a concussion, and her memory is scrambled. She answers general knowledge questions fine, but when we ask her age, she says she’s twenty…” I wasn’t listening properly. The doctor seemed to catch on. “Mr. Lee’s room is on the sixth floor. He’s still not entirely out of critical condition. You can see him through the glass.” Without a word, I sprinted off. Everyone exchanged bewildered glances. When I finally reached the sixth floor and saw Brandon Lee… I personally saw this pretty boy, who had destroyed my marriage, and who had been strutting around like a peacock just days ago. Now he lay there, covered in bandages, his right hand strangely curled into a deformed claw. His once handsome face was a mess of injuries. Out of common decency, I almost felt a pang of pity. But then I thought of what he’d done to me, and my sense of decency vanished instantly. I was no longer a decent person. 0

When I returned to the fifth floor, I immediately pulled out the cash from my wallet, ready to hand out bonuses to everyone present. Yes. I wanted everyone to share in my happiness. And they certainly did. The doctor’s hand trembled slightly as he took the money. “Mr. Davies, the patient’s condition is a bit complex, and our medical facilities here are limited…” I waved my hand dismissively, feeling utterly generous. “She thinks she’s twenty? Then she’s twenty. Doesn’t matter.” “I think you guys are great! Treat her. If she dies or gets worse, I won’t make a fuss!” A heavy silence fell, everyone speechless. They had nothing to say. In the room were doctors, nurses, and huddled in a corner, Chloe’s secretary and lawyer. They were so desperate not to be seen by me, they squeezed themselves into a corner, trying to disappear. I smirked. “I can’t speak for Chloe’s treatment.” Finally, I admitted to the doctor, “Although we haven’t completed the legal procedures, we’ve already signed the divorce agreement. I can no longer act on her behalf.” “These are her assistant and lawyer.” I pointed to the corner. The people I pointed at visibly flinched. They were too ashamed to face me, shrinking further away. “You should consult with them,” I said. The secretary and lawyer were just meekly nodding. Seeing that, I found it hilarious. “You guys helped with the divorce, but you’re just employees.” I pulled out a cigarette, placed it between my lips, but didn’t light it. I gave them a smile. “No need to be afraid of me. I’m not a bad guy.” The secretary stood there awkwardly, utterly mortified. And the lawyer, who seemed young and a bit stiff, actually blushed at my smile. Her pretty, scholarly face, even with her wire-rimmed glasses, couldn’t maintain its professional composure. “Mr. Davies,” the lawyer’s face was flushed. She told me, “You didn’t have to come…” “Hmm.” I was in a good mood, and quite nonchalant. “I’m actually about to leave now.” At those words, the curtain around the bed was suddenly pulled open. Chloe had just endured another headache and was now lucid. The secretary rushed to her side. But Chloe, with her twenty-year-old memory, looked around, completely ignoring her own trusted confidantes. She stared at me, her expression bewildered, hazy. “Declan… how did you become like this?” “You look… a little older.” I touched my face. Right. It had been ten years, after all. Who wouldn’t age? I didn’t bother arguing with this potentially insane woman, nor did I feel like responding. I simply turned and walked away. But then, a loud thud sounded behind me. It was Chloe, dragging her broken, cast-clad leg off the bed. She’d lost her balance and fallen. She lay on the floor, frantically scrambling towards me, like a madwoman. “Declan, don’t go!” The secretary rushed to help her up, but Chloe pushed her away. This CEO, with the memory of a twenty-year-old, no longer recognized her own key personnel. Her face was a mix of confusion, disbelief, and urgent desperation. “I don’t even know you!” “Leave me alone!!” “Declan, wait for me, take me with you!” She lay on the ground, shouting towards the door, feeling utterly abandoned, desperately calling out for her only lifeline. “Don’t leave me behind!” 0

I had already stepped out of the ward door. Hearing the commotion, I was genuinely startled and turned to look. Chloe Hayes was a scorching hot tech new blood. She had started from scratch, gained fame young, and by twenty-five or twenty-six, she was a renowned female CEO. Everyone respectfully called her “Little CEO Hayes.” Along with her fame came her reputation for being strict, cold, hard to get along with, and keeping people at arm’s length. Now, she was sprawled on the floor, completely losing her composure, frantically crawling towards me— I suddenly walked back, knelt in front of her, and asked, “Do you really only recognize me?” “Who am I?” Chloe reached out and grabbed my arm without any hesitation. She was clearly terrified I’d run off again. Chloe answered without missing a beat: “You’re Declan Davies, you live next door to me. Your dad is Mr. Davies, your mom is a high school teacher, and you’re severely allergic to peanuts and seafood. Just a tiny bit and your whole body swells up.” That… that was all perfectly accurate. My mouth twitched. “You… you think you’re twenty, right?” “Then think about it, when we were twenty, we were sophomores in college. Look at your face now, do you look like a college student?” Chloe touched her face, then looked at me. For some reason, her face actually turned red. Me: “…” “I, I heard the doctor call you.” Chloe, dragging her broken leg, sat on the floor. Her expression was very serious, but her gaze started to drift back and forth. “I know I’m not twenty. The moment I saw you, I knew. I must have hit my head and forgotten these past few years.” She squeezed my arm, and finally said, “You… you’re my husband now.” I didn’t say anything. At that moment, I felt exhausted. After all, before coming here, I had already spent a grueling day waiting at City Hall, witnessing countless couples marry, and countless others part in bitterness. There, I had told myself that when Chloe and I finally separated, I wouldn’t be consumed by such love, hate, and anger. At the very end, I wanted to maintain my composure. I was a man who valued his dignity. But I never expected this stupid Chloe, who apparently didn’t value her life, to recklessly swerve at high speed and crash into a barrier with that pretty boy. So I stood up then— Because Chloe was clutching my arm, refusing to let go. I had no choice but to pull her up with me. With one leg in a cast, Chloe had to stand on one foot. She watched the secretary and lawyer warily, like an injured animal separated from its pack. To get away, I pulled the secretary over and told her, “You are Chloe Hayes, thirty years old.” “You are currently the founder and CEO of Longview Tech. This is your secretary and company legal counsel. You can trust them.” Chloe looked at them, frowning. I smiled at her. “Even if you don’t remember, congratulations. Chloe, at thirty, you’ve truly made it big.” But she just stared at me blankly. She said, “How many years have we been married?” I was very patient. “Five years.” Chloe mentally calculated the time, her eyes starting to drift again. “We ended up together right after college graduation, so… do we have any children?” I paused. “Yes,” I said calmly. “But at four months, we couldn’t keep the baby.” Chloe took a step back. Those words seemed to stab her like a needle. She instinctively released my arm, and her body began to tremble. But she herself didn’t know where this sudden reaction came from. She stood there blankly, shaking violently. A sudden pain assaulted her, tearing at her heart, even making her lose control. “I…” She clutched her head again, pain wracking her as she said, “Declan, our… I…” I watched with cold eyes, unaffected. Until Chloe, still clutching her head, collapsed again. With my hands in my pockets, I watched her tremble as she fell back onto the hospital bed, her features contorted, her head clutched in her hands, tears streaming down her face. Doctors and nurses rushed to her side, everyone else caught off guard. In the midst of the chaos, I told the secretary, “Please reschedule. Book an appointment at City Hall. We’ll finalize the paperwork next Wednesday.” The secretary looked at me in a panic. She hesitated, unsure what to say. But I had already turned and left. 0

I got married when I was twenty-five. The timing was neither too early nor too late, right when we were at our poorest. Back then, I couldn’t even scrounge up a hundred bucks. So I bought a fifty-eight-dollar strawberry cake, lit candles, and proposed to Chloe with it. It wasn’t just simple. It was downright shabby. Most couples who achieve their happily-ever-after have flowers, diamond rings, and romantic dinners. We only had that cake. We squeezed into a rented apartment, eating cake, getting it all over our faces. After the cake, we were still hungry, so I went into the tiny kitchen and cooked instant noodles. The kitchen was cramped, the whole room filled with steaming vapor from the pot. Chloe suddenly walked in and said, “How about we get married?” I paused, then said, “Okay.” Just like that, we finished our noodles, and the next day we went to City Hall, got our license, and became legally wed. We had been neighbors since childhood, childhood sweethearts. My heart mirrored hers, from naive youth all the way to thirty, when we were supposed to be established. No lost loves, no sneaky rivals, no sudden interlopers. We were soulmates, fighting side by side. Finally, at thirty, my company secured several projects through its technology, and investments poured in like a tidal wave. We rode that wave, reversing our fortunes directly to become city new money. But at thirty-one, I caught Chloe and her male secretary, Brandon, in the act. Our marriage shattered instantly. At that very moment, it was in my own home. Chloe lay on the bed, still hungover, unaware of what was happening when we burst in. I grabbed a bottle of mineral water and splashed it directly on her face. Meanwhile, Brandon Lee, wrapped in a towel, was cornered in the bathroom by my friends. With so many of my friends backing me up, he was utterly panicked, practically wanting to grovel. “It… it was Ms. Hayes who asked me to stay with her!” He stammered, “As an intern, how could I refuse my boss…?” Is that all? My friends immediately started rolling up their sleeves, ready to throw punches. “If I’d known you had this kind of talent, I would’ve transferred you to the marketing department,” I smiled at him, a chilling smile. “Our client, Mr. Thompson, likes young guys. Since you can’t refuse people, why not take advantage of the situation and close that deal? Your year-end bonus would be more than a hundred grand!” Brandon hadn’t expected my mind to work in such mysterious ways. For a moment, he was speechless. Seeing that I was actually planning to exploit him, Brandon could only cling to the single towel that covered him, weakly trying to argue. “I’m sincere about Chloe.” How low-level was this kept man? How stupid could one person be? At the time, I even laughed at his foolishness, but my laughter quickly died. Because Chloe wiped the water from her face, got dressed, and calmly rose from the bed, proposing divorce to me. Yes. She was ready to divorce me. Disregarding the loss of shared assets, ignoring the company’s business operations— She was determined, resolved to take the wedding ring off my finger within three months—she even packed her things that very night and moved out of our home. I raged, I cursed, I even trashed the company office. But our marriage was already in ruins. This severely impacted my mental state, leading to me getting stabbed in the back by her trusted secretary during the divorce negotiations. In the divorce agreement, the company was no longer mine, and I would only get a third of our shared assets; even the house my parents paid for, our marital home, Chloe wanted half of. I couldn’t believe it. But it was too late, the damage was done. Just as I finally accepted reality and agreed to the divorce, that foolish woman, Chloe, got into a car accident and lost her memory. 0

Chloe truly remembered nothing. Years of experience had vanished instantly. With one car accident, she had literally achieved the impossible: “After years in the cutthroat world, she was back to being an innocent girl.” Company operations, business dealings, all that complicated stuff—she understood none of it. Chloe, with her memory frozen at twenty, could only solve college-level math problems; she couldn’t manage a company. She sat there, looking at the documents Sarah brought, her mind a complete blank. But—she still remembered me. I couldn’t even recall what I looked like at twenty. But twenty-year-old Chloe was so vibrant and lovely, it was hard to pretend not to see her. Especially since I was the only person she recognized. 0

To be honest, the one thing that truly surprised me after all these years was Chloe’s trusted secretary, Sarah, and her unbelievable nerve. After all, when Chloe and I were going through our messy divorce, that woman had screwed me over big time. This trusted secretary had secretly helped Chloe transfer company shares, then used the board of directors to kick me out of the game. She stripped me of my management and control over the company, and a lot of my equity. It cost me at least fifty million dollars. Out of all our marital assets, I only got a third. That last time at the hospital, I was just being polite, putting on a bit of a show. But what I never expected was that she’d take my politeness literally. That trusted secretary actually brought Chloe directly to my house to corner me. Because Chloe wanted to see me. Sarah used me as bait, fooling the extremely immature CEO into acting like a proper executive and attending an important meeting. Then, she fulfilled her promise and brought Chloe to find me. 0

When they arrived, I was in the middle of moving. The day I caught Chloe cheating, she moved directly out of our shared house. With the divorce looming, I naturally couldn’t live there anymore either. My friend had found me an apartment, and I’d completed the purchase last month. Most things were already set up, but I couldn’t bear to leave the good furniture behind. I figured I might as well take it. After all, none of these belongings were cheap, and that house was about to get a new male occupant to enjoy them. So, it was better if I just moved out. Therefore, the atmosphere when we met was… delicate. Sarah was incredibly awkward, seeing as she’d cost me so much money. And I felt a bit guilty too, given that I was secretly moving our marital assets. This time, Sarah decided to strike first. She proactively said to me, “Declan, you know, I’m just an employee. Each to their own boss, right?” “Ms. Hayes gave me my big break, so I couldn’t afford to be confused on such an important matter.” I rolled my eyes at her. Right, right. A big break, so she’d die for her boss. So I was just supposed to take it? She only lost her boss, but I lost a solid fifty million dollars! The two of us were muttering to each other on the balcony, while Chloe had already explored the entire house. When she saw Sarah and me whispering intimately, she instantly looked unsettled. She walked over and pulled us apart. She pointed at the packed moving boxes and asked, “Is this going to be our new home? I thought this house was perfectly fine. Why are we moving out now?” “Or are we moving to a bigger, grander place?” I looked at her. “I’m moving out. You’re still living here.” Chloe didn’t understand. I said coldly, “Because we finalized our divorce last month. The reason was your infidelity.”

I was completely unprepared for Chloe’s reaction. When she heard my words, she first froze, then burst into laughter, as if she’d heard the most absurd joke in existence. She clutched her stomach, her laughter hearty and clear. “Don’t joke like that,” twenty-year-old Chloe said, still laughing. “Why would I ever divorce you?” I looked at her, my expression calm. “There’s no endless feast, even you and I will eventually part ways.” “Impossible,” she declared, cutting me off. Her words shot out without thought. “If you said we never got together, fine. But since we’re married, there’s no way I’d ever leave you.” Her words made me want to laugh. Because she truly had forgotten so much. She’d forgotten the cruel, even harsh, and incredibly unfavorable property division that I had to endure; She’d forgotten the cold, still, numb expression on her face when she placed that divorce agreement in front of me. She’d forgotten saying to me herself, “Let’s just end it. We’ll both be free.” That’s how Chloe was, with her memory stuck at twenty. She remembered nothing, knew nothing, blindly believing that our future together was destined, that we’d be forever united, never to be separated. So, at that moment, malice churned in my heart. Why was it always me, the man, who got hurt or victimized? No. I wanted to hurt her too. I wanted to make her suffer. So, I asked her in return, “Why?” “Why do you think we won’t part ways?” Chloe looked at me. At that moment, the twenty-year-old and thirty-year-old versions of her seemed to merge, converging into one. But her gaze was so focused, so earnest. She looked at me intently and said, “Because I’ve liked you for so many years.” “After finally getting you, how could I ever let go?”

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Vivian had used me for seven years. Then she just said she was bored, and turned to a younger, more handsome college guy. This time, I didn’t argue. I tossed the diamond ring I’d bought for her, and shredded the wedding dress I’d picked out. Late that night, I boarded a plane, leaving the city behind. Her friends were all placing bets on how long it would take for me to grovel and beg her to take me back. Vivian just laughed, arrogant as ever: “Alex will come crawling back to me like a lost puppy, mark my words. It won’t even be a day.” But day after day passed, and I remained completely off the grid. She couldn’t sit still anymore. She called my phone: “Alex, you’ve had enough fun, now come back…” A soft, shy female voice cut her off: “Ms. Jiang, you should apologize sooner rather than later, or someone else will snatch him up.” Vivian gripped her phone, her voice trembling: “Who are you? Put Alex on the phone!” Chloe leaned down and lightly kissed me: “He can’t talk right now. He needs his rest. If it’s really important, I can kiss him awake for you.”

It was the seventh year of being with Vivian. I’d bought a diamond ring and the wedding dress she loved, mustering all my courage to finally propose. But, as luck would have it, I arrived a few minutes late to the party that day. Just in time to overhear her chatting with her friends. “Alex? Oh, him. He’s pretty vanilla, I’ve already grown tired of him.” Vivian sipped her red wine, a haughty smile playing on her lips: “Seven years. Wouldn’t you get bored?” The others chuckled, agreeing: “You’ve got a point. Seven years. Even the hottest guys lose their spark after a while.” “But Alex really is handsome.” “And his body is insane. For Vivian’s birthday last time, he wore that black suit, looked even better than those movie stars!” “Seriously, Vivian, you used to be so into him. Are you really just letting him go?” Vivian’s voice was flat: “Have I ever lied?” Her friend immediately changed tack: “Then… if I pursued Alex, you wouldn’t mind, right?” “Go for it,” Vivian said, taking another slow sip of her drink. “As long as *you* don’t feel disgusted by it.” “Seriously? Aren’t you embarrassed? You’re really going to take her sloppy seconds, someone Vivian is already bored with?” Another round of laughter erupted. That night, I didn’t step into the private room. I made up some excuse and went home early. Vivian didn’t ask a single follow-up question, just hung up the phone. It was probably that night my once fiery heart finally, completely extinguished.

Not two days later, word got around fast in our social circle. Vivian was pursuing a college sophomore. Perhaps he hadn’t seen much of the world, easily swayed by money and vanity. He was hooked in a couple of days. At a friends’ gathering, Vivian brought him along. The moment they walked in, everyone went silent. A few good friends looked at me with concern. I just smiled. “Why’s everyone so quiet? What are you looking at me for?” Vivian draped an arm around the guy, then sat down, finally looking me dead in the eye: “Alex, tonight’s a good opportunity. Let’s just lay it all out.” “Okay, go ahead.” “These on-again, off-again years have been pointless. The feelings faded long ago.” I clenched my hand tight, the diamond ring I’d hidden in my palm digging painfully into my skin. But I barely felt it. “You’re not as young as him, and you don’t have his bright, positive vibe. I truly like him.” Vivian held the guy’s hand, her eyes full of affection. I nodded slightly: “Yeah, I get it.” “We can still be friends. If you need anything, you can always come to me.” “Nah, let’s not.” I gave a small, sarcastic laugh and stood up: “Since we’re breaking up, let’s make it a clean break. Avoid any misunderstandings.” Vivian raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. A moment later, she said, “Fair enough.” “Then you guys carry on. I’m heading back.” “Want me to walk you out?” “No thanks, I’ll just grab a ride-share.” As I walked out of the room, casually closing the door behind me, I heard someone ask, “How long do you think Alex will last this time?” “Two days?” “He seems genuinely upset this time. I’ll bet five days.” Vivian glanced at the door, which wasn’t fully closed, and smirked: “Give it three days. Alex will come crawling back like a lost puppy. He always does.” “It’s been like this for years, hasn’t it?” The people inside all agreed: “True, how could Alex ever leave you? Everyone knows he’s crazy in love with you…” I let out a self-deprecating laugh, picking up my pace towards the elevator.

Back at my apartment, I pulled out the wedding dress she’d wanted for ages. And simply shredded it. After all, keeping it here would only be an eyesore for Vivian. When I finally left, I thought about it, and still left her a note. This apartment and everything in it was hers to dispose of as she pleased. She didn’t need to ask me. I booked a red-eye flight, leaving the city far behind, returning to a familiar place.

My buddies heard the news and threw a get-together that night. It was all old classmates and friends. A few rounds in, the door opened again. A few of the guys’ eyes lit up instantly: “Chloe? You’re a sight for sore eyes!” “Yeah, gorgeous Chloe, what brings you here tonight?” Chloe’s cheeks were flushed: “I was just talking business next door. Heard about the old classmates’ reunion, so I thought I’d crash the party.” As she spoke, her gaze lingered on me for a moment before slowly moving away. My buddy nudged me quietly: “Alex, Chloe’s here for you, right?” I propped myself up, looking at her. She was even taller than Vivian, and had a better figure. I squinted for a moment, then looked away, shaking my head: “No way. We haven’t been in touch for years.” But my buddy ignored me, calling out to Chloe directly: “Hey, Chloe, our campus queen, could you give Alex a ride home later?” “We’ve all been drinking, and we’re worried he’ll get ripped off by a ride-share.” Chloe’s gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on my face. After about two seconds, I saw her nod: “Okay.” “Thanks a million, campus queen!” My buddy sat back down, grinning, and whispered to me: “Alex, why should Vivian get to mess around and play the field, but you can’t start a new chapter?” “Besides, Chloe’s a stunning woman like this, it’s a no-brainer.” “How do you know she’d be interested in me?” My buddy gave a sly grin: “She was practically devouring you with her eyes just now!” “Trust my experience, man.” 4 When the party broke up, Chloe drove me back to my hotel. As we pulled up to the hotel entrance, I unbuckled my seatbelt. “Thanks for the ride tonight,” I said. Chloe turned her head to look at me: “No problem.” I pushed the car door open, about to get out, when I suddenly remembered what Vivian had said that day. On a strange whim, I asked, “Want to come up for a drink?” Chloe’s cheeks flushed, but she silently got out of the car. As I opened the hotel room door, I looked at Chloe again: “Chloe, aren’t you scared?” Chloe bit her lip, but her eyes were stubborn and determined: “Alex, I’m not scared.” She kissed me in the elevator. I was startled for a moment, but seeing her face, hot and flushed, I leaned down and met her kiss. As I swiped the key card to open the room, Chloe suddenly stopped me: “Alex, if you regret this, it’s not too late…” “Regret what?” I looked at her, my eyes slightly blurred with alcohol, and chuckled: “Why didn’t you ask when you were just kissing me?” Chloe stared at me, dumbfounded: “Alex, are you serious?” For some reason, the nervousness, the sadness, and the desperate resolve in her eyes suddenly made my heart ache. I didn’t say anything else, just gently hugged her. “I’m very serious, Chloe. Just give me a little more time.”

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My step-brother Julian hates my guts. But I always cling to him. He paid me twenty thousand bucks to stop walking home with him after school, and two hundred thousand to transfer out of our class. But every single time, I found my way back to him. After college entrance exams, he wired a huge sum of money to my card, his voice ice-cold: “Here’s five million. Go study abroad. Just don’t ever show up at my house again.” My eyes welled up. I lowered my head and said, “Okay.” YES! He finally fell for it. **1** I caught Julian nearly kissing Chloe, a scholarship student. It was in a dimly lit private room. He was slumped wearily against the corner sofa, eyes closed, his elegant profile obscured by shadow. Chloe, in a white dress, stood beside him, hands braced on either side of his body, tentatively leaning in, getting closer. I suddenly pushed the door open. She jumped, spinning around frantically to face me. Her eyes were wide and watery, like a startled deer’s. “Daisy, I…” I walked past her, toward Julian. “The driver’s here for me. Mr. Evans told me to bring you home too, since I was heading out.” He grabbed the jacket beside him, slung it on, and followed me out. It was late, and the hallway was quiet. He pulled the door shut but didn’t leave. He leaned against it, standing there casually. “She almost kissed me.” “…” I didn’t say anything. His voice took on a hint of annoyance. “She’s really timid. It took a lot for her to even try that.” I unlocked my phone, showed him the time, and the message my stepfather had sent me, explaining softly. “Mr. Evans really did tell me to pick you up on my way.” He glanced at it, grunting dismissively. “Oh.” “I’m an adult now. College entrance exams are over. He can’t control me anymore. Complaining won’t do anything.” The shifting, garish lights from inside the room swept over him, illuminating his brows and eyes. His cheeks were a little flushed. He was drunk. I clutched my sleeve, my voice barely a whisper. “But…” He cut me off abruptly. “Go home by yourself.” “And –” His fingers tapped on his phone a few times. “Here’s five million. Go study abroad. Don’t ever show up at my house again.” “Let’s not see each other ever again.” “Daisy, I really hate you.” He never wanted to see me again. My eyes instantly filled with tears. I lowered my head, holding back a sob. “Okay.” ***PAYWALL*** Julian turned and walked back into the room, slamming the door shut with a thud. I double-checked the numbers on my mobile banking app. Finally, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I squatted down, clapped my hand over my mouth, and let out muffled giggles. YES! He finally fell for it. **2** Julian had hated me for a long time. He thought my mom and I were only after the Evans family’s money. Well, he was pretty smart then. When he was fourteen, he put two geckos on my bed, trying to scare me into leaving his house. I burst into tears. To comfort me, Mr. Evans gave me extra allowance. Seeing the money, I cheered right up. When I was sixteen, Julian and I were assigned to the same high school. He didn’t want to be in the same class as me. And he didn’t want Mr. Evans to scold him and then comfort me again. So, he skipped all the usual steps. “Two hundred thousand.” “Transfer out of this class.” In freshman year, I left. In sophomore year, I went right back. He never specified a time limit. When I walked back into the classroom with my backpack, Julian’s face was dark. The guy in front of him chuckled. “Julian, your sister is really persistent.” Julian said coldly, “She’s not my sister.” Everyone exchanged knowing glances and chuckled. Julian looked at me, frowning. “What will it take for you to finally disappear from my sight?” My eyes reddened, “Do you really hate me that much?” He gestured with his hand, showing a number. I bit my lip. “Oops, sorry, I guess I came to the wrong class today.” **3** I realized I’d found a business opportunity. Julian was seriously loaded. His mom, who lived abroad, had paved every path for him. He’d play golf, and I’d be there, part of the “atmosphere crew,” bringing him water and his jacket. He confronted me about it. I looked up at him, my eyes sparkling. “I just admire my step-brother, is that not allowed?” He’d SnapChat me money. “If you have nothing to do, go shopping. Stop bothering me.” Well, I happily accepted. I stuck to Julian for over a year. Everyone knew he had this step-sister, and they even joked about us, saying they’d visit him at the orthopedic hospital next time. Eventually, Julian was too lazy to explain anymore. He just kept telling me to take the money and leave. But I wasn’t leaving my personal ATM. On Julian’s eighteenth birthday, he drank quite a bit. When he came home from the hotel, I held a bowl of hangover soup in one hand and helped him with the other. I hoped he’d be so drunk he’d see double and add an extra zero to the transfer. He squinted, looking down at me, and suddenly said. “Daisy, you’re truly cunning and manipulative.” There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice. My foot paused on the step. Getting insulted cost extra. He unexpectedly grabbed my waist, turned off the lights, and pressed me against the railing of the spiral staircase, kissing me. My vision instantly went dark. Only his magnified face was visible. His breathing was wild, like a storm. I pushed him away in shock. The bowl in my hand crashed to the floor, rolling down the stairs. Mr. Evans called from upstairs, “Daisy, what’s wrong?” I forced my voice steady, crying out plaintively as usual, “Julian’s drunk and throwing a tantrum, he broke my bowl.” Julian lowered his head, leaning against the railing, silent in the dim light. Mr. Evans sighed. “He’s like that. Gets crazy when he’s drunk. Don’t worry about him, go rest. I’ll help him.” I escaped back to my room. At 3 AM. Julian sent me a SnapChat. [I’m sorry.] [Didn’t see clearly, thought you were someone else.] It was the first time he ever apologized to me. But it felt like an insult. He attached a transfer. I didn’t accept it, and I didn’t reply. **4** I found out who that person was later. One of Julian’s admirers. Chloe Li, the scholarship student, who was consistently in the top ten of our grade. She was insecure and timid, only daring to look up at him from afar. But Julian, for some reason, noticed her. He said, “She’s like Daisy, always looking pitiful.” “Who are they trying to fool?” He hated me, yet he seemed to enjoy seeing Chloe act like that. After school, I was sitting in the car waiting for him. But then I saw a girl in a school uniform following him. The car door opened. He didn’t get in. He was holding her backpack, raising an eyebrow at me casually. “Get out.” I froze for a moment. Chloe carefully raised her hand, grabbing his arm and shaking it gently, her voice very soft. “It’s okay, Julian.” “I can go home myself.” Julian didn’t back down, his voice growing colder. “I’m taking her home.” “I’ve transferred the money to you. Get a cab yourself.” Why didn’t he give me enough to buy my own car to go home? Whatever. Don’t push your luck. I nodded awkwardly, biting my lip, clutching my backpack straps, and obediently got out of the car. It was dusk, and the crowds were dispersing. I stood alone by the roadside, staring at my shoelaces, tears falling one by one. Only after that car drove off in the opposite direction did I wipe away my tears and open Julian’s message. 20,000? Good thing I didn’t check the message in front of him. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to cry so convincingly. **5** Julian’s five million came too late. I hadn’t prepared for the IELTS in advance, so I had to cancel most of my travel plans and gatherings, cooped up in my room memorizing vocabulary. Julian was downstairs, throwing a party with his friends. The music was blasting. I took off my headphones and walked downstairs. “Can you turn the volume down a bit?” One of Julian’s friends patted the empty seat beside him, smiling. “Daisy, you’re home? Why don’t you come join us?” I smiled, a little embarrassed. “I was upstairs memorizing words.” “Memorizing words?” Someone finally turned off the music, listening carefully to me. “I thought people who got ahead like that only existed online.” “Chloe’s here to party, you should too.” Julian didn’t look up the entire time. Chloe sat next to him, smiling sweetly at me. Then she looked as if she wanted to say something but held back. “Daisy, you’re not planning to re-take the exams, are you?” Chloe and I weren’t close. Her calling me so intimately meant things were getting serious between her and Julian. She continued, “It’s okay if you didn’t do well.” “Mr. Evans is so rich, you must have plenty of options.” Sensing the tension between us, everyone quieted down. I said softly, “Yes, my family is rich. It doesn’t matter how I score.” “Chloe, are you worried about not doing well?” Her face turned pale. Julian finally looked up, patting her hand reassuringly. “Daisy, don’t be so excessive with your words.” I nodded. “Okay.” “I’m going back to study. Please keep your voices down.” I put my headphones back on and walked up the stairs. A few gazes from behind felt like daggers in my back.

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My Twin Brother Stole My Life. Now, I’m Back. My twin brother shoved aside Dr. Elena Petrova, the world’s leading skin repair specialist, whom Sienna Maxwell, the heiress from one of the most powerful and influential families in the city, had brought in. “This scar is part of me! If you see me as your brother, then stop trying to fix it!” The scar on his arm was gruesome, but his eyes blazed with fierce arrogance. “Sienna Maxwell, if it bothers you so much, just get lost!” Standing nearby, I gently touched the half of my face disfigured by the fire. What my brother dismissed so contemptuously was something I dreamed of begging for. I tugged at the female doctor’s sleeve, pleading with her to look at my face. My brother glared at me, his eyes filled with disgust. “Asher Reed, do you have no backbone?! Will you do anything for a superficial appearance?” Sienna Maxwell shot me a cold glance. “How could Landon have such a useless brother like you?” Yet, she still agreed to introduce me to the doctor. The condition was that I, a computer genius, would work for her for free for three years. One night, after too much to drink, things happened between us. After that, she seemed to treat me a little differently. Until I overheard her talking to a friend: “Asher Reed? He’s just a distraction when I’m bored. Nothing serious, just a bit of fun.”

“What about Landon Reed? I don’t see him reciprocating your feelings.” “He’s different.” Sienna’s voice turned serious. “He’s pure, untainted. Unlike anyone else. He’s worth waiting for.” A bitter ache spread from my heart through every part of my body. So, I was just a pastime. Fine by me. I turned and quietly walked away. My brother, Landon Reed, and I joined Sienna Maxwell’s company at the same time. He was headhunted with a high salary, basking in glory. I was just an accessory to a deal. My brother always prided himself on never taking the easy way out. More than once, he’d say in front of everyone, “I’m nothing like those men who climb their way up by relying on women.” Every time he said that, all eyes would fall on me. Sienna Maxwell’s admiration for my brother was an open secret. She pursued him, sending expensive watches, sports cars, and rare collectibles. But my brother always maintained that aloof, arrogant demeanor, keeping her at arm’s length. This only made Sienna Maxwell more captivated. And I? I was just a tool for her to pass the time. That night, with alcohol blurring my senses, we somehow ended up entangled. Afterward, she leaned against the headboard, a slender lady’s cigarette between her fingers, smoke curling around her. Suddenly, she stubbed out the cigarette, turned her head, and gently brushed the hair from my eyes. Her fingertips were cool, but her touch held a rare tenderness. “Your eyes are beautiful.” She gazed at me, her expression soft. A distant memory resurfaced. Amidst towering flames, thick smoke choked me, almost stealing my breath. I shielded a little girl with my small body. In the chaos, our eyes met. She said, “Your eyes are really beautiful.” Sienna Maxwell’s face in front of me slowly merged with the face of that girl from my memory. I’d always known Sienna Maxwell was searching for the boy who saved her from a fire. But I never dared to imagine it was me. I was insecure and quiet, while she was a golden girl, a child of privilege. We were from two different worlds. But at that moment, the focus in her eyes gave me a sliver of daring hope. I clutched the blanket, my voice trembling. “Sienna Maxwell, that fire… the boy who saved you, that was me.” The tenderness in her eyes instantly froze, replaced by disgust. “Asher Reed, you’d stoop to such lies just to cling to me!” I froze, my heart sinking bit by bit. “I’m not lying…” “Shut up!” She roughly cut me off. “I already checked! The one who saved me was Landon! The scar on his arm is proof!” I completely stiffened. My brother’s scar? That was from when he fell out of a tree trying to steal mangoes when he was a kid! He was never at that abandoned factory! “No, it was me who went into the fire, my brother he…” “Enough!” Sienna Maxwell stood up impatiently. “You’re not even fit to be compared to your brother!” With that, she slammed the door shut and left. I curled up on the bed, feeling utterly cold.

From childhood, everyone always preferred my brother. He was handsome and lively, like the sun. Because of the scar on my face, I was always dust hiding in the shadows. From that day on, I stopped mentioning the fire, and I stopped arguing. I became Sienna Maxwell’s secret bedmate. Unable to win my brother’s affection, she unleashed all her desires on me. Only, every time, she would cover my face with her hand or a pillow. She only wanted to look at my eyes. She said those eyes were very similar to Landon’s. I became my brother’s substitute. But after each time, she would hold me for a long while, silently, yet with a hint of dependence. That rare tenderness she occasionally offered gave me a false hope. A mistaken belief that I might actually have her. It wasn’t until today, with that single word “distraction,” that I fully woke up. I mocked my own foolish infatuation. The next day, as soon as I sat at my desk, Landon Reed walked up to me. He stopped in front of me and placed a document on my table. “Asher, I’m taking over the ‘Luna’ project from now on. Here are the handover documents, just sign them.” I snapped my head up, staring at him intently. “What did you say?” “Luna” was my brainchild, a project I’d poured my heart and soul into. For three years, I’d handled countless tasks for Sienna Maxwell. From technical support to system maintenance, but I never gave up on my own expertise. Programming was my only passion, the only light I could cling to in my dark life. As soon as I plunged into the world of code, I could temporarily forget all the disdain and ridicule. If the project succeeded, it would be the company’s core competitive advantage for the next decade. And I was the lead architect of this project. Sienna Maxwell once said in front of everyone, “Only Asher Reed can handle this project.” At that time, the appreciation in her eyes was my only comfort. But now, even this last comfort was being taken away. Landon gave a slight smile. “I know it’s hard for you to accept, but this is the company’s decision. You’re always so quiet and withdrawn; your personality isn’t suited to lead such an important project.” He paused, then reached out to straighten my collar, his action intimate, but his words like knives. “Leave it to me; I’ll make it even better. Don’t worry, I’ll lead everyone to success.” He turned his head, flashing a confident smile at the surrounding colleagues. “If anyone has any questions from now on, you can come directly to me.” I watched his posturing, feeling a wave of nausea. He turned back, lowering his voice to my ear: “Asher Reed, you’ve always been like this, unrefined. How come you haven’t improved at all? You’re a complete lost cause.” My chest tightened as if squeezed, a sharp, continuous pain. Just then, a commotion broke out at the office door. Sienna Maxwell had arrived. I looked at her, pleading. “Sienna Maxwell…” My gaze was so fervent, so full of desperate hope. The moment her eyes met mine, she seemed to pause, a flicker of complex emotion in her gaze. But that emotion was quickly suppressed, replaced by an indifferent expression. Sienna Maxwell frowned, “Giving the project to Landon was my decision.” Her words were like daggers to my heart. “Landon is right, you really do need more experience.” “Don’t you know my capabilities?” I asked, my voice hoarse, clinging to a last sliver of defiance. In these three years, she knew better than anyone how many technical problems I’d solved for the company, how much core code I’d written. My question seemed to annoy her. Her voice was full of impatience: “Asher Reed, why do you always have to compete with your brother?” “Let me tell you, you’re just not as capable as he is, and nowhere near as likable!” She leaned close to my ear, whispering a warning: “Don’t think that just because you got into my bed, you can forget your place!” I knew it deep down, but my heart still throbbed uncontrollably. I lowered my head, no longer looking at her. I picked up the pen and meticulously signed my name on the handover document. Done, I walked out of the office without looking back.

In the emergency stairwell. I leaned against the cold wall, my body shaking uncontrollably. I strained my neck, trying to force back the tears. Just then, Sienna Maxwell appeared. In the confined space, only our strained breathing filled the air. She silently walked towards me, watching my hands, my knuckles white from clenching them so tight. With a surprisingly gentle touch, she pried my fingers open, one by one. Her palm was warm, a warmth I couldn’t understand. She raised a hand and gently wiped away the tears that had finally escaped my eyes. “Don’t cry.” Her voice was low. “I know you’re upset.” My heart gave a sharp jolt. “Landon can be blunt sometimes, and his words aren’t always kind, but he doesn’t mean any harm. Please, don’t compete with your brother anymore, okay?” My breathing suddenly became ragged. I closed my eyes, and the tears finally fell. The next day, I submitted my resignation to HR. The HR manager seemed a bit surprised but quietly processed the paperwork. The moment I stepped out of the Maxwell Group building, I let out a long, slow breath. The sunlight was blinding, but it carried a sense of new beginning, a warm embrace. The three years were up; I was finally free. My phone vibrated. It was a text from Sienna Maxwell. [You MUST come to the company anniversary gala tonight.] It was an order, as always. I almost deleted it, but then I had a thought. Consider it closure with the past. When I arrived at the gala, I found a quiet corner and stayed there, feeling completely out of place amidst the glitz and glamour. All eyes were on Landon Reed. He wore a bespoke designer suit Sienna Maxwell had bought for him, looking dashing and charming. After he took over the Luna project, with Sienna Maxwell’s full support and promotion, he had become the industry’s rising star. People praised him for his talent and good looks, calling him Sienna Maxwell’s most capable right-hand man. And I? I was nothing more than an insignificant stepping stone on his path to success. Suddenly, the large screen in the center of the banquet hall lit up. The company’s promotional video, which had been playing on a loop, abruptly switched to a series of scandalous photos. The photos clearly showed me and Sienna Maxwell entangled on a hotel bed! The entire hall erupted in gasps. Whispers and murmurs surged toward me like a tidal wave. “Oh my God, isn’t that Asher Reed?” “His brother is so refined; how could he have such a shameless brother!” My body went numb with cold, as if plunged into an icy abyss. I instinctively looked at Landon Reed; he was standing in the crowd, a smug smile playing on his lips. In my panic, Sienna Maxwell pushed through the crowd, striding towards me, her face contorted with fury. Her complexion was stormy. “Asher Reed, you really outdid yourself!” She spat, “Using such vile, underhanded tactics just to climb your way up? You truly disgust me!” I looked at her, and a laugh inexplicably escaped me. “I didn’t do it.” I said calmly. “Still dare to lie!” Sienna Maxwell roared. “Landon Reed did it.” I raised my eyes, meeting her gaze directly. “Do you believe me?” Landon Reed walked closer, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Brother, I’ve always despised such despicable methods. But I never thought you were this kind of person.” He put on his high-and-mighty act again. Sienna Maxwell scoffed, “I believe you? Who else would have these photos if not you?” “I didn’t!” The next second, she raised her hand and slapped my face. The blow made me stumble, reeling back a few steps, crashing hard into the champagne tower behind me. The sound of shattering glass, accompanied by the guests’ screams, was jarring and chaotic. Countless glass shards flew everywhere, slicing my arms and cheek. Blood instantly welled up. But I felt no pain. The ache in my heart had already overshadowed everything else. Sienna Maxwell, however, didn’t even look at me. She turned, supporting Landon Reed, comforting him softly. “Landon, don’t be scared, I’m right here.” Then, she embraced him and walked out of the banquet hall without a backward glance. Leaving me alone amidst the wreckage and chaos. I don’t remember how I left the gala. I only recall Mr. Davies, our butler, rushing to my side and taking me to the hospital. Wounds cleaned, bandaged, stitched. The doctor said I was lucky the glass fragments didn’t hit my eyes. But the old scar on my face now had new injuries, making it even harder to treat. I lay in the hospital bed, sleepless through the night.

At dawn, I received an email from Dr. Elena Petrova, the internationally renowned plastic surgeon, from three years ago. She said there was a new research project abroad that might help with my face. She asked if I wanted to go abroad with her for treatment. I replied without hesitation. [I accept.] Just as I was about to complete my discharge procedures, my phone rang again. It was Sienna Maxwell. I hung up immediately. She called several more times, persistently, but I ignored them all. Soon after, a text message popped up. [Tonight at 8 PM, come to Starlight Bay. If you come, I’ll forgive you for everything that happened. I can even grant you one wish.] Starlight Bay was the place she took me after our first time. It had a beautiful private beach. She said she loved the stars there. Like my eyes… But ultimately, she was from a different social class than me. Looking at that text, she was still the same imperious heiress. I looked at the message, smiled faintly, and then deleted it. And blocked her contact permanently. I didn’t go to Starlight Bay. Instead, I went straight to the airport and boarded a flight to Switzerland. The moment the plane took off, I looked out the window at the city growing smaller and smaller, a profound sense of peace in my heart. At 8 PM that night, Sienna Maxwell sat alone on the terrace at Starlight Bay. The sea breeze was cool, carrying a salty, damp scent. She glanced at her phone; the screen still showed the message she’d sent, with no reply. She frowned, a surge of inexplicable irritation rising within her. Asher Reed should have come. She had acted impulsively at the gala, but she had given him an out. If he came, if he just softened a little, she could overlook it. She could even compensate him. Time ticked by, minute after minute, but Asher Reed never appeared. Sienna Maxwell’s patience finally wore thin. She picked up her phone and dialed the number she knew by heart. But the only response was the message that the phone was turned off. Sienna Maxwell’s heart plummeted, and a strong sense of unease gripped her. This wasn’t right. Asher Reed had always been so compliant; even when angry, he never dared to defy her so completely. She forced herself to remain calm, trying to find a reasonable explanation for his actions. He must still be angry about the project. Sienna Maxwell’s thoughts drifted back to that day. When she saw Asher Reed, looking so fragile and on the verge of breaking in front of Landon. Her heart felt a sharp prick, a discomforting sensation. So, after she left the office, she immediately followed him. In the emergency stairwell, she saw him like a small animal abandoned by the whole world. She, inexplicably, walked up to him and tried to comfort him. But when he finally pulled his hand away, his beautiful eyes held nothing but lifeless despair. She returned to her office, where Landon Reed proudly held the handover document, his smile glaring. Sienna Maxwell’s expression instantly turned cold. “Who told you to touch his project?” Landon Reed was startled by her icy tone, and he said, aggrieved, “Sienna, I just wanted to help you out… this project is very important to me…” Sienna Maxwell had no idea Landon Reed had done these things behind her back. But defending Landon Reed had become her automatic response. She was used to protecting the seemingly pure and innocent brother, used to sacrificing the always silent older brother. But seeing the light extinguished in Asher Reed’s eyes, she regretted it. So, she looked at Landon Reed and warned, “I don’t want this to happen a second time.” Sienna Maxwell rubbed her temples in frustration. She had already warned Landon; Asher Reed’s anger should have subsided. But why was the feeling of unease growing stronger and stronger? She couldn’t sit still anymore. She picked up her phone and called her secretary. “Immediately find out where Asher Reed is!” “Ms. Maxwell…” The secretary’s voice was hesitant. “Mr. Reed… completed his resignation procedures this morning.” “What did you say?!” Sienna Maxwell shot up from her chair, her blood instantly turning to ice. Resigned? How dared he, without her permission! She frantically dialed every number she could think of to reach him, sent people to his apartment, to his parents’ house…

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Elara and I, we were inseparable, the deadliest duo our special ops team had ever seen. Until one mission, I drew the short straw to pose as her husband. But then someone sabotaged us, and our staged marriage became frighteningly real. She blamed me for stealing the role of husband, a title meant for the man she truly loved. I blamed her for marrying me out of pure spite, when she clearly didn’t love me. For five years, we were at each other’s throats, practically wishing for the other’s demise. Until our old enemy, Ms. Obsidian, came seeking revenge. She cornered me on a luxury yacht, holding a gun to my head. “You die, or he dies, Elara. Your choice.” The moment the shot rang out, Elara lunged forward. She threw herself in front of me, tackling Ms. Obsidian, dragging her into the raging sea with her, taking her down with her. As they plunged, I heard her last words: “If there’s a next life, let’s just be partners, okay? No more being husband and wife.” I watched, numb, as the sea churned with crimson ripples, then swallowed them whole. The next second, the bomb beneath my seat reached zero. When I opened my eyes again, I was back. Back to the day we drew lots. I was a step ahead this time. I snatched the two mission slips. “No need to draw. I’ll go undercover alone.” This time, I’d make sure she got her happy ending. I wouldn’t be a roadblock to their love anymore.

Holding both slips, I felt a jolt of surprise. I looked up at Commander Thorne. Her eyes flickered with something I couldn’t quite place. After a moment, she looked at me, a complex expression on her face. “Falcon, this mission is extremely dangerous. Are you sure you want to go undercover?” In my past life, Leo had drawn the long slip and gone undercover. I, on the other hand, had been paired with Elara, pretending to be husband and wife. Back then, my heart had been pounding with excitement at the thought of faking a marriage with Elara. I hadn’t suspected for a second that Commander Thorne, who always favored me, had tampered with the slips. What she didn’t know was that her ‘favoritism’ had condemned Elara and me to five years of pure torment. I looked at her, gratitude welling up inside me. “Leo’s too impulsive. It’s better if I go undercover.” Seeing my insistence, she finally nodded. If one person went undercover, the other would automatically be paired with Elara to pose as a couple and provide backup. Just as we stepped out of the room, Elara rushed in, looking anxious. Leo’s face lit up. “Elara!” Her expression was cold, but her eyes were fixed on him. They stared at each other, and Leo’s ears turned crimson as he finally looked away. The tenderness in their eyes twisted a knot in my gut. The next second, she pulled me aside. Behind her, Leo’s face fell, a hint of jealousy in his eyes as he watched us. “I won’t agree to this plan.” “Ms. Obsidian is a sharp woman. The undercover agent will be found out.” “Leo doesn’t have much experience. I won’t agree to put him in danger.” She had protested just as fiercely in my last life when she found out Leo was going undercover. But in the end, every single one of her suggestions was shot down. I just calmly waited for the mission day, took her hand, and practically dragged her to City Hall to get our marriage license. A bitter taste filled my mouth. “You know someone has to go undercover. It’s either Leo or me.” Her cold face was emotionless, her voice cool but confident. “Just give the organization a little more time, and I’ll find Ms. Obsidian’s weakness. Going undercover isn’t the only way.” I gave a faint smile. The reason it had to be either Leo or me was because the enemy’s intelligence indicated that our special ops team was all women. So Leo and I were the most suitable candidates for the undercover role. “Elara! We’re out of time!” “No matter what you say, the mission has been set. Come to the team meeting or don’t, I don’t care!” With that, I ignored Elara’s stunned expression and walked away. I wasn’t going to tell her that I was the undercover agent this time. After all, the news that ‘Falcon’ was the groom would be much more surprising coming from the source. Elara, this time, I’d trade our partnership for a quiet drink at my grave.

That night, I kept replaying the events of my rebirth, still finding it hard to believe it was real. A knock at my door. I opened it to find Commander Thorne. She was carrying two cans of beer and a bag of skewers. “I don’t drink before missions,” I said, confused. She nodded. “I know. So I’ll drink, you eat the skewers.” I smiled genuinely. She drank silently, and I ate silently. After a long while, I couldn’t help but ask the question on my mind, “Why?” She knew I was asking about the slip-tampering and raised an eyebrow. “I was shipping you guys.” My jaw almost dropped. But her presence somehow calmed the turmoil in my heart. The next morning, before I was even fully awake, Elara was knocking on my dorm door. I rubbed my eyes as I opened it, and she strode straight in. Her cold eyes were bloodshot, narrowed into dangerous slits, the outer corners turned up. When she was on a mission, she’d draw a scorpion at the corner of her eye. Coupled with her ruthless expression, those in the underworld called her ‘The Scorpion’. Now, her eyes were bare, but her gaze was like daggers, ready to tear me apart. “Falcon, you’re despicable!” “Why did you conspire with Commander Thorne to tamper with the slips?!” “I thought, I really thought all of this was fate.” Her hands were around my throat, and she mumbled to herself. I struggled, my voice hoarse. “Elara, let go. It hurts!” “You feel pain? Doesn’t Leo feel pain?” “Doesn’t it hurt to die undercover?” “You don’t know, in my last life…” She stopped abruptly as if remembering something. When she looked at me again, her eyes were filled with disappointment. “Why do you insist on tearing us apart? Why do you insist on sending Leo undercover?” Her grip tightened. I hadn’t been expecting it, but I reacted instinctively, twisting my arm. We fought in the cramped space of my dorm. “Elara, are you crazy?” “Going undercover is the organization’s decision. It’s not something we can decide!” Her eyes were bloodshot as she roared, “You’re lying! Both slips were long! Leo said he drew the long slip to go undercover!” “We all know about your little trick with Commander Thorne!” Knowing her weakness, I used my strength to pin her down. “I’ll say it again: everything is the organization’s arrangement.” “As for what you want, the organization will consider that too!” She laughed, a bitter, desolate sound. “What I want, I can never have, all because of you.” Only when I felt her resistance drain did I slowly release my grip. Freed, she remained on her knees, slamming her fists repeatedly against the floor. After a long while, she recomposed herself, becoming that cold, aloof person once more, as if her earlier outburst hadn’t happened. She stood up, mumbling “I’m sorry,” but I didn’t respond. Only Leo could make her lose her composure like that. In our past life, when we were pretending to be married, she accidentally ingested a powerful drug. The situation was critical. To save her, I had no choice but to… Even then, in bed, she remained aloof and self-possessed. Not a trace of passion. Only after the drug wore off, as she stood up, did she say: “You will take responsibility for this.” After Leo’s death, the mission was terminated, but we never divorced. We continued our marriage, but she became even colder towards me. We used to be perfectly in-sync, partners in life and death. Later, we became mere acquaintances, a couple in name only. I thought this time, with me going undercover, we would remain true partners. I never expected such a rift to form between us. But perhaps it was for the best. If this mission failed, my death wouldn’t cause her too much pain.

I had spent three years researching Ms. Obsidian’s organization; the intel was crystal clear. Our team discussed the mission procedures and plans in an orderly fashion. Because he would be posing as Elara’s husband, Leo’s smiles became more frequent. After a meeting one day, he pulled a small yellow amulet from his pocket and, with a shy smile, handed it to Elara. “Elara, I got this at the temple yesterday.” Elara was an atheist; she detested anything to do with gods or prayers. When she was seven, her father died, and her mother, claiming enlightenment, gave away all their family wealth and became a nun. Elara was left to fend for herself, growing up with little support and a lot of judgment. Once, on a mission, I simply said, “May the heavens protect us,” and she glared at me fiercely. “Say that again, and you’re out of my team!” Watching Leo pull out the amulet, everyone in the team gasped. But the next second, everyone’s eyes widened as Elara smiled, took the amulet, immediately hung it around her neck, and then pulled out a jade pendant in the shape of a Bodhisattva from her own shirt. I recognized that jade pendant. It was something her mother had left behind before she abandoned them. Elara was a stubborn one; she hated her mother but still kept these things as mementos. In my past life, after we were married, I accidentally knocked the pendant off, and it fell to the floor. The pendant was fine, but she slammed me to the ground with an over-the-shoulder throw. Gus, our team observer, recovered first and started to tease. “Is our frosty Elara finally getting a heart?” I twisted open my water bottle and took a swallow. For some reason, the water today tasted bitter, even more so than my usual black coffee. The other two also chuckled. “Our Leo’s got real charm! He even melted Elara! If he goes undercover, he’ll have Ms. Obsidian, that old woman, wrapped around his finger. This mission is a sure thing!” Hearing that, I looked up, stunned, at Leo. His eyes darted away. I understood. He hadn’t told them. I couldn’t fathom why. Gus chimed in, “Leo, you’re so good-looking, make sure to protect yourself when you go undercover.” I watched Elara’s hands clench tightly. The next second, she slammed her fist on the table and said coldly, “Shut up!” Everyone fell silent, not daring to joke anymore. After the meeting, Leo pulled me into the shadows. “Falcon, I… I didn’t mean to say I was the undercover agent. Elara asked me about it.” His face flushed as he spoke. “Elara told me to protect myself and gave me lots of details and tips about going undercover in private.” “I didn’t have time to tell her.” Looking at him, I understood. I shook my head. “It’s fine. Elara’s just worried about you. Learn everything you can from her.” After all, Leo would be her partner now. I told myself this, trying to feel better. I don’t know how I got back to my dorm that day. The next morning, at the early meeting. I was a few minutes late. There were six people inside; I was the seventh. As soon as I entered the conference room, the atmosphere inside was heavy. Everyone was standing. Elara’s face was grim. Seeing me, she slowly spoke. “The first day you joined my team, I laid down three rules. Gus, recite them.” Gus hesitated, looking at me, then at Elara, before quietly speaking. “First, ensure your own survival. Second, ensure your teammates’ survival. Third, no infighting within the team.” Elara looked at another teammate and asked, “What’s the punishment for breaking a rule?” “Breaking the third rule means 3000 push-ups, a 10km weighted run, and a public apology.” She scanned the room, then turned her gaze to me. “Falcon, get ready for push-ups!”

I was utterly bewildered. “Why?!” I demanded. Gus leaned close to me, his face serious. “Falcon, seriously, you went too far this time. You need to apologize to Leo properly.” The other two nodded in agreement. I looked at Leo, who stood opposite me, his head bowed. “Why would you threaten him? You made a mistake and refuse to admit it!” She said, pulling a tissue from her pocket and spreading it open in front of me, her eyes burning. “That jade pendant was a gift I gave Leo for good luck.” “Why did you snatch it and smash it?!” I looked up, utterly shocked, and instinctively tried to explain to the others, “No, I didn’t!” “Leo, tell them what happened!” He shook his head, biting his lip, his voice choked with tears. “Falcon, I didn’t mean to tell on you, but Elara saw it. If I didn’t tell the truth, I’d be the one getting punished.” “Falcon, we know you like the Commander, but this is too much. She just gave Leo a jade pendant for good luck.” “After all, the undercover mission is so dangerous.” The others chimed in, accusing me. I looked at Leo, disbelief written all over my face. I couldn’t understand how someone could fabricate such lies out of thin air. “Leo, look at me. Was it really me?!” I stared at him, my voice trembling. The next second, he burst into tears. “Elara, Falcon didn’t mean to!” “Enough, Falcon!” “I am truly disappointed in you.” “With all these incidents, you don’t deserve to be my teammate.” “Confess and accept your punishment, and we might still accept you back on this team. Otherwise, I will report to headquarters that you are unfit to be a special agent.” I shook my head, my eyes burning. We had been on so many missions together. She knew what kind of person I was, but just because Leo shed a few tears, I suddenly became an unqualified agent in her eyes? “Are you going to apologize or not?!” She barked at me sternly. I bit my lip, staring fiercely at Leo. After a long moment, I spoke coldly, “I’m sorry!” “Louder!” “I’M SORRY!” “Get ready for push-ups!” I performed the push-ups without a word. Three thousand was no small number. My hands began to tremble, and the frequency of my reps slowed. When the 3000 push-ups were done, I picked up the weighted pack and turned to leave the room. Gus tried to intercede for me, but Elara silenced him with a cold glare. I ran lap after lap around the training ground. Until my legs were shaking. Towards the end, I stumbled and fell to the ground. A shadow fell over me, and a faint scent of perfume wafted into my nostrils. “Falcon, tsk tsk, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to test Elara’s feelings for you.” “Seems it wasn’t much after all!” He grinned triumphantly. I looked up, staring at him coldly. “Why?!” “Why does everyone, one by one, want me to go undercover?!” “Knowing it’s a death sentence, Commander Thorne too, and Elara too? She’s been training me daily, isn’t it all for you?” “To keep you safe, so they can sacrifice me?” I shook my head, finding it ridiculous. “It’s not like that, Leo.” “Not like that? Don’t think I don’t know just because you snatched the slips. And what if you and Elara were partners? As long as I’m the one by her side from now on, I’ll replace you eventually.” I said bitterly, “I’m sure you will.” Her heart has always been with you, that’s undeniable. But my sincere words were perceived as mockery and provocation in his eyes. He said fiercely, “Don’t get cocky.” As he spoke, he grabbed my hand and brought a pill to my mouth. “Falcon, I need you to do me a small favor!” The next second, he put the pill in my hand, then grabbed my hand and shoved *it* into his own mouth. He clutched his throat. “Falcon, why would you do this to me?”

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My first time getting sucked into a novel, and I woke up right in a psycho’s bed! But the villain… didn’t even flinch. That’s enough! Seriously, *enough*! Don’t you dare insult my body! 0 My name is Elara. I might be the only person in transmigration history to cross over because I literally *ate myself to death*. Alright, fine. Waking up inside a novel, I can deal with that. Becoming the villainess? I can deal with that too. But waking up in the villain’s bed, completely naked? How the hell am I supposed to deal with *that*? Nobody understands. The moment I opened my eyes, I felt something cold on my face. I focused, and holy hell, it was a blade pressed against my skin! “Dude, can we just talk this out?” My lips were trembling. Naked or not, at least I was alive. Better than being dead. “You’re not Elara,” he said, grabbing my chin, his gaze icy. This incredibly hot guy wore an ornate circlet, crimson earrings dangled from his lobes, and a distinctive mark was etched near his eye. Huh, he looked… familiar. Valerius? The one who seemed gentle and refined on the surface, but was actually a deranged psycho? “Ding-dong! Host’s system awareness has activated. You will now receive your quest.” What?! I have a system? Is this one of those villainess comeback stories? I’m totally familiar with those. “What’s the quest?” I thought, communicating with the system. “Host’s quest is to trigger hatred points. Incite hatred from all characters connected to you in this novel. Make everyone resent you.” *Trigger hatred points*? I hadn’t even dealt with the psycho in front of me yet. I’d probably be dead before I even started. Forget it, forget it. “If I’m not Elara, then who do you think I am?” I tried to dispel the villain’s suspicion first. “I don’t care who you are. You’re definitely here to break in this blade for me.” I felt the knife press in a little further, and I was about to be disfigured. Dammit, what do I do? I need to make him hate me, but I also need to save myself. A wild, crazy thought flashed through my mind. I grabbed his hand and shoved the blade towards *him*. If I was going to die, I might as well take him with me. We were incredibly close. Valerius didn’t resist, and the blade in his hand plunged right into his shoulder. Seriously? Is this psycho out of his mind? He didn’t even try to stop me?! I looked up at him. His face was filled with a terrifying excitement. He used his other hand to grip mine, pushing the blade even deeper. His blood stained my hand. I was completely numb! Thinking about killing someone and actually *doing* it are two totally different concepts! I wrapped myself in the blanket, leaped off the bed, grabbed some clothes from the changing screen, threw them on, and yanked open the door, bolting outside. I swear I’ve never sprinted so fast in my life. But after running a few steps, I pulled open the door and was frozen by what I saw. The ground was covered in poisonous scorpions! Between being killed and being bitten by poisonous bugs, I chose the former. I dashed back inside, slumped down by the door. Whatever. I was already exhausted. A soft chuckle echoed. I looked up. Valerius’s clothes were soaked with blood, but a gentle smile played on his lips. Why did he look so unnerving? I forced the most gentle smile of my life and said, “Valerius, how about we go outside first? The scorpions are about to crawl in.” “Come here.” His voice was deep and soft, but it sent a chill down my spine. In the original book, he always did the most vicious things with the gentlest expression. I walked over resignedly, my eyes filled with determination. My body wasn’t even warm yet, so if I died, I died. “How strange. Why is it that when *you* hurt me, I actually feel it?” It would be stranger if it *didn’t* hurt, I thought, rolling my eyes as I turned my head. “Stab me again, and I’ll take you outside.” Valerius placed the blade back in my hand, his eyes practically overflowing with anticipation. 0

You just can’t reason with a psycho. I gripped the blade, my hand shaking uncontrollably. Before, it was a crisis, so I acted without thinking twice. But now, in a normal situation, I couldn’t bring myself to do it! “Tsk, how boring.” I couldn’t bring myself to strike. Valerius seemed to lose interest. He simply scooped me up, opened the window, and jumped out. I swear to god, I just free-fell like I was flying, and I almost puked. I clung to his neck for dear life, terrified of being splattered into a pancake. Once we landed, I was even more speechless, because there was a whole group of people waiting to kill Valerius! My mind raced, and I finally remembered this plot point: Valerius’s disguise had been torn away, and the righteous heroes were attacking him. After he pulled me from his arms, my legs were shaking so badly I thought I’d collapse. My face must have looked utterly horrified, like I’d just seen a ghost. He took one look at my expression and burst out laughing. “Detecting a decrease in the villain’s hatred points. Currently at 60%.” Me: Can you *please* get it straight? I’m about to die! Who gives a damn about some stupid ‘points’? System: “Host, you will still need to complete the quest even if you die.” Me: … I took a good look around and realized: This guy *planned* this. No wonder he didn’t fight back earlier. He was setting me up! He deliberately led me straight into this trap. Damn it, I should have stayed upstairs. “So scared? How about I just kill you now, make it quick and painless.” Valerius leaned close, speaking gently. Painless, my ass! I forced a trembling smile. “No thanks, I think I’ll stick around a little longer. If I’m going down, you’re coming with me.” His expression suddenly turned cold. He pulled me with one hand and drew his own sword with the other. “Who says you’re going to die soon?” There were at least twenty opponents. A dark and stormy night – perfect for a massacre. I should’ve never stabbed him earlier. What if he couldn’t fight them off? “Valerius, you monster! Prepare to die!” They charged forward with their swords. I couldn’t see the faces of our attackers, only heard the clash of blades, and felt myself being yanked around so violently I felt like my last meal was about to make a reappearance. I squeezed my eyes shut, terrified a head might roll to my feet. The sounds of fighting gradually faded, but I still didn’t dare open my eyes. “Don’t want your eyes anymore? I can dig them out for you.” Valerius’s voice entered my ear, and I immediately snapped my eyes open in terror. A pile of corpses lay before me. No joke, it was really a *pile*! I’ve never met anyone so utterly insane. Why would he pile them up like that after killing them?! Just to make sure I saw it was a *pile*? What the hell is wrong with his brain? “My brain is perfectly fine. I just thought they were all about the same height, so piling them up might make them look neater.” Valerius’s smiling voice rang out. 0

This guy is insane!!! Before I could even process what happened, he grabbed my waist again and leaped into the air. This time, it was even more thrilling, because he wouldn’t let me cling to his neck. The wind whistled past my ears, occasionally slapping a few leaves onto my face. I didn’t dare open my eyes. “Still don’t want your eyes?” Valerius suddenly spoke again, making me jump. I opened my eyes and saw we were at an inn. He walked right in, and I quickly followed. He ordered two dishes: one cabbage and one… green vegetable! I swear… Seriously, dude, do you have to be so cheap? “It’s not me being cheap. You’re not doing any work, why should you eat well?” He looked at me, a smirk playing on his lips. How did he know what I was thinking again? He was definitely cheap, and he was trying to justify it. “Detecting an increase in the villain’s hatred points. Currently at 70%.” Hearing the system’s electronic voice, I was even more speechless. Why were the hatred points randomly increasing? Did he want me to eat a full meal before I died? But first, let me actually *eat* a full meal. This wouldn’t even fill a tooth cavity, it’s a joke! I still ate the bowl of rice. Lying in bed in the middle of the night, I recalled the plot. I remembered the original villainess died tonight. So now that I haven’t died, will it change the story? “Host, the main plot will not change. Other details are unknown.” The system’s sudden voice startled me. I immediately asked, “You mean Valerius will still die by suicide, just like in the original book?” When I first read the book, I was surprised that Valerius ended up committing suicide. “Unknown. The main plot revolves around the male and female leads’ romance. Valerius is merely a supporting character.” My mind raced. I suddenly remembered that something was supposed to happen tonight. I pulled on my shoes and socks and bolted out the door. When I opened Valerius’s room door, the candle was still burning, but no one was inside. I whispered, “Valerius?” No one answered. Had the story shifted? I was about to turn away when suddenly, the back of my head throbbed. 0

When I woke up again, I sat bolt upright, finding myself in a bed, naked again. Dammit, this scene was way too familiar. I remembered that before I passed out, I was trying to warn Valerius that someone was coming to kill him tonight. So what happened after that? Where was Valerius? “Oh, you’re awake.” I looked up to see someone standing by the bed. It was Valerius. “Explain yourself. Why are you and I back here again?” Valerius’s eyes were filled with murderous intent. “Detecting the villain’s current hatred points at 90%.” What did he mean, “again”? I clutched my neck. If I was going to die, could he at least not slice my throat? The spraying blood would be really ugly. “Uh, Host, you died before. Someone struck you down with a single palm, so the story restarted.” “Then why does Valerius remember what happened before?” “System has crashed…” Hearing the system playing dead, I… “Dude, honey, bestie, let’s just talk this out, okay? Yeah, so, that’s how it happened, and this is the result…” I couldn’t even finish. I rolled my eyes and continued, “Fine, just strike me down.” “Hahaha…” Valerius laughed, a genuine, joyful laugh. “Detecting the villain’s hatred points at 60%.” I was speechless. Utterly speechless. He tossed me a piece of clothing and told me to put it on. Same as before, he scooped me up and jumped out the window. This time, I was a little more used to it. I didn’t almost puke. After he set me down, I saw clearly that there were only two people on the ground. I felt a little relieved. “Host, detecting the male and female leads have appeared.” I hadn’t even enjoyed my relief for a minute before the system poured cold water on me. Those two across from us were the main characters! Oh, seriously? Should I just reset again? “Host, you no longer have the chance to restart the story. If you die this time, you are truly dead.” “Valerius, so this is the kind of person you are.” Seraphina, the female lead, spoke, her voice laced with regret and a hint of heartache. “Seraphina, he’s heartless, he’s cold. He’s simply not worth your love.” Darius, the male lead’s words, made me want to laugh. And I actually did laugh out loud. The air froze. And I was embarrassed again. “Elara, you’re helping a villain. You’ve truly disappointed me,” Darius spat again. “Your disappointment means nothing to me. It was my own blindness that made me like you before. Now, I’m a freak, and liking you would make me an idiot.” I retorted without hesitation. The night was quiet and clear, so I couldn’t clearly see his expression. “Heh.” Valerius chuckled again. Damn it, why did he laugh so much? Was it really that funny? “Draw your swords. I’ll even let you have a hand.” Valerius’s smile vanished as he gripped his sword and drew it. “Such big words.” I stood off to the side, listening to a flurry of clashes. This time, I hadn’t stabbed Valerius, so he should be able to win, right? “Danger! Danger! The male and female leads are about to die! Please protect the male and female leads!” Is this ever going to end? I need to make them hate me, but I also have to protect them? “Host, if the male and female leads die, you will also cease to exist.” Dammit! I immediately rushed over, wrapped my arms around Valerius’s waist, and clung to him. “Now, get lost!” I yelled, unleashing a barrage of insults at the main characters. Valerius didn’t say anything. The main characters left. I felt like I was probably still going to die. Oh well, in this life, whether I die now or later, death is inevitable. Valerius grabbed my hand, looking at me with an unreadable gaze. “Are you… propositioning me?” 04 Propositioning what?! Seriously?! I jumped off him, shaking my head. I said directly, “No, I just didn’t want you to kill them. Don’t you think it’s strange? Why would they appear here this time? Maybe this is the key to why we’re back here.”

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My daughter suffered from severe heat sensitivity, where even slightly high temperatures caused her entire body to swell, and in extreme cases, lead to suffocation. So, I had always meticulously kept our home’s AC strictly controlled at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. But on my daughter’s birthday, my husband Liam’s female secretary, Chloe, used the excuse of feeling cold to blast the AC up to 86 degrees Fahrenheit while I was out. My daughter’s entire body quickly turned red and swollen. Ultimately, her throat swelled shut, and she suffocated to death. I gathered the evidence, intending to call the police, but Liam locked me in the walk-in freezer instead. He wrapped his arm around Chloe, then spoke to me with a solemn, lecturing tone: “Chloe just turned up the AC a little. You don’t need to ruin her life over it.” “What happened to Sarah was just an accident. Just pretend it never happened. If you’re willing to drop the charges, I’ll let you out.” Chloe, putting on an act, feigned distress and whined, “Sister-in-law, I was only trying to help you! Giving birth to that… freak was only dragging Liam down.” I froze. It seemed that in the years Liam had been living off my family, he had completely forgotten who he was. I let out a cold laugh, then directly sent a message to my dad: [Dad, please come pick me up in Silverwood. I’m going to make Liam vanish forever!]

After sending the text, I looked at Liam and said, “Liam, I advise you to let me out now, or you’ll regret it.” I glanced at the freezer’s temperature. Liam had cranked it down to minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit. I was shivering uncontrollably in my thin clothes. My skin was already turning purple. If this continued, I would freeze to death. Hearing my words, Chloe covered her mouth, a cruel giggle escaping. “Sister-in-law, at a time like this, are you still trying to threaten Liam?” She poked Liam’s chest with her finger, feigning concern for him: “Liam, I really feel sorry for you. She’s just a house-wife who relies on you. What right does she have to threaten you?” A flicker of guilt flashed in Liam’s eyes, but when he saw me glaring at him, he scoffed coldly. “Alice, hand over the evidence, and I’ll let you out immediately.” My eyes widened, and I slammed my fist against the freezer door. “Evidence? Why should I hand over the evidence? She knew Sarah had severe heat sensitivity! She killed our daughter! Sarah suffocated to death, choked by her own body!” “As Sarah’s father, are you actually protecting a murderer?!” Liam’s eyes darted away, but he still spoke with cold indifference, “Don’t bring Sarah’s illness into this. If it weren’t for your faulty genes, would Sarah have turned into such a freak?” My eyes burned with fury as I stared at him, unable to believe that our daughter, whom I’d loved for years, was now called a freak by her own father! “Besides, you lost your daughter, but if you accuse Chloe, her mother will lose her too.” “Pah!” I spat, cutting Liam off before he could finish. “Stop feeding me this garbage! There’s nothing wrong with my genes! She murdered my daughter, and she will pay for it with her life!” Liam looked at me with a face full of disappointment. “Alice, when did you become so selfish and terrifying?” He shook his head, then picked up a covered box next to him and unveiled it. “If you continue to be so stubborn, don’t blame me if I toss our daughter’s ashes. And I had someone look into it, they said it’s bad luck for a child to die at home. Her ashes are supposed to be disposed of.” As he finished speaking, I finally realized the box he was holding was Sarah’s urn! I stared at him in shock, as if this husband I had lived with for eight years was a complete stranger: “For this woman, you’re threatening me with our daughter’s ashes?!” As I looked at Liam, my eyes were already filled with nothing but disappointment. He had been a penniless guy back then. To be with him, I defied my father’s wishes and resolutely followed him to Silverwood to build our lives together. I leveraged every connection and resource I had to elevate his company to where it was today. After our lives stabilized, we decided to have a child. To have Sarah, I endured countless hardships, forcing down bitter medicines without a second thought. After Sarah was born, and we learned about her heat sensitivity, Liam had tenderly held me and Sarah, promising: He would protect me and our daughter forever. Yet, those vows gradually crumbled after Chloe joined the company. Liam, who used to come home after work every day to be with me and Sarah, started having more ‘business engagements’ and often didn’t come home at night. One time, I was running a scorching fever and wanted him to come home to take care of me and Sarah. But Chloe called him, saying she couldn’t get a cab, and he immediately left to take her home. And now, he knew Chloe was the one who killed our daughter, yet he still chose to protect her!

“Liam, if you don’t let me out now, we’re getting a divorce!” Hearing the word “divorce,” a triumphant glint sparked in Chloe’s eyes. She snatched the urn from Liam’s hands and looked at me with malicious intent. “Sister-in-law, stop threatening Liam with such words. Besides, I already had someone check. Sarah’s condition is a genetic issue. You say your genes are fine, and Liam’s genes are fine, so…” She covered her mouth, feigning discovery of a shocking secret: “Could Sarah be the child of you and some other man?” “Bullshit!” I shouted back, instinctively glancing at Liam. To my horror, I saw a flicker of doubt rise in Liam’s eyes after hearing Chloe’s words. My heart plummeted, and I demanded loudly, “Liam, we’ve been married for eight years! Do you still not trust me?!” Liam looked at me, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes. Before he could speak, Chloe burst into loud tears. “Forget it! Liam, it’s all my fault! I killed Sarah, so just let Sister-in-law take me away!” “I worked so hard to get into university, and I never expected my future to be ruined by something like this. This must be my fate.” Her face was streaked with tears, evoking Liam’s overwhelming pity. He quickly pulled her into a hug, comforting her softly, “Nonsense! This is clearly not your fault. Don’t worry, I won’t let you go to jail!” He turned his head to me. “Chloe’s right. Neither of our genes has problems, so Sarah can’t be my daughter! Alice, you really don’t need to quarrel with me over a bastard. Hand over the evidence now, or I’ll feed Sarah’s ashes to the dogs!” By this point, I had been in the freezer for an hour. My hands and feet were so stiff they felt immovable. Hearing Liam’s words, I found some unknown strength and slammed against the icy wall, screaming, “You wouldn’t dare! If you lay a hand on Sarah’s ashes, I’ll make sure you both have nothing left, not even a grave!” My words made Liam’s eyes show a hint of retreat, but Chloe seized the opportunity. She deliberately smashed our daughter’s urn to the ground, then said with an apologetic look: “Oh dear, Sister-in-law, my hand slipped.” Just as Sarah’s ashes spilled out, a large black dog rushed in from outside. Without a moment’s hesitation, it began greedily devouring Sarah’s ashes. “No! Don’t!” I screamed, my eyes bloodshot, but I couldn’t stop any of it. I could only watch helplessly as all of Sarah’s ashes were swallowed by the black dog. My vision went black. Before completely losing consciousness, I gritted my teeth and glared at the two of them. “Liam, you’ll never get the evidence from me. I will never rest until you both pay!”

When I woke up, I found myself in a hospital bed. The pain in my body confirmed that everything that had just happened was real. The thought of everything my daughter had endured made my eyes burn, hot with tears. But I knew I couldn’t collapse. I had to get justice for my daughter! I struggled to climb out of bed, clutching the evidence in my hand, ready to call the police. But before I could even leave the room, Chloe blocked the doorway with several men. “Sister-in-law, where are you going? You’re not still trying to report me, are you?” Seeing Chloe’s nose in the air, I said coldly, “Get out of my way!” Chloe scoffed. The bodyguards behind her immediately grabbed me and threw me back onto the bed. I couldn’t fight them off and could only scream, “Let me go! Let me go!” “Sister-in-law, how about I show you something?” Chloe pulled out a tablet. On the screen was the surveillance footage from my house. My daughter’s room, her sanctuary, had been turned into the black dog’s new kennel. All of Sarah’s belongings were piled in the yard and set ablaze. Watching my daughter’s last remaining possessions in the world being destroyed, I ignored my injuries and struggled wildly on the bed: “Bitch! Who allowed you to do this?!” Chloe pouted, her face a picture of innocence. “Why, Liam, of course! This little black dog is a stray I just found today, but seeing as it ate that bastard’s ashes, Liam agreed to let it use Sarah’s room as its kennel.” She leaned close to my ear and whispered, “Sister-in-law, you’re very angry, aren’t you? You’re right, I intentionally caused Sarah’s death, but so what? Your daughter is dead, but your husband only protects me.” She stood up and looked down at me. “You’re nothing but an aging woman clinging to Liam, losing your looks. Liam even said the pleasure I give him in bed is far more intense than anything you ever could.” I stared in shock, never imagining they had been secretly having an affair behind my back for so long. I shouted, “Everything Liam has today, I gave him. What do you think he’d be without me?! I’m warning you, let me go right now!” Chloe sneered. “You still think you can threaten me now? I’ve already dealt with your daughter. Once I deal with you, I’ll be Mrs. Gu Corporation.” Her face twisted in malice. “Tell me, what do you think Liam will say if he sees you being intimate with a group of strangers?” Hearing Chloe’s words, my face twisted in horror: “What exactly do you want to do?!”

A grotesque grin stretched across Chloe’s face. She clapped her hands, and seven or eight ragged, foul-smelling vagrants rushed into the hospital room from outside. The stench made me gag repeatedly. “Liam said, since you’re so fond of ‘cheating,’ then you should ‘enjoy’ this.” She had a bodyguard set up a camera, then said with a laugh, “Film this carefully. I want to make sure she can never show her face in public again!” A flicker of madness flashed in Chloe’s eyes. Hearing her, the vagrants all lunged at me. I recoiled in terror. “Get away! All of you, get away!” The vagrants’ hands touched my body, and the pain and revulsion made me tremble uncontrollably. Just as a vagrant pulled down my pants, Liam appeared at the doorway. Like I was seeing my savior, I stretched out my hand to him: “Liam, save me! I truly haven’t cheated! Sarah really is your daughter!” I had thought that after eight years of marriage, Liam, no matter what, wouldn’t stand by and watch me be humiliated by these vagrants. But he merely glanced at me, then looked away in disgust. He wrapped his arm around Chloe and said softly, “How can I let you do these disgusting things yourself?” “Don’t look, it’s sickening.” I froze in shock, momentarily forgetting to struggle. Eight years of marriage! He was the one who, back then, held me and personally promised to love me forever, to cherish me for a lifetime! Now, in his eyes, I was something dirty! A surge of pure hatred ignited every fiber of my being. I grabbed a fruit knife from the bedside table and screamed, “Don’t come any closer! If you do, I’ll kill you!” The vagrants exchanged nervous glances. Seeing my desperate, reckless demeanor, they actually didn’t dare to move forward. A flicker of malice crossed Chloe’s eyes. She huddled against Liam’s chest, feigning fear. “Liam, I’m so scared! Is Sister-in-law challenging your authority like this? Never mind, don’t let me cause trouble between you two. Liam, as long as you’re happy, just send me to jail.” Her words, feigning noble self-sacrifice, moved Liam deeply. The next second, he actually grabbed a nearby stool and brutally swung it at me. I was hit in the head, and the knife immediately dropped to the floor. “What are you waiting for? She might be a bit old, but I guarantee you’ve never tasted a woman like her in your life! What are you waiting for, go!” Hearing him, the vagrants swarmed me. My hands and feet were grabbed and held down. Wearing light summer clothes, it took less than a minute for my clothes and pants to be ripped off. I was left in just my underwear, exposed in a humiliating position before everyone. The vagrants’ thick lips roamed over my body, and their foul stench filled my nostrils. I screamed, “Liam, if you dare do this to me, my dad will never let you get away with it!” Liam scoffed coldly. “Your dad? Didn’t your dad die years ago?” He sighed, feigning generosity. “Alice, I told you before. If you just hand over the evidence now and kneel and kowtow 99 times to Chloe, how about I let you go? You don’t want your compromising photos all over Silverwood tomorrow, do you?” My skin was torn by the vagrants’ teeth. I endured the excruciating pain and screamed, “You wish! I’ll never let you get away with this! Never!” Liam, enraged, bellowed, “Are you just going to stand there talking?! Each of you, get on with it! I’d like to see who will protect an orphan like you besides me!” A bolder vagrant immediately dropped his pants and climbed onto me. Just as he was about to make his move, a gunshot echoed, and the vagrant’s skull shattered, sending him tumbling off the bed. Everyone was startled by the sudden turn of events. The next moment, the thunderous roar of helicopters filled the air outside the window. Liam looked over in fear, only to see dozens of sleek, all-black helicopters hovering just outside the hospital room. Then, a squad of highly-trained bodyguards stormed into the room. “I’d like to see who dares lay a hand on my daughter!” A furious roar erupted from outside. Hearing that familiar voice, tears welled up in my eyes. Seeing my dad rush in, I cried, “Dad!” My dad saw my miserable state and instantly rushed over in anguish, but Chloe immediately stepped in front of him:

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A month before I was supposed to marry Caleb Grayson, I got an anonymous email. It held a video of him and his assistant, Chloe, in a steamy embrace. The boy who swore he’d love me forever was covered in kiss marks, his eyes hazy. He looked straight into the camera, his voice cold. “Audrey Hayes? Ten years? I’m so over her.” I smashed the carefully chosen gifts. Then I jumped in my sports car, needing to blow off steam. But I crashed into a guardrail. Hard. As I lay in the hospital, I saw Caleb standing outside my room, his face etched with pain. I was about to rip into him. But then, a few lines of text floated before my eyes. [System, you jerk! You said staying away from the side character would keep her safe, but she still got hurt!] It hurt. A searing pain tore through my whole body. I curled up into a tight ball, my nails digging deep into my palms. “Audrey, Audrey, I’m so sorry, please… just be okay.” Someone knelt by the bed, their fingers trembling as they brushed my sweat-soaked hair. I tried hard to open my eyes, but my eyelids felt like lead. Warm liquid dropped onto my cheek. Through a hazy blur, I saw Caleb’s face. His expressive eyes, usually twinkling with humor, were now bloodshot, looking like they were about to bleed. Tears streamed down his face. I wanted to tell him to get lost, to stop pretending. But in the end, before I could even speak, I slipped back into unconsciousness. When I woke up again, it was two days later. Caleb sat by my bed, his suit crumpled like an old rag. His collar was loose, revealing a fresh scratch on his collarbone. My nails. I’d done that. “Stop playing dead.” My voice was hoarse. “Had enough of your little act, Mr. Grayson?” He snapped his head up, his eyes a stark, painful red. I wanted to scoff, but then I saw a line of glowing text float above his head: [Male lead’s heart pain value is at 99%! System warning: If he keeps crying, it will trigger forced hibernation!] “What…?” Before I could even process it, a torrent of messages flooded my vision: [System, you jerk! You said staying away from the side character would keep her safe, but she still got hurt!] [The male lead and his assistant are innocent! He hasn’t even held her hand! That video was AI-generated to fool her!] [Sweetheart, look at the male lead’s phone! His screen saver is your 18th birthday photo!] What system? What side character? What the hell were these pop-ups in front of me? I looked up at Caleb, wondering if he could see this bizarre display. Caleb was watching me too, his eyes swirling with an emotion I couldn’t understand. [Sweetheart, the male lead truly loves you so much! He’s like this because of this damn system.] [The assistant is a system-controlled “conqueror.” Her mission is to marry the male lead.] [If the male lead marries you, sweetheart, you’ll be erased on your wedding day. That’s why he put on this act, to make you give up.] [Waaaaah, my poor OTP! You worthless system, come out and get what’s coming to you!!!] The messages suddenly scrolled wildly, and my eyes widened in shock. Oh my God, what was going on? Had I hit my head in the crash and gone crazy? “Ca-Caleb, can you see that?” I stared intently at the endlessly scrolling messages above his head, my voice trembling with tension. “See what, Audrey? What’s wrong with you?” Caleb reached out to touch my forehead but froze midway. The messages suddenly exploded into a blood-red warning: [Sweetheart, you are the villainous side character, but the male lead defied the main plot and fell in love with you!] [Every time he gets close to you, one year will be taken from both your lives.] [Sweetheart, quickly pretend you hate the male lead. That’s the only way to fool the system’s monitor.]

I violently turned my head away. That simple movement extinguished the light in Caleb’s eyes. He slowly withdrew his hand, his knuckles white. “Audrey, you… you need to rest.” “Rest? Have you and your little assistant had enough rest?” I forced a sarcastic smile, my gaze sweeping over his red eyes. “Mr. Grayson, your acting is truly superb. You can even shed tears on command.” Caleb’s face instantly went pale. “Audrey, if I told you…” “Mr. Grayson!” Alex’s voice suddenly called from outside the door. “Ms. Chloe said you promised to go wedding dress shopping with her today.” Caleb’s body tensed instantly. He lowered his head. “Audrey, I’m sorry. I… I’m marrying Chloe Thompson. Our wedding is off.” His words felt like a dull knife twisting in my chest. I bit my lower lip, forcing out an even more cutting smile: “Mr. Grayson is certainly decisive. What are you waiting for? Go accompany your bride to try on dresses.” Alex’s voice chimed in perfectly from outside: “Mr. Grayson, Ms. Chloe said if you don’t go now, the bridal shop will close.” Caleb’s shoulders trembled. He slowly turned, his silhouette long in the light streaming through the door. “Audrey, take care of yourself.” The messages started scrolling frantically again. [Too heartbreaking, too heartbreaking. I can’t watch this. Why is the system breaking up my sweet couple?] [Waaah, at least the male lead and our girl’s lives are safe. I believe there must be another way!] [Yes! Our girl’s love now depends on us!] I lifted a hand to wipe away the tears I hadn’t realized were falling. My thoughts drifted back to the first time Caleb confessed to me. It was a beautiful spring day. The grass was green, the hills inviting. Fireworks burst in the night sky over the city, dazzling and dreamlike. Seventeen-year-old Caleb held a bouquet of blue roses, carefully. His beautiful, expressive eyes were deep and dark. When he turned his head, I noticed his ear tips were flushed pink. “Audrey, we’ve been childhood sweethearts, growing up together. I truly like you. Will you… will you be with me?” “I swear I’ll love you forever, protect you, and never let you be sad. Please… give me a chance.” My heart suddenly pounded, “thump-thump” echoing in my ears. I could clearly feel Caleb’s sincerity. He truly loved me. I stood on my tiptoes and hugged him back with all my strength. Caleb’s breath caressed my ear, bringing with it the scent of roses. “I will.”

“Audrey, my darling daughter, how could you have gotten into a car accident? You scared your mom to death, boohoohoo…” Before I could fully register what was happening, I was enveloped in a warm embrace. It was my mother, Susan. Usually so poised and composed, her hair was disheveled, and her eyes were filled with worry. Immediately after, my father, David, rushed to the bedside. His voice held a hint of责备: “Don’t hug her so tight! Audrey just woke up, and the doctor said she’s still very weak. Be gentle, don’t hurt her.” Seeing my parents’ concerned faces, my heart softened instantly. I shook my head, pushing aside the annoying pop-ups and the system. “Dad, Mom, I’m fine, don’t worry.” “You still say that! Do you have any idea how critical your condition was? If you hadn’t gotten emergency treatment in time, you might never have woken up.” Dad’s face was ashen, his fists clenched. “That heartless jerk, Caleb Grayson! How did he promise us when he asked for your hand? Where is he now, the scoundrel?” Mom also frowned. “Exactly. I know he’s busy with work. But Audrey, something so serious happened to you. How could Caleb not be by your side?” I lowered my eyes, concealing my complex emotions. Mom and Dad didn’t know Caleb had already broken off our engagement. How was I going to explain it to them? According to the messages, the system could erase me directly. Could it also hurt my parents…? Just as I was wrestling with this dilemma, the hospital room door suddenly swung open. A delicately dressed, charming woman entered. It was Chloe Thompson. “Who are you?” Mom frowned, her face full of vigilance. Chloe walked directly to my bedside. Her eyes were red, her voice choked with sobs. “Audrey, I’m here to apologize to you. If Caleb hadn’t fallen in love with me and broken off his engagement with you, you wouldn’t have been so heartbroken and gone racing, getting into such a serious car accident.” As she spoke, she gently wiped away her tears. The messages immediately started scrolling wildly again. [Oh my God, I can’t watch this. Chloe is doing this on purpose, just to provoke our girl and her parents.] [System, are you crazy? This manipulative snake can be the female lead?] [Damn conqueror, relying on the system to break up my pure love couple!] My parents stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with disbelief. Mom was the first to react, her voice trembling. “You… are you serious?” Dad’s face turned even paler with rage. He suddenly stood up, pointing at Chloe and yelling: “What is going on here? Who are you? Where’s Caleb? Tell him to get his butt over here and explain himself right now!”

Caleb arrived quickly. He first glanced at me, his eyes dark, filled with an unbearable sorrow. When he saw me looking at him, Caleb turned his head, avoiding my gaze. He walked straight to Chloe, frowning impatiently. “Who told you to come here? Didn’t I tell you not to bother Audrey?” Chloe sniffled and said: “Caleb, I… I just felt so bad for Audrey, I wanted to apologize.” Mom couldn’t hold back anymore. She rushed to Caleb, tears welling in her eyes. “Caleb, what did you promise us back then? You said you’d be good to Audrey your whole life, that you’d take care of her, cherish her. And now? You changed your mind so quickly?” Dad grabbed Caleb’s collar, yelling: “You need to give us, and Audrey, an explanation today, or this isn’t over! We treated you like our own son, and this is how you repay us?” I watched the chaotic scene before me, a whirlwind of emotions swirling inside. I knew Caleb was being manipulated by the system, but I couldn’t defend him. Why… why were they doing this to us? Caleb lowered his head, his lips moved, but he didn’t say a word. Chloe spoke, looking utterly pitiful. “Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have come. Please don’t blame Caleb.” Dad’s anger completely erupted. He raised his hand and slapped Caleb hard, twice. “SLAP! SLAP!” The sharp sounds echoed through the hospital room. Caleb’s face instantly swelled, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. Chloe shrieked at the sight. “Ah! How dare you hit him? Don’t you know that’s against the law! Caleb!” “Shut up.” Caleb suddenly roared. His furious shout stunned everyone. A flicker of panic crossed Chloe’s eyes, but she quickly reverted to her pitiful demeanor. Tears hung precariously on her eyelashes. “You… you yelled at me?” Caleb ignored her. He slowly turned his head, his gaze filled with agony as he looked at me. “I owe Audrey everything. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, I’m sorry.” “Caleb, look at me!” Mom’s trembling hand reached out to touch his swollen face. “Have you forgotten what you said on your engagement day? You said you’d do everything you could to make Audrey happy…” Caleb’s body trembled slightly. His previously lowered head slowly rose. His eyes were bloodshot, hiding countless unspoken hardships. “I haven’t forgotten… but some things, I can’t control…” His words caught in his throat, unable to continue. “You can’t control them? Is there anything in this world more important than making Audrey happy? What about your vows? Did they mean nothing?” Dad’s hands clenched into tight fists, his knuckles white from the strain. “Caleb Grayson, if you don’t explain yourself today, you won’t leave this room! We treated you like our own son, and this is how you repay us?” Watching this scene, my heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe. A wave of helplessness washed over me, threatening to drown me. Caleb, I know you must be in even more pain than I am, right? “Dad, Mom, please don’t push him…” I couldn’t help but speak, my voice laced with a plea.

Mom clutched my IV hand, warm tears dripping onto my skin. “Silly child, he treated you like this, and you still want to speak up for him?” She suddenly turned to Chloe. “What spell did you cast on him?” Chloe let out a soft laugh, her finger tracing Caleb’s suit tie. It was the silver-grey one with subtle patterns, the one I had personally chosen for him. “Mrs. Hayes, Caleb merely… discovered someone more worth cherishing.” Dad suddenly exploded, grabbing Caleb’s collar. “I’ll ask you one last time! Are you sure you’re calling off the engagement with Audrey to marry this… this shameless woman?” Caleb’s Adam’s apple bobbed violently. Chloe collapsed into Caleb’s arms, her voice tearful. “Caleb, they’re saying such things about me! You promised me you wouldn’t let me suffer any injustice.” I propped my shaking body up against the headboard. Under Caleb’s perfectly tailored suit, his shoulder blades trembled subtly. His throat worked three times before he squeezed out the words: “Yes… I… I have to marry Chloe Thompson.” [CRASH.] Mom picked up a glass and violently hurled it at them. “Do you Graysons treat marriage like a child’s game?” Hot tea splashed onto Chloe’s high heels, making her gasp and take half a step back.

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