Category: English

The day I was acknowledged by the wealthy family, I had a three-year-old child by my side. Sophia, the adopted daughter, covered her mouth and laughed, “Sister, life must have been tough for you these years, huh? You even had a bastard child. How dare you come back to the Sullivan family?” My ex-fiancé, Mark Foster, immediately darkened his face and turned to Mr. Foster Sr., saying, “I absolutely refuse to marry a woman with such a questionable background.” I lowered my head, gently stroking my child’s soft hair, and nodded obediently, “Alright.” After all, this child belonged to his uncle. In the tea room of the Foster family mansion, Mr. Foster Sr. sat in the main seat with a grim expression. Mark’s mother, Linda Foster, who had slept her way to her current position, was crying in a shrill voice, “Mr. Foster, Mark is your only grandson. How can he marry a woman with a bastard child? What will people say?” She glanced at me sideways, her words full of insinuation, “Some people will do anything to climb the social ladder.” My mother laughed coldly, “Mrs. Foster, didn’t you also rely on an ‘accidental’ pregnancy to enter this family? How ironic that you’re now calling others impure.” Linda’s face instantly turned ashen. Mark suddenly slammed the table, throwing a disgusted look at me, “I’ll release a statement tomorrow to break off the engagement.” I lowered my eyes to hide my smile. That suits me just fine. Mr. Foster Sr. frowned deeply, his gaze moving back and forth between me and my child. But my little one wasn’t shy. He looked up with his small face and chirped sweetly, “Hello, Grandpa!” Mr. Foster Sr. was taken aback, his stern expression cracking slightly, “This child… seems quite clever.” Seeing this, Linda immediately shrieked, “Mr. Foster, don’t be fooled! Who knows where this bastard child came from…” Before Linda could finish, my mother had already slammed her teacup onto the saucer with a loud “clang”. “Mrs. Foster, mind your words. You have no right to comment on my family’s bloodline.” Linda’s face alternated between red and white, “What do you mean? Are you saying this child is…” “Enough!” Mr. Foster Sr. suddenly roared, his dragon-headed cane striking the marble floor with a startling sound. The tea room instantly fell silent, with only my child shrinking into my arms uneasily. I gently patted his back, feeling his tiny body trembling slightly. “All of you, shut up!” Mr. Foster Sr. sighed, “This matter ends here! Everyone get out!” My mother laughed coldly, standing up gracefully, “Perfect, we Sullivans don’t want to stay any longer either.” She gave me a look, “Olivia, let’s go.” The little one seemed to sense my mood and touched my face with his soft little hand, “Mommy, don’t be angry. Little Bean will protect you.” I didn’t look back, just held my child tighter. My mother’s hand holding mine trembled slightly, her eyes almost overflowing with guilt. She had originally intended to use this arranged marriage to let me return to the Sullivan family properly, to reclaim everything that belonged to the true daughter. After all, the engagement with the Foster family was originally meant for me. But she hadn’t expected that this carefully arranged meeting would turn into a scene where my dignity was trampled. Linda’s acerbic mockery and Mark’s disgusted looks all stabbed at her heart like knives. Her voice choked, “Olivia, it’s Mom’s fault…” I shook my head, gripping her hand back. This humiliation was never our fault.

By the time we returned to the Sullivan mansion, it was already dark. The hall was brightly lit, with my father sitting on the sofa reviewing documents. Sophia was leaning against him, smiling coyly. Seeing us enter, a flash of mockery crossed her eyes as she deliberately raised her voice, “Dad, sister has come back with her child.” My father looked up, his gaze falling on the child in my arms, his brow instantly furrowing, “You have the nerve to come back?” Before I could speak, Sophia was already covering her mouth and laughing lightly, “Sister, you’ve certainly had an exciting life out there. Having a child out of wedlock, bringing back a little bastard, how scandalous if word gets out.” “Sophia!” my mother rebuked sharply, “Watch your mouth!” But my father raised his hand to stop my mother, his eyes coldly fixed on me, “Whose child is this exactly?” I took a deep breath, my nails almost digging into my palms. Those memories I had deliberately buried came flooding back. Three years ago, on that rainy night, I found Ethan Foster covered in blood. I sent him to the hospital and cared for him day and night. Ethan had lost all his memories due to the car accident. I took care of him, accompanied him through rehabilitation. He always liked to hold my hand in the warm afternoon sun, saying softly, “Olivia, when I’m better, let’s get married.” His palm was warm and dry, his gaze so focused as if I was the only person left in the world. Later, as he gradually recovered, we lived in a small house by the sea. He would brew coffee in the early morning and gently kiss my forehead. He would also hold me in his arms during thunderstorms, saying “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.” At that time, he was so gentle, unlike the cold young master of the Foster family, but just an ordinary man who loved me deeply. But later… His memory returned. One morning, when I woke up, the bed beside me was already empty. A check was left on the table, the amount so large it hurt my eyes. He also left a note, saying he would come back for me. I hated him for leaving without a word, so I burned the note and left that place. After leaving, I found out I was pregnant. I didn’t want to abandon this little life, so I chose to give birth. Three years later, the Sullivan family found me. “Can’t say it?” My father sneered, “You’ve completely disgraced the Sullivan family!” “Disgrace?” My mother suddenly stood up, her voice shaking, “When you brought Sophia home back then, didn’t you feel disgraced? Now you dare to blame Olivia?” My father’s face turned ashen, “How can that be the same? Sophia is my biological daughter!” “And what about Olivia?” My mother’s eyes were red, “Isn’t she your flesh and blood? Your favoritism should have a limit!” Sophia pretended to mediate from the side, “Auntie, don’t be angry. Dad is just worried about sister’s reputation…” “No need for your fake kindness!” My mother pushed her away. Sophia staggered a few steps, deliberately falling to the ground, tears instantly welling up, “Dad, I was just trying to calm Auntie down, but she pushed me…” My father flew into a rage, raising his hand to strike my mother. I rushed forward to shield her, but suddenly heard my child burst into tears. “Mommy… I’m scared…” he tightly hugged my leg, his little face covered in tears. At that moment, my heart felt like it was torn in two. I crouched down and hugged him, my voice trembling, “Little Bean, don’t be afraid. Mommy’s here.” My father’s hand froze in mid-air, finally dropping heavily. He rubbed his brow wearily, “Go back to your room, don’t stand here annoying me!” My mother still wanted to argue, but I held her back and shook my head. As I carried my child upstairs, Sophia’s triumphant gaze stabbed into my back like knives. Closing the door, my child nestled against my shoulder, sobbing softly, “Mommy, why doesn’t Grandpa like us?” I bit my lip hard, tears finally falling. Why? I wanted to know why too. Why did Ethan leave without a word? Why did my father only have eyes for Sophia? Why did my child have to bear all this malice? Outside the window, thunder rumbled, and raindrops slammed against the glass. I held my child tightly, as if I could shield him from all the storms of the world this way.

Early the next morning, there was a commotion downstairs. Followed by Sophia’s exaggerated giggles. “Mark, why did you suddenly come?” Sophia’s voice was sickeningly sweet, “Did you miss me?” Mark’s voice carried impatience, “Where’s your sister?” My heart suddenly sank. What was he doing here? The door was suddenly pushed open. Mark stood at the doorway with a gloomy face, Sophia hanging on his arm with a malicious smile. “Sister, Mark has something to say to you.” Mark coldly swept a glance at the child in my arms, frowning in disgust, “Olivia Sullivan, I’m warning you, don’t think you can cling to the Foster family just because you have a bastard child.” My fingers unconsciously tightened, and my child whimpered softly in his sleep. “I’m not…” My voice was barely audible. “Not?” Mark sneered, “Then why did you choose this time to return to the Sullivan family? What, can’t afford to raise the child anymore? Want me to pay for the bastard’s milk powder?” Sophia added fuel to the fire from the side, “Sister, life must have been tough for you these years? Raising a fatherless child…” “Enough!” I suddenly looked up, “Who gave you permission to call my child a bastard?” Mark seemed to be angered by my reaction. He strode over and grabbed my wrist, “Olivia Sullivan, stop playing the victim! If it weren’t for the relationship between our families, I wouldn’t have agreed to marry you in the first place!” His grip was shockingly strong, causing a sharp pain in my wrist. My child was startled awake. Seeing the scene before him, he immediately burst into tears. “Mommy! Don’t bully Mommy!” He reached out his little hands, trying to push Mark away. Mark shoved the child away. His small body hit the wall with a dull thud. “Little Bean!” I broke free from Mark’s grip and rushed to hug my child. A red mark had appeared on his forehead, and he was crying uncontrollably. “Mark Foster! He’s just a child!” I shouted hoarsely, tears blurring my vision. Sophia laughed gleefully from the side, “Oh my, Mark, this child is quite protective, just as shameless as his mother.” Mark looked down at us coldly, his gaze icy, “Olivia Sullivan, I’ll make a public statement tomorrow to break off the engagement. If you dare to cause any trouble…” He didn’t finish his sentence, but the threat was clear. I held my child tightly, feeling my heart shatter into pieces. Why? Why treat us like this? What wrong had my child done? He’s just an innocent child… Mark turned to leave, Sophia shot me a triumphant look and followed, clinging to his arm. “By the way,” Mark stopped at the door, not looking back, “Uncle asked me to tell you, stop dreaming. The Foster family will never acknowledge this bastard.” Those words were like a knife, stabbing deep into my heart. Ethan… This child is his own flesh and blood. The door slammed shut. I could no longer hold myself up, sliding to the floor with my child in my arms. My child’s little hands frantically wiped away my tears, “Mommy, don’t cry. Little Bean will blow the pain away…” I held him tightly in my arms, my tears soaking his collar. The man who had promised me a home three years ago now wouldn’t even acknowledge his own child. All those gentle whispers, those passionate promises, turned out to be nothing but a joke. “Mommy, why doesn’t Daddy want us?” my child suddenly asked softly, his voice filled with confusion and hurt. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, the pain almost unbearable. How could I answer? Outside the window, the rain grew heavier, thunder rumbling. I hugged my child tightly. In the Sullivan house, apart from my mother who truly cared for me, it was just me and my child depending on each other. “Little Bean, don’t be afraid,” I said softly, my voice trembling terribly, “Mommy will never leave you.”

The day the invitation to the Foster family banquet arrived at the Sullivan house, my mother slammed it on the coffee table in front of my father. “Olivia must go,” she said, her nails almost digging into the leather sofa. “My daughter is not some dirty secret to be hidden away.” My father frowned, looking at the child in my arms. Sophia immediately chimed in with her sweet voice, “Auntie, won’t it be more embarrassing if sister brings the child?” “Shut up!” my mother snapped, then turned to my father, her eyes red, “Sullivan, search your conscience. What exactly has Olivia done wrong? Is it her fault she was abandoned? Is it her fault she’s raising a child alone?” My father remained silent for a long time, finally turning his face away, “Do as you please.” I bit my lip hard until I tasted blood. My child seemed to sense my emotions, his little hand clutching tightly at the hem of my clothes, his big eyes full of unease. On the night of the banquet, my mother chose a dark green velvet gown for me. As she styled my hair, her fingers trembled slightly, “Olivia, hold your head high tonight. You’ve done nothing wrong.” I looked at myself in the mirror, forcing a smile onto my pale face. My child, dressed in a little suit, lay on my lap looking up at me, “Mommy, are we going to see Daddy?” My heart suddenly clenched. “Little Bean,” I knelt down to adjust his bow tie, my voice barely audible, “If… if Daddy doesn’t recognize us, don’t be sad, okay?” He nodded innocently, but in his clear eyes, I saw my own reflection full of nervousness and anxiety. The Foster family mansion was brightly lit. As soon as we stepped into the banquet hall, I heard a familiar deep voice coming from the direction of the balcony. “She’s nothing but a gold digger,” Ethan’s voice was full of contempt. “Bringing a child of unknown origin, thinking she can latch onto the Foster family. How laughable.” I froze in place, my blood instantly turning to ice. My mother angrily wanted to rush over, but I held her wrist tightly, shaking my head. “I heard the child looks like someone from the Foster family?” someone asked curiously. Ethan let out a cold laugh, “I’ve seen this trick many times. Mark was right to break off the engagement. Who knows how many men she’s been with…” His words suddenly stopped. Because I had walked out from behind a Roman column, holding my child’s hand. Under the crystal chandelier, Ethan’s wine glass shattered on the marble floor. He stared at me intently, his pupils contracting violently, cracks appearing for the first time on that usually composed face.

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My fiancée, Vanessa, embezzled five million dollars from my private fund. Even worse, I discovered she and Jason, the company’s project manager, had been secretly having an affair for ages, plotting to take over *everything* I owned! Three years of my life, my love, reduced to nothing but a meticulously planned scam! “Where’s my money?” I kicked open her office door. “Oh, *that*.” Vanessa dismissed it with a wave of her hand. “Jason’s project needed some quick funds. I just made a temporary transfer.” “Temporary transfer? Five million is just a ‘temporary transfer’ to you?” “Aren’t we practically family? Why are you being so difficult?” She actually sounded righteous. “Family? Does ‘family’ cheat on each other behind their backs?” I slammed photos of her and Jason at a hotel onto the desk. Vanessa’s face went white, but she quickly composed herself. “What’s there to explain? Jason and I have a purely professional relationship.” “Professional relationship that requires sharing a bed?” Looking at the woman I once loved deeply, my rage boiled like molten lava. Three years of tenderness and care, all just an act! She treated me like an ATM, used my love as a bargaining chip!

Today was supposed to be a regular Wednesday, until I saw that gaping hole in the financial report. Five million dollars, gone. “Mark!” I yelled for my assistant. Mark rushed in, his hands shaking. “Mr. Blake…” “Where did the five million from the Orion Fund go?” I slammed the report onto the desk. “It was… it was approved by Ms. Vanessa,” Mark stammered. “She approved what? That’s my private fund!” My voice shot up an octave. “Ms. Vanessa said… she said it was a temporary transfer…” “Temporary transfer?” I stood up immediately. “What right does she have to touch my money?” Mark flinched, taking a step back. “Mr. Blake, I was just following Ms. Vanessa’s instructions…” “Get out!” Vanessa, my fiancée, was also the CEO of Skyline Investments. We’d been engaged for three years, with plans to marry next month. Now, it looked like that wedding was on hold. I stormed straight into her office. Vanessa was putting on makeup. When she saw me kick open the door, the lipstick in her hand clattered to the floor. “Where’s my money?” I walked to her desk, leaning my hands on the surface. “What money?” Her eyes darted around. “Don’t play dumb! The five million from the Orion Fund!” My voice was so loud the entire office could probably hear me. Vanessa stood up, straightening her clothes. “Lower your voice. What will people think?” “I *want* everyone to hear!” I pointed at her. “Why did you touch my money?” “Oh, *that*,” Vanessa said dismissively. “Jason’s project needed some working capital, so I made a temporary transfer. It’ll be back next week.” “Temporary transfer?” I scoffed. “Five million is just a ‘temporary transfer’ to you?” “Aren’t we family?” Vanessa started to sound annoyed. “Why are you being so particular? Don’t you trust me?” “Family?” My voice grew louder. “Does ‘family’ touch each other’s money without permission?” Just then, Jason knocked and walked in. He was the company’s project manager, undeniably handsome – the kind of guy who could make any woman melt. “What’s going on? I could hear you arguing all the way outside.” Jason feigned concern. “Perfect timing, Jason.” Vanessa’s expression immediately shifted. “Explain to Blake why your project needed that money.” Jason instantly looked remorseful, even his eyes were misty. “Mr. Blake, it’s all my fault. My incompetence caused issues with the project.” “If I hadn’t desperately needed the money, I wouldn’t have bothered Ms. Vanessa…” “You bothered *her*?” I glared at Jason. “Did you know that was my private fund?” “I… I didn’t know.” Jason lowered his head. “I thought it was company working capital. I’m truly sorry!” “If ‘sorry’ fixed everything, what would we need cops for?” My voice was ice-cold. Vanessa suddenly slammed the table. “Blake Davis, that’s enough! Jason has apologized, what more do you want?” “What do I want?” I turned to her. “I want my money, and I want it now!” “We don’t have it now!” Vanessa yelled back. “The money’s already invested in the project. It won’t be back until next week!” “Next week? What if the project fails?” “It won’t fail,” Jason quickly said. “I guarantee it won’t fail.” “You guarantee?” I stared at him. “What are you guaranteeing with?” Jason opened his mouth but couldn’t speak. “It better be back next week,” I pointed at Vanessa. “Every single cent!” I walked away, but then turned back at the door. “And next time, before you touch my money, you’d better ask me first!”

Back in my office, Mark cautiously brought me coffee. “Mr. Blake, should I look into the specific whereabouts of that money?” “Yes. The more details, the better.” Two days later, Mark brought a stack of photos, his hands trembling. “Mr. Blake, take a look at this.” In the photos, Vanessa and Jason were leaving a Michelin-starred restaurant. Vanessa was adjusting Jason’s tie. They were laughing happily, and Jason’s hand was resting on Vanessa’s waist. “When were these taken?” I picked up the photos, examining them closely. “Last night, 11:15 PM,” Mark said, pulling out his phone. “I followed them until 11:40 PM, when they finally parted ways.” I remembered clearly: last night I messaged Vanessa, and she said she was exhausted, her phone almost dead. “Anything else?” Mark pulled out another stack of documents. “This is Ms. Vanessa’s itinerary for the past week.” I flipped through page after page, growing angrier with each one. The itinerary listed meetings with important clients, but the actual locations always overlapped with Jason’s activities. “That jerk!” I slammed the documents onto the desk. “Mr. Blake, there’s something even worse.” Mark played a recording from his phone. “I recorded this yesterday in the break room.” Jason’s voice came through the recording: “Vanessa looked beautiful in that black dress last night, even more feminine than usual.” Another male voice asked, “What’s your relationship with her?” Jason chuckled. “You know.” I immediately smashed my water glass on the floor. Shards scattered everywhere. “Keep digging! I want to know their every move!” The next day, I decided to test Jason myself. I cornered him in the break room. “How was the Japanese place yesterday?” I asked deliberately. Jason was pouring coffee. At my words, his hand twitched, spilling coffee all over the counter. “What… what Japanese food?” He frantically wiped the counter. “Don’t play dumb.” I stepped closer. “That upscale place last night. The food was good, right?” Jason’s face instantly went white, then he forced a calm smile. “Oh, *that* place. Yeah, it was pretty good. Ms. Vanessa said she liked it too.” As soon as he said it, he realized his slip and immediately shut up. “Is that so?” I stared into his eyes. “Ms. Vanessa said she was working late last night.” “I… I…” Jason stammered. “Maybe I remembered wrong.” “Remembered wrong?” I scoffed. “Or have your dates become so routine that you forgot to keep it a secret?” “Mr. Blake, you’re misunderstanding!” Sweat beaded on Jason’s forehead. “Ms. Vanessa and I are strictly professional!” “Professional?” I pulled out my phone and opened the photos Mark had sent me. “Is this professional?” The photos showed Vanessa and Jason laughing and talking in the restaurant, Vanessa even feeding Jason with a fork. Jason’s face turned completely white when he saw the photos. “This… this is…” “This is what?” I held the phone up to his face. “Explain?” Jason opened his mouth but couldn’t utter a single word. Just then, Vanessa pushed the door open. “What are you two talking about?” “About your date.” I showed her the phone directly. “Explain?” Vanessa’s face also changed when she saw the photos. But she quickly regained her composure. “What’s there to explain?” she retorted, acting righteous. “Jason and I were discussing work, and we grabbed a bite. Is there a problem?” “Discussing work requires feeding each other?” I pointed at the photo. “You call this work?” “That was… that was an accident,” Vanessa began to panic. “We were talking about the project, I had documents in my hand, so I just…” “…fed him anyway?” I sneered. “Vanessa, do you think I’m an idiot?” “Blake, you’re overthinking.” Vanessa started to play the victim. “Jason and I are truly just colleagues.” “Really?” I pulled out another photo. “Then how do you explain *this* one?”

In the second photo, Jason’s hand was on Vanessa’s shoulder, both standing at a hotel entrance. This time, Vanessa was utterly speechless. “I can explain!” Jason suddenly blurted out. “I drank too much that day, and Ms. Vanessa drove me back to the hotel!” “Drove you back to the hotel?” I smiled. “Did she take you all the way to the room?” “No!” Jason hastily waved his hands. “Just dropped me off downstairs!” “Is that so?” I pulled out my phone and played a recording. The hotel front desk clerk’s voice came through: “Room 411, two guests, check-in 11:20 PM, check-out 9:00 AM the next day.” The room fell terrifyingly silent. “Anything else to explain?” I looked at both of them. Vanessa and Jason exchanged glances, not daring to speak. “Good.” I put my phone away. “Since you’re not talking, I’ll take that as an admission.” With that, I walked out, leaving them staring at each other. Another week passed. It was the company’s annual gala. The gala was held at a five-star hotel, with over three hundred attendees, all industry bigwigs. I sat at the main table, Vanessa beside me, impeccably made up, wearing a designer gown worth tens of thousands of dollars. “This year’s Outstanding Employee Award goes to our Project Manager, Jason!” the host announced. Applause erupted throughout the ballroom, and Jason walked onto the stage, beaming. He looked especially dashing today, in a crisp suit, his hair perfectly slicked back. “Thank you, everyone!” Jason held the microphone. “This year, our project department achieved excellent results…” He started his presentation, the first slides showing normal performance data. I was about to clap, when suddenly, the visuals changed. The big screen displayed examples of my early failed investments. It even had a giant meme with the word “FAILURE” plastered across it, strikingly prominent. The entire room burst into laughter. “Hahaha, Blake really had a rough time back then!” “How much did he lose that time? Thirty million?” “It’s still so funny to think about!” The whispers from the audience grew louder. Everyone was staring at me, some chuckling, some pointing. I sat there, expressionless, watching my past failures displayed as a joke on the big screen. Even worse, Jason feigned panic on stage: “Ah! My apologies, Mr. Blake! This is an old template that wasn’t properly deleted! I’m truly sorry!” But even as he apologized, a smirk played on his lips, clearly intentional. Vanessa didn’t stop him; instead, she joined in the laughter. She covered her mouth, shaking with laughter, tears streaming down her face. “Vanessa, you find this funny too?” I turned to her. “No, I just…” Vanessa was still laughing. “I was just remembering that incident back then…” Some people in the audience started discussing loudly: “Blake really has had some bad luck these past few years!” “I heard he lost a lot of money!” “He’s probably just being propped up by his family’s connections now!” “If it wasn’t for his dad, he’d have gone bankrupt long ago!” ———-此处为截断点———- Every word that reached my ears felt like a knife. Jason was still playing innocent on stage: “I’m so sorry, Mr. Blake! My assistant made this presentation, maybe they got it wrong!”

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I Took Care of My Critically Ill Girlfriend for Three Years When I was about to propose to her, I overheard her talking on the phone with her first love: “I never planned to marry Daniel Thompson. Back then, I broke up with you because I found out I had severe kidney disease. He was willing to stay by my side and take care of me, so I reluctantly stayed with him. Actually, I just treated him like a servant. Now that I’ve found a kidney donor, we can get married after my surgery.” What she didn’t know was that the kidney being donated to her was mine. 0 Hearing Lily say this, I looked at the diamond ring in my hand and laughed bitterly, then turned and gave the flowers to the nurse’s station. Three years of constant care and devotion still couldn’t compete with her ideal first love. I needed to wake up. She was no longer that innocent little girl who would let me ride in the same car with her to school, who would warn bullies not to pick on me, and who would secretly slip me her snacks. I went back to my car and ate the lunch I had made myself. Low salt, low oil, barely palatable. She had to eat this kind of food to control her condition. To help her adjust, I went from only knowing how to cook instant noodles to now being able to make hundreds of dishes. I also had to vary the staple foods. If two meals in a row had the same dishes, she would throw a tantrum and refuse to eat. I still had to deliver meals to the hospital on time every day, watch her eat, and then finish her leftovers. Sometimes she would smile innocently and joke, “Daniel, you’re really like a dog.” At least now I wouldn’t have to eat those awful leftovers like a dog anymore. Thinking about it this way, I suddenly felt much lighter. It turns out my love for her had also been worn away over these three years. No wonder I didn’t feel heartbroken or want to cry, just disappointed and feeling these three years were wasted. Love is a two-way street. Fortunately, I’ve woken up now. Lily called. “Daniel, where the hell are you? I’m starving to death!” I had already adjusted my mindset and calmly said, “Lily, Chris is coming back. I wish you both happiness.” Lily was stunned. “You overheard my phone call? How could you eavesdrop on my calls? That’s my privacy! I don’t care, you come apologize to me right now, or else I’ll…” I continued, “You don’t want me anymore? Fine, I’ll hire a caregiver for you. I’ll explain the breakup to your father.” Lily was silent for a long time, then said, “Daniel, I’ll say it one more time. If you don’t come apologize right now, even if you come begging on your knees tomorrow, I won’t forgive you.” I hung up the phone. The hospital called again to confirm the kidney donation information. I said, “I’m sorry, I’ve decided not to donate.” 0

Back at the company, I deleted the hourly alarms reminding me to send her jokes, and buried myself in work. Not having to rack my brains for jokes, I felt more relaxed, and my work hours became much more productive. I hadn’t been this immersed in work for a long time, and I momentarily forgot about the end of the workday. Until my secretary came to knock on the door. Without looking up, I said, “Come in.” Hearing my voice, the secretary seemed surprised and said as she entered, “Mr. Thompson, didn’t you go to the hospital to deliver food to your girlfriend?” I looked at the time – it was already 5 PM. Usually, I’d have to rush home by 4:30, buy ingredients, cook, and run to the hospital to deliver food without even having time to take a sip of water. The nurses often teased me: “The most devoted boyfriend ever.” “Not going anymore. Is there something you need?” I asked. The secretary hesitated before speaking, “The company is having a dinner tonight. Would you like to join us…?” “Sure, it’s on me,” I replied. I used to devote all my energy to Lily, and I didn’t even realize how long it had been since I’d had dinner with my employees. Everyone enjoyed this meal very much. After dinner, we went to a bar for round two. As soon as we sat down, I saw a familiar figure. Lily was dressed scantily, but her sickly body held no beauty. Flanked by her two best friends, she was confidently dancing in the center of the floor. Her body couldn’t handle this kind of partying. In the past, I always earnestly advised her to focus on treatment and not go out playing with her friends. Now, with no one to stop her, she was indulging recklessly. I sent a message to Mr. Sanders, asking him to come pick Lily up. Many of my employees were my college classmates, and they immediately recognized Lily. Pointing in that direction, they said, “Boss, isn’t that your girlfriend? Isn’t she sick?” I smiled bitterly as I drank, but before I could explain, we heard Lily shouting while holding a bottle: “Finally free from that lapdog Daniel! Now no one can stop me from coming to bars anymore!” Her friend asked, “Lily, did you really break up?” Lily scoffed, “We were never really together. He was just my servant. Chris is my real boyfriend. Now that he’s back in the country, of course I have to keep my distance!” They were about to come say hello, but hearing Lily say this, they were all dumbfounded. “Boss, you…” I waved my hand, also pretending to be nonchalant: “That’s right, she was never my girlfriend. I was just taking care of her for Mr. Sanders because she was sick.” They clearly didn’t believe me, but out of respect, they didn’t expose the lie. Hearing my words, Lily walked over, pointing at me with a slightly drunken look in her eyes. “Daniel, what are you doing here? This place is so expensive, can your salary even afford one bottle? You guys probably don’t know, but your coworker here is the son of my family’s driver. I’m his employer.” My employees couldn’t sit still anymore and wanted to stand up for me. I waved my hand, gesturing for them to calm down. Five years ago, I founded this company. Last year we went public, and my net worth skyrocketed. Now even Lily’s father wouldn’t dare to be disrespectful to me. The reason my dad still worked as a driver was that he was sentimental and didn’t want to be idle, so I bought the villa next to the Sanders’ for him to live in. Lily had been in the hospital for years and didn’t follow financial news, so she had no idea I was no longer a small-time employee. 0

I picked up a beer bottle from the table and asked my secretary, “How much is this beer per bottle?” The secretary replied, “Twenty dollars.” Lily crossed her arms and sneered, “Did you hear that? Twenty dollars. For someone like you who thinks taking a cab is too expensive and always carpools with coworkers, that must hurt, right? Considering your dad’s loyal service to my family, I’ll treat you to this bottle. Drink up and get out of here. Don’t embarrass yourself.” I had indeed changed cars quite frequently this past year. Some were gifts from business partners, some I bought because I liked them. Every time the driver dropped me off at the hospital, Lily would see me getting out of a luxury car from the window with my lunchbox, and she’d say with disgust: “Why don’t you just buy a car? Or at least take a cab. Stop carpooling with rich coworkers all the time. You’re poor but pretentious. I find it embarrassing even if you don’t!” I never explained. I was planning to tell her when we got married as a surprise. Who knew… “No need for you to treat me,” I said. I looked around at the people watching the scene unfold. When Lily was speaking recklessly earlier, the bar owner thought there was trouble and even stopped the music. So now everyone was watching us. I smiled and said, “Drinks are on me tonight. Everyone, drink as much as you want. It’s all on my tab.” The crowd was stunned. After hearing Lily say how poor I was, they thought I was joking. My secretary stood up and said, “Our CEO is treating everyone to drinks.” When they heard I was actually a CEO, everyone cheered excitedly: “Thank you, Mr. Thompson!” The bar owner cheered the loudest. A few young women in revealing outfits came over: “Mr. Thompson, are you single?” I nodded, “Of course.” They all rushed over to toast me: “Mr. Thompson, can we add you on SnapChat?” “Sure,” I accepted without hesitation. Lily snorted lightly and pushed those women aside: “Are you all blind? He’s just putting on an act! He has no money! He’s definitely not a CEO! Daniel, is this really necessary? Are you willing to spend your father’s life savings just to stand tall in front of me for once? Do you want me to call your dad?” My secretary couldn’t help but retort: “What life savings? Our CEO is one of the top 50 on the new rich list. He’s handsome, talented, and worth over a billion dollars. You’re the blind one for not treasuring such a great man!” Lily didn’t believe it at all: “I know you’re his college classmate. I’d be an idiot to believe you covering for him. Worth over a billion? How dare you say that. If he’s really worth over a billion, I’ll kneel down and lick his shoes.” “Then go ahead and lick,” I said. My subordinates pulled up all the news reports about me and shoved their phone screens in Lily’s face. 0

Lily was surprised. Not by the news, but by how these coworkers were all protecting me. “I didn’t realize you had such good connections, Daniel. How much did you pay them to cover for you like this?” The girls who wanted to add me on SnapChat exclaimed while looking at their phones: “Wow, it’s true! Daniel Thompson, CEO of Thompson Tech. A new generation entrepreneur who shot up the rich list. A role model for young entrepreneurs. Mr. Thompson, you’re amazing!” Lily was stunned. Just as she was about to search for herself, her friend shouted: “Chris! Over here! Come quick, someone’s bullying Lily!” Lily’s face immediately lit up: “Chris!” Chris walked over in designer clothes, clearly giving off rich kid vibes. He glanced at the thin, sickly Lily with a hint of disgust in his eyes, but still put his arm around her shoulder affectionately and said, “Who dares to bully our Miss Sanders?” Lily’s cheeks flushed as she said proudly: “See? You ignorant girls who’ve never seen real rich people. This is a true wealthy heir, the son of the city’s top billionaire family, my boyfriend.” She looked me in the eye, emphasizing the word “boyfriend”. In our three years together, she had never publicly called me her boyfriend. Even when her father asked, she only said: “Some lapdog is willing to revolve around me. I pity him, so I didn’t reject him.” After showing off, Lily pointed at me: “Chris, it’s him. I’ve already made things clear, but he won’t stop pestering me.” Chris pushed up his sunglasses arrogantly: “Daniel Thompson, why are you still bothering Lily? She doesn’t like you, and your status isn’t worthy of her. Considering you took care of her for three years, when we get married, I’ll specially reserve a seat for you. You don’t need to bring a gift, just bring some takeout containers.” I snorted with laughter: “First of all, let’s be clear, I’m not bothering her. Our company is having a dinner and we happened to run into each other. Secondly, for your wedding, I won’t come empty-handed. I’ll definitely give you two a big gift.” Lily rolled her eyes: “Alright, stop putting on airs. I’ve already texted your dad to come see what you’ve become. If you kneel down and apologize now, I’ll have Chris cover the trouble you’ve caused tonight. Otherwise, you might have to work here for ten years to pay it off.” Chris looked confused: “What trouble?” I took out a black card and put it on the table: “Thanks for the concern, but I can afford this small amount. I’ve also texted your dad to come see what you’ve become.” Lily was startled: “Why did you text my dad? Still so nosy! Chris, hit him! Beat him up!” Chris stared at my black card in shock. He knew this wasn’t something a small-time employee could possess. Lily pushed him: “What are you waiting for? Hit him!” Chris didn’t dare move: “Daniel, you… you’re not being kept by some rich older woman, are you?” “Chris!” My company’s HR manager, who had just arrived, heard Chris say this. He rushed over to defend me: “How dare you talk to our CEO like that?” Chris was utterly confused: “CEO? He’s a CEO?”

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My husband was passionately entangled with his newly kept mistress next door. On the other side of the wall, I was putting our daughter to sleep. “Mommy, is Daddy hurting another lady again?” she asked innocently, her little face full of sadness. Young as she was, she didn’t understand what her father was doing. I swallowed my pain and comforted her to sleep. As dawn approached, a pair of strong arms wrapped tightly around my waist, and a sensual voice panted in my ear. “Sorry I’m late tonight. Hope I didn’t keep you waiting.” He kissed my earlobe gently, as if we were lovers. Everyone knew that no matter how Lucas Shaw was entangled with other women, he would always hold his beloved wife to fall asleep. I lay awake all night, watching the frantic stream of messages on my phone. “Sis, it’s so cold today. Even my six-pack abs are getting chilly.” Our daughter’s happiest moment was opening her eyes to see her dad lying beside her. Each time, I would force a smile and pretend we were a loving couple, letting her feel the warmth of family. But this time, I was truly exhausted. “What is this crap? Mr. Shaw loves my voice the most. You’re trying to fob me off with rice porridge?” The mistress’s shrill voice made me frown. “Go deal with your little plaything,” I said coldly. Lucas pressed against my back, his husky voice still tinged with desire. “She’s not as important as you.” “Mia will wake up soon. Smile, darling,” he whispered. I kicked him off the bed. “Lucas Shaw, what’s the point of all this?” His expression darkened as he grabbed my chin, eyes menacing. “Olivia Sanders, I can tolerate your little tantrums, but my patience has limits.” “Don’t do these pointless things to wear away my love for you.” My heart turned to ice. He seemed like a stranger to me now. From school uniforms to wedding dresses, our love had been passionate and intense. He knew he was my everything, my salvation. He knew I could never leave him. So he took advantage of my love and acted without restraint. A knock at the door, and the woman’s coquettish voice called out: “Mr. Shaw, I hand-washed your underwear. I don’t trust anyone else to do it.” Lucas’s eyes flashed with panic, complex emotions crossing his face. He wasn’t usually so careless, but she had been especially clingy last night, making him forget his boundaries. “I’ll handle it,” he said. He leaned down to kiss me, but I turned away. Lucas’s face darkened, about to lose his temper when our daughter woke up. She looked at her dad’s face with delight, then frowned slightly. “Daddy, were you going to hit Mommy?” I quickly pushed him away and picked up our daughter to comfort her. “No, sweetie. Daddy was just joking around with Mommy.” Lucas awkwardly turned away, his tone cold. “She’s not a baby anymore. She should sleep in her own room from now on.” He had always been like this – his patience with our daughter limited to a morning smile, never even wanting to hold her. But was his patience, his love for our daughter, real? Or just guilt towards me? To punish me for not cooperating, Lucas broke his rule of not letting women stay for breakfast. They were all over each other at the table, making me sick to my stomach. Our daughter watched them enviously, saying softly: “Mommy, I want Daddy to hold me while I eat too.” Tears sprang to my eyes. “How about Mommy holds you instead?” “No,” the little girl said, eyes full of longing. “I want Daddy.” Faced with our daughter’s expectation, I reluctantly asked Lucas to look at her. The mistress laughed coyly. “Oh, is big sister jealous?” “You’re a mother now, using your child to get attention? If it were me, I’d never play such mind games in front of a child.” Lucas’s face darkened. “You’ve raised her with no manners, so petty and small-minded.” The servants looked at us, their eyes full of mockery. Our daughter was young, but she could read the mood. She burst into loud sobs. “Daddy’s mean! I don’t want Daddy anymore!” Lucas’s expression changed drastically. He picked her up and headed for the basement. “Since your mother can’t teach you properly, I’ll do it myself.”

My legs went weak with fear. I knelt at his feet, clutching his legs and begging. “It’s my fault. I have no class, I can’t raise our daughter well.” “It’s all my fault. Please don’t hurt her.” “I’ll take her punishment instead.” “Mia’s afraid of the dark. She can’t go in the basement, she won’t be able to handle it!” Lucas paused, his expression uncertain. I thought he had listened and was about to take our daughter from his arms. But the mistress chimed in, “Last time she said Mia was scared of thunder and begged you to come home, but wasn’t she happy and lively after all?” Lucas’s face turned completely cold. “So you’re both liars cut from the same cloth.” He kicked me in the chest and had someone hold me down. I listened to our daughter’s frightened cries, my heart breaking. As soon as two hours had passed, I rushed to the basement and scooped up our daughter. She was so small, crying until she shook, her hands and feet ice cold. “Mommy, does Daddy not like me?” she whimpered. “Of course not, sweetie. Daddy spends time with you every morning, doesn’t he?” I said, rubbing her hands and feet, filled with regret. If he didn’t love me, how could he love the daughter I gave him? I had been so wrong. She buried her face in my chest and said quietly, “Mommy, I don’t want Daddy anymore.” “Okay, we don’t need Daddy,” I said, kissing the top of her head. I had made my decision. When breaking news interrupted the cartoon we were watching to report on Lucas lavishing gifts on his mistress, Mia’s eyes instantly dimmed. “I’m sleepy,” she said. Not knowing how to comfort her, I could only pat her back and soothe her to sleep. When the man pressed down on me from behind, reeking of perfume, I turned to face him. My eyes were startlingly bright in the darkness, startling him. “I told you not to wait up for me.” He tried to embrace me, but I refused. “Lucas Shaw, we need to talk.” In the study, I was about to bring up divorce when he pinned me to the desk, forcefully demanding intimacy. “No, Lucas Shaw, let go of me!” His eyes were weary, still filled with unsatisfied desire. “Isn’t this what you wanted? It’s late, Mia will be scared if she wakes up and doesn’t see us.” His lips fell on my skin, each touch making me want to vomit. “Don’t make me hate you,” I said coldly. Lucas paused, a mocking smile on his lips. “Isn’t this what you schemed for, Mrs. Shaw?” That “Mrs. Shaw” was too sarcastic, making me feel like the past few years had been a joke. He came from a good family, while I was just a small-town girl who studied hard. The night after our college entrance exams, I chased after his car, shouting my confession without caring who saw. It was the bravest thing I’d ever done in my life. I was afraid if I missed the chance, I’d never have another. After I shouted, overwhelming embarrassment washed over me. A pair of white shoes stopped in front of me. He crouched down, a faint smile on his lips. “I heard you.”

Youthful passion was no match for family pressure. His family wouldn’t let him marry a girl with no background. While he was fighting his family for me, I showed up pregnant. His family relented, but the way he looked at me was full of unfamiliarity. Deep down, he thought I was just a woman who would do anything to marry up. From that day until our child was born, I never saw him again. After that, he started bringing all sorts of women home. He was always intimate with those women in front of me, then come back to my side and say he loved me. At first the servants sympathized with me, then they started advising me. “The boss does care about you. Don’t be angry with him.” “If he didn’t love you, would he sleep with you every night?” “He just doesn’t know how to express love. You need to understand and forgive him.” But who would understand and forgive me? Amidst the turmoil, I took out divorce papers and shoved a pen into his hand. “Lucas Shaw, I’ve found a house I like. My brother is getting married soon…” He sneered, “So you’re showing your true colors now?” “Next time don’t use our daughter as an excuse. Just tell me directly what you want.” “So you won’t end up greedy like your mother.” I nodded mutely, a bitter taste in my mouth. Yes, my family wasn’t well-off. I grew up in a small town where they favored boys. But after we married, I never let my family take advantage of him. But he didn’t believe me. When it was over, I quickly wrapped myself up and returned to our room. Now I just had to wait for the cooling-off period to end, and I could take our daughter and leave this place for good. But our daughter, who should have been lying quietly in bed, was gone. I panicked, frantically searching everywhere. She was so small, still unsteady on her feet. Where could she have gone? Lucas answered his phone. “Alright, I understand. Thank you for your trouble.” He looked weary. “Claire took Mia out. She said the child was crying for her mother and looked pitiful, so she took her out to play for a bit.” My vision went black. “She hates me to the bone. How could she truly care for my daughter?” “Tell me where they are quickly. I need to go save my daughter.” He stepped back, disappointment filling his eyes. “Mia is my daughter too. Do you think I would hurt her?” “Claire has a kind heart and studied early childhood education. She’ll take good care of Mia, so don’t make trouble.” How could I possibly believe him? Just yesterday, Claire had sent me many intimate photos of them. She had said: “You only became Mrs. Shaw because of that little brat.” “If she were gone, do you think you’d still keep your position as Mrs. Shaw?” Tears poured from my eyes as I lunged for his phone. “If you won’t ask, I will.” He raised the phone out of reach and slapped me hard across the face. I was stunned, my ears ringing. “You can’t take care of the child like this. Stay home and calm down,” he said coldly. Security guards covered my mouth and dragged me to the basement. I struggled desperately, my fingers leaving bloody prints on the floor. The door slammed shut, the last bit of light disappearing. So this was where my little Mia had spent two hours. She must have been so scared.

I pounded frantically on the door, crying out: “Lucas Shaw, I give up! I was wrong, I shouldn’t have clung to you.” “Please let me out. Mia will die in that woman’s hands. I’m begging you.” Separated by the door, I could sense him standing outside. “Olivia Sanders, I don’t know how we ended up like this.” “If you’re willing to admit you were wrong, I’ll forgive you.” My pupils constricted as I pounded the door even harder. “Lucas Shaw, you bastard! You monster! If anything happens to Mia, I’ll hate you for the rest of my life.” He yanked the door open suddenly. I fell into his arms, caught off guard. “I really don’t know what to do with you. Is it so hard to just apologize?” he said, his tone exasperated as if dealing with a beloved partner. I pushed him away, my eyes full of unfamiliarity. “Lucas Shaw, I’ve told you many times Mia is in danger. Why do you never believe me?” His expression instantly darkened. “Danger, danger, danger. You’ve been paranoid ever since you had the child.” “I’ve assigned several bodyguards to Mia. What danger could she be in?” “You’re so suspicious now, how can I take you to meet business partners looking like this?” Unable to see my daughter, I no longer cared about such things. I just wanted to find her. I fell to my knees before him. “I’m not worthy. I’m despicable. I promise I’ll never appear before you again. Just tell me where they are.” “Please.” I kowtowed again and again, not stopping even as blood flowed. Lucas’s heart clenched painfully. He couldn’t understand how his once pure and beautiful wife had become like this. His voice was weary. “Fine, I’ll show you.” I hurriedly grabbed his phone. It was a video sent by Claire. In the video, Mia clutched a stuffed rabbit’s ears. Her eyes were red as if she’d been crying, and there were red marks on her little hands. She pouted, as if trying not to cry at something she saw. “I like playing with Auntie. Mommy doesn’t need to worry.” Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. Mia was in danger! I used to worry what I would do if she got lost, was kidnapped, or if Lucas’s family wouldn’t let me see her. So I told her that if she was ever in danger, she should grab the rabbit’s ears, and Mommy would appear by her side. “Mia is in danger. I have to go save her.” Lucas looked at me with even more disappointment. “Olivia Sanders, you need to go to the hospital.” No, I couldn’t go to the hospital. If I went, who would save my daughter? So I pushed past him and ran to the garage, getting in my car. The display screen in the car was connected to the tracker in Mia’s stuffed rabbit. It showed them moving towards the sea. My suspicions were correct. Claire was going to kill my daughter. I sped recklessly, running many red lights and causing several cars to crash. Lucas gritted his teeth. “Olivia Sanders, do you know what you’re doing?” My gaze was determined, my tone resolute. “I know.” To stop me from making a bigger mistake, he crashed his car into mine at the intersection before I could intercept Claire. I was trapped in the car, begging him to go save our child. He took a deep breath, his face grim. “Olivia Sanders, you’re suffering from paranoid delusions. You need to go to a mental hospital. Mia and I will wait for you to come back.” No matter how I pleaded, it was useless. Lucas dialed the mental hospital. Looking at the calm sea, a wave of panic washed over him. A call from the police made him utterly despair. “Mr. Shaw? We’ve received reports that your daughter has drowned. Is this true?”

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My cat started talking after she was spayed. “I’m going to kill you!” I thought I’d misheard. Until she lunged at me and said it again. “I’m going to kill you!” My hair stood on end. I immediately called for Liam, my boyfriend. Liam said I was just imagining things because I was so worried about her. He told me to stop overthinking and locked her in her carrier. But late that night, she spoke again: *I’m going to kill you!* I jolted upright, opening my eyes to find her perched on my chest, glaring at me with pure malice. I shot up in bed, and she swiped at my neck. Liam snatched her up, threatening to throw her down the stairs. I quickly stopped him; I mean, I’d had her for two years! Besides, it was just post-op stress, we couldn’t blame her entirely. Only then did Liam put her back in the carrier. He then tied the carrier securely, front and back, with rope before finally relaxing.

But I couldn’t sleep anymore. I ended up scrolling through TikTok to lull myself to sleep. I stumbled upon a paranormal streamer named Rook, who was talking about why pets suddenly start acting weird. I quickly messaged him about my cat talking. The viewers in the chat exploded, saying it was impossible. Some even accused me of trying to get clout in the middle of the night, since my account was full of just cute cat videos. But Rook’s brow furrowed. He asked if I’d recorded anything. I quickly sent him the footage from my home security camera. Rook’s face went white after just one glance. He immediately ended his live stream and sent me a private message. “She’s not saying she wants to kill you, she’s telling you to run!”

My scalp tingled with dread. But I distinctly heard “I’m going to kill you,” didn’t I? Rook said cat-speak isn’t about phonetic similarities; it has its own distinct meaning. “But why would she tell me to run?” “Because someone in your family wants to kill you!” I wanted to curse. It’s just Liam and I living here. He loves me more than anything; how could he possibly want to kill me? I was already stressed enough; encountering some internet charlatan in the dead of night was just infuriating. I quickly shot back: “Your whole family wants to kill you, how about you go die instead?” Then I locked my phone and got ready to sleep. But Rook sent another message. “Is your cat named Grumble?”

My heart slammed. Two years ago, I found a tiny black kitten in the park near our apartment complex. I only meant to feed her and leave, but she followed me all the way to my door. I was completely won over and adopted her. The kitten would let out little “grr-ows” when she was hungry. Liam said, “Doesn’t she sound like she’s saying ‘Grumble’?” So, we named her Grumble. But how could this streamer, whom I’d never met, know such an unusual name? I thought for a moment, then shot back: “Is that against the law?” Rook then asked: “Did you move because of Grumble?” I jolted again. About six months after Grumble came to live with us, she started standing by the front door in the middle of the night, letting out those eerie “grr-ows.” I initially thought she was in heat and bought her lots of toys. But not long after, a female streamer across the hall suddenly died of cancer. I’d heard before that cats can see things we can’t. Had Grumble seen something? Liam tried to calm me, telling me not to overthink things. “Who still believes in old superstitions these days?” he scoffed. But not long after that, a young professional who had just moved in also suddenly dropped dead from a heart attack. I started to get scared, convinced this building felt… cursed. Liam also thought something was off. So, we decided to move. When we looked at new places, we’d bring Grumble. If she let out even one of those “grr-ows,” no matter how cheap the rent, we’d pass on the place. It took us over a month of searching before we finally settled on our current place. But how did he know all of this too? I directly questioned him: “Who are you, really?” Rook told me not to rush, saying he had just one last question. “Did your boyfriend make you get your cat spayed?” Grumble had been in heat, and her nocturnal serenades were driving us crazy. Liam was under a lot of stress from work. He’d nagged me for ages until I finally agreed. Rook sighed, then said, **”You need to run! I’m certain now; your boyfriend is trying to kill you!”**

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Olivia’s Nightmare: An intern named Rachel used some kind of “deposit transfer” on me. No matter how much money I put in my account, the balance would always become $50. In my previous life, I dreamed of buying a house near the company. I finally saved up $50,000 for a down payment. But when I tried to make the payment, the real estate agent told me my balance was insufficient. I checked my bank statements, questioned the bank, and even went to the police, but everyone treated me like I was crazy. Because my bank statements showed every transaction clearly. But I never made those purchases! I’ve always been so frugal! I called my parents in tears, but they just scolded me: “Olivia, are you making excuses for becoming a spendthrift?” “You’re could you make up such a ridiculous story! If you want money from us, just say it. No need to lie.” When I told my coworkers about this, after looking at my bank statements, some of the guys even joked: “Olivia’s spending thousands at a certain bar late at night. That price matches up perfectly with hiring male escorts!” Faced with all these misunderstandings, my explanations were useless. I anonymously posted about this online, but netizens all commented that I was making things up for attention. Only one comment suggested I observe if anyone around me had spending that matched my statements. After careful observation, I indeed noticed that whenever Rachel, the new intern in our department, made a purchase, a deduction would appear in my account. Even buying a drink would show up immediately. After confirming my target, I confronted Rachel directly. But she just laughed at me, saying I was spending recklessly and trying to blame others when I couldn’t save money. She said I must be going crazy. She even colluded with other colleagues and me sent to a mental hospital. After two years of torture in the hospital, I couldn’t take it anymore and escaped to jump into a river. But when never expected that when I opened my eyes again, I’d be back to the day before I was going to buy the house.

After my rebirth, the first thing I did was check my online banking balance. Sure enough, there was only $50 left. I quickly gathered my thoughts. At this point, my money had already been transferred to Rachel’s card through some unknown method. I wanted to confront Rachel and end it all, but remembering how my parents’ hair turned white overnight after my death in my previous life, I regretted my actions. If I acted impulsively again like last time, I’d only repeat the same tragedy. Just then, Sarah, our department manager, called me over. “Olivia, this order is tough be a bit tricky, but the commission is $500! Don’t say I’m not looking out for you!” I swallowed hard, almost instinctively. $500 would be enough for a month’s rent, with plenty left over. But I still declined. “Sarah, thank you. But I don’t want to take any orders for the next month.” Ignoring Sarah’s shocked expression, I turned and left the office. Because of the poor soundproofing, the colleagues outside had already heard everything. Immediately, discussions broke out. “Olivia is the top salesperson in the whole company, nicknamed ‘Hardworking Olivia’. She’s actually not taking orders today?” “Not just today, didn’t you hear her say she won’t take any for the next month!” Ignoring the chatter around me, I opened a food delivery app and ordered the largest iced Americano, then deducted the last $50 from my card. You should know, in my previous life, I couldn’t even afford a $4 sweetened coffee. To put down roots in this expensive city, I had tied my life to my belt. Every day, I’d work on client follow-ups until 2 or 3 AM, then get up before dawn to squeeze into the packed subway for two hours, just to clock in at the company on time. One late arrival meant a $50 fine. That was nearly a week’s worth of food money for me. I dreamed of buying a house near the company, even if it was just a 300 square foot studio. Every month when I got paid, I’d only leave $300 for living expenses. The rest, I’d put into my bank account. But I never expected that the $50,000 down payment I had desperso hard would up in someone else’s pocket! Just then, the office door was suddenly pushed open. “Girls! Lunch is on me!” Rachel’s loud voice instantly filled the room. She was beaming, carrying the latest Chanel bag, looking like she’d just won the lottery. “Let’s go to the New Moon Hotel! Order whatever you want!” The office erupted,oded with excitement, colleagues crowding around her. “Rachel, did you strike it rich?” “Which sugar daddy did you hook up with?” I didn’t move, just holding my coffee, staring at her coldly. Because I knew, she was spending my money. Rachel, surrounded by everyone, waved her hand, pretending to be modest: “Oh, it’s nothing. I just bought a lottery ticket the other day and won a small prize.” Someone immediately asked, “How much did you win?”

Rachel glanced at me, a smug smile tugging at her lips. “Not much,” she said casually, few hundred thousand.” “Whoa—” A collective gasp went around the room. A few hundred thousand was an astronomical figure for us working folk barely making over $10,000 a month. But I noticed that since Rachel entered, her gaze kept drifting towards me, intentionally or not. As if observing a lab rat’s reaction. She was watching to see if I had discovered that my bank card had become useless. I suppressed the hatred surging in my heart, holding back the accusations that almost spilled out. I couldn’t startle the snake in the grass just yet. I stood up, forcing a smile that was just right, even with a hint of envy. “Congrats, Rachel! You’ve me bask in your good fortune.” Rachel saw my normal demeanor and flashed a look of surprise, then secretly let out a sigh of relief. She probably thought I hadn’t noticed the anomaly in my savings yet. As lunchtime approached, Lily, who sat next to me, suddenly leaned over. “Olivia, didn’t you say you’d go house hunting once you saved enough for a down payment? When are you going? I’ll come with you.” At the mention of the house, I clenched my fists tightly, my nails almost digging into my flesh. But I quickly relaxed, my face still calm and collected. “No rush,” I said. “I lost my ID card a few days ago and it takes time to get a new one. Besides, with house prices falling so fast, I’ll wait and see a bit longer.” As soon as I finished speaking, I felt a gaze fall on me again. It was Rachel. She was looking at me again, her eyes unable to hide a hint of glee. Rachel was originally an intern who had only been with the company for two months. She was 5’3″, weighed 400 pounds, had an average appearance, and was at the bottom in terms of performance. In our sales department, which valued looks and results, she should have been at the bottom of the food chain. But in my previous life, it was her who took my $50,000 and first went for full-body liposuction, then plastic surgery. She transformed overnight into a beautiful rich girl that everyone loved. It was also her who used my money to buy people’s hearts, colluding with several male colleagues to have me sent to a mental hospital on the grounds that I was “mentally unstable”. Thinking of the torture in the mental hospital for those two years, I took another deep breath to calm myself. At noon, Rachel took us to the New Moon Hotel for lunch, telling us to order whatever we wanted with a grand air didn’t hold back. I opened the menu and pointed straight to the most expensive pages. “King crab, the biggest one.” “Australian lobster sashimi.” “And this, foie gras.” “Let’s have some bird’s nest soup too.” With each dish I ordered, the expressions of my colleagues around me became more and more interesting. Lily tugged at my sleeve and whispered, “Olivia, isn’t this… too wasteful?” I smiled at her without saying a word. How could spending my own money be called wasteful? Rachel’s cheeks twitched, but in front of everyone, she could only force a smile. “It’s fine, Olivia is our top salesperson, she’s worked hard and deserves to eat well, it’s only right.” She smiled brightly. “In the future, she’ll need to eat well and work hard to create more results for our department!” Before I could speak, a colleague next to me chimed in: “Oh, Rachel, you weren’t here this morning so you don’t know. Olivia just told Sarah that she’s stopping all her orders for the next month.” The air instantly fell silent. I wiped the corners of my mouth leisurely with a napkin, raising my eyes to look at Rachel. The smile on her face froze inch by inch. “What did you say?” She stared at me, her voice sharp as she shouted: “Olivia, why are you stopping orders?” “What do you mean?”

I met Rachel’s eyes that were almost spitting fire, slowly curling my lips. “Why are you so worked up about me stopping orders?” The colleagues around also looked at each other in confusion, the fire of gossip burning in their eyes. “Yeah, Rachel,” Lily couldn’t help but speak up, “Olivia isn’t in a hurry, why are you reacting so strongly?” “Right, anyone would think you’re the one stopping orders.” The chatter of the crowd was like cold water, instantly waking Rachel from her outburst. The ferocity on her face quickly faded, and she squeezed out an extremely concerned expression. “I… I’m just worried for Olivia!” She raised her voice, as if that would make her seem more sincere. “Didn’t you say you were just a few orders away from having enough for the down payment? The South City No. 1 orders are so hard to get, if you stop now, how much money will you lose! I’m just feeling bad for you!” She was on the verge of tears, acting as if it were real. I laughed. “I’m tired and want to rest,” I said casually, picking up a lobster and slowly peeling off the shell. “Besides,” I paused and up at her, my gaze pure and innocent, “didn’t you just win big? A few hundred thousand, right? If I really end up short on the down payment, you… wouldn’t refuse to lend me some, would you?” The air froze again. All eyes focused on Rachel. The color drained from her face in an instant, her lips trembling, unable to utter a word. I put the peeled lobster meat in my mouth, adding leisurely. “Our Rachel is so generous, she definitely would, right?” Caught in my trap and scorched by everyone’s gazes, she finally squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth. “Of… of course I would.” Afraid I might really ask, she quickly added: “But I didn’t win that much, it’s just… just pocket money.” I looked at the new Celine dress she was wearing, the limited edition Chanel bag beside her, and this table of food that could feed an ordinary person for half a year. Indeed. My $50,000 really wouldn’t last her long at this rate. I enjoyed this meal thoroughly. Before leaving, I had the waiter pack up all the untouched king crab and lobster. I heard a few colleagues whispering behind my back. “My god, taking leftovers home, how unsightly.” “Yeah, acting like she’s never eaten before, so embarrassing.” I heard them but pretended not to, just smiling at Rachel. “Rachel, look how much you’ve spent, it would be such a waste not to take all this good food home. I’ll take it back to eat, you don’t mind, right?” Rachel’s face had become a palette of colors. But in front of everyone, she could only grit her teeth and nod. “I… don’t mind.” Back at the company, I nonchalantly put the taketakeout boxes in the communal fridge, perfectly ignoring my colleagues’ strange looks. In the afternoon, I knocked on the door of the finance office. “Emily, I want to withdraw half a month’s salary in advance.” Emily, the finance manager, looked up at me: “According to the rules, it needs the manager’s signature, and it’s usually transferred to your account at the end of the month.” I handed over an application form that I had prepared earlier, already signed. “The manager approved it.” “And, I don’t want a transfer.” “Just cash.” If money in the card would mysteriously transferred away, then cash should be safe, right? An hour later, I was back at my desk, holding an envelope with a thick wad of bills. This was my base salary for this month and part of last month’s commission, $1,500 in total. I stuffed the envelope into the deepest compartment of my bag and zipped it up. In my previous life, it was from this $50,000 that I began my descent into the abyss, step by step. In this life, I would climb up from this $1,500. But I hadn’t even sat down for five minutes. My right eyelid started twitto twitch uncontrollably. Thump, thump, thump. Each twitch more violent than the last. An extremely ominous feeling instantly gripped my heart! I hurriedly unzipped my bag and reached into that compartment— Empty! The envelope was still there, but the thick wad of cash inside had vanished! My blood instantly ran cold, every hair on my body standing on end. I hadn’t expected that Rachel’s method of transferring my deposits would have no limits! Was she trying to cut off all my options? I looked towards Rachel not far away, just in time to see a flash of glee on her face. I clenched my fists tightly. Luckily, I had already thought of a way to break this deadlock!

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The night before my wedding, my fiancé took me to meet his friends. He was attentive throughout the dinner, and his friends praised him, “Your bride is so pure and innocent, Liam. You’ve hit the jackpot.” Liam smiled smugly, “Of course my wife is the best. Not like those flashy gold-diggers out there.” But when I went to the restroom, I overheard him bragging in a low voice: “Innocent? What’s the use of that? She’s like a dead fish in bed. If she wasn’t Rosalie’s twin sister, I wouldn’t even bother touching her.” The next day at the wedding, my sister showed up with a baby bump. Liam, true to his words, asked me to step aside. I laughed coldly as I tore off my veil and walked to Alexander Grant, who was sitting in a wheelchair in the audience. “They all say you like me. Now that I’m single, do you dare to marry me?” “Haha, Stella Winters has gone crazy!” “Choosing a cripple? Talk about desperate!” “What a disgrace! She’s dragging the Winters family name through the mud!” The guests’ mocking laughter pierced my ears. Each word felt like a needle stabbing into my heart. My father’s face turned purple with rage, and my mother rushed to the stage, grabbing my arm tightly. “Have you lost your mind?! Ruining yourself out of spite?!” Below the stage, Liam Carter held Rosalie close, a smirk playing on his lips. “Well, well, I underestimated her. She’s got guts after all.” Rosalie let out a scornful laugh, her voice sickly sweet, “Guts? More like she’s lost her marbles. Stella dear, are you sure you want to spend the rest of your life with a cripple?” She deliberately caressed her swollen belly, her eyes challenging and triumphant. My heart felt like it was being torn apart. I thought tearing off the wedding dress would set me free, but all it brought was more humiliation. Alexander stood up and limped towards me. Compared to the polished and handsome Liam Carter, he was a world apart. I suddenly regretted my impulsive decision. Why did I choose a disabled man? Was I really going to spend the rest of my life with him? Alexander stopped in front of me and pulled out a ring from his pocket. The stone was made of crushed diamonds, dull and lifeless, not even a full carat. The diamond ring Liam had given Rosalie was a dazzling three carats. In comparison, this ring looked pathetically cheap. The mocking laughter from the audience grew louder. “Haha, even the ring is so shabby!” “Stella Winters, are you really content with this?” Tears nearly fell from my eyes. When had I ever suffered such humiliation in my life? But when Alexander held my hand, I froze. His hand was warm and steady. “I do,” he said firmly. Unlike Liam’s flowery words or the guests’ cold mockery, these two simple words made my heart skip a beat. “Are you sure? I might bring you trouble.” “I’m not afraid,” he replied without hesitation. The audience erupted into even louder laughter. “Two losers make a perfect pair!” “A cripple and a crazy woman, what a match!” Liam spoke up loudly, “Stella, don’t be stubborn. Come back. The baby in Rosalie’s belly needs a father, and you need a whole man.” A whole man? I sneered inwardly. What kind of whole man was Liam Carter? Betrayal, deception, playing with sisters’ feelings – was that his idea of being whole? I looked at Alexander. His leg might be crippled, but his character wasn’t. “Alright, I will,” I said, extending my hand to let him put on that dull ring. The ring was small, fitting perfectly as if it was made just for me. The audience below fell into shocked silence.

Liam’s face instantly transformed from contempt to fury. He strode over and grabbed my wrist, his grip so tight it felt like he might crush my bones. “Stella Winters, you’d rather choose a cripple to spite me than beg for my forgiveness?” Before I could react, my father rushed over. I thought he was going to stop Liam and protect me. Instead, he raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. The crisp sound echoed through the entire wedding venue. My cheek instantly swelled up, burning with pain. Blood seeped from the corner of my mouth. The mocking laughter in the hall suddenly stopped, followed by even more piercing whispers. “You ungrateful child! You’ve completely disgraced our family! Get back there right now!” my father shouted, his eyes filled with anger and disgust, without a trace of concern. I covered my face, tears nearly spilling out. Not from the pain, but from the coldness in my heart. This man was my father. Rosalie then pretended to mediate, stepping forward. “Dad, Stella is just being impulsive. Please don’t be too angry…” As she spoke, she “accidentally” stomped on my foot with her high heel. The sharp pain made me lose my balance instantly. She then pretended to lose her balance and rammed her shoulder into me hard. I stumbled and fell to the ground. The pristine white wedding dress was instantly stained with blood from my split lip. The guests below started pointing and whispering. “The Winters’ family education, tsk tsk…” “The elder daughter is crazy, but at least the younger one knows better.” “Good thing Mr. Carter chose the right one.” Rosalie stroked her belly smugly, her eyes full of challenge. Alexander tried to help me up but was blocked by Liam’s friends. “Who do you think you are? You’re not worthy of touching her!” Liam sneered. I lay on the floor, watching Alexander’s anxious but helpless face. A despair greater than physical pain welled up in my heart. Was this the man I had chosen? He couldn’t even protect me. Liam looked down at me, his face full of triumph. “Stella, do you see now? This is your choice. How can a cripple who can barely stand protect you?” He squatted down and reached out to pull me up. “Come on, come back. I can forgive and forget all this, pretend it never happened.” This man, who just last night had called me a dead fish in front of his friends, was now putting on an act of deep affection. Disgusting. I used all my strength to slap his hand away. “Get lost!” Liam’s face instantly darkened. “You ungrateful bitch.” He stood up and kicked the wedding dress beside me. “Since you’re so cheap, go ahead and be with your cripple. But don’t come crying back later!” Seeing this, my father stepped forward again. “You ungrateful child, apologize right now!” My mother also rushed over, crying and wailing. “Stella, have you gone mad? Are you ruining your life just to spite us?” The guests below pointed and whispered, enjoying the spectacle. “Stella Winters has really lost it.” “Choosing a cripple out of spite, she must be desperate.” “What sin did the Winters family commit to have such a daughter?” Rosalie timely came forward, cradling her belly. “Stella, please calm down. We may have had misunderstandings, but Liam truly loves you. Look at Mr. Grant, he can’t even protect you. Is he really suitable for you to spend your life with?” Her words cut deep into my heart. I lay on the ground, feeling the malice from all directions. My parents’ disappointment. My ex-boyfriend’s mockery. My sister’s provocation. The guests’ ridicule. And… the helplessness of the man I had chosen. Had I really made the wrong choice? At this moment, Alexander finally broke free from those people’s restraint. He limped towards me, each step difficult. He knelt down and gently helped me up. “I’m sorry you had to suffer this,” he said softly. Then he turned to face Liam. “You’re right, I can’t protect her.” My heart instantly sank to the bottom. Was he going to abandon me too? But in the next second, he added: “But at least, I won’t hurt her.” He looked at everyone below the stage. “You mock her for going crazy, for choosing me out of spite. But have you ever thought about what would make a woman make such a choice on her wedding day?” The hall fell silent. “It’s betrayal. It’s deception. It’s hurt from those closest to her.” “My leg may be crippled, but my heart isn’t. I may not be able to give her the best material life, but I can give her the truest feelings.” Liam’s face turned ashen with rage. “Stop with this sentimental nonsense! You cripple, what right do you have-” “What right do I have?” Alexander interrupted him, “I have the right to love her. What about you?” “Stop with this mushy talk. Guys, get him out of here.” With that, Liam and his friends pushed Alexander out of the wedding venue.

My mother finally moved. Not to help me up, but to yank me off the ground. Before I could react, Rosalie had already grabbed my other arm. “Mom, what are you doing!” I struggled, but their combined strength was greater than mine. “Shut up! You’ve embarrassed us enough!” my mother hissed. They dragged me towards the back of the stage. The guests watched this scene unfold, some pulling out their phones to record. “Let go of me! Have you all gone mad?” I shouted. I tried to break free, but Rosalie took the chance to pinch my waist hard. The sharp pain made me lose all strength to resist. They dragged me to a storage room backstage filled with junk. The door slammed shut, followed by the sound of a key turning in the lock. I rushed to the door, pounding on it frantically. “Open the door! You can’t lock me in here! Open up!” Outside, Liam’s amplified voice came through the speakers, echoing throughout the venue. “Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for that little scene earlier. It was quite embarrassing.” “Right now, my abandoned ex-fiancée is reflecting on her actions in a little dark room backstage. How long do you think it will take her to come to her senses?” Laughter erupted from the audience. “Mr. Carter is so witty!” “This is better than watching a movie!” “That woman deserves it!” I had become the public laughingstock of this wedding. My phone vibrated. I took it out and saw a message from my mother. “Stella, stop making a scene. Your sister’s happiness is the most important thing. Kneel down and apologize to Liam, and we can put this all behind us.” I stared at the words on the screen. My sister’s happiness is the most important thing. What about me? Doesn’t my happiness matter? Doesn’t my dignity matter? Am I destined to be humiliated, locked up, and treated like a joke? The music outside grew louder. Liam and Rosalie started dancing. The guests’ applause and cheers grew more enthusiastic. And I, like a piece of trash, was locked in this dark corner. My phone vibrated again. This time it was from Rosalie. “Sis, I know you’re angry right now. But think about it, Liam is so outstanding, he deserves better. Don’t be so stubborn, okay?” I slid down against the door, curling up into a ball. The physical pain, the betrayal from my family, the humiliation from my lover, and the departure of the man who said he would protect me – all of it pushed me into a bottomless abyss. I didn’t even have the strength to cry anymore. Let them laugh. Let them gloat. I had nothing left anyway. Liam’s voice came from outside: “Everyone, now it’s time for the most exciting part. Let’s go see if our ex-fiancée has come to her senses!” Footsteps approached. The sound of a key turning in the lock. The door opened, and blinding light poured in. Liam stood in the doorway, followed by a group of guests, all holding up their phones to record. “Stella, have you thought it through? Ready to apologize?” I lifted my head, about to speak. Suddenly, the main doors of the wedding hall burst open. A group of people stormed in, with Alexander standing at the front, followed by dozens of intimidating bodyguards in black suits. The entire hall fell silent. Everyone was stunned, including Liam. Alexander took off his suit jacket and strode towards me. His leg was still lame. He draped the jacket over my shoulders, then lifted me up in his arms without a word. “What are you doing! Let her go!” Liam finally reacted. Alexander didn’t even glance at him. At that moment, I felt alive again. “Alexander Grant, you think bringing a few men makes you invincible? You’re still just a cripple!” Liam shouted, his face red with anger and embarrassment. Just then, a middle-aged man in a suit stepped forward. He held a document which he threw directly in Liam’s face. “Mr. Carter, from this moment on, 35% of Carter Group’s shares belong to Mr. Grant. You have been removed from the board of directors.”

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I was added to a weird group chat with the whole class. The group name: **[High-Temperature Apocalypse]**. Everyone else picked a safe house in the wilderness or a place with abundant water. I chose a high-rise apartment with no water or electricity. Chloe, the school’s queen bee, mocked me. No one wanted to team up with me, betting I’d die within three days. When it came to choosing abilities, everyone went for spatial or water-based powers. I picked reverse photosynthesis, which lets me get energy from air humidity. The group chat immediately muted me. They didn’t want to see my dying pleas for help. When the system removed the team-up and admin functions, everyone saw the group name reset: **[Heavy Rain Apocalypse]**. On that scorching summer day, my whole class and I were dragged into a strange group chat. **[Hello, 50 Hosts. Your group admin is the Apocalypse System.]** **[Survive for one week in the game, and you’ll receive a 100 million bonus.]** As if expecting skepticism, it immediately sent out a 1 million cash bonus in the chat. The students, who’d initially thought it was a prank or scam, instantly perked up. They frantically scrambled to split the bonus. “Holy crap, a week from now, I’ll be set for life!” “Quick, open it! Open it!” Only Finn, the class Vice President, seemed confused. “And if we don’t make it, do we die?” **[A total wipeout will reset the game. If there’s a winner, the game closes. Mid-game quitters must return the 1 million.]** Everyone exploded. Those who hadn’t snatched a bonus screamed even louder. “See, I knew it was a scam! I’m leaving the group!” “Go ahead, let’s see if you really have to return the 1 million.” But half an hour passed, and the number of members didn’t drop. Everyone was successfully hooked. The admin ignored the commotion and presented an option. Choose your safe house: 1. A 20th-floor apartment in a downtown city complex, no water, no electricity. 2. A countryside cabin, suitable for farming. 3. An uninhabited island, rich in food resources. 4. A city air-raid shelter, sturdy door, low temperature. 5. A food factory, abundant resource reserves. “Vice President, pick the food factory! You’re always so nosy and like managing things anyway.” “Yeah, Iris, then we can be merciful and team up with you.” Ultimately, no one chose option 1. Except me. Chloe, the school’s queen bee, gasped dramatically. “Iris, are you insane? A high-rise apartment with no water or electricity in a high-temperature apocalypse? You’ll be baked alive by the third day!” “Is it because you want to seem trendy living in the city, so you picked it without thinking it through?” “And she’s the Vice President, how dumb~” Chloe was usually everyone’s darling. As soon as she spoke, several guys agreed with her, mocking me. Even a few students who were about to pick option 1 canceled and chose something else. Five minutes passed, options closed, and the admin spoke again. **[Each Host is a temporary administrator. Hosts with the same option can choose teammates. Teammates will be allocated to the same safe house by default.]** Chloe immediately got excited. “Are there any lucky souls who chose the island like me? We can have a party there!” As soon as she said that, a dozen guys jumped out, begging to team up with her. She beamed, then mockingly @-ed me. “Oh my, so many classmates want to team up with me! Maybe I can spare a few for Iris @Iris? No one picked her, how pathetic!” Yes, everyone had teamed up. Except me.

After enduring dozens of mockery messages, Finn finally stepped in to restore order. “Hey, everyone, stop fighting! Admin, when does it start?” **[One more option: your ability for the coming week.]** 1. Infinite fresh water resources. 2. Invulnerable steel body. 3. Teleportation. 4. Infinite storage space. 5. Reverse photosynthesis. The chat instantly grew serious. Everyone started analyzing these abilities for high-temperature survival rates. Chloe got excited, giving a bunch of totally illogical advice, urging her male admirers to pick the infinite fresh water resource, claiming it would boost their survival rate. She chose infinite storage space herself: “I can help everyone store resources and avoid conflicts, after all, you’re all my good little babies~” Finn chose teleportation: “I can instantly go to your locations to save people.” In the end, no one chose option 5. Except me. I was mocked for dozens of messages again. “What kind of weird ability is that? Sounds like some random filler picked by the test setter to make themselves look smart.” “Hahahaha, what the hell did Iris pick? Doesn’t that mean she gets hungrier in the sun? Won’t she die even faster?” “Must’ve studied herself silly. Good thing we’re not in the same safe house as her!” “Some people act like Miss Perfect on her high horse, but now she’s just picking random abilities for herself. She should learn from Chloe and actually think about others!” I just took all their mockery, saying nothing. Finn, however, seemed to sense something subtly. He private messaged me. “Why are you being so foolish? You’ll be eliminated so quickly!” “Are you still mad I rejected your confession? Are you trying to make me worry this way?” I rolled my eyes and blocked him. Back in the group chat, everyone had confirmed their choices. The admin spoke again. **[Preparations complete. Game starting soon.]** **[Admin privileges will be disabled on the third day. Everyone can modify their teams before then.]** **[Deploying safe houses.]**

Day one, light rain. My apartment was calm and peaceful, with only the patter of rain outside. “Chloe: @everyone See? It’s raining! It definitely has to rain to cool things down before the heat wave, right?!” She followed up with a smug, sassy head-toss emoji. “Some people @Iris, feeling scared now? While it’s not hot enough to die today, hurry up and get a basin to collect water! Tomorrow, the moment the sun comes out, your crappy building will turn into an oven. Don’t go crying and quitting the group on the second day, that’d be so embarrassing!” The others, who had been wondering about the rain, immediately became lively, praising her intelligence. Finn’s message seemed out of place. “@Iris, how are things on your end? Did you find any supplies in your safe house?” This concerned inquiry provoked Chloe’s displeasure. “Vice President! Why are you so worried about her?!” “If you were so worried, why didn’t you team up with her back then? Feeling sorry for her now? Then go find her yourself! Humph!” Followed by a string of exaggerated emojis. Finn fell silent. The group chat also became eerily quiet for a few seconds, with only the faint sound of raindrops hitting the window. Soon, one of Chloe’s minions jumped out, directing his anger at me. “What’s wrong with the Vice President caring about everyone’s safety? Iris, you’re digging your own grave, don’t drag the Vice President into getting yelled at by Chloe!” “Exactly! Just seeing her message annoys me. Let’s mute her. That way, if she’s really dying, she won’t be whining and crying for help in the group, wasting resources and ruining everyone’s mood. Anyway, zero people want to save her!” **[Administrator ‘Mike’ has muted ‘Iris’.]** The cold system prompt popped up on my phone screen. No one said a word for me. Good. Peace and quiet. I put down my phone and started searching the apartment. The space wasn’t large, the layout was straightforward, but it was empty—not a single grain of rice. Finally, I pushed open the balcony door and took a deep breath. The scent of water molecules in the air filled my body. Reverse photosynthesis. As long as there are water molecules, I can replenish my energy. This time, I wouldn’t be troubled by any resource shortages. I felt mentally refreshed, and the faint hunger disappeared.

I sealed all windows except for the balcony, making sure the house wouldn’t get damp later, then I checked my phone. The class group chat was still flooded with messages. “Haha, the heavens sent us water! The field was just tilled, perfect for planting! I’m going to grow a whole vegetable garden in these ten days!” “Good haul, guys! Just went to sea and caught a few big fish! Fish BBQ party tonight!” Chloe also sent a photo: a beach and palm trees on an island, with a mountain of supplies in the center of the frame. Cases of bottled water, vacuum-sealed meats, canned goods, and even a few bottles of red wine. A few guys were gathered around her, their faces plastered with fawning, ‘look what I got for you’ smiles. “Oh my, I just can’t with them~” “I told them not to give me so much! Good thing my portable space is big enough, so I’ll grudgingly help everyone store it~ To be fair, if anyone needs anything, remember to register with me, okay~” Messages of envy and flattery flooded the screen. Some also grumbled about the piled-up resources. “…So much stuff, can it really all be registered and distributed? Feels like it’ll be a mess…” “Alex, what do you mean? Are you questioning Goddess Chloe?” “Chloe is doing this to prevent a free-for-all! If you’re not happy, go team up with Iris! Her crappy high-rise, not even a bottle of water there, absolutely no one will fight you for anything!” I closed the group chat, and with the sound of rain outside my window, I fell into a deep sleep.

Day two, heavy rain. It was no longer yesterday’s gentle drizzle but a torrential downpour. Water quickly accumulated in the city’s low-lying areas. The balcony of my 20th-floor apartment had become like a grotto with a cascading waterfall. I walked barefoot to the balcony door, greedily soaking up the water molecules. My whole body surged with power! I reinforced the balcony door and carved out the bottom of the railing to create a simple drainage system. Unless the balcony’s weight bearing capacity failed and it collapsed, the rainwater wouldn’t get into the house. The class group chat had already exploded. “Damn it, the rain’s too heavy! All the seeds we just sowed are ruined! The water’s almost flooding into the house!” “Help! The island’s tide is rising! Our high ground is almost submerged, and a lot of our food has been washed away!” “My ability is even water generation, completely useless now!” “@Chloe! Didn’t you say this ability was life-saving? What do we do now?!” With their interests jeopardized, many people turned their anger towards Chloe, who had been everyone’s darling just yesterday. Chloe looked aggrieved: “?? My fault?” “Did I hold a knife to your throats and force you to choose fresh water resources? You were all fawning over me, scrambling to pick it just to show off to me! And now you’re blaming me?” Finn tried to maintain order, his voice betraying a hint of imperceptible anxiety. “Everyone calm down!” “Chloe, this isn’t the time to argue. You have so many resources stored in your space, quick, take them out for everyone in this emergency!” Chloe’s voice rose even higher, laced with a tearful, spoiled tone. “Why should I?!” “I worked hard to collect those! I haven’t even finished registering them! And you want me to take them out now when the situation is unclear? What if the sun comes out tomorrow? Fifty-degree heat! That water will be life-saving!” Her words were like cold water splashed into a hot oil pan. “Chloe, are you still thinking about your registration at a time like this! Still thinking about high temperatures tomorrow? Does this rain look like it’s going to stop?” “You hoarded so many resources in your own space, aren’t you just trying to hold us hostage?” “Vice President, say something!” The group chat erupted into chaos, full of accusations and dissatisfaction directed at Chloe. Finn, overwhelmed trying to mediate, seemed to suddenly have an idea and @-ed me. “@Iris, aren’t you in a high-rise? It must be safe! Quick, tell us your address, I’ll teleport the people from the island over there to take shelter!” This move, however, triggered Chloe again. “Vice President, why are you always thinking of being with Iris! Do you like her?!” “I forbid it! Anyone who dares to go find her, I’ll never give them resources!” Finn said helplessly: “Chloe, stop messing around, lives are at stake!” “Who’s messing around? Don’t people need my space? Whoever swears not to go suck up to Iris, I’ll let them into my space for shelter!” With Chloe’s interference, I, who had just regained some attention, was once again forgotten by everyone. They went back to begging her for resources. She was once again the center of attention. I put down my phone and walked to a corner of the living room, where several unassuming cardboard boxes were stacked. Opening one, inside were neatly arranged power banks, laptops, and tablets, their indicator lights showing full charge. Another box held several thick physical books, a few board games, and even a small projector. These were the supplies I had quickly gathered in the few minutes when the system announced the rules, and everyone else was busy snatching cash bonuses and mocking me—some of the most useless items in a high-temperature apocalypse, but essential for maintaining sanity in a confined environment, “non-survival necessities.” I picked up a fully charged power bank, plugged it into my phone, and watched the heated arguments in the group chat. Day three, precipitation doubled again. If yesterday’s downpour was somewhat normal, today was a hurricane-level storm.

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The night before my crucial athletic scholarship tryout, a gang broke into the stadium. They beat me and humiliated me. The next day, my ex-girlfriend, Amber, spread rumors all over social media, claiming I cheated and was only after my family’s money. Back in our quiet town, my parents were suffocated by the whispers and rumors. Overwhelmed by the crushing despair, they tragically took their own lives. I promptly broke up with Amber and reported everything to the police, armed with evidence. The hospital report came back: my spine was damaged, making it impossible for me to stand for long periods, let alone run long distances. My appeals were rejected, one after another. That’s when Eleanor Vance, a powerhouse attorney, found me. She fought my case day and night. The day we won, she proposed to me. We were together for three years. My legs were useless, and I relied on a wheelchair, but she never left my side. Until today. I wheeled myself to her office to pick her up, only to overhear her tenderly coaxing her foster brother: “You said you envied his running skills? Well, he can’t run anymore.” “You admired his tall, strong build? I tampered with his medical records, making it seem like his leg nerves were damaged, so he’d be forever dependent on a wheelchair.” “Now you’re saying you envy his amber eyes? I can’t exactly gouge them out and make amber cufflinks for you, can I?”

“Why not, sis? Ever since Mom and Dad died, I only have you. You promised them you’d give me everything I wanted. Are you going back on your word?” Damian, her foster brother, wrapped his arms around Eleanor’s arm, his voice laced with a hint of grievance. Eleanor looked down, her fingertips gently tapping his nose. It was a comforting gesture. “Tonight is our three-year anniversary. All I have to do is sweet-talk him, and he’d give me anything, not just his eyes, but his very life.” Eleanor’s legal assistant, standing nearby, couldn’t stand it anymore. “Mr. Alex has suffered enough these past years, Ms. Eleanor. Mr. Damian, you already got what you wanted: first place in the tryouts, a strong physique, and Amber’s attention. Why keep tormenting Mr. Alex?” Amber! Those two words pierced my heart like ice. Wasn’t that my ex-girlfriend’s name? Damian laughed, a bit too loudly. He reached out and pushed the assistant’s shoulder. “I’m getting together with Amber next month, but the damn thing is, she still has that cripple’s photos on her phone.” “Even in her sleep, she’d gaze at his eyes, claiming she’d always admired how focused and profound Alex’s eyes were.” He changed the subject, turning his head to Eleanor. “Sis, tell me, are that cripple’s eyes really that beautiful?” Eleanor raised an eyebrow, looking nonchalant. “His eyes?” “How would I know? My gaze never lingered on trash like that. All I care about is my precious little brother being happy.” The early spring evening wind was still chilly. My hands, gripping the wheels of my chair, were stiff with cold. So love really can be faked. Was the salvation I once believed in just another abyss? I scoffed at my own foolishness, furiously pushing the wheels, desperate to escape. But my wheelchair got stuck in a pothole. I pushed frantically, my hands already raw and bloody. With a violent shove, the chair made a loud noise, a part seemed to come loose. I tumbled out of my wheelchair. The commotion caught Eleanor’s attention at the company entrance. She rushed towards me, kneeling down and shielding me with her body.

Seeing the scrapes on her arm, my heart lurched. “Alex, what are you doing here? It’s windy out, and you’re always so frail. What if something happened to you? How would I live alone?” The love in her eyes seemed to overflow. She looked at my bloody hands, her face filled with anguish. For a moment, I was disoriented, unable to tell which version of her was acting. It wasn’t until her tears fell onto my wounds, stinging, that my mind cleared. “Alex, why aren’t you speaking? Are you scared? It’s okay, I’ll take you home. Don’t be afraid.” She had said those same words three years ago, the day she confessed her feelings to me. She told me we were both people with no one to rely on, and she wanted to be my rock. I believed her. But at that moment, I realized it was all a joke. It was she who had turned me into someone with no one to rely on. Damian, unable to hold back, strode towards me. “Brother-in-law, I’m here for you too. Don’t worry, even if you’re not as mobile now, we won’t ever look down on you.” “From now on, just tell me if you need to go out. I’ll go with you. It’ll be safer that way.” On most days, Damian was cheerful and handsome. Living under the same roof, we’d never even had a single argument. When I fell down the stairs that year, he was the first to find me and rush me to the hospital. The conversation between the siblings at the company entrance echoed in my ears. As I thought about it, my chest tightened, and my whole body went numb. So that oily spill that caused my fall down the stairs that year was all his doing. And my legs, which could have recovered, were made worse by Eleanor’s fake medical records, making me miss the optimal treatment time, forever losing the ability to walk normally. I shoved Eleanor away from me, my eyes wide with horror. She froze for a second, a flicker of displeasure crossing her face. As if she had no more patience to console me. She shot a look at her assistant. “Get him in the car. I rented a yacht. Tonight’s anniversary has to be perfect.” I lifted my gaze in terror, meeting Damian’s eyes. He was staring at my eyes with a knowing, significant smile. My eyes inexplicably stung, and I remembered Eleanor saying she’d gouge my eyes out for Damian’s cufflinks. My stomach churned with nausea. The usually impartial, sharp, and capable legal elite was secretly involved in so many unspeakable deeds. I was forcibly helped into the car, sitting in the back seat with Eleanor, trembling uncontrollably. The assistant stepped on the gas, and the car headed towards the coast. I clung to a sliver of hope, looking at Eleanor. Her expression remained unchanged as she scrolled through her phone. The screen showed her chat with Damian. “Damian, don’t worry. I’ll give you whatever you want. Don’t be mad, it’s not good for your health if you get angry.” “Sis, you don’t worry either. I’ll be fine for you. You’re always the one I love most. If it weren’t for society’s views, I’d definitely choose to be with you.” Eleanor’s lips curved into an unstoppable smile as she read Damian’s messages. Sensing my gaze, she blacked out her phone screen and placed it face down on her lap. Her face remained calm, and she even reached out to caress my hair. “Alex, you once said you loved watching the sea.” “Tonight, you can watch as much as you want before we head back.” She shifted her gaze to my eyes, her hand slowly moving to my cheek. Her thumb caressed my eyelids: “I never noticed before, but Alex, your eyes are so beautiful.” I was trembling like a leaf, yet I dared not provoke her. “Watch as much as I want?” “Are we never going to the beach again?” “Or is it that my eyes are having problems too?”

Eleanor’s hand froze. A moment later, her gaze darted away, and she withdrew her hand. “Nonsense. If you want, we could buy a house by the sea. Then, you could every single day…” Watch the sea? She left those two words unsaid, and a dead silence filled the car. The assistant driving jolted their hand, swerving the steering wheel. I slammed into Eleanor’s shoulder. Eleanor immediately pulled me into her embrace, gently stroking my hair. “It’s okay. Get some sleep. I’ll wake you when we get there.” Looking at the face I had loved for three years, I couldn’t bear it and closed my eyes. After a long while, Eleanor seemed to think I was asleep. She let out a cold laugh and called her assistant’s name. “I’m warning you, if you dare to spill anything to Alex, your family will share the consequences with you.” The assistant stammered, their voice trembling. “Don’t worry, I won’t say a word.” Eleanor finally relaxed, sighing. “Blame him for getting in Damian’s way. Tonight, bring those thugs from before. I’ll get him drunk tonight, and you make sure they’re ready. Have them destroy his eyes. Even if it gets investigated, it’ll have nothing to do with us.” “If it goes to court, we’ll just say… it was those men retaliating against Alex after they got out of prison.” The assistant hesitated. “But Ms. Eleanor, Mr. Alex has a deep trauma from those men. He trembles just seeing strangers, let alone anyone besides you.” “If Mr. Alex is too traumatized, the consequences could be dire!” Eleanor reached back and gripped her assistant’s shoulder, her voice filled with cruelty. “So what? The worst that could happen is he goes insane. We’ll just keep him in the basement. I have plenty of money to support him anyway. He can live comfortably without ever working. He should be grateful.” “Unless you have feelings for my husband? Is that why you keep spouting such nonsense!” The assistant, cowed by Eleanor’s aura, could only squeeze out a few words of pleading. The car came to a smooth stop on the beach. I opened my eyes, clenching my fists as I looked at the turbulent sea. In this life, I had endured too much. I couldn’t bear this inhuman torment for another moment. Tonight, to be buried in the sea I loved most. Perhaps it was my best option. But before I die, Eleanor. I will make you pay for your actions! Eleanor thoughtfully prepared a new wheelchair for me, and she was now pushing me towards the yacht. The aroma of the early prepared dinner was inviting, but I had no mind to savor it. As she positioned my wheelchair, I slipped a sleeping pill into her drink. As we clinked glasses, Eleanor’s face flushed pink. Her movements became increasingly sluggish. My phone buzzed. I pulled it out of my pocket; it was a message from a reporter. “We heard about your experience and hope to speak out for you. Although you declined our invitation last time, I’d like to try again.” “As a rising star in the sports world back then, you were highly anticipated. But due to an assault by thugs and betrayal by your ex-girlfriend spreading rumors, your career and life plummeted.” “Although you won the lawsuit back then, the arrested individuals were hired. The real mastermind is still at large. Do you truly not want to uncover the truth of what happened that year?” My grip on the phone tightened. The hatred in my heart grew deeper. Eleanor, who was now slurring her words, looked up at me. “Alex, who are you texting? Didn’t I tell you?” “There are too many bad people in this world. It’s my fault for protecting you too well, making you so unguarded.” “You shouldn’t talk to outsiders. Be a good boy, give me your phone.”

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It was the sixth year of my marriage to Seraphina Sterling, and her 88th kept man showed up at our door. I kept my face calm, expertly handling the situation. Then, I got a message: my three-year-old daughter had been kidnapped by her new secretary and boy toy, Damon Thorne. I begged her to save our daughter, but she just wrapped her arms around Damon and glared at me. “Caleb Knight, three years ago, you used every dirty trick in the book to marry me, just to get rid of Damon.” “Now you’re trying to use that mistake of a child to stir up trouble between us, aren’t you? Her birth was a mistake anyway. She’s better off dead!” When our daughter’s legs were severed by the kidnappers and she was fighting for her life, Seraphina rerouted all the doctors to treat Damon, who only had a small scratch. Our six-year-old daughter bled to death. Even my sister, Lily, who was in a coma, had her heart removed and given to Damon. I clutched both urns and went to see Grandpa Sterling. “Grandpa, the Sterling family’s kindness, I’ve repaid it with two lives. From this moment on, we have no ties.”

Grandpa Sterling trembled, his face drained of color as he stared at the two small boxes. His lips quivered, and he tried to reach out to stop me. “Caleb, Seraphina… she was just confused for a moment…” I didn’t respond. I just took a thick folder from my bag and placed it next to the urns. “Inside are 88 agreements, and the information and accounts of 88 men.” “Over the past six years, I personally dealt with each one. Every single one was a struggling student I used to sponsor.” Grandpa Sterling’s gaze slowly shifted from the thick folder back to the two urns, and the last flicker of hope in his eyes finally died. He sighed deeply, then pulled a contract agreement from his drawer. “…Alright, I agree.” The agreement stated in black and white: Once Seraphina Sterling’s legs healed, Caleb Knight would regain his freedom. “I hope you’ll honor your promise.” I looked at the agreement as if it were a joke. Seraphina Sterling’s legs had healed three years ago. Grandpa Sterling nodded, tears streaming down his face. “I’ll handle the divorce. You can leave in three days.” He pulled out a black card, offering it to me. “This is compensation…” I shook my head, refusing it. Just then, my phone screen lit up. It was a taunting message from Damon Thorne. I tapped on it, and a video automatically played. In a dimly lit hotel room, Seraphina Sterling and Damon Thorne were entangled, their vulgar sounds filtering through the speaker. “Seraphina, if Caleb Knight found out about this, would he be furious?” “Who cares about him? He’s just a scheming gold-digger, a manipulative opportunist. He’ll always be your stand-in.” Before the video ended, another image popped up. On the screen, a fresh, still slightly beating heart was tossed into a Mastiff’s food bowl. Damon Thorne laughed triumphantly. “Caleb, look, this is your comatose sister’s heart. Fed to a dog. At least it served some purpose.” Seeing my sister’s heart desecrated like that, my chest tightened, I could barely breathe. I felt like I was about to pass out. So, my sister’s death was all his doing. How dare he! After I calmed myself, I showed the video to Grandpa Sterling. “Grandpa, is there any reason for me to stay with Seraphina Sterling?” “I’ve lost everything. The kindness the Sterling family showed me all these years, I’ve repaid it.” Grandpa Sterling also trembled with rage at the cruel footage. He leaned on me, tears streaming down his face. “My boy, our Sterling family has wronged you so terribly…” “If you hadn’t tirelessly cared for Seraphina for five years, she never would have walked again. Whatever you ask for, I’ll grant it!” “I’ll go catch that scoundrel right now and bring him back to apologize to you!” I gave a faint smile and bowed to him. “Grandpa, there’s no need.” “Please don’t tell Seraphina Sterling that I’m leaving.”

Grandpa Sterling had indeed been kind to me. My sister, Lily Knight, and I grew up together in an orphanage. It was the Sterling family’s sponsorship that allowed us to continue our education. Later, Lily saved me in a car accident, becoming a comatose patient. To pay her exorbitant medical bills, I agreed to Grandpa Sterling’s request. At that time, Seraphina Sterling’s parents were victims of a car accident, both dying. Seraphina herself was left with paralyzed legs from the same crash. And her fiancé at the time, Damon Thorne, disgusted that she was confined to a wheelchair, fled before their wedding. To protect his granddaughter from further trauma, Grandpa Sterling concealed the truth of Damon Thorne’s departure abroad. But he also wanted to find a husband who could care for his granddaughter for the rest of her life. We then made an agreement: I would marry Seraphina Sterling in Damon Thorne’s place. Life after the marriage was unexpectedly peaceful. I discovered that Seraphina Sterling, though she appeared cold, had a genuinely warm heart. My feelings for her evolved from pity to concern, and finally, to love. We fell in love and even had a beautiful daughter, Chloe. I tried to be a good husband, massaging her legs daily, helping her with personal care, and assisting her with rehabilitation. Chloe would always hug her mother’s neck and say in her sweet voice, “Mommy, I love you most! Get better quickly so we can play house together!” However, the day her legs finally healed and she could stand again, everything changed. She slept with one of the male students I sponsored. When I confronted her, she fiercely threw that contract agreement in my face, her eyes filled with scorn. “Caleb Knight, who do you think you are? A scheming gold-digger who’d stop at nothing to get what he wants! You were so conniving, you even dared to chase Damon away just to marry me!” “Don’t forget, your sister’s life is still in my hands. One word from me, and she’ll be gone.” “So, stop with that disgusting act and behave yourself!” After that humiliation, Seraphina Sterling seemed like a different person. She grew more brazen, constantly having affairs with the young men on my sponsorship list, each time feeling like a slow torture to my soul. She tested my limits repeatedly, watching my reactions, seemingly drawing pleasure from my pain. Until Damon Thorne returned. She immediately arranged for him to be by her side, as her personal secretary. Then, my little Chloe was kidnapped right under my nose, her legs severed, and she ultimately bled to death due to lack of medical attention. Grandpa Sterling had promised me that if Seraphina Sterling didn’t repent, he wouldn’t force me to stay. But now, even my last hope, my only sister, had been cruelly killed by them. I slowly wiped away the tears from my eyes, my heart dead inside. Perhaps, this was for the best. Both Seraphina Sterling and I were finally free. Just as I stepped out of the Sterling mansion, Seraphina Sterling called. “Caleb Knight, you’re nothing but a stand-in.” Her voice was laced with irritation. “I’m warning you, Damon has a weak heart. You’d better behave yourself and not play any tricks to provoke him!” In the past, her words would have pierced me to the core. Because of Chloe, my only request of Seraphina Sterling was not to have illegitimate children outside. But now, Chloe was gone. I coldly uttered three words: “Whatever you say.” There was a moment of silence on the other end. Seraphina Sterling seemed surprised by my reaction. Then came a surge of greater anger and a hint of subtle unease. “Heh, so you’ve got Grandpa backing you up now, feeling all confident?” she sneered. “Don’t forget, I can cut off your comatose sister’s medical expenses anytime. If you dare to cause any more trouble, I don’t know what else might happen!” My hand involuntarily clenched into a fist! My sister? She was already dead! Her heart had been dug out by her little lover, Damon Thorne. Now, only a handful of ashes remained! A searing, throbbing pain erupted in my chest, impossible to suppress. I remembered the first time I discovered her cheating. After I slapped that man, her furious retaliation followed. She tied me to the balcony of our bedroom, forcing me to watch them spend the night together. The wind that night was chilling, colder than my heart felt at this moment. It was from that day on that I became numb, learning to calmly deal with every man who showed up at our door. Now, my sister and Chloe were gone. I had no weaknesses left! I coldly hung up the phone and booked a flight for abroad, three days from now.

Back at the marital villa to pack my things, I ran into Seraphina Sterling. She leaned against the doorway, her eyes scanning me with contempt. “So, my daughter’s kidnapping act was exposed, and now you’re dropping the pretense?” “Just as I thought, everything about you, right from how you first approached me, was fake.” “What if I told you I married you because Damon Thorne dumped you for being paralyzed and left the country? Would you believe me?” I looked at her calmly. She scoffed indifferently. “You’re really good at slandering Damon.” “Stop with your pathetic act. I’m sick of it.” She stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. “Since you’re so idle, move back in and serve Damon and me properly.” “And if you’re feeling lonely, I don’t mind if we all share the bed.” She leaned close to my ear, her voice barely a whisper for only us to hear: “Your suffering expression is my best thrill!” I didn’t struggle, just stared at her numbly. She seemed to find it boring, let go of me, and turned to her assistant. “Where’s my daughter? He’s done with his act, it’s time to bring the child back, isn’t it?” The assistant stammered, but I no longer wished to explain. Just then, Seraphina Sterling’s phone rang. The moment she answered, her face changed dramatically. “What? Something happened to Damon?” Seraphina Sterling instinctively looked at me. “Is this another one of your dirty tricks! I knew you were still as malicious as before!” “Do you think playing these little games in front of me will make me change my mind?” “Dream on!” She hung up and furiously kicked me hard in the chest. I cried out, falling to the floor. She wasn’t satisfied, though, and kicked me again from above. “Caleb Knight! You dare to pull the same stunt again! Three years ago, you forced Damon away, and now you want to do it again?” Her eyes were bloodshot, like an enraged lioness. “I’m telling you, if anything happens to Damon, I will never let you go!” With that, she rushed away without a backward glance. The assistant was terrified and quickly helped me, weak as I was, to my feet. “Mr. Knight, why didn’t you explain to Ms. Sterling just now? It was Grandpa Sterling who called the police and launched an investigation into Damon Thorne.” I closed my eyes, tears rolling down my cheeks. “I’m tired. And even if I explained, she wouldn’t believe me.” “Just let it be.”

The night before I left, I don’t know what Damon Thorne said to Seraphina Sterling, but to appease him, she not only transferred the title of our marital home to Damon. She also spent a fortune buying a star, naming it “Damon” and proclaiming it to the world. Damon Thorne ostentatiously flaunted their love on Ins. “Some people schemed to get this position, then made my original partner’s heart condition flare up, forcing me to recuperate abroad for years. Only now do I have the chance to return and find my true love. Fortunately, what’s mine, he can never steal.” Below, the comments were filled with sympathy for him and insults directed at me. I vaguely recalled the earliest days, when Seraphina Sterling’s legs were still immobile. She felt bad for me, carrying her to and from bed every day, always gritting her teeth late at night, repeatedly falling from her wheelchair, then climbing back up, silently practicing how to move on her own. She would ask me to go to the garden every morning to pick the freshest, dew-kissed rose for her, placing it by her bedside. The time I had a fever, she was frantic, trying to pour herself water, but she accidentally fell from her wheelchair, hitting her forehead and drawing blood. But as soon as her legs healed, all that tenderness vanished like smoke. I understood now. In this decaying relationship, dwelling on the past was meaningless. Under his Ins post, I calmly left a comment: “May your unwavering love last until old age.” Minutes later, Seraphina Sterling’s call came through. “Caleb Knight! Why would you do that? You know Damon has a heart condition, and you still provoke him! Is your heart made of stone?” On the other end, Damon Thorne weakly coughed. “Seraphina, don’t blame him. I shouldn’t have made our love public, after all, the position of Mrs. Sterling is still his, I understand…” I said nothing, just hung up and blocked her number. The day I left, Grandpa Sterling insisted on seeing me off. “Chloe is still your child, aren’t you going to see her off tomorrow for the last time?” My heart ached again. “Grandpa, the memories would be too much to bear. Let Chloe rest in peace in her favorite garden.” Grandpa Sterling held my hand, his eyes red, filled with guilt and reluctance. Just then, Seraphina Sterling returned. Seeing my luggage by my feet, a mocking sneer played on her lips. “Caleb Knight, what stunt are you pulling now?” “What, your last act of kidnapping our daughter was exposed, so you’ve got a new trick?” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. I picked up my suitcase and turned, intending to walk past her. But my silence seemed to infuriate her. She took a few steps forward, snatched the suitcase from my hand, and snapped: “Did I say you could leave? Where do you think you’re going?” She pulled too hard, and the old suitcase burst open, spilling its contents onto the floor. Seraphina Sterling’s gaze fixed on the scattered letters, her face stiffening. She was all too familiar with the style of those envelopes. “Aren’t these the letters Damon wrote to me!” Seraphina Sterling carefully began picking up the letters. She looked up, her bloodshot eyes glaring at me. “Caleb Knight! What were you trying to do by stealing them? Destroy them to get revenge on Damon and me?” “How can your methods be so despicable!” Seraphina Sterling had always believed that Damon Thorne had secretly written those letters to her while he was abroad. But those letters were anonymous notes I had written to encourage her. Now, I no longer wanted to explain. “You scoundrel!” Grandpa Sterling trembled with rage, pointing at her nose. “Don’t you know, those letters were…” His words were cut off by Seraphina Sterling’s phone ringing. She haphazardly stuffed the letters into her arms, stood up, and impatiently told Grandpa Sterling, “Alright, Damon’s not feeling well and needs me. I’m leaving.” She walked up to me, looking down, and dropped a warning: “Caleb Knight, you’d better watch yourself.” “You stop right there!” Grandpa Sterling was furious, but Seraphina Sterling disappeared out the door without a backward glance. I silently knelt, picking up the scattered items one by one and putting them back into the suitcase, as if I were not the one who had just been humiliated. Grandpa Sterling sighed deeply and handed me a signed divorce agreement. “Caleb, you’re free.” I quietly took off my wedding ring and tossed it into the trash can. Then, holding my sister’s urn, I got into the car headed for the airport. “Lily, it’s all over. Brother will take you to see the world.” After Seraphina Sterling soothed Damon Thorne, she went straight to a club and partied all night.

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