Category: English

My son, Arthur, was critically ill, desperately needing a liver transplant. My wife, Vivian Hayes, was the only perfect match. I pleaded with her for twenty days. Finally, she agreed to come back and donate. I waited outside the operating room all day, but she never showed. That same day, Vivian’s childhood best friend, Julian Thorne, posted photos on his Ins of their round-the-world trip. “Sending love from day 20 of our global adventure! Dr. Hayes gave up her fellowship to help my son realize his dream of traveling the world.” It was then I realized: the very first day I begged Vivian, she had already left for a trip with Julian and his son. That evening, Vivian called me: “Liam, Noah aced his finals, and his wish is for his mom and dad to travel the world with him.” “You know, he doesn’t have a mom…” “I couldn’t bear to see his wish go unfulfilled. We’ll be back in three days.” “And then, I’ll donate my liver to our son.” Three days later, when Vivian arrived at the hospital, all she saw was Arthur’s death certificate. … In the hospital morgue, I gazed at my son Arthur’s serene face, a crushing pain in my heart that stole my breath. Arthur had always been such a good kid, never giving me much to worry about. But I couldn’t even guarantee his health or his life. My son had suffered sudden liver failure, requiring an urgent transplant. The only person in our entire family who was a match was my wife, Vivian Hayes. But the day after the matching results came in, her company sent her abroad for a prestigious fellowship. On her first day away, I begged Vivian to come back and donate her liver to Arthur. She said the overseas fellowship was a rare opportunity, and she didn’t want to give it up. In the middle of her trip, I pleaded with her for another eighteen days. She still refused, cold and unfeeling. On her nineteenth day abroad, the doctor said Arthur’s condition had worsened, and he needed a transplant as soon as possible. I begged her again to come back, to save our son first. But she claimed if she left mid-program, her entire career would be ruined. She told me to transfer Arthur to a major medical center and find more people to match. The specialist hospital was completely full; they refused to admit us. Helpless, we had no choice but to return to the city hospital. Arthur was ravaged by his illness, his face ghostly pale. He looked at me with eyes full of hope: “Dad, why isn’t Mom back to see Arthur yet?” “Is Arthur being bad? Did I make Mom angry?” I didn’t know how to comfort him. I just thought maybe I hadn’t explained clearly enough, that Vivian might have misunderstood how serious Arthur’s condition was. So, I reached out to Vivian again, bringing Arthur’s lead doctor with me, begging her to rush back and save our son. With the doctor’s confirmation, Vivian finally relented. She agreed to take two days off to come back and donate her liver to Arthur. But on the day of the surgery, I sat outside the operating room, waiting all day. What I got was the news that my son couldn’t be saved and had passed away. Vivian still hadn’t shown up. I pulled out my phone, wanting to ask Vivian why she wasn’t there. Instead, I saw a photo Julian Thorne had sent me. In the picture, Vivian, holding Noah’s hand, was leaning into Julian’s embrace, smiling radiantly. My hand trembled as I opened Julian’s Ins feed, and the glaring content hit me. “Sending love from day 20 of our global adventure! Dr. Hayes gave up her fellowship to help my son realize his dream of traveling the world.” If Julian hadn’t posted that on Ins, I wouldn’t have known that the wife my son and I desperately waited for was actually traveling the world with another man’s child. I clutched my son’s already cold hand, my heart twisting into a knot, suffocating me. Just then, Vivian called: “Liam, Noah aced his finals, and his wish is for his mom and dad to travel the world with him.” “You know, he doesn’t have a mom…” “I couldn’t bear to see his wish go unfulfilled. We’ll be back in three days.” “In three days, I’ll donate my liver to our son.” My mind went blank. Just one day ago, I would have jumped for joy. But now, I couldn’t feel happy at all. My son’s life, in her eyes, wasn’t as important as a stranger’s wish. Vivian must have sensed something, because she asked anxiously, “Liam, why aren’t you saying anything?” I snapped back to reality and asked what was on my mind: “Vivian Hayes, do you know how sick our son was?” Vivian froze. It seemed only then she realized Arthur’s condition couldn’t be delayed any longer. “Liam, don’t worry, I’ll buy a ticket and come back right away.” From the other end of the phone, Noah’s innocent voice chimed in, “Mommy, for the last stop, Noah wants to go to romantic Paris. Will you take Noah?” Vivian paused for a moment, then spoke to me: “Liam, my friend at the major medical center said Arthur isn’t a critical case. Three days later for treatment is still fine. Just be the bigger person and wait for me to come back.” I should have known this would be the outcome. Ever since Julian Thorne got divorced and returned, Vivian’s entire world revolved around him and Noah. She promised to celebrate Arthur’s birthday with us, but she stood us up because Noah had a cold. She always said Noah didn’t have a mom and she had to take care of him, telling my son and I to be more understanding. She gave Arthur’s birthday gift to Noah, telling us to be more understanding. She canceled family gatherings to take Noah to the amusement park, telling us to be more understanding. She knew Arthur and I would forgive her, that we’d wait for her, right where we were. That’s why she acted with impunity, ignoring us, hurting us. But this time, I couldn’t be understanding. Because my son had no future. And my marriage with Vivian Hayes had reached its end. 2 Hanging up the phone, I prepared Arthur’s body for viewing. Before he went into surgery, Arthur had asked me, full of hope, “Dad, will I see Mom when I wake up?” I answered firmly, “Yes, Arthur. You’ll be all better after you sleep.” But I let Arthur down. Until his dying breath, Vivian never came back to see him. Perhaps she had a gut feeling, because Vivian kept sending me messages, asking about Arthur’s condition. I just watched her messages, neither replying nor blocking her. The next day, I arrived at the hospital early to handle Arthur’s funeral arrangements. To my surprise, I ran into Vivian. Julian Thorne rushed into the hospital, carrying Noah. Vivian was running beside him, shouting at the nurses, “Hurry! Save him!” People quickly moved out of her way. I couldn’t dodge in time and found myself blocking her path. She skidded to a halt: “Liam, Noah suddenly fainted. I need to get him checked first.” I nodded, stepping back two paces to clear her way. Vivian looked at me, bewildered. She couldn’t understand why I had become so understanding. Before, when she favored Noah, I would always try to stop her, I would complain. Now, I was silent, proactively moving aside for her. “Liam, don’t be mad. I’m going to donate my liver to Arthur right now.” Saying this, she let go of Noah’s hand and reached for mine. Julian caught up from behind, grabbing Vivian’s hand. “Vivian, please don’t go.” “Liam, I know you hate Noah for taking Vivian’s affection, but Noah is just a child. Please, let him go.” Under Julian’s emotional plea, Vivian chose to stay with him, leaving without a backward glance. A young nurse nearby comforted Julian: “Don’t worry, brother-in-law. Dr. Hayes is known for being fiercely devoted to her husband. If you ask, there’s nothing she can’t do.” “Unlike those shameless homewreckers who don’t know their place.” The people around us, like sharks smelling blood, began to whisper and gossip furiously. “So, he’s the other man? A grown man being a homewrecker, not even bothering to hide it in front of the actual spouse. How thick-skinned!” “Exactly! When his son was admitted earlier, he even claimed to be Dr. Hayes’ husband and wanted us to arrange a retired professor for his son’s surgery.” “What a shameless homewrecker. It’s karma that his illegitimate child died.” Vivian had always insisted on keeping her work and personal life separate, so she never brought Arthur or me to any hospital events. She didn’t want her colleagues to know about us. After Julian returned, she claimed he was new to the area, so she took him to hospital events, openly introducing him to her colleagues. When her colleagues chuckled and said her “brother-in-law” was handsome, Vivian just smiled and implicitly agreed. All her colleagues at the hospital believed Julian and Noah were her husband and son. On the contrary, Arthur and I were considered the shameless other man and illegitimate child. In the hallway, Vivian stopped me. She took a step forward, trying to kiss me, but I turned my head, avoiding her. “Vivian Hayes, this is your workplace.” Vivian’s hand froze in mid-air. She pouted, trying to be cute. “Liam, stop being mad, okay?” “I’ll go donate my liver to Arthur in a bit.” I lowered my head, hiding my emotions: “It’s not needed anymore.” Because Arthur was gone. And a mother who broke her promise had no right to see him again. If Arthur knew his longed-for mother had been traveling the world with someone else’s son, how heartbroken would he be? Vivian sensed my sadness. She pulled two boxes from her bag: “These are gifts for you and Arthur.” The box for Arthur contained a Transformers action figure. I stared at the toy, lost in thought for a moment. Last year, for Arthur’s birthday, Vivian was on a business trip abroad. Arthur wanted a genuine Transformers figure, and Vivian video-called him to let him pick one. But when she returned, that genuine Transformers toy was already clutched in Noah’s arms. Arthur cried, wanting the toy, but Vivian coldly criticized him for being petty and fighting with his “brother” over toys. Now she had bought the Transformers toy Arthur had always wanted, but it was too late. Arthur was gone. Seeing my lack of reaction, Vivian grew anxious. She grabbed my hand, just about to say something, when Julian walked in. “Vivian, the doctor said Noah has leukemia and needs a kidney transplant.” Vivian’s eyes were filled with urgency. “Don’t worry, I’ll go get tested for a match right away. I won’t let anything happen to Noah.” She dropped my hand and followed Julian away. I called out to her: “Vivian Hayes, aren’t you going to see Arthur?” 3 Vivian paused: “I…” Julian quickly interjected: “Liam, please don’t compete with me. Noah is waiting for Vivian to save his life.” Vivian let out a sigh of relief: “Liam, don’t be angry. I’m a doctor; my duty is to save lives and help those in need.” “Wait for me, I’ll be there in a moment.” With that, Vivian hurried away with Julian. I watched their retreating backs and murmured, “No need, Vivian Hayes.” I heard nurses discussing that Vivian had successfully matched for a kidney transplant and had already signed the donation agreement. She could have the transplant after a week of recovery. Even though I already knew the outcome, my heart still twisted with a sharp, piercing pain. After running around all day, I found an empty office to rest. As I entered, I walked in on Vivian and Julian, passionately kissing, completely lost in each other. Seeing me, Vivian quickly pulled away from Julian and rushed to explain: “Liam, Noah is sick, I was just comforting Julian.” I couldn’t help but sneer: “Comforting requires kissing each other?” Vivian tried to explain further, but Julian, eyes red, pulled her back. “Liam, don’t blame Vivian. I was the one who kissed her first.” I scoffed mercilessly: “You must be starving to eat anything put in front of you.” With that, I turned to leave. Vivian followed me out. “Liam, please let me explain. I only see Julian as a brother.” Julian’s hoarse voice came from behind: “Vivian, the doctor said Noah’s condition is very dangerous. He needs a transplant immediately.” Vivian hesitated for a moment, then explained to me: “I’ll donate my kidney to Noah first.” She still left without a backward glance. It was truly ironic. Her own son needed a liver transplant, and Vivian stayed far away. Her childhood friend’s son needed a kidney transplant, and Vivian immediately volunteered to donate her kidney. It was so clear then. Love and indifference, so starkly visible. If only I had realized sooner, if only I hadn’t placed all my hope in Vivian, Arthur might still be alive. In that moment, I completely gave up hope. I went home to pack my bags. All of Arthur’s and my belongings, I packed them all away. If this was the end, then it had to be a clean break. After packing everything and printing out the divorce papers, a faint glow appeared on the horizon. The sun was rising. A new day had begun. I walked into the first rays of morning light, leaving the home where Vivian and I had supposedly shared a decade of love. As I hailed a cab, I opened my phone. Vivian’s messages flooded in, one after another. “I’m donating my kidney to Noah tomorrow at 9 AM. Come early to take care of me.” “Noah can’t drink or eat after surgery. Prepare some cotton swabs to moisten his throat later.” “Don’t worry, once I recover, I’ll donate my liver to Arthur.” “Once Arthur is better, let’s go on that world trip together. We’ll go to Switzerland to see the Northern Lights, ski in the Alps, experience all the breathtaking scenery across the globe.” I closed the messages, letting out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. Vivian Hayes, we have no future. At eight o’clock, I took Arthur’s body to the funeral home, but at the corner, I ran into Vivian. “Liam, is this…?” I looked at her coldly: “Vivian Hayes, Arthur passed away. His cremation is at noon. Do you want to come with me to say goodbye?” Vivian stumbled back two steps. “Impossible. How could that be?” Julian steadied Vivian: “Liam, why do you keep cursing Arthur? Arthur is perfectly fine.” Julian kept spouting nonsense, provoking me. I couldn’t help but slap him across the face. Julian licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, looking at me defiantly: “Exposed, huh? Is Liam getting upset and resorting to violence?” “Enough!” Vivian snapped, and the noisy environment suddenly fell silent. Vivian walked closer, step by step, staring at me fiercely: “Liam Walker, I just didn’t donate my liver to Arthur the way you demanded. Do you really need to lie to me?” She abruptly overturned the gurney transporting Arthur’s body. With a crash, Arthur’s small, frail body fell to the floor right in front of us.

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My wife, three months pregnant, aborted our child against my will to make room for her childhood friend’s baby because he was terminally ill. Afterward, she calmly stated, “Ryan doesn’t have much time left. Why would you argue with a dying man? I promise you, once I give birth to Ryan’s baby, we can have another one of our own.” Everyone thought I was head-over-heels in love with her, convinced I wouldn’t refuse and would eagerly play the pathetic step-dad. But this time, I decisively signed the divorce papers and bought a plane ticket abroad the very next day. I saw my ex-wife again two years later at a class reunion. The moment she stepped into the private room, she shoved her two-year-old child into my arms, a haughty look on her face. “Liam, you’ve been throwing a tantrum for two years. Isn’t it time you cooled down? If you apologize to me publicly, I might give you a chance to take care of us, mother and son!” Everyone stifled their giggles, whispering that I had gotten a good deal, a two-for-one. But I simply flashed the wedding ring on my left hand. “No thanks. I already have my own wife and child. No need to be a pathetic chump!”

The moment I finished speaking, everyone in the private room froze, their shocked gazes fixed on me, before bursting into laughter. “Oh, come on, Liam! Who doesn’t know you love Serena more than life itself? When Serena had end-stage kidney disease back then, you gave her one of your kidneys. Do you really expect us to believe you’d marry someone else?” “Exactly! Can you at least get your story straight before you spout nonsense? Who’d believe such rubbish?” I smirked inwardly, ignoring their chatter. It was no wonder they were shocked. I *had* been madly in love with Serena. After her kidney disease diagnosis, I didn’t hesitate to donate a kidney to her. To this day, my left kidney still aches faintly on rainy days. I always gave her the sweetest part of the watermelon. Knowing she hated dragon fruit seeds, I’d painstakingly pick each one out with a toothpick. Because I loved her, I even tolerated her going on dates with her childhood friend, Ryan, again and again. I tolerated her tying Ryan’s tie and gently wiping his mouth right in front of me. As long as she came home and remembered she had a husband, I was content. Everyone knew I was a complete fool in love, beyond saving, and they instinctively assumed I was just spouting angry words earlier. As they collected themselves, Ryan, who had been silent, picked up a bottle of wine from the table and approached me, saying casually, “Liam, I know you’re still mad about what happened two years ago.” “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been diagnosed with a terminal illness, Serena wouldn’t have aborted your child to give me an heir.” “Since everyone’s here today, I’ll drink this bottle as an apology to you!” He chugged the bottle, the burning liquor making him cough uncontrollably. Serena immediately jumped up, handed her child to a nearby colleague, snatched the bottle, and said, both angry and heartbroken, “Ryan, are you crazy, drinking so much? Even though your condition has been controlled these past few years, you’re still a sick man!” After comforting Ryan, Serena gave me a haughty look and said coldly, “Liam, you’ve been throwing a tantrum for two years. That’s enough!” “Ryan and I just did IVF; there was no physical intimacy. Why are you still holding a grudge over such a minor thing?” Everyone started murmuring. “Liam is so stubborn. It’s a two-for-one deal; he actually came out ahead!” “And Serena has been looking for him all these years. He left for two years, and she searched for two years. It’s time to move on from the past.” So, aborting our child to have a baby for Ryan was just a “minor thing” in Serena’s eyes? What surprised me, though, was that Serena had actually been looking for me? What for? Lost in thought, I heard Serena continue, “Alright, Liam, little Leo needs someone to take care of him. Since you’re back, you can take care of him from now on. Even though Leo isn’t your biological child, you’re his nominal father, so you should be responsible for him.” I scoffed. Two years hadn’t changed a thing. Serena was still arrogant, giving me orders as if it were her right. But I was no longer the Liam she could manipulate so easily. My heart had turned to stone the moment Serena aborted our child two years ago, and I had left the country decisively. And what I’d said earlier wasn’t just angry words; I genuinely had gotten married and had a child. After moving abroad, I found a new job, and before long, I met my wife, Victoria. She was there for me through those dark times. We got married soon after and had a beautiful daughter. Just thinking about my wife and daughter filled me with warmth. Snapping back to reality, I coldly refused, “No thanks. I have my own child to take care of. As for your little Leo, let his biological father do it.” Hearing this, Ryan’s eyes immediately reddened. “Liam, I know you resent me for causing your child to be aborted, which is why you refuse to take care of my child.” “I want to raise Leo myself, but my body won’t allow it…” “It’s because I trust you that I’m entrusting Leo to your care. He’s a very well-behaved child, doesn’t cry or fuss, and won’t be much trouble. Please, I’m begging you, take pity on me, a father, and take care of Leo…” Ryan made a show of falling to his knees. Serena quickly helped him up and comforted him. Then, she turned and gave me a cold glance. “So many people beg to take care of Leo, and I refuse them all. It’s an honor for you to care for him, don’t be ungrateful!” Her gaze fell on my clothes, and Serena scoffed. “Liam, you must not have had it easy these past two years abroad, huh? You can’t even wear decent clothes to a class reunion.” “It’s about time you stopped being so picky. If you take good care of Leo, I can give you ten thousand a month for pocket money. That’s way more than you’d earn working odd jobs.” Ryan also chimed in, sounding like the man of the house, “Yeah, if you take good care of Leo, Serena and I won’t treat you badly. With us, you won’t have to wear cheap, off-brand clothes.” It was then that everyone noticed my casual outfit. Immediately, sneering remarks filled the room. “How did Liam fall so far? He can’t even afford decent clothes!” “If only he’d known this would happen. I heard Serena’s company took off right after he left. If he hadn’t stubbornly gone abroad, he’d be living a comfortable life now.” I just curled my lips into a cold smile. They had no idea. The clothes I was wearing weren’t off-brand; they were custom-designed silk, each piece costing hundreds of thousands. Seeing me smile, Serena mistakenly thought I was agreeing to take care of Leo. She pulled out her phone, ready to transfer money to me. “I’ll transfer ten thousand. Go buy some good clothes later, so you don’t rub your poverty on our little Leo.” But to her surprise, the message she sent was immediately met with a glaring red exclamation mark!

Serena’s eyes widened. “Liam, you blocked me?!” I found it amusing. I’d blocked and deleted her two years ago. Was she just finding out now? Serena’s face flushed with embarrassment, and she demanded that I add her back immediately. But I said coldly, “Just an ex-wife. What’s there to add?” “Besides, my wife doesn’t let me add other women. She gets jealous.” Seeing me repeatedly refuse to give her face, Serena’s anger flared. “Liam, are you done with your act? I’ve given you a way out. If you insist on being stubborn, then we’ll divorce!” In the past, Serena would always threaten me with divorce whenever she was displeased, forcing me to yield. She thought she could still manipulate me as easily as before. But I just smirked coldly. “Serena, did you forget? We already divorced two years ago.” At my words, the entire room fell silent. Serena was stunned for a moment. “Divorced? When did we get divorced?” Then, as if something clicked, she sneered, “I get it! This is your little game, isn’t it? Playing hard to get? Two years apart, and you’ve certainly gotten more cunning!” I rolled my eyes in exasperation. “Serena, didn’t you see the letter I left two years ago?” Serena looked confused. “What letter?” Before I left the country, I had left Serena a letter. Inside the envelope, along with the wedding ring I’d taken off, was a signed divorce agreement. I had made her sign that divorce agreement on the day she insisted on aborting our child, despite my pleas. She was always dismissive of me; she hadn’t even looked at it before signing. She probably hadn’t even bothered to properly read the contents of the envelope two years ago. That’s why she didn’t know we were already divorced, thinking I was just throwing a tantrum. Thinking of this, I scoffed, and with a flourish, pulled out my duplicate copy of the divorce agreement from that year, thrusting it in front of Serena. “Serena, the letter I wrote you back then contained a signed divorce agreement. I made two copies, and this is the other one. Look closely, we’re already divorced.” Serena’s beautiful eyes widened. She was about to say the divorce agreement was forged, but when she saw her own signature clearly on it, she froze. “This is really my handwriting? How? I never signed…” “No, you did. Remember the document I handed you on the day you scheduled your D&C procedure?” My reminder made Serena realize belatedly that the document I’d made her sign that day was the divorce agreement. Her face turned ashen. Everyone else was surprised too. “Liam actually initiated the divorce? Has his ‘love-struck’ spell finally broken?” “If they’re divorced, why is he back? I bet he still can’t let Serena go.” Hearing this, Serena lifted her chin, confidently believing I still had feelings for her. Little did she know, my return to the country was primarily to accompany my wife and daughter. Victoria was attending a business gala back home, and our daughter wanted to visit Wonderland Theme Park during the spring break. I’d just arrived when I received the class reunion invitation, so I decided to drop by. I was about to shatter Serena’s illusion when her phone rang. It was her assistant. “Ms. Smith, we just got word that Ms. Stone, CEO of Stone Group, is back in the country with her husband and child, and they’ll be attending the business gala tonight. The chairman wants us to add an extra seat and treat them exceptionally well.” “The chairman specifically emphasized treating Ms. Stone’s husband well, as Ms. Stone is fiercely protective of him. If we can win over her husband, future collaborations are guaranteed.” Only then did I realize that Serena’s company was hosting this business gala. After Serena hung up, everyone started showering her with flattery. “Serena, Stone Group is a powerhouse! Your company landing a partnership with them means a brilliant future!” “I heard all the big shots in the business world will be at this gala. Can you help us old classmates make some connections?” Serena’s eyes gleamed with triumph as she glanced at me, speaking condescendingly, “Liam, are you regretting stubbornly divorcing me now?” “If you agree to take care of Leo, I might consider remarrying you…” I scoffed inwardly. Stone Group was my wife’s company, and I was the very husband they were so desperate to impress. Before Serena could finish, I coldly interrupted, “Stone Group wouldn’t even *look* at your company.” Beside her, Ryan, who had been silent for a long time, gave me a disdainful look. “How would *you* know?” I articulated each word clearly: “Because, I *am* Ms. Stone’s husband.” At my words, everyone looked at me as if I’d lost my mind, like I was an idiot. Ryan even burst out laughing. “If you’re Ms. Stone’s husband, then I’m Ms. Stone’s father!” “Who doesn’t know Ms. Stone dotes on her husband? She once made headlines by splurging hundreds of millions on a watch for him! Ms. Stone’s husband is a priceless man, worth hundreds of millions. How could a low-life like you impersonate him?” “Look at yourself! What part of you screams ‘Ms. Stone’s husband’?” But I unhurriedly rolled up my sleeve, revealing a large, diamond-encrusted gold watch on my wrist. “Are you talking about *this* watch?”

Everyone was utterly shocked. “The news about Ms. Stone buying a watch and making headlines… it looks just like the one Liam is wearing!” “So… Liam really is Ms. Stone’s husband?” Ryan’s eyes widened when he saw the watch on my wrist, a flicker of envy and malice crossing his face. The next second, he swiftly yanked the watch off my wrist when I wasn’t looking, sneering, “Liam, how dare you try to fool us with a fake watch! How could someone like you impersonate Ms. Stone’s husband?” “Not gonna lie, this knockoff is pretty convincing. Too bad a fake is always a fake; it’ll never be real.” “Serena is about to partner with Ms. Stone, and you’re impersonating her husband right now? Are you trying to ruin Serena?” I glared at him coldly. “Who told you this watch is fake? It’s the real deal, now give it back!” But Ryan refused, deliberately stuffing the watch into his pocket. I lunged to retrieve it, but he stumbled backward and collapsed onto the floor, his eyes red as he looked at me. “Liam, I can’t believe you hate me so much. Not only did you deliberately push me, but you’re also dragging Serena into this just to get back at me. Fine, I’ll take Leo and leave, so we don’t bother you anymore…” Ryan continued to whine and threatened to leave. Two years, and he was still pulling the same stunts. And Serena, as always, fell for it. This time, she also protected him, just as usual, yelling at me. “That’s enough, Liam! Ryan is a sick man; are you trying to kill him?” “You’re the one in the wrong here. Impersonating Ms. Stone’s husband, are you trying to ruin our company’s partnership? Two years apart, and you’ve become so malicious!” Meeting Ryan’s provocative gaze, I smirked inwardly. He wasn’t sick at all. His terminal illness was faked, and his medical records were forged. I had told Serena before, but she wouldn’t believe me, accusing me of slander instead. Even now, she still didn’t believe me. I couldn’t be bothered to argue, expecting Serena to continue her tirade as she always did. But instead, she sighed helplessly. “Alright, Ryan seems to like this watch, so just give it to him as an apology.” “Let’s just drop this whole thing. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything.” That watch was a special gift from Victoria. Let me just hand it over? No way. I snatched the watch back, saying coldly, “This is a gift from my wife. You have no right to touch it!” The sharp watch strap cut Serena’s finger. Seeing me refuse to back down, Serena’s face darkened. “Liam, it’s just a cheap watch. If it wasn’t to give you a way out, do you really think we’d want it?” “Ryan, it’s just a watch, right? I’ll buy you an even more expensive and better one. Let *someone* regret it!” I ignored them, turning to leave the private room. Afterward, I returned to the hotel where I was staying. That evening, I freshened up and headed to the business gala. Before leaving, Victoria sent me a message, letting me know that Wonderland Theme Park’s show had just ended, and she was bringing our daughter over. She told me to go ahead and wait for them. Knowing my wife and daughter loved cake, I grabbed a plate of small cakes, intending to find a seat and wait. As I turned, I bumped into Serena and Ryan, both dressed to the nines. Seeing me, a hint of disdain flashed in Serena’s eyes. “What are *you* doing here? What, did you come specifically to reconcile with me?” “You were so tough earlier! Seems like that was all just an act!” Seeing the cake in my hand, Ryan mocked, “Liam, you’re not a waiter here, are you? I heard their waiters only make four thousand a month. That’s less than taking care of our Leo!” Serena also wore a haughty expression. “Liam, if you beg me, I might make an exception and let you take care of Leo, for old times’ sake.” I said calmly, “Don’t misunderstand. I’m not a waiter. I’m here waiting for my wife and child.” Ryan, however, looked as if he’d heard the funniest joke. “Liam, the only CEO attending this gala with a child is Ms. Stone. Are you actually going to claim you’re Ms. Stone’s husband?” “I am.” Hearing me say that, Ryan crossed his arms and sneered. “Liam, you’re clearly addicted to lying! How dare you spout nonsense and pretend to be someone important at such a crucial event, and you’re still wearing that fake watch!” “If Ms. Stone and her husband find out, we’ll all be in deep trouble!” Before I could react, Ryan lunged forward, snatched the watch from my wrist, and slammed it onto the floor. The sharp strap cut my wrist, drawing bright red blood. Before I could even cry out in pain, Ryan shoved me hard onto the ground, grabbed a nearby cake plate, and smashed it onto my face, growling, “I’ll teach you a lesson, you imposter, on behalf of Ms. Stone!” Cake smeared all over my face, the sticky cream clogging my nostrils, nearly suffocating me. I reached up to wipe the cream off my face, but Ryan cruelly stomped on my hand with his hard leather shoe heel, grinding it repeatedly. Excruciating pain shot through my entire body. I could almost hear my bones cracking. The crowd in the hall, having heard I was an imposter, all laughed and pointed. Serena watched the entire thing with cold eyes. Just then, someone in the crowd shouted, “Ms. Stone is here!” Everyone immediately turned to look at the entrance. I waved my arms, trying to get Victoria’s attention. But Serena grabbed my hand, whispering, “Liam, behave yourself! I know you deliberately followed me here because you’re jealous.” “As long as you don’t make a scene, after the gala, I might consider remarrying you. I can even have another child for you…” She tried to pull me up, but I recoiled in disgust. Victoria still noticed me. Holding our daughter, she walked towards me, her brows tightly furrowed. “What happened?” Ryan’s face was full of flattery. “Ms. Stone, this man is an imposter pretending to be your husband! I’ve already taught him a good lesson for you!” Serena echoed, “Yes, Ms. Stone, there’s no need to bother with him.” The next second, our daughter let go of Victoria’s hand and ran to me. Seeing my disheveled state, her eyes welled up with tears. “Daddy, why is your face covered in cream? And your hand, it’s bleeding…” Suddenly, everyone present was stunned. “What? Did I hear that right? Ms. Stone’s daughter just called this imposter ‘Daddy’?” “Doesn’t that mean this isn’t an imposter, but the real deal?”

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I used to be the perfect housewife, devoted to my husband Frank for seven years. I was so loyal I’d cross the street to avoid other men. But then I found out he was cheating on me. Tears streaming down my face, I confronted Frank with a list of 102 women he’d cheated with. “Why did you betray me?” I demanded. He coldly replied, “You’re too pure. There’s no passion in our life.” Later, I faked my own death to escape. Once I was free, I stopped pretending! I immediately took my Ferrari out for a spin and hired 99 male models. As I finished singing a silly song, I was passionately kissing one of the models when we locked eyes with someone at the door. I gave a flirtatious smile. “Hi there, ex-husband!” Frank leaned casually against the doorframe, saying nothing as the flickering lights cast eerie shadows. Annoyed at being stared at, I whispered in the model’s ear, taking a dig at Frank: “When someone greets you, you should respond. That’s just basic human decency.” “Otherwise, you’re not even human.” The model’s ear turned red from my warm breath. He gave Frank a challenging look. “Twinkle twinkle little star…” The next silly song I’d picked started playing. I wrapped my arms around the model, about to kiss him again. Frank finally spoke, his face dark: “Hiring male models?” “99 of them?” I turned to look at him with an innocent expression. “Is there a problem, Dr. Harrison?” Frank’s eyes grew cold, a mocking smile on his lips. “You’re really going wild, aren’t you.” The guys with Frank started teasing: “Sis, if you’d been this wild before, you and Frank wouldn’t have split up!” “Yeah, you gotta spice things up to get through the seven-year itch!” I firmly held down the model, Miles, who was getting angry and wanted to stand up. I slowly sipped my wine, lost in thought. I used to be a free-spirited woman. Years ago, I fell for Frank’s image as a selfless doctor saving lives. I went to great lengths to find out he had a pure, gentle ex who died young. For years he’d remained faithful to her memory. I knew then that he was the one. I forced myself to rein in my outgoing personality and played the perfect wife for Frank for seven years. And what did those seven years get me? Messages on his phone flirting and hooking up with countless sexy women. And his cold words to me: “No passion.” Even someone as strong as me couldn’t help but tremble remembering it. Only I knew how deeply I had loved Frank for those seven years. And only I knew that the seemingly perfect man was rotten to the core. I felt like such a fool. Miles gently held my waist and whispered: “Lily, are you that shaken?” I sighed softly, ready to rally. But then I heard Frank’s impatient mockery: “Are you two planning to get a room? This is a bar, not a hotel!” “We don’t allow indecent behavior in respectable establishments!” I emerged from Miles’ embrace and gave Frank a faint smile. “Young people date and hook up. Is there something wrong with two single people getting to know each other?” “Dr. Harrison, you’re so old-fashioned!” I watched the man’s chest heave with anger, his eyes dark. “Lily, you-!” I lifted my chin proudly and pulled out a wad of cash, stuffing it into Miles’ jacket pocket. “How about I buy you for the night, handsome?” Miles pressed his forehead to mine, his voice low: “What do you want to do?” I winked playfully, ignoring Frank as I pulled Miles towards the dance floor. “Dance with me!” The pulsing music shook the wild crowd. I smirked at Miles’ stiff movements in front of me. “You really don’t dance like someone who works here as a model.” Miles gritted his teeth and glared at me threateningly. “Lily!” “I would never come to a place like this if you hadn’t called me!” I laughed and pulled Miles closer by his shirt, lightly touching his lips. “I called you to act, but you’re taking advantage. We’re even now.” Miles’ eyes flashed red as he smacked my hand away, his mood darkening. “Lily, can’t you behave?!” “Didn’t you fake your death to get away from Frank forever? Why come to the bar he owns?” I fell silent. Seeing my reaction, Miles’ voice softened. “Do you regret it? Do you still love him?” I stiffened, my smile fading. After I left Frank, I never planned to see him again, and certainly didn’t expect to run into him here. Damn, who knew this bar was his?! I had just come out of the bathroom when I overheard Frank talking to his lowlife friends. “Bro, I found some hot new girls for you. Wanna meet them?” “You’ve been cooped up at the hospital ever since Lily disappeared. You look awful! You need some fun!” Separated by just a wall, I was shocked. Frank knew I had faked my death?! “How’s Lily been lately?” Frank inhaled deeply on his cigarette, slowly exhaling. “She went to the gym the day before yesterday and pretended to be weak to hook up with a muscular trainer. Yesterday she went to a wine tasting and ‘accidentally’ spilled wine on a sexy CEO’s shirt. Today she came to the bar and hired 99 male models to her room.” I silently listened to the lackey’s report, wanting to laugh. They really knew how to pick out the highlights. Frank suddenly chuckled coldly. “Sneaking off and faking her death, trying to make me jealous by practicing on other men-” “These little tricks aren’t enough to make me forgive and take her back.” I rolled my eyes so hard they nearly fell out of my head. What the hell kind of tricks?! It was all because Miles kept messing things up when he was with me: He was supposed to spot me at the gym but didn’t adjust the equipment. How was I supposed to lift that much?! The trainer was just laughing so hard he finally helped me! Miles suddenly complimented my white dress, making me trip and spill my wine all over the CEO. The guy came to ask for compensation! As for the models, I admit that was intentional. Miles had teased me that after faking my death, I didn’t even have a single man around! I was so annoyed listening to Frank and his crew’s delusional conversation. Where did they get the confidence?! Back in the private room, I reluctantly dismissed the 99 tall, handsome models. I calmly posted on social media, visible only to Miles: “Emergency! Need a male model wingman!” “Lily, say something.” “Do you still love him?” Miles’ low shout snapped me back to reality. I was about to speak when commotion broke out by the booths. A drunk customer was forcefully groping a sweet, innocent-looking girl and wouldn’t let go. He was shamelessly trying to feel her up. “Come on baby, let me hold you!” “Let go of me!” Beer bottles shattered on the ground as the girl cried out desperately for help. Until Frank came over and punched the guy, shielding the girl behind him. The onlookers cheered, the noise growing louder and louder. “What were you saying earlier?” Miles glared at me in annoyance. “You lose your soul as soon as you see Frank.” I lightly patted Miles’ cheek. “Tsk! We’ve been best friends for so many years and you still don’t understand my personality? Am I that kind of person? I don’t go back to exes!” Miles turned his head slightly, pressing his cheek firmly against my palm. “Then why are you still looking at him!” I laughed scornfully, leaning back against Miles with my arms crossed. “Am I looking at him?” I was actually looking at Frank’s hand resting firmly on the girl’s slim waist. And the knowing glance he exchanged with the drunk guy. He got the pretty girl and good publicity for the bar. Killing two birds with one stone. He was so calculating. It made me wonder how many times I’d been manipulated in those seven years. Disgusting. “Let’s go home.” I patted Miles’ broad shoulder, no longer wanting to get involved in Frank’s mess. Miles hesitated, his face full of restraint. “To my place?” “Uh, sure, your place works.” Miles looked increasingly uncomfortable as he waited for my decision. I narrowed my eyes and leaned close to his ear, pretending to be serious. “Of course-” “I’m going to my home, and you’re going to yours!” I quickly walked away, waving goodbye to Miles. “Goodnight Miles!” By the time Miles realized I’d tricked him, I was long gone. He unconsciously smirked, savoring the moment: “I’ll get you back for this.” Meanwhile, on the other side. Frank clinked glasses with the girl, gently calming her frightened heart. But his eyes were fixed firmly on Miles and me. Seeing us walk away one after the other, he couldn’t help but feel pleased. “Still so faithful.” “She must really love me.” On a cruise ship. “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll definitely snag a rich husband for you at this masquerade ball!” I reassured my mom on the phone as I gazed at the roaring sea. “Yeah right, with your taste in men?” “You wasted seven years being fooled, and now the neighbor’s daughter already has grandkids!” I was momentarily speechless at my mom’s scolding. “Sweetie, you and Miles have been childhood sweethearts. Our families know each other so well. Have you really never considered him? Old Mr. Young has always wanted you as a granddaughter-in-law!” I kicked at imaginary pebbles on the ground. “Mom! Stop worrying! I have my own pace!” Besides, if Miles really liked me, why hasn’t he said anything? He probably doesn’t even see me as a woman! I might as well find a boyfriend here today. Like that guy at 2 o’clock in the black mask. He looks good. His tailored suit hides an irresistibly attractive physique. “Hi, care for a drink?” I confidently walked over to greet him. The man smiled and bowed slightly, clinking his glass with mine. “Pleasure to meet you.” I downed my drink in one gulp and casually asked: “Are you here alone? May I have the honor of being your dance partner?” The man chuckled, his deep voice vibrating in my ears. I shifted back slightly, feeling a bit uncomfortable chuckled, his deep. “I’d be honored, but I don’t think your boyfriend would be too happy about that.” I blinked in confusion, following the man’s gaze. Miles was frantically looking around, seeming lost. “Miles?” I apologetically excused myself from the man and ran over to chat up Miles. “Hey handsome! Wanna drink?” Miles gulped and stayed silent, shaking his head like he wanted to run away. I forcefully grabbed his neat tie, running my hands over his fit body. “Hey don’t go! Your pecs are really nice!” Miles’ breathing grew increasingly erratic from my teasing. He angrily burstratic from my te out: “Lily, how can you grope a stranger?! That’s sexual harassment!” I was stunned for a moment, then laughed: “So by that logic, if I know you then I can grope you?” “Big bro Miles~” Miles’ eyes lit up for a second when I called his name, but he stubbornly insisted: “You… you’ve got the wrong person.” I adjusted my slightly crooked mask, murmuring as I watched Miles run off: “What are you being shy for.” “Next birthday I’m definitely giving you a trophy – World’s Stubbornest Person.” The endless, calm sea always makes me feel free. I love this kind of free scenery. And I love being this free version of myself. It’s just a shame that in those seven years with Frank, I misse this free versiond out on many happy moments like this. But cutting my losses is a small consolation at least. However, turning my head to see Frank hooking up with a girl really ruined the mood. I silently vowed to pray for good luck when I got back on land. Why do I keep running into Frank’s annoying ass?!

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Two months after a car accident left my face disfigured, my husband Jack and his sophisticated sister Olivia got together. When my parents found out, not only did they not blame Jack, they actually urged me to step aside. Even my own daughter looked at me with disgust. “I don’t want this ugly freak as my mom. I want Aunt Olivia to be my mom,” she said. I calmly agreed and chose to leave the Jiang family, cutting ties with them completely. After years of hard work and struggle, I finally achieved financial freedom. Later, I adopted two children from an orphanage. Under my careful nurturing, they became a rising tech star and a business tycoon worth billions. Watching them succeed, I decided to indulge myself for once and go on an aimless backpacking trip. Halfway through my journey, Jack showed up with our daughter. Seeing my disheveled appearance from roughing it, their faces were full of mockery. “Looks like we were right. After leaving the Jiang family, you’re just barely scraping by like a beggar.” “My parents want to see you now. We’ll give you one more chance to come back with us.” “It’ll also let you experience the wealthy lifestyle we Jiangs enjoy now, you beggar.”

My daughter Lily also looked at me smugly. “You left the Jiang family so decisively back then. I thought you had some skills up your sleeve. Turns out you’ve just been wandering around homeless this whole time!” “If I were you, I’d find a block of tofu and smash my head into it. Save everyone the oxygen you’re wasting.” I paused for a moment, looking at Lily with a complicated expression. I couldn’t believe that after all these years, she was still so disrespectful, with no regard for her elders. But I wasn’t angry. I just looked at them calmly. “What does this have to do with you?” From the moment they kicked me out of the Jiang family, I no longer had any connection to them. “Your Jiang family may be doing a bit better now. You might even be comparable to one of Ethan’s subsidiaries.” “But that’s your own business. No need to brag about it to me.” Seeing that I wasn’t showing the reaction they wanted, the father-daughter pair were taken aback for a moment. After a while, Jack looked at me with disdain. “You’ve been reduced to wandering homeless, yet you’re still so stubborn?” “If it weren’t for Dad wanting to see you for his 80th birthday, we wouldn’t even bother looking at you.” “But since Dad asked, whether you agree or not, you have to come back with us.” Jack’s tone was full of determination, just like in the past. I still shook my head. “Those are your parents!” “From the moment I left, I no longer had any parents.” Although they raised me, I had already repaid that debt when I left empty-handed, leaving all the assets to them. Seeing that I was still so stubborn, Lily’s face became even more contemptuous. “You’ve been reduced to wandering homeless. No need to put on an act in front of us.” “Us bringing you back is a favor to you, understand?” “But even if you come back, don’t you dare have any ideas about Aunt Olivia. We’ll never let that happen.” Looking at her increasingly fierce expression, my heart sank a little. She had always been extremely cunning, even as a child. When she was just 7 or 8 years old, in order to stay with her aunt forever, she deliberately ran into the middle of the road to lure me over. When a speeding car approached, she suddenly dodged to the side. But I, focused only on saving her, was hit and thrown several meters. While I was seriously injured in the hospital, she slandered me, saying I was trying to take her with me to commit suicide, all to help her aunt enter the Jiang family smoothly. Later, when I told Jack about this, he just sneered. “She’s only 8 years old. How could she have such vicious thoughts?” “I think you’re the truly vicious one, framing your own daughter for your own benefit.” What he said wasn’t wrong. If I hadn’t experienced it myself, I wouldn’t have believed an 8-year-old could have such malicious intentions. But that was the reality, no matter how unbelievable. The flesh and blood I once cherished more than my own life had become the one who hurt me the deepest. Looking at Lily before me now, in my heart I already saw her as a complete stranger. Just as I was lost in thought, Jack and Lily kicked aside the dog Yellow that had accompanied me for years, and roughly dragged me into their car. I struggled desperately, wanting to check on Yellow’s condition, but was no match for the two of them. Lily even took out a fruit knife from the car and waved it in front of my face. “You ugly freak, you’d better behave. Otherwise I’ll disfigure the other side of your face too!”

Even though I had long decided to cut ties with her, seeing her vicious expression still made my heart ache. No matter what, I was still the mother who gave birth to her and raised her. Yet she treated me like this. I obediently stopped struggling and sat quietly in the car. Because I knew Lily wasn’t simply threatening me. If I continued to make a fuss, she really would follow through on her words. After all, in her eyes, her own birth mother was no different from a beggar on the street. “That’s more like it. As long as you obediently listen to us, we won’t let you keep wandering homeless. We’ll keep you in the Jiang house like a pet, since Grandpa still needs you.” “You probably don’t understand the wealth of our Jiang family now.” She held up the Cartier watch on her wrist, waving it in front of me like she was showing off. “This watch was a gift from Aunt Olivia. It cost over $70,000. You could never afford something like this in your entire life.” “As a poor beggar, you need to know your place. Don’t try to put on airs in front of us. It won’t do you any good.” Even though I was Lily’s birth mother, it didn’t stop her from lecturing me with the attitude of an elder. Listening to her words, my whole body started trembling with anger. I really didn’t know what kind of environment the Jiang family was raising Lily in, to make her so utterly disrespectful. Arriving at the Jiang house entrance, I immediately sent a message to my two adopted sons, telling them to come pick me up from the Jiang house right away. I didn’t want to stay in this place for even a second longer. Just as I sent the message, a familiar figure walked out of the house. “Sister, it’s been so many years. How did you end up in such a sorry state?” “You’re bringing shame to our whole Lin family!” The speaker was my sister, Olivia Lin. Olivia’s eyes were still full of disdain for me, and she even tilted her head up slightly as she spoke. She seemed to have forgotten that she only got everything she has now because of my generosity. “Olivia Lin, let go of me, and let go of yourself too!” I tried to use a calm tone to communicate with Olivia. She had always been strong-willed since childhood, liking to compete with me on everything. For her sake, I had already given up too much. My education, my family, even half my life I had given to her. But she didn’t seem to appreciate my good intentions at all. She was still as arrogant as before. Olivia looked at me mockingly. “Let go of you? Do you even deserve to say such things in your current state?” “Know your place. You’re no different from a beggar now. From now on, as long as you behave like a good dog in our Jiang house, you can still enjoy some of the Jiang family’s glory and wealth.” As she spoke, Olivia lightly clapped her hands, having a servant bring an exquisite gift box and place it in front of me. “This is the birthday gift I prepared for Dad. It cost over $300,000. I’ll let you have a good look today to broaden your horizons.” Saying this, Olivia took out a piece of Hetian jade from the box and held it out in front of me. Just as I was about to reach out and take it, Olivia suddenly slapped me hard across the face. “Something like this is just for you to look at. Is it something someone of your status can touch? You may not mind the dirt, but I’m worried Dad will find it dirty!” I was stunned by her sudden slap. After a long while, I finally held back my tears and looked at her. “If you didn’t want me to touch it, why did you hold it out in front of me?” Olivia chuckled. “I just wanted to humiliate you a bit. Is that not allowed?” My heart suddenly understood. She simply wanted to humiliate me. Jack, who had been watching this whole scene, showed no intention of stopping it. There was even a hint of mockery in his eyes. But I seemed to have gotten used to this kind of scene many years ago. In their eyes, Olivia was not only beautiful, but also cultured. She could do no wrong. No matter what she did, they would unconditionally shield her. And I would always be the one to swallow my anger and grievances. Most of the time, I didn’t even have the right to argue with her. Just then, the roar of car engines sounded outside. My parents also arrived at the Jiang house, led by Jack’s driver. Olivia and Jack immediately walked over excitedly to help my parents out of the car. “Dad, Mom!” When they walked up to me, I softly moved my lips and called out to them. But they just glanced at me coldly before walking into the house with Olivia and the others. It seemed they found it beneath them to even say a word to their daughter. I stood there watching their backs as they entered the house, feeling as if my whole being was being torn apart in pain.

“Grandpa and Grandma are calling you inside.” After I don’t know how long standing in the cold wind, Lily finally came out and told me in an unfriendly tone. I nodded and followed behind Lily into the house, my face pale. “Rose, after all these years, can you still not let go of what happened back then?” As soon as we entered the living room, my father sitting on the sofa questioned me sternly. I shook my head, looking at him with incomprehension. “Do you think this is something easy to let go of?” Back then, Olivia not only took over my family, but also guided the young Lily to push me into the abyss. Yet they not only didn’t see it as Olivia’s fault, but turned all the blame on me. How could I possibly let go so easily? My mother snorted coldly as she looked at me. “Even if Olivia hadn’t married Jack, do you think you’d still be worthy of him?” “A woman like you with no education and a ruined face – Jack would probably be laughed at just taking you out for a walk. How did I give birth to such an ungrateful daughter?” Hearing my mother’s words, I once again felt as if my whole being was being torn apart. During my school years, my grades were not bad. They were even better than Olivia’s. Unfortunately, our Lin family wasn’t well-off at the time. Supporting one college student was already a struggle, let alone two. After their constant persuasion, I had no choice but to give up my studies and start working to support Olivia through school. Later, with our family’s all-out support, Olivia not only went to college, but also got into graduate school. Olivia naturally became their pride and joy, while I, the sister who gave up everything for her, not only didn’t receive their gratitude, but was belittled to the bone. In their words, it all seemed to have become my fault. I could no longer control the emotions in my heart and shouted at them. “Put your hand on your heart and ask yourself, is this really my fault?” The room fell into a brief silence. My father sighed and finally spoke again. “Olivia is your younger sister. As the older sister, shouldn’t you have yielded to her a bit?” “It’s all in the past now. There’s no use dwelling on these things anymore. I just hope you can let go of all grudges and stay by our side to take care of us. Jack’s business is growing bigger and bigger now. We can’t let the two of them be distracted.” Hearing his words, I laughed coldly in my heart. Now I finally knew their purpose in calling me back – the family needed a maid, so they wanted to call back their obedient daughter to be the maid. If it weren’t for this, they probably wouldn’t have even remembered my existence as their daughter. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and tried hard not to feel too hurt. “I can only stay here for one day. I can’t stay by your side forever.” Even if they had spoken a little more tactfully, or shown a bit more warmth towards me, as their daughter, I would have stayed by their side without hesitation. But their words and actions were too hurtful, completely extinguishing the last bit of hope I had for them in my heart. “You think you still have a choice in this matter? Rose Lin, let me make this clear to you today – no matter what, you must stay by Mom and Dad’s side to take care of them.” Jack’s tone was full of arrogance, leaving no room for argument. I looked at him in disbelief. “Do I not even have the right to choose my own life anymore?” Jack snorted coldly. “Isn’t staying in our Jiang family better than begging everywhere? We’re all doing this for your own good.” Before I could react, Jack waved his hand. Several of the Jiang family’s servants rushed over, roughly tied me up, gagged me, and locked me in a guest room nearby. The guests watching this scene had long become used to it. They all knew that Jack had abandoned a previous wife before. And I knew without thinking that I was that previous wife Jack had abandoned. My facial features were just too distinctive. “Rose Lin, I think you have far too many issues now. Today I’ll have someone help correct this nasty habit of yours first.” Jack said these final words to me before directly locking the door. Inside the room, several servants holding clubs were eyeing me menacingly. Before I could react, those servants had already started beating me viciously with their clubs. The intense pain made me curl up my body and struggle constantly. Soon, my whole body was covered in blood. However, those servants seemed to have received instructions from Jack and showed no signs of stopping. Gradually my consciousness became fuzzy, and I felt like I could barely breathe. Only then did Jack walk in again, looking at me with a ferocious expression. “If you don’t agree to stay, I’ll beat you like this every day until you agree!” Hearing Jack’s words, my heart was filled with despair. Was I really going to be trapped here like an animal for the rest of my life? Tears mixed with blood kept falling down my cheeks. I felt like I had fallen into a bottomless abyss once again.

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For her first birthday after marriage, Riley had saved every spare penny from her part-time delivery job for six months to buy her husband, Julian, a tie. It was a beautiful light smoke-gray, absolutely perfect. She planned to hide it at the bottom of the closet and surprise him when he came home that night. But instead, at the very bottom of the closet, she found a marriage certificate. The photo on the certificate was still a picture of her and Julian. But his name had an extra initial in front: J. Julian. And the woman’s name was Chloe, her twin sister. Sounds came from outside, Julian seemed to be back. Someone else was with him, probably his assistant. Riley hid in the closet and listened to their conversation. “Mr. Fuentes, the handbag Miss Chloe liked while shopping today? I’ve already arranged to have it delivered to her home. We told her she was a lucky winner chosen during the mall’s anniversary sale, and the bag was her prize.” Julian nodded. “Well done.” “Mr. Fuentes, I don’t quite understand. If you like Miss Chloe so much, why not just reveal your identity and confess directly? Why go undercover and pursue her twin sister first?” Julian’s voice sounded a little desolate. “Chloe has rejected me ninety-nine times, but I can’t let her go. I will only ever love her. As for Riley… she looks eighty percent like Chloe. I just wanted to use her to take the wedding photo on the marriage certificate. Chloe’s ID was used for the actual registration.” “You truly are devoted to Miss Chloe. Even after being rejected so many times, you still find a way to be with her.” Julian’s voice turned dark. “Even if I can’t win her heart, I won’t let her marry another man. She can only be mine!” “So, you disguised your identity to make it easier to escape later?” “Exactly,” Julian said. “I’ll accrue massive debts under the name Julian, so Riley will have no choice but to let go.” That night, Riley stayed in the closet, not coming out. She clutched the marriage certificate, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. So, she was just a tool, used by Julian in his ruthless pursuit. From the very beginning, he had only loved Chloe. All that talk about him being a slave to the corporate grind earning only four thousand a month, or not being able to afford a proper wedding ceremony or flowers – it was all a lie! He was the heir to the colossal Fuentes Group empire, wealthy beyond imagination. What couldn’t he afford? He hid his identity and skipped the wedding because she wasn’t the woman he truly wanted to marry! She wasn’t worthy! The next morning, Riley went straight to the department store and returned the tie. Then, she bought a plane ticket. The staff member asked her, “Ma’am, where would you like to fly?” Riley handed her all the refund money. “See how far this can get me. Just pick the furthest destination possible.” Soon, she received a text message confirming her ticket. Seven days later, her flight would depart for Nigeria. She looked it up on the map. It was a small country in Africa. Perfect. Africa was far enough. When she got home, the lights were off. Julian didn’t seem to be awake yet. Just as she was about to unlock the door with her key, she heard a sound from inside. Julian was holding a woman’s hair tie, kissing it frantically against his lips. “Chloe… Chloe… good girl, I love you…” At the same time, his hand moved rhythmically below, until he found his release. Round after round, he seemed tireless, continuing for a full three hours. Riley waited outside the door for three hours. Only when the sounds completely ceased did she push the door open and step inside. Julian saw her, and the intoxicated look on his face instantly morphed into indifference. “Where have you been? Why weren’t you home all morning?” Riley opened a window to air out the room, letting the heavy, cloying scent of stale desire dissipate. She and Julian had been “married” for over half a year, but Julian had never touched her. Several times, she had tried to be intimate, but Julian would merely push her away gently. “I’m exhausted from work. I don’t have the energy for anything else. You should rest. I’ll sleep on the couch.” At first, she genuinely believed he was just a corporate drone overworked by a soulless company, so she didn’t mind and even felt bad for him. But now that the truth was out, she finally understood the reason for his coldness all these years. It was all just an excuse. Riley said, “The supermarket on the west side of town had a sale on groceries this morning, so I went to queue for it.” Julian looked at her empty hands, puzzled. “Then where are the groceries?” **Chapter 2** Riley said, “I accidentally tripped on the way back. The groceries were crushed, so I threw them away.” Julian simply hummed in response, saying nothing else. Riley asked, “Aren’t you going to ask if I got hurt when I fell?” Julian snapped, “So, did you get hurt?” “No, I’ll just take care of it myself.” Julian frowned, a hint of impatience in his voice. “I’m already incredibly busy and tired. Don’t keep testing if I still love you. It’s really annoying.” Riley let out a bitter laugh. A woman’s intuition is rarely wrong. Ever since they got married, she had constantly doubted whether he truly loved her. So, she would often test him. But now she understood: if she doubted, it meant he didn’t love her. Riley said, “Don’t worry, I won’t do these pointless tests anymore.” Julian’s expression finally softened. “Good. Just remember that. Don’t keep bothering me.” I will remember. Because in seven days, I’ll be gone from your world forever. You don’t need to cook up some massive debt to drive me away. I’ll leave on my own. I won’t cling to you. “Julian, tomorrow’s the weekend. Will you come shopping with me? I want to buy my father a birthday gift.” Julian frowned irritably. “No time. I have to work overtime.” “Chloe will be there too.” As expected, at the mention of Chloe’s name, Julian conceded. “Since it’s for my father-in-law’s gift, then as a son-in-law, I suppose I should make an appearance.” Saturday morning, she and Julian went to the department store. Chloe waved at them from a distance. “Sister, brother-in-law, we’re over here—!” Julian immediately turned his back, not letting Chloe or their parents see his face. He whispered to Riley, “You go ahead and shop. I’m going to the restroom.” Then he hurried away. Chloe quickly ran over, affectionately linking her arm through Riley’s. “Sister, why did brother-in-law run off again? Since you two got married, Mom and Dad and I still haven’t seen what he looks like.” Riley offered a faint smile and said, “You’ll see him eventually.” When I’m gone, he’ll definitely take you by force, bring you home, and lock you up. Then, even if you don’t want to see him, he’ll force you to. As for these in-laws, he’ll probably be eager to claim them as his own. Chloe linked her arm through their father’s, coaxing, “Dad, what gift do you want? I’ll buy it for you! I’ve been making money tutoring lately!” Their mother quickly interjected, “You’re still in school, where would you get the money? Your thoughtfulness is enough. Let your sister buy it.” After that, her mother specifically turned to Riley. “Your sister has been tutoring lately and her little face has gotten so thin from exhaustion. As the older sister, you should feel for her. The money for your father’s gift should come from you.” Riley actually wanted to ask. If Chloe was tired from tutoring, was she not tired from working as a delivery driver? And she was only born one minute before her sister. Did that mean she had to tolerate and support everything about her sister? Why? Her father saw that she didn’t immediately answer and instantly rebuked her. “It’s just a bit of your money, and you’re acting so unwilling. How much did I spend raising you? You can’t even bear to buy a gift. You’re truly selfish, a heartless ingrate!” Chloe feigned concern, crying, “Oh, Mom and Dad, don’t talk about Sister like that. Sister didn’t say she wouldn’t buy it. Come on, let’s go pick out a gift! Sister is the most filial. As long as Dad likes it, she’ll definitely buy it, right, Sister?” Her father glared fiercely at Riley, but when he turned to Chloe, his expression immediately softened into a doting smile. “Our Chloe is the most filial and sensible one.” “Dad, when I start working, I’ll buy you anything you want!” “Oh, my sweet girl, Dad doesn’t need you to buy gifts. As long as you’re healthy and happy, that’s enough. Just buy things for yourself with your money.” Her father, mother, and Chloe walked ahead, browsing and picking things out, like a happy family of three. Riley walked behind them, ignored by everyone, spoken to by no one, as if she were merely an attendant responsible for paying today. Her father picked out a watch and gestured to her. “Riley, I think this one’s good.” Riley glanced at the price. A Tudor watch. While not an excessively luxurious brand, even the lowest-end model cost at least twenty to thirty thousand. Almost all her money had gone towards buying the plane ticket; she didn’t have much cash left. She said, “Dad, why don’t you look at something else? There are plenty of other stores ahead…” “Just say you don’t want to buy it! What kind of excuse is that? I like this one. Are you buying it or not?!” Chloe started to tear up. “Dad, maybe I can get another part-time job and save up to buy it for you…” Just then, the manager of the watch store walked out with a beaming smile. “You must be Miss Chloe, correct?” Chloe nodded. “Yes, but how do you know me?” The manager was overly flattering. “Your friend just instructed us that anything in our mall today, anything you and your family like, you can take with you. He’ll take care of the bill! Sir, you like this watch, right? I’ll have someone wrap it up for you immediately!” **Chapter 3** Her parents’ eyes lit up with surprise. “Chloe, when did you get such a rich friend?” Chloe’s face flushed. “I… I don’t know either.” Just then, a commotion erupted downstairs. It turned out the mall’s entire security team had been deployed, clearing the entire place in moments. The entire mall was now serving only the Miller family. A man who looked like an assistant approached, speaking to Chloe with great respect and politeness. “Miss Chloe, my master has instructed that today, you should simply browse with Mr. and Mrs. Miller. Just tell me what you like, and I’ll carry it for you.” Chloe asked, “Sir, please, what is your master’s name?” The assistant smiled. “Apologies, Miss Chloe, but my master said it’s not yet convenient for you to know his true identity. Once he handles a few matters, he will naturally come to meet you.” Riley watched from the side, a subtle ache in her heart. Handle a few matters? It was probably about divorcing her. No, that wasn’t right. They hadn’t even truly registered their marriage. The registration was done with Chloe. Even their “marriage” was a sham. He just needed to “dispose” of her, then he could reveal his true identity and, with the actual marriage certificate, present himself to his in-laws. Chloe nodded, seemingly understanding, yet not. “Oh, okay. If it’s inconvenient for him, then I won’t ask.” The assistant added, “Mr. and Mrs. Miller can also choose freely. Our master said that since you are Miss Chloe’s parents, you are also his elders, and it is right for him to show you respect.” Her father pointed to a watch in the nearby store. “Even something this expensive?” “Of course.” With a wave of the assistant’s hand, the watch store manager immediately ordered, “Hurry, wrap up all the watches in our store! Mr. Miller can wear a different one every day!” Her mother also became excited, asking, “Chloe, I also need a handbag to match my outfits…” Upon hearing this, the assistant immediately said, “Ma’am, I’ve arranged for all brands of handbags in the mall today to be delivered to your home. You can take your time choosing.” “All of them? How much would that cost?!” “Money is no object. If you like the bags, keep them. If not, just throw them away.” “Oh, we couldn’t possibly!” “My master and Miss Chloe are friends. As long as Miss Chloe is happy, he is happy.” Chloe acted coy, asking, “Sir, is there anything I can do for this friend? I can’t just take so many valuable things for free.” The assistant said, “Miss Chloe, you are truly just as our master described: pure of heart and untouched by greed. How about this? Please give me your hair clip. I’ll pass it on to my master as your thank-you gift.” Chloe nodded, took off the hair clip from her head, and handed it to the assistant. She said, “This way, it’s a fair exchange. I can accept the gifts with a clear conscience.” Fair exchange? Julian was spending a fortune, and she was returning a cheap trinket from a street vendor. Was that considered a fair exchange? It just goes to show, when someone’s adored like that, they act like they own the world. Whether it was a hair tie or a hair clip, as long as it belonged to Chloe, Julian treated it like a priceless treasure. Chloe leaned playfully against Riley, cooing, “Sister, I’ve already bought Mom and Dad gifts. What about you?” Riley had noticed a scarf in the distance. The price was reasonable, and the pattern was beautiful. It was a branded item, over three thousand, and she had enough money to pay for it. “Dad, do you like that scarf?” Before her father could speak, the assistant said with a strained smile, “Miss Riley, our master said that everything in this mall today already belongs to Miss Chloe, including that scarf.” Riley chuckled, but it was humorless. “Your master isn’t leaving me even one item?” “That’s right. He only cares about Miss Chloe being happy. Everyone else, he can’t be bothered with.” Great. “Can’t be bothered with,” indeed. Julian, you certainly draw a clear line between those you favor and those you don’t! When it was time to leave, the assistant respectfully ushered her parents and Chloe into a car and drove them home. When it was Riley’s turn, the assistant held out a hand to block her. “I’m sorry, Miss Riley, but there’s no more room in the car. You’ll have to find your own way back.” Chloe murmured, “Sir, let Sister come in. She can squeeze in with me.” “Miss Chloe, my master instructed that no one is to make you uncomfortable. If you’re squeezed, he’ll punish me when we get back.” Chloe nodded regretfully. “Oh, alright then. Sister, I guess you’ll have to take the bus then~” Riley stood rooted to the spot, watching their car drive away. Besides the assistant personally driving her parents and Chloe, there was a line of black sedans following behind, at least twenty or thirty of them, all carrying the bodyguards who had just cleared the mall. Every car had empty seats, but without Julian’s permission, no one dared to give her a ride. Riley let out a bitter laugh. Oh well. She’d be leaving soon anyway, so what was the point of dwelling on it? She turned and started walking towards the bus stop. But suddenly, several figures rushed out from behind her, clamping their hands over her mouth and nose. “What are you doing— mmmph…” **Chapter 4** When Riley woke up, she didn’t know how much time had passed. She had been taken to a desolate forest, where the roars of wild animals echoed around her. Several men stood before her. The scarred leader raised a hand and slapped her across the face, asking fiercely, “You’re Julian’s wife, aren’t you?” Riley looked up, frowning. “Who are you?” “Let me tell you, that Julian kid owes us a huge sum of money, and you’re going to pay it back for him!” Riley chuckled. Massive debts. So this was where that was leading. The scarred man slapped her again. “What are you laughing at?! Didn’t you hear me?! You’re his wife, you have to pay his debt! Otherwise, we’ll sell you to the lowest-class brothel, where you’ll wish for death but never find it!” What was she laughing at? Julian, oh Julian, to force me to leave, you’re actually making the act this realistic? I know you couldn’t wait. You used me to take wedding photos, and you registered the marriage with Chloe’s ID. My usefulness has run out. You’re desperate to kick me out so you can rightfully be with Chloe! If that’s the case, I’ll grant your wish. She chuckled softly and asked, “Are you also going to say that if I leave Julian and have no more ties to him, I won’t have to pay his debt?” The scarred man was stunned by the question, but still said, “Exactly! As long as you have nothing to do with him, we naturally won’t come looking for you for the debt.” “Good,” Riley said coldly. “Go back and tell him that from today, from this very moment, I, Riley Miller, have absolutely nothing to do with him! May God strike me down if I go back on my word!” … When Riley returned home, it was already midnight. Julian still had a sour expression. “Didn’t you ask me to go pick out a gift with you? I went to the restroom for a minute, and you were gone. Where did you go?” Riley looked at him talking to himself and just wanted to laugh. “You know exactly where I was, don’t you?” Julian still insisted, “I can’t read your mind, how would I possibly know?” There were no buses at midnight. She had walked all the way back from the forest. Her feet were blistered from the walk. Julian frowned. “How did you get into this state?” Riley said, “None of your business. Go about your own.” “I’m your husband. If you’re hurt, I should at least ask.” Riley looked up. “Are you my husband?” “…” You’re not my husband. You’re Chloe’s. She took a deep breath, shaking her head with a faint smile. “Julian, someone kidnapped me today and said you owe a lot of money, and I have to pay it back for you.” Julian admitted it quickly. “I do owe a lot of money. I don’t want to drag you down, so… perhaps we should separate.” “Alright,” Riley readily agreed. “I told the kidnappers I’d cut ties with you. I hope they won’t come looking for me anymore.” Julian said, “Don’t worry, they won’t.” But no sooner had he spoken than the front door was kicked open from outside. Over a dozen men in black stormed in, quickly pinning Riley to the ground. “Don’t move! This is a robbery!” A robber pressed a gun against the back of Riley’s head and shouted fiercely at Julian, “You! Find all the bank cards in the house and tell me the passwords, or I’ll blow your wife’s brains out!” Julian’s expression turned cold. “Alright, I’ll get them.” But the next second, his phone rang. The moment he saw the caller ID, he almost erupted with joy. “Chloe! You finally called me on your own!” On the other end of the line, Chloe still maintained a haughty tone. “…The library suddenly had a power outage, and I’m scared of the dark. Can you come pick me up?” “Okay, I’ll be right there.” With that, he turned and walked away. Even the robbers were stunned. “Stop! Are you going to call the police? If you take one more step outside, I’ll shoot immediately!” Bang— A gunshot rang out. Julian seemed not to have heard it at all, vanishing from sight in an instant. **Chapter 5** When Riley woke up again, she was in a hospital. Outside her door, a young nurse was whispering. “Did you see that guy in the VIP room? He’s so handsome!” “And he’s incredibly sweet to his girlfriend. She just twisted her ankle in the dark, and he’s called in all the famous doctors from the whole city!” “But I think his girlfriend treats him pretty badly, ordering him around like he’s her personal servant, yet he seems happy about it.” “Sigh, that girl has such good fortune, unlike this one in room 502, who almost died and has no one even visiting her…” Riley felt an intense pain in her shoulder, making her hiss. The robber’s aim must have been bad; it didn’t hit a vital organ, so she was lucky to survive. She got out of bed and struggled to the door. She happened to see Julian passing by, supporting Chloe. Chloe pushed him away in disgust. “Don’t touch me. I can walk on my own.” “No, your ankle is newly twisted. I’m worried.” With that, he scooped Chloe up into his arms and quickly walked away. Chloe’s face turned red, and she playfully punched his chest with a small fist in his arms. “What are you doing? I only asked you to pick me up. I haven’t agreed to be your girlfriend yet.” “You’ll agree eventually, because you’re already my wi—” Chloe blinked. “Your what?” Julian chuckled. “Nothing. I meant, you’ll always be mine. You can’t escape.” Riley retreated back into her hospital room, tears silently streaming down her face. In the afternoon, Julian finally came to visit. He stood, looking down at her. “I heard from the doctor. You weren’t hit in a vital spot. You’ll be fine after some rest.” Riley just hummed in response. “Last night, I had some urgent work. I couldn’t not go.” “I know,” Riley said coldly. “I want to sleep for a bit. You can go.” Julian didn’t waste a second, immediately turning and leaving. Urgent work? What kind of urgent work could be more important than a person’s life? Julian’s excuse was too flimsy, but Riley was too tired to care. She opened her phone and checked the calendar. Only three days left until her departure. In her current state, she definitely couldn’t get to the airport on her own. She needed someone to help. So, she called her best friend, Harper. Harper readily agreed. “Don’t worry, I’ll take you when the time comes.” That afternoon, her father called her. “Your sister won an award in her aerobics competition this time. Come back for dinner with us.” Riley said, “Dad, I’m injured. I’m still in the hospital…” “You’re not dead, are you? What’s a little injury? You have to come back tonight, or I’ll have no daughter!” That evening, Riley dragged her weakened body back home. Her mother had prepared a huge table full of dishes. Her father had called friends and relatives, and dozens of people filled the house, making it lively and boisterous. Chloe, dressed in a pure white dress, looked like a little princess. She was receiving praises and compliments from everyone. “Did Chloe win first prize in her aerobics competition?” Her father laughed heartily. “Even though it was just a participation award, Chloe worked very hard. Unlike her sister, who, despite being a twin, is so unremarkable. She’s truly an embarrassment to me.” Riley stood by, silent as a wooden statue. She was the one who had gotten into an Ivy League school, while her sister only got into a community college. But their family was struggling financially and couldn’t afford for both of them to go to college. Her parents said that since she was the older sister, she should go directly to work and give the opportunity to study to her younger sister. Riley agreed. She worked hard, earning money, and almost all her wages went to Chloe as pocket money. Yet, she still couldn’t earn a single word of praise from her parents. It was as if her being an older sister meant it was her natural duty to always defer to and uplift her sister. While she was lost in thought, a loud, clear voice rang out from the doorway. “Mr. Julian Fuentes, CEO of the Fuentes Group, sends his congratulations and gifts to Miss Chloe Miller on her award—!” **Chapter 6** Max, the assistant, entered with a team of people, each carrying priceless gifts. A complete set of emerald jewelry from the British Royal Collection; An entire season’s worth of haute couture gowns, hand-stitched by renowned designers; A famous calligrapher’s special inscription for Chloe, “Ode to Chloe’s Unique Spirit,” in elegant brushstrokes; And countless antique vases, coral, and agate. Finally, Max personally presented a set of keys. He said, “Mr. Fuentes has purchased a private jet and a private yacht for Miss Chloe. Both are adorned with Miss Chloe’s photos and are exclusively for her use.” All the relatives and friends were stunned. “The Fuentes Group? Isn’t that the largest publicly traded company in the city?” “Oh my goodness, the CEO of the Fuentes Group personally sending gifts to Chloe? Chloe is going to be the CEO’s wife one day!” Immediately, everyone in the room began to fawn over Chloe. They competed to heap even more compliments on her. Chloe’s face flushed as she shyly said, “Auntie, don’t talk nonsense. I don’t even know the Fuentes CEO.” Her aunt chuckled. “You don’t know him, and he’s sending you all these gifts? He definitely likes you.” Another older woman chimed in, “Yes, Chloe. When you become the CEO’s wife, don’t forget to help your cousins out.” “Oh, nothing’s set in stone yet…” Max, the assistant, stood nearby and announced loudly for all to hear, “Miss Chloe, Mr. Fuentes asked me to tell you: if you simply nod your head, tomorrow he will arrive with flowers and the most lavish, fairy-tale wedding to take you home!” … Riley stood alone in the corner, feeling utterly disgusted. She went outside for some fresh air. She didn’t know how long she stood there, chilled to the point of numbness. Suddenly, Chloe’s voice came from behind her. “Sister, it must be painful for you to see everyone liking me and revolving around me, isn’t it?” Everyone else was inside; currently, only the two sisters were in the yard. Chloe had shed her “good girl” facade, and her smile turned malicious. “But there’s nothing you can do. I’m just more likable than you. Not only Mom and Dad like me…” She leaned closer to Riley’s ear. “Even your husband is my simp.” Riley hadn’t intended to argue with her, until she heard that last sentence. “…You know Julian’s true identity?” “Of course. He’s the CEO of the Fuentes Group! If I can marry him, I’ll be the envied Mrs. Fuentes! But I know that to make a man devoted, you can’t make it too easy for him. So I’ve been rejecting him, but every now and then, I give him a little hope. This push and pull makes him utterly obsessed with me…” Chloe held Riley’s hand and continued, “Oh, by the way, Sister, you didn’t know this, did you? When we were little, Mom and Dad thought you stole money and beat you terribly, and from then on, they hated you. That money was actually stolen by me, and I secretly put it in your backpack…” That stealing incident was the root cause of her parents’ change in attitude. Her parents found the money in her backpack, and no matter how she tried to explain, they were convinced she stole it. From then on, they started to detest her and instead pampered and adored Chloe. So, everything, absolutely everything, had been Chloe’s doing! The long-suppressed anger finally erupted in an instant. Riley raised her hand to slap her. But before her hand could land, Chloe herself collapsed to the ground. She clutched her face, crying, “Sister, it’s all my fault! I’ll never do it again, boo hoo hoo…” Her cries drew everyone from inside. Her mother clutched Chloe, glaring furiously at Riley. Her father directly laid hands on her. Slap! Slap! Slap! He slapped Riley three times. “You’re out of your mind! How dare you lay a hand on my daughter?!” Riley demanded sharply, “Am I not your daughter too?!” “I don’t have a daughter as rotten to the core as you! You’re inherently wicked! I wish I’d strangled you at birth. I only consider myself to have given birth to one child, Chloe!” Slap! Her father delivered another slap, making Riley’s ears ring. He pointed furiously towards the door. “Get out! From now on, I have no daughter like you!” Riley scrambled up from the ground, wiped the blood from the corner of her lip, and sneered. “Even if you weren’t kicking me out, I wouldn’t want to stay here anymore. This place makes me sick!” Turning to leave, she collided head-on with a sharply dressed Julian, who was just arriving. She sneered. “So, you’re finally willing to show your true face?” **Chapter 7** Julian coldly glanced at her and asked, “Which hand did you use to hit Chloe?” “I didn’t even touch her! She fell down herself! Ah—!” Julian grabbed her throat, grinding his teeth, eyes wide with fury. “How dare you touch Chloe! You’re asking to die!” The men in black behind him quickly moved, several burly figures pinning her down tightly and dragging her into a car. The vehicle bumped along for a long time until she was taken to a desolate, uninhabited area. A sharp pain shot through her knee as she was kicked, forcing her to her knees. A pair of black leather shoes appeared in her line of sight. Julian looked down at her from above, like a devil from hell. “I was going to leave you one hand, but since you won’t talk, you won’t need either!” Riley’s hands were pinned to the ground by the men in black, and a thick, long steel nail was immediately driven into her palm. “Ah!” Then, the other side. Excruciating pain flooded her senses, and Riley nearly fainted from it. Julian said, “Riley, you two are twins, but it’s always been you, the older sister, who received all the parents’ affection. Chloe has always tolerated and yielded to you since childhood, so why do you still bully her?!” Riley endured the intense pain, twisting her lips. “I bullied her? Is that what she told you?” “Riley, Chloe is my bottom line.” “So, what then, Mr. Fuentes? Are you planning to get revenge for her?” Julian said, “I never explained my identity to you before, so you probably don’t know my temper. Riley, all the suffering Chloe has endured since childhood, you’ll have to repay tenfold, a hundredfold!” Before leaving, he instructed the men in black: “Don’t touch her face, but I don’t want to see an inch of good skin anywhere else.” “Yes, sir!” Not touching her face—was it because her face looked almost identical to Chloe’s? Julian, oh Julian, when you find out about her schemes, will you still love her so blindly? A searing, tearing pain simultaneously erupted from every part of her body. The men in black held glowing red branding irons, pressing them fiercely onto every inch of her skin. The excruciating agony made her instinctively writhe and roll. But with her hands nailed to the ground, she had no escape. … Riley didn’t know how long she had been unconscious. She was woken by a villager who happened to be passing by. He said, “It’s been raining for two days and two nights now. How did you end up lying here, covered in injuries?” So, two days and two nights had already passed. Today must be her flight day. Seven days went by so fast. The kind villager handed her his phone. “Do you want to call your family?” Family? She shook her head with a bitter smile. “I don’t have a family anymore.” She called Harper. Harper immediately drove over when she heard Riley was in that remote place. But Riley’s condition still made her gasp in shock. She was covered in injuries—burns, whip marks, stab wounds, all overlapping. Because she had been soaked in the rain, all her wounds had reopened, and blood stained the ground. Harper immediately burst into tears. “Riley, who did this?! I’m going to call the police right now and have them arrested!” “No need,” Riley said. “My boarding time is almost here. Please take me to the airport.” “But your injuries…” Riley didn’t want to go to the hospital. She knew her injuries were severe and the hospital would surely require her to be admitted. But she didn’t want to wait another moment. The people in this land disgusted her; she didn’t want to stay here for another second. Harper had no choice but to go to a pharmacy herself, buy some medications, and roughly treat Riley’s wounds. When they reached the airport, there were only 10 minutes left before the gate closed. Harper was practically crying the whole way. She pushed Riley in a wheelchair, choked up. “Riley, go. Go to a new place and start over.” Riley nodded with difficulty. “Harper, thank you for bringing me.” The moment she boarded the plane, she transferred all the remaining money in her account to Harper. Then she broke her SIM card in half and threw it, along with her phone, into a trash can. Goodbye, Julian. Goodbye, everyone who hated me. Because I, too, hate you all very, very much! **Chapter 8** At the hospital. Chloe lay in her hospital bed, and Julian sat by her side, peeling an apple for her. He was skilled, the apple peel coming off in one continuous strand.

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The summer break kicked off with a school-organized volunteer trip to an orphanage, where we’d live for a month. As a med school representative, I quickly noticed something was off with one of the orphan boys. Julian, who looked eight years old, had the bone age of a forty-two-year-old! In my previous life, I spilled the beans about his bizarre check-up results to my classmates, warning them to steer clear of the kid. But they scoffed, accusing me of being a cold-blooded monster for bullying a poor orphan. The next day, Julian vanished. Rumors flew that I’d driven him to believe he didn’t deserve to live. My classmates, furious, cornered me on the rooftop, demanding I jump to my death to atone for their accusations. The orphanage fence was old and rickety, and I ended up smashed onto the pavement below, dying instantly. Then I opened my eyes. I was back. Back to the very first day at the orphanage. This time, I decided to tell them Julian’s check-up was perfectly normal. **01** Standing at the orphanage gate, a swarm of kids rushed out to greet us. My eyes immediately locked onto him – Julian. He threw himself into Brittany, a junior from the finance department, clinging to her. “You smell so nice, big sister!” he chirped. “Unlike the other big sister over there, she smells stinky.” Julian shot me a dirty look as he finished. Last time, I’d noticed Julian’s behavior was way out of line. He’d bury his head in Brittany’s chest, acting all sweet, but then he’d deliberately touch her thigh. When I kindly warned Brittany, she snapped at me, self-righteously, “Riley, do you have any humanity left?! Or is it just that you’re so used to being groped that everyone else seems ‘dirty’ to you?!” Her words sparked a wave of laughter among the other students. The gossip spread like wildfire, painting me as a classist, snobby, cold-blooded monster. They constantly sabotaged me, even egging on the orphanage kids to torment me. “That big sister is a bad person! Don’t be like her!” The orphanage kids were young; they believed whatever the adults told them. They copied everything they heard, constantly pelting me with pebbles, sprinkling sand in my bed, and some even intentionally putting cockroaches under my covers! In the end, when I fell from the roof, it was them—the kids, egged on by my classmates—who swarmed me and pushed me over the railing! This time, I decided I wouldn’t meddle in their affairs. I clutched my bottle of disinfectant and medical equipment. “That’s the smell of alcohol, it might be a bit strong,” I told Julian, “but it helps keep everyone healthy!” Hearing me, the other kids crowded around, their big eyes wide with curiosity. “Wow, big sister, you’re so smart!” “Can this water really protect us? Can you give me some?” Seeing their innocent faces, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of emotion. These precious little angels had been corrupted in my past life by those classmates, who were always sucking up to the powerful and stepping on the weak. This time, I vowed to protect their purity! “Of course! Every day, I’ll use this disinfectant to wash your hands and keep you safe!” As soon as I said that, the children started jumping up and down, cheering for me like I was a superhero. But Derek from the Business Management program wasn’t thrilled. He was always the center of attention, and seeing me surrounded by adoring children, his face immediately fell. He strode forward and kicked the bottle of disinfectant out of my hand. “Oh, so you think you’re some kind of savior around here, huh?” he sneered. “You’re so good at buttering up these kids. Are you from here too?” He laughed. “Seriously, Riley? You’re an orphan too? No parents?” The children instantly went quiet, their faces falling in disappointment. Being told they were “parentless”—they probably heard that a lot. But Derek just said it right to their faces. “Derek, are you insane? How can you say that in front of the kids?!” I stared at him, shocked. Before Derek could reply, Julian spoke up from the side. “Derek didn’t say anything wrong, big brother.” He giggled. “Are you really parentless, big sister? Hehe.” Brittany and Derek exchanged a look and burst into laughter. “Julian, you’re so funny!” Brittany exclaimed. “After this volunteer trip, I’m going to adopt you as my little brother!” But Julian buried his head in Brittany’s chest again. “I don’t want to! I want to be Brittany’s *baby*.” Brittany was still basking in the glow of being liked by a child. She didn’t even notice that Julian, barely eight years old, had a noticeable bulge in his crotch, pressed against her. **02** The next morning, I woke up early to draw blood for the children’s physicals. When it was Julian’s turn, he completely shut down. No matter what I said, he refused. “This woman’s a liar! She’s taking our blood to sell it! Don’t trust her, everyone!” In my previous life, Julian pulled the same trick. Back then, I just thought he was a scared kid, terrified of needles. The other kids, hyped up by his words, went wild and wouldn’t let me draw their blood either. Julian even grabbed a syringe and lunged at me. “You want my blood?! I’ll stab *you*!” The other students followed suit, grabbing syringes and trying to stab me! My body was covered in countless tiny puncture marks, nowhere untouched. The other students just stood there watching, completely unconcerned. “That’s not our problem. I’m a finance major, this isn’t my field,” one said. “Seriously? You think you’re going to be a doctor? You should just drop out and get a factory job!” another scoffed. I even tried to ask the school for help, to get out of the volunteer trip. But when my classmates found out, they cornered me. Derek viciously kicked me. “This volunteer trip is tied to all our credits! We can’t have any screw-ups!” he snarled. “If you chicken out and mess with our grades, I swear I’ll make you pay!” Brittany crouched down, her eyes narrowed menacingly. “If you don’t draw their blood and complete the check-ups, then *I’ll* be drawing *your* blood. Understand?” Her dad was a notorious figure in the city’s organized crime scene, and she’d always thrown her weight around at school. Once, a student dared to contradict her in front of everyone, and the next day, that student was found badly beaten on the outskirts of town. I knew she wasn’t kidding. In the end, I had to ask the orphanage director for help to resolve the situation. After I discovered the irregularities in Julian’s medical report, I immediately told my classmates. But they didn’t care, accusing me of deliberately targeting Julian, saying I was a cold-blooded animal! It ultimately led to my innocent death. This time, all I wanted was to protect myself. Facing Julian’s defiant glare, I stood up and addressed all the children. “Kids, this is a magic wand that can draw all the bad stuff out of your bodies!” I announced cheerfully. “Once the bad stuff is out, everyone will be super strong! Plus, I’ve got candy for all of you!” As expected, the children eagerly lined up, all wanting their blood drawn. Only Julian remained, clinging desperately to Brittany’s neck, rubbing his face against her chest. “I don’t want to, I don’t want to! No blood draw!” Derek was getting impatient. “Come on, hurry up, don’t drag it out. If you mess with our credits, I swear I won’t let you off, you brat!” Seeing there was no way out, Julian reluctantly allowed me to draw his blood. The entire time, the look in his eyes was filled with a chilling killing intent that sent shivers down my spine. After collecting all the samples, I locked myself in my private room in the dorm. I started testing each sample, one by one, until the last one was done. I looked up and realized it was late into the night. Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed past the window. I immediately tensed. The next second, the lights in my room went out, and the door creaked open. In the moonlight, I saw Julian, his face grim, staring intently at me. **03** I forced myself to stay calm. “Julian, little one, what’s wrong? Do you need something?” His hands were clasped behind his back, as if hiding something, and he stepped closer, inch by chilling inch. “Did you finish testing my blood sample?” I nodded, fighting back the rising panic. “Yes, I just finished.” He stared me down, trying to read my expression for any hint of a lie. “So, what did you find?” I swallowed hard, backing away until my spine hit the cold wall. “Julian, your check-up report… there’s a problem!” As soon as I said it, Julian lunged at me like a madman! In the nick of time, I shouted, “Your iron levels are low! A bit anemic, actually! You need to eat more, kiddo!” Julian suddenly froze. I saw him hurriedly stash something behind his back. It was a gleaming fruit knife! My shouting quickly drew the attention of my classmates in the next room. They gathered outside my door. “Riley, why’s your room dark? Oh, Julian, why are you here?” Julian instantly plastered on his usual innocent smile. “I just came to see if big sister Riley was done with her work. She must be so tired working so late!” He bounced away amidst their praises. But I knew for sure now: Julian was hiding something big. His blood oxygen levels and bone age clearly showed he wasn’t a child at all! He was a forty-year-old man! What was he doing, pretending to be a child in this orphanage? If he was just freeloading off them for food and shelter, that wouldn’t be enough to make him want me dead. Soon, a staff member came and restored the power to my room. “That’s weird. Your power lines were cut from the outside.” The staff’s words only confirmed my suspicions. Julian definitely had a bigger secret! First thing the next morning, I went to the director’s office. “Director, may I see the students’ files?” The director was surprised by my request, frowning. “What do you need them for? We usually don’t show them to outsiders, it involves the children’s privacy.” I remembered how, in my previous life, when my classmates cornered me on the rooftop, the director simply stood by his window, watching my plight, without the slightest intention of helping me. This time, I didn’t dare tell him my true suspicions. I had to lie. “My aunt and uncle don’t have kids and are looking to adopt an orphan. I wanted to see if there were any suitable children to help them find the right one.” The director finally lowered his guard, smiling as he pulled a thick binder from his drawer and handed it to me. “Oh, I see. All the children’s records are here. You can look at them in my office, but you can’t take them out. We have several well-behaved children here; take your time choosing.” I took the binder and started flipping through it. I’d reached the very last page of the thick file, but there was no information about Julian. “Director, why isn’t Julian’s information in here?” A flicker of unease crossed the director’s eyes, and his face immediately hardened. “Why do you want Julian’s file? I heard you two had some disagreements a few days ago. What’s the real reason you’re asking for his file?!” He said, and then, with a click, he locked the office door from the inside. A bad feeling instantly washed over me . Why was the director so alarmed by my question about Julian’s file? What was the director’s relationship with Julian? What secrets were they hiding? “Julian, that kid, he’s a handful sometimes, but he’s bright! You know, Director, most of the kids in the orphanage have some health issues. But Julian, he looks perfectly fine!” I rambled, trying to reassure him. The director visibly relaxed, awkwardly saying, “I was just trying to open the door for some air. How did it get locked? Guess I’m getting old.” He cleared his throat. “Julian, he was adopted once before, but the adoptive parents said he had violent outbursts, always breaking things and screaming to be brought back here. They were forced to return him. To avoid a repeat, I removed Julian’s file from the general records.” I nodded, then left the office. The next second, a dark figure slammed me into the corner. **04** Julian’s eyes were filled with murderous intent as he glared at me. “What were you doing talking to the director?! Were you investigating me?!” He barely reached my ear, but his strength was terrifying! “I just wanted my aunt to adopt you, that’s all. My aunt and uncle run a restaurant. You’d be well-fed, I promise.” I pretended to be casual. He violently flung my wrist away, his face twisted with rage. “I like it here with everyone! Just leave me alone!” he snarled. “If I catch you snooping again, you’ll regret it!” With that, he dragged me to the bathroom at the end of the hall and locked me inside one of the stalls. The bathroom was out of the way, near the staff offices, so normally no one except the director would pass by. I pulled out my phone and texted my classmates, but they all claimed to be busy, and no one was willing to come and unlock the door. I decided that if no one came by midnight, I’d have to call the police. But around eleven at night, I suddenly heard a girl crying from inside the bathroom! My blood ran cold. No way this is actually happening, right?! Then I heard words mixed with the sobs: “Waaah, why… waaah, if only I had a mommy…” I instantly realized it was one of the orphanage children crying. I whispered, “Little one, it’s big sister Riley. Can you open the door for me?” The child immediately shrieked in terror, then took a while to articulate a full sentence. “Are you really big sister Riley?” After confirming my identity, the child opened the door. The crying child was Lily, a quiet and easily overlooked little girl among the other kids. I crouched down to wipe her tears. “Tell big sister, why are you crying? Did someone hurt you?” Lily was trembling all over, just sobbing. I reached out to comfort her, but she suddenly winced, as if in pain. I lifted her shirt and discovered her body was covered in bruises and cuts! “Lily, tell big sister what happened. Big sister promises, I’ll get you out of here!” She finally started telling me her story. My tears streamed down my face, and I was shaking with fury as I listened. The moment I woke up tomorrow, I would call the police! After taking Lily back to her room, I returned to mine to gather evidence for the police report tomorrow. Passing Brittany’s room, I heard muffled moans and gasps coming from inside. “Derek, go easy!” I heard Brittany pant. “Why won’t you let me touch you?! Okay, okay, I get it, it’s just your little… thing.” I paid them no mind, rushing back to my room and locking the door. First thing the next morning, I was woken by a commotion in the courtyard. I looked out to see Brittany yelling at Derek, raging. “You scumbag! Why didn’t you tell me you were hooking up with Chloe?!” Derek and Chloe stood hand-in-hand, looking utterly bewildered. “Why do I need to tell you who I’m dating? What’s it to you?” Derek retorted. *Slap!* Brittany slapped Derek across the face, utterly distraught. “Then why did you come to my room last night and do *that* with me?! I’ll have my dad kill you!” Chloe looked shocked. “Brittany, what are you talking about? Derek was in my room all night!” **05** By now, everyone had rushed into the courtyard to watch the drama unfold. Brittany, humiliated, turned her fury on Chloe.

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My Fiancée’s Beloved Twins Have Turned Off Their Phones Again This time, her way of coaxing them back is to postpone our wedding once more. They never seem to tire of this game – using me to win back their lovers. I’ve questioned her, begged her, even ran away from home. But each time, I’m no match for those twins turning off their phones. And all she gives me in compensation is a bouquet of roses. Olivia Shaw looked at the ninety-eight bouquets of roses piled in the corner of the room and said with a smile: “Now we have ninety-nine bouquets. When we reach nine hundred and ninety-nine, we’ll have our wedding. How romantic is that?” “You’re a man, you should understand my feelings, right? I only have a desire to conquer them. Once I win them over, I’ll come back and marry you, and we’ll live happily ever after.” I took the roses she handed me, nodded, then turned and dialed a number. “I have a ready-made wedding here, just missing a bride. Want to come?” I took the roses Olivia handed me and nodded. Seeing me nod, she confidently stuffed the roses into my arms and turned to call the twins. Her voice was gentler than I’d ever heard, with a hint of eager pleasing. The staff present couldn’t help but look at me, their eyes filled with undisguised sympathy. To appease those lovers, our wedding had been postponed countless times. I was used to it by now. After the call, Olivia walked back, her face smug with the satisfaction of winning back her lovers. She took two boxes from her pocket and handed them to me. “Gifts for you. Don’t be upset anymore.” I opened them to find an exquisite pair of cufflinks and a watch. Three days ago, Lucas and Lily Wright, her precious twins, had both turned off their phones and gone cold on her. But they had specifically sent word that they wanted the matching pair of cufflinks and watch I was wearing. However, these were custom-made for me, one of a kind in the world. The siblings were insistent, so she took them while I was asleep to win a smile from her lovers. When I asked Olivia about it, she frowned and accused me: “How could you be so careless with such valuable items?” “If they’re lost, they’re lost. I’ll buy you new ones.” I looked at Olivia without saying a word. She seemed a bit guilty and averted her gaze. I didn’t expose her lie. Suddenly, a familiar cramping pain shot through my stomach. Seeing my face turn pale, Olivia showed a rare hint of concern and insisted on taking me to the hospital. Getting into her car, I realized the interior had been completely remodeled. The pink decor that Olivia used to love was now replaced by half yellow and half purple colors. Even the huge pink plush toy hanging from the rearview mirror was gone. “Lucas likes yellow, and Lily loves purple. They argued so much, I had to split it half and half,” she explained casually while driving, her words tinged with sweet helplessness. In the past, I had reminded her more than once that the hanging toy was too big and would obstruct her view, posing a safety hazard. She had called me old-fashioned then, saying I was interfering with her freedom, that I didn’t understand her girlish heart, and refused to change it. Now, this “girlish heart” she once treasured was easily erased by Lucas’s single statement of “liking yellow.” Even though it was her most hated color combination. I looked at the rapidly receding streetscape outside the window, the pain in my stomach intensifying. Suddenly, her phone rang. Olivia immediately put on her earphones to answer. The next second, she slammed on the brakes, pulling over to the side of the road. “Lily cut her finger while chopping vegetables. It’s bleeding a lot. I need to go check on her right away.” “You can take a taxi to the hospital yourself. I have to go.” She didn’t even spare me a glance before turning the car around and leaving. I was left on the noisy roadside, like carelessly discarded trash. My phone pinged with a message. [I redesigned the wedding venue layout. Take a look and see if you like it.] Looking at that message, I finally snapped out of my numbness. I took a taxi to the hospital, slowly inching forward in the long queue. Suddenly, a strong force came from behind, nearly knocking me over. I turned to see Olivia’s bodyguards rudely pushing through the crowd, clearing a path for her. Olivia carefully accompanied Lily, quickly passing by me. Lily had a band-aid on her index finger, her face wearing an expression of having suffered a great injustice. And in Olivia’s hands was a large bouquet of vibrant saffron flowers. That bouquet was a thousand times more eye-catching than the roses she gave me. My roses were just a free gift. They swept past towards the emergency room, drawing curious glances from passersby. “Oh my god, if I’m not mistaken, are they the kind of relationship I’m thinking of?” “Definitely. Such a big fuss over a small cut on the finger. That’s true pampering.” “This must be true love. Love really knows no gender.” “That cut would have scabbed over on its own if they’d waited any longer to come in…” The surrounding discussions reached my ears word for word. I lowered my head, smiling self-mockingly. But the nurse recognized that it was my fiancée and asked in confusion: “Sir, you’ve been here many times before. If I’m not mistaken, isn’t that your girlfriend?” I opened my mouth, but my throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton. In the past, even if I just forgot to eat a meal, Olivia would anxiously drag me to the hospital for a full checkup. Now, she was accompanying her “true love” with a band-aid on her finger. I was at a loss for words, but my phone vibrated. [Lily’s hand injury is very serious. I need to stay with her tonight, so I won’t be coming home.] [Take care of yourself and remember to take your medication on time.] I looked up at Lily, who was surrounded by a large group of people not far away. She was nestled in Olivia’s arms, acting coy, showing no signs of injury at all. I replied “okay” with a blank expression. Just as I put down my phone, a call came in. Her voice was crisp, with a hint of excitement. “I’ve changed the wedding theme to ‘Deep Sea Lost Dream.’ What do you think?”

The next day, I took out the suitcase I had prepared long ago and started packing. Just as I was about to leave with my suitcase, the villa’s front door was suddenly pushed open. Olivia rushed in, her face filled with rage. Without a word, she raised her hand and slapped me hard. “Gabriel, I never thought you were this kind of person!” “Lucas and Lily received an anonymous package. Guess what was inside? A dead rat!” “Lily was so scared she broke down crying and now she’s running a high fever!” “If you have any grievances, come at me! Using such vicious methods against a girl, are you even a man?” I looked at Olivia’s face, twisted with anger, feeling utterly unfamiliar. “I didn’t do it,” I said, my voice hoarse. “If it wasn’t you, who else could it be? I’ve told you before, I’m just playing around with them.” Olivia didn’t believe me at all. The contempt and disappointment in her eyes hurt more than the slap. “When I get bored of them, I’ll naturally come back to you! Why can’t you be more generous?” “You agreed so nicely on the surface, but behind my back, you pull these dirty tricks! Gabriel, you’re nothing but a hypocrite!” Her words became increasingly harsh, even starting to speak recklessly. “For someone of my status, isn’t it normal to have a few lovers? Even your mom…” She suddenly realized she had said something wrong and abruptly stopped. My eyes instantly turned red. How dare she mention my mom. Yes, she had long lost all trust in me. From the moment she first met those twins, trust was gradually consumed. The Olivia who once passionately pursued me for five whole years, Would postpone our wedding for the first time because Lily had menstrual cramps, leaving me alone at the wedding venue. Would force me to kneel and apologize in front of all company employees because of Lucas’s false accusation. Even my mother, who had treated her like her own daughter, was pushed down the stairs by the twins working together, dying with resentment. Yet they brushed it off with a casual “accident.” And Olivia chose to believe them. Thinking of this, my heart felt like it was being tightly squeezed by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe. Seeing my reddened eyes, Olivia seemed to feel a bit guilty. She softened her tone and said, “Forget it. Lucas and Lily said they’re very forgiving and won’t hold it against you.” “But they really like this villa. You move out for a while, consider it compensation for them.” She used a patronizing tone to decide my fate. Before I could open my mouth to argue, a pitiful mewing suddenly came from outside. It was Mochi! The cat my mom left me! My heart tightened, and I rushed out. In the yard, the flowers and plants my mom had cherished most in life were trampled into a mess. By the pool, Lucas was grinning maliciously, repeatedly dunking Mochi’s tiny body into the water. Lily stood nearby, clapping her hands and laughing hysterically. I charged over and punched Lucas hard in the face. The next moment, another heavy slap landed on my face.

Lily immediately threw herself into Olivia’s arms, her voice tinged with tears: “Olivia, look at him! He’s a violent maniac! He just started hitting people!” Olivia supported Lily and, seeing the injury on Lucas’s face, even wanted to hit me again. I ignored them and ran frantically to the poolside, pulling the motionless Mochi out of the cold water. Her tiny body was already stiff, her wet fur clinging to her skin. She had stopped breathing completely. Lucas covered his bleeding mouth corner and snarled preemptively. “Olivia! Is this your idea of a sincere apology?” Olivia’s face turned ashen. She looked at me and commanded coldly, “Gabriel, apologize to them!” “Apologize?” I raised my head, my eyes bloodshot. “They destroyed my mom’s flowers and killed my cat! And you want me to apologize to them?” “It was this beast that tried to bite me! My brother was just teaching it a lesson!” Lily hid behind Olivia, distorting the facts. “Besides, this villa is ours now. We can do whatever we want with the flowers and plants here. It’s none of your business!” Olivia looked at the dead Mochi in my arms, a flash of heartache crossing her eyes. But Lucas’s exaggerated cries of pain quickly drew all her attention. “Olivia, you must give me an explanation for the dead rat incident and this punch today!” Lucas insisted. “You can’t always be so biased towards him! How can we siblings trust you in the future?” Lily chimed in: “That’s right, Olivia. The way he treats us, just making him move out is too lenient.” Olivia looked at her helplessly, her voice indulgent: “Then what do you want?” Hearing this, Lily’s gaze fell on Mochi in my arms. “This cat almost bit me. Just dying like this isn’t enough. It should be dismembered and thrown in the trash.” I shuddered, then heard Lucas say leisurely: “And Gabriel should do it himself. Doesn’t he cherish this cat? Then let him send it off one last time.” I turned to Olivia, my voice tinged with pleading: “Olivia, please don’t… This is what Mom left me…” Olivia was flanked by the two, listening to their “grievances,” her expression growing colder. She finally ordered her bodyguards: “Go, bring a knife.” The bodyguards’ faces flashed with hesitation. “Hmph, even the dogs you keep are biased towards him. How can you expect us to trust you in the future?” Seeing this, Olivia angrily scolded: “What? Are my words no longer effective?” Under her angry rebuke, the bodyguard still brought a knife. I was firmly held down by two bodyguards, a dull knife forced into my hand. I closed my eyes tightly, feeling the flesh under the knife being repeatedly cut and ground, While Lily’s laughter rang in my ears. I don’t know how I managed to do it, only feeling my movements becoming increasingly numb. Finally, my vision went black, and I passed out completely.

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Emily never imagined that she would overhear certain sounds coming from her mother-in-law’s room. She initially thought her father-in-law had returned home. To her shock, it turned out her mother-in-law was having an affair! Margaret seemed confident that Emily wouldn’t dare reveal this secret and continued to act shamelessly towards her! However, a few days later, Margaret was suddenly diagnosed with HIV! And Margaret’s affair partner had also died… In the peak of summer, the cicadas were chirping loudly outside. Emily tossed and turned, but was jolted awake by a stinging pain in her fingertip. Fully awake now, she felt thoroughly annoyed. Today had been truly unlucky. While grocery shopping in the afternoon, some brat had put a needle on the seat of a rental bike, pricking her when she sat down. Then when she got home, her mother-in-law Margaret criticized her for not even being able to make a proper salad. In her flustered state, she had accidentally cut her finger while cooking. The cicadas outside grew even louder. Emily gave up on sleep and decided to use the bathroom. As soon as she stepped out, she heard intense female moaning coming from Margaret’s bedroom. She could even faintly make out the sound of flesh slapping against flesh. Emily was startled. Looking closely, she saw an old pair of men’s leather shoes in the entryway. The shoes were a bit worn, with traces of dirt still on them. It must be her father-in-law George who had returned. George often traveled for work. Despite being alone at home, Margaret never neglected her appearance. She even had a more extensive makeup collection than Emily. It was understandable that George couldn’t resist upon returning. Emily didn’t dare linger. She quickly ducked into the bathroom. When she came out, Margaret’s voice hadn’t quieted down. In fact, it had grown even more uninhibited. Emily was too embarrassed to stay outside and rushed back to her room without even getting a drink of water. Looking at the pitch-black room and hearing the moans that even the closed door couldn’t block out, Emily suddenly felt very empty inside. She also couldn’t help but wonder. David and George both worked at the same research institute. Usually they traveled and returned together. Why had only George come back this time? The empty double bed held only her body heat. Outside, the cicadas gradually quieted down, and Emily drifted back to sleep. The next morning, Emily woke up extra early. George sometimes had to leave quickly for work when he returned home. Worried he might have to rush off again, Emily got up early to make breakfast. Although she and Margaret didn’t get along well, George had always been kind. Emily’s relationship with Margaret was maintained largely thanks to George and David’s mediation. Emily felt very grateful towards George. After I set out the steamed buns and porridge on the table and turned to get Margaret’s soy milk, I heard Margaret shouting again outside. “Other people’s daughters-in-law are frugal homemakers. But you just have to put on a grand feast for breakfast, as if you’re serving the emperor! I bet you’re just some country bumpkin who’s never seen the world, trying to freeload off our family!” The anger immediately rose in Emily’s chest. Emily had been abandoned at an orphanage as a newborn and adopted by a kind rural couple at age ten. After graduating college, she moved to the city for work and later married David. After marriage, David and George often traveled for work. Margaret used the excuse of poor health to force Emily to quit her job and become a full-time housewife. Emily had acquiesced to her wishes, but Margaret’s nitpicking never stopped. Whenever David was away for work, Margaret would find fault with everything Emily did at home, always accusing her of being a freeloader. Emily walked out of the kitchen, slamming down the soy milk forcefully. She was about to argue back when she caught sight of her wedding ring. The fire in her heart slowly died down. Although Margaret had always looked down on her, Emily had seen David’s care and love for her over the years. Moreover, before he left last time, he had told her to wait just one more month. Once he finished his current work, he would take her to move out and live as a couple. Emily took a deep breath and patiently explained: “I didn’t mean to make so much. I just heard Father-in-law come home last night, so this extra portion of breakfast…” Before Emily could finish speaking, Margaret suddenly stood up, grabbed the soy milk that had been placed on the table, and threw it in Emily’s face. “You little hussy, are you trying to act up?! You haven’t even given our family an heir yet and you’re already trying to manipulate me? Let me tell you, you’d better behave yourself, or I’ll make David kick you out of this house sooner or later!” Over the years, Margaret had inexplicably given Emily a hard time, but she had rarely been this directly physical. Emily was stunned for a moment. Meanwhile, Margaret sat down as if she had won a victory and began picking at her breakfast. Emily gritted her teeth and swallowed her anger. Fine, in just one more month David would take her to move out. There was no benefit to falling out with Margaret at this point. Emily suppressed her anger and went back to her room to change clothes. Behind her, Margaret let out a cold snort, as if certain Emily wouldn’t dare do anything to her.

By the time Emily changed and came out, Margaret had already left. The breakfast table looked as if it had been hit by a bomb. Emily repeatedly consoled herself that they would be moving out in just a month. After cleaning up the table, she went to tidy up David’s clothes. The weather had turned cold recently. David had only taken seasonal clothes when he left last time. Emily was worried he might catch a cold. After a busy morning, Emily had just made lunch when Margaret called. “Have you made lunch? Hurry up and bring the food to the mahjong parlor.” Before Emily could say anything, Margaret had already hung up. For years, Margaret had treated Emily like the family’s maid. But for David’s sake, Emily still packed up food for Margaret. She had barely eaten two bites herself before rushing off to the mahjong parlor. “I told you to bring some food and you’re so slow! What else can you do right?” Margaret snapped as she took the lunchbox from Emily, giving her a dirty look. Mrs. Johnson sitting next to her couldn’t bear to watch and spoke up for Emily. “Margaret, your daughter-in-law is already very good. She even brings you food every day. My daughter-in-law is lucky if I see her once a year on holidays.” Margaret wolfed down her food while glaring sideways at Emily with a cold smile. “She’s just some country girl from the sticks. She’s living off my son’s money. Bringing me food is the least she can do to show some filial piety!” By this point, Emily was no longer listening to what Margaret was saying about her. Because she had spotted a familiar pair of muddy old men’s leather shoes. The shoes that had appeared in her home’s entryway last night were now on the feet of Mr. Johnson, who was playing mahjong with Margaret! The person in Margaret’s bedroom last night wasn’t George at all, but Mr. Johnson who always played mahjong with Margaret! Margaret was brazenly having an affair at home! “What are you staring at? Didn’t you hear what I said?” Margaret slammed down her lunchbox. Her tone was fierce, but her eyes didn’t dare meet Emily’s. Margaret shoved the lunchbox at Emily. “Forget it! I’m sick of looking at your face! Hurry up and get out of here!” Emily took the lunchbox and stumbled home in a daze. She never imagined that Margaret, who was so traditional and conservative, would actually have an affair! This was David’s mother after all. It wasn’t Emily’s place to deal with this. But David’s greatest wish was for family harmony. If she really told him about this, who knows what kind of storm it would stir up in the family. Lost in thought, the sky had already darkened outside. Suddenly her phone rang – it was a video call from David. Emily answered the call and saw David’s handsome but clearly exhausted face on the screen. In the end, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything. “Honey, I got the clothes you sent me this morning. I hadn’t even noticed the weather changing. You’re always so thoughtful.” Emily forced a smile, but David sensed something was off. “Honey, did something happen at home? Or did Mom say something to you again? You look so troubled.” As soon as David said this, Emily felt even more guilty. But she still gritted her teeth and denied it: “No, everything’s fine. Just focus on your work.” Before Emily could figure out how to broach the subject, she heard the sound of the front door – Margaret was back. Afraid Margaret would say something unpleasant as soon as she came in and distract David, Emily quickly hung up the call. Margaret seemed to be in a good mood, humming a tune as she came in. Emily thought it over and decided to speak up with a warning. “Mother, Father will be retiring and coming home in a few months. David will be transferring back then too. Our family should live peacefully together.” Emily had meant to remind Margaret not to mess around with Mr. Johnson anymore. But upon hearing this, Margaret glared at Emily with her hands on her hips and started cursing. “Live peacefully? You dare talk to me about living peacefully? Our family took in a hen that can’t even lay eggs like you. How could we possibly live peacefully?” “I just saw you acting all sneaky. Don’t tell me you can’t stand the loneliness and you’re flirting with some man online?” Margaret herself was impure, yet she had the nerve to sling mud at Emily? “David has been living at work for years. If I really got pregnant now, it would most likely be from fooling around with another man!” When Margaret heard the words “fooling around,” her expression changed. She glared fiercely at Emily before turning and storming back to her own room, slamming the door shut.

Whether it was because my words had struck a nerve, or because she knew I had discovered her affair with Mr. Johnson and felt guilty, I ended up having a peaceful month. Margaret would leave the house after breakfast every day. She no longer called me to deliver lunch, and when she came home she would lock herself in her room. We barely even crossed paths. On my birthday, David called in the morning to apologize that he couldn’t make it back due to work. In the afternoon, I received flowers he had sent. The card on the flowers was a poem we loved in college. Reading it brought back all the sweet memories from those days. “You vixen, David’s not home. Don’t tell me these flowers are from some lover of yours!” Margaret started causing trouble again. But I wasn’t worried at all. “Mom, David had these delivered to me.” Margaret scoffed coldly: “Hmph, I knew you weren’t one to be frugal. Making my son waste money buying you flowers!” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. I was about to take the flowers back to my room when she called out again: “You ungrateful girl, you don’t even care that your mother-in-law is sick because of you! Hurry up and take me to the hospital!” I immediately became concerned. She had seemed fine earlier – how could she suddenly be ill and need to go to the hospital? “Mom, are you alright? Where are you feeling unwell? I’ll go get the car keys right away!” “What car? Gas is so expensive. The hospital’s not far anyway. Just push me in the wheelchair!” Margaret insisted, so I had no choice but to take her in the wheelchair. On the way, Margaret said she had diarrhea and intermittent fever. The symptoms sounded like the flu to me, but I didn’t dare take it lightly. After all, older people have weaker immune systems. If it developed into something more serious, David would be worried. At the hospital, after hearing the symptoms, the doctor had an odd expression. He told me to take Margaret for a blood test first. A few hours later, when I saw the test results, I was shocked. It was HIV.

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The moment my breath stopped. My mission in this parallel world was finally complete. My heart went to Mom, my kidney to Dylan, and my spleen to Michael. When I died, beneath the white sheet, both my legs were missing. They were amputated to save Dad when he nearly fell down the stairs. They knew nothing of this. So, when Mom didn’t see me after her surgery, her heart turned so cold she wanted to disown me. Dad immediately canceled my card. Then, a call from the crematorium reached Mom, who was busy preparing Chloe, my adopted sister’s, coming-of-age party. “Excuse me, but your daughter’s body is starting to smell.” “When will you transfer the cremation fee?” … When the call from the crematorium came, Mom was laughing and chatting with guests. In the lavish ballroom, Chloe, wearing a princess dress and looking utterly innocent, stood beside her. Mom had the phone on speakerphone, and the crematorium employee’s words clearly reached everyone present. Mom was startled at first, then her face morphed into a furious glare. “What nonsense are you talking about? My daughter is standing right here in front of me, perfectly fine! And her body is smelling? Scammers nowadays will do anything for money!” Chloe glanced at the phone screen, her expression subtly shifting. “Mom, that looks like Audrey’s phone number. It’s not a scammer.” My transparent body trembled slightly. Ever since I died, I’d been following my family around. They just couldn’t see me. But I never expected Chloe, who always bullied me, to remember my phone number. Mom’s face gradually twisted into horror, and the phone almost slipped from her grasp. Chloe calmly took the phone, her voice soft. “Audrey, stop with the pranks. Mom just had heart surgery, she can’t handle this kind of shock.” “Even though you weren’t there when Mom had her surgery, you’re still her biological child. She won’t blame you.” Mom exploded in a rage, snatching the phone back. “You have the nerve to play pranks? You didn’t even come home for your own mother’s surgery! How could I have given birth to such a heartless wretch? If you want to die, then die outside and don’t ever come back!” She hung up abruptly. Wiping away tears, she helplessly explained to the guests. “Audrey has always been rebellious and unruly, always trying to take Chloe’s things, forbidding us from being nice to her sister, or else she’d throw tantrums and self-harm.” “A kind person donated a heart to me for my surgery, and she didn’t even bother to visit me in the hospital. Her conscience is completely gone!” “Now, to ruin her sister’s coming-of-age party, she’s throwing a tantrum and running away from home, even hiring shady characters to threaten us and extort money.” “I truly wish I had never given birth to this daughter!” “If only Chloe were my biological daughter.” I heard those words, and tears streamed down my face. No, Mom. I was right there beside you when you had your surgery. I wasn’t threatening you, I just… couldn’t be a dutiful daughter to you anymore. Chloe’s coming-of-age party was grand. The gift wall was overflowing. Michael, my eldest brother, a busy lawyer, gifted Chloe a villa in the city, so she wouldn’t feel like an outsider anymore. Dylan, my second brother, who owned a Taekwondo studio, gave her a platinum credit card, with an unlimited spending limit. Dad gave her a 10% ownership stake in his company, so no one would ever look down on Chloe. Mom gave Chloe her most treasured artwork. I remembered that piece; I accidentally stained it a year ago. Mom was so furious she grounded me and didn’t let me eat for three days and nights. But now, that same artwork was so easily given to Chloe. I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe. Chloe and I were a year apart. After I was kidnapped at seven, Mom and Dad adopted six-year-old Chloe. Six months later, the police found me, and I returned home to find I had a younger sister. The System told me it was the butterfly effect of this parallel world, and Chloe was the variable. It also said I’d suffer a bit, but I didn’t care. Just being able to see my parents and brothers safe and sound again, I was content. To ward off disaster for them, I was more than willing. But the surging memories quickly swallowed me. Last year today was my coming-of-age party. Although Mom and Dad favored Chloe over me, they still arranged a grand party for me. But before it even started, Dad twisted his ankle going downstairs, breaking a bone and ending up in the hospital. Michael got into a minor car accident on his way there. Dylan’s phone was stolen while camping, and he lost contact. Mom was so anxious she had a heart attack. I stayed by Mom’s bedside. When she woke up, she displaced her anger onto me, throwing her phone at my forehead. She called me a jinx and told me to get out. Carelessly wiping away the blood streaming down my forehead, I quietly left the hospital room. I curled up on the cold floor by the door, and stayed there all night. My one-in-a-lifetime coming-of-age party, with no blessings, no gifts. All I remembered was Mom’s look of hatred and disgust, and the cold, dark night in the hospital hallway.

The System suddenly appeared, asking me if I regretted it. “If you hadn’t come to this world, in your original world, you would be living a wonderful life, your family had already paved the way for your future.” I came from another world. There, I grew up loved and cherished. But later, for various reasons, they died tragic deaths. I suddenly became an orphan. The System gave me a chance to see my family again. It brought me to this parallel world, to live another life. But it also told me that in this world, my family would also meet tragic ends. Unless someone took the fall for them. Now my mission was over, and they were finally safe. I shook my head, denying, “No regrets. Being able to see them again, to protect them as they once protected me, I’m content.” “I just wish for them to be safe and happy. Even if they hear the news of my death, with Chloe by their side, I’m sure they won’t be too sad.” The System seemed to sigh, “Why are you so silly? Never mind, I’ll apply to headquarters to get you a special benefit.” The System told me to stay in this world for now, waiting for its message. So I lingered, staying with my family. Then I saw my high school teacher come to the house, complaining that I’d skipped class. Dad frowned deeply, and Chloe by his side seemed to hesitate before speaking. “Dad, last Wednesday, I think I saw Audrey and a guy with bright dyed hair go into a hotel.” I froze. Last Wednesday… I was already lying in the funeral home, waiting for cremation. How could I have gone to a hotel with a guy? She was clearly making things up. Even though I was gone, why was she still trying to throw dirt on my name? My family wouldn’t believe such a cheap lie. But I never expected Dylan to immediately burst out cursing. “Going to bed with just any guy at such a young age, how trashy!” Michael, impeccably dressed in his suit, looked displeased and disappointed. He turned to Chloe, admonishing her. “Sister, no matter what you saw, don’t follow your sister’s conduct. Girls need to have self-respect.” I stood there, dumbfounded and incredulous. Chloe pursed her lips, smiled shyly, and pulled out her report card. “Brother, I don’t understand those things about Audrey. I just want to focus on my studies.” Seeing her top grades in every subject, even Mom and Dad, who had been scowling, broke into relieved smiles. Chloe struck while the iron was hot, proposing that she wanted to skip a grade. Dad looked troubled. “The spots in the honors class for seniors are already full.” Dylan looked at Chloe, his face full of concern. “That’s easy, isn’t it? Someone’s just hogging a spot and doing nothing with it, kick her out, and then little sister can go to school!” A sharp pain pierced my heart. I could only look at Mom and Dad with pleading eyes. Mom and Dad knew how much I suffered to get into that honors class. At least, don’t be so cruel to me. But in the end, they disappointed me. Mom and Dad hesitated for only a moment, then nodded under Chloe’s eager gaze. “Then let’s process Audrey’s withdrawal and give her spot to Chloe.” I slumped to the floor, tears splattering onto the back of my hands. Chloe took my spot, beaming as she went to school. In the evening, she came back with injuries. Mom, Dad, and my two brothers looked grave and worried. Chloe, her tears streaming down her face and looking incredibly fragile, refused to say anything. It wasn’t until Dad threatened to call the police that Chloe stammered out a classmate’s name—Riley. I huddled in the corner, slowly lifting my head. Riley. She was my best friend in high school. The next day, Mom, Dad, and my brothers took Chloe to school and summoned Riley and her parents to the dean’s office. Riley was expressionless and refused to apologize. Dad was so angry he was about to call the police right there. Unexpectedly, Riley insolently threatened. “If you dare to call the police, don’t blame me for exposing your daughter’s pregnancy!” Everyone was stunned, looking at Chloe. Chloe was mortified, crying that it wasn’t her. Mom immediately hugged her, comforting her. “Don’t cry, Mom believes you, you wouldn’t do something like that.” Dad also scowled fiercely, glaring at Riley. “You’re an adult now, spreading rumors carries legal responsibility!” Michael acted immediately, directly informing Riley’s parents that they would pursue legal action. Dylan, hot-tempered as ever, stepped forward and kicked Riley. “My sister is so well-behaved and sensible, how could she be pregnant? If you keep throwing dirt on her name, believe me, I’ll kill you!” I bit my lower lip hard, watching this scene, my heart aching. Was I not their daughter too? Why, for the same thing, did they believe Chloe but not me? Riley was enraged and cursed back furiously. “I never said *she* was pregnant! Does your family only have one daughter?” “Can you deny that your sister, Audrey, isn’t at school because she’s hiding away to have the baby?” “If you blow this up, don’t blame me for spreading the shameful news of Audrey’s pregnancy out of wedlock all over the school!” “And you, you like to complain, right? Next time I see you at school, I’ll beat you up!” Chloe’s eyes welled up with tears at this, looking incredibly wronged. “No, you can’t! Don’t tell anyone! I won’t make you apologize, just don’t ruin my sister’s reputation! If you want to hit me, hit me, I don’t care.” Mom and Dad grew even more concerned when they saw this. Their gaze towards Riley became even colder. “Chloe, the good are often taken advantage of. This kind of morally corrupt student is absolutely not suitable to be your classmate.” This farce ended with Riley being forcibly withdrawn from school. To protect Chloe, Mom and Dad pulled strings to have Riley expelled, completely disregarding my reputation. Sure enough, after Riley was withdrawn, the news of my pregnancy out of wedlock spread throughout the entire school. I let out a bitter laugh. Good thing I was already dead. Otherwise, such gossip would have been enough to drive me to death. And those who caused all this were the very family and friends I once trusted the most, those I was willing to give my all for. But a question still lingered in my heart. Why would Riley say I was pregnant? I followed Riley and found that she was secretly meeting Chloe. Chloe, shedding her innocent little rabbit image she presented to the family, leaned against a wall, smoking, and handed Riley a wad of cash. “Well done. This money should be enough for your mom’s surgery.” Watching Riley walk away, I felt a knot in my chest. So, she did it for her mother’s surgery.

But what about Chloe? She already had all the love from my family; what else could she possibly want? After floating home, I became even more quiet and withdrawn. Before, no matter if Mom and Dad could hear me, I would tirelessly share interesting things. Now, I would just curl up in a corner, a silent observer. Chloe had a heart episode. It was said she was provoked at school. Dad investigated and found that my supposed pregnancy out of wedlock had also caused Chloe to be talked about behind her back. And Dad had never hidden the fact that Chloe was adopted. This also led to Chloe being excluded and targeted. Chloe on the bed was pale as a sheet, yet she looked so strong it hurt to watch. I inexplicably remembered when Mom had a heart attack before, Chloe innocently said. “Mommy’s heart is broken? Then I’ll give my heart to Mommy, and Mommy won’t hurt anymore, right?” At that time, when Mom heard it, the pity on her face was almost uncontrollable. And I, being oblivious, just quietly peeled an apple and offered it to Mom. Mom pushed me away, and the apple rolled a few times on the floor, covered in dust. “Look at your sister, and then look at you. You have no conscience at all!” But Mom, I truly was willing to give you my heart. And her heart condition? It was fake. I guessed Chloe faked her heart episode, perhaps to pull another trick. Sure enough, after listening to Chloe’s tearful complaints. Mom and Dad immediately made a decision. They would publicly announce that Chloe was their biological daughter. And I was the adopted one. Michael casually fiddled with the watch I’d given him, fully agreeing. “Chloe is excellent in every aspect. I have no objections.” Dylan’s face, however, was full of sarcasm. “I have no objections either. Audrey did such disgraceful acts, I stopped wanting to acknowledge her as my sister a long time ago. It’s Chloe who makes us proud, always top of her class.” Chloe covered her face with a pillow, feigning embarrassment. “Dylan, don’t say that.” On the sofa, the family of four was warm and harmonious, but I felt a chill. Their faces, in my eyes, began to look strange and distorted. It seemed my existence in this family had long become irrelevant, even superfluous. For the first time, I began to waver. Was everything I gave worth it? After all decisions were made, Chloe wore a sated smile. But at dinner, Michael suddenly suggested bringing me back. The entire family’s forks froze. After a while, Dylan nodded. “Good idea. That girl’s been out causing trouble for so long, she’s probably suffered quite a bit.” I could hardly believe my ears and stood up from the corner. Were they concerned about me? Nearly half a month had passed, had my family finally remembered me? I wiped away my tears and floated closer. I knew it, they couldn’t be that heartless. But before I could even smile, I heard Dylan continue. “Let’s give her an excuse to come back. Have her return as soon as possible these next few days. Once she’s back, we’ll lock her up.” I stumbled slightly, my spiritual body feeling unstable. Lock me up? What did that mean? Soon, Michael clarified it for me. “Dylan suggested this. Chloe’s college entrance exams are coming up soon, and I’m worried that if Audrey keeps not showing up, she’ll cause trouble on the day of the exams and ruin Chloe’s future.” “So, we’ll just coax Audrey back home, lock her up, and prevent her from affecting Chloe’s exams.” As his words fell, the light above flickered for a moment, then returned to normal. I collapsed to the floor, my face numb. Mom hesitated. “What if she comes home and insists on taking the college entrance exams? After all, it was originally her year to take them…” Dylan eagerly interrupted. “Mom, have you forgotten she’s pregnant? That bastard child, we don’t even know how far along she is! Do you want her to go to the exam hall with a big belly? Haven’t we lost enough face already?” Ultimately, the entire family reached an agreement. For the first time since I disappeared half a month ago, they actively called my phone. The call connected quickly; it was an unfamiliar man’s voice. “Hello, this is Evergreen Funeral Home. Are you Audrey’s family? You finally picked up! Please come over as soon as possible!” Dad’s hand, holding the phone, trembled. “What?” Michael and Dylan, hearing this, also uncharacteristically looked flustered and helpless. Chloe subtly raised an eyebrow, a hint of malicious glee in her eyes. Only Mom, exploded in a rage. “Audrey, have you made enough trouble? Isn’t half a month of messing around outside enough? Do you really want me to disown you?” I calmly lowered my gaze, my eyes hollow. Then disown me. Anyway, I had nothing left. I was only grateful now that I was dead, so I didn’t have to live and endure this endless torment. Dad looked at Mom, bewildered. “What in the world is going on?” Mom explained the call on the day of Chloe’s party, then her face tightened with gritted teeth. “How could she be dead? If it were an accidental death, the police would have notified us. This is just her retaliating against us, playing a deliberate prank.” I gave a sarcastic smile. Of course, I didn’t die by accident; it was a premeditated suicide. Because heart donation could only be done after death. At that time, I was naive enough to think Mom wouldn’t accept my heart. So I signed an anonymous donation agreement and arranged for a one-stop service with the funeral home. I was supposed to die quietly, and my parents would discover it later and report my death certificate. But I never expected Dad to cancel my card, which led to my body not being cremated for so long. The funeral home had a thirty-day free storage period. If cremation wasn’t done after that, they would call the police to handle it with the family. Mom took the phone, her face cold. “Audrey, you were shameless enough to get pregnant out of wedlock, bringing endless shame to our family, and now you’re still so inconsiderate, playing such a cruel joke. I’m truly disappointed in you.” On the other end of the line, there was a long silence. The funeral home employee asked, bewildered. “Who’s pregnant? This 19-year-old female body has no reproductive function whatsoever. Are you even Audrey’s family?” “Tomorrow is the final deadline. If you don’t come to pay the fees and claim the body, we’ll have to contact the police to issue a public announcement for identification.” This time, the employee’s tone was very stern, and he hung up after speaking. Mom’s cold expression froze, and she stood motionless.

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On our fifth anniversary, Serena’s lover showed up at our door with their secret son. Julian cried, looking innocent as hell, “Caleb, I’m not here to break you two up.” Serena looked guilty. “Caleb, don’t overthink this. The baby was just an accident. Besides, Julian has a terminal illness, only a month left to live. Once he’s gone, you can raise the child.” I stared at the five-year-old in front of me, my heart twisting in agony. Five years of marriage. I’d been severely injured protecting her, and our own child was lost in that car crash. Yet she already had a child outside, and now she expected me to raise *their* son! I didn’t say a word. I just quietly drafted the divorce papers, then dialed that long-dormant number. “You once said you’d marry me if I divorced. Does that still stand?” The person on the other end immediately burst into a smile. “It does!” Signing the last stroke on the divorce papers, my eyes burned. I quickly squeezed them shut to hold back the tears. It was supposed to be our fifth anniversary. I’d booked this restaurant a month in advance, wanting to celebrate with Serena. Now, it was pointless. But then the manager called me. “Mr. Stone, your wife, Mrs. Stone, has already been seated with two guests. She said you’d be covering the rest of the bill.” My fingers tightened around my phone. She didn’t just take her lover to the restaurant I booked; she expected *me* to pay for it? “Alright, I’ll be right there.” Twenty minutes later, I stood outside the restaurant. Through the glass, I saw Serena gently serving Julian food, carefully wiping Noah’s mouth. A happy family of three. It made my heart ache. We’d celebrated our first anniversary at this very restaurant. Back then, Serena had booked my favorite window seat in advance and ordered a table full of my favorite dishes. She’d meticulously served me, gently wiping sauce from my lips. But now, same scene, all that tenderness, all that care, was for another man. I pushed down the storm of emotions inside me and walked into the restaurant. Serena saw me and spoke coldly. “You’re here, good. Settle the bill.” “The restaurant’s pretty good. Julian likes the food here.” Serena didn’t even bother to look up at me. Julian, on the other hand, had a gleam of pure defiance in his eyes. “Caleb, don’t just stand there, why don’t you join us?” He turned to Serena, feigning innocence. “Serena, I really want their signature dessert. Could you ask if they still have it?” Serena smiled indulgently. “Alright, wait for me. I’ll be right back.” As soon as Serena left, Julian’s smile vanished. “Caleb Stone, it’s been five years, and you still lost to me.” He slowly wiped his mouth. “She’s always loved me, from the very beginning.” I looked at him calmly. “Are you done?” Julian seemed surprised by my composure. “You know what? I don’t have a terminal illness at all. It was all an act!” My heart fluttered slightly, and I gave a bitter twist to my lips. Five years of marriage, shattered so easily by a single lie. Did Serena know? Before I could even process it, Julian’s face suddenly changed. He grabbed the soup bowl in front of him and splashed it all over himself. He cried out in pain. “Caleb, I know you don’t like me, but how could you throw hot soup on me? I’m a patient, my body’s so weak…” Before I could react, Serena’s scream came from behind me. “Caleb! What are you doing?!” She rushed forward, pulling Julian protectively behind her, checking his injuries. “Serena, my hand hurts so much.” Julian’s eyes were red-rimmed, and he held out his scalded hand. Serena saw the red mark on his hand, and her fury surged. She picked up the cup of hot tea that had just been poured for me and, without hesitation, splashed it all over me! The scalding liquid hit my arm, instantly turning it red and swollen. A fiery, sharp pain instantly spread, making me almost lose my footing. Serena saw my reddened arm, but she just said coldly, “That’s your lesson!” “Julian can’t be left alone! I was even planning to spend two days a week at home with you, but I can’t believe how petty you’re acting for a grown man!” I looked at her and suddenly felt utterly pointless. “Serena, don’t bother. Divorce me, and you can be with him every day.” Serena snapped her head up, her expression complicated, but her impatience was practically spilling from her eyes. “How old are you, acting so jealous and throwing threats? I told you Julian’s sick, I’m just looking after him. Your mind is just twisted, you see everything in a dirty way!” With that, she stopped looking at me, shielded Julian and Noah, and walked away, leaving me standing alone amidst the mess.

“Need help?” A voice sounded behind me as I walked out of the restaurant. I turned around and met Harper’s deep eyes. I hadn’t expected her to arrive so quickly. Seeing the unhesitating worry and heartache in her gaze, my eyes finally welled up. I spoke, as if seeking solace, “Harper, I want a grand wedding.” “Okay, Caleb. As soon as your divorce is final, I’ll marry you. How about we set the wedding for four days from now?” “Caleb Stone!” Serena had returned at some point. Seeing me with Harper, her face twisted into a terrible expression. She rushed at us like a madwoman, raising her hand to slap Harper’s face. Harper, quick as lightning, caught her wrist. “Harper! You b*tch! You snake! Taking advantage of my misery!” Serena shrieked, her eyes bloodshot. “Caleb Stone, you’re already hooking up with your old flame? You couldn’t wait, could you?” “Serena, what right do you have to talk about Caleb like that?” Harper stepped in front of me, her voice colder than I’d ever heard it. “I gave you five years, but you failed to take care of him! Now it’s my turn!” That sentence completely choked Serena. She looked at me with a complex gaze, then at Harper. She was probably remembering the past. Harper and I were childhood sweethearts. Serena came later. Both pursued me, but in the end, I chose Serena. For five years of marriage, I poured my heart out for Serena, believing she did the same for me. I never imagined she still held a grudge about my past with Harper. “Let’s go!” Serena glared at us fiercely, dragging Julian away in a rage. I looked at Harper, my thoughts drifting back years ago. We grew up together, almost inseparable from kindergarten to high school. Everyone thought we’d naturally end up together. After I went public with Serena, everyone joked, “The childhood sweetheart never wins against destiny’s pick.” Back then, I just smiled and said nothing. Serena, to me, truly felt like a gift from heaven. If not for what happened later, if I hadn’t chosen Serena… Harper spoke softly, pulling me from my thoughts. “Caleb, let’s get your arm treated first.” I nodded and followed her. The next day, Serena’s father asked to see me. I hesitated, then agreed. If there was one person from the Stone family I was reluctant to let go of, it was this elder who treated me like his own son. At the coffee shop, Mr. Harrison pushed an ornate keepsake box across the table, his eyes brimming with tears. “This was for the baby,” he choked out. “I’ve kept it all this time.” I opened the box. Inside was a pure gold longevity locket, intricately carved. It had the traditional wishes for ‘Peace, Joy, and Long Life’ inscribed on it. My eyes welled up too. That child I never met was the deepest pain in my heart. When Serena was three months pregnant, Mr. Harrison excitedly dragged me to a jewelry store, saying he wanted to buy a gift for his future grandson. We spent an entire afternoon picking it out, finally settling on this locket. “Dad, actually…” I wanted to tell him I was getting divorced, but the words caught in my throat. “Serena let you down,” Mr. Harrison gripped my hand. “I never liked that Julian from the first moment I saw him. You’re the son-in-law I always wanted!” My tears finally fell. After that miscarriage, the doctors said Serena’s body was damaged, and it would be very difficult for her to have children again. Though she outwardly comforted me, I clearly saw the blame in her eyes. She believed it was my poor driving that caused the car crash. Only Mr. Harrison patted my shoulder, saying the accident was something no one could have foreseen, and told me to focus on my recovery. He still treated me like his own son. “Dad, I have to go,” I said, putting away the locket and forcing a smile. “Thank you for always taking care of me.” Mr. Harrison held my hand, his eyes filled with reluctance. He wanted to say more, but in the end, he just patted my hand. After leaving the coffee shop, I suddenly remembered the pair of baby bracelets still in the safe at home. They were my only keepsake. I had to get them back.

As I reached the front door, I heard Julian’s voice from inside. “Serena, remember that time? My cat went missing during a huge rainstorm. I called you, and you were in the middle of surgery. But you didn’t hesitate, you just got off the operating table and rushed back to help me find him.” My steps froze. “Of course, I remember,” Serena’s voice was indulgent. “Good thing we found the kitten in the end.” “What happened to that patient?” Julian asked. “Died,” Serena said, her voice eerily casual. “Their family raised hell, but the hospital shut them down.” My blood ran cold. At the time, Serena’s explanation was that she felt unwell and couldn’t continue the surgery, resulting in the patient’s death due to delayed treatment. The patient’s family was furious, rushing into the hospital with a knife, wanting to get to Serena. To protect her, then pregnant, I rushed in to block them. In the chaos, I took a knife intended for her. And it was because of that very chaos that she accidentally fell, losing our three-month-old baby. I couldn’t take it anymore. I violently pushed open the door. They were embracing on the couch. Seeing me, a flicker of panic crossed Serena’s eyes, and her voice unnaturally rose. “Caleb Stone, what are you doing here again?!” I stared at her, my voice trembling. “That surgery… you weren’t feeling unwell?” Serena was momentarily stunned by my question. “You heard all that?” Then her impatience returned. “That family was being completely unreasonable anyway, but you just had to get involved, making things worse!” “But you lost our child that time!” I screamed. Perhaps she remembered that child too, as a hint of emotion crossed her face. At that moment, Julian cautiously spoke up. “Caleb, don’t blame Serena so much. She certainly didn’t want to lose the baby.” As soon as Julian spoke, Serena’s softened expression vanished, her face hardening. “And you have the nerve to question me? It’s your own fault you’re useless! You couldn’t even protect your own wife and child!” I couldn’t believe my ears. She was blaming *me* for everything! This was the woman I had loved for five years! My heart died completely. “Sign it,” I said, handing her the divorce papers. Serena frowned. “Caleb Stone, I don’t have time for your drama! I’m already exhausted taking care of Julian these days. Are you trying to cause more trouble?!” “I’m not causing drama. Signing this is good for everyone. You’ll have more time to take care of him, and I can marry someone else in peace.” Serena scoffed, “Marry someone else? What woman would want a divorced man? Don’t tell me you’re trying to play hard to get now.” I felt a bitter irony. So, Serena was also capable of being so utterly repulsive. “I’m marrying Harper. I only just realized today, she’s a million times better than you!” “Enough!” Serena suddenly roared. “Divorce, you say? Fine! Let’s do it! Just don’t come crying back to me later!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296876”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance