Category: English

I was Ryan White’s sidekick. And the only girl by his side. Until the transfer student showed up. The White family intervened, sending him and me abroad. In a foreign country, sparks flew unexpectedly. After sobering up, Ryan was silent for a long time, regretfully saying he would take responsibility. This relationship lasted until we returned home. When Ryan once again abandoned me for the transfer student, I breathed a sigh of relief. The White family sent me abroad and arranged a job for me. I didn’t even know how to bring up breaking up. I only wanted to have some fun in the first place. Ryan White had a handsome face, broad shoulders, narrow waist, and a nice butt. He came from money too. When he talked to me, those eyes that looked at even dogs with deep affection and his bobbing Adam’s apple made my heart race involuntarily. He was truly a rare specimen. I had been eyeing him for a long time. I was a poor student sponsored by the White family. After my mom gave birth to my little brother, she basically packed me up and sent me to the White family as a foster child. Mrs. White was kind-hearted and took me in. But I knew my place. I could never be more than a helper in their household. I glanced at the White family’s maid’s quarters, which were bigger than the master bedroom in my old home. And so, I followed Ryan White all the way from elementary school to high school. When he skipped class, I covered for him. When he slept, I did his homework for him. I watched as Ryan’s desk drawer filled up with love letters. Ryan didn’t seem interested in any girl. But when someone teased him about me, saying: “Ryan White, you change girlfriends so often, won’t your little foster sister get jealous?” “What foster sister, she’s just a maid to keep Ryan company when he’s bored, right?” Ryan immediately got physical. That was the first time Ryan ever hit someone. He ha hit someone. He had learned some martial arts, and he beat the guy mercilessly. In that moment, I felt like I was special to Ryan. I was a bit smug about this. Until. Olivia Lee transferred to our school.

The pretty and pure-looking girl introduced herself at the front of the classroom. Almost all the boys were staring at her. Except for Ryan White. He was napping on his desk, barely lifting an eyelid to glance at her, his expression unchanged. The teacher assigned Olivia to sit next to a chubby boy who was leering at her. Olivia clutched her backpack and walked towards the empty seat next to Ryan, saying softly: “Excuse me, can I sit here?” Someone gasped. The last girl who tried to sit next to Ryan was pursuing him. Ryan had sneered at her then, spitting out one word: “Scram.” But now. Under Olivia’s pleading gaze. Ryan’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he said lazily: “Whatever.” Olivia breathed a sigh of relief and carefully sat down. I sat right in front of Ryan. All day long. I listened as Olivia actively tried to befriend Ryan, showing him her notes, sharing snacks with him. Ryan went from initially rejecting her in annoyance to gradually allowing it. I suddenly had a bad feeling. Day after day I listened to the interactions behind me. Even when studying, I couldn’t help but be distracted. Olivia said to Ryan: “This chapter is really important, don’t fall asleep!” I thought Ryan would refuse, but a few seconds later, I heard him say: “If it’s so important, then explain it to me.” My hand trembled. The pen tip left a deep mark. Ruining the study notes I had taken all day. When Ryan asked me to buy two breakfasts instead of one, I wasn’t too surprised. I only had a sense that it was inevitable. Ryan formally asked a girl out for the first time. Someone said: “Is all this really necessary? Is there any girl who could refuse our Ryan?” “Our Ryan just has to crook his finger and the transfer student would come running.” Ryan kicked him, saying seriously: “She’s different.” She really was different. Because she rejected Ryan White. She said: “Ryan, we’re students, we should focus on our studies.” Ryan’s face darkened. But then, Olivia added: “After the SATs, I’ll seriously consider your confession.” Ryan’s expression immediately brightened: “Alright, I’ll hold you to that.” From then on, Ryan really buckled down and started studying hard. Delayed gratification makes people anticipate things more. Though they weren’t officially together, the tension between them was palpable. He would call Olivia “little pear” and she would glare at him coyly. He used his allowance to buy Olivia’s three meals a day. When Olivia tried to refuse, he said it would go to waste otherwise. He would frequently give Olivia all kinds of gifts, and she repaid him by tutoring him. They were so close, just short of officially dating. I listened to their interactions behind me every day, gradually becoming numb to it. The SATs came quickly. But right at that crucial time, something happened with Olivia’s family. Her father somehow heard about her and Ryan, beat her up, and tried to extort money from Ryan. Ryan got Olivia’s call and left 10 minutes before the exam started. The result was – Ryan missed the SATs to protect Olivia, and even broke his leg. With things blowing up like that, when Mrs. White asked me, I could only tell her the truth. Ryan was confined to the house. When I went to bring him food, he lifted the soup bowl and poured it over my head. “Lily Spring, you didn’t really think you were my foster sister, did you? Going to tattle to my mom like that.” “You disgust me.” The soup dripped down steadily. I stood there covered in vegetables, silently looking at Ryan. My birth name was Xue Panmei. Mrs. White was the one who took me to change it to Lily. Mrs. White had shown me kindness. I didn’t mind taking the fall for the sake of her relationship with her son. The day the SAT scores came out. The White family decided to send Ryan abroad. Mrs. White looked at me: “Lily, do you want to go abroad with Ryan?” “I know you did well on your SATs, but studying abroad is an option too. You two can look out for each other.” Look out for each other? From childhood, I was always the one taking care of Ryan. I heard the hidden meaning in Mrs. White’s words. Under Mrs. White’s expectant gaze. I said: “Okay.” Ryan sneered and went back to his room. While packing, he passed by me and said: “Lily Spring, you really are shameless, insisting on following me.” I denied it, saying I just wanted to experience life abroad too.

Ryan didn’t believe my explanation. The night before leaving. I overheard Ryan on the phone with Olivia saying: “I don’t blame you, I’ve never blamed you, it wasn’t your fault.” “Little pear, you can’t choose what family you’re born into.” The crying on the other end of the line wouldn’t stop. Soon, I watched him sneak out over the wall, his figure disappearing into the night. Mrs. White heard a noise and came out, asking if someone had opened the door. She was about to go check Ryan’s room when I came out from around the corner, saying: “It was me, Mrs. White. I got up to get some water.” Early the next morning. Ryan still hadn’t returned. I called him several times but got no answer, then his phone was turned off. Things were about to be discovered. I could only put on a poor acting performance, bursting into tears on the spot. I cried about my fears of going abroad. Mrs. White’s attention was indeed drawn to me. She comforted me saying: “It’s alright, Lily. You’ll have Ryan with you.” “You’ve always liked him, haven’t you?” “Maybe this is a chance for you two to get together.” So Mrs. White had seen through me long ago. I nodded obediently, my mind still on buying time. But just then, I heard a scornful laugh. Ryan had returned at some point, standing there looking at me with disdain.

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I could always hear intimate sounds coming from next door. Men and women, a chaotic mess. It kept me awake all night. But he lived alone. My new roommate’s room often made strange noises at night, and there was always a strong, foul, musky odor emanating from it, and from him too. Every time he walked past me, I couldn’t help but want to cover my nose. I guessed he frequently brought girlfriends home for wild, raucous nights, but I had never actually seen any of them. This one evening, I was sitting on my bed, scrolling on my phone, when a sultry moan echoed from next door again. It sounded like a woman gasping, making unmistakable noises. My mind was racing with frantic thoughts. Even with headphones on, I couldn’t block out the sound. Was he really bringing another girlfriend back? The sounds lasted for several hours before finally quieting down. I finally drifted into an exhausted sleep. The next morning. I was getting ready for work. The moment I opened my door, I ran right into my roommate sitting on the couch. I couldn’t help but frown. The musky odor on him seemed even stronger today. When he saw me, his eyes instantly lit up. I was wearing a professional, modest skirt suit today. But his gaze was fixed on me, still staring, and it made my stomach churn. “Morning, did you sleep well last night? Did I bother you?” He smiled, a knowing glint in his eyes, clearly implying something. The sounds were so loud, does he have no self-awareness? I frowned, bristling with anger, and glared at him, ready to storm out. But then he started to explain: “I’m a voice actor. I need a quiet environment late at night to simulate various situational sounds for my work.” His mouth opened and closed, a sleazy glint in his smiling eyes. “You know, some voice work is just hard to perform in an office.” I couldn’t help but think of the voice actor videos I’d seen online – the voices often had a stark contrast with the actual person. But… those explicit sounds I heard, were they just voice acting? Seeing my continued suspicion, he got up from the couch. The strange odor on him intensified with his movement, filling the entire space with a suffocating, unpleasant smell. I subtly took a step back, not bothering to hide my disgust, my brows still tightly furrowed. He paused for a moment, then chuckled, revealing his large teeth. I only wished I was nearsighted, because I could see the food remnants on his teeth all too clearly, and my stomach twisted with nausea. “Here, look, this is my work ID.” He held the ID up to my face. The closer he got, the stronger that utterly foul smell became. I forced myself to suppress a dry heave and glanced at it. Sure enough, he was a voice actor. Hearing his explanation, I secretly let out a sigh of relief, but my guard didn’t drop. Because ever since he moved in, I’d constantly felt his subtle, lingering gaze, like a shadow, making the hair on my arms stand on end.

That day, I was about to take a shower. I’d just stepped into the bathroom and hadn’t locked the door yet. I heard the faintest sound of a door creaking open, and my heart instantly seized with alarm. Then, a soft rustling of footsteps. Someone was approaching the bathroom! My nerves went taut. On instinct, I lunged for the door and instantly locked it from the inside. Under the cover of the running water, I faintly heard a man’s heavy breathing from outside the door. My previous roommate was a girl, so I never had this kind of worry. I was used to being careless. I’d been too careless, I’d completely forgotten a man lived here now. If I had been a second slower to lock the door, I didn’t know if he would have burst in. “Dustin, is that you out there? What do you want?” I called my new roommate’s name, my voice icy, hoping to scare him away. I was terrified he would just rush in. After all, this thin plastic door wouldn’t stand a chance against an adult’s kick. But there was no answer from outside the door, only more faint footsteps. He was moving away. After a hurried shower, I wrapped myself up tightly, pulling a large towel over my nightgown before I dared to step out of the bathroom. On the couch, my new roommate sat with his back to me. Hearing the sound, he immediately turned around, a perfectly calm smile on his face. “I just needed to use the restroom. I was half-asleep and didn’t realize anyone was in there. My bad.” His expression looked utterly innocent. “Oh… right, no problem.” After a brief exchange, I retreated to my room, and he entered the bathroom. By the time I’d dried my hair and put on a face mask, emerging from my room, he was no longer in the living room. His bedroom door remained tightly shut. It was as if I was the only one who was tense from start to finish. He always seemed so calm. I forced myself to calm down, repeatedly telling myself I was overthinking things. Was I too quick to judge based on appearances? Mulling this over, I entered the bathroom, intending to wash the undergarments I’d just changed out of. I used to just hang my freshly changed intimates directly on the wall hooks, out of habit. But now, I noticed something odd. Did I really hang them like this? The way they were hanging just felt different from my memory. Still, I’d just casually hung them up, and my memory was hazy, so I couldn’t be sure. “Overthinking it, overthinking it,” I muttered to myself. After washing my intimates, I took them out to dry on the communal balcony. The balcony faced my new roommate’s bedroom door. Everything was perfectly still. But just as I finished hanging the clothes and turned around, I suddenly saw… His door, at some point, had opened a crack, and through the gap, his glasses glinted faintly. This time, I was certain: he was peeking at me.

Our eyes met, and the door instantly slammed shut. A sense of dreadful foreboding completely enveloped me. He’s just peeking now, but what if he escalates later? The more I thought about it, the more terrified I became. I rushed back to my room and immediately ordered a pepper spray online. It would take a few days for the delivery to arrive. I thought for a moment, then, following a trick I learned online, I jammed a clothes hanger into the doorframe. This way, he wouldn’t be able to push the door open easily for a while. I huddled under my covers, silently praying that he was all bark and no bite. The next few days were calm. He was quiet at night, and I didn’t catch him peeking again. My guard slowly lowered, and life seemed to return to its usual tranquility. Then came Saturday. I finally got to sleep in, and my mood was great. I was planning to meet up with Chloe, my best friend, later for some shopping and a nice meal, as I pushed open my door. The sight on the balcony moments later made me freeze. My roommate was actually standing by my freshly laundered undergarments, sniffing them in an utterly perverse way! His expression was one of pure ecstasy, and he was even rubbing his hand over them, caressing the soft fabric. Watching his expression and actions. A wave of disgust washed over me, and my voice came out ice cold. “What are you doing?!” My cheeks burned red with shame and indignation. I rushed forward and snatched the intimates back. “You… you’re going too far!” He gave a sleazy chuckle, completely unbothered by being caught. “Didn’t you hang them on the balcony just to tempt me?” His eyes, burning with intense desire, swept over my body. Then, he smiled strangely. “Congrats, it worked. How about you be my girlfriend?” What the hell, what kind of delusional creep was this? I instinctively recoiled, biting hard on my trembling lip. Faced with his predatory gaze, I instinctively turned and bolted back to my room. But my heart was pounding uncontrollably, overwhelmed with fear. No, I can’t stay here. I hurriedly changed and fled to Chloe’s place. When Chloe heard what happened, she cursed him out as a pervert too. But since he hadn’t done anything concrete, there was nothing the police could do. After staying at Chloe’s until Sunday afternoon, I had no choice but to go back. I had to be at work on Monday, and my professional clothes and work ID were all at home. “It’s okay. If he dares to be creepy again, you tell me. I’ll send Liam, my boyfriend, to deal with him!” With Chloe’s comfort, plus the pepper spray having already arrived, I felt a bit more relaxed. Back home. He didn’t seem to be home; his slippers were by the door. As I was gathering dirty clothes to throw into the washing machine, I realized I couldn’t find the pair of stockings I’d changed out of on Friday. After searching around with no luck. I was drawn, as if by an unearthly urge, to my roommate’s door, and reached out to twist the doorknob. *Click.* It was locked. I withdrew my hand, feeling an indescribable mix of emotions. Maybe I just put them in some corner. As for the set of intimates that had been hanging on the balcony, I threw them directly into the trash can. Just thinking about how many times he must have touched them over those few days they hung there made my skin crawl. It wasn’t until very late, after I had already fallen asleep, that I heard my roommate opening the door and returning. His room was quiet tonight. Unknowingly, I drifted into a deep sleep. I don’t know how much time passed. *Bang!* The sound of a water bottle hitting the floor instantly jolted me awake. I was disoriented for a second, then my eyes shot open towards my bedroom door, which was slightly ajar. I could vaguely see a dark silhouette frozen at the doorway. 4. I cowered in fear, terrified he would burst in the next second. The dark figure tentatively pushed the door. *Rattle, rattle.* Thankfully, the door was still jammed shut with the clothes hanger trick, so he couldn’t easily get in. I trembled all over, feeling as if I’d plunged into an icy abyss, too scared to even speak. But my shaking hand frantically gripped the pepper spray hidden under my pillow. The person at the door tried again. After still failing to open the door, he quietly closed it and left. It wasn’t until more than ten minutes after he left that I finally calmed down. My brain raced. This person was undoubtedly my roommate. The fact that he could open my bedroom door meant he must have had a key copied for my room. So, on days I wasn’t home, when I was at work, had he been…? The more I thought about it, the more terrified I became. Sleep was impossible. I quickly got up and checked around the room, but found nothing missing. But I knew deep down, this couldn’t continue. If he ever completely lost control, I would be finished. I spent a restless night. The next morning, I specifically called in sick to work and kept my ears peeled for any movement from next door. Finally, I heard him leave. I immediately jumped out of bed and called a locksmith to change the lock. After the new lock was installed, I felt a bit more at ease. My gaze involuntarily fell on his tightly closed door. He was always so secretive; there had to be something seriously off in that room! I asked the locksmith to open his door, claiming I had accidentally locked it. The locksmith, without suspicion, picked the lock and then left. And I, pushing the door open, nervously stepped into his room. The curtains were drawn tight, making the room incredibly dim. His computer was locked, connected to a set of streaming equipment. Microphones, cameras, etc. It looked very professional. Wasn’t he a voice actor? Why was he dabbling in live streaming?

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I’m an embalmer, always dealing with the dead. But now, I’m battling a living ghost for my husband’s heart. My husband, Julian Sterling, fell in love with a dead woman. He’d make me breakfast in the morning and hold me in his arms at night, gently whispering ‘Harper.’ But I knew all his tenderness was separated by a chilling layer of ice. Because his heart had been buried with Eleanor, the love of his life, three years ago. Then I got pregnant. I held the pregnancy test results, hoping this baby could finally break through the ice between us. But Eleanor’s sister, Chloe Reed, threw a scalding hot liquid onto my stomach. “My brother-in-law said he’d never touch any woman but my sister.” Her smile twisted into something cruel. “Harper, your husband said he never touched you.” “Now tell me, whose bastard child is that?” I was putting the final touches on an eighty-year-old man’s appearance. His children cried their hearts out around him. My hands meticulously mended the traces left by life. In my eyes, death was never an end, but another beginning. “Lisa, today’s a priority case from the police department. Dr. Sam Miller is really pressing for it.” I was giving instructions. My phone rang. “Harper, are you off work? It’s our third wedding anniversary today. I ordered that ridiculously pricey French dessert from your favorite French restaurant.” Julian Sterling’s voice was as gentle as a spring breeze. My colleague, Lisa, peered over, her eyes full of envy. “Harper, your husband is so thoughtful! Three years married and he still remembers your anniversary. My guy forgot ages ago.” I hummed in response and hung up. Three years. He’d never forgotten a single important date. Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays. Every one was remembered perfectly, prepared impeccably. It was so perfect, it felt less like love and more like a pre-programmed routine. Back home, candlelight flickered in the living room. Julian Sterling, dressed in his loungewear, was arranging the table. There was my favorite red wine steak and that insanely expensive French dessert. “Rough day, Harper?” He walked over, took my bag, and kissed my forehead. “Do you like it?” He pulled out a velvet box from behind him. Inside lay a diamond necklace, sparkling under the light. It must have cost a fortune. “It’s beautiful,” I said honestly. It truly was beautiful, and truly expensive. Just like last year’s bracelet and the year before’s earrings. Julian Sterling personally fastened the necklace around my neck, his fingers gently brushing my skin. His movements were incredibly tender, yet his gaze drifted somewhere far away. I suddenly thought of the elderly man’s family from earlier today. They were crying out, “How could you bear to leave us?”

Dinner was quiet. Julian Sterling occasionally served me food, asking if work had been tiring. I responded mechanically, my mind drifting far away. Three years. Our conversations were always the same. Work, weather, health. Never about our feelings, never about our future. We were like two polite, distant roommates. Late at night, Julian Sterling held me as usual until he fell asleep, his breathing even. But I was wide awake. His body’s warmth felt alien, as if he were just a stranger lying beside me. Getting up for water in the living room, I suddenly stopped outside the study. A faint draft, carrying a stale scent of old perfume and dust, wafted from behind the heavy bookshelf. I’d lived in this house for three years and had never noticed such a current of air. I approached the bookshelf, tapping gently with my fingertips. Most of it was solid, but the third shelf on the right sounded hollow. Mimicking a scene from a movie, I pulled out that row of hardcover *History of Architecture* books. Sure enough, I found a subtle indentation on the inner wall. With a strong push, the bookshelf silently slid open, revealing a hidden room. Everything inside was frozen in time. Eleanor Reed’s favorite perfume sat on the vanity, her preferred floral bedspread covered the bed, and intimate photos of her and Julian Sterling hung on the wall. This room held no trace of me. I stood in this territory belonging to the ‘dead,’ suddenly feeling the silk pajamas Julian had bought me were nothing but a grotesque funeral shroud. “What are you doing?” Julian Sterling’s voice came from behind me. Gone was his usual tenderness, replaced by cold vigilance. I slowly turned, seeing him barefoot in the doorway, his eyes filled with a raw panic I’d never witnessed, and… a chilling flicker of murderous intent. It was the look of a wild animal whose territory had been violated. “This place,” he enunciated each word, his voice heavy with suppressed rage, “is not for you.” I looked at him and suddenly laughed, tears welling up in my eyes. For three years, it was the first time I’d seen such genuine emotion in his eyes. Not scripted affection, but real, unadulterated fury, ignited for another woman. “Julian Sterling,” I pointed at the photos in the room, “isn’t our home a little crowded?” “Let’s go. Back to bed.” Julian Sterling walked over and closed the secret room door. His hand gently stroked my back, guiding me back to the bedroom as usual. I quietly followed him back to bed. He wrapped his arms around me again, his chin resting on the top of my head. “Harper,” he murmured my name softly. Again and again. As if trying to hypnotize himself, or maybe even me. I closed my eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come. At that moment, I finally understood. The woman in his arms was never Harper Hayes. It was just a substitute with Eleanor Reed’s similar features. A living, breathing mannequin.

When I woke up that morning, my stomach was churning violently. I clung to the sink, dry-heaving for a long while. Julian Sterling knocked on the door from outside, concerned. “Harper, are you okay?” “I’m fine, probably ate something bad last night,” I wiped my mouth with a towel, my voice still weak. On the way to the hospital, I told myself it was just a normal stomach bug. But when the doctor handed me that pregnancy test report, my hand trembled uncontrollably. Pregnant. I sat on a hospital bench, staring at the report in my hand, my feelings a complicated mess. This tiny life arrived without warning, like a sudden light in the darkness. Perhaps, this was a turning point. No matter how lost Julian Sterling was in his longing for Eleanor, surely his own child would stir something in him? This child would make him re-examine our marriage, and me, his living wife. I carefully tucked the report into my bag. That afternoon, I took a taxi to Julian Sterling’s architecture firm. I imagined his reaction to the news – tension, surprise, then that unique sense of responsibility a man feels when he’s about to become a father. As the car pulled up to the company building, I saw a familiar figure leaning by the entrance. Chloe Reed. She was wearing a pale yellow dress, her makeup meticulously applied, looking down at her phone. Hearing footsteps, she looked up, her gaze visibly pausing when it swept over me. “Well, if it isn’t Harper Hayes.” Her voice held a clear edge of provocation. “Here to see my brother-in-law?” I didn’t want to engage, so I walked around her towards the building entrance. “Stop.” Chloe Reed caught up in a few steps, blocking my path. “I have something to say to you.” “I have nothing to say to you.” “Oh really?” She sneered, pulling out an ultrasound photo from her designer bag and slapping it directly onto my face. “Don’t play innocent, Harper.” Chloe Reed’s eyes turned vicious. “Harper, don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying to pull. Holding a pregnancy report, hoping this baby is your ticket to power?” My heart plummeted. She leaned closer, her voice a venomous whisper. “My brother-in-law swore to me, his body and heart belonged only to Eleanor, for life. He never even touched you.” “…Whose bastard child is that in your belly?” Those words plunged me into an abyss. If Julian Sterling had never touched me, then what was our intimacy every night? What was all that tenderness I thought was real? My hand trembled as I touched my lower abdomen, where a life was growing. At that moment, I couldn’t tell if I was losing my mind, or if my entire life was built on a massive lie. And this child, whose was it, really?

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The day my daughter was admitted to the ICU, Damien boarded a flight to the States, his first love, Seraphina, and her daughter right by his side. The man who once swore he’d be my and Chloe’s safe harbor had fled, taking every last penny with him. When the private investigator finally tracked him down, he only had one message for me. “Seraphina already lost her husband. I can’t let her lose her daughter too.” “When I return, I’ll give you the grand wedding you deserve.” Three years later, Damien returned. And I saw the news of Damien’s wedding… on TV. “Mommy, why is Daddy marrying someone else?” “That’s not your dad.” I put my phone away, my mind swirling with the image of Damien, Seraphina, and her daughter, their faces beaming with joy. Frozen in place, my vision blurred. “Mommy, hug.” It wasn’t until Chloe spoke that I realized it was pouring rain. And Chloe and I didn’t even have enough money for an umbrella. I scooped her up, and we huddled under the awning of a bakery. The rain was coming down in sheets. My face was soaked, but I couldn’t tell if it was the relentless downpour or my own silent, endless tears. “Mommy, was that Daddy on your phone just now?” Chloe leaned against my knee. “If it was Daddy, why is he marrying another woman?” For a moment, I had no idea how to explain. I touched Chloe’s face, wiping away the raindrops. The chime above the bakery door jingled. The door swung open, and out stepped Seraphina and Stella. “Mommy, the rain is so heavy! When is Daddy coming?” “Daddy’s almost here. He said he couldn’t bear to let his little princess get wet, so he’s driving all the way to pick us up himself.” Just as she finished speaking, a car pulled up nearby. The moment the car door opened, Damien stepped out, holding an umbrella, and walked gracefully towards Seraphina and Stella. “Mommy, it’s Daddy!” Chloe, ecstatic, started to jump up and down, but I gently pulled her back. “That’s not your dad.” Damien’s expression froze the moment he saw me. He tightened his embrace around Stella, his gaze slowly shifting down to Chloe. Then, Damien’s brows furrowed, and a displeased sound escaped him. Three years. This was the first time we’d seen each other since he left. A bitter, hollow laugh escaped me. In a twisted, heartbreaking way, I actually *understood* Damien. He was successful, about to get married. Chloe and I? We were just… excess baggage. “Aria, I genuinely didn’t recognize you. What happened to you?” Seraphina feigned a gasp, her eyes immediately welling with theatrical sympathy. She pulled a wad of cash from her purse and pressed it into my hand. “Honestly, if it weren’t for Damien back then, I might have ended up just like you.” I looked at her expensive clothes, her flawless skin, and remembered the woman I used to be. If Damien hadn’t run off with all our money, Chloe and I would never have fallen so low. What Damien didn’t know – or maybe he just didn’t care – was that he’d also taken the money for Chloe’s life-saving treatment. To save Chloe, I’d borrowed money from every corner. These past few years, I’d aged more than a decade, and Chloe hadn’t known a single day of true happiness. I threw the money to the ground and picked up Chloe. But Stella suddenly burst into tears, wriggling in Damien’s arms like a spoiled brat. “You mean witch! You hurt my mommy! And three years ago, you hurt *me*! If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have needed surgery! You’re both evil!” Damien’s face changed dramatically. He spun to face me, demanding to know what had happened back then. “Stella’s sudden illness back then… was it because of you?” His eyes were like cold blades, pulling me into an endless abyss. Chloe tried to explain, but Stella suddenly grabbed Chloe’s hand and bit her. My instinct was to shield Chloe, but Damien shoved me away with surprising force. Chloe and I slammed against the wall, the dull ache blossoming into a full-body throb. My eyes instantly burned with tears. Seraphina looked triumphant, even feigning an apology to Chloe and me. A bitter tang spread through my heart. He once promised to be our safe harbor, our shield from the world’s storms. Now, he *was* the storm. I sniffled, forcing back my tears, and gazed at Damien.

Chloe scrambled up from the ground and stood in front of me. Her face was etched with hurt as she looked at Damien. “Daddy…” Hearing Chloe’s soft voice, Damien’s heart seemed to melt for a moment. I hugged Chloe tight, checking her for any injuries. “Oh my! How could you be so careless? Look at that huge scar on her arm! What will she do when she grows up?” Seraphina shrieked, pointing at the wound on Chloe’s arm. Chloe tugged down her long sleeve, lowering her head. “Look at our Stella. Not a single scar on her.” Saying this, Stella even spun around triumphantly in front of Chloe. I remained silent. How did Chloe get that scar? Well, it was all thanks to Damien. After he left, kids at school called her names, whispered about her not having a dad. They called her a ‘nobody,’ and even the teachers turned a blind eye. I hated Damien. But the one I truly despised was myself. Damien’s face clouded over. He gently pulled Chloe closer, kneeling to meet her gaze. “Does it hurt, sweetheart?” he asked, his voice softer than I’d heard in years. Chloe looked at me, then bravely replied. “Daddy, it doesn’t hurt.” Stella, on the other hand, looked ready to explode. Her eyes narrowed into slits of pure venom as she glared at Chloe. Damien shielded Stella behind him, taking a deep breath before speaking to me. “Perfect timing. Let’s discuss Chloe’s custody.” Chloe didn’t understand what that meant, but she could read Damien’s tone. She struggled free from behind Damien and ran to me, hugging me tightly. “You walked out on us! You *abandoned* us! And now you’re talking about custody? Do you even have the right to breathe the same air as us?” I looked at Damien with cold contempt. My words were a direct hit, a verbal slap across his arrogant face. I could see the disgust for me deepening in his eyes. Seraphina dramatically crumpled, her shoulders shaking with carefully orchestrated sobs. “I know you hate me, but the situation was urgent back then. If you want to hate someone, hate me, just don’t hate Damien.” Seeing Seraphina cry, Stella instantly clung to Damien’s leg. “Daddy, did Mommy and Stella do something wrong?” Damien looked at me with palpable irritation, but the moment his gaze shifted to Seraphina and Stella, his face softened into a tender, sickeningly sweet expression. I couldn’t stand it. I picked up Chloe, ready to leave. Damien reached out to grab Chloe, but I raised my hand and slapped him across the face. “How could you hit Damien? Don’t you know how much Damien sacrificed for you all these years?” My palm tingled, and I realized my face was already streaked with tears. Sacrificed for us? What did Damien sacrifice for us? Chloe almost *died*! She was clinging to life in the hospital because we couldn’t afford her surgery! I couldn’t even afford her medicine, she never had a new toy, and every single item of clothing she owned was a hand-me-down. And Stella? A single one of her outfits probably cost more than Chloe’s entire course of treatment. I hugged Chloe tighter, biting my bottom lip, and said each word slowly: “Stay away from us.” “The day you left three years ago, I considered you dead.” Chloe touched my face. “Mommy, don’t cry. Chloe’s heart hurts.” Damien, still reeling from the slap, slowly composed himself. Then, he grabbed my arm, squeezing with brutal force. He looked as if he wanted to crush me, his eyes blazing with fury. “You can’t take care of Chloe! She’ll have a good life only if she’s with me!” “You selfish woman! You don’t deserve to be a mother! If you truly love Chloe, you’ll let her come with me, where she can have a real life!” His words were nothing but accusations. The past three years, all my hardship and tears – he saw none of it. Just as I felt myself collapsing, Chloe hugged me tighter in my arms.

The day Damien left three years ago was a bright, sunny day. I was watering flowers at home as usual when the front door was suddenly violently flung open. In my panic, I learned that Damien had borrowed a huge amount of money and then fled with the last of our savings. I simply couldn’t believe he would do such a thing. But that day, strangers were moving into our house, taking everything we owned. Pregnant with Chloe at the time, I went into early labor. From the moment she was born, Chloe was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition. Being premature on top of that, she was rushed straight to the ICU, her tiny life hanging by a fragile thread. Bringing Chloe up these past three years was nothing short of a miracle. I knew I couldn’t give her better material conditions, and often, in the dead of night, I would cry with regret. Once I started earning some money, I even hired someone to find Damien. He left me two sentences, not a single word of concern for me. “Seraphina already lost her husband. I can’t let her lose her daughter too.” “When I return, I’ll give you the grand wedding you deserve.” He even forgot the very promise he made. Seeing me lost in thought, Damien’s face grew even darker. “Are you even listening to me?” Damien lost all patience and yelled at me. Chloe choked back a sob. “You’re not allowed to yell at my mommy! You’re not my daddy anymore! I don’t want you!” Pouting, Chloe buried her face in my shoulder, heartbroken. She had always longed for a dad. Only I knew how much courage it took for Chloe to say those words. “Chloe, Mommy can’t take good care of you. Will you go with Daddy, okay?” An awkward expression flitted across his face, but he quickly composed himself, opening his arms and cooing softly at Chloe. “Mommy said you’re not my daddy! Stay away from us!” After saying that, Chloe cried until she was sobbing uncontrollably. Stella let out a snide, dismissive sound, making Chloe cry even harder. She bravely wiped away her own tears, a silent strength I didn’t possess. My heart, though, was being shredded into tiny pieces. We had waited for Damien to return. But he now had his own wife and daughter. Thinking of their grand wedding, I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. “I will take good care of Chloe. You don’t need to worry about us.” “Go take care of your own wife and daughter.”

Damien’s eyes were bloodshot, his hands falling helplessly to his sides. He finally snapped back to reality and pulled us into the coffee shop next door. Seraphina, leading Stella, picked up the menu and ordered with practiced ease. Chloe, meanwhile, looked utterly out of place. She knew I didn’t have money to pay for this meal. She looked up at me. “Mommy, why are the cakes here so cheap?” “How can the cakes here compare to what Stella eats in the States?” Seraphina and Stella smirked, then Seraphina lifted her eyes to look at me. “What would you two like to order?” The menu was written in elegant cursive, every item a string of French words. Chloe and I stared blankly, not understanding a single thing. Damien made a phone call, then called over a server and ordered some desserts. Seraphina looked utterly blissful. “Damien, I can’t believe you remembered Stella and I are allergic to mango!” “Daddy, I knew you loved Stella the most!” Stella burrowed into Damien’s arms, showering him with affection. Chloe sat forlornly, her head drooping. The desserts arrived, and every single one had almond slivers. My heart felt half-empty. I had foolishly believed Damien would remember I didn’t eat almonds. He didn’t notice my disappointed expression. He simply sent Seraphina and Stella off. “Mr. Damien, I’m not interested in your family’s happy life. Can Chloe and I leave now?” Hearing my words, Damien looked utterly disbelieving. “I was forced to make that choice back then! Why can’t you understand me?” “‘Forced to,’ huh? What a pathetic excuse.” I scoffed, turning my head away. “Were you ‘forced’ to marry Seraphina too?” “No one forced you to do any of this. These were all *your* choices.” After I finished speaking, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. Damien fell silent, his expression wounded. But I was the one who should be hurting the most. I’d clung to the foolish hope that when Damien finally returned, I’d get my wedding, the one that was rightfully mine. That we’d just… go back to how things were, to our quiet, peaceful life. But I was wrong. Terribly, horribly wrong. I was so wrong that Damien already had a whole new family, and I was still holding onto a ghost. The more I thought about it, the more ridiculous I felt. “Chloe, let’s go.” “I’ve already called my lawyer! We *have* to talk about Chloe’s custody!” But Damien was insistent, as if he was afraid I’d run away. I struggled twice, but Damien wrapped his arms around me and Chloe. A wave of violent nausea churned in my stomach, and I shoved him away with all my might. Damien’s hands froze in mid-air. Noticing the disgust in my eyes, he stood still, stunned. “Aria,” he whispered, his voice laced with disbelief, “do you truly hate me that much?” He mumbled, his body swaying slightly. Just as he reached out again, Seraphina’s shriek echoed through the cafe. “Damien! Stella’s gone! Help me find her!” Damien didn’t hesitate for a second. He spun around, abandoning us, and rushed out of the shop. Outside, Seraphina watched me with a smug, triumphant smirk. And peeking from behind a parked car, a supposedly “missing” Stella was barely suppressing her giggles. Their mockery made me feel utterly humiliated. I forced myself to appear calm, picked up Chloe, and walked away.

Back home, I gave Chloe a warm bath. Halfway through filling the tub, the lights and water stopped. That’s when I remembered. Chloe had a fever last month, and we hadn’t been able to pay the water or electricity bill. Chloe, ever so practical, cheerfully lathered herself with shower gel. “Mommy, this little bit of water is plenty!” she chirped. “Let’s not waste it!” She looked utterly delighted, never once making me feel like I’d deprived her. Thinking of Damien’s words, perhaps Chloe really would have a better life with him. Perhaps Chloe didn’t need a dad, but rather… money. Besides, the money Seraphina and Stella were spending? Some of it was rightfully mine. The thought solidified my resolve. I quickly finished bathing Chloe and helped her into clean clothes. Our landlady, Mrs. Gable, knocked on the door, bringing a small cake and a few candles. She knew we were always struggling, yet she’d never been anything but kind, even when we fell behind on rent. Chloe thanked Mrs. Gable, and I smiled with relief. “Is your son a lawyer?” Mrs. Gable nodded, her face etched with concern. “Did something happen?” “Damien’s back. I need to file a lawsuit. I want him to pay child support.” Mrs. Gable looked surprised, and then puzzled. “Your husband is back? Why hasn’t he taken you two in?” I stayed silent, simply smiling. Because he already had his own family, of course. Chloe and I were just… redundant. If that was the case, I wouldn’t cling to him. But what was rightfully Chloe’s and mine, I would not let go of a single penny. Mrs. Gable murmured, feeling for Chloe and me. “You’re so beautiful, and Chloe is such a sweet girl. You’ve both been through so much because of him. How could he just… leave you like that?” “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure my son does everything he can to help you.” Once Mrs. Gable left, I closed the door and sent a text to Damien’s creditor. **[Want your money? This month’s payment. Meet at the entrance of The Grand Estates tomorrow. Someone will be waiting for you.]** The creditor called, asking if Damien was back. I answered vaguely. He cursed under his breath, then agreed to meet tomorrow. I hung up, feeling satisfied, and saw Chloe’s face smeared with cake like a little kitten. Looking at my daughter, my heart felt more at peace. Damien, I’m sorry, but if you want your money, this is the only way. This is what Chloe and I deserve. And you, too, should pay for your actions.

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The night before my wedding, Asher’s first love was betrothed to Veridia City’s most notorious, ruthless heir. He felt so sorry for her, supposedly crying her eyes out every single day. So, he ditched me to save her. At the wedding venue, he and Ivy were locked in a passionate kiss, their embrace lingering in a hotel room throughout the night. I was about to become the laughingstock of the city’s elite. But then, unexpectedly, Adrian Vance suddenly appeared at the wedding the next day. He cornered me against a wall, gripping my chin as he asked, “Asher took my fiancée. What he owes me, shouldn’t it be you who repays my loss, Mrs. Vance?” “I agree.” My answer seemed to catch him off guard, given how unfair his proposition was to me. Adrian stared at me, stunned for a good while, before he finally spoke again. “Good. As expected of the eldest daughter of the Sullivan family.” “I’ll marry you in a week. Don’t you dare back out.” With that, he released me, turning to leave. Before he walked away, he slipped a business card into my hand. I stood there for a long time, unable to process what had just happened. This Adrian was very different from what I’d imagined. Rumors painted him as ugly and ill-tempered. Soon after Adrian left, Asher finally arrived. My face darkened, and I couldn’t even stand to look at him. “Mr. Thompson, what are you doing here? Fresh from a romantic night with your new wife, and now you’re here to gloat?” A flicker of guilt, quickly masked, crossed Asher’s eyes. He tried to take my hand. “Chloe, can’t you understand me?” “Ivy’s health has always been delicate. How could she marry that kind of playboy? Her whole life would be ruined!” So, to protect Ivy, he was willing to break off our engagement and let me become the joke of all Veridia City? The moment I found out he went to Ivy’s place the night before, I decided to sever all ties with him. “Mr. Thompson, please leave. The wedding is canceled. I’ll return all the wedding expenses.” Asher wouldn’t let go, stepping forward, trying to hug me. “Chloe, I was wrong. Even though I signed the marriage license with her, my heart still belongs only to you.” “Ivy even said she’d be okay with sharing me, with us living together as a… trio.” I almost doubted my own ears. What era was this? Asher was actually dreaming about some archaic, polyamorous fantasy. As the eldest daughter of the Sullivan family, what kind of men hadn’t I seen? This was a complete insult. I scoffed, pushing him away. “Asher, you’re delusional. Get help.” Seeing my hostile attitude, Asher got annoyed. “Why are you talking like that? You can’t seriously expect me to go divorce Ivy right now? Can’t you consider my feelings for once?” Consider his feelings? Who did he think he was? I’d been too lenient with him, letting him say such outrageous things. Who ran off to cheat the night before their wedding? I, Chloe Sullivan, a prominent heiress, was stood up at the altar and became the laughingstock of Veridia City. How dare he ask me to consider *his* feelings? I was utterly disillusioned with him. My gaze firm, I repeated, “Didn’t you understand me? If you’re sick, go get therapy.” Seeing I wasn’t giving him an easy out, Asher finally lost his temper. His face darkened, a dangerous warning in his eyes. “Chloe Sullivan, you’re truly disappointing! So what if you’re the Sullivan family’s eldest daughter? You’re just some used-up trash I’ve played with for years. Who else would ever want you besides me!” He scoffed, turning on his heel and walking away, as if he hadn’t just insulted me to my core. I stared at his retreating back, tears blurring my vision from anger. The man who, just this morning, held me and whispered words of love, spent the night entangled with another woman. Now, he was Ivy’s husband. I should have seen it coming. Whenever it came down to a choice between me and Ivy, he always, without hesitation, chose Ivy. Six years of shared moments couldn’t compare to his two-month-old ‘first love’ infatuation. I should have let go ages ago.

I thought Adrian was just joking. It wasn’t until I was woken up the next day by the procession of cars outside the villa that I realized he was serious. There were three entire cars packed with luxury goods alone. A man who introduced himself as Mr. Jenkins, Adrian’s butler, handed me a black card, saying it was a small token of Adrian’s appreciation. My parents, concerned by the bad rumors, were unsure about Adrian and urged me to reconsider. But I had lost love, so I was no longer indulging in fantasies. Even if Adrian was known for being a playboy, the Vance family’s standing in Veridia City’s business world was unparalleled. I decided to treat this as a strategic marriage for our family business. I would make sure to utterly crush Asher and Ivy. The Miller family’s business had only recently grown from a small, privately-owned business into a minor company. Marrying Ivy off to Adrian was mostly for money. I instructed the house staff to bring the luxury items into the villa, just as Asher and Ivy were about to leave. They both walked in, looking confused. Asher sneered, scanning the cars full of luxury items. Ivy’s face twisted with jealousy, her teeth practically grinding. “Chloe, what is all this?” Looking at Ivy’s hypocritical face, I nearly threw up right there. The daughter of a small, barely-registered business, didn’t she know her place? Even the wedding gifts Asher’s family gave her didn’t amount to ten thousand dollars. I casually glared at her. “Does it concern you?” Asher snorted, mocking me. “Chloe Sullivan, you move on fast! I just married Ivy, and you’re already running off to find some other man.” “Oh, come on, honey. We should be happy for Chloe.” “Honey, didn’t you get a gift for Chloe? Go on, give it to her.” Ivy poked Asher’s arm. Inadvertently, my gaze snagged on the pink diamond ring glinting on Ivy’s finger. I involuntarily gasped, my heart aching anew. I couldn’t mistake that pink diamond ring. Even if the Thompson family wasn’t top-tier, they still had a recognizable name in the city’s business elite. Asking Asher for a forty-five thousand dollar diamond ring wasn’t unreasonable. But he’d made every excuse, unwilling to buy it for me. Now, it was on Ivy’s hand. As if noticing my gaze, Ivy deliberately held her hand up in front of me. Asher scoffed, pulling a sealed bag from his pocket. Inside was a plain, thin band, which he casually tossed to me. “For you.” When I saw what it was, I almost burst out laughing from sheer exasperation. I picked it up and dangled it in front of Ivy. Then I tossed it back to her. “You actually dare to bring out this trash? Ivy, my dear, seems to love it so much, so I won’t spoil your fun.” Humiliated on the spot, Asher’s face darkened. He pulled Ivy behind him and shouted at me. “Don’t push your luck! If you don’t want it, just throw it away.” Ivy, ever the drama queen, chimed in again. “Chloe, my husband picked this out specially for you.” “I know you like my husband. I’m even willing to let you share him with me.” “Consider this my welcoming gift.” “Bringing out something so shameful? My pets’ leashes cost thousands of dollars each.” Was Asher even worth sharing? Disgusting. I looked Asher straight in the eye, mercilessly. “You two truly deserve each other. Both of you are insane!” “Get out of my house!” They still thought I was joking. Ivy, holding the ring, grabbed my hand and tried to slip it on. “Chloe, you’re just upset right now.” “See how perfect this ring looks on you.” My patience snapped. “Get away from me! You’re disgusting.” I didn’t even lay a hand on her, but Ivy dramatically collapsed to the floor right in front of everyone, letting out a little whimper before putting on a wounded expression. “Chloe, I know you hate me, but how could you hit me, sob sob…” Asher immediately flew into a rage. He couldn’t stand Ivy being upset. “Chloe Sullivan, if you don’t want it, then don’t take it. What was the meaning of laying hands on Ivy?” With that, he scooped Ivy into his arms and walked away. Ivy gave me a provocative look over Asher’s shoulder. That look… it was strangely familiar.

Back then, the Miller family’s company had just started, and Ivy had pulled every string to attend a single business gathering. At the party, among all the heiresses, Ivy seemed completely out of place. She was even being picked on by Tiffany Hayes, the eldest daughter of the Hayes family. If I hadn’t stepped in to help, she would have been kicked out of the party on the spot. Later, I found out she was Asher’s first love. Every time Ivy faced trouble, Asher would defend her without a second thought, even secretly sending her many things behind my back. We had countless arguments because of this. Asher kept brainwashing me: “Ivy and I are long over. I just feel sorry for her.” At first, I even wondered if I was being petty, unfairly accusing Asher of ill intentions. It wasn’t until the night before my wedding, when Ivy was betrothed to Adrian Vance – the same man Asher tried to save her from. Asher ran off to crash *her* wedding. He offered me no explanation, no remorse, and spent the entire night entwined with Ivy in a hotel. That’s when I finally realized how important Ivy was to him. I had silently condoned his ‘kindness,’ and he repaid me by cheating? Today was my birthday, usually one of the most important days of my year, but this year, I couldn’t muster any enthusiasm. Every previous birthday, Asher had spent with me. My parents had offered to throw a birthday party for me, but I flat-out refused. This year, I would celebrate my birthday alone. I drove aimlessly, and without realizing it, I arrived at my favorite restaurant. Oddly, there was no one inside. Then I noticed a stand placed next to the restaurant entrance. **[THIS ESTABLISHMENT HAS BEEN BOOKED TONIGHT BY MR. ASHER THOMPSON. CONGRATULATIONS TO MR. ASHER THOMPSON AND MISS IVY MILLER ON THEIR WEDDING!]** **[THIS ESTABLISHMENT WILL NOT ACCEPT OUTSIDE GUESTS AFTER 10 PM TONIGHT.]** Exaggerated wedding photos of Asher and Ivy were plastered all over it. No wonder the place was empty. Asher was behind this. I sneered, about to turn and leave, when I bumped right into Ivy and Asher, who had just stepped out of their car. “Chloe? What a coincidence.” I rolled my eyes at her. How were these two so persistently annoying? Asher, with his arm wrapped around Ivy’s waist, seemed to understand something when he saw me, lifting his head arrogantly. “Oh dear! I’m so sorry, Chloe. I completely forgot this was your favorite restaurant. Asher, darling, insisted our first post-wedding dinner should be special.” “Sorry, I don’t frequent establishments that cater to trash.” I shot back immediately. This fake b*tch, playing innocent. Asher’s expression was priceless. He glared at me and retaliated. “Looks like someone’s got sour grapes, Chloe Sullivan. No need to stoop to her level, right, honey? Are you hungry, Ivy?” With that, they grandly walked past me and entered the restaurant. As soon as they left, Adrian’s car pulled up. Mr. Jenkins, the butler, stepped out. “Miss Sullivan, happy birthday. This is a birthday gift from Adrian.”

I stared at the transfer contract in my hand, speechless. Because this contract was for the very restaurant behind me. The moment I signed it, I would be the new owner of this establishment. This was the most thoughtful birthday gift I had ever received. My wedding to Adrian was tomorrow. I immediately signed the document and put the contract away. I wouldn’t hesitate at a moment like this. I didn’t sleep a wink. The next day, the entire Sullivan mansion was filled with joyous anticipation. I put on my pristine white wedding gown. I stared at myself in the mirror, feeling as if nothing was real. I was getting married. My husband-to-be wasn’t Asher, my boyfriend of many years, but Adrian Vance, Veridia City’s notorious playboy. The complex emotions were hard to describe. I patted my chest. Well, here I was. No turning back now. Whatever the future held, I would accept it. This was my choice, after all. Several cars pulled up in front of the villa. And out of them stepped… Asher Thompson. They weren’t fancy cars at all. Then I noticed the scratches on the lead car, and everything clicked. Asher truly didn’t listen. Not a single word I said yesterday sank in. With the pathetic display his family put on, he thought he could marry me? In his wildest dreams. Before I could even speak, Asher, seeing me in my flowing wedding gown, holding my bouquet, sneered. “Chloe Sullivan, can’t keep up the act anymore, can you?” “Who was it that didn’t want to share me with Ivy before? Now you’re so eager to put on a wedding dress.” He leisurely scanned me from head to toe, a look of absolute certainty on his face. How could anyone be so arrogantly delusional? “Asher, you’re really trying to pat yourself on the back, aren’t you? Who said I was marrying you? The man I’m marrying is Adrian Vance.” “My husband will be here soon. Now move these pathetic cars out of the way!” Asher didn’t get angry; instead, he laughed. He pointed at me. “Still playing tough, huh? You’ll regret this!” “If Ivy hadn’t begged me to give you another chance, I wouldn’t even be here today! I advise you to be smart, or you’ll really miss your chance to share me with Ivy!” Asher genuinely thought he was some kind of treasure. He and Ivy were like a trash can and a trash bag – who would want them? Suddenly, a long procession of cars approached. Asher’s eyes lit up when he saw them. “Whose heiress is getting married today?” Just as he spoke, Adrian Vance, impeccably dressed in a suit, stepped out of the lead car. He walked straight to me and intimately wrapped his arm around my waist. Adrian looked at Asher provocatively, his tone light. “Well, well, Mr. Thompson.” “Trying to steal my wife again?” Asher didn’t react immediately. After a few seconds of confusion, he realized the implication.

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I was linked to a Sickness Transmigration System. It dumped me into the body of the true heiress, despised by everyone. Everyone adored the fake heiress, who’d been carefully cherished by the family for sixteen years. My three brothers feared I’d try to claim what belonged to the fake heiress, so they constantly mocked and taunted me. My biological parents were terrified my presence would upset the fake heiress, so they went all out to make it up to her. They never once considered my feelings. They saw my desperate yearning for love as a threat, as sheer jealousy. Later, I was dying. Even later, my second brother found the diary hidden under my pillow. They fell apart. 0I was linked to a Sickness Transmigration System. It dropped me into the body of Elara Richard, the true heiress, half a year after she’d been found by the wealthy Richard family. On my very first day here. Someone splashed a whole plate of food right onto me. Hot curry sauce ran down my face and neck, and fish balls rolled off my clothes onto the floor. The heat stung. I stared at the boy in front of me, my face blank. My gaze was blank, devoid of any emotion. Everyone else was startled by his actions too. Eleanor, my mother, gasped, “Liam, what are you doing!” Liam’s face flickered with a hint of regret, but the words that burst out were nothing but blame. “It’s just that she always has that deadpan face! Jessica talked to her, didn’t she hear?” Jessica looked guilty at his words. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know it was because of me…” She looked at me apologetically. “My third brother didn’t mean it. Elara, can I apologize to you for him?” Liam instantly bristled. “Who is she, anyway? Why would you even apologize to her? Jessica, why do you even bother with her?!” I gave a faint, bitter smile. I wondered, too, what the original Elara meant to them. Jessica stood, surrounded by my three brothers, dressed in a pristine white dress, her hair perfectly styled. Meanwhile, my clothes were stained yellow with curry, and the smell of food clung to me, even without looking down. Jessica. The family’s precious darling. This name shouldn’t have been hers. I ignored Jessica. I picked up the last remaining fish ball that had landed on my lap, swallowing it along with the curry still clinging to my lips. It wasn’t the taste I remembered. I got up and left. “I’m full. I’ll head back to my room now, thank you.” As I turned, I met Mrs. Davis’s worried gaze. I managed a small smile for her. Silence fell over the dining table. Richard and Eleanor looked displeased. Marcus, my eldest brother, said in a low, stern voice, “Liam, you genuinely crossed a line this time. Elara didn’t do a thing.” 0

My original self in the previous world was already dead. Late-stage stomach cancer, died at eighteen. I had died a slow, agonizing death from the pain. There was no one by my side. Aside from that single fish ball just now, I hadn’t eaten anything solid for nearly three months. Perhaps the System, taking pity on my miserable existence, brought me to this world. This body also had stomach cancer. But it hadn’t progressed to a terminal stage yet. The System said the original girl had taken sleeping pills and committed suicide today. Frequent abdominal pain accompanied by coughing up blood had made her aware of her body’s problems. But she was afraid that speaking up would cause trouble for the Richards family. Making the family, who already disliked her, despise her even more. So she chose to simply leave this world. How foolish she was. The Richards family had vast resources; with proper treatment, she could have definitely gotten better. This family was truly ironic. They’d brought their biological daughter back half a year ago and still hadn’t noticed she was gravely ill. “Why am I here?” A girl who shared my unfortunate fate. Both orphans since childhood. Both afflicted with stomach cancer. Perhaps she was luckier than I. At sixteen, she was welcomed home by her biological parents. Perhaps she was unluckier than I. She never received a single shred of unconditional love before she left this world, becoming an angel. The System remained silent. “Has my arrival worsened this body’s symptoms?” I asked the System, feeling the metallic taste of blood in my throat. The System replied, “Yes. Just like your original self, you might… by eighteen.” “But if you cooperate with treatment…” I spoke calmly, “No treatment.” It didn’t matter. I was going to die anyway, so what did it matter? Besides, I didn’t want to live. 0

In the middle of the night, my stomach pain was unbearable, and I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. It felt like I was back in my previous life. Every night, I’d curl up, eyes wide open until dawn. My room was empty. My throat was parched. I fumbled my way downstairs in the dark, desperate for a drink of water. Instead, I ran into my second brother, Alex, in the living room. Alex was a professional gamer, so it wasn’t unusual for him to be up at two or three in the morning. He clearly noticed me too. He looked at me with a sour expression. Alex was the quietest member of the Richard family. The original Elara had never seen him in a good mood in the six months since she came home. I ignored him. I figured her very presence was enough to irritate him. I walked to the kitchen, hunched over. But I didn’t realize Alex was startled by my appearance. Under the dim nightlight in the living room. He clearly saw me sweating profusely from the pain, my lips pale. Aside from the angry red scald mark on my cheek, the rest of my skin was shockingly pale, almost translucent. I, however, was used to my sickly appearance, so I paid it no mind. I leaned against the sink, trying to rest, but the next second, a wave of nausea hit me, and I threw up blood. “Ugh.” I choked, tears welling up from the pain. A sound came from the kitchen doorway. Alex had followed me in. I quickly turned on the faucet to rinse the blood from the sink, then cupped my hands and drank a few gulps of tap water. Then I heard Alex’s deep voice. “If you’re going to drink water, drink warm water. Cold water can upset your stomach.” I softly hummed in response, lowering my head, trying to walk past him. The original Elara had barely exchanged words with Alex, and I certainly wasn’t eager to get tangled up with this family. But Alex grabbed my wrist. I turned my head to look at him, my voice hoarse. “Second brother, is something wrong?” Being so close, Alex saw the wound on my face more clearly. He frowned, silent for a moment, then asked, “Why haven’t you treated the scald on your face?” I looked at his seemingly impatient expression. I just assumed he thought it was some kind of attention-seeking stunt. I pulled my wrist free, nodded vaguely. “Yeah, I’m heading back now.” He was too close. Alex turned on the light, then walked closer to the sink, frowning. Though the blood had mostly washed away. He still keenly noticed the faint reddish stains lingering in the sink… 0

The next morning, as I went downstairs, I ran right into Liam near the staircase. My third brother had the most hostility towards the original Elara. He and Jessica were close in age, and their bond was the deepest. Perhaps Liam was simply too young. All he knew was that the sister he had pampered and protected his entire life had suddenly been replaced. This new girl, who had just been found, was going to steal everything from Jessica. He vented all his resentment on his biological sister. He resented her for shattering their perfect life. Little did he realize, the original Elara was the true innocent one. Liam looked at the obvious scald on my face, his eyes darting away. He deliberately didn’t speak to me, waiting for me to greet him. But I didn’t even glance at him, walking past him and away. Richard’s face was cold. “You’re a grown person, can’t you even treat a small scald yourself? What kind of impression will you make walking around like that?” Richard was a traditional patriarch, his eyes always on profits rather than family. He was probably just worried about me embarrassing him. Besides, the original Elara had only been home for half a year. She couldn’t play any instruments, paint, or excel in academics. Her grades were abysmal. She had no real value to him. Eleanor also looked disapproving. I scoffed internally. If it had been Jessica, she’d have probably been rushed to the emergency room the second it happened. Yet last night, not a single person had bothered to ask if I’d been scalded. Or if I was still hungry after eating so little. Their favoritism truly knew no bounds. “There’s no first-aid kit in my room.” Silence fell over the Richards family. Of course, the master bedrooms in the Richard family mansion were fully equipped. But when they brought the original Elara back, they made their biological daughter live in a guest room. And a guest room’s amenities were naturally sparse. The original Elara even used the public bathroom. Not one person offered to give the original Elara a different room. Eleanor looked at her daughter’s face, so similar to her own, flushed with the scald, and a flicker of panic crossed her heart. If it were Jessica, even a small injury would have the whole family doting on her. But when it came to me, there was no sound, no care. I was nothing like Jessica, not at all lovable. Liam retorted, “You didn’t say anything, how were we supposed to know it was that serious?” A dull ache started in my upper abdomen, and I couldn’t help but hunch over. The taste of blood welled up in my throat. I tugged at my backpack strap, my voice hoarse. “I’m going to school now.” Liam frowned. It felt like his imagination, but Elara’s posture seemed… off. 0

After the original Elara was found, she transferred to Liam and Jessica’s school. But Jessica didn’t want the original Elara to share the same car, afraid someone would discover she wasn’t the Richard family’s true child. So the original Elara always went to school alone. In those six months, due to Jessica’s subtle hints, she had suffered no small amount of bullying. But that foolish girl endured it all in silence. She probably knew that even if she spoke up, no one would care. And her family would never believe Jessica had instigated it. I had just pulled my textbooks from my desk when I saw the fake cockroach glued to the cover. The few kids waiting to see my reaction were already secretly covering their smirking mouths. The original Elara would have definitely just taken it. But for me, dealing with such problems was just another Tuesday. I just wanted to quietly wait to die here, but if they insisted on coming at me, I wasn’t some pushover they could walk all over. I snatched up the textbook with the fake roach still stuck to it and strode towards the girl who’d been openly enjoying the show. I slapped the book right onto her face. Before she could even shriek, I dumped all the books out of her desk and found an identical textbook. The original Elara had always been quiet and unassuming in class, never making a sound. Today, with my flushed face, I drew the silent attention of many classmates. Now, my once invisible self was causing such a commotion. The classroom instantly fell silent. The girl snapped back to reality and lunged at me like a maniac, trying to scratch me. I grabbed her hair and said coldly, “I’m letting bygones be bygones for what happened before. Don’t you dare mess with me again.” With that, I shoved her away and went back to my seat, slumping down. Not only was my stomach burning, but I also felt faintly nauseous, like I was about to vomit. The girl wouldn’t let it go, raising her hand to slap my face. Suddenly, her wrist was caught by Jax, who sat behind me. His rebellious face darkened. “Too loud.” The girl’s eyes widened when she saw it was Jax, and she instantly shut up. Jax was the undisputed king of the school, a total bad boy. His family had serious power and influence, so no one dared cross him. She went back to her seat and exchanged knowing glances with the others who’d been enjoying the show. A smirk played on their lips. 0

I was in so much pain I couldn’t straighten up, cold sweat beaded on my forehead, and I bit my lip hard to suppress the nausea. The frown etched on my face from the pain wouldn’t ease. This wasn’t right. It shouldn’t have progressed this quickly. This felt like late-stage. The next moment, I was suddenly lifted into the air. The jarring screech of a chair dragging across the floor made the whole class turn to look. I struggled, trying to get out of Jax’s arms, but I didn’t have enough strength and he held me even tighter. The tall, slender boy seemed to have endless energy. “Don’t move.” He seemed to see me like this for the first time: “I thought you were just a meek little mouse, always letting people walk all over you. Guess even the quiet ones snap sometimes.” As we walked, Jax sighed lightly: “How can you be so light?” Before we even reached the infirmary, Liam lunged forward, blocking our path, fuming. Liam’s anger surged, and he sneered coldly. “Elara, are you serious right now? Class is about to start, and you’re out here on a date with a guy!” “Clearly, you have no upbringing at all. You’re nothing like Jessica.” My heart suddenly twisted with a sharp pain. A wave of emotions, not entirely my own, surged through my chest, overwhelming me. It was always like this… No questions, just immediate blame. The pain intensified, and the taste of blood flooded my mouth. My eyes welled up with tears. I quickly ducked my head, refusing to acknowledge they were mine. Through his thin summer shirt. Jax seemed to feel the hot teardrops. His face was etched with confusion. He had a hot temper, and he said impatiently, “Who are you? Can’t you see she’s not feeling well? You just came up and started yelling? Go get some therapy if you’re sick, don’t throw a tantrum here!” He started to pull my face away, but then he looked down and saw the angry, bright red scald on my cheek. “Don’t scare me. We’ll be at the infirmary soon.” Even if only for a second, I saw Liam’s gaze sweep over me. He must have seen the blood at the corner of my mouth. His face instantly panicked. He wanted to follow, but Jessica, who had caught up, pulled him back. “Third brother, why didn’t you wait for me! You ran so fast?” Liam turned to look at her displeased expression, pushing down the unease in his heart, and stayed where he was. 0

Jax jostling me made me feel even more nauseous. I pushed at him, struggling to speak. “Want… to throw up…” Jax only heard a weak mumble. “What did you sa—?” Before he could even finish asking, I wretched, spewing everything out. I hadn’t eaten anything all morning, so what came out was just acidic water mixed with blood from my stomach. I tried my best to avoid it, but it still got on Jax’s clothes. I gripped his shirt, weakly apologizing. Jax’s face darkened, but he gently laid me on the infirmary bed, letting the school nurse take over. He silently went out to get a mop and rag to clean up my vomit. The school nurse applied medicine to my face and put me on an IV drip of glucose. “Young lady, why are you throwing up blood? Do you have any medical history?” The school nurse advised me to go to the hospital for a thorough check-up, just for peace of mind. I thanked him and explained that it was just because I hadn’t eaten breakfast. I didn’t need a check-up; I already knew this body’s condition. I silently asked the System why this was happening. The System’s mechanical voice quietly responded. “Because the original owner’s consciousness is fading faster.” Meaning she wanted to leave this world faster, right? The System remained silent. I gave a knowing, bitter smile. Elara. Her name, given by her grandma, held a hidden meaning: “to retain,” “to keep.” When Grandma Rose found the baby girl, still bundled in swaddling, she was stiff and purple, frozen in the bitter snow. Grandma Rose thought the original Elara had already frozen to death, but then her tiny finger moved. Grandma Rose took the original Elara home and named the little girl Elara. Grandma Rose was a woman of deep faith. She always said that saving Elara, retaining her, was fate’s decree, and her own heartfelt wish. At five years old, Grandma Rose passed away. The original Elara was sent to an orphanage by the neighbors. Later, the Richards family took her back and wanted to change Elara’s name. But she stubbornly refused; it was the only thing her grandma had left her. But now, Elara no longer wanted to follow fate’s decree. She just wanted to find the only person who had ever truly loved her: Grandma Rose… Perhaps it was the pain, or perhaps it was because of the girl. My eyes welled up, and I stared blankly at the ceiling. We were two souls adrift, bound by the same tragic fate. No need for introductions; we understood each other instantly. In that moment. I wanted to hold that girl deep within my soul, tightly. 0

I noticed Jax was still there and quickly wiped my eyes. I pursed my lips. “Thank you for bringing me here.” In my past life, I faced too much malice and always fought alone. Now, facing Jax, who had helped me, I felt a little lost. And I’d just thrown up on him… Jax raised an eyebrow. “Then, as repayment, how about you get me breakfast every day?” I hesitated. I didn’t want to get too involved with anyone. Jax saw my worn, faded canvas shoes and quickly added, “My meal card’s yours. What? Your thanks aren’t just empty words, are they?” I sighed, helpless, and could only nod in agreement. After school, I planned to go to the hospital. My body’s condition would only worsen. I needed to get some painkillers. The original Elara had a card; it was compensation given to her by Marcus, the Richard family heir, when she first returned. If ordinary painkillers worked, I wouldn’t even want to go to the hospital. Gastroenterology department. Dr. Miles was very young. Perhaps seeing that his patient was a young girl, he spoke softly, asking me where I felt unwell. For a moment, I actually felt like crying. Such concern was something I had never received in both my lives. I smiled at him. “Could you please prescribe me some morphine?” The doctor froze, unable to believe his ears. The young girl in front of him, barely old enough to be in school, was asking for morphine. I continued, “If not, then OxyContin, Fentanyl, just anything will do.” Dr. Miles choked, looking reproving. “What illness does this young lady have? Have you been checked? You can’t just take any medicine.” “I have stomach cancer, mid-stage,” I answered calmly and seriously. His expression instantly stiffened, and he even seemed agitated. “How is that possible? How old are you? Which hospital? Which quack diagnosed you?! Believe it or not, I’ll report them!” The doctor’s expression was a little amusing. I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’ve already been checked. It’s just been hurting more and more recently. Could you please prescribe me some painkillers?” Dr. Miles looked at the girl’s genuine expression, and his heart sank. “Do your family know?” “You’re so young. Why aren’t you fighting for treatment?” I sighed. This was one reason I didn’t want to come to the hospital. I had to play the victim. “My family knows. It’s just… we don’t have the money at home, and I have several older brothers, so I won’t get treatment.” Dr. Miles looked like he wanted to say more but eventually said nothing. I left the hospital with my medication. Unaware that Jax had followed me the whole way. 0

ax hid behind the door, feeling a chill run through him. After school, Jax had watched the girl wobble out of the school gate, worried she might faint halfway. After all, they’d shared a bond from half a year of him copying her homework. He inexplicably followed her. Unconsciously, he’d followed her to the hospital. He had planned to leave, but a strong emotion held him back. And then he overheard that the girl had stomach cancer. No wonder… she was coughing up blood. Jax felt a knot in his stomach, even wanting to slap himself. He had bullied the girl for half a year. He was a terrible person! But beyond that, a dense wave of heartache washed over him… When I got home, I intended to pack a few changes of clothes, preparing to move into the school dorms. But then I found my things had been moved. Mrs. Davis said, “Elara, Mrs. Richard gave you a new room.” “It’s on the same floor as Jessica, the one on the far east side. She said it’s so you and Jessica can bond better.” Mrs. Davis looked at me with pity. The Richards family’s favoritism was truly boundless. Almost the entire third floor belonged to Jessica, yet they’d given me only one room on the far east side. Ha. I felt a pathetic amusement on behalf of the original girl. Were they arranging this to warn me that my status in this family would never compare to Jessica’s? But it didn’t matter anymore. I was moving into the dorms anyway, and in just another half a year or so, I wouldn’t be in this world anymore. The daily, agonizing pain told me so. The girl’s desire to break free from this family, and from this world, was incredibly strong.

At the dinner table. I informed Richard and Eleanor that I wanted to live at school. The family, who had been chatting and laughing, instantly fell silent. Eleanor frowned. “Why do you suddenly want to live at school? Don’t you like the room your mother arranged for you today?” She suddenly remembered Mrs. Davis’s words from this morning: “Elara and Jessica’s rooms are quite different, I’m afraid Elara might overthink it.” She then had a sudden realization, thinking Elara had complained to Mrs. Davis, and said impatiently, “Don’t be so jealous. Jessica’s room has been hers for sixteen years.” “You’ve only just moved in. Don’t compare everything to Jessica. If you really want it, we can get an interior designer to renovate your room in a while.” Richard’s face was even fouler. “Why aren’t you as sensible as Jessica? What will people think if they find out that I, a prominent Richard, let my daughter live at school? It’ll just be a joke.” Liam suddenly thought of the boy who had held me today and became annoyed, speaking without thinking. “Could it be for the convenience of flirting with some wild guy?”

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My cousin and I both transmigrated to a beastmen world. Life in this world was harsh, but we were surrounded by all kinds of gorgeous men, and polyandry was the norm. My cousin, Brittany, snatched the [Beloved System] first, grinning triumphantly at me. “You got ahead of me in our last life, but this time, everyone will love and spoil me. I’m the protagonist, and I’ll have countless leading men.” I just smiled faintly, opting for the leftover [Nation-Building Tech System], then pulled out an AK47. “I want that [Beloved System]!” Brittany shoved me aside, her eyes gleaming with impatience. The moment I heard her, I knew. Brittany had reincarnated too. In our previous life, my cousin and I had just arrived in this beastmen world when two systems appeared: one was the [Beloved System], and the other, the [Nation-Building Tech System]. Last time, Brittany pinched me hard, rushing to choose the [Nation-Building Tech System]. I never thought she’d regret it and choose differently this time around. The robotic voice in the air spoke, just as stiffly as before. “Once chosen, there’s no turning back.” “Only a fool would regret becoming the beloved protagonist! I’ll never regret it!” As Brittany’s words faded, the pink glow slowly settled into her chest. And just like that, the discarded [Nation-Building Tech System] bound itself to me. Brittany stared at me, a mix of triumph and hatred in her eyes: “Skylar, in our last life, you got the Beloved System and enjoyed the adoration of so many men. This time, those good days finally belong to me. As for you, if you get in my way, you might as well die early in this wilderness.” If Brittany hadn’t snatched the [Nation-Building Tech System] last time, why would I have needed to bind myself to the Beloved System and live a life of trying to please countless men? What was poison to me, she craved like honey. Oh, Brittany. You don’t know, I’ve wanted this [Nation-Building Tech System] for ages. Now, my wish has finally come true. The surrounding light faded, just like last time, leaving us in a dense forest. The trees here were so thick they blocked out the sun, even denser than any rainforest I’d seen. All sorts of strange plants were everywhere. This was the primeval beastmen world, where strength reigned supreme. Brittany couldn’t wait. “The protagonist’s perks are finally mine.” “Quick, Beloved System, make me beautiful!” A crystalline pill appeared in Brittany’s hand, and she swallowed it without hesitation. The pill worked instantly. Brittany’s skin brightened several shades, becoming smooth and delicate, and even her hair turned silky. “This Beloved System stuff is amazing! Skylar, you were so stingy to hog something this good from me in our last life!” Brittany excitedly caressed her now even more beautiful face, then remembered me standing nearby and added, her voice bitter with resentment. Just then, a lion’s roar echoed, and a massive tiger leaped out of the dense jungle beside us. Brittany showed no fear. She swayed her hips, a shy smile playing on her lips, and walked towards the tiger. A flicker of human-like astonishment crossed the great tiger’s eyes. The next second, he transformed into a bare-chested, handsome man. “Beautiful she-beastkin, if you do not have a tribe, Brody invites you to return to my tribe with me.” Brittany, all sweetness and light, threw herself into Brody’s arms, shooting me a triumphant look over his shoulder. “Of course, I’d be delighted.”

Female beastkin were scarce in this world, and just like in my previous life, Brody, the tiger beastman, brought my cousin and me back to his tribe. Brody was the leader of the nearby Soar Tribe, powerful and handsome. The moment we arrived at the tribe, a large group of bare-chested beastkin swarmed us, buzzing with questions. “Chief Brody, what did you hunt?” “Oh my goodness, it’s a she-beastkin! And she’s so beautiful!” “Only Chief Brody could find such a rare she-beastkin!” Just like me in my previous life, under the [Beloved System]’s influence, Brittany received the welcome and adoration of all the beastkin. Facing so many intense gazes, Brittany clung to Brody, all innocent and demure. I overheard her talking to her system, her tone surprisingly critical: “System, besides Brody, none of these beastkin are very handsome.” “My leading men must be absolute top-tier alphas. Only then will I allow them to grovel at my feet.” “Just like Skylar in the last life, she had handsome snake-kin, the Young Lord of Eagle City… This time, they’ll all be mine.” I shook my head from the side, secretly laughing at my cousin’s naivety. Memories flooded my mind. In my previous life, after transmigrating from a civilized modern society to this savage beastmen world, Brittany, wanting technological security, had snatched the [Nation-Building Tech System]. Females were rare in this world, so polyandry was practiced. Under the influence of the [Beloved System], the top male beastkin of the entire world pursued me, revering me as a goddess. Brittany only saw my sweet life, being pampered by powerful male beastkin. But she didn’t see how I was practically held captive, constantly pressured to birth new children. Mindful of our relationship before transmigrating, I tried my best to mediate among the male beastkin, asking them to let Brittany stay by my side. She had freedom and didn’t have to be a birthing tool like me. I never expected that my softheartedness would be my undoing. The night before I was due to give birth, Brittany burst in and shot me directly in the stomach. As I lay dying, spitting blood, I clutched at her and asked why. Her face was twisted with cruel malice. “Skylar, how dare you ask why? Ever since we came to this world, you’ve had the best of everything, so many men falling over themselves for you. I was consumed with jealousy.” Only then did I realize that all my consideration for her, in her eyes, had just been a show-off. Turns out, karma was watching. This life, I got a do-over. Watching Brittany, surrounded by all the beastkin, I secretly smiled. This ‘blessing’ is all yours now. Enjoy it.

The beastkin buzzed around Brittany, trying every trick in the book to win her favor. Brody got angry. “Brittany is my she-beastkin! Who dares to even think about her?” When the Chief spoke, the surrounding beastkin, no matter how unwilling, had no choice but to shut up. Brittany, watching Brody’s protective jealousy, was flushed with sweet delight. Just as the atmosphere was joyous and harmonious, an arrogant, wolf-eared beastman walked in. “Chief Brody, it’s tribute day today. Don’t tell me you forgot.” I was stunned. I wondered if my rebirth had caused a butterfly effect; this event had moved up. In my previous life, the Soar Tribe and Wolf Cloud City had clashed. The Soar Tribe was defeated and forced to relocate, agreeing to offer she-beastkin to Wolf Cloud City on a certain day. My cousin and I were outsiders, with no real ties to the tribe. Brody, who had taken a liking to me, had planned to offer Brittany to the Wolf Cloud City Lord. I learned from Brody that the Wolf Cloud City Lord was ugly and brutal. I begged Brody to let Brittany stay, saving her life. This time, however, Brittany glanced at me, then pulled Brody, who was still in a standoff with the Wolf Cloud City envoy, and whispered a few words to him. The next second, Brody pointed at me: “Envoy, this is the she-beastkin our tribe will offer to the City Lord. Take her.” I looked at Brittany. As expected, a look of satisfying revenge spread across her face. I scoffed, not at all surprised. The Wolf Tribe envoy looked at me, his eyes lighting up. He nodded in satisfaction. I knew what he was satisfied with. Though my looks were average in modern society, here, I was considered fair-skinned and beautiful. More importantly, my slender build fit their perverted City Lord’s aesthetic. The Wolf Cloud City envoy grabbed me. I almost struggled, but then I thought, I have my own way to protect myself now. Why not go to a different place and really make my mark, build my own power? So I calmed down, not moving, allowing myself to be taken obediently. Before I left, Brittany smugly came to see me off. “Skylar, that City Lord is old and ugly. Enjoy him.” “Now, no one can steal my protagonist halo.” I smiled. I mouthed something to her: “Just you wait, cousin.” I was rewarded by seeing her face go pale.

Hearing that I was too weak to shift into a beast form from fright, the envoy and other guards were quite shocked. They didn’t shift either but instead tossed me onto a wooden sled, planning to drag me along. Watching that sled with no wheels, even after being reborn, I was still amazed by the primitive world’s backward production capabilities. Perhaps seeing my weak constitution, they didn’t even bother to tie me up. So I lay comfortably on the wooden sled, closed my eyes, and began to contact my Nation-Building Tech System. In my previous life, I didn’t even realize there was a gun inside the system until I was dying. This time, the moment I entered the system space, I was utterly stunned. There was everything: rice that yielded a thousand kilograms per mu, basic medical knowledge, craft instruction books, and of course, plenty of guns and ammunition… The shelves were packed full. Any one item, pulled out at random, would be revolutionary for this world! My heart pounded, then surged with excitement. With these things, building my own empire wouldn’t be difficult. It could at least vastly improve my quality of life! No more living like a savage, like in my last life! I couldn’t help but want to grab my short-sighted cousin, Brittany, and beat her senseless. So many treasures, and in her previous life, she was like a toddler given a fortune, unable to use any of it, obsessed only with being beloved. What a waste! Just as my mind raced, commotion and screams erupted around me. I instantly opened my eyes. The moment I did, I froze. Breathing on me was a colossal beast, half a story tall, covered in hard, gleaming armor. Its mouthparts dripped with saliva, exhaling a foul, fishy odor. I was barely half a meter from it, face-to-face. What in the world was this thing?! The beastkin guards who had been watching me scrambled away in sheer terror, “Insect-beast! The insect-beast is here! Run!” It was an insect-beast, the beastkin’s natural enemy, something I’d only heard legends of in my previous life but never seen. “Roar—!” The insect-beast roared at me, its foul saliva dripping all over me. The next second, a gunshot rang out. “Bang—!” The colossal body of the insect-beast crashed down before me, kicking up clouds of dust. I whistled softly. Gotta say, the AK47 is just so good. And the moment I picked it up, I instantly mastered all its usage methods. System-issued, always top-tier. The scattered beastkin, seeing the insect-beast subdued by me, stared in shock, their faces filled with disbelief, almost afraid to approach me. I jumped off the wooden sled. Finn, the envoy, looked at me, a mix of shock and joy on his face: “How did you do that?!” Soon, greed crept onto his face. “What are you standing around for?! Grab her! Tie her up quickly! We must get her secret!” Laughable. Gun in hand, I rule this place. I immediately aimed the AK47 at Finn’s leg and shot him. “Aarghh—!” Finn let out a sharp howl, clutching a bloody hole in his leg, his face filled with terror. “What is this?! What is this?! By the Mother Goddess Raynes, I was wrong! Please, forgive me!” The beastkin guards who had been about to seize me were terrified. They instantly abandoned Finn and tried to flee. I fired a few shots into the sky. “Who dares to run? I’ll kill them directly!” All the beastkin became utterly silent. I nodded in satisfaction. A joke. If I let them go, who would boil water, cook, and hunt on the way to the city? I ran up to the terrified envoy and pressed the gun to his head. He was stunned and terrified by this unseen “divine artifact,” his mouth trembling. “Tell me everything about your Wolf Cloud City, or you’ll end up like that insect-beast.” I pointed to the thoroughly dead insect-beast nearby. Finn immediately nodded, spilling the beans on everything, like a dam breaking.

In my previous life, Wolf Cloud City had collapsed before I ever visited it, seemingly merged with another tribal power. This time, the envoy’s detailed account gave me a rough idea of the situation. Wolf Cloud City hadn’t always been called that. It was originally built by both the Wolf Tribe and the Fox Tribe, and back then, it was incredibly prosperous. Later, the Wolf Tribe grew powerful, directly expelling the Fox Tribe from the city to become the sole dominant power, then changed its name. The current City Lord, Drogo, was absurd and unreasonable. Not only did he hoard rare female beastkin, but he also loved war, turning the whole city into a chaotic mess and causing a significant loss of beastkin population. “Little Goddess, these rabbits have been caught by our warriors for you, and already cooked. Please, enjoy.” Finn respectfully offered me a bowl of rabbit stew in an old wooden bowl. Through my “brainwashing” and a few modern tricks, I had been hailed by the entire group as a goddess sent by their Mother Goddess Raynes. But I looked at the crude, indescribably ugly wooden bowl and couldn’t help but show my disdain. Sigh, change was absolutely necessary. “Little Goddess, this is the best food we can offer you! Once you return to Wolf Cloud City, I will definitely send people to bring you the finest, most exquisite food!” Seeing my frown, Finn swore to the heavens and earth. I stood up. “Who is in charge of cooking?” A somewhat scrawny guard stood up. I extended my hand, and instantly, a pile of modern seasonings appeared in my palm. Seeing me materialize these things out of thin air, all the beastkin looked on in shock and awe. “I’ll teach you how to use these.” I told the scrawny guard. In the beastmen world, the only seasoning was salt, but it was unrefined salt blocks that tasted bad, nowhere near as fine as modern salt. “Is this… salt? It’s so fine!” A beastman couldn’t help but exclaim. Seeing wood ear mushrooms on a nearby tree, my eyes lit up, and I picked quite a few. “Goddess, what are you doing with those? Only frail rabbit-kin and sheep-kin eat those.” Finn mumbled. I had the guard wash them clean and stew them with the rabbit meat, adding plenty of seasonings. Soon, a unique aroma filled the air. All the beastkin sniffed desperately, constantly swallowing their saliva. In no time, a fresh, rich pot of wood ear rabbit stew was ready. “This is a blessing from the Goddess!” Finn was the first to kneel, and a large group followed, kneeling in a rush. I was just chuckling to myself when, suddenly, a wooden grapple flew down from a nearby tree, hooked the stone pot, and the entire pot of rabbit stew was lifted away as if by magic. I was startled. “Quick, catch them!” The guards immediately transformed into their wolf forms and sprinted into the dense forest. I saw two fiery-red figures quickly disappear from my sight within the trees. But soon, the guards returned, apprehending two fox-kin beastmen, along with the stone pot and the confiscated vine-wood grapple. The two fox-kin beastmen had the alluring beauty unique to their kind, a stunning, almost ethereal beauty that transcended gender. One had a mole near his eye, the other didn’t. Their silver hair was topped with two beautiful fiery-red ears. Right now, both of them glared at us, looking annoyed and wary. “Inferior mixed-blood fox-kin, daring to use such tricks to steal the food the Goddess prepared for us! Break their hands and legs and banish them!” Finn declared imperiously, but I stopped him. “Wait.” I held up the vine-wood grapple to the two fox-kin beastmen. It was a hook with a mechanism, capable of retracting flexibly, but when extended, it had an extremely strong grip. I’d seen it already; even a heavy stone pot was no match for it. In my past life and this one, it was hard to find such a strong, expertly crafted hook on the beastkin continent. My heart swelled with excitement. If they had made this hook themselves, possessing such incredible craftsmanship, how wonderful it would be if they could join my ranks and help me implement new crafting methods! “Did you make this?” Both fox-kin beastmen kept their mouths shut, raising an eyebrow at me without speaking. Finn tried to intimidate them, but I stopped him. “I mean nothing else. I’m recruiting new subordinates. Don’t worry, if you become my subordinates, not only will you have today’s food, but anything else I can provide, I will.” The fox-kin beastman with the mole near his eye asked, “What do you want to do?” “Kill City Lord Drogo, and build my own, more advanced empire. What do you say? Care to take a gamble?” I didn’t hide my intentions, my power was evident. Hearing my words, their faces showed shock, as if they hadn’t expected me to have such resolve. The surrounding wolf-kin guards, however, were calm, having already been brought under my command. “Alright. Wolf Cloud City has a part of our fox tribe too. I’m in.” The fox-kin beastman with the mole said. The other one nodded slightly. After getting to know them, I learned that these two fox-kin beastmen had been expelled from their own tribe. They were twins, the elder brother named Lian, and the younger Nolan. Because they were a mixed bloodline of fire fox and silver fox, they were driven out of their tribe. They had survived in the dense forest by relying on their ingenious mechanical skills. This time, Nolan had craved the wood ear rabbit stew, which led them to take such a risk among the wolf-kin. Hearing it was because of their bloodline, I looked at the two beastkin curiously. Their bodies didn’t quite fit the beastkin continent’s ideal of robust strength, but their figures were slender, with lean muscle subtly showing beneath their fur clothes, undeniably captivating. The twins, one steady and the other lively, had silver hair and silver eyes, yet fiery red ears, making them absolutely captivating. I quietly swallowed. No wonder they were fox-kin. I had the beastkin divide the wood ear rabbit stew. For a moment, all I heard were the happy slurping sounds, until even the bottoms of the bowls were licked clean. “Brother, just for this skill, staying here is totally worth it!” Nolan’s silver fox eyes widened, adding to his allure, still wanting more. Lian, comparatively, was more mature. At Nolan’s words, he merely smiled subtly, looking at me, the mole near his eye stood out vividly. No way, they’re too good-looking! Seriously, in our world, they’d be superstars! Even without any romantic intentions towards them, my heart couldn’t stop pounding. This was a raw, visceral impact of facing extreme beauty. “Done eating? I have something for you.” I pulled out books on basic crafts and technology from the system space. Seeing me materialize objects out of thin air, Lian and Nolan’s faces showed shock, while the other wolf-kin beastmen looked on with pride and reverence. “Both of you, study this thoroughly. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask me. I’ll need you to produce the things shown in this book.” The book used picture-based lessons, simple and straightforward. Lian took the book with a puzzled expression, but soon exclaimed in surprise, “What is this? It’s so light, and it has pictures!” In the beastmen continent, records were kept on stone carvings or wooden boards; paper didn’t exist yet. I smiled faintly, with an air of profound mystery. “This is called a book. Just follow me, and I can give you even better things than this.” Along the way, relying on the complete set of craft books, I brought Lian and Nolan under my wing. They were smart and eager to learn, quickly becoming my two greatest aids.

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I married the son of a billionaire through an arranged marriage, but he suffered from erectile dysfunction. The only woman who could arouse him was his secretary. To give his terminally ill father a grandson, my husband would sneak out every night to “resolve his physical needs” with his secretary. When I discovered this, he fell to his knees crying, slapping himself until he bled as he begged for my forgiveness. “Honey, I do love you. I just can’t bear to see my father pass away with regrets!” he pleaded. What he didn’t know was that every time he snuck out, I would buy myself a luxury apartment downtown as compensation. And each time his secretary got pregnant, I would treat myself to a private island. In just two years, I had acquired 99 luxury properties and 4 islands. Until one day, I received a photo. In it, my father-in-law – who was supposed to have died from cancer – was lovingly caressing the secretary’s pregnant belly, his eyes glowing with joy. I threw the photo in my husband’s face. He immediately dropped to his knees, repeatedly kowtowing as he begged: “Honey, this child is the fruit of our love. I beg you to spare her…” “I swear I’ll cut off all contact with her once the baby is born!” I clenched my fists tightly, resisting the urge to hit him. Instead, I turned away calmly. “Fine,” I said. Since you don’t cherish what I’ve given you, don’t blame me for taking it all back. 0

In the photo, Kevin was leaning tenderly against Chloe’s swollen belly, smiling with deep satisfaction. I opened my contacts and called him. The phone rang for a long time before he picked up. “Hello? Honey?” His voice sounded guilty. “How was the business dinner? Did you make some good connections? I’m here with some important investors. Just finished a round of talks, I’m exhausted…” I replied with a laugh: “It went well. But I miss you so much right now. Can we video chat?” There was no response from the other end. The two of them were clearly panicking. “Baby, it’s not convenient right now. Besides, who video calls their wife in the middle of a business meeting? It wouldn’t leave a good impression on the clients.” “I know you miss me. Don’t worry, I’ll wrap up work as quickly as I can and spend more time with you tonight, okay?” I didn’t bother exposing his lies. Instead, I asked directly: “Kevin, do you love me?” Kevin hesitated for a few seconds before answering: “Of course I love you, honey! Don’t overthink things. You’re the only woman I’ll ever love!” His voice was very quiet, clearly trying to prevent Chloe from overhearing. Some “wife” I am. How pathetic. I hung up the phone and headed straight to their love nest, knocking on the door. “Sweetie, is that the food delivery? I…” Kevin opened the door, his bare upper body still glistening with sweat. He never expected to see me standing there. He immediately tried to block the doorway with his body, attempting to obstruct my view. “H-honey? What are you doing here… Aren’t you supposed to be…” He was utterly shocked. “At the business dinner, right? Kevin, that’s hardly important now, is it? Just like how you’re not actually in a meeting.” I looked past him at Chloe. She instinctively covered her belly with both hands, stammering: “Sophia… What brings you here…” I knew she was waiting for me to confront her so she could play the victim. But I didn’t. With a blank expression, I unlocked my phone screen and shoved that glaring photo right in Kevin’s face. I asked calmly: “Honey, didn’t you promise you’d never see her again?” “Were you lying to me?” 0

Kevin’s legs gave out and he fell to his knees in front of me. He started slapping himself hard. “Honey! Honey, I was wrong!!” “It’s not what you think! I… I admit I didn’t handle things well. Let me explain!” He tried to grab my pants leg, but I didn’t give him the chance. “Get lost,” I said coolly. “Sophia, you can’t blame this all on Kevin… You’ve been married for years without getting pregnant. Are you saying he’s not allowed to find someone else?” Chloe sneered. At this moment, she was wielding her pregnancy like a weapon. This girl I had once helped out of poverty was now seducing my husband. “Chloe, do you know why Kevin and I haven’t had children in ten years of marriage?” I stared her down. She lowered her head under my gaze, but her tone remained defiant: “You’re going to bring up his erectile dysfunction again, aren’t you? I’ve tried plenty of times and he’s perfectly normal. I don’t think it’s ED at all – he’s just not interested in you!” “A woman who can’t even arouse desire… Your life really is a failure… Ah!!!” I slapped her across the face. “Sophia! If you’re upset, take it out on me!! She’s just a young girl in a difficult situation…” “It’s all my fault… I didn’t handle my feelings properly. But I… I just can’t control myself when I see her… I’m not human! I’ve wronged you!” He was slapping himself repeatedly. Chloe grabbed his hand, crying. “Don’t stop her! She can beat me to death if she wants! I’ve been sick of how she treats you for a long time! You’re such a good man, why should you have to endure this?” “And… and I was willing. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me! Blame me for falling in love with you… for having feelings for you!” The two of them went back and forth, like a deeply affectionate couple. I was tired of watching their performance. “Are you done?” I asked. “If you’re done, I’ll continue.” 0

The scene before me was nauseating. “Kevin, you’d better make a choice between me and her today.” Kevin hurried to placate me. “Honey, you know I love you, but I’m a man too. I have my own needs…” “Besides, you know it’s because you couldn’t give birth that my dad, on his deathbed…” “Your dad! You have the nerve to bring up your dad!” I threw my phone hard, hitting him square on the nose. But he didn’t react at all, his eyes fixed on the photo on the screen. It showed his father, beaming as he touched Chloe’s pregnant belly. “How… how did you get this photo…” Clearly, the discovery that his father had faked his death came as a huge shock. He didn’t even know how to start lying. At this point, what was there for me not to understand? The three of them were putting on a show for me. “Kevin, I’ve warned you many times. Why didn’t you take it to heart?” Kevin dropped the act. “Yes! I lied to you! But don’t you have issues too?” “If you could have children, if you could arouse me, would I have cheated?” With the truth exposed, Kevin chose the stupidest path. That is, to turn against me completely. I was stunned for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh. I must have been too good to him all these years, making him forget who made his current lifestyle possible. He couldn’t really think he could afford mansions and sports cars on his $3000 monthly salary, could he? “Kevin, I’ve been so tolerant of you only to end up like this. Don’t blame me for being ruthless now.” “I’ll have my lawyer send you the divorce papers. As for everything I’ve given you, I expect it all returned intact in three days.” With that, I strode away in my high heels. Three days later, not only did I not see a single thing returned, I received a scolding from the miraculously resurrected billionaire: “Sophia! What gives you the right to divorce What gives you the right to divorce my son? What can you do besides make money? You can’t even satisfy a man properly. Who else would want you besides my son!” “Alright, alright, I’ve decided to let him keep Chloe on the side. They can meet once a month, how’s that? But you’ll have to cover her living expenses!” His shamelessness was truly like father, like son. I smiled and said: “I spent over $100,000 on your funeral. When do you plan to pay me back?” What money? Chloe had already pocketed it all. When the old lady heard this, she wasn’t having it. She immediately jumped up: “Have you no shame? I’m a billionaire! I didn’t complain that you couldn’t have children, and now you dare ask me for money? What sins did I commit in my past life to end up with such a wretched daughter-in-law!” She looked ready to throw herself on the ground and start a tantrum. I helpfully offered her a cushion: “Please continue, Uncle. I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t stay to humor your antics.” His father couldn’t stand this indignity. He chased after me, wailing dramatically: “Help! My daughter-in-law is abandoning me!” “At my age, I’m begging her and she won’t even look at me! What a miserable life!” Noticing camera flashes around us, I pretended not to see. If they want to take photos, let them. Just make sure to use a beauty filter on me. 0

A few days later, Chloe actually came to my office threatening suicide. I looked at her helplessly. “Can’t you make a scene somewhere else? People are trying to work here.” But Chloe’s brain clearly couldn’t comprehend the importance of work. She continued shouting: “Kevin and I are truly in love. Why can’t you just let us be together? Do I have to die for you to be satisfied?!” I was confused. Wasn’t I already agreeing to divorce? How was that not letting them be together? What exactly did she want? “Why did you cancel Kevin’s credit cards? Don’t you know we can’t survive without money? How can you be so selfish!” When Kevin rushed over, I rolled my eyes and said, “Oh, you’re here. Your little mistress has been threatening suicide for an hour but hasn’t even scratched herself. Better comfort her quick, or you’ll inconvenience the cleaning staff getting off work.” Kevin’s face turned ashen. But it wasn’t because he found Chloe embarrassing. He was upset at my indifference: “Sophia, when did you become so cold-blooded…” “You’ve really disappointed me…” Mr. Chen was even more dramatic, his eyes rolling back as if about to faint: “Sophia! You little beast! Are you only happy when you’ve driven our whole family to death?!” She yelled loudly, and I replied even louder. “Yep, thrilled.” The onlookers, not knowing the full story, actually started criticizing me: “I can’t believe it. Ms. Johnson seemed so capable at work, but behind closed doors she’s so cold to her own family!” “Yeah, she’s driven that poor girl to the brink of suicide and she’s still making sarcastic comments. You really can’t judge a book by its cover!” “Hmph! Who knows how she got that CEO position. Probably by sleeping with other men.” As the crowd’s speculation grew more and more outrageous, Kevin cleared his throat and put on a magnanimous act: “Sophia, you see how clear-sighted everyone is? They all know you’re in the wrong. Stop making a fuss and come home with me. Who else would want you besides me?” He reached out to grab my hand. I laughed. As if he was worthy of touching me. I stepped back, and under his dissatisfied gaze, I slowly spoke: “Do they know that in all our years of marriage, we’ve had no children because you have erectile dysfunction?” The crowd fell silent, all ears perked up waiting for the juicy gossip. “Sophia! What nonsense are you spouting?!” “If you keep talking rubbish, I really won’t take you back!” The man’s pride was thoroughly trampled in public. I shrugged, cleared my throat, and repeated in a voice the whole office could hear: “You have ED! You have ED! You have ED! You have ED!” “I’ve been married to you for years and never experienced a woman’s pleasure, all because…” “You have erectile dysfunction!!!!”

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The day after I had a fight with my husband over his first love, a young, energetic guy showed up at my door soaking wet. “Please, can I stay here?” he begged. Without hesitation, I let him stay for three months. During those three months, he did everything he could to make me happy and win my affection. Everyone said he had ulterior motives and was getting close to me for some other purpose. They warned me not to fall for him. Sure enough, as soon as I agreed to be with him, Jason smirked and told me he was Jessica’s childhood friend, and he had only gotten close to me for her happiness. But I already knew that, and I had collected evidence of my husband’s affair with his first love. “Thanks for helping me gather evidence. Now you can get lost.” Three months after a big fight with my husband Ethan, I returned to our home of three years for the first time, having collected all the evidence of his affair with Jessica and discussed divorce plans with my lawyer. “That old hag is wrapped around my finger now. If I tell her to kneel, she wouldn’t dare stand up!” Jason’s familiar voice came through the door. It was different from his usual pitiful tone when talking to me – arrogant and smug. I paused as I was about to open the door. Ethan and Jessica’s voices followed. “You’ve got her trained like that in less than three months? I thought Rachel loved me so much, but turns out she’s such a slut.” “Jason, you’ve suffered for my happiness. Once Ethan successfully divorces that old cow, I’ll make it up to you!” I quietly pushed open the door and saw Jessica sitting in Ethan’s lap. Jason sat nearby, surrounded by his buddies who used to joke about me and him. “Rachel said it’s her birthday today and she has a surprise for Jason. We all know the old hag can’t hold back anymore. Once she takes her clothes off, we’ll burst into the room and take photos of her in heat as evidence of cheating.” “If it weren’t for that old cow stubbornly clinging to Ethan, we wouldn’t have to set her up to cheat and force a divorce.” “Isn’t she supposed to be so successful in her career? When we post the video online, everyone will see what a slut she is. It’ll be payback for Jessica!” “After the truth comes out, the old hag will probably go crazy. She might even kneel and beg us to let her off!” “Jason, you take one for the team tonight. If she’s not bad, maybe let the rest of us have a go too.” My husband of seven years and the man who had been devoted to me for three months were unfazed by the other men’s blatant insults towards me. I quietly closed the door. My feelings of guilt towards Jason instantly turned to anticipation and excitement. I knew it was too good to be true – a handsome guy in his early 20s showing up at my door in a soaking wet white tank top, pitifully begging me to take him in. So Jason was Jessica’s childhood friend, and he had appeared to seduce me so Ethan could catch us in bed, get evidence to ruin me, and kick me out penniless in the divorce. Three months ago, Jessica had returned from abroad and moved in with us, using the excuse that she couldn’t find a place to stay. My husband of seven years, married for three, didn’t take my side. Instead, he told me to sleep in the guest room. “Jessica has nightmares if she doesn’t sleep in a big bed. Can’t you make this small sacrifice for me instead of being so unreasonable?” I put up with it for a week, but Jessica showed no signs of leaving. Every morning, Jessica acted like the perfect wife, wearing an apron and making Ethan breakfast. “Rachel, a man is a woman’s sky and earth. A man’s hands are only for making money, how can you let him do housework?” “I’m so envious of you, marrying such a good husband like Ethan. If I were Ethan’s wife, I would never let him step foot in the kitchen.” Knowing I was allergic to tomatoes, Jessica deliberately squeezed tomato sauce all over my sandwich. I broke out in hives and passed out at work from difficulty breathing. When I woke up, Jessica was crying in Ethan’s arms. I pointed at Jessica, my hand shaking. “Either she goes, or I go.”

Ethan frowned, acting like I was being unreasonable. “It’s just an allergy, why are you making such a big deal out of it? I’ve never heard of anyone dying from allergies. Jessica almost fainted when she heard what happened to you.” Ethan and I had a huge fight. He threw our wedding rings on the ground. I packed my bags and left that night, moving into another rental apartment. The next day, Jason appeared at my door. “Can I stay here for the night? Don’t worry, I have money and I’ll be good.” Actually, I already knew Jason was Jessica’s childhood friend. After finding out she was coming back, I had looked up all her social media accounts and found many photos of Jason. Whenever she fought with Ethan or was upset, there were always photos of Jason quietly by her side. Without a doubt, Jason was Jessica’s loyal puppy dog, the devoted second male lead. Thanks to Jessica, I received the attentive care of this devoted second male lead for three months, and got to play the female lead for once. Two months in, Ethan and I ran into each other while shopping. He glared at Jason beside me. “Who’s this guy? It hasn’t been that long and you’re already with someone new. You’ve really disappointed me!” I gave him what he wanted, acting haughty and replying, “None of your business!” I pulled Jason into the mall. He pushed me against the wall in a changing room. “Your husband doesn’t treat you well at all. He’s old and ugly, totally unworthy of you. Not like me – I only want to cherish you.” I grabbed Jason’s collar, squeezing out two pitiful tears. “I know, right? And that vixen still has the nerve to seduce him. I guess trash attracts trash!” Hearing me talk that way about his beloved, Jason clenched his jaw but had to keep comforting me. Pretending to be delighted by his comfort, I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him. His eyes widened in panic as he jerked backwards. For the past month, although Jason had acted very fond of me, he was reluctant to get too physical. I knew he found me less attractive than Jessica, being two years older. But he seemed to have forgotten that Jessica had sent him to sacrifice his body to seduce me. Since that was the case, why keep up the act? I pretended to be disappointed and let go of his collar, pouting with red-rimmed eyes. “I thought you said you liked me? Why won’t you even kiss me?” Jason’s eyes were a mess of emotions. He clenched and unclenched his fists before finally forcing out a stiff smile. “Of course I’ll do anything to make you happy.” I eagerly went to kiss him. He closed his eyes with a look of grim resignation. But I deliberately missed, brushing past the corner of his mouth before shoving him away. I ran out of the changing room with a coy expression, and sure enough saw Jessica outside with a thunderous face. Seeing my flushed face and the lipstick mark on the corner of Jason’s mouth, Jessica nearly ground her teeth to dust. “Broad daylight in a public place – have you no shame?!” “Jessica, you’re the one who should be asking yourself that question. After all, you’re the one who’s taken shamelessness to new heights.” Jessica’s face turned red. She sneered, “I’m standing up for Ethan! He works himself to the bone at the office to support you, while you’re lazy and now fooling around with some boy toy!” The irony was, I had bought our house in cash, my salary was twice Ethan’s, and I paid for most of our expenses. That’s why Ethan did housework – he felt guilty about freeloading. I deliberately pulled the uncomfortable-looking Jason closer, saying haughtily, “Jessica, you already have Ethan. Don’t tell me you want to steal this one from me too?” Seeing that I seemed to have genuinely fallen for Jason, Jessica finally relaxed a bit. She looked at Jason and me like we were adulterers. Afterwards, I went on a shopping spree in the mall, making Jason pay for everything. His face got paler and paler as he hesitantly pulled out his card again and again. After all, his job was mediocre, and I had nearly wiped out half a year of his savings in one go. But he had no choice – wasn’t he pursuing me? Hadn’t he said he’d do anything to make me happy? As we were leaving the mall, Jason said he needed to use the restroom. I nodded and followed him secretly. At a corner, I saw him standing unhappily in front of Jessica. “How much longer do I have to keep this up? I can’t stand that old hag for another day. Having to act cutesy with her makes me want to puke!” Jessica stroked his head, swinging his hand back and forth. “Bear with it a little longer for my happiness, okay? Didn’t you promise to be my knight in shining armor forever?” Seeing Jason was still upset, Jessica bit her lip and gave him a quick kiss. Comforted by this, Jason cheered up and treated me even better in the following days. But what people fear most is getting used to something. Over our three months living together, Jason had grown accustomed to taking care of my daily life – cooking, doing laundry, picking me up from work, taking me out for nice meals. At first he would stiffen uncomfortably when I took his arm, instinctively rejecting it. Now he would buy me gifts just to see me jump into his arms and kiss him. The acting in his eyes grew less and less, while my calculations became clearer and clearer. After learning his password and being able to freely check his phone, I looked through his group chat with his buddies more than once. Jessica was the only girl in the chat. Jason reported on his progress pursuing me every day. At first, he would boast in the group: “I’ll have that old hag wrapped around my finger in no time. She already obeys my every word.” “Took the old hag shopping today. She tried to kiss me – I got goosebumps, it was so gross. If it wasn’t for Jessica, I’d want to kick her to the curb!” “Sigh, thinking about how devoted the old hag is to me, when I’m going to utterly ruin her reputation…I feel a tiny bit guilty.” His buddies would cheer him on in the chat, saying there was no woman Jason couldn’t conquer. They even planned that after Jason had me under his mental control, the group of them would take turns using me. Jessica would also message him privately, acting concerned: “I’m sorry, Jason. You have to put on an act with that disgusting slut for my happiness. If only I had fallen in love with you instead.” Those words had Jason over the moon. But gradually, Jason took longer and longer to reply to messages. “Rachel just fell asleep so I couldn’t check my phone. Nothing special today, just did chores as usual.” “Was making a midnight snack for Rachel earlier so couldn’t see the messages. She seems to like me a lot now. She even praised me for how neatly I peeled the crab for her today.” “Taking videos is fine, but I should be the only one filming. She’s still a woman after all, that would be going too far. Isn’t there another way?” Not just Jason’s buddies, but even Jessica started to sense something was off. She began interrogating Jason. One night, I heard Jason on the balcony taking a call. Jessica’s crying voice came through. “Why are you always doing laundry and cooking for that bitch? Have you fallen for her? Don’t forget you’re supposed to be seducing her, making her kneel and beg us for mercy! Not being her personal chef!” Jason, who had always cared deeply about Jessica’s feelings, was silent for a full 30 seconds before answering. “How could I possibly love that slut? I haven’t forgotten my purpose. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely torment her until she’s utterly ruined, as a birthday gift for you.” “But from now on…don’t call me late at night anymore. She’s been under a lot of work stress lately and is a light sleeper. I’m afraid she’ll overhear.” “Are you afraid she’ll overhear, or afraid of disturbing her sleep?!” Jessica’s accusation followed immediately. I deliberately rolled over, making a small noise that caused Jason to instinctively hang up. He quietly came back to bed. Seeing I was still asleep, he let out a long sigh of relief. Over these three months, despite his coaxing, I had never gone further physically with Jason. But I did allow him to sleep in my bed. Jason carefully lifted the covers and got in bed. He gingerly put his arm around my waist and whispered in my ear: “Rachel, I’m sorry.” After he fell asleep, I opened my eyes, a mocking smile on my face.

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The first time I noticed something was off was when I smelled an unfamiliar body wash scent on her. We always use the same brand and fragrance at home. So that day when she came home and leaned in to kiss me, I immediately sensed something wasn’t right. “Did you shower somewhere else today?” I asked casually. “A bird pooped on my head. I didn’t want to stink up the house, so I showered at school before coming home,” she replied smoothly. I smiled and let my gaze drift quickly over her face. She was too calm. So I joked, “Good thing it didn’t happen back in our hometown. There, you’d have to collect rice from a hundred families to make a ‘hundred family meal’ to ward off the bad luck.” That evening, before my shower, I pulled out the clothes she had tossed in the washing machine. I sniffed them carefully but couldn’t detect any scent other than body wash. How could a woman go from morning to night, interacting with so many people, without picking up any traces of perfume, sweat or food smells? I examined her clothes meticulously. The average adult woman sheds about 50 hairs a day, mostly on the back. But this shirt didn’t have a single hair on it! It was as clean as if she had just put it on before coming home. That night, Olivia was especially affectionate, clinging to me and initiating intimacy. I felt nauseous the whole time. I have mild germaphobia, and even though there was still uncertainty, the whole process felt like swallowing a dead fly. “Honey, you don’t seem very into it tonight,” Olivia curled up in my arms afterwards. “Did you hear something upsetting during a therapy session again?”

I’m a hypnotherapist. Many people think we’re like clear mountain springs – tranquil and pure. In reality, we deal with people’s psychological issues every day. As they say, ‘When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back.’ The monsters in our clients’ minds often project onto us, creating new monsters within ourselves. Most of the time we can self-regulate. When we can’t, we turn to colleagues for help. “It was a case of chronic infidelity,” I made up a story. “The wife is notoriously promiscuous. She used to cheat discreetly, but after her husband found out, she started brazenly bringing men home.” “The husband, my client, loves his wife deeply and doesn’t want a divorce. He’s suffering terribly.” I rolled over with a frown. “Why are you women so unfaithful?” “That’s totally unfair! You can’t lump all women together like that,” Olivia pinched my waist playfully. “Not all women are unfaithful. It depends on their moral standards.” “Some women have no moral bottom line and sleep around. Others, like your wife, have very high standards. I’m your first and I’ll be your last, for life.” I couldn’t detect anything amiss from her micro-expressions. But that was normal. It would be abnormal if I could. As an associate professor of mathematics, she’s far more intelligent than me.

Olivia and I met in college. We both did our bachelor’s and master’s degrees consecutively – me in psychology, her in math. Everyone said we were a power couple when we started dating, a collision of two rational minds. We got married right after finishing our master’s degrees, to no one’s surprise. She became a lecturer at the university, teaching undergrads while pursuing her PhD. With my advisor’s support and my parents’ financial help, I opened my own psychological counseling practice. I majored in applied psychology, with hypnotherapy as my specialty. Psychology got a late start in the US. In the early days, people were more skeptical than accepting of psychology, let alone hypnosis. They thought the whole field was a scam. My practice struggled at first, but slowly improved. After successfully handling a few big cases, I gained some renown in the industry.

Fame may seem intangible, but it brings very real benefits. The revenue of my practice skyrocketed. There’s a saying: “A man’s confidence and status come from money.” Because I was earning more, my position at home also rose. I felt more secure and was almost certain Olivia wouldn’t cheat. But reality slapped me hard in the face… The day after I first noticed something off, I picked her up from work and hugged her as usual. The seed of doubt had been planted in my mind about her clothes. Seeing her suspiciously clean outfit again, I slipped a lighter into her coat pocket without hesitation. Then I pretended nothing had happened and cheerfully took her out to dinner. During the meal, she went to the bathroom once for a full ten minutes. When she came back, she looked uneasy. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “Nothing, just some work stuff,” she replied. “Do you need to go back to campus?” “No, I’ll deal with it tomorrow.” We were both putting on an act – me playing the clueless husband, her selling the ‘stressed about work’ story. When we got home, she took off her coat and grabbed her phone to shower. I felt in her coat pocket – the lighter was gone. Classic guilty behavior. I tiptoed to the bathroom door. First I heard the ‘ding’ of an incoming SnapChat message, then her lowered voice, sounding annoyed: “Who else would it be? No need to explain! … I’m at home, we’ll talk tomorrow!” My heart sank. Before we got married, we had both expressed the same view: “Zero tolerance for cheating, no compromises.” I backed away, poured myself a drink, and sat on the couch pondering my next move… We don’t have kids, so divorce would only involve dividing assets. Apart from our fixed assets – house, car, collectibles and savings – Olivia manages all our joint finances. She handles the stocks, funds and insurance policies. All the linked bank cards are with her. I hardly ever ask about it… “Honey, what made you decide to have a drink tonight?” Olivia came out of the bathroom, toweling her hair. “Just to set the mood,” I raised my glass in her direction, with a hint of invitation. “I saw you go straight to shower when you got home, so I thought you… Or am I wrong?” “You’re right,” she straddled my lap and kissed me, arms around my neck. Two people with zero interest, both pretending to be in the mood. I still felt sick to my stomach, like I’d swallowed a dead fly, but I kept reminding myself: “Don’t let her realize I know.” I’ve seen many divorces. No matter how passionate the couple once was, few remain civil when it comes to dividing assets. Most turn ugly. I didn’t want to see her ugly side, nor did I want her to see mine. So the best approach was to “elegantly calculate everything in advance.” I’m a selfish person. I don’t want years of hard work to benefit someone else.

The next day, I did two things. First, “I went to a law firm and hired a lawyer to advise me on next steps.” The lawyer first affirmed my actions from the night before – don’t confront her yet. Get everything prepared before showing your hand. You want to catch her off guard. He was slightly concerned about the lighter: “You were a bit rash there. Given your wife’s intelligence, she’ll quickly suspect you planted it.” I replied, “She has no proof. I bought that lighter recently when getting cigarettes. It’s not my usual brand.” The lawyer told me to be careful not to slip up, then recommended “three steps plus one additional suggestion.” “Step 1: Collect evidence of her infidelity.” “Step 2: Apply to the court for asset protection based on the evidence.” I don’t need to compile a detailed list of assets. Just provide leads on the assets and apply for court protection. The court can then take protective measures. “Step 3: File for divorce, request dissolution of the marriage. The judge will determine how to divide marital assets based on the evidence.” Additional suggestion: “If Olivia purchased any high-value items for her lover during the marriage, like a house or car, that’s considered misappropriation of marital assets. I can legally reclaim those.” “The second thing I did was hire a private investigator to gather evidence of Olivia’s affair.” This person is technically called a ‘private investigator’, though less politely they’re known as ‘paparazzi’. They often help dig up celebrity gossip too. My requirements were: “A. I want to know who the other man is and how long it’s been going on.” “B. Dating photos that prove their relationship, like kissing or entering a hotel.” “C. I want to know if Olivia has given him any expensive gifts, like a house or car.” The PI readily agreed, though his fee wasn’t cheap.

The PI’s efficiency puts soap opera plot lines to shame. Those TV wives who spend ages trying to catch cheating husbands should just hire a PI without hesitation. Just four days after I hired him, the PI had already identified the other man. Someone familiar. His name is Jake. A golden boy who made it out of his small town. During college, he interned at my practice as a senior. After graduating, he worked for me for another six months. I even wrote him a recommendation letter for his current job… Who would have thought? Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! I almost laughed out loud. Two weeks ago at an industry gathering, he clinked glasses with me and casually asked how I’d handle it if my wife cheated. I thought it was an odd question at the time. Turns out it was his subtle way of declaring war. I’m sure Olivia sensed his intentions too. That’s why when I put the lighter in her pocket, she never suspected me. “When did they start?” I asked the PI. “Not sure yet, but they’ve been living together for 2 years. Here’s their address…” I looked at the address on the notepad. It was an apartment complex not far from the university, also close to Jake’s workplace. Convenient for both of them. “Did they buy or rent?” “Bought. In Jake’s name.” I didn’t need to ask who paid for it. Jake only has a bachelor’s degree and has been working less than 5 years. He’s not well-known in the field yet, with a monthly salary of just over $1000. Back in his hometown, the whole village would be eager to help out their college graduate. Plus he has a good-for-nothing brother who always needs support… But that apartment complex, even at prices from 3 years ago, would cost at least $200,000 for 800 square feet! I sighed. Olivia is usually so frugal, she won’t even buy me a $1000 watch. But for her lover, she easily shells out over $200,000 for an apartment! “Don’t be too heartbroken, man!” the PI consoled me. “Women are like that, thinking with their lower half.” “That guy isn’t as good-looking as you, and his vibe is way off. Your wife just got bored and wanted some excitement.” I smiled wryly.

Olivia’s choice of Jake was partly about “boredom and excitement”, but more about psychological needs. They both grew up in small towns, fighting their way to the big city. There’s a sense of kindred spirits there. Olivia sees a bit of herself in Jake. Olivia and I come from very different backgrounds. As she puts it, she struggled for 20 years just to have the chance to drink coffee with me at Starbucks. Between us, even though she now has high social status, there’s still deep-rooted insecurity. Whenever we go somewhere fancy, she can’t help but feel nervous, always observing others first. But with Jake, given her absolute advantage in economic and social status, she must feel much more relaxed and empowered. Plus, in their hometown there’s a backwards notion that a woman’s success isn’t just about how much she earns or achieves, but how many men she can attract. We discussed this topic back in college. Olivia vehemently criticized that view. Unfortunately, ideas ingrained over many years become part of one’s core. They can’t be easily erased just by adopting the right values. As for Jake, I won’t speculate on whether he truly loves Olivia. In the adult world, relationships are often just about mutual benefit. When Jake interned with me years ago, he repeatedly expressed envy of my background, career and marriage. So from my perspective, by being with Olivia, he gains material support. Emotionally, he probably feels like he’s finally surpassed me in something. “Here are their photos, boss. This is all we’ve got so far,” the PI handed me several pictures. “Do you want to go to court now, or wait a few more days?” I looked at the photos of them coming and going together, feeling conflicted. Past vows of eternal love, no match for the passage of time. “Christmas is in a couple days,” the PI glanced at my expression cautiously. “Maybe you want to think it over some more?” “In my line of work, you see a lot of dirty business,” the PI said. “To be honest, women who never stray in their whole lives are pretty rare.” For a moment I wavered, but finally just said, “Keep a close eye on them for me.”

Christmas came quickly. Olivia showed up at my office with a huge bouquet of red roses, which was highly unusual for her. The young staff at the office teased us as usual, giving envious looks, posting in the work SnapChat group about being “fed dog food” (seeing a sickeningly sweet couple)… I left work early, browsed the mall a bit, bought a pair of shoes and a necklace for her. Then we went for a Western dinner. I actually cherished the whole process, knowing it might be our last holiday together. But unexpectedly, halfway through dinner, Olivia got a call saying she had to leave. She said her coworker had a fight with her boyfriend. They got into a physical altercation on the street and were now at the hospital. The police were taking statements. She had to go check on them. I know most of Olivia’s close coworkers who would call her for something like this. I picked up my coat and said “I’ll come with you”, but Olivia stopped me. She told me to enjoy my meal, saying the people involved didn’t want too many others to know. She promised to call me after playing peacemaker. I understood immediately, reminded of those palace dramas on TV! The favored concubines always like to flaunt their status in front of the empress, not knowing how they’ll end up dead. “Alright, you go ahead,” I sat back down. “I’ll finish dinner and then hang out at a bar for a bit.” Olivia smiled at me, leaned down to cup my face, and touched her forehead to mine affectionately. “Don’t flirt with any floozies,” she said in her usual doting tone. I made a sound of agreement. Keeping up the act, I teased back, “You never know! Better hurry back if you’re gonna be jealous.” Olivia pinched my nose and turned to leave. Watching her walk away, I called the PI: “Where are you? Olivia just left.” The PI said he was tailing Jake, then gave me an address. From our restaurant to Jake’s location, even with Christmas traffic, should take about 40 minutes by car. But an hour passed. The PI messaged that Olivia still hadn’t arrived. I almost thought Olivia had a fourth lover on the side. Or maybe a coworker really did end up in the hospital. But 20 minutes later, the PI said Olivia had arrived…

That night, I met some friends at a bar. Surrounded by the noisy crowd, all I could picture was those two in bed together. I got home at midnight. Olivia wasn’t back yet. I went into the study and reached for the computer. Before I even touched it, I knew why Olivia had taken twice as long to reach Jake after leaving the restaurant. She’d come home first. Someone had used my computer. Everyone has their own computer habits. My left and right eyes have different degrees of nearsightedness, plus my right eye has astigmatism. So I keep the computer slightly tilted on the desk. Olivia knows this house too well. So well that she forgot to pay attention to these details. The computer use history had been cleared. Apart from some cutting-edge academic materials, the most important thing on my computer was the paper I was currently writing. Something Jake could directly use. Once published in an academic journal, the paper would boost my industry ranking. I don’t want to assume the worst intentions from Olivia and Jake, but I have to prepare for the worst case scenario. Although I only started writing that paper recently, I had been preparing for three years, analyzing thousands of cases and investing huge amounts of time and energy. [Stealing my academic work is even more despicable than stealing my woman!]

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