Category: English

1 I am the world’s last Restoration Master, known for healing severe injuries to at least ninety percent of their original state. Yet, I fear and hate this power because of my past life. Back then, old Mr. Grenier paid me a fortune to heal his granddaughter Daisy, who was disfigured in a fire. After six months of work, her looks improved noticeably. His grandson Jason started pursuing me, and Daisy begged me to marry him. I believed they were truly grateful. But on my wedding night, Jason set the bridal chamber on fire, trying to burn me alive. He screamed that I was a fraud—modern medicine could have healed Daisy completely. He blamed me for the death of a girl named Lily, claiming she’d died in despair after I refused to help her. “Let’s see you restore yourself when you’re a charred corpse!” he snarled. Outside, Daisy laughed and shouted, “If not for you, Lily would have cured me! Go to hell!” I burned to ashes, filled with rage. When I opened my eyes, I was back on the day old Mr. Grenier first came, offering his bounty to save Daisy. This time, I just shook my head. “I’m sorry, but her burns are too severe. I can’t restore her face. You should find someone else.” … Old Mr. Grenier seemed to age several years in an instant upon hearing my words. He had exhausted all his resources, consulted the most authoritative experts, yet Daisy Grenier’s appearance remained utterly terrifying. If I didn’t help, Daisy would truly have to live with that face for the rest of her life. “Daisy is my only granddaughter. She has always been so fond of her beauty since childhood. If you don’t step in, Daisy’s life will be ruined.” He looked as if he wanted to kneel directly before me, but I quickly helped him up. Before me, Daisy’s face was horrific, her body covered in scars from surgeries, and her once slender fingers were fused together by the intense heat. In my previous life, I had exerted tremendous effort to restore ninety percent of her appearance. By the later stages, her face and body looked no different from before. Just then, Jason burst through the door, pulling Lily Bell with him, his gaze towards me filled with intense disdain. “Grandpa, this Willow Grey is nothing but a quack! Modern medicine is so advanced, why do we need to beg her?” He quickly pulled Lily in front of old Mr. Grenier, speaking earnestly. “Lily is the one who can save Daisy. She’s already a renowned plastic surgeon in the industry, and she can effortlessly restore Daisy’s appearance to its original state!” “Grandpa, do you want a perfect Daisy or a ninety-percent restored Daisy?” In the last life, Jason never even appeared at my doorstep. Had he also reincarnated? As his words fell, old Mr. Grenier looked at Lily with hopeful eyes. Everyone present had more or less heard of Lily Bell’s reputation as a stoic, goddess-like healer, so their gazes at her held more trust. Lily curled a confident smile. “Of course, I’ve healed more severe injuries than Miss Daisy’s.” “Besides, Miss Daisy is Jason’s sister, so I’ll do everything in my power to restore Miss Daisy’s appearance to its original state.” As she spoke, she looked at me triumphantly. I merely chuckled. “Mr. Grenier, since you’ve found someone who can help your granddaughter, I’ll take my leave.” Jason scoffed as I turned to leave: “Willow Grey, playing hard to get again, are we? This life, Lily will not only save Daisy, but she’ll completely restore Daisy’s appearance.” “If it weren’t for you in the last life, how could Daisy’s face only be restored to ninety percent?!” “You’re nothing but a quack trying to climb the social ladder. Don’t even dream of marrying into the Grenier family this life.” “Evil people like you should suffer all the pain Lily did in the last life.” He whispered, spewing venomous words into my ear. But in the last life, Lily Bell was never assaulted; it was all a play she orchestrated herself to ruin me. Besides, it wasn’t me trying to climb the social ladder; it was Jason who desperately begged me to marry him. With Lily Bell’s medical skills, restoring Daisy Grenier to even thirty percent would be a struggle. Recalling Daisy Grenier’s sinister grin in the previous life, laughing outside the raging fire and urging it to burn fiercer, I turned and left the Grenier mansion. This life, I wouldn’t save her again. 2 As I left the Grenier estate, I saw the very men who had intended to assault Lily Bell in my previous life. They grinned lecherously, surrounding me. “We haven’t had a taste of a Restoration Master yet.” “She looks quite well-endowed, I wonder what she tastes like.” They grabbed my limbs, pinning me firmly to the ground. One by one, my clothes were stripped off, and I struggled to push them away. Seeing my struggle, their actions became even more brutal. Why did they suddenly appear here? Why did they know I was a Restoration Master? I suddenly realized something and looked towards the Grenier mansion’s main gate, incredulously. Jason gently covered Lily Bell’s eyes, watching my humiliated state with a cold sneer. “Lily, don’t look. It’s not for kids. Don’t stain your eyes.” The hatred in my heart spread like a vine throughout my entire body. In the previous life, he blamed me for everything Lily suffered, leading to my fiery death. In this life, he was even finding people to ruin my innocence! Tears of humiliation welled in my eyes. I planned to use the poison needles hidden on my body to kill them. This was the Restoration Master’s last resort for survival, a method not to be used unless in utter despair. Stripped down to just my inner garment, I gathered my strength to strike. The next second, the Miller family suddenly appeared. The leading bodyguards kicked those men away with swift precision. Jason frowned in displeasure when he saw who it was. “Leo, why are you here?” “What are you doing here? Haven’t your sister caused enough trouble for mine?!” Leo ignored him. Who was truly harming whom was clear to everyone present. If Daisy Grenier hadn’t playfully set the fire, how would young Miss Miller have suffered such an unwarranted disaster? Leo hurried to my side, gently helping me up, his tone utterly sincere. “Healer Grey, please, save my sister.” No sooner had he spoken than Jason interjected, his voice dripping with mockery. “You call her a healer? Leo, are you out of your mind? There’s only one true healer, and that’s Lily.” “Let this Willow Grey save your sister? I’m afraid your sister will never be able to look in a mirror again.” “Willow Grey, you’re truly ruthless in your pursuit of marrying into a wealthy family. Disgusting! Seducing me wasn’t enough, now you’re trying to seduce Leo?” Hearing Jason’s comments, Leo quickly shielded me. A cold voice rang out. “Mr. Grenier, you should accumulate some good karma for your sister. Is Healer Grey someone you can slander?” “Whether my sister can look in a mirror again, I don’t know, but your sister likely won’t be able to.” With that, his eyes reddened, and he again pleaded with me to save his sister. I silently recalled his sister’s injuries from the previous life, gaining confidence. His sister, Luna Miller, was not as severely injured as Daisy Grenier. In the previous life, he had also desperately begged me to save his sister, but each time Daisy Grenier had obstructed me in every possible way. Only after I died did I learn. Before the injury, Luna Miller was significantly prettier than Daisy Grenier. Daisy had long disliked Luna. Later, when Daisy’s appearance was restored by ninety percent, she daily taunted Luna, calling her incredibly ugly. A month after that, in the previous life, it was Daisy Grenier’s birthday. She deliberately feigned reconciliation and invited Luna Miller to her birthday party, deceiving Luna into believing no one else would be there. It wasn’t until Luna arrived at the party in a wheelchair that she realized all the prominent figures in the city had gathered there. Ultimately, Luna, unable to bear the strange looks and insults from everyone, committed suicide at home. Until her death, she blamed no one, only mumbling, “I shouldn’t disgrace the Miller family.” Thinking of this, I slowly spoke. “Jason, do you dare to make a bet with me?” “We’ll bet on who dares to show their face at Daisy Grenier’s birthday party a month from now.” 3 “I’m putting my entire fortune plus my Restoration Art on the line against you. Do you dare?” Lily Bell’s eyes flashed with a hint of brilliance when she heard me bet my Restoration Art. But soon, her expression turned disdainful. “How much is your fortune worth? And your Restoration Art might not even be as good as my medical skills.” “Jason, this wager isn’t fair at all.” Jason affectionately ruffled Lily Bell’s head: “It’s just for fun. Ten million, I bet Willow Grey loses.” Lily Bell snuggled coquettishly into Jason’s embrace, pouting sweetly: “Oh, you. Ten million is enough to buy her life. Jason, don’t bully her.” I sneered. “Ten million? Does Mr. Grenier think your own sister is only worth ten million?” “One job for me is worth more than ten million.” “I’ll offer one hundred million. Mr. Grenier, are you in?” Hearing me say this, Jason’s eyes showed strong displeasure, and Lily Bell was so angered her chest heaved. Before Jason could speak, Lily Bell confidently placed his wager. “Of course, we’re in. You’re humiliating Daisy like this, you’re openly challenging the entire Grenier family. We’ll bet one percent of Grenier Industries.” No sooner had she spoken than I burst out laughing. “One percent? Are you trying to pay off a beggar?” Upon hearing my words, Lily Bell’s face turned green then white. “One percent of Grenier Industries is worth at least half a billion! Let’s see if you can match that!” Leo, who had been silent beside me, gently pulled my hand. Then he said, “I’ll bet ten percent of Miller Corporation. Mr. Grenier, are you in?” I wanted to stop him, but he gave me a reassuring look, “There’s a high chance Daisy Grenier caused my sister to be like this. I’ve wanted to get revenge for my sister for a long time. Besides, I trust your skills, Healer Grey.” “Let’s go, saving my sister is the priority.” My heart warmed. Jason looked coldly at Leo, his desire to win almost clouding his judgment. But he still had a sliver of rationality left. Many people were recording with their phones right now; this bet was no joke. As he hesitated, Lily Bell confidently accepted the wager. “Fine, ten percent it is. Willow Grey, I look forward to the day your reputation is ruined and you’re begging on the streets!” Seeing Lily Bell’s confident demeanor, Jason felt much relieved. Jason and I quickly signed the agreement. Before leaving, Jason didn’t forget to mock me from behind. “Willow Grey, being a Healer isn’t for just anyone. I truly look forward to the day your name is dragged through the mud.” I actually agreed with his last statement. Indeed, being a Healer isn’t for just anyone. Upon arriving at the Miller mansion. Luna Miller lay quietly in bed, the Miller family standing by her bedside, all showing looks of heartache. The doctors had done their utmost to repair her, yet they still couldn’t restore Luna to the level of a normal person. I sent everyone away, took a photo of Luna from Leo, and then began the restoration process for Luna. Throughout that entire month, Jason proudly shared Daisy Grenier’s recovery progress with me every day. “I told you Lily’s medical skills are far superior to your so-called Restoration Art!” “Look at my Daisy, she’s about to recover to her original appearance.” “If you admit defeat now, then strip naked and stand in front of Grenier Industries with a sign shouting you’re a whore and a fraud, I can pretend this bet never happened.” I scoffed. Jason hadn’t even noticed that Daisy Grenier’s hands and feet had turned into fleshy lumps, with no trace of finger bones, and even her face had only temporarily rejuvenated. It seemed I had overestimated Lily Bell’s ability to restore Daisy Grenier’s appearance to thirty percent.

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I was the publicly acknowledged girlfriend of Jensen Rutherford, the Rutherford heir. For five years, our love was a whirlwind, a blazing inferno. During the taping of a panel show, the host posed a popular question: “What’s your partner’s ‘get out of jail free’ card?” Without thinking, I blurted out, “His face.” That night, I trended on social media with the hashtag #SiennaTheUltimateFaceLover. Even when he was photographed kissing a starlet on a beach, even when they were seen entering a hotel together, my lovesick brain took over. I made a public declaration: “I’ll never break up with him. I’d die without him.” Just when everyone thought I would remain that pathetically devoted forever, Jensen suddenly changed. He cut ties with all the women on the side. He even knelt in the old Rutherford family chapel for three days and nights, vowing to give up his inheritance just to marry me. Everyone was calling it the prodigal son’s return. The truth didn’t come out until the day I went to the cemetery to pay my respects and a paparazzo’s snapshot went viral. In the photo, I was kneeling before a tombstone. The inscription read: “In loving memory of my husband, Bryce Rutherford.” And the portrait etched into the stone was a dead ringer for Jensen. The night he learned he was nothing but a substitute, Jensen Rutherford almost threw himself off a rooftop. 1 When Jensen and I first met, he was fresh off a breakup with his first love. The girl, Giselle, had squared her jaw and shouted at him, “I’m the leading lady of my own life! I don’t need some damn man to write my story!” Then she flew off to Europe to study acting. Downstairs from his own company’s headquarters, Jensen found me. I was the picture of innocence, a delicate flower. I bore a striking resemblance to Giselle back when she was just starting out. Jensen only asked me three questions. “What’s your name?” “Are you single?” “Want to be my girlfriend? Money and connections are yours for the taking.” In the beginning, Jensen’s friends mocked me endlessly. “You’re just a placeholder while Giselle’s away. You really think a guy like Jensen would give you a second look otherwise?” Giselle’s fans were just as vicious. “Two-bit homewrecker! The second our queen comes back, you’ll be the first one he kicks to the curb!” Their fury was fueled by the fact that Jensen had taken all the resources once poured into Giselle’s career and handed them to me. Giselle, seething, posted a passive-aggressive message on her social media: “Some stand-ins shouldn’t get too comfortable. What isn’t yours will eventually be taken back.” Countless netizens waited for the drama to unfold. “There’s no true love in high society. This girl’s just gonna milk him for all he’s worth and then bolt.” But five years passed. I never asked Jensen for a single dime. When he fell ill on a business trip, I dropped everything and flew overseas to take care of him myself. By the time he recovered, I had collapsed from exhaustion. When rumors swirled about him and some influencer, I didn’t even ask for an explanation before issuing a public statement: “I trust Jensen. I will always stand by him.” Slowly, everyone, including Jensen himself, became convinced that I was deeply, irrevocably in love with him. Even his buddies changed their tune, finally starting to call me by my name with a hint of respect. One of them even pulled him aside. “Dude, just settle down with Sienna. If I had someone who treated me like that, I’d know I’d made it in life.” That evening, at the villa in Crestwood Hills, Jensen wrapped his arms around me from behind, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as we looked out the floor-to-ceiling window. “Sienna,” he murmured, “maybe we should…” Maybe we should get married. He never finished the sentence. His phone shattered the moment, ringing loud and shrill. It was Giselle, her voice thick with tears. “Jensen… if I said I regret it, is it too late?” Jensen didn’t answer with words. He just let go of me and bolted out the door, so fast he didn’t even stop to change out of his slippers. Later that night, Giselle posted a new photo. The caption: Found what was lost. The picture was of two hands, fingers tightly interlaced. On Jensen’s hand, he was still wearing the matching ring I’d given him. 2 The years away from Jensen had been hard on Giselle. She couldn’t land any roles, lost all her endorsements, and nearly fell victim to the casting couch. She learned the hard way how cruel the world could be and decided she wanted to be that coddled little girl again. The moment she and Jensen reconciled, she came after my resources. My agent, Anna, was furious, cursing him out all night. “You’re his girlfriend! Technically, she’s the other woman here! What gives her the right to be so damn arrogant?” I knew Jensen didn’t love me. But that was fine. His love was never what I was after. At an industry dinner, a few braver souls, convinced I was about to be dumped, cornered me and started pushing drinks on me. Jensen heard what was happening and stormed in. He beat them so badly their own mothers wouldn’t have recognized them. I looked at him, and for a moment, the world blurred. Tears streamed down my face before I could stop them. Jensen, thinking I was scared, pulled me into his arms, his voice a soft murmur. “It’s okay, Sienna. Don’t be afraid. No matter what happens, I’ll never let anyone hurt you.” My past was a rough one. I’d grown up fighting to protect myself. A few greasy industry types weren’t enough to make me cry. It was the way he stood up for me, so fierce and protective. It was just like the man in my dreams. 3 Jensen’s friends tried to comfort me. “See, Sienna? He really cares about you.” “Giselle is just an old habit he can’t quite shake.” For a fleeting second, I almost believed Jensen had developed real feelings for me. But then he jetted off to Europe with Giselle for a vacation, and the paparazzi were there to capture it all. They looked like any other couple madly in love, kissing by the sea before walking hand-in-hand into a hotel, not emerging until the next morning. The comments section under my social media posts exploded with ridicule from Giselle’s fans. “Sienna, stop playing dead and say something! The thought of how furious and jealous you must be right now is giving me life!” “What’s stolen must eventually be returned.” “The one and only will always win. She just has to stand there. Some people can kiss ass their whole lives and never even come close.” Jensen’s assistant called me. I was instructed to handle the PR nightmare, just like all the other times. “Okay,” I said. “Tell him to enjoy his trip. I’ll take care of it.” This time, though, the video evidence was undeniable. Even if I was willing to lie through my teeth, the public wasn’t buying it. “Sweetheart, are you still defending him? Do you think we’re all blind?” “Oh, right, right. They’re just ‘friends.’ Friendly kisses, you know. Then they went to the hotel and had a sleepover while they gossiped under the covers. That about right?” “Sienna, if you don’t break up with him, we’re going to start hating you, too!” Backed into a corner by public opinion, I had no choice but to double down. “We’re not breaking up! I’d die without him!” Jensen cut his trip short to come back and plan my birthday party. He wrapped an arm around my waist, a smug grin spreading across his face. “Baby, you love me that much, huh?” During the taping of the show earlier that day, another guest had asked me the same thing. I had lost a game and had to choose “Truth.” The host asked, “What’s your partner’s ‘get out of jail free’ card?” I was hooked up to a lie detector, so I couldn’t lie. With a look of utter sincerity, I said, “His face.” The host did a spit-take, choking on his water for a solid minute. “…What?!” But the lie detector didn’t buzz. It was the truth. 4 It was no secret that Jensen Rutherford, the heir to the Rutherford fortune, was handsome enough to have a fan club based on his looks alone. Everyone just assumed I was a hopeless, superficial fan of his face. The guest sitting next to me, Lorraine, was a revered veteran actress known for her blunt honesty. She was the one who had commented “A perfect match” under the photo of Jensen and Giselle kissing, followed by a vomiting emoji. The comment went viral. Now, looking at me, her face was practically carved with the words, “I can’t believe this girl.” “Sienna, honey, do you really love him that much?” I just smiled. The cameras were rolling, so I let the topic drop. After the taping, Lorraine invited me to her house for dinner. Years ago, I had played her daughter in a film. After just a few weeks on set, she had seen through my sweet-as-pie exterior to the defiant heart underneath. She didn’t call me out on my act. In fact, she praised me. “Good,” she’d said. “I like that fire in you. You remind me of myself when I was your age.” Lorraine lived in Northwood. On her living room wall hung a faded old photograph. A younger, blushing Lorraine was leaning against the shoulder of a handsome young man. I’d heard the stories. She’d had a great love when she was young. He died in a car crash three days before their wedding. I had lived through what she had lived through. I couldn’t imagine how she had survived decades of that pain alone. “Lorraine, how did you get through all these years?” She took a sip of her wine, her eyes turning red. “In the worst moments, I wanted to die. But I still had my parents, my family. I couldn’t be that selfish.” “I tried to move on, to see other men. I even considered getting married on a whim just to force myself forward.” “But none of it worked.” She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, her voice wistful. “The more people I met, the more I realized… he was him. No one could ever replace him.” I sighed, my hands clenching the fabric of my dress. My phone was still buzzing with alerts about Jensen’s latest escapades. A man wearing the face I knew best, acting like a playboy and turning me into a public laughingstock. Jensen wasn’t him. He could never replace him. For the first time, the thought of leaving flickered in my mind. 5 The day before my birthday, Northwood hosted a major charity gala. Giselle wasn’t on the original guest list. But all she had to do was say, “I want to go,” and Jensen pulled strings to get her an invitation. He was worried she’d feel out of place, so he stayed by her side the entire night. When the spotlight found them, Jensen bent down to adjust the train of her gown. Their eyes met, a picture of romantic devotion. My agent, Anna, slammed her fist on the table. “What the hell is this? I’ve never seen a cheater and his mistress flaunt it so openly! Aren’t they afraid of karma?” I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth and forced a small laugh. “They have nothing to fear.” A man with Jensen’s power and influence would just be called a romantic, a playboy. He was probably the envy of countless men, able to have it all. As for Giselle, with Jensen backing her, no amount of public outrage could touch her career. The roles she was getting were better than ever. The world was just that unfair. My seat was assigned next to Jensen’s. But when I arrived, Giselle was already sitting in it. I pointed to the back. “Your seat is over there.” Giselle shot me a disdainful look and pretended she hadn’t heard. For the first time, I refused to back down. I stood there, staring at her. “Don’t play deaf. Get up.” The tension thickened. Jensen tugged on my sleeve. “Sienna, come on, be good. Just let her have it.” “And if I won’t?” Jensen’s brow furrowed, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. “Don’t be difficult. If you have a problem, we’ll deal with it at home.” I didn’t even understand it myself. For five years, I had put up with everything. Why was I letting something so small get to me now? I choked back a sob. “Jensen, this is the last time.” I shook his hand off and turned, walking toward the back of the room. 6 Throughout the several-hour-long event, Jensen kept looking back at me. The media barely got a single shot of his face, just the back of his head. Giselle was not pleased. The moment the gala ended, she complained of a stomachache, making Jensen stay with her at the hospital all night. The next morning, Jensen’s friends started calling. “Sienna, you have no idea how much effort Jensen put into your birthday party. The gown alone was handmade by dozens of artisans in France!” “Just forgive him for last night, okay? He knows he messed up and promised he’d make it up to you today.” This was classic Jensen. He knew he was in the wrong but was too proud to apologize, so he’d always send others to plead his case. I went to the party venue as requested. But when I arrived, the expressions on everyone’s faces were grim. “What’s wrong?” I followed their gaze up to the second-floor landing. The magnificent, one-of-a-kind gown was now being worn by Giselle. Jensen walked over to me. He rubbed his chin, looking guilty. “Giselle fell in love with the dress. Just let her have it, okay? I’ll get you something even better later…” “Jensen.” I looked at him, my voice ice. “Is this your idea of making it up to me?” “That’s my dress! Why should I let her have it? I won’t!” “You’re playing both sides. Don’t you feel disgusting?” “No, that’s not right. The two of you are perfect for each other. You’re both disgusting.” In five years, I had always been the gentle, obedient one. Jensen had never seen me like this, my words sharp enough to draw blood, lashing out at him. He was stunned, his face flushing with embarrassment. “It’s just a dress. Is it really that big of a deal?” His friends swarmed in, trying to mediate. “It’s your birthday! You should be happy. Sienna, don’t be angry.” “And you, Jensen, just apologize to her already.” I stood there, silent. After a long moment, I looked at Jensen’s face and let out a dry, humorless laugh. “No need to apologize.” “We’re done, Jensen. Let’s break up.” 7 The single sentence hung in the air, leaving everyone in the room stunned. Jensen was the most shocked of all. It took him a long moment to process my words. “…Break up?” he repeated, as if he’d misheard. “You said break up?” “Sienna, I dare you to say that again.” Giselle, drawn by the argument, hurried over, her eyes downcast as she apologized. “Sienna, I’m so sorry! I grew up poor, I was never really doted on. When I saw a dress this beautiful for the first time, I just wanted to try it on.” “Don’t be mad. I’ll take it off and give it back to you right now…” “Don’t bother.” I pulled a pair of scissors from my purse, grabbed Giselle, and shredded the gown she was wearing into ribbons. “Clothes you’ve worn belong in the trash!” Jensen’s eyes widened in horror. He shoved me back forcefully. “Sienna! Have you lost your mind?!” Giselle collapsed into his arms, clutching her chest and sobbing pitifully. A sharp pain shot through my palm. I clenched my fist, hiding the wound, and turned to walk out. “Sienna, wait…” His friends tried to stop me, but Jensen roared with fury. “Let her go!” “Anyone who tries to stop her today is an enemy of mine!” … I went back to the villa to grab a few important things, then bought a train ticket back to my hometown of Riverbend that same day. The scenery blurred past the window. Listening to the whistling wind, I felt like I had spent my entire life as a piece of driftwood on the river of life, always finding a moment of happiness only to have it snatched away by fate. It was dark by the time I reached Riverbend. It was a small town, and I couldn’t find a cab. I dragged my luggage through the rain, walking for over two hours from the train station to the cemetery. I just missed him so much. I couldn’t wait another second to see him. The old groundskeeper at the cemetery gate tried to send me away. “Girl, who comes to a grave in the middle of the night? Aren’t you afraid of ghosts?” The emotions I had been holding back the entire journey finally broke. I covered my face and sobbed, a raw, broken sound. “If only ghosts were real!” I would have given anything, paid any price, just to see Bryce Rutherford one more time. 8 Sienna was really gone. The girl who was always so sweet, who smiled at everyone, so gentle she almost seemed unreal, had exploded over a single dress. It was like she’d swallowed a stick of dynamite. One of his friends finally couldn’t take it anymore. “Jensen, man, you really went too far this time. You can’t just keep pushing her around because you know she cares about you.” “Stop being so stubborn. Go get her back.” “Get her back?” Jensen scoffed. “Are you kidding me? She’s the one who can’t live without me, not the other way around.” “Didn’t you see her today? She was acting like a lunatic. That’s what happens when you spoil them too much.” In front of everyone, Jensen pulled out his phone and blocked Sienna’s number. “And you guys,” he said, “don’t contact her for at least a month. She needs to be put in her place, or she’ll think she can walk all over me.” The birthday party was missing its guest of honor. The meal was tense and silent. His assistant hesitated for a long time before cautiously approaching. “Mr. Rutherford, I think there was blood on those scissors…” Jensen froze. He sprinted up to the second floor and snatched the scissors off the floor. Sure enough, there were fresh smears of blood on the blades. His tough-guy act lasted all of three seconds. First, he started calling her frantically. When the calls wouldn’t go through, he unblocked her number. He was sending a barrage of voice messages as he ran for the door. [Baby, I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry!] [Where are you hurt? Why didn’t you tell me?!] [Please, just answer me. I’m begging you, don’t scare me like this…] His friend, standing nearby, rolled his eyes so hard he nearly saw his own brain. “At~ least~ a~ month~,” he mimicked. “Hah. Men.” 9 Jensen was just now realizing how little he actually knew about Sienna. He didn’t know where she was from, who her friends or family were, or where she would go now that she’d left Northwood. He had no idea. His team was working around the clock to find her. For days, Jensen couldn’t eat or sleep. Without her, the massive villa felt like an ice cave, utterly devoid of life. Giselle came by the house to find him, throwing her arms around him the moment she walked in. “Jensen, the nuisance is gone. We can finally start over, just us!” But to his own surprise, Jensen pushed her away. Giselle froze. “…What was that for?” Jensen couldn’t explain it either. He didn’t know when it had happened, but somewhere along the way, Sienna had become more than just a substitute in his heart. He loved the faint scent of her long hair, the way her eyes crinkled into crescents when she smiled. He loved the adoring, almost worshipful way she would stare at his face, her eyes overflowing with a love so pure it was impossible to fake. Since the age of five, Jensen had been an only child. He was doted on, raised in the lap of luxury. He had never lacked for affection. But Sienna’s love was different. It was a torrential, all-consuming force that had seeped into his bones and softened him. If he had to choose between Giselle and Sienna, Jensen knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that his heart had already chosen for him. His team found her. Jensen was in the middle of a board meeting. He didn’t care. He stood up and ran for the airport. It had only been five days, but the thought of her was like an itch under his skin he couldn’t scratch. Love was a terrifying thing. It could chip away at a man’s pride, piece by piece, until he was reduced to this pathetic, needy version of himself. Without Sienna, it was like he couldn’t breathe. 10 I wasn’t surprised when I saw Jensen. With the Rutherford family’s resources, it was only a matter of time before they found me. Jensen grabbed my hands, inspecting them over and over. He only seemed to relax when he saw the wound had already scabbed over. He apologized profusely and tried to transfer fifty million dollars into my account as compensation. “You don’t have to do this.” I pulled my hand away, my voice calm. “We’ve already broken up. Let’s just part on good terms. We can still be friends.” Jensen stared at me for a moment, then a slow grin spread across his face. “Alright, baby, enough with the angry act. It was my fault, all my fault.” “I promise, no more Giselle, no more anyone else. From now on, it’s just you.” “Come back to Northwood with me. We’ll get married as soon as we’re back.” I sighed, exhausted. “Stop it, Jensen. I’m not going to marry you.” “Why not?” “Because I don’t love you.” The smile in his eyes deepened. He wrapped his arms around my waist in a roguish embrace I couldn’t break. “You don’t even blush when you tell a lie like that?” “I know what you’re worried about. You think my family won’t approve.” “Don’t worry. I’ll handle everything. All you have to do is get ready to be my wife.” I learned how he “handled it” from the entertainment news. He went back to his family and announced his intention to marry me. He was immediately locked in the family chapel and beaten, his back left raw and bloody. He then knelt in that chapel for three days and three nights, falling gravely ill. When he woke, he refused to eat or take his medicine, throwing the entire Rutherford household into chaos. He repeated the same things over and over: “Even if I have to give up my inheritance and be cast out of this family, I’m going to marry Sienna!” “And don’t even think about causing her trouble. If anything happens to her, I won’t live either!” Jensen was the only heir of his generation. In the end, their concern for him won out. They relented. Once the news broke, public opinion shifted dramatically. Many who had once called Jensen a scumbag were now marveling at the depth of his devotion. “A prodigal son’s return is worth more than gold. Sienna is so lucky to be loved so deeply by a man like Jensen. I’m so envious.” “After all these years of waiting, Sienna’s devotion has finally paid off. Even a stone would be warmed by now.” It seemed the world was exceptionally forgiving of powerful, wealthy men. A thousand acts of cruelty and manipulation could be forgiven if they were sprinkled with just a single grain of sincerity. For the next few days, Northwood residents kept “bumping into” the young Mr. Rutherford. He was spotted at jewelry stores looking at wedding rings, at bridal boutiques picking out gowns. He must have been in a good mood, because he agreed to a photo with everyone who asked. But Jensen’s good mood didn’t last long. A video of me went viral, igniting a firestorm on social media. In the clip, I was kneeling at a gravesite, sobbing uncontrollably, as if pouring out all the injustices of the world to the person buried there. On the stone in front of me, an inscription was clearly visible: “In loving memory of my husband, Bryce Rutherford.” And the face in the portrait was nearly identical to Jensen’s. That night, Jensen blew up my phone. 11 The constant ringing kept me from sleeping. I went up to the roof for some fresh air. When I turned, I saw a figure standing in the shadows. From the moment I met Jensen, he had always carried himself with an air of untouchable, easy confidence. I had never seen him look so broken. He had rushed to Riverbend in the middle of the night, looking haggard and exhausted. His eyes were so red they looked like they might start bleeding. He was on the verge of a complete breakdown. “Sienna, I’m going to ask you some questions, and you have to answer me honestly. No more lies.” I nodded. “Okay.” “You were married?” “No.” “Then what does ‘late husband’ mean?” “We never made it to the altar. He passed away before we could. I wanted to give him that title.” “Last question.” Jensen’s jaw was tight, the veins on his forehead bulging as he fought back tears. “Were you… using me as his replacement all this time?” I was silent for a moment. “Yes.” The truth, once spoken, was a release for me, too. “Sienna…” His voice cracked. “You’re a cruel, cruel woman.” Jensen turned his back to me. His tall frame seemed to collapse in on itself, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. I didn’t understand why he was so upset. “Jensen, in your heart, I was just Giselle’s replacement anyway. I’d say we’re even.” “From now on, just be with her. I won’t be in your way anymore.” “No… Don’t go!” He shot up, trapping me in his arms and crushing his lips against mine in a desperate, bruising kiss. I bit down hard, tasting blood, but he wouldn’t let go. “I don’t want her, I want you!” “Sienna, baby, come back with me. We’ll get married! I’ve arranged everything!” I was just so tired. If I had known getting away from him would be this much trouble, I never would have gotten involved in the first place. “Jensen, are you incapable of understanding plain English? I will never marry you.” “The man I love is not you.” Jensen’s tall figure swayed, as if he might fall over. “So it’s true? The living can never compete with the dead?” The next second, he climbed over the rooftop railing, half his body dangling in the open air. One more step and he would fall. Twenty-nine floors. A fall from that height would be fatal. “If I die, too, will you love me the way you loved him?” A violent tremor shot through me. My eyes widened in shock. He was insane. The wind howled across the rooftop. I turned and walked away without a single glance back. Jensen wouldn’t really jump. He couldn’t. His life was too rich, too vibrant. Love was just a small part of it. Unlike me. My heart was so small, it only had room for one person. The day Bryce Rutherford died, a part of me died with him, leaving behind nothing but a hollow shell, barely surviving. A long time later, a man’s voice, choked with rage, echoed from the rooftop. “Sienna, I hate you!” “I’ll make you pay for this.” “You just wait.” 12 Jensen was wrong. It wasn’t that the living couldn’t compete with the dead. It was that from the moment Bryce Rutherford entered my life, every other man in the world ceased to exist for me.

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On the livestream, Jaxon, the clout-chasing pop idol with bleached blond hair, was lounging inside the cockpit of a heavily armed stealth fighter jet. He smirked at the camera, bragging to millions of viewers that his CEO sugar mama had gifted him this magnificent beast, and he was about to take her for a joyride. My blood ran cold. One glance was all it took to recognize the classified prototype parked on my private military tarmac. Furious, I dialed my wife’s number. The call went straight to voicemail. How dare she hand over top-tier military hardware to a glorified pretty boy? He did not even deserve to breathe the same air as that machine. I did not hesitate. I immediately contacted Central Command, flagging the incident as a Level One security breach and theft of classified assets. By the time the tactical strike team swarmed the hangar, Jaxon was still fumbling clumsily with the control panels. A split second later, a masked operative ripped him out of the cockpit, tossing him onto the unforgiving concrete of the runway like a sack of garbage. Hundreds of thousands of viewers watched it happen live. The chat exploded into a frenzy of panic. “Oh my god! Did they just send the actual Special Forces?!” “Jaxon is so done…” I glanced at the tactical watch on my wrist, a dark scoff escaping my lips. Unauthorized access to a military-grade fighter jet carried a shoot-to-kill authorization. If he wanted to play stupid games with national security, he was going to win the ultimate prize. Some lines are drawn in blood, and anyone who crosses them pays the toll. 1 Jaxon’s eyes were wide with a pathetic mix of terror and disbelief, yet he still had the nerve to run his mouth. “You can’t do this! My stream is still live!” “Are you seriously going to assault me in front of millions of fans?!” I let out a cold laugh, stepping forward to press the heavy sole of my combat boot against his arrogant mouth. “Too bad your account just got permanently nuked for broadcasting classified military intelligence.” “You still don’t get it, do you? I have zero patience for trash like you.” The moment the words left my mouth, a dozen heavily armed tactical officers raised their rifles in unison, the laser sights painting red dots across Jaxon’s forehead. All the blood drained from his face. He began to whimper, his words tumbling out in a garbled mess. “Tony! Are you out of your mind?!” “If you touch a single hair on my head, Victoria will destroy you!” Even with guns pointed at his skull, the brat was using my own wife as a shield. My eyes turned glacial. I racked the slide of my sidearm, the metallic clack echoing sharply in the tense air. “Tony Kingsley! Put that down right now!” The hangar door violently slammed open as Victoria barged in. Her usually elegant, untouchable demeanor was gone, replaced by a mask of blazing fury. “Do you have any idea what you are doing?! You are going to take his life over a stupid airplane?!” I found the whole situation downright hilarious. Whenever Jaxon was in trouble, she always managed to show up with perfect timing. The tactical commander picked up on the toxic energy radiating between us. He gave my shoulder a brief, solid pat. “Handle your domestic issues, Colonel. We will drag this punk to the holding cells.” “Victoria, save me!” Before Jaxon could even finish his pathetic wail, he was shoved brutally into the back of an armored transport vehicle. Victoria’s brows knit together. Her eyes swam with agonizing pity for him and absolute venom for me. “Are you happy now, Tony? Pulling a stunt like this?” I met her raging stare with absolute deadpan calm. “Who told you to decline my call?” Victoria looked at me like I had just sprouted a second head. Her trembling finger pointed straight at my chest. “You humiliated Jaxon in front of hundreds of thousands of people just because I sent you to voicemail?!” “Do you have any idea how hard he has worked to get where he is? How could you ruin him so viciously!” “You should be thanking yourself for letting him trespass onto my tarmac and break into a classified jet. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had the legal right to do a damn thing.” I stared her down until she guiltily averted her eyes. “Victoria, do you comprehend the federal penalty for attempting to hijack a military aircraft?” That struck a nerve. Her pupils dilated in sudden fear, but she quickly masked it with stubborn defiance. “Who says he stole it?! The jet is sitting right there, completely fine!” “You are just jealous that I spoil him, so you are abusing your military authority to crush him!” Realizing she was completely divorced from reality, any desire I had to reason with her evaporated. I turned to walk away, but she lunged forward, her manicured fingers digging into my wrist. “Tony, stop making things worse. You are going to march down there right now, clear his name, and get Jaxon released.” Her tone shifted from panicked to outrageously demanding. “You know how cutthroat the entertainment industry is! Jaxon just landed a pilot role in a blockbuster movie. He just wanted to use your plane to practice getting into character!” When I did not even flinch, her voice pitched into a hysterical screech. “A billionaire heir like you could never understand! Jaxon grew up starving in a filthy orphanage! He hustles day and night just so he can donate to kids who suffer like he did.” “Is your heart made of ice, Tony? Why can’t you just show a shred of empathy!” “He hustles?” I looked at the woman I had shared a bed with for years, feeling a bone-deep chill. She looked like a complete stranger. “Do you know how many of my brothers are deployed in hostile territories right now? Men who put their lives on the line every single day, who haven’t seen their families in years, whose names can’t even be carved onto their tombstones if they die?” “In your eyes, their sacrifices mean nothing. The only person who ‘hustles’ is your little pet idol, the one you’ve pumped billions of dollars into?” “What kind of nonsense are you talking about…” Victoria’s face morphed from pale to a sickly green. She opened her mouth to argue, but I shoved my phone screen directly into her line of sight. It was a gallery of Jaxon’s shameless social media flexes. “Shoutout to my CEO goddess for the birthday gift! Just moved into this mega-mansion!” “Wrapped up my new movie, and she rewarded me with a private island! She is obsessed with me!” “Loving the new mega-yacht from my favorite lady!” I erased the last trace of emotion from my face. My voice was a lethal whisper. “Victoria, do you even know when my birthday is?” “Have you ever celebrated it? Even once?” My gaze acted as a scalpel, peeling back her layers of fake righteousness. “Tell me. Who exactly is your husband?” A flicker of genuine panic crossed her features, instantly replaced by defensive rage. “How dare you turn this on me? With your ridiculous military job, you are a ghost! How am I supposed to celebrate your birthday when you are never around!” She grew more frantic, as if years of hidden resentment were finally boiling over. “You are a Colonel, for god’s sake, and you are throwing a jealous tantrum over a kid! Don’t you feel pathetic acting so insecure and petty?” Listening to her toxic mockery, the lingering ache in my chest finally went numb. I looked at her and genuinely smiled. “You are right. I was acting pathetic. But I won’t make that mistake again.” Without sparing another glance at her twisted expression, I turned and walked toward the waiting armored convoy. “Tony Kingsley! Stop right there!” Victoria’s shrill scream tore through the tarmac behind me. “Do you really think I need you to get Jaxon out?” She was practically roaring now, throwing out a desperate, unhinged threat. “Let me make this perfectly clear. The Ashford family has power in this city! You just wait and see!” My boots paused for a fraction of a second, but I never looked back. 2 By the next morning, the hashtag #JaxonReleased was trending at number one. I frowned, clicking on the attached video. Jaxon looked perfectly disheveled, his blond hair intentionally messy to give him that tragic, victimized aesthetic. He offered the camera a weak, teary-eyed smile. “Thank you to everyone who stood by me. I am safe now.” “I was set up. I guess when you shine too bright, people try to drag you into the dark.” “Thank god my CEO benefactor believes in me. If it weren’t for her, I might have been…” He let a single tear slip down his cheek right on cue. The comment section went feral. [Our baby suffered so much! Thank god Victoria is protecting him!] [It broke my heart seeing him dragged like that. That military jerk abusing his power is pure evil!] [Hah, the guy is just a glorified pilot. Did he really think he could stand up to the Ashford empire? Victoria handled him!] The sheer audacity of it all was nauseating. Victoria was willing to burn the world down for a two-faced actor. I immediately dialed my legal counsel. “Lawyer Bennett. Draft the divorce papers.” “And file federal charges against both of them for trespassing on a restricted military installation and tampering with classified assets.” Hanging up, my eyes landed on the wedding portrait resting on my nightstand. In the photo, Victoria was leaning against my chest, her smile radiant and full of promises. I still remembered our wedding day. A black-ops mission had gone south, delaying my arrival. I had sprinted into the cathedral smelling like cordite and ash, beating the clock by mere seconds. That was when I heard Victoria’s unwavering voice. “I know Tony carries the weight of the country on his shoulders. I know his boots can never stay planted in one place for me.” “But from this day forward, I, Victoria Ashford, will be his invincible shield back home!” Because of those very words, I gave her everything. I poured my trust, my soul, and the Kingsley family’s vast resources into building her corporate empire. The vows still echoed in my memory, but the woman who spoke them was long dead. I packed my duffel bag, ready to head back to the base. As I opened the front door, I nearly collided with Grandpa Ashford, who was dragging Victoria inside by her arm. She was still wearing yesterday’s clothes, clearly having spent the entire night pulling strings to get Jaxon out of federal custody. “Tony, my boy,” Grandpa Ashford greeted, forcing a warm, apologetic smile. “Victoria acted out of line. I have already given her a piece of my mind.” “She only did this because she loves you so much. She just wanted to make you a little jealous.” “Sit down, talk it out. There’s nothing a husband and wife can’t fix.” Before I could even process the absolute absurdity of that statement, Victoria pointed a manicured finger at my face and shrieked. “You are so utterly despicable, Tony! If you hadn’t gone crying to Grandpa, he wouldn’t have frozen all of Jaxon’s contracts!” I could not help but laugh. “Crying to him? Or did your massive PR circus to bail out a criminal make so much noise that the board of directors noticed?” The icy contempt in my eyes hit her like a physical blow. Her eyes went bloodshot with rage. “You bastard!” She grabbed a heavy, die-cast model jet off the console table and hurled it directly at my head. I dodged instinctively, but a jagged piece of the metal wing grazed my jaw, drawing a thin line of blood. “You ungrateful wretch!” Grandpa Ashford roared, his cane slamming against the hardwood floor. “How dare you raise your hand against your husband! Apologize to him this instant!” Victoria clenched her fists, panic and toxic pride warring in her eyes. “Why should I apologize?! He forced my hand!” I felt the warm trail of blood slide down my neck, soaking into my collar. The last ember of warmth in my chest died out completely. Taking a slow, deep breath, I looked at her with total detachment. “Victoria. We are getting a divorce.” 3 Her eyes widened in absolute shock. “Are you seriously stooping so low as to use the D-word to manipulate me?” “I am warning you, Tony. That toxic behavior won’t work on me!” I did not waste another breath. I pulled the divorce agreement from my jacket, signed it with a heavy stroke of my pen, and pushed it onto the table. “Sign it.” Her mask cracked. Real panic bled into her voice, making it tremble. “Over a stupid plane? You are throwing our marriage away over a piece of metal?” “Jaxon already got manhandled! Nobody is even pressing charges against him anymore… Why do you have to be so incredibly vindictive?” Watching her drown in her own delusions, I closed my eyes, exhausted down to my bones. “That ‘piece of metal’ you keep mocking is my lifeline. It represents billions in research and the safety of this nation.” “It has kept me alive through dogfights over hostile waters. And you handed it over to a plastic entertainer for a photo op?” Victoria froze. All the color drained from her cheeks. “Airplanes all look the same to me… I honestly didn’t know it was that important… Besides, he just took a couple of selfies…” I held up a hand, cutting off her pathetic lies. “The reality is, you bypassed security, gave him access to a lethal weapon, and then burned millions trying to cover his tracks.” “We are done.” Seeing the finality in my eyes, sheer terror finally seized her. Grandpa Ashford scrambled to do damage control. “Tony, she knows she crossed a line. To show you how sorry she is, she just authorized a fifty million dollar donation in military supplies to your base.” “I think you are misinformed, sir. That fifty million was the bribe money she paid to get Jaxon out of a black site. It had absolutely nothing to do with me.” The forced smile on Grandpa Ashford’s face shattered. He began to shake with volcanic fury. “You absolute disgrace! You funneled Ashford corporate funds to save that gigolo?!” Victoria looked completely paralyzed. Seeing me reach for the door handle, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms tightly around my waist. “Tony, the money wasn’t for him! I swear! I felt so guilty, I just wanted to support your unit…” “Please, give me one more chance! I will terminate Jaxon’s contract right now. I swear to god, you will never have to look at him again.” Her nails dug painfully into my ribs. Her voice was wrecked with desperate sobs. “Tony, please. Just trust me one last time. Please?” I looked down at her tear-streaked face. After a long, agonizing silence, I let out a breath. “You have one week. If you actually sever ties with him, we can talk.” She shivered, a look of desperate determination flashing in her tearful eyes. “I promise! You will see!” Surprisingly, she kept her word. That very afternoon, Ashford Corporation issued a brutal public statement, terminating Jaxon and effectively blacklisting him from the industry. Victoria completely completely changed her tune. She became the picture of a devoted, apologetic wife. She canceled her corporate meetings, moved back into our house on the military base, and stuck by my side every second of the day. She even asked to accompany me to the aviation museum to see the retired fighter jets. “Tony, did you fly this one too?” She traced the glass of the exhibit, looking at me with absolute adoration. “You are so incredible.” The golden hour light caught her profile, and for a fleeting second, I saw the girl I had fallen in love with all those years ago. In that quiet museum, my deadened heart gave a faint, reluctant beat. Even Commander Briggs pulled me aside later to offer some fatherly advice. “Marriage is a battlefield of its own, Kingsley. If she is making a genuine effort to fix her fire, maybe let her back in the trench.” Driving back to the base, looking at the soft, hopeful gaze she kept giving me, my resolve softened. Maybe… just maybe, it was worth saving. But the second I stepped into my office, the gate guard rushed in, looking completely panicked. “Colonel Kingsley, sir! Your son is throwing a massive tantrum at the main gate… We don’t know how to handle this!” The blood in my veins turned to ice. In all our years of marriage, Victoria and I never had a child. Whose kid was at the gate?

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I had been with Pierce for seven years. We even had a child together, but he still refused to give me a title. The elite circles of Manhattan were just waiting for the day he threw me away. But against all odds, Pierce suddenly proposed. His best friend found out and rushed over, demanding to know if he had lost his mind. After all, Renee had just gotten a divorce and moved back to the States. The woman Pierce had been waiting for all his life was finally here, yet he was choosing to marry me, the nameless woman who had been warming his bed for seven years. Pierce just calmly explained that Renee was too flighty, and she had a daughter. Even if she married into his family, she wouldn’t have a good life. Then he added that I, Hazel, was perfectly obedient. His friend was still confused. Just because I was obedient? Pierce nodded. He said he would set up a trust fund with eighty percent of his assets for Renee before our wedding. That kind of money would last her several lifetimes. He also said that if this were a business marriage, a wealthy heiress would never agree to a prenuptial agreement like that. But he was absolutely certain that I would. 1 “Bro, Hazel literally gave birth to your own flesh and blood!” his friend said, clapping him on the shoulder. “I can understand not giving her everything, but giving eighty percent of your net worth to Renee and her kid? Isn’t that crossing a line?” The VIP lounge instantly filled with knowing, sarcastic chuckles. “Wait, don’t tell me Renee’s kid is actually yours, Pierce?” Pierce took a slow sip of his whiskey. “If anyone disrespects Renee again, we are going to have a serious problem.” His friend immediately changed the subject. “Look, nobody in their right mind would agree to those terms. Why are you so sure Hazel will?” Pierce ran his thumb along the rim of his glass, his voice entirely detached. “Because.” “Hazel has zero material desires. She has stayed by my side all these years, and it was never for the money.” “It is because she loves me.” “Because she is desperate to marry me.” … I stood right outside the heavy mahogany door. It felt like I had been stripped naked and thrown into a blizzard. He knew. He knew all along. He knew exactly how desperately I wanted to be his wife. For seven years. Even after I went through the agony of giving birth to his son. I was still just the nameless Ms. Hazel. He never once brought up marriage. But now, for Renee’s sake, he was going to marry me. In that split second, seven years of blind devotion turned to ash. I did not want to marry Pierce anymore. 2 My hands were still trembling when I pushed the door open. The loud lounge fell dead silent. I walked straight up to Pierce. “Pierce, my gran wants to take a family photo with you and Sam.” Before coming to the club, Gran had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer at the hospital. The doctors said her prognosis was grim. Her only request was a family portrait. Right now, my only goal in life was to fulfill that wish. Pierce opened his mouth to speak, but his phone buzzed. The moment he saw the caller ID, the ice in his eyes melted into absolute softness. Renee’s voice came through the speaker, trembling with unshed tears. “Pierce, my flight landed early! I do not know if it is because of the outfit I am wearing, but even the airport security guards are staring at me…” “I am so scared. Please come pick me up!” Pierce stood up immediately. “I am on my way.” Almost by instinct, my fingers caught his sleeve. “My gran is dying…” He pulled his arm away, cutting me off coldly. “And what exactly does your gran have to do with me?” My fingers froze in midair. He leaned in, his breath brushing against my ear as he articulated every single word. “Do you want to be my wife?” “Then learn your place.” With that, he and his friends turned and walked out. The VIP lounge was terrifyingly quiet. I stood frozen in the center of the room, and then I laughed. Something inside my chest completely and irreparably shattered. Good. 3 I took a cab back to the hospital alone. Overnight, I cashed in every favor I had to contact the top oncology professors. They reviewed her charts and suggested a cutting-edge targeted therapy trial in Zurich. It was a long shot, but it was hope. First thing the next morning, I walked straight into the corporate headquarters. I was quitting. I only joined the company seven years ago for Pierce. Now, I was going to take Gran to Switzerland for treatment. I was going to sever every single tie I had with him and this city. I was in the middle of typing my resignation letter when an urgent email popped up on my screen. It was a mandatory summons for all department heads to report to the top-floor conference room immediately. I was just getting out of my chair when Gran’s attending physician called. Five minutes later, I rushed to the conference room doors, my eyes still rimmed red from crying. I pushed open the heavy glass doors just in time to hear Pierce’s cold, authoritative voice. “Effective immediately, Renee will take over as the Director of Research and Development. She reports directly to me.” Renee was the first to spot me. Dressed in a pristine designer pantsuit, she smiled brightly. “Does Director Hazel have a problem with my appointment?” “It is my very first meeting, and you are already showing up late?” Before I could even open my mouth to explain. She turned to Pierce, pouting playfully. “Boss, do I have the authority to punish insubordinate employees?” Pierce’s indifferent gaze swept over my face without lingering for even a second. Then, he nodded. A sweet, incredibly vicious smile bloomed on Renee’s lips. “Well, since the boss gave me the green light,” she drawled slowly. “Director Hazel, you are fired.” 4 The entire conference room went pin-drop silent. Vanguard Holdings was known for its incredible benefits. No one in the history of the company had ever been fired for being five minutes late to a meeting. Pierce’s brow twitched imperceptibly. I knew him. I knew he thought Renee was taking it too far. After all, I had bled for this company for seven years. I secured their biggest accounts. I had flawless performance reviews every single quarter. But in the end, he did not say a word. Because Pierce wanted the entire executive board to know that Renee had his absolute backing. The weird, pitying looks from everyone in the room felt like hundreds of tiny needles sinking directly into my heart. The second I sat back down at my cubicle, my desk phone rang. It was Pierce’s private line. “Come to my office.” 5 I pushed open his heavy oak doors. Pierce leaned back in his leather chair, skipping the pleasantries. “Renee is an outside hire. People are naturally going to doubt her.” “She only did that today to establish her authority. She did not mean any actual harm.” I stood there listening quietly, like he was telling a story about a stranger. Seeing my total lack of reaction, Pierce looked visibly irritated. He pulled a thick folder from his drawer and tossed it onto the desk. “Here is a contract for the General Manager position at our Brooklyn branch. The title and the salary are both a massive step up from your current role.” “Stop throwing a tantrum, Hazel.” I stared dead into his eyes. “I will take it, but only if you have accounting wire my severance package to my personal account right now.” Pierce narrowed his eyes. “Are you short on cash?” I nodded. “Yes.” He studied me for two seconds, then picked up his phone and dialed a number. Less than ten seconds later, my phone buzzed. The massive severance payout had hit my account. “Are we done here?” he asked. I nodded and took the contract he held out to me. Pierce visibly relaxed. “If you ever need money, just tell the estate manager. You have unlimited access to my accounts.” I did not reply. I just turned and walked out. I dropped the lucrative contract straight into the trash can by the elevators and walked right out of the Vanguard building. Seven years of corporate slavery. Seven years of blind, willing sacrifice. At this exact moment, it was completely, permanently over. 6 When I started my car, my fingertips were still numb. I took a deep breath and drove straight to the elite private preschool. Gran’s family portrait. Just Sam and I would be enough. But the moment I walked up to the school gates, my son’s face completely dropped. “Mom, why are you here?” “Auntie Renee and Daisy got back yesterday. Dad promised he was taking us all out to a fancy dinner!” I pulled him off to the side, kneeling down so I was exactly at his eye level. My voice was more serious than it had ever been. “Sam, your great-grandmother is very, very sick. She wants to take a picture with you.” “I need you to come to the hospital with me right now, okay?” Sam physically recoiled from me. “No way! Mom, you know I hate germs. Hospitals are disgusting.” He paused, then muttered under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear. “And great-grandma… she is dirty too.” My heart sank to the absolute bottom of my chest. Because I knew the truth. Sam’s obsessive fear of germs only applied to certain people. 7 I carried him for nine months. I went through hell to give birth to him. I raised him with my own two hands until he started school. But if I did not wear sterile gloves, he refused to eat anything I cooked. Yet whenever Renee handed him a random piece of junk food, he devoured it happily. When he rolled around in the mud with Renee’s daughter Daisy, he never once complained about being dirty. I forced back my tears. “Sam, I have told you this before. My parents died when I was very little. Gran raised me by collecting cardboard and saving every single penny.” “She has pancreatic cancer. The doctors say it is a disease that hurts so much most people cannot even handle it.” “But she was so terrified of being a burden to us that she hid the pain until she physically could not take it anymore…” A wave of suffocating guilt practically ripped me in half. My seven years of swallowing my pride just to stay with Pierce. It had ultimately become the reason my own grandmother was too afraid to ask me for help. “Please, just do this one thing for me. Let us go take a picture with her so she can have some peace. Please?” Sam’s face scrunched up in obvious disgust. “No! She is a garbage picker! Garbage pickers are filthy and covered in bacteria!” I felt my blood turn to ice. I stared at him in sheer disbelief. “Sam Pierce! What are you saying?!” Sam screamed back at me. “I am telling the truth! She raised you, so you are probably covered in bacteria too! If you were not my mom, I would not even want you!” “You need to stay away from her, or I do not want you to be my mom anymore!” Before the echo of his words could fade. A low, furious voice snapped from behind me. “Sam!” Pierce was standing right there, his expression terrifyingly dark. “Apologize to your mother.” 8 Sam was so terrified by Pierce’s tone that he instantly burst into loud, ugly sobs. Pierce turned to look at my pale, shattered face. His brow furrowed deeply. For the first time ever, his voice held a trace of regret and frustration. “I am sorry. I had no idea your gran was this sick.” “I will clear my schedule over the next two days and personally bring Sam to see her.” I wiped away a tear with the back of my hand and stood up straight. I refused to look at him. I refused to look at the son I had sacrificed everything to raise. “Do not bother.” I meant it. Do not bother. Pierce. Sam. I was done with both of them. I got into my car and dialed my immigration consultant. “Hi, cancel the visa application for Sam Pierce.” “And please extend the visas for my grandmother and me to the absolute maximum duration allowed.” “We will not be coming back anytime soon.” Once Gran got better, I was going to take her to travel the world. “Understood,” the agent replied. “I will let you know the second it is processed.” 9 I stayed at the hospital with Gran for two days. Once her pain medication finally kicked in and she fell asleep, I drove back to the main estate to pack my things. But when I stood on the porch. My fingerprint failed. The passcode showed an error. Eventually, one of the maids had to open the door for me. When the heavy door swung open, the sight before me made me freeze. The center of the grand foyer was piled high with expensive designer luggage. The staff were carefully carrying box after box of Renee’s belongings up the grand staircase. Renee, wrapped in a luxurious silk robe, glided down the stairs. When she saw me, she flashed a sickeningly sweet smile. “Hazel, you are back!” “Are you still mad about me firing you? I am so sorry!” She blinked her massive, innocent eyes and intimately looped her arm through mine. “I just got back to the States, and I was terrified the staff wouldn’t respect me. I had to make an example out of someone.” “I wasn’t targeting you on purpose.” I calmly pulled my arm out of her grip. Renee did not seem to notice my icy demeanor. She took a step closer. “But guess what? I got you a massive consolation prize!” “I finally convinced Pierce to marry you! Now you can just stay home and enjoy the high life as his wife!” “Are you going crazy with excitement?” I stared at her with dead eyes. “Are you done?” Her smile did not waver, but a mocking glint appeared in her eyes. “Not quite!” “You know I am planning to settle down here for good. I grew up in this exact house. It holds so much sentimental value for me.” “Pierce said that to help me adjust, he is moving your little family of three to the Hamptons estate. This house is just going to be for me and Daisy.” “So I went ahead and deleted your fingerprint and passcode. Next time you visit my house, make sure you knock!” 10 Watching Renee act so incredibly entitled. In that split second, I was genuinely jealous of her. I had known Pierce since college. Naturally, I also knew the pampered princess who always hovered around him. Back then, I naively assumed she was the precious heir to some massive fortune. Chauffeured in luxury cars, draped in high fashion, surrounded by admirers. It was not until I was pregnant with Sam that I found out the truth. Renee’s mother was the maid at the Pierce estate. The only reason she had access to that world was because Pierce adored her. But his elite family absolutely refused to let him marry the help’s daughter. So, she took a ten-million-dollar check from Pierce’s grandfather and promptly moved overseas to marry some other rich guy. Over the years, she threatened to divorce her husband almost annually. The reasons were always absurd. Sometimes her husband forgot she hated onions in her pasta. Sometimes he bought the wrong brand of her signature perfume. Every single time she threw a tantrum and threatened to fly back to America, Pierce would drop his billion-dollar empire to go pick her up and fix her life. He would let her stay in his private Hamptons estate. He would even drag my son, Sam, along to play with her daughter, Daisy. But giving up the main estate… this was a first. Whatever lingering pain I had left simply went numb. I was leaving anyway. I did not care who Pierce gave the house to. 11 It did not take me long to pack my bags. As I dragged my suitcase down the front steps, a sleek black Bentley pulled into the driveway and came to a smooth stop. Pierce stepped out. His eyes instantly locked onto me, then dropped to the suitcase in my hand. His gaze darted between the luggage and my disturbingly calm face. “Where are you going?” he asked, his voice noticeably colder than usual. I stopped walking and looked up at him. “The hospital. To stay with Gran.” Hearing the hospital mentioned, the tight knot between his brows loosened just a fraction. “Come to the lawyer’s office with me first.” “I have some paperwork you need to sign.” I knew exactly what it was. Even though I was completely checked out, the issue of Sam’s custody meant I had to go. 12 We sat down in the sleek, glass-walled conference room. My phone buzzed against my palm. It was a text from the agent: [Ms. Hazel, all paperwork is finalized. You are cleared to fly out tomorrow.] I was just typing my reply when Pierce slid a thick legal document and a blinding pink diamond ring across the table. “Sign the prenup,” he said, his tone softer than I had heard in months. “And we get married.” I did not even glance at the contract. My eyes fixed entirely on the ring. I recognized that pink diamond. Pierce had dropped a hundred million on it at a Sotheby’s auction. My medical broker had already warned me. Gran didn’t have international health insurance. The experimental treatments in Zurich were going to cost an astronomical fortune. I needed to be prepared. I looked up and met Pierce’s eyes. “If I sign this, is the ring legally mine?” Pierce clearly hadn’t expected that to be my first question. He paused before giving a low, “Yes.” I turned to the corporate lawyer sitting across from us. “Draft an addendum stating that this ring is an unconditional prenuptial gift.” Pierce’s brow slammed together in sheer irritation. “Hazel, what exactly is your angle here?” “My angle is that this ring belongs to me. It gives me security.” I held his stare. “Otherwise, I am terrified you will change your mind tomorrow and demand it back so you can give it to someone you actually want to give it to.” The tense, angry line of his jaw instantly relaxed. He probably thought that because I cared about the ring, I still desperately wanted to marry him. Looking highly amused, Pierce took the drafted addendum and signed his name with a flourish. “There. Do you feel secure now?” “Be at City Hall at nine tomorrow morning to get the license.” I slipped the velvet box into my purse and nodded. “Okay.” Pierce stood up, walking around the massive oak table to stand right in front of me. “Then it is settled.” “Do not be late, wife.” He breathed the last word incredibly softly. Then, he quickly looked away and strode out the door. Wife. What a deeply sarcastic joke. There was a time when I hallucinated about hearing him call me that. Now? I didn’t even have the energy to roll my eyes. So this is what it felt like when the love completely, irreversibly died. My fingers tapped across my screen as I calmly replied to the agent: [Book us on the earliest flight tomorrow.] I watched Pierce’s retreating back one last time. After today, we would be oceans apart. I would never have to look at his face again. 13 I left the law firm, but I didn’t head straight to the hospital. Instead, I walked into a different legal office downtown. I signed a document legally surrendering all my custody rights to Sam. By the time I got back to Gran’s room, she was resting her eyes, leaning against the pillows. When she saw me, her lips curved into a gentle smile. She didn’t ask why Pierce or Sam wasn’t with me. She just said softly, “Are you hungry? I had the nurse save you some soup.” While I was eating, Gran’s phone suddenly rang. It was Pierce. “Gran, it is Pierce. I am bringing Sam over to see you at four this afternoon. Does that work for you?” The dull, exhausted light in Gran’s eyes flickered with sudden life. “Yes, of course it works.” “Four is perfect. The lighting will be nice for the picture.” Watching the pure, fragile hope in my grandmother’s eyes, a massive lump formed in my throat. We were about to cross an ocean. The treatments would be grueling, the outcome completely unknown. If this one photo could give her peace of mind… Even if it was just a fraction of peace… I would swallow my pride and play along one last time. 14 Gran only managed a brief nap before she woke up. “Hazel, I am sweating so much. Can you help me wash up?” I brought over a basin of warm water and carefully wiped her down. Her frail hands shook violently from the pain, but she didn’t make a single sound. After I finished, she asked me to pull a brand new navy blue silk blouse from her suitcase. She gave a weak smile. “We are taking a photo. I cannot wear this ugly hospital gown.” I helped her into the blouse and gently brushed out her thin, white hair. By the time we were done, she was completely exhausted. She managed a few spoonfuls of broth before a fresh layer of cold sweat broke out across her forehead, threatening to soak the silk blouse she had just put on. She scratched weakly at her forearm. “Hazel, I think a mosquito bit me. It is so itchy.” She paused, looking deeply embarrassed, and added in a whisper, “Could you rub some of that scented water on me?” 15 The moment I looked down, hot tears flooded my eyes. This was a sterile, VIP hospital room on the tenth floor. There were no mosquitoes. She remembered what I told her. Sam was a germaphobe. She was terrified that the smell of her sick sweat and the heavy scent of hospital medicine would disgust him. I pretended I didn’t know what she was doing. I poured the fragrant cologne onto my fingers and gently rubbed it into her painfully thin arms. The cold liquid touched my skin, but it felt like a branding iron searing directly into my heart. “Oh, and give me a face mask,” she said quickly. “Sam is still so little, and I am so sick…” I fought hard to keep my voice steady. “Gran, they will not care…” “I know, I know. But I want to wear it.” She took the surgical mask, folded it neatly, and tucked it right next to her pillow. As she moved, the corner of two thick envelopes peeked out from under the pillowcase. Thinking I hadn’t noticed, she frantically shoved them deeper out of sight. But I already knew. The only reason she pushed so hard for this photo was because she wanted to see Pierce and Sam one last time. She wanted to hand them those two letters. Before she died, she wanted to entrust me, her only living relative, to the man I had loved for seven years, and the son I had birthed. She actually believed they were my safe harbor. Right at that moment, my phone lit up with a text from Pierce. [Something came up. I will bring Sam tomorrow instead.] That one sentence. It was like a rusty knife plunging directly into my chest and slowly twisting. I stood up, forcing a bright smile onto my face. “Gran, I have a quick emergency at work. I will be right back.” She had spent every last ounce of her failing energy preparing for this. Even if I had to drag them by their hair. I was going to put Pierce and Sam in front of her today. 16 I called Pierce. I called Sam’s smart watch. Neither of them picked up. I drove like a maniac to Vanguard Holdings, only for the receptionist to tell me Pierce had left after his morning meetings. I ripped the steering wheel to the side and sped straight toward the main estate. The second I walked through the door, the head maid gave me the news. Today was Daisy’s first day at her elite private school. Pierce took Sam and attended the ceremony as Daisy’s family. That was his ’emergency.’ At eight o’clock that night, the sound of laughter echoed from the front door. Pierce walked in holding Daisy, while Renee held Sam’s hand. They looked like a picture-perfect family. When Pierce saw me standing dead center in the living room, he instinctively set Daisy down and opened his mouth to explain. “Hazel, I…” I lunged forward and slapped him across the face with every single ounce of strength in my body. Smack! The explosive sound instantly killed the laughter in the room.

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Two years ago, my intermittent amnesia had completely healed. But I kept it a secret from everyone. Until today, when I overheard a conversation between my husband, Nate Caldwell, and his buddy. His buddy asked him if he wasn’t worried about them getting too real when I lost my memory every few months, and he had them pose as him to live with me. Nate swirled his drink, his tone dismissive, saying I was frigid, and as long as they didn’t actively flirt, I wouldn’t have any needs in that area. He even warned his buddies that they could act, but couldn’t actually touch me. He planned to return to his family once he was done playing around. So, in these three years, I had lost my memory nine times, and there had been nine different men pretending to be my husband. Those moments of holding hands, embracing, even sharing a bed—none of them were the real Nate Caldwell. 1 My ninth “husband” arrived home to find me sitting on the sofa, lost in thought. A clear voice broke my reverie: “Iris, I’m home.” I turned my head to look at the man at the doorway. “Who are you?” I frowned, feigning confusion. “Are you my husband? I recall my husband’s name is Nate Caldwell.” The man paused for a second, then immediately refuted: “No! That… I’m your husband’s friend! Don’t worry, ma’am, I’ll call your husband to come back right now!” With that, the man pulled out his phone and hurried to the balcony. “Nate, she’s lost her memory again! Whose turn is it this time? Get over here and relieve me!” Hidden by the window, I heard Nate’s buddies squabbling through the speaker. “Nate, she’s too clingy, you have to watch her 24/7, we can’t handle it!” “Yeah, she’s great in every other way, but she’s too strict. What cat in this world doesn’t sneak a little fish?” “How about you just come back yourself, Nate?” “No,” Nate’s lazy voice came through the speaker. “I’m not done having fun yet, don’t want to go home. Who’s going to fill in for me? As brothers, it’s not cool to refuse such a simple favor, is it?” Amidst their excuses, a cool, clear voice spoke: “I’ll go.” I recognized it. It was Ethan Thorne, Nate’s best friend. Ethan was known in the social circles as a famously stoic gentleman, rumored to have been single for thirty years. When Nate first suggested finding someone to impersonate my husband, Ethan was the first to object. But now, was he also interested in playing this game of make-believe? Half an hour later, the front door clicked open. Ethan walked in, backlit by the evening sun. “Iris, I’m home.” His cool voice carried a hint of magnetism. I rose, steadily looking at the tall, handsome man before me. “You’re my husband, Nate Caldwell?” “Mm.” Ethan cleared his throat lightly, covering his lips. “Apologies, I worked late tonight, came home late.” No sooner had he spoken than his phone rang. Ethan made an apologetic gesture and took the call on the balcony. Through the earpiece, Nate’s nonchalant voice drifted out: “Oh, by the way, Ethan, I forgot to tell you, at most, just hold her hand, give her a hug. But for heaven’s sake, don’t sleep with her. No matter how much fun I’m having, she’s still my wife, and I’ll eventually come back to her.” “Got it,” Ethan’s voice was low. For three years, no matter how those men pretended to be Nate, they only ever held my hand or hugged me, never crossing the line. For three years, there were never any joint photos in the house, nor any identity documents of any man. They naturally assumed I wouldn’t find out. I also played along, pretending not to know a thing. But this time, I wanted to play a different game. I walked over and actively embraced Ethan’s waist. “Honey, even though I’ve lost my memory, the moment I saw you, I felt a special closeness. You must be my husband, no doubt about it.” I held Ethan’s waist tightly, my hand not forgetting to caress his firm abs. Ethan’s body stiffened for a moment, then he awkwardly pushed me away. “What’s wrong?” I asked innocently. “Honey, I’ve lost my memory. Don’t you like me anymore?” “No,” Ethan’s eyes flickered slightly, his voice hoarse, “…I like you.” I reached out to unbutton his shirt, my hand touching his chest muscles. “Honey, it’s so cold today. How about we go to bed and warm up together?” Ethan’s Adam’s apple bobbed: “…Okay.” That night, Ethan and I shared a bed. Yet, as if by unspoken agreement, we said nothing more. 2 The next day, Ethan took me to a bar, saying he wanted to reintroduce me to his friends. As soon as we entered the private room, we saw Nate passionately kissing a woman. Ethan cleared his throat, interrupting them. Nate saw us both, paused for a moment, then slowly stood up. “Hello, I’m Adrian, Nate’s childhood friend.” Nate extended his hand to me, introducing leisurely, “This is my girlfriend, Anna.” “Oh.” I nodded, not taking his hand. Anna. I knew her, of course. Nate Caldwell’s first love. They had broken up due to family reasons, then reconnected, secretly, while I was suffering from amnesia. Nate’s unwillingness to return home for three years was all because of her. There were many of Nate’s friends in the private room, several of whom had previously posed as my husband. At that moment, they all, as if nothing was amiss, jokingly said to me: “Iris, lost your memory again? Our Nate is truly a great guy; no matter how many times you forget, he’ll always stick by you!” “That’s right, Iris, you should cherish such a good man!” I curled my lips into a sarcastic smile, saying nothing. Ethan put his arm around me and sat me down on the sofa. As soon as we were seated, I picked up a piece of fruit and fed it to him: “Honey, eat more.” In the dim light, I glimpsed Nate’s eyes turn towards us. I leaned close to Ethan’s ear, deliberately nibbling his earlobe: “Honey, you were so hard all night, you hurt me so much~” Ethan’s face stiffened, and he awkwardly squeezed my hand: “Baby, don’t cause trouble.” Nate clutched his glass tightly, his face displeased. Anna, sitting next to him, snickered mockingly: “Iris, you really have a way about you. Our stoic gentleman, who usually keeps his distance from women in our circles, is acting like a lovesick teenager around you.” At her words, Nate’s friends, fearing I might catch on, all let out awkward laughs, trying to smooth things over: “Haha, well, that just shows how strong Iris and Nate’s relationship is!” “Yeah, even with memory loss, it doesn’t stop them from showing affection!” Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Nate taking a sip of his drink, his face as dark as charcoal. A flicker of satisfaction went through me, and I rose to go to the restroom. As I came out of the restroom, Anna walked towards me. The moment we brushed past each other, with a “splash,” she spilled the entire glass of red wine on me. “Oh dear, my apologies, my hand slipped.” “Slap!” I raised my hand and slapped her hard. “My apologies, my hand slipped just now too.” No sooner had I spoken than a sharp rebuke came from behind me: “Iris Caldwell, what are you doing!” Nate strode over. Anna immediately flung herself into his arms, crying as if in the rain: “Honey, I just accidentally spilled wine on Iris, and she got angry and hit me. My head feels so dizzy now.” Nate’s face was grim, clearly displeased: “Apologize to Anna!” I scoffed: “Who are you to tell me what to do?” “Iris Caldwell!” Nate’s eyes were cold and menacing, his face terrifyingly dark. “How did you become so arrogant and overbearing after losing your memory?” “What I become has nothing to do with you.” I couldn’t be bothered to deal with him anymore. Just as I turned to leave, Nate kicked me in the knee, forcing me to fall to my knees with a “thud.” “Iris Caldwell, don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’ve lost your memory. Apologize to Anna immediately!” Looking at the furious man before me, I felt both pathetic and ridiculous. I had no parents, and in this vast city, Nate Caldwell was my only reliance. We had been together for ten years, ever since we fell in love in college. When he proposed to me, he swore he would always protect and love me, that he would never betray me in this life. But now, he not only betrayed our marriage but also used violence against me for another woman. All the sweet words and solemn vows had turned into a joke. Amidst my sorrow and anger, Ethan’s sharp voice came from behind me: “Don’t touch her!” I endured the pain in my knee, stood up quickly, slapped Nate across the face, and then hid in Ethan’s arms, complaining: “Honey, your friend is so rude, he’s bullying me!” Ethan’s face was displeased, his eyes clouded with gloom, and his gaze towards Nate was full of warning: “Don’t bully Iris.” Nate gritted his back teeth, a furious expression on his grim face. Anna huddled in Nate’s arms, sneering dismissively: “A used bus and a rebound guy, what’s there to be so proud of?” “Shut up!” Nate and Ethan’s voices rang out simultaneously. 3 “Anna, Iris is wrong, but you shouldn’t insult her either.” Nate’s tone was cold and harsh. Ethan frowned deeply, looking at Anna, his eyes icy: “From now on, don’t let me hear you badmouthing Iris again.” With that, he put his arm around me and strode away. We went straight home. As soon as we entered, I embraced Ethan’s waist, my hand caressing his firm abs a few times. “Honey, you looked so handsome protecting me just now, I love it!” Ethan’s ears tinged with a blush, and he lightly cleared his throat: “As long as you like it.” I reached out to unbuckle his belt. “Honey, the weather’s too cold. Let’s go exercise in bed and warm up, shall we?” “…It’s still early.” “Who says you have to wait until a certain time to go to bed?” I kissed his Adam’s apple, coaxing softly, “Honey, I’ve lost my memory, and I can’t remember what intimacy feels like… Can you help me recall?” Ethan’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his voice heavily hoarse: “Iris… don’t tease.” I simply pushed him onto the sofa. Ethan struggled for two seconds, then flipped over, pinning me beneath him. From afternoon to late night, Ethan was like a ravenous wolf tasting meat for the first time, knowing the flavor and never sated. I was so exhausted I fell into a deep sleep. In a hazy state, I heard Ethan’s husky voice asking in my ear: “Iris, are you really suffering from amnesia?” I opened my mouth but said nothing. Did it even matter anymore, whether I was or wasn’t?

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After catching Liam cheating, I cut ties with him without hesitation. Later, I joined a tour group to clear my mind, only to encounter a rare blizzard and get trapped in a glacier at minus thirty degrees. On the verge of death, Liam trekked through the snow to find me. He stripped off every layer of clothing from his body and wrapped them tightly around me. “Claire, don’t sleep. I’m not asking for your forgiveness. I just beg you to survive.” “If there’s a next life, I swear I won’t betray you.” When the rescue team arrived, he was frozen solid in the position of holding me. The rescuers had to cut his hands open with a knife to separate us. After his death, I lived to eighty, carrying the guilt of what he’d done for me. When I opened my eyes again, I’d returned to one year before his affair. In this life, he decisively severed all ties with Mia, even kicking her out of the company right in front of me. Everyone marveled at how deeply Liam loved me, down to his very bones. Until the night before our wedding, I heard his inner thoughts: [Reborn into this life, I’m finally about to have her.] [This time, I’ll hide Mia well. Claire will never find out.]

So Liam had been reborn too. But just like in the last life, he chose to betray me again. He just didn’t know I could hear his thoughts. Liam was kneeling on one knee before me, helping me into my high heels, his fingers caressing my ankle. “You’ll be standing all day tomorrow. If these hurt, I’ll get you a different pair.” Just as I thought I was hallucinating, I heard him again. [Mia’s arch is so beautiful. I could hold it in my hands and admire it all day. Not like Claire’s flat feet—no curve at all. Touching them doesn’t even excite me.] My stomach churned. The scene of catching them in bed in my previous life flashed vividly before my eyes. The dim hotel suite. Clothes scattered everywhere on the floor. Mia’s pale ankle propped on Liam’s shoulder as he turned his head to press hot kisses against it. “Claire?” Liam’s fingers tightened. “Why are your feet so cold?” I jerked my foot back. The stiletto heel scraped across the carpet with a muffled sound. “What’s wrong?” I forced myself to stay calm. “Nothing. Just a little cold.” Liam took off his suit jacket and draped it over my shoulders. Mixed in with the fabric was a faint, sickeningly sweet scent of powder and perfume that didn’t belong to him. I suddenly spoke up. “What do you think of Mia?” Liam’s hand, which had been fixing my hair, froze. His face showed undisguised disgust. “Mia’s just pretty, that’s all. She’s actually worthless. I feel sick just looking at her.” He gripped my hand tightly, desperately trying to distance himself. “Claire, I already fired her from the company. I have no connection with her whatsoever. Even if she stripped naked and stood in front of me, I wouldn’t give her a second glance!” In this life, every time Mia approached him, he pushed her away mercilessly. He looked like he hated her even more than I did. At my birthday party, Mia barged in recklessly and knocked over the champagne tower. Glass shards cut my calf. Liam was furious. He grabbed an unopened bottle of red wine from the table and poured it over her from head to toe. “Get out! Don’t let me see you again, or I’ll make sure you can’t survive in this city!” After shouting this, he turned to order security to clear her out, then softened his tone toward me. “I’ll deal with this crazy woman. Don’t let her ruin your birthday.” A flash of panic crossed Liam’s eyes. “Claire, why are you suddenly bringing her up?” [Did she find out something? I showered twice before coming here today. There shouldn’t be any trace.] [I’ve learned my lesson this life. I’ve hidden everything perfectly. Just one more day. Once we’re married, she’ll be mine completely.] I looked at his upturned face. In the last life, this face had been frozen blue and purple in the icy wilderness, frost coating his eyelashes. When he wrapped his last coat around me, even his breath came out with bloody foam. I wanted to spend this lifetime repaying his sacrifice, but he wanted to use this lifetime to deceive me again. He didn’t regret the affair itself—only that he hadn’t hidden it well enough. Thinking about the wedding, he frowned. [Last time at Claire’s birthday party, I poured that glass of wine on Mia and she threw such a tantrum.] [That night I had to coax her for so long, licking the wine off her chest bit by bit before she’d let me touch her. She’ll definitely throw another fit after tomorrow’s wedding. I need to figure out how to appease her.] His thoughts slithered like a venomous snake, crawling into my mind. After he hurried away that birthday night, he never came back. While I sat in the lounge picking bloody glass shards from my calf with tweezers, waiting from daylight to darkness, he had his head buried in Mia’s chest. A chill shot up from my feet straight to my heart. I looked at his flawless expression and asked softly. “You’re disgusted by her because she acts like a lunatic?” He nodded without hesitation. “Of course. How could she compare to you?” I slowly withdrew my hand from his palm. “You’re forgetting the most important thing.” “Mia killed your mother.”

The muscles in Liam’s face twitched violently. The scene from five years ago flooded between us like icy water. Liam’s mother had suffered from severe asthma for years. That year, in a moment of kindness, she sponsored Mia, a student from a poor background, and even invited her home. But out of jealousy over how well Liam’s mother treated me, Mia played a cruel prank—she replaced all the emergency asthma medication on the nightstand with white vitamin pills. Late that night, Liam’s mother had an asthma attack and collapsed in the hallway, clutching her throat in agony, gasping for help. And Mia just stood three steps away, holding up her phone with a giggle, recording a video. “Stop pretending. I just saw you—you were fine.” Liam’s mother died of suffocation amid those piercing, desperate gasps for air. When Liam arrived at the hospital, all he saw was a body covered with a white sheet, and that video Mia had posted on social media, bragging about her “prank.” Liam knelt outside the morgue, his eyes bloodshot, and vomited up a mouthful of blood. His mother had raised him alone. She was the only light in his life within this family full of cold calculations. He held me and cried like a child whose soul had been drained. “Claire, I don’t have a mother anymore. I only have you.” For three months after that, he locked himself in a pitch-black basement. Self-harm. Starvation. I was the one who fed him cold oatmeal spoonful by spoonful into his trembling mouth. I was the one who held his skeletal body and shielded him from the nightmares that wanted to kill him. I was the one who walked with him through that coldest sea of death. “I haven’t forgotten.” Liam’s eyes instantly reddened, his voice vicious as he gritted his teeth. “A woman that evil wouldn’t be worth my mother’s life even if she died ten thousand times.” “Claire, if you hadn’t been with me, I would’ve died long ago. In my eyes, Mia isn’t even worth as much as a prostitute.” His eyes were red-rimmed, veins bulging on the back of his hand. But his thoughts struck like a sledgehammer, shattering all the devotion I’d given during those years. [It’s been so long. Mia was only eighteen then. She just wanted to play a joke. How was she supposed to know it was life-saving medication?!] [She’s already been so guilt-ridden she’s cut her wrists twice. Her wrists are covered in scars. Why is Claire so vicious, insisting on dragging up things about dead people?] [Mia is so kind she wouldn’t even step on an ant. She’s been having nightmares and crying lately. I can barely keep up with comforting her.] [The dead aren’t as important as the living. The past isn’t as important as the future.] My nails dug deep into my palms, leaving crescent-shaped blood marks. How ridiculous. On the surface, he said he’d never forgive her, but secretly he felt sorry for the scars on his murderer’s wrists. The three months I spent with him meant less to him than a few fake tears from Mia. Thinking I was caught up in grief over his mother’s death, he reached out to comfort me, but I dodged him. I stared hard at his ring finger, my eyes burning, almost splitting open. This wasn’t our wedding ring. Our wedding rings were supposed to be a pair of simple bands he’d designed himself, with our initials engraved inside. He’d said the purest love needed no elaborate decoration. But what he wore now on his ring finger was a pink diamond ring—clearly a women’s style of couple’s ring. It was even the wrong size, stuck at his knuckle and leaving a glaring red mark.

Liam followed my gaze downward. His hand flinched violently. He quickly clenched it into a fist and shoved it into his suit pocket. “Claire.” He took a deep breath. When he looked at me again, his eyes brimmed with gentle apology. “I was going to surprise you at tomorrow’s wedding, but you found out early.” He pulled his hand back out and opened it in front of me. “I saw you staring at pink diamonds in magazines lately, so I secretly commissioned a French craftsman to make one. When I picked it up earlier, the clerk said the size might be a bit tight, so I tried it on myself and it got stuck.” He even laughed self-deprecatingly. “I couldn’t wait to see how it looks on you.” What a seamless excuse. The next second, his thoughts drilled into my ears. [Damn it! How did I wear Mia’s ring back?!] [I was in such a rush getting out of bed at the hotel, I put on the wrong ring. I absolutely can’t let her know I made wedding rings for Mia too.] Three hours ago, he’d called me in that gentle voice, telling me an overseas acquisition had run into urgent issues and he needed to join a cross-continental video conference. He told me to go try on my wedding dress alone. His “cross-continental video conference” took place in a hotel bed. He’d prepared wedding rings for both of us. With the same hands that had pulled me from a glacier in the last life, he’d caressed Mia’s body. With the same lips that had sworn to me “never to betray you in the next life,” he’d kissed away Mia’s tears. My fingers trembled uncontrollably. “Is that so?” I heard my own voice. “But the engraving inside this ring doesn’t look like my name.” Liam’s pupils constricted sharply. The color drained from his face at a visible rate. Even his breathing stopped for a second. He covered the ring tightly. “The inside says ‘eternity’ in French. The letters are too small—you must have misread it. Tomorrow when it’s on your finger, you can look more carefully.” His phone rang. He glanced at me, indicating it was work. He walked quickly toward the floor-to-ceiling window, deliberately lowering his voice. “Didn’t I tell you not to contact me at this time?” After hearing what the person on the other end said, his expression changed drastically. He hung up and headed for the door. [Mia’s morning sickness is getting worse. She needs me most right now. If I keep stalling, she’ll only suffer more.] [I need to get there quickly. Claire can’t get pregnant, but Mia’s different. That’s my first child. Nothing can go wrong!] In sophomore year, he got cornered in an alley by some thugs during a fight. The thugs came prepared with knives. Without hesitation, I rushed forward and took the blade for him. Blood stained his palms. The doctor said my body was damaged. I’d never be able to have children. He slapped himself twice hard across the face. “Claire, I’ve failed you.” “It doesn’t matter if we can’t have kids. If you want, we can adopt. If you don’t, we’ll just have our life together, just the two of us.” And now, he had a child with his mother’s murderer. The lies ground the past into dust, leaving only desolation. He strode toward the door. “There’s a major crisis with the investment deal. The funding chain is stuck. I have to go to the office to handle it.” After he left, I called a friend and had her pull Mia’s medical records. Half an hour later, an electronic medical file arrived on my phone. Six weeks pregnant. Counting back, it was exactly the night of my birthday. A sense of absurdity overwhelmed me. I wanted to call my father to cancel tomorrow’s wedding. My finger hovered over the dial button. That was impossible. The invitations had all been sent out. The hotel was booked. No one would believe me. Liam had played his part too well. He’d fooled not just me, but everyone around me. In this world, everyone would vouch for Liam’s devotion. Everyone would think I was the unreasonable one in this relationship. I wiped away my tears forcefully, my lips curling into a smile. Then let everyone watch the show. I sent Mia a wedding invitation with a note: “Come watch your man make his vows to me.” On the wedding day, I watched the tears glistening in my mother’s eyes. She held my hand and patted it gently. “Claire, I’m so happy today. Liam is such a rare, good man. Your father and I are completely at ease with you marrying him.” At the groom’s table across from us, Liam’s father sat upright. Unsmiling, his brow habitually furrowed, yet even he made an exception today and raised his glass. Liam’s father was a traditional man. Since his wife’s death, he’d never remarried. He looked at me, his voice steady. “I’ve always taught Liam to be a man of responsibility! To love only one woman his whole life. If he dares wrong you, I’ll break his legs.”

Their laughter echoed through the lavish banquet hall. I looked at Liam in the distance, mingling with guests. He wore a perfectly tailored custom suit, his posture upright. A perfectly measured gentle smile played on his lips. If I didn’t know that the hickeys on his neck were covered with concealer, I might have been fooled into thinking this really was just an ordinary wedding. Suddenly, the heavy doors of the banquet hall were forcefully pushed open. Mia stood at the entrance. She wore a glaringly inappropriate bright red halter dress, the slit reaching her upper thigh. So red it was blinding—like a piece of bloodied flesh freshly torn from someone’s body. The guests around fell silent instantly, their gazes shifting between her and me. She walked straight toward Liam and reached out to grab his sleeve. In that instant of pulling and tugging, I saw clearly—Mia discreetly slipped a crumpled note into Liam’s suit sleeve. “Mr. Blackwood, I came to see how beautiful Claire looks today.” “I don’t mean anything by it. I just wanted to be part of the most important day of your life.” The smile vanished from Liam’s face instantly. He jerked his hand away from Mia as if electrocuted, stepping back two large paces. “Get out! Where’s security? How did trash like this get in here?!” He turned to look at me, panic flooding his eyes. “Claire, don’t misunderstand. I never invited her! She’s like a leech, showing up on her own.” Liam’s father’s expression darkened. “Liam, deal with this disgusting woman. Don’t let her dirty Claire’s eyes.” Security rushed over and grabbed Mia by both arms, forcibly dragging her toward the exit. “These clothes she touched make me sick.” Liam’s eyes filled with apology. “There are twenty minutes until the ceremony. I’ll go upstairs to the suite and change into a backup suit. I’ll be right back.” Before the elevator doors closed, I heard his thoughts. [Mia looks so beautiful today. That dress definitely has nothing underneath.] [The note says room 8012 upstairs. This little vixen, demanding I give her passionate sex right now.] [Got to make it quick. Having sex with her while wearing the groom’s suit—she’s definitely going to scream loud.] Mia had prepared ahead of time, slipping through the back door upstairs to wait for him in the suite. Seems my words yesterday really got to her. Only openly cuckolding me could satisfy her. Ten minutes later, I activated the micro-camera in my necklace pendant and looked at my parents and relatives beside me. “Liam prepared a wedding gift for everyone. Come with me to get it.” Dozens of friends and family followed behind me in a grand procession. Liam’s father walked at the front, his face wearing a gratified smile. Walking on the thick wool carpet, my high heels made no sound at all. Closer and closer to him. The man’s heavy panting exploded in my mind again. [So pale, so soft. The way that waist moves—I’d give my life for her.] My mother reached out to help adjust my heavy wedding dress train, then said: “Claire, you’re going to be so happy. A couple years ago when you had that high fever, Liam brought a folding bed into your hospital room and stayed by your bedside all night. Even the nurses said they’d never seen a man who loved his wife so much.” A relative immediately chimed in: “That’s right! Everyone in our circle knows how devoted Liam is, and how much he dotes on you.” “Last Christmas, to buy you a strawberry cake, his car broke down halfway. He walked five miles through the snow. When he got back, his ears were frostbitten.” Liam’s father’s voice was steady as he advised me: “Liam’s been raised by me to be rigid since childhood. He doesn’t know romance, but he takes after me—he only has eyes for his wife.” “That crazy woman Mia just now, don’t give her a second thought.” “You saw Liam’s attitude. Even touching her makes him sick.” But at this moment, my attention was focused only on Liam’s thoughts: [Mia really isn’t wearing anything under that dress. I was getting hard downstairs in the hall.] [If Claire and Dad hadn’t been right there, I would’ve wanted to bend Mia over the table right then and fuck her hard.] I lifted my feet and walked forward step by step. The heavy train of my wedding dress dragged across the floor with soft rustling sounds. Closer. Even closer. I stopped at the suite door. Dozens of relatives and friends stopped behind me. Everyone was smiling warmly at this door. I gripped the cold metal handle and pushed down with all my strength. Click. The door opened.

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A frantic shadow burst into the backstage area of the awards ceremony – it was Leo, Adrian’s assistant, his voice trembling as he pleaded with me to save his boss. A commotion erupted from the direction of the red carpet. From afar, I watched the man who was once my husband collapse to the ground, his body twitching unnaturally. They said it was a sudden heart attack. Reporters, like sharks scenting blood, immediately swarmed him. Someone shoved a microphone in my face, demanding to know why I stood still, refusing to help. I didn’t rush to answer. Instead, I slowly turned, letting them see the grotesque scar across my back. Then, I spoke, my voice cold, addressing the cameras: “Do you all think Adrian Blunt’s ‘sudden illness’ act is convincing enough?” After all, in my previous life, this very man had pushed me down the stairs while I was pregnant. And I, for his manic depression, had given up almost everything. … “Nia! Nia! Please, you have to go see Adrian! He—he’s not doing well!” The dressing room door was flung open. Leo’s face was chalk-white, hair plastered to his forehead with sweat, his lips quivering uncontrollably. He scrambled to my vanity table, knocking over a chair. “Adrian… Adrian collapsed in the red carpet waiting area! He was clutching his chest, gasping for air… his face turned purple! Nia, only you can save him! Quick! Please, Nia!” Leo’s voice was choked with tears. In the makeup mirror, my face reflected not a ripple of emotion. Heart? In my previous life, that very heart became Adrian’s prop, used countless times to garner my sympathy after his outbursts. I am Nia Stone, a top-tier psychological consultant. I’d soothe his volatile moods, cover up his Jekyll-and-Hyde persona. I gave everything. In return, I was labeled a control freak, and then, I was murdered. “Nia!” Seeing no reaction from me, Leo was on the verge of collapsing to his knees. “Any later and it’ll really be too late! Adrian, he…” “Leo.” My voice was as calm as stagnant water. I didn’t even turn to look at him. “I’m not a doctor. Calling an ambulance is what you should do.” “But…” Leo was completely stunned, as if he couldn’t understand my words. In his mind, every time Adrian had an emergency, it was always I, Nia Stone, who pulled him back from the brink. I was Adrian’s only “special cure.” If he had an episode, I was supposed to help him. It was a conditioned reflex ingrained in his subconscious. “No ‘buts’.” I cut him off. I reached into my handbag and pulled out a voice recorder. I stood up, ignoring Leo’s expression of utter shock and devastation behind me, and walked straight towards the door. The corridor leading to the red carpet waiting area wasn’t long. From afar, I could hear the chaos erupting. “Mr. Blunt! Mr. Blunt, hang in there!” “Doctor! Is there a doctor in the house?!” “Move! Everyone move! Don’t crowd him! Let him breathe!” Flashbulbs flashed wildly, reporters desperately pushing forward, their cameras and microphones practically jammed into the front. The human wall of security guards swayed precariously. At the center of the huddle was Adrian. He was slumped in a chair, his tuxedo crumpled. His face was bluish-purple, his throat rattling like a broken bellows. His gaze, piercing through the chaotic bobbing heads, fixed directly on me. He saw me standing calmly at the edge of the crowd, like an indifferent observer. His lips moved, wanting me to save him from distress, just as I had countless times before. I met his gaze. Just then, a sharp-eyed entertainment reporter spotted me. Like a predator finding its prey, he practically lifted his microphone and camera, pushing aside anyone in his way, and rushed to my front in an instant. The microphone was almost poking my chin. “Ms. Stone!” “You are Mr. Blunt’s wife! And a top-tier psychological expert in the industry! Why are you standing here, just watching?” “Mr. Blunt’s situation is critical. Shouldn’t you be offering assistance immediately? Does your cold demeanor imply that your marriage has long been a mere formality?!” A barrage of sharp questions rained down on me. Everyone was waiting for me to defend myself. “Nia! How can you be so heartless?!” The crowd was forcefully split apart. Andy Peterson, Adrian’s official personal assistant, but in reality, his long-time secret lover, deliberately kept hidden from media scrutiny by Adrian and his team. She charged directly towards me. She positioned herself between me and the reporters, her body trembling slightly, blocking most of the cameras pointed at me, successfully shifting the focus onto herself. She spun around abruptly, her eyes red, glaring at me, her voice trembling. “Don’t you know how serious Adrian’s illness is?! You know better than anyone!” She shrieked at me, as if accusing a heinous criminal. “Every time, every single time he has an episode, he’s in so much pain! He curls up clutching his chest, gasping for air!” “Every time, you were there to take care of him, to calm him down. Only you could soothe him! Like a miracle cure! We all know you’re his only savior!” Large tears rolled down her cheeks, making her seem pitiable. She abruptly turned back to the reporters’ cameras, sobbing into the microphone. “Everyone, look! Adrian is right there, right there, dying in agony! Nia… she’s right here! Just a few steps away! She clearly has the ability! But look at her! Look at her now!” She pointed a finger at me. “She’s like a statue! Standing still! No reaction! Not an ounce of concern! Just watching him coldly! Watching him struggle there…” Her voice rose, incredulous. “She’s Adrian’s wife! The wife he married, had a wedding with, and swore vows to! At a time like this, even a stranger would step in to help, wouldn’t they?!” “How can she… how can she just watch him suffer? Watch him possibly… possibly… Is there no affection left between husband and wife? Spouses are supposed to be like birds in a forest, not abandoning each other in times of trouble, Nia!” At this, she suddenly turned back to me, her eyes fixed on mine. “I know! I know you might have misunderstandings about Adrian! You might be angry! But no matter how angry you are, you can’t gamble with someone’s life!” “Adrian shines on stage, winning awards left and right, he’s our pride and joy! But in private, he truly needs care! He can’t live without Nia!” Her words were full of accusations against me. “Nia, if you just stand by and watch… you’ll really face consequences! If something happens to Adrian today, will you be able to sleep tonight?! Will your conscience be clear?!” Her accusations were cutting, every word a curse. Her accusations, sharp and damning, successfully twisted the focus from “Adrian needs urgent help” to “Nia is heartless.” The live stream’s comments section scrolled wildly. #NiaStoneRefusesToHelp# #AndyPetersonSpeaksForAdrianBlunt# #HeartlessNia# “Even if a marriage is strained, you can’t watch your dying husband and do nothing!” “Nia Stone, the psychologist, is a fake, right? No empathy at all?” “Poor Adrian Blunt, married to a woman like that…” Andy held her head high, a flicker of triumph and calculation in her eyes. She had successfully pushed me into the eye of the storm. Facing the accusations, I simply watched her coldly, clutching the voice recorder in my handbag, offering no rebuttal. Leo and the security guards pushed through the crowd, escorting me to my car. Andy’s meticulously edited video went viral, portraying her as a loyal and devoted figure. And I, under the media’s narrative, became the “cold-hearted wife,” the “psychopath.” Adrian’s team remained silent, allowing Andy’s actions to play out. I returned home, my phone overwhelmed with calls, my social media filled with hateful comments. Even a few endorsement partners called to inquire about the situation. I took a deep breath, saving screenshots of all the insults as evidence. I knew, this was just the beginning. Three days later, just as the public outrage began to subside, Adrian Blunt’s studio released a “statement” that once again ignited the internet. The statement, carefully skirting the issue, thanked everyone for their concern, claiming Adrian was making a swift recovery. It cleverly steered public opinion back towards me, Nia, before I could say anything. Andy quickly retweeted it, adding a caption: “Some things are truly not as simple as they appear on the surface.” “What does that mean? Is Nia the problem, which is why she couldn’t help?” “It feels like the studio is implying Nia is the root cause of the problem!” “Andy seems to know what’s going on! Support her in protecting Adrian!” The public was guided to dig into the reasons “why Nia didn’t help,” and my name was plastered across trending topics with all sorts of conspiracy theories. Two days later, Andy, “in tears,” revealed more during a live interview. When the host “concerned” asked about Adrian’s condition, Andy hesitated, seemingly reluctant to speak. Finally, she “felt forced” to reveal: “I… I really didn’t want to say anything. But the misunderstandings about Nia online are too deep, and it’s also very bad for Adrian’s recovery. Actually… Nia… her condition hasn’t been very good.” Her voice choked. “A large part of Adrian’s stress comes from home. Nia… she has a very strong need to control; she interferes with everything Adrian does. His illness is largely related to this.” “Before, Adrian tried… he tried to resist, but the result… was worse. That day on the red carpet, Adrian’s condition… was after that intense argument… Nia even…” She pulled out a blurry photo that looked like a bottle. “…threw away Adrian’s medication! I can’t imagine if she had gotten closer then… I understand she might have been desperate… but… but… Adrian almost… almost…” She broke down crying, her words half-spoken, revealing much. #NiaStoneControlFreak# #NiaThrewAwayMedication# #AndyPetersonRevealsNiaHarmAdrian# “A control freak is terrifying! No wonder Adrian Blunt’s mental state is unstable!” “I knew she was a psychopath! A master of psychological manipulation!” “Andy is so brave! Speaking the truth under such pressure!” My building was besieged by fans and media. “Get out, you witch, Nia!” “Bow down and apologize to Adrian Blunt!” “Control freak, psychopath, go die!” Security guards struggled to hold them back downstairs. My assistant, Ashley, sent her last message yesterday, saying she was also harassed by reporters and dared not leave her home. Just then, glass shattered. “Smash this witch’s den!” Shards fell at my feet. The last straw, snapped. “Ahh—!!!” I violently smashed my water glass against the window. Enough is enough! They want to push me to my death? Dream on! I gasped for air. I’m going to tear Adrian’s facade wide open. I’m going to ensure Andy, his accomplice, never recovers! Medication bottle? Right, the medication! In my previous life, I had seen the lab report for that drug. It wasn’t life-saving medication at all! It was… an addictive, illegal substance! His so-called “can’t live without me” was because I could help him maintain his disguise! The account for the drug monitoring report, only I knew it! I no longer paid attention to anything outside the window. I found and saved that report. Then I switched the voice recorder to playback mode.

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My Alpha husband Leon is the CEO of a publicly traded company, worth billions, yet he only gives me and our daughter Lucy two hundred dollars a month for living expenses. But the day his first love Vivian returned to the country, he didn’t hesitate to gift her a million-dollar luxury car and a ten-million-dollar mansion. Later, when Lucy had a sudden heart attack and only needed a hundred thousand dollars for surgery to survive, he accused me of finally revealing my true ambitions and had his bodyguards throw me out of the company. I watched helplessly as Lucy died in the operating room while he boarded an international flight to travel the world with Vivian. It wasn’t until I finished Lucy’s funeral that Leon, fresh from his trip, finally found me and said carelessly: “Alright, you and Lucy have always wanted to go to the amusement park, right? I’ll take you next week.” But he didn’t know that from the moment Lucy died on that operating table, I decided I was done with him. Our marriage was over.

I was packing up Lucy’s belongings when Leon, just back from his world tour, finally returned home at his leisure. “Circe, give me a shoulder massage. These past few days of traveling wore me out.” Hearing this, I, who used to love my husband like my life depended on it, now said nothing and continued packing in silence. Seeing that I ignored him, Leon frowned, then seemed to remember something and suddenly laughed. “Don’t tell me, Circe, you’re still jealous about me traveling with Vivian?” Vivian was the daughter of Nightcrest pack’s Beta, and also his first love. To accompany Vivian on a world tour, Leon didn’t hesitate to abandon our critically ill Lucy, leaving her to die miserably on that cold operating table. Thinking of Lucy’s eyes gradually losing their warmth, my heart felt like it was being stabbed with an awl. Before I could speak, Vivian walked through the door looking relaxed, saying in fake concern: “Oh my! Luna Circe, this is all my fault for insisting Leon travel with me to relax.” “But don’t worry, we just traveled together, that’s all. Really, nothing happened.” Her words sounded casual, but the two of them wore matching couple shirts and couple rings, looking as sweet as real lovers walking down the street. Meanwhile, my wedding ring with Leon had long been discarded somewhere unknown. Seeing that I still didn’t speak, Leon finally sighed with a helpless expression. “Alright, stop being angry. I’ll transfer you an extra five hundred dollars this month for living expenses. Buy Lucy something nice to eat.” “Just be grateful that I’m good to you both. No need to thank me.” Looking at the transfer record on my phone screen, I only felt it was utterly ironic. He spent over a million dollars traveling the world with Vivian, constantly buying designer brands, any random bag costing tens of thousands. And now, he was giving me five hundred dollars as if he were bestowing upon me some enormous favor. Standing to the side, Vivian could barely suppress her laughter as she said mockingly: “Luna Circe, five hundred dollars isn’t little. Hurry up and thank Leon.” “If you ask me, it’s good for kids to suffer a bit when they’re young. That way they won’t be spoiled by money in the future!” Such absurd reasoning, yet Leon believed it completely. To keep Lucy from being “spoiled,” he strictly controlled mine and Lucy’s expenses every month, only giving us two hundred dollars for living costs. I used to fight with him about this all the time, because I wanted to give Lucy a better life, but now that Lucy was dead, there was no point in saying anything more. With that thought, I transferred the money straight back and said flatly: “No need. I don’t need it.” The smile on Leon’s face froze instantly, then he said helplessly: “Circe, I already apologized to you. What more do you want?” Before I could respond, Vivian’s mocking voice came from beside me. “I think she just thinks five hundred dollars is too little, right?” “Luna Circe, I’m not trying to criticize you, but with your materialistic attitude, how can you set a good example for Lucy?” She lectured me from her high horse. Hearing this, Leon also looked at me with disappointment. “Circe, we’ve only been married a few years and you’ve already become this greedy?” “In a few more years, are you going to want my company shares and my family assets too?” Hearing Leon’s interrogation, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at myself. Leon and I were fated mates. Back then, he was a distinguished Alpha, and I was just an ordinary werewolf. After meeting me, he broke up with Vivian to pursue me. Before marriage, he said: “The difference in our status doesn’t matter, Circe. No matter what your family background is, I will love you.” But after marriage, once Vivian returned to the country and found him, he always mocked me: “Someone of your status should be laughing in your sleep that you married me. Don’t fantasize about things that don’t belong to you. The few hundred dollars I give you each month is already a gift.” Now, hearing him say such things again, I no longer had the energy to argue. But my silence, in his eyes, became guilt. The next moment, Leon said irritably: “Looks like Vivian was right. You’re not a qualified mother at all.” “I’m doing this to cultivate our daughter’s spirit of hard work and endurance.” “If you keep this up, and Lucy ends up as greedy and materialistic as you in the future, how are we supposed to maintain this family?” Watching him act so serious, I only felt it was ironic. His so-called hard work and endurance meant that if I asked him for an extra twenty dollars for groceries, he would lecture me for hours about coveting his family fortune. Even when Lucy got a good test score and wanted to eat a small piece of cake, he would point at her nose and scold: “So materialistic at such a young age, you’ll definitely be greedy when you grow up!” “Your mother is going to spoil you sooner or later!” Thinking of this, I was about to tell him about Lucy’s situation. “Leon, Lucy has already—” But before I could finish, Vivian at the door suddenly wailed. The next moment, Leon didn’t even bother to continue lecturing me and immediately rushed to Vivian’s side. “Vivian, what’s wrong?” Vivian waved her hand pretentiously. “Leon, I’m fine. I just suddenly felt uncomfortable. Maybe I’m allergic to some of the flowers in your house.” “I’m okay, don’t let me interfere with your family reunion.” Hearing this, Leon shook his head. “Your health is more important. I’ll take you to the hospital right now.” Just before leaving, Leon seemed to remember something and turned back to look at me, sighing earnestly. “Circe, let’s both cool down for a bit.” “When I get back, we’ll talk properly about taking our daughter out next week.” But he didn’t know that Lucy was no longer in this world, and I didn’t want to wait for him anymore.

After collecting my thoughts, I brought my resignation letter and went straight to the company to process my departure. After marrying Leon, I had been working at his company. Along the way, colleagues around me pointed and whispered. “Isn’t that Circe? How does she still have the face to come to the company?” “Right? Doesn’t know her place. Last month she had the nerve to ask Leon for a hundred thousand dollars, and Leon had security throw her out.” “With her salary, how many years would she have to work for Leon to earn a hundred thousand?” “Haha, ignore this clown, let’s go…” Hearing these voices, I laughed bitterly at myself. After years of marriage, Leon never publicly announced our relationship, and to avoid suspicion, he always arranged for me to work as an ordinary employee at the bottom. No one knew that I was Nightcrest pack’s mysterious Luna. All these years I worked diligently, no matter how many all-nighters I pulled, to help the company close deal after deal. I just wanted to become a little more excellent, to make Leon acknowledge Lucy and me. But my promotion applications were rejected by him time and time again. I went to him confused, wanting an explanation. He just smiled and told me: “Circe, this is all training for you, so you can be a better wife and mother!” I was speechless, thinking he must have his own plans. But the day Vivian returned to the country, he mobilized dozens of luxury cars to welcome her at the airport, with deafening fireworks. That night, Vivian parachuted into the company and was appointed vice president. Only then did I understand—the difference between love and lack of love was simply too obvious. If that was the case, there was no need to continue this ridiculous marriage. I submitted my resignation. The moment I walked out of the company, I thought I would feel heavy-hearted, but instead I only felt relieved. All these years, I was like a bird with broken wings, trapped in a cage, only feeling oppression. But now, freedom stretched before me. I went to Lucy’s grave. In front of the small tomb, I carefully placed all the toys she loved when she was alive. I stayed with Lucy until late at night before dragging my exhausted body home. Unexpectedly, when I opened the door, I found Leon unusually waiting for me at home. “Look what time it is. I thought you’d learned to stay out all night.” On the sofa, Leon sat with furrowed brows and crossed arms, his face full of displeasure. This expression meant he was waiting for me to coax him. But I only felt it was strange. Before, even when Vivian was just slightly injured, he would stay by her side caring for her, not coming home all night. But today, Vivian had made such a fuss she ended up in the hospital, yet he wasn’t there taking care of her? Not that it was my business. I was too lazy to ask. I asked flatly: “Do you need something?” My cold tone made Leon’s expression stiffen. Before, no matter what happened, I always greeted him with a smile, but since he returned from his trip, I seemed to have become a different person. I didn’t fight with him or make a fuss, and even the way I looked at him had lost its warmth. This made him feel uneasy inside, and he hurried to say: “You’re still angry about me traveling with Vivian, aren’t you? I already told you, it was just to relax.” “Didn’t Lucy always say she wanted to go to the beach? Fine, once I finish my current work, I’ll take you and Lucy too. Happy now?” The peace offering he extended sounded more like charity to my ears. To him, Lucy and I were like two pets—played with when he was in a good mood, kicked aside when he wasn’t. Leon suddenly remembered something and looked at me strangely. “Huh? Where’s Lucy? I haven’t seen her since I got back.” “Did you send her to your mother’s house?” I looked at him in disbelief. He’d been back for two days and only now thought to ask about Lucy? He had no place for Lucy in his heart, much less for this family. Before I could speak, Vivian walked out of the bathroom wearing my bathrobe.

Seeing me there, Vivian didn’t feel embarrassed at all. Instead, like the lady of the house, she very enthusiastically invited me in: “Luna Circe is here! Come in and sit, don’t be shy.” My breath caught, and the words I hadn’t finished were choked off. I looked questioningly at Leon on the sofa. “What is she doing here?” Seeing my expression, Leon looked a bit guilty. “Vivian hasn’t been feeling well lately, so I just brought her home to make it easier to take care of her. Don’t overthink it.” I suddenly understood. No wonder Leon was home tonight—it was all for Vivian. After speaking, Leon even looked relieved. “Good thing you already sent Lucy to your mother’s house, otherwise with so many people at home it really would be inconvenient.” But I only felt it was ironic. He hadn’t noticed Lucy’s disappearance at all, and instead his heart was full of concern for Vivian. Seeing this, Vivian pretended to feel guilty. “It’s all my fault. I’m interrupting your married life. Luna Circe, I’m just staying for a few days. You’re not angry, are you?” But her eyes were full of triumph and provocation. Afraid I would make a scene, Leon quickly explained: “Circe, don’t worry. I already discussed it with Vivian. She’ll sleep on the sofa, I promise she won’t disturb us.” But the next second, I saw deep heartache in his eyes. How could he bear to let Vivian sleep on the cold sofa? If I hadn’t suddenly come back, he would definitely be holding Vivian tightly in his arms. With this thought, I spoke: “She had an allergic reaction today. She’s already not feeling well, how can she sleep on the sofa? She should sleep in the master bedroom.” Hearing me say this, Vivian’s face immediately lit up with joy. “Really? Circe, you’re so generous.” Leon also breathed a sigh of relief. “Circe, I’m glad you can think this way. I was just worried you’d be jealous of Vivian and have another big fight with me.” He thought I had become sensible and wouldn’t fight with him over such small matters. Anyway, I was leaving. What did it matter to me where anyone slept? Just as Leon was happily pulling Vivian to move into the master bedroom, I had already quietly packed my luggage and was preparing to stay at a hotel. But just as I reached the door, Leon, who had suddenly emerged from the master bedroom, saw me and quickly blocked my way. “Circe, it’s so late. Where are you going?” I smiled faintly. “To make room for you and Vivian, of course.” Hearing this, Leon’s face instantly turned iron-blue, and he said through gritted teeth: “Circe, what do you mean by that?” “I already explained everything clearly. It’s because Vivian isn’t feeling well that I brought her home for a few days, and you personally agreed to let her stay in the master bedroom. What are you trying to pull now?” “Don’t you have any compassion at all?” He went on and on in my ear, but I only felt it was laughable. I used to fight with him over Vivian, and he would call me inconsiderate and unreasonable. Now that I was being sensible and not fighting, he was unhappy again. Vivian pretended to wipe away tears. “I knew Circe was still angry at me. This is all my fault. I should just leave. Let me die in pain on the street.” Such a clumsy performance, yet Leon believed it. He pulled Vivian protectively behind him. “Vivian, you’re staying here tonight. I’d like to see who dares to kick you out!” Then, arms crossed, he said coldly to me: “Quite capable now, aren’t you? If you’ve got the guts, then leave!” He was certain I loved him and wouldn’t really leave. But from the moment Lucy died, my love for him had completely disappeared, and I would never forgive him for the rest of my life. I laughed coldly, picked up my suitcase, and left. Leon stared blankly at my retreating figure, unable to come back to his senses for a long time. It wasn’t until I got on the elevator that I heard Leon shouting behind me: “Go ahead! If you leave, don’t you dare come back!” But he didn’t know that I really would never look back. He had lost me forever. At the hotel, I slept soundly through the night. Early the next morning, I opened my phone to find dozens of missed calls, all from Leon. The last call was half an hour ago. I felt a bit strange. Had he not slept all night? He always used to tell me to be more generous and stop fighting with Vivian, but when had he become so petty? When I opened the door, Leon sat in the chair looking haggard. As soon as he saw me, he became instantly agitated. “Just because I let Vivian stay at the house, you’re throwing a tantrum by running away and quitting your job, is that it?”

I didn’t answer directly, but frowned and asked: “How did you know I was here?” Leon’s voice was hoarse. “I checked your bank card transaction records.” Only then did I remember that shortly after we got married, Leon took sole control of the household finances, strictly controlling mine and Lucy’s expenses. The bank cards were all under his name too. It seemed I couldn’t keep that bank card either. But what confused me was why he wasn’t at home taking care of Vivian. What was he doing looking for me? Leon uncharacteristically grabbed my hand gently. “I know you’re still angry about last night.” “So this morning, as soon as Vivian recovered a bit, I immediately sent her home. Don’t worry, I made her sleep on the sofa.” I looked at him in surprise. He never used to explain these things to me. Whenever I fought with him about them, he would say I was petty and that dirty-minded people see everything as dirty. But now that I wasn’t asking, he was going on and on in my ear. I felt annoyed and pushed him away expressionlessly. “Are you done? If so, I need to go to a job interview.” During this time, I had sent out many resumes, and several major companies had already extended offers to me. But just as I was about to leave, Leon grabbed me, his voice trembling: “Circe, do you have to be so ruthless?” “Vivian and I grew up together. She’s my first love. I just want her to have a good life. Is that wrong?” “Besides, haven’t I been good to you and Lucy?” “All these years, everything you and Lucy eat, wear, and use—who paid for it all?” “How can you do this to me after everything I’ve done for you?” Seeing his self-righteous expression, I felt utterly ironic. Because he only gave Lucy and me two hundred dollars a month, which wasn’t even enough for food, let alone school, transportation… To make sure Lucy had enough to eat, I worked three part-time jobs after my regular work. That’s also why, in the end, I couldn’t even scrape together the hundred thousand dollars for surgery, and could only watch helplessly as Lucy died miserably on that operating table. Leon said softly at this moment: “Circe, stop this nonsense. Bring Lucy home with me and let’s live as a proper family of three, okay?” He looked at me pitifully, but I only felt it was laughable. Why should I be like a dog, doing whatever he wanted me to do? Seeing me standing there with a stern face, not speaking, he reluctantly relented: “Then… from now on I’ll raise your and Lucy’s living expenses to five hundred dollars a month!” “Lucy said she wanted to go to the beach, right? We’ll leave today. That should be good enough, right?” “Look, I even bought her the swimsuit she’s been wanting.” He finished speaking and looked at me expectantly. Because he felt the conditions he offered were attractive enough that I had no reason to refuse. I laughed coldly. “You want to take Lucy to the beach, do you?” “Then come with me.” Leon had no idea what was about to happen. He thought I had forgiven him. Even after following me into the car, he was still grinning foolishly: “We’re an old married couple and you’re still preparing surprises for me?” “Alright, I’ll give you face and reluctantly go see what it is.” But when I drove the car to Lucy’s gravesite, Leon looked confused. “Circe, weren’t we going to your mother’s house to see Lucy?” “Why did you bring me to this kind of place?” But the next second, when Leon saw our Lucy’s photo on the tombstone in front of him, the swimsuit he had bought for Lucy immediately fell to the ground.

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The day the store manager pointed her finger in my face and called me useless, I had just been hit with a customer complaint for refusing to heat up an ice cream cone. To make matters worse, she fired me on the spot and refused to pay me for the last month’s work. The next morning, I pushed open the store’s door and walked straight to the counter. When the manager looked up, I stared her dead in the eye and said, “I’d like one heated ice cream cone, please.” 1 “Ma’am, what did you say?” I held up the ice cream cone, certain I had misheard. The woman in front of me enunciated each word with chilling clarity. “I. Said. I. Want. It. Heated.” “Ice cream can’t be heated, ma’am.” “I’m on my period; I can’t have anything cold! Just heat it up! You’re just a damn server, stop being so difficult!” With a sigh, I found a cup, placed the ice cream inside, and confirmed with her one last time. “Heating the ice cream will turn it into soup. You’re okay with that?” “No!” she shrieked. “How am I supposed to eat soup? I want hot ice cream! The shape and texture have to stay the same!” I screamed internally. What kind of insane request is this? I’m just a summer temp! Please, universe, don’t mess with me like this! I shot a desperate look at my coworkers, but they were all in the weeds, gritting their teeth and shaking milk teas like their lives depended on it. A price war between the delivery apps had us spinning like tops. “Kate! What are you dawdling for? Can’t you even scoop an ice cream cone? Are you trying to slack off?” the manager’s impatient roar echoed from across the store. Sweat beaded on my forehead. “Ma’am, I really can’t fulfill your request. How about I refund your order and you can have the ice cream for free?” I held out the cone, just wanting to get this crazy woman out of the store. The words had barely left my mouth when I felt a sudden cold, sticky sensation on my face. She had thrown the ice cream at me. “For free? This piece of junk?” she sneered. “Am I a beggar to you? Who do you think you’re looking down on!” The entire store fell silent. The delivery drivers and customers crammed inside all turned to stare. My eyes burned. I had never been so humiliated in my entire life. I lowered my head, silently wiping the sticky mess from my face as I processed the refund. “Your request to heat the ice cream cannot be met. Your order has been refunded. Please come again.” The customer was practically hopping with rage. “Who told you to refund it? What gives you the right to cancel my order?” I ignored her and started working on the next ticket. That made her even angrier. “What’s with your attitude? Playing dead, are you? I’ll report you, you’ll see!” The other customers in line couldn’t stand it anymore. “Hey, what’s your problem? Can’t you see they’re swamped? Stop making trouble!” “Are you buying something or not? If not, get out! There’s a long line here, don’t waste our time!” “Is order 985 ready? It’s about to be late, hurry up!” Amidst the chorus of complaints, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her. I never imagined that later that day, I’d be the one facing a formal complaint. 2 The store manager, Bianca, stormed over, her phone in hand, her face darker than the bottom of a burnt pot. “Kate! Look what you’ve done! A customer complained about your terrible attitude and for refunding her order without permission!” “Manager, you were right there. She was being unreasonable, demanding I heat up an ice cream cone. I just followed procedure and issued a refund…” “Procedure?” Bianca slammed her hand on the counter, her finger practically touching my nose. “The customer is always right, you get it? If the customer wants a heated ice cream cone, you find a way to make it happen!” I was so speechless I almost laughed. “The customer still has to obey the laws of physics, right? Not even a god could heat ice cream without it melting!” “You’re lecturing me on physics?” Bianca sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, right, you’re the precious university student. So educated, you know all about physics! We’re just a bunch of illiterate grunts! We’re all idiots, and you’re the only smart one here!” It finally clicked. No wonder Bianca had been picking on me since my very first day, giving me the hardest, most grueling tasks and leading the others in ostracizing me. It was all because of something the regional supervisor had said. “Kate just got into a top-tier university! She’s different from us.” Bianca had been holding a grudge ever since. But she was still the manager, so I swallowed my pride and tried to explain. “Manager, I didn’t mean it like that. But the customer’s request was just impossible. I couldn’t do it.” “Couldn’t do it?” Bianca rolled her eyes and raised her voice. “So the so-called star student is just another useless waste of space! If you can’t do it, then get out! Stop being an eyesore!” My anger flared, and I stopped holding back. I pointed at the ice cream machine. “Since you’re so capable, why don’t you show me how to make a hot ice cream cone?” Bianca was momentarily stunned, her face flushing a deep red before twisting into a mask of fury. “You… Kate! What is this attitude? Are you trying to start a rebellion? You get a complaint, and you still have the nerve to talk back to your manager! That’s it, you’re fired! Pack your things and get out, now!” “Fine!” I ripped off my name tag and threw it on the floor. “Pay me my wages!” “Wages?” Bianca laughed as if it were the funniest joke she’d ever heard. “You got a customer complaint! You should be grateful I’m not making you pay for the damages! You want your wages? Dream on!” “You’re docking my pay?” “Docking? Don’t make it sound so ugly. The damage from one complaint costs the store more than your pathetic salary. Since you’re a student, I’ll be merciful and waive the rest of what you owe. Now, get out!” I was shaking with rage. I came in an hour early every day to prep ingredients and stayed an hour late to clean. I worked over ten hours a day, so exhausted I’d collapse into bed the moment I got home. For an entire month, I hadn’t taken a single day off, hadn’t slacked for a single minute. And this was my reward? My entire salary, gone? My fists clenched. “Withholding wages is illegal! Are you daring to break the law? Do you think I won’t report you to the labor board?” “Report me? Go ahead!” Bianca scoffed, her face a mask of contempt. “Let me tell you, I’m not someone to be messed with! What a joke. You read a few books and think you’re hot stuff.” She threw my bag out the door and then turned to the silent staff, roaring, “What are you all staring at? Get back to work! Anyone else who causes trouble will end up just like her!” I bent down, picked up my bag, and walked out without another glance at her twisted face. You want me to leave? Fine. Bianca, you just watch me. 3 In the labor arbitration mediation room, Bianca sat across from me, her chin held high, an arrogant smirk on her face. “Mediator, please take a look,” she said, calmly pushing two documents across the table. One was the Employee Rulebook, the other, a list of my violations. “During her employment, Kate committed multiple serious violations, causing significant losses to the store.” The mediator picked up the list, his brow furrowing deeper with each line he read. I couldn’t help but lean in. The moment I saw the contents, I felt the blood rush to my head. The list was a dense catalog of my supposed “crimes.” “July 1st, spilled pearl tapioca, $20 fine.” “July 5th, failed to promptly replace a torn glove while cleaning the ice machine, $50 fine.” “July 6th, added an extra swirl of whipped cream, $5 fine.” “One minute late, fine…” “Omitted one word from the standard greeting, fine…” “Cleaning rag not folded neatly, fine…” The list went on and on, each item more shocking than the last. Bianca’s voice was calm. “Mediator, every single one of these deductions was made in strict accordance with the employee rulebook. Kate’s monthly salary is $3,000. The total fines amount to $3,550. Not only does she not get a penny, but she also owes the store $550.” She paused, looking at me with a pained expression. “Kate, I didn’t even ask you for that $550, considering you’re a student. And yet… you turn around and bite the hand that feeds you? It’s truly heartbreaking.” I clenched my fists, trying to suppress the rage boiling inside me. I couldn’t believe it. Bianca had gone through hours of security footage to fabricate this long list of “crimes” and this unheard-of “rulebook.” “This rulebook is a fake!” I shot to my feet. “Mediator! I have never seen this document before! She made it up just to steal my wages! A $50 fine for a torn glove? A $5 fine for an extra swirl of whipped cream? Is that reasonable? Bianca did this on purpose! She forged this rulebook to find any excuse to take all my money!” “You’re lying!” Bianca slammed her hand on the table. “Mediator, don’t listen to her nonsense! Every employee signed and acknowledged this rulebook upon hiring! She was sloppy and didn’t follow the rules, and now she’s trying to frame me? The audacity!” She then produced a stack of signed rulebooks. “See? Every single one of our employees has signed it! She was a summer temp, so she didn’t sign, but this rulebook has been posted in the employee break room the entire time! I have photos as proof! And it was covered in her training. The other employees can all vouch for me!” Make the employees vouch for her? Under her tyrannical rule, who would dare to say no? 4 “Miss Miller,” the mediator began, his tone gentle and a little weary. “You claim this rulebook is a forgery. Do you have any evidence? Like a copy of your contract?” Contract? I was a summer temp. I never had a formal contract. “I worked there for over a month and never once saw that rulebook! It was never posted in the break room! Bianca fabricated it to steal my wages!” “Kate, you’re still trying to argue?” Bianca held her phone up for the mediator to see. “Mediator, look! Every single fine was confirmed by her. You can’t say I’m framing her now, can you?” I glanced at the screen, and my blood ran cold. My heart skipped a beat. There, on the store’s management system, was a detailed list of my fines. And next to every single one was my employee ID, confirming my acceptance. It all made sense now. No wonder Bianca always rushed me to tap a “Confirm” button on her phone when I was at my busiest. “Kate! HQ is doing a random check on employee status! Tap this ‘Confirm’ button! Quick! Don’t hold things up!” There was no explanation on the screen, just a single button. As a new hire, how could I dare to question it? I was terrified that a second’s hesitation would get me labeled as “uncooperative” or “insubordinate.” Every time, I did as she asked. Now I understood. That “confirmation” wasn’t for an attendance check. It was me acknowledging the penalties. Bianca had planned this from the very beginning. From the moment I first stepped into that store, she had set this trap. She had used the most despicable means to steal a month’s worth of my blood and sweat. I walked out of the mediation room, my head hung low in defeat. “Look at the pathetic loser!” Bianca followed me out, sneering. “Still trying to sue me? What an idiot!” Her long fingers poked at my chest. “A star student from a top university? I still had you running around like a dog! And in the end, you even have to ‘thank’ me for being merciful and not making you pay me back! It’s hilarious!” “Sue me? You should take a good look at yourself in the mirror! You’re not worthy! Kate, you should be thanking me for giving you an early taste of how cruel the real world is!” I leaned against the cold wall, my body trembling uncontrollably. Bianca laughed coldly. “Can’t take it already? And you wanted to go to labor arbitration? Useless.” Her footsteps faded away. I slowly straightened up, wiping away a tear. Bianca, you think you’ve won? You’re so naive. Even if you fired me, I still have ways to deal with you.

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I arrived at the rumored Soul Shop. I sold my ability to love in exchange for a chance to be reborn. When I saw my parents bring my adopted sister through the door again, I didn’t fall apart like I did in my past life. In this life, my parents’ indifference, my brother’s disgust, my fiancé’s betrayal. I don’t care about any of it anymore. But why are they holding me and crying like their hearts are broken? Anna’s POV I arrived at the rumored Soul Shop. I sold my ability to love in exchange for a chance to be reborn. When I saw my parents bring my adopted sister through the door again, I didn’t fall apart like I did in my past life. In this life, my parents’ indifference, my brother’s disgust, my fiancé’s betrayal. I don’t care about any of it anymore. But why are they holding me and crying so heartbroken again? “Anna, what are you daydreaming about? Our new sister is about to arrive, let’s go downstairs to meet her!” Hearing that name again, I was stunned for a moment. I hadn’t been called “Anna” for six or seven years. I turned to look at Jackson beside me and found that he had indeed returned to his twelve-year-old self. The young boy wore a well-fitted suit, his face full of anticipation as he stared at the staircase. One hand was still clutching my arm. I looked at his slender, clean hand. But all I could think of was the handprint he’d leave on my face when he was older. I frowned and immediately shook him off. Jackson’s expression froze. He looked at me in confusion. “Anna, what’s wrong?” The next moment, the mansion’s front door slowly opened. My parents’ voices carried over. “Jackson, Anna, come down quickly! We’ve brought your sister home!” Jackson’s eyes lit up, and he immediately left me behind and ran downstairs alone. I stood at the top of the stairs, watching the harmonious family of four below. I pressed my hand against my heart. How strange. It tingled. But there was no longer that knife-like pain. Jackson and I are twins. For the first twelve years, the family only had the two of us. Our parents and elders treasured us like pearls. Jackson was only two hours older than me. He still acted like a real big brother, always letting me have my way. They spoiled me into a true little princess. Someone once joked with my dad. “With your daughter’s temper, it’s lucky you arranged her engagement with Ethan early. Otherwise, when she grows up, no one would dare marry her.” My dad’s face immediately darkened. “My daughter wasn’t born to be married off to anyone. If no one will marry her, she’ll stay home for life! I can afford to support her!” Mom and Jackson said nothing, just kept piling good things beside me. They spoiled me until I was completely out of control. A bracelet worth over three million dollars was the most ordinary birthday gift I received back then. It was also the last birthday gift I ever received. When I was twelve, one of my father’s old comrades-in-arms passed away from illness. On his deathbed, he entrusted his only daughter to him. That girl named Chloe became my nominal sister. From then on, my family’s affection, trust, and attention gradually slipped away from me. I admit it. I hated her. I was jealous of her! I was jealous that she could shed two tears and have the whole family rushing around like ants on a hot pan. Jealous that she stole everything I had, bit by bit. I became increasingly paranoid. I grew more volatile and withdrawn. Finally, at my eighteenth birthday party, I caught her kissing my fiancé Ethan in the garden. I completely lost my mind. I questioned my parents, my brother, my lover… “Why are you doing this to me?” But they just looked at me with almost identical eyes of disappointment. “Do you know what you look like right now? You’re absolutely insane!” I laughed until tears came out. The pain in my chest made my whole body tremble. I grabbed a knife and lunged at Chloe, but Jackson kicked me into a rose bush full of thorns. Everyone nervously protected Chloe, comforting and coaxing her not to cry. No one cared that what I held in my hand was just a plastic cake knife… My parents locked me in a psychiatric hospital, claiming I had mental problems. Jackson must have injured me with that kick. I coughed up blood day and night. Over and over, I begged the doctors to call my parents. But they never answered. Not once. Finally, after yet another electroshock treatment, I took my last breath. And that’s when I saw it, the rumored Soul Shop. With all my emotions, my ability to love, I bought a chance to be reborn.

Anna’s POV “Anna, come here! Haven’t you been looking forward to having a sister?” My mom held Chloe’s hand, standing at the door and waving at me with a smile. Chloe lifted her pale little face and greeted me obediently. But I had no reaction. I turned and went back to my room. Leaving everyone in the living room looking at each other. My dad sighed helplessly. “What’s gotten into that child? Who upset her now?” My mom sounded awkward. “Maybe she’s just not used to having a sister in the house yet. It’s fine, I’ll go coax her in a bit.” Chloe’s voice carried a sob. “Mom, Dad, does Anna not like me?” Before my parents could respond, Jackson eagerly spoke up. “No, no, Anna just has a big temper, but her heart isn’t bad. Don’t cry, don’t be sad. I’ll go talk to her for you later!” My parents beamed. “Jackson is so sensible. You must take good care of Chloe!” Their laughter kept drifting into my room. Once again, I thought the soundproofing in this mansion was really terrible. I didn’t like it. It was annoyingly loud. I simply stood up and started taking inventory of my belongings. Too much time had passed. I couldn’t remember what I owned at age twelve. Looking carefully now, I was truly wealthy to a staggering degree. No wonder Chloe loved stealing my things so much. Even my grown-up self… couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous. I picked up the jewelry on my vanity and stuffed it all into my backpack. I had to take it now, or Chloe would find various excuses to take it away soon enough. I looked at the bracelet in my hand and remembered the scene from my previous life when Chloe smashed it. That was the first time I slapped her. The red-eyed little girl cowered behind the door, her voice sounding as aggrieved as if I had broken her possession. “Anna, I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to… I’ve never had things like these. I just wanted to look at it, I… I didn’t hold it steady…” She burst into tears, drawing my parents and Jackson. That was the first time I went crazy and hit someone, and the first time my dad locked me up. Chloe clung to my mom’s leg, crying so hard she nearly passed out, yet she still had time to look up and make faces at me… I pointed at her accusingly, and the next second, Jackson shoved me hard into my room. “Anna! Can’t you have some sympathy? Chloe is so pitiful! How can you bully her? It’s just a bracelet. You have countless others! What’s wrong with giving it to her?” I bit my lip, desperately swallowing the sob that rose to my throat. Just a bracelet? No! That was the birthday gift Jackson bought me with his first prize money from a creative competition! But he had forgotten… Starting that year, I never received another birthday gift. Even the stream of dolls, clothes, and jewelry that used to flow into my room all got redirected to Chloe’s room instead. Just because she said, “The kids at school all laugh at me, saying I’m skinny and have no taste, not bright and beautiful like Anna. I look like a little monkey…” She was lying! It was clearly Jackson who led the whole class to isolate me! He knew everything. But he didn’t defend me. He watched as my parents grew more and more disappointed in me. More and more partial to their adopted daughter with her tragic background… By the time I finished packing all my belongings. Someone finally knocked gently on my door. “Anna? Sweetheart, come out for dinner.” My mom was patient, her voice impossibly gentle. I didn’t respond. I just opened the door and let her lead me to the living room. Chloe sat in my usual spot, looking uncomfortable. My dad and Jackson were both helping arrange her place setting. I turned to look at my mom. “Am I eating on the floor?” Everyone froze. My mom’s hand holding mine unconsciously tightened. “How could that be? It’s my fault. I forgot to set up a chair for you. Where’s the maid? Get Anna a chair quickly.” Chloe hesitantly stood up, her big innocent eyes instantly filling with tears. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know this was your seat. I… I’ll give it to you!” Jackson quickly stood and pressed her back down, looking at me reproachfully. “Anna, it’s the same wherever you sit. Chloe just got here. Don’t scare her! At worst, you can sit on my left! I’ll sit between you two, okay?” My parents said nothing, instead watching for my reaction. Wasn’t this just tacit approval? I sneered inwardly. Really, so childish. The whole family was putting on a performance, but their acting was extraordinarily terrible. It was enough to kill my appetite. I took the chair from the maid and pulled it to the very corner of the dining table, far away from all of them. Jackson paused mid-pour as he filled Chloe’s water glass. He looked at me several times, seeming to want to say something, but ultimately said nothing. We finished the meal in this bizarre atmosphere. As I got up to go upstairs, my dad stopped me. He looked somewhat uncomfortable, clearing his throat before speaking with a smile. “Anna, Chloe is a year younger than you and Jackson. You’re the older siblings, so you need to look after her more. She just lost her birth parents and is very traumatized. We’re her family now. We should take care of her.” My mom chimed in. “That’s right. Mom knows you might not be used to having a sister yet, but look how sweet Chloe is. If you spend more time together, you’ll definitely grow closer.” The two of them kept making eye signals across the table. Clearly, neither wanted to be the first to broach whatever came next. I was getting impatient. My voice was cold. “So?” My mom looked stunned by my question. Perhaps she’d never heard me speak to her in such an icy tone before and didn’t know how to respond for a moment. My dad took a sip of water and spoke with a smile. “Anna, Chloe just transferred here. Her physical and mental state aren’t good, and we’re really worried. How about you and Jackson both repeat a grade to go to school with Chloe? Sound good?” As if to make it more convincing, he quickly added. “Jackson already agreed. We’re just waiting for you.” I looked at Jackson. He kept his head down, not daring to meet my eyes.

Anna’s POV Here we go again. It was the same in my previous life. They made Jackson and me, who were already in seventh grade, go back to sixth grade to accompany her. A year later, Ethan, who had grown close to Chloe, also transferred into our class under the pretext of wanting to take care of me… From then on, the three of them performed various little dramas in class every day. They framed me for bullying Chloe, getting me ostracized by the entire class. How wonderful. Too bad I didn’t want to play such boring games with elementary schoolers anymore. It was a complete waste of life. I tilted my head. “Does she need two servants just to attend school?” My dad was so shocked he dropped his fork. “A-Anna, what did you say?” “I said, since Jackson is already willing to serve her, there’s no need to force me too, right?” My mom grabbed my arm, her face full of shock. “Anna, what are you talking about? What do you mean serve? Mom and Dad just want you to spend more time together and get close sooner!” “I have no obligation to get close to her. Whoever wants to get close to her can go serve her.” I stared at Jackson, who had been stunned silent since earlier, and delivered my final words. “So it’s settled. From now on, you two go to elementary school, and I’ll continue in middle school. We won’t interfere with each other.” I turned and went upstairs. Leaving them all to comfort the sobbing Chloe. Around nine that night, Jackson knocked on my door. “Anna, are you asleep?” “What do you want?” “Can you open the door?” “No.” Silence outside for a long time. Just when I thought he’d left, Jackson’s voice came again. “Anna, you’re upset, aren’t you?” I paused while organizing my clothes. I frowned, my voice indifferent. “No.” “You are! Anna, is it because I only paid attention to Chloe today and ignored you?” I was somewhat speechless. I really wasn’t upset. I just didn’t care. I found interacting with them so boring it made me want to vomit. That Anna who would be heartbroken to severe depression from being ignored had already died alone in a psychiatric hospital. I sighed. “Really, I’m not. Jackson, you can do whatever you want, get close to whoever you want. It’s your freedom. Just don’t bother me.” Silence outside again. After a while, his voice carried a hint of helplessness. “Anna, Chloe is really pitiful. Look how small and frail she is. She has such a gentle nature and a soft heart. I’m really afraid she’ll get bullied. Anna, I’ll go back and stay with her for a year first. Once she’s settled, I’ll transfer to your school, okay?” Fine. Your family invested in the school. You can do whatever you want. I rolled my eyes, packed my last piece of clothing. I put in noise-canceling earplugs and lay down on the bed. The next morning. I walked into the living room with my suitcase and backpack. Everyone froze again. I looked up and saw Ethan sitting next to Chloe. The boy my age was already quite tall, even half a head taller than Jackson. The moment he saw me, he quickly stood up. His gentle eyes curved slightly, his voice excited. “Anna! I came to pick you up for school!” I lowered my eyes and saw Chloe’s hand gripping his arm. “You don’t need to pick me up anymore.” “Of course, if you want to pick up someone else, be my guest.” The smile froze on Ethan’s face. “Why?” I gestured with my chin toward the suitcase behind me. The sound of chairs scraping against the floor rang out one after another. Not just Ethan. My parents and Jackson all looked confused. “Anna? What’s this?” Jackson stared at my suitcase with bloodshot eyes from staying up all night. “Clothes and some daily necessities.” And my jewelry. “I forgot to tell you all. Starting today, I’m moving into the dorms.” “What?!” They all spoke in unison. My dad walked over with a cold expression and crouched down to look at me. “Anna? You want to live in the dorms.” “Yes.” “Why? Isn’t it good at home? Did Mom and Dad make you unhappy?” I remained silent, my eyes showing no emotion. My dad’s hand on my hair trembled slightly. He hesitated and looked back at Chloe. “Is it because of… Chloe?” At those words, before I could react, Chloe was already biting her lip and letting out a suppressed sob. My mom quickly stepped forward and pulled her into an embrace, looking at my dad reproachfully. “What are you saying? How could that be? Anna, you tell us. Why do you want to live in the dorms? It definitely can’t be because of Chloe. You like her, right?” Everyone looked at me expectantly, waiting for my answer. They were waiting for me to say: Yes, I like her. Wanting to live in the dorms is just me being willful. I haven’t been wronged. But I was best at disappointing people. “Wrong. I don’t like her. I hate her. And I don’t just hate her.” “I also hate Mom and Dad, hate Jackson, hate Ethan! I hate all of you!” In an instant, my parents’ and Jackson’s faces turned deathly pale. Ethan didn’t react much. He seemed to think I was throwing a tantrum, his eyes full of tolerance and helplessness. As I passed him with my suitcase, he even reached out to help me take it. I dodged. He wasn’t annoyed, still shamelessly following behind me. My parents wanted to chase after me, but Chloe’s crying interrupted them. She cried more and more pitifully, burying her small face in my mom’s arms, trembling all over. “Mom, Dad, just send me to an orphanage. Anna doesn’t like me… I don’t deserve to stay in this house!” My parents naturally launched into kind words of comfort, but strangely, Jackson didn’t speak up for once. Ethan was still following me closely. He forced his way into the car I was taking. “Go take your own car.” “Why? I don’t want to! I want to be with you!” He tilted his head to look at me, showing his two small canine teeth, looking adorable. My fingertips trembled slightly. I suddenly remembered. It was the same in my previous life. When everyone was ostracizing me. The only person who didn’t side with Chloe was Ethan. He would stand firmly behind me when Chloe framed me. Talk back to Jackson when he cursed at me. Hold me and comfort me softly when my parents grew more and more disappointed in me. “Anna, don’t be afraid. You still have me. I’ll stay with you. If they like Chloe more, that’s their business. I’ll only ever like my Anna!” Like a drowning person grasping the only piece of driftwood available, I relied on him and trusted him even more completely. Until the day Jackson and I turned fourteen. Chloe suddenly fainted for no reason. Ethan’s body stiffened. Before anyone else could react, he shoved me aside and caught her firmly. That “priest” he personally brought to the birthday party stood up in front of everyone. He told them I was bewitched by demons and had been bullying her constantly, which was why her health had gotten so bad. What a conveniently timed “priest.” What a clumsy excuse! The shock and embarrassment on the faces of all our relatives and friends. I still remember it to this day. Everyone could see it was orchestrated bullying and humiliation aimed at me. But my parents still took me to change my name without a second thought. From that day on, the name that had been mine for fourteen years, Anna, became a forbidden word in the house. They called me, Luna. Luna. A name changed for Chloe’s sake. It was a beautiful name, but I didn’t like it. I didn’t like it until the day I died.

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