Category: English

When I died, the blood of the fetus was still hot on my belly hair. The Alpha who claimed to “mark” my entire body finally marked me permanently with his fangs. Now, I have become a ghost wolf entangled between his bed curtains, watching him cramp every night due to guilt. Thorn always said he wanted to conquer me – now every breath of his is under my control. How interesting it is when this arrogant wolf king starts to whimper like courtship to the air… When I opened my eyes again, I found myself at Alpha Thorne Blackwood and his childhood friend Beta Livia Frost’s mating ceremony. Livia was wearing the pure white ceremonial gown that Alpha Thorne had custom-made for me—a gown worth millions, woven with moon-silver threads blessed by the Pack Seer. She clutched his hand, her claws retracted in false delicacy, her smile dripping with smug satisfaction as her golden wolf eyes gleamed in triumph. At this, my ghostly form trembled, phantom tears burning in my eyes. A growl built in my throat, but when I lunged forward to stop them, my spectral body passed right through theirs. The realization struck like a silver dagger to the heart. I was already dead. What remained of me was nothing more than a restless spirit, bound to the living world by grief and fury. Before despair could fully claim me, the gathered pack members began chanting, their voices rising in unison. “Claim her! Mark her!” Most of these wolves had once been our friends—Alpha Thorne’s and mine. Not long ago, they had whispered their pity for me, swearing that even if he took Livia as his mate, they would never stand for such betrayal. Yet now, they bared their throats in submission to him, their loyalty shifting like the wind. I let out a bitter, hollow laugh. Of course. Their kindness had always been about currying favor with the Alpha. Now that Livia stood at his side, why would they spare a thought for a dead she-wolf like me? But one voice still dared to speak against the tide. “Alpha Thorne,” a young Omega murmured, “this is too cruel to Luna Sylva. What if something’s happened to her?” Alpha Thorne swirled his goblet of blood-red wine, his ice-blue eyes flickering with disinterest. “Sylva brought this on herself. After the ceremony, I’ll release her. The den has enough food to keep her alive. She’s been spoiled too long—a little suffering will do her good.” He didn’t know. I was already dead. And he had killed me with his own claws. A week ago, Alpha Thorne had demanded I agree to a false mating bond with Beta Livia, who carried another wolf’s pup and needed his name to shield her from disgrace. I refused. “If she needs a pretend mate, let her find another Beta—or better yet, the father of her pup. Why must it be you, a bonded Alpha? She’s scheming!” He snarled at me, accusing me of petty jealousy, and we fought like feral beasts. In the past, I would have bowed my head, submitting to his will just to keep the peace. But this time, I stood my ground—even threatening to sever our bond if he went through with it. I never imagined he’d secretly complete the mating rites with Livia behind my back. When I saw them under the full moon, their scents entwined as the Pack Elder blessed their union, the shock sent me into early labor. My pup kicked violently, and my waters broke right there in the sacred circle. Alpha Thorne halted the ceremony, lifting me into his arms with a snarl of concern. For one fleeting moment, I thought he was taking me to the Pack Healer. Instead, he carried me to the abandoned dens of Moonwood Territory and locked me inside, ordering me to “reflect on my disobedience.” It was him. My own mate. The one who led me to my death. As I watched from the shadows, Alpha Thorne suddenly stiffened, his nostrils flaring as if catching a distant scent. He turned to Beta Garrick, his second-in-command. “Go check on Luna Sylva. If she’s ready to apologize to Livia, we’ll let her out.” A bitter laugh escaped me. Apologize? For what? I had done nothing wrong. I hadn’t lied—I had been in labor. But under Beta Livia’s sly whispers, Alpha Thorne believed I’d faked it, that I’d humiliated him by losing control of my body in front of the entire pack. He trusted her over his own Luna. Seeing his hesitation, Livia pressed a delicate hand to her belly, her voice trembling with false concern. “Alpha Thorne, even though Luna Sylva lost control and attacked me earlier… she’s still carrying your heir. If something happened to her… Perhaps you should release her.” She lowered her eyes, the picture of wounded grace. “This time, I’ll protect my pup better. She can hate me all she wants, but my child is innocent…” Earlier, when I’d burst into their ceremony, Livia had taunted me with whispered barbs only I could hear—”He’ll never choose a weak she-wolf like you over me.” The hormones, the fury, the betrayal—it shattered my control. I lunged. But before I could reach her, she collapsed, howling in “pain,” her claws tearing at her own gown for effect. That was why Alpha Thorne locked me away. Now, hearing Livia’s false plea, he cupped her face, his voice softening. “No one will harm you or your pup while I live.” Then, to Beta Garrick, cold as winter frost: “Tell Luna Sylva she’ll stay confined until she begs Livia’s forgiveness.” Livia nuzzled against his shoulder, her tail flicking smugly. “You’re so good to us, Alpha.” The pack erupted in laughter, their voices merging into a chorus of encouragement. “Just make her your true mate, Alpha Thorne! You and Livia have been bonded since pup-hood—how could a mere human-turned-wolf compare?” Livia ducked her head in feigned shyness, her claws teasing the edge of Alpha Thorne’s ceremonial cloak. I braced for him to agree. But his growl silenced them all. “Enough. Livia and I are bound only for appearances. Luna Sylva is possessive—if she hears this nonsense, she’ll—” He cut himself off, and my ghostly heart ached. Hollow words. If he truly cared, he wouldn’t have mated her at all. Livia’s smile turned venomous, the air thickening with tension—until Alpha Thorne’s phone shattered the silence. Thinking it was me calling to surrender, he answered with a sharp, “Sylva, you—” But the voice on the other end was a stranger’s. “Are you Luna Sylva Blackwood’s mate? This is Healer Grant from Silverfang Clinic. We’ve lost contact with her. Her whelping date is near—when will you bring her in?” Alpha Thorne froze. “Whelping date? She’s only six months along.” A pause. Then, the Healer’s voice turned icy. “Six months? Alpha, she’s eight months pregnant. The pup could come any night. How do you not know your own mate’s condition?”

Alpha Thorne Blackwood froze, his claws unsheathing as his grip on the phone turned the metal casing to crumpled scrap. His golden eyes burned with a feral intensity, his wolf scent spiking with shock. Watching his stunned expression, I let out a hollow, spectral growl. It had been a critical time for the Blackwood Pack’s alliance with the Silvermane Trading Guild, so I’d hidden my true whelping date for two moons to avoid distracting him. I’d told him I was only six months along. But if my Alpha had ever bothered to scent my den, he would’ve found the healer’s scrolls in my drawer—proof of the pup’s true due date. If he’d cared, I could never have concealed it. The truth was simple: his wolf had never truly been mine. A low-ranking Delta in the crowd dared to mutter, “So Luna Sylva didn’t just lose control of her bladder? Her waters truly broke?” Alpha Thorne’s head snapped up, his snarl ripping through the air as he pinned Beta Garrick with a glare that promised violence. “Garrick. You escorted her to every healer’s visit. You swore she was only six moons pregnant. Explain.” Beta Garrick dropped his gaze, baring his throat in submission—but not out of respect. Out of guilt. He should feel guilty. He’d helped murder me. When my labor had started, I’d howled for my mate through the pack bond, begging for help. But Beta Garrick, who knew the truth, had intervened. “She’s lying, Alpha. The healer confirmed it’s too early.” And Livia, that venomous she-wolf, had woven her poison: “She’s humiliating you on purpose, Alpha. Pissing herself like a frightened pup to ruin your ceremony.” With their words echoing in his ears, Alpha Thorne had dragged me to the abandoned Moonwood Dens and locked me inside. The moment the door slammed shut, the pain had torn through me—crippling, wrong. I’d crumpled to the floor, blood pooling beneath me as my pup fought to survive. I’d clawed at Beta Garrick’s boots, my voice raw. *”Please… the pup—*our pup—” He’d sneered down at me, his boot crushing my fingers. Then, with a merciless snarl, he’d kicked my swollen belly—once, twice—until the world went dark. By the time the bleeding stopped, my pup was nothing but a lifeless scrap of fur in my arms. Now, as Beta Garrick hesitated, Livia slithered forward, her voice dripping with false sympathy. “Alpha Thorne, I never thought Luna Sylva would stoop so low. Faking illness, lying to healers… all to manipulate you.” She pressed a delicate hand to his chest. “If it were me, I’d never shame my mate like this.” Alpha Thorne’s growl deepened, his canines flashing as he snarled into the phone, “Tell Luna Sylva her games end now. I won’t indulge her tantrums.” He crushed the phone in his palm, and Livia’s eyes gleamed with victory. After the ceremony, as the pack dispersed, Livia clung to Alpha Thorne’s arm, her voice a purr. “Take me to your den tonight, Alpha. If we’re to sell this mating, we must commit.” His muscles tensed. He’d sworn to me—under the full moon—that no other she-wolf would ever enter our shared den. But Livia’s claws pricked his skin, her eyes wet with calculated tears. “What will the pack say if I slink home alone? A pregnant, unmated Beta? I’ll be ruined.” With a resigned growl, he yielded. He cared for her reputation—but not enough to realize he’d signed my death warrant. When they crossed the threshold of our den, the elderly Pack Mother Laura greeted them—then stiffened at the sight of Livia. “Welcome home, Alpha Thorne and… Beta Livia.” Livia’s smile turned lethal. She dug her claws into Alpha Thorne’s arm, whispering, “They must believe this is real.” His jaw clenched, but he commanded, “Call her Luna.” My ghostly heart shattered. He’d vowed I’d be his only Luna. Pack Mother Laura bristled. “Luna Sylva will be devastated—” “When she returns,” Alpha Thorne interrupted, “we’ll revert the titles. For now, Livia is Luna.” Livia strutted into the bedroom, draping herself in my furs, my moonstone jewelry, smearing my berry-stain across her lips like a claim. Alpha Thorne said nothing. When Pack Mother Laura opened her muzzle to protest, he cut her off. “Prepare roasted elk ribs and sun-gilded pheasant. Livia favors them.” His voice softened. “No wolfsbane or fire-peppers. They upset her stomach.” A whimper escaped me. He’d shared my bed for years yet never remembered my allergy to moonfin. But Livia’s every whim was etched into his bones. I’d thought him indifferent. Now I saw the truth: his wolf simply hadn’t been mine to tame. Then Livia spotted it—the scarf I’d woven for him, its threads laced with my scent, embroidered with LJB: “Love Thorne Blackwood.” Her snarl ripped through the room as she shredded it with her claws. “Even dead, you cling to him, you pathetic human-turned-wolf! You were never his true mate!” I recoiled. How did she know I was dead? Before I could react, Alpha Thorne burst in—and froze at the sight of the tattered scarf at Livia’s feet. His eyes bled to wolf.

Alpha Thorne’s claws twitched as his golden eyes locked onto the shredded scarf. “Beta Livia, what have you done?” My spirit wavered, a phantom whine escaping my throat. For a fleeting moment, hope flickered – did the scarf’s destruction pain him because his wolf still recognized me as mate? Before I could process this, Livia’s eyes flooded with crocodile tears, her lower lip trembling in perfect mimicry of distress. “Alpha, I just… the scarf smelled so much like you. I wanted to feel it against my skin, but my claws…” She held up her perfectly manicured hands where not a single claw was unsheathed. “This has your initials – did Luna Sylva make it? I’m so sorry…” The lie stank worse than rotted prey. The scarf hadn’t torn – it had been slashed with surgical precision. Yet Alpha Thorne’s shoulders relaxed, his growl softening as he grasped her wrists with tender concern. “It’s just fabric. Are you hurt?” His thumb brushed her unmarked palm. “If you like it, I’ll have Sylva weave you another.” Ice flooded my spectral veins. Not anger at my gift’s destruction. Not outrage at her trespass. Just… concern for her. And the casual cruelty of demanding I craft another – as if the months spent spinning moonlight-infused threads under the full moon meant nothing. As if my love was merely pack tribute to be reassigned at his whim. I tried to retreat, to dissolve into the shadows, but the mate bond – even in death – chained me to his side. All I could do was turn my ghostly muzzle away. Emboldened by his leniency, Livia pressed closer, her scent dripping with false heat. “Your den feels so empty tonight, Alpha. Let me warm your nest-” Thorne recoiled as if burned, his sudden snarl shaking the walls. “Enough! This farce ends at the threshold.” He pointed to the guest chamber, his canines glinting. “You sleep there.” The moment the door closed behind her, Alpha Thorne’s composure shattered. He paced the scent-marked floors, digging his claws into the furs where we’d once mated. After three restless circles, he snatched his phone, obsessively scrolling through our bond-messages – all frozen at yesterday’s dawn. A frustrated growl rumbled through him as he typed: [Still defiant? One apology is all it takes to come home, little wolf. Must you always bare your throat last?] The screen remained dark. Not because I wouldn’t answer… but because no spirit can breach the veil of death. When morning came, shadows darkened his usually vibrant golden eyes. He grabbed the phone before even stretching, typing with uncharacteristic haste: [Enough punishment. I’m coming to the den now.] But as he reached for the door, Livia materialized like a specter, her claws digging into his forearm. “Alpha, my kin already feast in celebration of our union. The Frostfang Elders demand to scent your claim on me.” Her voice dropped to a poisoned whisper. “Or shall I tell them their new Alpha breaks oaths like a human?” The threat hung between them – her pregnancy with another wolf’s pup was their secret, but her family’s alliance was his pack’s lifeline. His hesitation lasted only a heartbeat before he reached for his ceremonial cloak… and her waiting claws closed around his wrist in triumph.

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My first act after being reborn was to pour my best friend’s ashes down the drain. In my previous life, my best friend’s wife cheated on him, not only emptying their joint accounts but also leaving him drowning in debt. He ended up homeless, beaten to a pulp by loan sharks, barely clinging to life. When I finally reached him, he was barely breathing, and he begged me to raise his daughter. Seeing how young the child was, I soft-heartedly agreed. To take care of her, my girlfriend broke up with me, and my parents kicked me out of the house. I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into raising her. When she became an adult, she became a rising model after shooting a commercial. Everyone envied me for having such a wonderful daughter. But as I was celebrating her success, my best friend, who had supposedly died years ago, appeared, arm-in-arm with my ex-girlfriend. “Looks like you passed my test.” Seeing my confusion, my ex-girlfriend explained arrogantly. “Derek is the heir to a multi-billion dollar fortune. Who knows if you were only friends with him for his money.” “But now that you’ve honestly raised our daughter, you’ve proven yourself worthy.” I furiously stepped forward, ready to punch them, but my adopted daughter threw a drink in my face. “You sick freak! How dare you lay a hand on my parents?!” I choked on my rage, my vision blurring, and then I just… collapsed. When I woke up again, I had been reborn to the very day my best friend was beaten by thugs.

“Cough, cough… Alex, you’re finally here…” Derek lay on the ground, filthy and covered in an ugly mosaic of purplish-blue bruises. Deep gashes bled on his arms and legs. I froze, then suddenly realized I had actually been reborn! “Alex, what are you standing there for… cough, cough, take me to the hospital…” Derek lay weakly on the ground, speaking to me without an ounce of strength. In my last life, I received his desperate call and rushed to find him. The sight of him covered in blood sent me into a panic, and I immediately thought of calling 911 for an ambulance. But Derek insisted the location was too remote, and he’d be dead by the time 911 arrived. So, I personally carried him on my back, stumbling for over two hours, back to the city, and straight to the hospital. But now, the thought of it all being his elaborate scheme made a wave of profound disgust wash over me. “No need to call 911, it’s too remote here… just carry me…” Derek coughed a few times, looking at me pleadingly. I frowned, feigning discomfort, and bent down to rub my ankle. “I’m sorry, I wish I could carry you, but I just twisted my ankle. I really can’t carry you.” Afraid he wouldn’t believe me, I even pulled up my pant leg to show him my visibly swollen and red ankle. In my last life, I had endured the pain to carry him, and by the time we reached the hospital, my ankle was practically useless. It cost a fortune to heal. This time, I wouldn’t be so foolish. Derek’s face instantly paled, looking as if he was truly on his last breath. Just then, an SUV pulled up beside us. The driver, a kind stranger, warmly asked if we needed help. To avoid raising suspicion, I quickly smiled and accepted. At the hospital, Derek was immediately rushed into the emergency room. Soon, a female doctor, Dr. Evans, hurried out, saying Derek had lost too much blood and needed a transfusion. “The hospital’s blood bank is severely low. A transfer would take too long and could delay treatment.” “Mr. Miller said you have the same blood type as him. Please come with me to prepare for a blood transfusion.” I scoffed internally at her words. This was the exact same spiel as in my last life. This doctor had used the same excuse, drawing 600cc of my blood without a single word of explanation. Normally, blood donations don’t exceed 400cc, but I was too distraught to notice then. After the blood draw, I felt weak all over and dizzy. And Derek had used that moment to plead with me to take care of his daughter in the hospital room, and I, in my dazed state, had nodded and agreed. So I told Dr. Evans, “I apologize, but I have low blood sugar and anemia. I can’t donate blood. You’ll have to find another solution.” Dr. Evans didn’t expect my refusal. She stomped her foot angrily and hurried back into the emergency room. Another twenty minutes passed. Dr. Evans emerged, her face filled with sorrow. “I’m sorry, we did our best, but Mr. Miller’s condition is too severe. There’s nothing more we can do.” “He’s still conscious now. You can go in and spend his final moments with him.” I nodded, my face calm, and walked in. Sure enough, Derek was lying on the hospital bed, pale and weak, just like in my previous life. He faintly called my name. I walked to his side. “What is it? Do you have anything you want to tell me?” Tears welled up in Derek’s eyes. “Alex, you’re my best friend. Why didn’t you donate blood for me? If you had, maybe I…” Dr. Evans, standing nearby, interjected indignantly. “Yes, Mr. Miller truly considered you his best friend, yet you refused. It’s a tragedy Mr. Miller is so young and can’t hold on. You’re truly heartless.” I said calmly, “You should blame your hospital for not even having the blood a patient needs. I have low blood sugar and anemia. If something happened to me because of a blood donation, would your hospital pay with its life?”

My words left Dr. Evans momentarily speechless. Derek’s face was grim, but he quickly composed himself, his eyes red. “Forget it, Alex isn’t to blame for this. It’s just my bad luck…” “I’m dying now. My wife betrayed me, my family sold me out, I don’t even want to live anymore.” “But I still have a daughter who just turned one. She’s so pitiful, abandoned by her mother, and her father can’t live on. I just can’t bear to leave her.” “Alex, you’re the only good brother I have. Please, I beg you, raise her for me.” Dr. Evans, ever the empath, let two streams of tears fall. “Look, Mr. Miller is begging you like this. Just say yes. You’re his best friend, could you really be so cruel as to refuse? If so, you don’t deserve to be a man!” Watching them play good cop, bad cop, perfectly coordinated, I felt nothing but disgust. In my last life, I had too much blood drawn and was disoriented. Derek even colluded with Dr. Evans to set a trap for me. I was genuinely soft-hearted, which was why I agreed to take care of his daughter. But no good deed goes unpunished. My girlfriend was hostile toward this adopted daughter, believing her to be my love child with another woman. She refused to listen to my explanations, packed her things, and left me, also falling out with her family. At that time, I hadn’t even graduated from my Master’s program and couldn’t juggle both studies and the child, so I had to drop out. Because my major was a combined Bachelor’s and Master’s program, and due to the circumstances, I didn’t even have a Bachelor’s degree; I was just a college dropout. Without a good degree, I could only do arduous manual labor. To better support the child, I worked three jobs a day, often sleeping only three or four hours. And the child had poor health from a young age, constantly ending up in the hospital, even undergoing several major surgeries, with money flowing like water. I gritted my teeth and took out high-interest loans, but with the interest compounding, I couldn’t pay them back at all. The debt collectors were brutal, causing constant harassment for everyone, and my landlord refused to renew the lease, kicking me and the child out. To avoid the debt collectors, I moved many times, living in dirty, dilapidated places. After finally enduring the hardest ten years, I met a kind female boss. She was divorced with a child herself and sympathized with my hardship, so she hired me to work at her barbecue restaurant. After my job stabilized, I also thought about finding a partner. However, I had no house, no car, nothing to my name, and I was raising a child in her early teens. It was truly difficult to date. Finally, I met a simple woman from the countryside who seemed to genuinely not care about my financial situation. I thought I could settle down, but after less than two months, she ran off. She only left me a note, apologizing and saying she could never let go of her ex-husband and child, so she had to quietly leave. From then on, I completely gave up on looking for a partner. Eighteen years passed. I painstakingly raised the child into an adult. But at her celebration party, Derek, who was supposed to be dead, appeared. And he claimed it was all just a test for me. Did I *have* to be his friend? I wasted the most precious eighteen years of my life! Without that child, I could have smoothly graduated with my Master’s, joined a good company, had a respectable job, and a loving, happy family. My life should have been thriving, but it was ruined because of him! Even the child I poured my heart and soul into, chose her biological parents at the moment of conflict, and turned against me. Thinking of this, the hatred surging within me threatened to drown me. I clenched my fists, saying each word clearly, “No, I refuse.” “I can send her to an orphanage, but I will absolutely not raise your child.”

Hearing my refusal, Derek stopped playing the dying man, sat up abruptly, and pointed at me, yelling full of vigor. “Alex, are you even human?! You call me your brother, but in reality, you’re ungrateful, cold-blooded, and heartless!” “You wouldn’t donate blood to save me, fine. But you won’t even raise my only daughter? What kind of a brother are you, you piece of garbage!” I watched him coolly. “Oh, Derek, you seem pretty energetic now, don’t you? You don’t look like you’re about to die at all. Did this quack doctor misdiagnose you?” As I spoke, I glanced at Dr. Evans, who stood by, and she instinctively averted her gaze. Realizing his performance was off, Derek suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed, gasping for air and trembling all over. I had to admit, his acting was good. Dr. Evans immediately reacted, pushing me out, saying she needed to perform emergency aid on Mr. Miller. I wanted to see what other tricks Derek had up his sleeve, so I stood outside the emergency room and waited. About ten minutes later, Dr. Evans came out holding a cooing baby. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Miller is gone. That was just a final surge of life.” “This child is his daughter. His dying wish was for you to care for her until she grows up.” “As for the adoption procedures, don’t worry, Mr. Miller made all the arrangements before he passed. The paperwork will be completed within two days.” “You just need to raise the child well. If you abandon her, that’s illegal, and if I find out, I will absolutely make sure you go to jail!” After saying this, she tried to thrust the baby into my arms. I immediately stepped back. Are you kidding me? Forcing a child on someone like this is actually illegal! In my last life, blinded by so-called brotherhood, I never questioned the truth of this series of events. Thinking about it now, it’s ridiculous. Even with proper adoption procedures, it couldn’t happen this fast. “You said Derek died, right? Fine, then I want to see his body.” Saying this, I bypassed her and rushed into the emergency room. It was completely empty inside. Dr. Evans’s urgent voice rang out. “What are you doing! You can’t just go in there!” I pointed at the empty emergency room. “Didn’t you say he died? Where’s the body? Where did you send it?” Dr. Evans said matter-of-factly, “The body was, of course, sent to the crematorium immediately for cremation.” I asked again, “Sent to the crematorium that quickly? Alright, I’ll go to the crematorium now to see him off.” Saying this, I ignored her protests and strode out of the hospital. Want me to be a fool and raise his kid? In your dreams! Upon arriving at the city crematorium, I immediately inquired with the staff about Derek’s remains. To my surprise, they actually had registered information. Soon, a staff member brought me Derek’s urn. In my previous life, I was too distraught. I just took his daughter home and only attended Derek’s funeral a week later after receiving notification. “Is this Derek’s ashes?” “Yes.” The staff member gave a brief reply and quickly left. But I still felt something was off. Normal cremation of a body doesn’t happen that fast. Even at the quickest, it takes at least a day. And now, less than three hours had passed between Dr. Evans announcing Derek’s death and me receiving his urn. It was practically a mockery of my intelligence. So the next moment, I opened the urn and unhesitatingly poured its contents onto the floor.

Grayish-white powder spilled across the floor. A staff member nearby immediately shrieked. “Hey! What are you doing?!” People who were at the crematorium to handle arrangements for their deceased family members quickly backed away. “Is that person crazy? Why are they scattering ashes on the ground?” “They must be sick. Don’t they know that’s bad luck? How unlucky!” “Did something trigger them? Never mind, I’ll just stay away.” Everyone murmured, pointing at me, their gazes unfriendly. I expressionlessly kicked the “ashes” on the ground. “Look closely, everyone. Are these really human ashes?” At my words, everyone’s gaze fell to the ground. “It does look a bit strange. Why aren’t there any small pieces or fragments of bone?” “Now that you mention it, you’re right. Cremation can’t turn all bones into dust.” I curved my lips into a slight smile and said loudly to the staff member, “Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?” “The crematorium staff gave me fake ashes? Do you have any professional ethics left?” “There are so many bereaved families here. Does this mean the ashes they received are also fake?” At my series of questions, many family members’ faces turned ugly. The staff member anxiously said, “Don’t talk nonsense! We follow all procedures!” I pressed on. “Is that really true? Derek was declared dead at the hospital just two hours ago. How could his body have been successfully cremated two hours later? When did your efficiency become so high?” The crowd instantly erupted. “What? Two hours?!” “Are you insane?! I thought handling everything for my loved one was fast, and it still took a full day. How could it be cremated in two hours?” “No wonder the powder on the ground didn’t look like ashes. There really *is* something fishy going on!” Under the barrage of questions from the crowd, the staff member stammered nervously, completely flustered. He never imagined I would scatter the ashes in public and then question the cremation time. He managed to appease the crowd with a few hurried words, then rushed inside. A moment later, he walked up to me, his face plastered with a forced smile. “My apologies, we had a mistake in our work. The ashes we just gave you belonged to someone else. Your friend’s body is still undergoing cremation. Please wait a bit longer.” Several hours later, the staff member brought me another urn. And the female doctor from the hospital suddenly appeared at the crematorium. “Mr. Hayes, before Mr. Miller passed, he instructed me to ensure his child was given to you to raise. This was his dying wish, and you must fulfill it.” “You were the best of brothers in life, so now that he’s gone, his child is your child.” “Also, here are his life savings, a total of fifty thousand dollars. He hopes you will raise his child well.” Her words were grand and righteous. She then thrust the baby and the bank card into my arms. The onlookers, unaware of the full story, were deeply moved and applauded me. I looked down at the child and let out a soft laugh. Derek, you *really* want me to raise your child, don’t you? Then I’ll grant your wish.

Eighteen years passed in a blur. Over these past decades, after earning my first significant capital, I started running my own Twitter account. I never appeared on camera myself; instead, my sweet, innocent child was the star. She was a natural in front of the camera, every movement graceful and captivating, instantly capturing the audience’s attention. Within a year of starting the account, her follower count reached over a million. She had been a child model since she was little, and even at a young age, she had endorsed several major national clothing brands, her sweet smile leaving a lasting impression. As she grew older, she ventured into the modeling industry. Whether it was photoshoots for print ads or walking runways for major designers, she excelled at everything, a true darling of the camera. Her fame now was far greater than in my previous life. To celebrate her successful completion of a major brand fashion show, I specifically hosted a small celebration banquet for her at a five-star hotel. My colleagues and friends were there, along with many of her industry connections. The room was filled with dazzling personalities. But just as Autumn raised her glass to toast with everyone, Derek appeared. He wasn’t alone; his arm was linked with my ex-girlfriend, Sarah, both dressed to make a statement. Derek, his face filled with a tender smile, reached out and took Autumn’s hand. “Daughter, Daddy finally sees you.” Everyone froze, trying to figure out what kind of stunt this was. Autumn immediately pulled her hand away, stepping back warily. “My dad passed away a long time ago. Why are you pretending to be him?” Derek’s face was filled with emotion. “Silly child, I am your father. Back then, I was severely injured and died on the way to the hospital. Before I passed, I entrusted you to Alex.” “But unexpectedly, I woke up on the way to the crematorium and my life was saved.” “Later, I came back to look for you, but you were already gone.” “I’ve been searching for you for eighteen years. I’ve always loved you! I’m your real dad!” Derek even shed tears as he spoke, looking overjoyed to be reunited. I watched him perform with a faint smile. He clearly thought everything was playing out just like in my last life, believing this successful new model whom *I* had raised, was his biological daughter. But I had been reborn. How could I fall for his trick again? “Derek, you want to claim paternity, do you?” “Of course! I think about my child every single day!” I smiled, looking at him. “But you’ve got the wrong person. She’s not your daughter.” Derek exploded. “What do you mean she’s not my daughter?!” “Don’t think that just because you raised her for eighteen years, she now has your blood running through her veins!”

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My mom hates me. If it wasn’t for me, my mom and dad wouldn’t have divorced. After she remarried, she was kinder to her stepdaughter than to me. She let her stepdaughter bully me at school, let her carve scars on my back with a knife, and ignored the bloodstains on my clothes. In the end, she even let her take pleasure in setting me on fire. But mom, do you remember how you cried when others bullied me and wanted to stand up for me? Mom, what can I do to make up for my sins and ease your hatred? I got home at nine on Friday night after school. In the large villa, only the living room had any sound. Mom was holding Fiona, watching TV. Both of them were smiling, looking warm and harmonious. I stared at them greedily, unable to remember the warmth of my mom’s embrace. Maybe I stood there too long, so mom turned her head and glanced at me with disgust. I clutched my backpack strap and gathered the courage to speak: “Mom, don’t you want to ask why I’m back so late?” She continued watching TV, ignoring me. My throat tightened, but I stubbornly tried to talk to her even though it felt self-destructive. “Fiona didn’t wait for me after school, she told the driver to leave, and I didn’t have money, so I walked home. It’s 25 kilometers, and my feet hurt.” “Mom, I’m also very hungry. You forgot to give me money last week. I borrowed from classmates to get by. Could you not forget next time…” “Slap!” Before I could finish, mom slapped me. My cheek stung with pain. Dizzy, I nearly fell, and the pain in my stomach sharpened. I was too hungry and too tired. Embarrassed to borrow too much, I had only eaten one meal a day for a week, going to bed hungry every night, my stomach in knots. I looked up through blurred, tear-filled eyes at my mom’s beautiful face. “Adeline, are you blaming me or Fiona?” I bit my lip, not answering. Maybe I did resent Fiona, but I didn’t dare to blame mom. I had no right. Mom seemed to see what I was thinking. She looked down at me. “You have no right to blame me or Fiona. Your food, clothing, shelter, and tuition are all paid by her dad, my husband.” “Even your biological father didn’t want you, and I was willing to take you in. Fiona’s family accepted you, and you should learn to be grateful.” Fiona consoled her with a smile, “Alright, mom, don’t be angry.” She turned to me and apologized perfunctorily, “Adeline, I forgot to wait for you after school. I’ll remember next time.” “Didn’t you say you’re hungry? Go to the kitchen and eat.” I silently put down my backpack and went to the kitchen. As expected, there was nothing but leftovers. Fiona and mom had already eaten, and the rule for the housekeeper in Fiona’s family was to only buy fresh ingredients for the day, even for fruits and eggs. The fridge was empty except for a few bottles of cold water. I took one, downed half of it. Luckily, today’s trash bag was relatively clean, so I ate some leftover food from it. If I wake up early tomorrow, I can catch a freshly made, hot breakfast. It’s okay, it’s okay, Adeline. I silently cried while washing my hands, returned to the living room, and picked up my backpack. “Mom, I’m going upstairs.” Mom didn’t spare me a glance.

After returning to my room, I did some homework. Fiona pushed the door open and came in. Alone with her, I instinctively felt fear and shrank back. “What do you want?” Fiona smiled and slapped me, then nodded in satisfaction. “Hmm, now it matches the slap your mom gave you.” “Adeline, you’re getting bold, complaining about me to your mom right in front of me. Do you think she’ll care about you?” She took a lighter from her pocket, gripping my arm, dragging out her words slowly. “She’d be happier if you suffered.” “Ah!” The flame from the lighter burned into the inside of my arm, leaving scars of varying sizes. Fiona moved the lighter with interest, as if she were leisurely eating barbecue. “Don’t move. Otherwise, you’ll suffer more, and your mom won’t be happy if she finds out.” I screamed, crying with tears streaming down my face: “Mom, mom, save me…” I heard mom’s footsteps coming upstairs. I saw her standing outside the door. I met her eyes and begged her. “Mom, save me.” She looked away, passed my room, and went back to her own room. I heard the door open and close, smelling the scent of burning flesh. I could only kneel on the ground, begging Fiona to let me go. She kicked me, “Still dare to complain? You’re living in my house. Why can’t you learn to bow your head?” I shook my head desperately, “I won’t complain anymore. I won’t.” She seemed bored, clicking her tongue, “But if you don’t complain, what excuse do I have to bully you?” “Why don’t you keep complaining? It doesn’t matter if you do. Oh, right, you even had the nerve to ask your mom for help. Can’t you understand human language?” Fiona took out a sharp art knife from her pocket, eager to try it out. My face went pale, and I asked her to wait, then took off my uniform. “I have to wear it tomorrow.” She giggled, “Adeline, you’re really something.” As she spoke, her hands didn’t stop, the knife cutting from my shoulder blade down to my waist. I once looked in the mirror and saw my back covered with thin, long red lines. I gritted my teeth to bear the pain. When Fiona was done playing, I was drenched in cold sweat, lying on the floor, breathing heavily. Fiona left the room. I found the medical kit, skillfully applied medicine to myself, then climbed into bed. I felt cold, then hot, tightly wrapping myself in the blanket. Half-asleep, I heard mom’s voice. It was from before she and dad divorced when we were a complete family. Her voice was gentle. “Adeline, Adeline, you’re mommy’s treasure. Mommy loves you so much…”

The next day, I got up late. When I groggily went downstairs, Fiona and mom had already finished breakfast. The maid was about to throw away the leftovers, and I rushed to stop her. “Sorry, leave it for me. I’ll wash the dishes after.” The maid gave me a complicated look that made my face burn with shame, but I had to force a smile. She left the dishes for me, saying before she left, “There’s a boiled egg in the pot that no one ate, you can have it.” I was grateful for this bit of kindness and ate the boiled egg clean. After breakfast, there was still work to do. Mom might forget to give me living expenses next week, so I needed to earn some money myself and pay back my classmates. Yesterday, on my way back, I saw an old lady collecting drink bottles, saying they were fetching a nice price lately. I planned to try collecting some too. I found a plastic bag and went out. Just after rummaging through half a garbage can, it started to rain. The rain stung the wounds on my back, and I had to find shelter under an eave. The door of the villa behind opened, and someone came out. I was about to apologize and find another place to shelter when I recognized a familiar face. “Class president?” Ezra frowned, “Adeline, why are you here?” “I, I live here.” Ezra’s tone was doubtful, “Your house is here?” I kept my head down, unsure how to answer. Technically, I wasn’t part of Fiona’s family, just benefiting from my mom. He saw I didn’t respond and didn’t ask further, placing the trash he was holding at the door. Then he looked up, and his expression changed. “Adeline, what’s wrong with your back?” I hurriedly reached to touch it, finding faint red on my hand, likely from the wound reopening. “It’s nothing, I’m fine…” I said, trying to leave, but I felt dizzy and fell. When I woke up, I was lying in my bedroom, Fiona sitting by my bed. “You have a fever. Ezra brought you back. Adeline, how are you so lucky?” I shivered, in trouble. How could I forget that Fiona liked Ezra? Before, a girl from another class gave Ezra a love letter. Even though he rejected it, Fiona had someone corner the girl in the bathroom to teach her a lesson. Now that Ezra personally brought me back, what would Fiona do? Fiona crossed her arms, expressionless. “Ezra also asked about your back. I said maybe you accidentally hurt it. I don’t know if he believed me—Adeline, are you pretending to be pitiful in front of him, or do you want to expose me to him?” “I didn’t mean that, definitely not.” I tried to explain, to prove my innocence, but Fiona sneered and walked away. She didn’t immediately trouble me, making me even more anxious. Yet I couldn’t worry about that now. I was dizzy from the fever, and there was no fever medicine in the kit. I could only add an extra blanket and sweat it out, also realizing the bag of bottles I collected was gone, making today’s efforts futile, feeling desperate.

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Jasper said he would marry me once I got pregnant. When I got the pregnancy test results, I eagerly told him. Jasper smiled, but there was a chill in his smile that made me uneasy. He took me to a ward at City Central Hospital. On the hospital bed, my father, who had suffered a stroke, suddenly brightened up when he saw Jasper: “Son… you finally came to see me.” I was shocked. Son? The man I had loved for five years was actually my long-lost… brother? Quentin bent down and whispered in my father’s ear, “Dad, I’m getting married. My girlfriend is pregnant.” My father trembled with excitement: “Great! Which family’s daughter is she? Dad will give you…” When his gaze fell on my pale face, he suddenly screamed in agony, “Monster! She’s your biological sister!” Quentin laughed, a smile I once loved for its warmth now turned venomous: “I know. She’s the child you left behind from your affair years ago.” It turned out the baby I was carrying wasn’t a symbol of love, but a seed of revenge he’d planted five years ago. But in truth, I wasn’t part of Declan’s Family by blood. My phone buzzed; it was a message from Mom: “Lydia, Declan is useless now. I’ve already arranged a house abroad. Come with me.” Watching Jasper and my father confront each other with cold indifference, I replied with disappointment: “Okay.”

Watching my father’s chest rise and fall, Jasper chuckled softly, his gaze landing on me. “You’re just as shameless as your mother. Do you know what she asked me for on her eighteenth birthday?” “She wanted me to sleep with her.” My chest tightened. That sweet, shy night, in his eyes, was just my disgraceful entanglement. Father struggled to get up to hit him, but Jasper fiercely grabbed his hand. “I’ve been with her for five years, and now she’s pregnant. Do you think the child will call you grandpa or dad?” “Oh, I forgot. This is incest. The child might be brain-damaged and won’t recognize anyone.” “You!” Father’s face turned red, then white, and he fainted from anger. I don’t know how I walked out of the hospital. “Lydia, who are you putting on that disappointed look for?” After finding out I was pregnant, Jasper couldn’t be bothered to pretend to be affectionate anymore. The wind outside dried my tears, and I choked up, “Why did you lie to me?” Jasper wiped away my tear stains with contempt, gripping my throat tightly, staring into my eyes as he said: “Why? I should ask why your mom ruined my family.” “The day my mom died of depression, I searched for a long time before finding Declan. At that time, he was celebrating your birthday with you. You were so happy.” What he didn’t know was, that birthday ended with a slap from my father because I couldn’t play the piano piece well. Since then, I never celebrated my birthday again. “So I was just a pawn in your game?” I thought to myself how foolish I was. The truth was right in front of me, yet I refused to believe it. I couldn’t believe these five years of sweetness were all lies. I couldn’t believe Jasper had used me with no love at all. “Of course, or did you think Jasper was playing house with you for five years?” The woman’s voice came with disdain—it was Jasper’s childhood sweetheart, Keira. “Lydia, Jasper endured five years of humiliation by your side for revenge, and you really thought you were special?” I retorted angrily, “What does this have to do with you?” Jasper pushed me aside, turning to Keira with gentle words, “Keira, go wait for me in the car.” When he looked back at me, there was an unprecedented disgust in his eyes. “You’re not just a pawn; you’ll become my wife.” “Haven’t you already been secretly planning the wedding? Keep preparing. Do you think the old man will die on the spot watching us get married because of the child?” I laughed at myself, hating that I still felt a flutter in my heart upon hearing the word “wife.” But everything I cherished was just a tool for his revenge. “After the old man dies, I won’t spare you or your mom.” “Let me think, how about letting your mom take you to wash dishes?” He pinched my face sharply, hatred filling his eyes. “Like when I was a child, never having enough to eat, and enduring the malicious harassment of perverts.” I silently accepted Jasper’s humiliation. As he left, he flung my face aside, saying, “Lydia, you’re as despicable as your mother.” The wind outside was too strong. My hands trembled as I tried to zip up my down jacket, but the tears blurred my vision. It was too cold, so cold that my heart ached. The phone rang—it was the wedding planning company. “Miss Lydia, the custom-made wedding dress will be delivered to your home tomorrow. Please try it on and let us know if you have any requests.” “Cancel it, have them contact Miss Keira to try on a new dress.” The person on the other end was quite puzzled. “But aren’t you the bride?” The pregnancy test slip was blown away by the wind, and I couldn’t catch it despite trying my best. I paused and said, “Not anymore.” I hung up, and the phone vibrated again—a notification that my plane ticket was successfully purchased.

I drafted my resignation letter and submitted it. Within minutes, Jasper stormed into my office in anger. “Lydia, why are you resigning?” I almost forgot, my father had already announced that he would hand the company over to my brother. Jasper is now the newly appointed director. “I actually…” I wanted to say I was leaving, secretly hoping Jasper might not want me to go. “Jasper, did you forget? She’s a privileged young lady, now trying to use the child to bind you, so she can continue to enjoy life as Mrs. Jasper.” The hint of unease in Jasper’s eyes was quickly replaced by disgust. He grabbed a stack of tissues, wiping his hands that had touched mine repeatedly. “I almost forgot you’re the daughter of a mistress, always relying on men for a free ride.” He signed the resignation letter and then threw it in my face. But I couldn’t focus on his humiliating actions because I saw the familiar jade pendant around Keira’s neck. It was the protective jade pendant I had prayed for Jasper, step by step, on the Tibetan Sky Road. I pointed to the pendant, my voice trembling, “Who gave that to you?” Keira smiled triumphantly, her eyes filled with tender affection as she looked at Jasper. Jasper seemed momentarily dazed but quickly sneered. “Keira has always been in poor health. I gave it to her for protection, so what?” Ignoring him, I grabbed the pendant, determined to tear it from Keira’s neck. “Ah! Lydia, you lunatic!” Jasper couldn’t protect her in time, and in the struggle, I pulled the pendant off, and Keira hit the table. She held her head, tears glistening. “Jasper, my head is spinning.” Jasper’s face darkened instantly, snatching the pendant and holding Keira protectively. “What you gave me is mine. Who I give it to is none of your business.” His furious voice drew the attention of several colleagues. “Isn’t Miss Lydia Mr. Jasper’s girlfriend? Why is he holding Keira?” “I heard Keira and Mr. Jasper are childhood sweethearts. Did Lydia come between them? Didn’t I hear something about a mistress?” “Could be. Maybe Mr. Jasper was just tolerating the young lady for the director’s position and now wants to pursue true love.” Jasper gave a signal with his eyes, and people quickly dispersed. “Lydia, curb your spoiled young lady temper!” “Keira is not like your mother, who only knows how to be a mistress. Her family helped my mom and me during our toughest times. I won’t let you bully her.” “I’ll have her move into our house. You’ll take care of her until her head stops spinning.” I bit my lip hard, holding back tears, watching Jasper leave with Keira in his arms. That night, Keira couldn’t wait to move in. She stood proudly at the stairwell, fiddling with the jade pendant. “Do you want it? Come and get it. I don’t care.” She tossed it, and the pendant was about to hit the ground. I reached out to catch it. In a split second, I felt a push and tumbled down the stairs. Jasper walked in just as I lay on the ground in pain. He dropped his jacket and rushed over to help me up. “Lydia, what’s wrong?” Curling up in Jasper’s arms, I pointed at Keira on the stairs, struggling to speak: “She… she pushed me down.” Jasper’s gaze turned icy cold. Keira hurried down, kneeling to grab Jasper’s hand. “Jasper, believe me, why would I hurt her? She just wanted to fake weakness and fall down, like her mom used to do.” Jasper’s grip on me loosened. “Yes, I can’t forget how your mom pretended to slap herself and framed my mom.” “Later, my dad slapped my mom ten times in front of me.” His voice was as cold as ice, piercing my heart. He shoved me away, watching me writhe in pain with cold eyes. “You’re just like your mom, with her tricks.” “Let’s go, Keira. Let’s eat out and not let some people ruin our mood.” My head buzzed, only seeing Jasper and Keira’s hands entwined as they walked away. “Jasper… don’t leave me. I’ll die…” The pain in my bones was nothing compared to the sticky sensation below, which terrified me. “The baby… my baby…” “I later saw my dad slap my mom ten times right in front of me.” His voice was icy, cutting through me deeply. He shoved me aside, his eyes cold as he watched my anguish and fury. “You’ve truly mastered your mom’s tricks to perfection.” “Let’s go, Keira. I’ll take you out to eat. Don’t let certain people ruin your mood.” My head spun, and all I saw was Jasper walking away, hand in hand with Keira. “Jasper… don’t leave me, I’ll die…” More than the pain in my bones, the growing discomfort below terrified me. “The baby… my baby…”

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The Driver’s Daughter crafted a facade of wealth to become the school’s most popular girl, while she spread rumors that I was just an infatuated admirer. When valuable items were stolen from her home, she pleaded with me not to involve the police, only to later lead the effort to ostracize me at school. I was falsely accused of assaulting a female classmate. As my parents sought the truth, she leaked our family’s confidential information to our competitors. After being framed, my family went bankrupt and ended up homeless. One night, a disturbed individual attacked us with a knife, and she watched in her designer clothes, laughing at our misfortune. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the past, before it all began. Once more, the Driver’s Daughter was flaunting her wealth in front of the class: “This weekend, I’m inviting everyone to the Mansion for a party!” As everyone cheered, I immediately sent a message: no Mansion events allowed. Forget being the top socialite; if I don’t stand up for myself, they’ll think I’m a fool!

“Miss Avery is so generous, truly a beautiful and kind Heiress!” “Thank you, Miss Avery, for broadening our horizons!” … I opened my eyes to the sound of cheers. Avery was at the center of attention, basking in the praise and admiration. Noticing my gaze, she turned her head, a strange emotion flickering in her eyes. Someone followed “Miss Avery’s” line of sight and noticed me, and the mocking began, deliberately loud. “Isn’t that the guy who has a crush on Miss Avery? Staring at her like that won’t change anything. She’s with the Campus Heartthrob!” This sentence triggered my memory. It was too familiar; I’d heard it before in another life. I had been reborn, and realizing my current situation, my whole body trembled. It wasn’t fear; it was excitement. In my last life, I was rumored to like Avery, mocked by classmates. I thought keeping a low profile would be enough. But later, I realized Avery did it on purpose. She called herself an Heiress, enjoying benefits similar to mine, but secretly instigated trouble, saying I was an infatuated follower. “He likes me, chasing after me, what can I do? We’re classmates, I can’t be too harsh.” That should have been my line. But when she said it, it was twisted. Riding in luxury cars with her, coming and going together, Avery claimed it was out of pity. I was the real heir, but turned into a struggling student. She, the Driver’s Daughter, turned into an Heiress. Although she relied on my family’s support, she hated us. The money my family spent on her could have supported hundreds of struggling students, yet she had no gratitude. Thinking of this, I quickly took out my phone and sent a message. “From today, no one is allowed into any of our Mansions. If anyone can’t guard the door, they can leave!” Without access to the Mansion, let’s see how you throw your party.

In high school, Avery was brought to our house by her parents, both bowing to my dad. “Thank you, Mr. Carter, for sponsoring my daughter’s education. We will work hard!” Avery’s dad was our driver, her mom our housekeeper. When they heard my dad wanted to sponsor a student, they immediately asked him to help Avery. My dad agreed; Avery had good grades and was smart. We thought it was just a regular sponsorship, but unexpectedly, it was the start of our nightmare. For Avery’s convenience, she moved into our house, enjoying the same treatment as me. After starting school, rumors began circulating that I liked Avery. Avery was rumored to be the top Heiress, picked up by luxury cars daily, while I, who kept a low profile, became the “sponsored” struggling student intruding on Avery. I wanted to explain, but Avery cried, saying if she explained, she’d be ridiculed. The rumors were just gossip, and she told me not to worry. “You promised to keep a low profile at school, or do you want people to accuse you of bullying, focusing on your money?” “A student’s job is to study!” I bottled up these words. My parents were busy and seldom home, and even if I explained, no one would believe me. Like Avery said, I should focus on my studies. Just as I improved my grades, I found many valuable items missing at home. I wanted to call the police, but Avery stopped me. “Wait for your dad to come back before doing anything. If you call the police, how will you attend school?” I didn’t call the police, but rumors spread that I was clinging to Avery to get into high society. Classmates began to ostracize me, and Avery’s popular boyfriend started causing trouble. I was locked in a storeroom, hit on the head on the street. I was bullied because of Avery. When I got a concussion, my parents returned to confront the school. But before they could find Avery, they received terrible news. Avery’s dad leaked company secrets to our rivals. He pretended my dad asked him to deliver confidential files, which he then sold at a high price to our rivals. With the money, they disappeared. My family was framed and went bankrupt, ending up on the street. Late at night, a deranged man attacked us with a knife, and we died at his hands. How could it be so coincidental? Before dying, Avery, in her designer clothes, looked at our family with disdain: “I hate you rich people the most. You deserve to die, worthless lives.” It was murder, but the attacker wouldn’t face any consequences, and Avery’s family took the money and fled. Recalling the pain and injustice before death, my eyes reddened. Avery, just wait. I won’t let you get away with it!

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“Nancy, are you really going to divorce Ryan and go abroad for further studies?” In the quiet living room, Nancy Xu looked at Mrs. Sullivan’s surprised face across from her and nodded. “Yes, Aunt Sullivan. And as you know, I wasn’t the one who was supposed to marry him in the first place. For Ryan, I was just an unexpected stand-in, a substitute when the real bride didn’t show up. Now that she’s back, he’s been very happy lately, so it’s time for me to go.” Outside, fine snow was falling gently, creating a beautiful winter scene. Nancy smiled lightly, “Going abroad to study has always been my dream anyway.” Mrs. Sullivan looked at the young woman before her, remembering three years ago when Fiona Quinn, who was supposed to be the bride, ran away abroad on Ryan’s wedding day. Just as Ryan was standing awkwardly at the altar, red-eyed and not knowing what to do, Nancy put on an ill-fitting wedding dress and slowly walked up to the stage. Full of apology, she picked up the microphone and apologized to all the guests: “I’m so sorry, there was traffic on the way, I’m late.” It was this act that saved Ryan’s face and the Sullivan family’s reputation. Mrs. Sullivan sighed deeply and asked uncertainly, “Will Ryan agree to the divorce?” Nancy shook her head with a smile, “I already have the divorce agreement.” After all, she had sent the divorce papers half a month ago. At that time, Ryan was in such a hurry to finish work and go see Fiona that he signed without even looking, and left. Now, she just had to wait seven more days to get the divorce certificate, and then she would be free. After all, the Sullivan family, for three generations, couldn’t go abroad due to the confidential nature of their work. So once she went abroad, she and Ryan would never have to see each other again. Just as Mrs. Sullivan was about to speak, a magnetic male voice suddenly came from behind the two of them. “Nancy, what are you chatting about with Mom?” Nancy turned around and saw Ryan, whom she hadn’t seen for days, in a black suit walking towards them. “…Ryan.” Seeing her son approach, Mrs. Sullivan was about to step forward to scold him. “Why are you here?” With three parts surprise and seven parts reassurance, Nancy stood up and gave Mrs. Sullivan a pleading look, interrupting her at the right moment. “I missed you, so I came to pick you up on the way.” Ryan’s eyes were a bit guilty. Actually, he had come on purpose after learning of Nancy’s whereabouts. After saying goodbye to the worried Mrs. Sullivan, the two took their bags and left the Sullivan family mansion. On the way back, heavy rain beat against the car windows, but inside it was completely silent. Ryan was silent for a long time before he finally spoke. “Nancy.” “Actually, Fiona and I are over. It’s just that she just came back to the country and had heart surgery a few years ago, so her health isn’t good. As an old… friend, I just went to help her settle in, so I hope you can understand.” Nancy looked out at the rain blurring her view through the window and nodded. If only she hadn’t seen how excited Ryan was when he dropped everything to run and meet Fiona the day she returned. If only she hadn’t seen Ryan sell the watch he had used for years and exchange it for a cheap bracelet Fiona had given him. If only… There were too many “if onlys”. Nancy no longer had any expectations or trust. The car was quiet for a moment before Ryan spoke again: “Nancy, what was that document you had me sign half a month ago?” As soon as he finished speaking, Nancy turned to look at Ryan, her eyes three parts surprised and seven parts bitter smile. He only remembered to ask now? But then again, since Fiona came back, how could he care about anything else? Nancy was about to speak when Ryan’s phone suddenly rang. Seeing the name displayed on the car screen, Ryan’s face suddenly became tense. “It’s okay, answer it. Maybe it’s something important?” Nancy looked out the window, appearing unconcerned, which made Ryan suddenly feel afraid. But in the end he still answered the call, with the car’s speakers automatically on. “Ryan, I miss you so much it hurts. Can we meet?” Hearing the coquettish tone on the other end, Ryan’s slender fingers gripping the steering wheel turned slightly white, and his expression suddenly turned cold. “Fiona, I’m married now. I’ve told you many times, don’t talk to me in that tone!” There was silence on the other end for a moment before Fiona said, “But Ryan, I was supposed to be the bride at that wedding back then.” The car suddenly screeched to a halt in the middle of the road, the tires making a huge sound as they skidded on the ground. In three years of marriage, this was the first time Nancy had seen Ryan lose control. He shouted at the screen: “But you left! You left me all alone!” The phone went silent for a moment. A moment later, the voice on the other end became a bit choked up: “I’m sorry. My health wasn’t good at the time and I didn’t want to worry you. I didn’t know it would have such serious consequences.” “Ah! Ryan! My heart hurts so much. It’s okay, just let me die like this. Then I won’t bother you anymore, and you can live happily with that substitute of mine.” Soon, there was no more sound from the other end of the phone. Ryan immediately panicked and looked at Nancy. Nancy spoke first: “It’s fine, I’ll take a taxi back. You go see her, don’t let anything really happen to her.” Ryan still felt somewhat guilty and said softly, “I’m not going to see her, I just remembered there’s an urgent matter at the company, so I’m going there for a bit.” “I’ll come back to be with you after I’m done.” Nancy nodded and opened the car door to get out. Watching his car speed away, Nancy stood in the rain holding an umbrella, her eyes dimming slightly. A moment later, she gave a bitter smile and started walking towards home, over ten miles away. Three years. It was time to end it. Three years ago, she had put on that ill-fitting wedding dress and married a man who couldn’t even remember her name. Relatives and friends privately said Nancy was pitiful, saying she was just a substitute for her husband’s true love. But in the three years since, the two of them had spent time together under the moonlight and stars, dreaming of the future. Nancy thought she was loved. But now, Nancy clearly knew she was wrong. Since that was the case, she chose to let Ryan go. It was also liberating herself. Thunder split the night sky, followed immediately by a downpour that swept over like a tidal wave, Also sweeping away Nancy’s last bit of affection for Ryan.

Nancy slept alone all night, and Ryan still hadn’t returned by noon the next day. When she woke up, it was still raining outside. Nancy stayed at home all day, calmly deleting all the posts about her married life on social media platforms. Just as she finished cleaning up, she saw Fiona, who had threatened to die yesterday, suddenly post on social media: “What’s it like to be pampered by your ex-boyfriend?” She included a grid of nine photos. In the first, the usually cold and indifferent Ryan was feeding her porridge. In the second, the normally aloof Ryan was sitting by her bedside, holding her hand tightly. In the third, the usually arrogant Ryan was kneeling before her, helping her take medicine with eyes full of distress. The fourth was a photo of a pile of luxury goods, each worth at least tens of millions. Fiona had written on it, “Thanks to Ryan’s connections, I’m not angry or upset anymore.” The beautiful woman in the photos smiled sweetly, looking like the happiest princess on a phone call. Many people in the comments section were extremely envious and posted sour remarks. “Left and experienced hardships, returned and still true love. Fiona, did you save the galaxy in your past life?” “Nonsense! This must be at least ten galaxies. Fiona, how did you do it? How can you make your ex still so devoted?” Besides the envy, there were naturally those who wanted to mock Nancy. Nancy just glanced over casually, and a few people’s comments caught her eye. “I wonder what Miss Xu would think if she saw this?” “What could a substitute think? Did she really think that by going up to save face and be the bride, she could truly win the heart of the great Mr. Sullivan? She’s probably dying of jealousy seeing this. How long do you bet before this lapdog shows up?” “I bet 10 minutes!” “I bet 5 minutes!” “I bet 1 minute! She’s probably already downstairs. I’ll bet my new Lamborghini!” Many people followed along excitedly, with the stakes getting higher and higher. But Nancy just smiled resignedly and quickly typed out a few words on her phone: “I bet she’ll never show up in her lifetime.” Her words stirred up a storm, with many people immediately messaging to ask if she was joking. Nancy simply turned off her phone and stopped looking at any messages. Instead, she turned to make herself a bowl of noodles. At that moment, her phone suddenly rang. Nancy didn’t answer, but the phone kept ringing incessantly for five or six minutes before finally stopping. But soon after, the housekeeper Mrs. Zhang came in looking troubled, holding her own phone. “Ma’am, the master wants you to answer the phone.” Only then did Nancy pick up the phone and answer. “Nancy, it’s all a misunderstanding. I’ve already had Fiona delete the post. Don’t overthink it. She wasn’t feeling well yesterday, that’s why I didn’t come back. Nothing happened between us.” Ryan’s anxious voice came through the phone. The moment he saw Nancy’s comment, he had panicked. Nancy looked at the noodles she had made and calmly said, “I made noodles. Are you coming back to eat?” Ryan was stunned on the other end before replying, “I’m glad you’re not angry. You can eat the noodles yourself. Fiona’s heart is hurting again, so I’m taking her to the hospital. Don’t worry, we’re really just frie-” Before he could finish, Fiona’s anxious voice came through from the other end. “Ryan, where are you? I can’t see you. Did I lose you again? My heart feels so uneasy.” The call was hurriedly hung up, leaving only Ryan’s very anxious voice to the other person. “Fiona, I’m here. You didn’t lose me.” Looking at the disconnected call, Nancy sent Ryan a message: “That document you asked about yesterday is in the glove compartment of your passenger seat.” “You can open it and see what it is.” It wasn’t until two hours later that Ryan finally replied with one sentence. “No need. Whatever you had me sign, I’m sure it’s not to harm me.” This meant he wouldn’t look at it. Yes, right now he just wanted to be by Fiona’s side. Why would he look at anything unrelated to Fiona? Even if that divorce agreement was right at his fingertips. In the afternoon, Nancy drove with a truck delivering supplies to the orphanage where she grew up. Nancy had been an orphan since childhood and grew up here. The children were very happy to see Nancy come, and all ran up to cling to her and share their experiences. After spending time with the children, she went to the director’s office to say goodbye. “Mom, I’m going abroad for further studies.” The director was very happy. Nancy had been a top student in physics at Tsinghua University, but had suddenly given up going abroad to get married. The director had regretted it for a long time. “Nancy, that’s wonderful.” The director held Nancy’s hand, smiling with satisfaction. But then she thought of something and looked worried, “But… you going abroad for further studies, doesn’t that mean you and Ryan will be in a long-distance relationship? Long-distance relationships are very difficult.” Nancy looked out the window at a few children playing and running, shaking her head with a light smile. “It’s not a long-distance relationship. I divorced him.” “Because… Fiona came back.” The director was stunned for a moment, then let out a long sigh, feeling both regretful and relieved. “Sure enough, I wasn’t wrong in my initial assessment. Your marriage couldn’t last long. You know, once a person still has someone else in their heart, no matter how loving they seem on the surface, it’s all fake. As soon as that person comes back, the marriage is over! So it’s good that you divorced.” She held Nancy’s hand gently, comforting her softly. Nancy smiled back and hugged the director. Yes, it was good that they divorced.

After returning from the orphanage, Nancy went to a church before going home to pack her luggage. It was then that she realized her clothes filled several closets. Inside were also various expensive bags, sports car keys and other priceless gifts from Ryan. In fact, during their three years of marriage, Ryan had always been good to her, constantly giving her black cards, houses, cars and other gifts. But Nancy had never touched any of them. Because every time Ryan gave her gifts, Nancy could see the shadow of another person in his reddened eyes. To be precise, Ryan’s kindness to her was all stolen from Fiona, who had temporarily left the scene. She used to think that with time, Ryan would be able to see her true heart, but reality proved that what didn’t belong to her would eventually have to be returned. Nancy sorted out some things that belonged to her, and then took all the gifts she had given Ryan over the years to sell as junk. Over the years, in order to make him like her, she had carefully prepared many gifts for him, but he had never even glanced at them. Only that one watch he wore, which had also been replaced by the cheap bracelet Fiona gave him after she returned. Seeing all these gifts thrown aside with a thick layer of dust on them, Nancy smiled bitterly again. If Ryan truly loved her, where did all this dust come from? Watching the junk truck drive away, she was about to return to the villa when a horn sounded behind her. Nancy turned around to see a flashy Ferrari stop in front of her. A girl in a red dress got out of the car – it was Ryan’s sister, Sophie. Sophie frowned at the departing junk truck, then coldly snorted in disdain. “Sure enough, an orphan with no parents, even cardboard boxes have to be sold for money. Making it seem like our Sullivan family is about to go bankrupt.” Nancy didn’t even look at her and turned to leave. Sophie’s mocking smile turned to anger, and she rushed forward to grab Nancy. “Nancy Xu!” Ever since Nancy entered their Sullivan family, she had always been very humble in her attitude, trying to please everyone. She had never given Sophie the cold shoulder like this before. Today she actually dared to turn her back on her, and anger immediately rushed to Sophie’s head. “Xu! Are you deaf? I’m talking to you and you dare to just walk away.” Nancy turned around and pulled Sophie’s hand off her, her eyes flashing with annoyance. Sophie had always disliked her, thinking she came from a poor background. So for three years after the wedding, she had been constantly targeting Nancy, either saying the breakfast she made wasn’t cooked properly, or dirtying the clothes she had washed. But now that she was leaving, she didn’t want to accommodate Sophie anymore. Sophie was about to continue taking advantage of the situation to lash out, but seemed to think of something and the corners of her mouth curled up into a sneer. “People like you should sell more junk. After all, my brother’s true love, Sister Fiona, is back. You, the so-called substitute, can get lost now.” As soon as she finished speaking, another woman in a white dress, looking quite exquisite, stepped out from behind her. This was the first time Nancy had seen Fiona in person. A pair of almond eyes brimming with watery charm, long black hair flowing down, porcelain white skin – just standing there exuded an air of nobility. No wonder Ryan had been unable to forget her for so many years. But this dress, the accessories on it – Nancy found it somewhat familiar. Wasn’t this style of outfit exactly the same as the ones in her own closet? At this moment, Nancy finally understood that she really was just a substitute. Fiona looked Nancy up and down, as if seeing a cheap version of herself, full of disdain and mockery. However, this expression was quickly hidden away when Ryan’s car drove in behind them. She immediately put on a pitiful face and said, “Sophie, don’t talk about Miss Xu like that. She’s your sister-in-law now. What if she gets angry and kicks me out?” As soon as she finished speaking, Ryan’s panicked voice came from behind. “What’s going on? Who’s kicking who out?!”

Ryan hurried over. His gaze fell on Fiona, who was standing there fine, and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief before turning to speak to Nancy on the other side. “Nancy, Fiona’s house hasn’t been lived in for many years and needs to be renovated, so can she stay with us for a few days during this time?” Nancy looked at Ryan without speaking. In the silence, Fiona’s expression became full of unease and a bit of grievance. “Ryan, maybe I should just leave. After all, it’s my fault for not showing up at the wedding. Now you have a new wife, and it seems Miss Xu doesn’t welcome me.” Ryan looked at Nancy, his face hesitating for a moment. Fiona let out a long sigh, her expression dejected as she turned to leave. Sophie immediately reached out to stop her. “Sister Fiona! Why are you leaving?! If anyone should leave, it’s her. The real mistress of this villa should be…” “Shut up! Sophie!” Ryan glared at her angrily and shouted, “Who told you to talk to Nancy like that? She’s my wife, your sister-in-law. Apologize to her right now, or get out!” Sophie’s eyes immediately turned red. Seeing this scene, Nancy finally spoke up, the corners of her mouth curling into a smile. “It’s fine, you don’t need to scold Sophie. I didn’t say I wouldn’t agree. Miss Quinn, please stay here.” With that, Nancy turned and walked into the villa. This was the eighth year she had loved Ryan. She still remembered the first time she saw him on the basketball court and fell in love at first sight. Ryan didn’t know. Until later, when Nancy, as an orphan, saw Ryan red-eyed and at a loss standing at the altar during the wedding, she instinctively went up. That heart had nothing to do with status or interests. She just didn’t want to see the person she liked cry. Seemingly afraid Fiona would still leave, Ryan immediately instructed the servants to move her luggage into the largest guest room. Sophie immediately walked smugly in front of Nancy, her nose in the air: “What are you standing here for? Go make dinner. Oh, and Sister Fiona can’t eat spicy food, so make it bland.” Hearing this, Fiona’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she looked Nancy up and down again. “I’ve always heard that Miss Xu’s cooking skills are quite good. So today…” Before she could finish, Ryan came down from the guest room upstairs: “Sophie, that’s enough! How many times have I told you, we have servants in the house. Why do you always make Nancy cook for you?” Fiona’s face fell, and the glance she cast at Nancy was full of jealousy and hatred. But when Ryan walked over, Fiona immediately changed her expression and smiled. “I’ll cook today. I’ve learned a lot of skills abroad these past few years and have always wanted to make something for you all to try.” As she said this, Fiona was looking at Ryan. Ryan’s eyes suddenly had a moment of daze, but when he saw Nancy standing quietly to the side, he still shook his head and said, “No need, your health isn’t good either. Just let the serv-” Sophie clung to him, grabbing Ryan’s hand and saying, “Brother, just let Sister Fiona cook. She worked so hard to learn.” Ryan seemed to think of something and finally nodded. “Alright, but don’t tire yourself out.” Nancy watched all of this without saying a word, just standing by the floor-to-ceiling window looking out at the garden. Ryan looked at Nancy standing so quietly and suddenly felt more and more uneasy. After a long silence, he walked to Nancy’s side, his red lips moving slightly. “Nancy, if you don’t like Fiona staying here, I’ll send her back after we finish this meal.” “No need. Let her stay if she wants.” Nancy turned to look at Ryan: “That document, have you looked at it?” Mentioning the document again, Ryan frowned slightly: “I haven’t looked yet. Didn’t I say I trust you? Do I really need to look at it?” Does he need to or not? Nancy didn’t know. The signature was already there anyway, but thinking of their three years living together day and night. Nancy was about to speak when Fiona suddenly brought over a pot of hot soup. She glanced at Nancy standing beside Ryan like a stranger, her eyes flashing with intense jealousy. Then, she pretended to lose her grip and not hold the pot steady, rushing forward towards Nancy in a panic, spilling the entire pot of hot soup. “Watch out!”

“Watch out!” Seeing the hot soup splashing towards her! Nancy instinctively shielded Ryan in her arms. Then she watched helplessly as a large pot of scalding chicken soup poured all over her. “Ah!” In an instant, Nancy’s body was covered in chicken soup, her skin immediately turning bright red from the scalding. The searing pain almost made her faint. “Nancy!” Ryan pushed Nancy away, his eyes full of panic. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll take you to the hospital right away!” She looked up at him, the pain spreading throughout her body, using all her strength but unable to say a word. Then she looked at Fiona. “I’m so sorry, Miss Xu. Are you alright? Ryan, thank goodness Miss Xu protected you.” Seeing her pretend to be flustered, but unable to hide the satisfaction in her eyes, Nancy immediately realized and said in a trembling voice: “You did this on purpose?” Hearing this, Fiona was stunned for a moment, then tears started falling immediately. “Miss Xu, what are you saying? How could I do this on purpose? I know you feel insecure and have prejudices against me, and it’s my fault for not believing you’d get scalded! But you can’t slander me like this.” Seeing Fiona cry, Sophie resolutely stood in front of her and angrily said: “Nancy Xu! That’s enough! So what if you got scalded a little? Why are you making such a big deal out of it? Sister Fiona worked hard to cook for us, she’s already very tired! Besides…” Sophie looked at Ryan, whose eyes were already filled with doubt and anger, and lifted her chin to continue, “Besides, my brother was right there. Even if Sister Fiona wanted to hurt someone, she wouldn’t hurt my brother, right?” As soon as she finished speaking, the doubt in Ryan’s eyes immediately disappeared. He looked at Nancy with furrowed brows and said disappointedly, “That’s right. Nancy, Fiona wouldn’t hurt anyone, least of all me. Please don’t overthink it, okay?” Hearing these words, Nancy felt countless emotions gather at the top of her head, tears immediately welling up in her eyes. Ryan sighed, his voice becoming calm: “Nancy, let’s go to the hospital first, alright?” Nancy knew that no matter what else she said, Ryan wouldn’t believe her now. Just as she was about to nod. “Oh no, Sister Fiona, you’re hurt so badly!” Ryan heard this and immediately rushed to Fiona’s side in a panic. He saw that her snow-white arm had some small blisters, which did indeed look quite “serious”. Fiona put her hand behind her back, her eyes rimmed with tears as she shook her head. “I’m fine. Miss Xu looks much worse. You should take her to the hospital first.” As soon as she finished speaking, just as Ryan was about to look at Nancy again, Fiona immediately put on a pained expression. She clutched her chest and said, “Ah! Ryan! My heart hurts so much. It’s okay, just let me die like this. Then I won’t bother you anymore, and you can live happily with that substitute of yours.” Fiona collapsed, grabbing Ryan’s hand as he tried to support her. She said weakly, “Ryan, am I going to die? Will I never see you again?” Sophie stomped her foot anxiously: “Brother! Sister Fiona’s heart isn’t good. Let’s hurry and take her to the hospital!” “I, I’m fine…” Fiona looked pitiful and delicate. But this appearance undoubtedly made Ryan’s heart ache. He could no longer care about the disheveled Nancy. He helped Fiona up and headed out. Before leaving, he seemed to remember something and looked at Nancy with guilt. “Fiona’s heart isn’t good. I’m afraid something will happen to her. The hospital isn’t far from here.” “…Nancy, you can take a taxi to the hospital yourself.”

At the hospital, the doctor used cotton swabs to flatten the blistered areas while asking Nancy with concern why she was so badly scalded and had no family accompanying her. Nancy inhaled sharply from the pain. Two doctors passed by the doorway. “Mr. Sullivan really cares for his wife. Just a few small blisters and he booked the entire floor, having all the dermatology experts come for a consultation.” “I know, right? These few blisters would have almost healed if she came a bit later. If only I could have such a caring man who loves me.” “Haha, dream on. Men like that are one in a million.” One in a million? Nancy smiled wryly. Abandoning his seriously injured wife to go take care of someone with minor injuries – he truly was a one-in-a-million good man. Nancy’s injuries were too severe and she needed to stay in the hospital for a few days. It wasn’t until three days later that Nancy, wrapped in bandages, was finally discharged. As soon as she turned on her phone, countless missed calls and messages popped up, filling the screen. They were all from Ryan. This had never happened since Fiona returned. Just as she was in a daze, Sophie’s call came through. As soon as Nancy answered, a harsh voice came from the other end. “Nancy Xu, you’ve got some nerve! Where have you been for three days? This is deliberate, isn’t it?! Can’t compete with Sister Fiona so you’re playing these tricks? Do you know how crazy my brother’s been looking for you?! Don’t think this will get my brother’s attention. Dream on. The position of the Sullivan family’s daughter-in-law will always belong to Sister Fiona!” After finishing her rant, Sophie hung up the phone. Nancy frowned slightly. Ryan had been frantically searching for her? How was that possible? Wasn’t he busy taking care of Fiona? Why would he look for her? But when Nancy looked at the 999 missed calls on her phone, it did indeed show Ryan’s urgency in finding her. With this confusion, Nancy returned home. As soon as she entered the gate, the servants, their faces full of relief after a near-disaster, came to greet her. Several of them were almost crying as they spoke. “Ma’am, you’re finally back. The master has been going crazy looking for you…” As soon as they finished speaking, the sound of hurried footsteps approached. “Nancy!” Ryan anxiously jogged over. After not seeing each other for three days, the usually dapper man looked quite haggard, especially the dark circles under his eyes which were particularly obvious. “I went to the hospital. The same one where you were taking care of Fiona.” Hearing this, Ryan sighed, “About last time, I didn’t mean to abandon you. It’s just that after Fiona’s surgery, the doctor said she needed to stay calm and not get excited, or something could happen. I grew up with her since we were kids, so I’m used to taking care of her. That’s why I took her to the hospital first.” “And you didn’t object at the time either. Since you were at the hospital, why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you answer my calls? You’re my wife, don’t you know I’d be worried? Can you not do this again next time?” By the end, there was a hint of reproach in his tone. But Nancy still looked at him calmly, without answering. Because in two more days, she would be leaving. So there wouldn’t be a next time. For some reason, seeing Nancy’s calmness, Ryan suddenly thought of how Nancy had been these past few days and felt a bit panicked. He stepped forward and took Nancy’s hand, sighing, “Actually, Fiona really didn’t mean to do it last time. Since you don’t want her staying here, I’ve already had her move out. Don’t be upset over this little thing anymore in the future.” After finishing, Ryan looked straight at Nancy, wanting to see a hint of being moved in her eyes. But Nancy had no reaction at all. She removed Ryan’s hand and turned to go upstairs. But as soon as she entered the room, she saw a set of expensive bags placed on the bed. She raised her eyebrows and looked at Ryan questioningly as he followed behind her. Ryan sighed, “Nancy, this is my apology to you. You won’t be angry anymore with these, right?” Nancy looked at the bags in the box, each worth tens of millions, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. Three years. A full three years. They had shared a bed, had happy times together. In his eyes, was she really the kind of person who would pretend to be angry and upset just to get compensation? Suddenly, she thought of the gifts Ryan had carefully prepared for Fiona in his social media posts, and a wave of mockery welled up, but she quickly suppressed it. Forget it. Since he didn’t understand, there was no need to explain anymore. Seeing that Nancy’s face still showed no smile, Ryan didn’t think much of it, just assuming she didn’t like them. “Nancy, if you don’t like these, after I’m done with Fiona’s matters, I’ll take you to an auction to pick out the most expensive one to give you…” Ryan hadn’t finished speaking when Sophie and Fiona’s voices came in from outside the door. “Sister Fiona, I told you, my brother likes you so much, he couldn’t possibly really make you move out. It’s all that Nancy Xu’s fault. I’ll scold her for you in a bit. Why don’t you come back and stay, okay?” As they spoke, the two walked right into Nancy and Ryan’s bedroom. Then upon seeing the set of bags on the bed, Sophie exclaimed excitedly: “Oh my god, brother! Sister Fiona just mentioned to me that she really liked these few bags. I can’t believe you actually bought them!” After saying this, she looked at Fiona beside her, her eyes full of envy. Hearing this, Fiona’s face immediately turned red, then she looked at Nancy smugly. Seeing that Ryan didn’t immediately refute it, but instead showed hesitation in his eyes, Nancy didn’t even think before directly picking up the box and handing it to Fiona. “Since it’s a gift for you, please take it.” With one sentence, she made the choice for Ryan, resolving his dilemma. At this moment, Ryan looked at Nancy in shock. Seeing how generous she was, the discomfort in Ryan’s heart grew stronger and stronger. He wanted to object, but seeing how happy Fiona looked, he still closed his mouth. He was thinking, it’s okay, next week is our wedding anniversary. He could make it up to Nancy then. He must be overthinking things. She was just jealous and throwing a tantrum. Nancy loved Ryan so much. How could she possibly leave?

Another day passed. There was one day left before the divorce cooling-off period ended, and Nancy would receive the divorce certificate. Thinking that she could finally leave, she began mailing her luggage abroad. Halfway through packing, Ryan called from the company, asking her to attend a banquet at the Sullivan family mansion. Nancy wanted to refuse, because in one more day, their legal marriage would be dissolved. But thinking of how Mrs. Sullivan had taken care of her all these years, Plus, it was the last day after all. Nancy wanted to find an opportunity to be alone with Ryan and explain things clearly. Although it was a hasty marriage, Nancy wanted to end it with clarity. In the bustling Sullivan family estate, lights were shining brightly everywhere, with socialites gathered, clinking glasses. But as soon as she went in, Nancy didn’t see Ryan. After asking around, she learned from an old Sullivan family servant that Ryan was in a house on the north side. Nancy immediately walked in that direction. The door of the house was slightly ajar, with some suggestive sounds coming from inside. Nancy suddenly felt a wave of unease. Her body trembling, she slowly peeked through the door crack. Immediately, a shocking scene entered her eyes. On the sofa, Ryan was roughly and urgently undressing Fiona’s evening gown while pinning her tightly to the couch. His large hands gripped Fiona’s waist as he trailed kisses from her collarbone downwards. Fiona arched her head to meet Ryan, saying passionately, “Ryan! Promise me you won’t leave me.” Fiona whispered. Ryan suddenly pushed her away forcefully. “Fiona! Are you crazy?! I’m married! Why have you come back now? What exactly do you take me for? Something you can throw away and pick up again as you please? Do you know how afraid I am of being alone again?!” Ryan was very angry, but Fiona wouldn’t listen. She stubbornly moved forward to hug his waist again, their bodies pressed together. “Ryan! I was wrong!” “Fiona! Get out!” Again and again, endlessly. Finally, Ryan gave in and surrendered. This time he didn’t let Fiona come hug him. He forcefully pulled Fiona close and bit down hard on her lips, then their mouths entangled, inseparable. Several moments later, the two finally moments later, the two finally parted. Fiona wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and smiled smugly, then hooked Ryan’s chin. “So, do you still love me?” Nancy watched from outside, feeling as if countless knives were stabbing her heart over and over. Ryan stood frozen in place. After a moment, he looked up at her with eyes full of restrained love, his tone one of surrender. The next moment, his red lips moved: “I do!” At this, Fiona’s eyes were full of triumph. She kissed him again, then asked, “So, are you willing to divorce that Nancy Xu and marry me?” Ryan’s whole body suddenly stiffened. Abruptly, he remembered that wedding from years ago that he couldn’t bear to recall, remembered the figure who resolutely stood up and walked firmly to his side amidst a crowd of strange looks. “…I.” Ryan turned his head, about to answer. But at that instant, he saw a pair of eyes full of sorrow watching him through the slowly opening door. All of a sudden, darkness appeared in Ryan’s mind. Nancy stood outside, calmly looking at him, tears streaming down her face. “—Nancy!”

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When the doctor told me I might never be able to have children again, Julian’s first reaction was pure agony: “How could this happen to Scarlett? She wants a child so badly!” Scarlett. She was the one he’d always yearned for, the unattainable ideal. Even my five-year-old son ran up to me, his voice sharp with accusation: “Mommy, did you do this on purpose? Daddy says if Aunt Scarlett could have a baby, she’d be way better than you!” A cold realization hit me. In this house, my worth, even as a potential mother, couldn’t measure up to the ghost of his past, the shadow of a woman who wasn’t even here. I was done. I left a divorce agreement and vanished from their lives. I gripped the thin, yet ton-heavy diagnosis – “Unlikely to conceive again.” My hands shook so violently I could barely hold the paper. The sterile white of the hospital corridor blurred, the world spun, leaving only those crushing words, like ice picks tearing through my heart. Why me? Fighting back the torrent of tears, I floated home like a phantom. He glanced up as I walked in, casually asking, “How was the check-up? What did the doctor say?” His tone was light, dismissive. My movements froze. I took a deep, shuddering breath, walked up to him, my voice trembling uncontrollably. “Julian, the doctor said… I might… I might not be able to get pregnant again.” His smile shattered, freezing on his face. After a few seconds of stunned silence, his brows furrowed, tightening into a worried knot. Then, almost a reflex, the words burst out, a bombshell that rocked my world: “How can that be? What about Scarlett? She wants a child so badly…” Scarlett. Scarlett Davies. The woman he’d held in his heart for years, the unattainable ideal he always craved. My blood seemed to turn to ice, chilling me from head to toe. My fingertips quivered uncontrollably. I stared at the man before me, disbelief clawing at my throat. “…What did you say?” My voice was raspy, like sandpaper, every word a struggle to force out. Julian seemed to realize he’d spoken out of turn, but there wasn’t a trace of apology in his eyes. He just turned away, his face etched with annoyance, avoiding my piercing gaze. He tried to backtrack, his voice clipped and stiff: “That’s not what I meant… It’s just… Ugh, this is so sudden, I…” Here I was, just delivered the devastating news that my hope for more children was almost gone, my body and soul in tatters, desperate for comfort and support. And his first reaction wasn’t to worry about my health, or to share my pain and despair. No, it was for Scarlett Davies, a woman who had absolutely no place in our family – *she* wanted a child? So, my inability to conceive again, was first and foremost a betrayal to *his* unattainable ideal? My mouth opened, but no sound came out. The man before me, so familiar yet utterly a stranger, sent a chill so profound it settled deep in my bones, alongside an absurd, cutting irony. These past five years, a colossal, cruel joke. I watched him pace irritably in the living room, then walk onto the balcony, pulling out his phone to make a call. His voice was low, but I clearly caught a few phrases: “…Don’t even ask. My wife’s body isn’t cooperating… Yeah, it is… Ugh, such a hassle…” My body isn’t cooperating?

The next morning, the house was a frozen wasteland. His attitude towards me was noticeably colder, his eyes holding an unspoken distance and a barely disguised disappointment. On the wall hung our family portrait, the three of us. In the photo, my smile was radiant, nestled beside Julian, who held little Leo. The scene was as warm as a meticulously painted oil canvas. Now, looking at it, all I felt was bitter irony. I silently picked up the toys scattered on the carpet, Leo’s masterpiece from last night. Just as I bent to grab a Transformer, Leo’s bedroom door opened. “Mommy!” My five-year-old son, Leo, dashed out. He ran up to me and delivered a blow that felt sharper than any knife: “Mommy! Why can’t you have a baby sister anymore? Daddy says Aunt Scarlett would be better than you if she could have a baby!” My brain exploded. Spots danced before my eyes, my ears rang, and I swayed, almost losing my balance. Aunt Scarlett… Scarlett Davies… He didn’t just feel sorry for Scarlett himself; he’d poisoned our innocent five-year-old son with such vicious, twisted ideas! My face went ashen, my entire body shaking uncontrollably. “Leo…” My voice was horribly hoarse, like an old bellows. “Who… who taught you to say that? Tell Mommy, who was it?” Leo was startled by my pale face and trembling voice. His little lip trembled, and tears welled up, threatening to spill over. “Leo!” Julian’s voice boomed from the study, laced with obvious impatience and a hint of… guilt? He strode over quickly, yanked our son away from me, pulling him behind him as if shielding a precious treasure, cutting off my view of Leo. He didn’t even spare me a glance, only addressed our son, but his words were clearly a “defense” aimed at me: “What does a child know? Don’t scare him!” His eyes were cold as ice, his tone scathing: “It’s the truth, your body isn’t well, so why blame others for saying it? Leo just spoke the truth, why are you so upset?!” He stood on a pedestal of moral superiority, mercilessly judging me. In that moment, I clearly felt the chasm between me and my son being forcibly widened by the man I once loved so deeply.

It felt like my heart had died; there was no greater sorrow. Just as I thought I would slowly numb in this silence, a message from Scarlett arrived, unexpected. “Clara, I heard you’re not doing well? How are you lately? I’m a bit worried about you, thought we could grab coffee and clear your head.” Her tone was gentle, oozing with “concern” and “sisterly affection.” *Ha*. Worried about me? More like eager to see me suffer. Julian’s words, “What about Scarlett?” still echoed in my ears. My instinct was to refuse this hypocritical invitation. But then, a perverse curiosity took hold. I wanted to see what kind of game this “white moonlight,” whom Julian cherished above his own wife and son, was planning to play. “Sure, Scarlett, you’re too kind. Just tell me where.” I replied with a calmness that surprised even myself. The café she picked was a chic, expensive, trendy spot. Scarlett was already there, seated by the window. The afternoon sun filtered through the glass, softly outlining her perfectly delicate profile. She was impeccably dressed today, radiating an air of delicate charm. A brand-new luxury designer bag lay casually beside her. Seeing me approach, she instantly stood, gracefully stepping forward. “Clara, you’re here. Please, sit.” She took my hand. Her fingertips were warm and soft, making my own, cold and stiff from days of shock and heartbreak, feel even more pathetic. “Clara, I’m truly sorry to hear… Julian told me. Don’t be too sad. It’s tough for a woman, you know, if you can’t have children anymore. It’s quite a shame.” A flicker of triumph, quickly masked, danced in her eyes. Beneath that seemingly sincere expression of regret, her schadenfreude was unmistakable. Three pleasantries in, and her real “performance” began. “But don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Julian… he still cares about you, you know.” Her voice held a seemingly “innocent” sigh, yet every word was designed to wound. “It’s just, you know how Julian is; he’s always loved children. He always said he wanted a bustling home, preferably three or four kids. If it hadn’t been for your ability to have children back then…” She paused deliberately, lifting her gaze to me, her eyes filled with feigned sympathy: “Ah, what a pity… He so desperately craved a complete family with children around him. If only back then…” She let the sentence hang, unfinished. If only what? She was blatantly implying that my body’s failure had left an irreparable “void” in his life. And she, Scarlett Davies, was the one who could fulfill his dreams. My heart was cold, my blood seeming to cease its flow. Yet, I struggled to maintain a semblance of composure and dignity. She elegantly raised her hand, gently stroking the exquisitely delicate, diamond-studded bracelet on her wrist. The bracelet shimmered, catching the afternoon sunlight in dazzling, almost blinding flashes. She noticed my gaze on the bracelet, explaining with a touch of coy bashfulness: “Oh, this? Julian just gave it to me. He said he specifically got it from a renowned spiritual retreat; it’s called a ‘fertility bracelet’ and brings good luck for conception… he said it would surely help me realize my dream of becoming a mother.” She continued, turning her “sympathetic” gaze back to me: “Ah, I was going to offer to get you one if you liked it. But it’s a shame, now that you… probably wouldn’t need it.” At the very moment I was diagnosed with a potentially barren future, Julian, my husband, bought *her* a “fertility bracelet”? And he wished *her* to “realize her dream of becoming a mother soon”?

So, Julian didn’t just feel for his unattainable ideal with words; his actions had already been this “thoughtful” and “far-sighted.” Enough. Just *enough*. The last shred of illusion I held for this marriage shattered, completely and utterly, under Scarlett’s meticulously orchestrated “performance.” I placed my water glass down. It hit the polished tabletop with a sharp, clear *clink*, successfully cutting off whatever more “dramatic” lines Scarlett had planned. I tugged at the corners of my mouth, forcing out a cold, hollow smile, staring directly into her eyes, which were brimming with hypocrisy: “Miss Davies, you’ve gone to great lengths. But my affairs are none of your concern. As for your ‘fertility charm,’ keep it and enjoy it all to yourself.” “You can finish that coffee on your own.” With that, I grabbed my bag from beside me and walked out of the café without a backward glance. Outside, the sunlight was intense, almost blinding. I returned to the place I called “home,” which felt more like a cage now. The sprawling house was empty. I didn’t turn on any lights, walking directly to the living room sofa and sinking down. Darkness gently enveloped me, amplifying the emptiness and resolve within my heart. My husband’s slip of the tongue, my son’s accusation, the “white moonlight’s” sickening display… The scenes of the past few days replayed in my mind, slow-motion, painfully clear. Every image, every word, felt like a thousand cuts to my soul. I sat in the dark for a long, long time, until the sky outside the window began to show the first hint of dawn. I stood up, still no lights on, and walked straight into the master bedroom. I only took a few casual outfits from college, comfortable though rarely worn now, along with essential undergarments and basic toiletries. My movements were frighteningly calm, as if I were merely packing for a short trip. But now, I was saying goodbye to that identity, forever. From the dusty depths of a drawer in his study, I pulled out a long-forgotten document – the divorce agreement. I’d actually printed it out a long time ago, in a fit of impulse after a furious argument with Julian about Scarlett. Back then, I just wanted to force Julian to make a choice, or perhaps, to childishly scare him into realizing I had boundaries. Laughably, when he saw the agreement, he merely scoffed, dismissively asking what “drama” I was causing now, then casually tossed it into the bottom of the drawer and never mentioned it again. Looking back, he must have been utterly convinced from the start that I couldn’t leave him, couldn’t abandon this privileged life, or the prestigious title of “Mrs. Julian Harrison.” I picked up the pen. Without a single hesitation, I signed my name, Clara Bennett, clearly and firmly, on the “Wife” line at the bottom of the dusty agreement. Next to it, I took off my wedding ring and gently placed it on the document. Finally, I took one last look around the house I had called home for five years. Pulling a simple suitcase, I silently walked out of that house, out of that suffocating marriage. I blocked and deleted Julian and everyone in his circle.

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Everyone knew I was the one Grandpa Hayes had personally chosen for a marriage alliance. Whoever married me was destined to inherit the Hayes family empire. At the engagement party, I stood in my custom-tailored suit, ready to announce the merger of the Hayes and Davies families. But my fiancée, Chloe Hayes, was holding hands with my adopted brother, Blake Miller. She pulled him to the center of the crowd, standing shoulder to shoulder with him. “Blake and I are madly in love. He’s the only man I’ll ever marry.” “Asher Thorne is far too reckless. He’s not fit to lead the Hayes company.” The engagement changed hands; my adopted brother was now the one betrothed to Chloe. Everyone in the room looked at me with pity or scorn. But what they didn’t know was that Grandpa Hayes had picked me to marry Chloe because my mother was the heir to the powerful, discreet Thorne family. One day, I would return to the Thorne family and inherit their legacy. Since Chloe had made her choice, it was time for the Hayes family heir to change as well.

Chloe gripped Blake Miller’s hand tightly, pulling him to a halt in front of everyone. Blake gasped, trying to pull his hand back. “Chloe, sweetie, this isn’t right. Your engagement to my brother was personally set by Grandpa Hayes.” “I’m in love with you, Blake. I won’t agree to marry anyone else.” She held Blake’s hand firmly, her eyes fixed on Grandpa Hayes, who sat in the place of honor. “Grandpa, my heart has always belonged to Blake. I will only marry Blake and have him as my husband.” The guests exchanged glances, filled with sympathy and thinly veiled mockery. Everyone knew that Chloe and I had grown up together, practically childhood sweethearts, and that Grandpa Hayes had internally designated me as his grandson-in-law. But now, Chloe had publicly humiliated me in front of everyone in our social circle. Chloe’s tone was absolute. “Even though Asher and I grew up together, I’ve always seen him as nothing more than a brother. I never had any romantic feelings for him.” “Blake and I are deeply in love; we confirmed our relationship ages ago. In my heart, Blake is the only man I can ever marry. No one else.” Mr. and Mrs. Hayes’s faces paled, and they anxiously glanced at Grandpa Hayes’s expression at the head table. Chloe linked her arm through Blake’s and looked over at me, a hint of sarcasm in her eyes. “Asher, you must know I don’t feel anything for you. You wouldn’t want to force a woman who doesn’t love you into a marriage, wasting your life away, would you?” “Besides, Blake and I are already together. You can’t possibly use Grandpa’s favoritism to butt in and break us apart, can you?” I glanced at them both, then bowed respectfully to Grandpa Hayes. “Grandpa Hayes, since they are clearly in love, how could I possibly stand in the way of their happiness? Let’s grant them their wish.” “I wish Miss Hayes and my brother a lifetime of happiness together.” Chloe’s face flashed with a flicker of displeasure when she heard me say that, but Blake cautiously linked his arm through hers. “Chloe, your marriage to my brother was set by Grandpa. Won’t he be upset about this?” Chloe soothingly patted the back of Blake’s hand, murmuring softly. “Of course not. Grandpa adores me. He wouldn’t get angry with me over *him*.” “Besides, you’re the true son of the Davies family, the heir. This alliance was always meant to be between our two families. Why would we care about an outsider like him?” An outsider? Only my father and Grandpa Hayes knew my true identity. My mother was the heir to the powerful, discreet Thorne family. My father and mother had initially only had a cooperative marriage, and I would inherit the Thorne family in the future, which is why I took my mother’s surname. Moreover, she thought Blake was my father’s biological son? Grandpa Hayes frowned at Chloe’s words. “Chloe, don’t be foolish. Are you certain you want to marry Mr. Miller?” Chloe firmly slipped the ring onto Blake’s finger, then had Blake seal it with a reverent kiss on her forehead. “Grandpa, I’ve thought it through. I will marry no one but Blake Miller in this life.” Grandpa Hayes looked at Chloe with disappointment. If it were simply a matter of switching engagement partners, he wouldn’t have thought much of her. But her deliberate choice to humiliate me in front of so many people today proved that she was utterly unreliable. “Fine, have it your way then.”

Once Grandpa Hayes gave his word, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. This family alliance had invited many prominent business figures to witness the event, and everyone was eager to see how it would unfold. Amidst the whispers, Chloe took Blake’s hand and faced the assembled guests to make her announcement. “Thank you all for coming today to attend my engagement ceremony with Mr. Blake Miller.” The guests’ expressions varied; no one had expected the Hayes and Miller families to make such a public switch. My father, Mr. Davies, hadn’t anticipated this either. His face instantly darkened, and mine wasn’t much better. Yet, I forced myself to stand tall, back straight, and amidst the murmurs, I raised my glass and presented a lavish gift. “Miss Hayes just switched fiancés on the spot. She didn’t give Asher Thorne any face at all.” “Didn’t Grandpa Hayes insist on Asher Thorne being his grandson-in-law? Why did he agree to the change?” “Changing partners on the day of the engagement — that’s truly embarrassing. I wonder what he did to make Miss Hayes take such an drastic step.” The guests’ discussions weren’t quiet. My father glared at Blake, and he didn’t hold back with Chloe either. “By doing this, how much gossip will you subject your brother to?” “And you, Blake, you’re not a child anymore. Acting without considering the consequences, are you trying to slap me in the face?” Blake, chastised by my father, timidly tried to take the ring off to give it back to me. Grandpa Hayes waved him off. He guiltily patted my head and said in a low voice, “Ash, don’t worry. Grandpa Hayes will handle this for you. If you’re willing, the Hayes family has several other excellent young women.” Mr. and Mrs. Hayes overheard Grandpa’s words and simply assumed he was comforting me, so they didn’t pay much attention. What they didn’t expect was for me to point to Harper Hayes, the Hayes family’s illegitimate daughter, who was watching the spectacle from a corner. “Actually, I’ve always liked Harper. I hope Grandpa can approve of our union.” Their gazes fell on Harper, their eyes darting between her and me. Harper was Mr. Hayes’s elder brother’s illegitimate daughter. After her uncle passed away, she wasn’t well-regarded at home and lived a rather difficult life. Since she was still a Hayes by blood, Grandpa Hayes didn’t want others to say the family mistreated her, so he brought her to live with him and raised her personally. My father looked at me in shock, then whispered in my ear, “Ash, Dad knows you’re upset, but she’s an illegitimate daughter. The Hayes family doesn’t value her at all.” I nonchalantly swirled my drink, raising my glass in Harper’s direction. “She didn’t choose to be an illegitimate daughter. I think she’s perfectly fine, and I’m willing to give things a try with her.” Harper’s eyes met mine, her demeanor relaxed. “Since Mr. Thorne likes me, then let’s give it a shot.” Everyone’s gazes on me grew even more meaningful. News of the Hayes family changing partners on the spot spread rapidly through the social circle. The moment the banquet ended, I received a text from my mother. In the private room, my mother, Eleanor Thorne, hugged me tightly, her eyes glinting with displeasure as she looked at my father, Mr. Davies. “Mr. Davies, how dare you let my son suffer such a humiliation?! Do you want to lose your job?” I squeezed my mother’s hand, redirecting the conversation to the important matter. “Grandpa Hayes has found me a new fiancée. Her name is Harper Hayes, and I actually quite like her.” My father wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed again. “She’s just an illegitimate daughter, a peripheral figure in the Hayes family. Why would you choose her?” I looked at my parents’ bewildered expressions and slowly began to explain. “Grandpa Hayes and Grandpa Thorne established this marriage alliance, and I am definitely going to marry a Hayes daughter.” “Although Harper is an illegitimate daughter, she’s the most capable among the younger generation of the Hayes family, and also the smartest and most composed. From a business perspective, she is the most suitable partner for cooperation.”

“Besides, since she’s an illegitimate daughter, if I marry her, the Thorne family will be her sole foundation within the Hayes family. She certainly won’t betray me.” Currently, Blake Miller was being flattered and courted by everyone in our circle. Countless people rushed to meet and connect with him. After all, a strong alliance between the Hayes and Miller families would undoubtedly elevate their respective industries to the next level. I had no time for these matters. I was focused on completing the task my mother had assigned me abroad. One day, on Grandpa Hayes’s birthday, Blake actually sent me an invitation and called me several times, leaving me no choice but to go. The moment I stepped through the Hayes family’s front door, all eyes fell on me. I showed no hint of awkwardness, smiling as I handed the gift to the Hayes family butler. “Why is Asher Thorne here? Didn’t the engagement change?” “You don’t know? At the time, Miss Hayes insisted on switching, and he, in a fit of pique, chose to get engaged to that illegitimate daughter of the Hayes family.” “Even marrying an illegitimate daughter just to get into the Hayes family—Mr. Thorne certainly isn’t afraid to go to extremes.” Just as everyone was buzzing, Chloe Hayes appeared, grandly linked arm-in-arm with Blake Miller. Unlike her usual understated and gentle attire, she was wearing a haute couture gown today, adorned with several sets of elaborate, luxurious jewelry, making her look ostentatious but also a bit tacky. And Blake? His suit alone was worth a fortune, and the watch on his wrist was comparable to the price of a luxury mansion. He spotted me there and came over, trying to sling an arm around my shoulder in a familiar gesture. “Little brother, it’s wonderful that both of us brothers can be sons-in-law of the Hayes family! For brotherly affection, I’ll definitely ask Chloe to help out your wife.” I almost laughed at Blake. Even now, he still thought I cared about marrying just *any* Hayes daughter. Chloe seemed to think the same thing. In her eyes, I’d gone to extreme lengths to try and marry her, and she looked at me as if I were something dirty. I couldn’t be bothered with these two and turned to leave, but then I noticed a jade pendant of excellent quality around Blake’s neck. This was the Hayes family’s ancestral jade pendant, always kept by Grandpa Hayes. I never expected it to be on Blake. The Hayes family heir hadn’t even been confirmed yet, so how could this jade pendant be on Blake? I pointed to the jade pendant on Blake’s neck, a hint of scrutiny in my eyes. “Where did that pendant come from?” Chloe showed a fleeting moment of guilt, while Blake caressed the jade pendant on his neck, looking slightly wronged. “Little brother, this was originally meant for you, but now that I’m the one marrying Chloe, this jade pendant naturally goes to me.” Chloe also nodded self-righteously. After all, in her mind, she was the definite heir, so letting her beloved wear the jade pendant a little early was perfectly acceptable. “This is my Hayes family’s ancestral jade pendant. I can let anyone wear it I choose. What does it have to do with you?” After saying that, she looked me up and down with disdain and stepped back. “Don’t you dare try to use this to cling to me. I will never like you. My heart belongs only to Blake.” Chloe’s voice wasn’t quiet, and several gazes around us fell on me. “Asher Thorne usually seems so refined, but I never thought he’d be so desperate to latch onto the Hayes family that he’d even try to steal his brother’s fiancée.” “They’re clearly in love. Why is he still trying to cling on?” Blake’s face flushed red, and he gently tugged at Chloe’s arm. “Don’t be so harsh on Asher, sweetie. Once he marries Harper, we’ll still be family. You’ll have to help them out then.” Chloe glanced at me, then affectionately tilted her head and pinched Blake’s cheek. “Fine, for Blake’s sake, I won’t hold it against you. But if you have any inappropriate thoughts about me, don’t blame me for being ruthless.” As the two of them were still basking in their loving display, a voice suddenly echoed from behind them. “Why would my husband have inappropriate thoughts about you, Chloe? You’re being very rude to your future brother-in-law.” Harper Hayes entered, supporting Grandpa Hayes. A faint smile played on her lips, and her eyes held a hint of challenge as she looked at Chloe. Grandpa Hayes’s gaze fell on the jade pendant around Blake’s neck, and his expression darkened.

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My wife, Scarlett, suffers from extreme hypersensitivity. To test my loyalty, she’d send me to her best friend’s bed, again and again. Each time I begged her not to, she’d turn to me, her eyes red-rimmed, questioning me word by agonizing word. “Julian, you said I was the only one you loved. I’m just helping you prove it. If you truly love me, you can control yourself, right?” For three years, she insisted on a sexless marriage, claiming that only after I passed her loyalty test 101 times would we truly be husband and wife. But just as I was about to conquer the 99th test, Scarlett’s voice drifted into my ears, chilling me to the bone. “Men, you have to whip them again and again for them to be loyal.” “Scarlett, what about your dark-skinned boy toy…?” “Who cares? He’s just a simp. He’s nothing without me. Where would he go? And I just love the thrill. You guys don’t know how aggressive that dark-skinned stud is when he’s in bed with me, in our room…” Laughter and teasing echoed through the private room. My head, previously swimming in a drugged haze, was suddenly sickeningly clear. A bitter smile twisted my lips. She loved thrills, but what she didn’t know was that her dark-skinned lover loved them even more. **1.** This was the 99th time she’d sent me to her best friend’s bed, all to test my loyalty, to see if I could control myself. Three years. Test after test had left me broken and battered. She claimed she suffered from extreme hypersensitivity, an intense emotional fragility. I understood her delicate state and was willing to become her devoted homemaker, caring for her every need. “So, how’s he still in shape? Did you girls get a good show?” “Scarlett, why don’t we turn Julian’s photos into blind boxes? Wouldn’t that add more excitement?” They chatted loudly, completely ignoring me, curled up in the corner. “His face is the only thing he’s got left. Otherwise, I would have kicked him out ages ago. These past three years have been dead boring. He’s such a stiff, boring man. That young stud is far more entertaining.” Her words pierced my heart like needles, and my breath hitched as if someone had choked me. So, it wasn’t that she disliked men touching her; she just disliked *me*. “Oh, Scarlett, you even have photos of him in a maid outfit! That’s wild! Looks like Julian really does whatever you say. The aloof campus heartthrob, trained like this.” Hearing their comments, I felt encased in ice. She had cried and cajoled me into taking all sorts of humiliating and compromising photos, and now they were just entertainment, shared for her friends’ amusement and mockery. The burning heat in my body forced me to curl up in agony. I had no choice but to pull out the blade I always kept hidden and plunge it deep into my thigh. Scarlett, who was engrossed in a game, was drawn by my sudden movement. A photo fluttered down, landing right beside me. It was a picture of me, naked and bound by a belt, with whip marks. “Good performance today. I’ve prepared a gift for you at home, your reward for today.” Scarlett walked towards me, step by delicate step, her fair fingers lightly tracing my jawline. Looking at the girl before me, I didn’t know when my eyes had filled with tears. When did the girl I had followed for ten years become this person? “Do you really have to humiliate me like this?” “Humiliate? Julian, didn’t you say I was the only one you loved? Didn’t you say you’d accept everything about me? How is this humiliation? I’m just making my friends happy. Didn’t you say my happiness was the most important thing?” **2.** Chloe Vance, Scarlett’s best friend, gripped a syringe and plunged it straight into my arm. The burning sensation consumed me again. “Scarlett, I’ve increased the dosage. Let’s see him make a fool of himself.” Chloe’s wild behavior made Scarlett frown, a flicker of concern crossing her face. “Isn’t the dosage too high? He might…” Before she could finish, Chloe stripped off my clothes and threw me out of the private room. “What are you afraid of? He’ll love you no matter what. It’s just a bigger test for him.” Left in only my underwear, I was thrown into the lobby by the bodyguards. The humiliating loss of bodily control and the stares of everyone around me made my scalp tingle, and I promptly passed out. When I woke again, the only sound was the steady beep of medical machines. “You’re finally awake. It’s a miracle you pulled through after being injected with that much stimulant. Another minute, and your body would have… well, exploded.” “Seriously, who did you piss off to get such a potent drug? Your body needs time to recover. No bedroom activities for a while.” Nurse Miller babbled on beside my ear. My mind replayed the memories of chasing after Scarlett for over a decade. It truly felt like a joke. She was no longer the girl who had held an umbrella over me that year, asking if I was cold or hungry. After Nurse Miller left, I ripped out the IV. For her, I had abandoned my entire social circle. Now, I was utterly alone. June weather was always unpredictable. Fat raindrops began to pelt down from the sky. Rainwater mixed with tears blurred my vision. Before I knew it, I had walked over six miles, all the way to that so-called home. I stood outside the door for a long time before finally pushing it open. Inside, clothes were strewn everywhere. There were even suggestive stains on the floor. Then, the unrestrained moans of a man and woman assaulted my ears. “Sister, you haven’t looked for me in so long, I missed you so much… One more time, let sister know how much I missed her.” “Seriously, I could just die in your arms. You’re so strong.” My feet moved uncontrollably toward the master bedroom. They hadn’t closed the door. The intertwined black and white figures burned my eyes. A self-deprecating smile curved my lips. What was I still hoping for? This was her dark-skinned boy toy, Jaxson. She had insisted on a sexless marriage, claiming it was a three-year trial period, and if I passed, we’d truly become husband and wife. Everything, absolutely everything, felt like a cruel joke. All these years, I had lived in the cage she painstakingly wove for me. On the table was her “compensation” for me today. It was a silk shirt. But she clearly knew I was allergic to silk. My self-loathing deepened another notch. I don’t know how long passed before the sounds from inside finally stopped. Footsteps sounded on the stairs. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the boring old man. How dare you still show your face here? Enjoying the show?” It was Jaxson Riley, her dark-skinned boy toy. He held my family heirloom watch in his hand and wore the shirt my mother had personally sewn for me before she passed. “Who gave you permission to touch my things? That was left to me by my mother!” “Something left by a mistress? I wouldn’t even wear it, it’s bad luck. And you, the son of a mistress, dare to talk back to me like that?” He snorted coldly, picked up a glass from the table, and splashed its contents over me. The watch in his hand was violently smashed to the floor. Watching the last thing my mother left me being so cruelly trampled, my pupils instantly constricted. A surge of strength I didn’t know I possessed coursed through me. I dragged my numb body forward and landed a punch square on his face. Jaxson stumbled back from the impact, a mocking smile playing on his lips. “Julian, are you insane? Who gave you the guts?!” Scarlett heard the commotion and rushed down the stairs. She nervously threw herself in front of Jaxson, her eyes filled with concern. “Scarlett, I just said hello to my brother-in-law, and he immediately resorted to violence.” As he spoke, he slapped himself several times across the face. Scarlett’s heart ached even more. She lunged forward and brutally kicked me. My already weakened body staggered back several steps. The shattered pieces of my watch dug deep into my palm, but I felt no pain at all. Carefully, I picked up the broken pieces of the watch, one by one, and wrapped them up. “You’re right. I’ve been insane for a long time. Driven mad by you.” “You can humiliate me, and I won’t mind, but you cannot humiliate my mother!” I advanced on her, step by step, wanting to see the girl from ten years ago through her eyes. Only then did she notice the shattered watch on the floor. She parted her lips to speak but said nothing. “Let’s get a divorce.” I said coldly. **3.** Scarlett stared at me in disbelief, but uttering those words brought me an unprecedented sense of lightness. Jaxson, who had been observing, suddenly spoke up: “Scarlett, I think Julian’s possessed!” “I studied with a master for a few years. He’s full of bad karma. We should curb his arrogance, and then Scarlett’s luck will improve, and his mind will clear up.” Scarlett looked at my resolute gaze, frowned, and declared: “You’re right. He must be possessed, and he even hurt you. He deserves to be punished!” Moments later, her bodyguards had me firmly restrained. Jaxson whispered a few words into her ear. A flicker of hesitation crossed her face. After a long pause, she finally told him: “Alright! Do as you say. Julian, I hope this time you’ll understand your mistake!” The moment she spoke, the bodyguards forcefully poured something down my throat. I felt all strength drain from my body instantly, leaving only numbness. When I opened my eyes again, my body was submerged in icy water. Something slimy crawled all over my skin. The overwhelming terror made me want to scream in agony, but I found my voice trapped in my throat. “Well, well, well, you’re awake! Honestly, your body is really ugly. No wonder Scarlett doesn’t like you. All those scars look like centipedes crawling all over you. It’s disgusting!” Only then did I see that dozens of snakes were slithering and climbing all over my body. “Go on, scream if you dare! But you can’t, can you? Why should the son of a mistress take Scarlett’s husband’s place? Just because of your face?!” “Ha! Everything you have, I’ll take it back from you, piece by piece!” Jaxson’s words came one after another, but all I heard was a buzzing in my ears. A bitter smile played on my lips. Was this with her consent too? She knew that my deepest phobia was snakes. Years ago, when we went camping, I was accidentally bitten by a snake, and she carried me down the mountain, step by agonizing step. But now, I was afraid she had forgotten all about it. “Time for you to ‘cleanse your karma’ with the snakes and ‘accumulate good fortune’ for Scarlett.” Jaxson’s words dragged me deeper into hell, like a demon’s taunt. He wore a look of malicious glee, a wicked smirk on his lips. “Scarlett and I are going to spend the night together. You just stay put.” What a cruel way to talk about “cleansing karma” and “accumulating good fortune.” I don’t know how long I stayed in the water. Finally, the numbness of the drug began to wear off. Only the intimate sounds of a man and a woman remained in the villa. Their voices churned my stomach. Waves of nausea washed over me. I laughed softly. Laughing at my own pathetic state, my feelings utterly crushed. Dragging my numb body, I crawled out of the water. My foot seemed to prick something. It was a broken bracelet. Fifteen-year-old Scarlett had carved it herself. She used to say this bracelet would protect her Julian and keep him safe. Now, the bracelet, like our irreversible relationship, was shattered. The girl she once was, was truly dead. I walked to the storage room, where all our memories lay. Watching the wedding photo, which I had begged her for so long to take, slowly turn to ash, the last flicker of hope in my heart vanished completely. My phone vibrated incessantly. I pulled it out and saw 99+ messages. “Julian, check the headlines! They’re treating you like dirt!” It was a message from Leo Davis, one of the few friends who still kept in touch with me over the years. #HayesGroupSon-in-Law “Son of a Mistress” Mother Was a Home-wrecker#

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My fiancé Lucas, the CEO, told me the company wasn’t doing well and cut my salary in half. But then I saw his secretary Amber bragging on social media: “The boss not only gave me a raise, but also bought me a luxury car because he was worried I’d get tired from commuting. He’s so thoughtful!” In the photo, she was standing with Lucas in front of a brand new $100,000 car, looking blissfully happy. I pondered for a moment, then hit the like button. That evening, Lucas called an emergency meeting. Using the excuse that I was “disrupting company morale”, he docked my entire month’s salary and gave it to Amber as “emotional distress compensation”. Everyone looked at me with pity, probably expecting me to freak out. But I calmly packed up my desk and handed him my resignation letter. “Docking someone’s pay isn’t enough punishment for bullying a coworker. I’ll save you the trouble and quit.” 0 As soon as I finished speaking, Lucas’s secretary Amber chimed in. “Rachel, how can you quit over such a small thing?” she said. “You’ve been with the company for so long, and Lucas has always treated you so well. If you resign now, what will people think of him?” “Lucas, please talk some sense into Rachel!” she pleaded. Lucas may have been planning to convince me to stay. But after hearing Amber’s words, his anger flared up. He snorted coldly: “What’s there to talk about? If she wants to leave, let her leave. I have nothing to hide, I’m not afraid of what anyone might say.” Without hesitation, he signed my resignation letter and tossed it in my face. The other employees looked on in shock. A coworker I was close with quietly urged me to apologize, telling me not to act rashly. Almost everyone knew that I had helped Lucas build this company from the ground up. When the company was short on cash and couldn’t complete projects, I led the team in working overtime for three days straight. I had poured my heart and soul into every aspect of the business. Now the company had just secured funding and was about to go public. Anyone else would stay for that. But I remained calm as I picked up the resignation letter from the floor. “I’ll finish handing over my work before I go.” “No need for that. Get out right now,” Lucas said coldly, pointing at the door. Seeing this, I said nothing more. I said goodbye to a few people and left with my things. As I was leaving, I glanced back at Lucas one last time. I clearly saw a flash of complicated emotion in his cold eyes. I knew why, of course. He didn’t think I would actually leave. We had fought before, but after I left, I would always regret it soon after. I’d come back as if nothing had happened, apologize to him, and go back to work as usual. But he probably didn’t realize this time was different. My patience with him had finally run out. I walked to the parking garage and found my old beater car that I’d been driving for 10 years. The paint was chipped in several places. Next to it was parked a brand new top-of-the-line Porsche – the one Lucas had just given to Amber today. There were plenty of empty spots in the garage, but she had deliberately parked right next to me. I understood it was a provocation aimed at me. These weren’t just two cars – they represented the two of us. I had been with Lucas for 10 years, but I meant less to him than Amber who had only joined 10 months ago. I gave a bitter laugh and got into my car. Just then, a text message came through. I opened it to see a transfer from my friend Sophia. This morning when Lucas said the company wasn’t doing well and was cutting my pay, I had been worried he was under too much stress. I immediately contacted Sophia to borrow $50,000. I had planned to give it to Lucas, but then I inadvertently saw Amber’s social media post about Lucas buying her a new car. At the time, I was surprisingly calm. I didn’t feel sad or jealous enough to go crazy. Perhaps because it had happened too many times before. Amber had been hired by Lucas as a special exception. Her work abilities were terrible, but Lucas, who was usually so strict and serious about work, kept tolerating her mistakes time after time. From small things like serving the clients plain water while getting herself a latte during meetings, to big blunders like accidentally sending out our internal pricing sheet to a client, causing the company to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars. When I tried to hold Amber accountable, Lucas would unhesitatingly stand in front of her to shield her. He’d look at me with obvious impatience. “Amber just graduated, isn’t it normal for her to make some mistakes? Why are you being so harsh on a new employee?” Over time, Amber became more and more brazen, to the point where she didn’t take me seriously at all anymore. Soon after, I left the parking garage. As I was waiting for the gate to lift, my car suddenly jolted as if rear-ended. Realizing I had been hit, I got out of the car, only to see Lucas and Amber getting out of the car behind me, hand in hand. “Oh no, I’m so sorry Rachel! I didn’t expect it to be you,” Amber immediately walked up, looking concerned at the dent in her own car’s front bumper. “But why did you brake so suddenly? I didn’t have time to react.” “What a shame, Lucas just bought me this new car,” she added with a pout. Lucas also glared at me coldly. “Did you do this on purpose? You knew Amber was behind you, so you deliberately slammed on the brakes to get back at her?” I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. There he went again, pushing all the blame onto me without even hearing my side. Before I could say anything, Amber’s eyes started to well up with tears. “Lucas, don’t blame Rachel,” she said. “It’s normal for her to be upset with me after quitting because of me.” “If anything, it’s my fault for causing all this trouble.” As she spoke, she made a show of clenching her fist and moving to hit herself on the forehead in frustration. But just before making contact, she deliberately loosened her hand. Lucas couldn’t see through her act. His eyes filled with tenderness as he gently rubbed her forehead. “It’s not your fault at all. Don’t take everything on yourself.” Then he turned to glare at me furiously. He seemed to get angrier the more he thought about it, and jabbed his finger at my forehead. “Rachel, can’t you learn from Amber and take some responsibility?” he scolded. “She knows how to be humble, while you’re still so childish and arrogant after all these years of working!” I stumbled back a couple steps from his push. When I recovered, I found the situation darkly amusing. For the past year, it had been Amber constantly stealing my achievements and using tricks to pin blame on me. Now suddenly she was the humble one with integrity, while I was childish and arrogant. Knowing it was pointless to argue further, I couldn’t be bothered to say anything more. I turned to leave. “Wait.” Lucas suddenly stopped me. I thought he was going to berate me again and defend Amber, but to my surprise, he pulled me aside. He spoke to me in a serious tone. “Rachel, I admit I was too harsh on you today.” “But it’s only because I have such high expectations for you, that’s why I’m so strict.” Hearing his gentle words, I was confused at first. But soon, I understood his intentions. Lucas gave me a slight smile and patted my shoulder. “I’ll withdraw your resignation. Just come back to work as usual. But find some time to publicly apologize to Amber, okay?” “Also, you’re fully at fault for this rear-ending. I’ll deduct the repair costs from your salary.” I realized what was happening and couldn’t help but laugh derisively. I glanced over at Amber. She had likely already known what Lucas was going to say. Her face was full of smugness as she winked at me provocatively. I scoffed. “No need,” I said firmly. “We can check the security cameras to see who was at fault for the accident. If you really want to pursue it, call the police.” “I have to go now. Goodbye.” With that, I walked away. Lucas shouted angrily behind me: “I already gave you a chance! Don’t come crying back later!” Regret? I wouldn’t regret this. I got back in my car and sent a message to Sophia. “I quit. I can start at your company tomorrow.” Sophia called back within seconds, her voice excited: “Are you serious?” She sounded a bit unsure: “Do you want to think it over with Lucas first?” Back when Sophia and Lucas were both starting their companies, Sophia had tried to recruit me. Compared to Lucas who was truly starting from scratch, Sophia had more resources and connections, and could offer me a much better compensation package. Sophia was in desperate need of top technical talent. She had promised me higher equity and profit sharing to entice me to help them out. Even after learning about my relationship with Lucas, she had made an exception and offered to let me work part-time. But for Lucas’s sake, I had rejected her without hesitation. Back when I was at my lowest point, lying in the snow nearly freezing to death, it was Lucas who had dragged me into a police station and saved my life. I was incredibly grateful to him, so I gave up everything else to pour my heart and soul into the business, doing whatever I could to help Lucas’s company grow step by step. But now it seemed he didn’t care about any of that. Besides, after all these years, I had more than repaid my debt of gratitude to him. There was no need for me to keep sacrificing myself anymore. “No need to discuss with him. I can make my own decisions,” I told Sophia firmly. We chatted a bit more and confirmed the time to sign the contract. Then I drove home first to get the documents I needed for the signing. I had thought Lucas wouldn’t be back until late at night as usual. But to my surprise, he came home soon after, talking happily on the phone with Amber as he walked into the living room. When he saw me, his expression immediately darkened. He rolled his eyes at me deliberately before going into the bedroom. I knew he was waiting for me to go comfort him. Every time we had a fight at work, I would always find ways to apologize and beg for his forgiveness. Even when he was the one in the wrong, I would swallow my pride and admit fault. In the past, I felt it was the right thing to do, whether to repay his kindness or to maintain our relationship. I thought I should be the one to comfort him. But now I just found it tiresome. I focused on searching through the drawers for the documents I needed. After a while, Lucas came out of the bedroom with a sullen face. “Did Amber get her car fixed? What about yours?” he asked. I knew this was his way of extending an olive branch. In the past, I would have taken this as a sign he had forgiven me, and eagerly tried to get back in his good graces. But now, I didn’t even look up as I replied flatly, “It’s just an old beater. Not worth fixing.” Lucas frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I looked up at him in confusion, not understanding what he was upset about now. This car had been scratched and dented many times before. Whenever I said I wanted to get it fixed, he would dismiss it with the same words I just used. I thought he was going to get angry again, but to my surprise, he let out a sigh. “Amber has been doing great work lately. I gave her the car as a way to retain this talent,” he explained. “You’re my girlfriend. We’re going to get married eventually – won’t the company be yours too? Why do you have to be so petty about salary and compete with her?” “Rachel, everything I do is for the company. I don’t want the other employees to think I’m showing favoritism towards you.” I was taken aback that he was actually trying to explain himself to me. He had never bothered to justify his actions to me before. But I knew these were just excuses. Everyone at the company knew how Lucas treated me versus Amber. Projects I had slaved over for days, he would suddenly hand over to Amber on a whim. She would just slap together a quick PowerPoint, and it would become her achievement. Clients I had spent days negotiating with, about to sign a contract – he would take Amber out for one dinner under my name, and suddenly the deal would be credited as Amber’s success. There were countless incidents like this. Over time, the other employees all came to believe Lucas favored Amber more. They even thought Lucas disliked me. Because of this, I endured a lot of cold shoulders and mistreatment at work. Lucas saw it happening but pretended not to notice. I didn’t want to explain. It wouldn’t matter anyway – even if I did, he would just accuse me of making excuses. “Oh,” I responded flatly. “You don’t need to tell me all this. I’m no longer involved with the company. Do whatever you think is best.” Lucas fell silent. Finally, he let out a sigh. He walked up to me and put his hands on my shoulders. “To be honest, I have selfish reasons too. I wanted you to take some time off to think about our wedding,” he said with a smile. “Have you thought about when we should get married?” But I had already picked out wedding dates many times before. Each time, he had refused. Every time we had a fight, he would use the prospect of marriage to appease me. Sometimes, I felt less like his girlfriend and more like a dog he was toying with. I said nothing. Lucas scratched under my chin playfully, as if petting a dog. “Don’t be mad anymore. Can you smile for me?” he coaxed. He planted a kiss on the back of my hand, as if deliberately trying to please me. He rarely showed me affection like this. In the past, I probably would have been overjoyed. After his display of affection, I would have taken the initiative to get closer, only to be pushed away as he laughed and called me a pervert. Looking back now, I found it all so tiresome. I yanked my arm away and wiped the spot he had kissed with a tissue. Lucas froze, as if struck by lightning. “You’re disgusted by me?” he asked in disbelief. “I have to go out later to take care of something. I’m going to change clothes now,” I said flatly. I turned to go back to the bedroom. Lucas tried to follow me, but I closed and locked the door without hesitation. “Fine! Rachel, don’t come crying back to me later!” Lucas seemed truly angry now. After yelling those words, he kicked the door hard before storming off. When I came out of the bedroom, the living room was empty. Lucas had sent a message in the company group chat saying he was treating everyone to dinner and asking who wanted to join. Everyone remained silent. Only Amber enthusiastically sent three “excited” emojis in a row. I knew Lucas was deliberately trying to provoke me. This had happened many times before. It always went the same way – the other employees were reluctant to attend, with only Amber showing enthusiasm. In the past, I would have gotten jealous and insisted on going too, only to be mocked by them. Now, I couldn’t be bothered to care. I went straight to meet Sophia and sign the contract. Sophia was thrilled and specially arranged a celebratory dinner for me. After a few drinks, I went to the restroom. As I was walking back, I heard familiar voices from a nearby private room. I instinctively paused. Through the partially open door, I saw Amber nestled in Lucas’s arms. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Lucas was laughing happily. Taking advantage of the moment, Amber quickly leaned up and kissed him on the lips. Lucas froze for a second, but didn’t push her away. “Lucas, when are you going to break up with Rachel?” Amber asked coyly. “I can’t wait to be with you officially. Do you know how much it hurts me to see you with her every day?” Lucas opened his mouth as if to say something. In the end, he just hugged Amber tightly, patting her back gently like comforting a child. “Just wait a little longer,” he said softly. “It won’t be much longer now.” The two clung to each other intimately, looking every bit like a couple. I scoffed and walked away without watching any further. Back at the dinner, I had a few more drinks before we called it a night. As we were heading to the parking garage together, Sophia suddenly pulled me in front of a top-of-the-line Porsche and asked if I liked it. I nodded, confused. Thinking it was her new car, I was about to compliment it when Sophia unexpectedly pressed a key fob into my hand. “It’s for you,” she said with a wink. “Your old car is falling apart. I’ve been wanting to get you a new one for ages,” she explained. “Now that you’re officially on the team, it’s the perfect time for an upgrade.” I started to refuse, but she cut me off as if already knowing what I was going to say. “I heard Lucas bought a luxury car for that new hire at your old company,” she said bluntly. “If someone with her lousy skills can drive a fancy car, you definitely deserve something even better.” “You know, I’ve seen the work that new girl produces. The style is totally inconsistent every time – it’s obvious she’s just copying other people’s work. I have no idea how she’s managed to keep her job there…” Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Sophia held nothing back as she ranted about Amber. I remained silent. She was right. All those projects had actually been done by me and the other team members. Almost every time we were about to finish something, Lucas would suddenly demand we hand it over to Amber. That’s why Amber’s “style” was so inconsistent. Sophia could see through the situation without even being at the company. Yet somehow Lucas remained oblivious. I thanked Sophia and chatted with her a bit more before heading home. As I opened the front door, I found Lucas already sitting on the couch in the living room. “Where did you go?” he asked, his tone noticeably cheerful. The scene of him and Amber embracing at the restaurant flashed through my mind again. I felt a wave of nausea. “Had dinner with a friend,” I replied flatly, walking straight towards the bedroom. I had only taken a few steps when Lucas suddenly blocked my path, frowning. “You’ve been drinking?” “Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t drink when I’m not around?” he said accusingly. I couldn’t help but laugh derisively. What he really meant was that I was only allowed to drink when helping him entertain clients. I said nothing. Lucas seemed to realize something and suddenly smiled, looking rather pleased with himself. “You’re still upset about me going out with Amber earlier, aren’t you?” he said smugly. “You didn’t want me having dinner alone with her, but you were too proud to say it directly. Was it really worth drinking this much over?” “You’re overthinking things. My drinking had nothing to do with you,” I said wearily. I sat down in a chair, feeling tired. “But there is something I want to tell you.” “What is it?” Lucas asked. Probably thinking I was going to apologize, his tone became smug. “Let me tell you in advance – it’s too late to apologize now. I’m still very angry about what happened this afternoon,” he said haughtily. “Don’t think a simple ‘sorry’ will be enough for me to forgive you.” He rolled his eyes at me as he spoke. I pretended not to notice and started to say, “I…” Before I could finish, his phone suddenly rang. Lucas glanced down at it. I noticed the caller ID showed Amber’s name. “Hold on, I need to take this call,” he said dismissively. With that, Lucas completely ignored me and moved to answer the phone. I watched his cold, resolute back as he walked away, and calmly spoke up. “Let’s break up, Lucas.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Lucas’s body seemed to freeze for a moment.

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