Category: English

The princess of the city’s elite circle, disfigured from a car accident, was looking to marry. The old patriarch invited all the unmarried men in the city to a banquet to choose a husband. I, married for five years, received an invitation. When I went to the civil affairs bureau, I was told: the marriage certificate was fake. And my wife’s legal husband was her distant cousin. I thought it was a prank, but when I hurried home, I overheard my mother-in-law sighing. “Olivia, Mom knows you married your cousin to make up for taking his virginity when he came of age.” “But now the situation is special. If you don’t give Adam legal status, aren’t you afraid he’ll be chosen to marry that princess?” She looked worried, but my wife of five years said calmly: “Everyone knows Adam is my husband. He won’t be chosen.” “Besides, Jack’s business in the city isn’t easy. If he loses the title of being married to me, it would certainly make things difficult for him.” “We have a son together after all. I can’t cruelly cut off his lifeline.” “As for Adam, I love him very much. Even without a marriage certificate, he’s my only husband.” “So Mom, don’t worry. I know what to do.” The woman spoke, her eyes full of determination. Her mother, who had wanted to say more, was stunned into silence. After a while, she couldn’t help but say: “Olivia, find a way to bring that child back.” “Mom knows Adam is a good kid, and only wants to recognize the child you have with him as a grandchild.” “But Mom has waited five years. My bones are getting old. I really can’t wait any longer.” The mother-in-law spoke, her whole body hunched over. At this moment, there was guilt towards me in her eyes, but even more, a longing for a grandchild. Hearing this, Olivia understood. “I’ve already considered it and told Jack to bring the child back to the city.” “I’ll talk to Adam today about accepting the child.” “After all, that child is still my flesh and blood. As a mother, I have to pave the way for his future.” She spoke, smiling when she thought of her cousin and that child. Inside the house, the mother and daughter were happily chatting, but I felt like I had fallen into an ice cellar. The conversation just now echoed in my ears, accompanied by a buzzing sound. I dazedly clenched my sleeves, instinctively fleeing in panic. I didn’t want to look pathetic, but tears still blurred my eyes. Because I had never imagined that the happy marriage I had for five years was fake, and Olivia’s real husband was someone else. Their marriage certificate was even issued several months earlier than my fake one. But I was like a bird trapped in a cage, unable to see anything clearly. Thinking of this, I couldn’t help but cry, not understanding why things had turned out this way. After all, Olivia and I had been childhood sweethearts, and we got married right after becoming adults. We were each other’s first love, and we promised to only have each other for life. Everyone said I was lucky to have such an excellent woman love me for life. Even my mother-in-law was fond of me. And in these five years, there had only been me by Olivia’s side. No pretty boys ever appeared to make me unhappy. In fact, she was known in the city for doting on her husband excessively. No matter what good things she came across, she always thought of me, even indulging my every request. But it turns out that in the fifth year of marriage, I finally learned that my happiness was fake, and the marriage certificate was fake too. I thought I was her husband, but the husband stamped on her household registration was someone else. They even had a child together. And now, she still refused to give me legal status, and wanted to bring back their child… Thinking of this, the tears in my eyes suddenly fell. Olivia confidently thought that everyone knew I was her husband, so I wouldn’t be chosen by the city princess. But she didn’t know that the princess had lost her legs and was disfigured in a car accident. Not a single man in the city was willing to marry her. The matchmaking banquet had already been cancelled due to the manipulation of various wealthy families. Now the only suitable unmarried man left was me. Sorrow rose from my heart as I bitterly wiped away my tears, wanting to leave and not feel sad anymore. But after just a moment, Olivia opened the door: “I knew you’d come back at this time. Come in quickly.” Just like before, she was holding my favorite dessert, waiting for me at the door. After pulling me inside, she wanted to feed me, but saw my tear-stained face. She didn’t know I had heard everything, and concern immediately filled her eyes. After hugging me, she couldn’t help but worry: “Adam, why are you crying?” Thinking I had gone to watch the commotion of the princess choosing a husband, she helplessly tapped the tip of my nose. “I know you feel bad for those men who were chosen, but everyone has their own fate that we can’t change.” “So Adam, don’t be sad. I don’t want to see you sad and crying.” She spoke, her eyes full of tenderness. Involuntarily, I wanted to know: [If the person chosen was me, would she also be so indifferent?] I opened my mouth but couldn’t make a sound. As my heart tightened slightly, I remembered that I had lost my voice last year after taking a drugged drink meant for Olivia. Now, I couldn’t say anything. Only tears fell one after another, wetting the woman’s clothes. Seeing this, she helplessly kissed away my tears, wanting to comfort me. But when she spoke, it pierced my heart even more. Because she took out a stack of documents and said: “Adam, let’s adopt a child.” Hearing this, I gave a slight smile, but it looked worse than crying. Seeing this, she raised her hand to rub my hair and promised: “You’ll like this child. He’s really well-behaved, and even looks a bit like me.” “My health isn’t good, and I’ve miscarried several times. You’ve also been taking medicine for so many years. I don’t want you to suffer anymore.” “From now on, let’s not have children of our own. We’ll just raise this child as our own, okay?” She asked, but bitterness filled my mouth. She knew how much pain I had gone through because she couldn’t keep our children. But now she wanted me to raise her child with someone else, stabbing a knife into my heart. At this moment, she put on an act of doing this for my own good, but I shook my head frantically, tears pouring down. In fact, I felt somewhat relieved that our children hadn’t survived. Because a woman with an impure heart doesn’t deserve to have children. She also doesn’t deserve to be the mother of my children. In response to her words, I said: [I don’t want to adopt.] But when I opened my mouth, there was still only silence. Olivia didn’t understand my meaning. When my fingertips touched her belly, her eyes darkened with sadness, thinking I was still upset. So she hugged me tightly and comforted: “If you really want a child of our own, then let’s focus on getting healthy first.” “We’ll bring this child back for now, and then we can try for our own later. The children can be companions, okay?” Her hot breath fell on my ear, like a lover’s most tender whisper. But I only felt cold all over. Sarcastically, I silently said where the woman couldn’t see: [Olivia, I don’t want to have children with you anymore.] With those words, I also suppressed the bitterness in my heart. But Olivia seemed unable to see my resistance, still holding me tightly in her arms.

Having no choice, I pretended to fall asleep, waiting for her to have someone send me back to the bedroom before leaving. But when I became aware again, I realized I had actually fallen asleep. Aunt Susan, the housekeeper, saw I was awake and quickly came over to pour me a glass of water, asking: “Young master, how did you sleep this time?” “Look at what’s covering you – it’s a silk summer blanket that the young mistress just bought at an auction.” “You get hot easily, so this is perfect. It’s nice and cool but won’t make you too cold.” “The young mistress is so thoughtful and gentle. It’s a shame my old man is never so considerate…” Her eyes were full of admiration and envy, and the day seemed no different than before. But I clearly understood that everything had changed. And I no longer wanted to pretend nothing had happened and continue treating her as the wife who loved me most. So I raised my hand to call Aunt Susan, and wrote on her palm. “What does the young master need 100 million for?” she asked. After pondering for a moment, I changed my request to wanting a watch. Seeing this, Aunt Susan wasn’t surprised. Good things in the city weren’t cheap, and some precious watches could sell for that price. Besides, Olivia had previously spent 200 million to set off fireworks across the city just to make me happy. Now just 100 million was no problem. Although she didn’t understand why I wanted to withdraw from my own savings, Aunt Susan still did as I asked. Seeing her leave, I breathed a sigh of relief. Before coming back yesterday, I had inquired and learned that those CEOs didn’t want their sons to jump into the fire pit, nor did they want to offend the most powerful Ning family. They had privately arranged with relevant personnel, giving 100 million each to change their sons’ unmarried status. I wanted to escape this fate for myself. But just as it was about to be resolved, Olivia cut it off at the waist. Because it off at the wa Aunt Susan said: “The young mistress brought back a seriously ill child.” “The famous doctor she invited said it would cost 70 million. The young mistress gave out all the liquid assets including the young master’s savings.” Hearing this, my face instantly turned deathly pale, and all the hope in my eyes was extinguished in an instant. Seeing me looking dazed, Aunt Susan quickly came over to support me, not forgetting to comfort me: “Young master, don’t panic.” “The young mistress is so capable, it won’t take long for her to earn back this money.” “It’s just a watch. You can buy it after a while and it’ll be the same.” She spoke, but I couldn’t listen anymore. I just staggered towards her study. I wanted to question her about why she did this, but when I was just a few steps away, I saw through the crack in the door Olivia holding a 4-year-old boy with eyes full of heartache. One hand was still holding the hand of a man whose eyes were red from crying. “Jack, don’t worry. I won’t stand by and watch our son get into trouble.” “I’ve already gone to prepare the money the famous doctor wants. Even if it means losing everything, I won’t give up.” The woman spoke, and Jack seemed to find support, choking back sobs as he tightly hugged Olivia. When his gaze met mine, his eyes were full of provocation. I frowned slightly, but saw him seem to be startled, quickly backing away and looking at me helplessly. “Mr. Adam, please don’t misunderstand. I’m the director of the orphanage who raised this child.” “I lost control just now only because I feel so bad for the child. I really have no other thoughts, and this child will be your child from now on anyway.” He spoke, looking pitiful and cautious. It was clearly his own child, yet he was handing him over and acting as if nothing had happened. Olivia couldn’t help but frown, and even her eyes held a trace of dissatisfaction when she looked at me. In an instant, my heart couldn’t help but ache, but soon, I composed myself and handed over the note I had written.

I wanted my money back, but the woman instantly turned cold, even looking at me with frost in her eyes. “Adam, when did you become so unreasonable?” “The child is sick! Is a living person’s life worth less than a watch in your eyes?” The accusations fell, and I couldn’t help but be stunned, barely able to hold back the sourness in my nose. My chest was wracked with pain, making me clench my fist hanging in my sleeve. Seeing this, Jack quickly pulled the woman away: “Mrs. Olivia and Mr. Adam, please talk it over.” He spoke, stepping forward to grab me, seemingly trying to mediate. But the words that reached my ears were: “How does “How does it feel to know your wife made you a fake marriage certificate?” “Oh right, you don’t know yet, but the reason you couldn’t keep your children was because I had Olivia give you ‘protective charms’ that actually contained drugs I specially prepared…” “No matter what, you would never be able to keep a child.” He laughed, his words stabbing into my heart like a steel knife, almost making me lose my reason. Thinking of the few children we had lost over the years, anger and grief surged in my heart. Seeing me angry, Jack raised my hand and hit himself in the face, whispering: “Guess who she’ll side with?” Before I could react, the woman protected Jack, and a sharp gust of wind came at my face. Seeing this, I couldn’t help but laugh coldly. The woman instantly came to her senses, her hand frozen in mid-air. [Not going to hit me?] I silently asked, and in response to her complex gaze, I raised my hand and slapped Jack hard across the face. Then, without hesitation, I turned and left with Aunt Susan, returning to the old Fu family home where I was the only descendant left. Seeing me leave, Jack touched his face pitifully: “Brother-in-law, how can you be so unreasonable…” He cried, and Olivia’s expression also turned cold, even abandoning the idea of chasing after me. She wanted to give me the cold shoulder for a couple days, not knowing that that very night I sent a text message to the staff in charge of the husband selection banquet, smiling bitterly. [I don’t have 100 million, so I’m willing to marry the city princess.] Hearing this, the staff members breathed sighs of relief one after another. They had taken too many bribes and were worried about having only me left as an unmarried man. Now that I was willing to become the city princess’s husband, they were happy. So they enthusiastically notified me to wait to be picked up by car in three days. After they left, Aunt Susan also understood everything. Looking at the forged marriage certificate, she angrily cursed: “How could Olivia do this to our young master!” “I’m going to give her a piece of my mind!” “I can’t just stand by and watch our young master marry a Ning family princess with no future!” She was furious, her eyes red. But I stopped Aunt Susan, smiling and shaking my head. [I don’t want to have anything to do with Olivia anymore.] [It doesn’t matter who I marry now.] … The next day, the wedding clothes were delivered. And when I went to pick up the wedding clothes, I saw Olivia sending the child to school together with Jack. With her back to the sun, I heard Olivia tell the kindergarten principal: they were a family of three. I couldn’t help but touch my chest, but thankfully, it didn’t hurt anymore. So I turned to leave, but an hour later I saw her. “Why was someone delivering wedding clothes here? Is it the rich old man who’s been pursuing Aunt Susan coming to propose?” She asked, clearly misunderstanding. But I didn’t explain, just coldly shut her out. Seeing this, she left with a dark expression. Three days later, she came to make up with me. But when she saw Aunt Susan standing next to the wedding car, she couldn’t help but frown, her heart involuntarily panicking. “Aunt Susan, what are you doing here? Who’s inside the wedding car?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296741”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

After graduation, I accepted the marriage proposal from Julian, my childhood sweetheart, who had been chasing me for eighteen years. That very night, he made passionate love to me, whispering words of devotion that felt as countless as the stars. But no sooner had I confirmed my pregnancy than he seized my family’s company. My dad was reduced to a janitor, and my mom was forced to entertain his clients as a mere hostess for their amusement. I clutched my pregnant belly, my pleas raw with agony, and demanded to know why. He just laughed, a cruel, mocking sound. “Eighteen years ago, your family merged with ours, and my sister was bullied so relentlessly at her elite boarding school that she jumped to her death.” “Now, all I’m doing is making your family taste a bit of that humiliation. What’s so unbearable about that?” He reached out, his hand cupping my face. “Tonight’s clients are the very same people who tormented my sister back then. If you don’t want your mother to be ruined in her old age, you’ll go entertain them yourself.” After an obscene amount of alcohol, I lost the child I’d carried for only two months. But Julian, instead of using the money to pay off my parents’ workers’ wages, bound them with contracts, turning them into his personal servants. I yearned for their freedom. I sold myself: 100 for a drink, 200 for a night. I endured this for seven grueling years. Yet, on the very day I gathered enough money, his mistress had a group of men corner me, clearly intending to violate me. My parents were brutally beaten to death. When I woke up, I shattered the wine bottle in my hand, the trembling shards resting against my wrist. But he was staring at his sister, who had returned perfectly unharmed. That’s when I truly broke.

Julian had barely stepped downstairs when he heard Mrs. Davies’s complaints and lunged, his hand clamping around my throat. “You gave Chloe cold porridge! How *dare* you!” “If anything happens to the baby she’s carrying, I swear, I’ll destroy you!” Ever since Julian assigned me the task of tending to his mistress during her pregnancy, the household staff, eager to curry favor with Tiffany, began to frame me relentlessly. It was only when he noticed my high temperature that he unconsciously loosened his grip. “Why are you so hot? Are you running a fever?” I merely squatted, scooping the spilled hot porridge into the trash with my bare hands. “I’ll drink more tonight. Don’t deduct my pay.” One of Tiffany’s ways to control me was to manage my parents’ debts. If she wasn’t happy, she could complain about anything, even rolling dice to arbitrarily cut the money I was saving for my parents. My only recourse was to drink even more at the evening parties. The more I vomited, the happier Julian’s sister, Chloe, seemed. Last time, after I was so weak from a bleeding stomach ulcer that I was nearly assaulted by several men, she even ‘generously’ added a few thousand to my payment. Now, only five more drinking parties stood between me and collecting enough money. Julian looked down at me, his jaw clenched. “Did you visit my sister this morning?” Seven years ago, after Julian revealed everything, I was forced to go to Chloe’s grave every morning to ‘repent.’ Thinking about what happened this morning, I weighed my words carefully, trying to find a way not to anger him. “Tiffany, she…” But the moment I spoke her name, he grabbed my collar. “Trying to frame Tiffany again? Who taught you such a rotten habit?” When Tiffany had pushed me down the stairs, I had only muttered that someone pushed me. He had punished me by forbidding me from eating for three days, supposedly to cure me of my ‘suspicious’ habits. Now, just speaking her name, he assumed I was trying to frame him. I closed my eyes, quietly waiting for his wrath to unleash. I couldn’t risk the fleeting concern I’d seen in his eyes moments before. A cough echoed from upstairs. Julian immediately flung me to the floor and rushed up. My lower abdomen screamed with piercing pain from the impact. I finally made up my mind, my hand trembling as I opened my phone and selected a flight. For seven years, my parents believed Julian still cherished me, and willingly remained at his company, holding the lowest positions, just to be near me. Their half-century of dignity, trampled underfoot. Just five more days, and I could take them away.

That evening, as I changed, Mrs. Davies, as usual, spat viciously behind me. “Ugh, going out to sell herself every day. It’s sickening to watch.” “Good thing Ms. Reed had the foresight to sever your basic function as a woman.” I ignored her, heading to the party. The dull ache in my lower abdomen grew steadily worse, until I could barely stand straight. The clients, startled, stopped grabbing my chin and force-feeding me drinks, instead calling Julian. “Mr. Stone, Ms. Reid looks terrible. Is she…?” They thought I was pregnant again. The night I miscarried, the pain had been just like this. That night, Julian had sat outside the delivery room all night, his voice raw with agony, demanding the doctors ensure I woke up. From then on, everyone knew Julian cared for me, but scorned me after learning about my family’s ‘harm’ to him. Yet, they dared not arbitrarily decide the extent of my punishment. Until a cold voice spoke on the phone. “She upset Tiffany this morning and received a small punishment. Continue.” This morning, Tiffany had forced me to take a whole bottle of medication designed to prevent pregnancy. “Only I can give him children, you slut! You ruined his sister’s life so badly. You don’t deserve to have children, not in this lifetime.” Blood began to trickle endlessly. I crawled to the hospital. The diagnosis: I could never conceive again. Later, I learned Tiffany had been so agitated because Julian had mumbled in his sleep the previous night, “Skylar, I’m thirsty.” She thought he still had feelings for me. I laughed, a desolate, bitter sound. She hadn’t seen how madly Julian had loved me before, so she couldn’t comprehend the depth of his hatred now. “Skylar, the eighteen years I chased you were the happiest of my life.” “I swear, you’ll be my most cherished treasure, always.” But his deceased sister. She made it all seem like a cruel joke. It was dawn when I finally stumbled out, clinging to the last shred of consciousness, seeing Julian’s car waiting in the distance. The hostesses behind me scoffed, unapologetic. “Still doesn’t know her place. She’s just an escort now, but she still gets a ride every day.” “You don’t understand. Mr. Stone orchestrates this spectacle purely to humiliate her, a constant reminder of her former status as a privileged heiress, now forced to play hostess and feign smiles for men.” I touched my belly. Four more days. For the remaining days, I desperately fed myself painkillers, not daring to miss a single party. I even forced more alcohol down my throat, as if doing so would make time pass faster. Finally, on the last day, after downing the last bottle, I exhaled the easiest breath I’d taken in seven years. Excitedly, I reached for my phone to call my parents, to share the good news. Just as I stood up, one of the men grabbed me. “Where are you off to, Mrs. Stone? We’re just getting started.” A group of men rose from their seats, converging on me.

As they pressed me down, I screamed desperately. “Stop! I’m Julian Stone’s woman! He’ll destroy you if he finds out!” The man grinned, revealing yellowed teeth, as if I’d told the funniest joke. “You might be ‘Mrs. Stone,’ but we follow orders from the one Mr. Stone *truly* cherishes!” Seeing his phone on a call, I instantly guessed who was on the other end. “Tiffany! Why are you doing this to me?!” Tiffany’s casual sneer was audible. “Your debts are cleared tonight, so I need something else to control you.” “Don’t worry, they’re all pros; they’ll make sure you have a ‘good time,’ in shifts. All you have to do is cooperate while they take a few pictures. No harm done, right?” Because of her, I could no longer have children, and now, in front of all these men, my dignity, my very self, would be stripped away. My eyes burned, bloodshot, wishing I could reach through the phone and throttle her. “Tiffany, if you let them continue, I swear, tomorrow I will kill you!” “You? Please. By the way, I have a surprise for you. It’s going to tear your heart out even more.” The next moment, Julian’s concerned voice came through the phone. “The floor’s cold. Why are you out of bed?” Her voice instantly turned weak and tearful. “Sister, just because you saved your parents, do you want to kill me?” But I was staring at my parents, hogtied, gagged, and dragged in, my mind reeling, breath caught in my throat. My dad was already unconscious, and my mom was looking at me with horror and grief. The men around me leered, closing in on her. I didn’t have time to explain. I desperately begged Julian on the phone. “Julian, please, I beg you, let my parents go! It’s all my fault, I upset Tiffany!” “You can do anything to me, just don’t touch them!” “Don’t let *anyone* touch them!” I screamed, my throat raw. Julian paused for a moment. “What do you mean? I wouldn’t go as far as touching them.” I suddenly understood. This was all Tiffany’s doing. I fought with all my might, snatching the phone from the man. “Julian, I’ve saved enough money!” “But Tiffany, she’s tied up my parents, and she’s got a bunch of men trying to…” Before I could finish, Mrs. Davies’s gasp suddenly came through the phone. “Ms. Reed, are you feeling dizzy again?” “Mr. Stone, Ms. Reed has been unwell lately, she hasn’t left the house and has been resting. She can’t bear such false accusations!” But I only watched as my dad’s breathing grew weaker and weaker. He had asthma, and now with his mouth gagged, his life was in danger at any moment. I frantically tried to think of what else I could offer. “Julian, I know you hate me.” “Just let my parents go, and I’ll turn myself in for murdering your sister, or I’ll take my parents and leave this city. I promise, you’ll never see me again.” “Never see you again?” Julian’s voice was sinister, laced with an unyielding fury. “Skylar Reid, your solutions are certainly decisive.” As my dad’s chest stopped rising and falling, and the men drew closer to my mom, I screamed and lunged forward, one hand protecting the phone, the other pushing the men away. “Come and see for yourself! The driver is right outside, just have him come in and he’ll know everything!” Julian suddenly laughed, his voice so cold it seemed to freeze the blood in my veins. “Chloe isn’t feeling well today. I sent the driver to get her medication. Did you plan this whole charade for today?” I froze, completely stunned, my eyes meeting my mom’s desperate gaze. Though her mouth was gagged, I could almost hear her say, “My daughter, your dad and I are dragging you down.” I suddenly understood something, and tried to run to her, but the men around me seized the opportunity and pinned me down again. “Haha, the daughter’s still fresh meat.” “Mr. Stone’s wife being played by us, just thinking about it feels good.” Obscene words echoed above me. I only watched as my mom struggled to her feet, lunging at the men on top of me, only to be brutally shoved away. Her forehead slammed against the corner of a table, blood gushing uncontrollably. “Mom!” Blood splattered on my face. Like a wild beast, I roared, shoving the men off me, and rushed to her side. But her eyes would not open again. Her eyes and nostrils were clogged with blood. A drop of blood splattered onto the phone, and Julian’s voice amplified. “Skylar, still acting?” The men around me spat, then pinned me down again. My mind went blank. I stopped resisting. Until my clothes were ripped to shreds, and I screamed out with every last ounce of strength, “Julian, I hate you!” Then, I lost consciousness completely. 6. “No!” Julian roared, rushing forward to stop me. I saw it, the look the hostess had described. No, it was even more profound. Julian’s eyes were bloodshot, his body trembling. He reached out to pull me back but didn’t dare get close, unable to form full sentences.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296757”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

I transmigrated into the villainess of a novel. But I never did anything wrong. I even became friends with the female lead and married the gentle second male lead. I always thought I was incredibly happy, Until I read my husband’s diary. Turns out, he was reborn. All these years of tender affection were just to keep me from hurting the female lead… Staring at the pregnancy test results in my hand, feeling the tiny life stirring in my belly, I felt a sense of peace I’d never known. I’d lived in this world for 13 years, and in this moment, it felt like I finally had a true home, a real connection. I transmigrated into this novel world after my death, becoming the villainess with the same name, who had done countless terrible things. But I felt incredibly lucky. When I arrived, the story hadn’t even begun, and I hadn’t done anything to offend the main characters. In fact, because Stella was so cheerful, we became the best of friends, sharing everything. I became her wingwoman, encouraging her to pursue love, watching her and the male lead fall deeply for each other, and standing as a bridesmaid as she married the man she loved. Stella was the second person I wanted to share my good news with; As for the first, well, that was my husband, of course. My husband, Liam, was originally the gentle second male lead in the novel, always silently protecting Stella. I don’t know if my presence caused a butterfly effect, but he stopped being Stella’s loyal follower and instead showered all his attention and favoritism on me. We’d walked hand-in-hand for 13 years, and I genuinely felt loved, so I married him without a second thought. Now, our little family was about to welcome a new life, and I couldn’t wait to tell him the good news.

I pondered and pondered, thinking it would be better if he discovered it himself rather than me just blurting it out. I snuck into his study, sat down in his chair, and casually pulled open a drawer. An old notebook immediately caught my eye. I noticed it right away because it stood out amongst the neatly organized files. It must have been tucked away at the very bottom, and in his rush to leave, a corner had accidentally peeked out. I carefully picked up the notebook to look at it, feeling both amused and bewildered. It was one of those girlish notebooks from our school days, quite old, but it looked like he opened it often to write. The edges were curled, and the pages were yellowed. My husband and I had always been open with each other, so I had no qualms. I naturally opened it to browse. The first page had “Forever Love” written in large English cursive. I smiled to myself, my cheeks burning. Could this be a love letter he wrote to me? I took out my pregnancy test results, intending to tuck them inside. I wanted to give him my most precious “love letter” too. I carefully turned to the first page and instantly froze – “My forever love, Stella.” Stella. The female lead of the story. Suddenly, my blood ran cold, and my entire body went numb. It felt like my throat was stuffed with thick cotton, making even breathing difficult. My fingers trembled, yet they uncontrollably turned page after page, reading every word carefully. With a compulsive, almost masochistic drive, I read the entire diary, word for word. More than a diary, it was an unsent love letter, summed up in a few crushing words: Liam loved Stella. A love unrequited. Turns out, Liam was reborn; Turns out, Liam had always loved Stella deeply; Turns out, all his care and favoritism towards me were nothing but an act! He had to keep an eye on me, preventing any possibility of me harming his beloved. The joy of pregnancy had vanished without a trace, leaving only a bitter taste in my mouth. For 13 years, I never once thought of harming Stella, but in that moment, I genuinely envied her. I envied that a brief moment of kindness and warmth she offered could make a man love her so deeply for 13 years, even sacrificing himself to entangle with the villainess just to ensure her happiness. My emotions were a tangled mess, pain and despair intertwined. I didn’t even remember how long I cried, only that my world felt horrifyingly unreal.

Exhausted, I fell asleep on the couch until Liam came home and startled me awake. He reeked of alcohol, stumbling as he walked. “Honey, I’m home…” he said, smiling at me. “Sorry, I had a work dinner tonight, got back late.” I forced a bitter smile, one that didn’t quite reach my eyes, but still performed my wifely duties. I went over to help him, loosening his tight tie and unbuttoning his collar. “Thanks, honey. You’re the best.” I looked closely at Liam and realized his thanks were perfunctory. If he had paid any attention, he would have seen the redness and swelling around my eyes. Perhaps putting on this fake act for me had simply become his habit. I helped Liam to bed, took off his socks and clothes, and even prepared to wipe his face and body. Drunkenness had lowered Liam’s guard. He seemed to drop his vigilance, unconsciously revealing his true feelings with weary exhaustion. “Stella…” My whole body stiffened. I thought I was hallucinating. My gaze was fixed on Liam, my nails digging into my palms… “Stella.” The cruel reminder struck again. As if to torture myself, I instinctively imitated Stella’s tone. “Liam, dear.” Liam suddenly clutched my hand tightly, his hazy, drunken eyes filled with undeniable tenderness. “Stella, as long as you’re happy, everything I do is worth it.” That single sentence trapped me once more in this cage of deception. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Everything around me twisted and distorted. I stumbled out of the room, desperate to escape the bedroom. The love I had given everything for, from beginning to end, was nothing but a joke.

I slept terribly. All the horrible things the original villainess, Chloe, had done in the novel replayed wildly in my mind. Chloe leading a gang to bully the female lead, Chloe hiring thugs to assault the female lead, Chloe using her family background to suppress the female lead… In my dream, Chloe suddenly turned around, and it was a face identical to mine. That face was twisted and grotesque, so terrifying that even I was horrified. Time seemed to fly by in the dream, and the male lead and second male lead quickly grew powerful, then exacted their brutal revenge on me. Liam’s cold, indifferent eyes stared at me calmly, as if I were a dead object. “Since you enjoy ruining lives so much, why don’t you experience it yourself?” I was brutally violated and left for dead in despair, abandoned beside a filthy dumpster, choking on my last breath. “No!” I screamed, waking myself up! I looked up to meet Liam’s concerned gaze, which overlapped with the brutal, ruthless image from my dream. I trembled with fear. Liam was helping me pull up the blanket, looking utterly confused by my reaction. “Honey, what’s wrong? Why are you sleeping on the couch? What if you catch a cold?” “Honey, are you mad that I drank too much last night? I’m sorry, yesterday’s client was really important.” I shook my head, enveloped by fatigue and terror. I didn’t want to say anything. There was no guest room in the house. Liam had once vowed that he would never make me mad enough to kick him out to a guest room; even if he did, he’d be considerate enough to sleep on the floor beside me. But now, with actual conflict, I didn’t even have my own space. He was clearly keeping a very close eye on me. Liam didn’t notice my distress, frowning as he whined pitifully. “Honey, my work dinner yesterday was so tough, my head is throbbing. Where’s the hangover soup?” “I forgot.” In truth, I hadn’t made any at all. Liam came from an ordinary background, while I was a typical rich kid. He always said he wanted to earn my father’s approval through his own efforts, to achieve more so he could be worthy of me. So Liam was a workaholic. He didn’t accept help from my family, instead choosing to start his own business. In the early years, to secure projects, he often drank heavily with partners, almost getting a stomach hemorrhage. I loved Liam deeply and, as his wife, I always took great care of him. To help him with the harm drinking did to his body, I sought out many remedies, often taking care of him all night just to ease his hangovers. If I hadn’t known his true intentions, perhaps I would have continued to be a dutiful wife, just like before. Yet, in reality, my efforts were all for naught. *“Chloe used her family background to harm Stella. I can’t let her have any chance to hurt my beloved Stella. I must make a name for myself in the business world, gain enough power to contend with the Chu family’s old man. If they hurt Stella like they did in the previous life, I will make the Chu Corporation pay a heavy price!”* Liam pushed himself relentlessly, only to gain real power and protect the woman he truly loved.

“Honey, what’s wrong today? You don’t look well. Are you feeling sick somewhere? Should I take you to the hospital?” I stared blankly at the man before me, wondering how much sincerity was in his concern now. I was debating whether to confront Liam when my phone suddenly rang. The caller ID showed two big words – Stella. Liam quickly grabbed the phone and handed it to me, his eyes urging me to “answer quickly.” I numbly tapped to answer, and Stella’s cheerful voice rang out. “Chloe, honey, we said we’d go to the art exhibition today, do you remember?” “I remember.” “Then let’s just meet at the coffee shop in front of the Art Gallery. Noah’s on his way to work and can drop me off.” “Okay.” After hanging up, before I could even open my mouth, Liam spoke first: “You have plans with Stella today? I’ll drive you.” “No need. Your company isn’t on the way.” Liam lovingly stroked my cheek. “Silly girl, everywhere is on the way when it’s for my wife. Go get changed!” Liam stood up and went back to the room to get ready, his back radiating happiness. He was going to see his beloved, of course he was thrilled. And he clearly forgot that he had just said he wanted to take me to the hospital because I looked unwell. After all, in Liam’s world, nothing was more important than Stella.

When Liam dropped me off at the coffee shop, Stella was happily sipping on a Mocha Cocoa Frappuccino. She naturally handed me a cup of hot milk and cheerfully greeted me. Liam gently cautioned me. “Girls shouldn’t drink too many cold drinks, it’s not good for your body, and it makes your period hurt. You’re not a kid anymore, you should take better care of yourself.” Stella laughed and teased. “Oh, wow, you two are so sweet! You’re flaunting your affection right in front of me.” Liam smiled and casually added, “You too, drink fewer cold things!” All that build-up was just to give *her* a warning. The hot milk in my hand suddenly felt scalding hot. Actually, I didn’t even like cold drinks. The care he wanted to give was never truly for me. “Alright, alright, I get it, you’re so naggy. Only Chloe can put up with you.” Liam chuckled, then turned to me and said, “I’ll come pick you two up for lunch. I remember you said you wanted to try that new Spanish restaurant in Uptown.” Once suspicion set in, I realized how clumsy his acting really was. It wasn’t *me* who wanted to try the Spanish restaurant, it was Stella. But I had been so blinded by love, and he had tried his best to deceive me. Now that the truth was exposed, I realized how naive I had been. Stella linked her arm through mine. “Okay, okay, you go now. Don’t interrupt our girl time.” She pulled me inside, still chattering excitedly. “Chloe, I’m super excited about Master Gu’s work…” I instinctively looked back at the man not far away. He was constantly observing us with a scrutinizing gaze, but the moment his eyes met mine, he instantly reined in his emotions. He put on a show of deep affection, an act of tender sweetness. Liam, aren’t you tired? After the exhibition, as soon as we exited the gallery, Liam’s car slowly pulled up. During the exhibition, he had asked me several times when he should come pick us up.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296773”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

The night before my wedding, I was busy decorating our new home when I discovered something unexpected on our bed. As I was arranging the bedroom, I noticed an unidentified stain on the sheets. Someone else had been in our new marital home! My mind went blank. I immediately video called my fiancé. Surprisingly, he answered right away. “The new bed is really soft. I’ve tested it out for you,” said a sultry voice. It was Jack’s assistant, Rachel, who answered the call. The woman smiled seductively and smugly. Well then, I guess I don’t want this man anymore. “Where’s Jack? Tell him to answer the phone,” I demanded, momentarily stunned but quickly regaining my composure. Rachel peered at my surroundings through the screen. She smirked, “Oh, Miss Lily is in the new house.” “The new bed is really soft. I’ve tested it out for you,” she purred. I felt like the ground had disappeared beneath my feet, my mind going blank. I glared at the woman on the screen, momentarily speechless. Rachel’s eyes swept over the bed behind me, her tone triumphant: “The groom is quite impressive too. I’ve tested him out for you as well.” Now I could see her surroundings clearly – she was in a hotel room. I forced myself to stay calm, suppressing my rage. I asked again, “Where is Jack?” Rachel glanced off-screen theatrically, then feigned reluctance: “Mr. Wilson is working late, of course. He’s very busy.” Then I heard that familiar voice. “Rachel, come scrub my back.” At that moment, I felt paralyzed, my mouth opening and closing without a sound. “You just want to trick me into the shower with you, you naughty boy,” Rachel cooed. As she spoke, she shot me a smug look, then abruptly ended the call. I collapsed to the floor, overwhelmed by anger and heartbreak. After who knows how long, I let out a bitter laugh and tossed the sheets into the trash. Tomorrow was supposed to be my wedding day with Jack. While I was busy preparing our home, he was busy taking a romantic bath with his assistant. I knew Rachel wanted to ruin my wedding. She had succeeded. I sent Jack a message: “Jack, let’s break up. The wedding is off.” I don’t want a tainted new home, and I certainly don’t want a tainted man. I looked at the decorative figurines on the table – a bride and groom in traditional red kissing. I threw them in the trash too. I smashed our framed wedding photos hanging on the wall. I destroyed the wedding decorations I had painstakingly put up. I sent messages to friends and family canceling the wedding, then turned off my phone and went home. Once things quieted down, I forced myself not to dwell on the years I’d spent with that scumbag. I drank myself into a stupor, seeking oblivion in alcohol. The next morning, I was jolted awake by aggressive pounding on my door. Jack and his groomsmen stood there in their suits, looking picture perfect. The roses in Jack’s hand were crushed and scattered. Seeing my clearly hungover state, he flew into a rage. “Lily! Are you out of your mind?!” He looked so ugly with his face contorted in anger. I actually found it a bit amusing. My laughter seemed to infuriate Jack further. He violently threw down what remained of the bouquet and roared, “Do you know today is our wedding day?!”

I rubbed my eyes, irritated at having my hangover disturbed. I snapped back, “Didn’t I tell you the wedding’s off?! We’re done, don’t you understand?!” Jack’s eyes were bloodshot, as if he was barely containing his fury. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before gritting out, “Get dressed and come with me right now. I’ll pretend this never happened. I can forgive you this one time.” How on earth did he get the impression I was some lovesick fool who couldn’t leave him? Just because I took our relationship seriously doesn’t mean I can’t walk away! I glanced at the groomsmen behind him, who all looked like they were enjoying the show. “Jack! You’re the one who messed up. Do you want to discuss your relationship with Rachel right here?” “Get lost! We’re over, got it?!” Jack was stunned for a moment before his expression changed dramatically. Gone was his earlier arrogance. He averted his gaze and changed his tone. “You’ve misunderstood. It’s my fault for not explaining things clearly beforehand.” “You can hit me or yell at me later if you want. Today is our wedding day, the most important day of our lives. All our family and friends are waiting. Please don’t make a scene, just come with me, okay?” He shook his head and smiled bitterly, his eyes sincere, as if I was the one being unreasonable. This man could change his tune so quickly, able to bow and scrape when needed. Seeing the groomsmen looking at me disapprovingly, his closest friend even tried to persuade me. “Sis, today really isn’t the time to throw a tantrum. You can do whatever you want after the wedding.” Very well, if Jack wanted to force my hand, I’d play along. But whatever happened next would be on him. I nodded, “Fine, wait a minute.” I quickly washed up and threw on a dress before heading out. Jack asked where I was going to do my makeup and change into my wedding dress, but I refused. His face darkened, but he couldn’t do anything about it. At the hotel, only his family’s guests were there. My family and friends, though unsure what had happened, knew I had canceled the wedding. Seeing me arrive dressed like this, the crowd’s expressions became meaningful. Several aunties immediately started criticizing me. “How can you throw a tantrum on such an important day? You’re so willful, only Jack would put up with this. Anyone else would have left you by now.” “Exactly, with all these guests waiting, why didn’t you just call it off earlier if you didn’t want to get married!” “Alright, alright, Lily’s here now, isn’t she?” Mrs. Wilson took my arm and led me to their table, motioning for me to sit. Her face betrayed no displeasure. She even asked, “Oh sweetie, we were so worried when we couldn’t reach you. Did Jack upset you? Tell us, we’ll set him straight.” Mr. Wilson chimed in kindly, “That’s right, we’re on your side.” Jack’s parents had always been good to me. Marrying into their family wouldn’t have meant dealing with in-law problems. Mrs. Wilson was an especially considerate and tolerant woman, and Mr. Wilson was a gentle and generous man. But Jack had cheated, and I could never forgive that. I remained silent for a moment. Mrs. Wilson thought I was still sulking. She said earnestly, “Lily, listen to me. Go get your hair and makeup done and change into your dress. I promise I’ll make Jack apologize to you later.” “Yes, don’t ruin the big day,” Mr. Wilson agreed. I let out a long sigh. At that moment, I wanted to explain things calmly to Jack’s parents and resolve this peacefully. But someone’s arrival interrupted me. Rachel floated in wearing a flowing red dress, looking coquettish and pretty. She smiled slightly, her gaze challenging as she looked at me. Her elaborate makeup contrasted sharply with my bare face. The click of her heels drew everyone’s attention as she approached. “I’m not late, am I? Congratulations on your wedding, Miss Lily.”

I smiled back. How lovely, that red dress made her look like the star of the wedding. Rachel sat down next to me in the seat that should have been Jack’s. As she bent to sit, a glint at her neck caught my eye. I thought my heart had already turned to ice, but it managed to drop a few more degrees. It was a diamond ring, identical to my wedding ring. I had personally designed it – there was only one in the world. Now it hung around the neck of Jack’s mistress. If our wedding had gone ahead as planned, I don’t know what kind of ring he would have given me. But whether he found a quick replacement or took it off his assistant’s neck, it was all utterly disgusting. I couldn’t help but feel angry again. I dug my nails into my palms to keep from losing my composure. Just then, Jack walked in with the officiant. “Isn’t the bride wearing a wedding dress? A red dress is fine too, very pretty,” the officiant remarked. Clearly, he thought Rachel in her red dress and full makeup was the sulking bride. He nodded approvingly. Rachel glanced at me, then quickly waved her hands as if embarrassed: “Oh no, I’m not the bride today. Miss Lily, please don’t be upset.” Jack strode over, his face dark as he questioned me: “Why haven’t you gone to get ready? Don’t you care about our wedding at all?!” He reached out to grab me. Mrs. Wilson quickly intervened, scolding Jack: “Jack, watch your tone! There’s no need to be so harsh.” Rachel jumped in at the perfect moment: “That’s right, Miss Lily is just being a bit willful. Mr. Wilson, you should sweet talk her. Don’t let it ruin the wedding.” Jack indeed became angrier. In front of all the guests, he seemed thoroughly annoyed. He pointed at me: “Lily, there’s a limit to how unreasonable you can be. Go change right now!” Rachel stood up and patted Jack’s arm soothingly, saying, “Don’t be angry. I’ll keep Miss Lily company while she changes, and we can apologize to the guests together.” “Why don’t you just go ahead and marry him yourself, since you’re so eager to keep him company,” I retorted coldly. I was done pretending everything was fine. Clearly, there was no way to resolve this calmly today. I made a snap decision and announced loudly: “I’m sorry everyone had to witness this spectacle. Please enjoy the food and drinks, but Jack and I are officially breaking up as of today. Consider yourselves witnesses.” “How much longer are you going to keep this up?!” Jack glared at me furiously. Rachel feigned distress, even stamping her foot. Her heels made a sharp sound against the floor as she said, “Miss Lily, please don’t misunderstand. I just meant I’d help greet the guests for you. I didn’t mean anything else.” What a seasoned manipulator. I crossed my arms and coldly watched her performance. “You’re not just greeting guests for me. Didn’t you consummate the marriage for me too?” I sneered. Rachel seemed pleased by my reaction. A flash of triumph crossed her eyes before she quickly affected a deeply wronged expression. “Miss Lily, you really misunderstand me.” The little vixen was quite the actress, but I had no interest in playing her games. “Lily, have you gone mad?!” Jack cried out in alarm.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296789”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

After Six Years of Marriage, My Husband Still Cheated For the sake of our five-year-old daughter, to mend our crumbling family, I sent Olivia, my husband’s beloved mistress, back to her hometown. I gave money to Olivia’s husband and advised him, “Your son is still young. He can’t be without a mother.” Two days later, on our sixth anniversary, I painstakingly prepared a video of our memories. I hoped it would remind him of our happiness together and stop him from destroying everything with his own hands. Jack arrived as promised. I thought this was the beginning of his change of heart. But to my horror, he brought bodyguards who forced my grandmother to kneel and apologize to Olivia’s photo. He announced on the spot that my grandmother’s company was bankrupt. He roughly snatched our crying daughter from my arms and tossed her to the bodyguards. “Emily, I gave you a good life, and you forgot your place?” he sneered. “You dare to touch my woman? I think you’ve had it too easy.” Jack’s eyes were bloodshot with disgust as he said this. I stared at him for a long time. Four years of dating, six years of marriage. We had spent the most beautiful decade together, from high school to work, from school uniforms to wedding dresses. We were one of the few campus couples who made it, but now, things had come to this. I looked at our daughter, her little face turning purple as the bodyguard covered her mouth to stifle her cries. But Jack seemed blind to this, his eyes full of dark storms as he questioned me: “Tell me, where did you send her?” My heart was filled with sorrow. I wanted to rush over and take back our daughter, to pull my grandmother away from here. But I didn’t dare, I couldn’t. My impulsive act of sending Olivia away had already caused my grandmother to lose her peace. “Let go of our daughter and let my grandmother stand up. Then I’ll tell you,” I said. Jack raised an eyebrow. He slapped me hard, knocking me to the ground. He elegantly crouched down, grabbed my hair, and yanked it back, forcing me to look up at him. “Emily, haven’t you realized your situation yet?” He contemptuously patted my face with the back of his hand. It didn’t hurt, but it was extremely humiliating. “You think I can’t find out if you don’t tell me? I’m giving you a chance to redeem yourself. Don’t be ungrateful.” He stepped on my knee-length hair, which I had kept long for him, twisting it hard. It felt like my scalp was about to be torn off. I trembled in pain, a great fear dragging me into an abyss. I couldn’t accept this. I tried to break free from his trampling, shouting with all my might: “How dare you make my grandmother kneel to that homewrecker!” “That’s the grandmother who raised me! How dare you!” Jack said nothing, just raised his other foot and stepped on my neck, with enough force to seem like he wanted to break it. My face turned purple, my neck hurt so much I couldn’t make a sound, but I still stubbornly stared at Jack. I watched the waves rolling in his eyes, about to lose all reason. My grandmother and daughter struggled and cried out to save me, but were pinned down by the bodyguards. Grandma Rose kowtowed to Jack until her head was bleeding, begging him to spare my life. “Daddy! Daddy! Lily will be good, Daddy, don’t hit Mommy!” our daughter cried. Jack didn’t respond or move, just enjoying watching us cry and struggle in his hands. I finally believed that he would make our family suffer a fate worse than death for the sake of his mistress. Just as I was about to suffocate and faint, Jack kicked me away. I clutched my neck, gasping for air, and vomited bile. The feeling of near-death lingered. I couldn’t help but think of our ten years together – the beautiful, youthful, brilliant, happy times. His gentle caresses, his fascinated gazes, all flashed through my mind. My emotions reached a breaking point, and I couldn’t help but burst into tears. I regretted not seeing through him, regretted that my impulsiveness had cost my grandmother her life’s work in an instant. Even more, I felt sorry for myself. Jack looked down at me coldly, as if watching a madwoman he didn’t know. The impatience in his eyes grew. He turned and grabbed our daughter’s neck, lifting her off the ground, his eyes full of reckless madness. “Don’t test my patience. Where is my Olivia?!” Jack left, taking our daughter with him. He finally got the answer he wanted and rushed out the door. I saw the relaxed and joyful expression on his face. The man I had loved for ten years had now completely transferred his affections to the point of madness. I crawled over to my grandmother, and we hugged each other, silently weeping. “I’m sorry, I should have listened to you. I’m so sorry…” I kept apologizing to her. Grandma Rose stroked my swollen face, her eyes full of pain: “Don’t cry, Emily. You’ve been through so much.” “I still have some savings. Once we find Lily, we’ll go abroad to live.” My grandmother’s aged voice was full of reluctance. After sending Grandma Rose home in a car, I sat numbly in the messy living room. The carefully prepared cake was scattered on the floor like garbage. On the screen, the video I had edited with such hope was still playing. We were two top students who fell in love in our senior year of high school, married in our senior year of college, and I gave birth to our lovely daughter right after graduation. Jack’s family was powerful and wealthy. My family’s modest wealth couldn’t compare. My grandmother had never imagined I could marry the heir to the Qin family. She had once stayed up all night worrying, afraid I would be mistreated in Jack’s family. Back then, I had laughed confidently: “Don’t worry, Grandma! Jack loves me more than life itself. How could he let anyone bully me!”

On my birthdays, he would take me to the amusement park, dress up as Nick the fox, my favorite character, and dance the silliest dances with me. He would cut ties with friends who made crude jokes about me and ask his long-estranged mother to ruin their companies. When I was studying for my master’s degree abroad, he would finish work and fly over with our daughter, still a toddler then, in the middle of the night to see me. He once said, “Emily, my father and grandfather were both serial cheaters. Because of them, I was abused since childhood. Don’t worry, I will never become such a scumbag. I will love you and our daughter well. You are the best treasures God has given me.” Jack was a person with high emotional walls. He only revealed his true self to those he trusted. I thought that person would always be me. I thought we could travel the world together after our daughter grew up, to see the most romantic scenery. I thought I would have many more chances to hear him say “I love you.” I thought we still had many, many “later”s. It was precisely because of all my expectations that I noticed his subtle changes, but I didn’t want to believe it. Olivia was a girl from a small town who applied for a cleaning job at Jack’s company. The first time I saw her was when her father brought her brother to cry and make a scene in front of the company, forcing her to give them money. I saw Jack ask his secretary to help Olivia resolve the situation. At the time, I was glad he had helped this poor girl and praised him for it. Little did I know that soon after, Olivia, whose qualifications and abilities were far below standard, became Jack’s personal assistant, a new position created specifically for her. To help Olivia realize her dream of going to college, he personally took care of everything. When Olivia was mocked for not knowing how to shoot an arrow, he held her in his arms and taught her personally. He even forced a male executive who had pressured Olivia to drink at a business dinner to kneel and apologize, then drink ten cases of alcohol, landing him in the ICU with alcohol poisoning. Jack had taken all the love he had withdrawn from me and given it to Olivia. Everyone in the company knew that the CEO’s kindness to the little cleaner had long exceeded normal boundaries. Only I, the CEO’s lawful wife, remained completely unaware. On his birthday, when he said he had to work late and couldn’t come home, I personally made him a birthday cake. I brought our daughter to surprise him at the office, only to find Jack eating cake off Olivia’s body. I quickly turned around to block our daughter’s view and sent her to wait in the lounge. With my suspicions confirmed, I shouted at him, which was rare for me. He sent Olivia away and lounged lazily on the sofa. He made no attempt to explain the large red marks on his neck and collarbone, just glanced at me contemptuously. “Using our daughter to fight for attention? You don’t deserve to be a mother,” he sneered. I trembled with anger. “Why?” I asked. He just smiled. “Olivia is right. You’re a rich lady with status and money. She’s only taking my love, it won’t affect you, will it?” “Besides, when I still found you fresh and exciting, didn’t I love you the same way?” In that moment, it felt like a steel needle had pierced my heart. The sharp pain forced me to face reality. What he loved was nothing more than the thrill of falling in love with different women. And I, his wife of ten years, had become an old toy that no longer held any charm. The idea of divorce lingered in my mind for a long time. But seeing our daughter’s eyes full of hope for her father to come home, I had someone send Olivia back to her hometown. The result was predictably disastrous. After ten years of love, I was nothing more than a piece of gum to Jack, carelessly spat out when the flavor was gone. Ten years as a clown in a supporting role was enough. Grandma Rose said she needed at most five days. Fearing Jack would still target us in the country, we had to go abroad. While Grandma Rose had people looking for our daughter, I found a lawyer to file for divorce. The lawyers I found all backed away when they heard it was a divorce case against Jack. “Mrs. Qin, I hope you won’t laugh, but we have no chance of winning against Qin Corporation’s legal team,” one said apologetically. Hearing their reluctant tone, I understood. If they lost the case and offended Jack, they wouldn’t have a good outcome. I thought about asking my closest friends for help, but considering Jack’s methods, I gave up on the idea. He valued Olivia so much; once he found her, it shouldn’t be difficult for me to bring up divorce.

During this waiting period, I started packing things for myself and our daughter. Documents and clothes, along with Lily’s favorite white bunny plush. I didn’t want anything else. Including the photo album that recorded our family’s happiness. After packing, I sat numbly on the sofa, staring at our wedding photo. What was once the most beautiful memory had now become the deadliest poison. The more I remembered, the more heart-wrenching pain it brought me. Tears flowed down my pale face time and time again. I don’t know how long it lasted. Outside, the lights had come on, while I sat alone in darkness. Click. The sound of the door opening startled me from my sorrow. It was Jack, half-embracing, half-carrying Olivia in. To my surprise, our daughter Lily followed behind. The little girl was carrying several large shopping bags full of luxury goods, panting from the effort. I was about to rush over to take away those things and let her rest. But Olivia blocked my way. “Sister Emily, hello, nice to meet you,” she said. She smiled, but her eyes were full of mockery. I looked down at the hand she extended. On her ring finger was a pink diamond ring that dazzled my eyes. It was the engagement ring Jack had spent three years designing as a gift for our tenth anniversary of being together. Jack saw me staring at the diamond ring: “My family has never lacked money because of you. Who are you putting on this stingy act for?” “Olivia, don’t mind her. You’re being so forgiving, and she’s still acting up.” Jack grabbed Olivia’s hand and pulled her back into his arms. “Jack, don’t say that. Sister Emily just loves you too much, that’s why she dislikes me,” Olivia said. She seemed to be mediating, but her eyes were red as if she was deeply wronged. Jack looked ready to scold me, but I didn’t want to argue with them. “Lily, do you want to leave with Mommy?” I reached out to stroke my daughter’s messy short hair. My daughter slapped my hand away and ran to hug Olivia: “No! I want to play with Sister Olivia. I want Daddy!” I froze. “Lily, I’m Mommy. Didn’t you say you loved Mommy the most?” My daughter turned her head away, refusing to look at me, her little hands tightly hugging Olivia. Jack sneered, “Go with you? How would a housewife like you survive out there? Relying on your grandmother? How many years does she have left?” I didn’t want to argue with him. I just wanted to take our daughter and leave. “Lily Qin! Come here!” I tried hard not to let my voice shake, not wanting to show weakness in front of Jack. “Daddy, let me take your surname. I don’t want Mom’s surname anymore…” Our daughter cried and ran to hug Jack’s leg. I found it ironic. Back then, Jack had insisted on giving our daughter my surname to express his love for me, and also because childbirth was so dangerous. But now, this surname that had been nurtured with love had become a burden. My daughter’s words pierced my heart like an icicle. My voice trembled: “Fine, as you wish.” “Jack, let’s divorce. You can have custody of our daughter.” I threw the divorce agreement in front of Jack. “Sign it.” Jack didn’t even look at me properly. He gazed at Olivia with gentle eyes. “You won. Do as you like tonight,” he said intimately, lightly tapping Olivia’s cute nose, his tone ambiguous. They had actually bet on whether I would ask for a divorce, using it for their dirty games. “Jack! I’m talking to you!” I shouted, unable to contain myself any longer. Jack’s lips curled into a smile as he looked me up and down meaningfully. In his eyes was something I had never seen before… contempt?

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296806”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

My mate—Alpha Jasper—knelt on one knee, proposing to me at my birthday party when Sienna Burrows suddenly appeared. She was his fated mate once. His first love. Dressed in the exact same backless red gown I was wearing, she stood there like a queen, regal and untouchable. She let out a soft, mocking laugh. “Hah. Alpha Jasper, no matter how perfect a copy may be, it will never be me.” Alpha Jasper didn’t even spare her a glance. Instead, he turned to me, gently taking my left hand in his. His voice was deep, filled with emotion. “Cynthia, will you marry me?” But even as he spoke, I could see it clearly—the flicker of something else in his eyes. And the hand holding the ring? It was trembling. I admit it—the moment Alpha Jasper knelt on one knee, my heart skipped a beat. But now, all I feel is confusion. I don’t understand why Sienna Burrows is here, nor why she’s wearing the exact same red gown as me. Sienna Burrows—Alpha Jasper’s ex-girlfriend and his once-destined mate. My wolf stirred uneasily. She never liked Sienna. “Cynthia.” Alpha Jasper’s voice brought me back to reality. I swallowed, forcing myself to focus on him rather than the seething growl bubbling in my chest. “I…” I’d secretly admired Alpha Jasper for two years, dated him for three, and spent five years dreaming of this very moment. Yet, in every version of my fantasies, Sienna was never supposed to be part of the picture. Faced with Alpha Jasper and the intricate ring in his hand, I opened my mouth but found myself speechless, courage nowhere to be found. When I didn’t immediately answer, Jasper raised his eyes to meet mine, a rare flicker of pleading and vulnerability in his usually impassive gaze. “Cynthia, will you marry me?” My wolf whimpered. The mate bond between us wasn’t strong—not like what he’d once shared with Sienna. In that instant, my heart softened. My human side wanted this. Wanted him. “Jasper, I…” I steadied my voice, trying to hide the tremor. “I will.” The moment those words left my lips, cheers erupted from the friends who had gathered for the birthday party. Rose petals rained down on us, the scene unfolding as if plucked straight from a dream. Except for one detail: Sienna stood just a few feet away, arms crossed, a cold smirk playing on her lips. “I will? How ridiculous,” she said, her tone dripping with disdain. With confident strides, Sienna made her way over, her heels clicking against the floor. She carried herself as though she were the one being proposed to, gracefully taking a seat without so much as an invitation. Her red gown was identical to mine. Her mid-length curls, the color of her hair, even her deep red lipstick—everything mirrored me. Yet, under the lights, her bold makeup enhanced her striking blue eyes and radiant beauty, making her appear nothing short of breathtaking. But the look she directed at me? Pure contempt. I pursed my lips. Unlike Sienna, I wasn’t the seductive, attention-grabbing type. My wolf bristled, feeling the weight of the comparison. I had always been more of the steady kind—the quiet presence beside Alpha Jasper, not the storm that shook his world. Her gaze was searing, as if she were looking at a cheap imitation, a clumsy replica that failed to capture the original’s brilliance. In the midst of the awkward atmosphere, Alpha Jasper’s friends stood up first, clapping and cheering loudly to shift the focus. “Jasper, you finally did it! We were starting to think you’d never propose!” one of them exclaimed, raising a glass in celebration. “Finally?” Sienna clapped along, her sly smile as sharp as a blade. She lifted her glass gracefully, exuding elegance. “Jasper, do you really think your proposal was a success?” “This has nothing to do with you,” Alpha Jasper cut her off, his tone laced with irritation. He cast her a cold glance before pulling me to sit down beside him, avoiding her gaze like it burned. Sienna’s seat was strategically placed—perhaps intentionally or maybe just coincidence—directly across from ours. Everything about her—her poised gestures, her effortless charm—drew attention. Even when she leaned over to whisper something to the person beside her, her radiant smile lit up her face, turning her into a masterpiece under the golden lights. Her casual movements, like resting her manicured fingers on the edge of the table, sent dazzling reflections of light from her nails that stung my eyes. And suddenly, I understood why her gaze was so condescending. It was laughable, really. Even dressed like her, with the same hairstyle and color, I lacked her bold confidence and magnetic allure. The phrase “trying too hard” echoed in my mind. My wolf growled softly, unsettled. She didn’t like how this felt. The red gown felt suffocating, the makeup on my face as heavy as a mask. Unable to meet Sienna’s gaze, I turned to Alpha Jasper and whispered, “Why did you give me this dress?” I’d never liked bold styles. This gown was something I wouldn’t have glanced at twice on any other day. Yet, this morning, Alpha Jasper had handed me a beautifully wrapped box, his expression laced with anticipation as he urged me to wear it. “…Because,” Alpha Jasper paused, lowering his eyes for a moment, “I thought it would suit you.” Suit me? Really? My wolf scoffed. It suited Sienna more. I stared at him, speechless, a strange mix of emotions swirling in my chest. My temples throbbed, and my throat felt tight with unspoken words. And then, without warning, my mind wandered back to that Saturday a few weeks ago.

That day, my best friend Eileen stumbled across a recommended hairstyle video on her phone. She insisted she was tired of my long, straight black hair and, dragged me to the salon. The poor stylist barely had time to blink before Eileen was waving the phone in front of her face, declaring that I needed a “refresh.” And just like that, years of my familiar locks were snipped away, dyed a golden shade I never would’ve chosen myself. In the afternoon, I met with Alpha Jasper. The moment he saw me, something flickered across his face—surprise, confusion, something else I couldn’t quite place. His eyes locked onto me, but his gaze felt distant, as if he were looking through me, at something—or someone—else entirely. Frowning, I waved a hand in front of his face. “Earth to Jasper. What’s on your mind? You’re zoning out. Which movie are we watching later?” “I was just thinking,” Alpha Jasper said slowly, refocusing on me. His hand lifted, brushing over the top of my head, the touch lingering just a second too long. “This hairstyle… it suits you.” The warmth in his voice sent a delighted shiver through me. That night, I clung to Eileen, gushing about it for hours. But now, as I sat at my birthday dinner, wrapped in the red dress Alpha Jasper had gifted me, I wasn’t feeling as certain. This morning, when he handed me the box, my heart had fluttered at the sight of the deep red YSL lipstick inside. Next to it was a small note, Alpha Jasper’s usually neat handwriting slightly rushed, two tiny hearts sketched at the bottom. Honestly, the moment I pulled out the dress, my first instinct had been to refuse. I shook my head, already picturing myself in the French-style dress my mom had given me—white, lace embellishments, delicate and soft, much more my style. But then Alpha Jasper had cupped my cheek, his thumb grazing my skin, and his eyes—usually so unreadable—held something almost pleading. “Just this once, okay? Cynthia, just for today—wear it for me?” Alpha Jasper wasn’t the type to beg. Whether at university or the packhouse, he was always distant, unreadable. Girls admired him but never dared to confess. I had been the same, crushing on him for two silent years. Even after we got together, Alpha Jasper remained restrained. A fleeting hug, a chaste kiss—his affections were subtle, controlled. But today, when I stepped out in that red dress, Alpha Jasper had reacted differently. He had shot up from his chair like he’d been struck. His gaze burned as it raked over me, raw and unguarded. Then, in a blur of movement, he had me in his arms, his lips crashing onto mine in a kiss unlike any before—intense, desperate, utterly possessive. My wolf had purred in satisfaction, but I was left reeling. Now, seated at the dinner table, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted. Alpha Jasper plucked a piece of chicken from the platter, carefully removed the skin—he knew I didn’t like it—then blew on it lightly before placing it onto my plate. My heart swelled at the familiar gesture. He still cares. He still— And then I looked across the table. Sienna. The man who had been laughing and chatting with her earlier was now carefully picking the green peppers out of her dish, the same way Alpha Jasper had done for me. Sienna sat there, completely at ease, batting her thick lashes as she cast a glance in our direction—deliberate, smug.

The birthday party was in full swing, but the atmosphere felt suffocating. The scent of roasted meat and wine hung thick in the air, mingling with the chatter of pack members. Alpha Jasper, usually composed and distant, was acting strangely attentive. He peeled shrimp for me one by one, placing them on my plate with meticulous care. The problem? I didn’t even like shrimp. I forced a smile, but my wolf, stirred uneasily. Why is he acting like this? she muttered in my head. Something’s off. I agreed, but I didn’t want to dwell on it. I knew Alpha Jasper well. After all, I had secretly admired him for two years. I was all too familiar with his romantic history. Back in college, Alpha Jasper was the talk of the campus—a star everyone admired. Everyone knew he had a first love, his “white moonlight,” Sienna. They were the picture-perfect couple, a match made in heaven. During their coming-of-age ceremony at 18, they were blessed by the Moon Goddess, affirming them as fated mates. The entire school believed they were destined to end up together. So did I. Just when I resolved to let go of my hopeless crush, Alpha Jasper and Sienna broke up, right before graduation. They had been together for less than a year. The reason? Alpha Jasper was selected to attend an exchange program at the Blood Moon Pack, but Sienna wasn’t willing to do long-distance. What everyone once thought was an unshakable bond crumbled for such a mundane reason. When I finally had the chance to be with the man of my dreams, it was after graduation. Time should have erased the remnants of his feelings for her. Their brief relationship hardly qualified as a deep, soul-stirring love—or so I thought. Until today. It hit me like a ton of bricks. What I believed may have just been wishful thinking. Perhaps Alpha Jasper never truly let go of Sienna—not even for a moment. Otherwise, why would he keep trying to mold me into her image? Whenever I strayed from what he considered “her essence,” he would gently but firmly nudge me back into place. As I glanced across the table at Sienna, a cold weight settled in my chest. She sat effortlessly poised, her golden-brown curls cascading over one shoulder. A Alpha’s daughter, she exuded confidence and elegance. And Jasper used to be her fate mate. Even now, it felt like a ghost of their mate bond lingered. His fingers twitched when she laughed, his jaw tensed when she spoke. And then there were the little things—the way he had been encouraging me to try a new style, to wear red, to curl my hair. Like he was trying to mold me into her image. I clenched my fork, my appetite vanishing. He still wants her. The thought made my wolf bristle. Let’s walk away before we do something stupid. I took a deep breath and pushed back my chair. “I need to use the restroom.” Alpha Jasper wiped his hands and stood. “I’ll go with you.” Before I could protest, Sienna’s velvety voice cut in. “Can’t bear to be apart, even for a moment? How sweet.” Her smirk was small but cutting. Alpha Jasper stiffened beside me, his grip on my wrist tightening before he let go. His expression remained impassive, but I could feel the tension crackling between them. “Go ahead,” he said softly. “I’ll wait for you.” I left without another word, my heart pounding. Once inside the restroom, I gripped the sink, staring at my reflection. The girl staring back at me had soft curls framing her face. The deep red lipstick on her lips clashed starkly with her otherwise fresh, understated makeup. But it was the lipstick Alpha Jasper had chosen. He had wanted to see me wear it. Suddenly overcome with frustration, I turned on the faucet and furiously scrubbed at my lips, ignoring the way the water smeared my foundation. I didn’t stop even as my lips swelled and my face grew blotchy. I didn’t care. When I stepped out, the party was winding down. Pack members filtered out in groups, their laughter fading into the night. I moved toward the main hall, but a low murmur from the side room caught my ear. The door was slightly ajar. I recognized their voices instantly. “You used to hate these kinds of events,” Sienna mused. “Now you’re throwing her a party? Even planning to propose? Is this all just to get back at me?” Alpha Jasper’s reply was quieter, his voice edged with exhaustion. “Don’t flatter yourself.” Sienna chuckled. “Oh, but I think I’ve hit a nerve. Tell me, Jasper—when you close your eyes at night, who do you see?” Her voice carried a dangerous allure, like a predator playing with its prey. I didn’t think. I pushed the door open. The first thing I saw was Sienna grabbing Alpha Jasper’s arm, rising onto her toes, and pressing a kiss to his lips. The sound of the door startled them both. They turned toward me simultaneously. I’d never felt more out of place. My hair and dress were still damp from the restroom sink, and my bare face—stripped of makeup—stood in stark contrast to Sienna’s polished perfection. Alpha Jasper quickly pulled away from her, his expression darkening. Sienna, however, smiled serenely, entirely unfazed. She leisurely picking up her designer purse. As she walked past me, she leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. “Your mate seems to have someone else in his heart.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296822”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf

I am the son of the crime boss of Harbor City. I was supposed to reveal my identity at my wedding. But my sister said I was being targeted and couldn’t expose myself. My fiancée took off my suit and dressed the driver in it, while my bodyguard stole my family heirloom. I trusted them completely, but when the wedding began, I saw the driver with one arm around my fiancée and the other caressing my sister and female bodyguard’s waists. When I questioned them, the driver smiled viciously and ordered his men to break my limbs. They locked me in the basement, forcing me to watch as they had sex, before finally flaying me alive and throwing my barely breathing body to be devoured by wild animals. Recalling the horrific experience of my past life, I punched the driver, breaking his ribs. “You can have my fiancée, but you’re not worthy of my family heirloom.” Charles screamed in pain from my punches. My fiancée Chloe turned pale and slapped me hard across the face. “Jack, how dare you assault Charles!” My sister Emma’s eyes reddened with concern as she raised her fist at me. “How dare you attack the heir of the Blue Gang at the wedding! You’ll be punished according to family law!” My bodyguard Bella immediately started fighting me, but I kicked her away after just two moves. She coughed up blood, looking at me in shock. “Jack, you dare use such force against me?!” I brushed the dust off my clothes and sat down in a chair center stage. “So you still remember my name is Jack?” “Then surely you haven’t forgotten that I, Jack, am Robert’s only son and the sole heir to the Blue Gang.” “And more importantly, I’m the groom at this wedding!” My words caused an uproar among the guests. “What’s going on? He’s the groom? Then who was the previous groom?” All eyes turned to Charles, who was still coughing up blood. I laughed coldly. In my past life, I had pitied Charles’s tragic background and kept him on as my driver at my sister’s urging. Before long, Charles had used his good looks to bewitch my sister, bodyguard and fiancée. After my father was gravely injured, I was supposed to announce my identity at the wedding and take over the Blue Gang. But the three women convinced me that the gang had too many enemies. They feared I would meet the same fate as my father and insisted I hide my identity. They had Charles change his name to Jack and take my place at the wedding to prevent assassination attempts. After I agreed, the three of them slept with Charles on my wedding night. I caught them in the act. Once exposed, they simply threw me into an underground fighting cage, using me as Charles’s punching bag. They even performed sex acts in front of me, torturing me day and night! Remembering the agony of being eaten alive by wild dogs, I didn’t hesitate to stomp hard on Charles’s broken ribs. “Tell me, who are you? And who am I?” Charles howled in pain, desperately calling out to my fiancée Chloe. “Honey, get this madman out of here! Sis, save me!” Chloe was frightened by my murderous aura, but hearing Charles’s pleas, she still resolutely spread her arms to block me. “Jack, so what if your last name is Jiang? I can prove Charles is the next leader of the Blue Gang!” My sister coldly scolded me while tenderly helping Charles up. “Stop this nonsense. We’re doing this for your own good. Apologize to Charles now, then go back and accept your punishment!” My bodyguard Bella also stood up, pulling out a baton and pointing it at me. “No need to go back. Kneel down right now! How dare a servant like you disrupt the young master’s wedding. I’ll personally punish you!” I looked at the three women closest to me, clenching my fists so hard my knuckles turned white. “Since you’re all siding with this driver, don’t blame me for what happens next.” With that, I lifted Charles up and smashed him onto the floor below the stage. “Sorry for the scene, everyone.” “The arranged marriage is over. This wedding will now become my succession ceremony.”

The wedding guests were all dumbfounded. “We’ve heard the Blue Gang has serious infighting, but isn’t the heir Robert’s only son? There’s no dispute about that, right?” “Yeah, everyone knows Robert’s only son is named Charles. The wedding invitation said Jack Charles too. Who does this Jack think he is?” “Daring to cause trouble and hurt Young Master Charles at the wedding, this Jack is dead for sure.” My fiancée and the other two women looked uncertain, but hearing the guests’ comments, they finally relaxed. “Jack, what’s wrong with you today? Get down from there now!” “I am Charles’s wife Chloe. I can testify that Charles is the groom and the heir to the Blue Gang!” “I’m Emma, Charles’s sister. I watched Charles grow up, how could I be mistaken!” “I’m Bella, Charles’s personal bodyguard. Charles is the true heir of the Blue Gang. As for Jack, I don’t know him!” The three women stood in a row, fiercely protecting Charles and glaring at me. The guests burst into laughter. “This poor boy must have gone mad. The Jiang family may have many beauties, but they’re not for him to covet.” “The heir’s identity has been kept secret all these years, but we all know Emma is the eldest Jiang daughter, Chloe is the daughter-in-law, and Bella is the heir’s bodyguard. They can’t be wrong.” “That’s right. Jack, why don’t you kneel and apologize?!” I held my head high, looking past the women in front of me to the woman hurrying over. “Aunt Yvonne, you’ve been with my dad for so many years. Surely you know who his son is?” Everyone followed my gaze, whispering amongst themselves. “Isn’t that Robert’s mistress Yvonne? Why is she here?” “With such a big commotion at the wedding, and Robert on his deathbed, of course someone had to be sent to take charge.” Yvonne said nothing, rushing over in her high heels. She helped Charles up first before turning to me. “You little bastard, who gave a servant like you the guts to fight with Charles!” “Someone tie Jack up. I’ll take him back for the old master to deal with personally!” My heart skipped a beat in shock. In my past life, I only knew my fiancée and the other two women had been bewitched by Charles. I never realized even my dad’s mistress Yvonne had become Charles’s ally! With Yvonne’s order, people immediately came forward to grab me. I stood my ground, using only the Jiang family’s secret martial arts to defeat everyone who came at me. Seeing their injured comrades on the ground, some people finally sensed something was amiss. “Jack is using the Jiang family’s secret fighting techniques. Throughout history, only the direct heirs were allowed to learn it.” “If he’s really just an insignificant servant, how could he possibly know how to use it!” I coldly looked at the group of women, waiting for their lies to be exposed. But just then, the badly injured Charles struggled to his feet with their support and performed a full set of Jiang family martial arts! Taking advantage of the stunned silence from the audience, Charles wiped the blood from his mouth and spoke loudly. “Jack, I pitied your background in the past and let you fetch water while I practiced. But you’ve gone too far, daring to steal my techniques!” I glared hatefully at my sister Emma. Apart from my father Robert, only she and I knew these martial arts. How dare she personally teach our family’s secret techniques to an outsider! She had no respect for rules at all! I was so furious my qi surged, and I grabbed Emma by the collar. “How dare you!” Emma wasn’t flustered at all, looking towards Charles instead. Charles seized the opportunity to pull something from his pocket, holding it high. “Father already passed the Blue Gang’s heirloom to me. Jack, your farce ends now.”

Seeing the ancient heirloom in his hand, everyone was shocked. “It seems Robert’s health really is in bad shape if he’s handed over the Blue Gang heirloom to Charles.” “Jack, with both testimony and physical evidence, you’re just a servant. Get lost now!” I gritted my teeth so hard I tasted blood. In my past life, I didn’t stop them, so I had no idea they had already hollowed out the Jiang family behind my back! Consumed by hatred, I leapt forward to snatch the heirloom from Charles’s hand. Bella had completely turned against me by now. With one shout, countless loyal followers blocked my path and attacked. Although I was skilled in martial arts, I was still only human. I couldn’t fight off so many opponents, and soon someone struck the back of my head with a blunt object. The blow nearly split my skull open. My vision blurred and I staggered. Bella looked at me with disdain and kicked me hard in the chest, sending me flying off the stage. Charles got cocky and came over, raising his foot as if to stomp on my face! Hatred surged through me. I punched the sole of his foot, and Charles, who was all show, fell over. Robert’s mistress Yvonne was so angry her nose almost twisted. “You little beast, you still dare to hurt people. Break his hand!” Bella immediately pulled out a switchblade. She had people hold down my right arm and stabbed down hard! “Jack, today I’m not only going to cripple your hand, I’m going to cut your tendons too. I’ll throw you in the underground fighting pit and make you a complete cripple, forever under Charles’s feet!” The pain spread, and some people looked away, unable to watch. I spat a mouthful of bloody saliva in the women’s faces and shouted hoarsely. “Go ahead and kill me if you have the guts. Otherwise, when my father arrives, you’ll all be dead!” A flash of panic crossed my sister Emma’s face, and she quickly looked at Yvonne. Yvonne snorted coldly, her face full of disdain. She leaned in close to my ear and whispered. “I’ll tell you the truth. Your dad’s never waking up.” “Jack, don’t dream about someone swooping in to prove your identity. The entire Blue Gang, including your women, will all belong to Charles in the future.” A wicked smile curved her lips, and my heart sank. No wonder in my past life, after I was thrown in the fighting cage, no one from my family came to save me. It turns out they had already secretly conspired to harm my father! Seeing the panic on my face, the women laughed raucously. I took the chance to break free from the people holding me down and bit Yvonne’s ear, ripping off a chunk of flesh with a shake of my head! Yvonne screamed in pain. Charles looked heartbroken. My sister Emma cursed furiously. Not satisfied, she grabbed a wine bottle and smashed it down on my head. “Do you know what you’ve done! How dare you hurt her!” My head was ringing from the blow, but I suddenly noticed something odd. Emma had always despised Yvonne, calling her a vulgar slut with no class who stole our mother’s place. But now, why was she so protective of this mistress?! My fiancée Chloe also looked worried, rushing to help Yvonne treat her wound. Bella’s knife flashed coldly as she pressed it against my throat. “Jack, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to take your life.” “But you’ve hurt the people I care about again and again. I can’t let you live!” I was injured all over, with my limbs crippled. I was no match for Bella now. In the stands, some people covered their eyes, waiting for my blood to spill. Just then, a thunderous shout came from the entrance of the hall. “What’s going on at Jack’s wedding? Everyone stop right now!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296839”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf

I was rushed to the emergency room, hemorrhaging badly from a severe skin condition. My husband, Mark, rushed to my side, seemingly frantic with worry. My eyes burned with unshed tears, wanting to say something, anything, but then a strange overlay of text flashed before my eyes: **[The devoted, foolish wife. Your husband bound a Beauty System to you, for his adopted sister.]** **[All the expensive skincare and supplements you’ve been using? They’re working on HER. And because her private life is a mess, all the skin diseases she gets? YOU’RE stuck with them! How pathetic.]** A shiver went down my spine. My mother-in-law, Martha, hurried in, bringing my work laptop, wiping sweat from her forehead. More text scrolled into view: **[She also bound a Wealth System to you. All the money you slaved away for, painstakingly earning it through your online store, went straight into her adopted daughter’s pocket.]** **[You went from being a stunning business elite to a bankrupt, ugly, penniless mess—and it’s all THEIR fault!]** I froze, stunned. Fury ignited in my chest, a wildfire spreading through my veins. They wanted their adopted daughter to thrive? How DARE they ruin me for it! I instantly canceled my salon membership, shut down my online store, and officially gave up on life. You want to play dirty? Fine. Let’s see who has the last laugh!

“How could you hemorrhage from a simple laser skin treatment? What’s wrong with you! Don’t you care about your body?” Mark stood by my hospital bed, his eyes blazing with barely concealed rage, fixed on my frail, barely conscious form. We were college sweethearts. I was the one who pursued him, and even though he’d always been distant, he agreed to marry me. I thought, deep down, he had to care about me. But the floating text ripped away the illusion, exposing the brutal truth: Mark had never felt anything for me. Not from the start. “Well, whatever. If my skin condition isn’t going to get better anyway, why bother with expensive treatments? I’ll just let it run its course.” I glanced at him, my face expressionless. I took a bag of extra-spicy takeout and a bag of super-hot chips from the delivery guy and started eating. Before, I’d been so afraid of spicy food ruining my skin, I never dared. Mark’s face darkened, his eyes wide with fury as he jabbed a finger at my face: “You HAVE to take care of your appearance! I’m a successful businessman now! What will people think of me if you look like this? Do you want me to be a laughingstock?” “I’ve already booked you for cryotherapy tomorrow for that corn on your foot. If you don’t go, no food and no sleep for you!” I didn’t even spare him a glance. Mark was livid, his hand twitching, ready to strike me. Just then, my “kindly” mother-in-law, Martha, bustled in and grabbed his arm. “I heard the e-commerce sector is booming lately, and new projects are being selected. If you get picked, there’s a million-dollar start-up grant! Serena must be preparing hard for that, right?” “Alright, she’s busy with work, why are you pushing her so hard? Audrey, you got this! Mom’s rooting for you!” A cold, bitter laugh twisted my lips. I gripped the bedsheet so tightly my knuckles turned white, wishing I could rip them both to shreds. Mark was penniless the year he married me. I was the one who told my parents not to ask for a single cent of financial support, and even brought a substantial dowry, so he’d have money to start his business and build it to its current scale. And Martha? A few years ago, she had a stroke and nearly died. It was *me* who flew in a renowned specialist from out of state for her surgery, and *I* personally cared for her for two months—bathing her, emptying her bedpan, feeding her—literally pulling her back from death’s door. Even all that couldn’t compare to Serena, the adopted sister who’d only been with the family for three years. What exactly was her charm, to turn a once loving family against each other? “You two are truly so thoughtful and caring towards me.” A mocking smile played on my lips. “Don’t worry, I’ll repay your ‘kindness’ a hundredfold. I won’t let you down.” Mark looked uncomfortable, but Martha was beaming with a sickly sweet smile, squeezing closer to me. “Audrey, why say such distant things? You married into the Lewis family, and I treat you like my own daughter. If you really want to thank us… how about this? I recently saw a new Hermès bag I really love. Your dad has money, doesn’t he? Can you ask him to buy it for me?” Still dreaming of a luxury bag? As if you deserve it! I got up, nudged her aside with my laptop, and walked out without looking back.

The next day was Martha’s sixtieth birthday. The house was packed with relatives and friends. Mark’s adopted sister, Serena, naturally wouldn’t miss it. She entered wearing a pure white evening gown, looking like a pure angel, delicate as a lily, drawing everyone’s gaze. Three years ago, when I first met her, she was covered in red spots, her face disfigured, too self-conscious to even look at me. She claimed she was my junior from college and admired me because I was such a campus celebrity. Martha said Serena was her best friend’s child, an orphan, and so pitiable that she took her in. I started helping her find dermatologists to treat her skin, taught her the ropes of doing business, and even urged Mark to be kinder to her, telling him to lighten up. But strangely, my own body started breaking out in strange little bumps, sometimes so painful they’d wake me up in the middle of the night. My business plummeted, and even my in-laws’ concern for me dwindled. Now, Serena rushed to me, sobbing, and hugged me. She meticulously scanned my body, a flicker of triumph flashing in her eyes, barely perceptible. “Audrey, are you okay? Yesterday, Mom said you had a hemorrhage from a beauty treatment and ended up in the hospital. I was away on a business trip, and I was so worried I couldn’t eat or sleep. I even cried.” “If you’re really not feeling well, maybe you should just put skincare on hold for a bit. Your life is definitely more important than your looks, don’t you think?” Before I could even speak, the surrounding relatives burst into mocking laughter. “Serena, you’re so beautiful and kind-hearted. Don’t get too close to women like her. Do you know what kind of skin diseases she has? Syphilis, herpes, maybe even HPV! Women like her get sick because they’re loose! It’s disgusting!” “Serena, you’re pretty and you know how to make money. If only we could have a daughter-in-law like you, that would truly be a blessing from our ancestors!” “Audrey constantly spends money on treatments because there’s a beautiful and smart woman like you living with Mark’s family. She feels threatened, of course, afraid Mark will divorce her and choose to be with you. Honestly, Mark is such an idiot. Why keep a woman like her around?” Before this, I’d actually wondered if I’d caught my skin disease from sitting on a park bench. I even felt guilty towards Mark and Martha, and I dared not protest against the relatives’ ridicule. But now, I uncorked a bottle of red wine and sprayed it all over their faces. “How can your hearts be so vile! Instead of cheering for our family to fall apart, why don’t you try being supportive? You’re so full of garbage yourselves, no wonder you see everyone else as trash!” “Alright, everyone, let’s calm down.” Serena stepped in front of me, looking utterly pitiful, trying to shield me. “I know I’ve made Audrey feel insecure and lacking in confidence, but there’s nothing wrong with her wanting to be better. We should respect everyone’s choices and treat everyone around us with kindness.” “But Audrey, the uncles and aunts were just trying to give you friendly advice. It’s wrong for you to suddenly lose your temper. We’re all family, we should live in harmony.” “Live in harmony, how?” My blood boiled. “Have they ever treated me like family? Would family accuse and insult me like this when I’m sick and miserable?” Grandpa Lewis happened to be pushed into the room in his wheelchair. The relatives glared at me resentfully, then immediately fell silent. “You fickle little hussy, still daring to yell at us here.” After the banquet started, Uncle Dave, carrying a bowl of hot stew, “accidentally” bumped into me. The hot liquid spilled all over me, scalding my skin red and raising blisters. I rushed to find a restroom to rinse off with cold water, but every single one was occupied. I lost my balance and fell, knocking out a front tooth. The pain was excruciating, tearing through me, but everyone around me simply grinned, looking pleased. Kevin, Mark’s best friend, disgustedly pinched his nose. “What a drama queen, and she’s not even pretty! Shouldn’t someone just make her leave? Who could eat with her looking like that!”

Martha’s sixtieth birthday banquet invited many industry elites. Now that the new projects were being selected, ordinarily, I would have sought their advice, eager to learn about the new ventures. But ever since the floating text revealed the truth, I no longer wanted to do business. Why earn money only for someone else to spend it? I sprawled on the sofa, pulled out my phone, and started playing Call of Duty. Serena, surrounded by a group of handsome guys, was laughing and chatting, but then she glanced over and saw me playing a video game. Her composure instantly shattered. “Audrey!” She pushed through the crowd of men and walked towards me, disbelief etched on her face: “Aren’t you running an online store? The e-commerce start-up competition is so popular, and so many of our relatives are in that field. Why aren’t you going to learn something?” “I’ve been doing business for so long, and it’s all been a loss. Even if there’s a project, it wouldn’t be my turn to talk about it, so why humiliate myself?” I smirked, continuing my game without even looking up. It was wonderful to play my game in peace, undisturbed. Other relatives and friends looked down on me and didn’t want to talk to me at all. The more I played, the better I got. My hands felt incredible, my shots were precise, my strategies ingenious. I won every round, laughing all the way to the end. My stats were amazing! I skipped the banquet food and ordered a huge feast of my favorite extra-spicy Thai food, eating and watching variety shows, tears of laughter streaming down my face. As I was about to head back to my room for a good night’s sleep, I noticed several pairs of men’s designer shoes placed outside my door. “Audrey, you must be too insecure to approach those big bosses, right? I’ve already prepared gifts for them. Just give them these, and they’ll definitely be willing to share their business wisdom with you.” Serena linked her arm through mine. “Those few pairs of shoes cost two thousand dollars in total. Remember to transfer the money to my account. And an extra hundred dollars for my service fee, send that too.” She smiled, about to go back and chat with the men, but I spun around and piled all the shoe boxes in front of her. She stared at me, astonished, but my face remained utterly calm. “Who told you to prepare these for me? If you want to give gifts, give them yourself.” I’d always spoken softly to Serena, but today my voice was louder, my attitude harsher. She looked embarrassed, her face flushing with anger. “I spent two thousand dollars on these gifts to help you earn more money! What do you mean by returning them now? Even if I earn a lot, my money is still money, isn’t it? How can you be so wasteful?” I responded coldly, “Stop pretending to be a good person. I didn’t ask you to prepare anything for me. You wanted to buy these yourself, what does it have to do with me?” Serena looked at me, utterly desperate, her face a mix of shock and fury. Then, tears started dripping onto the floor, a picture of absolute heartbreak, sobbing uncontrollably. “I’ve always treated you like my sister-in-law, like family. Everything I do is for your own good. If you don’t appreciate it, fine, but to humiliate me in front of so many people? What is wrong with you?!” She collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, gasping for breath. Her pitiful display instantly made outsiders feel an overwhelming urge to protect her. Everyone glared at me, seething. Several wealthy young gentlemen from prominent families even looked like they wanted to rush forward and hit me. “Audrey! So this is how you usually bully your sister-in-law! You’re ugly and your heart is cruel. If I were Serena, I’d beat you to death! You must apologize to her immediately, and give her all your savings from these past years to cheer her up!” Their unbelievable thought process shattered my perception of reality. “She wants to buy and give you shoes? Fine, go ahead and give them. Why drag me into it? It has nothing to do with me.” Martha happened to walk out of the kitchen, carrying a steaming platter of pot roast. “Serena!” She rushed nervously to Serena’s side, quickly putting an arm around her shoulder to check on her, even calling an ambulance. Before leaving, Martha didn’t forget to glare at me, as if I were her sworn enemy.

“Audrey, I’m telling you, if Serena suffers severe psychological trauma, we won’t let you off the hook! Everyone here is a witness!” Relatives and friends pointed fingers at me. They were right, what if Serena fabricated false evidence to frame me? That wouldn’t be good! I immediately followed them into the ambulance. In the emergency room, Serena, looking pale, saw me engrossed in a book and assumed it was a business textbook. But then I flipped it over, showing her the cover, and she realized it was a graphic novel. Her face instantly contorted in a sneer. “Audrey, what is wrong with you? Aren’t you buried under a mountain of debt right now? You’re not trying to earn money, you’re here reading comics! Throw that thing away!” I nonchalantly glanced at her, then moved to a chair by the door to continue reading. Serena looked like she was about to explode. “Have you lost your mind?! Why are you acting so lazy and careless? You used to be so ambitious!” “Mom, why are you staring at me like that?” Martha’s hand, holding a spoon of porridge, froze mid-air. She looked utterly startled. “Serena, why do you have red spots on your neck? That’s strange.” Prompted by Martha, I also looked at her neck. Indeed, there were two or three small red spots, though not very noticeable. Serena’s face instantly drained of all color, looking deeply unhappy. Martha chuckled awkwardly. “Serena, don’t mind me. I just wanted to remind you that there are many mosquitoes at night. I’ll buy you a new electric mosquito repellent later. It’s all my fault, your window screen is broken, and I haven’t had anyone fix it yet.” The doctor reassured Serena that her examination showed no problems and she could go home directly. Martha, overjoyed, ordered Serena’s favorite platter of mixed seafood takeout, hoping it would cheer her up. I pouted, feeling annoyed. “Mom, why are you only concerned with making Serena happy? Just now, you thought I was bullying her, brought her to the hospital, and glared at me, giving me a bad attitude. My feelings are hurt too, so how are you going to cheer me up?” “If I hadn’t refused a dowry and brought my own, and if Mom and Dad hadn’t been helping Mark’s family all these years, his business wouldn’t be the size it is now. Are you trying to cut ties with us after you’ve crossed the bridge?” Martha flinched, then forced a strained smile against her true feelings. “Didn’t I just misunderstand you, Audrey? I know you’ve always been a good child, and I truly care about you. Don’t mind it, Mom apologizes to you.” Hilarious. Care about me? Would she push me to my doom if she truly cared? Honestly, for the first few years after I married into the Lewis family, I truly believed her when she said she’d treat me like her own daughter. “Mom, I really must thank you. You truly are different with me.” As Martha opened the delivery box of marinated seafood, I eagerly rushed over and, with my bare hands, started stuffing shrimp, crab, abalone, and clams into my mouth. Serena’s face went green with horror, and she frantically gave Martha a look, urging her to snatch the food away. But I was strong, and Martha couldn’t take anything back. I had already eaten it all. “Martha, I’m your daughter-in-law. I’ve given your family so much money. Are you really too stingy to even treat me to some takeout?” Seafood would only worsen my skin condition. Bring it on! Let’s go down together! The moment I stepped out of the hospital, I regained my composure. I hurried back to my own home, and as soon as I entered, I grabbed my parents’ hands. “Dad, Mom, Mark borrowed ten million from our family for his business before, didn’t he? Even though we have money, we can’t just let outsiders leech off us. If he wants to make money, he needs to learn to stand on his own two feet. I think we should get all that money back.” “You two always said Mark wasn’t good enough for me. It’s my fault for not listening to you back then. Now I see clearly. I’ll divorce him soon, and I’ll spend the rest of my life honoring you two at home.” My parents exchanged a look, tears welling up in their eyes, deeply moved. They let me move back home, tidying my room meticulously. I didn’t have to do any housework, could eat whatever I wanted, buy whatever I wanted. My family wasn’t short on money, and I didn’t need to earn any. “My sweet girl, as long as you’ve come to your senses, you’ll always be Dad and Mom’s little princess. We’ll do anything for you, unconditionally.” Dad stroked my head. “We only have one wish: we just want you to be happy.” A warm current surged through me, and my eyes welled up. As I lowered my head to wipe away my tears, I caught a glimpse of my arm. The red rashes seemed to have lessened, and they weren’t itching as much! The rumors that I had bullied Serena quickly spread through the family group chat. After Serena was discharged from the hospital, Mark even bought her an apartment, and she moved in directly.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296855”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

Three years ago, I was kidnapped. Although I was eventually rescued, I developed severe PTSD. Whenever thoughts of the kidnapping surfaced, it felt as if my head was splitting open, and I wished for death. Under Jasper’s attentive care, the wounds in my heart slowly began to heal. To help me transition back to a normal life, he secured a role for me in a film. However, this film included a kidnapping scene, and Jasper argued with the screenwriter to have the script changed. But to maintain the performance’s authenticity, I filmed according to the original script under immense pressure, and in the end, my performance moved everyone present. At the celebration party that night, I overheard Jasper talking to his brother. “Showa, you’re quite ruthless, letting someone who’s actually experienced a kidnapping act in a kidnapping scene?” Jasper responded indifferently, “Since the lead actress is ruined and has to undergo surgery and seek revenge, I naturally have to pave the way for Adeline.” “And thanks for helping me plan the kidnapping; otherwise, Genevieve wouldn’t have delivered such a spectacular performance today. The box office is secure.” I was in a daze and dialed an unknown number, “Director Beckett, I’m willing to be your leading lady…” “By the way, make sure to heavily promote Genevieve’s kidnapping from three years ago. I think many in the audience will buy into that.” “But I want all the box office credit to go to Adeline. I promised her I’d help her win the Golden Horse Best Actress.” Jasper’s brother, Finn, spoke again, “Showa, I never believed in love before. But seeing you willing to sacrifice two years to help Adeline achieve her dream, I’m deeply moved.” “Once you and Adeline are together, what are you going to do with Genevieve?” Jasper replied coldly, “A useless pawn should naturally be discarded.” Every word from Jasper was like a cavalry charge, destroying the hope he had built for me. Finn teased with drunken humor, “Even though Genevieve has become mentally unstable, she’s still a star. She must be quite a treat, right?” Jasper chuckled and licked his lips as if savoring, “Indeed.” I bit my lip hard, my nails digging into my trembling arm. I had once thought of Jasper as the only light in my dark world. But I never imagined that all the darkness in my world was caused by him. Now, he was tearing open my healed wounds again, just to make me a stepping stone for his muse. The phone rang; it was Jasper calling. “Genevieve, are you okay?” His voice was full of tenderness. Had I not overheard the conversation, I would have seen him as my salvation and continued to give willingly for him. But now, just hearing his voice or thinking of his face triggered my PTSD. Curled up on the ground in agony, I pleaded, “Please don’t hit me, I’ll do whatever you want! Please let me go…” “Genevieve? Genevieve?” Jasper’s voice was anxious. I knew he was just worried that my condition would stop me from finishing tomorrow’s final scene, which would delay Adeline. Jasper quickly found me curled up in a corner. “Genevieve.” The moment he touched me, it felt like countless silver needles pierced my skin. I lay on the ground, “Please spare me, I’ll even let you sleep with me…” A trace of disgust showed on Jasper’s lips, but he quickly hid it. He squatted down and held me tightly. “It’s me, Showa! I’ve chased the bad guys away. No one can hurt you now!” Before today, Jasper’s embrace was the best remedy for my psychological trauma. But now, this remedy, full of lies, was poison. Finn also rushed out, “Showa, her condition seems worse than before.” Seeing my nearly insane state, he seemed a bit frightened, “Maybe we should use medication?” “No!” Jasper refused for me. “Those drugs would suppress or even kill her emotions.” I understood what he meant. He was afraid the antidepressants would affect my performance in front of the camera. “Genevieve, you have to be strong! After tomorrow’s final scene, let’s get married.” Upon hearing those words, my symptoms eased a lot. After all, it was my biggest dream besides acting. But back then, Jasper always refused my proposals, citing my career’s rising phase. Now I realize he simply didn’t love me. Just like how he knew I had PTSD from the kidnapping, yet still had me act out a kidnapping scene. To maintain his devoted persona, he even staged a scene with the scriptwriter. Love and lack of love are so obvious; I just chose to ignore it. “After this scene, you won’t act anymore, I’ll take care of you.” He gently placed me in the car as he spoke. “Genevieve, Genevieve…” He called my name twice. I pretended not to answer, and he thought I had fallen asleep and chatted freely with Finn. “Showa, are you really going to marry her? Your sacrifice seems too big.” Jasper smirked, “Do you think her illness is that serious? She’s just pretending to get my attention. It’s just talk anyway, no loss to me.” “But if she insists on staying in the film industry, to protect Adeline’s position, I would choose to marry her and take her away from the industry.” Finn clicked his tongue, “I didn’t expect you to do so much for love.” I held back tears, pinching my thigh to stop them from falling. Once home, Jasper gently laid me on the bed. He tidied the messy hair from my face, then planted a soft kiss on my cheek. His phone rang, and he moved to the door to answer it. Even though the voice on the other end was quiet, I recognized it as Adeline’s. I couldn’t hear what she said, but Jasper replied, “Okay, I’ll be right over.” Hearing him leave without hesitation, I finally allowed tears to fall. Now I realized that when he said he was busy before, it was probably because he was with Adeline. I waited for him all night, unaware he was with her. I told myself he wasn’t worth it, but I couldn’t stop the tears. My phone lit up with a message from Jasper. “I have work to do, I’ll pick you up from the set tomorrow.” How thoughtful of him, to send a message to comfort me while with another woman. Just as I was about to turn off my phone, another message came in. “Miss Bai, all the props you wanted are ready. Are you sure you want to act during tomorrow’s shoot?” Without much hesitation, I replied with a simple “Yes.” With that, the heavy stone in my heart began to ease. At dawn, I arrived early at the set. Today, we were shooting an explosion scene. In the past, Jasper would be there to check everything for such dangerous scenes. But with less than an hour until shoot time, he was still absent. I had just finished the final rehearsal when I spotted Adeline’s trailer in the corner. She wasn’t supposed to be on set until tomorrow. Curious, I knocked on the trailer door. A disheveled Jasper answered. “Showa, who is it?” Adeline’s voice, intimate and flushed, came from behind him. Seeing it was me, Jasper hurriedly buttoned his shirt, but soon regained his usual composure. “As an investor, I’m here to discuss the script’s future direction with Adeline.” I forced a smile, “Discussing the script, huh? Shouldn’t I join in for some insights?” “You should rest after your final scene today. You’ve worked hard recently.” Jasper’s tone was as gentle as ever, but Adeline frowned displeased behind him. It has indeed been hard, not just because of his deceit but also pretending nothing’s happened. As I was about to speak, Jasper’s assistant ran over with his work phone. “Mr. Showa, a partner is on the line.” Jasper took the call and patted my head, “Wait for me here, I’ll be back soon.” With that, he stepped out of the trailer. As soon as he left, Adeline approached me smugly. She flipped her hair back, revealing hickeys on her neck. “Miss Bai, your performance yesterday was fantastic. There’s a difference when you have real kidnapping experience!” At the mention of kidnapping, I couldn’t help but shudder. “Really, is it necessary to tear open your wounds for fame and fortune?” Adeline’s words were laced with mockery, stabbing at me like needles. “Curious about my chat with Jasper?” “We were discussing their company’s upcoming global ambassador, and I’m the only candidate!” “In time, the world will know your boyfriend chose his girlfriend’s rival as an ambassador. What will fans think then?” Adeline taunted, brushing her fingers across my cheek. Hearing the word “kidnapping,” I couldn’t help but tremble. “Honestly, is it worth reopening your own wounds just for fame and fortune?” Adeline’s sarcasm felt like sharp thorns trying to pierce through me. “You’re wondering what Jasper and I talked about, aren’t you?” “We discussed their company’s upcoming global ambassador, and I’m the only candidate!” “In time, if the whole world learns your boyfriend chose his girlfriend’s rival as the ambassador, what will fans and followers think?” Adeline touched my cheek provocatively. “Genevieve, you can’t beat me, just accept being my supporting role.” “I hope to see you clapping for me at this year’s Golden Horse Awards Ceremony!” I slapped Adeline’s hand away. “What are you doing?” Jasper walked in just then, catching the scene. He ignored my pain and yanked me off the trailer. Adeline feigned innocence, “Jasper, I was just discussing the script, and she suddenly hit me…” After her grievance, she pretended to be considerate, “Jasper, don’t blame Genevieve, it wasn’t her intention, she just had another episode.” “Genevieve, haven’t I told you, don’t hurt others during an episode, don’t cause trouble!” “If you’re jealous of Adeline’s acting, prove yourself through your work. Being ill isn’t your excuse!” In his anger, Jasper’s facade finally cracked. Seeing his true nature made me nauseous. I stared directly at Jasper, my eyes burning, but no tears fell. I didn’t bother explaining Adeline’s lies. Jasper held my hand tightly, “You must apologize to Adeline!” I looked at him coldly, “Let go, I need to film!” I shook off Jasper’s hand. As I walked away, Jasper shouted behind me, “If you don’t apologize to Adeline, I won’t see you again!” I thought silently, “Jasper, it’s not that you won’t see me, it’s that I don’t want you anymore!” Half an hour later, a massive explosion echoed throughout the film set. Flames shot into the sky accompanied by piercing screams. Jasper, with reddened eyes, rushed to the scene, “Genevieve! Genevieve, where are you?” His cries were drowned out by the approaching sirens. [4] “Genevieve! Genevieve!” The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, fires burned everywhere, but Jasper ignored it all, silently walking toward where I had last stood. “Jasper! It’s dangerous! What are you doing?” The producer on set desperately tried to hold him back. “My fiancée is still in there!” “Fiancée?” The producer was stunned. Despite Jasper’s many rumors over the years, he had never publicly acknowledged a relationship. Now suddenly there’s a fiancée? The producer hesitated and tentatively asked, “Jasper, are you talking about Ms. White?” Hearing my name, Jasper couldn’t hold back his tears. “Genevieve…” “Jasper, it’s dangerous here. The firefighters are here. Maybe Ms. White is okay…” The producer tried to pull Jasper away, but Jasper pushed him aside. “Get out of my way, don’t stop me!” “I need to find my Genevieve!” With that, he recklessly dashed into the fire scene. Fortunately, the explosion was concentrated, not causing a widespread fire. The director frowned at the scene, “How’s the headcount? Any casualties?” “No one was hurt, but… Ms. White is missing…” “Genevieve, where are you? You promised me, don’t leave me…” Firefighters and medical staff had arrived and started emergency rescue operations. Jasper, ignoring everything, rushed toward the explosion center, trying to find me himself. His designer suit was scorched by the flames, his hands covered in wounds, but he didn’t care. “Jasper, calm down!” Staff tried to restrain him, but he broke free. Adeline arrived, shocked at Jasper’s frantic state. “Jasper, are you looking for the hard drive? Don’t worry, the hard drive isn’t damaged. It won’t affect the next shoot!” “Genevieve, Genevieve…” Adeline was puzzled, even a bit gloating, “Why are you looking for her? She doesn’t have any scenes left. If she’s gone, she’s gone…” In the next moment, Jasper slapped her. “Shut up!” Jasper yelled, his eyes full of anger and urgency, “If you dare say another word, I’ll make sure you never work in this industry again!” Adeline covered her face, tears streaming down, unable to believe Jasper hit her for Genevieve. Everyone was stunned by the sudden chaos, the scene was a mess. Jasper had no time for Adeline’s complaints, he continued searching the debris for me. “Genevieve, if anything happens to you, I’ll never forgive myself…” he choked, his voice full of despair. At that moment, firefighters pulled a figure from the rubble. Jasper’s heart leapt into his throat. He rushed over, only to find it was just a prop dummy blown away by the blast. His hope shattered, he collapsed to the ground. “Genevieve, you can’t die, I won’t allow it…” he repeated, as if praying for a miracle. “Seems like there’s something!” Jasper staggered to his feet, moving forward, he pushed the rescue workers aside. “Genevieve…” But all he found was charred remains, until he saw something glinting. He knelt and dug it out with his hands. Jasper froze when he recognized it; it was the platinum engagement ring I had used countless times to propose to him… “This is Genevieve’s! This is the wedding ring she prepared for me!” He held up the ring, shouting excitedly, completely disregarding any CEO image. “Genevieve must be okay…” “Everyone, help me find her!” The rescue workers exchanged glances, “Mr. Jasper, the melting point of a human is far lower than that of a diamond. At this temperature, a person couldn’t possibly…” “No! No!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296633”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

On the day I was announced as the company heir, someone barged onto the stage with fake documents, accusing me of embezzling project funds and colluding with competitors. My father tore up the inheritance papers on the spot and expelled me. The hall’s screen repeatedly displayed photos of the new heir, Jasper. As I stumbled out of the building, a black car suddenly lost control and struck me. I collapsed into a pool of blood, overwhelmed by pain. While in a coma, I overheard her talking to an assistant. “Madam, Mr. Nolan has already been completely ousted; why take things to such extremes?” “He’s too brilliant. Only by crippling him can we eliminate future troubles—” “Jasper saved me from a fire five years ago. If he wants the inheritance, naturally I have to help him clear the obstacles.” I gazed at the burn scar below my collarbone, a mark left three years ago when I rushed into the flames to save her. Later, clutching the Certificate of Bravery from the Fire Department, I barged into the Jasper Corporation press conference. My wife was adjusting the cufflinks of her “benefactor,” Jasper. I tore open my shirt to reveal the scar, my voice hoarse but resolute. “Fiona, you said you’d spend your life with your benefactor once he recovered—” “But your benefactor is right in front of you, and you’re the arsonist executioner.”

The assistant looked at me, speaking with resignation. “Madam, you’ve already ordered Mr. Nolan to be hit, and the impact was enough to cripple his legs. But why have the perpetrator repeatedly run him over, leaving his legs as nothing but mangled flesh, necessitating amputation?” Fiona’s eyes were cold, her tone indifferent. “I did it to ensure nothing could go wrong. What if those people didn’t cripple him? Nolan has always been exceptionally capable. It’s not impossible for him to find renowned doctors across the United States to heal those legs.” “With his legs amputated, he’ll forever be disabled. He’s always been proud and ambitious, living a lifetime in the pain of broken legs, and won’t think of fighting Jasper for the inheritance.” The assistant’s pupils contracted, his gaze falling on my bandaged, severed legs. “But what if Mr. Nolan finds out? You were at the scene of the accident too. What if he saw you, even the ambulance was called by a passerby. What if he blames you for life?” Fiona took a step closer, her slender hand caressing the wound on my forehead. “Then make sure he doesn’t remember what happened that night. Aren’t there drugs in those shady clinics that can interfere with memory?” “Use them on him. If he can forget, great. If not, increase the dosage so he can’t even remember who he is.” The assistant couldn’t bear it, his voice trembling. “Those drugs exist, but they’re untested in clinical trials. They might cause permanent cognitive impairment, and severe cases could lead to incontinence, turning him into a vegetable…” Hearing the assistant’s words, Fiona showed impatience. Her eyes flared with anger. “So what? Sacrificing him for Jasper’s career is worth it.” “Since Jasper saved me from the fire five years ago, I haven’t been able to love anyone else. If not for the family marriage, why would I marry Nolan?” “If Jasper hadn’t risked his life to save me back then, I might have died in that fire. Now the opportunity has finally come; I can repay Jasper.” I clenched my wrist tightly, oblivious to the blood from my palm. The wife who had been with me for five years seemed like a stranger. Five years ago, I risked my life to save Fiona. The burn scar below my collarbone is still there. During our five-year marriage, I never mentioned it. I thought she knew I was the one who saved her because she agreed to the arranged marriage without hesitation. I never brought it up, fearing it would trigger painful memories for her. I never imagined she considered Jasper her savior all along. The assistant handed her a necklace, his fingers trembling. “This was tightly clutched in Mr. Nolan’s hand during the car accident. His secretary said it was supposed to be your birthday gift.” Fiona stared at the blood-stained necklace, dazed for a few seconds. It was something I had specially acquired from an auction in Italy. Just because she said she liked it, I went to great lengths to get it, just to see her smile. At the moment of the accident, she was all I thought about. She rubbed the necklace with her fingertips, her other hand caressing my face. “As long as he’s obedient and doesn’t fight, I’ll stay with him forever. He’ll still be my Mr. Nolan, and I’ll still be his Mrs. Nolan.” “Oh, and Jasper just took the heir position. We should celebrate. Help me give him the family heirloom ring.” The assistant’s eyes widened, his tone more forceful. “But that’s Fiona’s family heirloom ring. It’s supposed to be for Mr. Nolan, your husband. How can you give it to—” Fiona immediately interrupted the assistant. “Don’t say so much nonsense. Hurry up, Jasper deserves something so good.” Her words cut like a knife, causing me deep pain. Over these five years, Fiona, have you not loved me at all?

After the assistant left, Fiona stayed by my bedside. She occasionally wiped my body, sometimes whispering stories of our past in my ear. Every action was so gentle. If I hadn’t just heard the brutal truth, I would’ve thought she loved me deeply. Soon, a female doctor came over with two forms. Judging by the voice, it was her best friend, Hazel. Fiona glanced at her coolly. “So? Are the results out?” Hazel handed a form to Fiona. She opened it, her eyes instantly brightening. Even her tone became cheerful. “I knew it. They’re half-brothers; the kidneys are definitely compatible.” “Prepare for surgery, the sooner, the better.” Hazel looked troubled, clutching Fiona’s hand with a tremor. “Fiona, do you really have to do this? Look at what Nolan has become, and you still want to take his kidney?” “Besides, Jasper’s kidney doesn’t have much of a problem. Last time you brought him in for a check, it was just a mild infection, cured with some meds.” Fiona pried her hand away, her gaze fixed on my pale face. “You don’t know. Jasper has exhausted himself preparing to become the heir, not eating or drinking well.” “I read online that overworking like this can cause kidney issues. I can’t gamble with Jasper’s health. This is the only way to ensure everything’s fine.” “Anyway, during this accident, we’ll take his kidney. When he wakes, we’ll tell him the crash injured his kidney, forcing us to remove one. He won’t suspect a thing.” Hazel tried to wake her, grabbing her hand again. “But Nolan’s current condition isn’t suitable for this surgery. The crash caused blood clotting issues. Forcing a kidney removal might cause shock, endangering his life.” Fiona locked eyes with Hazel. “Hazel, aren’t you the best in your hospital? I trust you can handle this minor surgery.” Hazel gritted her teeth, staying silent. Sighs echoed in my ears. Tears streamed down my face like broken pearls. My legs have already been amputated, and now my wife wants to take my kidney for my half-brother. I wanted to get up from the bed and demand why she was doing this to me. But my limbs felt like they were filled with cement, immovable. Hazel handed Fiona another form. “Fiona, your check-up from last week is out too. Congratulations, you’re pregnant.” Fiona froze, staring at the pregnancy test words for a long time. But the final words were cold. “Schedule an abortion for me.” Hazel was clearly surprised, her voice tinged with confusion. “Fiona, you’ve been married for five years. It’s not easy for this child to come! Why abort?” “Nolan’s in this state now. Who knows if he can have kids anymore.” “And you’ve taken so many contraceptives before that your body’s already damaged. If you don’t keep this one, you might never conceive again!” Fiona’s cold hand gripped mine again. Her voice pierced my soul, given the closeness. “I never planned on having kids with him. You know I’ve always loved Jasper. If I were to have a child, it should be Jasper’s.” She suddenly kissed my forehead, her voice choking. “As for Nolan, I’ll find hundreds of ways to compensate him.” Memories flickered through my mind like a movie. Five years of marriage, I always wanted a love child but never succeeded. I thought it was my body’s issue, seeking medical help and drinking bitter herbs. Fiona once comforted me, saying, “Don’t rush; we’ll have kids eventually.” The truth was, she never wanted a child.

Hazel had just left when a young nurse entered the ward with an injection. She inserted it into my skin, and any regained strength vanished. Beside me, Fiona’s voice was clear, comforting me. “Nolan, it’s okay, it’ll be over soon.” “I’ll be waiting outside; you have to hang in there.” Then, I seemed to be wheeled into a surgery room. Fiona once tried to comfort me, saying, “Don’t worry, we’ll think about kids in the future.” But the truth was, she never wanted children. 3. Hazel had just stepped out for a moment. A young nurse entered the ward with a syringe. She injected it into my arm. The small strength I had mustered drained away. Next to me, I could clearly hear Fiona’s voice trying to reassure me. “Nolan, it’s alright, it’ll be over soon.” “I’ll be waiting outside; you have to hang on.” Then I felt like I was wheeled into an operating room. Several people in white lab coats wielded cold surgical scalpels. I could vividly feel my skin being cut and my kidney being removed, yet I was utterly helpless. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. I have no idea how long I was in the operating room. When I woke again, Fiona’s beautiful face was in front of me. In the past, that face brought me immense joy, but now it only brought a chilling coldness. Seeing me awake, she seemed genuinely happy, embracing me tightly. “Nolan, you’re finally awake! You have no idea how worried I’ve been about you.” “If the heir status is gone, it’s gone. I just want you to be okay.” Seeing her eyes red with tears made my heart ache. Fiona, I could have been fine, but isn’t it all thanks to you that I’m like this now? Instinctively, I glanced at my legs, amputated below the knees. The 20-centimeter scar on my abdomen still ached. I didn’t need to guess to know the surgery was to remove my kidney. Fiona, do you really not care about me at all? Do you have to be so heartless? Seeing my indifferent expression, she hesitantly asked, “Nolan, do you remember what happened back then?” I shook my head without speaking, but everything from that day was etched into my bones. Hearing my response, she softened her tone and feigned concern. “Nolan, that day you lost your heir status, you were so heartbroken you drank heavily and got into a serious car accident… Your legs were amputated, and one kidney was damaged, which is why it was removed.” “Don’t worry, no matter what you become, I’ll be by your side. I don’t care about any heir status; I only want you.” She had the audacity to say this, probably because she gave me memory-altering drugs, allowing her to distort the facts. Listening to her lies felt like a giant hand was squeezing my heart, making it hard to breathe. She didn’t suspect my lack of enthusiasm at all. She probably thought I was not yet recovering from the car accident. She busied herself around my hospital bed, playing the role of a devoted wife. 4. After a while, someone brought a wheelchair. She quickly set aside the fruit she was cutting for me. Diligently, she pushed the wheelchair in front of me. “Nolan, try it out. I had it custom-made just for you. I believe it’ll make things much easier for you in the future.” Her eyes, like peach blossoms, looked at me with innocence and hope. Thinking about spending the rest of my life in a wheelchair made me resent her. But I also loved her so much that I couldn’t bring myself to say a harsh word. I was about to ask, Fiona, why are you so cruel to me? I even kept convincing myself that she still loved me. Telling myself the things I had heard were mere hallucinations. But the words got swallowed back down, turning into a single word. “Okay.” Maybe I really needed to adapt to it. She pushed me outside to enjoy the sun, just like our old promise. When we grow old, we’ll push each other to walk in the sunset. The early autumn wind carried a chill, making me cough uncontrollably. She immediately stopped, squatted down, and asked, “What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well? Should I call a doctor?” She quickly stood up, but I grabbed her hand. “No need, it’s just an old cough that comes with the changing seasons.” She patted my head, giving me a gentle kiss on my forehead. “Nolan, you don’t have to act strong in front of me. I know everything that’s happened lately has been hard on you.” “From the moment it happened, you haven’t shed a single tear. If you want to cry, just cry. Keeping it bottled up will only hurt you.” Her words showed no pretense, only concern. We’ve been together for five years, and I’ve never doubted her. But how did two people so in love end up with her as the demon pulling me into an abyss? I tried to suppress my inner pain, calmly saying, “I want to go home.” She hesitated, trying to reason with me. “Nolan, you just had surgery. I’m really worried about your health if you go home now.” “How about we wait until you’re a bit better before going home?” Of course, I needed to go back; Jasper Corporation’s product launch event was in a couple of days. I wanted to give them a big surprise. I forced a smile, even though bitterness lingered at the corners of my mouth. “Don’t worry, didn’t you say you’d always be with me? You’re my best medicine; nothing will happen with you around.” “Besides, I really can’t stand the smell of the hospital’s disinfectant.” After my repeated insistence, Fiona finally agreed. Once we reached an agreement, she pushed me back to the ward. The phone in my pocket suddenly rang. Jasper’s voice came through the receiver. She deliberately stepped away to answer the call, and soon rushed back to me. “Nolan, I’m sorry, I have an urgent matter to attend to.” “Try to get used to the wheelchair and head back to the ward yourself, okay?” Without hesitation, she let go of my hand, leaving me in the empty hallway. As she turned away, my heart felt like it was bleeding. Suddenly, I remembered all those times she took calls and left abruptly over the years. It dawned on me. She left to see Jasper every time. 5. After Fiona left, I awkwardly maneuvered the wheelchair to hail a cab home. I carefully observed the home we had shared for five years. Everywhere bore the marks of our love, but now it all seemed so ironic. I went to the study room, intending to retrieve the Certificate of Bravery I received for saving her. Instead, I found a diary in a nearby drawer. Opening the front page, it was filled with her handwriting. “October 2020, someone braved the flames to save me. He is the light of my life. He gave me life, and one day, I will marry him.” “July 2016, I finally found the person I owed my life to. He was as handsome and gentle as I remembered. I needed to find the right moment to let him know how I felt.” “October 2016, I had to bury that love deep inside. Due to a family arrangement, I ended up marrying his brother, but it’s always been him I truly loved.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “296649”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic