Category: English

On my wedding day, it was exposed that I was tied to the murder of my fiancé’s father. He publicly called off the wedding and placed the ring on my cousin’s finger. I walked down the aisle, scorned by everyone. The hundred billion CEO gave a villa as a dowry to marry me in public, blocking everyone’s mouth. Deeply moved, I accepted. Three years later, I joyfully brought my ultrasound report to his office, only to overhear him talking with his close friend Jude and my cousin. “Are you two betting on whose child it will be? I can’t wait to see her reaction.” It turned out I was just a pawn in their game. Wiping away my tears, I called his business rival, “I have something you want and a million-dollar deal. Interested?” Laughter filled the office, chilling me to the core. “Finn really spoils me. The murder accusation was your doing. She always wanted to have a child with you, not knowing you swapped her fertility pills for birth control.” “If I weren’t curious about whose child it would be, she wouldn’t even have a chance to be a mother.” Finn adjusted his glasses, “Both have a 50% chance of winning. Maybe we should bet on who wins. The loser has to buy at least three villas on the most expensive land for Cora.” Concerned about their pride, they agreed. Cora toyed with my private photos, sitting on the desk, laughing. “I took these photos on the spot, can’t wait to see her face when she finds out the truth.” Finn placed his glasses on the desk with a touch of malice. “No one lets her know!” Cora, with a hint of jealousy, said, “Finn, feeling sorry for her?” “Not quite, just afraid she’ll abort once she knows, making the bet pointless,” Finn replied, engrossed in his papers. The photos annoyed him, so he tossed them precisely outside the door. Quickly, I grabbed the photos and walked out. Everyone’s gaze felt like I was exposed. Back home, I downed a glass of strong liquor. The fiery taste hit my stomach, and tears streamed down. The words from the office replayed in my mind. The day before the wedding, I received an anonymous package. The text and photos exposed my father as a murderer, with the victim being my fiancé’s father. After seeing it, he hugged me and said, “Let’s not let the previous generation’s matters affect us.” But at the wedding, the screen showed the text and photos. His abandonment turned me into an outcast. Finn appeared, offering a villa’s deed as a dowry to marry me, silencing everyone. He claimed he loved me and would never marry another if he couldn’t marry me. His determined gaze moved me. Now, I realize it was all part of their game. No wonder, on the wedding day, Cora looked at me with that strange smile. She mocked my foolishness, proud to have me as her plaything. I once endured bitter medicine hoping for his child. Every night, he handed me milk, and I drank it, unaware of the switch. These three years of companionship were just Finn’s act to gain my trust. Familiar perfume enveloped me from behind, a hand resting on my belly. “I heard you went to the hospital today. Are you pregnant?” Holding the glass I drank from, he said, “If you are, you shouldn’t drink.” Seeing my red eyes, he asked, “Who made my beloved wife cry? I’ll teach them a lesson.” He wiped my tears carelessly. He then asked the maid to remove all the alcohol, telling me to punish anyone I disliked. I shook my head; they were innocent. But he had the maid taken to feed the tigers.

I tried to stop it, but he took me to see it firsthand. “She failed to watch you and let you near alcohol, she deserves it.” His words decided life and death. The bloody scene made me nauseous, and I rushed to the restroom. He looked at me with genuine concern, a stark contrast to his office demeanor. “Let’s go to the hospital. Seeing you like this, I feel bad too.” I stared at his seemingly deep affection and nodded. At the hospital, Cora and Jude were at the obstetrics entrance. The next second, he told the doctor to perform amniocentesis. I realized their intention. The doctor, shocked, said, “The child is just forming, anesthesia can’t be used, it will harm the mother.” “Do it anyway,” his words pushed me into despair. As he approached, I hoped for support. Instead, he reassured, “It’s just to check the child’s health.” I almost applauded his acting skills. Inside, I heard him eagerly tell the doctor, “Check our DNA too.” Outside, people whispered, “No wonder she came for DNA so early. She must’ve done something shameful.” “No anesthesia, it’s definitely not her husband’s child.” The doctor’s demeanor changed to rough indifference. Enduring pain, I slowly exited. The doctor said the report would take a week. Finn wanted to carry me to the car, but Cora left without looking back. Jude followed her, and Finn tossed me aside to chase Cora. Clutching my belly, I struggled to the hospital entrance, blocked by passersby. “How much for a night? Pregnant women must be fun.” “She’s free!” I boarded the waiting car, enduring the insults. Returning home, I found my beloved dog dead in the rain. I ran to hold it. In the distance, I saw Finn bandaging Cora’s wound. After hearing from his men, he glanced at me before returning to Cora. He brought her over, looking down at me. “That mad dog bit Cora, so it’s silenced.” Red-eyed, I said, “It’s always been gentle, never bitten anyone.” Cora weakly caressed her bitten hand, “Nora, are you accusing me of falsely blaming the dog?” “I don’t even know if I should get a rabies vaccine.” Finn waved, and the dog was thrown into the trash. I screamed, “No.” “Nora, it’s just a dog. If you want, I’ll have someone buy another.” Then he left with Cora. The dog was a birthday gift from my parents. I’d told him. Now, because of Cora, it could never accompany me again. I ignored them, retrieving the dog from the trash, giving it a proper burial in the rain.

Inside, I saw his forgotten phone on the table. Ignoring my wet clothes, I unlocked it with Cora’s birthday. Their sweet wallpaper stung my heart. In Snapchat, a pinned chat caught my eye. I clicked it. The screen was filled with their conversations about me. The man I was to marry caught Cora’s eye. Unable to take him openly, she used underhanded means. My fiancé’s father was indeed murdered. But evidence was fabricated to frame my family, leaving my father restless in his grave. Further down, I saw videos of my intimacy in Cora’s hands, and Finn’s message crushed me. “She’s not as good as you. You know how to please.” Cora: “Then come over tonight. It’s your good brother’s turn there.” I pressed on, anger fueling me, ignoring the cold. Two days ago, I learned they long targeted my dog. Cora: “Your dog always barks at me. I’m scared.” Finn: “Come here, then I have a reason to deal with it.” I never imagined those words came from him. Seeing the chat album made my blood freeze. He once urgently needed a necklace for his younger cousin. I agreed, except for my most cherished one. He said, “Wife, you’re so kind. She’s lucky to have a sister-in-law like you.” Now, the necklace hung intact around Cora’s neck. Disbelieving, I checked the cabinet. It was gone. It was my mother’s gift for my 18th birthday. Staring at the photo, Cora’s arm bore a scar similar to mine. I knew her well, she never had scars. Before, we were the closest of cousins. I shared everything with her. After telling her about saving a bloodied Chinese in the Boundless Country, she distanced herself. Busy with work, I didn’t investigate. When we met again, she was Finn’s sworn sister, harboring hatred for me. I finally understood, “So that’s it.” Finn never knew my arm bore a scar, hidden with foundation. Checking the time, I guessed he’d soon return for his phone. I called his business rival. I used to be closest to my cousin, sharing everything with her first. But ever since I told her I saved an injured person in the Boundless Country, she grew distant. Busy with work, I didn’t look into it, and when I saw her again, she had become Finn’s adopted sister, looking at me with deep resentment. I instantly understood, “So that’s how it is.” Finn never knew about the scar on my arm, concealed with foundation. I glanced at the time, knowing he’d soon return for his phone. I dialed his business rival. “I can give you what you want and a million-dollar deal. Are you interested?” “What’s the catch?” “Kidnap me the day after tomorrow.” I gently touched my belly, “Finn will willingly pay for it.” Just as I put the phone down, he walked in, glaring at the phone. He hated anyone messing with his belongings. His demeanor was hostile as he looked at me, “You know everything?” I feigned ignorance, “What should I know?” Finn, seeing my soaked clothes, urged me to change. He didn’t forget to mention he had just taken Cora for a rabies vaccine. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, I pulled at my skin, unable to smile. Messages on the phone replayed in my mind. I scrubbed myself clean, washing for an entire hour. Just as I came out dressed, I ran into Finn heading in. “I was worried you’d faint since you were in there so long.” “You’re not alone now, you’re two people. Don’t be reckless next time.” Before I could respond, he left in a hurry with his men. I started preparing the divorce agreement and recording.

I went out to the garden for some air, only to be dragged down by Cora. “How dare you treat me like this? I’m carrying Finn’s child.” She sat on the swing, looking down at me provocatively. “I had a friend rush the report; I’ll tell you first.” “The child could be anyone’s but definitely not Finn’s.” Hearing the known truth again pierced my heart. My eyes reddened, glaring at her. “The child I’m carrying is definitely Finn’s! If he knew, he wouldn’t spare you.” Cora laughed, crushing my face. “They’re betting on whose child it is in your belly. The loser has to buy me a villa.” “Turns out the child isn’t theirs but someone else’s.” I wanted to argue, but Jude walked over and pinched Cora’s waist. In my shocked gaze, he picked her up onto the swing, kissing her deeply. “To tell you the truth, when it was my turn, I found a beggar.” “Even a beggar can be with you. If not a bus, then what?” “Who knows whose child is in your belly!” While I was stunned, Jude kicked me, and two voices shouted simultaneously. Cora fell off the swing, and I looked on, confused. Finn had returned at some point, rushing to her side to help her up. “Are you okay? How could you be so careless?” Cora tearfully accused me. “Nora tampered with the swing, causing me to fall.” “Yes, and she also said the child is a bastard, isn’t that insulting you?” Jude quickly added. “Do you dare claim this child is yours?” I glared at Finn, eyes red. “` Feeling guilty under my gaze, he stammered, “It’s not mine! Then whose is it?” “This isn’t an excuse for you to hurt Cora!”

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Seven days before my daughter’s wedding, Evelyn, my wife, suddenly turned to me. 　　”Richard,” she said, “Chloe’s wedding day, maybe you shouldn’t go.” I was holding the speech I’d painstakingly copied from the internet, getting ready to practice it for the reception. Now, I was being told I couldn’t even attend my own daughter’s wedding. 　　”Why?” I asked, my voice laced with disbelief. 　　Evelyn replied, “Marcus is back in the States. He says he wants to walk his biological daughter down the aisle.” Just then, Chloe walked over, chiming in. “Uncle Richard, he *is* my biological father, after all. A blood relative. I want my dad to walk me down the aisle.” I looked at the mother and daughter before me. Fifteen years of my kindness had been thrown to the dogs. 　　A pair of ungrateful wretches. In my bitter disappointment, I picked up my phone and called the hotel. “Hello,” I said, “cancel the wedding banquet for seven days from now. Change it to my sixtieth birthday celebration instead.”

　　I was holding the speech I’d painstakingly copied from the internet, planning to memorize it for Chloe’s wedding day. Just then, Evelyn pushed open the door and sat beside me, a cup of tea in her hand. She hesitated, then finally spoke. 　　”Richard, it’s probably best if you don’t go to Chloe’s wedding. Maybe you should go somewhere else.” The speech slid from my trembling fingers. I stared at Evelyn, utterly bewildered. 　　”What did you say? Why?” Evelyn frowned, looking at me. “Marcus is back in the States. He said he wants to attend his biological daughter’s wedding. Chloe also said she wants her biological father to walk her down the aisle.” 　　*Biological*. That single word plunged me into an ice bath. My heart felt squeezed tight in a vice, stealing my breath. Seeing my hesitation, Chloe, who had been hiding at the doorway, pushed the door open and walked over, trying to persuade me. 　　”Uncle Richard, he *is* my biological father, after all. A blood relative. I want my dad to walk me down the aisle.” 　　*Uncle Richard?* Before Marcus came back, she always affectionately called me “Dad Richard.” 　　What, now that her biological father is back, I’m just “Uncle”? 　　It was utterly ironic. 　　I sat there on the bed, dazed. I remembered when Marcus abandoned them, mother and daughter, to go develop his business overseas. 　　If I hadn’t been soft-hearted enough to take them in, would they be where they are today? To make things official, I married Evelyn for my first marriage. For these fifteen years, I treated Chloe with absolute devotion, just like my own flesh and blood. 　　Fearing Chloe might feel neglected, Evelyn and I never had our own children all these years. 　　But what did I get for all my sacrifices? Just one phrase – “blood relative” – and all my fifteen years of effort were completely negated. My heart was filled with unbearable bitterness, like I’d swallowed pure gall. 　　As I fell deeper into thought, Evelyn’s next words instantly enveloped me in a bone-chilling cold that penetrated my skin and sank deep into my bones. 　　”Richard, what about that designer suit you bought for Chloe’s wedding? Why don’t you give it to Marcus? You won’t need it anyway, right?” 　　”He can wear it to Chloe’s wedding.” 　　Chloe, standing by, seemed to suddenly remember something. She rushed to my closet and began rummaging through it. 　　She carelessly tossed my clothes and shoes all over the floor. “Uncle Richard, what about those black leather shoes I gave you? Give them to my dad too. They’ll go perfectly with the black suit.” 　　”My dad will look so good in them. He’ll have some face at my wedding.” I stared at the mess on the floor, my clothes scattered and trampled underfoot by my daughter and wife. It felt like my fifteen years of effort were being crushed, carelessly discarded. Fifteen whole years, and I still hadn’t managed to warm the hearts of these two. My heart felt like it had been stabbed, then twisted violently, a gut-wrenching agony. 　　Fifteen years ago, Marcus abandoned them, mother and daughter, to venture into business, vanishing into thin air. 　　Now he was back, and I, their free ATM and laborer, was expected to step aside immediately. They really had it all figured out. 　　I picked up the crumpled speech from the floor, balled it up, and tossed it into the trash. 　　Smiling, I said to them, “Alright, I’ll leave when the time comes. Don’t worry.” 　　Seeing me agree, the mother and daughter beamed with joy and walked away. 　　But I wasn’t just leaving; I was abandoning them completely. 　　I pulled out my phone and called the hotel. “Cancel the wedding banquet for seven days from now,” I said. “Change it to my sixtieth birthday celebration instead.”

　　The next day, I woke up to a silent house. I pushed open my bedroom door; Chloe and Evelyn were already gone. 　　I tapped my phone screen, and it showed I’d been removed from the family SnapChat group. The last message read: “Welcome Marcus to the group.” 　　I opened SnapChat stories. Chloe and Evelyn were standing with Marcus, arms wrapped around him, the caption reading: 　　”Our family is finally reunited!” 　　For fifteen years, my face had never appeared in Evelyn or Chloe’s SnapChat stories. 　　But the moment Marcus returned, they couldn’t wait to make it public. 　　As if they were afraid everyone wouldn’t know they were a *real* family. 　　I used to think they just weren’t good at expressing their feelings. Now, I realized I just wasn’t worthy. 　　Smiling, I hit ‘like’ on Evelyn’s post. A few seconds later, the post was gone. 　　Suddenly, my phone rang. The moment I answered, Evelyn’s angry voice erupted. 　　”Richard, why did you like that post? What if Marcus sees it and gets mad?” 　　”You’d better not show your face around us until Chloe’s wedding, got it?” 　　”Can’t you even hold out for a few days?” 　　Before I could say a word, Evelyn hung up. 　　It was as if I’d committed some unforgivable crime. 　　Seething and hungry all morning, I went to a restaurant downstairs for lunch and unexpectedly ran into Chloe and Evelyn. 　　And, of course, that infuriating Marcus. 　　The moment they saw me, their faces were full of disdain. The silence was suffocating, even my breathing felt heavy. 　　When Evelyn and I locked eyes, I saw nothing but disgust in hers. 　　Chloe’s gaze, too, held a hint of impatience. 　　Then, Marcus approached me, holding a shot of whiskey, a provocative smirk on his face. 　　”You must be Richard,” he said. “Thanks for taking care of my wife and kid all these years.” 　　”This drink is for you, from me.” 　　He held the glass out to me. When I didn’t take it, he suddenly flashed a strange smile. 　　Then, he poured the entire drink onto his own chest. Since his back was to Evelyn and Chloe, they didn’t see it. Marcus then, the villain, played the victim first. 　　”Brother Richard, I offered you a drink out of goodwill to show my gratitude, and not only do you not appreciate it, but you throw a drink on me?” 　　Hearing that, Chloe and Evelyn rushed towards me almost simultaneously. 　　”Richard, I never thought you’d be so petty! What kind of trick is this?” Evelyn fumed. 　　Chloe glared at me, her face flushed with anger. “Uncle Richard, why are you acting like some common thug? Resorting to such low-class tactics!” 　　”Look what you did! You ruined the new shirt I bought for my dad!” 　　Marcus looked at me, a triumphant smirk plastered across his face, like the victor he saw himself as. 　　I watched the scene unfold, and it was nothing but pure irony. 　　Their words, at that moment, felt like slow torture, each one a knife twisting in my heart. I was truly experiencing an unprecedented torment. 　　They should have known what kind of person I was. Now, being falsely accused, all I could do was offer a self-deprecating smile. 　　A smile that mocked my inability to judge character. I had no intention of disturbing their happy family reunion and turned to leave. 　　But as I took my first step, Evelyn grabbed my left arm and Chloe grabbed my right, both holding me in place. They spoke in unison: 　　”Apologize to Marcus!” 　　”Apologize to my dad!”

　　My left arm was held by Evelyn, my right by Chloe. I couldn’t move. 　　It was clear they wouldn’t let me leave without an apology. 　　Behind me, Marcus looked on triumphantly. “It’s fine,” he said, emphasizing the words “our family.” “Let’s just get back to eating, our family.” 　　Only then did Evelyn and Chloe release me. The mother and daughter gave me a dirty look and followed Marcus back to their table. 　　As they walked away, I heard Evelyn mutter a sarcastic jab: “He really is getting more petty in his old age.” 　　Chloe chimed in, “Yeah, my dad’s so generous and big-hearted, unlike some people who are so narrow-minded.” 　　After I left the restaurant, I could hear their cheerful voices again: “Cheers to Dad, to my husband, for a successful return from overseas!” 　　And Marcus’s laughter: “To my daughter’s happy wedding!” 　　A cold smile touched my lips as I left. Happy wedding? I doubted if that wedding would even happen. 　　After all, I’d already prepared a surprise for their family. I just wondered if they could handle it. 　　While they were celebrating at the restaurant, I returned home and sorted through my belongings. I packed all my valuable items into a suitcase. 　　Before I knew it, night had fallen. 　　As I slid the packed suitcase under my bed, Evelyn and Chloe returned. 　　But there was an uninvited guest with them. 　　The mother and daughter were supporting a heavily intoxicated Marcus. 　　The moment they saw me, they ignored me like I was invisible. 　　They helped Marcus directly into my bedroom. 　　Chloe even thoughtfully brought a basin of water, took off Marcus’s shoes and socks, and began washing his feet. 　　Evelyn wasn’t idle either. She pulled out my brand-new pajamas from my closet and changed Marcus into them. 　　Watching the overly solicitous mother and daughter, a chill seeped into my bones, making me feel like I was in a freezer. 　　All these years, I’d worked myself to the bone, and I never received such treatment. 　　Once, when I heard Chloe was getting married, I got so happy and drank too much. They just left me at the front door. 　　That was in the dead of winter. I woke up with ice-cold hands and feet, only to realize I’d slept on the ground all night. 　　At that moment, Marcus, lying on the bed, suddenly sat up and vomited directly onto the floor. 　　Chloe quickly held the foot basin in front of him to catch his vomit. 　　Evelyn gently rubbed his back, her face full of tenderness. 　　I watched the scene unfold, and a wave of sorrow washed over me. I finally understood. 　　All this time, I had simply been unworthy. In their eyes, I was merely the lowest-ranking laborer in this household. 　　After they finished cleaning up, Evelyn turned to me, her face stern. 　　”You should stay at a hotel tonight,” she said. “Or, if you don’t mind, you can sleep on the living room sofa.” Chloe, carrying the basin, quickly added,”No, Mom! What if he snores and wakes up Dad?” 　　The moment she spoke, Marcus’s thunderous snoring echoed from the bedroom. 　　Chloe’s face flushed with a flicker of embarrassment. 　　”Fine,” she conceded. “Uncle Richard, you can sleep on the sofa.” 　　That night, I tossed and turned on the sofa until I heard the bedroom door open. 　　Marcus, sobered up, staggered out of the bedroom. Unable to find the bathroom, he simply peed directly onto the floor. 　　My blood boiled. 　　”Are you insane?” I yelled. “Throwing a drunken tantrum at your age? You can’t even control your bladder!” 　　Hearing the commotion, Evelyn was the first to turn on the lights. Chloe, in her pajamas, rushed out as well. 　　They saw the puddle on the floor, and a flicker of embarrassment crossed their faces, but it quickly vanished. 　　Evelyn helped Marcus back into the room, and Chloe grabbed a mop and cleaned up the urine without a single complaint. 　　I remembered how they used to scold me for ages just because a little cigarette ash accidentally fell on the floor. 　　Chloe and Evelyn were both germaphobes. Yet, when Marcus did something so outrageous, they didn’t say a word. Ultimately, their tolerance was born of love. At that moment, my heart completely despaired, as if an invisible noose tightened around my throat. The more I struggled, the more suffocated I felt. 　　But after seeing the true colors of these two, I finally let go. 　　In a few days, I wouldn’t have to endure this humiliation anymore. 　　What I didn’t know was how truly malicious they were, to scheme against me to this extent.

　　When I woke up on the sofa, their family of three had already left. 　　In their eyes, I had become invisible. 　　My phone buzzed. It was my special notification for Chloe; I knew the moment she posted anything. 　　Her SnapChat story showed wedding photos of Evelyn and Marcus. 　　For fifteen years, wedding photos had been a thorn in my side. We’d been in a hurry back then and never got around to taking any. 　　Every year after that, when I brought it up, Evelyn refused, saying we were too old for such “young people’s antics.” 　　But now, she was leaning into Marcus’s embrace like a young girl, a picture of pure bliss. 　　It wasn’t that she didn’t want to take them; she just didn’t want to take them with me. 　　When I swiped to the second photo, I froze in shock. It was Marcus and Evelyn’s marriage certificate. 　　Two bright red documents stung my eyes. The marriage date was two years ago. 　　Chloe had commented: “So fortunate to witness my parents’ love.” 　　For fifteen years, every anniversary, I had suggested we get a marriage certificate, but Evelyn had always gracefully declined. 　　Turns out, she and Marcus had already remarried, keeping me completely in the dark. 　　I had been a complete fool, a free laborer for the mother and daughter. 　　Now that Marcus was back, they planned to kick me out. 　　My rage exploded at that moment. The indignation in my heart couldn’t be quelled. I had to go demand an explanation. 　　I arrived at the bridal shop. Evelyn and Chloe were still inside, changing clothes. 　　Marcus sat in his car, a cigarette dangling from his lips. The moment he saw me, a flicker of malice appeared in his eyes. 　　He pressed the gas and charged toward me. Just as the car was about to hit me, in the nick of time, he slammed on the brakes. 　　He stuck his head out and sneered: 　　”Consider this a warning. I’m back. If you’re smart, you’ll leave them and vanish from their lives immediately.” 　　”Otherwise, I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to stop the car next time.” 　　”And if you dare show up at Chloe’s wedding, I’ll make sure you regret it.” 　　With that, Marcus sped off, leaving a cloud of exhaust in his wake. 　　I was drenched in cold sweat, collapsing to the ground. 　　The moment I thought I was going to be hit, my blood pressure shot up, and my head swam. Now, I felt the relief of a narrow escape. I lay on the ground, gasping for breath. That was the closest I’d come to death. I quickly pulled out my emergency heart medication and swallowed it. 　　Marcus’s threats replayed in my mind, making my heart pound, refusing to calm down. 　　After that near-death experience, I had completely lost all last hope for that mother and daughter. 　　Back home, I pulled out the suitcase I’d already packed from under the bed and left that very night. 　　As the car drove towards the mansion, I finally pulled up to a large estate and knocked on the door. 　　The moment the door opened, a surprised cry rang out: “Dad, what are you doing here?” 　　”It’s a long story, son.” 　　Daniel took my suitcase and brought it inside, warmly inviting me into his home. 　　Seeing me looking weary from travel, he naturally knew I’d been wronged and gently comforted me:

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It was almost eleven PM when Jaxson Hayes announced he wanted homemade soup. Despite a raging fever, I dragged my exhausted body, carrying the hearty corn and rib soup that had simmered for three hours, to the entrance of the bar. The moment I stepped inside, a bucket of water splashed all over me, chilling me to the bone. “Hahaha, I told you Simp Aubrey would show up! What’s a fever? She even came rushing over like a loyal puppy when she was in the hospital with a broken leg, just because Jaxson called.” “Simp Aubrey, heard you’re running a fever. We’re just helping you cool down, so you really ought to thank us.” Jaxson took the thermos from my hands, then, right in front of me, poured the soup into the trash bin. “Aubrey Miller, what you make is so bad even a dog wouldn’t touch it. You seriously expected *me* to eat it?” Listening to their collective mockery, it finally hit me: this was just another one of his cruel little charades, all to amuse his delicate childhood sweetheart. Seeing my silence, Jaxson tossed our engagement ring into the cheering crowd: “Aubrey Miller, I won’t be showing up to our wedding in three days. Either find some random guy to marry, or get ready for the ultimate public humiliation with your power-hungry dad.” But later, when I truly walked down the aisle, arm-in-arm with my new groom, Jaxson Hayes was on his knees, sobbing, begging me to come back. 0

I knocked on the VIP room door, holding the hearty corn and rib soup that had simmered for three hours. Maybe the music was too loud, or maybe they were intentionally trying to humiliate me, but I had to knock for five minutes before they finally let me in. The moment I stepped inside, a bucket of water splashed all over me, chilling me to the bone. “Hahaha, I told you Simp Aubrey would show up! What’s a fever? She even came rushing over like a loyal puppy when she was in the hospital with a broken leg, just because Jaxson called.” “Simp Aubrey, heard you’re running a fever. We’re just helping you cool down, so you really ought to thank us.” “Simp Aubrey is really something, huh? Always good for a fresh laugh.” Wave after wave of mockery hammered at my ears, making me clench my hand around the insulated container. Water dripped from my dress, and drops from my hair clung to my lashes like unshed tears. I bit back the chattering of my teeth, swallowing the bitter lump in my throat, and said softly, “Jaxson Hayes, your soup.” “Ohh~ Jaxson Hayes, *your* soup~” Listening to their passive-aggressive jabs, Willow Jenkins, Jaxson’s childhood sweetheart, who was practically glowing in the center of their adoration, chose that moment to flash a mocking smile. Jaxson finally stood up from the VIP booth and slowly walked towards me. He casually brushed the damp hair from my cheek, his tone almost too light. “Really, Aubrey, that was too much trouble for you. You’re not mad, are you?” “Look, guys, you went too far with that joke. Aubrey’s sick, and she still dragged herself here to make soup for everyone. We should be thanking her, not this.” I thought he was genuinely realizing he’d gone too far and was about to say it was nothing, when Jaxson, right in front of me, poured every last drop of the soup into the overflowing trash bin. His voice was gentle, but his words felt like a knife twisting in my gut. “But Aubrey, didn’t I tell you? What you make is so bad even a dog wouldn’t touch it. How could *I* possibly eat it?” I silently met Jaxson’s gaze. My fever-addled brain spun, making me stumble two steps back. Jaxson instinctively flinched away, leaving me unsupported. My head slammed hard against the doorframe, a dull thud echoing in the sudden silence. Jaxson’s expression was laced with mockery. “Stop acting all delicate with me, Aubrey. You gave a speech steady as a rock even with a broken leg, and you’d rush to my side after a car crash with just one call. Now you’re just running a fever, so why the sudden damsel-in-distress act?” “If you think this little stunt will grab my attention, you’ve got another thing coming. I’m not feeling any sympathy.” “So, Aubrey, if you know what’s good for you, tell your dad to call off our engagement himself. You’ve been clinging to me, begging me daily. You might not have any shame, but *I* do. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to have you following me around all the time?” It felt like a giant hand was squeezing my heart, draining the color from my face. I knew Jaxson resented me because of our arranged engagement. But this was the first time I’d truly realized that the person who stood before me as a child, promising to protect me forever, had vanished into the unforgiving currents of time. I braced myself against the wall, barely managing to stand steady. Before I could even speak, amidst their jeers, Jaxson tossed the ring I had lovingly made for him into the screaming crowd: “Aubrey Miller, I won’t be showing up to our wedding in three days. Either find some random guy to marry, or get ready for the ultimate public humiliation with your power-hungry dad.” I watched his smug grin, and a genuine, almost relieved, laugh bubbled out of me. “Good.” *** 0

“What?” “I said, ‘Good.’ I’ll find a new groom.” Everyone immediately burst into laughter. “Aubrey Miller, everyone knows you’ve been so obsessed with Jaxson, you haven’t even had a male mosquito buzz near you! And you think *now* you’ll find a new groom? What, do you think this will make Jaxson regret it?” “I think she’s been reading too many romance novels, her brain’s fried. Seriously, you think if you just marry some random guy, Jaxson will suddenly regret it and chase you down like in those ‘chase-the-wife-to-the-crematorium’ plots? Is that it? You actually believe there are that many ‘gonna-regret-it-and-grovel’ storylines in real life?” “Seriously! You think this will threaten Jaxson? Aubrey, don’t flatter yourself.” Jaxson paused for a second, then, hearing everyone’s comments, he too started laughing. “Aubrey Miller, you actually *said* that fake nonsense? Fine, go find a groom. I’d like to see who in high society would dare marry you. Or are you planning to hire some actor to put on a show so your family doesn’t look too bad? No way, no way, the supposedly most brilliant socialite of the city, Aubrey Miller, can’t even find a man willing to marry her?” Amidst their rising tide of mockery, Willow Jenkins lightly coughed twice and walked to Jaxson’s side. “Jaxson, how can you talk to a girl like that? Aubrey is still a girl, after all. Aubrey, I’m so sorry, Jaxson just isn’t very good with words. Please don’t hold it against him. Your families’ engagement was decided by your parents, so no matter how upset you are, you can’t joke about something like this.” “Aubrey, honestly, what happened today… it’s partly my fault too. I didn’t know you had a fever. I thought you just didn’t want to see me, and Jaxson and the others were just trying to defend me. I’m so sorry. Can you please not blame them?” I watched Willow’s eyes well up before I’d even said a word, and I just found her hypocrisy utterly laughable. She was the one who orchestrated this entire scene, yet now she was pretending to apologize to me. Before Willow Jenkins came back, I was still Jaxson’s fiancée, someone he needed to cherish and protect. He used to brave three hours in a freezing winter storm to buy me that artisanal pastry I’d casually mentioned wanting. He used to drive five hours, exhausted, just to be by my side and meticulously care for me when he knew I was sick. He used to unwaveringly stand in front of me, declaring to everyone that hurting me meant hurting him. It was his consistent kindness, day after day, that made me accept his proposal. Yes, our marriage wasn’t some arranged alliance, as the rumors claimed. Jaxson actually had to work hard to earn my parents’ approval before he even *dared* to propose. But ever since Willow Jenkins returned, everything changed. Honestly, at first, I even wanted to get along with Willow. I even rushed around, getting her appointments with the best doctors when I heard she was sickly. But all my good intentions were shattered by one of Willow’s dramatic outbursts: “Just because I’m not strong, does that mean I don’t deserve to hang out with you all?” After that, Jaxson and I somehow reached a point of mutual disgust. I can’t even count how many times we argued over Willow this past year, or how many times I watched Jaxson’s retreating back, filled with absolute resolve. At first, I even thought Jaxson had suddenly gotten amnesia, like some cheap plot twist in a bad romance novel, which was why his attitude towards me had plummeted. So, I had indulged his every whim during this time, just to keep our shaky relationship afloat. But then, yesterday, I overheard Jaxson complaining to his friends: “Aubrey Miller’s fine, I guess, but constantly doting on her? It’s exhausting. And we’re engaged, but she still won’t let me touch her, like I was from the 18th century. What if she’s a dead fish in bed once we’re married?” “Besides, I’ve been spoiling her for so long, it’s about time I broke her a little, taught her who wears the pants in this relationship. Wouldn’t want her walking all over me once we’re married.” I don’t remember how I left the Hayes’ mansion that day. All I remember is regaining consciousness to find myself getting an IV drip. Coming to the bar with the insulated container was purely out of habit, pure instinct. But that bucket of water just now splashed my dazed brain awake. Jaxson can already openly use my humiliation as entertainment for Willow Jenkins. What about the future? Maybe when you hurt enough, the pain just goes numb. My hand drifted to my slowly beating heart. The water dripping from my dress, like my love for Jaxson, slowly pooled on the floor, then vanished completely. 0

Unlike his passive-aggressive jabs at me, Jaxson’s gaze towards Willow Jenkins was laced with genuine concern. He draped his jacket over Willow’s shoulders. “Why are you apologizing to her? She brought this on herself, didn’t she? If she wasn’t so utterly intolerant, how could your health, which was already improving, have deteriorated so badly?” “But since Willow’s pleading for you, I’ll begrudgingly forgive your rudeness towards her. Just kneel down and apologize to Willow right now, and maybe I’ll even consider showing up at the wedding…” “I won’t kneel.” I calmly ran a hand through my wet hair, trying to look less like a drowned rat. “Jaxson Hayes, I won’t kneel, and I won’t marry you. Don’t show up at my wedding in three days. I don’t want to cause any trouble for myself or my husband. Since neither of us intends to honor the engagement, I hope we can both inform our families.” “From now on, the Millers and the Hayes are officially done. We go our separate ways.” Jaxson frowned, his arm, wrapped around Willow Jenkins, suddenly tightened. “Aubrey Miller, what do you mean? I’m telling you, my patience has limits. You better not test me. This is your last chance. Are you sure you want to talk to me with such attitude?” I pulled my gaze from his hand, scoffing softly. “Jaxson Hayes, though nothing but poison has come out of your mouth this past year, you did say one thing right.” “As the city’s most sought-after woman, I’ve never lacked for suitors.” So, Jaxson, do you understand? I was never indispensable to you. I took one last look at the varying expressions on the faces in the private room, then turned and walked towards the bar exit. “Aubrey Miller, if you leave, we’re really over!” My steps never faltered as I left the bar, leaving Jaxson’s infuriated barks behind me. Back home, the adrenaline that had kept me upright finally crashed. My body, which hadn’t fully recovered, had been doused with cold water and then walked for so long in the night. I burned with fever for two days straight before I barely felt human again. When I finally woke up, I saw my dad, a hesitant, almost uncomfortable look on his face. I propped myself up, took a sip from the water a housemaid handed me. “Dad, is there something you want to say?” My dad silently watched me, then, fingering the pack of cigarettes for a moment. “Your engagement with that Hayes boy…” I finally remembered what I had forgotten. My gaze fixed on him, unwavering. “Dad, I don’t want to marry Jaxson Hayes.” My dad looked at me in astonishment. His favorite cigarette pack slipped from his grasp, clattering to the floor. “Aubrey, are you serious?” I nodded, then handed him the marriage certificate from my bedside table. “Dad, I’m not throwing a tantrum. I’ve truly moved on from Jaxson. Sorry, I was afraid you wouldn’t agree, so I acted first and asked for forgiveness later.” My dad looked at the man’s name on the marriage certificate, falling silent for a moment. “Aubrey, you still say you’re not throwing a tantrum. If you wanted to Photoshop something to piss off that Hayes boy, you should have found someone believable! It’s not that I’m looking down on you, but the chances of Darian Thorne from Thorne Industries marrying you are lower than the Earth exploding tomorrow.” I watched him in silence. Okay, if I wasn’t the one involved, I probably wouldn’t believe it either. After all, who would have thought that Darian Thorne, a titan in the business world, secretly loved reading alpha billionaire romance novels? And even more surprisingly, he loved the ones written by an obscure writer like me. But before I could explain, a mocking voice interrupted me. “Darian Thorne? Aubrey Miller, you’re not saying your new groom is Darian Thorne, the CEO of Thorne Industries, are you?” 0Jaxson Hayes held the marriage certificate, scrutinizing it for a moment, then carelessly tossed it aside. “Aubrey Miller, if you’re going to lie, at least come up with something more convincing. You seriously expect me to believe this level of nonsense? Who is Darian Thorne? He’s someone you could ever hope to ‘climb up’ to?”

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“Mom—” Those two, mother and daughter, had actually killed my only blood-related mother, all because Elara’s new fling was upset! She was already on borrowed time, yet she had to endure such a brutal blow. I stumbled, hoisting my blood-soaked mother onto my back, and rushed to the hospital without a moment’s delay. Only an intern doctor looked at me with a pained expression. “I’m so sorry, but a very important person’s husband got hurt – just a cut on his finger, really – and she called all the specialists over…” I gently placed my mother on a hospital bed, then, without a second’s hesitation, I bolted towards that important person’s private room. *Thud—* I dropped to my knees, utterly stripped of all dignity, my voice so hoarse it was unrecognizable. “Please, I beg you, save my mother.” I looked up, only to see Elara and Daisy standing guard on either side of Julian. They looked like the perfect, happy family. It turned out the “important person” the intern doctor mentioned was Elara. Julian leaned against Elara’s shoulder, feigning timidity. “Ryder, wasn’t stealing my mother’s keepsake enough? Now you’re even lying that your mother died? Are you intentionally trying to snatch Elara away from me?” As his words fell, Elara’s face instantly changed, her eyes blazing with fury. “Try lying to me about your mother again, and see if I don’t cancel that surgery for good!” My heart twisted with agony, I choked out my pleas, tears streaming down my face. “I’m not lying, I swear! My mother is in room 303 right now…” “Stop causing trouble!” Daisy’s cold voice cut me off. Her eyes darted around, calculating. “You’ve upset Uncle Julian so much he can’t even sleep peacefully. How about this: you lick his shoes for a minute as an apology to him, and I’ll help you beg Mom to save Grandma.” I stared, utterly incredulous. The cold indifference in Daisy’s eyes was almost identical to Elara’s. I couldn’t understand when these two had become so heartless. It was Elara who had proposed to me a hundred times before I finally believed she wasn’t just playing games. After we married, she remained devoted, showering all her tenderness on me alone. We had a beautiful daughter, Daisy, who adored me from a young age, always saying I was the best dad in the world. But then Julian appeared, and everything changed. I looked at Elara, my face ashen. She, who’d never lifted a finger in her life, was now spoon-feeding chicken soup to Julian. She didn’t even spare me a glance. I remembered my mother’s pale face. I bit down hard on my lower lip, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth. For Mom, I would endure. I no longer hesitated, half-prostrated on the ground, I humiliatingly stuck out my tongue. Again and again, I licked Julian’s leather shoes sparkling clean. Julian lifted his head in disgust. “Don’t think for a second that this means I’ll forgive you for the pain you caused me. That was the only thing my mother left me!” Chapter 2 A flicker of smug satisfaction quickly crossed his eyes. He had a mother; didn’t mine deserve to live? The agonizing minute finally ended. Like a drowning man grabbing a lifeline, I clutched Elara’s sleeve. “Now, can we save my mother?” She yanked her hand away with a look of utter revulsion. “I’m not the one who promised you.” I turned my pleading gaze to Daisy. She looked down at me from above, letting out a sneer. “As long as Uncle Julian doesn’t forgive you, neither will we!” My mind went utterly blank, a deafening buzz filling my ears. I finally understood: these two were just trying to get even for Julian. They were making me beg forgiveness from the very person who had orchestrated my mother’s death. But I had no other choice. Like a broken automaton, I slammed my forehead to the ground, again and again. With each dull thud, I felt a warm stream run down my forehead. “Julian, I’m so sorry. Please, I beg you, save my mother…” Julian’s face twisted with a feigned reluctance. He magnanimously helped me up. But the words he whispered in my ear were pure poison. “Why would I save your mother? I want you to see with your own eyes how your wife and daughter abandon you and choose me. I deliberately swapped that dummy for your mother!”

My blood ran cold. My heart was pierced by a thousand invisible daggers. My eyes widened. I lunged at him, heedless of the consequences. Punch after punch, his face was quickly covered in blood. Elara and Daisy finally reacted, rushing to pull me away. Elara roared, “Ryder! Who gave you the audacity to hit my man?!” For the first time, I shrugged off both of them and bolted towards room 303, as if my life depended on it. Through the wide-open door of the hospital room, my mother lay, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, her eyes filled with unspeakable sorrow. “My son, if Mom isn’t here anymore, you must take good care of yourself…” My eyes welled up with tears. I was about to rush in and take her to another hospital, but I was stopped just a few steps from the room. A group of bodyguards, without a word, dragged me away like a piece of trash. “Let me go! Let me go!” Despite my desperate shouts, the bodyguards sped up. I watched helplessly as my mother’s face grew paler and paler. Just as my vision blurred and disappeared, I saw her hand fall lifelessly onto the hospital bed. In the operating room. The moment Elara saw me, she didn’t say a word, just raised her hand and slapped me. *SLAP!*

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My wife had a miscarriage due to the earthquake and could never have children again. But she blamed everything on me. No matter how I explained, she wouldn’t listen: “You deliberately chose your sister over our child, over me!” I was overcome with guilt, year after year meticulously caring for her, trying to pull her out of that shadow. Just when I thought she was getting better, she turned around and started dating a young college guy. She let the young college guy send me their intimate photos and sweet videos every day. When I broke down and confronted her, she just gave a coy little smile, “Oh, young guys are just like that, so playful. Don’t be so uptight.” “But you’re my wife!” She glared at me, eyes blazing. “When the earthquake hit, you didn’t think of me as your wife, and now you remember? Too late! Every night I relive it in my nightmares, remembering my dead child. It’s all because of you and your damn sister!” “Why couldn’t it have been you two who died back then?!” I almost couldn’t stand upright, my heart aching so much I couldn’t breathe. Until that day, the college guy sent me a video. In the video, Chloe was lying on the ground, barely clothed, covered in blood and bruises, her hair matted with glue. Her lower body was torn, her legs twisted at an unnatural ninety-degree angle. She mumbled, “Brother, it hurts so much.” I frantically called my wife, but she just gave a cold laugh, “Just kids playing games, why are you taking it so seriously?” “If she really died, I’d throw a huge party to celebrate. After all, she was also to blame for my child’s death!” My marriage, which I’d clung to for five miserable years, finally ended with my sister’s death.

When I rushed to the hospital, Chloe only had her last breath left. She gently grasped my hand, her face scarred, her body a sight no one should see. “Brother, I’m sorry. In the end, I’m leaving you alone in this world.” “If my call had come a little later than Seraphina’s that day of the earthquake, would your child not have died, and Seraphina wouldn’t hate you?” She brushed away my tears, her eyes gradually reddening. “Brother, don’t cry. It doesn’t hurt anymore.” Chloe was covered with a white sheet and wheeled away. My entire body went limp; I couldn’t stand. My mind was filled with decades of memories of Chloe and me, relying on each other. She was always so understanding. Even at the very end, she was comforting me. “Asher, what are you doing here?” A sudden startled voice. Jax was standing around the corner, a small bandage on his hand, looking at me with a wicked grin. He was the college guy my wife had started dating, and the culprit who killed my sister. The emotions churning inside me could no longer be suppressed. I lunged forward, grabbing his collar. Just as my fist was about to land, Seraphina rushed out from the side and slapped me across the face. She was furious. “You actually dared to stalk me?” My head was knocked to the side, my face burning. I looked at her in disbelief. “Don’t you know why I’m here today?” Seraphina straightened Jax’s collar, not even looking up. “Asher, this is a hospital. What else could you be doing here besides stalking me?” The pain made it hard to breathe; my chest felt terribly tight. Words squeezed out of my throat, “I wasn’t stalking you. I came to the hospital to see my sister one last time.” “My sister was killed by this animal!” I pointed at Jax and roared, but he fearfully hid behind Seraphina. His eyes welled up slightly. “Sister, he says I hurt someone? How could I…” Seraphina looked at me with even greater disgust. “Asher, I know you hate Jax, but you can’t just say things like that!” I looked at this woman, who I’d spent eight years with, feeling utterly heartbroken. Jax, standing behind Seraphina, shot me a triumphant look. I pointed at Jax and said, “You say he didn’t kill my sister? Then where did the wound on his arm come from?” “I saw the video. When he was forcing my sister, she resisted and bit him. Does he dare to show me the wound?” A flicker of emotion crossed Seraphina’s face. Then, her gaze darted towards Jax’s arm. Two seconds of silence later, a cold chuckle escaped her throat. “Asher, with your sister’s stick-thin figure, you think Jax would even look at her?” I froze, unable to react. Jax was the first to smirk. “Yeah, Seraphina. Chloe? Even if she stripped naked and stood in front of me, I wouldn’t give her a second glance. Force her? Please.” “Asher, you really put your sister on a pedestal, don’t you?” Seraphina’s eyes hardened with coldness. “He’s always doted on his sister, so it’s normal for him to put her on a pedestal.” My fists clenched, burning with rage. “Seraphina, she called you ‘sister-in-law’ for eight years, she was so genuinely good to you! How could you say that about her?” All pretense on Seraphina’s face cracked, replaced by intense disgust. “Good to me? Being good to me meant calling you to save her when the earthquake hit, which made me lose my child!” “Don’t forget that you and your sister are the reason I can never conceive again! How dare you say she was good to me?!” A lump caught in my throat. I pressed my lips together for a long moment and said, “Seraphina, I’ve told you many times, Chloe called before the earthquake started. The earthquake happened when we were together. After it hit, we rushed back as fast as we could.” “Chloe and I clawed through the rubble all night just to find you. My fingerprints were almost gone. You’ve suffered all these years, but so have we!” A flicker of hesitation crossed Seraphina’s face.

But the next second, I heard Jax casually interject, “But Chloe studies piano. If her hands were injured, how could she have gotten even better these past few years?” Seraphina instantly looked at me. “Not a single word you two siblings say is true!” “You’re all lying to me. You deliberately caused my child’s death, and now you want to clear your names? Don’t even think about it!” “Never mind if she dies, even if she really dies! I’d throw a huge party to celebrate.” I shivered, almost collapsing to my knees. My heart felt like it was being squeezed, the pain suffocating. My voice barely a whisper, “Then go ahead and celebrate. She really is dead. Killed by your little boyfriend.” At my words, Seraphina lost her temper. She lunged forward and viciously kicked my knee. That knee had an old injury from years ago, from kneeling and searching for her in the rubble. Now, any force would make it throb with pain. I fell to the ground. Seraphina froze, not reacting immediately. The next second, her face was filled with contempt. She looked at me coldly, “Asher, I barely touched you, and you’re already on your knees playing the victim? A grown man pulling this pathetic stunt, isn’t that disgusting?” Jax walked up, a mocking smile on his face. “Maybe Asher just loves Seraphina too much, always trying to get her attention with all sorts of tricks, even using his own sister’s life.” I lay on the ground, my knee throbbing. It felt like blood was slowly seeping from the old wound. I managed a bitter laugh. “I’m not lying. He knows better than anyone where the wound on his arm came from.” “Jax, do you dare to show the wound? Prove that it wasn’t my sister who left it there!” Jax’s eyes darted around in panic. He grabbed Seraphina’s arm. His frightened reaction only confirmed my suspicion. “Jax, am I the one lying, or are you?” Seraphina frowned, looking at the frantic Jax. She felt a strange curiosity. She tilted her head and asked softly, “Where did your injury really come from?” Jax’s eyes were slightly red, his thin lips pressed together again and again, still unwilling to speak. He looked wronged and helpless. Seraphina immediately grew suspicious. She grabbed his arm. “Don’t be afraid, tell me, and I’ll back you up!” Jax clenched his fist, looking troubled. “But my wound was just bandaged. If I forcefully remove it, it’ll need to be re-bandaged later. It hurts so much.” Hearing this, Seraphina frowned tightly. “Why should Jax suffer just because of your few words? What if his injury wasn’t caused by your sister?” I forced myself up. “What do you want?” Jax lowered his head, revealing a mischievous smirk. “If it wasn’t Chloe who left it, then Asher can kneel and apologize to me.” A single sentence brought the entire corridor to silence. My palms trembled, but Seraphina was only quiet for a second before nodding in agreement. “Fine, after all, Asher, you’re accusing Jax of murder. That’s no small matter.” “Kneeling and apologizing isn’t too much.” “Now you have no turning back. Even if you regret it and are too afraid to look, you’ll still have to kneel and apologize to Jax, admit you slandered him.” My palms clenched. Humiliation crawled up from my feet. It filled my heart. She had me cornered. Whether I looked or not, I had to kneel and apologize. But if I looked, and the wound was confirmed to be from my sister, then Jax’s guilt for murder would be undeniable. I gritted my teeth and grimly agreed. Seraphina smirked, then prepared to unwrap Jax’s bandage. But as her hand went up, Jax stopped her. He looked hesitant. “Seraphina, after you see it, you can’t get mad.” The smile on Seraphina’s lips froze, somewhat strained. “What’s there to be mad about?” Then she gently unwrapped the bandage. What lay beneath was a fresh, bloody wound. My eyes widened as I looked. I stepped forward. Then suddenly stumbled back, almost losing my balance completely. “No, that’s not right. In that video… I saw everything.” Distraught and helpless, I pulled out my phone and played the video. Chloe’s tortured cries echoed in the corridor. I clearly saw her turn over and bite fiercely into Jax’s arm. Why was the wound on Jax’s arm now not a human bite, but clearly that of a large dog? Jax said pitifully, “Seraphina, I have a big dog, and it bit me today because it wasn’t behaving. You don’t like dogs, so I didn’t want you to know. You won’t blame me, will you…?” Seraphina breathed a sigh of relief. She reached up and ruffled his hair. Right in front of me, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips. “Silly, of course, I won’t blame you. I’m just worried you got bitten.” Then she looked at me with disgust. “Now you’ve seen it, right? Turn off your fake video and kneel and apologize to Jax!” My mind was buzzing, I couldn’t hear anything else she said. I just kept watching the video on my phone again and again. If the video was fake, then what about my sister’s injuries?!

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The day before final exams, Olivia agreed to go out with Kyle, a bad boy she had recently met at a bar, to celebrate her 18th birthday. I was surprised Olivia would agree, given how seriously she usually took exams. Earlier that day, I had accidentally overheard Kyle talking to his friend in the bathroom: “Tonight I’m going to make sure that girl has a real good time with me! She won’t be in any shape to take exams tomorrow!” In my previous life, when Olivia told me about her plans, I had desperately tried to stop her. But all I got in return was her mockery: “Adam, this is Kyle’s special birthday celebration for me turning 18. You coward, if you’re not going to celebrate with me, can you at least not get in the way of my happiness?” For the sake of Olivia’s future, I ignored her insults. I secretly told her parents about Kyle’s plans. That night, Olivia’s parents kept her locked up at home. The next day they personally escorted her to the exam. Olivia ended up getting into her dream college as planned. But Kyle, furious that his scheme had failed, got drunk and got into a fight. He ended up killing someone and was sentenced to death. When Olivia heard the news, she completely broke down. She invited me over to her house, acting friendly to set me up. After I left, she called the police claiming I had assaulted her. My bright future was ruined. My parents, devastated by the online harassment, committed suicide by gas poisoning at home. Olivia stood outside my family’s door, coldly filming my parents’ final moments of struggle. She brought the video when she visited me in prison. “Adam, I’m going to make your whole family pay for what happened to Kyle!” The shock was too much – I died of a heart attack in prison… When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day before finals. I looked at Olivia, who was excitedly telling me about her plans with Kyle that night, and smiled. This time, I would let her do as she pleased…

“Adam, what’s your problem?! Can you stop being so sensitive every time a guy shows up around me?!” The familiar voice snapped me back to reality. I looked down at my hands, free of handcuffs, And at Olivia in front of me, angrily gesturing… I really had been reborn! In my previous life, I had tried to stop Olivia from going out with Kyle to celebrate her birthday on this day. Olivia had gotten into her dream school as planned, But Kyle had ended up in prison for killing someone while drunk. After hearing the news, Olivia had invited me over to her house and set me up, Taking off her clothes and filming a video before calling the police. I was sent to prison. My parents, devastated by the online attacks, committed suicide by gas. When my parents were dying, Olivia was right outside the door, Coldly filming their final moments before leaving with a smile. The next day she visited me in prison, And showed me that video in its entirety, Screaming at me hysterically: “Adam, if you hadn’t stopped me, how could Kyle have ended up in prison?! I’ve always had top grades, even if I had gone out with Kyle the night before exams I still would have gotten into my dream school! You’re just selfish! Kyle died for nothing, so I’m going to make your whole family pay!” I had a congenital heart condition, which Olivia knew about. So when I had a heart attack after seeing the video, I saw the smile lingering on Olivia’s lips… This chilling memory made my expression darken further. “Oh come on, Liv, you have to understand our star student Adam here. He’s too scared to take you out partying, so of course he’s a bit jealous that Kyle gets to hang out with you…” Olivia’s friend’s words pulled me back to the present. Olivia looked at me with disdain and laughed. Then she linked arms with her friend and said coyly: “Kyle said he has a big surprise planned for my birthday celebration tonight. I’m so excited! Getting to celebrate turning 18 with such a hot guy, I’m sure I’ll do even better on the exams tomorrow…” I laughed coldly to myself. Earlier that morning, I had overheard Kyle talking to his friend in the bathroom: “Tonight I’m going to show that little girl a real good time, don’t any of you dare interrupt us!” “But she has exams tomorrow, don’t go too crazy!” “Exams? My girl doesn’t need to worry about exams. Once she’s in college, she won’t have anything to do with me anymore…” It was because I had overheard this conversation that I had desperately tried to stop Olivia in my previous life. This wasn’t a birthday celebration at all, It was a plot to ruin Olivia’s entire future… But Olivia was too naive to see it. Thinking of this, I looked up at Olivia’s flushed face and smiled. “Go ahead, Olivia. I’m sure with that hot Kyle by your side tonight, you’ll do great on the exams tomorrow.” Chapter

Olivia was stunned for a moment by my response, But quickly smiled again at the thought of her upcoming date. Realizing I needed to get home to prepare for tomorrow’s exam, I picked up my bag to leave. But as soon as I stood up, Olivia’s friend pushed me back into my chair. Olivia glared at me coldly and quickly snatched my phone and exam admission ticket. “Trying to leave? I bet you just want to go home and tattle to my parents! I’ll keep these safe for you and give them back at the exam site tomorrow. If you dare tell my parents, you can forget about taking the exam!” I looked at Olivia helplessly. “Olivia, you know how important this exam is to me. I promise I won’t tell your parents, but please don’t mess with my future, okay?” Whether Olivia would even make it to the exam site tomorrow was questionable. There was no way I could leave my admission ticket with her. Seeing that Olivia had no intention of returning it, I quickly stood up and rushed over to her, Grabbing the ticket that was still in her hand. My tone was icier than ever before: “Olivia, give it back.” “Oh ho, looks like our star student is angry! See Liv, you guessed right, judging by his reaction he was definitely planning to go tattle to your parents! We can’t give this back to him!” Olivia’s hand, which had started to loosen slightly, Tightened its grip on the ticket again after her friend’s goading. Olivia was a girl after all, so her strength couldn’t compare to mine. I squeezed her wrist hard, and her grip started to weaken from the pain. “Liv! Think about your date with Kyle, we can’t let it get ruined!” Olivia’s expression suddenly changed. She quickly used all her strength and yanked backwards! “Riiiiip…” My admission ticket tore in half… The friends who had been egging Olivia on suddenly went pale. Tears that had been welling up in my eyes for a long time finally fell. An overwhelming sense of despair and helplessness washed over me. Even in this new life, I had lost my future… Olivia’s face cycled through various shades of green and white. After a long moment, She threw the torn ticket at me. “Adam, this is your own fault for trying to stop me from going out with Kyle! You brought this on yourself!” With that, she grabbed her friend and ran out like mad. As soon as the classroom door closed, I heard laughter from outside. “Liv, that Adam really is your lapdog, huh? You ripped up his exam ticket and he didn’t even dare say anything!” “Ugh, he’s always been that weak. How could he compare to Kyle’s confidence and charm…” Olivia’s words pierced my heart like a needle. My tolerance for her had been mistaken for weakness… Olivia and I had studied together every day since middle school, Getting into our dream college together was the future we had promised each other. But ever since Olivia met Kyle outside of school, everything had changed. Today’s Olivia clearly no longer wanted a shared future with me. Thinking of this, I threw the torn ticket in the trash. I knocked on the door of our homeroom teacher’s office. “Mrs. Davis, I’ve made up my mind about that scholarship to State University. I think it’s a better fit for me than Ivy College…” Mrs. Davis looked at me with delight. “Good, you shouldn’t have given it up in the first place. State U’s physics lab will be perfect for you to shine.” When I got home and told my parents I wouldn’t be taking the exam, they breathed a sigh of relief. They had been worried when I gave up the sure thing at State U for Olivia’s sake. Now things had worked out the way they wanted after all… Chapter

We had just finished dinner when there was urgent knocking at the door. I opened it to find Olivia’s parents, looking extremely anxious. “Adam, do you know where Olivia went? She just sent us a message and now won’t answer her phone. The exam is tomorrow, where could that child have run off to?” My mom chimed in, looking at me expectantly. “Adam, you’re always with Olivia…” “I don’t know,” I cut my mom off and looked up at Mrs. Quinn to answer her. “Adam, do you at least know where she usually likes to go?” I gave an awkward smile. “I really don’t know, Mrs. Quinn…” Mrs. Quinn shook her head helplessly and left, having gotten no leads. As soon as the door closed, my dad poked his head out from inside. “Did you and Olivia have a fight? How could you not know where she went?” I just smiled at my dad and went back to my room. Of course I wasn’t going to say anything. Let her enjoy her wonderful night with her dear Kyle! My mom was on the PTA, So early the next morning she dragged me and my dad to volunteer at the exam site. As soon as we got to the entrance, I saw Mr. and Mrs. Quinn looking frantic. When they spotted me, they rushed over. Mrs. Davis hurried over as well. “Adam, Olivia didn’t come home all night. Weren’t you two together at school yesterday? Did she tell you where she was going?!” Mrs. Davis asked me too: “Adam, you know how important this exam is for Olivia. It’s about to start and there’s still no sign of her. Please think hard, where could she have gone?” I looked at Mr. and Mrs. Quinn’s panicked faces and felt a pang in my heart. But the image of my parents’ tragic deaths in my previous life flashed through my mind. I gritted my teeth and looked up at them. “I really don’t know…” Seeing my expression, Mrs. Davis sighed and patted Mrs. Quinn’s shoulder. “Adam’s an honest kid. Maybe he really doesn’t know. Let’s think of other ways to find her…” But I knew they wouldn’t find her… Kyle never intended to let Olivia take the exam. She was probably passed out in some hotel bed right now… Sure enough, the exam started and Olivia still hadn’t shown up… Mr. and Mrs. Quinn were ordinary working class people. To let Olivia focus on her studies, Mrs. Quinn had quit her job to take care of Olivia full-time. Mr. Quinn worked three jobs, sleeping only 3 hours a day. They had worked so hard for over a decade to give Olivia this opportunity, But their usually obedient and sensible daughter had disappeared before the most important exam… The moment they closed the exam site gates, Mrs. Quinn completely broke down. She collapsed to the ground, wailing hysterically… “Mom…” Finally, just as the first exam was about to end, Olivia appeared at the entrance, disheveled and stumbling. Mrs. Quinn sprang up from the ground and rushed over to Olivia. She slapped Olivia hard across the face. “You ungrateful child! Where on earth did you run off to…?!” I was sitting with my parents in the shade nearby, about to stand up, when Olivia spoke: “Mom, it was Adam! Yesterday at school he confessed his feelings for me but I rejected him. He was angry and drugged me, taking me to a hotel. I only just woke up. Adam has ruined my life…”

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Three years ago, my sister, Chloe, and I secretly married the Thorne brothers. I was married to Dominic Thorne, the CEO, and Chloe married his younger brother, Leo Thorne, the VP. One night, the brothers took Serena Hayes, the woman they’d always pined for, to a hotel. When reporters caught them, they called Chloe and me to bail them out. I was forced to wear an identical outfit to Serena’s, meant to distract the paparazzi. Instead, Serena’s obsessive stans dragged me into an alley and beat me to death. Chloe, who was supposed to meet me, suffered the same brutal fate. By the time Mom arrived, Chloe and I were already gone, our bodies lifeless in a growing pool of crimson. We had stopped breathing. Heartbroken, she called Dominic for help. All she got in return was Dominic’s venomous curses. “She couldn’t even handle a simple task like distracting reporters. What right did Ava have to live? She should have died ages ago!” I died then, but my soul remained, forced to hear his cruel words. My heart was ripped to shreds. Chloe’s soul floated over, trying to comfort me, saying Leo would surely come. Mom called Leo, only to be met with the same merciless ranting. “Serena was caught by the paparazzi! I’m busy doing damage control; I don’t have time for your drama. Didn’t you say Ava was about to die? Let her die then!” Chloe clung to me, her sobs echoing through the void, a raw, piercing sound. Later, news of Chloe’s and my gravestones leaked. The brothers, upon hearing the news, knelt before our graves, weeping floods of tears.

“Ava, Chloe, my daughters…” Mom sat slumped in her wheelchair, clutching two urns. Her face was a mask of hollow despair, tears streaming down, an endless torrent. Overnight, her black hair had turned white, wrinkles deepening, making her look twenty years older. After Chloe and I died, our souls didn’t dissipate. We lingered by Mom’s side. Hand in hand, our faces a canvas of brutal bruises, blood streaking our lips, our clothes tattered and torn, we remained in the gruesome state we were in when we were killed. We watched as Mom dragged her exhausted body, painstakingly arranging our funerals until the early hours of the morning. She lifted the urns, pressing them to her cheek, just like she used to hold Chloe and me. Tears, heavy and silent, rolled down her cheeks. “Ava, Chloe, why did you leave your mother? What’s the point of living without you? Once you’re laid to rest, I’ll come join you.” Her voice, raw and hoarse from endless weeping, scraped at my soul like a blunt knife tearing flesh, each sound a fresh torment. I knelt before Mom, my own silent sobs tearing through me. “Mom, Mom, Chloe and I are right here. Please, don’t do anything reckless. Please, don’t…” But it was no use. I was dead. Mom couldn’t hear my voice. The tears that welled in my spectral eyes evaporated into shimmering motes of light, vanishing before they could fall. Chloe embraced me, crying, “Sis, I can’t bear to leave Mom. I want to stay with her forever, so much, so much…” And I felt the same. As if by some invisible thread of a mother’s intuition, Mom suddenly stopped crying. Her gaze, unfocused, darted around the room. She murmured dreamily, “Ava, Chloe, is that you?” *BANG!* The door was suddenly kicked open. Mom flinched, startled, as three menacing figures barged in. Years of psychological trauma made her quickly hide the urns under the coffee table. “Ava Anderson, get your ass out here!” It was the Thorne brothers, Dominic and Leo, along with their delicate Serena Hayes. Dominic scanned the room, his face a mask of fury. “Ava, I told you to lead the reporters away, and you couldn’t even manage that simple task. What good are you to me? I might as well have adopted a dog!” “Now look! The reporters got pictures of Serena, and she’s so upset she can’t eat. This is all your fault. Get out here right now and apologize to Serena!” Leo searched room by room. Chloe clutched my hand, pressing close to me. Even in death, she trembled with terror. Mom gripped the blanket covering her legs, her eyes swimming in tears. “Ava and Chloe, they… they’re gone…” She had cried for a day and a night, her vocal cords severely damaged, each word a tearing agony. Yet, when she spoke Chloe’s and my names, her voice remained gentle and overflowing with love. Serena suddenly feigned tears, whimpering piteously. “It must be Ava and Chloe. They’ve often had to help me distract reporters, and they’ve been through so much. They must be deliberately hiding from me.” “Dominic, please don’t be mad at them. I understand why they might hate me.” Seeing her pathetic act, Dominic’s eyes softened. He reached out to wipe away tears that weren’t there. Leo returned from his search, empty-handed. Seeing Serena so distraught, he exploded. In a fit of rage, he kicked the plastic chair next to him. It slammed against the wall, cracking into pieces. “You old hag, where did you hide Chloe?!” “Serena is being so generous, why don’t you hurry up and tell her to come out and beg for forgiveness?!” Enough, Leo! Mom wasn’t lying. Chloe and I were dead. You brothers and that bitch killed us! Chloe looked at me, confused. “Sis, what did we do wrong? Why do they treat us like this?” I held her close, gently stroking the back of her head, my heart twisting with agony. The only mistake we sisters ever made was marrying those beasts! *** Chapter Two Eight years ago, Dominic and I met at a student club meeting. From that day on, he deliberately created opportunities for us to spend time together. Soon, we grew close. On the night of the Freshman Orientation Week welcome party, Dominic played and sang on stage, drawing cheers from all the girls in the audience. I watched, captivated. When the song ended, he picked up the microphone, holding a bouquet of flowers, and hurried down to me. He knelt on one knee, presenting the flowers. “Princess, may I be your prince?” The hall erupted in applause. “Say yes! Say yes!” The unexpected surprise made my mind go blank. I covered my mouth, tears of joy welling up, and took the flowers, nodding vigorously through my tears. After graduation, we married smoothly, and Chloe and Leo also tied the knot. Our marriage was good at first. It wasn’t until last year, when Serena returned from overseas, that I learned she was Dominic and Leo’s first love, the one they’d always pined for. They had loved Serena for many years, but she was always out of reach. From then on, Dominic and Leo frequently visited Serena, sometimes not even coming home at night. I even caught them both entering a hotel with Serena. Dominic explained it was for work, saying their company was planning to promote Serena heavily. As it happened more often, he became irritable, even slamming the door and staying away for weeks. Chloe tearfully confided in me that Leo no longer loved her. If she even mentioned Serena, he would hit her. I confronted Leo, but he told me I had no right to interfere in their marriage. I went to Dominic. He looked utterly impatient. “You’re already Mrs. Thorne, living a life of luxury. Isn’t that enough for you? Serena would never be so petty.” At that time, I was naive enough to believe Dominic was just momentarily misguided, that one day he would come back to his senses. After all, we had such a beautiful past. It wasn’t until Chloe and I were beaten to death in that alley by Serena’s obsessive stans, and I heard the brothers’ curses, that a harsh realization hit me. With Serena in their lives, there was no longer any room in their hearts for Chloe and me. Now, hearing Leo’s words, Mom suddenly lifted her head, her eyes burning with resentment. “Are you deaf? I just told you, Ava and Chloe are gone.” “They’re dead!” Mom shrieked, her voice raw. Her chin trembled, and her eyes were red and swollen. They say a son-in-law is like a son. Mom had always treated Dominic and Leo like her own sons. But now, facing the murderers who killed her two daughters, she could no longer suppress the hatred festering inside her. Noticing Mom’s unusual behavior today, Dominic and Leo instinctively exchanged uneasy glances, a flicker of surprise and suspicion in their eyes. “How is that possible?!” “No way!” The air thickened with tension. Mom glared at the two Thorne brothers, her lips trembling with agitated fury, about to speak. Just then, Serena knelt in front of Mom, her face a mask of false grievance. “Auntie, I know you don’t want to see me, but you shouldn’t curse your own daughters like that. I’ll leave right now, please don’t be angry.” “But Auntie…” Serena glanced at the stunned brothers, then turned back to Mom, pouting her lip, feigning hurt. “But after I leave, I hope you’ll tell Ava and Chloe to come out and properly apologize to Dominic and Leo.” “Even if your daughters were a bit thoughtless, as long as they admit their mistake, Dominic and Leo will forgive them.” “Sis! I’m going to kill her, kill her!” Chloe lunged forward, but my ethereal form phased right through Serena. Chloe slumped to the ground, a guttural cry tearing from her. “Sis!! Why us? Why couldn’t it be her?” In that moment, tears streamed from my spectral eyes. But just as I was about to speak, a resounding slap echoed through the room. I looked in astonishment, seeing Mom suddenly slap Serena across the face, shouting, “You vixen, get away from me!” “The reason they treated Ava and Chloe like that is because you ruined their relationship!” “If anyone needs to apologize, it’s them to my two daughters!” Serena tumbled to the ground, clutching her face, letting out a pained shriek. Dominic and Leo’s faces instantly turned pale with shock. They rushed to help her up. “Serena, are you okay?” Dominic clenched his fist, his gaze locking onto Mom, fierce as an enraged lion. His eyes burned with malice. I instinctively spread my hands, trying to shield Mom. “Dominic, what are you doing?!” He walked right through my translucent form, terrifying me. “Chloe, quickly, push Mom away! Hurry!” Chloe nodded frantically, scrambling to grasp the handles of the wheelchair. But her hands passed right through them. She tried several times, unable to grip anything, crying out in frustration, “Sis, Sis, I can’t hold it, I can’t hold it…” Before she finished speaking, Dominic’s open palm struck Mom’s face, knocking her off the wheelchair. Her head struck the sharp edge of the coffee table. Blood instantly bloomed. “You old hag! How dare you hit Serena?!” “No wonder Ava couldn’t tell right from wrong, always causing trouble. Turns out, the problem lies with you, old woman.” “Apologize to Serena right now!” Mom stared at him defiantly, saying nothing. Dominic exploded in a fit of rage. He grabbed Mom’s head, slamming it down, forcing her into a humiliating bow to Serena again and again. “I told you to apologize to Serena! Did you hear me? Apologize! Apologize!” I flailed wildly, trying to hit him. “Stop, Dominic, stop it!” But my hands passed through his body, again and again. Despite all my efforts, I couldn’t stop Dominic from hurting Mom. Chloe frantically jumped up and down. “Sis, what do we do? If this keeps up, Mom will be seriously hurt!” Then, she suddenly looked at Leo. *** Chapter Three Chloe rushed to Leo, falling to her knees, pleading, “Leo, I beg you, tell your brother to let go of Mom! Her health isn’t good.” She bowed her head, hitting the floor again and again. But Leo couldn’t hear her. He was holding a tissue, carefully dabbing the redness on Serena’s face, his eyes filled with tender concern. Leo glanced back at Mom, his eyes cold, burning with resentment. “Like mother, like daughter. You taught Chloe to be so deaf!” As soon as he finished speaking, Dominic strode forward. “Mom! Dominic!” Amidst my desperate screams, Dominic grabbed Mom’s hair, dragging her violently into the bathroom. Mom cried out in searing pain. Strands of white hair clung to his hand. I rushed after him, yelling desperately, “Dominic, let go! Let go! Let go!” I wanted to kill him. Six months ago, I’d caught him and Serena being intimate in their car, but I hadn’t hated him this much. Dominic turned on the bathtub faucet, his expression twisted with malice. “You old hag! I’m giving you one last chance. Call Ava back to see me.” “Otherwise, she won’t be Mrs. Thorne anymore.” Mom gritted her teeth against the searing pain in her scalp and spat at Dominic. “The biggest regret of my life was marrying Ava to a beast like you. I’d rather die today than let you see Ava.” “You don’t deserve it.” Mom absolutely loathed Dominic. Every time she saw a bruise on my face, she’d hug me and cry, blaming herself for having mobility issues and not being able to stand up for me. Now Dominic wanted to see me. Forget being dead. Even if I were alive, Mom would never agree. “You’re asking for it! Do you really think I won’t do anything to you just because you’re old? Go to hell!” Dominic slammed Mom’s head into the bathtub water. *Gurgle, gurgle!* Mom’s hands thrashed wildly, her body trembled violently, and she strained her head, desperate for air. But Dominic’s fingers, like bands of steel, clamped around Mom’s head, holding her immovably. She couldn’t break free. “Mom! Mom!” I stood right by the bathtub, watching Mom being tortured until she was barely clinging to life. But I was powerless to stop it. Oh, God, please, just let me get revenge on him. Just once. Even if it means I’m dragged to hell. Even if it means my very being is obliterated! I’d be willing! Please, God! “Mom, Mom…” Chloe reached out again and again, grabbing nothing but air. She screamed hysterically, bloodshot eyes nearly popping out of her head, on the verge of madness. Water from the bathtub splashed onto Dominic. He abruptly shoved Mom. She hit the edge of the tub with a dull thud. Her already weak body collapsed heavily onto the floor. Her face was ashen, her mouth agape, but no sound escaped. She was teetering on the brink of death. “Mom! Mom!” Chloe and I knelt before her, our voices hoarse from crying. Watching Mom like this, I could only kneel there, sobbing. “Mom, it’s all my fault. I was disloyal, marrying this beast, and causing you such suffering. I was disloyal…” Chloe and I cried until our hearts ached, hating the three of them to our very bones. But we were dead. We couldn’t do anything! Why, why?! You cruel fate, why do you do this to our family?! After almost two minutes, Mom slowly recovered, starting to cough violently, as if her lungs would come out. She spat out the water she had choked on, and her body began to convulse violently, left with barely a breath after Dominic’s torture. Chloe wept tears of joy. “Sis, Sis, Mom’s alive! She’s alive!” I let out a shaky breath. I was so afraid Mom wouldn’t make it. A raw, bald patch marred her scalp. Large clumps of white hair lay scattered beside her. Dominic had ripped these directly from Mom’s head. Mom lay on the floor, her eyes devoid of light. But when she saw the urns on the coffee table, her gaze softened with maternal love again. Those were Chloe’s and my ashes. They were the only things we sisters had left for Mom. She cherished them more than life itself. Serena followed Mom’s gaze, saw the urns, and immediately ran over, picking them up, examining them closely. “Give them back!” Mom frantically crawled forward, oblivious to her frail body. *** Chapter Four Mom painstakingly crawled to Serena. She looked up, pressing her hands together in a pleading gesture, her eyes red and swollen from crying. “Please, I beg you, give them back to me. I’m begging you…” But before she finished speaking, Serena ripped open the urn. Inside were two smaller bottles, each containing Chloe’s and my ashes. “No!” Amidst Mom’s desperate, hoarse shriek, Serena’s face contorted with disgust. “Auntie, it’s just some powder. Why are you so dramatic? Fine, since you want it so badly, I’ll give it back to you.” Serena extended the urn to Mom. Mom, trembling with excitement, reached out to take it. Just as her fingers brushed against it, Serena let go. The urn slipped past Mom’s fingertips and crashed to the floor. *CRACK!* It shattered into pieces. “No!” Mom cried out, trying to scoop up the scattered ashes. But Dominic’s grip on her head tightened, forcing her face down onto the floor, mercilessly grinding it against the ground. “Let me go! I can’t let Ava and Chloe…” Dominic’s hand lashed out, slapping Mom hard across the face. He roared, “Shut up! Stop pretending! How could that be their ashes?!” My heart turned to stone as I stared at him. Dominic and Leo were company executives; they had plenty of people working for them. A simple check would have revealed the truth. But they didn’t care enough to investigate. Mom didn’t answer Dominic, frantically trying to scoop the ashes with her hands. “Ava, Chloe, don’t be afraid. Mom is here. Mom won’t let you be without a home even in death.” “Auntie, I’m so sorry! I’ll go get a broom and sweep it up right away.” Serena’s arm brushed a switch on the wall. The ceiling fan roared to its highest setting. A powerful gust of wind immediately swept down. The handful of ashes Mom had just gathered were blown away by the strong current, slipping through her fingers. The ashes on the floor scattered everywhere. She couldn’t catch them. “No, no. My daughters, my daughters…” Mom cried out in gut-wrenching despair. At that moment, even though I was already dead, my heart twisted with excruciating pain. “Sis, Sis…” I snapped my head up, horrified to see Chloe’s body shimmering, fading with the wind. The scattering ashes meant Chloe’s soul was dissipating. “Chloe, Chloe…” I rushed forward, reaching for Chloe’s hand. But at my touch, she disintegrated like fine sand. Gone. I couldn’t hold on. Because my own ethereal body was slowly disappearing too. “Sis, we’re fading away. But I… I can’t bear to leave Mom. She’s old, and she has mobility issues. What will she do if we’re both gone…” I turned back to look at our battered mother, my heart ripped to shreds. “I can’t bear it either.” The ashes on the floor were being blown towards the window. “Ava, Chloe!” A powerful surge of maternal love ignited a surprising strength within Mom. Her body suddenly erupted with astonishing power. She crawled forward with desperate speed. Before I could react, she had already grasped the windowsill. It was dozens of stories high; jumping meant certain death. But Mom didn’t hesitate for a second. She flung herself out, reaching out to grab Chloe’s and my ashes. “Ava, Chloe, Mom is so sorry. Mom is coming to join you now…” “Mom, no!” “Mom!” Chloe and I immediately rushed to the window. My hand was almost reaching Mom. Just as I was about to touch her, my hand suddenly dissipated. A chilling cold enveloped my entire being. “Mom!” My scream ripped through the air. My ethereal body, from transparent, became real. Dominic turned, his face filled with utter astonishment, staring directly at my suddenly visible form. His eyes widened in shock, almost bursting from their sockets. “Av-Ava?!” At the same time, Leo crumpled to the floor, a pathetic heap. “Sister-in-law?!” *** Chapter Five “Dominic, what did you just shout?” Serena walked to the window, staring intently at Dominic. Dominic snapped back to reality, his expression still blank, his words fumbling. “I… I think I just saw Ava Anderson. She was standing right here.” “Here?”

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My first day as an intern, and the new intern who started with me claimed she was the CEO’s fiancée. Naturally, she became the department’s golden child. Our manager, Mr. Davies, was so eager to kiss up to her, he rallied everyone to chip in a thousand bucks each for a grand wedding gift on the big day. Everyone meekly agreed, except for me. I just shook my head. “It’s *my* wedding, so I guess I don’t need to contribute to the gift, right?” The office erupted in laughter: “*Your* wedding? Seriously, the nerve of some people! Mrs. Sterling is right here!” “I saw her Ins full of posts crushing on Mr. Sterling. Is she, like, totally delusional?” “Seriously, she’s got some nerve, utterly shameless.” Jessica tried to smooth things over. “Let’s not be too hard on her. Maybe she needs that thousand bucks to eat.” I calmly replied, “Since you’re all so chummy with her, I assume you’re all invited to the wedding in a few days?” Jessica panicked. “How about you just transfer the money to me? The wedding tables are probably all booked. Once I’m done, Mr. Sterling and I will treat you all to dinner.” Watching her keep up the act, I turned around and sent wedding invitations to every single colleague. I couldn’t wait to see their faces when they realized *I* was the one in the wedding gown.

To better blend in with my husband’s company, I decided to go undercover as an intern. During the morning meeting, Mr. Davies, our manager, mysteriously announced some big news: “Listen up, everyone, I’ve got a secret! Mrs. Sterling herself is interning here, and she’s been assigned to our department! So you all better be on your best behavior, keep your eyes open, and be proactive, got it?” Everyone answered in unison, and I felt a bit awkward, so I started to say, “Actually, you don’t really need to…” I didn’t even finish my sentence before he cut me off with a stern lecture. “What do you know? If we don’t treat Mrs. Sterling right, our whole department could be facing a major shake-up!” “Exactly! You just graduated college, right? No wonder you don’t get it. You better work hard, don’t drag us down.” “If we get on Mrs. Sterling’s good side, promotions and raises will be a piece of cake!” Remembering I was supposed to be incognito and they hadn’t recognized me, I just nodded along. “Yes, yes, I’ll listen to the manager.” After the meeting, I found an empty desk. The moment my butt hit the chair, a male voice yelled at me: “Chloe! What are you doing?! Is that a seat you can just take?!” I turned to see Mr. Davies, the department manager, yelling at me. I looked at the workstation in front of me. I wasn’t even in *his* seat, so what was the problem? Mr. Davies came over and yanked me up from the chair. “Your spot is in the back! This prime spot, with the great lighting, is for our Mrs. Sterling!” Just as I stood there, utterly confused, the intern who started with me walked over, carrying some files. She looked down at me, a smirk on her face. Mr. Davies, ever the eager beaver, had already pulled me aside and was now beaming at her. “Next time you need any files, just tell me. No need for you to bother getting them yourself.” Wasn’t this Ashley, my old classmate? I waved at her, but she completely ignored me. Ashley glanced at her cup, and Mr. Davies immediately understood. He turned to me and snapped: “What are you staring at? Go make her a coffee, now!” Thinking I shouldn’t get fired on my first day, I swallowed my pride and went to get Ashley’s coffee. “Wait,” Ashley said, haughtily crossing her legs. “I want the hand-ground coffee from downstairs. Be a dear and go get it for me.” “Sure, I’ll go now.” It was pouring rain outside, and that quick trip soaked my pants from the knees down. She took a sip, then promptly poured the coffee all over me. “I said hand-ground, didn’t I? Are you deaf?!” The commotion made the other colleagues rush over, concerned: “Ma’am, what happened? Wasn’t the coffee to your liking?” “So clumsy, I wonder how she even got hired here. Go get another one!” I forced a laugh. “How are you all so sure *she’s* Mrs. Sterling?” Chapter

I had hidden my identity because I didn’t want to flaunt my status, but I never expected someone would exploit that loophole to impersonate me. Mr. Davies rushed out of his office, yelling at me. “Are you kidding me?! Only two interns started today. If it’s not Miss Ashley, then who is it? You, some broke nobody who rides public bikes?!” So that was it. This morning, I had grabbed a public bike, afraid that if Julian and I commuted together, we’d be recognized. That’s how Ashley got her chance to pretend to be me. Ashley crossed her arms and threw a hundred bucks at me. “Broke people will always be broke. She can’t even buy a decent coffee without my money. Go on, get me another one.” I wasn’t about to put up with her. I picked up the extra coffee I’d bought and splashed it right on her. “This *is* hand-ground! Can’t you taste it?!” Ashley gasped in shock, but the colleagues behind her were even more frantic. They scrambled, grabbing tissues and wiping her down. “Chloe! Are you insane?! How dare you pour coffee all over Mrs. Sterling!” Mr. Davies knelt on the floor, wiping Ashley’s shoes. “Ma’am, please don’t be angry. Blame only Chloe, this has nothing to do with us!” “Oh my God! Isn’t Mrs. Sterling’s dress a designer haute couture from Versace? I remember this set is custom-made, it must be worth at least a few hundred grand!” Brenda stood there, gloating, looking at me. “Chloe, that’s over a million bucks! How are you going to pay for that, huh?” “Hilarious! With her salary, she’ll never be able to pay that off, even if she worked her whole life!” The office burst into laughter, Brenda practically crying with mirth. Ashley looked incredibly pleased. “Fine, I won’t make things difficult for you commoners. Just apologize to me. Kneel before me, sincerely, and say you’re sorry. Then we’ll let this go.” I was so infuriated I almost laughed. I pulled out my phone and transferred a few hundred bucks to her. “This cheap knockoff of yours? You think I need to work my whole life to pay for *that*?” Brenda got even more hyped. “Are you saying our Mrs. Sterling is wearing a fake? You bumpkin, have you ever even seen real luxury?” “Our Mrs. Sterling is Mr. Sterling’s wife! You know Mr. Sterling, right? He’s not just our company’s CEO, he’s the richest man in Westport!” I tugged on Ashley’s dress hem, turning it over to examine. “The label’s all wrong, and you’re claiming it’s over a million?” Ashley visibly panicked, her eyes darting around. “What nonsense! How could *you* tell if it’s real just by looking?” Brenda pulled at the hem to see. “It *does* look a little different…” “But I remember fashion bloggers saying this year’s new logo has some variations, and Mrs. Sterling’s is the latest style, isn’t it?” I shook my head. “Fine. I’m not going to argue with you. If you really think I owe you that much, go ahead and take your dress to the police. I’m ready whenever you are.” “You!” Mr. Davies was about to argue further, but Ashley stopped him. “Forget it. I’m getting married in a few days, I don’t want this to spoil my mood. It’s not that much money anyway.” Immediately, everyone started praising Ashley, saying how beautiful and kind-hearted she was, just letting such a large sum go. It was truly laughable. She was clearly just guilty. Mr. Davies suddenly waved his hand, stopping everyone. “Everyone, listen up! Mr. Sterling’s wedding is in a few days. How about we all chip in a thousand bucks each, and our department can give Mr. and Mrs. Sterling a combined gift?” The office fell silent. No one wanted to fork over that kind of money. With salaries of only a few thousand bucks a month, after rent and commuting, there wasn’t much left. Now they had to give a gift to the boss? “What? You don’t want to?” “Of course not! I’ll go first!” Brenda was the most eager. “Mr. Davies, I just transferred it to you!” The remaining colleagues grudgingly coughed up the cash. Mr. Davies counted the people, then turned to me. “Chloe, what’s your deal? You’re the only one in the whole department who hasn’t paid up.” This was beyond ridiculous! “It’s *my* wedding, so I guess I don’t need to contribute to the gift, right?” Chapter

Mr. Davies roared with laughter, practically doubled over, tears streaming down his face. “Open your eyes! Mrs. Sterling is right here! How dare you impersonate her?!” “Are you sure *I’m* the one impersonating her?” I gave them one last chance. Ashley chuckled, coming over to pat my shoulder. “Chloe, I know you’ve always envied me since high school. Envied my good grades, how many guys chased me, and now you envy me marrying into wealth and living a rich life.” “But you can’t just claim *you’re* marrying Julian Sterling, can you?” I scoffed. “Did you even check? How do you know it’s not me?” Ashley froze for a few seconds, but Brenda jumped in before her. “Everyone knows Mr. Sterling’s wife is the heiress of the Sterling family!” Ashley quickly caught on. “Exactly! I’m the only one here named Sterling, so what do you think?” They didn’t know that I had taken my mother’s maiden name. My father’s actual surname *is* Sterling. But these people were so convinced by Ashley, it was useless to argue. She wanted to impersonate me, right? Then she only had herself to blame for what happened next. “Since you’re all giving such a generous gift, and you’re so close to ‘Mrs. Sterling,’ shouldn’t you all be invited to Mr. Sterling’s wedding?” A few people looked expectantly at Ashley, waiting for her to speak. A forced smile appeared on her face. “How about you just give me the cash gifts directly? You know, the Sterling family’s banquet isn’t ordinary. The number of guests and tables are all pre-arranged. So, here’s what we’ll do: I’ll treat you all to dinner separately next time.” I scoffed loudly. “The Sterling family can’t afford an extra table?” Ashley gnawed on her lip, trying to think of an excuse. “What do you know? Mr. Sterling and Mrs. Sterling are busy enough. We don’t want to cause them any more trouble. So, we’ll just have dinner together next time.” After she spoke, Brenda looked at Ashley like a fawning puppy, waiting for her praise. Ashley beamed with satisfaction. “See? Brenda gets it.” Fine, let her keep up the charade. After work, I turned around and sent wedding invitations to every single colleague in the department. I couldn’t wait to see their expressions when they saw *me* standing beside Julian Sterling as the bride. On the wedding day, I was resting in the bridal suite when the door suddenly burst open. Mr. Davies and Brenda stormed in. “Chloe? You didn’t even contribute to the gift, and you dare to show up?!” I popped a snack into my mouth. “It’s *my* wedding. If I don’t show up, who’s Julian Sterling going to marry?” Mr. Davies sighed in exasperation. “Seriously, what did I do to deserve a delusional fangirl like you in my department?” “Delusional? Me? Don’t you want to take a good look at the wedding setup in the main hall?…” “And she’s even wearing a wedding gown! If you’re not delusional, who is?! We’ve seen plenty of women like you, fantasizing about marrying Mr. Sterling!” Brenda cut me off. I truly marveled at their imagination. Mr. Davies waved his hand at me. “Hurry up, before anyone sees, take off that wedding dress.” “Exactly! Wearing a wedding dress, trying to steal the spotlight… Are you trying to get our entire department fired?!” I was about to say something when I saw Ashley walk in. Brenda immediately ran to her to complain. “Ma’am! Look, Chloe is insane! She actually dared to wear a wedding dress to your and Mr. Sterling’s wedding!” Chapter

“Ma’am, we didn’t let her go out. The VIPs outside haven’t seen her. Please, please, don’t tell Mr. Sterling.” Ashley crossed her arms, scanning me up and down. “Chloe, I knew you were always trying to compete with me. Turns out you were eyeing my husband all along.” I countered, “Ma’am, isn’t it *your* wedding today? What, did Mr. Sterling and the Sterling family not prepare a couture gown for you?” “I, I was just coming for my hair and makeup, wasn’t I?” Ashley stammered. “Everyone, come with me. There are no more private rooms at the Grand Imperial Hotel. I’ve arranged for everyone to have a meal at the hotel next door. Let’s all go there. Especially you, Chloe, don’t cause any more trouble here.” Ashley was clearly feeling guilty. She was afraid things would get out of hand, so she wanted to get these people out of there quickly. “Since we’re already here, why don’t you go say hello to Mr. Sterling?” I asked. Ashley grew agitated. “My husband is very busy! Let’s go, now!” Seeing her anxious made me want to laugh. “What are you laughing at?! We haven’t dealt with you yet! Ma’am, we can’t let her walk out dressed like this. How about we just strip her of that wedding dress?” Brenda suggested. “You wouldn’t dare.” “What wouldn’t I dare do?! If Mr. Sterling sees this, our entire department will be in big trouble!” Brenda said, then lunged at me, trying to pull off my headpiece. My golden tiara was brutally yanked off, my scalp stinging with pain. “Brenda, are you crazy?! I told you this is *my* wedding! Ashley is a fraud, *I* am…” I didn’t even finish my sentence when Ashley slapped me. “You’re right! Strip her of that wedding dress, and then throw her out!” At her words, Mr. Davies’ repulsive gaze lingered on me, full of malicious intent and offense. I recoiled, trying to warn him off with my eyes, but he showed no sign of stopping. “The lady’s orders, I have to obey them, don’t I? Who told you to wear a wedding dress to your doom?” My mind raced, frantically trying to figure out how to escape this terrible situation. I wanted to scream for help, but Mr. Davies quickly covered my mouth, holding it shut. “Go ahead and scream! Everyone here works for the lady. Who’s going to help you? You might as well just take off your clothes quietly!” As he spoke, he reached for my waist. The wedding dress was strapless, easily torn off. I clung to it with all my might, struggling desperately to break free, but the strength difference was too great. I was pinned to the ground, unmoving. Just then, the bridal suite door opened again. “Ma’am, your…” Mrs. Miller saw the scene and dropped the tray she was carrying with a clatter. I saw my savior and screamed at her, “Mrs. Miller, tell them who the *real* Mrs. Sterling is!” Brenda laughed. “Does she even need to ask? I think you’ve lost your mind! Mrs. Miller, this lowlife dared to wear a wedding dress and cause trouble. Just tell her who the *real* Mrs. Sterling is, and make her give up!” “Exactly! This person has been causing trouble for our Mrs. Sterling at the company. We absolutely cannot let her off today!” Mrs. Miller stood there, her eyes darting back and forth between me and Ashley. She looked at Ashley, as if she were afraid of something. Chapter “Mrs. Miller, I advise you to think carefully before you speak. Today is my wedding, and I’ll be taking these colleagues to another hotel in a moment.” Mrs. Miller bit her lip, her eyes on me filled with a strange mix of confusion, guilt, and reluctance.

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I was my father’s illegitimate daughter, my sole purpose in life for two decades was to be a walking bone marrow bank for my half-sister. To make me willingly donate my bone marrow for the last time, my father promised me a fiancé. “Pick one. After the surgery, he’ll take you away, and you’ll never want for anything again.” I chose Julian Hayes, who had always been the kindest to me. He was my sister’s attending physician. But the second before I was wheeled into the operating room, he drained my life-saving blood. I was abandoned in the morgue, that bag of blood transfused into another woman’s body. “Sierra, don’t be afraid. I used that illegitimate girl’s blood to save your life. You are my whole world.” Every minute, my body temperature dropped by one degree. 240 minutes later, my blood congealed, and my soul froze. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day I chose my fiancé. In front of my father, the nine gilded résumés still lay there. This time, I bypassed Julian and picked the man from his stack of business documents – the rumored ruthless and heartless arch-rival. But my father scoffed, “Him? He’s practically on his deathbed.”

The man in the photo was Hunter Thorne, with sharp eyes and a fierce gaze. He was the capital’s newest business magnate, and also the Sterling family’s sworn enemy in business. My father was stunned. “Aurora, what are you playing at? You’ve always liked Dr. Hayes, haven’t you?” I squeezed my hands tightly, the pain keeping me grounded. Julian Hayes, a highly respected and compassionate attending physician, who had always been so caring and gentle towards me. In my past life, that very gentleness was what dragged me to hell. “Him.” My father frowned, his eyes filled with disdain. “Aurora, don’t act like a child. Who is Hunter Thorne? Some unknown nobody who appeared out of nowhere, does he really think he’s good enough to marry into the Sterling family?” He picked up the eight résumés, pulled Julian’s out, and pushed it towards me. “Dr. Hayes comes from a good family, he’s been devoted to your sister, and he’s always been patient with you. He’s the best choice.” Oh yes, so good that he personally drained my blood to save his beloved. I met my father’s impatient gaze. “I choose Hunter Thorne.” My father’s face darkened completely. He slammed the résumés onto the table. “Are you deliberately trying to defy me? Fine, I’ll tell you, forget about it! Hunter Thorne can’t beat me. His company is on the verge of bankruptcy, and he’s practically dying, stuck in some isolated hospice, just waiting to die!” My father’s assistant knocked on the door and entered at just the right moment, whispering a few words in his ear. After listening, my father revealed a cruel sneer. “Did you hear that? He checked into a private hospice last month, suffering from an incurable disease. Even the doctors gave up on him. You want to pick a dying man? Do you want to be a widow right away?” “I’m not choosing anyone.” I abruptly stood up, my heart seizing in my chest. As I walked out of the study, a hand suddenly grabbed my wrist. I turned around. It was Julian Hayes. He was wearing a white lab coat, his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses as gentle as ever. “Aurora, your sister said she wants to see you.” Behind him stood my ‘good sister,’ Chloe Sterling. She was dressed in a pristine white hospital gown, her face pale, her body so frail it seemed a gust of wind could blow her over. She looked at me timidly, her eyes reddening. “Sister, don’t be mad at Dad…”

Chloe’s tears flowed freely, and she leaned weakly against Julian. “It’s all my fault. If it weren’t for my weak body, you wouldn’t have to suffer so much.” Julian tenderly supported her, his gaze at me tinged with reproach. “Aurora, your sister isn’t well. Can’t you just be more understanding with her?” In the past, I would have softened and apologized immediately. I shook off his hand, my gaze coldly sweeping over both of them. “Something you need?” Chloe bit her lip, walking towards me. “Sister, that heirloom jade pendant Mom left you, I heard it has a soothing, healing effect. Could I borrow it for a few days? You know my illness, I’m always anxious. If I wear it, maybe I can get some good sleep.” That blood-red jade pendant, smooth and warm to the touch, with a subtle crimson glow within – it was my mother’s only keepsake. “No.” I refused coldly. Chloe’s face drained of all color. “Sister, are you still blaming me? Blaming me for taking your blood, your bone marrow…” She choked on her sobs. “But I didn’t want to either… Julian, I… I feel so dizzy…” Her body went limp, and she swayed into Julian’s arms. Julian immediately held her, anxiously checking her condition, then looked up and glared at me. “Aurora! Do you have to provoke your sister like this?! She’s about to undergo surgery! Can’t you be more sensible?” I scoffed. “Sensible? Does that mean I have to give her my life to be ‘sensible’?” I turned and walked away, not bothering to watch their act any longer. Back in my room, I immediately started searching. Dressing table, jewelry box, wardrobe… Nowhere. That blood-red jade pendant was gone. I rushed out of the room and grabbed a maid. “Where’s the jade pendant from my room?” The maid stammered, “Miss Aurora… Miss Chloe said… said you agreed, and she took it to wear for a few days…” All the blood in my body instantly rushed to my head. My ‘good sister,’ indeed. She didn’t even bother to pretend anymore, she just took it. I kicked open Chloe’s bedroom door. She was sitting on the sofa, showing off my blood-red jade pendant to Sierra Maxwell, who had come to visit her. “Sierra, look, this is what my mom left me, isn’t it beautiful? My sister treasures it the most, but the moment I asked, she still obediently gave it to me.”

Sierra touched the jade pendant with an envious expression. “It’s truly beautiful, Chloe. You’re so lucky to have such a loving family.” Chloe was pleased by her words, the smile on her face growing even more smug. “Of course. After all, the entire Sterling family depends on my life.” The moment she finished speaking, she saw me standing at the doorway. The smile on her face instantly froze. Sierra was also startled, quickly standing up and looking at me uneasily. “Give me back my things.” I held out my hand. Chloe snapped back to reality, immediately putting on a tearful expression, clutching the jade pendant tightly to her chest. “Sister, I just… I just wanted to borrow it, to get some of Mom’s good fortune, to bless my surgery…” She cried, looking towards Julian, who had rushed over. “Julian, please, tell my sister, I didn’t mean to take her things…” Julian immediately stood in front of Chloe, frowning at me. “Aurora, it’s just a jade pendant, isn’t it? Do you have to make such a fuss? She’s about to have surgery, can’t you just let her be at peace?” “I’ll say it again,” I stared intensely at the hypocritical face behind him. “Give me back my property.” “You!” Julian was enraged by my attitude. “How can you be so unreasonable!” He reached out to grab my wrist, but I dodged him. In the struggle, Chloe shrieked, “Ah!” and fell backward. The jade pendant she was clutching to her chest flew out of her hand, then hit the marble floor with a loud “CRACK.” It shattered into several pieces. Chloe looked at the fragments on the floor and let out a piercing wail. Julian spun around, saw the broken jade pendant, and violently shoved me away. “Aurora! Are you happy now?!” I stumbled back a few steps, my lower back hitting the doorframe hard. Just then, my father, Robert Sterling, rushed over, drawn by the noise, and saw the mess on the floor. He saw Chloe, who was crying herself almost to unconsciousness, and the broken jade pendant on the floor. Without a word, he raised his hand and gave me a resounding slap across the face. “You unruly brat! Apologize to your sister!” My face burned with pain, my ears ringing. I looked at the three faces before me and suddenly smiled. “Alright.” I bent down, picked up the largest piece of the shattered jade, then walked to Chloe. “I’m sorry.” As I spoke, I suddenly raised my hand.

No one reacted fast enough. Chloe instinctively closed her eyes. But I simply smashed that piece of jade onto the coffee table in front of her. A jarring crash. “I don’t want this anymore.” I looked at her pale face. “Along with the life I owe you, once the surgery is done, we’ll be completely even. From now on, we owe each other nothing.” With that, I turned and left. Back in my room, I locked the door and slid down to the floor, leaning against the doorframe. My phone rang. “Miss Aurora, we’ve found something. Mr. Thorne is indeed publicly claiming to be gravely ill, but he’s not in any public hospice. Our people traced his whereabouts to a private estate on the outskirts of the city that’s not open to the public.” “He’s not sick,” I immediately concluded. “He was poisoned.” Only that could explain why he suddenly became “gravely ill.” Three days later, I used the excuse of visiting a secluded spiritual retreat to shake off the Sterling family’s watch, driving alone to that estate. The mountain road was winding, the night deeply dark. Just as I was nearing my destination, my car suddenly stalled. Several blinding headlights flared from behind, and a few SUVs surrounded my car. A car door opened, and a group of men in black stepped out. Leading them was, strikingly, Julian Hayes. “Aurora, it’s so late. Where are you going?” He pulled open my car door, holding a syringe in his hand. “Your sister’s condition has suddenly worsened, and she urgently needs a blood transfusion. Come back with me and obediently donate your blood.” I gripped the steering wheel tightly. “I’m not going.” “That’s not up to you.” He sneered, giving a signal to the men behind him. Just as they were about to rush forward, a deep male voice suddenly echoed from the darkness. “She said she’s not going.”

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After my brother’s death, my parents forced me to undergo plastic surgery to look like him and live his life. “Your brother was a genius. His fiancée and research project can’t just disappear. You have to take over,” they insisted. “You’ve never amounted to anything anyway. Living his life is a windfall for you!” They seemed to forget that I had my own name and life. My personal records were erased, yet my parents felt completely justified. “If you’re a good son, you’ll understand our position.” “We’re doing this for your own good. Don’t be ungrateful.” Everyone thought I would break down and run away. Instead, I laughed. “He was a genius? Fine, I’ll take his place.” Later, wearing my brother’s face, I signed a high-stakes agreement with his former rival and even conducted more daring experiments in his name. “Son, don’t do anything rash. It could ruin our family…” my parents pleaded. I looked at them calmly. “I understand now.” I gripped the will my brother left behind and silently fed it into the paper shredder.

The face in the mirror was both familiar and strange. It was Liam’s face. My twin brother’s face. Three months ago, Liam had jumped from the roof of his research lab without leaving a word. A week ago, I removed the last bandage from my face, becoming him. “Perfect. Looks just like him,” my father, Frank, said excitedly behind me. My mother fussed with the ill-fitting suit I wore. Her voice trembled with barely contained excitement. “Liam, don’t be nervous. Rachel will be here soon.” My name is Lucas, not Liam. But now, no one remembers Lucas anymore. My identity, my education records, every trace of my existence had been quietly erased a week ago. “She’s here,” my father announced as the sound of high heels echoed from outside. A woman in a Chanel suit walked in. When she saw my face, her eyes instantly welled up with tears. This was Rachel, my brother’s fiancée, a woman as outstanding in family background as she was in beauty. “Liam…” she whispered, throwing herself into my arms. Her body shook slightly. I could smell her expensive perfume. My body stiffened, unsure how to respond. My father immediately stepped forward, patting my back with satisfaction. “Rachel, dear, you see? Liam is fine. He just had a little accident, hurt his brain, forgot some things. But he’s all better now.” “Your engagement, his project, everything can continue as planned.” Rachel lifted her tear-stained face, examining me closely. “Really… you remember everything now?” My mother pinched my arm hard. Suppressing the pain, I mimicked my brother’s smile – warm yet distant. “Rachel, it’s been a while.” Rachel’s eyes flickered for a moment, then broke into a smile. “I knew you wouldn’t leave me.” My parents exchanged relieved glances. They took Rachel to the study, discussing how to restart my brother’s “Genesis” project. I stood alone in the spacious living room, surrounded by Liam’s trophies and awards on the walls. He had always been a genius, the pride of our parents. And I? I was the twin of a genius, the shadow no one cared about in his brilliant light. We had the same face, but walked completely different paths in life. He was the star, I was utterly ordinary. I thought we would continue like this forever. Until he decisively jumped from the research building he had built with his own hands. My parents’ world collapsed. Then, they placed that fallen sky on my shoulders. My phone vibrated. It was a message from my only friend. “Lucas, where have you disappeared to?” I stared at those two words – my name – and slowly typed a reply. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” Then, I blocked him. From today on, Lucas no longer exists in this world. There is only Liam.

I was “escorted” to my brother’s company, to the core lab of the “Genesis” project. Everything here bore Liam’s mark. The employees looked at me with relief, as if they had survived a disaster. “Mr. Lane, you’re finally back!” “With you here for the project, we have our cornerstone again!” My father, Frank, stood beside me, basking in these compliments as if I really were his resurrected genius son. “Liam’s just recovered. Please bear with him,” he said, pushing me towards the main console. “Son, go on. Show everyone what you’ve got.” I stared at the complex data streams before me, my mind blank. I had majored in history in college. I knew nothing about quantum physics. Just then, the lab door was kicked open. A man in a black jacket strode in, followed by several aggressive-looking board members. The man was tall, with sharp features and a rebellious smirk. Sean Frost. My brother’s biggest rival in life, and the only madman in the industry who could compete with him. “Liam Lane, heard you’ve come back from the dead. I’m here to pay my respects to the deceased,” Sean’s gaze fell on my face like a knife. My father’s face darkened. “Sean! Watch your words!” Sean sneered, ignoring him completely, and walked straight up to me. He reached out and roughly grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up. “Let me see. Did the fall fry your brain, or just give you a new set of balls?” His fingers were cold, his grip strong. Rachel immediately rushed over, slapping his hand away. “Sean! Don’t go too far!” Sean glanced at her, his eyes ambiguous. “Rachel, no need to be so formal between us, right?” Rachel’s face paled for a moment, but she quickly regained composure. “Please show some respect.” My father was shaking with anger, pointing at Sean. “You… you! Security!” “Dad.” I suddenly spoke up. My voice wasn’t loud, but it silenced everyone. I gently pushed away Rachel’s protective hand and calmly met Sean’s gaze. “Mr. Frost, it’s been a while.” My parents were stunned. Sean raised an eyebrow, seeming surprised. “Oh? You still recognize me?” He leaned in close, lowering his voice so only I could hear. “When Liam hit the ground, his head splattered like a rotten melon. Yours… seems stitched up quite nicely.” My heart clenched violently. He straightened up, his voice returning to normal. “Your ‘Genesis’ project is nothing but a scam. I’m here today to expose you!” He threw a document onto the main console. “This is a joint agreement between me and the board. Either you produce results within three months to prove your theory, or you and your family get the hell out of this building!” My father clutched his chest, coughing violently. “You… you’re taking advantage of our misfortune!” “Dad, don’t get excited.” I steadied him, but my eyes never left Sean. I smiled and picked up the agreement. “Alright, I’ll sign it.”

The news that I had signed the high-stakes agreement spread like wildfire through the company. Everyone thought I had gone mad. My father was so angry his blood pressure spiked, and he was admitted to the hospital that night. In the hospital room, he pointed at my nose and cursed. “Ungrateful child! Are you trying to drive our family to ruin?” “Even your brother wouldn’t dare sign such an agreement with Sean when he was alive. Who do you think you are!” My mother wiped her tears beside him. “Liam, tell mom the truth. Did you really… hurt your brain? We can beg Sean to withdraw the agreement…” “Beg?” I let out a cold laugh. “When did you ever see Liam Lane beg anyone?” That sentence left them speechless. Liam was a genius, a prodigy. He had his pride. He never bowed his head. My mother stared at me blankly, a hint of confusion in her eyes. “You… you just now, you really looked like your brother.” My father fell silent too. Just then, Rachel walked in carrying a fruit basket. Seeing the tense atmosphere in the room, she spoke up tactfully. “Uncle, Aunt, don’t blame Liam. I believe in him. He must have his own plans.” She walked to my side and linked her arm with mine, her posture intimate. “Liam, I’ll always support you.” That night, I returned to my brother’s spacious apartment. Rachel followed me in, saying it was to “take better care of me”. She hugged me from behind, her warm breath on my neck. “Liam, it’s been so long… since you held me.” Her hands began to wander inappropriately over my body. I suddenly grabbed her wrist. “I’m tired.” Rachel’s body stiffened. She looked up, her eyes filled with a mix of inquiry and dissatisfaction. “You weren’t like this before.” I broke free from her embrace and walked straight to the study. “I have a lot of project work to deal with.” I closed the study door, shutting her out. Leaning against the door, I waited until I heard no more movement outside before letting out a sigh of relief. I turned on my brother’s computer. It was full of data on the “Genesis” project, dense and overwhelming, like an insurmountable mountain. I couldn’t understand any of it. But I knew my brother’s secret must be hidden in here somewhere. I tried several passwords my brother commonly used, but they all showed errors. I stared at the login screen with my brother’s confident photo, suddenly remembering something. Many years ago, when we brothers were still close, he had once pointed at the night sky and said to me. “Lucas, look. That dimmest star, one day, I’ll make it shine brighter than the sun.” That was a secret between us. I typed the name of that star into the password field. “Nyx”. The computer screen lit up, entering the desktop. But what I saw wasn’t research data for “Genesis”. It was an encrypted video file and a hidden folder. The folder was named “Thief”.

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