Category: English

The day my wife Austin gave birth, Anderson said the child was his. Seeing my mother and me frozen in shock, Austin sighed: “James, the child really is Anderson’s. I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you wouldn’t agree.” Perhaps overcome by shock and rage, my mother’s hand slipped weakly, and the baby she was holding instantly fell. Anderson punched my mother in the face, and I immediately swung back at him. Our relatives all secretly mocked me. My mother grew more and more furious as she listened, and died of a sudden heart attack. As I lay crying over my mother’s body with swollen eyes, Austin called me: “How could your mother be so heartless, trying to kill my child?” I said angrily: “Austin, my mother has been killed by your actions. I’ll make you all pay!” Austin froze instantly. Even through the phone, I could sense her trembling. “James, what are you saying? Your mother is dead?” Austin’s breathing grew more and more rapid, guilt consuming her entire heart. I thought she would rush to the hospital to see my mother one last time, but then Anderson spoke while holding the child. “Dying now of all times, right when I was about to call the police and charge her with child abuse. Think I don’t know what scheme you two are plotting?” “You just want to use Austin’s guilt to trick her into coming back so my child has no milk to drink.” “Absolutely inhumane. Hurting my son and then cutting off his food supply. You better watch out for karma.” Anderson’s roar made me lose control. I gripped my phone and shouted back: “You already slept with my wife and had a child with her, and you still have the nerve to call me vicious.” “My mother isn’t—” “Enough, James. I just gave birth and I’m still very weak. If you really love me, you should be making soup for me, not hiding away making up lies about your mother dying.” “The reason I had a child with Anderson is because he has problems in that area. This pregnancy was through artificial insemination, not as dirty as you think.” Before I could speak, the phone line went dead with beeping sounds. I looked at my mother’s body, tears flooding my eyes again. I didn’t know what emotions to use to describe the grief and rage I felt in that moment. From the day I learned she was pregnant, I rejected my superior’s invitation to become an executive at a branch office. Because I was going to be a father, I had to think of this family. I couldn’t leave home for even a moment. When my mother found out, she was overjoyed and agreed to all of Austin’s unreasonable demands. I never imagined that the woman my mother and I spoiled day after day was carrying not my child, but the child of Anderson—the man I hated most. Just because this scumbag worked at the same company as me and constantly made things difficult for me. If it weren’t for Austin’s sake, I would have castrated him long ago. Now she had a child with the man I hated most. How could I bear this? My mother even died in the hospital because of this. This humiliation was like being stripped naked and judged by the whole world. As I picked up my phone to message my boss requesting leave, I saw that Anderson had updated his Twitter. He was holding Austin on his lap, and Austin was holding the baby. The family of three had their heads together in an intimate photo. “I’m finally a father. After living for decades, this is my happiest and most joyful moment.” The comments below weren’t congratulations, but questions. “This… this is so dramatic??” “The woman you’re holding looks like James’s wife!” “Don’t say that, maybe she’s a twin.” “But I remember James saying his wife was an only child, not a twin.” I smiled bitterly and left a comment: “You guessed right, he’s holding my wife.”

Right after I posted the comment, the woman who had hung up on me called again. “James, why did you leave that comment on Anderson’s Twitter? Couldn’t you say I was your wife’s twin sister?” “Do you really enjoy announcing to everyone that your wife cheated?” “Aren’t you afraid they’ll mock you?” “Because of your comment, Anderson is being criticized by his colleagues now. Are you happy?” Every word was in defense of Anderson. Not a single word of guilt or apology to me. In that instant, my heart, wrapped in sorrow, became as calm as stagnant water. My mother’s death had shown me clearly. My tone was light with sarcasm: “So you are afraid that acquaintances will know you’re morally corrupt, having a child for someone else without even divorcing first.” Austin’s volume instantly shot up: “James, how am I morally corrupt?” “Anderson injured himself down there trying to save me. Shouldn’t I give him a child in return?” “After hearing your heartless words, I think you and your mother are the ones without morals.” “If you mind that I had a child for someone else, then let’s get divorced!” In front of my mother’s cold corpse, I smiled coldly and nodded: “Then let’s divorce!” Austin froze for a long time. She couldn’t believe that I, who had always loved her like life itself, would agree to divorce. Suddenly, Anderson’s voice came from nearby. “Austin, help me apply some medicine. I can’t reach my back.” This was how Austin was. Whenever it concerned Anderson, she would leave me in the cold and forget we were even on a call. “There, done. Does it still hurt?” “That doesn’t hurt anymore, but I have somewhere else that hurts. You look so sexy in this nightgown.” “Anderson, don’t. I’m still in postpartum recovery.” I heard both of them breathing heavily. The ambiguous atmosphere was palpable even without being there in person. “Austin, I really miss the time we spent together. I can’t forget your body either.” “Now that we have a child, won’t you divorce him for the child’s sake…” “Anderson, I won’t divorce James.” “There won’t be a second man in this world who loves me like he does.” “I know he’s still angry right now and won’t accept it for a while, but after I finish postpartum recovery, I’ll go home.” I said nothing and just hung up the phone. She said it was artificial insemination, but that was another lie. She was running off to have sex with Anderson every night under the excuse of working overtime. I prepared to stand up when my phone received a message from Anderson. “Did you hear that just now?” “Pathetic loser, do you know how I slept with her?” “While you were working overtime outside, I held her and kissed her in the bathroom.” “We’ve left our marks in the office, in your bed, even in your car.” “Remember that day at the supermarket buying condoms? There was only one box left and you let me have it. I used it that very night to sleep with your wife.” I was so angry I turned off my phone, both hands clenched into fists. Just as I was about to break down, I remembered I couldn’t lose control in front of my mother. If her soul was beside me, how heartbroken would she be? Fighting through the unbearable pain, I sent my mother’s body to the crematorium. I took her ashes back to our hometown and chose an auspicious day to bury my mother. After finishing these matters, I stayed in my hometown for a month. When I returned to the city, I found the house still looked exactly as it had when I left. She hadn’t come back even once, nor had she called. Her heart and her person were with Anderson and his son. I contacted a lawyer and asked him to help me draft divorce papers. When she came back, I would file for divorce. After putting down my phone, I sighed. Going back to the company tomorrow, there would surely be plenty of gossip about me.

Just as I stepped into the company, my colleagues saw me and enthusiastically greeted me at first, then all bowed their heads in hushed discussion about me. I knew I couldn’t escape the mockery behind my back, so I walked in expressionlessly. “Ugh! If I were James, I’d definitely beat up that pair of cheaters.” “He doesn’t dare. The company is owned by Anderson’s uncle. Jobs are hard to find now. If he really hit Anderson, he’d lose his job too.” “Does that mean he has to just take this humiliation, watching his wife get screwed by someone else and raising another man’s child?” “What else can he do? Poor people have no right to oppose rich people.” Various embarrassing voices reached my ears, making them ache. The entire company knew that my sworn enemy had slept with my wife and had a child with her. Suddenly, the discussion stopped. Because across the hallway, Anderson stood there holding a coffee. The moment our eyes met, he saw intense hatred in mine. All my colleagues held their breath, staring intently at the two of us. “Are they going to fight?” “Quick, call security up here.” Afraid I would retaliate, Anderson pulled out a small fruit knife from his pocket. I stared at him impassively and walked forward. As I passed alongside him, he smirked coldly: “Right after her postpartum recovery ended, she played with me for a day and night.” I stopped walking. Anderson raised the fruit knife a bit higher. I knew he was trying to provoke me into attacking first, so he could claim self-defense while stabbing me, then rightfully have me arrested. The security guards rushed in too. Such a big fuss—they really underestimated me. “James, you took a month off, causing your group’s performance to decline.” “If you still want to work here, come to my office later to get the files and complete them.” I had thought about resigning, but the people in my group were all my good friends. My month-long absence had caused them to be constantly criticized. Even if I was leaving, I had to help them achieve results and get promoted first. Seeing I had no intention of fighting back, Anderson relaxed and sneered mockingly: “What an obedient dog. Knowing those colleagues are indebted to you, you’ll stay here feeling wronged.” The implication was that if I quit, he would fire my colleagues. They had elderly parents and young children to support. I couldn’t bear that responsibility. Back at my desk, my colleagues gathered around. “James, let’s all just resign together! We don’t need to take his humiliation.” “Right, don’t be sad. A woman like that isn’t worth keeping anyway.” I stopped what I was doing and looked at them calmly: “I’m single now, I’m not afraid. But you’re different from me.” “Before I leave, I’ll help you out.” Putting on my work badge, Anderson’s person came over to urge me: “James, Director Anderson is urging you to hurry up and get the documents to process.” When I arrived outside Anderson’s office, through the half-open door, I saw with my own eyes Austin sitting on the desk, her legs wrapped around his waist. In that moment, my mind went completely blank. I realized Anderson had deliberately lured me over to witness how he was having sex with my wife. I kicked the door open with one foot and walked in coldly.

Austin, still lost in passion, roared furiously: “Who is it!” “Not even knocking before—” The rest of her words went unfinished as her eyes widened larger than lanterns. They were still entangled together in an ambiguous, explicit position. What they were doing was self-evident. “James?” She hurriedly jumped away from Anderson’s body and out of his embrace. Frantically pulling down her skirt, scrambling to pick up the stockings Anderson had torn to shreds. As she picked them up, she suddenly stopped her frantic movements, breathing rapidly as she stood up straight, her eyes darting away as she looked at me. “James, let me explain.” “It’s not what you think.” “I told him that after my postpartum recovery ended, I wouldn’t see him anymore. I was going back to my family.” “Anderson asked me for one last—” “Director Anderson, I’m here to collect the documents.” I didn’t look at the flustered woman, but coldly at Anderson, whose face was smeared with lipstick. He stood up with a contemptuous, disdainful smile, zipped up his pants, and then handed me a stack of documents. I took the documents and left without saying a single word to Austin the entire time. Because shouting was useless, and talking to her would only exhaust my emotions. A dirty woman should just be discarded. Austin watched my back, a feeling of unease creeping up in her heart. At lunch, she came to find me to eat, and I treated her like she was invisible. Wherever I went, she followed. Unable to bear my cold treatment any longer, she broke down. “James, can we talk?” “Fine. I’ll send you the divorce papers later, and we should sit down and have a proper talk then.” Everyone in the company looked at us with strange eyes. I didn’t care anymore. Austin, however, lost control. Just then, our supervisor notified us of an emergency meeting. “Whoever can close the deal with FLY Company will receive a two hundred thousand dollar bonus.” “Plus a promotion and raise.” The supervisor looked at me: “James, especially your group. Because you took a month off, your group’s performance tanked.” “Upper management said they’re planning to fire you all.” “So take this opportunity to make up for it!” I was alone now and not afraid of losing my job, but those colleagues absolutely couldn’t lose their jobs because of me. From then on, I threw myself into work frantically, working overtime until late at night, drinking coffee until my stomach hurt. Outside, thousands of lights illuminated the night, but not a single one was lit for me. Austin had gone home. She couldn’t stand my cold treatment anymore. I worked overtime partly for my colleagues, and partly to avoid her. Finally, after completing a project proposal I was satisfied with, I arranged to meet with the potential partners. They deliberately made things difficult for me, forcing me to drink until I nearly died in the private room. “James, why are you working so hard you’d risk your life? I’m really impressed.” “I’m very satisfied with the project plan. We’ll come over to discuss the rest.” However, the next day when I woke up and returned to the company, I heard the supervisor praising Anderson. “Not bad, the partners are very satisfied with this proposal. I didn’t expect you to be smarter than James.” Smarter than me? Anderson hadn’t participated at all! When I walked closer to look, the content on that proposal was identical to mine. My brain exploded. Anderson had stolen my proposal and claimed it as his own. But the only person who knew my computer password was Austin. I glared at her with bloodshot eyes. She guiltily looked away. I couldn’t hold back anymore and rushed forward: “This proposal was done by me. When did it become his?” “Austin, why are you doing this to me?” To them, my rage was just a madman venting emotions. “James, you can’t produce results and still have the nerve to make a scene? Your whole group just wait to be fired!” No one believed me. Had I once again helped him get promoted and a raise? After the supervisor left, Anderson had his assistant bring cake and wine to celebrate. The anger in my heart kept burning, but Anderson smirked and handed me the wine. “The proposal was indeed yours. Austin helped me steal it.” “This kind of thing has happened plenty of times before.” “Every solution you came up with—didn’t Austin reject it? She deliberately rejected them to stop you from implementing them, then told me the solutions so I could implement them and get promoted and raises.” “Your former boss knew this, which is why she wanted to transfer you to a branch office in a high position, away from me. But you were stupid and stayed to work for me for Austin’s sake.” “Your group is in big trouble now.” I was so angry my face turned red, the rage in my chest wouldn’t dissipate. Before I could strike, Anderson smashed the cake in my face and poured red wine from my head down to my feet. “Pathetic loser, you dare try to hit me…” In that moment, I lost control of my emotions. I found a fruit knife on the table and stabbed it toward Anderson…

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On my wedding day, the makeup artist saw that the venue was booked at a high-end hotel. She suddenly changed everything from the look we had originally agreed upon. My fiancé looked at her with amusement and asked, “What, you want me to marry Crayon Shin-chan?” Turns out the expensive makeup artist I’d booked was my fiancé’s ex-girlfriend. Watching how familiar they were with each other, I removed my makeup on the spot and called off the wedding. As Ethan tried to stop me, Mandy suddenly stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. That’s when I noticed—beneath her mask, she’d already done her makeup perfectly. So this was her plan all along. To steal my wedding. I raised an eyebrow. Stealing a wedding means taking on more than just the man. The final payment for that $700,000 sky-high banquet was to be paid in full by the bride’s family. I hoped she could handle that too. Last night, I’d stayed up late discussing wedding details with both sets of parents. I didn’t get to bed until very late. And this morning I had to get up at the crack of dawn. So when the makeup artist greeted me, I was still half-asleep. As soon as she walked in, she started looking around the hotel room. When she saw the expensive jewelry laid out on the table, her hands paused slightly as she unpacked her makeup kit. “Ha, Miss Olivia, does your husband treat you that well? Booking such a fancy hotel for the wedding, preparing such elegant jewelry—it’s enough to make anyone jealous!” “This must have cost a fortune, right? I really envy you, finding such a generous man.” At her words, I felt a surge of distaste. All the expenses for today’s wedding were being covered by my family. She hadn’t bothered to learn anything about the situation, yet she automatically assumed it was the groom’s family paying. But I didn’t need to explain myself to a stranger. I nodded and didn’t take it to heart. But she suddenly yanked her makeup kit open forcefully and looked at me with a half-smile. “Miss Olivia, why do you think women these days love stealing other people’s things so much?” “Are they just born shameless?” Honestly, hearing this nonsensical talk, I was getting angry. But there was no time now to find a replacement makeup artist. After she applied my foundation, I dozed off. I kept my eyes closed the whole time, pretending to rest. She was from a well-known brand’s shop after all—I wasn’t worried about her stealing anything. I figured if she needed me to open my eyes, she’d ask. But when I finally opened my eyes again, I was startled by the stranger in the mirror. I was about to ask the makeup artist what the hell she was doing, frowning. My mind was already racing, thinking about how to claim compensation. This was a massive professional failure on her part. But when I looked over at her, she was looking down, trying to suppress her laughter. Her shoulders were shaking nonstop, as if she’d seen something hilarious. I gradually realized something was wrong. This was clearly intentional. To be fair, I didn’t think I’d done anything to offend her. I frowned, thinking through the possibilities. When our eyes met, the girl couldn’t hold it in anymore. She burst out laughing. “Hahaha—” Laughing, she ran behind Ethan, who’d just opened the door and walked in. Her small hands clutched at the back of Ethan’s suit. “I… I’m sorry, Ethan! I didn’t mean to laugh!” “I just never imagined Miss Olivia’s face would be so… suited to this kind of makeup!” She covered her face again, trying to stifle her laughter. Seeing my ridiculous appearance, she hid behind Ethan, her malice obvious. Hearing her call out Ethan’s name, my sense of unease grew stronger. My intuition was usually accurate. This girl knew Ethan. And they were quite familiar with each other. I didn’t want to think the worst. I frowned and looked at Ethan. “What’s the meaning of this?” “You two already knew each other? What kind of stunt are you pulling? Is today a wedding or a theatrical performance?” When Ethan saw my face, he froze too. He looked down helplessly at the girl behind him, but he didn’t scold her. My originally irritated mood suddenly felt like it had been doused with cold water. Ethan leaned casually against a chair, looking at the girl with a familiar tone. “The trial runs went fine before. Why are you dropping the ball today?” “What, you want me to marry Crayon Shin-chan?” He looked at her with amusement. The girl shrank her neck, stuck out her tongue, and made a sound. “You’re asking me to do makeup for your bride. I can’t be that magnanimous.” She looked at my face with a half-smile, clearly enjoying my humiliation. I pulled out my phone and found the contact information for a backup makeup artist. “Make her apologize to me.” “I’ll call someone else to come redo my makeup. I’ll go downstairs whenever they’re done.” “We can talk about compensation later.” Right now, I didn’t care how the two of them knew each other. Today was my wedding day. The guests my parents invited were all business partners. I didn’t want any last-minute problems. Ethan and I met through matchmaking. I came from an upper-middle-class family. Ethan’s family wasn’t well off. He came from a single-parent household—his mother had raised him alone. Ethan himself was fairly capable, with good career prospects. But here, he had no house, no car. Even with a decent annual salary, he wasn’t exactly a hot commodity in this first-tier city’s matchmaking market. I’d chosen Ethan because I valued his personal abilities and his looks, which is why I’d agreed to date and marry him. But I didn’t expect that hearing my words, Ethan would actually frown. He pressed down on my hand as I was about to make the call. “Is that really necessary?” “You look like this anyway.” I was so angry I laughed.

Hearing this, the girl also let out a delicate laugh. “Ethan, is that any way to talk to a girl?” “After all this time, you’re still such a typical guy!” Even if I were an idiot, I could guess that this girl and Ethan had an unusual relationship. They might even be exes. But even if I couldn’t recognize his ex, couldn’t Ethan? From selecting the makeup artist to the trial runs to the final booking, Ethan had been with me the whole time. And he’d never mentioned this. Was he trying to give his ex a job opportunity, or were old feelings still lingering? I didn’t want to dig deeper and upset myself needlessly. I grabbed my makeup remover, went straight into the bathroom, and washed my face clean. Then I called my parents and told them I needed to reconsider the wedding. If I went through with today, I’d regret it. We hadn’t registered our marriage anyway. I didn’t avoid the two of them when making the call. Ethan heard everything loud and clear. His face darkened almost instantly. His previously calm expression turned stormy. He was about to speak when a pair of soft hands pulled him back. The girl wrapped her arms gently around Ethan’s waist from behind. “Ethan! If Miss Olivia doesn’t want to marry you, I will!” “Propose to me!” “You promised before that you’d only marry me~” Then, right in front of me, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed Ethan on the lips. But I didn’t miss the greedy look in her eyes when she stared at the expensive jewelry on the table. At her words, Ethan froze. He turned his head slightly, his eyes conflicted. When he spoke again, there was a hint of guilt and excitement in his voice that even he didn’t seem to notice. He looked at me. “Let Mandy take your place at the wedding today and clean up your mess.” “You’ll still be my wife. You can rest assured about that.” “Go downstairs and tell your parents. Don’t make a scene that would embarrass everyone.” “Of course, you’re also free to make a scene.” Ethan was confident I’d swallow my anger for my parents’ sake. He also knew that today’s wedding had many of my parents’ important business partners in attendance. With that, he pulled Mandy toward the door. I finally remembered her name. Mandy. Mandy looked at me with triumph in her eyes. She stared directly at me, silently curling her lips into a provocative smile. As if she’d won the lottery. Only then did I notice—beneath her mask, she’d already applied exquisite makeup. Compared to the makeup on my face, it was night and day. Even her hair was already styled in the design I’d chosen. Oh, so this was all premeditated! “Sorry, Miss Olivia, I don’t want to leave myself with regrets!” “If you want to report me to the shop, go ahead!” Seeing her completely unbothered attitude made my anger spike.

I won’t deny it—Mandy had gotten under my skin. But I knew that being angry wouldn’t solve anything. After I told my parents what had happened, they looked shocked. They hurriedly apologized to the guests and came upstairs. Seeing that I’d truly decided not to marry Ethan, my parents sighed, feeling somewhat guilty. “Sweetheart, we had no idea the kid from the Hayes family was so unreliable!” “We originally thought he was decent, worth investing in. Looks like that’s no longer necessary!” “Forget it. My daughter doesn’t need to chase after Ethan Hayes!” I breathed a sigh of relief. I’d been worried my parents wouldn’t agree. After all, the guests were all important people. I was also concerned that my sudden decision to call off the wedding would burden my parents. Originally, my parents had planned to use the wedding as an opportunity to introduce Ethan to some connections. Looks like that wouldn’t be necessary anymore. This hotel handled mid-to-high-end banquets. The deposit was paid in advance, but the balance was due after the wedding. When our families discussed it, they’d decided the groom’s family would pay the deposit. The bride’s family would pay the balance—$700,000. Deposit: $30,000. Balance: $700,000. For appearances, Ethan’s mother had insisted that Ethan sign the contract with the hotel. Though the contract noted that the bride’s family would cover the balance, my name wasn’t specified. So now that the bride had become Mandy, Ethan’s mother could only ask Mandy for the money. Ethan called me, telling me to send the jewelry over to Mandy. After all, Mandy’s hair was already styled—she was just waiting for those accessories. Hearing Mandy’s triumphant laughter on the other end of the line, I hung up and blocked him. Was he joking? My family paid for all this. Why would I let Mandy wear it? When no one came to deliver the items, Ethan got somewhat angry with me. He decided to teach me a lesson. He had people take down the posters that were originally of us. He had them rush to replace them with photos of him and Mandy. The bride’s name was also changed to Mandy. He originally hadn’t planned to change any of this—he’d just wanted Mandy to substitute for me at the wedding. Now, this was his warning to me. But he didn’t know—this played right into my hands. Now the bride had completely and officially become Mandy. The debt collectors couldn’t come after me. I’d always been rational, so I chose to cut my losses. Even though I’d admittedly developed some feelings for Ethan. But sunk costs don’t factor into major decisions.

Seeing the screen display photos of her and Ethan, Mandy was over the moon. She posted multiple updates on social media and videos. Showing off her high-end wedding. Mandy put on the wedding dress my parents had paid a premium to custom-make for me. Even though it didn’t fit her perfectly, she couldn’t resist coming to glaunt it to me. Every word dripped with veiled sarcasm. “Miss Olivia, this dress seems to fit me better than you!” “Ethan’s so silly… ordering a wedding dress without getting your measurements right. I’ll have to talk to him about this! He has no idea how to take care of people. Such a typical guy!” She smiled smugly. Seeing that I remained unmoved, she wasn’t bothered. “Oh, by the way, Ethan just called in a highly experienced professional makeup artist. The kind that charges ten thousand dollars an hour.” “He said how could a bride do her own makeup?” “He’s still the same as before! Never listens to advice.” “Not frugal at all. Don’t take it personally, Miss Olivia! Today really has cost you quite a bit~” “If he keeps being like this in the future, call me and I’ll talk to him!” “Miss Olivia, thank you for being so gracious today and making mine and Ethan’s old dream come true.” Mandy covered her mouth and giggled, her eyes full of provocation as she looked at me. Deliberately disgusting me, and not even trying to hide it. I laughed coldly. Looks like Ethan wasn’t completely clueless—he just didn’t want to care! When I was wearing makeup that obviously didn’t suit me, he said I just looked like that and even the most expensive makeup artist couldn’t help. But when it came to Mandy, he thought of everything. Even hired a professional makeup artist. But did he have the money?

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Eight months pregnant, and the housekeeper’s daughter suddenly created a “pregnancy wellness plan” for me. She required me to spend six hours every day in the scorching 108°F outdoor heat, sunbathing. I was roasted until I nearly lost the baby. I begged her to open the door and let me inside. But she just sat there eating chilled watermelon, smiling sweetly. “Ma’am, pregnant women need plenty of sunshine. It’s good for you. I’m only doing this for your own good.” The door stayed locked. No one dared open it. I couldn’t take it anymore. I grabbed a flowerpot and smashed through the balcony window. An hour later, Sebastian hurried home from his meeting and immediately unleashed on me. “Vivian, how can you be so vicious! Do you realize that because you threw your tantrum and smashed that window, Sophie got heatstroke and ended up in the ICU?” “Sebastian, you have time to worry about the housekeeper’s daughter, but you can’t spare a thought for your own wife and child? If I’d stayed out there any longer, the baby would’ve died!” Sebastian stared at me for a moment with an unreadable expression, said nothing, and left. But that night, someone dragged me out of bed and locked me inside a metal baking chamber. Outside, dozens of the housekeeper’s relatives had gathered. Sebastian stood there with his arm around Sophie’s waist, watching me coldly. “Vivian, you’re utterly malicious and show no remorse. Today I’m going to make you pay for what you did to Sophie!” My heart kept sinking. I was completely disappointed in him. I decisively pulled out my phone and called my brother, Marcus. “Marcus, don’t leave a single one of them alive. Not the Hayes family, not the Walsh family. Kill them all.”

The moment those words left my lips, all those relatives outside turned deathly pale. Only Sebastian let out a cold sneer. Following his disdainful laugh, everyone else belatedly burst into hysterical laughter. “Miss Vivian, do you still think you’re some mob princess? Marcus is long dead. Who are you trying to scare?” “Exactly! If Mr. Hayes hadn’t been kind enough to take you in, you wouldn’t even be worthy of shining Sophie’s shoes!” Hearing these outsiders insult me, Sebastian just smiled faintly, not defending me at all. He pulled Sophie’s slender waist closer and slowly walked to the small window, casually tapping on the glass in front of me. “Vivian, feeling hot? Do you understand what you did wrong?” The red thermometer on the metal wall showed the baking chamber had been set to 122°F. The room was suffocatingly hot, like being in hell. My skin had turned bright red from the heat. No matter how deeply I breathed, my chest felt like it was being pierced with needles, so stifling I could barely breathe. Sweat poured off me like rain. My voice was hoarse. “Sebastian, what did I do wrong by escaping the sun to go into an air-conditioned room? If I hadn’t forced my way in, your child would already be dead in my belly!” I was about to continue when suddenly, under the intense heat, a violent cramping pain shot through my lower abdomen. Accompanied by frequent fetal movement, I crouched down and curled up, screaming. “Sebastian, let me out! It’s too hot in here—the baby can’t take it! Aren’t you the one who’s been so desperate for him to be born?!” Sebastian’s gaze dropped to my belly, his eyes dark and unreadable. Watching his reaction, my heart grew colder and colder. I had a weak constitution. Before this, I’d been pregnant five times, but every single one ended in miscarriage. Each time I lost a baby, Sebastian was so devastated he looked ready to kill someone. This time we’d been so careful with the pregnancy, finally making it to eight months. Once, when I was making him noodles and my belly was exposed to heat from the stove, causing frequent fetal movement, he’d been both angry and heartbroken, staying by my side all night. And now, because of Sophie’s ridiculous heatstroke, he’d personally locked me in a baking chamber. My heart ached with bitter pain. I was about to speak through gritted teeth when Sophie clutched her head and swayed unsteadily, her voice unbearably weak. “Sebastian, let her out. She’s been pampered all her life—how can she endure this suffering? She didn’t do anything wrong. It’s all my fault. I’m just a housekeeper’s daughter. Even if I die of heatstroke in this hundred-degree weather, it’s only what I deserve…” My blood boiled with rage. Just minutes after I smashed the window, she’d turned around and gone back to the bedroom, having a servant bring her half a chilled watermelon. The one who’d been roasting outside for hours, nearly suffering heatstroke—that was me! My eyes turned bloodshot as I glared at her. Just as I was about to speak, Sebastian slammed his fist against the glass window. His voice turned ice-cold. “Go turn up the temperature 9°F. She’s pampered and afraid of heat? Today I’ll make sure she gets back every bit of grievance Sophie suffered!” He affectionately ruffled Sophie’s hair, his eyes practically overflowing with tenderness. “I know you’ve been wronged. You were kind enough to help with her pregnancy care, and she nearly killed you for it. Go on, Sophie, adjust it yourself. I dare her to say one word against it!” When Sophie walked back, the red thermometer on the metal wall showed 140°F. She’d raised it a full 18°F! The baking chamber instantly became like hell itself. My entire body felt like it was being deep-fried in oil. My dress had long been soaked through with sweat, clinging wetly to my swollen belly. The frequent fetal movement was practically my baby’s desperate cry for help. For the sake of my child, I dragged out my smoke-damaged voice, hoarse beyond recognition, and admitted fault. “I was wrong, Sebastian. I know I was wrong…”

The instant I spoke, Sophie’s father suddenly interrupted, his booming voice drowning out my plea. “Mr. Hayes, your wife has such a great figure. Even with that pregnant belly, she’s so sexy. Just looking at her makes a man unable to resist…” My hoarse voice was swallowed up. The man’s excited, undisguised gaze fixed directly on me. That look was utterly disgusting. I clutched my body and shrank back toward the corner. But after prolonged exposure to the scorching heat, as soon as I lifted my foot, a layer of skin on my sole separated instantly from the flesh, torn open with bright red blood flowing out. The piercing pain made it nearly impossible to stand on one foot. I staggered and stepped down, the skinless sole pressing against the burning metal floor. In that instant, the stabbing pain shooting to my scalp made me scream shrilly. Sebastian clearly heard my scream. He frowned slightly and shot Sophie’s father a warning look before standing and walking to the small window. Seeing the complete footprint of skin and the bright red blood on the metal floor, his heart clenched. Just as he was about to speak, Sophie bit her lip and walked over weakly. “Just give Sebastian a simple apology. It doesn’t even have to be sincere. You know his temper—if you don’t apologize, how could he possibly let you out…” My internal organs were churning. I was nearly cooked through by the high temperature. I opened my mouth but could barely make a sound. Watching me, Sophie’s lips curved up. She suddenly raised her hand and slapped herself twice, then cried out that she wanted to open the door and be punished alongside me. “Sebastian, since she won’t apologize, just let me go in there and be punished with her. I really can’t bear to see her suffer like this. I’ll just take all the blame—it’s my fault for getting heatstroke, my fault for going to the ICU!” Seeing Sophie’s apparent kindness, whatever softness Sebastian had felt vanished instantly. He glared at me viciously, his voice full of disappointment. “Vivian, you’ve truly disappointed me. You used to have at least some sense of shame, but now you’re completely shameless. You hurt Sophie and don’t feel even a shred of remorse. Sophie is kind enough to want to accompany you, but you’re not worthy!” “Fine. Since that’s how it is, today I’ll teach you a lesson on behalf of your dead father!” With that, he waved his hand and ordered, “Go raise the temperature another 9°F. I don’t believe her mouth can stay this hard at 140°F! If she won’t apologize, she’s not coming out!” As soon as he finished speaking, the other maids in the house rushed over, pleading on my behalf. “Sir, please forgive her this once. She’s eight months pregnant after all. The temperature in there is so high—it could be fatal for the baby.” Sebastian frowned and glanced at me through the small window. After a few seconds of silence, just as he was about to nod, Sophie suddenly cried out and collapsed. Sebastian immediately gathered her into his arms. “Sophie, where does it hurt? I’ll take you to the hospital.” Sophie shook her head, tears brimming. “I got sick and ended up in the ICU because of my own weak constitution. It has nothing to do with her. Since everyone’s pleading for her, Sebastian, just let her go. I’m fine…” Before she could finish, she curled up in apparent agony, gasping heavily as if about to go into shock. The “okay” stuck in Sebastian’s throat never came out. His voice turned sharp and cold. “Those who do wrong must be punished. Do as I said!” The maids glanced at the horrific scene inside the baking chamber and tried to continue pleading, but Sebastian’s cold stare shut them down. “Sophie only made her sunbathe because she was helping with pregnancy care. Not only is she ungrateful, she even smashed windows and hurt people. Even now she shows no remorse—she deserves to suffer! If any of you plead for her again, pack your things and leave immediately.” He paused, then ordered, “Go adjust the temperature! And have an ambulance wait outside.” Hearing this, the maids didn’t dare say anything more. Sophie’s mother and Sophie exchanged a glance, then hurried to adjust the temperature. When she returned, the temperature inside the baking chamber had changed to 158°F. She’d raised it another full 18°F.

The instant intense heat struck, I could no longer stand. My whole body trembling, I collapsed onto the scorching metal floor. The moment my feet left the ground, one foot had a layer of skin and flesh torn off by the metal plate, while the other had a layer of scab ripped away. As my body hit the floor, a “sizzle” sounded where my skin touched the metal plate. The contact area instantly swelled and oozed blood, as if being pan-fried. Piercing, bone-deep pain shot through my entire body. Blood kept seeping out from various places. To protect the baby in my belly, I ignored the pain and struggled to adjust my position to lie on my back. Every movement tore away the layer of skin and flesh pressed against the scalding metal. By the time I’d adjusted my position, there was hardly any intact flesh left on my body. And the baby in my belly had also gone completely still. The people outside who’d been jeering and laughing gradually fell silent as they watched the bloody scene inside. Feeling my child’s life slipping away, I screamed with all my strength. “Sebastian! My baby is dead—you killed him with your own hands! When I get out, I’ll have Marcus kill all of you. You all deserve to die!” Sebastian’s expression changed drastically. In the sudden silence, he walked to the small window, seemingly wanting to check on my condition. When he saw me covered in blood without a single patch of healthy skin, his pupils contracted sharply. He was about to order someone to get the key when Sophie suddenly stepped forward and grabbed his hand. “Ma’am, how can you say such things? You know how much Marcus made Sebastian suffer, how much he was held back. Now he’s long dead, yet you still use him to pressure Sebastian. Aren’t you just stabbing him in the heart?” She turned to look at Sebastian, her voice gentle. “Sebastian, I know about all the grievances you suffered back then. Don’t be sad. I’ll always stand by your side. As for her, you should still let her out. She’s speaking recklessly—she can even say things like killing us. Who knows what she might do if this continues, just like that Marcus of hers…” Sophie’s words stirred up Sebastian’s humiliating memories. He flew into a rage, slamming his fist against the metal wall. “Go raise the temperature another 9°F. Let’s see just how stubborn she can be!” Seeing Sebastian’s anger, no one behind him dared persuade him further. They obediently went to raise the temperature by 9°F. Instantly, piercing burning heat struck from below. My entire body felt like it was being grilled on a hot plate. My internal organs felt like they were being cooked through by the penetrating heat. I couldn’t hold on any longer and collapsed onto my side. The moment my belly touched the metal plate, a gush of fresh blood poured from my lower abdomen. The blood flowed along the metal plate and out through the door crack. Even outside, it still steamed with heat. Realizing my child had completely left me, I screamed like I was coughing blood. Many people outside cried out, “Someone’s going to die!” Sebastian had been furious, but hearing this cry, he turned back and was also frightened by the seeping blood. He frantically grabbed the person next to him and roared, “The key! Go get the key!” Sophie volunteered eagerly. “Sebastian, I know where the key is. I’ll get it!” As she left, she glanced at me through the small window. That look contained undisguised malicious glee and triumph.

After she left, Sebastian frowned tightly, occasionally glancing at me, already barely alive in the baking chamber. After waiting for what seemed like forever without Sophie returning, he exploded. “Where is she! Go see why the key isn’t here yet!” “You few—go cut the power! Get the ambulance over here now!” Watching people scatter in panic, a flash of pain crossed Sebastian’s eyes. Shortly after the power was cut, Sophie came running back in a panic, tears falling. “Sebastian, the key… the key is gone…” Sebastian’s face turned deathly pale. He staggered toward Sophie, his voice laced with cold fury. “Why would the key be gone? You’d better not be lying to me!” Sophie dropped to her knees with a “thud.” “This baking chamber was custom-made and only came with one key. The servants were cleaning up earlier and accidentally threw it away with the trash…” I looked weakly at Sebastian. Ridiculously, he actually believed such a clumsy excuse. He had people go make a duplicate key while looking at me through the window. “Vivian, just wait a little longer. I’ll let you out soon. Just hold on a bit more.” Seeing the worry in his eyes, Sophie suddenly said, “Sebastian, you gathered all my family’s relatives here, saying you wanted them to witness her apology to me. They’re all still here…” “Anyway, the power’s already off. Just give everyone an explanation. Just have her say she’s sorry. It doesn’t even have to be sincere…” Sebastian looked at me, then at the wronged and obedient Sophie. Finally, he tapped on the small window. “Vivian, no matter what, today’s incident was your fault. Just give a simple apology and I won’t pursue this matter anymore, okay?” Seeing I didn’t respond, his tone softened. “Be good. Everyone’s waiting for your apology. Once you apologize, I’ll let you out. Sophie will take good care of you from now on, and I’ll love you properly too.” The physical burning and massive blood loss had already made me barely conscious. I crawled up from the pool of blood with all my strength, instinctively using blood to write on the metal plate, word by word: “Marcus… will kill… you all…” Sophie’s eyes were full of contempt, but her words came out as wronged sobs. “Ma’am, I know you’ve always been domineering. I just want an apology to give my family an explanation. Is that really too much to ask?” “Besides, Marcus was already turned into a human swine long ago. You’re the only one left in your family. What’s the point of this? If you don’t apologize, even if I want to let you out, my family won’t agree…” As soon as she finished speaking, Sophie’s relatives outside started chattering. “Miss Vivian, stop dreaming. Everyone knows your entire family was wiped out three years ago. If Mr. Hayes weren’t protecting you, you’d have died countless times by now. And you want to kill us? What a joke.” “Mr. Hayes, I think she’s just pretending. She nearly killed Sophie this time. If you don’t teach her a proper lesson, who knows how she’ll bully people in the future.” “Exactly, Mr. Hayes. She’s bullying people like this—you can’t let her off so easily.” Sebastian irritably pressed his temples, his voice carrying a hint of helplessness when he spoke again. “Vivian, Marcus is long dead. You’re not some mob princess anymore. Without my protection these years, you’d have struggled just to survive. Right now, I’m your only support. Just apologize once and I’ll let you out immediately, okay?” The temperature in the baking chamber hadn’t dissipated, but the heartbeat of the baby in my belly had completely stopped. That little life that had accompanied me for eight months—I ultimately couldn’t keep him. Tears blurred my vision. I was consumed with grief. I had no strength to answer him. I just hung my head and resolutely wrote two words on the floor in blood: “Never.” Sebastian’s expression shifted. “Vivian, think carefully. Besides me, no one can save you!” The moment Sebastian finished speaking, a “bang” echoed as a bullet grazed past his scalp. Accompanied by a massive sharp ringing sound, a team of gang members wielding assault rifles burst in. A cold, stern voice rang out from behind him. “Who says no one can save her?”

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My husband, Ethan Hayes, was diagnosed with cancer. I decided to sell my premarital property to raise money for his medical expenses, but my mom stopped me. “Don’t tell him the truth yet,” my mom said. “Tell him you’re the one with cancer and see what he says.” I thought my mom was being petty, but she insisted: “If he’s willing to stand by you and sell the house to help with your treatment, then I’ll agree to let you sell your property.” I did as she said. But the very first day after I told him, Ethan’s face turned cold. “You have cancer and you still want me to sell the house to pay for your treatment? You’re just dragging me down!” “I’m not being selfish, but cancer is like a bottomless pit. In the end, you won’t get better, and I’ll be bankrupted.” Without another word, he took our bank cards. “I’m telling you to just give up on treatment. At least you can enjoy the last few days of your life. If you keep trying to treat it, we’re getting divorced.” I stared at him in stunned silence for a long moment, then gave a cold laugh. “Fine. I won’t get treatment then.” After all, I’m not the one with cancer.

When Ethan heard me say this, his expression immediately softened considerably. He sighed and stepped forward to comfort me. “Sophia, don’t blame me for being heartless.” “Getting cancer out of nowhere—no one can predict these things. It’s not that I don’t want to treat you, but cancer is a bottomless pit.” “Think about me, think about your parents. If something happens to you and you’re gone, someone still needs to take care of them, right?” Ethan spoke with such apparent sincerity that he almost moved himself to tears. But inside, I was laughing coldly. Sure enough, when something really happens, that’s when you see someone’s true colors. Normally, Ethan was thoughtful about everything. After five years of marriage, I thought we were one of those rare loving couples. He always blow-dried my hair for me after I washed it. Every night, he personally prepared my footbath water, making sure it was the perfect temperature—not too hot, not too cold. I was touched by these little details. I believed that when facing hardship together, we should give our all for each other. But now, thinking I had cancer, Ethan directly told me to give up treatment while putting on this affectionate act. It was truly disgusting. I remained silent as Ethan’s voice continued in my ear. “Sophia, I know you’re upset about having cancer, but put yourself in my shoes.” He gently held my hand, looking so devoted. “If I were the one with cancer,” “Even if you wanted to spend all our savings on my treatment, I wouldn’t agree, because I wouldn’t burden you even a little bit.” I looked at him silently. “But I have cancer. Wouldn’t you even consider selling a house to help raise some medical expenses for me?” “What if treatment could give me a fighting chance?” Ethan’s brow furrowed tightly. “Sell the house for treatment? Sophia, you’re being too naive.” “Do you know how much those targeted cancer drugs cost?” “Our house would probably be like throwing a stone into a well—you wouldn’t even hear a splash. We’d probably end up completely broke.” “Besides, my mom still needs to live in this house. If we really sell it, where would our whole family sleep? Under a bridge?” My mother-in-law, who had been eavesdropping in her room, couldn’t help but come out. “Sophia White, you’ve been married for five years and haven’t even produced an egg, and now you want my son to sell the house to pay for your treatment? Dream on!” “Everyone has their fate. If you’re short-lived, blame yourself. You can’t blame anyone else!” “Mom!” Ethan frowned and interrupted his mother. “Sophia is sick after all. Don’t talk like that.” He gave her a look. “Go to the market and buy a chicken. Make some chicken soup for Sophia to nourish her body.” His mother looked reluctant and muttered under her breath. “She’s about to die anyway. What’s the point of chicken soup? Pure waste!” The door slammed shut. Ethan pulled out his phone and fiddled with it for a while. I snapped back to reality and glanced at it. “What are you buying?” “Painkillers for you, of course.” Ethan didn’t even look up, seemingly clicking to pay. “I bought you six months’ worth of painkillers. If the pain gets unbearable, just take some.” “After all, having cancer is basically a death sentence. There’s no need for you to keep going to the hospital.” Ethan’s voice sounded so gentle, But to me at that moment, it was like a death-beckoning demon. I was so angry I laughed. “Ethan, are you now even taking away my right to go to the hospital?” Is this the love you’ve been claiming all along? Is this the man I trusted for five years? “Sophia,” Ethan frowned and stood up. “Don’t make it sound so harsh.” “I’m not stopping you from going to the hospital. I’m just trying to be considerate, in case you can’t bear the pain.” “After all, you’ve already given up on treatment. Going to the hospital would just waste more money.” I couldn’t listen anymore. I grabbed my bag and turned to leave. “Where are you going?” Ethan’s voice called after me. “Remember to come back early tonight. I’ll make chicken soup for you.” I took a cab to my mom’s house. The moment I opened the door, my mom looked somewhat startled. “Sophia, why did you come back?” “Mom, you were right. I lied and said I had cancer, and forget about selling the house for treatment—Ethan wouldn’t even spend a penny on me. He told me to just give up on treatment.” And here I was, ready to sell my premarital property to pay for his treatment. My mom’s expression also turned cold as she held my hand with concern. “Sophia, since your husband said to give up, then give up.” “Didn’t you buy Ethan a lot of insurance policies recently? Just wait.”

I stayed at my mom’s house for three nights straight. Ethan, who usually checked in on me every day, Didn’t send me a single message for three whole days. It wasn’t until the fourth day that Ethan’s message finally arrived. “Why aren’t you back yet? Sophia, you didn’t ignore my advice and go to the hospital, did you? I told you it’s useless.” “That bank card is linked to my transaction alerts. If you buy medicine or anything, I can see it clear as day.” My stomach churned violently, a strong wave of nausea rushing up. Looking at these two messages, I felt chilled to the bone. This was the man I’d loved for five years, the person I thought I could live and die with. Yet he was this petty and mean. Knowing I was dying, he was still worried about me spending a single penny of his money. “I’m coming back today.” I typed my reply. After all, I’d paid half the down payment on the house we were living in and had been paying the mortgage together. Since Ethan wronged me first, I couldn’t let myself lose both the person and the property. I had just pushed open the front door when the sound of a man and woman laughing in the living room completely threw me. At some point, Ethan had brought a strange woman home. The woman was wearing a miniskirt, curled up on the sofa in Ethan’s arms, the two of them intimately entangled, talking and laughing. They were sharing a grape. When it dropped, Ethan grabbed the woman’s chin and kissed her. “Ethan, I’m not dead yet.” Seeing me standing in the doorway with a dark expression, Ethan not only didn’t panic, but instead kept his arm around the woman’s waist and spoke matter-of-factly. “Sophia, you don’t have much time left anyway. You can’t expect me to spend the rest of my life lonely, can you?” “I’m finding a companion in advance. When you’re underground, you’ll be at peace too, right?” His words nearly made me sick to my stomach. My mother-in-law chimed in from the side. “Exactly. My son has such good prospects—what kind of woman can’t he find?” She glared at me coldly with a sarcastic tone. “If you weren’t such a short-lived burden dragging him down, would my son have to go through all this trouble finding another woman?” With that, she carried a fruit plate over to the strange woman with a smile plastered on her face. “Chloe, I just washed these cherries. Try some.” “When you marry into our family, you can eat as much expensive fruit as you want.” Chloe Brooks smiled sweetly and accepted them. “Thank you, Auntie.” My expression grew even colder. Those were cherries I’d bought just recently. I hadn’t even eaten any yet, and they’d already finished them all. I clenched my fists tightly. At that moment, my heart was colder than ice. Five years in this family, and I’d given my all to these people. But they couldn’t wait for me to die. “Sophia, don’t get the wrong idea. I’m Chloe Brooks, just good friends with Ethan.” Chloe flashed a provocative smile and shoved a photo in my face. “This was taken when we were at the cycling club.” I coldly glanced at it from the corner of my eye. In the photo, Ethan and Chloe in short shorts had their arms around each other, looking very close. This wasn’t the first time I’d heard Chloe’s name. The first time was when Ethan was gaming with his teammates in his study. “Do you know that Chloe Brooks?” “The one with the outgoing personality. Her body is just… wow. If I could ever… ahem, forget it. That’s not something we should be thinking about.” Standing outside the door at the time, my heart flared with anger when I heard this. But since he didn’t finish the sentence and nothing actually happened, I pretended I hadn’t heard it. But now, he’d brought her home. “Sophia.” Chloe reached out and smacked Ethan’s butt, teasing. “Last time I just wore a bikini and Ethan couldn’t control himself. He pulled me into his tent to sleep.” “I was just helping him with his physical needs. Don’t take it to heart.”

I clenched my fists, my whole body trembling. So it wasn’t just a mental betrayal— He’d physically betrayed me too. “Enough, Ethan. Even if I really only have a few days left, it’s not your place to humiliate me like this.” Ethan frowned slightly. “Sophia, how is this humiliating you?” “You said before that you loved me so much that if you left before me, you wouldn’t want to see me lonely for the rest of my life.” “Don’t worry. If Chloe and I really end up together, we’ll definitely bring flowers to visit you every year on holidays.” I was already furious, but inside I couldn’t help but laugh coldly. We’d see who’d be bringing flowers to whom. I had no time for this nonsense. I turned and headed for the bedroom. “Stop.” Ethan suddenly called out, then tossed me a comforter and pillow. “Sophia, I’ve thought it over. Since you’re not feeling well, you might be uncomfortable at night. Why don’t you move to the guest room for now?” My mother-in-law chimed in from the side. “That’s right. You have cancer now—it’s so unlucky. Don’t pass your sickness on to my son.” I was so angry I laughed. “So this is what you’ve been planning while I was gone these past few days.” “Fine. I’ll make you happy.” That afternoon, I pushed open the study door. Ethan quickly pushed Chloe under the desk. Chloe deliberately made trouble. I pretended not to notice Ethan’s barely controlled expression. “Sign this.” I expressionlessly dropped a document on the desk. Ethan’s eyes were glazed, trying to stay composed as he glanced at me. “What… is this?” His words came out in a strange tone. Only in bed did Ethan make that kind of hoarse sound. What they were doing was self-evident. “Sophia, you’re not asking for a divorce, are you?” “Of course not.” I glanced at Chloe crouched under the desk and let out a sneer. “It’s a cancer treatment waiver.” “Sign this.” “Then I won’t get treatment.” This suggestion clearly suited him perfectly. Ethan breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t even read it, just signed the last page directly. “Sophia, go rest.” “Didn’t the doctor say that even if you give up treatment, you still have a month to live?” “You always wanted to see the Northern Lights. In a while, I’ll take time off work and take you…” Ethan’s subsequent words became increasingly fragmented. I checked the waiver to make sure the signature was fine, gave a cold laugh, and as I left, kindly reminded him: “Use the bed.” “The bed is so big. Why squeeze in here so awkwardly and secretively?” With those words, I ignored Ethan’s shocked and stunned expression and slammed the door shut. That night, Chloe clearly had no intention of leaving and stayed directly in our marital home. She refused to sleep on the sofa and, wearing my pajamas, headed straight for the master bedroom. Seeing my dark expression, she covered her mouth and laughed. “Sophia, you don’t have many days left anyway.” “Why fuss over so much? These silk pajamas are really comfortable. Why don’t you just give them to me?” “Take them off.” I stared at her coldly. “You’d even bully a dying person?” “Even if I die, I’m burning these and taking them with me. I won’t let some homewrecker have them.” “And I’m not dead yet. You’re a guest. You should sleep on the sofa.” Chloe leaned close to my ear and lowered her voice. “The sofa is too hard. I can’t sleep comfortably on it. Plus I need a familiar environment—I need to hold a man to fall asleep.” As Chloe said this, she winked at Ethan. Ethan impatiently spoke to me. “Enough, Sophia.” “Instead of making things difficult for Chloe, you should be doing everything you want to do. After all, you only have a month left to live.” “Especially at night—won’t your stomach hurt terribly?” Ethan let out a light scoff and pointed to the nightstand in the guest room. “See that? I’ve already prepared painkillers for you.” I gritted my teeth. “How thoughtful of you.” I voluntarily gave up the master bedroom. Ethan smiled with satisfaction and patted my shoulder. “Sophia, you’re much more sensible than before.” “I’ve already bought tickets to see the Northern Lights. In the last stretch of your life, I promise you’ll spend it happily.” With that, Ethan pulled Chloe’s slender waist and disappeared into the master bedroom. That night, listening to them rolling around in the master bedroom, laughing and playing. Yes, he still has a month to live. I told myself. It won’t be much longer.

When I came out early the next morning, Chloe was already sitting at the dining table like the lady of the house. She’d finished an entire bowl of chicken soup and smiled with satisfaction. “Auntie, your chicken soup is delicious. I want more.” After saying this, Chloe belatedly covered her mouth. “Sophia, I’m so sorry. I heard that was chicken soup Auntie made for you, and I drank it all…” “You haven’t even had breakfast yet. It’s all my fault!” Watching Chloe’s self-reproachful expression, Ethan affectionately ruffled her hair. “It’s just a bowl of chicken soup. We can make more.” “Sophia isn’t feeling well. She can’t digest such nutritious food anyway.” I really couldn’t watch this. My stomach was full just from anger. “I’m not eating.” I grabbed my bag and turned to leave. Ethan’s expression suddenly changed as he clutched his stomach and ran to the bathroom. When he came out, his mother asked worriedly, “Son, what’s wrong? Why has your stomach been hurting more and more frequently lately?” Ethan sighed but didn’t think much of it. “Probably ate something bad recently.” Only I looked down, my expression dark and inscrutable. How could it be food poisoning? After all, stomach cancer couldn’t be symptomless. His mother’s expression flickered strangely. “How odd. Sophia has stomach cancer but doesn’t seem uncomfortable. How is it that you…” Ethan laughed and interrupted. “Mom, what are you worried about? Your son’s physical exam results came back. I’m perfectly healthy.” That day, after shopping with my best friend, I was eating an ice cream cone as we went upstairs. Before I could finish half the ice cream, Someone coming toward me violently knocked it out of my hand. Ethan stared at me coldly. “Sophia, are you crazy?” “You know you have stomach cancer and you still dare eat ice cream? Are you trying to die faster?” For a moment I was startled, as if I saw worry and heartache in Ethan’s eyes, but I quickly realized it was just an illusion. Ethan didn’t even care about my life. Why would he care if eating ice cream would make my stomach hurt? “What do you want?” Ethan rambled on about many things before finally getting to the point. It turned out he’d come to find me, even waiting downstairs without complaint, just to force me to transfer my premarital property to Chloe. “Since we’ve both decided to be together, Sophia, we were married after all. Just give the house to Chloe as a wedding gift.” I could hardly believe my ears. “Why should I give her my house as a dowry?” Ethan looked displeased. “What kind of talk is that?” “You don’t have many days left anyway. After you die, won’t your premarital property be inherited by me as your legacy? Chloe is an orphan. You won’t even give her a wedding gift?” Ethan pulled out a property transfer agreement. “If you sign obediently now, I’ll still consider taking you to see the Northern Lights so you won’t have regrets.” “Otherwise, just wait to regret it.” I coldly scanned those unfair terms, completely motionless. “I’ll never sign.” Ethan laughed in anger. “Sophia, you’re so confused.” “You’re about to die. What use is holding onto this property? Don’t forget, we’re married. After you die, all the money will be mine…” I took a deep breath. “Ethan, do you know that actually it’s you who…” Before I could finish, Ethan’s phone rang. He picked it up and looked at the caller ID, frowning. “City Hospital? Why are they calling now?” He remembered he’d been feeling off these past few days and went for a physical exam. This must be the doctor calling about the results. Ethan didn’t hesitate to answer, his tone casual. “Hello?” “Is this Mr. Ethan Hayes? Your test results are in. You’ve been diagnosed with late-stage cancer…”

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The day my billionaire parents came to take me home, everyone in the village reluctantly saw me off. But as soon as I arrived at their house, they forced me to donate bone marrow to my sister, Claire. I yanked out Claire’s oxygen tube in response. Seeing this, my parents locked me in a room to “reflect.” That night, while they slept, I climbed out the window and turned on the gas before leaving. Unfortunately, I was caught red-handed. Unable to tolerate me any longer, they blindfolded me, packaged me up, and dumped me in the infamous Outlaw Village. As soon as we arrived at the village entrance, my dad immediately threatened me: “Everyone here is a criminal. A kid like you won’t even have bones left after three days.” My mom pretended to persuade me: “Vivian, if you donate the bone marrow, you’ll still be our precious daughter. But in a place like this, you’ll die here.” I stubbornly shook my head. My mom’s fury peaked. She ripped off my blindfold and shoved me to the ground. I looked at everything familiar before my eyes. Why didn’t anyone tell me that the village I’d lived in for twenty years was called Outlaw Village?

I looked up at Uncle Sam, the village chief not far away, my eyes lighting up. I wanted to speak but couldn’t make a sound. I only felt my cheeks burning with pain. My mom leaned against the car door with a satisfied smile. “A new product from the company. It’ll keep you quiet for a while.” My dad added his threats from the side: “Behave yourself sooner rather than later, or you’ll regret it.” I curled my lip in a cold smile. Hmph! It was only because they couldn’t force me. Every time they tried to drug me or drag me to the hospital, I turned the tables on them. Plus, they were important people who cared about their reputation. I was different. If they dared to touch a hair on my head, I’d kill them. Seeing my silence, my dad pulled out a video and shoved it in my face. He gripped my chin, forcing me to watch the content. “Think carefully. If you don’t agree, you’ll have a spot in there.” Looking at a group of people lying in a pigsty, stuffing rotten fish and shrimp into their mouths from the manure pit, I rolled my eyes. Idiots. The one person I’d never fear was Uncle Sam. When did he develop a hobby of keeping people like pigs though? Uncle Sam dealt with human traffickers like these every year. At first, I thought I’d been abducted by them too. Day and night, I prayed for God to tell my biological parents to come take me home. But gradually, I realized the uncles and aunts in the village were all very kind to me. Slowly, I let go of that hope. But when news came from my biological parents, my heart couldn’t help but skip a beat. Mom and Dad should be different from the uncles and aunts, right? So I caught the earliest train before dawn to meet them. But now it seemed these parents were better off dead. I pressed my lips together, butted my head forward, and knocked the phone away. I struggled to my feet and ran toward Uncle Sam. My dad’s last bit of composure vanished. He grabbed my hair and yanked me back. Furious, he raised his hand and slapped my face several times. “I see you won’t cry until you see your coffin.” I was beaten until I saw stars, collapsing limply to the ground. Blood trickled down from my nose. He immediately let go in disgust, hurriedly pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from his hands. Seeing this, my mom raised her hand to check her watch. She tugged at his sleeve. Not to plead for me, but to tell my dad to hurry up. “Claire needs to take her medicine soon. If we’re not there, she’ll throw a tantrum.” My dad glared at me, the muscles on his face taut. “Claire can’t stand the smell of blood, and this disaster deliberately got it on me.” “If she wasn’t still useful, I’d really want to lock her in this village forever.” Watching their careful, anxious manner, and the natural tenderness in their eyes when they mentioned Claire—if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would have thought that in my memories, Mom and Dad would treat me the same way. That they’d see me as precious, worry about me being sick and not taking my medicine properly. My mom stared at the tears flowing from the corners of my eyes and paused. Then she frowned: “So ugly. If it weren’t for the paternity test, I’d really doubt whether I gave birth to her.” “Darling, hurry up and deal with her. I really don’t want to stay in this godforsaken place for even one more second.” My dad nodded and pulled out an iron rod from the back seat. He grabbed my collar and dragged me dozens of meters, tossing me aside like garbage. Then he aimed at my right leg and smashed down. As he prepared to strike a second time, I whimpered and cried, crawling toward Uncle Sam who had walked over. He stared at me, a trace of reluctance showing in his eyes. “This must be the person sent here to learn obedience.” “That’s enough. Leave her to me to handle.”

My dad dropped the iron rod and pulled a bag of cash from the car, tossing it on the ground. He glanced at me dragging my broken leg, desperately trying to escape. With a fake smile, he said: “This time is different. We’ll stay to supervise personally.” My mom, who had been about to leave, paused at these words. But when it involved Claire, she nodded without hesitation. “That’s right. Claire’s bone marrow bank can’t have any mistakes.” Ha, bone marrow bank. In the end, in her eyes, I wasn’t even human. I no longer held any hope for them. My hand tightly gripped Uncle Sam’s pant leg as I hummed the lullaby he’d sung to me since childhood. But the burning pain in my throat made even breathing difficult. Uncle Sam looked at me questioningly. As he was about to crouch down to examine my disfigured face more closely, my dad spoke up. “I remember there’s a butcher in the village, a dissection expert who personally killed and dismembered his own wife?” “Call him over. I’ve got merchandise.” “The feeling of slicing off flesh bit by bit without killing someone must be quite something.” As he spoke, his gaze fell on me. He smiled cruelly. As if certain I’d be scared into obediently going back. I gave him a look like he was an idiot. The Mr. Baker he mentioned did indeed have good knife skills, but he was also extremely protective of his own. When I was little and lost a fight with kids from the neighboring village, he went straight to their house and dealt with the whole family. If he recognized me here, they’d suffer worse than death. Seeing I was unmoved, my dad stepped forward and stomped on my injured leg, constantly applying pressure, his face twisted. “I want to see just how stubborn you are.” My mom beside him held up her phone, signaling to keep the noise down. “Claire wants you to answer the phone. Don’t let her know…” My dad picked up a dirty cloth nearby and stuffed it in my mouth, then answered the phone with a face full of affection. “Sweetheart, have you been good and taken your medicine like the doctor said?” “I’m taking your sister on an overseas trip right now. It’s not convenient for her to answer the phone.” “Don’t worry, you’re the child Daddy and Mommy love most…” Crying could be faintly heard from the other end of the phone. My parents immediately panicked, coaxing her as they walked outside. Taking advantage of the dim light, I gritted my teeth. I pressed the exposed bone fragment back into the flesh, rolling on the ground in pain. Uncle Sam looked at me with heartache and brought over crushed herbal medicine. He applied it to the wound and reluctantly opened his mouth. “Child, don’t blame me. The children in the village need money for school.” Tears streamed down my face as I whimpered and raised my hand to point at myself. Vivian, I’m Vivian! Uncle Sam froze. “Child, what are you trying to say?” I dipped my finger in the herbal juice, preparing to write on the wall. But the cellar door was suddenly pulled open. My parents walked in holding their phone, all smiles. They were discussing taking Claire for Japanese food on the weekend. “Claire loves king crab. You’d better perform well then.” My dad smiled from ear to ear. “Don’t worry, honey, I already made a reservation.” “After we eat, we’ll take Claire to see the new movie.” Claire’s bell-like laughter came through the phone. The family of three’s atmosphere was incomparably warm.

I hadn’t eaten in a day and a night and was now ravenous. Noticing my small movements of swallowing and covering my stomach, my mom’s smile remained, but her eyes gradually turned cold. She scooped out a ladle of slop from the swill bucket in the corner and poured it in front of me. “Eat. You were born to be lowly.” “Can’t let you actually starve to death. What would happen to Claire then?” The foul smell rushed straight into my nostrils. My vision darkened as I lay on the ground, struggling to breathe. Uncle Sam murmured: “How is this food for humans?” My mom looked down at him imperiously and glanced at him coldly. “Mind your own business.” I don’t know how much time passed before the door was pulled open. Mr. Baker walked in, his whole body reeking of blood from years of butchering pigs. He habitually stroked his beard and looked at me coldly. He coldly rebuked my parents behind him: “A girl like this isn’t worth my effort. Too embarrassing. I’m not doing it.” With that, he picked up his boning knife and was about to leave. But after just a few steps, my mom stopped him. “Don’t want the money anymore?” Mr. Baker’s face turned ashen. He glared at my mom. Muttering curses under his breath, he roughly drove everyone out of the cellar. “I don’t like people watching when I work. Get out, get out, get out.” He took a puff of his pipe and looked at me earnestly: “Child, I don’t want to hurt you.” “You look about the same age as a child who left our village. Just agree to whatever they’re asking you to do.” I shook my head desperately with my hoarse voice, tears streaming down my face. Mr. Baker had always been good to me since I was little. Though he was a butcher, he loved reading and writing. I learned to read and write from him. Thinking of this, I slowly moved my blood-stained fingertip across the ground. But under the severe pain, my whole body trembled and my hand spasmed, turning each stroke into illegible scribbles. Mr. Baker sighed: “Girl, I can’t understand what you’re writing.” “Can you speak?” I shook my head, gasping nervously. If I missed this opportunity, it would truly be over. What else could prove my identity? I wracked my brain. Right, the birthmark! I had a crescent-shaped birthmark on my forearm that everyone in the village knew about. I was ecstatic and struggled to bite and tear at the cloth binding my hands. As long as he saw the birthmark, Mr. Baker would recognize my identity immediately. Perceiving my intention, Mr. Baker put down his pipe and walked over. Just as I was about to roll up my sleeve, my dad pushed the door open and entered. His gaze fell on my untied hands. His face darkened. “What’s the meaning of this?” I whimpered desperately, growling to get Mr. Baker to look at me. My mom immediately spotted the crooked bloody writing on the ground. Her face changed dramatically as she drove him out. I watched helplessly as Uncle Sam left with Mr. Baker, then a slap came flying. The scratch from her long nails burned painfully on my cheek. My mom snorted coldly: “This damn girl is trying to send messages to others.” My dad said nothing. He took down a hammer from the wall. He pressed me down forcefully and smashed my fingers one by one right in front of me. “This is what happens when you don’t behave.”

I screamed and bit down hard on his hand. I was determined to tear off a piece of flesh. My dad cried out in pain and struck my head heavily on the spot. Seeing me bleeding from the head, collapsed on the ground, my mom panicked and rushed forward to check my condition. She glanced at my dad with displeasure. “Honey, you’ve beaten her to death! What about Claire!” My dad took the opportunity to kick me several times. He pulled out a handkerchief to press on his bleeding wound and cursed: “Don’t worry, a disaster like her won’t die.” I bloodthirstily curved my lips. With blood all over my face, I stared straight at him, grinding my teeth like a wolf in challenge. So yeah, don’t let me catch an opportunity. Otherwise, you won’t even know how you died. This action clearly infuriated my dad. “Looks like you still haven’t learned.” He sneered, picked up the rope from the ground, and looped it around my neck. He knocked out my entire right molar. Just as he was about to knock out the second one, the door was pushed open. A delicate figure emerged from behind Uncle Sam. Seeing who it was, my dad hurriedly released me. He blocked me behind him, afraid the blood would dirty Claire’s eyes. My mom was both surprised and delighted, stepping forward to pull her outside. “Claire, how did you get here?” “Come out with Mom. It’s too dirty here, bad for your condition.” Claire had a smile on her pale face. She shook her head and released my mom’s hand. She walked up to me, tears rolling down in large drops. “Vivian, it must hurt a lot.” “If you just behave, you won’t have to suffer. Mom and Dad really do like you.” “Once I get better, we can study together, go to school together…” My gaze grew cold. Looking at her face barely concealing a smile, I spat a mouthful of bloody saliva on Claire’s face. Hmph, in your dreams. Going through all this trouble to send me here and torture me in every way—it was nothing more than to make me voluntarily become Claire’s mobile organ bank. Everyone knew she had a rare disease and needed organ replacements periodically as they failed. She wiped her face while screaming and falling to the ground. My dad kicked me over with one foot. My mom picked up scissors, about to cut off my mouth. Seeing this, Claire quickly grabbed them both. A flash of viciousness crossed her angelic face. “Mom, Dad, don’t blame Vivian. I can understand if she’s unwilling.” “Maybe if we change methods, Vivian will agree.” Hearing this, joy spread across my mom’s face. She quickly grabbed her. “Claire, really?” Claire nodded, her gaze falling on my lower abdomen. A meaningful smile appeared. “The attending physician said that as long as it’s direct bloodline, it can save me.” I froze in place. The next second, my dad called over Uncle Sam. Pointing at me on the ground, he said coldly: “Call all the men in your village, regardless of age. As long as she gets pregnant within a year, that money still counts.” Uncle Sam looked at me gasping on the ground. He looked away and nodded. Soon, I was married off by lottery to the village watchman. A lame man with Down syndrome. The night before I was sent to the old house, Uncle Sam came in. Looking at me tied up like a dumpling, he silently rolled up my sleeve. Seeing the scalded wound where the birthmark had been, he shook his head: “I was so confused. How could it possibly be Vivian?” I watched his retreating figure in despair. Claire walked in, arms crossed, looking at me with a cold laugh. “You didn’t really think you could escape, did you?” “Still wanting to use the birthmark to get someone to pass on a message.” “Don’t worry. For the rest of your life, even in death, you can only die here.” Early the next morning, I was carried to the groom’s home with my face veiled. Claire suggested removing my veil and having me kiss the groom publicly. The moment it was removed, the foolish groom before me paused, clapping his thick, stubby hands. Drooling, he looked at me and laughed happily: “Vivian, the bride is Vivian.”

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Everyone in high society knew that the cold-hearted billionaire Jackson had given up on his childhood friend he’d waited seven years for and started dating. More importantly, his new girlfriend was disabled, with only one eye. When Jackson brought me to my first charity gala, everyone was startled by my purple cosmetic prosthetic eye. But Jackson pulled me into his arms. “She became like this to save me. If any of you say one more word, you’re making an enemy of me.” I looked up at him with complete dependence while others retreated awkwardly. Then suddenly, a gentle female voice came from behind me. “Is that Jackson? Long time no see.” The body holding me instantly tensed up, and even his heartbeat accelerated. I suddenly understood—this was his childhood friend, the one he loved but couldn’t have. Jackson’s arms around me recoiled as if shocked, and the usually cold man actually started stuttering. “You—you’re not in Australia?” The woman paused, then smiled. “I missed you, so I came back.” My heart trembled and clenched tightly. Fortunately, Jackson frowned. “Aren’t you in a relationship? What are you talking about?” The woman laughed. “We have twenty years of history. Fate brought us together before we were even born. Between friends, can’t I miss you?” Jackson seemed to remember something, his expression shifting slightly as he took half a step forward, creating distance between us. “Violet, you’ve been gone so many years, I thought you—” Violet tilted her head, interrupting him. “Jackson, is this your girlfriend? Her eye—” Jackson snapped back to attention and grabbed my arm, yanking me behind him. Pulled by the sudden force, I lost my balance and ended up kneeling solidly behind him. Laughter erupted around us. Jackson didn’t notice my reaction at all, only explaining on his own. “Don’t misunderstand. She’s disabled. I’m only taking responsibility because her parents entrusted her to me—I pity her!” I sat collapsed on the ground, looking up at him helplessly. Just a responsibility? What about the man who felt sorry for my altitude sickness on the snowy mountain and gave me his only oxygen canister despite his own pale face? What about the man who proposed to me on one knee at sunset, who rented a luxury cruise ship on the ocean to celebrate my birthday? What about the man who loved everything about me, who once took care of all the work for my parents and friends? Was I really just a responsibility to him? Violet ruffled his hair like she used to. “I understand. Our Jackson has always had the softest heart.” “The auction is about to start. I’ll head over first. You bring your… girlfriend and come sit down too.” Violet, wearing a gilded gown, walked away with extraordinary grace. Only then did Jackson remember I was still sitting on the ground. He reached out and pulled me up, full of apology. “Amy, let me explain…” I nodded. “Go ahead, explain.” Jackson opened and closed his mouth. “I’ve known Violet for so many years. She found a boyfriend who’s an heir to a multinational corporation, but I… Amy, you understand, right?” His cautious manner was completely different from when he held me in his arms earlier, telling everyone “don’t mock me.” I couldn’t help wondering if coming here with him today was the right choice. People surged around us, but I couldn’t hear a word. Jackson’s mouth opened and closed, finally turning into a sigh. Violet’s voice came again. “Jackson, the auction is starting. Come sit.” Jackson squeezed my wrist. “Be good. She’s an outsider, you’re family. When we get home tonight, I’ll apologize.” “I did my research before coming. I promised you that jade piece that can be used as an eye massager. You need to take care of your eye more so it doesn’t atrophy.”

Jackson pulled me into the venue, but looking left and right, there was no seat for me. Jackson’s expression soured as he raised his hand, about to call a waiter, when Violet’s pale hand pressed down on his and pulled it back. Violet smiled gently. “Jackson, I switched the seats. We haven’t seen each other in so many years—I have so much I want to say to you. My seat is over there. Could this young lady sit there instead?” I keenly noticed Jackson’s gaze fixed on their intertwined hands, his eyes filled with deep joy. Having been with him this long, I’d heard about their history. Simply put, Violet kept Jackson as a backup. When she had a boyfriend, she wouldn’t say a word to him for a year or two. When she didn’t have a boyfriend, she’d occasionally have physical contact with him but never cross that line. And now, this was just a woman’s sense of crisis. After all, her former lapdog was dating someone—how could she feel good about that? So little favors like holding hands, getting close, hugging—Violet was now giving these to Jackson. Violet shook his hand twice, and Jackson immediately came back to his senses, looking at me apologetically. “Amy, go sit over there. We don’t get to see each other often, okay?” I remained unmoved, my feet rooted to the spot. Jackson shook off my hand, tightening his grip on Violet’s hand. “Amy, are my words meaningless now? Don’t make me say it twice!” He pulled Violet toward the front row. Violet looked back at me with an apologetic smile, her eyes full of smugness. Only when the waiter impatiently reminded me to take my seat did I react, slowly walking to the corner seat. I didn’t know if it was psychological or what, but my prosthetic eye hurt terribly, sore and swollen. In the darkness, I secretly removed it, leaving only one eye to watch them. Throughout the entire auction, the two of them had their heads together, whispering about who knows what. Jackson didn’t give me a single glance. Not until that jade piece appeared did the atmosphere reach a small climax. This thing wasn’t rare, just natural, polished by a master, and hyped up by these people, so naturally its value soared. After several rounds of bidding, it had been driven up to 3 million. Jackson lightly raised his hand. “Ten million. Stop bidding, I’ll take it.” Everyone was shocked by his big gesture. The thing was valuable, but not worth ten million. The waiter was thrilled and immediately handed the jade to him. Under everyone’s gaze, Jackson held the velvet box and slowly walked toward me. The camera followed Jackson’s steps, projecting onto the big screen. The spotlight timely shone on me. Jackson knelt on one knee, holding up the jade. “Amy, I—” His words didn’t finish, but his smile froze on his face.

I was somewhat bewildered. Not until gasps arose around me did I realize I’d forgotten to put in my prosthetic eye. I immediately lowered my head, even though the bright light made me tear up. But my body was bumped by someone, and the purple prosthetic eye in my hand rolled to the ground. Violet, who had rushed over, screamed and threw herself into Jackson’s arms in fright. “Jackson, the eyeball, the eyeball!” Jackson immediately stuffed the jade into his pocket, scooped Violet up in a princess carry, and walked away. Everyone whispered. “My God, did you see that? She actually has a fake eye!” “So terrifying, her eyelid is tightly shut. I’ve never seen someone like this before—I’ll definitely have nightmares tonight!” “Didn’t Mr. Jackson say she saved him? I think she’s just exploiting his gratitude! She probably figured she couldn’t get married in the future so she latched onto Mr. Jackson!” Mocking voices filled the auction hall. Those with small courage didn’t dare look at me, while the bold ones kicked my prosthetic eye around like a football. Not until the waiter who had told me to find my seat roughly yanked me up from my chair, yelling at me to get lost, did I come to my senses. My face burned as if I’d been slapped. I didn’t even grab my shawl before turning and running. The auction was held in a villa on a mountaintop in the suburbs. Without a car, I couldn’t get back at all. After running two miles, because I couldn’t see on one side, my heel accidentally got stuck in the mud and I fell into a mud pit. Holding back tears, I dialed Jackson’s number. The phone rang for dozens of seconds before being answered just as I was about to hang up. His lazy voice came through. “What is it?” I choked out. “Please, come pick me up. Everyone mocked me, I fell…” Jackson’s voice tightened. “You fell? Where are you?” But Violet’s voice came through the phone. “Jackson, I drank too much at the party and my head hurts terribly. My dad told you to take care of me—you wouldn’t abandon me for a woman, would you?” Jackson was silent for a moment. “I’ll transfer you money. Take a cab home. I’ll come see you first thing tomorrow morning.” “Amy, you went too far. How could you take out your eye at such an important occasion?” “Do you know that Violet is timid? She’s even afraid of walking at night. Now she stepped on your eyeball—you really scared her to death!” With that, he hung up and transferred me 100 dollars. But he didn’t think about the fact that this was a villa area halfway up the mountain. Apart from people specifically coming to the gala, where would I find a cab? Cold and in pain, I tried to curl myself into a ball, leaning against a tree trunk and falling asleep. The night dew was heavy. I was woken by the cold several times. But each time I checked my phone, there was no call from Jackson. Not until the next morning, when I saw a taxi that had just dropped off passengers at the villa area, did I rush out from the darkness and block the car. My hair covered my face, and only the mottled stains on my clothes could be seen. The taxi driver was startled. “Damn, are you trying to die?” I said carefully. “I’m sorry, I got lost and slept outside all night. Please take me home. I’ll pay you double, okay…” The taxi driver looked at me and counted on his fingers. “Fare is 300, car wash fee 500, emotional distress fee 200. If that works, let’s go.” I nodded and pulled open the car door to get in. The car sped all the way to the home Jackson and I shared. I paid 1,000 before getting out of the car. The moment my finger touched the handle, the fingerprint recognition opened the door. What greeted me was a pair of familiar golden high heels, and Jackson’s shoes beside them.

I trembled as I pushed open the bedroom door. Violet was wearing my camisole nightgown, her white back exposed as she slept on her stomach on the bed. Although Jackson was sleeping beside her in pajamas, his hand rested on her hair, unconsciously stroking it. I was furious. “You cheaters!” The two woke with a start, shocked to see me like this. Especially Violet—she screamed. “A ghost!” Jackson got out of bed barefoot and ran to my side. “Amy, what—how are you just getting back now? What happened last night? Didn’t I tell you to take a cab home?” He anxiously turned me left and right. When his gaze landed on my swollen ankle and angry eyes, he looked away. “You—you misunderstood. We just lay down together, like when we were kids. We didn’t do anything!” I laughed coldly. “A man and woman alone in one bed, and she’s wearing my clothes—you’re saying nothing happened? Violet, don’t you have a boyfriend? Why are you here disrupting our lives! You homewrecker…” Before I finished, a crisp slap landed on my face. Jackson stared at his palm in horror. “I’m sorry Amy, I didn’t mean to—I just can’t stand—” Violet smiled. “I didn’t expect it, Jackson. After all these years, you’re still the same—when you hear someone insult me, you automatically step in to defend me. I didn’t care about you for nothing!” “One-eyed lady, I think you misunderstood. Jackson and I have known each other for twenty years. If I had any designs on him, would it be your turn?” I covered my face as scalding tears poured out. “Jackson, we’re breaking up! I want to break up with you!” Jackson grabbed me tightly. “No! I already apologized—what more do you want! How about you hit me back!” As he spoke, he grabbed my hand and swung it toward his face. Before it could touch his face, Violet spoke. “Jackson, I don’t have time to watch you two lovebirds. Smith called me—I need to go. You two take care!” With that, she took off her nightgown right in front of us, naked, and bent down to pick up her underwear from the side. Jackson and I froze on the spot. I could clearly feel Jackson’s body tense, his lower body hard as iron. The body holding me was burning hot, but I was ice cold inch by inch. How ridiculous. My boyfriend got physically aroused looking at another woman. As Violet passed us, she smiled at Jackson’s lower body. “I didn’t realize, Jackson—you really don’t show it! You’re not inferior to foreign men at all.” Jackson’s face turned bright red. I chased after her, only to see her pick up the jade Jackson had bought at a high price last night and put it in her bag. I shouted. “Put it down—that’s mine!” Violet raised an eyebrow. “Yours? What’s yours? To be blunt, even your man is mine.” “Oh, I forgot to tell you—my Maltese’s birthday is next month. The collar is missing a piece of jade exactly this size, so Jackson gave it to me.” With that, she opened the door and left. I’d just finished processing her words, trembling all over. “Didn’t you say that was for me?” Jackson looked away. “I have money. I can buy you another one like that. Violet begged me for half the night saying she wanted it. Amy, you’re the most sensible, right?” I curved my lips. “Begged you? How did she beg? On her knees? Or with her body?” Jackson’s face darkened. “Amy, you can’t talk about Violet like that. We’re innocent.” Looking at him, I suddenly felt very tired. “Jackson, I’m serious. Let’s break up.” “Before yesterday, I always thought you loved me. But not anymore. You love yourself, you love Violet, you love face—you just don’t love me.” “I saved you that year simply because you were you, not because of your family background. I didn’t expect anything from you—you were the one who said you wanted to be with me.” “Jackson, go explain to them that I didn’t exploit your gratitude, that I didn’t latch onto you, that I’m not desperate for you.” “Jackson, I’m really tired.”

Seeing my serious expression, Jackson’s breathing hitched. He threw down a black card and rushed out the door. “Amy, we both need to calm down. I’m leaving first. I’ll come find you in a couple days.” The door slammed shut. I lost all strength, slowly sliding down against the door frame, crying my heart out. After crying myself out, I started packing. Though this was supposedly Jackson’s and my home, there really wasn’t much that belonged to me. Barely one suitcase was enough to hold everything. He’d bought me a lot of clothes, food, and daily necessities. But I always felt they weren’t mine, that using them made me uneasy, so they were all sealed in a small cabinet, untouched. After washing up, I sat at the vanity, staring at the woman in the mirror for a long time. My left eyelid was tightly shut, my right eye was swollen red like a walnut from crying, and a bright red handprint marked my face. Anyone who saw this would call it a ghost. I took a deep breath and opened the vanity drawer. It was full of various prosthetic eyes Jackson had bought me, 108 of them in total. When he bought them, he looked at me with a smile full of tenderness. “My wife, so what if you can’t see with one eye? That’s your badge of love for me, and I cherish it.” “From now on, I’ll buy you all kinds of colors and styles. Your eye deserves to hold the sun, moon, and stars—it shouldn’t be confined to plain black.” I reached out to touch the red one—the first eye he bought me, red, with a bit of straight-guy aesthetic. Then I touched the green one—back then he smiled and told me we’d cosplay Hatsune Miku someday. Then the gem purple one, the same as the one I lost yesterday. I loved purple, so he bought me a dozen. The person who used to stroke my hair and praise my left eye like a rainbow. Now he looked at me with disgust, finding my tightly shut eyelid revolting, blaming me for embarrassing him. I took one last look at those prosthetic eyes and closed the drawer. Before leaving, I exported the bedroom surveillance footage, captured screenshots of Violet walking around my house naked with a light mosaic, and posted it online. [My boyfriend Jackson’s childhood friend Violet used being drunk as an excuse to wear my nightgown and sleep in my bed in my house, then said I was overthinking it. Is this my fault?] After posting, I logged out of the account and turned off the computer. The post named names and showed faces. I didn’t believe they could suppress it completely. Perhaps even Jackson himself didn’t remember. The surveillance he installed so I could see clearly with my bad eye had become the final straw that broke them. I bought a ticket on the next flight to Miami. I left the organized keys, bank cards, and a guarantee letter Jackson had personally written to show his loyalty on the entrance table. I left without looking back, without a trace of attachment. The moment I closed the door, the landline behind me suddenly rang with Jackson’s voice. “Amy, answer the phone!!” Only he knew the home phone number. Anyone could guess who was calling. I curved my lips and forcefully shut the door. Jackson, we’ll never meet again.

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Reborn on the day of my engagement to the prestigious Wilson family. In my past life, I was brought home as an illegitimate daughter to become my sister Chloe’s substitute. I replaced her at every event she didn’t want to attend, including spending time with that Los Angeles rich heir, Robinson Wilson. In the end, to ensure Chloe could smoothly marry into the Wilson family, they didn’t hesitate to kill me in a plane crash. This time, when my parents handed me that white dress again, I refused. “This is Chloe’s engagement. I can’t be her substitute anymore.” But my parents locked the door, smiling as they said this would be the last time. I was forcibly dressed in the gown and made to wear a mask, becoming the substitute. Until Robinson walked through the crowd, and when everyone expected him to put the engagement ring on his fiancée’s finger, the mask on my face was torn off instead. He grabbed my chin, mockery in his eyes. “So that’s where you’ve been hiding. Playing Chloe’s substitute? Jennifer, you really know how to degrade yourself.” I instinctively looked up. He was wrong. In this life, the one who would be degraded wasn’t me.

The moment the mask was torn off, the entire ballroom fell silent. Camera flashes went off continuously, capturing my panicked expression with perfect clarity. I instinctively tried to cover my face, but Robinson gripped my wrist tightly. His strength was terrifying, as if he wanted to crush my bones. “What’s wrong? Can do it but can’t own up to it?” His low voice carried mockery, echoing through the quiet hall. I looked at his face so close to mine, those eyes churning with anger and disappointment I couldn’t understand. The entire venue erupted in discussion. The guests’ whispers pierced my ears like needles. “Oh my God, that’s not Chloe Franklin, the eldest daughter!” “Who is this? Why does she look exactly like Chloe?” “Twins? No, I remember hearing at the hospital back then that they had one daughter.” “A substitute? Using a substitute at an engagement party? Has the Franklin family lost their minds?” My father Johnson’s face turned iron-blue. He rushed over first, raising his hand to slap me. But his hand stopped mid-swing, halted by Robinson’s sharp gaze. Johnson could only resort to cursing instead. “You wretched girl! Who told you to come out here and embarrass us!” “Apologize to Mr. Wilson right now!” Johnson’s wife Bella rushed over next, squeezing out a few tears as she complained to Robinson. “Mr. Wilson, please don’t misunderstand. It’s all because of Jennifer! She’s jealous of Chloe!” “She’s been twisted since childhood. She must have deliberately come to ruin Chloe’s engagement party!” “We’ll take her away immediately. We won’t let her offend your eyes any longer!” I watched them frantically trying to distance themselves, my heart growing colder bit by bit. Of course it was like this again. Chloe arrived late, her face covered in tears as she looked at me. “Jennifer, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be at the hospital?” In my past life, it was the same. Whenever I finished cleaning up Chloe’s messes, they would immediately hide me away. As if I were a rat in the gutter, something that couldn’t see the light of day. This time, I didn’t want to endure it anymore. Just as I was about to speak, Robinson beat me to it. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to lift my head. His thumb rubbed against my cheek, the motion hardly gentle, even carrying a hint of punishment. “Your face is much easier on the eyes than Chloe’s plastic surgery face.” His words made all three members of the Franklin family turn deathly pale. Chloe bit her lip hard, the jealousy in her eyes practically overflowing. Robinson completely ignored them, releasing my chin and pulling me into his arms instead. His warm chest collided with me, leaving me somewhat dazed. The man’s crisp woody scent enveloped me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and announced to the entire venue. “The engagement is canceled.” Everyone gasped. Johnson’s legs went weak, nearly collapsing to the ground. Robinson paused, then dropped an even bigger bombshell. “From today on, she—Jennifer—is mine.” With that, under the shocked gazes of my parents, Chloe, and all the guests. Robinson tightened his arm and lifted me up horizontally. Not a princess carry—he hoisted me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. My head hung down, my stomach pressed painfully against his shoulder. All I could see were swaying figures and crystal chandeliers. “Robinson! Put me down!” He completely ignored me, striding with long steps through the crowd toward the ballroom exit. Behind us came my parents’ frantic shouting. “Mr. Wilson! Mr. Wilson, please let us explain!” “The marriage alliance was supposed to be with Chloe! You must have made a mistake!” Robinson’s footsteps didn’t pause for even a moment. I was thrown into the back seat of his sports car, the soft leather seat unable to cushion my impact. The car door slammed shut with a bang, cutting off the chaos outside. The next second, the man leaned over me, pinning me beneath him. In the cramped space, all I could smell was his scent. His scorching breath hit my ear, his voice low and hoarse. “Jennifer, did you think you could escape?” “You should have been mine three years ago.”

He pressed me firmly against the seat, his hands pinning my wrists. “The person who saved me three years ago was clearly you. Why did you let Chloe take your place!” My whole body trembled. How did he know about three years ago? That winter, he was being chased and escaped into a back alley. I used money I’d saved from part-time work to buy him medicine and watched over him all night. Later, the Franklin family discovered what happened. They stole the token Robinson left behind and gave it to Chloe, forcing me to swear I would never reveal the truth. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I turned my face away, not daring to meet his eyes. Robinson grabbed my chin and forced me to turn back. His eyes were terrifyingly red. “In the past life, when they put you on that plane, were you still celebrating that you were finally free?” My heartbeat skipped a beat. He was reborn too. “You’re so stupid.” “Did you think they’d let you go after you died?” “They didn’t even bother collecting your body!” Tears fell from my eyes without warning. The despair from before the crash in my past life surged through me again. Robinson released my wrists and sat up straight. “Be my woman. I’ll help you destroy them.” I wiped my tears roughly. “I don’t need anyone’s help.” “Mr. Wilson should mind his own business.” I pushed open the car door and stumbled into the night. I didn’t want to get involved in any wealthy family disputes anymore. I just wanted to escape far away. When I got back to that damp, cramped rental apartment and took out my key, the door was pulled open from inside. Johnson kicked me in the stomach. I flew backward and slammed into the opposite wall, excruciating pain hitting me as if all my internal organs had shifted. Bella walked over in her high heels. She grabbed my hair and dragged me into the room. “Getting bold, aren’t you? Actually daring to seduce Mr. Wilson!” “Do you know how long Chloe has been preparing for this marriage alliance!” Chloe sat on the sofa, leisurely drinking tea. “Mom, don’t hit her face.” “I still need to take her to the gallery tomorrow to meet clients.” “If her face gets messed up, who’s going to drink for me?” I spat out a mouthful of blood. “I won’t be your substitute anymore.” Johnson grabbed the ashtray from the table and smashed it against my forehead. Blood instantly blurred my vision. “You don’t get a choice!” “We still have your mother’s ashes!” “If you dare disobey, I’ll scatter them right now!” I bit my lip hard, tasting blood. This was my family. They not only wanted to suck my blood dry, they wouldn’t even let my biological mother go. The next morning. I was woken by urgent phone ringing. The wound on my forehead still throbbed with pain. It was a colleague from the company calling. “Jennifer, check Twitter now!” “Chloe posted about you and started a cyber-mob!” I opened Twitter. The number one trending topic prominently displayed Chloe’s name. #Genius Painter Chloe Betrayed by Illegitimate Sister# Clicking in revealed an essay over a thousand words long. She portrayed herself as a kind sister who tolerated everything. While I was a vicious illegitimate daughter who had stolen from her since childhood, stolen her boyfriend, and even drugged people at the engagement party trying to climb the social ladder. The accompanying images were surveillance screenshots taken out of context. Plus embarrassing photos of me when Robinson tore off my mask at the party. The comments section had completely fallen. “Illegitimate daughters deserve to die!” “Feel so bad for Chloe. Jennifer’s mother wasn’t any good either! All trash!” “Jennifer get out of Los Angeles!” I stared coldly at the manipulated narrative on the screen. Chloe was as impatient as ever.

I put on a hat and mask to go to the pharmacy to buy gauze. The moment I walked out of the apartment complex gate, an egg smashed into my forehead. Egg liquid mixed with blood flowed into my eyes, stinging sharply. “That’s her! That shameless homewrecker!” Several young girls rushed up. They held rotten vegetable leaves and garbage they’d just pulled from trash cans, frantically throwing them at me. “Die, you bitch!” “How dare you steal Chloe’s fiancé!” I was pushed to the ground, my knees scraping against the pavement and losing a large patch of skin. I was utterly disheveled. More and more onlookers gathered around. No one came forward to help. They all held up their phones, taking photos and videos. I struggled to my feet and pushed through the crowd to move forward. With every step, garbage pelted my back. When I got back to the rental, my whole body reeked. As soon as I took off my filthy clothes, my phone rang. It was Johnson calling. “Enjoying getting beaten?” “This is what happens when you offend Chloe.” His voice dripped with smug superiority. “Record an apology video right now and post it online.” “Admit that you were just jealous of Chloe and that you seduced Robinson.” “Otherwise, I’ll flush your mother’s ashes down the toilet right now!” The hand holding my phone trembled uncontrollably. “Johnson, you wouldn’t dare!” He laughed coldly. “Listen to this.” The sound of a toilet flushing came through the phone. My rationality completely collapsed in that moment. “Don’t touch her!” “I agree! I’ll agree to anything!” I collapsed to my knees on the floor, shouting into the phone. Johnson hung up with satisfaction. I looked at myself in the mirror, covered in filth. The wound on my forehead still seeped blood, my eyes full of bloodshot veins. I picked up my phone and dialed another number. The phone only rang once before it was answered. Robinson’s voice was low and calm. “Made up your mind?” My voice was hoarse beyond recognition. “Help me get my mother’s ashes back.” “Okay.” Half an hour later, Robinson brought over a dozen people and kicked down the door of the Franklin family villa. Johnson and Bella were in the living room drinking champagne in celebration. Seeing Robinson storm in with people, they were so scared their glasses fell to the floor. “Mr. Wilson, what are you doing?” Robinson kicked over the coffee table in front of him. Glass shattered everywhere. “Looking for something.” The people he brought immediately spread out and began ransacking the villa. Chloe ran downstairs screaming to stop them. “What are you doing! This is trespassing!” Robinson walked over and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her entire body up. “Where are the ashes?” Chloe’s face turned red, her hands frantically beating against Robinson’s arm. Johnson was so frightened his legs went weak. He fell to his knees with a thud. “In the basement! In the storage room in the basement!” A few minutes later, a bodyguard came out carrying a dusty urn. Robinson released his grip. Chloe fell to the ground, coughing violently. He took the urn and turned to stride away.

When Robinson placed the urn in my hands. My whole body shook as I clutched that cold box tightly, tears falling heavily onto it. Robinson stood beside me, handing me a tissue. “Now, can we talk about cooperation?” I looked up and met his eyes. “Okay.” “I want them completely ruined and left with nothing.” I was settled by Robinson in a penthouse apartment in the city center. The security here was tight. The Franklin family couldn’t get in at all. I had just showered and changed into clean clothes. The doorbell rang. Robinson was in the study having a video conference. I walked over to answer the door. Outside stood an impeccably maintained middle-aged woman. It was Robinson’s mother, Mrs. Wilson. She looked me up and down, her eyes full of disgust. “You’re that illegitimate daughter from the Franklin family?” She walked into the living room in her high heels. She pulled out a checkbook from her bag, scribbled down a string of numbers, and threw it on the coffee table. “Here’s ten million.” “Take the money and leave Robinson immediately.” “Our family can’t afford this kind of disgrace.” I walked over and picked up the check. Right in front of her, I tore it into pieces. The scraps fluttered down onto the carpet. Mrs. Wilson’s face turned livid with rage. “Don’t be ungrateful!” “You think Robinson will really marry you? He’s just interested in something new!” “Chloe is the daughter-in-law our family has chosen!” I looked at her coldly. “Then you should go discipline your son instead of coming here to yell at me.” Mrs. Wilson raised her hand to hit me. Robinson pushed open the study door and walked out. Seeing this scene, he said coldly, “Mom, what are you doing.” Mrs. Wilson immediately pulled back her hand. Feeling humiliated, she pointed at me and cursed. “You’re throwing away the family’s reputation for her?” “The Franklin family has already told me everything!” “She’s just a bitch who’ll stop at nothing to climb the social ladder!” Robinson walked over and stood in front of me. “When did my affairs become yours to interfere with.” “Show her out.” Mrs. Wilson was escorted out by security. As she left, she looked at me as if she wanted to swallow me alive. The next day Robinson went to the company for meetings. I was alone in the apartment researching information about Chloe’s art exhibition. The door lock suddenly turned. I thought Robinson had returned, but it was Mrs. Wilson and Chloe who walked in. Chloe wore a smug smile on her face. In her hand was the apartment’s spare key. “Jennifer, aren’t you scared living in such a big place all alone?”

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Our daughter was only four when a car crash stole her from us. On the day of the hearing, I watched in horror as my husband, Nathaniel, a star attorney at one of the country’s top law firms, stood on the other side of the aisle. He was defending her killer. I sank to my knees and begged him to fight for our daughter, to get justice for Kitty. He looked down at me, his eyes cold. “She’s gone, Brooke. She’s not coming back. Can’t you just let the living move on?” I tried to believe he was just being principled, a slave to his profession. That was until I saw him with my own eyes, holding the woman who killed our child, whispering tenderly, “Isabelle… let’s have another baby.” … Just yesterday, she was a whirlwind of giggles and bouncing curls. Now, my daughter lay still on a gurney in the emergency room, a forest of tubes and wires obscuring her tiny body. My mother was weeping beside me, but my own hands, clutching my phone, were shaking too violently for tears. The call went straight to voicemail, over and over again. Kitty’s lips moved, her voice a faint, muffled whisper. “Mommy…” I choked back a sob, forcing my voice to be steady. “It’s okay, sweetie. Just hold on. The doctors are going to fix you all up, and then you’ll see Mommy again.” But her eyes, shimmering with unshed tears, slowly drifted shut, and the only reply from the other end of the line was the same cold, automated voice. “The person you are calling is unavailable. Please try again later.” Two hours later, a doctor emerged from the operating room. I launched myself at him, grabbing his shoulders, my world tilting on its axis. “Doctor, how is she? How is my daughter?” He didn’t resist, his face etched with a weary familiarity for scenes like this. He took a deep breath, his voice laced with a gentle sorrow as he uttered the words that shattered my universe. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Crane. We did everything we could.” The world spun. Images of Kitty flashed through my mind—her first steps, her toothy grin, the sound of her laughter echoing in our home. I couldn’t accept it. The vibrant, living girl from this morning was now just… a body on a cold, steel table. A dizzying roar filled my ears. Through the fog, I heard my mother’s anguished cry. “Oh, Brooke, it’s my fault! I wasn’t watching her closely enough! You have to find the driver, Brooke! You have to make them pay for what they did to my grandbaby!” A crisp, white sheet was pulled over my daughter’s face. I followed the stoic-faced medical staff as they wheeled the gurney down the long, sterile hallway toward the morgue. I was numb, a hollowed-out shell moving on autopilot, my heart a raw, bleeding wound. The silence was broken only by the squeaking wheels of the gurney, until the shrill ring of my phone cut through the quiet. It was Nathaniel. Finally. “I told you not to call me when I’m working,” he said, his voice clipped and annoyed. “I had Kitty’s birthday present sent over yesterday. I’m busy, Brooke. Stop bothering me with trivial things. And I won’t be home tonight; something’s come up.” He hung up before I could even speak. He didn’t even ask why I’d been calling him so frantically. My heart turned to stone. I opened his social media profile. Eight minutes ago, he had posted a new picture. It was taken in a sleek, private lounge. A woman in a tight, white dress was nestled against his shoulder, her head resting on him possessively. A dark mark, a hickey, was starkly visible on his neck. The caption was a single word: Finally. I knew that woman. It was Isabelle, his stepsister, his high school sweetheart, the untouchable, idealized “one that got away.” For her, Nathaniel had missed the last moments of his own daughter’s life. After making the final, horrible arrangements for Kitty, I stormed out of the hospital. The location tag on his post led me straight to them. I found them in a dimly lit corner of the bar, lost in each other. They were so engrossed that they didn’t notice me until I was standing right behind them, my shadow falling over their table. “Brooke? What the hell are you doing here?” Nathaniel’s face twisted in anger. His hand flew up, striking my cheek—a familiar, stinging motion. The pain was sharp, but for the first time, my voice was hard as steel. “Do you know what your daughter’s dying wish was? It was to see you one last time. And where were you? In here, satisfying your own selfish urges.” I expected shock, grief, maybe even guilt. But what I saw on his face was… panic. “Dead?” Isabelle blurted out, her eyes wide. “No, that’s impossible. I had someone check on her; she was only supposed to be injured.” She realized what she’d said and tried to shrink away, but it was too late. “What do you know about this?” I demanded, my intuition screaming. I lunged toward her, but Nathaniel stepped between us. “Brooke, we’re in the middle of something important. We can talk about this later.” “You knew,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “You knew something, didn’t you? Nathaniel, she was your daughter!” SLAP! His hand connected with my other cheek. “Brooke, for God’s sake, pull yourself together!” He grabbed Isabelle’s arm and dragged her away, leaving me standing there, stunned and broken. Pull myself together? My daughter was dead, and he was with her killer, telling me to be calm? He couldn’t even be bothered to say goodbye to his own child, and now he wouldn’t even help me get justice. The wait for the trial felt like an eternity. I had to have Kitty cremated first. Swallowing my grief, I clung to one last, desperate hope and called Nathaniel, praying he would at least come to see his daughter one final time. Before I could even speak, his angry voice cut through the line. “How many times do I have to tell you? I’m busy during the day. My clients have life-or-death matters, and you keep distracting me!” “And what about your daughter’s life? Isn’t that a life-or-death matter? Kitty is being…” My words were cut off by a familiar female voice in the background. “Zoe, come back here. Don’t bother your daddy while he’s on the phone.” Zoe. Isabelle’s daughter. In a twisted way, I had her to thank. If Zoe hadn’t been born, Isabelle wouldn’t have been forced to go abroad and get married, and Nathaniel would never have settled for me, the girl who had worshiped him for years. “That’s enough!” Nathaniel snapped, his attention completely diverted. The line was still open as I heard him rush away from the phone. “Zoe, sweetie, don’t run off. How about Daddy takes you to the amusement park this afternoon, huh?” “Listen to your daddy,” I heard Isabelle coo. Daddy? What a joke. Your real daughter is dead, Nathaniel. She’s about to be turned to ash in a cold, lonely crematorium, and you’re here playing happy families with someone else’s child. I could almost picture the scene—the doting father I had always dreamed he would be for our Kitty. How had he treated our daughter? When Kitty was just learning to walk, he’d make her fetch his drinks. If she spilled a drop, he would scream at her, sometimes even hit her. He never once showed her an ounce of tenderness, never took her to the park. Maybe her death was a relief to him. Ten minutes before the trial began, my lawyer informed me that the defendant wanted to settle. I refused instantly. This was my child, a human life. There would be no settlement. As everyone took their seats, my heart pounded with anticipation. Today, the person who killed my daughter would finally face justice. And then I saw him. My husband, Nathaniel, walked calmly across the courtroom and took his place at the defense attorney’s table. A moment later, Isabelle strode in, dressed like a supermodel on a runway, a relaxed, almost bored expression on her face. When she saw me, a contemptuous smirk touched her lips. I shot to my feet, my chair clattering loudly behind me. In that instant, every last shred of my composure vanished. I flew at her like a wild animal, ignoring the shouts and restraining hands, tearing at her expensive clothes, my fists flying. I was going to rip that smug, fake mask off her face. “Brooke, get a hold of yourself!” Nathaniel threw himself in front of me, shielding Isabelle from my rage. “Are you insane?” I shrieked, my voice raw. “She killed your daughter! She’s the murderer, and you’re defending her?” The realization hit me like a physical blow. He had known Kitty was dead from the very beginning. He knew everything. And he was still here, using all his skill and intellect to protect her killer. My heart felt like it was being carved out of my chest with a dull knife. “If I don’t take this case, someone else will,” he said, his voice maddeningly calm. “I have to make a living, Brooke. I have to support myself.” He looked me straight in the eye. “I’m sad that Kitty is gone, but people die. They don’t come back to life. Why can’t you just let this go?” I stared at him, speechless. How could he stand there, in front of the woman who killed our child, and spout such twisted, self-serving logic? I tore myself from his grasp and slapped him across the face, just as he had done to me so many times. His eyes widened in disbelief. “Brooke… you hit me?” The courtroom descended into chaos, and the judge was forced to call a recess. “Can we talk?” Isabelle approached me, a sly, mocking smile on her face. “There’s nothing to talk about,” I snarled, my hands clenched into fists. “You can’t possibly think I would ever agree to a settlement.” She laughed, a light, carefree sound. “A settlement? Oh, honey. I don’t think I’ll be needing your signature for that.”

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My name is Sienna. This was supposed to be my sixth year with Sebastian. That day, I accidentally overheard a conversation between him and his secretary. The secretary asked if the little girl was still throwing a tantrum. Sebastian let out a scoff and said that no matter how fiery she was, she couldn’t hold a candle to the way Sienna used to be. The secretary quickly agreed, laughing about how no one could have predicted that the wild, untamable Miss Sienna from back then would turn into someone so incredibly obedient, never daring to step a toe out of line. But Sebastian just frowned. He said Sienna was docile now, yes, but she had also become painfully boring. I stood frozen outside the door, feeling like a lifeless statue carved out of clay. So that was it. I was the girl he was talking about. The one who used to be fiercely stubborn, but had now become so blindly obedient that I was completely unrecognizable. 1 Through the half-open door, the rise and fall of their conversation drifted out into the hallway. I had just raised my hand to push the door open when I suddenly heard my own name. “I think she’s just taking advantage of the fact that I spoil her.” “Fiery?” Sebastian sneered. “Even on her worst day, she doesn’t have half the fire Sienna had back then.” The men inside chuckled, eager to please him. “Miss Lily is young, after all. She won’t even turn nineteen until after the holidays. It’s totally normal for her to be a bit childish and throw tantrums.” “Sienna was exactly that age back then.” Sebastian seemed to get caught up in the memory, falling silent for a brief moment. “You all saw it. You know exactly how wild and fierce she was.” “But look at her now. She’s so well-behaved she wouldn’t dare breathe in the wrong direction.” The sycophantic laughter started up again. “You’re absolutely right, sir. Back then, none of us could have ever imagined Miss Sienna becoming so incredibly tame.” Someone else chimed in. “I remember it perfectly. She had a lethal temper. If I hadn’t ducked fast enough that one night, that heavy glass ashtray would have split my skull wide open.” Sebastian laughed along. “Now that she’s older, she’s gotten soft and utterly dull.” “Looking at Lily… I actually see a faint shadow of how Sienna used to be.” As he spoke, he suddenly turned to his secretary. “Go book a flight.” “For tonight. I’m flying back to New York.” “Are you flying back personally just to coax her?” The secretary sounded genuinely surprised. Sebastian didn’t deny it. “The patriarch isn’t feeling well. I need to go check on him. Dropping by to see Lily is just on the way.” “There are no more commercial flights tonight. The earliest private slot is at 3 AM. Would you like to reschedule…” “Book the 3 AM slot.” Sebastian cut him off without hesitation. 2 I slowly lowered my hand. Inside the room, the conversation carried on, but they had already moved on to other, meaningless topics. I didn’t push the door open. I just stood there, entirely rigid. Like a wooden carving. It wasn’t until the harsh, overly bright hallway lights began to make my eyes sting that I finally blinked, turned around, and slowly walked toward the elevator. The Sienna that Sebastian was talking about was me. The girl whose personality used to be incredibly stubborn and unyielding. The girl who had rejected his massive, extravagant romantic pursuits over a dozen times. The Sienna who used to dramatically quote cheesy proverbs about how wealth could never corrupt her and power could never bend her. And now, I had morphed into a girl so submissive that I didn’t even recognize my own reflection. As I stepped into the elevator, my phone buzzed. It was Sebastian. “Why aren’t you here yet?” “Something came up. I’m not going to make it.” “Alright. We’re wrapping up here anyway. I’ll be home soon.” Sebastian’s voice was as warm and gentle as always. “Be a good girl and wait for me at home, Sienna.” But he didn’t come home soon. I took a shower. My mind was wide awake, so I just sat on the living room rug, staring blankly into space. It wasn’t until the early hours of the morning that the rain began to pour. The front door clicked open, and Sebastian strode in, bringing the freezing, damp scent of the rain with him. “You’re not asleep?” He seemed slightly taken aback. A fleeting second of guilt seemed to flash through his eyes. But it was only a second. He walked over, leaned down, and brushed his thumb against my cheek. Then he pressed a kiss to my temple. “I have to fly back to New York.” “Grandpa is sick. I’m really worried about him.” He spoke quickly, his voice low and a bit hoarse. His brows were pulled tightly together, and a heavy shadow of concern covered his face. If this had been any other day, my heart would have ached for him. But right now, looking at his face, studying every microscopic shift in his expression, I just felt a sickening urge to laugh. Was flying back to coax Lily really just a coincidence? Or was checking on his sick grandfather the actual coincidence? I doubt Sebastian even knew the answer to that himself. But it was glaringly obvious that his performance right now was so good he was even fooling himself. 4 “Sebastian, it’s raining outside.” I pointed toward the dark windows. A sudden, violent crack of thunder ripped the pitch-black sky wide open. It was a thunderstorm. My absolute biggest phobia. It was also the exact same weather we had six years ago, on the night we finally got together. “I’m scared.” I reached out and tugged the hem of his jacket, my pale lips pressed into a tight line. I looked up at him. I looked deep into his eyes. I saw the tiny reflection of myself in his pupils. Seeing the fragile, desperate hope written all over my own face made me want to cry. Six years of deep, consuming love couldn’t just be erased overnight. I kept telling myself that. If he didn’t leave… if he just agreed to stay with me… “Sienna, I absolutely have to go back.” Sebastian gently but firmly pried my fingers off his jacket. His tone was so resolute it bordered on freezing. “You have always been so understanding. What is wrong with you tonight?” Saying that, he turned around, shrugging off his damp coat as he walked toward the walk-in closet. “Come here. Help me pack.” “I’ll be gone for at least a week.” “But don’t worry, I won’t miss your birthday.” “And I definitely won’t miss our anniversary.” He stopped and looked back at me over his shoulder. His dark hair was slightly damp from the rain, clinging softly to his forehead. It made his deep, dark eyes look incredibly warm and affectionate. He didn’t look like the arrogant, untouchable elite he usually was. I stood up and offered him a small smile. I walked right past him and headed into the closet. I pulled out a massive, oversized hardshell suitcase. Sebastian chuckled. “Why do I need a bag that big? I’ll be back in a few days.” I thought about it for a second. He was right. But you couldn’t exactly wear recycled outfits to go see a brand-new girl. A girl with a temper that fiery definitely wouldn’t swallow that kind of disrespect. I packed a few essentials. Throughout the process, Sebastian kept checking his luxury watch, his eyes brimming with blatant impatience. My heart felt like a massive boulder, slowly sinking into the dark depths of the ocean. There were no violent waves or dramatic crashes. Just a few silent bubbles rising to the surface as it disappeared. I finally realized that letting go of six years of love only took the space of a single heartbeat. 5 Sebastian left. The heavy rain finally stopped. A faint, pale glow appeared on the horizon. The weather forecast said today was going to be a beautiful, sunny day. I started packing my own belongings. The things I absolutely needed went into my largest suitcase. Everything else went into cardboard boxes. I called a moving company to come and junk it all. Right before I walked out the door, I took off the ring that had sat on my left hand for six straight years. Sebastian had personally slid it onto my finger. He had promised me it was a priceless heirloom, passed down only to the wives of the Prescott family. But the Prescott family despised my ordinary, working-class background. They flat-out refused to accept me. They certainly never would have handed over a family heirloom to a nobody like me. I knew the truth. I knew it was just an expensive replica he had custom-made to keep me happy. And back then, because I was so desperately in love with him, I was perfectly willing to let him trick me. The ring was valuable, yes, but a fake was still a fake. I opened the front door and dragged my heavy suitcase out into the hall. I didn’t look back a single time. Just like I didn’t look back the day I decided to walk toward him. I gambled my heart, and I lost. I could accept that. 6 On his third day back in New York. The patriarch was perfectly fine and had already been discharged from the hospital. Lily had been successfully coaxed back into a sweet, obedient angel. His elite circles were throwing welcome-back parties for him every single night. Sebastian’s schedule was packed to the absolute brim. It wasn’t until a rare, quiet moment of downtime that someone casually mentioned Sienna’s name, snapping him back to reality. It had been exactly three days. He hadn’t received a single phone call from Sienna. There wasn’t a single text message waiting for him on his phone. His brow furrowed. He remembered that the night he left, the sky was tearing itself apart with a thunderstorm. Sienna was terrified of thunderstorms. Her father had died in a brutal hit-and-run on a night exactly like that. It was a trauma she could never outrun. A sudden wave of regret, mixed with a sharp sting of guilt, hit his chest. Why hadn’t he just waited until morning to fly out? It would have only been a few hours. Lily’s sweet, bubbling laughter echoed across the room. His wealthy friends were teasing her, treating her like an adorable little pet. Sebastian suddenly remembered what it was like when he was chasing Sienna. He had finally managed to convince her to come out for a drink. But because these exact same arrogant trust-fund kids had disrespected her and her roommate, Sienna completely lost her mind. She literally flipped the table right in front of them. She used her razor-sharp tongue to curse those spoiled brats into the dirt. And because he was standing right behind her, actively clapping and cheering her on, his friends were furious but completely powerless. They had been forced to swallow their pride and apologize to her face. Thinking back on it now, the memory was both hilarious and ridiculous. Over the last few years, the passion between him and Sienna had slowly faded. He frequently used checking on his grandfather as an excuse to linger in New York and fool around. But those girls came and went. They bored him entirely too quickly. Until he met Lily. But looking at her now, why did he ever think Lily was anything like Sienna? Sienna would never sit there like a good girl and let a bunch of men treat her like a joke. Sienna wouldn’t just blush and look down when they made dirty comments. When Sienna got angry, her eyes burned like actual fire. She would put her hands on her hips, tilt her chin up defiantly, and say something incredibly naive but entirely fearless: “You think having a little money makes you a god? I don’t give a damn about your wealth.” Sebastian couldn’t help but laugh out loud. He pulled out his phone, deciding to finally call her. But the call couldn’t connect. He lit a cigarette and stood on the high-rise balcony for ten minutes. Then, he called one of his subordinates upstate. Half an hour later, the man called back. His voice was trembling with absolute terror. “Miss Sienna moved out.” “She hired a moving company to haul everything away.” “The only thing left is a ring sitting on the coffee table.” Sebastian’s grip on his phone tightened so hard his knuckles turned white. “Did she leave a message?” “No, sir. I searched the entire apartment.” “She didn’t leave a single word behind.” Sebastian let out a dark, furious laugh. He realized that the exact insult he threw at Lily applied perfectly to Sienna. She was just taking advantage of the fact that he spoiled her. For the last few years, he had completely abandoned the luxury of New York high society just to live with her in that boring, quiet little town. His parents and elders refused to accept her, and he had fought them brutally for it. During their first few years together, he even skipped his family’s elite holiday galas just to spend New Year’s Eve with her. Who the hell was he? He was Sebastian Prescott. Since when did he ever lower his head and sacrifice his own comfort for anyone else? On the other end of the line, the subordinate didn’t even dare to breathe. It took a long time before Sebastian finally spoke, his voice dripping with ice. “Change the locks.” This was his territory. Walking out was easy, but if she thought she could ever waltz back in, she was out of her mind. 7 The seventh day. This was the day he was originally supposed to fly back. But Sebastian didn’t pack his bags. Sienna’s birthday was in five days. And exactly five days after that was their anniversary. Compared to her birthday, Sienna had always cared way more about the anniversary. Sebastian figured that, at the absolute latest, she would crack by that day and come crawling back. The twelfth day. Sebastian spent the entire day feeling inexplicably restless and on edge. A reminder popped up on his calendar. Sienna’s birthday. It felt like a physical needle in his eye. He opened the app and deleted it entirely. His friends had set up a massive party. After the first club, they immediately moved to a second lounge. He brought Lily along. The girl had completely shed all her defensive thorns. She sat glued to his side, looking as obedient as a porcelain doll. They were deep into the liquor when someone suddenly brought up Sienna’s name. “Seb, are you and that Sienna girl officially done for good?” Normally, even when he came back to New York, he never stayed longer than a week. No matter how gorgeous the girls were, his core focus always remained tied to Sienna. But this time, the vibe was completely different. Everyone was betting that Sienna was officially ancient history. Sebastian didn’t even lift his eyes. He held his whiskey glass in one hand, twisting a strand of Lily’s hair around the fingers of his other hand. “We’ve been done for a while.” “Hell yes!” Carter shot up from his leather booth, practically rubbing his hands together in excitement. “I’ve been waiting for this day until I was blue in the face!” “She used to walk all over us just because you backed her up. She was practically stepping on my neck.” “Now that you’ve dumped her, I want to see exactly how cocky she can be. If I ever run into her again, I swear to God I will destroy her!” A lot of the guys in the room had suffered under Sienna’s absolute refusal to tolerate their garbage. Instantly, the room erupted into passionate agreement. Lily looked around the room with wide, innocent eyes. “Who is Sienna? Is she really mean? You guys seem to hate her.” “She is the absolute worst! A total nightmare!” “Little girl, whatever you do, do not act like her. Girls like that always meet a miserable end, got it?” Lily turned back to Sebastian, pressing her soft body against his chest. “I’m the best-behaved girl in the world now, aren’t I, Sebastian?” Sebastian looked down. He clearly saw the calculated, desperate fawning hiding in her eyes. Even though she was trying her hardest to hide it, he saw right through it. He had seen that exact same pathetic, groveling look from people his entire life. He was utterly disgusted by it. He had just raised his hand to push her away when the heavy VIP doors were suddenly shoved open. “Holy shit, guess who I just saw downstairs?!” “Who? Why are you screaming?” “It’s Sienna! Sienna just walked past the bar! With that exact same arrogant attitude, I would recognize her if she turned to ash!” “What the hell is she doing here?” “Seb, is she stalking you? Is she here to beg for you back?” “I told you guys she wouldn’t just quietly walk away. She was definitely waiting for tonight to pull some massive stunt!” “Seb, if she comes crying to you, you aren’t going to get soft, are you?” The arrogant bravado of the rich kids instantly dropped a few notches. After all, every single one of them had seen exactly how obsessively Sebastian used to protect her. And none of them could genuinely predict what Sebastian was actually thinking right now. Sebastian’s hand, which had been meant to push Lily away, suddenly dropped to her cheek. He lightly pinched Lily’s soft skin, lazily lifting his gaze. His eyes locked onto the half-open door of the VIP room. He could faintly make out a slender shadow standing just outside in the hall. It had to be Sienna. He had honestly thought her pride would hold out a little longer. He assumed she would at least wait another five days. He didn’t expect her to lose her patience this quickly. Sebastian suddenly felt the heavy, suffocating dark cloud that had ruined his entire day completely evaporate. He leaned back lazily against the leather cushions. He purposely raised his voice, letting his tone drag with absolute arrogance. “No. I like good, obedient girls like Lily now.” “Whoever wants to deal with a wild thorn like that can have her.” The shadow cast on the hallway floor gave a violent, sudden tremble. The corner of Sebastian’s mouth curled up into a smirk. He was willing to bet money that Sienna wouldn’t last three seconds before she charged into the room. After all, with a temper as explosive as hers, how could she possibly swallow an insult like that?

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The meeting was in full swing when Nicholas’s new executive assistant decided to make her move. She snatched the iced latte from the conference table and, with a swift, vicious motion, flung its contents squarely in my face. The sticky cold shocked my skin. “You think a useless leech like you, who hides in her office playing games all day, has any right to question my proposal?” Her voice was a shrill, grating sound that cut through the silence. Then, she pointed a perfectly manicured finger toward the door. “You’re fired,” she snarled. “Get the hell out. Now.” I rose slowly from my chair, dabbing at the sticky brown mess on my face with a napkin. My eyes found Nicholas. He deliberately avoided my gaze, a frown creasing his brow, but he said nothing. His silence was his answer. He was letting this happen. A small, humorless smile touched my lips. I pulled out my phone and tapped the speaker icon. “Dad,” I said, my voice calm. “I assume you heard all of that?” A pause. “Yeah, someone just told me to pack my bags and get out.” 1 It had started on Monday, as most terrible weeks do. I was deep in a raid, my focus entirely on the screen, when a sharp rap sounded on my office door. “Ms. Ashford? Suzanne asked me to inform all department heads that there’s a mandatory meeting in ten minutes in the main conference room.” It was Maria from Admin, looking flustered. I didn’t look up, my fingers a blur across the keyboard. “Not going. I’m busy.” In the six months I’d been an employee here, I’d made a point of skipping every single meeting. It wasn’t that I couldn’t go; I simply didn’t want to. “But…” Maria hesitated. “Suzanne was very specific. She said no one is excused. It’s an order from Mr. Blackwood himself.” My fingers faltered. On the screen, my character was instantly annihilated by the final boss. As the screen faded to a dismal gray, I cursed under my breath and snapped the laptop shut. The conference room was already packed when I arrived. As soon as I walked in, conversations died down, replaced by a wave of whispers and curious stares. “What’s Olivia Ashford doing here?” “I thought she didn’t do meetings.” “Who knows. Must be Suzanne’s doing. She’s been gunning for her since day one.” “This should be good.” I ignored the gossip, found a seat in the farthest corner, and pulled out my phone to respawn in my game. A full thirty minutes passed before Nicholas Blackwood and Suzanne finally graced us with their presence. Suzanne clutched a stack of files, a triumphant, self-satisfied smirk plastered on her face. “Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to be here,” Nicholas began, his gaze sweeping the room. It flickered over me for less than a second before moving on. “Suzanne has a major new proposal to announce.” Suzanne cleared her throat and launched into a long-winded speech about her “revolutionary” new marketing strategy. I continued playing my game, half-listening, and the more I heard, the more ridiculous it sounded. The budget was astronomical, and the entire concept was completely misaligned with our company’s market position. “…and so, I propose we immediately invest eighty million dollars to dominate the luxury market within the next three months!” Suzanne concluded, her voice ringing with passion. A few scattered, obligatory claps echoed in the room. I couldn’t help myself. Without looking up from my phone, I said, “For eighty million, you could just throw cash off the roof of this building. You’d get more buzz and better press for your money.” The room went dead silent. Nicholas’s brow furrowed. “What did you just say?” Suzanne’s voice shot up an octave. I finally lifted my head, my expression bored. “I said your proposal is a train wreck.” I ticked off the points on my fingers. “First, your target demographic is wrong. Second, your chosen media channels are ineffective. Third, your entire ROI calculation is a fantasy.” I leaned back in my chair. “That eighty million might as well be flushed down the toilet. At least then it would make a sound.” Suzanne’s face turned a shade of crimson I didn’t think was humanly possible. She grabbed her drink, stormed across the room, and stood looming over me. “You—a lazy, good-for-nothing freeloader who does nothing but play video games—you dare question my work?” she shrieked. And then… splash. The icy, sweet liquid drenched my face, dripping down my neck and soaking the front of my white dress, staining it a sickening brown. The room held its breath, a collective, silent gasp. “Olivia Ashford,” Suzanne bellowed, her chest heaving, “as the CEO’s executive assistant, I’m telling you you’re fired! Get out!” 2 Suzanne glared down at me, a queen banishing a peasant. I stood up slowly, pulling a handkerchief from my pocket and methodically wiping the sticky residue from my skin. Then I looked at Nicholas. He frowned, shifted his weight, and looked away. He chose silence. I actually laughed. A real, genuine laugh. I held up my phone, the call still active on speaker. “Dad, you get all that?” I asked into the receiver. “Someone’s telling me to get lost.” After two seconds of silence, a deep, powerful voice came through the line. “Understood. I’ll make the arrangements.” The only reason I was working here in the first place was because of an old family pact, a betrothal arranged by my grandfather when I was a child. Nicholas Blackwood was my fiancé. I hated the idea of an arranged marriage, but my father had pleaded, pulling out every trick in the book, including the classic “you’re breaking your old man’s heart” routine. So, I’d caved. To “foster our relationship,” my father had insisted I take a position at Blackwood Corporation. For six months, I’d played the part of a slacker, spending my days gaming. But behind the scenes, I was secretly pulling strings, leveraging my family’s resources to quietly steer the company toward unprecedented success. Blackwood Corp’s profits had soared, culminating in a wildly successful IPO that had landed Nicholas a spot on the Northwood City Rich List. Despite my help, our interactions were minimal. During our handful of awkward, stilted dates, I’d realized he knew I was the girl from the family arrangement, but he had absolutely no idea who my family really was. … I sank back into my corner seat, picked up my phone, and resumed the game that had been so rudely interrupted. On the screen, my character respawned, and my fingers flew across the glass, the chaos in the room fading into the background. Suzanne’s face went from red to a blotchy purple. She clearly hadn’t expected me to so thoroughly ignore her. She slammed her hand on the table. “Olivia Ashford! What do you think this is?” she screeched. “Everyone here is working, and you’re playing games?” “I’ve already hit my sales targets for the entire year,” I retorted with a cold smile. “What’s wrong with a little game?” “If you don’t get out, I’m calling security!” “Be my guest,” I said without looking up. The other executives exchanged uneasy glances. Some buried their noses in their files, while others shot nervous looks at Nicholas, waiting for him to act. Finally, Nicholas stood. He was wearing a perfectly tailored black suit, his expression a mask of cold authority. His eyes, when they met mine, were filled with impatience and disdain. “Olivia, your performance has been satisfactory,” he began, his voice quiet but laced with an undeniable command. “But this is a company, not your living room. I need you to leave this meeting now. Do not disrupt it any further.” My fingers paused. My character died again. I looked up, meeting his cold gaze, and let a playful smile curve my lips. “Are you absolutely sure you want to kick me out, Nicholas?” His frown deepened, his voice turning to ice. “I won’t repeat myself. If you have any professional integrity, you’ll know when to stop.” “And if I don’t want to go?” “Then don’t blame me for what happens next.” Seeing Nicholas firmly on her side, Suzanne’s courage surged. She lunged forward and slapped the phone out of my hand. CRACK! It hit the marble floor, the screen instantly spider-webbing with fractures. “Don’t push your luck, Olivia!” she spat, grabbing the collar of my dress and yanking me forward. “The CEO gave you an order! What are you still doing here? Get out!” From the day she was hired, Suzanne had made it her personal mission to make my life difficult. I once overheard her in Nicholas’s office, her voice just loud enough to carry into the hallway. “Mr. Blackwood, this company isn’t a charity. It’s not fair to the other employees that we pay a fortune to someone who just plays games all day.” Nicholas hadn’t responded, but through the glass, I saw his hands pause over a document. After that, Suzanne grew bolder. She’d make passive-aggressive comments in department meetings about my “achievements.” “Some people draw a huge salary but can’t even be bothered to show up for a meeting. I guess some of us are here to work, and others are here on vacation.” Soon, the rumors spread like wildfire. I was a spoiled rich girl who’d gotten the job through connections. I slept in my office all day. There was even a betting pool on when I’d finally be fired. I knew about all of it. I just didn’t care. 3 But my indifference only seemed to fuel her aggression. Now, seeing her chance, her arrogance was off the charts. I was done being patient. I caught her wrist in a tight grip and twisted. Hard. “Ah!” Suzanne cried out in pain, her hand flying open. As she stumbled back, her arm slammed against the edge of the conference table. The sound of crystal hitting solid wood was sickeningly sharp. She staggered, looked down at her wrist, and her face went completely white. A prominent scratch now marred the crystal face of her absurdly expensive Patek Philippe watch, glinting under the overhead lights. “You… you…” she stammered, her hand trembling as she held up her wrist, her eyes blazing with fury. “Olivia, do you have any idea how much this watch costs? It was a birthday present from Nicholas! It’s worth a hundred thousand dollars!” I calmly smoothed the wrinkled collar of my dress. “You were the one who lost your balance. Who’s to blame for that?” “Olivia Ashford!” Nicholas’s voice finally boomed through the room, sharp and furious. “That’s enough! You disrupted a meeting, and now you’ve deliberately damaged personal property. As CEO of this company, I am officially terminating your employment. Pack your things and leave. Immediately.” Suzanne, emboldened, shrieked, “Nicholas, don’t let her off that easy! She has to pay for the watch!” The room was silent. Every eye was on me, a mix of pity and malicious glee on their faces, all of them waiting for the show to begin. “Fine,” I said. “I’ll pay.” I bent down to retrieve my shattered phone. The screen was a disaster, but it still worked. “A hundred thousand, was it?” I was about to dial when Suzanne sneered, “What hundred thousand? I meant a million!” I paused and looked at her. “Are you sure?” “Of course, I’m sure!” she said, her chin held high. “A gift from Nicholas is priceless! A million dollars is a bargain!” She looked around the room for support. “Am I right, everyone?” She was cornering me. She knew my official salary; there was no way I could afford that. This was about humiliation. The other executives, eager to curry favor, chimed in. “She’s right. A gift from the CEO can’t be measured in money,” the CFO said, pushing up his glasses. “You should just pay it, Ms. Ashford.” “This company isn’t a charity. You break it, you buy it,” the head of marketing added with a smirk. “Though at your salary, Ms. Ashford, you’ll probably be paying it off until you retire.” A ripple of cruel laughter went through the room. They had always resented me, and now they were savoring my downfall. Nicholas stood by, his brow furrowed, but he did nothing to stop them. Their taunts didn’t bother me. I looked straight at Suzanne. “One million dollars. Final offer?” Suzanne blinked, then let out a derisive snort. “Olivia, who are you trying to fool? How much do you make in a month? You couldn’t pay that if you sold a kidney.” I ignored her and put the phone to my ear. “I need one million dollars in cash delivered to the Blackwood Corporation conference room. As fast as possible.” Suzanne rolled her eyes. “Please. Who do you think you’re fooling with a fake phone call?” I didn’t answer. I just waited. Less than ten minutes later, the conference room doors swung open. A man in an impeccably tailored suit walked in, followed by three uniformed bank couriers, each carrying a heavy-duty briefcase. The man walked directly to me and bowed respectfully. “Miss Ashford,” he said. “Here is the one million dollars you requested.” I nodded. “Thank you for your trouble. You can leave it there.” One by one, the couriers opened the cases. Stacks of crisp, hundred-dollar bills gleamed under the lights, a breathtaking sight. A stunned silence fell over the room. Every gaze was fixed on the money, the air so thick you could cut it with a knife. Even breathing seemed to have stopped. Suzanne’s face was a mask of disbelief, her jaw slack. She stared at the cash, then at the man in the suit. Suddenly, the CFO gasped, his face draining of all color. “Mr… Mr. Kensington?!” 4 It was James Kensington, president of the largest national bank in the country. A man so powerful that even Nicholas’s grandfather couldn’t get a meeting with him on short notice. And here he was, bowing to me, calling me “Miss Ashford.” Nicholas, after a moment of stunned silence, hurried forward, his hand outstretched. “Mr. Kensington! What an honor. My grandfather speaks of you often, he’s been hoping to see you again.” Kensington didn’t even grant him a full look, offering only a curt nod in his direction. His attention was solely on me. “Miss Ashford, if there is anything else you require, you need only ask.” With that, he turned and led his men out of the room, as briskly as they had arrived. Nicholas’s hand was left hanging in mid-air. His face flushed a deep, humiliating red. Suzanne’s bravado had completely evaporated. Her legs were trembling so badly she could barely stand, and beads of sweat dotted her forehead. I casually reached into one of the cases, pulled out a thick stack of bills, and lightly patted her cheek with it. “One million dollars, Suzanne. Not a penny less,” I said coolly. “Now, that watch is mine.” Before she could react, I snatched the Patek Philippe from her wrist and, in front of everyone, dropped it into the nearby trash can. “You!” she gasped, her eyes wide with fury. I turned to Nicholas, a placid smile on my face. “Mr. Blackwood, the watch is paid for. Now, I believe we need to discuss compensation for my phone.” Suzanne, after a moment of shock, burst out laughing, a hysterical, mocking sound. “Compensation?” she jeered, crossing her arms. “It’s a damn phone! How much could it possibly be worth?” I held up one finger. “You’re right, it’s not worth much,” I said. “Only about a hundred million dollars.” The room erupted. First with shocked silence, then with riotous laughter. The Head of Marketing slapped the table. “A hundred million? Olivia, did that iced latte scramble your brain?” The CFO pushed his glasses up his nose, adding with mock seriousness, “Company policy states that damaged items are compensated at market value. I’m afraid your phone’s market value wouldn’t even be a rounding error, Ms. Ashford.” Seeing the room on her side again, Suzanne’s confidence returned. She stepped toward me, a vicious smirk on her face. “Tell you what, I’ll be generous and call a psychiatrist for you. Delusions of grandeur are a serious illness, you know. They need to be treated.”

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