Category: English

I found myself in a novel as the malicious supporting character. But I haven’t done anything wrong. I’ve even become friends with the heroine and married the gentle second lead. I always thought I was happy until I stumbled upon my husband’s diary. It turns out he was reborn. All these years of kindness were just to prevent me from harming the heroine… Holding the pregnancy test result and touching the tiny life inside me, I felt an unprecedented sense of security. I’ve been living in this world for 13 years, and at this moment, it feels like I’ve finally found a complete sense of belonging and attachment. I transmigrated into this novel world after my death, becoming the malicious supporting character with the same name as mine. But I thought I was lucky. I arrived before the story unfolded, so I hadn’t done anything to wrong the main characters. In fact, because of the female lead’s cheerful personality, we became best friends who could talk about anything. I turned into a guardian of love, encouraging her to pursue her romantic interests actively, watching her fall in love with the male lead, and sending her off as a bridesmaid when she married the man she loved. The female lead is the second person I want to share my good news with; as for the first, it’s obviously my husband. My husband, Declan, was originally the gentle second male lead in the novel, always silently protecting the female lead. Perhaps due to the butterfly effect of my changes, he no longer follows the female lead but focuses all his attention and affection on me. Walking together for 13 years, I truly felt loved, so I married for love without hesitation. Now, our little family is about to welcome a new life, and I can’t wait to share this good news with him.

I thought about it, and instead of saying it directly, I decided to let him discover it himself. I sneaked into the study, sat in his chair, and casually opened a drawer. An old notebook caught my eye. It stood out because it didn’t match the neat and uniform files around it. It should have been at the bottom, but a corner was accidentally exposed in the owner’s rush. I carefully picked up the notebook and couldn’t help but laugh. It was the type of girly notebook cover we used in our school days, worn with age, but the owner likely opened it frequently to record things, as the edges were curled, and the pages were yellowed. We never had secrets between us as a couple, so I opened it without any hesitation. On the title page was written in large English handwriting: Forever Love. I lowered my head with a shy smile, my face flushing. Could this be a love letter he wrote for me? I took out the pregnancy test result, planning to place it inside. I wanted to give him my most precious “love letter.” I carefully opened the first page and was instantly dumbfounded—my eternal love, Cora. Cora is the female lead in the story. Suddenly, I felt my blood reverse, and my whole body froze as if my throat was stuffed with heavy cotton, making it hard to breathe. My fingers trembled, yet uncontrollably, I read page by page. With a kind of obsessive self-torture, I read the entire diary word by word. Rather than a diary, it’s more like a love letter that can’t be sent, summarized in just a few words: Declan loves Cora but can’t be with her. It turns out Declan was reborn; it turns out Declan always loved Cora deeply; it turns out all of Declan’s care and affection for me was just an act! He needed to keep an eye on me to prevent any possibility of me harming the woman he loves. The joy of being pregnant vanished, leaving only bitterness in my heart. For 13 years, I never thought of harming Cora, but at this moment, I truly envied her. I envied her for the brief kindness and warmth she once gave, which made a man remember her deeply for 13 years, even at the cost of entangling with the malicious supporting character to ensure her happiness. My heart was in turmoil, tangled with pain and despair, and I couldn’t even remember how long I cried, just feeling that everything around me turned into a terrifying illusion.

Exhausted, I fell asleep on the sofa until Declan came home and woke me up. He was reeking of alcohol, staggering as he walked. “Honey, I’m back…” he said with a smile. “Sorry, I had a business dinner tonight, so I came back late.” I smiled bitterly, the smile not reaching my eyes, yet I still fulfilled my duty as a wife. I went to help him, undoing his tightly buttoned tie and loosening the collar. “Thank you, honey, you’re so good.” I gazed at Declan, realizing his gratitude was very perfunctory. If he paid a bit more attention, he would have noticed the redness and swelling in my eyes. Perhaps pretending to deal with me has become a habit for him. I helped Declan to the bed, undressed him, and prepared to clean his face and body. Drunk, Declan’s willpower slackened, as if he let down his guard, revealing his true feelings with weary vulnerability. “Cora…” I flinched, thinking I was hallucinating. I stared at Declan, my nails digging into my palms. “Cora.” The cruel reminder echoed again. In a self-destructive manner, I subconsciously imitated Cora’s tone. “Declan.” Declan suddenly grabbed my hand tightly, his drunken eyes filled with tenderness and affection. “Cora, as long as you’re happy, everything I do is worth it.” A short sentence fixed me once again in the cage of deception. I felt breathless, everything before me becoming bizarre, and I fled from the bedroom in a mix of running and hiding. It turns out the love I chose without hesitation was a joke from start to finish.

I didn’t sleep well. The various things the malicious supporting character Phoebe did in the novel replayed crazily in my mind. Phoebe bullied the female lead with her group, hired thugs to humiliate the female lead, and used her family background to oppress the female lead, and so on… In the dream, Phoebe suddenly turned back, with a face identical to mine. That face was twisted and ferocious, even I found it terrifying. In dreams, time flies, the male lead and the second male lead quickly grow and then take revenge on me. Declan’s cold, indifferent eyes calmly stared at me, as if looking at a dead object. “Since you like ruining others’ innocence, go experience it yourself.” In despair, I was humiliated to death and discarded by a filthy garbage pile, dying in agony. “No!” I shouted, waking myself up! I looked up into Declan’s concerned eyes, overlapping with the brutal and fierce image in the dream, and I trembled in fright. Declan was covering me with a blanket, looking confused. “Honey, what’s wrong? Why are you sleeping on the sofa, you’ll catch a cold.” “Honey, are you mad at me for drinking too much last night? Sorry, the client was important.” I shook my head, engulfed in fatigue and fear, not wanting to say anything. There’s no guest room in our house. Declan once promised he would never make me mad enough to send him to sleep in a guest room. Even if he did upset me, he’d be sensible enough to sleep on the floor beside me. But when conflicts really arose, I didn’t even have a space of my own. I was indeed under his watchful eye. Declan didn’t notice anything unusual about me, frowning pitifully. “Honey, I had a tough time at the business dinner yesterday, my head hurts a lot, where’s the hangover soup?” “I forgot.” I didn’t make any at all. Declan’s family isn’t wealthy, while I’m a typical rich second generation. He always said he wanted to earn my father’s approval through his own efforts, to achieve more to deserve me. So Declan worked hard. He didn’t accept help from the Aiden family, choosing to start his own business. In the early years, to secure projects, he drank heavily with partners, almost getting a stomach ulcer. I loved Declan deeply, and as his wife, I always took care of him personally. For the sake of his health, I found many remedies and often stayed up all night to help him recover from hangovers. If I were unaware of his true feelings, I might have continued being a dutiful wife. However, in reality, my efforts were all one-sided. [Phoebe used her family background to harm Cora, I can’t let her have any chance to harm Cora. I must achieve success in the business world, have enough power to rival Phoebe’s old man. If they harm Cora like the last life, I’ll make the Phoebe family pay a painful price!] Declan’s desperate efforts were merely to gain real power, to protect his true love.

“Honey, what’s wrong today? You don’t look well. Are you feeling unwell? Let me take you to the hospital.” I stared blankly at the man before me, wondering how much sincerity was in his concern. I hesitated about confronting Declan when suddenly my phone rang. The caller ID showed two big words—Cora. Declan quickly picked up the phone and handed it to me, signaling with his eyes, “Take it.” I numbly pressed answer, and Cora’s cheerful voice came through. “Phoebe, darling, remember we’re going to the art exhibit today?” “I remember.” “Let’s meet at the Coffee Shop in front of the Art Gallery, okay? Old Ho is dropping me off on his way to work.” “Okay.” Before I could speak, Declan said, “You have plans with Cora today, let me drive you there.” “No need, your office isn’t on the way.” Declan lovingly touched my cheek. “Silly, driving my wife anywhere is on the way. Go change your clothes!” Declan went back to the room to freshen up, his back radiating happiness. He’s going to see his beloved, of course, he’s thrilled. “Remember.” “Let’s meet directly at the Coffee Shop in front of the Art Gallery. He can drop me off on his way to work.” “Alright.” I hung up the phone, and before I could say anything, Declan spoke first, “You have plans with Cora today? Let me take you there.” “No need. Your office is out of the way.” Declan affectionately touched my cheek. “Silly, taking my wife anywhere is always my pleasure. Go get changed!” Declan got up to freshen up, his back radiating happiness. Of course, he’s thrilled to see the one he loves. He seemed to have forgotten that he just mentioned taking me to the hospital because I looked unwell. In Declan’s world, nothing is more important than Cora. — When Declan dropped me off at the Coffee Shop, Cora was happily sipping a Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino. She naturally handed me a cup of hot milk, greeting me cheerfully. Declan gently reminded me, “Girls shouldn’t drink too many cold beverages. It’s bad for your health and can cause discomfort at certain times. You’re not a kid anymore; you should be more careful.” Cora teased with a smile, “Wow, showing off your affection right in front of me.” Declan replied with a smile, “You too, drink less cold stuff!” So much preamble for a simple reminder to her. The hot milk in my hand felt uncomfortably warm. Actually, I don’t like cold drinks. His concern was never really for me. “Got it, got it. You’re so naggy. Only Phoebe can put up with you.” Declan chuckled and turned to me, “I’ll pick you up for lunch. I remember you saying you wanted to try the new Spanish restaurant in Phoebe City.” Once doubt creeps in, you realize how insincerely his concern is acted. It wasn’t me who wanted to try the Spanish restaurant; it was Cora. But I was blindly in love, and he played his part well. Now that the truth is out, I see I was just blinded by my own ignorance. Cora held me close. “Okay, okay, you should go. Don’t interrupt our girl time.” She pulled me inside, mumbling non-stop. “Phoebe, I’m so excited for Master Gu’s work…” I instinctively looked back at the man in the distance. He was watching us with a scrutinizing gaze, but when our eyes met, he quickly hid his emotions. He put on a performance of deep affection, acting all affectionate. Declan, aren’t you tired? Certainly! 7 After the art exhibit ended, we had just stepped out of the Art Gallery when Declan’s car approached slowly. He had asked me several times when he should pick us up. If it were in the past, I would have thought it was a sign of his love and care.

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I used to think I was the luckiest person in the world. Even though I have breast cancer, and my daughter was born blind in her right eye. But fortunately, I have a gentle doctor husband who never gave up on me. On the day of my surgery to remove one of my breasts due to worsening cancer, I accidentally overheard a conversation with my husband, Declan. “What if your wife finds out she isn’t sick at all, and you were just deceiving her to make Celeste happy? What would she do?” “What could she do? After today, she’ll be left with one breast and a blind daughter. It would be too late to beg me not to leave!” Laughter came from the consultation room. “Her daughter wasn’t blind to begin with, wasn’t it you who took one of her corneas at birth to give to Celeste’s daughter? Why only take one? You should have blinded both of her eyes!” “Don’t rush, this is just to see if Celeste’s daughter has any rejection reaction. I’ll arrange for the other eye’s surgery next week.” Next week? That will be Declan’s downfall. 01 If I hadn’t left my patient wristband in my husband’s office, And went back to hear all of this, I would already be on the operating table, having one of my breasts removed! Hearing the laughter from the office, I suddenly felt a wave of nausea. Am I just a pawn to Declan, someone he can manipulate and destroy just to please Celeste? “Dr. Declan, your wife’s surgery is about to start, aren’t you going to check on her?” Declan’s assistant’s voice came from inside. “What’s there to see? Even if she dies on the operating table, I wouldn’t care. She’s not even a complete woman anymore, just thinking about it makes me more disgusted!” Declan replied impatiently, and I could imagine his disdainful expression behind the door. “Sigh, aren’t you going too far? Her body is perfectly fine…” The assistant’s voice sounded hesitant, perhaps battling with the last bit of conscience. Suddenly, there was a sound of something being smashed on the ground, followed by Declan’s slightly angry voice. “Who told her to have a better figure than Celeste! It’s normal for Celeste to dislike her! Besides, it’s just one breast, there’s still the other one!” “And her blind daughter, too, leaving her with one cornea was already a grace! Letting her enjoy these four years of light!” “Next week, I’ll take her left cornea for Celeste’s daughter!” Listening to Declan’s angry voice, the assistant dared not say another word. I quietly left the office and went into the operating room to tell the attending physician, Gideon. “I suddenly have an urgent matter today, can we cancel the surgery?” Gideon actually looked relieved, “I always said you didn’t need the surgery, it’s great to hear you say this…” Gideon was my senior in university, and six months ago, he transferred to this hospital as the chief oncologist. When he first took over my case, Gideon showed a puzzled expression. “Maeve, which hospital diagnosed you with breast cancer? I looked at your CT report, and everything seems normal.” “It’s just some mild breast nodules, caused by long-term anxiety, it’ll go away when you’re in a better mood.” But under Declan’s influence, I was more willing to believe my own husband. I still remember the first time Declan told me I had breast cancer, I felt like the sky was falling. Declan held me tightly, looking at me with deep affection and said, “Honey, we’ll actively treat this, I won’t leave you.” So under his guidance, I underwent chemotherapy again and again, soon after losing hair and losing weight rapidly. I became as withered as a tree. “Honey, the side effects of chemotherapy are quite severe, I’ll stay with you through it.” Just like that, under Declan’s manipulation, I was convinced I had cancer. Even though Gideon raised objections multiple times, I only refuted him with Declan’s words. “My husband said, cancer isn’t something you look at on the surface, you have to look at it in the long term!” “I still need to watch my daughter grow up, I must eliminate any factors that could cause cancer in the future!” I had my doubts too, why would Gideon, an ophthalmologist, know so much about oncology? It was full of loopholes, but for love, I chose to deceive myself. Seeing Gideon in the operating room breathe a sigh of relief, I said apologetically, “I’m sorry, Dr. Gideon, I trusted the wrong person before.” Gideon waved his hand, looking relaxed and said, “It’s not too late now, if you underwent this surgery today, there really would be no turning back.” I looked up, staring directly at Gideon, a plan for revenge forming in my heart. “Dr. Gideon, I want to ask you to help me put on a show.” 02 When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a hospital bed, my upper body wrapped in bandages. It took a while before Declan came into the room, with Celeste following behind! He walked to the bedside, gently held my hand, and said affectionately, “Dr. Gideon said the surgery was a success, but the bandages can’t be removed yet.” I nodded weakly, not saying a word. Celeste, however, sat on the couch and started eating the snacks on the table. “Maeve! You really had one of your breasts removed! Tsk tsk, what a pity.” “Remember in high school, the boys were all after you because of those two pieces of meat!” Celeste has been my best friend since childhood, and since puberty, she’s consciously competed with me. Whether it’s grades, looks, or love, she must always be first. I developed better than her, so she would join with the boys to ridicule my physical features, making me only dare to wear loose clothes for years. In high school, when a boy and I had a mutual affection, Celeste found out and confessed to him first. After getting together with the boy, she quickly dumped him, as if just to prove to me that she got him first. As for grades, she often sabotaged me the night before exams. Either by setting up prank calls in the middle of the night to wake me, or by calling some hooligans to shout outside my building at night. And today I found out, She had already been involved with my husband! Watching her smug look on the couch, I wanted to tear her face apart. “Celeste, it was you the boys were after.” “Weren’t you with almost every one of them?” I said quietly from the hospital bed. Celeste froze for a moment, clearly not expecting me to say that. She suddenly stood up, pointing at me. “I think you’re just jealous! Trying every way to grab their attention with tight clothes!” “Didn’t expect they preferred me! It’s only Declan you managed to fool! If you don’t believe me, ask him!” “Declan, I’ll give you another chance, who do you choose, me or Maeve?” She said, throwing a flirtatious glance at Declan, which I caught. Declan coughed awkwardly, then slowly said, “Do you want the truth or a lie?” Celeste looked down at me, smugly saying, “Go ahead and tell the truth, Maeve doesn’t like hearing lies, right?” Declan didn’t look at me, instead, he looked at Celeste with amusement. “It should…be you, Celeste. I’ve been with my wife too long, it’s not about liking or disliking anymore.” “It’s more of a family responsibility.” Celeste laughed triumphantly, looking at me with a winner’s posture. But I stared at Declan, asking him, “Honey, are you sure you want to say you prefer Celeste right after my surgery?” Declan, annoyed by my question, answered with a hint of anger. “This is just hypothetical! See, you’re taking it seriously again.” “You take things too seriously, that’s why I find Celeste more interesting.” Watching the two of them acting in sync, I couldn’t help but smirk internally, Enjoy it while it lasts, your good days are numbered. 03 Early the next morning, I went through the discharge procedures, Normally, I should stay in the hospital for 3 days. But I didn’t actually have surgery, and Gideon approved my discharge backstage. As soon as I got home, my daughter ran to me, jumping up and down and hugging me, “Mom! Dad said you were having surgery in the hospital! Are you okay!” “Lark missed you a lot, but she was very good about eating and sleeping on time.” I kissed my daughter’s little cheeks twice, “Mom’s fine! From today on, Mom won’t leave you for a single day!” My daughter twirled around happily, then excitedly told me, “Mom, tomorrow there’s a play at school! I’m going to perform on stage!” “The teacher said I can invite my mom and dad! Will you and dad come to watch me?” Seeing the hopeful look in her eyes, of course, I wanted to go, but I wasn’t sure if Declan would have time. “Sweet Lark, of course, Mom will go. I’ll call Dad right now.” With that, I took out my phone to call Declan. It rang for a long time before his impatient voice came through. “Didn’t I say no calling during work unless it’s important!” Afraid my daughter would hear Declan’s impatient tone, I went to the balcony before replying. “I saw it’s lunchtime…so I called.” “Our daughter has a school play tomorrow, let’s go watch together?” Looking into my daughter’s hopeful eyes, I wanted to say yes, but I wasn’t sure if Declan was available. “Sweetheart, Lark, of course, I’ll go. Let me call your dad right now.” With that, I took out my phone and dialed Declan. The phone rang for a long time before he answered, sounding impatient. “Haven’t I told you not to bother me at work unless it’s an emergency?” Worried that my daughter might hear Declan’s impatience, I stepped out onto the balcony before responding. “I noticed it was your lunch break, so I figured it was a good time to call.” “There’s a play at our daughter’s school tomorrow. Do you think we can watch it together?” To my surprise, Declan got angry on the other end of the line. “Don’t I deserve a break during lunch too? My life doesn’t revolve around you!” “I’ve already promised Celeste that I’d be at her daughter’s performance. Lark and her daughter go to the same school. Just let her know I’ll be there.” “I’ll be there anyway. Kids don’t understand much.” Before hanging up, I heard Celeste’s teasing voice in the background. “Who’s bothering us during lunch~” I ended the call and returned to the room, putting on a smile for my daughter. “Dad said he’ll come! But he’s too busy to leave with us.” “But he’ll be there watching Lark perform!” My daughter jumped with joy and ran back to her room to practice her lines for the play. The next day, I arrived at my daughter’s school early with a camera to capture the precious moments. I quietly made my way backstage, planning to film my daughter getting ready, when laughter erupted from the dressing room. “Lark Jiang, you’re a one-eyed pirate! A little blind girl, hahaha!” “My mom said you can’t see with one eye! You’re a one-eyed pirate!” Peeking through the crack in the door, I saw my daughter dressed as a pirate, her blind eye covered with an eye patch. Suddenly, Celeste and her daughter appeared. Celeste looked at Lark with disdain. “Lark Jiang, this role suits you perfectly. You’re missing an eye, and your mom’s missing a breast. What a pair of incomplete mother and daughter.” The kids didn’t understand Celeste’s words, but they found them funny. So, they all laughed, pointing at my daughter and calling her a one-eyed pirate! I rushed in and picked up my daughter, whose eyes were red with hurt, but she didn’t cry until I came in. Then, she clung to my neck and sobbed. “Mommy, I don’t want to perform anymore. I want to go home…” I gently patted Lark’s back to comfort her. “It’s okay, Lark. If you don’t want to perform, we won’t. Let’s go home.” But Celeste wasn’t done, smiling wickedly at me. “Maeve, kids are just playing around. They don’t know any better. You’re taking it too seriously.” “Declan will scold you again when he sees this.” Seeing her brazenly hurting Lark, I made up my mind. With a slight smile, I looked at Celeste and said, “If I remember correctly, your daughter also can’t see out of one eye?” Celeste got defensive upon hearing my words. “What nonsense are you talking about! It’s fine if your daughter is one-eyed, but why drag my daughter into it?” Her daughter mimicked her, arrogantly glaring at Lark. “Yeah! I’m playing the princess, and you’re a pirate! My mommy said pirates are thieves of the sea!” “Lark Jiang, you’re a thief!” My daughter, who had just calmed down, began to sob again, muttering softly. “I’m not a thief…” Seeing my daughter’s hurt expression broke my heart! “Kids, it turns out someone who can’t see out of one eye can be a princess! So our Lark is a princess too!” “Nora can’t see out of one eye either! If you don’t believe me, cover her right eye, and she won’t see a thing!” The kids, hearing this, rushed over playfully, covering one of Nora’s eyes. Sure enough, she immediately couldn’t see, stumbling around. Celeste hurriedly pushed the kids away and held Nora tightly in her arms. She glared at me, saying, “Maeve! You used the kids to harm my daughter! How can you do this to a child!” I scoffed, questioning her back. “Didn’t you teach them? If you hadn’t brought it up, would the kids have been so malicious?” Celeste opened her mouth to retort, but the teacher and other parents walked in, and she had to stop. I picked up my daughter and was about to leave, but she insisted on staying. “Mommy, Nora can’t see out of one eye, but she can be a princess. Why can’t I?” I crouched down, stroking my daughter’s head, and gently explained. “Lark, do you know why pirates wear an eye patch?” “It’s not because they can’t see out of one eye. It’s to quickly adapt to darkness and defeat their enemies.” “Our Lark is the same. Wait for the enemy’s weakest moment in the dark, and take them down.” Lark suddenly looked up, her eyes shining brightly. “Mommy, I want to continue performing!” The performance that day went smoothly. Lark’s portrayal of the little pirate overshadowed the lead, drawing applause from the audience.

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Three years after leaving the country, I arrived at Capital Airport with my twin children. The always cold CEO sent a message: “Returned?” Without hesitation, I lied, “No, I’m still in the U.S., about to go to bed.” But in the blink of an eye, he was standing right in front of me, his gaze fixed intently on my two kids. “Is this why you disappeared?” “Do you realize I never agreed to the divorce? What you’ve done is betrayal!” I let out a cold laugh and touched the prayer beads on his wrist. “You didn’t want to have children with me, so I found someone who did.” When we got married, Asher promised he loved me deeply. He said he’d do anything for me, except break his vows. But then, his first love returned. She claimed that if she could make Asher break his vows nine times, I should willingly leave him. I lost that challenge, utterly defeated. After Beatrix returned, she challenged me, suggesting we see who could make Asher break his vows nine times first. I smirked and wrote down the terms of the bet on the spot: “If you win, I’ll bow out. But if you lose, I’ll make it impossible for you to stay in Beijing City.” But only I knew how uncertain I truly felt. In our three years of marriage, Asher would do anything I asked, except break his vows. Within a week, he started coming home less frequently. Determined, I put on the new lingerie I bought and walked into his quiet room. I took his hand and guided it down my body… I could feel his breath becoming heavier, his eyes filled with a new desire. But then his phone rang, and he snapped out of it, pushing me away and storming out. He didn’t return for three hours. I stood there, feeling the warmth drain from my body, unable to think. Until Beatrix appeared, flaunting a used strawberry-flavored item, showing me the sticky substance inside. “Adeline, this marks the ninth time.” “I told you, Asher loves me. Why don’t you believe it?” “A bet is a bet.” Looking at her smug expression, I thought of how I had just humiliated myself, begging Asher for attention. A wave of dizziness hit me. Why was I degrading myself like this? Before I married, I was the prized daughter of the Beijing Circle. Why was I now reduced to competing with Beatrix for a place in bed? Feigning indifference, I took out the signed divorce papers from the bedside drawer. “Take it and leave.” Beatrix raised an eyebrow in surprise. “You confronted Asher?” I shrugged nonchalantly. “No, Asher said I could decide about the divorce on my own.” “He’s just a man. If you want him, he’s yours.” But seeing Asher’s name on the papers… My heart felt pierced. This was Asher’s wedding gift to me. Asher always kept his promises. He stopped my hands from undoing his buttons, saying he had to keep his vows for three years and asked me to wait for him. But if I ever grew tired… I could sign my name on the divorce papers anytime, and he would accept my decision. At that time, I was overjoyed, thinking I had him for life. Now I realized how foolish I was. Was he setting me free or just making it easy for him to escape anytime? Beatrix reviewed the papers twice, showing a satisfied smile. “Miss Adeline, as decisive as ever.” “Everyone in Beijing City knows you spent five years pursuing Asher. I thought you’d cry.” “How about this, in a week, when Asher fully leaves his vows behind, I’ll give him these papers as a gift.” “You both won’t have to torment each other anymore.” I coldly showed her out. But I had to admit Beatrix was right. Keeping someone who doesn’t love me by my side for five years, if not torture, then what is it? I opened my phone and found the tickets to Iceland for Asher and me next week. Asher doesn’t like traveling abroad, but I insisted. Was he thinking how troublesome I was, always asking for so much, when he agreed? I used my finger to cancel Asher’s ticket. If that’s the case, I’ll let him go. This mistake shouldn’t continue.

Not long after Beatrix left, I went to bed. In a daze, someone lay beside me, wrapping their arm around my waist from behind. I irritably pushed his hand away. “Why aren’t you in your quiet room? What are you doing here?” His breath was warm on my neck, and after a long silence, he asked, “Why did you cancel the Iceland tickets?” My heart grew even more annoyed and frustrated. I replied, “Can’t I just not want to go?” while pushing his body away: “Stay away from me.” But when my hand pressed on his chest, Asher let out a muffled groan, as if in great pain. I felt something odd on his chest and lifted his shirt. At that moment, I felt the world spin. A piercing was right on his chest! And next to it, two small letters were tattooed: QZ. I didn’t know if my eyes were red, just felt like tears were about to overflow, my voice trembling uncontrollably. “What is this?” Does Asher like Beatrix so much that he’d do anything for her? Back when Asher’s parents died, and his relatives took everything, even hiring thugs to bully him, it was me who smashed heads with a beer bottle to ensure he wasn’t humiliated. Asher said he wanted to become a monk. I stayed by his side, never forcing him to do anything, loving him with all I had. Until he opened his heart and agreed to marry me. How laughable. He wouldn’t break his vows for me. But he could pierce his body for another woman, like a pet marked by its owner? If Asher was unwilling, who could force him? Was this their idea of fun? Or did Beatrix want me to see how low Asher could stoop for her? Asher frowned, pulling down his shirt. “No need to make a fuss, it’s just something strung. If you don’t like it, I won’t wear it.” “As for the letters, Adeline, I’ll explain them to you later.” Then he hesitated and walked out of the bedroom. “I’m going to copy Buddhist Scriptures, you should sleep early.” I noticed his prayer beads had been replaced with a string of white Bodhi beads—not the Rosewood beads I climbed thousands of steps to get for him. I gritted my teeth and called the butler. “Find out where Asher went today and who he was with.” “And where his bracelet went.” Soon after, a surveillance video was sent to me. In the video, Asher was taking drink after drink from Beatrix’s hand, looking utterly drunk. Several friends at the table were amazed. “I heard Asher is a Buddhist, doesn’t drink a drop. Beatrix, you’re quite something.” “Right, back in school, Asher only treated Beatrix well. Seems her going abroad didn’t change a thing.” “I heard Asher’s married now, his wife at home is quite something.” Beatrix laughed, holding Asher’s hand. “If I hadn’t gone abroad, how could Adeline have married Asher?” “And I told Asher not to touch Adeline, and he really didn’t. What kind of love is that, need I say more?” My heart took a hard hit. What does Asher take me for? He climbed out of life’s muck with my help, yet he faithfully obeyed the so-called true love’s command, keeping absurd chastity for her? Beatrix patted Asher’s face, waking him from his daze. “Throw this bracelet away, I bought you a new one, you can only wear mine from now on.” The man seemed hesitant. But under Beatrix’s prodding, he took off the bracelet and tossed it on the ground. Perhaps even the heavens couldn’t bear it. The moment it hit the ground, the string snapped, beads scattering everywhere. Just like my heart, shattered into pieces. The butler handed me two of the beads. “Miss, the rest of the beads were taken by cleaning staff, should I retrieve them?” I laughed bitterly. “No need.” “What’s the point of retrieving a few beads.” Asher, like these prayer beads. Once a treasured jewel I painstakingly sought and held dear. Now fallen to the ground, dirtied—it’s nothing.

I ordered Asher’s belongings to be packed and sent back to his own home. Asher entered with breakfast, brushing past the movers. Seeing his incense burner, Buddhist Scriptures, and meditation mat being carried out, he was bewildered. “What’s going on?” “Adeline, are you moving?” I gave him a big smile. “Yes, I’ve lived here too long, it’s annoying now.” Then I glanced at the tray in his hand. A dish of pickles, a bowl of white porridge, and a few slices of bread. Not even an egg. Asher doesn’t eat meat, so I’ve also eaten vegetarian for years. So I grabbed my bag and headed out. “You keep it for yourself.” Ignoring his surprised look completely. I no longer cared what Asher thought. That night, I gathered with some Beijing Circle sisters at a bar for drinks, also planning to say goodbye. My friends teased me non-stop. “Miss Adeline out drinking, aren’t you afraid your precious, fastidious husband will be mad?” “Yeah, the little princess has been so virtuous since marriage, what changed today?” I sneered. “Being virtuous should be for someone worthy.” Just then, a commotion erupted in a corner of the bar. Two people were having a drinking contest. Whoever downed twelve cocktails first could take a woman home that night. I ignored his look of surprise entirely. I don’t care what Asher thinks now. That evening, I gathered a few friends from the Beijing social circle for a farewell at a bar. My friends teased me relentlessly. “Miss Adeline is out drinking. Aren’t you worried that your fussy, neat-freak husband will get upset?” “Yeah, the darling of the Beijing Circle has been the perfect wife since getting married. What’s changed today?” I let out a cold laugh. “Being faithful should be reserved for someone who deserves it.” At that moment, a commotion erupted in the corner of the bar. People were saying that two individuals were about to have a drinking contest. Whoever finishes twelve cocktails first gets to take a woman home tonight. My friends went to check it out, but they returned looking troubled. “Adeline, you should go see. It’s your husband, Asher.” I didn’t react. I knew I should be surprised—that a husband who never drinks would go to such lengths for another woman. But inside, I felt nothing. It was as if my love for Asher had died yesterday. I even led everyone over with a sense of amusement. “Let’s go watch the spectacle.” Asher stood at the long table lined with drinks, visibly shocked to see me. But as soon as he took a step, the bartender reminded him. “Sir, leaving now means forfeiting. Are you sure you want to give up?” He glanced at me, then at Beatrix, hesitated, and turned away. “No forfeiting.” Beatrix leaned in, speaking maliciously under the cover of the loud bar music. “Adeline, maybe you should try to talk to Asher?” “After all, you won’t be husband and wife much longer. You can still ask him a few more times.” “But then again, if Asher doesn’t listen to you even once, that’s pretty sad, isn’t it?” I ignored Beatrix and just stared at Asher’s face. His eyes never met mine, intentionally avoiding me. He kept fiddling with his Prayer Beads. I know him; it’s a sign he’s nervous and guilty. The onlookers were moved by his and Beatrix’s supposed love. “Drinking all twelve would definitely land you in the hospital. This guy must really love his girlfriend.” “True love indeed, wish them eternal happiness.” The veins on Asher’s forehead pulsed. He shouted, “Shut up.” Then, turning to me, he whispered, “Adeline, I have my reasons. I’ll explain everything when we get home.” I smiled. I gently reminded him. “Asher, you promised to keep your vows for three years. Just three more days.” “If you drink this, our agreement means nothing.” His expression froze. He was silent for a long time before nodding. “Then it means nothing. Let’s go home tonight. I’ll make it up to you.” I knew he meant consummating our marriage. But now, I just wanted to laugh. He finally chose to break his vow for me, after having done everything he shouldn’t for another woman. I took off my wedding ring. Dropped it into his drink, then turned to leave. But with so many people around, I accidentally knocked over a champagne tower. Countless glasses crashed down. I heard Asher shouting my name. But in the crucial moment, he protected Beatrix instead. Glasses shattered on the ground, and as my vision faded to black, I saw Asher running toward me. I knew he picked me up, his hands trembling. He whispered in my ear over and over that he loved me. But the words made me sick. When I woke, it was three days later. My friends said that after I was rushed to the emergency room, Asher stayed outside the whole time, refusing to bandage his own bleeding injuries. They said Asher stayed by my bedside these past few days, doing everything himself, not letting anyone else even wipe my face. They also said Asher prepared a huge banquet hall filled with my favorite cornflowers, though they didn’t know what for. I called the butler: “Take me to the airport.” As the car left the hospital, I saw Asher’s car arriving. When our cars passed, I rolled up the window. Asher was genuinely happy. He had owed Beatrix twelve wishes, and the drinking contest was the last one. Asher thought he could finally let Beatrix go and wholeheartedly love his wife. But when he entered the hospital room. The bed was empty. Every inch of the sheets was perfectly smooth, with no sign of wrinkles. In that moment, his face showed confusion, doubt, and finally, indescribable panic. Beatrix handed him a document with a bright smile. “Asher, you’re finally free!” “This is the divorce agreement Adeline signed. We can finally be together again!” It appears the text you provided is incomplete or missing. Could you please share the specific text you need translated? ### Chapter 2

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Three years ago, I entered into a business arrangement for the sake of my family’s company, agreeing to a three-year marriage contract with Gideon Reed of Reed Corporation. During these years, whenever rumors surfaced about Gideon and Phoebe Walters from Walters Corporation, I would always step forward to clarify the situation on their behalf. But today, when Phoebe confronted me with ultrasound results, I had to face the truth. “Gideon hasn’t been with you all these years, has he? You’ve held this title for three years. It’s time you acknowledge reality and stop dreaming about something that’s not yours.” At that moment, I knew it was time. “Let’s get a divorce.” I presented the divorce papers to Gideon. After three years, this contractual marriage was finally reaching its end. He sneered, tapping his elegant fingers on the table. “Don’t forget, I paid for you!” I laughed. The next day, at the company’s shareholders’ meeting, I attended as the CEO. Holding another man’s hand, under Gideon’s pale gaze, I calmly announced, “I am divorced, and this is my new fiancé.”

Three years ago, I stood by the floor-length window in the top office of Reed Corporation, clutching the newly signed marriage agreement. The edges of the paper were crumpled from my tense grip. “Miss Adeline Reed, I hope you remember your role.” Gideon’s voice came from behind, cold and businesslike. “This is merely a transaction.” As I turned to leave, Phoebe Walters passed by me, her eyes filled with challenge and disdain, silently reminding me that I was just a pawn bought with money. She threw herself into Gideon’s arms, his eyes soft and tender as he looked at her. But when he looked at me, his gaze was always distant. Three years ago, when my father suddenly fell ill, our family business faced a crisis. Even in decline, our company held valuable core nanotechnology. My father agreed to Reed Corporation’s investment proposal, with the condition that Gideon and I marry. Gideon, always the astute businessman, agreed after some thought but demanded that I sign a marriage contract in private. For three years, Gideon consistently reminded me that ours was a contractual marriage. So, when rumors about him and Phoebe frequently emerged, I always remembered my role and helped clear them up. But today, Phoebe invited me to a café and confronted me with the ultrasound results. “Gideon hasn’t been with you all these years, has he? You’ve held this title for three years. It’s time you acknowledge reality and stop dreaming about something that’s not yours.” “Will you leave voluntarily, or do you need Gideon to force you out? Let’s keep this dignified, shall we?” When I returned home in the evening, finding Gideon there was unusual. His usual cold gaze sent a shiver down my spine. After hesitating for a moment, I finally said the words that should have ended this farce long ago. Unexpectedly, we both spoke at the same time. “Have you eaten?” “Let’s divorce.” The atmosphere instantly cooled. I saw Gideon’s slight frown. “Adeline, you don’t have the right to bring this up. Don’t forget, you were bought for a high price. I decide when it ends.” He dropped these words and headed to the bathroom. I was grateful to him for spending three billion to save the Reed Family, but every time he humiliated me, my heart still ached. Touching the wedding ring on my finger, its cold texture reminded me of the essence of this marriage—a three-billion-dollar investment in exchange for the empty title of Mrs. Reed. On our wedding night, Gideon didn’t even toast with me. He signed the marriage agreement and rushed back to the company for a ‘meeting.’ Not long after he left, Phoebe sent a photo of herself nestled in Gideon’s embrace, with a hotel in the background. The sound of water in the bathroom suddenly stopped. I hastily wiped my eyes. Gideon emerged in a robe, his hair still dripping. Upon seeing me, he frowned noticeably: “Why are you still here?” Since our marriage, we had slept in separate rooms. Gideon confined my activities to the guest room. “I…” I stood up nervously and accidentally knocked over the scented candle on the table. The sound of glass shattering was particularly piercing in the silent bedroom. “Sorry, I’ll clean it up right away…” He grabbed my wrist. “No need.” I froze, smelling the faint scent of cedarwood and shower gel on him. This was the first time we were so close. Close enough for me to see the shadow his eyelashes cast. “Mrs. Reed,” he let go of my hand, his tone warning, “remember your role. Play your part well. You have no right to have your own thoughts.” Role. What a ridiculous word. I crouched down to pick up the glass shards, not realizing my palm was cut and bleeding. It wasn’t until I heard the sound of the master bedroom door being locked that I realized I was crying. As night deepened, I curled up in the guest room bed, staring at the message my father sent me. “Adeline, you’ve worked hard all these years.” Suddenly, lightning flashed outside, followed by pouring rain. Driven by a strange impulse, I walked to the master bedroom door, raising my hand to knock—when I was little and afraid of thunder, I always hugged a stuffed animal and went to find my mom. But my hand fell back down, remembering this wasn’t home, and Gideon wasn’t someone who would comfort me. Just then, my phone screen lit up, a text from an unknown number appeared. “Miss Reed, how have you been? You’re such a heartless woman. I was planning to propose to you when I returned to the country.” I stared at the unknown number, my heart skipped a beat. I knew who it was. Asher Greene. Gideon’s biggest overseas business rival, and… my first love.

The rain battered the floor-to-ceiling windows. I stared at the text, my fingers hovering above the screen, unable to reply. Asher Greene— That name was like a sharp knife, easily cutting open the memories I had carefully sealed. The phone suddenly vibrated, startling me nearly into dropping it. It was an unknown number, and I couldn’t resist pressing the answer button. “Hello?” I lowered my voice, fearing to wake the person in the master bedroom. “Adeline, long time no see.” A deep male voice came from the other end, with a lazy smile. “How’s life as Mrs. Reed?” I gripped the phone tightly: “How do you know my number?” “I always know what I want to know.” He paused, “Like I know you’re hiding in the guest room crying right now.” I quickly looked around, feeling as if he was watching me from a corner: “Are you spying on me?” “I just happened to see your husband with another woman going to a hotel yesterday after I returned to the country, so I guessed you weren’t doing well.” I bit my lip, a sharp pain piercing my heart. His voice suddenly turned serious, “Open the door, I’m downstairs at your house.” “What?” I rushed to the window and indeed saw a black Maybach parked in the rain, its headlights casting blurry halos in the rain. “Are you crazy? This is Gideon’s mansion!” “So what?” He chuckled, “Afraid your husband will be jealous?” “Your husband already has a new girlfriend. I don’t mind being your boyfriend. It’s fair like that.” I bit my lip, not answering. He always teased like this, often leaving me blushing and at a loss for words. In the sound of the rain, I heard the car door close on the other end, followed by the sound of leather shoes stepping into a puddle. He really got out of the car. “Asher Greene! Don’t you—” “Either you come down, or I ring the doorbell.” He interrupted me, “Choose one.” I hurriedly put on a coat and slipped downstairs barefoot. As I opened the side door of the mansion, cold rain splashed on my ankles. Asher stood at the bottom of the steps with a black umbrella, his tailored suit accentuating his broad shoulders. In three years, a small scar had appeared at the corner of his eye, adding a dangerous allure to him. “You…” I was about to speak when he suddenly stepped forward, tilting the umbrella to cover me. Too close. Close enough for me to smell the faint ebony scent on him, just like I remembered. “Why are you crying?” He wiped my tears with his thumb, the warmth of his touch making me flinch. Then he lifted my arm, placing my foot on his shoe. “Did Gideon bully you?” I quickly stepped back, my back hitting the cold door frame. “It’s none of your business.” Asher’s eyes darkened, and he suddenly pulled a shell from his pocket. “Remember this?” In the moonlight, the crack on the shell was clear— It was from when I accidentally cut him by the sea in our junior year. Memories surged like waves, merging the Asher who stayed on the phone with me all night because I was afraid of the dark, with the dangerous man before me. “Adeline…” He took a step forward, the umbrella shielding us from the world, “I can help you.” “Help me with what?” “Leave Gideon.” His voice was a soft sigh, “Just say the word.” Suddenly, the sound of glass breaking came from the second floor. I looked up, the master bedroom curtains swaying violently—someone was there. Asher followed my gaze, a smirk forming on his lips. “Looks like your husband is awake.”

The master bedroom lights suddenly blazed, the glaring light cutting through the rain and shining down. I froze, while Asher calmly stepped forward, shielding me in the shadows. “Looks like Mr. Reed is a light sleeper, interrupted sleep can affect a man’s married life.” “Don’t you think so?” He seemed to be probing something. Once again, I blushed, biting my lip, unsure of how to respond. **2.** The sound of glass shattering suddenly echoed from the second floor. I glanced up to see the master bedroom curtains shaking violently—someone was there. Asher Greene followed my gaze and smirked coldly. “Looks like your husband’s awake.” **3.** The master bedroom lights blazed on, the intense brightness cutting through the rain. I froze, but Asher Greene calmly stepped forward, shielding me in the shadows with his body. “It seems Mr. Reed is a light sleeper. A restless man can have a troubled marriage.” “Don’t you think so?” He seemed to be probing. I blushed again, biting my lip, unsure of how to respond. He seemed quite satisfied with my reaction. Lowering his voice, he gently rubbed the shell with his fingertips, “I’ll give you three days to think it over.” A gold-embossed business card was slipped into my palm, with a hotel room number scrawled on the back. Before I could decline, the second-floor window flew open, and Gideon Reed’s cold voice shouted down. “Who’s there?” Asher Greene elegantly took a half-step back, raising the umbrella to reveal his smiling eyes. “Mr. Reed, sorry for the late visit.” His fingers brushed my wrist, seemingly by accident. “I came to pick up something I left with Adeline.” He pronounced ‘Adeline’ with intimate familiarity. The rain suddenly intensified. I clutched the hot business card, watching Gideon’s expression flicker in the lightning. He stood motionless in his robe, like a cold statue. “Leave.” The word splashed to the ground, mingling with the rain. Asher Greene bowed gracefully, leaving one last whisper in my ear before leaving. “There’s a surprise hidden in the shell.” The Maybach’s taillights disappeared into the rain as I turned to face Gideon’s brooding gaze. He had somehow moved to the staircase, his robe’s collar wide open, revealing ambiguous red marks on his collarbone— The marks left by the Walters heiress on last week’s finance magazine cover. “Explain.” I thought he meant Asher, but then I saw him holding out my antidepressant medication, the one I’d been taking since we got married. I reached for the bottle, but he grabbed my wrist, pinning it against the wall. Pills scattered everywhere, sticking to the wet floor. “Mr. Reed is concerned about what his wife takes, huh?” Before I could finish, he suddenly kissed me, a punishment tinged with the taste of blood. My back hit the doorframe hard, blacking out my vision with pain. When he finally let go, I heard my own ragged breathing mixed with his hoarse questioning: “Where did he touch you?” I licked the split on my lip and suddenly laughed. “Do you really care?” Gideon’s eyes darkened. As he moved closer again, the butler’s panicked voice came from upstairs. “Mr. Reed! The video conference from New York has been moved up!” He released me, his knuckles turning white: “Wait for me to return.” Watching his retreating figure, I slowly uncurled my clenched palm to reveal the shell. Inside the crack was a tiny USB drive— Engraved with “Southeast Asia project vulnerability analysis for Reed Corporation.” The rain stopped, moonlight casting over the mess of scattered pills, each one reflecting my shattered reflection. **4.** The next evening, I opened the USB drive on my computer. As it loaded, the financial vulnerabilities of Reed Corporation spread out on the screen like a web. I stared at those deliberately hidden deficit numbers, my fingers unconsciously tracing the marks Gideon had left on my neck. In the study, my phone suddenly vibrated. A message from Asher Greene: “Did you see the surprise?” I was about to reply when footsteps sounded in the hallway. In a hurry, I pulled out the USB drive, accidentally knocking over the coffee cup. The brown liquid soaked into the divorce agreement, staining the spot where my name was written. “Not asleep yet?” Gideon’s voice came from behind me. He was in a suit, carrying the chill of the night, though his tie was crooked— Unlike his usual meticulous self. “Waiting for you.” I closed the laptop, pushing the wet document into the drawer. “Weren’t you supposed to be in New York for three days?” He loosened his tie, his gaze landing on my neck. “Changed plans last minute.” He suddenly leaned over, pressing down on the hand I was using to close the drawer. “What’s this?” The coffee-stained paper still showed the stark words “divorce agreement.” Gideon’s pupils shrank, and I could smell the strong scent of whiskey on his breath. “Explain.” His voice was soft, but his knuckles were white. “As you see.” I pulled my hand away. “The three-year contract is up.” Gideon suddenly laughed. He threw a stack of documents from his briefcase, the top one being a letter of intent from Walters Corporation. “You think divorcing now will allow the Reed Family to walk away unscathed?” I flipped through the documents, my heart sinking—Walters’ investment terms clearly stated: Gideon’s marital status must remain stable. “Such a pity.” His cold fingertips traced my collarbone. “Old Mr. Walters and your father have agreed, using nano core as leverage, your father has planned the rest of your life.” “Now, your freedom is worth five hundred million.” Suddenly, lightning and thunder lit his eyes with madness. As he lowered his head to kiss me, my phone lit up. The latest email from Asher Greene: “Complete chain of evidence regarding Reed Corporation’s financial fraud.” “No need.” I opened the email in front of him. “Mr. Reed, my father will respect my choice, but do you think Walters will still invest after seeing this?” Gideon’s expression froze. I stood up, slapping the soaked divorce agreement against his chest. “Sign it before dawn.” I’m sorry, it seems there’s no text provided for translation. Could you please provide the specific content that you want translated? 5. Gideon Reed’s hand paused as the divorce agreement slipped to the floor. “And by the way, I’m aware that Phoebe Walters is pregnant. I won’t hide your affair any longer.”

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Even though we’re twins, other families seem to manage balancing their love between their children. But in my family, the balance is always off. Mom and Dad favor my brother because he’s been frail since childhood, earning their special care and affection. However, this love is a double-edged sword, spoiling him excessively. Ultimately, his future may not turn out as they hope. “Smack…” A sharp sound echoed as I received a solid slap from my brother, Asher. “Jude, do you think I’m joking? How dare you ignore me?” Asher shouted, pointing at me. “Asher, are you out of your mind? Adeline is my girlfriend. How can you, as my brother, bully your own brother’s girlfriend? What kind of person are you?” I couldn’t hold it in any longer, no longer caring if he was my brother. “You’ve really turned against me now, speaking to me like this.” Asher said, stepping forward to slap me again. I couldn’t take it anymore and immediately fought back, slapping Asher. Asher was furious. Since childhood, he had always bullied me, never once being on the receiving end, and he would never allow such a situation. We started wrestling with each other. Adeline tried to pull us apart, but as a woman, she was unable to handle two enraged men. Out of options, she grabbed my phone and called my dad. Adeline was our neighbor back home, and we grew up together, very close since childhood. Later, when we went to college, we moved to the city together and attended the same university. Over the years, we took care of each other. When I confessed during college, everything naturally fell into place. But my brother has always liked to take what I have, especially things that belong to me. So, he came to us and said something so outrageous, actually asking me to give him my girlfriend. Other things I might tolerate, but she was my childhood sweetheart, the woman I intended to marry. He was going too far. We fought for a long time until my mom shouted, “Stop it, both of you, stop it now!” Only then did we let go of each other. “Ah… my heart hurts so much, I can’t breathe!” Asher suddenly collapsed, clutching his chest and crying out.

“Son, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” My mom immediately rushed to Asher, her face filled with concern and worry, as if she’d forgotten about me, her other son. My dad stepped forward and slapped me hard across the face. “You worthless kid, how dare you hit your brother! You’re completely out of control. You’ve been a curse to your brother since you were little, causing him to end up like this. Do you want to kill him now? How did I end up with such a vicious child?” My dad scolded me, as if not satisfied, he even pulled out a belt and started whipping me. “Dad, why don’t you ask what happened first? Why are you always so biased?” I dodged as I questioned him. But my dad wouldn’t listen, continuing to beat me without pause. “I really regret having such an ungrateful son like you. Your brother’s heart isn’t good, and I should’ve given him yours.” He berated me while striking me. My mom yelled from the side, “Honey, Asher is in pain, we need to take him to the hospital!” My dad finally stopped the beating, dropping the belt and lifting my brother to leave. My mom, seemingly not over it, came forward, slapped me across the face, cursed, and hurriedly left with them. I sat on the ground, feeling utterly desolate. Adeline knelt down, trying to comfort me. But I couldn’t hear anything, my heart felt like it was in ashes. I didn’t know what I did wrong to deserve such treatment. Asher and I are twin brothers, but he was born with a weak heart, almost not making it, while I was completely healthy. Luckily, Asher was saved but was left with congenital heart disease, relying on medication. The doctor said he could have a heart attack at any time, so they kept emergency heart pills on hand. Our parents sacrificed a lot for the both of us.

Our family lived in the countryside, not very wealthy, bearing the cost of Asher’s medical bills made them anxious and exhausted. Sometimes, they couldn’t even afford his medication, leaving them at their wits’ end. Desperate, they turned to superstitions, burning incense, praying, and even consulting fortune tellers. The fortune teller revealed something that would haunt me for life. He said that as twins, we should have similar conditions, but I was healthy while Asher had a heart condition because we were born to clash. I supposedly took Asher’s luck and health, causing his frailty and illness. To protect Asher, we had to be separated, or I’d doom him. My parents believed the fortune teller, and from then on, they saw me as a demon. Other families rejoiced over healthy twins, but not ours. One had heart disease while the other didn’t, just as the fortune teller said — one cursed the other. When I was three, my parents sent me to live with Grandma in the countryside, while they took Asher to the city for treatment and work. Grandma had trouble walking, yet she had to care for a three-year-old. I was ignorant and always asked Grandma to carry me, and we often fell, bruising ourselves. When I reached school age, I studied in the village, while Asher went to school in the city, enjoying better conditions. Ironically, my grades were always better. I consistently ranked in the top three, while Asher was always last. Yet, my parents didn’t discipline him or guide him. They blamed me for taking his luck, making him dumb with poor grades. I was speechless. Isn’t studying about effort, not luck? I remember when I got into high school, scoring first in the entrance exam, but Asher had no school willing to take him, so they had to buy a spot. That was when my parents were at their worst. They stormed into the countryside and, without listening, started beating me with sticks. Scared, I ran and cried, but they wouldn’t stop. Finally, perhaps from exhaustion, they stopped. Only then did they reveal why they beat me. They believed I was a devil, stealing Asher’s luck. I got first place, while he was last, even with no school accepting him, all because of me, the jinx. My brother was sick, now with poor grades and no school, how would he find a job to support himself? My dad had finally settled, barely achieving a modest living, but it wasn’t enough for Asher’s needs. So, all the blame fell on me, the jinx. They beat me, scolded me, and almost killed me. At that moment, I even considered dying.

Thankfully, Grandma returned and stopped their abuse, driving them away. That day, I cried for a long time, unable to sleep, waking up from nightmares. The next morning, Grandma found me burning with fever. She quickly called the village doctor, busying herself with my care, looking both heartbroken and worried. I asked Grandma why, when Asher was sick, Mom and Dad were always there, but now I was sick, and they weren’t here for me. Grandma comforted me, but tears streamed down her face. After that, I rarely saw my parents again. Until three years later, when I got into college and moved to the city. Adeline went to the same university, and she was the only light in my life besides Grandma. She was there during my most painful days, and we had a great relationship. When I went to the city for school, Grandma couldn’t afford the tuition or rent, so I had to rely on my parents. I didn’t want to, but with no money, I had no choice. When I saw my parents again, they didn’t even look at me. Over the years, my dad seemed to earn more, buying an apartment in the city. I’d never lived in such a nice place, never even seen one, and it was my first time in an elevator. Perhaps because I was older, seventeen or eighteen, and much taller than them, they didn’t hit or scold me anymore. They paid for tuition and let me stay, but I had to do all the housework. I had no choice but to agree. For me, doing chores was easy. I’d been doing them all my life in the countryside. But Asher was the biggest problem. He was my brother in name only. Other than looking older, in everything else, he was inferior to me. But he was the most troublesome. Whenever I cleaned, he’d throw trash around, making me sweep several times. After I washed dishes and dried them, he’d pour oil on them. If I washed clothes, he’d stomp on them. He did all this openly, making it a habit. It’s not that I didn’t fight back; I did. However, the one who gives me the biggest headache is Asher. He’s technically my brother, but aside from looking obviously older, he’s lacking in every other aspect. Yet, he’s the biggest troublemaker. Whenever he’s at home, if I sweep the floor, he intentionally throws trash around, making me sweep multiple times. When I wash dishes, he spills oil on them before I can put them in the sterilizer. Even the clothes I’ve washed, he deliberately steps on. He does all this so blatantly, as if it’s just the norm. It’s not that I didn’t fight back. I did try to stand up for myself. I remember the first time he tried to dirty my freshly washed clothes, I gently pushed him away. He pretended to fall, clutching his chest and claiming it hurt. My parents rushed over when they heard the commotion. Before I could explain, he accused me of being careless with chores, saying he just casually mentioned it and I hit him, pushing him hard. Without hearing my side, my dad slapped me twice, scolding me for being ruthless, even bullying my seriously ill brother. I was already aware of and deeply felt my parents’ bias and unfairness. So from then on, I tried to control myself and endure as much as I could. I stopped explaining myself. All I could do was swallow my anger, hoping to get through college. Once I started working, I’d be financially independent and move out, never to see them again. But despite my hopes for peace, trouble kept coming. My brother didn’t get into a university; he went to a subpar associate degree program. He skips class all the time, hanging out with some unsavory classmates. My parents indulge him because he’s supposedly sick. But he crossed the line when he came to my school. Asher, with some delinquent classmates, came near our school because it’s a prestigious university with a lively surrounding area. They came to eat crawfish. During their conversation, Asher bragged that he had a brother who would come at his beck and call, asking me to serve them by peeling crawfish. Egged on by his friends, he actually called me. I didn’t want to deal with him and hung up. But as luck would have it, Adeline and I happened to pass by the crawfish shop, and Asher saw us. He immediately came out, kicked me, and ordered me to peel crawfish for his friends. I refused, and just as he was about to hit me again, Adeline stopped him. “Is it you, Asher? You can’t bully Jude.” They had met as kids, but since moving to the city, Asher never returned to our hometown and didn’t recognize Adeline. Seeing how pretty Adeline was, Asher became interested. After a brief chat and realizing her connection to me, he became displeased. “How come the younger brother has a girlfriend when the elder doesn’t? There has to be an order!” he said, as if it were only right. I asked what he wanted, and shamelessly, Asher said I should give Adeline to him. I might be submissive, but everyone has a limit. I can tolerate you hurting me, but I won’t let you harm the people closest to me, especially the innocent ones. So, I firmly refused. Asher wouldn’t have it, especially with his friends watching. He felt humiliated. So, he tried to grab her. I quickly pulled Adeline behind me, and he slapped me hard. That’s how we ended up fighting. But he repeated his trick, pretending to have a heart attack when my parents arrived, and I got scolded again. At that moment, my heart was completely shattered. No amount of sincerity can revive a love that’s dead. Maybe I shouldn’t have expected anything. I packed a few things and left resolutely. I found a work-study job at a restaurant that provided room and board, allowing me to earn a bit. This way, I wouldn’t have to live under someone else’s roof anymore. While studying and working, Adeline stopped visiting as often. I texted her, asking if she was upset because I was busy with my part-time job and couldn’t spend time with her. She said she wasn’t mad and even laughed, saying she was busy with her studies. I naively believed her. But what I didn’t expect was that one day, while delivering food at a hotel, Adeline opened the door. We were both shocked. Then, a man’s voice came from inside: “Adeline, hurry up and bring the food in, I’m starving.” Hearing that voice, I was even more shocked. It was clearly Asher’s voice. I couldn’t hold back and rushed in. Adeline tried to stop me but couldn’t. Sure enough, inside, I saw Asher lying in bed, naked. I was petrified. In the next second, I screamed. All my grievances and humiliation surged through me. “Not happy, are you? Angry, right? Jude, this is the gap between you and me.” I looked at Adeline, furiously asking, “Why? Why did you betray me too?” Caught in the act, Adeline dropped the act. She took a couple of steps forward and sat on Asher’s lap. “I fell in love with Asher at first sight.” I tearfully asked, “Love at first sight with him? What about our ten-plus years of relationship?” Adeline shook her head. “Jude, that was just childish ignorance. We grew up together, but it was just a playmate relationship, nothing more. You deluded yourself into thinking it was a childhood romance. I couldn’t help it.” “But I confessed, and you agreed. You’re my girlfriend.” Adeline shook her head again. “I agreed because of our long friendship. I couldn’t think of a reason to reject you and didn’t want to hurt you. But now that I’m with Asher, I won’t betray him. Jude, we’re breaking up now. You’ll find someone better.” Asher laughed loudly, “He’ll find someone better? Look at him, looking all pauper-like. How could he possibly find someone better? Unlike me, I have money. Dad said all of the family assets will go to me. Did you know? Dad got a big contract recently. Once it’s done, our family will be worth billions. Hillbilly, you’ve probably never even seen ten thousand dollars in your life. Do you know what a billion means? The gap between us will only widen. I can spend lavishly on Adeline, but you? You can only afford to buy her cheap breakfast with your measly salary. But I can buy her jewelry and high-end cosmetics. I won’t need to work for the rest of my life. Even living off my parents, I’ll be wealthy. And you? You’re destined to be a mere worker. What do you have to compete with me? How can you give Adeline happiness?” I furiously threw the food I was holding to the ground and ran out. I’m sorry, but it looks like the text you’re requesting for translation is missing. Could you please provide the Chinese text that you would like me to translate? 7 At that moment, I couldn’t hold back any longer and burst into tears. Why does everyone dislike and betray me? Was I born just to be treated this way? Even though I’ve left that family, I still carry all the pain. Why is that? If they didn’t want me, why did they bring me into this world?

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After caring for my comatose husband for three years, I sold my property to hire specialists for his treatment when I saw the comments appearing on the screen. [This is the final test. If the female supporting character spends all her money to hire experts from Country D, the male lead will believe she isn’t with him for money, will immediately wake up, and take her back to inherit billions.] [No way! If she hires experts, how can the gentle heroine continue with the male lead pretending to be in a coma?] [Exactly, I’m still waiting to see the male lead sneak up at night to sweetly kiss the heroine.] I couldn’t believe it as I looked at Gideon lying quietly. Was he faking it? No, it couldn’t be. I went back to the attending doctor to have Gideon examined. The doctor’s answer was the same as before. “Ms. Daphne, Mr. Gideon still shows no signs of waking up.” I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew it, Gideon couldn’t be lying to me. But the next moment, the comments appeared again. [For a moment, I suspected the female supporting character might have found out something. But luckily, the doctor didn’t spill the beans.] [My heart was in my throat too, almost thinking the male lead pretending to be in a coma was about to be discovered!] [Don’t worry~ Don’t forget the male lead Gideon’s identity as the Crown Prince of the Capital Circle. The hospital has long been bribed. Without his permission, no one dares to reveal he’s pretending. The female supporting character will never find out he’s faking.] Seeing these comments, a shiver ran down my spine. I glanced at the doctor who checked him; he avoided my gaze and comforted me: “Ms. Daphne, you’ve been taking good care of your husband for three years. As long as you keep it up, I believe he’ll wake up soon.” How soon is soon? I didn’t respond to the doctor’s words but called out to Gideon. Calling him again and again, just like when we were dating. I cried as I recounted our dating memories, hoping he’d wake up to see me, but he still didn’t react. I cried for a long time, and after venting my emotions, my mind cleared up. Even though I didn’t know what those comments were, their words hadn’t been proven, and I didn’t believe the Gideon who supported me all along would deceive me. I had already sold my property and bought a plane ticket for this afternoon. I wiped my tears, got up, and packed my things.

These past two years, to take care of Gideon, I moved a lot of stuff to the hospital room. After selling the house, I moved the remaining items here. This trip to Country D was a long journey, and as I packed, I talked to Gideon. “The first time you celebrated my birthday with me, I wished to visit Country D. You said you’d go with me, but who knew I’d go there to find someone to save you. If I’d known going to Country D was to save you, I wouldn’t have made that wish.” “Gideon, I’ll be gone for at least a week this time. During this week, I’ve hired Aunt to take care of you. When I get back, you’ll surely be awake!” But the comments appeared again: [The female supporting character is leaving for a week? Won’t the male lead and the gentle heroine baby be able to explore many places together for a week?] [Right, with the female supporting character gone for a week, the male lead and the heroine baby can snuggle sweetly in the hospital room. Maybe they can explore new places too, I’d love to see that!] [You two, stop dreaming! The female supporting character won’t make it a week because she’ll have a car accident on the way to the airport, miss her flight, and completely lose the chance to hire experts. That way, she won’t pass Gideon’s test, and Gideon won’t believe in love, only enjoys desire, and ends up with our gentle heroine.] I paused while packing my luggage. Would I have a car accident? Although these comment predictions hadn’t been verified, they seemed plausible. Could everything happen as the comments said? I still didn’t want to believe that the suddenly appearing comments were true or that Gideon, who I’d been in love with for years, was a fraud. So, I decided to test what the comments predicted. With my luggage, I got in a taxi to the airport. After getting in, the first thing I told the driver was to drive carefully. But the car still met with an accident. A car with failed brakes at the corner crashed into several vehicles, including the taxi. Although the driver and I weren’t seriously injured, the scene was blocked, and I was stranded on the overpass, missing my flight to Country D. As I was in despair, the comments appeared again: [Oh my! The male and female leads in this wildly passionate story are insane. Even the rooftop is fine? The male lead’s physique is amazing!] [Role-playing, little nurse and patient, it’s forbidden but so tempting!] [Honestly, while this sneaky togetherness is thrilling, I still wish the female supporting character would exit quickly, and the leads could show their love every day.] [Don’t worry above, the female supporting character already had a car accident, she can’t hire experts, she’s out. She’ll be kicked out in a few days! Be patient!] The comments were shocking. I ignored my wounds and rushed back to the hospital.

Gideon and I fell in love freely. I first met him during a work-study program. It seemed like he broke something and didn’t know what to do. Seeing his gloomy expression, I kindly helped him deal with the broken item and negotiated with the boss about compensation. Luckily, the item wasn’t expensive, and the boss didn’t ask for much. He paid, and we went back to school together. I learned he was from my school and, like me, was a student working part-time due to financial difficulties. I lost my parents young and relied on my grandparents and my own efforts to get through school. I felt a connection with someone in a similar situation, and since he was quite talkative, we exchanged contacts and shared many part-time jobs. Gradually, we confirmed our relationship. Our love was simple, plain, and fulfilling. There was no epic romance or dramatic turmoil, just as I expected, and I was content. In our third year of dating, he proposed to me. He said he came from a modest background, didn’t have assets, only a decent face, and hoped to marry me to live a simple life. I didn’t care about his background or looks; I liked him because our personalities matched. I accepted his proposal, but two months after our wedding, he had an accident. The doctor said he unfortunately became a vegetative state and might lie in bed for life. But he was young, and if I persisted in treatment, helping his recovery, there was a good chance he’d wake up. So, for three years, I’ve been diligently caring for him, giving up opportunities at big companies, and sold everything my grandparents left me to treat him. But now, the comments tell me. All my efforts and dedication were just his test for me. And I was just the antagonist in his story, the one who loved but couldn’t have him, who turned evil from love and faded away as a malicious non-playable character.

It was already evening when I reached the hospital. As the comments predicted, Gideon wasn’t in the hospital room. A nurse on duty saw my injuries and came to help me. My heart was utterly cold as I leaned against the wall and asked the nurse: “Where’s my husband?” The nurse looked at the hospital room, confused: “Yeah, where’s your husband? Nurse Quinn saw him during rounds, and the Aunt you hired already left. Where did your husband go?” I leaned against the wall, unmoving. The nurse, seeing my disheveled state, softly comforted me: “It’s okay. Everyone in the hospital knows your husband, and given his condition, no one could take him out. He can’t go elsewhere, we’ll find him soon. Would you like to treat your wounds first?” I waved her off, speaking each word deliberately: “I want to know where he is right now!” Seeing my distress, the nurse, though worried, went to make calls to find him. I leaned against the wall, exhausted. At that moment, the comments appeared again. [Wow, so thrilling! The female supporting character is in the corridor, while the male lead and heroine are passionately making out next door.] [Gideon’s lips are bruised, who knew our gentle heroine was such a little lion!] [You must be new here, right? Our heroine baby didn’t just bruise Gideon’s lips; there are marks elsewhere too.] [The chemistry between them is just amazing! The sweet and soft heroine pinning Gideon down to kiss him, the contrast is delightful.] A “bang” sounded from the room next door, something had fallen. I froze. The comments continued. [The heroine baby saw the returning female supporting character but still dared to make such noise, so bold yet brave!] [I think it’s brave too, but won’t their intensity get them discovered by the female supporting character? I’m worried!] [Relax, they locked the door when they went in. The female supporting character can’t open it!] [I mean, when she finds the male lead missing, won’t she discover he was deceiving her? I don’t want him to be wrongfully accused of being a jerk!] [Oh, that! She won’t find out! The hospital has doctors cooperating with the male lead. Once they’re done, the doctor will wheel him back, claiming it’s for muscle relaxation and rehabilitation. With a doctor helping, the female supporting character will believe it.] [The male lead prepared so thoroughly?] [Of course! Without such comprehensive preparation, how could he deceive the female supporting character for so long?] [The male lead baby is impressive!] Just as the comments predicted, Gideon was wheeled back by a doctor. I asked the doctor, and he gave the same explanation as the comments. “`plaintext

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Husband’s childhood friend has an unusual obsession: she enjoys raising other people’s sons. When my son Asher was just a month old, crying every night, she would sleep on the floor of my bedroom, soothing him night after night. By the time Asher was three months, he always needed to be held. She was exhausted, her muscles strained, yet she never put him down. When Asher turned one and called out “Mom,” she broke down in my husband’s arms: “That’s my son, my life. It hurts to hear him call me mom. Do you know how hard this is for me?” I witnessed it all but said nothing. Because I already knew. My husband, behind my back, had used my body to carry their child. They waited for him to grow up, succeed, and then planned to claim him as their own. And planned to leave me with nothing. But when they came to claim him, I revealed a paternity test. “Nora, can you call Asher out? I brought him a toy car from abroad.” Ever since I gave birth to Asher, my husband’s childhood friend frequently visited our home. She always brought expensive gifts. For Asher’s first month, she spent a fortune on a gold necklace for him. She even bought an apartment in our neighborhood to be close to Asher and secretly meet with my husband. I pretended not to know, as usual, and called my son out. Asher was thrilled to see the new toy. But he didn’t grab it immediately. Instead, he looked at me eagerly, waiting for my nod before politely thanking her, “Thank you, godmother.” Lydia was not pleased. She joked, “Asher, who treats you better, your godmother or your mom?” Asher didn’t hesitate, “Mom is better.” Lydia’s face turned pale, and she pinched my husband’s hand hard. My husband quickly picked up Asher and said to me, “Nora, Lydia and I will take the child out to play. You should rest at home.” His other hand comfortingly wrapped around Lydia’s shoulder, as if telling her to bear with it. I didn’t stop them, just smiled and reminded them, “Be safe.” The three of them turned and left, holding Asher between them, looking like a family of three. I watched their backs, recalling four years ago. During a company health check, I fell unconscious for a day after a gastroscopy. They said it was due to an overdose of anesthesia. Soon after, I found out I was pregnant. But this child had nothing to do with me. He was my husband and Lydia’s IVF child. That’s when I overheard that Finn married me not out of love. He didn’t want Lydia to suffer the pains of childbirth, so I was to surrogate for them. Afraid Asher would suffer in my womb, Lydia bought a lot of supplements from the start of my pregnancy. I accepted them all without hesitation. I also demanded an elective C-section, the best postpartum care, and three nannies. To appease me, Finn and Lydia spent hundreds of thousands by the time Asher was a month old. After confinement, Lydia replaced the nanny, staying until Asher could crawl before reluctantly leaving. I wasn’t angry; I actually welcomed her. Who wouldn’t like someone who gives you money and watches your kid for free? And since I didn’t have to exert effort, I returned to work right after my maternity leave. Colleagues complimented my glow, saying I looked younger than before pregnancy. I remained tight-lipped, only saying my husband was considerate. That evening, Finn returned with Asher, and Lydia reluctantly said her goodbyes at the door. “Asher, godmother is leaving. If you miss me, come downstairs to play.” Being young, Asher grew fond of her over the afternoon. Holding the Haagen-Dazs ice cream Lydia bought, he sweetly kissed her cheek, “Goodnight godmother, Asher likes you best.” Lydia’s love brimmed over at his words, and my husband was all smiles. I chuckled to myself. I’m also starting to like your godmother. Though it’s more like fondness for a perfect nanny. I turned back to my room, continuing with my project proposal. Chapter Two By the time I was promoted to director, Asher had started school. Seeing me busy with work, Lydia offered to quit her job and handle Asher’s drop-offs and pick-ups. She pampered Asher daily. If he scraped his knee playing soccer, she’d make a fuss and rush him to the hospital. This went on for years. On Asher’s 12th birthday, Lydia asked him what wish he had, promising to make it come true. Asher glanced at me and said, “Godmother, I want to go to Cambridge.” My heart ached. Had I not married Finn early, I too had a chance to go to Cambridge. I had only casually mentioned it to Asher, and he remembered. Lydia was overjoyed, “My son is ambitious. Godmother will send you to the best international school. With Asher’s intelligence and diligence, you’ll surely get into Cambridge.” She then gave my husband a meaningful look, “One day, your dad’s business will be yours to inherit.” I was intrigued. Inherit his dad’s business? Finn’s company now makes less than three million annually. He squanders his eight-figure savings partying with Lydia. This money, I’ll help him plan well. The next day, I brought out the admission brochure for the best international high school in the capital. “Honey, Lydia, this is the school Asher chose. There are 10 spots annually for direct admission to Oxford and Cambridge. But since we’re not local, there’s a 5-million admission fee. Should we send Asher?” Lydia was thrilled, “Direct entry to Cambridge?! Five million is nothing, worth every penny!” She was ready to sell her apartment, “Selling my place, I can get at least three million.” Finn stopped her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder affectionately, “I know you love Asher, you’ve given so much. You don’t work, you shouldn’t pay. I’ll handle it.” He even guilt-tripped, “Son, you mustn’t be ungrateful to your godmother.” Asher nodded sensibly. I internally laughed, then displayed a worried expression, “But I heard class placement depends on asset proof. If we spend so much and get a bad class, won’t it affect his studies?” Finn assured confidently, “Asher will be in the best. I’ll prepare the materials tomorrow.” Before bed, I even saw them encouraging each other on Snapchat. Tough days now don’t matter, once Asher is successful, finding a million-dollar job won’t be hard. Once Asher graduates, they’ll reveal themselves, and the three will immigrate to the UK, counting money at home. As for me, losing my son and home, I’d have nowhere to cry. Lydia’s hatred for me nearly spilled from the screen, “Asher’s heart is with that woman! Competing with me for my son? Is she better for Asher than me?! Just wait, I’ll see how she begs me later.” I thought, just wait. Who begs whom remains to be seen. Finn acted swiftly, transferring all assets to Asher, including real estate and stocks. He even sold his company, using cash to buy properties, acquiring many buildings and shops. When he handed me the asset documents, I found an extra ten million. Not sure where he borrowed it from. The day we sent Asher to the capital for school, Lydia clung to Asher at the airport, “Asher, grow up soon. Godmother has a surprise for you.” Seeing their touching scene, I couldn’t help but anticipate. A surprise? What surprise? Could it be better than the one I prepared for you? Chapter Three Asher did well, getting into Cambridge. For years, Lydia acted more eager than me. When Asher studied abroad, she insisted on following. Asher often complained to me about Lydia’s over-attentiveness. With her care, I had more time for my career. I started a business, surpassing Finn’s previous company, with an annual turnover over a billion. During Asher’s breaks, I brought him to the company to familiarize him with operations, preparing him for future responsibilities. Finn and Lydia were pleased. Secretly mocking me for handing over my assets to their biological son. Who would have thought, a year after Asher went abroad, he had a car accident, injuring his eyes. He was left blind. The doctor said corneas wouldn’t be found soon, advising us to wait. I was frantic, booking the earliest flight, cursing Lydia inwardly. Had she not insisted on racing with Asher, he wouldn’t have faced this tragedy. But when Finn and I arrived, we found Asher at home, and Lydia’s eyes wrapped in thick bandages. I was speechless with shock. Finn was distraught, trembling, hugging her despite my presence, “You gave your corneas?! How could you be so foolish!” The surgery was at a black clinic. One misstep and both Lydia and my son could have died. I was terrified, “Are you crazy?! Asher was lucky to be fine!” But Lydia seemed genuinely crazed. Repeatedly asking who was the best for Asher, who deserved to be his mother. Asher was scared senseless by her mania. A sedative finally calmed the situation. Years later, Asher graduated, getting into Harvard for his PhD. Finn held a graduation party for him. At the peak of the ceremony, Lydia barged in. Blind, in a wheelchair pushed by Finn’s mother, she cried before Asher. “Asher, I’m your biological mother. I’ve sacrificed so much for you. You can’t not acknowledge me!” Lydia appeared to have truly lost her mind. She repeatedly demanded to know who was best for Asher and who truly deserved to be his mother. Asher was paralyzed with fear by her frenzied behavior. Ultimately, they had to administer a sedative to calm her. Years later, Asher graduated and was accepted into a PhD program at Harvard. Finn organized a special graduation party for him. At the ceremony’s most anticipated moment, Lydia barged in. She was blind, sitting in a wheelchair pushed by Finn’s Mother, weeping as she approached Asher. “Asher, I’m your biological mother. I’ve sacrificed so much for you. You can’t ignore me!” Finn quickly stood up to confirm, “Asher, it’s true. Your Aunt Lydia is your real mother.” After he spoke, the room fell into a stunned silence. “What is happening? How can a child someone carried for nine months be hers?” “Exactly, a woman sacrifices so much to have a baby, and she just claims it’s hers? How shameless.” “What’s the story here? Did Finn cheat? Poor Nora.” I looked at Lydia, who once loved wearing Louis Vuitton and sipping coffee outside the company. Now, she looked pitiful, drab, and in a wheelchair. I smiled slightly, “You can’t just say that. Everyone knows I was the one pregnant with Asher. I still have the stretch marks to prove it. How can you claim Asher is your child?” Lydia, clearly not in a stable mental state, smugly declared, “Do you remember when you were unconscious in the hospital? That’s when they transferred the embryo from me to you.” I remained calm and continued to ask, “Why did you do it? You can have children. Why make someone else have your baby?” “Childbirth is so painful, and it makes you ugly. You get unsightly stretch marks. I wanted to avoid all that. I told Finn, and he said I didn’t have to give birth. Once you had the baby and raised him, they’d push you aside, and I’d take him back. After all, I’m his real mom by blood!” When she finished, the room erupted with shock. “This is unbelievable! She’s awful, using someone else’s body to bear her child.” “No wonder she’s so good to Asher. He’s her son after all!” “Finn is despicable, using someone like that.” Lydia added, “To be honest, I was the one who made Finn marry you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t even have been qualified to enter the Finn family!” With that, Lydia lifted her chin arrogantly. I couldn’t help but smile. “But… I have a DNA test proving Asher is my biological son!” I’m sorry, but it looks like the text you wanted translated is missing. Could you please provide the specific Chinese text for translation? Chapter 4 I blinked, then gestured to draw attention. The Paternity Test report for Asher and me appeared on the large screen in the venue. Everyone present leaned forward, eyes wide, scrutinizing the test results.

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Married for ten years, Phoebe has been incarcerated ten times. Each time she is released, she arrives with a newborn, leaving the chaos for me to handle. “There are no precautions in prison, so why can’t you just take care of a few more kids?” The wives of the fathers of these children show up at my door, demanding child support and compensation for the nights they lost with their husbands. They even injured my five-year-old son because of this. On the day my son was seriously injured, after bearing humiliation, I hurried to pick up Phoebe from prison, only to find her friends had already organized a welcome party for her at the most luxurious restaurant. “Phoebe, Gideon has waited for you for over a decade and has been raising kids that aren’t his. He’s more loyal than any devoted follower.” “Yeah, while you’ve been off visiting dozens of countries under the guise of being in jail, he’s been so broke he’s been washing other people’s clothes for money.” Phoebe laughed, “If I weren’t pregnant with Asher’s child, I wouldn’t have come back so soon this time. Just looking at that old fool disgusts me. But since he’s willing to be a nanny, let him serve both me and Asher well.” My face turned pale as I left the divorce papers and walked away. Her friends tried to calm the situation, “Come on, Gideon, we’re just joking.” Phoebe stopped them, “If you want to leave, then leave for real. Don’t come crawling back later.” I looked at Phoebe, resolute, “I will never regret this.”

As I stepped out of the room, my younger son and daughter ran over, “Dad, where are you going?” I hesitated, and Phoebe immediately laughed. Her friends shouted, “Wow! That was fast. Not even half a minute!” “No wonder he’s such a devoted follower. He’s getting paid, getting paid!” Phoebe knew my weak spot. Even if these two kids were fathered by someone else, I raised them myself. I couldn’t bear to leave them. My son and daughter looked at me hesitantly, “Dad, what’s wrong with you? You smell awful.” Phoebe got up and kicked me like a dog, “I heard you slept with a woman. At least wash off the stench. What would the kids think?” I glared back at her, unable to hold back, “And what about bringing the kids to a place like this?” At that moment, Finn came out of the bathroom, and the two kids immediately ran to hug him, “Uncle Asher, we missed you so much!” Finn looked at me with a challenging gaze, “So, do you like your dad more or Uncle Asher?” “Of course, Uncle Asher!” Finn smugly handed them a piece of cake, “Uncle has a little cake for you.” The kids, who had never seen a cake before after all these years with me, were drooling at the sight. Finn elongated his words, “But only good kids get to eat cake.” Before I could understand what he meant, my son lunged at me and bit me hard, “You jerk!” My beloved daughter walked up to me, slapped me, and hugged Finn, saying, “You’re a dirty nobody, poor and always with women. You’re disgusting! I don’t want you as my dad! I want Daddy Asher!” Finn was extremely pleased, “Gideon, look at what you’ve taught the kids, using foul language and doing such things in front of them.” Phoebe looked at me with disgust, “Is this the kind of children you raise?” My hand, my face, and my heart all hurt. The two kids who had just insulted me were now devouring the cake beside Finn. They humiliated me for a piece of cake. My heart broke, “I’m not fit to be their father. Let’s get a divorce.” I handed the divorce papers to Phoebe again. Phoebe walked toward me, mockingly tore up the papers, “Gideon, you know Grandma will never agree to our divorce. You want me to sign, just to tattle to Grandma about Asher? Dream on!”

“You’re unbelievable!” I was furious, thinking of my sick son at home, and was about to leave. Phoebe grabbed my hair, “What, got a woman waiting for you in bed? We’re celebrating me being pregnant with Asher’s kid. Make us happy, and you can go.” Her friends egged me on, “Gideon, you’re here, might as well join the fun.” “Yeah, it’s a rare gathering. Tell us, how do you handle all those women? Still got your stamina?” “Do you deal with them one by one, or all together? Hahaha!” The kids finished their cake and looked at me expectantly. I couldn’t stand it, “Phoebe! The kids are here. How can you let them say such things?” Phoebe snorted, “But you don’t find it disgusting to do such things in front of them.” “Show us how you usually take care of the kids. Or maybe, give us a demonstration?” Her friends excitedly jumped up, “Phoebe, I’ll play the lead!” “I’ll be the second lead!” Without hesitation, they pulled me onto the sofa, touching me over my pants, “Gideon, don’t be shy, just let loose.” My son and daughter stared at me, “That’s not how it is! Dad is usually on the bottom!” I couldn’t believe my ears, struggling to push away the person in front of me. She grabbed my hand, “Oh, you like it rough.” “Looks like you’ve been busy. Even your niece and nephew know your moves!” My torn clothes exposed bruises and hickeys. Extreme shame washed over me. But they were even more excited, “Such a wild man! Look at those muscles, must be a beast!” My daughter said again, “Mom, where are the third and fourth leads? Dad likes a crowd.” Her words shattered my worldview. I couldn’t believe my cherished daughter said such things for half a piece of cake, “Nora, who taught you this nonsense!” Frightened, my daughter hid behind Phoebe, “Mom, I’m not lying. Dad wasn’t like this before, he used to enjoy it!” My heart went cold. Phoebe frowned at me, “Even with scum like this, you guys can still have fun? Who knows how many diseases he has.” The person with me was getting more excited, “Phoebe, you don’t know, experienced men are thrilling…” The room fell silent. Phoebe’s face turned dark, and they let go of me. I hurriedly crawled to the corner to put on my tattered clothes. Phoebe held Finn’s chin and said, “I don’t want Asher’s eyes dirtied. Drink all the wine on the table, consider it our celebration.” The person was annoyed, “Such fine wine, Gideon, you’ve never seen it, right? Consider yourself lucky.” I couldn’t handle alcohol, but for my son, I forced myself to drink. I was dizzy, “Can I go now?” Phoebe raised an eyebrow. Just as I stepped out, I remembered something important and turned back.

Standing awkwardly in front of Phoebe, “Phoebe, my son is sick, I don’t have money for his treatment…” For years, I’ve taken care of ten kids alone, with a seriously ill Grandma in the hospital, while being bullied and exploited. I had no money for my son’s treatment. Phoebe laughed, “So, you want money. My money doesn’t grow on trees. Can’t let you take it for nothing.” I felt a chill, “What do you want?” “Here, you earn it by skill.” Phoebe slapped a stack of cash on the table, “How much you get depends on your ability.” The group got interested again, “Gideon, a drink for a bill, how about it?” The 96-proof liquor was too much for me. Finn whispered something to my daughter, who immediately rushed at me, slapping me hard, “Weren’t you good at drinking and sleeping with women? Why aren’t you earning money now?” She cried and hugged Phoebe, “Mom, take me away. I don’t want to live with this dirty nobody…” Fueled by alcohol, I lunged at Finn, “What did you say to my daughter! What have you taught her?” Phoebe lost her patience, kicked me hard, “Gideon, are you done acting? Aren’t you disgusting enough! I’m nauseous at night, Asher can’t take it, you serve.” I was desperate, “Phoebe, my son is really sick! I need to take care of him!” Earlier, I was about to go to the prison to welcome Phoebe. But those women got drunk and caused trouble, clinging to me. My five-year-old biological son tried to protect me, but they mercilessly beat him until he was covered in blood, now lying in bed unable to move. Phoebe sneered, “You just want to trick me into sleeping with you, right? Gideon, look at your disgusting self, which woman would want you? In my heart, there’s only Asher.” “Take care of me until Asher’s child is born safely. I’ll have someone treat that little bastard.” I reluctantly agreed and returned home with Phoebe. Only then did I realize she never went bankrupt. She never went to jail. She just avoided me, wanting to punish me. But I didn’t care anymore. I just wanted my son to live. In the middle of the night, Finn said he was hungry, wanting me to cook. He ate my food and vomited. Phoebe grabbed me up and slapped me hard, “You scum, are you trying to poison Asher?” “You need to keep me happy until Asher’s child is safely born. I’ll have someone take care of that little brat.” I had no choice but to agree. I went home with Phoebe. It was then that I realized she had never gone bankrupt, nor had she been in jail. She was simply hiding from me, intent on punishing me. But I no longer cared about that; all I wanted was for my son to survive. In the middle of the night, Finn said he was hungry and asked me to make him something to eat. After eating, he vomited everything up. Phoebe grabbed me and slapped me hard, “You scumbag, are you trying to poison Asher?”

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During a layover, I was invited to a casino opening. I never expected to run into my sister Lily in this glittering den of luxury and vice. A corpulent man had his arm wrapped around her waist. Nearly everyone had gathered around them. Her fiancé Carter was showing the crowd high-definition videos of Lily on his iPad, playing them on a loop. “Lily, Zoe’s underwear is pure silk. You should consider yourself lucky she only asked you to hand wash them. How dare you refuse?” His tone was contemptuous, his gaze sharp. “Why should I have to wash her period-stained underwear?” Lily bit her lip, her body trembling with anger. “I didn’t realize you’d grown such a backbone. Maybe I need to break that stubborn spirit of yours. I have twelve videos of you here. In them, you’re begging me and calling me ‘master’, remember?” Lily clenched her fists so tightly her palms nearly bled. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows on the top floor, observing everything happening at the gambling tables below through narrowed eyes. Since when did these lowlifes dare to bully my sister?

The pit boss noticed my dark expression and barely dared to breathe. “I’ll kick these people out right away. If you’re still not satisfied, we have other ways to make it up to you.” I smiled coldly and waved my hand dismissively. “No need. I want to see what other tricks they have up their sleeves.” Carter seemed to think he hadn’t gone far enough. He paid a hefty sum to have the video content projected onto the display screens. Suddenly, the dazzling screens around us were filled with intimate videos that made people blush. “Who would have thought the Lin family’s daughter knew so many tricks? I hear the Lin family is going downhill these days. Could it be that Lily pretends to be a rich heiress by day, but services men at night to earn pocket money? Is that how she’s managed to keep up appearances for so long?” “Tsk tsk, curves in all the right places. She was truly born for this line of work.” Countless onlookers surrounded the screens, their mouths watering as they made lewd comments. “Carter, you must be bored of this chick by now. Why not let us have a turn?” Lily’s face was flushed bright red with shame. She stared at her feet, not daring to look up. Carter swirled the red wine in his glass and smiled playfully. “Why don’t we use these videos as a wager and have a few rounds of poker?” The men around him clapped and cheered. “Carter always has the best ideas. Count me in!” “Me too!” There were six seats at the table. These men sat down with lecherous grins on their faces, their eyes undressing Lily. “This is way better than some Japanese porn video.” “An AV starring the Lin family’s daughter – now that’s premium content.” Lily’s whole body shook. She finally raised her head defiantly amidst the humiliating comments. She looked at Carter with hurt and confusion in her eyes, her voice hoarse as she questioned him. “Why are you doing this to me? I’m your fiancée!” She was trying to appeal to whatever conscience this man had left. But Carter just sneered dismissively. “If you had just washed Zoe’s underwear earlier without making a fuss, we wouldn’t be here now. You brought this on yourself by being difficult.” He then looked around at the other men. “There are twelve videos in total. When you win them, you can edit them together into a compilation. Uploading it to the dark web might even earn you back your money.” Lily’s eyes were rimmed with red, tears welling up. Zoe, standing next to Carter, couldn’t hide the glee in her eyes as she deliberately poured salt in Lily’s wounds. “Lily dear, why the long face? Carter is kindly helping increase your value. Shouldn’t you be grateful?” “The Lin family is clearly on its last legs. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a name for yourself. No matter where your family goes from now on, everyone will know who you are.” She laughed exaggeratedly as she spoke. All these years, people only knew the Lin family was wealthy. But they didn’t know how, in just twenty short years, the Lin family had managed to carve out a place for themselves amidst such treacherous waters. Back then, my mother had insisted on marrying a poor man. My grandfather couldn’t dissuade her, so he made an agreement – their firstborn child would be sent overseas to be groomed as the heir. Little did he know my mother would give birth to twins. I was sent abroad as my grandfather wished, while my mother kept my sister by her side to give my father an heir. It wasn’t until I saw my sister enduring humiliation with a face so similar to mine that I truly empathized. I let out a cold laugh, hiding the darkness in my eyes. “Since you want to play, I’ll play with you until you’ve had enough.”

After the Lin Corporation stabilized, my grandfather focused all his energy on grooming me. Who would have thought my father would be so useless, nearly squandering the family fortune in just a few short years. “Carter, please explain to everyone. It was because I loved you that I agreed to make those videos when you insisted. It’s not what they think. Tell them! Please clear my name. If you’re tired of me, I’m willing to leave. But you can’t play with my reputation like this.” Lily carefully tugged at Carter’s sleeve, but he shoved her to the ground. “Stop bothering me. If you’re so capable, why don’t you win back those videos yourself?” Lily clutched her chest in pain. The light had gone out of her eyes. “Carter, let’s start a round! Just watching that preview got me all worked up, haha!” Lily’s face turned ghostly pale. Forget about whether she could afford to play at their level. She couldn’t even keep a poker face while betting and showing her cards. She had always been a passionate and sincere girl, unable to hide her feelings. For her, playing Texas Hold’em would be no different than playing with her cards face up. Those men leaned in close, surrounding her and making crude, insulting gestures. They had nearly pushed Lily to the brink. “Look at that pitiful expression. Why don’t you come with me tonight? I’ll help you win back those videos and we can watch them together. Isn’t that better than having so many people see them?” Lecherous laughter echoed all around. Carter drummed his fingers on the table and crossed his legs. As if granting Lily a favor, he said to her: “If you’re willing to kneel down and apologize to Zoe, and promise to hand wash all her clothes, including her intimates, for a year, I’ll consider letting you off the hook tonight. How’s that sound?” Lily seemed to waver. She opened her mouth, about to agree. Carter added another condition, as if toying with Lily brought him immense pleasure. “Of course, I can’t guarantee what will happen tomorrow night.” He exchanged a look with Zoe. The two of them burst into raucous laughter. Seeing Zoe’s smug face, I suddenly remembered – she was the daughter of our former housekeeper. How dare she think she can look down on my sister Victoria! Rage bubbled up in my chest. I crushed the poker chip I had been fiddling with, snapping it in half. Pushed to her limit, Lily defiantly got up from the ground and sat down at the poker table. “I’ll play against you!” Disappointed that Lily hadn’t been crushed, Carter’s face showed his displeasure. He rapped his knuckles on the table, signaling the dealer to deal the cards. Those beastly men were all eagerly rubbing their hands together. Some were even licking their lips in anticipation. Three cards were pushed in front of Lily. She didn’t look at them, not wanting to give away her hand easily. Everyone at the table spent their days in casinos. They were experts at mind games in Texas Hold’em. “Look! The video is starting! What a body, absolutely incredible!” The next second, the screen froze on a shot of Lily’s bare back.

“Stop!” Lily’s face turned ashen. If her body was truly exposed for all to see, she would have no face left to live in this world. “The house speaks.” Carter opened with a bet of $300,000. They were all worth over a hundred million. $500,000 was nothing to them. Everyone eagerly matched the bet. Lily gritted her teeth and followed suit. The men exchanged knowing smiles, reaching an unspoken agreement. Without hesitation, they casually raised the stakes to $2 million. Just as Lily was about to match the bet, Carter spoke up again. “Lily, take a look at the scraps you have left. Do you really think you’re qualified to play with us?” Lily fidgeted anxiously in her seat. She bit her lip and said, “I’ll put up 10% of Lin Corporation’s shares as collateral. Is that enough to match the bet?” These 10% shares weren’t given by our father. They were shares I had specially bought back from minority shareholders on her 18th birthday to celebrate her coming of age. Lily had always treasured the gifts I gave her. She even carefully preserved the bowls and chopsticks I had used in display cases. I knew Lily didn’t have much pocket money, but I never imagined she had fallen to such desperate straits. If she wasn’t pushed to the brink, she would never touch those 10% shares. “What? How do you have shares in Lin Corporation?” “I own 40%, my mom owns 40%, and the rest should all be held by minority shareholders.” Zoe’s shrill voice was filled with disbelief. Only after Lily produced proof were they willing to exchange the shares for chips. I had been busy with my overseas business ventures. It wasn’t until today that I learned Lin Corporation had been taken over by this vile mother-daughter pair! Unfortunately, Lin Corporation’s market value had shrunk. Plus, the casino deliberately undervalued the shares to curry favor with Carter. Those shares were only exchanged for $10 million in chips. To make matters worse, they maliciously raised the stakes. The smiles tugging at their lips revealed their intentions. “$2 million.” “$5 million.” “$10 million!” Large beads of sweat rolled down Lily’s forehead. When it came time to show their hands, Lily’s fingers trembled so much she had to flip her cards several times before revealing them. “Straight flush.” Fortunately, Lily won this round. It was a close call, and the tension on her face eased slightly. “It’s no fun if there’s no back and forth.” In the second round, Carter continued betting. He opened with $5 million right off the bat. There were twelve rounds in total. They didn’t believe Lily could be so lucky every time. “Lily, stop putting on airs. You’re fighting a losing battle. If you insist on being stubborn, you might end up losing everything.” Zoe’s fake concern didn’t achieve the desired effect. Lily truly lived up to being my sister. The more critical the moment, the calmer she became. She stared intently at her cards, not allowing anyone to mess with her state of mind. When the betting in the second round reached its peak, the other players all folded. It wasn’t out of pity for Lily’s isolation. They simply felt it wasn’t worth spending so much just to humiliate someone. But Carter was willing to spare no expense to crush Lily. “$20 million. Are you still in?” His mocking gaze deeply wounded Lily, but at this point, she had no way out. She had no more chips in front of her. The $10 million she had just put up as collateral was all on the table. “I know the rules here.” “I want to wager all my organs.” Lily’s tone was resolute, but it made Zoe burst out laughing. “Don’t be ridiculous. Even if we chopped up all your organs and stir-fried them, they wouldn’t be worth this much.” Lily parted her dry, chapped lips and revealed the physical condition that had once made her feel inferior. “I have situs inversus. Specimens like me are extremely rare in the world. I’m willing to bet my life. If my body is used for research, it should be worth quite a bit.” The entire room was in an uproar. “Has she gone mad? Betting her life?” “Tsk tsk, the more they’re like this, the more I like it. The contrast between a chaste woman and one begging on her knees – no matter how much the next round is, I’m definitely in!” Murmurs of astonishment and lewd comments rang out. These people showed not a shred of compassion, only excitement at the prospect of corrupting an innocent woman. “Alright, have it your way.” Carter pursed his lips. As Lily signed away her life to exchange for chips, he openly flirted with Zoe. This round, only the two of them were left betting against each other. Their lives and fortunes had all been turned into cold, hard chips. When Carter finally grew bored and called for Lily to show her hand after using up all her chips, everyone held their breath. All eyes were focused on the poker table. The two of them revealed their cards almost simultaneously. “We have a winner!”

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When we got our marriage license, Lucas told me he didn’t know how to love, so for five years of marriage, he gave me sex and desire. It was an arranged marriage, and I knew I couldn’t be greedy. I thought that was enough. Until our anniversary night. I broke his bedroom rule and secretly removed my blindfold for the first time. But I accidentally saw the name tattooed on his lower back. At that moment, I realized. Lucas wasn’t incapable of love; he had just hidden it away, saving it for my sister. We had a huge fight, wishing each other dead. Who would have thought those words would come true, as we both died in a car crash off a cliff. Before dying, Lucas looked at me, his face covered in blood, and begged: “Aria, if there’s a next life, let’s not be husband and wife, okay?” I stared at him, laughing miserably like a madwoman. When I opened my eyes again, I saw Lucas kneeling with his back straight: “Uncle, Aunt, I can’t marry Aria. I’m in love with Rose.” I was stunned. But I quickly accepted it. As it happened, I didn’t want to choose him this time either.

“Are you sure you want to marry Zachary?” Lucas’s mother asked, somewhat reluctantly. I calmly exchanged marriage documents with her, and after confirming that Zachary’s name was on them, I smiled gently: “I’m sure, Aunt.” Lucas’s mother tried to persuade me again: “The fortune teller said Zachary won’t live past thirty. You…” “Aria, even if Lucas doesn’t agree to the arranged marriage, you don’t have to choose a husband from the Lu family.” In my previous life, Zachary did indeed die at thirty. His mother fainted from crying, and his father aged years in a single night. Everyone lamented his passing. He was brilliant, becoming the head of the Lu family at such a young age. His frail body housed the most determined heart. Before he died, I had intended to see him one last time. But I heard him say: “I like Aria Young.” “She doesn’t need to know anything I’ve done. I just want her to be happy.” He said not all love needs to be spoken, not all love requires reciprocation. So much so that year after year, except for his assistant, no one knew. He hid his love so deep that I never noticed a hint of it until the last moment he left this world full of regret. So, even if it was just for that “like.” I wanted to help him, at least not let him die with regrets again. After a long pause, I smiled and gently patted the back of her hand. I reassured her: “Aunt, Zachary will live to be a hundred years old.”

After Lucas’s mother left, my mother also came to ask me: “You’re not just angry at Lucas, are you?” She knew how much I liked Lucas. Childhood sweethearts, when I first fell in love, I couldn’t see any other boy. I thought he felt the same way, but I never imagined it was just my one-sided love all along. In my previous life, when Lucas and I got our marriage license, he told me: “I’ve lived in calculations since childhood. I don’t understand love and can’t love, but I’ll give you everything I can.” For five years of marriage, we were known in our circle as a talented and beautiful couple, a loving husband and wife. So to maintain this marriage, I was willing to teach Lucas how to love me. I could even indulge his occasional willfulness. Even his bedroom quirks, I could endure. In my previous life, before we went to bed, Lucas would always hand me a blindfold or use a tie to cover my eyes. He said: “Aria’s eyes are too beautiful. I’m afraid I’ll lose control and hurt you.” Each time, I would blush to the tips of my ears. Later, there were once or twice when he forgot to cover my eyes. I was delighted to see his passionate expression, but he just coaxed me to change positions, then lovingly kissed my back bit by bit. We almost never faced each other. I thought it was just Lucas’s habit. Until our fifth anniversary. For the first time, I secretly removed the blindfold, only to accidentally discover the name tattooed on his lower back. Humiliation and betrayal washed over me simultaneously. At that moment, I felt like I had fallen into an ice pit. I went crazy, smashing everything in the bedroom, grabbing an ashtray and throwing it at Lucas. I hurled all sorts of vicious words at him, wishing he would die. Cursing him to go to hell. But this time around, I didn’t want to do anything. I just wanted to stay away from him. Thinking carefully. Lucas did treat me well. He just didn’t love me.

The engagement party was set for next month. Lucas’s mother said the Lu family would handle everything, and I just needed to wait patiently. She gave me the chance to change my mind at any time. I smiled helplessly and replied: “That wouldn’t be fair to Zachary.” He’s just sick. I sent a message to the research institute’s assistant, asking them to prepare experimental equipment for me. In my previous life, after Zachary had his heart transplant, I locked myself in the lab for a while to research antibacterial drugs. Later, when the drug was ready for production, he had already died from infection. I hope we’ll be in time this time. Suddenly, Lucas sent me a message: “Come to the Nine Nights Club. I have something to discuss with you.” I refused directly. After Lucas was reborn, the first thing he did was come to my house to cancel our engagement and confess his love for my adopted sister, Rose. To make Rose happy, he set off fireworks all night. The topic about them had been trending at number one for a while. Everyone was saying they were a perfect match. Some paparazzi had recorded a video of them walking on the beach. Rose seemed to get tired and asked Lucas to carry her on his back. I thought he would refuse. But he didn’t. He smiled indulgently, knelt on one knee, gently rubbed her ankle first, and then carried her on his back. His movements were smooth and tender. Some netizens commented: “Young Master Lu really loves Rose to death.” During this time, he had been by Rose’s side, dutifully pleasing her, spoiling her like a little princess. He was trying hard to make up for the regrets of his past life, wanting to live a different life. I didn’t object, as long as it didn’t involve me. But in the end, I still went to the Nine Nights Club, though not because of Lucas. I wanted to see Zachary. His assistant called me back: “Miss Young, Mr. Lu is at Nine Nights for a business meeting. If you have urgent matters, you can come directly.” I frowned instinctively and couldn’t help but joke: “He’s still drinking when he’s sick? Is he afraid he’s not dying fast enough?” The assistant on the other end immediately muted himself. After a moment of silence, only a very light cough came through. Finally, the assistant hurriedly left a private room number and hung up.

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