Category: English

I let my boyfriend drain my blood to save his dream girl. For seven years, I completed every humiliating request he made, and he still treated me like I was nothing. But I wasn’t here for love. I was here to save my dying husband in another world. Now that I’ve finished the final task, they’re about to learn the price of taking me for granted. When my wealthy boyfriend wanted to drain my blood to save his dream girl’s life, everyone thought I would break up with him. Instead, I voluntarily inserted the needle into my vein and agreed to the full blood transfusion surgery. Those who had been waiting to see me humiliated now looked at me with shock and confusion in their eyes. But after just a brief moment of silence, a burst of laughter erupted in the room. “Evelyn, you’re such a loyal dog! Seven years, and you’re still so obedient to our Adrian.” “Adrian, how do you train her? Teach me too, I want to keep one for fun!” “Nonsense, she’s just a poor girl, what else does she have besides her looks? If she doesn’t lower herself and cling to him, how else could she get close to a rich young master like Adrian?” Suddenly, countless sharp and sarcastic words stabbed at me like blades without mercy. But I endured it all with a blank expression. After all, I had been in this world for exactly seven years and had long since grown accustomed to these rumors and gossip. These people were all Adrian’s fair-weather friends. To please Adrian, they never missed an opportunity to humiliate me over the past seven years, highlighting their pathetic sense of existence. But I didn’t care. My purpose for coming to this world had always been only one thing. That was to cure my husband’s cancer. Back then, he inhaled a large amount of toxic smoke while rescuing me from a fire. In less than a year, his condition deteriorated from diagnosis to late-stage lung cancer. In my despair, it was the system that appeared and told me. As long as I willingly went to another world and fulfilled a thousand of Adrian’s requests, the system could cure my husband’s lung cancer, and I could return to the real world. Seven years had passed, and this was Adrian’s last request. Let alone taking my blood, even if he wanted my life, so what? After all, once the task was completed, this body would disappear anyway. Thinking of this, I looked up at Adrian, expecting him to eagerly take me to the hospital as usual. After all, in his eyes, I had been worth less than a strand of his dream girl Camilla’s hair for all these years. Previously, when Camilla failed to get a job, he demanded that I give up the interview opportunity I had worked hard to get, insisting I give up my spot for her. When Camilla fell ill with a fever, he ordered me to go out and buy medicine at three in the morning during a typhoon. When Camilla got drunk and had a car accident, he didn’t hesitate to cross the line and make me take the blame for Camilla. Each time, I completed his requests without complaint, but in return, I only received his increasingly cold gaze. But this time, Adrian’s pupils trembled slightly, his eyes filled with hesitation. “Evelyn, I’m asking you one last time…” “Are you serious?” Among the crowd, Camilla noticed this and a flash of displeasure crossed her eyes. But she quickly put on a sympathetic expression, pretending to walk forward and hold my hand, her tone full of guilt. “Sister Evelyn, my leukemia has worsened. The doctor said I need a full blood transfusion to survive.” “Now in the whole city, you’re the only one with the matching rare blood type.” “If you really replace all my blood alone, you might be drained dry, and you might even die…” Camilla said halfway through but suddenly raised her head, looking as if she was about to cry. “Ah, it’s bad enough that I’m suffering alone, how could I drag you into this…” As I watched her poor performance, I couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. Seven years, and she’s still the same. Playing the victim, seeking sympathy, pushing all responsibility onto others. But anyway, my task was about to be completed, so it didn’t matter what she did. Thinking of this, I just smiled faintly. “Don’t worry, Miss Camilla. I’m volunteering.” “Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda, and moreover…” “I’ve said it countless times over these seven years, I’ll fulfill whatever Adrian asks.” “This 600cc is enough for you to get through this period, so please accept it with peace of mind.” With that, I handed the blood bag to Adrian with blood on the corner of my mouth. After all, I would soon be able to see my husband again, just thinking about it made me happy. And curing Camilla’s illness meant they could be together properly, it was a win-win situation, no one lost out. But Adrian, who had been so arrogant moments ago, was now stunned for some reason. He stared at me for a long time, as if seeing me for the first time. After a while, he finally took the blood bag, though his voice was suddenly a bit hoarse for some reason. “The surgery is tentatively scheduled for next week…” “Take this money, don’t collapse by then and prevent Camilla from having the surgery.” I looked at the check Adrian handed me, somewhat surprised. In seven years, this was the first time Adrian had offered to compensate me. However, I was about to return to my own world, so this money was completely useless to me. I shook my head, refusing his kindness. “I’m simply fulfilling your wish, I don’t need money.” “Being able to help you is enough for me.” Hearing this, Adrian looked at me in surprise, his eyes full of confusion. I didn’t bother to explain anything, just smiled at him and turned to leave. But perhaps because I had just donated 600cc of blood, I felt a bit dizzy. After walking a few steps, my high-heeled boots slipped on the smooth ice, and my already thin down jacket was torn by pebbles, letting the cold wind constantly blow in. “Pfft—” Seeing my sprained ankle, a burst of laughter immediately erupted around me. “It was just 600cc, look how weak she is, she can’t even walk. It’s hilarious!” “Alright, stop pretending to be fragile in front of our Adrian. You’re just a poor girl who throws herself at him, do you really think you can climb the social ladder with such childish tricks?” “That’s right, she’s just an outsider. Why should Adrian care about her? Adrian, let’s go, I’ve called quite a few beauties for the next party, they’re all waiting to meet you!” Among the crowd, Camilla also secretly gave me a challenging smile, then hooked her arm through Adrian’s and sat in his passenger seat. I didn’t say anything, just silently gritted my teeth and slowly stood up, leaning against the wall. Such humiliation had become commonplace for me over the past seven years. Just as I thought Adrian would leave with Camilla without looking back as he had done before, he suddenly stopped and walked over to me. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke in a low voice. “Never mind, get in the car.” “I’ll have the driver take you back.”

When I heard Adrian tell me to get in the car, I was stunned. In seven years, this was the first time. Before, he was always very harsh with me, looking as if he despised me to the bone. Not only did he never let me touch his car, but he also said that a woman of my class getting into his car would be an embarrassment to him. I remember once when I accidentally steadied myself by touching his car door, he immediately pushed me down, and the next day he even sold the new car he had bought less than three months ago. But now, he was actively telling me to get in the car. For a moment, I really couldn’t react. The people around us were also stunned, including Camilla. Everyone’s eyes were focused on Adrian, their gazes full of surprise. It wasn’t until this moment that Adrian seemed to belatedly realize his own slip, a flash of panic unlike his usual self crossing his eyes, but he quickly returned to his usual indifferent demeanor. “She’s the only one in the city with the rare blood type. I just thought that if it gets dark and the roads are slippery, it would be a waste of all that rare blood if she froze to death outside.” “For Camilla’s safety, I have to ensure this blood bag doesn’t have any accidents.” This reason, I had already guessed in my heart earlier. Hearing him say this, I didn’t feel much turmoil in my heart. After all, Adrian being madly in love with Camilla was something everyone knew. Once when Camilla made a mistake at work and was just scolded by her supervisor, Adrian directly brought down that company. He even used his family connections to blacklist that supervisor, completely ruining his career. Now, for Camilla’s safety, he reluctantly let me get in the car once, which was normal. However, I get carsick anyway, so I still declined his kindness. “No need, I’ll just walk back.” Adrian’s face immediately turned cold. “Suit yourself.” With that, he got in the car and left without looking back. Immediately, a burst of mocking laughter erupted around me. “Adrian just took pity on you for a moment, and you’re getting cocky? Did you really think anyone could get in Adrian’s car?” “With such poor judgment, no wonder Adrian hasn’t even bothered to look at you properly in seven years.” Camilla even gave me a smug smile from the car. But I just wrapped my coat tighter and turned to walk towards my home in this world. The night sky in this world was different from my hometown’s. Looking at the unfamiliar starry sky, I couldn’t help but think of my husband. Although the system had temporarily saved his life. But after not seeing each other for seven years, he must be very worried about me now. But fortunately, all this was about to end. Thinking of this, I couldn’t help but smile slightly. But just then, someone suddenly pushed me hard from behind. Caught off guard, I fell directly into the cold lake water. I had just donated 600cc of blood and was already weak, now I felt like my whole body was turning into an ice cube, unable to move. Struggling in the freezing cold water, I saw Camilla standing on the shore, looking at me with a cold smile. “Well, well, if it isn’t our little wife Evelyn? Still alive, are you?” She walked to my hospital bed, looking down at me with contempt in her voice. “I’m surprised you actually signed the surgery consent form. I thought you’d refuse to save my life for the sake of your pathetic self-respect.” “Looks like you do have some self-awareness after all.” “You know that the only use for your worthless life is to save mine.” She paused, her tone becoming even more cutting. “But don’t even think about marrying Adrian.” “Forget about me not agreeing, Adrian’s family would never allow it.” “How could they possibly let someone like you, with such an unclear background, marry into their wealthy family?” With that, Camilla took a bank card out of her pocket and threw it onto my hospital bed. “Take this money after the surgery and get as far away as possible.” “If you ever show up in front of Adrian and me again, you’ll face the consequences.” But I looked at the bank card and just shook my head. I was about to leave this world anyway, what use did I have for money? “I don’t need your money.” Camilla’s face immediately darkened. “You’re asking for trouble!” “Since you care so much about your image in Adrian’s eyes, I’ll make sure you give up completely.” The next moment, she grabbed the bowl of hot medicine Adrian had left on the table and suddenly splashed it on her own face. Then, she covered her face and started screaming loudly, pretending to be in pain. “Ah! It’s so hot!” She moaned in pain while secretly glancing at me from the corner of her eye, her lips curling into a sinister cold smile, but her voice still pretending to be sincere: “Miss Evelyn, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I didn’t realize the medicine was so hot.” “But if doing this makes you feel better, I won’t tell Adrian you splashed me.” I saw through Camilla’s poor acting at a glance. It was the same old trick. She had used this method to frame me more than once or twice. Every time, Adrian would punish me without considering the consequences. Sure enough, the next moment Adrian pushed open the door and walked in. He saw this scene, and his face immediately turned ugly. He then quickly walked up to me and raised his hand, about to hit me. But the next moment, his hand suddenly stopped in mid-air, followed by a sigh. “Evelyn, don’t let this happen again.”

Seeing that Adrian didn’t actually hit me, not only was I surprised, but Camilla also looked at Adrian as if she had seen a ghost, her face full of astonishment. “Adrian, she splashed me, why aren’t you doing anything about it?” “Don’t tell me… you’ve actually fallen for this bootlicker?” Adrian sighed helplessly, then held Camilla’s hand tightly. “Camilla, you can act up however you want usually, it doesn’t matter.” “But Evelyn’s safety is very important right now. Without her, your life might not be saved.” “Let’s focus on the big picture, okay?” Hearing this, I was suddenly shocked. So, for these seven years, Adrian had always known that Camilla was doing it on purpose. He just loved her too much, so he knew but didn’t say anything. For a moment, Camilla knew she was in the wrong, her face alternating between shades of green and white. “Evelyn, don’t get cocky. Don’t forget what I said earlier, Adrian will absolutely never marry you!” She glared at me fiercely before storming out, slamming the door behind her. Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Adrian took the initiative to offer to take me back. I nodded, after all, my body was still quite weak. On the way, we passed by a shopping mall. In the window display, a pair of platinum rings shimmered under the lights. The style was exactly the same as the one my husband gave me when he proposed. I couldn’t help but stop, my gaze fixed on that ring. “You like it?” Adrian followed my gaze, his tone indifferent. “Let me make this clear in advance. Although I agreed to marry you, it’s only for Camilla’s surgery.” “Don’t even think about wedding rings and such.” “I only have Camilla in my heart. You’re just a wife in name, don’t fantasize about anything.” But I just smiled faintly. “It’s okay, I don’t mind.” “As long as I can help you fulfill your wish, I’m satisfied.” Hearing this, the smile on Adrian’s face suddenly froze. For the rest of the journey, he didn’t say another word. Until a car at the intersection couldn’t brake in time and suddenly lost control, rushing towards us. Adrian was still looking down, seemingly lost in thought, completely unaware of the approaching danger. My heart suddenly tightened. If he died, what about my task? What about my husband’s illness? Almost instinctively, I suddenly pushed Adrian away. “Evelyn! Are you crazy?” Adrian stumbled from my push, frowning as he looked at me. But the next second, he saw me being hit by the car and lying on the ground covered in blood. His pupils suddenly contracted, his face filled with disbelief. “Evelyn!” He stumbled towards me, his voice trembling. “Why… why did you still save me?” I was in so much pain I could barely speak, but I still managed to force out a smile. “I just… didn’t want to see you die…” Hearing this, the usually cold and arrogant Adrian’s eyes reddened. “Fool, you really are a fool.” “How can there be someone like you in this world?” I looked at him, but just managed a weak smile. He had grown up in a world of intrigue and deception among the wealthy elite, how could he have ever seen pure kindness? In the end, he was also a pitiful person. Just as Adrian was about to call an ambulance, his phone suddenly rang. It was Adrian’s secretary. “Young Master Adrian, it’s terrible! Miss Camilla’s condition has suddenly worsened, she might not make it!” “We need to operate immediately! Please bring Evelyn over for the blood transfusion right away!” Adrian was stunned, looking at me, then at his phone. “But… Evelyn is injured too, she needs treatment now…” On the other end of the phone, the secretary was shocked: “Young Master Adrian, what are you saying?” “Who is Evelyn compared to Miss Camilla’s life?” I looked at Adrian, somewhat surprised. In seven years, this was the first time he had hesitated between me and Camilla. Probably because I had just saved him, and he felt guilty. But I didn’t care. I was happy to have the surgery early and complete the task. I struggled to get up from the ground, a wave of intense pain spreading through my body. “Let’s go.” “Let’s go perform the surgery for Camilla now.” Adrian’s eyes immediately widened. “But… but you’re injured now! If you have surgery recklessly, you could die!” I waved my hand dismissively. “It doesn’t matter.” “Saving someone is the most important thing, isn’t it?” Adrian stared at me blankly, his eyes complex. He probably never imagined that in this situation, I would still be thinking about saving Camilla. He was silent for a moment, and finally said nothing, turning to walk towards the car. On the way, neither of us spoke. It wasn’t until just before entering the operating room that Adrian spoke again. “Evelyn…” “Why… why are you doing this?” But I just smiled. “Of course it’s because you’re very important to me.” Adrian was immediately stunned, a barely noticeable flicker of emotion passing through his eyes. I turned and walked into the operating room. Just before the door closed, Adrian suddenly said softly. “Evelyn.” “You’re not allowed to die…” His voice was very quiet. Although I heard it, I didn’t respond. After all, once this surgery was completed, I would leave this world. Such a promise meant nothing to me. In the operating room, under the cold light. I lay on the operating table, watching my blood slowly flow into Camilla’s body. Camilla’s face gradually regained its rosy color, and her breathing became steady. The doctors all breathed a sigh of relief. I also breathed a sigh of relief, forcing out a weak smile. It’s over. These seven years of strategy were finally over. “Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the task. Your husband’s cancer has been successfully cured, and you will return to the real world soon.” … Meanwhile. Upon learning that the surgery went smoothly, Adrian took a deep breath and walked into my hospital room with an exquisite ring box, clearing his throat: “You worked hard today.” “I don’t like owing people favors. You’ve been eyeing that ring, right? I saw it wasn’t expensive so I bought it on a whim. Try it on.” But there was no response from me on the hospital bed. Adrian called out in confusion. “Evelyn?” “Did you hear what I said…”

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I’ve always had a terrible sense of direction, constantly getting lost since I was little. The worst time was when I was eight; I almost got kidnapped by traffickers. So, Leo, my brother, gave me a GPS watch and taught me how to use it again and again. “Just follow the GPS, and you’ll find your way home, got it?” I nodded hard, and from then on, the watch never left my wrist. But soon after, Mom’s biological daughter was found, and my family changed completely towards me. Even if I didn’t come home for a whole night, they wouldn’t worry anymore. It was New Year’s again, and Leo, completely out of character, took me on a trip. He spent over ten days playing with me. The last stop was a remote village. He asked for my watch and tinkered with it for ages. The next day, I couldn’t reach him at all. Looking at the strange location on my watch, I suddenly understood everything. When I was leaving, a villager wondered, “You’re leaving too? Where are you going?” I just smiled at him. “Home.”

I died on New Year’s Day. My soul floated out of my body and drifted back home. Finally, I understood why Leo had suddenly wanted to take me on that trip. It turned out the “real” daughter, Chloe, wanted to celebrate New Year’s without me. The dinner table was filled with laughter and warmth; Chloe was the happiest. “With her gone, the food tastes so much better!” Mom and Dad looked embarrassed, and Leo frowned slightly. “Why don’t you like Stella? She never bothered you, and she’s always been so considerate.” Chloe’s eyes flashed with annoyance, and she raised an eyebrow, retorting: “Why do I need a reason? Do I have to be bullied to dislike someone?” Leo fell silent. Ever since Chloe was found, she’d been diagnosed with depression. At home, she was the princess, her word was law. The slightest inconvenience, and she’d threaten to kill herself. No one dared cross her. When I was alive, I even walked around her. “What, you all miss her, huh?” Seeing no one speak, Chloe threw down her forks. “I just don’t get it. I’m your real daughter! What’s so great about that fake anyway?” The atmosphere at home instantly grew heavy. Mom quickly grabbed Chloe’s hand, gently soothing her: “Chloe, don’t be upset. We don’t like her. It’s just… we’re a little unaccustomed.” “If you even mention her again, I’m running away!” Chloe’s face completely darkened. She yanked her hand away from Mom. “If you miss her so much, then just bring her back!” “We’re not…” “I just wanted to celebrate New Year’s without her! What’s so wrong with that?!” Mom’s comforting words were cut short as Chloe’s emotions flared. “I’m the victim here! She grew up in this family, enjoying everything that should have been mine. I just hate her!” “I’m begging you, just leave her alone! I’m seriously going to break!” Saying this, she covered her face, tears instantly flowing. Mom and Dad’s faces went pale with worry, trying desperately to comfort her. Only Leo frowned. “For you, I changed Stella’s GPS watch location.” “If she gets lost and something happens, we’re all responsible.” Mom shot Leo an angry glare, signaling him to stop talking. Chloe took her hands from her face, her chin jutted out, demanding: “What could possibly happen to a grown person? Is she going to die or something?” Her emotions were clearly spiraling out of control. Leo stared at her, his face grim, for a long moment, then finally sighed. “Let’s just leave it for now. After New Year’s, I’ll go pick her up myself.” Chloe immediately broke into a satisfied smile. And I, floating in the air, let out a bitter laugh. Chloe’s words were prophetic. I really was dead.

Leo forgot that I was twenty-two now, not an eight-year-old child anymore. I could read electronic devices, use navigation. So even without the watch, my soul could find its way home accurately. The reason I didn’t come back, why I stupidly followed the modified location, was because I understood: I was superfluous in this family. Leo was a terrible actor. When I got lost as a child and was finally found, he would scold me with a stern face, but his voice was full of worry and concern. It was the same now. Two days ago, I asked him what was so fun about the small mountain village, and why we weren’t going home since New Year’s was approaching. He smiled at me, but his eyes were full of guilt. “No rush to go home. I finally have time to spend with you, let’s enjoy a few more days.” I sensed something was off then, but I didn’t say anything. Until he asked for my watch, saying he wanted to take a picture so he could buy one for Chloe too. I took off the watch and handed it to him. His fingers trembled as he tinkered with it. Even after he put the watch back on my wrist, his grim expression didn’t improve one bit. I smiled and asked, “Leo, this watch is so old-school. You should just get Chloe a new one, or she’ll be upset.” Leo couldn’t even look me in the eye. “It’s fine, we’ll just get this one.” I became even more certain he was hiding something. That night, I took off the watch and inspected it carefully. Sure enough, I found the location had been changed. Though on the surface, the address still looked like our home in the city, if you clicked on it and did a quick hack, you’d find the GPS was set to a forest outside Oakwood Village. Leo probably just picked a random spot, not realizing it was a forest. My heart plummeted to hell in that instant. But I didn’t go to him, and I didn’t ask. Because I knew he was in a difficult position too. Chloe always found me unbearable, and with her ‘depression,’ she’d threaten to kill herself at the drop of a hat. He’d been torn between me and his biological sister for nearly ten years; it hadn’t been easy for him either. The next morning, Leo didn’t come to knock on my door as usual. I knew he had probably gone home. So I went out too, following the location on my watch. On the way, a villager recognized me: “Aren’t you from the city, here on vacation? Your brother left early this morning. Are you leaving too? Where are you headed?” I swallowed the bitter pill in my heart, forcing a smile. “Home.” The villager frowned. “The road to town isn’t this way. Don’t go any further, there are wolves, snakes, and traps in that forest.” I smiled and said, “It’s okay, I’ll be careful.” Even if it was hell, if Leo wanted me to go, I would. The villager gave up and went home. I had planned to leave the watch at the designated spot so Leo wouldn’t worry, and then leave the forest to find somewhere else to live. Who knew I hadn’t walked more than a few steps before I fell into a trap. There was no cell signal, and I couldn’t call for help. I fell into despair, completely helpless. Even worse, there was a poisonous snake in the pit. That night, I was bitten and died. … “Stella’s watch signal is gone!” Leo’s frantic voice snapped me out of my thoughts. He was staring at his phone, face grim, then he got up to get dressed. “Stella won’t be in trouble, will she? No, I have to go find her!”

“Maybe she just turned off the watch herself, why are you so anxious?” Chloe grabbed Leo, “You can’t leave! It’s New Year’s, and you promised to spend it with me!” Leo helplessly patted her head. “Chloe, behave. I’ll just go check on her. If she’s not in any danger, I’ll be right back.” “I’ll send someone to look.” Chloe insisted, “You have to stay home with me today!” Leo furrowed his brow, about to say something else. Chloe suddenly grabbed a fruit knife from the table and held it to her throat. “If you dare walk out that door today, I swear I’ll kill myself right here!” Mom and Dad screamed, and Leo gasped in horror, quickly raising his hands to placate her. “Okay, okay, I won’t go! Just put the knife down!” A flicker of triumph crossed Chloe’s eyes. She tossed the knife aside. “It’s just finding someone, right? It doesn’t have to be you. Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” Leo bent down, shaken, picked up the knife, and returned it to the kitchen. “Don’t grab knives like that all the time. What if you get hurt?” Watching his worried expression, a dull ache spread through my chest. When I was little, if I didn’t come home for more than two hours, he would panic. Back then, he was the same way, scolding me verbally, but his face was full of worry. “Do you know how long I looked for you? Who told you to run off? What if something happened?” But ever since Chloe came back, I became invisible. Even if I deliberately didn’t come home for a whole night, no one cared. When I was a teenager, I couldn’t understand and once asked Leo, my eyes red, why he didn’t look for me. He shook his head, amused. “Stella, didn’t you have your GPS watch?” “I told you, that was the way home. You could find your way back yourself.” Years later, that sentence still echoed in my mind. What I couldn’t understand before, I understood perfectly now. The way home? From the moment Chloe returned, I had no home anymore. The next day at noon, Chloe showed Leo a video. The video showed my back, happily picking mushrooms. Chloe’s assistant asked, “Stella, do you want to come home?” I didn’t even turn around, impatiently saying, “Tell Mom and Dad I’m doing great here, and I’m never coming back.” The assistant asked again, “Where’s your watch?” My tone was flat, “It’s off.” The video was clearly doctored, but Leo didn’t notice. He didn’t care what I said; instead, he sighed in relief, smiling. “It’s good that Stella’s okay. Looks like she’s quite used to living there.” “I’ll go pick her up after New Year’s.” Chloe was furious. “Didn’t you hear her say she doesn’t want to come back?” Leo didn’t care. “It’s just a phase. Nowhere’s better than home. She’ll get tired of it after New Year’s.” Saying this, he didn’t forget to add, “Tell your assistant to leave Stella some extra cash, so she doesn’t run out.” He said this and then left for work, completely missing the fierce jealousy in Chloe’s eyes. The door clicked shut, and Chloe immediately called her assistant. “Bury Stella’s body somewhere, anywhere. Even dead, she’s still got Leo wrapped around her finger. What a bitch!” The assistant, who had never done anything like this, his voice trembling, “What if they find out…?” “What are you scared of? You didn’t kill her. Burying her is practically doing a good deed!” Saying this, she remembered something else, and a strange, chilling smile played on her lips. “Oh, and get her phone back for me.” “Leo will definitely text her. If no one replies, he’ll get suspicious.”

Just like that, after New Year’s, Chloe didn’t act up for several days. Mom and Dad were happy. When they occasionally talked about me, the topic was often: “If we’d known Chloe would be normal once Stella left, we should have sent her away sooner.” In the whole family, only Leo still thought of me. He often sent me messages on SnapChat, asking if I’d eaten, slept, or if I was having a good time. But “I” replied very coolly, usually no more than three words. Leo thought I was just having too much fun and didn’t think much of it. Until the week before New Year’s Eve, Chloe threw out all my belongings and turned my room into a dog’s room. Leo came home from work and saw workers dismantling my bed and nailing dog toys to the walls. His face instantly darkened, his voice icy. “Who told you to do this?!” The workers jumped in fright. Chloe spoke from behind him. “I did. Stella isn’t coming back anyway, so there’s no point in keeping this room.” When Leo turned around, his eyes flashed with strong displeasure. “I said I was going to pick Stella up after New Year’s. How could you just take matters into your own hands and turn her room into a…” “Took matters into my own hands?” Chloe’s voice rose several octaves. “What? Isn’t this my house? Just because I’m redecorating, I’m ‘taking matters into my own hands’?” Leo was barely restraining his fury. “At least tell me! There are no empty rooms left. Where do you expect Stella to stay?” “Stella, Stella! Is Stella the only one you care about?!” Chloe’s chest heaved with rage, her emotions instantly collapsing. “I’m your real sister! Do I even exist to you?!” “What’s all this commotion?” Mom and Dad, hearing the commotion, rushed out. Seeing the tension between Chloe and Leo, they started sweating with anxiety. Chloe grabbed her hair, screaming wildly. “I told you I don’t like her! Why do you keep bringing her up in front of me?!” “Do you want to drive me to my death to be happy? Huh? You’d be thrilled if I died right now, wouldn’t you?!” Mom’s face went white with fear. She quickly grabbed Chloe’s hand and snapped at Leo. “What did you say now?!” Leo was exhausted and helpless, his voice hoarse. “She turned Stella’s room into a dog’s room, and I just said…” “Can’t you just make things easy for me?!” Before Leo could finish, Mom roared. “Stella has sent you so many messages saying she’s not coming back, can’t you understand?! For a room, you’re upsetting Chloe like this. What kind of brother are you?!” Leo froze, slowly pressed his lips together, and remained silent. And Chloe, as if she’d caught a trigger word, shook off Mom’s hand and lunged towards the wall. “I don’t want to live! Let me die! He’ll be happy if I die, won’t he?!” Mom was thrown to the ground. Luckily, Dad reacted quickly and grabbed Chloe. The house was in chaos. The workers didn’t know whether to continue or stop, standing awkwardly with their tools. Chloe was crying hysterically, constantly shouting that she wanted to die, to be free. Mom suddenly stood up from the floor, rushed to Leo, and slapped him twice! Leo’s head snapped to the side, his fair face rapidly swelling and turning red. I gasped, covering my mouth, unable to believe Mom, who was always so gentle, now glared at him with red eyes and screamed: “I’m warning you, Leo! If you dare mention Stella in this house again, I’ll disown you!” “We weren’t bad to Stella all these years. She said she wasn’t coming home, we didn’t abandon her!” “If anything happens to Chloe because of you and Stella, I’ll haunt both of you even after I’m dead!” Those words were too harsh. Leo’s eyelashes trembled slightly, his eyes slowly turning red. His jawline tightened, and after a long moment, he spoke with a hint of sarcasm. “Fine, I’ll never mention Stella’s name in this house again.” Saying this, he turned and walked into his bedroom, slamming his door shut. Dad and Mom were busy comforting Chloe, completely missing that Leo’s mood was off too. I floated into his bedroom, just in time to see him pull out his phone and text me. “Stella, I’ll come pick you up tomorrow.” His eyes were bloodshot, as if about to bleed. Growing up, I’d never seen him look so utterly broken. But the reply was ruthless: [No need. I’m not coming back. I have a new brother now.] Leo’s pupils constricted, and he completely panicked. [What about the watch I gave you? You promised you’d always wear it!] If the watch was on, he could find me by its location. But my reply made him clutch his phone in an instant. [Threw it away. What’s the point of keeping something useless?]

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I deliberately smashed the mall’s glass entrance and surrendered myself to the police. My husband, Ryan, rushed over, furious, demanding, “It was something we could have settled with money, so why on earth did you turn yourself in?” Because in my previous life, after his ex-girlfriend, Chloe, failed her business venture, she came crawling back to him. Chloe drove, staged a car accident, killed someone, and framed me for it—all to seize our millions. Later, the victim’s family and reporters furiously descended on me, absolutely convinced I was the culprit. I tried desperately to prove my innocence, but every video evidence they found showed my face. Ryan, my husband, was the first to insist I’d done it out of spite, an act of revenge against society. I was stabbed to death on the spot by the victim’s family. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the very day Chloe staged the accident. “Maya, why send yourself to jail for something we could just pay our way out of? Are you out of your mind?” My husband, Ryan, rushed over, his voice sharp with anger as he yelled at me. I simply raised my hands. The officer beside me already clicked the handcuffs onto my wrists. “Ryan, when you do something wrong, you have to own it. I made a mistake, and I scared people.” “I think it’s important for me to go to the station and seriously reflect on what I’ve done.” Ryan immediately pulled out a thick wad of cash. “We have money, plenty of it! Don’t arrest my wife!” The officer shot Ryan an annoyed look. “Sir, a mistake needs to be addressed!” “Take her in!” Ryan trembled with rage. No matter how much he pleaded, I insisted I needed to reflect. Thanks to my cooperative attitude, I was sentenced to just a week at the police station for reflection. Even though for those seven days, my freedom was restricted to the station, I felt an unprecedented sense of peace. This time, I couldn’t possibly get tangled in those same old troubles, right? In my previous life, my husband had an ex-girlfriend, Chloe. After she arrived in the city, it was like she’d completely stolen Ryan’s heart. He barely spent a night at home. “If you go looking for Chloe again, we’re getting a divorce!” After a massive fight, Ryan stormed out, slamming the door behind him. He didn’t come back all night. I knew he had gone to see his ex, Chloe, again. The next day, Chloe, my husband’s ex-girlfriend, caused a hit-and-run, resulting in a death. The circumstances were horrific. She had struck and killed a pregnant woman, eight months along! I urged Chloe to surrender quickly and offer generous compensation, to meet any demands the victim’s family might have. But Chloe just sneered, “Who said I hit her? Didn’t you hit her?” I wanted to prove my innocence, but whether it was the dashcam footage or street surveillance, it was my face. I had no defense. Ryan even claimed I’d had a vengeful breakdown due to our rocky marriage and lashed out at society. Reporters, swarming the scene, twisted the narrative, painting me as a ruthless killer. I tried desperately to explain, but when the victim’s family found me, they rushed forward and stabbed me. I collapsed in a pool of blood, utterly bewildered. Why was Chloe’s deed being pinned on me? Confused but determined not to repeat my past life’s tragic end, I deliberately got myself locked up at the police station.

A week later, I was released from the station. I stepped out into the bright morning sun, taking a deep, cleansing breath. This time, I’d spent the entire week locked up. There was no way the events of my past life could have happened, right? But just as I walked out, someone grabbed my arm, their eyes bloodshot, and started screaming. “This monster! She deliberately ran over my pregnant daughter!” A swarm of reporters was already waiting outside the station. They shoved microphones into my face, one after another. “Maya, you murderer! Are you here at the station to turn yourself in?” The photographers accompanying them aimed their cameras at me, the flashing lights making it hard to keep my eyes open. Passersby, drawn by the commotion, stopped. When they recognized me, they started pointing and whispering. “Look, isn’t that Maya, the woman who ran over a pregnant woman and then fled?” “She’s a menace to society! Two lives lost! She should be put down!” I looked at the aggressive crowd, my brow furrowed. What was going on? I’d been inside the station for the past seven days! “You’re wrong! How could I possibly drive a car and hit a pregnant woman?” The victim’s relative, still gripping my arm, became even more agitated. If I hadn’t been stronger, his fist would have landed on my face. One reporter shoved his phone right in front of me. I stared at the video on the screen, my eyes wide with horror. The dashcam footage showed me behind the wheel, a twisted smile plastered on my face, aiming straight for the pregnant woman on the sidewalk, and slamming the accelerator. It was my face in the video, laughing hysterically as I hit the pregnant woman! A sickeningly cheerful voice, unmistakably mine, echoed, “Oops, my bad!” “Who told you to be so unlucky?” Then, my husband, Ryan, appeared. He yanked me out of the driver’s seat. “Maya, what in God’s name are you doing? How could you do something so stupid and hateful?” In the video, I violently pushed Ryan away, then drove off, and the dashcam footage ended there. My face turned ashen. This was exactly how it happened in my previous life! But I’d spent seven days locked up in the police station. How could this still be happening? “Still trying to explain? Isn’t this explanation enough?!” The victim’s relative, his veins throbbing on his forehead, was regaining strength. My arm began to tremble. The eyes of the surrounding onlookers burned with fury. “It’s confirmed! It’s this monster! There’s no mistake!” “Hitting an eight-month pregnant woman with a car? Is she even human?” “I saw it! She hit her once, then drove over her multiple times!” “Oh my God, that poor woman might have survived even after a miscarriage, but this monster ran her over so many times she died on the spot! She deserves to die!” Sweat beaded on my forehead. I rushed to explain, “I’ve been in the police station for seven days! How could I have done something like this?” The victim’s relative lunged, almost head-butting me. “The person in this video is you! If it’s not you, then who is it?” My forehead ached. I quickly continued, “Chloe did it! She’s my husband’s ex-girlfriend! She’s the one who killed the pregnant woman…” “Maya, that’s enough! Do you think hiding in the police station makes you innocent?” My husband, Ryan, had reached me and was shouting fiercely. My eyes widened, and a sudden sharp pain shot through my waist! It was Chloe, Ryan’s ex-girlfriend, who had just kicked me. “Maya, how long are you going to keep denying it?”

“It wasn’t me! Why should I confess?” I yelled, gritting my teeth against the pain. Ryan, my own husband, slapped me across the face. “Maya, what has gotten into you?” “When you do something wrong, you admit it! Do you think you’re still some childish brat?” I suppressed my rage and continued to explain, “I told you it wasn’t me! You’re trying so hard to frame me, you two must have something to hide, don’t you?” Chloe feigned another kick, aiming viciously at my waist. “Maya, with all the evidence against you, you’re still trying to argue!” “People like you don’t deserve the protection of the law. You should be executed on the spot!” The other reporters immediately turned most of their cameras towards Chloe. Chloe’s words clearly resonated with them. Someone like me, who would seek revenge on society and kill a pregnant woman, shouldn’t be subject to legal proceedings; I should be executed immediately! The crowd around us grew increasingly incensed. “I say we execute this menace right here, right now!” “If she’s just sentenced, it’ll probably be life in prison! That’s two lives! How can she get off so lightly?” Just then, another man with bloodshot eyes approached from a distance, clutching a small knife. The surrounding citizens and reporters flinched when they saw the knife, quickly backing away from the man. “Maya, you deserve to die! Give me back my wife! Give me back my child!” With that, he raised the knife, aiming for my chest. This man was David, the pregnant woman’s husband. His long-awaited baby was about to be born, and now both his child and his beloved wife were dead because of me. He had only one thought: a life for a life. He absolutely would not let me live. I was pinned to the spot, cold sweat beading on my temples. Reborn, was I still unable to change my tragic fate? I strained with all my might, almost giving up. Just then, a police baton whipped out swiftly, and a young officer knocked the knife from David’s hand. “What do you think you’re doing? Back away!” My husband, Ryan, and his ex, Chloe, both took a step back. But the victim’s family members instantly lunged and tackled me to the ground. “Officer, help me!” Ryan sighed dramatically. “Maya, the police are here now. Just confess.” Chloe shouted from behind, “The police are here to arrest you! Are you still going to deny it?” The officer frowned. “What’s going on, Maya? You just got out a little while ago. Are you causing trouble again?” “It’s her! She’s the murderer who hit and killed my wife yesterday! Two lives gone! Please, give me justice!” At that moment, David, the pregnant woman’s husband, suddenly screamed hysterically. “That’s right! She’s monstrous! We demand she be shot!” Others chimed in, but the police looked confused. “Yesterday? Maya has been in our station for the past seven days, hasn’t she?” “What? How could she be at the station?!” Chloe sensed something was wrong. She quickly ducked into the crowd, her voice shrill. “Officer, are you trying to protect this murderer?” Ryan also reacted. “Exactly! I’m her husband, and I can testify that Maya did this!” With everyone chiming in, all the cameras and microphones were shoved in front of the officer who had just intervened. The duty officer, seeing the commotion, couldn’t help but frown and take a step back. My husband, Ryan, continued to shriek, “Officer, you haven’t been bribed by Maya, have you?” “Maya always throws her money around to get what she wants! Are you going to ignore the law’s justice too?!” His outburst further inflamed the crowd’s emotions. The two victim’s family members pressed down on me even harder, as if they wanted to tear me limb from limb. The officer’s face darkened. “Don’t talk nonsense! We uphold the law fairly! If you don’t believe me, you can check the station’s records!” He moved to have someone retrieve the records. Seeing the crowd’s agitation waver, Ryan and Chloe exchanged a glance. Ryan suddenly shouted, “We have more evidence!” My heart sank. Ryan glared at me viciously. “Maya, do you think bribing the police means we’re helpless against you? Take a good look. Who is this?” Ryan stepped aside, and an old man, trembling, walked out from behind him. He came before me and, with a look of righteous indignation, pointed at me. “It was her! She was the monstrous one who killed them!” My gaze sharpened. I stared at the man in disbelief! “Dad?”

I stared at my father in utter disbelief, my whole body trembling slightly, my breathing growing shallow. How could this be? Why would my dad point the finger at me? Did he really see it? But I’d been at the police station, doing nothing! No, absolutely not! What in the world was going on?! At that moment, the crowd erupted again. “Is that Maya’s father?” “Even her own father is pointing her out! It must be her! You monster, what else do you have to say for yourself?” Many passersby also joined the furious chorus. “Maya, stop pretending! You’re cold-hearted, manipulative, and fake! How long are you going to keep up this act?” Ryan yelled. I shouted back, fighting for breath, “It wasn’t me! Why should I confess to something I didn’t do?” A thought suddenly struck me. “Right! I’ve been at the police station these past few days! I demand they check the surveillance footage to prove my innocence!” I looked at the officer behind me; he seemed stunned. It was true I’d been locked up for days, but these people were so absolutely convinced it was me. Not only did they have video evidence, but now my own father was testifying against me. Seeing the crowd swell, the officer quickly made a call. “I’ve sent a colleague to retrieve the video! Everyone, calm down!” The officer pacified the crowd, and soon a duty officer brought up the surveillance footage from the duty room. If the previous video could be faked, the police station’s cameras could not. I glanced at Ryan and Chloe. I’d intentionally kept myself locked up for days, waiting for this very moment. I wanted to see what other excuses they could possibly have. At this, a flicker of guilt crossed Ryan’s eyes. Chloe, who had been loudly screaming just moments ago, also frowned deeply. The duty officer inserted the video and began to fast-forward. In the video, I was indeed calmly sitting in the police station. “Ryan, what do you have to say now?!” I demanded loudly. Ryan couldn’t retort. However, Chloe, staring at the video, suddenly yelled, “Wait a minute!” She pointed at a specific segment of the video. “Look! Isn’t that Maya walking out of the police station?” The blurry video only showed a figure in a yellow coat passing by. I had been wearing that same coat when I entered the station. I froze! Seeing this, Ryan’s expression turned triumphant, and he quickly spoke up. “Maya, you dare to say that’s not you?! Ah, you! You bribed the police, didn’t you?! You snuck out, committed the crime, and then came back!” At his words, the crowd immediately started questioning the duty officer. “What’s going on? You said you weren’t protecting Maya! Then who is that person?” The duty officer also looked stunned. They all remembered me wearing a yellow trench coat when I came in. I had specifically chosen that coat to make myself memorable. I stared at the video footage, my scalp prickling, a wave of icy dread washing over me from my feet to the top of my head. “That’s definitely not me! I’ve been inside the police station for the entire seven days!” Ryan, my husband, secretly breathed a sigh of relief and continued to fan the flames. “Maya, you’re a menace to society! You shouldn’t even exist! You committed such a heinous crime, and you’re still so arrogant.” Chloe, my husband’s ex-girlfriend, continued to shriek. Spurred on by the commotion, one of the victim’s family members quietly picked up the knife that had fallen to the ground. His bloodshot eyes were fixed on me. The moment the officers showed any slack, he would charge forward and stab me to death. “Oh my god, it really is this damn monster! What’s this villain even arguing about?” “Maya must have bribed an officer, who quietly let her out for half a day, and then she returned to the station.” The two victim’s family members were thoroughly enraged. “You monster! Give me back my wife’s life!” They pushed past the officers protecting me, rushing forward, intent on making me pay for blood with blood. My heart pounded in panic. There was nowhere to hide! Just then, a voice finally rang out from behind me. “Everyone stop! I can prove Maya is innocent!” Hearing those words, I finally let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. I knew it. The person I was waiting for had arrived!

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My CEO husband, worth billions, only gave my daughter and me a $200 allowance each month. But the day his childhood friend returned, he showered her with a multi-million dollar luxury car and a mansion without a second thought. Later, when our daughter had a sudden heart attack and needed $100,000 for surgery to save her life, he accused me of finally showing my true colors. He had his bodyguards throw me out of his company. I watched helplessly as my daughter died on the operating table. Meanwhile, he boarded an international flight to travel the world with his childhood friend. It wasn’t until after I’d buried our daughter that my husband, Julian, returned from his trip. He found me, completely nonchalant. “Alright, you and Lily always wanted to go to an amusement park, right? I’ll take you both next week.” But he didn’t know that from the moment Lily died on that cold operating table, I was done with him. Our marriage was over. I was sorting through Lily’s belongings when my husband, Julian, finally strolled back home, freshly returned from his global escapade. “Claire, could you give me a shoulder rub? This trip absolutely exhausted me.” Hearing his voice, I, who used to adore him, said nothing. I just kept my head down, packing. Seeing I didn’t respond, Julian frowned, then a thought seemed to strike him, and he chuckled. “No way, my beautiful Claire, you’re not still jealous about me going on that trip with Cassidy, are you?” Cassidy was his childhood friend, someone he’d grown up with. To travel the world with her, Julian had abandoned our seriously ill daughter, leaving her to die tragically on a cold operating table. The memory of Lily’s eyes, slowly losing their warmth, felt like a spike piercing my chest. A sharp, unbearable pain. Before I could speak, Cassidy sauntered in, a look of false sympathy on her face. “Oh, Claire! It’s all my fault. I just had to drag Julian along for a relaxing trip.” “But don’t worry, we just traveled together. There’s really nothing going on.” She said it so casually, yet they were wearing matching outfits and matching rings, looking like a real couple as they strolled down the street. My own wedding ring? Julian had long since discarded it, God knows where. When I still didn’t say anything, Julian sighed, looking exasperated. “Alright, stop being mad. I’ll transfer an extra five hundred dollars for your allowance this month. Get Lily some good food.” “You know I’m good to you both, no need for thanks.” But as I stared at the transfer record on my phone, all I felt was bitter irony. He’d spent millions traveling with Cassidy, buying her designer brands without batting an eye. A single handbag could cost tens of thousands. And now, he was giving me five hundred dollars, acting as if it were the greatest gift. Cassidy stood by, barely suppressing a smile, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Claire, five hundred dollars is a lot! Why don’t you thank Julian?” “I always say, kids should learn to live frugally from a young age. That way, they won’t grow up to be materialistic!” Yet, Julian wholeheartedly believed this absurd logic. To prevent our daughter from becoming greedy, he strictly controlled my and Lily’s expenses, giving us only two hundred dollars a month. I used to argue with him constantly, fighting for a better life for Lily. But now Lily was gone. Any words felt meaningless. Thinking this, I transferred the money right back. My voice was flat. “No need. I don’t want it.” Julian’s smile instantly froze. Then, he looked frustrated. “Claire, I’ve already apologized. What more do you want?” Before I could answer, Cassidy’s sneering voice cut in. “I bet she just thinks five hundred dollars is too little, doesn’t she?” “Honestly, Claire, with how petty you are, how can you be a good role model for Lily?” She lectured me from her high horse. Julian, too, looked at me with profound disappointment. “Claire, we’ve only been married a few years, and you’ve become so insatiable? “In a few more years, will you be asking for my family’s shares and assets too?” Hearing Julian’s accusations, I let out a self-deprecating laugh. So, after all this time, that’s what he thought of me. But my silence, in his eyes, became guilt. The next moment, Julian snapped, annoyed. “It seems Cassidy was right. You’re not a fit mother at all.” “Everything I do is to instill resilience in our daughter.” “If you keep this up, if Lily becomes as greedy as you, how will this family survive?” I looked at his self-righteous face and found it utterly ridiculous. His so-called resilience meant that if I asked for an extra twenty dollars for groceries, he’d lecture me for hours about coveting his family’s wealth. Even when Lily got good grades and wanted a small cupcake, he’d point a finger at her and scold: “Such strong desires at a young age! You’ll grow up to be a greedy woman!” “Your mother will spoil you rotten one day!” Thinking of this, I was about to tell him about Lily’s condition. “Julian, Lily, she’s already…” But before I could finish, Cassidy at the door suddenly let out a yelp. Julian immediately rushed to her side, completely forgetting about lecturing me. “Cassidy, what’s wrong?” Cassidy waved her hand dismissively. “Julian, I’m fine. Maybe just too much flying, my old back pain is acting up again.” “Don’t let me disrupt your family time.” Julian shook his head. “Your health is more important. I’ll take you to the hospital right now.” Just before leaving, Julian seemed to remember something. He turned back to me, sighing heavily. “Claire, let’s both cool down for a bit.” “When I get back, we can talk properly about taking Lily out next week.” But he didn’t know Lily was no longer alive, and I wasn’t waiting for him anymore.

Composing myself, I took the resignation letter I’d already drafted and headed straight to the company to handle my exit. All the way, colleagues whispered and pointed. “Isn’t that Claire? How does she still have the nerve to show her face here?” “Seriously. Who does she think she is? Last month, she dared to ask Julian for ten thousand dollars and he had security kick her out.” “With her salary, how many years would it take to earn ten thousand for Julian?” “Ha, ignore that clown. Let’s go…” Hearing those whispers, I gave a self-deprecating smile. Married for years, Julian had never announced our relationship. In fact, to avoid suspicion, he’d always kept me as a regular low-level employee. For years, I’d worked diligently, even pushing myself to the point of hospitalization after a particularly brutal negotiation, just to secure major deals for the company. I wanted to become exceptional, to make him acknowledge Lily and me. But every promotion application I submitted was rejected, again and again. Confused, I confronted him, seeking an explanation. He’d just smile, cling to my arm, and sweet-talk me: “Claire, this is all part of my plan to mold you. It’ll make you an even better wife and mother!” “Besides, isn’t it enough that I’m the only one earning? Do you think I can’t provide for you and Lily, or are you trying to climb the corporate ladder and take over my power?” I was speechless, believing he had his own reasons. But the day Cassidy returned, he mobilized dozens of luxury cars to greet her at the airport, the celebratory fireworks deafening. That very evening, Cassidy was parachuted into the company, straight into a VP position. Only then did I truly understand: the difference between love and indifference was stark. Given that, there was no point in continuing this ridiculous marriage. I submitted my resignation. Stepping out of the company, I expected to feel heavy-hearted. Instead, there was only lightness. For years, I’d been like a bird with clipped wings, trapped in a cage, experiencing nothing but oppression. Now, freedom stretched before me. I went to Lily’s grave. Before her small headstone, I carefully placed all her favorite toys. I stayed with her until deep into the night, then dragged my exhausted body home. To my surprise, when I opened the door, Julian, uncharacteristically, was waiting for me. “Do you even know what time it is? I thought you’d decided to stay out all night.” On the sofa, Julian sat with furrowed brows, arms crossed, looking thoroughly displeased. That expression was his signal for me to appease him. But I just found it strange. In the past, if Cassidy so much as got a tiny scratch on her finger, he’d be by her side, staying up all night. Yet today, Cassidy had landed in the hospital, and he wasn’t with her? It wasn’t my concern, and I couldn’t care less. I asked flatly: “Is there something you want?” My cold tone made Julian’s face stiffen. Before, no matter what happened, I always greeted him with a smile. But since he returned from his trip, I seemed to have transformed. I didn’t argue or fuss with him anymore. Even the warmth in my eyes when I looked at him was gone. This sparked a flicker of unease in him. He quickly said: “You’re still mad about me going out with Cassidy, aren’t you? I told you, it was just to clear my head.” “Didn’t Lily always say she wanted to go to the beach? Fine, once I’m less busy, I’ll take you and Lily. Is that good enough?” His attempt at reconciliation sounded more like a handout to me now. Lily and I were like two pets to him—amused when he was in a good mood, kicked aside when he wasn’t. Julian suddenly remembered something and looked at me, puzzled. “Hmm? Where’s Lily? I haven’t seen her since I got back.” “Did you send her to your mom’s house?” I stared at him in disbelief. He’d been back for two days, and he was just now asking about our daughter? He didn’t care about Lily at all. He didn’t care about this family. Before I could speak, Cassidy walked out of the bathroom, wearing my bathrobe.

Seeing me, Cassidy showed no embarrassment. Instead, she acted like the lady of the house, enthusiastically inviting me. “Claire’s here! Come in, sit down, don’t be a stranger.” My breath hitched. The words I was about to say caught in my throat. I looked at Julian on the sofa, confused. “What is she doing here?” Julian saw the change in my expression and looked a little guilty. “Cassidy hasn’t been feeling well lately, so I just moved her in to make it easier to take care of her. Don’t overthink it.” It dawned on me. No wonder Julian was home tonight – it was all for Cassidy. Julian even wore a relieved expression. “Good thing you sent Lily to your mom’s house already. Otherwise, with so many people here, it would be a bit inconvenient.” All I felt was sarcasm. He hadn’t noticed anything wrong with Lily’s absence. His only concern was Cassidy. Cassidy feigned remorse. “It’s all my fault, I’m disturbing your marital life. Claire, I’m just staying for a few days, you’re not mad, are you?” But her eyes were filled with triumph and provocation. Fearing I might make a scene, Julian quickly explained. “Claire, don’t worry, Cassidy and I already talked. She’ll just sleep on the couch. We promise not to disturb you.” But the next second, I saw profound tenderness in his eyes. How could he bear to let Cassidy sleep on a cold couch? If I hadn’t unexpectedly returned, he would surely be holding Cassidy tightly in his arms. Thinking this, I spoke. “If her back is bad, how can she sleep on the couch? She should sleep in the master bedroom.” Cassidy’s face instantly lit up. “Really? Claire, you’re so generous!” Julian also breathed a sigh of relief. “Claire, I’m so relieved you’re thinking this way. I was afraid you’d be jealous of Cassidy and make a huge scene again.” He thought I was finally being reasonable, that I wouldn’t argue over such a small matter. But I was leaving anyway. What did it matter where she stayed? As Julian gleefully pulled Cassidy, ready to move into the master bedroom, I quietly finished packing my luggage, preparing to go to a hotel. But just as I reached the door, Julian, who had suddenly come out of the master bedroom, saw me. He rushed over to stop me. “Claire, it’s so late. Where are you going?” I smiled faintly. “To make space for you and Cassidy, of course.” Hearing this, Julian’s face instantly turned ashen. He gritted his teeth. “Claire, what are you talking about?” “I already explained it clearly. Cassidy has back pain, so I brought her home for a few days. And you yourself agreed to let her stay in the master bedroom. What kind of stunt are you pulling now?” “Do you have no sympathy at all?” He lectured me endlessly, but I only found it laughable. I used to argue with him constantly over Cassidy, and he’d call me immature, unreasonable, and irrational. Now I was being reasonable and not arguing, and he was upset again. Cassidy then dabbed at her eyes with fake tears. “I knew Claire was still mad at me. It’s all my fault. I’ll just go, let me just die in the street.” Her acting was terrible, but Julian believed her. He pulled Cassidy behind him. “Cassidy, you’re staying right here tonight! Let’s see who dares to kick you out!” Then, crossing his arms, he coldly told me: “You’ve gotten bold, haven’t you? Go on, leave if you dare!” He was certain I loved him and wouldn’t really go. But from the moment Lily died, my love for him had completely vanished. I would never forgive him, not in this lifetime. I gave a cold laugh, picked up my suitcase, and walked straight out. Julian stood there, staring blankly at my retreating back, unable to snap out of it for a long time. It wasn’t until I was in the elevator that I heard Julian’s shout from behind me. “Go then! If you leave, don’t you dare come back!” But he didn’t know I truly wouldn’t turn back. He had lost me forever. At the hotel, I slept soundly all night. The next morning, I checked my phone to find dozens of missed calls, all from Julian. The last call was half an hour ago. I found it odd. Had he been awake all night? He always told me to be more understanding and argue less with Cassidy. But when had he become so petty? When I opened the door, Julian sat on a chair, his face drawn and haggard. The moment he saw me, his emotions flared. “Is this about me letting Cassidy stay at the house? Are you running away and quitting your job because of that?”

I didn’t answer directly. Instead, I frowned and asked: “How did you know I was here?” Julian’s voice was hoarse. “I checked your bank card transaction history.” It suddenly hit me. Not long after we got married, Julian had taken sole control of our finances, strictly managing my and Lily’s expenses. All the bank cards were in his name. Looks like I couldn’t use this bank card anymore either. But what puzzled me was why he was here. Shouldn’t he be at home taking care of Cassidy? Julian, uncharacteristically, gently took my hand. His voice was soft. “I know you’re still angry about last night.” “So this morning, as soon as Cassidy felt a little better, I sent her home immediately. Don’t worry, I made her sleep on the couch.” I looked at him, astonished. He never used to explain these things to me. Whenever I argued with him about them, he’d call me petty, saying a malicious person sees malice everywhere. But now that I wasn’t asking, he was babbling on and on. I found it irritating. I pushed him away, expressionless. “Are you done? Because if you are, I have a job interview to get to.” I’d sent out several resumes recently, and a few big companies had already extended offers. But as I was about to leave, Julian grabbed my arm, tears welling in his eyes. His voice trembled. “Claire, do you have to be so cruel?” “Cassidy and I grew up together. I just wanted her to have a good life. Am I wrong for that?” “Besides, haven’t I been good to you and Lily?” “All these years, every bit of your food, clothes, and expenses—didn’t I pay for it all?” “How can you do this to me after all my efforts?” Seeing his self-righteousness, I felt utterly disgusted. Because he only gave Lily and me two hundred dollars a month. It wasn’t even enough for food, let alone school or transportation… To ensure Lily had enough to eat, I worked three part-time jobs after my main job. That’s why, in the end, I couldn’t even scrape together the $100,000 for her surgery. I could only watch helplessly as she died on the operating table. Julian spoke softly now. “Claire, stop this. Just take Lily and come home with me. Let’s be a happy family of three, okay?” He looked at me with a pathetic, pleading gaze, but all I felt was scorn. Why should I have to be like a dog, doing whatever he wanted? Seeing my grim face, my silence, he grudgingly relented. “Okay… I’ll increase your and Lily’s allowance to five hundred dollars a month!” “Didn’t Lily say she wanted to go to the beach? We can leave today. Is that good enough?” “Look, I even bought her the swimsuit she’s been dreaming of.” He finished, looking at me expectantly. He believed the offer he’d made was enticing enough that I’d have no reason to refuse. But I gave a cold laugh. “You want to take Lily to the beach, do you?” “Then come with me.” Julian had no idea what was about to happen. He thought I’d forgiven him. Even after I drove him to the car, he was still grinning. “We’re not exactly newlyweds, and you’re still planning surprises for me?” “Alright, I’ll humor you. I’ll reluctantly come with you to see.” But when I pulled the car up next to Lily’s grave, Julian looked utterly confused. “Claire, weren’t you taking me to see Lily at your mom’s house?” “What are we doing in a place like this?” But the next second, when Julian saw our daughter’s photo on the gravestone in front of him, the swimsuit he’d bought for her immediately slipped from his hands and fell to the ground.

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The moment I stepped into my alumni reunion, a little boy crashed into me. A total stranger. But his face was a mirror image of my ex, Adam Hayes. Our old teacher, looking on, beamed with fond nostalgia. “Is this your and Adam’s son? He’s absolutely adorable!” Before I could even explain, Valerie, my former best friend, rushed over and scooped the boy into a tight hug. “Leo! You can’t just run off like that!!” Adam followed close behind her, freezing solid the moment his eyes landed on my face. “Jenna? You’re…alive?” Valerie’s head snapped up at his words. Her eyes wide with shock. After all, to them, I’d been dead for five years, lost at sea. I offered a thin, unsettling smile. “I’m a survivor. A bit of saltwater wasn’t enough to finish me off.” Ever the quick thinker, Valerie mastered her expression in a heartbeat. She bounced the little boy gently in her arms. “Leo, this is Auntie Jenna. You should call her Godmother.” Years back, we pledged to be each other’s maid of honor and godmother. It felt like forever, then. The boy, Leo, shyly mumbled. “Godmother.” I didn’t respond. Offering the teacher the briefest of apologies, I turned and walked away. Our teacher, sensing the drama, was probably grateful for my exit. Adam was not. I heard his steps immediately behind me. “Jenna, where are you going? I’ll give you a ride.” Valerie subtly frowned, but her voice was sweet. “He’s right, you don’t even drive. It’s so inconvenient to be alone.” I had to suppress a laugh. After all these years, she still saw me as some fragile, useless thing. But hey, if someone was practically begging to be my chauffeur, why say no? All the way, Adam kept asking about my life. I gave him only the barest outline in return. Someone had pulled me from the water that day. I’d survived. I’d spent the years since abroad, building a life by selling my paintings. I was back now because a collector, a regular patron of my work, had insisted on meeting in person. At that, Adam’s tone turned sharp. “A collector? Man or woman? Are you sure they’re trustworthy? You can’t be too careful.” I shot back, without a hint of mercy. “If I couldn’t trust the friends I grew up with, or the husband I shared a bed with, what possible standard could I use to judge a stranger?” Adam immediately fell silent. Valerie’s face went completely blank, then she looked furious. Once we arrived at my place, I grabbed my things and got out of the car. But then, I turned back and walked toward the boy by Valerie’s side. Little Leo. His upper face was Adam’s, his lower face Valerie’s. The moment I extended a hand towards him, Valerie clutched the child to her chest in terror. “What are you doing? Do you want my child to pay for your revenge? He’s innocent!” Adam also called my name, a warning in his voice. But all I did was reach out and pluck a fruit pit from Leo’s mouth. “I was just afraid he might end up like my own child. With adults right there, choking on something, suffocating to death.” Their faces went white. Silence descended. Back home, I received a message from Mr. Henderson. He truly appreciated my work, and for years, whenever I had a new piece, he’d admire it even if he didn’t buy it. My trip back wasn’t just to meet him; it was also to put an old heartache to rest. In a quiet cafe, I met Mr. Henderson. He looked to be in his fifties or sixties, with a distinguished, lean face. “Ms. Sterling, I see so many stories in your paintings. They make me incredibly curious.” “Would I be so honored as to hear some of them?” I glanced around the peaceful cafe, then nodded.

In high school, I was a carefree heiress without a worry in the world. While my classmates were practically chaining themselves to their desks, studying day and night, all I cared about was painting and having fun. Adam Hayes was my polar opposite. He was the undisputed top student in our year, brilliant, and socially adept. At first, I found him utterly annoying, just another pretentious show-off. Then Valerie arrived. She came from a poor family and studied incredibly hard. Every day after school, she’d work a part-time job to help her family make ends meet. I admired her greatly, so I asked my dad to establish a scholarship specifically for students from low-income families, like hers. I didn’t want any fuss. But the teacher, in front of the whole class, revealed the scholarship’s origin, making Valerie bow to me in thanks. Looking back, I think that’s when Valerie started to resent me. Yet, I was foolish enough to pour my heart out to Valerie, treating her like the sister I never had. Valerie’s ultimate goal was to be the top student in our year. But Adam was like an insurmountable mountain. Valerie always came in second. After yet another attempt to beat him, Valerie burst into tears. To comfort her, I pulled out all the stops. “Fine, I’ll just go flirt with Adam, maybe even date him, and mess with his perfect grades!” Adam, who happened to be passing by, snorted. “Jenna Sterling, you’re so clumsy, you wouldn’t even know how to flirt with me. Want me to teach you?” Later, we actually started dating. During our senior year, I experienced the biggest upheaval of my life: My dad went bankrupt and took his own life. In my darkest hour, Adam and Valerie stood by me. Adam promised he’d step into my dad’s shoes, become the man who loved me most. Valerie let me stay at her house and worked tirelessly to tutor me. I pulled myself together and started studying hard. I was set for a top-tier college until the SAT. I’d prepared for everything. Everything except actually bringing a #2 pencil. I searched my bag twice. Nothing. After the exam, I broke down. I remember sitting in my car, hitting my own thighs, convinced I’d ruined my future. I was useless. Adam and Valerie pulled me out of that hole. They both got into Westwood University, the state’s most prestigious school. I, convinced academia wasn’t for me, took a waitressing job near campus. Adam would show up the moment his last class ended.After a few months, regulars just assumed he worked there. Adam often talked to me about his plans for our future. He said as soon as he graduated, we’d get married. He’d work hard to support me, buy me the best art supplies, and let me continue being a carefree wife. But I still felt a deep sense of insecurity. I begged Valerie to keep an eye on Adam for me. Valerie looked at me with deep, unreadable eyes and offered a stiff smile. I just figured I’d made her a little jealous, so I urged her to find someone, too. But Valerie just said, “No need. I already have someone I like.” It was a long time before I understood that smile, and who she liked. By then, it was too late.

Adam and I got married right after his graduation, just as we’d planned. But life wasn’t as easy as he’d imagined. He worked himself to the bone to earn money, coming home exhausted every day, collapsing into bed the moment he walked through the door. To ease his burden, I learned to cook, clean, and manage the household. I never knew before how much housework there was. Endless meals to cook, floors to sweep… Each task seemed insignificant, yet together, they threatened to drown me. Once the financial pressure eased, our daughter was born. I named her Lily, hoping she’d be as gentle and sweet as Valerie. But from day one, she was a ball of energy, crying and fussing. Every night, I had to carry her around the living room until she finally fell asleep. By the time I crawled into bed, Adam’s hand found me. “Honey, it’s been so long since we’ve…” Exhausted in both body and mind, I still submitted to his touch. But just at the crucial moment, Lily’s cries reached us. I abruptly pushed Adam away, leaping out of bed naked to pick up our daughter. I didn’t see the look of pure annoyance on Adam’s face behind me. Life had finally ground me down from a naive princess into a boring, joyless housewife. That year, for my birthday, Adam bought me the most expensive art supplies. But I looked around our house and said, “We’re out of diapers. You should have bought some diapers instead.” Meanwhile, Valerie was busy conquering the corporate world. She and Adam had joined the same company. Her competitive spirit unchanged, still constantly challenging Adam. But she still couldn’t beat him. One time, she’d prepared meticulously, refining her proposal repeatedly, yet the boss still chose Adam’s. Valerie called me, sobbing hysterically. “Why can’t I ever beat Adam?!” “It’s been years! Can’t I just win once?!” I glared at Adam, preparing to go comfort Valerie. But Lily clung to my leg, refusing to let me leave, so I sent Adam instead. “She’s a woman, drinking alone in a bar, it’s not safe.” “You caused this mess, you clean it up.” Adam’s movements faltered. He looked at me intently. “You really want me to go?” “Of course.” Adam, as if making a huge decision, said, “Fine.” Before he left that night, he turned back to look at me several times. I didn’t sense any premonition, though. I was just holding Lily, telling her jokes to make her laugh. The disaster was brewing. That night, Adam didn’t come home at all. When he finally returned the next morning, I was already up, making breakfast. He offered a few hurried explanations, claiming Valerie had been impossibly drunk and a nightmare to handle. He said he’d finally managed to get her home, then collapsed from exhaustion and fell asleep right there. His tone was so casual, so natural. And Valerie was my best friend. So, I easily believed him. In the days that followed, Adam started working overtime and going on business trips more and more often. At first, I just assumed the company was going through a particularly busy period. But gradually, I noticed things weren’t right. A stray hair on his shirt. An unfamiliar scent of perfume. Finally, when I found an opened condom wrapper in his pocket, I knew for sure he was cheating. Heartbroken, I stormed to Adam’s company and caused a huge scene. I cried, I screamed, I even lay on the ground, throwing a fit, demanding he tell me who she was! Adam looked at me with utter disgust. “Jenna, I feed you, I clothe you, I let you live a life where you don’t have to worry about anything! And this is how you repay me? By slandering me with baseless accusations?!” He pulled out his phone, turned on the camera, and pointed it at my face. “Look at you! What a sight you are! You’re a raving lunatic!”

From the phone screen, I saw myself: hair wild, face pasty. My outdated clothes were covered in stubborn grease stains. Behind me, a group of female employees, their makeup perfect, their clothes chic, exuded the confident aura of successful career women. They looked at me with a mix of pity and contempt. Valerie emerged from their midst. “Jenna, stop this. It’s truly pathetic.” Adam snapped, “Let her scream! She just wants to get me fired, wants the whole family to starve! Go on, make a scene, go live on TikTok, let everyone see!” It was then that I realized I had no leverage against Adam. After we got married, I’d completely detached from society, staying home. And with only a high school diploma, I had zero competitive edge in the job market if we divorced. He’d also take Lily away from me. Suddenly, I snapped back to reality. I got up from the floor and said, “I’ll stop. I’m going home.” After that day, I became subservient, terrified of upsetting Adam. He grew bolder, his shirts often stained with lipstick prints. Yet, all I feared was him abandoning me. All I could do was try to use Lily to rekindle Adam’s affection for our home. Thankfully, Adam did truly love Lily. When he wasn’t busy, he even took her to the office to play. One day, he took her again. After finishing my chores, I scrolled through my phone. Quite by accident, I stumbled upon a post. The title read: “The Runner-Up’s Obsession with the First Place.” My heart lurched. A thought flashed through my mind, and I quickly scrolled to the end. “After yet another loss to him at work, I went to a bar to drown my sorrows. He came to comfort me.” “He asked what I needed. I told him to kiss me, and he did.” “From high school until now, he’d rejected my advances a thousand times, but the thousand-and-first time, he accepted. I took him home, and we made love until the world faded.” “The man who’d always been out of my reach was finally mine, utterly under my spell.” My blood ran cold. Valerie’s liked Adam all along. And Adam’s affair was with Valerie! I instantly lost all reason. I ran to Adam’s company, barging into his office. Immediately, muffled moans came from the adjoining rest room. I kicked the door open and saw Valerie, disheveled, straddling Adam. Blinded by rage, I hurled everything I could get my hands on at them. A ceramic good luck charm hit Valerie’s head, and she bled. Tears suddenly streamed down my face. If Adam’s betrayal had left me heartbroken, Valerie’s betrayal left me utterly devastated. “We were best friends! How could you do this to me?!” Valerie wiped the blood from her forehead and said coldly, “I never considered you a friend.” “A pampered, useless thing. All you ever knew how to do was bestow favors from your high horse.” “I hated you. From the moment we first met, I hated you.” I scrabbled for any proof, any shred of evidence to deny her words. “If you hated me so much,” My voice trembled, “why take me in? Why spend all those nights tutoring me?” Valerie let out a soft, chilling laugh. “All those times you ‘checked’ your bag? I was right there. I palmed your pencil at the door, right before you walked into the testing center.” “What?!” I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. Valerie giggled, shaking Adam. “We even have a witness here. Adam, you saw me take the pencil, right?” Adam’s face stiffened, and he turned his head away. “Oh, don’t be shy. You didn’t tell Jenna back then, so I knew you had to love me.” In an instant, I felt my blood run cold, my limbs go weak. I nearly collapsed. “I’ll… I’ll expose both of you…” Adam’s face darkened, and he roared, “Jenna! Enough!” “Think about our daughter!” Then, his expression shifted, and he looked around frantically. That’s right, Lily? Wasn’t she supposed to be here? Eventually, by checking the security footage, we found Lily’s lifeless body under the desk. Adam and Valerie had been fooling around inside the office, leaving Lily to eat dried fruit by herself outside. Lily choked on a fruit pit, banging on the door for help, but her cries were drowned out by their sounds. She tried to reach for the water on the table, but she was too small, she couldn’t reach it. She died silently, just a door away from her own father. By the time I finished my story, the cafe was dead silent, save for the muffled sniffling. Mr. Henderson let out a long, weary sigh. “I never imagined you carried such a weight, Ms. Sterling.” “Five years have passed. Do you still hate your ex-husband?” I took a slow sip of my coffee, the bitterness a familiar comfort. A faint, unreadable smile touched my lips. “Adam Hayes, or rather, your boss, is this all he wanted you to find out?” Mr. Henderson froze, his expression turning flustered. “Boss? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I walked past him, towards a customer who had been sitting quietly in a corner since I arrived, and pulled down his mask.

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When it came to our divorce, Daniel wanted custody of our son. My ex-husband said, “How about we ask him what *he* wants?” Lucas, my son, held his phone, calmly glancing at me. “Are you really going through with the divorce?” “Yes.” I nodded, firm in my decision. “Alright then.” Lucas, still engrossed in his game, casually spoke to Daniel. “I’m with Mom. But you need to give her more assets; I’m worried she won’t be able to afford me otherwise.” Daniel dragged Lucas into his study. I started to follow, worried, but the door slammed shut with a “bang” right in front of me. Daniel’s furious voice echoed from inside. “Lucas Miller, I’m asking you one more time, are you really sticking with your mom? Don’t say I didn’t warn you, your mom’s just a homemaker. Do you seriously think she can take care of you?” Lucas’s indifferent voice replied, “Dad, honestly, it doesn’t really matter who I live with. The main thing is, Chloe Johnson is pregnant with my little brother. If I stayed with you, I’d just be afraid of upsetting her.” Having his dirty laundry aired by his own son, even Daniel, with all his nerve, probably felt a little flustered. The voices inside quieted down. I couldn’t make out what they said next, reaching up to wipe my tears, only for more to stream down. I don’t know how long passed, but the study door reopened. Daniel walked up to me, and seeing me hunched over, crying, he seemed to feel a flicker of remorse. He handed me a tissue and slowly said, “Lucas will stay with you.” I lifted my tear-streaked face. My ex-husband continued, “The car and the house are yours, plus five hundred thousand dollars. If you agree, we can file the papers tomorrow.” I stared at him blankly. To be honest, I was the one who pushed for the divorce. But when it came to the actual divorce settlement, I hadn’t the faintest clue. “Don’t give her the car.” Lucas suddenly spoke up. I snapped back to reality, a bitter laugh catching in my throat. Of course, the father-son bond ran deep; he was clearly siding with his dad. But then he continued, “Seriously, Mom’s driving? She’d either never use it, or she’d cause an accident. Let’s just cash it out. “Your car must be worth seven or eight hundred thousand, minimum. So, a hundred thousand on top of the house, I think that’s fair.” Daniel’s gaze turned heavy as he looked at Lucas. Lucas shrugged indifferently. Daniel looked away. “Alright, we’ll do that. Tomorrow at nine, meet at the divorce attorney’s office.” The front door closed. My heart clenched with it. Daniel was gone, likely never to return. We had been together since college. Our young love, so genuine, so pure. I thought we’d grow old together. But somehow, we’d ended up like this. “Mom.” Lucas’s voice pulled me back from my sadness. “I’m hungry. Did you make dinner?” I quickly got up, wiping away my tears. “I’ll go buy groceries right now.” A hint of grievance crept into his voice. “Mom, you’re about to have a million dollars. Can’t you just treat me to a big dinner out?” I took Lucas to the barbecue joint downstairs. He handed me a large piece of beef. “Mom, it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet. You gotta eat a lot to get your money’s worth.” “Oh.” I took it and put it in my mouth, finding it tasteless, unable to swallow. I thought of all the online articles about how divorce traumatizes children. I carefully began, “Son, even though your dad and I are getting divorced, he’s still your father. I might hate him, but you don’t have to.” “I don’t hate him.” He flipped a chicken wing. “You shouldn’t hate him either. Hating someone is exhausting.” He sat across from me, and through the rising smoke, I could barely make out his face.

The next morning, I was sitting on the edge of my bed, lost in thought, when Lucas knocked on my door. “Mom, time to go. Let’s get moving.” I jolted awake. Why did it feel like he was more eager for our divorce than his own father? I opened the door, looking at him suspiciously. “Why aren’t you at school yet?” He gave me a complex look. “Mom, summer break started today.” I’d been so out of it for the past month that I’d even forgotten his vacation. Guiltily, I straightened his collar. “I’m sorry, son.” He tilted his head and smiled. “If you’re really feeling guilty, why not take me on a trip? Let’s go to the beach, scuba diving, eat seafood.” He made a ‘V’ sign with his fingers. “Sounds good.” I couldn’t help but smile too. Some of the gloom in my heart seemed to dissipate. Chloe Johnson arrived with Daniel. Not even divorced yet, and she was already so eager to stake her claim? Lucas greeted her proactively. “Well, hello, Ms. Johnson, braving this heat to tag along? Be careful, you might melt my little brother.” “You—” Chloe glared at him, annoyed, twisting her body as if seeking Daniel’s support. Lucas quickly clarified, “Dad, I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s forty degrees out; I’m genuinely worried about my little brother.” Daniel’s face was grim as he told Chloe, “Go wait in the car; don’t come inside.” We submitted the divorce registration application. Daniel pulled up in his car and called out to us. “I’ll give you a ride home.” I was about to refuse when Lucas darted forward and opened the car door. “Mom, hurry up! I’m melting!” I had no choice but to follow him into the car. We sat in the back, while Chloe occupied the familiar passenger seat in front. She tugged on Daniel’s arm, saying sweetly, “Honey, where should we go celebrate later?” Lucas leaned forward. “Chicken Little Chloe, how about that restaurant? Dad loves their food the most. He used to take Mom and me there whenever something good happened.” In the rearview mirror, I saw Chloe’s face fall considerably. It wasn’t very kind of me, but I secretly felt a little pleased. Lucas leaned back, continuing his assault. “Mom, where are we going for our trip? Maybe not the beach; how about Hawaii? They say it’s where people go for new experiences, maybe even find a rebound.” Daniel’s expression also soured. “Planning a trip?” He glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Yes.” I didn’t want to talk to him, so I turned to look out the window. “It’s good to get away and clear your head.” He spoke to himself. “But Hawaii isn’t that special. How about the Maldives? I have a friend who owns a resort in Haikou Bay.” Lucas leaned forward again. “Oh, cool, Dad, can we get a discount? With our resemblance, your friend will recognize us right away, won’t he?” Daniel chuckled, reaching back to pat Lucas’s head. “You’re my son, of course, it won’t be a problem.” They interacted intimately, completely missing Chloe’s stormy face.

Lucas and I did end up going to the Maldives. He was incredibly excited, making three full pages of travel plans. I didn’t want to be a spoilsport, so I tried to keep my spirits up and accompany him. Thirteen or fourteen-year-old boys are full of energy. During the day, I’d go skydiving, surfing, and scuba diving with him, and at night, I’d have to accompany him to the night market to catch hermit crabs. After a whole day, my body felt like it was falling apart. I’d hit the bed and fall asleep instantly, not even having time to feel sad about the divorce. When we returned from the Maldives, I originally wanted to get some good rest. But then Lucas started criticizing my cooking. “Mom, your food isn’t bad, it’s just… lacking variety.” I glared at him. “You’ve been eating my cooking for years, and now you’re complaining?” He scratched his head, chuckling. “It’s not complaining, exactly. Just a little bored. If you could add more variety, I swear I’d grow to six feet three.” “Get out of here.” I playfully slapped his face, laughing. After all these days, I finally understood. This kid was finding every possible way to keep me busy, just so I wouldn’t have time to be sad. My judgment in choosing a husband might have been terrible, but the child I bore was a treasure. What was there to be sad about anymore? I decided to look for a job. Although Daniel had promised me a million dollars and committed to timely monthly child support payments. A million dollars, once you start spending it, isn’t actually that much. Lucas’s various extracurricular classes alone cost nearly two hundred thousand a year. Not to mention daily expenses. If I just stayed at home, my savings would be depleted in no time. After being a homemaker for over a decade, my work skills were almost nonexistent. I thought I’d start with something easy to learn and manageable, then switch to something better once I gained some experience. I shared my idea with Lucas. After all, if I went back to work, I might not have as much time to take care of him. He thought for a moment, then said, “Of course I support you working, Mom. But finding a job is like finding a partner; you need to think it through before you act.” Hearing his little adult talk, I burst out laughing, unable to resist teasing him. “Have you ever looked for a partner, for them to be the same?” He argued earnestly, “Well, if you just settle for the first one you find, and then you meet someone better, would you break up, or just keep dragging it out?” I thought about it, and he had a point. If I just took any job, and then a better opportunity came along, taking time off for interviews and such would be a hassle. Lucas continued, “Finding a job isn’t urgent, but something else is.” “What is it?” I asked him. “Cancel my training classes.” “No!” I refused him flatly. “Mom!” he wailed. “Learning so many talents every day, I’m your son, not a slave.” After friendly negotiation, we decided to cancel the equestrian and fencing classes. For now, we kept cello and rugby. Our lives slowly settled into a routine. That day, I was ordering something from a link my best friend, Brooke, had sent me. Lucas leaned over and watched for a while, then suddenly asked, “Can Brooke make money doing this?” “Yeah, pretty well.” I answered casually, still processing my payment. He tugged my hand, his big eyes sparkling as he looked at me. “Mom, I think you’d be really good at this.” My heart fluttered. Brooke always had a keen eye; she’d done very well in e-commerce years ago. This time, she’d moved into a newly launched community group-buying platform. While it didn’t have many users yet, the shopping process was convenient, and the distribution channels were flexible. Its development prospects looked promising. Most importantly, it had a one-click reselling feature, so I wouldn’t have to worry about sourcing products—perfect for a beginner like me. “Alright, I’ll go ask Brooke about it.” If there was one thing I gained from fifteen years as a homemaker, it was my purchasing skills. I’m a bit picky; when I buy things, I not only look at the price but also demand high quality. I often compare three different options and do thorough research. So, my friends always came to me for recommendations. As Lucas said, doing something like this platform truly suited me. With Brooke’s help, my online shop was quickly set up. I was very strict about the quality of the products I resold; I had to try them myself and approve them before listing. So, although I didn’t make a lot of money at first, I quickly built up a loyal following. Almost a month passed in the blink of an eye. Daniel suddenly showed up at my door. He said he wanted to withdraw the divorce registration application.

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The first thing Scarlett did after being diagnosed with cancer was to ask me for a divorce. “Matteus, liver cancer is terminal. I don’t care what happens to me, but I can’t hold you back for the rest of your life.” I paused, saying nothing, and quietly left the house. Sure enough, the next second, her cheerful voice echoed through the home security system. “This ‘cancer’ plan is brilliant! He’s definitely gone out to raise money now.” “Who cares how he gets the money? Once we have it, you just tell him I need to go overseas for treatment.” “With how much he loves me, he’ll definitely agree to the divorce to give me what I want.” “I want the money, and he can shoulder the debts. Think of it as compensation for my wasted youth.” Watching Scarlett’s face, full of anticipation, on the monitor. I clutched the pancreatic cancer diagnosis report in my hand even tighter. My dearest wife, I hope you’re still as optimistic when you find out you really have cancer. Listening to Scarlett, I felt much calmer than I expected. Truth be told, I’d already suspected she had a lover on the side. And I’d guessed she was plotting to divorce me. I just never thought she’d choose *this* method. She wasted years of my life, lived off me since we got married, and I never complained once. Honestly, I’d been good enough to Scarlett. But she still chose to betray me, and before leaving, she planned to fake an illness to scam me out of my assets. If I hadn’t realized she had a lover beforehand, I might have actually done as she said, foolishly raising a large sum of money for her ‘treatment.’ My friends had warned me before, saying Scarlett didn’t seem to love me, but rather my money, and that I wouldn’t be happy with her. But I didn’t listen, lost in our so-called love, insistent on marrying her. What was the point of marrying someone who didn’t love me? This marriage had brought me nothing but betrayal and lies. I didn’t turn off the monitor, so Scarlett and her lover’s flirtatious voices clearly reached my ears. I listened as they discussed how they’d spend my money, where they’d travel, and how many luxury items they’d buy. Their future plans sounded so wonderful. Too bad Scarlett wouldn’t get a chance to reach that point with her lover. Scarlett’s ‘liver cancer’ was fake, but the report in my hand? That was real. A while ago, we had a routine medical check-up together. She never showed me her report. Perhaps that’s when she started preparing to deceive me. But she didn’t expect that, out of concern for her health, I’d specifically asked her doctor. The doctor said her report showed nothing serious. She used a clean bill of health to concoct her liver cancer lie. Yet, a few days ago, I got a call from the hospital. They said there were too many patients that day, and they’d accidentally mixed up Scarlett’s report with someone else who had the same name. That healthy report belonged to another “Scarlett,” and the Stage II pancreatic cancer report in my hand? That was hers. I’d left work early today, planning to tell her the news and urge her to get treatment. But instead, the moment I walked in, before I even took off my shoes, I heard her impatiently plotting her divorce from me. Since that’s the case, then of course, I could only grant her wish.

After Scarlett’s declaration, there was no way I’d raise any money for her. We’d been married, and I initially thought we could part ways amicably. She was clearly trying to screw me over, but I’d also been suspicious of her for a while. Besides, she was already a goner. What was the point of squabbling over every little thing? I hired a lawyer to handle the asset division. She wouldn’t get a penny more than what was legally hers, but I wouldn’t shortchange her on what she deserved either. My lawyer and I were discussing the divorce agreement, but for some reason, Scarlett found out I’d hired legal counsel. One day, I suddenly had a knot of dread, so I decided to check the monitor to see what Scarlett was up to. The moment I turned it on, I heard her and her lover’s conspiracy. “What now? I heard he hired a lawyer! Shouldn’t he be desperately gathering money for me right now? If a lawyer gets involved, I won’t get much!” Scarlett snapped. “That doesn’t make sense. You said he loved you to death! Knowing you’re ‘dying from a serious illness,’ how could he be so calm?” her lover said from the other end of the line. “Tell me, do you think he knows something? That you’re faking, or about us?” For them, knowing either of those things would be catastrophic. They had no idea I already knew their entire scheme. On the monitor, Scarlett’s face instantly went pale at the thought. My once gentle and considerate wife transformed into someone I didn’t recognize at all. Her face darkened, and the look in her eyes wasn’t fear of me knowing. It was icy cold and full of malice. Seeing her gaze through the screen, I couldn’t help but shiver. I finally understood where my bad feeling had come from. My gut screamed at me: in that instant, Scarlett genuinely wanted me dead! Sure enough, the next second, I heard her say: “What now? I have to get that money. I’m not going to just settle for this divorce.” “If he won’t give it to me willingly, then he’ll have to face the consequences.” “After all, there’s more than one way for us to ‘separate.’” “Dead men don’t take money.” Her lover was clearly shocked by her idea, remaining silent for a long moment before saying, a hint of excitement in his voice: “You’re right! Why didn’t we think of such a brilliant plan before?” “If he ‘accidentally’ dies, and you two don’t have kids, and he has no other immediate family, then all his money would be ours!” Scarlett’s eyes unconsciously drifted to our wedding photo, then she smirked. “I didn’t want to go this far, but he was the one who was ‘ruthless’ first, so it’s not our fault.” At that moment, my heart ached. All my past kindness to her, every concession I made while drafting the divorce agreement, felt like a blade turning back on me. My blood ran cold. I sat there, listening to them plan my ‘murder.’ They discussed tampering with the brakes of my everyday car, staging an ‘accident’ so I’d be left in pieces. What a despicable plan. Those two conniving snakes, they didn’t just want my money, they wanted me gone for good. Since that was the case, I didn’t need to be polite to them either. My garage had security cameras, and Scarlett knew about them. So, when she suddenly messaged me, saying the circuit breaker tripped and the power went out at home, I knew they were making their move. Scarlett didn’t pay attention to the house’s systems. She didn’t know my cameras were all battery-powered. Even with the power off, they’d keep recording. I smirked, watching her post on SnapChat about how scared and helpless she was, while the monitor showed her using a flashlight to let a man in. This must have been her lover. The man leaned in to kiss her, but she stopped him. Scarlett muttered something about ‘business first’ and then led him to the garage. Scarlett didn’t go in herself; she stayed in the living room and called me. I continued to take her call, giving her vague answers, while watching the man tamper with my car. The ridiculous part was, even at a moment like this, Scarlett was still spewing words of love to me. All lies.

I’d recorded Louis tampering with my car. They had sabotaged my vehicle, yet I had to pretend I knew nothing, because they were already out for blood. If I suddenly stopped driving the car I used for my daily commute, it would raise their suspicions. Right now, they only suspected I knew something and wanted me dead. I absolutely couldn’t let them see anything was off. They had many ways to kill me, and I couldn’t always avoid them. Even knowing the car was compromised, I had to tough it out. I didn’t drive that car to work. Instead, I pretended to go on a business trip, heading towards a road with an emergency runaway ramp. Brake failure was inevitable. I just had to ‘discover’ it before reaching the ramp and steer the car onto it in time; that was my only chance of surviving the crash. I’d called a friend beforehand, making an excuse that I wanted to clear my head near that area, and asked him to come along. His car would be behind mine, which would provide an extra layer of safety. When Scarlett heard I was driving far away, her eyes lit up. Then, as if realizing her reaction was inappropriate, she quickly softened her gaze, looking at me with a sad, reluctant expression. “Let’s talk about the divorce when I get back. Take care of yourself.” I said. She wanted to put on an act, and I was happy to play along. Scarlett agreed readily. She couldn’t see it, but I clearly saw the blatant malice in her eyes. Her gaze seemed to say: “You’re not coming back.” I forced a smile, then turned and left. Getting into the car, starting the engine, the moment I backed out of the garage, I was drenched in cold sweat. But at this point, there was no turning back. My hands were sweating so much I almost couldn’t grip the steering wheel. I took a few deep breaths, forcing myself to calm down, then drove in my pre-planned direction. About twenty minutes later, I suddenly noticed a car seemed to be following me. As it got closer, through the rearview mirror, I saw a familiar face. It was Scarlett’s lover, Louis! He was right behind me, speeding up, clearly about to ram my car. He kept tailing me, forcing me to accelerate, otherwise, he’d rear-end me. I quickly realized, he was doing this on purpose! This was probably part of their plan. If he kept following me, forcing me to speed up, my chances of crashing with faulty brakes would increase exponentially. He was absolutely doing this intentionally. I gripped the steering wheel, repeatedly telling myself to stay calm, not to fall into their trap. The runaway ramp wasn’t far ahead. If I could just make it there, I’d save my life. I followed the map, driving towards the ramp, when suddenly, my phone rang. It was Scarlett. I was in a state of high tension, and the phone ringing startled me so badly I almost lost my grip on the steering wheel, veering slightly to the left. Precisely at that moment, the man spotted the runaway ramp! His expression hardened. He sped up, pulling parallel to my car, blocking me and forcing me further left. If I veered left, I wouldn’t make it onto the ramp. There was no time to hesitate! I gritted my teeth and floored the accelerator. The man clearly hadn’t expected my sudden acceleration. After realizing what was happening, he desperately tried to squeeze me further left. If I’d been a second slower, I wouldn’t have made it onto the ramp. I would have been crushed between that man and the highway barrier by the high-speed impact. But I made it! In that critical moment, the man crashed into my car’s rear, but because of my speed, he only grazed it. I managed to stop within the runaway ramp, while he, due to the force of the impact, spun several times before smashing into the barrier. The ramp’s barrier blocked my driver’s side door. My car’s front end had also crashed too far into the end barrier, almost completely caving in. Fortunately, aside from some scrapes, I was mostly unharmed. Just as I was about to climb out of the car, I suddenly saw in the rearview mirror that the man was actually climbing out of his own car. And he was carrying a can of liquid, walking straight towards me. “You’re still alive after all that? You’ve got nine lives, don’t you?” The man sneered, looking at me, still sitting stunned in the driver’s seat. “Too bad. Your survival is getting in our way.” “You’re just unlucky to cross me. Today, I’m sending you off.” He said, twisting open the can, ready to pour the liquid over my car. He was much bigger and stronger than me. Fighting him hand-to-hand, I had virtually no chance. But if I stayed in the car, I’d die here too! Just as he grinned menacingly and the liquid began to pour out, A shout came from nearby. “Hey! What are you doing! Stop right there!” It was my friend, Mark, and the other guys. The moment I heard their voices, I almost burst into tears. They had driven together. Three or four big men charged out of their car. Louis’s expression stiffened. There was no time to pour the rest of the liquid. He tossed the can aside, then struck a match. It was then that I smelled a strange odor. A feeling of utter despair washed over me again. It was gasoline. As the flames ignited, and my consciousness faded, I realized. The liquid he’d poured was gasoline.

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After our parents’ tragic death, Elara and I were both put up for adoption. In my previous life, a timid Elara chose to stay with Grandma Sarah in our secluded community. But Grandma worked her to the bone every day, leaving her utterly exhausted. Meanwhile, I was adopted by the wealthy Sterling family, transforming into an elegant socialite. Elara cried, begging Grandma to let her leave, but Grandma slapped her and locked her in the barn. When I snuck in to visit her, she set the barn on fire. We perished in the flames, only to awaken, reborn, back on the day we were to be adopted. This time, Elara was the first to take Mrs. Sterling’s hand. I smiled, turning to tightly clutch Grandma Sarah’s sleeve. I was sick of being a pawn in other people’s games, constantly passed around. After Mom and Dad died tragically in the fire, the question of where my twin sister, Elara, and I would go became the most pressing issue in our isolated community. As everyone worried, Grandma Sarah and Mrs. Sterling, a wealthy socialite visiting our community, both offered to adopt us. Seeing Elara rush to grasp Mrs. Sterling’s hand, I knew she had been reborn with me. In our past life, fear of the outside world had made her choose Grandma first. “Maya, I’m scared. You promised Mom and Dad you’d take good care of me. Please, go with them, okay? You’re so smart; the Sterlings will love you.” With so many eyes on me, I knew I had no other choice. Grandma Sarah was old and couldn’t possibly afford to raise two sisters. So, even though I was just as terrified, I followed the Sterling couple out of the secluded community where I had grown up. Our last meeting in that life was at Grandma Sarah’s 61st birthday celebration. I stepped out of a luxury car, wearing a beautiful designer gown, with a nanny and bodyguards trailing behind me. The people in the community, the aunts and uncles who’d known me forever, greeted me warmly, their faces beaming as they asked about my life in the outside world. “I can’t believe that little country bumpkin has turned into such a beautiful young lady!” A middle-aged woman grabbed my hand, unwilling to let go. Elara, dressed in a faded, worn-out dress, sat beside me, her eyes filled with resentment and envy. After the gathering, Elara went to Grandma Sarah again, proposing her desire to leave the community. But Grandma slapped her and locked her in the barn. I secretly snuck in to visit her, but she locked the door from the inside and suddenly set the barn ablaze. Her face twisted with a maniacal grin as she stared at me: “Maya, why do you get to leave and live a good life while I’m stuck here, suffering in these mountains? If I can’t leave, then you’re staying here to keep me company.” She held me in a death grip, and we both died in that fire when we were eighteen. When I opened my eyes again, we were back to that fateful day when we were eight years old, the day our destinies diverged. This time, Elara was the first to take the Sterling couple’s hand.

“Mrs. Sterling, please take me with you. I promise I’ll be a good girl.” “Maya, you’ll let me, right?” Mrs. Sterling didn’t seem to care which one of us sisters chose to go with her. Since Elara had chosen her first, she simply reciprocated, clasping Elara’s hand and pulling her closer. Elara clutched Mrs. Sterling’s hand, her eyes gleaming with triumph. With the matter of our adoption settled, everyone started to disperse, leaving only the Sterling couple and Grandma Sarah waiting outside our door. As Elara and I went back to our room to pack, I watched her cheerful retreating figure and couldn’t help but try to dissuade her: “Are you really going with the Sterlings? The outside world isn’t as good as you imagine.” I was genuinely trying to warn her, out of a sense of kinship, but Elara instantly bristled, like an angry cat, and hissed at me: “Maya, don’t even *think* about trying to steal my new mom. You already had your turn in the last life, this time it’s mine. You can just stay in this community with that old hag and live your miserable life.” Seeing how utterly deluded she was, I didn’t try to persuade her any further. Instead, I quietly went to my side of the room and started packing my own clothes. If she wanted to steal my life, she could have it. I just hoped she wouldn’t regret it later. Outside, Mrs. Sterling was growing impatient. “Elara, are you ready yet? What’s the point of packing those old rags? Once you’re out of this place with us, you can have all the clothes you want.” Hearing Mrs. Sterling’s words, Elara immediately dumped her clothes out, grabbed an empty bag, and headed for the door. Before leaving, she looked at me with a triumphant smirk: “Did you hear Mrs. Sterling? She said she’ll buy me countless beautiful dresses. You can keep these old rags.” Elara walked out without a backward glance. Watching her carefree departure, the corners of my mouth couldn’t help but curl upwards. Good. This life, I wouldn’t have to navigate the Sterling family’s wolf’s den, wouldn’t have to be passed around like a mere toy.

I followed Grandma Sarah back to her house. Only then did I realize her home was in a very unique location. From the attic, you could see the entire community, but from anywhere else in the community, you couldn’t see Grandma Sarah’s house. When Mom and Dad were alive, Grandma was quite reclusive, rarely interacting with us. So, looking at my only remaining relative, I felt like I was with a complete stranger. Grandma Sarah was far stricter than I’d imagined. The day after I arrived, she presented me with a detailed schedule. It specified when I had to wake up, when to study, when to go out to the fields with her to work, and even how many times I could use the bathroom each day—all meticulously laid out. I held the schedule, lost in thought. Grandma Sarah watched me, her expression stern: “The conditions here are tough, and my expectations are high. If you can’t handle it, go find Chief Miller right away and see if he can arrange for you to leave too.” Chief Miller was the unofficial title of the community leader, but Grandma calling him “that guy” (“那小子” in Chinese implies a certain informal seniority from Grandma’s side). This immediately told me her standing in the community was anything but low. I carefully taped the schedule onto the desk Grandma Sarah had prepared for me, then looked at her with determination and said: “Grandma, I won’t regret this. That wealthy couple might not be as kind as they seem. I’d rather stay here with you in these mountains. It has beautiful scenery, and a Grandma who truly cares about me.” As I spoke, I reached out and gently took her arm, a gesture of goodwill. Grandma Sarah’s eyes fixated on me, as if trying to see through my facade: “You’d better mean what you say. I don’t welcome deserters here.” I offered her a sweet, compliant smile: “I won’t be, Grandma. I’ll stay here, with you, always.”

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At 10 PM, a notification lit up my phone. My next-door neighbor had tagged me in the apartment’s Facebook Group. “@Vivian, you disgusting bitch. Get your shit together. Your bed’s been squeaking all night. Are you trying to keep the whole building awake?” “My baby has a heart condition. Wake him up again, and I swear I’ll kill you and your whole family!” I quickly replied that I lived alone. She refused to believe it. I tried explaining, patiently, a few more times. Then I gave up. I never imagined that two weeks later, she’d kick in my door with a kitchen knife and stab me eighteen times. I collapsed in a pool of blood, but she kept swinging the knife like a maniac, screaming. “It’s all your fault! My baby died last night! You’re going to pay with your life!” My vision blurred. As I lost consciousness, one thought lingered: How could I have hurt a baby I never even saw? Then I opened my eyes. I was back on the day when she started to curse me in the group. This time, I didn’t back down. I typed my reply, my fingers steady and cold. “Stop being crazy! Your baby died three years ago!!”

The moment my message landed in the group, the lively chatter died. An absolute, loaded silence fell. A few minutes later, my next-door neighbor erupted. “What the FUCK are you talking about, you crazy bitch? My baby is turning one next month! How DARE you say that?” “You all saw that, right? This barren witch in Unit 705 can’t have her own, so she’s putting a curse on mine!” The other neighbors, witnessing the firestorm, quickly rallied around Jaclyn. “@Vivian, that was completely out of line. You never bring a child into it.” Someone else tried to calm Jaclyn. “Jaclyn, sweetie, take a breath. We all have to live here. Let’s just talk this through calmly.” Jaclyn didn’t like that one bit. “Talk nicely? My ass! What is there to talk about with a piece of trash like her? She just can’t stand seeing me happy, seeing my baby alive!” “My baby has a heart condition! He barely made it to one year old, and the doctors said we have to be extra careful with him!” “If anything happens to my baby because of her, I’ll put her in the ground myself!” The virtual mob in the group chat quickly fell in line, their words turning into weapons aimed at me. “Jaclyn has a point. You should really control yourselves late at night.” “It’s past ten. Have some decency.” Reading their messages, I just felt it was absolutely absurd. I’ve lived alone in Unit 705 since the day I moved in. Not a single man has ever set foot in my apartment. As for Jaclyn next door, her baby passed away shortly after birth. How could I possibly, with a non-existent man, wake up a dead child? I was about to explain when Jaclyn started cursing me in the group again. “You bitch, are you starting again? Will you die if you don’t go at it all night?” “Are you doing this on purpose? You don’t want my baby to be well, do you? He’s finally grown this big, and you just have to kill him, huh?” “If his heart condition acts up and something happens, can you even take responsibility?” Several other neighbors also sent messages, their words dripping with impatience. “Vivian, her child is sick, he has a heart condition. Do you really have to be so mean to a child?” “Yeah, Jaclyn is a single mom, it’s not easy for her. If you can’t be considerate, fine, but don’t curse her child to die!” In my previous life, I repeatedly explained that I lived alone, but they completely ignored me. Instead, Jaclyn started harassing me even more aggressively. I called building management and even the police, but they were useless against her. In a rage, I just packed up and stayed at my best friend’s for a few days. I never imagined that when I returned to Unit 705, Jaclyn would directly break into my apartment with a knife and stab me to death. Even now, whenever I close my eyes, I remember Jaclyn’s deranged expression. I couldn’t hold back my anger anymore and just sent a voice note to the group, screaming. “Can you stop bothering me?! Your child died a long time ago!”

The group chat went silent for several seconds. I thought she’d finally shut up, but then an urgent banging erupted at my door. Through the peephole, I saw Jaclyn, her eyes wide, roaring at my door. “You bitch, you’re dead! How dare you say my baby is dead!” “My baby finally just fell back asleep, are you saying that to deliberately harm my baby?!” “If anything happens to my baby, I’ll kill you!” Other neighbors came out of their apartments after hearing the commotion, angrily scolding me. “Vivian, you’re crossing the line! Jaclyn’s child is barely almost one year old. Can’t you show some decency?” “Exactly! You’ll have children too someday. Would you stand by and let someone curse your own child with such vicious words?” “Picking on a child who’s not even one, aren’t you afraid of what karma will do to you?!” Jaclyn was still pounding on the door, her eyes bulging with pure hatred, as if she wanted to rip me to shreds. “You damn bitch! You whore! How dare you curse my child!” “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill your entire family!” Her shrill cries, piercing my eardrums, made the early morning hours particularly chilling. Just thinking about being unfairly accused in my previous life and then stabbed eight times by this psycho made my body tremble uncontrollably. Hearing her threaten to kill my whole family, I couldn’t take it anymore. I quickly yanked the door open and slapped her hard across the face. “Who the hell are you yelling at?! Where’s your baby? Why don’t I hear him crying?!” “Just bring your baby out for me to see, and I’ll happily be your free babysitter!” The slap stunned her. After a few seconds, she suddenly lunged at me, all claws and fury. I quickly dodged back into my apartment, sticking out my foot to trip her. Recalling being stabbed to death in my past life, I was blinded by rage. I plopped down on Jaclyn’s back, grabbing her hair and pulling it in both directions. “Scream now, bitch! Smash my door again, I dare you! Let’s see how tough you are now!” Jaclyn, pinned beneath me, could only shriek hysterically. “Vivian, you’re an animal! This is insane! I’m calling the cops!” Her piercing screams drew the neighbors out. They scrambled to pull us apart and called building management. I glared at Jaclyn, still seething. By my calculations, I’d only been reborn for about an hour. That meant just an hour ago, I had been killed by this lunatic right in front of me! How was I supposed to stay calm? But after pulling me away, everyone started blaming me. “Vivian, you were in the wrong to begin with, and now you’re getting physical? You think it’s okay to pick on a single mother?” “I never realized we had such a cruel neighbor on this floor!” “I’ve already called building management! If you keep this attitude, we’ll call the police and let them handle it!”

Without my weight pinning her down, Jaclyn got arrogant again. She drove two stinging slaps across my face, the sound echoing in the hallway and lighting up the motion-sensor lights on the entire floor. “You miserable bitch! You dare wake my baby, then lay a hand on me? This is what you get” I tried to struggle and hit back, but the neighbors held me in a vice grip. “Just stop struggling! Can’t you see you’re only making it worse?” Jaclyn gloated and spouted even nastier insults at me. The other neighbors also chimed in, accusing me of lacking common decency. A mom with a child, Brenda, soothed her baby with one arm while glaring at me with the other. “You’re a grown woman, don’t you have any shame? You’ve woken up every kid on this floor, what about our sleep?” “Jaclyn is a single mother, and her child has a heart condition. How can anyone put up with you causing such a ruckus?” I struggled to break free from their grasp, arguing back. “How many times have I explained? I live alone! What bed am I shaking? With a ghost?!” “Besides, she says I woke her baby up. Has anyone here even seen her child?” My words made a few of them pause, and a flicker of doubt crossed their eyes. But Jaclyn immediately retorted. “My baby just finished feeding and is sleeping soundly inside!” I scoffed. “You just said I was shaking the bed and keeping your baby awake. Now you’re out here making so much noise, and your baby can sleep through it?” Everyone was taken aback. Brenda, the mom with the baby, murmured to herself. “My baby is already a pretty sound sleeper. If her child is so sensitive to noise, how come he didn’t cry with all that commotion just now?” Just then, Mr. Davis, the building manager, hurried over. Hearing our argument, he quickly spoke up. “Ms. Jaclyn, the sounds you’re hearing might be from an aging wooden structure in your apartment.” “If it’s convenient now, we can check it out for you, to avoid disturbing your baby’s rest.” Jaclyn, who had been so arrogant, suddenly fell silent. After a long pause, she reluctantly said, “Come back tomorrow! My baby is already asleep, and all that banging and clatter will wake him up!” No way I was letting her off that easy. “I think you’re just scared, aren’t you? I’ve lived here this long, and I’ve never once seen your child!” Jaclyn immediately grabbed my arm. “You keep cursing my baby to be dead. I ask you, if my child is sleeping soundly in his room, what will you say then?” I declared right away. “If your child is truly sleeping in there, I’ll move out of this apartment complex immediately, and I guarantee you won’t hear a single peep from me!” Then, Jaclyn addressed everyone. “Everyone heard that, right? She said it herself!” With that, she yanked me into her apartment. “Fine, I’ll let you see with your own eyes!” The neighbors and I followed her inside. As soon as we entered, a strong scent of baby formula hit us. Uncleaned formula and unfinished baby bottles sat on the living room table. Baby clothes were drying on the balcony. Inside the bedroom, a crib, wind chimes, a soft play mat, and corner protectors were all perfectly in place. All these things made me start to doubt myself. Did Jaclyn really have a baby? She dragged me by the arm to the crib. “Look closely! Is my baby in there or not?!” I peered into the crib and couldn’t say another word. Jaclyn was still gloating, “Everyone heard her promise. Vivian will have to get out of this apartment complex!” After she finished, she too glanced into the crib. But then, in an instant, she collapsed to the ground. Because that crib-it was completely empty.

Jaclyn quickly got back up and frantically searched the room for her child, mumbling, “Where’s my child? Baby, where did you go?” But she searched every corner of the room and found no trace of her child. Brenda, the mom, comforted her with a pained expression. “Jaclyn, think carefully. Did you perhaps carry the baby somewhere else?” “A child less than one year old can’t get out of a crib by themselves!” At this, Jaclyn’s eyes suddenly lit up as if she’d remembered something. “Yes, someone must have carried him away just now!” With that, she violently grabbed my shoulders. “Aha! I knew it! I wondered why I didn’t see the guy you’re seeing earlier. He must have snuck off with my baby in the commotion!” “Vivian, if you dare harm my child, I’ll take your life!” She demanded the building management lock down the complex immediately. The security guards and informed neighbors helped with the search. Thirty or forty people searched the complex for over half an hour, but found no suspicious figures. Mr. Davis comforted Jaclyn. “Don’t worry, as long as the child is still in the complex, we’ll find him. If not, we’ll call the police!” Jaclyn shook her head violently. “No! We can’t call the police! It’ll scare the baby! My baby has a congenital heart condition!” Mr. Davis frowned, then continued. “But this is a big deal, you should at least tell your family, like your husband?” Unexpectedly, Jaclyn reacted even more strongly. “No! Not yet! The baby isn’t even one year old yet! I want to give him a surprise!” Her words confused everyone, but I sensed something was off. I frowned and spoke up. “Her baby isn’t in the complex anymore. You can turn this place upside down, and you still won’t find him.” Mr. Davis was furious. “Did you really take her child? Do you know kidnapping a child is a felony?!” Mark, a male neighbor, angrily slapped me across the face. “You animal! It must be because Jaclyn interrupted you and your lover messing around that you retaliated by taking her child!” Hearing this, Jaclyn rushed at me, pinning my arms down tightly. “You bitch! My baby is so small, and he has a heart condition! How could you be so cruel!” “Tell me now, where is my baby?!” I gritted my teeth and said, “I told you, your baby died a long time ago!” Everyone gasped, thinking I had killed the child. They all cursed me, as if I were some evil, cold-blooded monster, completely disregarding my explanations. Until Mr. Davis said, “We should call the police first.” Soon, the police arrived. Rose, Jaclyn’s next-door neighbor, provided surveillance footage from her front door. The footage showed that from the moment Jaclyn left her apartment to bang on my door until her child disappeared, no one entered or left her room. Building management checked the main gate cameras next. No child was seen leaving the complex. Not then, not ever. After a full investigation, the police concluded there was no evidence of an abduction. In fact, the records showed that for the past month, only Jaclyn had been seen coming and going from Unit 706. Not once was a child with her. All eyes once again fell on me. Because from the very beginning, I was the only one saying her child was already dead.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “311469”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #魔幻Magic #狼人Werewolf

The day my wealthy adoptive parents brought their ‘real’ daughter home, I had my bags already packed. “I’ll head back to the village. Make room for the real one.” My parents’ smiles were strained as they pressed a hand on my suitcase. “Nonsense. This house is big enough for ten daughters. You’re not going anywhere.” On the first day, the real daughter, Celeste, saw me, her eyes  welled up with perfect, on-demand tears. “I envy you so much. You enjoyed eighteen years of Mom and Dad’s love. I got nothing.” That night, she was found in the bathtub, an empty bottle of sleeping pills beside her. My parents screamed as they rushed her to the hospital. Spotting me stepping into the family car, Celeste was consumed by a fresh wave of jealous rage. By midnight, she’d slit her wrists. When Celeste became the target of school rumors, she marched straight to the rooftop. There, she staged a dramatic proclamation of her innocence for all to see. All fingers pointed at me. My parents were caught between a rock and a hard place. I simply showed them my booked flight ticket. “My study here is complete. It’s time I returned to my real home.” But when I was truly about to walk away, Celeste panicked…

“Go back to the village?” Celeste’s voice shot up. She twisted away from the ledge, her suicidal performance abandoned. I met her blank stare with a brisk nod. “Yes. To my real family’s place.” It wasn’t the first time I’d said it. My adoptive parents were the ones clinging to me, begging me to stay. I’d known Celeste would never tolerate sharing the Hayes mansion. So on the very day the DNA results came in, I’d already consulted my teachers and counselors about transferring. With my academic record-valedictorian of the entire state-I could have written my own ticket anywhere. In fact, when word got out I wanted to transfer, the two schools practically fought over me. One refused to let me go, and the other was begging me to come. I’d planned to leave early, but my adoptive parents insisted I stay with the Hayes family. Even if the blood tie wasn’t real, the eighteen years of love we shared certainly were After all, for nearly two decades, I’d been the obedient daughter, the golden child against whom every other rich kid was measured, the walking testament to my parents’ success. But Celeste knew none of this. If she did, she’d probably faint with rage again. “You’re doing this on purpose! You’re playing the victim so they will pity you and see me as the monster! You never had any intention of leaving!” She stood by the rooftop railing, sobbing as if her heart were breaking, perfect tears tracing paths down her cheeks. Then, in a sudden, violent move, she lunged at me and snatched my backpack, upending it with a vicious shake. “Who packs only books when they’re running away? You’re putting on a show!” The air went still. Everything that spilled from my backpack was indeed books. Celeste’s foot crushed the book and she choked back sobs. The next second, she revealed the cut on her wrist and the scar on her forehead. “Which one of us is really Mom and Dad’s biological daughter?!” Her angry shout made my parents flinch, their bodies trembling. Their eyes filled with pain, and they immediately rushed to protect her, their faces etched with heartache. “Celeste, it’s you, of course!!” “Dad and Mom love you both!! Aria, you…” I took a step forward, my expression calm, interrupting their words. I spoke directly. “Of course, it’s you, Celeste. You have blood ties with them. I’m just an outsider!” Celeste, her eyes blurry with tears, looked up. The satisfaction in her eyes hadn’t even fully surfaced before my next sentence struck it down. “But I think you’re sick!” Facing my parents’ astonished faces, I continued. “She might have paranoid delusions and self-harming tendencies. I suggest she gets a mental health check-up. If this kind of illness is delayed, it can…” “Snap!” A sharp slap landed on my face, Dad’s hand trembling. “Shut up!” “Aria Hayes, do you have any empathy at all?!” Mom immediately covered Celeste’s ears in her arms, then looked up at me. “She doesn’t mean any of this!. She’s been through hell! Her life in that town was a nightmare!” Struggling to finish her words, they both shielded Celeste and left the rooftop, descending toward the waiting luxury car under everyone’s gaze. And I was left behind, standing utterly alone in the center of that accusing circle. Celeste had suffered? From what I’d seen, she had never suffered… I stared down at the small, unmarked package I’d just retrieved from outside her room. A heavy sigh escaped me.. I couldn’t quite understand it. If Mom and Dad knew she was poisoning the whole family… Would they still be able to love their biological daughter? I wasn’t kidding. Celeste was genuinely sick.

My plane ticket was canceled. “Aria, no matter what, the Hayes family will never abandon you!” For a second, I felt touched when my parents said that. But the next second, my softened heart hardened back to stone. “The moment Celeste comes home, you go back to your old town? What will outsiders think of us?!” “They’ll just mock our family for being dysfunctional.” At the end of the day, I, who had been their daughter for eighteen years, wasn’t their own flesh and blood. Celeste was sent to the hospital for just a tiny scratch, and my parents were beside themselves with worry. She was brought back to the Hayes mansion, adored by everyone. The first thing that happened when we got home was my belongings were moved out of my room. My parents looked away, unable to meet my eyes. “Aria, you’re the older sister. Celeste isn’t well, and this room gets great sunlight. Why don’t you switch rooms?” “You’re always so understanding, you’ll surely…” “Fine.” Without a moment’s hesitation, I agreed, shrugging as if it didn’t matter. They wouldn’t let me leave, but they also needed to hurt me to compensate Celeste. “Aria changing rooms is exactly what she should do!” “Of course, she’ll agree! She’s been usurping Celeste’s place for so many years, doesn’t she feel ashamed?!” The villa’s front door was abruptly pushed open. A figure swaggered in: Julian, from the Sterling family next door. He also had another identity: my fiancé. The Hayes and Sterling families had an engagement planned for the next five years. Now that Celeste was back, that engagement naturally shifted to her. Julian hated me. He couldn’t wait to see me suffer. He gave me a cold look, then stood beside Celeste, his back straight. “I heard everything that happened at school, Aria. I advise you to behave yourself!” “Don’t you dare bully Celeste!” A blush crept onto Celeste’s face, and her eyes reddened. “Mom, Dad, and Julian… you’re all so good to me.” “No one has ever been so kind to me before.” Her voice was hoarse and choked. My parents were immediately touched, and Julian stared at Celeste, his face as red as an apple. That feeling of being their whole world, of being depended on and spoiled, was something I’d never experienced. A cough escaped me, and their gazes softened even more. Turning away, in a corner where they couldn’t see, Celeste gave me a chilling stare. Clearly, she wasn’t done with me. In the days that followed, Celeste found new ways to torment me. I went to the restroom, and a bucket of dirty water was thrown over my head. “Doesn’t she know her place? A fake, still bullying the real daughter!” “She pushed Celeste to suicide, and now she’s spreading rumors that she’s sick.” “I can’t stand people like her!” Wiping the water from my face, I held up my phone, which was recording, and marched straight to the teacher’s office. When the culprits emerged from the office, looking pale and miserable, my desk had been defaced with huge lipstick graffiti and moved out into the hallway. “Aria, are you okay!” “Don’t be sad!!” Celeste cautiously approached me from the front row, a look of concern on her face. The next second, she stepped on a book I’d dropped, stumbled, and crashed directly into the corner of the desk. “Ah!!!!” That day, my parents rushed to the hospital for the second time, straight to Celeste’s bedside. Seeing the cut on her head, they both gasped. When their gazes finally found me, their eyes filled with disappointment. “Aria, look what’s happened to Celeste again!” “Every time she’s near you, she ends up hurt. What is it about you that brings her so much pain?” What did her getting hurt have to do with me? Before I could voice it, Julian shoved me aside. “It’s all your fault!” “Celeste, from now on, you’ll stay with me. I’ll keep you safe!” He turned to my parents. “Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, you have my word. I’ll take care of her. No one will lay a finger on her again.” He emphasized the last few words, Julian looking meaningfully at me. I scoffed, my eyes icy. “I don’t want to be around her!” They only saw the cut on Celeste’s forehead; they didn’t see my vandalized desk or my dirty clothes. At my words, my parents’ faces immediately changed. Unable to hold back, they roared. “Unrepentant! Celeste has been so patient with you!” “Don’t forget, she’s our biological child.” Celeste’s body trembled. She suddenly hugged her head and crouched down. “It’s not her fault. I came from the countryside, I don’t know the rules. Aria hates my poverty, so she doesn’t even let me touch her. It’s only right that she pushed me away!” “Snap!” Unable to stand it anymore, I slapped my soaked school uniform jacket onto the floor. Dirty water splattered several of their faces. I raised my hand and tapped the blackboard, pointing above my head. “What are you arguing about? There are cameras inside and outside the classroom!” Mom and Dad froze. Half an hour later, Celeste bit her lip and said nothing. The video paused on the scene where I was being bullied, standing alone. Julian clicked his tongue, then looked away, reminding them. “Aria’s just got dirty clothes, but Celeste’s face is injured.” “Yes, yes.” Clearly, Celeste’s injury was more important than my humiliation. It was just a misunderstanding, my parents told me not to be so pessimistic. Celeste was tenderly taken home by my parents to recover, while I was left awkwardly at school, without even an apology or explanation. That evening, to thank her parents and Julian, Celeste personally cooked a pot of soup. The whole family was moved to tears. They drank bowl after bowl, and Julian, who came to join them, guzzled the soup down. My eyelids twitched. As I cautiously opened the kitchen monitor, the harsh ringing of a phone suddenly echoed through the dining room. The moment it connected, two cheerful voices came from the other end. “Aria, our sweet girl!” “When are you coming home?”

“Thud.” The bowl hit the table. Julian snatched my phone. Celeste’s face turned ashen as she put down her bowl, implying. “Aria, why are you secretly contacting them behind Mom and Dad’s backs?” “They…” She spoke as if she wanted to say more, then suddenly turned to my parents, throwing herself into their arms. “Mom and Dad, please don’t let Aria go back to that place. I don’t want her to go!” “I’m doing this for her own good!” Her crying filled the air, and Julian’s expression shifted. My heart sank. Realizing something was wrong, I immediately tried to grab my phone. “Give it to me!” Julian shoved me hard, holding up the phone with a smirk. “Aria looks down on you for being poor, why would she ever come back?!” “Don’t dream about it. You’re not good people either. Haven’t you tortured Celeste enough? How much more do you want to gain?” “Aria?! She wishes you were dead.” I looked at Julian in utter disbelief. When had I ever said those things?! He was doing this on purpose. My parents reacted, once again snatching the phone from Julian before I could. They immediately spoke into it. “Yes, those things you did to Celeste! We’ll investigate everything!” “Aria will never return to that hellhole of yours!” “She’s staying with the Hayes family forever!” My breath hitched. I watched as Mom swiftly hung up the phone. Before I could explain, a slap landed on my face. “Aria Hayes, is this your dramatic ploy?!” The last shred of affection in my heart shattered. I met the disappointment and doubt in their eyes. Celeste was finally satisfied. She stepped forward triumphantly, pretending to hold my parents back, speaking gently on my behalf. “Aria was spoiled for eighteen years, so it’s normal for her to feel disappointed.” “No matter what, she shouldn’t say she wants to go back to that den of evil and hurt Mom and Dad’s feelings…” She was seemingly speaking up for me, but actually implying I was ungrateful and not worth raising. My parents’ faces grew even uglier. Julian scoffed, muttering “ungrateful brat.” The air in the villa instantly turned sour. My parents’ expressions were indifferent; they didn’t spare me another glance. Only Celeste winked at me. In the following days, my treatment at the Hayes’ home plummeted. The entire Hayes household treated me like air. The family driver picked up and dropped off Celeste for school, completely ignoring me. Everyone at school laughed, saying I’d fallen from queen to commoner. Only Celeste would step forward to defend me. Every time she did, she’d receive praise, and Julian, especially, would go out of his way to humiliate me for her sake. Until a month later, Celeste felt unwell and asked to go home, but then suddenly went missing. She’d been kidnapped! The moment the Hayes family driver relayed the news, everyone remained silent, but their eyes immediately turned to me. “Did someone finally snap?” “Celeste has no enemies, why would she suddenly be kidnapped?” “Could it be someone deliberately seeking revenge? After all, the public media hasn’t even announced Celeste’s identity yet.” “Speaking of which, I think the person who hates Celeste the most must be her.” Countless suspicious gazes fell on me. Julian even pushed me directly, his brows furrowed. “Aria, where did you take Celeste?!” I thought they had lost their minds. Celeste was kidnapped, and instead of calling the police, they suspected me first. “I don’t know.” My face was devoid of expression. The moment I said those words, the classroom door burst open. Mom and Dad rushed in, their faces anxious. “Aria, do you really not know?!” “Yes.” I wasn’t lying. I really didn’t know. But I probably knew where Celeste had gone… I met my parents’ gaze directly. Just as I was about to drop my eyes in disappointment, a voice suddenly spoke from above my head. “I believe Aria.” “She’s the child we raised since she was little. No matter how much she dislikes Celeste, she wouldn’t hurt anyone.” My eyes flickered. My chest warmed, and I couldn’t help but look up. But just as I was about to explain, Julian suddenly moved. Holding up his phone, his face pale and distraught. “The kidnappers sent a video!” The next second, the video started playing. A voice came through. “Celeste, right? You’re the real daughter Aria talked about!” “You’re worth a lot more than her.” “We have her to thank for being able to catch you…” The entire room erupted in chaos. My parents instantly let go of my hands, their faces filled with utter disbelief. My dad’s facial muscles twitched. He pointed at me, his chest heaving. “You animal!” I didn’t explain. I raised my hand and dialed the emergency number. Seeing me about to call the police, Julian’s face suddenly fell. “Don’t call the police!”

“You’re insane!” Someone covered their mouth, looking at me with derision. Julian advanced towards me, his eyes red. “We just want to find Celeste. Are you deliberately calling the police to provoke the kidnappers into killing her?!” “You’re doing this on purpose! You’re in league with the kidnappers!” My parents’ dazed expressions instantly turned into dawning realization, and their gazes at me grew even more furious. I evaded Julian, quickly called the police, ignoring their exceptionally angry stares. “The kidnapped person’s name is Celeste Hayes… Yes, she’s been kidnapped for three hours, so she probably hasn’t gone too far…” The moment I hung up the phone, a pair of hands suddenly grabbed my throat, squeezing with merciless force. “Just tell us where Celeste is!” “Aren’t you afraid of being taken away by the police if you call them?!” “Aria Hayes, you’re still acting crazy! You’re beyond saving!” “I’m giving you one last chance! Tell me now! Where is Celeste?!” Julian was frantic, applying desperate force with his hands. I gasped for air, my frantic breathing drawing the attention of the others present. Pointing at me, someone screamed. “Quick! Officer, arrest her!” “She…” The next second, the scream seemed to be choked off. Everyone stared blankly at the door. A familiar figure appeared at the entrance. “Celeste!!!” My parents’ faces lit up with surprise. They took a step forward, then, seeing her clearly, their expressions instantly fractured. Celeste’s face held no trace of joy. She was supposed to be the rescued kidnap victim, but she was being held by police officers on either side. When she moved, her handcuffed wrists were revealed. “This is…” Someone pointed at Celeste, their mouth open wide enough to fit an egg. “Officer, you’ve arrested the wrong person!” I coughed, pulled a USB drive from my pocket, and plugged it directly into the computer at the front of the classroom. “They didn’t make a mistake.” They arrested exactly who they should have. I had waited a month for this day. The video on the USB drive began to play. Celeste’s gentle voice filled the room. “If I ‘get kidnapped,’ everyone will blame Aria, won’t they?” “Seventy-thirty split on the ransom. The Hayes family won’t pursue it. I’ll make sure of it.” “Take the money. And disappear.” My parents’ faces instantly turned ashen, utter disbelief etched on their faces. After a few seconds of silence, Celeste’s voice continued. “Pin it on Aria’s birth parents.” “They actually wanted to send me to a mental hospital.” “Me? Sick? Impossible.” The air in the room turned to ice. Everyone took a collective step back, as if an invisible, toxic barrier had just expanded around Celeste. Julian couldn’t believe it. A sudden, warm trickle under his nose. He raised a hand to find it streaked crimson. The next second, he collapsed onto the floor.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “311461”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn #魔幻Magic #狼人Werewolf