Category: English

In our past life, my sister was adopted by a wealthy family, and I was taken in by a school janitor. As it turned out, the wealthy family was plagued by toxic infighting. The parents were cold, the older brother was a ruthless bully, and she was eventually kicked out without a single penny. My adoptive family, on the other hand, was warm and loving. The billionaire heir even fell in love with me, the resilient, innocent poor girl. It was like a plot straight out of a teen romance movie. Consumed by hatred, my sister murdered me—and we were both sent back in time to the very day we were adopted. This time, she sprinted ahead and threw herself into the janitor’s arms. “Sister, this time, it’s my turn to be the main character,” she whispered to me. But what she didn’t know was that a true main character doesn’t rely on her background to win. 01 My sister and I were reborn on the exact day of our adoption at St. Jude’s Children’s Home. Two families stood in the director’s office: the Sterlings and the Millers. The three members of the Sterling family were dressed to the nines. The man wore a tailored suit, the woman was dripping in diamonds. Even their teenage son, Ashton, wore an elite prep school uniform paired with globally limited-edition designer sneakers. They were the most prominent family in Chicago. Mr. Sterling was a corporate titan whose empire contributed the most taxes in the city, while Mrs. Sterling was a socialite, constantly clinking glasses with A-list celebrities at charity galas. Their son, Ashton Sterling, was widely known as the untouchable prince of Chicago. In stark contrast, the Miller family standing next to them looked worn and exhausted. Both the husband and wife had the rough, calloused hands of manual laborers. They were likely wearing their Sunday best, but faded sweat stains still clung to the collars. According to the director, they both worked at Oakridge Prep, the most elite high school in the city. The husband was a janitor, and the wife was a cleaning lady. In our previous life, my sister Maya had chosen the Sterlings without a second thought. But right now, acting as if she were terrified of being left behind, she launched herself into the cleaning lady’s arms. “Mom! Take me with you! I want to be your daughter!” “From today on, my name is Maya Miller!” Amidst Maya’s excited cheers, I calmly walked over to the Sterling family. Just like that, our choices were made, and we were taken to our respective new homes. As we left the orphanage, I overheard the director muttering to herself. “How strange. Maya has always been the most competitive, picky girl here. In the past, if a prospective family even looked a bit middle-class, she wouldn’t give them the time of day.” “A real billionaire family finally shows up, and she doesn’t choose them? Why?” The director didn’t understand. But I did. 02 In our past life, Maya plotted and schemed to be adopted by the Sterlings, becoming Maya Sterling. She thought a life of luxury and princess-like pampering awaited her. Not to mention having Ashton, the prince of Chicago, as her older brother. To her, the wealthy heir and the adopted sister was a classic romance trope. Living under the same roof, she figured it would be incredibly easy to spark a forbidden romance. But Maya never expected that Ashton wouldn’t show an ounce of brotherly affection. Instead, he found her absolutely repulsive. “I despise social climbers more than anything in this world,” he had told her. “Don’t think I can’t see right through you. You manipulative little gold digger, the only thing you want is our family’s money.” At home, Ashton tormented her. At school, he led a gang of lackeys to brutally bully her. Even when Mr. and Mrs. Sterling found out, they only offered half-hearted scoldings. They had no real love for Maya. The only reason they adopted her was because a celebrity psychic told Mr. Sterling that adopting a daughter would bring him a decade of explosive financial luck. Between an adopted daughter and their biological son, the Sterlings naturally favored their own blood. While Ashton bullied Maya, he treated me—the girl adopted by the Millers—incredibly well. He watched me accept financial aid, ace every exam to become the top of the class, study all day, and help my mom scrub floors at night. I lived an exhausting life, but I never complained. “Harper Miller. This girl… she’s actually pretty interesting.” Just like a movie, the rebellious, arrogant rich boy fell in love with the unyielding, resilient poor girl. Later on, the Sterling parents passed away in an accident. When the inheritance was divided, Ashton and his legal team ruthlessly maneuvered Maya out of the estate. She was left with absolutely nothing. A few months later, Ashton married me. At our wedding, he publicly declared, “Harper, from now on, everything I own is yours.” Unfortunately, I never got to enjoy a dime of Ashton’s wealth. A few days later, driven insane by jealousy and despair, Maya ran me over with her car. Reborn into this life, my sister didn’t hesitate to choose the Millers. To her, even though they didn’t have billions, they lacked the toxic scheming of the rich. She believed she could enjoy the pure, unconditional love of a warm, happy family. She believed her new background would make the wealthy heir pity and protect her, ultimately leading to a fairy-tale wedding of the century. She smiled at me smugly. “Sister, this time, it’s my turn to play the female lead.” “It’s about time you tasted everything I suffered through.” 03 Maya’s prediction wasn’t wrong. In fact, Ashton’s bullying started even earlier than in our past life. In the school courtyard, my head was forcibly shoved into a freezing fountain. Around me, a group of teenage boys laughed viciously. Just as my lungs were about to burst from lack of oxygen, someone grabbed the back of my collar and yanked me up. Ashton smiled down at me brightly. “You want my family’s money? Sure thing.” “Drink all the water in that toilet bowl over there. I’ll give you ten grand a gulp. How about it?” His lackeys hooted and hollered in excitement. I stared at Ashton. This was the man who had gently told me he loved me in our past life. Right now, he was unleashing his unfiltered malice on me without a second thought. But Ashton wasn’t looking at me. His gaze drifted past me, focusing on something behind my back. I knew exactly what it was. Maya Miller was bending over, scrubbing the hallway floors. “Isn’t that Maya?” one of the boys asked. “Why is she still mopping the floors?” Another lackey chimed in to explain, “Her mom is the school’s cleaning lady. She goes to classes during the day and stays late to help her mom work.” A flicker of shock crossed Ashton’s eyes, quickly followed by a pang of heartache. He called out loudly to her, “Hey! It’s freezing out here. Stop scrubbing. No one’s going to check it anyway.” Maya straightened her back. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her delicate face wore a look of stubborn pride. She shook her head. “I can’t.” “If someone checks and finds the floor dirty, my mom will get a hundred dollars docked from her paycheck.” “I know a hundred dollars is nothing to a rich kid like you, but for my family, that’s our grocery budget for the whole week.” After finishing her speech, Maya bent back down and continued scrubbing. Honestly, her manipulation was painfully obvious. With an entire building of floors to mop, she deliberately chose to scrub right in front of Ashton. She even specifically let her hair down and angled her face perfectly to look as tragic and beautiful as possible. Unfortunately for me, Ashton fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Sure enough, Ashton walked over, grabbed Maya’s arm to pull her up, snatched the dirty rag from her hands, and threw it at one of his lackeys. “You guys. Finish mopping this for her.” He looked down at Maya’s hands, which were red from the cold water. Without hesitating, he draped his custom blazer over her shoulders. “It’s late. How are you getting home?” “I bike.” “You’re biking in this weather?” Ashton looked appalled. He spoke with undeniable authority. “Go wait in the lobby. I’m having my driver take you home.” Maya was escorted away under Ashton’s protective wing. Before she turned the corner, she didn’t forget to glance back at me, flashing a mocking, triumphant smirk at my soaked, pathetic state. A few moments later, the crowd dispersed, leaving me alone by the fountain. Struggling to stand, I used my sleeve to wipe the freezing water dripping from my hair. “Use this.” A cool, quiet voice spoke from behind me. I turned around to see our class president, Riley Brooks. She was a quiet, introverted girl who studied relentlessly and always wore long sleeves, regardless of the season. In my past life, when Maya was the one being bullied, Riley had tried to help her too. She handed Maya a towel and urged her to report Ashton’s bullying to the administration. But Maya had violently slapped Riley’s hand away. “What do you know?! He’s my brother!” Back then, Maya was still dreaming her delusional fantasy that she could make Ashton fall in love with her. After that, Riley stopped trying to help her and returned to being a silent loner. Later, right before graduation, Riley committed suicide. That was when everyone finally learned she grew up in agonizing poverty. Her grandmother was bedridden, and her father was a violent gambling addict who brutally abused her and tried to sell her off to pay his debts. Right now, she stood beside me, holding a clean towel. I stared at her for a second before taking it. She didn’t say a word. She just turned around to walk away. She probably figured someone like me—the spoiled Sterling heiress—had nothing to say to her. Just as she was about to disappear down the hall, I suddenly spoke up. “Hey, class prez!” Her footsteps faltered. I scratched my head awkwardly. “So… I just transferred here, and I don’t really know my way around.” “Where’s the cafeteria? Mind showing me?” 04 The cafeteria table was loaded with food: BBQ ribs, steamed eggs, garlic butter wings, roasted vegetables, and clam chowder. Oakridge Prep truly lived up to its reputation as the best private school in the state; the food was incredible. I scratched my head again. “Ah, I accidentally ordered way too much.” “Wasting food is a sin, and you probably haven’t had dinner yet, right? Want to help me finish this?” Riley remained silent for a moment before finally picking up a fork and taking small, hesitant bites. I looked at the wrists peeking out from her uniform sleeves. They were painfully thin, practically just bone. Honestly, girls like the class president were the ones who truly needed saving. But because they weren’t conventionally glamorous, and because they suffered in silence without crying for help, they were treated like invisible weeds in the background. They didn’t even qualify to be the female lead in a teen romance. In this life, I wasn’t just going to save myself. I was going to save her, too. Having made up my mind, I spoke up. “Ugh, AP Calculus is literally killing me. I don’t understand a single thing the teacher says.” “Riley, you’re a genius. How about you tutor me?” Riley sat there with a piece of rib halfway to her mouth, looking at me with an expression that screamed, Are we even friends? I didn’t give her a chance to refuse. I threw an arm around her shoulders and smiled brightly. “Awesome, it’s settled then! I’ll pay you top hourly rates!” 05 I handed Riley an envelope of cash, calling it an “advance payment for tutoring.” When she saw the stack of crisp hundred-dollar bills inside, she was too stunned to speak. Truthfully, whether in my past life or this one, the Sterlings never shortchanged their adopted daughter when it came to basic living expenses. To a rich kid like Ashton, this was pocket change. But for Riley, it was enough to buy her grandmother’s medicine and pay the hospital bills. It was even enough for her to rent a tiny apartment off-campus and finally escape her abusive father. After setting a time for our tutoring session the next day, I headed home. The massive luxury mansion was empty. Mr. Sterling was out schmoozing clients, and Mrs. Sterling was at a high-end spa. As for Ashton, he was likely having dinner at the Millers’ house. In our past life, Ashton had his driver take me home, and my adoptive parents enthusiastically invited him to stay for dinner. Then, just like a standard romance trope, that single dinner allowed the cold, lonely heir to experience the deep, fiery warmth of a working-class family. The Miller parents always had simple, rustic smiles plastered on their faces. Their cramped, run-down apartment was filled with the cozy smell of home-cooked food. It made Ashton yearn for that life, and it made him fall even harder for the innocent poor girl who grew up in that environment. Right now, even though he and Maya were probably eating a cheap, meatless dinner, they were likely incredibly happy. I slowly changed into a Hermes silk robe, washed my face with Chanel cleanser, and ate a bowl of premium bird’s nest soup prepared by the housekeeper, a cold smirk playing on my lips. No one knew that the Miller couple might be poor, but they were certainly not pure-hearted. They were deeply sexist and originally wanted to adopt a boy. But the orphanage didn’t have any healthy boys available at the time. So, they settled for the next best thing: adopting the prettiest girl they could find, strictly so they could marry her off to a rich man and secure their retirement. Seeing Ashton Sterling personally drop their daughter off, their blood must have boiled with greed. They instantly dragged their potential golden goose inside to butter him up. The “warmth” and “cozy family vibes”? It was all an act. After all, if they wanted to impress a billionaire’s son, that was the only currency they had. In my past life, when I told them I didn’t want to marry Ashton, my adoptive mother locked me in my room, and my adoptive father beat me half to death with a table leg and a leather belt. Maya thought she had chosen heaven in this life. She didn’t realize that a true heaven doesn’t exist. The Sterlings were a glamorous hell, and the Millers were an impoverished one. Who crawled out of hell alive all depended on their own strength. 06 In the following days, Ashton’s malice escalated. When I opened the lunchbox the housekeeper packed for me, it was filled to the brim with thumbtacks. Dead spiders were squeezed into my toothpaste and face wash. The designer dresses in my closet were ruined with cigarette burns. And every time I looked up in shock, I was met with Ashton’s cruel, mocking smile. He mouthed the words to me: Harper, you deserve it. Ashton expected me to cry. Instead, I calmly threw the thumbtacks in the trash, flushed the spiders down the toilet, and neatly folded the ruined dresses away. Seeing this, the smile vanished from Ashton’s face. He glared at me, his voice practically dripping with venom. “Let’s see how long you can keep up this act.” … Fortunately, even though I had to endure Ashton’s bullying this time around, I also had full access to the Sterlings’ resources. I no longer had to go to school during the day and be forced to scrub toilets for my adoptive mother at night. Instead, I had a housekeeper to cater to my needs, a private driver, and all the time in the world to focus on my studies. In my past life, if I wanted to buy SAT prep books, I had to hoard pennies for months, constantly terrified my adoptive father would find my stash and steal it to buy booze and lottery tickets. Now, my closet was overflowing with designer clothes, and my jewelry box was stuffed with Cartier and Van Cleef—all casually gifted to me by Mrs. Sterling without me spending a dime. On top of that, I received a $50,000 cash allowance every month and a credit card with a $100,000 limit. If I maxed it out, all I had to do was text the butler, and it would be reloaded within thirty minutes. The grinding, suffocating poverty of my past life had fallen entirely onto Maya’s shoulders. I watched her sleep through all her classes. Because she had to help her adoptive mom clean at night, she was severely sleep-deprived. Her grades began to plummet, and eventually, she started handing in blank tests. In my past life, I practically survived on black coffee. When I was too tired to keep my eyes open, I would stab my own thigh with a compass needle just to force myself to study. But Maya had lived her previous life as a pampered socialite. She didn’t have that kind of grit or willpower. Not to mention, she didn’t care about studying anyway. To her, becoming the fiancée of the Sterling heir was infinitely more valuable than getting accepted into an Ivy League. So, she poured all her energy into making Ashton love her more. She ignored lectures to secretly write a diary specifically meant for Ashton to “accidentally” find. She skipped dance rehearsals, sneaking out of school to go on joyrides and stargaze with him. And then, right before the school’s annual dance showcase… She sat outside the rehearsal studio, crying. I figured she had meticulously studied how heroines cry in movies—tilting her head up at a 45-degree angle, tears welling perfectly in her eyes, looking too stubbornly proud to let them fall. Naturally, Ashton just happened to walk by and see her. The moment he asked her what was wrong, the tears Maya had been holding back finally spilled over. She threw herself into his arms and wailed. “Ashton, I lost my spot in the showcase!” “Every other girl in class gets to go on stage. Harper is the only one who won’t let me perform…” Ashton already hated me to my core. Hearing this, he exploded. “Why?!” Maya bit her lip, trying desperately to stop crying but failing to suppress her sobs. “She said my mom is just a cleaning lady, and my dad is a security guard.” “She said I can’t even afford the costume, so I don’t deserve to be on stage.” Ashton’s face darkened with rage. He looked at the hyperventilating girl in his arms and said softly, “It’s just a costume, right? I’ll buy it for you.” Maya shook her head, radiating the pure, uncorrupted righteousness of an innocent poor girl. “No. They cost eight hundred dollars each. I can’t accept such an expensive gift from you.” Ashton was furious, yet his heart broke for her. “Who the hell does Harper think she is?!” he spat. Tears streamed down Maya’s face as she shook her head sadly. “She’s your sister. She’s the Sterling heiress.” “Your family donated half the buildings on this campus, and your dad is an honorary board member. Even if the teachers know she’s bullying me, what can they possibly do?” Maya failed to notice that at that exact moment, a local journalist visiting the school happened to be walking past them. Poking his head around the corner like a shark smelling blood, the reporter asked sharply, “Bullying? Who is being bullied?” 07 The situation blew up instantly. The school’s massive conference room was packed with people. The Principal, Vice Principal, Dean of Students, and our homeroom teacher were all there. There were also several reporters from different news outlets. Both sets of parents had arrived. The Millers stood protectively over a tear-streaked Maya in the corner, radiating grievance and righteous anger. Mr. and Mrs. Sterling initially hadn’t wanted to come when they got the call about me being in trouble. It wasn’t until they heard that the newly appointed State Superintendent of Education was present that they rushed over. Oakridge Prep was the most prestigious school in the state, and the Superintendent used it as a benchmark for educational standards. Mr. Sterling clearly had a prior relationship with the Superintendent. As soon as he walked in, he smoothly approached the man with a diplomatic smile. “All this fuss over a little disagreement, and it even dragged you down here, Superintendent.” “Honestly, it’s just kids having a petty argument…” But the Superintendent was notoriously strict and didn’t buy it for a second. “Mr. Sterling, bullying is never a ‘little disagreement.’” “I know Harper is your daughter, but every child in this room is a student, a sapling. I will not stand by and watch them grow crooked.” Hearing this, Mr. Sterling couldn’t push the issue further. He forced a polite smile. “Yes, of course. We aren’t entirely sure what happened either. Please, conduct a thorough investigation.” Returning to his wife’s side, the two exchanged a silent, cold look. I knew exactly what that look meant. If the bullying allegations were proven true, the Sterlings would instantly abandon their emotionally distant adopted daughter and cut all ties with me to save their reputation. If that was the parents’ attitude, Ashton’s was even worse. Standing next to a sobbing Maya, he murmured soft comforts to her before looking up to shoot me a gaze colder than ice. Seeing that everyone was present, the Principal turned to Maya. “Maya, why don’t you tell us what happened?” Maya looked up with red, swollen eyes, quietly repeating the same sob story she had fed Ashton. The reporters were already practically foaming at the mouth with righteous indignation. One reporter immediately spoke up. “We did some preliminary digging. Harper and Maya grew up in the same foster home and were once as close as sisters.” “Later, Harper was adopted by the billionaire Sterling family, while Maya’s adoptive parents are humble school employees.” “Does marrying into wealth give Harper the right to bully her former friend and strip her of her rightful opportunities?” Dead silence fell over the room. The reporters stared at me like hawks, the red recording lights on their cameras blinking relentlessly. No one wanted to miss the scoop of the year. After all, this was a massive social issue. In an era of extreme wealth inequality, a rich kid stealing educational opportunities from a poor, hardworking student was enough to spark statewide outrage. Not to mention the incredible dramatic irony of Maya and I being the two main characters in this story. In the suffocatingly quiet office, I suddenly burst out laughing. It was a sharp, jarring sound. The reporters looked at each other in confusion. “Mr. Reporter,” I said smoothly. “I read in a book once that journalists are supposed to cross-reference their sources and fact-check their information.” “What? Are you in such a rush to publish a viral headline that you’re just skipping basic journalistic integrity?” The reporter’s face instantly flushed bright red. I stood up and pointed coldly at Maya. “Right now, your only source of information is her. Everything you’ve heard is a completely one-sided story.” I looked at Maya’s pale, tearful face. I really did treat you like a sister once. But in our past life, you murdered me out of jealousy. In this life, you’re trying to frame me to climb the social ladder. If I completely destroy you right now, you brought it upon yourself. “Since the reporters are asking, I’ll tell you what I know.” “Maya is jealous of me. She thinks that since we started from the exact same place—and she believes she’s prettier and smarter than me—it’s completely unfair that I get to live a better life than her.” “Her jealousy turned into hatred. That’s why she fabricated this entire story to frame me.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Ashton aggressively stepped forward to defend her. “That’s a lie! She—” He wanted to say that Maya chose the poor Miller family on purpose. Therefore, she couldn’t possibly be a gold digger, and I was just twisting the truth. But before he could finish his sentence, the conference room doors were shoved open. A thin, quiet figure with short hair stood in the doorway. She looked like an unnoticeable weed. Our homeroom teacher recognized her instantly. “Riley? What are you doing here?” At this exact time in our past life, Riley Brooks had already taken her own life. But in this life, she survived. Step by step, she walked into the room and stood right beside me. She spoke quietly. “I’m here to testify.”

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My fiancé, Carter, was a prominent psychiatrist, but he fell in love with his patient, Audrey. I didn’t hesitate. I went straight to the hospital administration and reported their relationship. Carter was disciplined. Audrey, overwhelmed by her depression, committed suicide. And I became the target of Carter’s misplaced rage. He pushed me off a balcony. “Falling in love with Audrey was my mistake, but what gave you the right to kill her?!” I was reborn. I woke up to hear eighteen-year-old Carter sending a voice message to Audrey. He was clarifying our relationship, his tone dripping with affection. “Harper and I are just neighbors. You’re the one I like, my little rose.” Separated only by a door. I crumpled his cancer diagnosis report in my hand, the paper crinkling under my grip. 1 Carter and I grew up together. Our families were close. The adults used to joke about us getting married someday. Almost everyone assumed we were a couple, just waiting for one of us to make it official. During the winter break of our senior year of high school, Carter and I both got physicals. I was perfectly healthy. All my vitals were normal. But Carter’s blood work showed early-stage leukemia. The moment I got the report, I ran straight to his house and we looked at it together. Thanks to early intervention, the cancer hadn’t spread. He was in remission within a year. In my past life, I spent that year by his side through chemotherapy, missing my own college entrance exams. I retook the exams a year later, but I didn’t get into my dream university or my preferred major. Carter, however, having recovered, overperformed on his exams. He somehow managed to get into the most prestigious pre-med program in the state. And after graduating, he became a highly sought-after psychiatrist. This time, I absolutely refused to sacrifice my future and my youth to help a scumbag grow. I left his medical report on the console table by the front door of the Carter house. I also left the spare key I used to come and go as I pleased. Carter’s dad was always busy with business dinners, leaving early and coming home late. His mom loved playing bridge and socializing; she wouldn’t stop until she had played her fill for the day. As for when they would actually see that medical report? God only knew. 2 I went back home. Seeing my parents looking so much younger, happily discussing something, felt surreal. My dad saw me come in. He told me they were thinking about buying a new house. The house we lived in was assigned to my grandparents by their old company. By the time I was a senior in high school, three generations of our family had lived in it. In my past life, my parents had finally scraped together enough for a down payment on a new place. But because I refused to abandon Carter when he got sick, and because the Carter family couldn’t afford his medical bills, I begged my parents to use a portion of their down payment to help them out… This time, a genuine smile spread across my face as I enthusiastically replied at the dinner table: “That’s great! Are you thinking about the new development on the Southside?” My parents exchanged a surprised look. They had looked at several developments, and the one on the Southside was exactly the one they liked best. We currently lived on the Eastside. My school and my parents’ offices were all downtown. The commute was manageable. But… My mom asked with concern: “Will the move disrupt your studies?” I smiled sweetly. “Mom, for the second semester of senior year, I can just live in the dorms. It’s just…” My mom’s eyes paused. “…It’s just that I won’t be able to help you guys pack and move.” Hearing that, my mom visibly breathed a sigh of relief. After dinner, I went to my room to study. In reality, I kept my ears open, listening to my parents chat in the living room. My dad, while washing dishes, said to my mom: “Kids are so unpredictable. Weren’t you worried? But you tested the waters today, and she said it wouldn’t affect her, right?” My mom, still a bit anxious, replied: “I hope so. Moving further away… do you really think Harper is willing to leave Carter behind?” My dad was more optimistic. “Harper has always prioritized her future. Don’t worry, she knows what she’s doing.” 3 In my past life, after Carter and I started dating, my mom was always a bit skeptical of our relationship. I asked her why. “You’re always the one giving, and Carter is used to just taking. That kind of dynamic isn’t stable. Once…” Back then, I cut her off before she could finish. I was completely blinded by my love for him. I thought, we’ve known each other for over a decade; how could we not be stable? Until the day he stood me up when I was trying on wedding dresses. I went to the hospital to find him. I saw him lifting Audrey onto his desk, the two of them kissing passionately. Heh. There’s no such thing as an unbreakable bond in this world. I secretly took photos through the crack in the door. Then I immediately emailed them to all the hospital administrators. If Carter had cheated with anyone else, I might not have been so enraged, so desperate to see them both ruined. But the person he cheated with was Audrey. In my past life, Carter had inexplicably fallen in love with Audrey, a poor transfer student, during our senior year of high school. For her, Carter took the blame for their underage relationship, and his grades plummeted. Skipping class, getting called to the principal’s office, getting suspended for fighting… he committed every cardinal sin a high schooler could. And what did Audrey do? She turned Carter’s high school years upside down and nearly destroyed his future. But the moment Carter was diagnosed with cancer, she immediately cut ties with him. Later, I tried to track her down for Carter while he was battling cancer. But the Audrey I found was completely different from the gentle, resilient girl I remembered. She was involved with several wealthy heirs. Looking at Carter fighting for his life in his hospital bed, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the ugly truth. … Years passed, and Carter and I were about to get married. And yet, they managed to find their way back to each other. My years of devotion to Carter were like a child I had raised with my own hands, only to watch it drown in the river of time. My heart bled. So, I wanted them to hurt more than I did. But when the scandal broke, I didn’t get to see Carter grovel or apologize. Audrey died. It was entirely unexpected. I had no idea her depression was real. I thought it was just another manipulation tactic to win Carter back. Just like in high school, when she played the pitiful poor student, yet I saw her casually getting into a Porsche parked on the corner. She was too good at playing the victim. But Carter blamed me for everything. He fought with me. “Falling in love with Audrey was my mistake, but what gave you the right to kill her?!” I fought back fiercely, refusing to back down. “Did I really kill her? Why don’t you admit that you were a terrible doctor and failed to cure her? “Carter, you have no professional ethics! Is sleeping with your patient your idea of treatment? “You had a fiancée, and she knew you were getting married. You two made the mistake first, why are you blaming me?!” Carter laughed and cried hysterically, on the verge of a mental breakdown. But that didn’t stop him from grabbing me with one hand and shoving me out the window. 4 The rapid sensation of falling from a high altitude. It perfectly matched the terror in my dream. I woke up screaming. My parents heard me and immediately rushed into my room to comfort me. “Harper, what’s wrong?” “Don’t be scared, it was just a nightmare.” Just a nightmare? I looked up, saw the concerned faces of my parents, and wiped the sweat from my forehead. “Mom, Dad, can we move as soon as possible?” My parents exchanged a look and quickly agreed. After being reborn, I had two simple goals. Wait for Carter to die. Make sure he dies far away from me. 5 Before the new semester started, I stayed locked in my room. When Carter texted or called, I looked at them but never replied. I muted any group chats involving him. Since his family lived right upstairs from mine, he came looking for me a few times. He either got the cold shoulder or was politely brushed off by my parents. Carter thought it was strange. In the past, I always made him the center of my universe, revolving my life around him. My sudden disappearance definitely threw him off. But his life was quickly filled by Audrey. On his social media, he actually started posting about going out to the suburbs early in the morning to pick vegetables, taking photos of the sunrise from a rusty produce truck, and sharing funny stories about selling vegetables at the farmer’s market… At such a crucial point in our senior year, he somehow had the free time to run from his downtown home all the way to the suburbs to help Audrey’s family. While all the other students were burning the midnight oil preparing for the SATs, he was bathing in the morning sun and sweating in the fields. I was staying up late, my eyes red, drowning in practice tests and textbooks, trying to scrape together every precious point. He was at the farmer’s market, haggling over pennies with customers. … Every word on his social media revealed a shift in his worldview. He now viewed the days of simply studying without worrying about livelihood as boring, dull, and suffocating. The simple buying and selling at the farmer’s market seemed vibrant, passionate, and full of life to him. I couldn’t tell for a moment. Was it Audrey’s charm, or had the cancer cells already reached his brain? He hid these posts from his parents and teachers, showing them unreservedly to his classmates and friends. His friends weren’t going to just watch him throw his life away. They tried to talk sense into him, but he ended up convincing them to buy a few extra pounds of vegetables before they left. They had no choice but to go to our teachers, Carter’s parents, and even me, hoping we could help talk him down. 6 My desk mate from high school, Mia, who used to be the biggest shipper of Carter and me. She called me, sounding like she was about to explode. “What is going on with you and Carter? Over winter break, he turns into a modern-day Romeo, picking vegetables all over the countryside!” I actually found it amusing. “Don’t laugh! Did you and Carter break up?” I told Mia about Carter confessing to Audrey. “Carter and I grew up next door to each other, so we seem a bit close, that’s all. He never confessed to me, and I never said I liked him. Mia, we were never together, so we can’t break up.” Mia paused for a second, then went into full rage mode. “Bullshit! What kind of scumbag is Carter?! He remembers your period schedule, brings you heating pads and ginger tea, and you call that just being neighbors?! “When we had to choose between the humanities and STEM tracks, Carter was better at STEM. But for you, he chose humanities, fought with the counselor in the office, and eventually, you compromised and went to the STEM track with him! “Every holiday, except maybe Memorial Day, when did you ever not get him a gift? And he used to give you gifts back too! “Aren’t you guys just missing a formal confession? How did it turn into this?” … I listened quietly as Mia listed all these moments. Finally, my heart clenched. Weren’t we just missing a formal confession? In my past life, I finally got that confession at Carter’s hospital bed. Carter saw me, exhausted, falling asleep by his bed. He couldn’t resist ruffling my hair. And he whispered those words. “Harper, I do like you.” Promises are so beautiful, probably because we were too young. I thought his love was unwavering. But in reality, it was just Carter’s pity or gratitude towards me. I pulled Carter back from the brink of death with all my might, yet he easily took my life because of Audrey’s death. Who was truly unwavering in their love? Wasn’t the answer obvious? “Mia, he’s just Carter. How is he more important than the SATs?” Mia’s family was wealthy. If she bombed the SATs, she could easily be sent abroad for college. So, she could ship us without any pressure. But I couldn’t. Mia was easygoing and didn’t dwell on it. “Let the scumbag rot. Once we get to college, Harper, you’ll have your pick of hot guys!” I laughed and brushed it off. I had already wasted too much on a relationship that wasn’t worth it. Now it was time for me to reclaim my own life. 7 That night, my family was having dinner. We suddenly heard loud shouting and the sound of things smashing from Carter’s apartment upstairs. My dad stood up. He and Carter’s dad used to be colleagues. Hearing the commotion, his first instinct was to go break up the fight. My mom frowned and told him to wait. My parents exchanged a look, inevitably resting their eyes on me. I said calmly: “Dad, they’re in the heat of the moment. You should go later.” My dad gave an “Mhm” and sat back down. My mom said softly: “Word around the neighborhood is that Carter has been running off to help a girl sell vegetables. Someone they know saw him and told his parents.” My dad picked up his chopsticks again. “Oh, so that’s what’s happening.” Since it didn’t concern our family, there was no need to get involved. But unexpectedly, after dinner. Carter’s mom knocked on our door, dragging a bruised and battered Carter behind her. My parents were stunned but couldn’t exactly refuse them entry. My mom was pulled down onto the sofa by Carter’s mom, forced to listen to her cry and complain. I thought she was just venting. But Carter’s mom pointed at Carter, who was standing stiffly in the living room, and scolded: “This boy has always prioritized Harper! It’s all because of that vegetable-selling girl leading him astray that he’s acting up at such a crucial time in his senior year, neglecting his studies to go to the suburbs and help her sell vegetables! “Our families have known each other for years, and I only accept Harper! I absolutely will not let that vegetable-selling girl ruin Carter’s future! “It’s Carter’s fault for letting Harper down. You bring Harper out here, and Carter must apologize to her!” Carter’s mom was rambling incoherently. But the underlying message was that she wanted to tie my relationship with Carter in a tight knot. My mom gently brushed her hand away. “You must be out of your mind with grief. “Who is this vegetable-selling girl? What is her relationship with Carter? “And how does any of this involve Harper?” My dad chimed in as well: “Harper hasn’t left the house all winter break, nor has she seen Carter. Carter, isn’t that right?” Being called out, Carter, with an icy, handsome face, said very proudly: “Mom, stop wasting your breath. I only like Audrey! I have nothing to do with Harper!” My mom chuckled softly. “Carter’s mom, you heard what Carter said, right? “Who Carter likes has nothing to do with Harper! “Apart from being classmates and neighbors, they have absolutely no relationship!” My dad’s tone hardened as well. “He’s a senior in high school, and he’s still focusing on relationships? I’m going to go ask Arthur what he thinks about all this.” Seeing Carter undermine her and my parents not buying into her drama, Carter’s mom stopped crying and hurriedly dragged Carter away. She had come here behind Arthur’s back. If he found out, the house would be turned upside down again. As my dad opened the door, he made sure to shout after them. “Don’t come back next time!” After closing the door, he complained to my mom. We needed to move as soon as possible. These neighbors, relying on years of acquaintance, actually dared to treat his own daughter as a backup plan right to his face. Her precious Carter was a treasure, and someone else’s daughter just had to accept him? What absolute garbage!

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A reporter shoved a microphone in my face and asked, “When you turned twenty, the billionaire heir Tristan Vance set off fireworks all night for you. Have you two broken up? What do you think about the fireworks he set off for someone else tonight?” “I don’t really remember what happened when I was twenty,” I replied smoothly. From across the sea of cameras, Tristan Vance let out a mocking laugh. “Mia, it’s time you reined in that temper of yours.” I stared at him, my eyes filled with nothing but cold unfamiliarity. “Who are you?” He didn’t know it yet, but the night he lit up the Los Angeles sky for another woman… I had an accident on set. The stunt harness snapped, and I hit my head hard on the way down. I forgot him. I forgot the seven years we spent loving each other. 1 Tristan Vance proposed to me. But right after I said yes, he demanded I quit the entertainment industry immediately. The elite Vance dynasty didn’t like my identity as a Hollywood actress. To them, I was just a cheap entertainer. But I didn’t see acting as just a gig. It was my life’s work. Before I got together with him, I was a nobody playing background extras. It took me ten grueling years of blood, sweat, and tears to climb from being a nameless extra to an A-list, award-winning actress. I cared about my fans. I didn’t want to just abruptly announce my retirement and throw it all away. “I have a lot of unfinished contracts on my plate, and roles I still want to play,” I told him. “I can’t quit the industry right now.” Hearing my rejection, he turned around, took the diamond ring he had just proposed with, and casually shoved it into the hands of a newly signed rookie actress at my agency. “It’s yours,” he told her. At that moment, something suffocating lodged in my chest. My eyes burned with unshed tears. We had been together for seven years. When we first started dating, he was already the untouchable heir to a Manhattan empire, and I was just a D-list struggling actress. In the eyes of his wealthy friends, I was nothing but his kept woman, a trophy girlfriend after his money and resources. For seven years, I clawed my way to the top relying on my own merit. I became the youngest Best Actress winner and opened my own production studio. I did it all just so I could be worthy of standing beside him. I had waited seven years for that ring. And he casually handed it to a total stranger. 2 From that day on, we entered a bitter cold war. Behind the scenes, he started using his massive network to strip away my resources. He gave everything to that rookie, a girl named Chloe Jenkins. Whether it was brand endorsements, magazine covers, or the lead roles in upcoming blockbuster films—even the Best Actress-caliber script I was about to sign. He gave it all to Chloe. It wasn’t until an awards gala that I finally got a good look at the new girl’s face. She was the girl who had taken my ring that day. He was forcing my hand. He was trying to force me to yield and beg. Thinking about it made me want to laugh. I had worked so hard all these years specifically so I wouldn’t have to rely on his connections. Now, the people brave enough to actively sabotage my career were few and far between. The only person powerful enough to humiliate me like this was him. I took the initiative and texted him: [Where are you?] [The Midas Club. Come find me.] The Midas Club was an ultra-exclusive, members-only lounge where the elite rubbed elbows. He kept a permanent private VIP suite there. 3 When I arrived, he was drinking with a group of trust-fund socialites. Chloe Jenkins was there too, sitting right beside him, pouring his drinks. Liam Hayes had never liked me, and the moment I walked in, he started making sarcastic remarks. “Oh, look who it is. The great A-lister, Mia Miller,” Liam sneered. “The old flame and the new flame in the same room. Now this is a good show.” “Seven years together, only to have a rookie steal her thunder in a heartbeat. No wonder she’s throwing a fit.” “She actually thought Tristan couldn’t live without her. She overplayed her hand.” I didn’t want to listen to their gossip. To them, I had always been just a gold digger, and he was my sugar daddy. But hearing them compare me to Chloe felt like a dull knife sawing at my heart. I maintained my composure and looked at Tristan. “I want to talk to you in private.” He took a drag from his cigarette. Through the faint haze of smoke, he smiled. “Whatever you have to say, you can say it here. There are no outsiders.” Heh. He actually said there were no outsiders. He was publicly acknowledging his relationship with Chloe. Hearing him say that, Chloe’s face flushed with excitement. Her hand trembled as she poured his wine, overfilling the glass and spilling it onto his expensive slacks. Without hesitation, he let her lean in and wipe it off for him. Seeing this, my brow furrowed deeply. “Tristan, you’re trying to cut off all my paths. I still have a studio to run and payrolls to meet. Whatever issues we have between us, there is no need to drag innocent people down.” He contemptuously flicked his cigarette ash. “You’ve seen it for yourself. As long as I want to, I can create another female star just as famous as you at any moment. I told you to quit. Now that you’ve lost all your work, the problems you mentioned don’t exist anymore. Just be a good Mrs. Vance. Why do you insist on putting yourself on display for the public?” In his eyes, my hard work, my blood, and my sweat were utterly worthless. If I wanted to marry him, I had to quit, be a docile housewife, and play the role of the billionaire’s wife. The only focal point of my entire universe was supposed to be him. “I don’t want to. You should respect my choices, not expect me to just swallow whatever you force down my throat.” Tristan scoffed, picked up the crystal glass in front of him, and violently hurled it against the wall. “Mia Miller, if you insist on going against me, then get out!” The shattered glass scattered across the floor mirrored my own heart—pierced, bleeding, and fractured. Seven years. He was telling me to get out, right in front of another woman. I turned on my heel to leave. His chilling voice followed me. “Do you really think I can’t live without you? If you walk out that door right now, we are done.” I turned back in shock. I stared at him, digging my nails into my palms just to maintain a facade of calm. “Then we’re done.” He pulled Chloe closer and kissed her hard. “From today on, she is my girlfriend.” My vision blurred. Unable to watch a second longer, I practically sprinted out of the VIP suite. The moment the door closed behind me, the tears I had been holding back finally fell. I knew he was only doing this out of anger. He didn’t actually love her. Seven years ago, it was my acting that made him fall for me in the first place. Back then, I was playing a minor supporting role as a girl secretly in love with the male lead. One night, the male lead called me to his hotel room and tried to assault me. Tristan happened to be walking by. He saw what was happening, saved me, and beat the man within an inch of his life. After that, the actor was replaced and blacklisted from Hollywood. Later, Tristan started showing up on set constantly. At the wrap party, he confessed his feelings to me. Seeing my stunned expression, he looked at me with absolute adoration. He said he thought he had made his intentions obvious enough. He said he loved watching me act. He said I belonged on the silver screen. He said I was going to be a massive star one day. Now, I had achieved everything he said I would. And suddenly, he hated it. 4 After that night, Chloe Jenkins became Hollywood’s newest “It Girl.” Her momentum was unstoppable. Her face was plastered across every television screen, billboard, and subway station in the city. She dominated the trending topics online. While I, aside from one final scene left on an old contract, had absolutely no new scripts coming my way. On the night of Chloe’s twentieth birthday, Tristan lit up the Los Angeles sky with fireworks just for her. The headlines rolled in one after another: #BillionaireHeirSpendsMillionsOnCityWideFireworksForNewLove #WhoIsChloeJenkins #A-ListerMiaMillerAndHeirOver #ChloeJenkinsHomewreckerGetOutOfHollywood I looked out my window at the fireworks erupting in the empty night sky. It looked exactly like the love between Tristan and me. Brilliant, blinding, but impossible to hold onto. After all, on my twentieth birthday, he had set off fireworks over LA all night for me, too. All these years later, he was using the exact same playbook. Or maybe, he just knew it was the most effective way to hurt me. The things he gave to me, he could easily give to someone else. My agent saw the trending topics and came to check on me. “Are you and Mr. Vance really… over?” I looked down at my phone. The top comment under the trending hashtag was a tweet directly from Tristan. He wrote: [Mia and I had an amicable breakup. Chloe is not a homewrecker. She had nothing to do with it. Anyone who spreads rumors will be hearing from my lawyers.] I originally thought he was just trying to make me jealous. But seeing how fiercely he was defending her… Maybe he really did love her. Seven years was a long time. Maybe the novelty had simply worn off, and encountering a new, vibrant, obediently young woman had genuinely moved his heart. It wasn’t impossible. He certainly detached himself fast enough. But I was still hurting. Not wanting to worry anyone, I just said, “It’s over. Let’s just focus on filming.” Tonight was the absolute last scene of my final active contract. After this, it would all truly be over. But no one could have predicted what would happen next. We were filming a high-altitude wire stunt. Just as they were lowering me, the harness snapped. Thankfully, I wasn’t too high up, but on the way down, the back of my head slammed against a wooden prop table. A sharp spike of pain, the taste of copper in my mouth, and then the world violently spun out of focus. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. Seeing my eyes open, my agent let out a massive sigh of relief. “Thank God, you’re finally awake.” She hesitated for a moment before adding, “Should we call Tristan? This might be the perfect excuse to soften up and reach out to him. If his heart aches seeing you like this, maybe you two can get back together.” I stared at her blankly. “Who is Tristan?” She looked at me like she had seen a ghost. Unable to speak for a solid minute, she finally panicked and ran out to find a doctor. After a barrage of tests, the doctor concluded that nothing was critically wrong. I just needed over a dozen stitches in my head and could have them removed once it healed. I was free to be discharged in the morning. As for the amnesia, the doctor couldn’t give a timeline for recovery, but said it was localized amnesia and wouldn’t affect my daily life. And it was true. Aside from forgetting a man named Tristan Vance, I remembered absolutely everything else. I even remembered that I was in the hospital because my stunt harness snapped on set. 5 The moment I walked out of the hospital, I was swarmed by paparazzi. They shoved microphones in my face, their expressions practically vibrating with excitement. “When you turned twenty, the billionaire heir Tristan Vance set off fireworks all night for you. Have you two broken up? What do you think about the fireworks he set off for his new girlfriend?” I had gathered a rough outline of the history between Tristan and me from my agent. To me, it sounded like a tragic love story about two strangers. I didn’t feel much of anything. By the end of her summary, I only felt a lingering sense of indignation. Who the hell acts that arrogant and controlling? Breaking up with him sounded like the best thing that ever happened to me. I kept my answer brief: “I don’t really remember what happened when I was twenty.” That was when Tristan appeared. Pushing through the sea of reporters, he let out a mocking laugh. “Mia, is this injury just your way of creating an excuse to step down gracefully? You need to rein in your temper. Give me a genuine apology, and it’s not impossible for us to get back together.” I stared at him, my eyes filled with cold unfamiliarity. “Who are you?” The smug smile on his face froze. He took a few long strides toward me, looking down at me from his towering height. “What kind of game are you playing now? Faking amnesia to make me panic so I’ll beg you to come back?” Hearing his tone, I easily guessed who he was. “Tristan Vance?” He raised an eyebrow. “Done pretending?” He wore a custom designer suit and looked like a million bucks, but garbage was still spilling out of his mouth. “I’m not taking your ‘graceful step down.’ We broke up, and that’s that. Don’t you have a new girlfriend anyway?” I shifted my gaze a few yards away, to where Chloe Jenkins was standing, digging her manicured nails into her palms. I was simply reminding him that his current girlfriend was watching his every move. He let out an angry laugh, reached out, and grabbed the nearest camera, smashing it onto the pavement. “What the hell are you filming?! Since you want to play it like this, I hope you don’t regret it.” He turned on his heel, walked over to Chloe, and grabbed her hand, raising it in the air. He stood opposite me, glaring coldly as he addressed the media. “Let’s make this perfectly clear. I broke up with her. My girlfriend right now is Chloe Jenkins.” I offered a polite, shallow smile. “I hope everyone remembers that in the future, please don’t ask me any questions regarding Mr. Vance. Direct them to his new girlfriend. After all, the fireworks were for her. Stop bothering the ex.” Without missing a beat, I pulled open the door to my waiting van and drove off without looking back. I was so incredibly thankful for the amnesia. Even with no memories of him, my heart instinctively felt a dull, heavy ache. I didn’t dare imagine how much of a mess I would have been if I had remembered everything. 6 All my work had completely dried up. Right as I was backed into a corner, a reality TV show reached out. Without hesitation, I signed the contract. It wasn’t until I arrived on set that I realized this reality show was a complete setup. Chloe was one of the other guests, and the entire show was engineered by the producers specifically to boost her popularity. Every other celebrity, no matter their status, was expected to step aside and pave the way for her. But I couldn’t afford to breach my contract. Under my current circumstances, the penalty fee would bankrupt me. Right before the cameras started rolling, Chloe purposefully bumped my shoulder. She looked at me, her smile arrogant and triumphant. “Mia, just so you know, I was the one who begged Tristan to give you a spot on this show. I heard you’ve been incredibly free lately, with zero jobs lined up and a wide-open schedule.” “Not as free as you, apparently, since you have so much time to worry about my business.” I refused to look at her petty, gloating face and sat down in the makeup chair. She immediately glared at the makeup artist. “My look needs a touch-up. Come do mine first.” The poor makeup artist stood frozen, caught in a terrible position. Chloe’s face turned icy. She was about to snap when she glanced behind me, her expression instantly morphing into a picture of perfect, fragile victimhood. “If Mia wants her makeup done first, let her,” she said softly. “My makeup isn’t that important anyway. I just thought my eyeliner looked a little smudged, but it’s fine.” A second later, Tristan walked into the room. “I said everything on this show prioritizes Chloe,” his voice was dangerously low. He glared at the makeup artist. “Go touch up her makeup right now, or are you looking to get fired?” So that’s why her face changed so fast. Her sugar daddy had arrived. I took the initiative to bail out the terrified makeup artist. “Go ahead. I can do my own.” I had clawed my way up from the bottom. Back in my extra days, I never had a dedicated makeup artist. I was used to doing it myself. I hadn’t done it in years since making it big, but I figured muscle memory would kick in. “Faking amnesia wasn’t enough, so now you’re pretending to be blind? You don’t even know how to say hello anymore?” Tristan sneered at me viciously. Hearing this, I stood up, casually reapplying my lipstick, and kept my voice impeccably polite and distant. “Mr. Vance. I’ll leave you two alone to enjoy your romance.” Calling him “Mr. Vance” made his expression darken instantly.

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I dated Liam Carter for seven years, until his first love, Serena Sterling, returned. When the earthquake hit, the chandelier came crashing down, and without a second of hesitation, he dove to save her first. I was hit, losing my memory. When I woke up, I looked at him and asked, “Who are you?” He looked at me and said, “I’m your brother.” I glanced at the guy standing next to him—his best friend—and told him: “Since you’re my brother, you have to help me pursue Julian Hayes.” He thought I was just playing hard to get, so he agreed. Until I pursued Julian all the way to the altar. Liam crashed the wedding reception like a rabid dog. I looked at him and said, “Brother, did you come to attend my wedding?” A wave of overwhelming grief washed over him, and he closed his eyes in agony. “Don’t call me brother. I’m not your brother. Aria, you belong to me. I forbid you from marrying anyone else.” 01 Liam broke his promise to accompany me to the awards ceremony. I was initially very disappointed, but thankfully, he called and told me to meet him at The Golden Lounge for a gathering. I thought he was throwing a celebration party for me. After all, I had just won the Best Actress award I had been dreaming of for years that night. It wasn’t until I arrived that I realized the party had absolutely nothing to do with me. It was a welcome-home party for Serena Sterling. She immediately came over and hugged me. “Aria, long time no see.” I nodded politely, pushed her away gently, and shifted my gaze to the man sitting on the sofa. I asked, “So, why did you break your promise today?” He paused mid-smoke, flicked his ash, and said nonchalantly, “Serena hasn’t been back in seven years. I just went to pick her up from the airport. Doesn’t the awards ceremony happen every year?” So, his broken promise was just to pick up Serena from the airport. A bitter mix of resentment and sorrow spread through my chest. Yes, the awards ceremony happens every year, but it took me seven years to finally hold that trophy. I wanted to share my joy with him the moment I received it. But the second I held the trophy in my hands… I searched the bustling crowd for his face, only to find him nowhere in sight. Do you know how disappointed I was? He didn’t care at all. On the scale in his heart, would I always weigh less than Serena Sterling? Even though I was the one who had stayed by his side for the past seven years. 02 Serena raised her glass to toast me. “I apologize on Liam’s behalf. It was all my fault that he missed your big moment. I’ll drink this as an apology.” I clearly saw the arrogance, triumph, and the joy of a victor hiding in her eyes. I didn’t take the glass. I scoffed, “He’s my boyfriend. What right do you have to apologize for him?” Serena’s hand, holding the glass, faltered slightly, looking a bit helpless. He was the first to stand up for her. “Don’t mind her, Serena. Aria, that’s enough. It’s such a small thing, why are you throwing a tantrum?” I turned to leave. Serena said pitifully, “Aria is mad. You should go after her. I don’t mind taking a little blame, just don’t let this ruin your relationship.” One of his friends couldn’t stand it anymore. “Talk to her nicely. She always compromises for you. This time, you’re the one in the wrong.” Liam crushed his cigarette in the ashtray, looking disdainful. “If she has a problem, she can stay out of my sight forever. Who knows why she always follows me around like a stray dog, refusing to leave even when I tell her to.” I quickened my pace to leave. He was right. In the past, I was almost always the one who compromised. He would just say a few sweet words casually, and my heart would soften. But this time, I didn’t want to anymore. 03 From that day on, Liam and I fell into a cold war, and I filled my life with work schedules. But news about him and Serena still found its way to me through every possible crack. The night of her welcome party, he spent over a million dollars displaying ads on all the high-rises in the city: 【Welcome home, Serena Sterling.】 He secured the role in renowned director Arthur Chen’s new movie, Ocean of Dreams, for Serena. That role was very likely meant to be mine. We were almost at the point of signing the contract, but the other party called two days ago to tell us they found a more suitable candidate. It turned out the more suitable candidate was Serena. She didn’t study acting; she studied piano. I have no idea why she suddenly came back wanting to be an actress. A role I had to struggle for eight years in the industry even to get an audition for, she took from me effortlessly with just one word from him. I originally thought that having reached my current position, I wouldn’t have roles stolen from me like when I first entered the industry. I never expected the one to deliver the crushing blow would be my boyfriend of seven years. It hurt so much I could barely breathe. My heart ached tremendously. He should know that all these years, acting was the thing I loved most besides him. I had poured so much of my blood, sweat, and tears into it. But he didn’t care. Or rather, because the other person was Serena Sterling, he felt he could hurt me without any hesitation. When my manager saw the news, she came to ask me about it. “What’s going on? Isn’t Liam Carter your boyfriend? Why is he stealing your role for someone else? Are you two fighting?” I stared at the words scrolling non-stop on the building outside: 【Welcome home, Serena Sterling.】 It stung my eyes, making them burn and ache. She came back, and he was so happy he wanted the whole world to know. I took out my phone and proactively sent him a message: 【I guess we’re broken up now, right?】 After all these years, I was tired too. I never thought I would be the one to say those words first. A heart that couldn’t be warmed after seven years should just stop trying. He didn’t reply. I laughed self-deprecatingly: “Maybe it is a breakup.” My manager patted my back to comfort me. “You’re just too stubborn. When you two were good, I told you to coax him for some resources, but you refused. Look now, as soon as she steps in, she gets a movie with a famous director.” “Forget it, if it’s over, it’s over. With your looks, it won’t be hard to find someone better.” “There’s a gala tonight. Maybe you’ll find someone suitable there.” 04 At the gala. When Liam made his entrance with Serena, many eyes turned to me, ready to watch the drama unfold. After all, my relationship with him was public knowledge. Usually, he would bring me to events like this. Serena stopped in front of me: “Aria, you look beautiful tonight. A lot of people are staring.” Liam’s eyes darkened. He glanced around and scoffed, “Not as beautiful as you.” I didn’t want to entertain their public display of affection, so I walked away. The gala was filled with prominent figures, including famous directors and producers. I wanted to exchange contact info with a few well-known directors in the industry, hoping they would think of me if they had suitable roles in the future. When I saw Director Chen, I still wanted to try and fight for a role in Ocean of Dreams. I loved that story of a shattered romance being pieced back together too much, and there were other roles yet to be cast. I walked over and had barely exchanged two sentences when Liam interrupted. “Don’t waste your breath. Serena doesn’t really like having acquaintances on set, so you won’t get a chance.” Didn’t like acquaintances? She wasn’t even in the industry. Wasn’t this clearly targeting me? I gripped my wine glass and took a large gulp. Trying hard to suppress the resentment in my heart and the urge to slap him across the face. The setting was inappropriate. I turned to leave, but Liam grabbed my arm. “Wait a minute. When you see Serena later, have a better attitude. She’s very upset because you ignored her.” I fought back the stinging in my eyes and said coldly, “Let go. I have no obligation to coddle her feelings.” He stubbornly held onto my hand, his face showing displeasure. Serena quickly hurried over, speaking to him in a reproachful tone: “I just went to the restroom for a second, and here you are bullying Aria again.” Suddenly, the ground began to shake violently. I don’t know who shouted, “It’s an earthquake!” The guests began to scatter and flee in panic. The chandelier above us swayed precariously. The moment it started to fall. The hand gripping my wrist let go. Liam didn’t hesitate for a second to grab Serena and roll out of the way. The chandelier crashed down onto my head, blood turning my vision red. In the face of life and death, a person’s first reaction is their truest. Between saving me and saving her, he didn’t even hesitate for a fraction of a second, even though he was holding my hand. It really hurt. In that moment, the intense pain radiating from my heart far surpassed the pain in my head. The excruciating headache plunged me into unconsciousness. 05 When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. I opened my eyes to see a man wearing a white dress shirt. He had brown eyes, black hair, and was incredibly handsome. He looked like a noble Ragdoll cat. He was sitting with his legs crossed, reading a book. Hearing me stir, he looked over. When those alluring eyes met mine, I felt my heart racing. I blurted out: “Handsome, what’s your number?” He smiled. He looked even better. My heart beat faster. “Aria, stop messing around. Don’t we already have each other’s numbers?” “Aria, is that my name?” I realized my mind was completely blank. Aside from the handsome face in front of me, I knew absolutely nothing. The handsome man looked panicked. He immediately stood up: “Don’t wander off, I’m going to get the doctor.” After he left, another man walked in, holding a glass of water. He was also handsome, but his style was different from the first guy’s. He wore a sharp suit and had sharp, slightly brooding features. Looking at him, I felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort in my chest. Why were there so many handsome guys around me? His right palm was wrapped in bandages. He put down the water, looked down at me, and said faintly: “You’re awake?” I looked at Liam in confusion: “Who are you?” The corner of his mouth curved into a smirk, and no matter how I looked at it, that smile seemed to carry a hint of mockery. He said: “Why the sudden amnesia act? Don’t think this will get you back by my side.” “Do we know each other well? I really don’t remember anything, except that my name is Aria.” He leaned down slightly, closing the distance between us, and studied me for a moment: “If you want to act, I’ll play along.” He muttered something under his breath that I didn’t quite catch. “What?” He looked at me with zero seriousness and said: “I’m your brother.” The handsome guy returned with the doctor. He turned to leave. 06 The handsome guy said to my “brother”: “Liam, take good care of Aria. Stop running off to other people’s rooms. If you had waited any longer to treat Serena’s wound, it would have healed on its own.” He looked annoyed: “If you want to take care of her, you do it. Don’t you like hanging around her room anyway?” After my brother said that, he turned to leave the room. Before walking out, he glanced at me. Hurry up and leave so I can spend more time bonding with the handsome guy. Seeing me staring intently at him, he frowned, turned around, and left. Finally gone. Looking at him, I didn’t know why, but I felt extremely oppressed and suffocated. Could it be the natural sibling rivalry? After the doctor examined me, he said that apart from needing a dozen stitches on my head and some scrapes on my body, there were no other issues. I could be discharged after the stitches were removed in a few days. There were no blood clots in my brain. As for the amnesia, medical science doesn’t have a specific treatment for it yet. I just needed to stay in the hospital for one more day of observation, and then I could go home. They suggested taking me to places I used to live; maybe I would remember something one day. “Handsome, what’s your name? Tell me, so I can find you in my contacts.” “Julian Hayes.” My old phone was broken. The new phone did have Julian Hayes in the contacts. Strangely, Liam was pinned to the top. We must have a really good sibling relationship to put him there. Julian stayed with me all afternoon. Since I had just woken up, my head was still dizzy. I originally wanted to ask him about his interests, but I felt sleepy and dozed off. When I woke up again, Julian was gone, and Liam was there. I displayed a look of sheer disappointment. If I had known, I wouldn’t have slept. I should have seized the time to win over my crush. Liam stared at me, his brow furrowed, his tone dark: “What’s with that expression? Are you disappointed to see me?” “Brother, you and Julian are bros, right?” Otherwise, why would he take such good care of me? He paused for a moment: “What did you call me?” “You said you’re my brother. Since you’re my brother, you have to help me pursue Julian. My future happiness depends on you.” He took out a cigarette, looking frustrated and wanting a smoke. Perhaps remembering this was a hospital room, he eventually just rolled it between his fingers near his nose, inhaling the scent of tobacco. He lowered his voice. The fact that he couldn’t smoke seemed to make him unhappy. “Stop messing around. You’ll get yourself into trouble. Julian isn’t your type.” “He is. How could he not be? It was love at first sight for me.” I like tall, handsome guys with warm, beautiful smiles and dimples. He had it all. He let out a strange, low chuckle. Then he completely snapped the cigarette in his hand, scattering tobacco everywhere, and threw it into the trash can. “Fine, I’ll help you.” 07 When I was discharged, Liam asked Julian to drive me home. He had to accompany another girl named Serena Sterling to a film set. I walked up to Liam. Serena looked at me apologetically: “Aria, I’m so sorry. Liam has to come with me to the set. It’s my first time filming, and I’m really nervous.” I looked completely unbothered: “It’s fine. He wants to do it.” Anyone could see Liam was trying to pursue her. Why should I care? I turned to Liam, my face full of sincere joy: “Thank you. You really put a lot of thought into creating this opportunity for me to be alone with him.” His expression was dark and unpredictable as he gritted his teeth and said: “You’re welcome.” Just as I was about to get in the car, a swarm of reporters rushed out and surrounded us. I already knew I used to be in the entertainment industry and seemed to be doing quite well. But my manager said my schedules had been put on hold for a while to let me take a vacation. I could resume working once I felt better. The reporters’ microphones were practically shoved into my mouth. “Ms. Carter, regarding the earthquake that day when Mr. Carter saved Ms. Sterling first, what are your thoughts?” “Are Mr. Carter and Ms. Sterling dating? How long has it been? Do you know?” I didn’t understand why the media was so excited. And Liam—why was he glaring at me so intensely? His eyes were dark and unreadable, making me feel flustered. Even if I was his sister, I couldn’t morally blackmail him into saving me first. At most, he was just a bit disloyal. Was he afraid I would badmouth him in front of the media, making him look bad in front of the girl he liked? “Whoever he wants to save is his business. Whether they’re dating is something you should ask them, why ask me? It has nothing to do with me.” After hearing this, Liam clenched his jaw, looking like he wanted to punch someone. He silently mouthed at me, “Aria, you’re really something.” If you’re going to praise me, praise me. Why make it look like you want to hit me? He forcefully slammed the car door and left with Serena. I was trapped by the crowd, unable to move, trying to squeeze out and get into Julian’s car. “This is Mr. Hayes’s car. Is Ms. Carter getting a ride from Mr. Hayes?” “I came to pick her up from the hospital.” Julian arrived beside me, shielding me so I wouldn’t be knocked over by the media. “Surrounding a hospital like this will inconvenience other patients. I believe you media professionals wouldn’t be so lacking in basic decency.” Those two sentences forced the crowd to step back. When it comes to moral high-grounding, you’re the master, Julian. He knows exactly how to handle people. I love him even more now. 08 That evening, I dragged Julian into a co-op game lobby online, just as Liam came home. “Julian, I’ll play support, you play the carry.” “Okay.” I smiled brilliantly, following him around the whole game. If someone killed me, I complained to him. He chased them across the map to get revenge. “Julian, you’re so good at this game. Can you play with me more often? I want to rank up soon.” “Just call me Julian.” A shadow loomed over me. I looked up to see Liam blocking my view, his expression cold enough to freeze water. This guy never had a pleasant look on his face all day. So annoying. “Stop playing. I haven’t eaten.” I answered him dismissively: “It’s almost 7:30 and you haven’t eaten? I just saw some instant noodles in the cabinet. Go make yourself a bowl.” “I don’t eat instant noodles.” “Then order takeout.” He grabbed my phone, forcefully grabbed my shoulder, and pinned me against the sofa. “In the past, you would never let me eat instant noodles, saying it wasn’t nutritious. You wouldn’t let me eat takeout either, saying it wasn’t healthy. You would go out of your way to cook what I liked.” Wow, as a sister, I really played the role of a nagging mother. I saw my character in the game fall behind. I was about to die. I shoved Liam away and snatched my phone back. “Then stay hungry.” By the time the game finished, Julian said he had something to do and logged off. I looked at Liam clutching his stomach, leaning against the sofa, glaring at me fiercely yet with a hint of grievance. Like an abused wolfdog, his intimidating aura was much weaker. No, how could such a grown man feel so wronged just because he wasn’t fed? That look really didn’t suit him. But it wasn’t my problem. He wouldn’t starve to death. If he got hungry enough, he’d realize instant noodles might lack nutrition, but they fill the stomach. I got up, planning to go upstairs, shower, and sleep. “Aria, my stomach hurts.” Behind me, his aggrieved voice sounded. “Then order a delivery service to bring you some stomach medicine. I’m tired. I have a lunch date with Julian tomorrow.” Walking halfway, I turned to look at him. His eyes lit up. I said to him: “Thank you for telling him I like playing games. Later, can you also tell him what my favorite foods are?” He shivered on the sofa, lowered his eyes, and said to me in a hoarse voice: “I don’t know.” “Oh, well. I’ll just ask him myself. Getting to know each other might even improve our relationship.” He seemed to be in immense pain, his body curled up, the knuckles gripping the sofa turning white. 09 For lunch, I chose a private kitchen, which offered good privacy. We unexpectedly ran into Liam and Serena, who also came to this restaurant. Serena insisted we all eat together, saying it would be livelier. Liam didn’t object. As soon as she sat down, she pulled me into a conversation, showing her concern: “Aria, will that wound leave a scar on your head? They say hair never grows back where you get stitches.” I immediately reciprocated her concern. “I have plenty of hair, a little bald spot is fine. But you should be careful, sister. I just looked at you, and your part line is almost a finger wide. You should worry less and try not to lose any more hair.” Julian heard me and comforted me: “It won’t leave a scar. There are many techniques nowadays that can remove scars.” Liam, on the other hand, sat down and didn’t say a word. The waiter brought an iPad for us to order. I asked Julian: “Julian, what do you like to eat?” “Fish, no offal, I like spicy food. Nothing else special, anything’s fine.” “Then let’s get the signature sweet and sour fish, and a steamed fish head with diced hot peppers.” “You decide, I’ll pay.” “No way, I said I’m treating.” “Then I’ll treat next time.” I ordered a few of my favorites, then passed the iPad to Serena. She ordered while saying: “Aria, you and Julian seem to be getting along really well now. Isn’t that right, Liam?” Liam didn’t answer. I said: “Yeah, it feels like we’ve known each other forever. This might be that ‘imprinting’ thing. You feel especially dependent on the first person you see when you open your eyes.” Julian didn’t look too pleased. He commented: “You see me as your mother?” “How is that possible? You’re obviously a guy.” “Good.” Liam pushed his chair back, the sound grating. “Going out for a smoke.” Julian said he was going too. I sat for a while and felt like Serena and I really weren’t on the same wavelength. We had nothing to talk about, so I got up and went to the restroom to hide for a bit. At the corner, I saw Julian holding a cigarette, leaning against the hallway wall. He took a drag and tilted his head back to exhale the smoke. This was the first time I had seen him smoke. It was surprisingly sexy. He spoke: “Liam, you and Aria are broken up now, right?” Liam didn’t reply. The cigarette in his hand had burned down halfway. Only when it almost burned his fingers did he finally speak. “What do you mean by that?” “I want a straight answer from you. If you’re broken up, I’m going to pursue her.” Liam used his left hand to snuff out the cigarette butt, throwing it into the nearby trash can. He let out a low, cold laugh. His expression was indifferent, his tone arrogant. “If you don’t mind picking up my sloppy seconds, then go ahead.” Julian raised his hand and punched him right in the stomach: “It’s truly despicable how you insult a girl who dated you for seven years and poured her heart out to you.” Liam was hit hard and took a moment to recover before standing up and raising his hand to strike back: “Who the fuck are you to hit me?” But his hand was calmly caught by Julian: “Don’t make a scene. We still have to eat. If the media catches wind of this, it’ll look even worse. Since you personally admitted to breaking up with her, I’ll have her move out and stop contacting you.” After saying that, he shook off Liam’s hand, took the last drag of his cigarette, turned, and walked into the private room. 10 Having just heard two explosive pieces of news, I walked into the restroom feeling completely dazed. Liam wasn’t my brother; he was my ex-boyfriend. And Julian was actually planning to pursue me actively. It’s true what they say: the highest-level hunters often appear as prey. He was totally playing the long game. Liam saying he was my brother was clearly because he was afraid I’d keep pestering him and refuse to break up, which would interfere with his pursuit of Serena. No wonder every time I saw him, I instinctively felt uncomfortable. No wonder the media was so excited to ask me about their relationship that day. Turns out I was wearing a metaphorical green hat. No wonder Liam’s WeChat was pinned to the top. I must have really cared about every message he sent. The things in the mansion were all in pairs, looking like couple’s items. Turns out, they were couple’s items. Now, all these questions were answered. I washed my face to make myself look calmer before returning to the private room. They were all sitting in their original seats as if nothing had happened. When the food arrived, Liam barely touched it. Just as we finished eating and were getting up, he clutched his stomach and dropped to his knees on the floor. It must be his stomach pain flaring up again. Serena panicked, trying to pull him up and calling his name. I said: “Make a call. Call an ambulance.” Serena did as I suggested. I grabbed Julian and turned to leave, but my left hand was grabbed. I turned back to see Liam, kneeling on one knee, holding my hand. His face was as white as paper, his whole body trembling in pain. “You’re not going to accompany me to the hospital?” “Brother, no. You have Serena with you. I wouldn’t be much help if I went anyway. Julian and I have a movie to catch; it’s starting soon. We’ll be late if we delay.” While he was distracted, I pushed his hand away. I heard him whisper softly: “Before, if I was sick, you would be more anxious than anyone. Now you won’t even spare me a second glance.” Too bad for him, as he said, that was “before.” Now, I’ve forgotten. No matter how much pain he was in, I felt nothing. Like an outsider. 11 After the movie, as we were taking a walk, Julian was just about to hold my hand when his phone rang. I saw it was Liam calling. Julian didn’t answer, but Liam kept calling incessantly. When I finally answered, I heard him weakly say to me: “My stomach is bleeding.” I asked, slightly annoyed: “Is there anything else?” He was interrupting the progress of my romance. The other end of the line was silent for a long time: “Are you not coming to see me?” “There’s no need. I’m neither a doctor nor medicine. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.” He breathed heavily, clearly furious, and roared: “Aria, if you have any guts, never contact me again.” I heard the sound of something crashing to the ground through the phone. Serena was crying out anxiously: “Liam, you’re on an IV! How could you kick the IV pole? You’re bleeding everywhere! Nurse…” I hung up the phone. My head throbbed briefly, and blurry images flashed before my eyes. It seemed I was sick and on an IV, constantly dialing a number. When the person finally answered, they just said: “I’m busy. Don’t bother me unless it’s important.” I asked him tentatively: “I’m sick, my head is spinning. Can you come see me?” He didn’t show a shred of concern: “If you’re sick, find a doctor. Don’t look for me, you’re delaying my street racing.” I held my phone, crying sadly. Thinking back to this, I felt moisture on my face. “Why are you crying?” Julian looked at me nervously, a bit helplessly reaching out to wipe my face. I just said: “My head hurts.” “I’ll take you to the hospital.” “No need, it’ll pass in a moment.” He offered to massage my head to help relieve the pain. When I felt better, he drove me back to the mansion. He said: “Although it feels a bit like taking advantage of your vulnerability now since you have no memories, and your reliance on me might just be because I was the first person you saw, I want our relationship to go a step further. I want to pursue you. I tried a long time ago, but I want to try again. Can I?”

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After my husband, Preston Vance, practically handed me over to his twin brother, I finally realized that in our three years of marriage, this untouchable, elite heir had never once felt anything for me. The woman he loved was my older cousin. “I don’t love you. The family wants a child, so just have one with Parker,” he’d said. Yet, when I stood in front of him holding a positive pregnancy test, his eyes grew red. “Did you actually fall in love with my brother?” I didn’t answer. Behind me, someone knocked on the bedroom door. A lazy, arrogant voice drifted in. “Open up, sister-in-law. It’s me, your ‘husband’.” 01 For three years of marriage, Preston was ascetic and untouchable, never laying a finger on me. He claimed that his dedication to a stoic, disciplined lifestyle meant he couldn’t break his vows. So, I took the initiative to sleep in separate rooms, giving him space. Until his wild, rebellious twin brother, Parker Vance, returned from abroad. I accidentally overheard a conversation between the two of them. “Parker, you take my place and consummate the marriage with Chloe.” Preston’s tone was indifferent, as if he were casually mentioning a stranger. The next second, a lazy, slightly thuggish voice rang out: “Did all that meditating fry your brain? She’s not my wife. Wait a minute, could it be…” He paused for a moment, a hint of schadenfreude creeping into his voice: “Are you impotent?” Preston didn’t get angry. He sat calmly in his armchair, turning a jade signet ring on his finger: “I just feel nothing for someone I don’t love.” That simple sentence nailed me to the spot. Snap. The expensive pen Parker had been toying with suddenly snapped in half. He bent down to pick it up as if nothing had happened, the corner of his mouth twitching up. “Oh? Is that so? If you don’t love her, who do you love?” Preston was silent for a moment. My heart rose into my throat. Until I heard him speak a name I was incredibly familiar with. “Serena Sterling.” My cousin, the one hailed as America’s sweetheart, who had abruptly announced her retirement from acting three years ago and immigrated overseas. Hearing that name, I couldn’t help but recall events from a long time ago. 02 Preston and I had known each other since we were kids. In middle school, he fell seriously ill and was sent to a private, secluded retreat to recover. We lost touch after that. We met again during our senior year of high school. He took the initiative to have someone bring me a letter. Opening the plain envelope, the boy’s elegant, sharp handwriting met my eyes. [It’s boring here.] Just four words. But for someone harboring a secret crush on Preston, it was like a spark lighting a prairie fire. I thought he was hinting for me to come visit him. So, as soon as school let out, I immediately packed my bags and went to the retreat to find him. When we met, Preston was dressed in simple, tailored clothes, his aura as cold and distant as ever. His gaze drifted behind me. “You came alone?” I didn’t notice the disappointment in his eyes. I sincerely pulled the letter from my pocket: “Didn’t you only write to me?” Preston froze, his brows furrowing slightly, but he quickly smoothed them out and turned to show me around the grounds. Ten minutes later, he brought me right back to the main entrance. “Alright, you’ve seen it. Go home.” I was caught completely off guard: “That’s it? Preston, can’t you…” “That’s enough,” he cut me off, rubbing his tired eyes. “My time for quiet reflection has arrived. I can’t keep you company.” “Oh…” I lowered my head in disappointment and turned to leave. But Preston spoke again. “Don’t come alone next time. It’s not appropriate for a man and a woman to be alone together.” Hearing the words “next time,” my disappointment vanished instantly. I even eagerly found an excuse for his coldness today. He was just being shy! So, the next time we met, I dragged Parker, who had just finished cello practice, along with me. On the drive up, he wore an incredibly annoyed expression on a face that was identical to Preston’s. “If you like him, just go by yourself! I don’t even like the guy…” Desperate for his help, I quickly tried to coax him: “Oh, come on! Tell me what kind of girl you like, and I’ll find one for you the second we get back down the mountain!” Parker stopped in his tracks, looked down at me, and then took three long strides up the steps, pulling away from me. The summer breeze carried his words to my ear. “I’m not telling you.” I scoffed and quickly chased after the boy in black carrying the cello case. “Fine, keep your secrets.” When we reached the entrance of the retreat, Preston was already waiting there. The moment he saw Parker beside me, his face darkened instantly. “Why did you bring him?” Before I could answer, Parker let out a cold sneer: “Got a problem with me being here?” Saying that, he bumped Preston’s shoulder with one hand in his pocket and walked right into the building. This trip was just as unpleasant. While Parker went to the bathroom, Preston stood next to me and said coldly: “Bring a girl next time.” I didn’t understand his logic: “Why? Are you sexist?” He was silent for a moment, then suddenly looked down at me: “Because I’m jealous. Is that a good enough reason?” I was hit so hard by his sudden, blunt confession that it took me a long time to recover. I thought my teenage crush had finally been reciprocated. I couldn’t wait to share it with my cousin, Serena Sterling, whom I was close with, and asked her to come with me next time. She didn’t refuse. That time, when Preston saw the two of us, his eyes lit up. At the time, I thought he was happy because I hadn’t brought a boy. Thinking back on it now, this giant iceberg only melted because he saw Serena. And I only discovered this truth after three years of marriage. I stood in the doorway of the study, my eyes involuntarily turning red. My heart felt like it was being pricked by needles, a dense, spreading pain. Preston… You clearly never liked me, did you? Then why did you marry me? 03 I sat on the sofa in a daze for a long time. Tears finally fell to the floor with a pat. I don’t know when Preston walked into the living room. He stood tall in the shadows, his quiet eyes exceptionally cold. After staring at me for a long time, he finally spoke in annoyance: “Are you done crying? If you’re done, I have some business to discuss with you.” I didn’t answer. I just haphazardly wiped the tears from my face, walked up to him, and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him. But the next second, he shoved me away violently. My waist hit the corner of the table hard. It hurt a lot. But not even a tenth as much as the disgust in Preston’s eyes brought me. “Didn’t I tell you on our wedding day? My disciplined lifestyle means I can’t break my vows. Have you lost your mind?” “What if my cousin was standing in front of you?” Preston froze. Whatever he was thinking, his ears turned red as he gripped the jade signet ring in his hand tightly. He was aroused. But in front of me, he was still pretending. “Chloe, you’re being unreasonable. What goes on between us has nothing to do with her.” I punctured his lie directly: “How does it have nothing to do with her? Isn’t she the one you love?” He froze again, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes. “You heard?” Before I could answer, he let out a sigh of relief. “Good. Then I’ll just lay my cards on the table. “I don’t love you. “The family wants a child, so just have one with Parker. “He looks exactly like me anyway. It shouldn’t be hard for you to accept.” Every word was like a sharp blade, grinding away my love for him. His casual tone also told me just how laughable my fifteen-year-long crush on him really was. I looked up to wipe away the tears that welled up again, only to lock eyes with Parker, who was leaning against the railing of the second-floor hallway. Ever since I married Preston, Parker had gone abroad to study music. This was the first time we had seen each other in three years. He still had the same sharp, arrogant, and untamed look in his eyes as before. And I was nothing but a mess. Preston followed my gaze and saw his brother. He said expressionlessly to the other man: “I’ve already talked to Chloe. You can stay here tonight.” With that, he turned and left. He didn’t even spare me a glance. Ignoring the fact that Parker was still there, I went crazy and smashed the antiques in the living room to pieces. Finally, drained of energy, I slumped to the floor, covered my face, and sobbed bitterly. Parker walked downstairs and crouched beside me. “Want to keep smashing? I’ll buy new ones for you.” I shook my head through my sobs, forcing a smile through the heartache: “I’m sorry. We finally get to see each other, and you have to witness this. Where are you staying tonight? I’ll have the driver take you.” He stared straight into my eyes, his gaze unreadable: “Didn’t my brother tell me to stay here?” I froze, staring blankly at him. It took me a long time to find my voice. “You… you’re serious?” It was absurd! How could Parker agree to such a thing?! “Can’t I be?” He raised an eyebrow, his tone incredibly serious. I was so startled I scrambled backward: “Of course you can’t! I’m your sister-in-law!” Parker suddenly dropped to one knee on the floor, advancing toward me with intense aggression: “And so what?” I was so terrified I scrambled up to run, but he caught up to me and scooped me up around the waist. “Parker Vance! Have you lost your fucking mind?!” “Tsk, such a dramatic reaction? You looked too sad, I was just messing with you.” I paused. Being scared by him like that, I actually forgot to cry. He had already returned to his usual careless demeanor, gently placing me on the sofa. “Rest for a bit. I’ll clean this up.” Saying that, he poured me a glass of water. I caught sight of the tablet next to the sofa. It was Preston’s. As if possessed by a ghost, I grabbed the tablet. I entered Serena Sterling’s birthday. The tablet unlocked successfully. I opened his messages. Sure enough, Serena was his only pinned contact. The two of them were chatting right now. … Serena: [Is this really going to work? What if Chloe doesn’t get pregnant?] Preston: [She has to.] Serena: [I’m so sorry. I really didn’t expect that my body wouldn’t be able to handle a miscarriage…] Preston: [It’s fine. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have proposed to Chloe just to spite you. Now my parents love her so much, it’s hard to get a divorce.] Serena: [Boohoo, then it is your fault! That night was your fault too! I told you to buy condoms! You insisted it would be fine! Now look what happened!] Preston: [Don’t be mad, baby. It’s my fault. When Chloe’s child is born, I’ll immediately swap it with ours.] Serena: [Then when are you going to marry me?] Preston: [Baby, can you wait a little longer? My parents won’t agree to a divorce for a few years.] Serena: [Fine. So annoying! Hurry over here, I’m waiting to take a shower with you~] … Reading their chat logs, my face turned pale. No wonder. No wonder Preston suddenly proposed to me three years ago. No wonder he suddenly wanted a child. It turned out, it was all for Serena. They… had been together all along. At the same time, my phone vibrated. It was Serena. Serena: [Hey Chloe! I’m back in the country today! When should we hang out?] I didn’t reply to her. Instead, I looked over at Parker, who was sweeping the floor. The words Preston had said not long ago popped into my head. “He looks exactly like me anyway. It shouldn’t be hard for you to accept.” The same? They were completely different. Preston would never clean up the trash on the floor for me. Noticing my gaze, Parker walked over, raising an eyebrow in confusion: “Why are you looking at me? Not feeling well?” This was different too. Preston would never take the initiative to care about me. The tears I had just managed to stop flowed out uncontrollably again. He panicked instantly, fumbling to wipe my tears. “No, what’s wrong, my little ancestor? Why are you crying again? Stop crying. When I’m done cleaning up, I’ll go beat up my brother, okay? “And, to be brutally honest, if worse comes to worst, you can just find another guy. Haven’t you seen plenty of couples in our circle who only look married on paper? “There’s no need to hang yourself on a moron like my brother.” With him caring so much, all the suppressed grievances in my heart exploded. “I know all the logic! But it hurts so much. I liked him for fifteen years, why is he treating me like this?” Parker gently raised his hand and used his thumb to wipe away the tears at the corner of my eyes: “I get it. Later, I’ll take you for a drive to clear your head, okay?” He used to coax me like this in the past. He knew I loved the feeling of a breeze brushing against my face, so whenever I was sad, he’d ride his motorcycle and take me for a spin. I’d sit on the back and vent to him about everything. A lot of it was about Preston. I sniffled and shook my head: “Let’s go next time. I bumped my back on the table corner earlier. My lower back hurts.” He paused, instinctively reaching out to lift my shirt to check. But he stopped the moment he touched the fabric. “Can I take a look? If it’s serious, I’ll take you to the hospital.” He looked up at me. I fell unexpectedly into his eyes full of heartache, and subconsciously nodded. The hem of my short-sleeved shirt was lifted. A bruise was clearly reflected in Parker’s eyes. His hand, resting on the edge of the sofa, clenched tightly into a fist as he stared at the bruise for a long time. I felt an inexplicable warmth in my face and was about to pull my shirt down. Parker, however, voluntarily let go, stood up, and found some soothing oil from the first-aid kit. “Lie on your stomach.” I looked at Parker warming up his palms. After hesitating for a moment, I obediently lay face down on the sofa. The floor-to-ceiling window across the room reflected Parker’s movements. Tall and long-legged, he knelt on one knee beside the sofa, leaning over to gently lift my shirt. The next second, warmth hit the left side of my lower back. It was so hot that my skin instantly tightened, and I instinctively turned to dodge it. Parker looked up, his dark eyes locking with mine in the reflection of the window. “Does it hurt?” His voice was very hoarse. It made my ears feel inexplicably hot. I abruptly lowered my head, burying my face between my arms, playing along with his words, my voice muffled: “Yeah, you… be a little gentler.” Parker paused for a moment, then suddenly chuckled softly. I was about to ask him what was so funny. The sensation of being touched returned to my lower back. This time, I endured it and didn’t flinch. I just quietly gripped the throw pillow under my head. Gripped it so hard my knuckles turned white. Burying my head in the pillow, I lost my sight, and my other senses began to heighten, playing tricks on me. I felt the skin he touched instantly tighten, then relax under his kneading. I heard his breathing; it seemed heavier than usual. I smelled the faint scent of soap in the air, barely there, yet distinctly obvious. And every time he pressed down, the knee resting beside me gently brushed against the side of my thigh. The air seemed to grow thin. I was having trouble breathing. Until my phone rang jarringly. I felt like I was pulled out of the water. I fumbled to answer the call. It was Preston. “Don’t let Parker keep you up too late. We have to go back to the main estate for dinner tomorrow.” I tried my best to calm my emotions: “Okay, I got it… Ah—” The end of my sentence suddenly pitched up. I don’t know what crazy idea got into Parker, but the hand pressing on my lower back suddenly pushed down hard. “That hurts!” I turned my head and glared at him. “Can you be a little gentler?!” Parker put on an extremely innocent expression, blinked twice, and said: “I didn’t do it on purpose.” “You—” “Chloe.” Preston’s voice sounded again, a hint of undetectable anger hidden in his tone. “What are you and my brother doing?” I quickly realized he misunderstood something. But I had no intention of explaining. Isn’t this exactly what Preston Vance wanted? I chuckled softly, deliberately adding a touch of flirtatiousness to my voice: “What does it matter to you what we’re doing?” As soon as the words left my mouth, Parker suddenly leaned down, his chin almost resting on my shoulder. I instantly stiffened. I felt his breath against my ear. It tickled. “Don’t ask too many questions, bro. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of my sister-in-law.” Saying that, his fingers moved slightly, tickling the sensitive spot on my waist. I cursed under my breath and reached out to grab his wandering hand, accidentally scratching his forearm in the process. “Hiss—” Parker chuckled low. “Scratching now? You’re that wild?” My face flushed with shame and anger: “Shut up! I don’t want to hear another word from you!” Parker smirked, nodding carelessly: “Okay, okay, okay, I’ll shut up.” Except, he didn’t spare my ticklish spot. Making it impossible for me to speak a complete sentence. Preston remained silent, listening to his brother and me messing around. Eventually, I didn’t even realize when he hung up the phone. 04 The next morning, Parker insisted on making me breakfast, claiming he had mastered five-star chef skills while abroad. In the kitchen, the broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted man was bustling about in a pink apron, occasionally turning to make funny faces at me sitting on the sofa. Preston had never done these things for me. In front of me, he only ever wore a cold expression. So, I had never mistaken one for the other. They were completely different. “Hey, Chloe! Come try your brother’s freshly made century egg and lean pork congee!” “Coming.” I held my still slightly aching lower back and shuffled over. He handed the spoon full of congee directly to my mouth: “Taste it.” My raised hand paused mid-air. Ultimately, I put it down. I quickly drank the congee from the spoon, took a step back, and created some distance between us. “Uh… it’s pretty good, just seems to be missing salt.” The eager smile on Parker’s face instantly froze. After a brief half-second of silence, he seemed to realize that his claim to being a “five-star chef” had suffered a major setback. He could only scratch his head awkwardly: “I think I forgot the salt…” I was just about to comfort him. When he suddenly made a finger heart at me: “Because my love for you needs no words~” Even though it was incredibly cheesy, I couldn’t control the rush of heat to my brain. Right then, Preston came back. He stood in the entryway, his figure tall and slender, the white jade prayer beads dangling by his side swaying slightly. His gaze towards me was quiet and dark. Finally, his eyes landed on the hand I had resting on my lower back. “Liked me for fifteen years, and you immediately turn around and get with someone else? Chloe, you’re really something.” Hearing his inexplicable sarcasm, I found it somewhat amusing. So amusing that I couldn’t help but snap back. “You’re not dead yet. Are you expecting me to play the grieving widow for three years?” Preston went silent, his thin lips pressed into a tight line. I knew he misunderstood Parker and me, but I didn’t explain. Instead, I chuckled and pounded my lower back, intentionally misleading him: “Besides, isn’t this what you wanted? If I actually get pregnant, do you think the baby will call you ‘Dad’ or ‘Uncle’?” I don’t know which word struck a nerve with Preston, but his face darkened, and the look in his eyes became exceptionally gloomy. Parker silently wrapped an arm around my waist, his clear, bright eyes curving slightly. He smirked carelessly and arrogantly: “Just call him ‘Dad.’ Anyway, according to my brother, we look exactly the same. In the future, you can see the kid on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and I’ll see the kid on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. We’ll alternate Sundays. How about that?” Preston lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a shadow under his eyes, making it impossible to read his emotions. “Suit yourself.” He dropped that cold sentence and turned to go to the study. I patted Parker’s hand, which was still resting on my waist: “The act is over. You can take it back now.” To my surprise, he suddenly tightened his grip, pulling me tightly against his chest. I raised my hands against his chest to push him away, but it was useless. The only use was feeling his pectoral muscles. “I helped you put on a show; shouldn’t I get a little reward?” He lowered his head, his face very close to mine. I subconsciously held my breath and started to stutter: “Wh-what kind of reward?” “I’ll be your model. Draw a portrait for me.” I froze instantly and forced a dry laugh: “Pick something else. I haven’t painted in a long time…” Not since five years ago. Actually, There was one time. For Serena’s twenty-fifth birthday. She insisted on being my model, begging me to paint her beautifully, saying it was just to commemorate our family bond and friendship. I repeatedly refused. But she pouted and said pitifully: “Chloe, do you not see me as a good sister anymore?” I was momentarily speechless. Preston, who was sitting quietly beside me folding origami cranes, suddenly looked up at me, his tone as cold as ever: “It’s just a painting. What are you refusing for?” I pursed my lips and eventually agreed. And I set a condition: Do not post it online. Who knew that the very night I finished the painting, I’d be trending. Serena posted the painting on Twitter with the caption: [Thanks for the birthday gift, Chloe~ Love it~] I had hidden myself away for so long, only to be forcibly dragged back into the public eye by her. People immediately dug up my past, calling me a plagiarist and telling Serena to stay away from me. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. You painted it so beautifully, I really couldn’t resist posting it on Twitter. Boohoo,” Serena apologized, holding my hand and swinging it. I lowered my eyes, looking at her hand clasped over mine. For the first time, I spoke harshly to her. “I’m in a bad mood right now. Can you please get the hell away from me?” Serena stood frozen on the spot. I turned and went home. But the moment I opened the door, I was met with a barrage of curses from my father and stepmother. “Why do you have to go show off? Do you think being able to paint makes you special? If I had known you would bring me so much shame, I should have broken your hands back then!” “Chloe, your dad worked so hard to suppress that plagiarism scandal back then, and now you’re stirring up this kind of trouble again. Do you think our family has money to burn? You really don’t know the value of a dollar…” … Word by word, sentence by sentence, they beat down on my spine. Pressing me down until I bent over, bit by bit. The pride and liveliness of the former wealthy heiress were chipped away. It felt like I became completely quiet from that day on. When Preston saw me again, he even raised an eyebrow in rare surprise: “You’ve changed a lot.” I smiled: “I have no choice. I can’t keep bringing shame to the family like before.” Later, because of family obligations, I made up with Serena. Just without the enthusiasm I used to have. 06 Now that Parker brought up painting again, I subconsciously tried to avoid it. But he looked at me earnestly, his dark eyes seeming to hide the stars in the sky. “Chloe, you said you were going to be a great painter.” “But…” I blinked, suppressing the stinging in my eyes. “I’ve been nailed to the pillar of shame as a plagiarist…” “I don’t believe you plagiarized. “Back then, the designer who accused you of plagiarism vanished without a trace, but someone transferred three million dollars to him. “I don’t think that’s a coincidence. “Chloe, you did nothing wrong. “I found his address a few days ago. Want to go see him?” Hearing the certainty in his tone, I finally couldn’t hold back my tears. The grievances hidden for five years burst forth in that moment. So, someone did believe me. In the end. I agreed to paint a portrait for Parker. But not now. He said: “Wait until the day your name is cleared, and I’ll be the first one you paint.” 07 At noon, we went back to the main estate for lunch. Mrs. Vance brought up her desire for a grandchild again. My heart trembled, and I subconsciously looked at Parker, who was playing chess with Mr. Vance not far away. In front of the elders, he sat upright before the chessboard, lacking some of his usual laziness. Only his slender fingers resting on his thigh, holding a smooth black chess piece, gently rubbing it. As if possessed, I remembered the sensation of his slightly calloused fingertips accidentally brushing against my waist last night. Suddenly, he looked up, glancing in my direction, and gave a very subtle raise of one eyebrow. I suddenly snapped back to reality, my ears turning red, looking everywhere but at him. But I accidentally met Preston’s gaze watching me. If it were in the past, I would have happily stared right back at him, but now I subconsciously frowned and looked away. He instantly gripped his prayer beads tighter. 08 After lunch, Parker followed us back home. But he was stopped at the door by Preston as we entered. “Your house isn’t here.” Parker simply shoved past him, walked in, and stood beside me, curling his lips into an innocent smile: “I know! But I have to keep my sister-in-law company! Did you forget? You said it yourself yesterday, telling my sister-in-law to have a baby with me.” Preston fell silent. He just stared at me. And I obediently looped my arm through Parker’s and waved at him: “Go play outside. Don’t bother the two of us.” Two seconds later, Preston left. He slammed the door so hard it rattled. It rattled me so much I stood frozen in place for a moment. Was he angry? But wasn’t this what he wanted? After a brief moment of absentmindedness, Parker called me over, having booked flights for us to go abroad. I planned to meet Julian Smith, the designer who reported me for plagiarism, one more time. But when we got there, we found out that Julian Smith had died in a car accident a few days ago. They couldn’t save him. I stood at the hospital entrance for a long time, the cold foreign wind blowing against my face, stinging painfully. The next second, Parker turned sideways, standing in the wind’s path, shielding me from the breeze. “It’s okay. There must be another way.” I nodded, letting the wind blow my long hair into a mess. The moment my vision blurred, I felt like I was briefly separated from this world. Until a voice called out, “Mr. Vance.” Parker and I turned our heads and saw a middle-aged woman standing not far away. It was Julian Smith’s wife. I silently pulled my mask up higher. She jogged over and bowed to Parker, looking anxious but grateful as she blurted out: “You didn’t answer my calls, I thought you weren’t coming. You’re our family’s benefactor. Julian kept saying he wanted to see you one last time before he died, but he didn’t get to. He’s probably crying down there…” Parker stood there, a bit bewildered. But he quickly recovered. His gaze became cold and distant, and his posture lost some of its casualness. In a daze, I almost called out “Preston.” He looked so much like him… Julian Smith’s wife paused, carefully glancing at Parker, then said: “Since Julian passed away, we don’t have much money left. Living in a foreign country is really hard for me and the kids. Mr. Vance, could you perhaps give us another three million to help us out?” Parker lowered his eyes, staring at her coldly without saying a word. But the pressure was intense. She anxiously rubbed her hands together: “Mr. Vance, it’s okay if you don’t help us, but some things Julian left behind might end up in the hands of your wife, Chloe. It might get a bit ugly then.” Hearing my name, I froze, my heart growing colder inch by inch. Preston… what the hell did you do behind my back? “Money isn’t an issue,” Parker’s voice suddenly deepened, carrying a hint of displeasure. “But this is the last time. Give me the things, and I will destroy them myself.” “If you dare keep a backup, I won’t hesitate to send you down to keep Julian company.” “Of course, of course, but I need to see the money first.” Parker narrowed his eyes and let out a cold scoff: “Don’t try to reason with me. I don’t like killing people.” Perhaps remembering the power behind the Vance family, Julian Smith’s wife struggled for a moment before finally taking a step back: “Fine, I’ll give it to you now, but you absolutely cannot break your promise.” “Mhm.” After a few seconds of hesitation, she pulled out a USB drive. Parker plugged the USB drive directly into his phone and checked the files inside. They were phone recordings and chat logs. Suddenly, Julian Smith’s wife let out an “Huh”: “Mr. Vance, why aren’t you carrying your prayer beads today?” Parker’s fingers paused, then without even batting an eye, he said four words simply and flatly. “It’s cold. Hands freeze. “The three million will be transferred to your account tomorrow. Make sure you stay hidden abroad.” Dropping that sentence, Parker turned around swiftly and left. I hurried to follow him. Hearing that last sentence, Julian Smith’s wife’s mind was completely occupied by the money. Her doubts vanished, and she even enthusiastically saw us off. On the way back to the hotel, I listened to the recordings on the USB drive. In them, Preston told Julian Smith: “Three million. Don’t bother Serena Sterling ever again, or I don’t mind killing you.” In another, Serena told Julian Smith: “I’ve sent you all of Chloe’s drafts. Tweak them a little and publish them immediately. Make sure it causes a big scene.” … I sat on the bed, staring blankly. The recordings I had just heard echoed in my ears. My chest felt tight. Serena… why did you do this? Preston, how did I ever wrong you? It wasn’t until Parker knocked continuously on my door that I was pulled from my sorrowful thoughts. I opened the door. He stood outside with a worried look on his face, assessing me. Seeing I was fine, he let out a soft sigh of relief. “I thought you’d be hiding in your room crying.” I blinked my somewhat dry eyes and forced a bitter smile, saying nothing. Cry? I felt too awful. So awful that I couldn’t even cry anymore. “Don’t worry, I’m fine. You should go back to sleep. We have a flight to catch tomorrow.” Parker looked at me for a good while longer before taking a half step back and pointing behind him: “Is my brother really going back?” His words made me laugh: “Go back. Goodnight!” Only then did he turn around and leave, feeling reassured. But the next second, I suddenly grabbed the hem of his shirt. “Thank you.” He didn’t look back. “No need to thank me. A brother protecting his sister is just the way things should be.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “421044”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In my past life, the fake heiress was doted upon, held in the palms of my family’s hands like a precious treasure. Meanwhile, I, the true daughter, was abandoned by my own family, reviled by the world, and died a miserable death on the streets. In this life, I looked at my younger sister’s feigned innocent smile and gave a small smile of my own. She didn’t know that everyone could hear her inner thoughts, except for herself. 00 “Where is Chloe?” I looked up at the person who had just walked in. She was wearing a chic tweed skirt suit, her hair styled in perfect waves, paired with lambskin shoes. Her makeup was flawless. She radiated an air of wealth, looking around with blatant disgust. Her entire aura was completely out of place in these surroundings. “I’m here,” I answered. Chloe looked me up and down, a barely suppressed sneer in her eyes. It was only when her gaze swept across my face that she let out an angry huff. “Let me warn you. Just because Mom and Dad are bringing you home doesn’t mean anything. I’ve lived with the Bennett family for eighteen years. I am the true daughter of the Bennett family. You’d better behave yourself, or I’ll show you exactly what I’m capable of!” Her voice was shrill and piercing, making me frown. She had lived with the Bennetts for so long, yet she hadn’t learned a shred of manners. I was the true daughter of the Bennett family. I had been abducted and sold when I was little, eventually ending up in an orphanage. Chloe had taken my identity and lived as the Bennett family’s beloved daughter for eighteen years. By the time I, the real daughter, was found and brought back, she had already deeply ingrained herself in the hearts of my parents and brother. Unfortunately, her sweet, lovable exterior hid the heart of a viper. To my face, Chloe would affectionately call me “sister,” but behind closed doors, she would stab my skin with pens and threaten me. At school, she would brazenly shove my head into the toilet. She framed me for cheating, destroying my reputation until I was barely surviving at school. Just when I got accepted into a top university and things were finally starting to look up, she pushed me off the eighteenth floor. Because of her, the Bennett family was ruined. My father was sent to prison, my brother disappeared, and my mother, consumed by anger and grief, died of illness. I looked down at my hands. Though they were rough with calluses, they didn’t have the scars from my past life. This meant I had been reborn. I looked at the arrogant Chloe and gave a small smile. She didn’t know that this time around, as long as she was near me, everyone could hear her inner thoughts. In my past life, I was always too afraid to look her in the eye. Looking closely now, her surgically altered face was actually kind of funny. She didn’t look like me. The older she got, the less she looked like me. She had been relying on secret cosmetic tweaks to maintain the resemblance. But because she was terrified the Bennetts would find out, she could only go to shady, underground clinics. Even though her face was completely different now, everyone just assumed she was “growing into her features.” “Is that so? Who the real daughter is—do you think Mom and Dad really don’t know? Why do you think they’re bringing me back? If you aren’t feeling guilty, why did you go to a back-alley clinic to get plastic surgery? Aren’t you afraid your face is going to rot off?” Hit where it hurt, Chloe immediately lunged at me, raising her hand to slap me. But I grabbed her wrist first, my gaze turning ice-cold. “Chloe, don’t forget that everything you have today is because you stole my identity. Do you want to play games? I’ll play with you. But your nose still doesn’t look enough like mine. Since we’ll be living under the same roof, take a good look at my face. Try to find a better doctor next time so you can really copy it.” Being exposed made Chloe panic for a second, but she quickly collected herself, glaring at me venomously. “Who are you trying to scare! Just wait. Once you get to the Bennett house, I’ll show you what I can do. Do you really think a piece of paper is enough to get you through the door? You’re too naive.” “Oh, really? Then why did you sneak over here to try and intimidate me? Don’t lie to yourself, Chloe. If you aren’t scared, why did you get surgery to look like me? Or is it because you know you’re hideous, and seeing me makes you feel insecure?” “Chloe!” Unable to break free from my grip, Chloe screamed and lunged forward, trying to bite me, completely losing her haughty demeanor. I shoved her away, looking in disgust at her crumpled on the floor. “A friendly reminder: Mom and Dad are going to be here any minute. If you don’t leave now, your vicious little act is going to be exposed.” Chloe glared at me fiercely, her eyes practically dripping with poison, but she quickly scrambled up and gathered her things. I let out a cold laugh. This was just the beginning. Not long after Chloe left, the Bennetts arrived to pick me up. I followed them back to the estate. Sitting in the car, I was suddenly incredibly excited to see Chloe. I wondered what would happen when other people heard her inner voice. 01 “Chloe, from now on, Harper is your older sister. You two need to get along.” As soon as we walked through the door, Mom held my hand and led me to Chloe. Although the DNA test proved I was the true daughter, they had raised Chloe for years. Since she had always acted so sweet and obedient, they had no intention of sending her back. A flash of disgust crossed Chloe’s eyes, but she still walked over and affectionately took my hand. “Okay, Mom! I will definitely get along with Harper!” Mom was just about to smile in relief when her expression suddenly froze. She heard Chloe’s inner voice: [I can’t believe this old hag actually brought Harper back. Is she trying to kick me out? This disgusting old bat, acting all high and mighty. I wonder if they know I purposely stole Harper’s identity. They probably think the orphanage just made a mistake.] Mom’s face instantly darkened. She stared in disbelief at Chloe’s sweet, innocent face. The eight years of meticulous upbringing weren’t fake. Before they knew she was fake, the Bennetts felt they owed her, indulging her every whim. Even after finding out she wasn’t their biological daughter, they assumed the orphanage made a mistake. They never blamed her and continued to treat her like their own. “What did you just say, Chloe?” Chloe was startled. She looked up at Mom, a flicker of doubt in her eyes. “I didn’t say anything. What’s wrong, Mom?” “Nothing. I must have imagined it.” Mom looked at her hesitantly. She hadn’t seen Chloe’s lips move, and the whole thing was too bizarre. Chloe had shown up at their door when she was only ten. If what she just heard was true, then a child that young having such a calculated, malicious mind was terrifying. But the next second, Chloe’s voice rang in her ears again. [That old hag scared me to death. For a second, I thought she actually knew what I was thinking. Why won’t they just go away? I have to stand here holding Harper’s hand, it’s so annoying! Harper, this little bitch. Why did she have to come back?] Chloe was so caught up in her thoughts that she unconsciously pinched me hard. I cried out in pain. Mom immediately pulled me toward her. A red welt had already formed on my hand. Thinking about Chloe’s inner thoughts, Mom still couldn’t believe the daughter she had raised for so many years could be so vicious. But it didn’t matter. Once the seed of doubt is planted, it will grow. “What do you think you’re doing, Chloe?” I looked at Chloe’s ugly expression and smiled inwardly, but on the outside, I timidly tugged at Mom’s sleeve. “I’m fine, Mom. Don’t blame her. Maybe she was just… playing a joke on me…” I hid the red welt and secretly pinched myself hard again in the exact same spot. The next second, Chloe’s inner voice sounded again. [What is wrong with this old hag? I just accidentally pinched Harper, and she’s acting like the sky is falling. Her real daughter comes back and she instantly changes her tune. So fake!] Hearing her thoughts, Mom was furious. She grabbed the hand I was hiding behind my back and inspected it. The skin was now covered in an angry, glaring red mark. “Chloe! Even though Harper is back, you are still our daughter! But the way you are acting right now is incredibly disappointing!” Only then did Chloe start to panic. She tried to lunge forward and hug Mom, but Mom dodged her. She stood there, tears welling up in her eyes, looking absolutely pitiful. “No, Mom… it’s not like that…” Seeing her look so wronged, Mom’s heart softened. Just as she was about to give in, Chloe’s inner voice rang out again. [Who does this old witch think she is? She relies on Dad for everything anyway, why is she acting so tough in front of me? And Harper—playing the victim, huh? Just wait, I’ll show you what I can do!] I shrank back behind Mom, looking at Chloe in fear. Mom could no longer hold back. She glared at Chloe. “Enough! Chloe, if you think I don’t deserve to be your mother, you don’t need to put on this fake act in front of me!” 02 I looked at Chloe’s face, twisted in angry confusion, and smirked into Mom’s shoulder. Just wait, Chloe. This is only the beginning of what you’re going to lose. Everything that belongs to me, I will take back, one by one. Mom was still furious, but she didn’t neglect me. Chloe didn’t know this, but Mom used to be a ruthless businesswoman. She only chose to step back and focus on the family after I went missing. Dad respected Mom so much not just out of love, but out of immense gratitude for her sacrifices. Now that Chloe had accidentally revealed she had deliberately stolen my identity, Mom was definitely going to investigate. The truth coming to light was only a matter of time. “Harper, you’ve suffered so much out there. I originally wanted you and Chloe to share a room, but now that I think about it, that’s not a good idea. You can stay in the room next to your brother’s.” I looked at Mom’s red-rimmed eyes. I knew today’s events were a huge blow to her, but what Chloe had done went far beyond this. In the afternoon, when Dad and my brother came home from work, they instantly sensed the strange atmosphere in the house. Dad asked Chloe first. “What’s going on here?” Chloe immediately threw herself into Dad’s arms, rubbing her chest against his arm like a victim. She had always been pampered by the Bennetts, so she had grown into her curves nicely, something she was always proud of. “Dad… I accidentally made Mom mad today, and she still hasn’t forgiven me!” Her voice was melodic, like a songbird. Dad was just about to speak when Chloe’s inner voice dropped a bombshell. [This old hag. Once I butter up Dad, what are you going to do about it? Ugh, Dad’s body is so nice. Not like Ethan. Ethan is just a stray dog Dad picked up. Does he really think he deserves to be my brother?] Dad and my brother’s faces instantly turned a sickly shade of pale. My brother was indeed adopted. Because I had gone missing early on, the family needed an heir, so Mom and Dad adopted him. But they had always treated him as their own flesh and blood. And Chloe had arrived after my brother had already been adopted. Mom had already experienced this all afternoon, so she wasn’t surprised. Or perhaps, she already had her suspicions. She crossed her arms and looked coldly at Dad. Dad awkwardly pulled his arm out of Chloe’s grasp. “Chloe, if Mom is mad, you must have done something wrong. Apologize to her properly. Your mother is a reasonable woman.” Unable to figure out where the voice came from, Dad instinctively decided to try and mediate. My brother, however, stood to the side, staring intently at Chloe—the little sister he had always doted on. “But…” [What is wrong with Dad? That old witch, reasonable? I just accidentally pinched Harper, and she’s acting like the world is ending.] Hearing Chloe’s inner voice again, Dad and my brother stared at her in utter disbelief. But Chloe remained oblivious. She tried to throw herself back into Dad’s arms, but he pushed her away. “Chloe, you’re grown up now. You can’t keep clinging to people like this. I’ve told you this many times.” Seeing her actions, my brother finally couldn’t hold back and spoke up. Chloe’s expression turned ugly, a mix of humiliation and anger at being rejected, but she maintained her pitiful facade. “I know…” [Ethan, you are so annoying! Who do you think you are, trying to lecture me?] My brother’s face darkened further. He clamped his mouth shut and stepped aside. I stood by and watched the circus unfold. The show is just starting, my dear sister. “Alright, Harper said she wanted to wait for you two to get home to eat. She must be starving after waiting so long. Let’s eat first.” Mom spoke up to take control of the situation. Dad and my brother turned to look at me. Seeing my thin, frail frame, Dad nodded quickly. “Yes, yes, yes, let’s eat. Harper is so thin, she needs to eat more.” Chloe’s inner voice continued to echo around us. It was so bitter and venomous that, aside from her, the food tasted like ash in everyone’s mouths. [Why does Harper get to sit at the table? I’ve been with the Bennett family for so long. I am the true daughter here! Who does she think she is? Just because she was found doesn’t mean she can replace me!] [Harper is so skinny, she looks like she’s never had a real meal in her life. She looks like a twig. Such an eyesore!] My brother looked up at her, then took the piece of ribs she was about to grab and placed it in my bowl, his voice gentle. “You’re too thin, Harper. Eat more. If you can’t reach something, just tell me and I’ll get it for you.” Mom looked at me and nodded, her heart aching. She took another piece of ribs that Chloe was aiming for and put it in my bowl as well. At the same time, she instructed Maria, our housekeeper, who was standing to the side, completely petrified after hearing Chloe’s inner thoughts. “Harper just got back. Her health is poor and she needs nutrients. Pay extra attention to her. Make more nutritious meals for her. Let me know if we need to order special ingredients.” Mom turned back to look at me, her eyes full of love and sympathy. “Harper, if there’s anything you like to eat, just tell Maria and she’ll make it for you. Don’t be shy.” I nodded silently. These were things I had never experienced in my past life. After all, I didn’t have Chloe’s audacity to shamelessly demand whatever I wanted. 03 Seeing that my brother and Mom had already shown their support, Dad racked his brain until he finally came up with a new angle: “Right, we haven’t sorted out Harper’s school yet. Why not have her go to Sterling Academy? It’s owned by the family, so we won’t have to worry.” Sterling Academy was a top-tier private school owned by the Bennett family. It was named after my brother, Ethan Sterling Bennett, to show how much they valued him. Before I could even respond, Chloe shrieked: “Dad!” Her voice was so piercing that Dad frowned at her. “Chloe, why are you screaming at the dinner table?” Realizing what she had done, Chloe quickly lowered her head and put on a pitiful, concerned expression. She looked as wronged as could be. “I’m just worried that if Harper goes to Sterling, she won’t be able to keep up… After all, considering the school she went to before, her grades probably aren’t very good…” Her words reeked of passive-aggressiveness. On the surface, she was showing concern for me, but she was really reminding everyone that it was an elite school, hinting to Mom and Dad that I was too low-class to attend. “She’ll go to Sterling. You don’t need to worry about Harper’s grades. You should focus on yourself and learn from her. If you bring home another failing grade, I’m cutting off your allowance.” Mom wiped her mouth, finalizing the decision and completely ignoring Chloe’s ugly expression. Chloe had a boyfriend at school named Chase. He was essentially a local thug. Ever since she started dating him, her grades had plummeted. Just because Mom hadn’t said anything before didn’t mean she didn’t know. Bringing it up now was just her way of hoping Chloe would get her act together. But Chloe just glared resentfully at Mom’s back. I watched her turn away and sneak into a corner to make a phone call. As a figure slowly approached the corner where we were standing, I suddenly spoke up: “Chloe…” 04 “What do you want, you jinx!” Chloe frantically hung up the phone. Seeing it was me, she flew into a rage and tried to lunge forward to slap me. I didn’t dodge. I let her slap me, then deliberately threw myself to the floor. “Chloe, what do you think you’re doing?! You’re getting completely out of hand!” Dad rushed over and helped me up. Seeing the red mark on my cheek, his heart broke, and he asked with deep concern, “Are you okay, Harper? Are you dizzy?” I had braced myself when I fell, so Chloe’s slap didn’t land flush on my face. I shook my head pitifully, clutching my cheek and pulling on Dad’s sleeve. “I’m fine, Dad. Chloe might just be… afraid that my coming back will take away the love you have for her. Please don’t be mad at her.” Hearing this, Chloe’s face turned red, then white. I found it hilarious. You think you’re the only one who knows how to play the victim? I can do it too. “Harper, you are our biological daughter. It’s only right that we treat you well.” [Who does this bitch think she is? Biological daughter? Then what about all my hard work over the years? Why does Harper get to steal everything from me with just a few words? This bitch is obviously faking it!] Hearing this thought, I raised an eyebrow at Chloe. You really convinced yourself that the things you stole belong to you. You took over my life and lived off it for so long without an ounce of guilt. Perhaps remembering the joy Chloe used to bring to the family, Dad intended to comfort her. Seeing this, I lowered my head and let two tears fall. “Dad, I haven’t been here to fulfill my duties as a daughter all these years. Chloe has always been the one taking care of you at home. It’s only right that you treat her better. Chloe, if it really bothers you that much, I can move out.” Before Dad could speak, Chloe’s venomous inner voice rang out again. [Yes! Get the hell out! Give everything back to me! I am the true daughter of the Bennett family! What kind of stray mutt are you? Get out! Go die!] While thinking this, Chloe forced a smile onto her face. “Don’t think like that, sister. Why would I want you to leave? We’re family!” [What family? You bitch, get the hell out of the Bennett house! I am the true daughter!] Dad stared at Chloe in shock. The youngest daughter he had pampered for years was so two-faced. Sweet words on her lips, but a heart full of absolute poison. Dad looked at her intently, then sighed in deep disappointment. “Chloe, I hope you mean what you just said. But the mark on Harper’s face is still there. You need to remember this: we only treated you so well because you took Harper’s place. Even though we thought the orphanage made a mistake, everything you have was originally meant for Harper. We still acknowledged you as our daughter and treated you incredibly well. But now that Harper is back, she is our true biological daughter. She is the heiress of the Bennett family.” Dad delivered this speech in one breath, ignoring Chloe’s suddenly pale face. Looking exhausted, he pulled me away, saying he was going to find some ice for my cheek. He left Chloe standing behind us, screaming curses in her mind. [Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! Why? Why did everything change overnight? Why did Dad never care when I acted like this before?] [I am the heiress! I am! Who does this bitch think she is? I should have strangled her to death when they found her! Now she’s back here trying to steal my things! Bitch!] Dad’s footsteps faltered for a second, then he continued pulling me forward. 05 Whether Chloe liked it or not, I enrolled at Sterling Academy. We weren’t in the same class, but my mere presence was proof that Chloe was a fake heiress who had stolen my identity. Even before school officially started, rumors were flying everywhere. Chloe, who was used to being the center of attention, couldn’t handle the blow. To prove her status, she started finding every possible way to cause trouble for me. I coldly watched Chloe block my path on the first day of school, flanked by her thug boyfriend. “Chloe said you’ve been bullying her at home. You really think just because you’re back, you’re the boss now? Apologize to Chloe!” Chase swung a baseball bat around, acting tough, his lackeys echoing his demands from behind. I looked at Chase and sighed. “You’re standing up for Chloe, but do you know she’s sleeping with your lackey behind your back? You’ve got a whole forest of green horns growing on your head, and you’re still acting like the big man on campus.” I pointed at a lackey standing behind Chase, right next to Chloe. Chase’s face turned green. Chloe immediately started shrieking. “Harper, what the hell are you talking about?! Baby, don’t listen to her!” Chloe leaned weakly against Chase’s chest, looking like she was on the verge of tears. The lackey beside her quickly chimed in, “Yeah, boss! How could Chloe ever do something like that to you? You have to believe her! This bitch is obviously just making things up.” Chase glared fiercely and was about to speak when Chloe’s inner voice dropped like a bomb, stunning everyone around her: [What’s going on? How did Harper know about this? Did I not hide it well enough? Did Mike tell her?] Mike was the name of the lackey I had just pointed at. Chase wasn’t stupid; he immediately understood what was going on. He looked down at Chloe, who was still buried in his chest, oblivious to the fact that her inner thoughts were broadcasting loud and clear. [But you can’t really blame me, right? It’s not my fault Chase is terrible in bed. Not like Mike. He can go for over half an hour, and he’s way bigger and harder than Chase. Sigh, maybe I should hook up with him again this weekend?] Chase’s face grew darker and darker. Some of the lackeys couldn’t help but snicker. “Ch… Chloe, what did you just say?” Chase’s voice, grinding out every syllable, finally made Chloe realize he was interrogating her. The surrounding lackeys kept stealing glances at Chase’s crotch. Her face went pale as she tried to explain, but Chase violently shoved her away. Mike turned pale, glaring at Chloe for being an idiot. He was just about to run when Chase walked over to him. “Giving me a green hat, huh? Beat him!” “Wait… wait a minute! Boss, Chloe seduced me first! You can look at our texts! Chloe sent me those pictures first!” Mike trembling handed his phone to Chase. Chase snatched it, scrolled through it for a moment, then smashed the phone on the ground and walked menacingly toward Chloe. “Chloe, you’ve got some nerve, haven’t you? Did you really think I wouldn’t touch you?” Seeing him approach, Chloe scrambled backward into a corner, screaming at the top of her lungs: “You can’t touch me! I am the Bennett family heiress! The Bennetts won’t let you get away with this!” Chase laughed at this. “The Bennett heiress? You’re just a fake, and I’ve already fucked you. At most, I’ll force the Bennetts to marry you off to me. If I teach my cheating wife a lesson, do you think the Bennetts will say a damn thing?” Chloe obviously couldn’t outrun Chase. Just as his second punch was about to land, a voice rang out from behind us. 06 “You students over there! What do you think you’re doing?!” The Dean of Students rushed over furiously, leading a group of security guards. Chase glanced back, shoved Chloe—whose face was already swelling up like a balloon—aside, and fled with his lackeys. I hid my phone in my pocket, my mission accomplished. Since this was a huge incident, the parents obviously had to be called in. After all, Chloe was still nominally the Bennett heiress, and Chase’s family had some money, so the school couldn’t just sweep it under the rug. They called Mom. I don’t know exactly how it was handled, but that night when we got home, Mom was sitting on the living room sofa. Seeing me and Chloe walk in, her voice was ice-cold: “Chloe, get on your knees!” Chloe, sporting a face swollen like a pig, was completely confused. She was the one who got beaten up, and Mom was telling her to kneel? In Chloe’s mind, she was the Bennett heiress. Everyone was supposed to revolve around her. Her every frown or smile should tug at the Bennett family’s heartstrings. “Mom…” “I said, get on your knees!” Not daring to resist further, Chloe obediently knelt down. Mom stared at her coldly. It wasn’t until Chloe was sweating bullets that Mom finally spoke slowly. “Chloe, over the years, I’ve constantly asked myself if I’ve ever mistreated you or failed in my duties as a mother. Not just me—your father, your brother, every single one of us has held you in the palm of our hands. But what have you done? Even when Harper came back, we didn’t ask you to leave. Maybe we were wrong from the very beginning. A person who can seamlessly steal another person’s life without a shred of guilt will always be an ungrateful wretch.” Chloe didn’t understand why Mom was suddenly speaking so harshly. Seeing her confused look, Mom scoffed. She grabbed a stack of printed papers from the sofa next to her and threw them right in Chloe’s face. The papers flew everywhere, many landing on Chloe’s face. She reached out and caught one. They were all various chat logs from her phone, explicit photos, and messages cursing and insulting Mom. But that wasn’t the worst part. The worst part was that they detailed exactly how she had stolen my identity, how she had been secretly going to clinics over the years to look more like me, and how she had used the Bennett name to act like a tyrant outside, planting huge time bombs for our family.

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I was photographed going into a mansion with my younger brother, sparking a massive scandal that blew up the trending topics. My ex-boyfriend went absolutely insane. For every photo the internet sleuths dug up of me and my brother, my ex would stubbornly throw out another photo of us to compete. I’ve seen people clarify scandals, but I’ve never seen someone drop hammers on themselves. Netizens were screaming: What day is it? Is the A-list movie star having a lovesick meltdown on the main timeline? My ex tweeted one after another until the crowd finally had to beg him to stop—the tea was too hot, and they couldn’t drink it all. 1 My mom doesn’t have many hobbies, but she loves designing clothes. It just so happened that I had an empty schedule and my brother, Jace, had no gigs, so she called us both home for dinner. Because the security in our gated Beverly Hills community has always been incredibly strict, we didn’t think twice and just went home together. “Come here, come here! Look at these matching family outfits I made! One for each of us.” I looked at the clothes in front of me with a bit of disdain. A perfectly good Hermès shirt had been altered to look like a cheap knockoff. I patiently tried to reason with her. “Mom, embroidering a letter on an Hermès shirt doesn’t make it your design.” My dad immediately jumped to her defense. “What are you talking about? This letter is the pièce de résistance! One look and you know it’s something special.” I muttered under my breath, “You don’t put the cherry on top before you bake the cake.” My dad, the ultimate simp for my mom, glared at me. “If your mother tells you to wear it, you wear it. She spent days embroidering these. I’ll put mine on first.” He pulled the black shirt over his head. I have to admit, for a guy in his fifties who works out every day to stay in shape, he looked good in anything. My mom looked at him with starry eyes. “Honey, you look so handsome. I’m going to make you a few more.” Alright, two hopeless romantics unconditionally supporting each other. I held the shirt in my hands. “I’ll wear it tomorrow.” Seeing me refuse, Jace folded his up too. “I’ll wear mine tomorrow, too.” Early the next morning, I tried to sneak out, but both my parents were waiting in the living room. “Dad, aren’t you going to the office today?” “I’m packing some organic fruits and vegetables for you two to take back.” He had actually dug up a massive plot of land behind the mansion just to grow fruits and vegetables for us. He insisted fresh was best. I curled my lip. “It’s so heavy. Let Jace carry it.” As the housekeeper packed the bags, my dad nagged, “Take it all. Stop ordering takeout and make sure you eat properly. Look how skinny you two are.” My mom frowned. “Why haven’t you changed your clothes?” In the end, Jace carried two massive bags of produce, and the two of us headed back to the city wearing our matching “family” outfits. 2 Before we even reached the agency, Twitter was already blowing up. Paparazzi had camped outside our house all night and caught photos of Jace and me leaving together. [Daily Entertainment V: Top idol and rising actress spotted leaving a luxury mansion together! After a passionate night, the two emerged wearing matching couple’s outfits, carrying groceries and household items, looking very much like they’ve been living together for a while. Stay tuned for more details!] #JaceAndQuinnRomance was the number one trending topic. By the time I got to the agency, Jace’s sports car was already parked in the underground garage. Jace came over and opened my car door. “Quinn, the security guard who took a bribe to let them in has already been fired. How should we draft the joint statement? I’ll follow your lead.” I put on my sunglasses as my assistant pressed the elevator button. “The PR and legal teams are waiting upstairs. Let’s go up together.” As the story developed, the arguments online were getting fiercer. For an idol like Jace, the negative impact of a dating scandal was massive. His obsessive fans and “wife” fans were practically drowning me in spit. The narrative on Twitter was overwhelmingly against me, though he was definitely taking some heat too. They called me a seductress. Shameless. They called him blind and said he was throwing his career away. Yeah, it felt like they were mostly just attacking me. I’ve been in the industry for a long time, and Jace and I have always kept our true family background a secret. I even used our mother’s maiden name as my stage name. Honestly, the best way to resolve this was to reveal our true identities: we are full-blooded siblings. But if we did that, all our efforts to keep it a secret would be wasted. I looked over the PR team’s proposed strategies. Collaborating on a project, writing a song together, hanging out with mutual friends… I got a headache just looking at these overused excuses. I’ve been in the industry for so long without a single scandal. My team had never dealt with anything like this before. It looked like I needed a new PR team. Forget it. It was better to just tell the truth. “Quinn, it’s drafted. Waiting on you,” Jace said, his finger hovering over the ‘Tweet’ button, but he didn’t press it. “Quinn, Rowan Pierce is trending,” my assistant said, looking shocked as she handed me her phone. I looked at the screen. Rowan Pierce V: [She’s a tease, but she refuses to commit. Kid, you’re still young. Don’t let her fool you. Let me handle this one. @Jace] It was over. Complete chaos. We had just spent a fortune to suppress the trending topic about Jace and me, and the moment Rowan chimed in, Jace’s and my names shot right back to the top. I scrolled through the timeline. My image as a homewrecking siren was now firmly cemented in everyone’s minds, and the hate was getting worse. I grabbed Jace’s hand, stopping him from posting the clarification. “Wait a minute before you post.” When Rowan didn’t get a response from me, he actually posted several more tweets in rapid succession. Rowan Pierce V: [I didn’t mean it like that, please don’t misunderstand her. It’s because I was too busy and neglected her that she dumped me. It’s not her fault, it’s mine.] Rowan Pierce V: [I haven’t even been to your house, what right does he have?] Rowan Pierce V: [You like this type? Is it too late for me to sign up to be an idol?] Rowan Pierce V: [Which agency is looking for idols? The kind that can debut immediately. Please contact my assistant’s email: xxxxxx.] Twitter exploded. What was happening? The notoriously rational, A-list actor was losing his mind over love online? To his fans, Rowan Pierce had always been the epitome of a clear-headed professional. He hadn’t had a single scandal in his five years in the industry. The name Rowan Pierce represented rationality, low-key professionalism, and dedication. This was the first time anyone had associated Rowan Pierce with being “lovesick.” Many actresses had tried to ride his coattails, but he and his team were like internet watchdogs. The moment a rumor surfaced, they would clarify it within an hour. Fans joked that he was the only active celebrity in Hollywood who acted like a ghost—never appearing unless there was a rumor, and then instantly popping up to debunk it, as if he were allergic to women. 3 I was getting confused too. Rowan and I had fallen in love on set. It was the very first movie I filmed after entering the industry, called Autumn Whispers. We filmed for six months, completely entangled in a beautifully tragic romance. After we wrapped, he confessed his feelings to me. Coincidentally, my heart skipped a beat every time I saw him too. But after that movie, he transitioned to big-budget blockbusters. We were both busy with our careers. He was shooting movies; I was shooting TV shows. Often, he would send a message, and I wouldn’t reply until I finished work half a day later. Then he would reply half a day after that. We couldn’t even manage a five-sentence conversation in three days. As time passed, we rarely saw each other, and communication dwindled. He started acting like the aloof, unapproachable leading man he played in movies. My enthusiasm faded, and I broke up with him. I was definitely sad about the relationship ending, but not to the point of begging him to stay. Rowan’s career skyrocketed, he became more and more famous, and any actress associated with him would inevitably get attacked by fans. The only exception was Sloane Pierce, who was the only actress he hadn’t publicly distanced himself from after they were photographed having dinner together. To save myself some trouble, I wanted to stay as far away from him as possible. I was genuinely curious—what was the reason behind this crazy outburst? While I was watching Rowan lose his mind. Reliable internet sleuths had already pieced together Jace’s true identity from various clues. After all, he shared the same last name as my father, and once someone made the connection, the proof followed. Jace’s true identity hit the trending list again—Jace, son of real estate tycoon Marcus Thorne. A bonafide top-tier billionaire heir. Rowan Pierce V: [Is that it? Ever heard of the Pierce family? Apex Global’s Chairman, Arthur Pierce, is my father. If it’s money you’re looking for, I have more than that kid. Look at me.] In a single day, the entertainment industry had exposed two wealthy heirs. [I thought Jace’s identity was shocking enough, the son of the biggest real estate developer! Now Rowan actually steps forward and admits he’s the son of the Chairman of the multinational Apex Global? What right does Quinn have?! Is it just because of her face?] [Is this some kind of Cinderella story? Quinn is so damn lucky!] [Rowan Pierce has been in the industry for five years, his background a mystery, never appearing at public events outside of filming, and now he voluntarily exposes his identity! His dedication to pursuing her is real. I’m crying!] [Retweet this Quinn, and you too can be pursued by two billionaires.] A portion of the general public on the timeline had gone from hating me to envying me. Both Rowan and I were incredibly career-driven; at least, that’s what I believed until today. Besides acting, we were like ghosts in the entertainment industry. We didn’t do reality shows or attend galas. So, apart from our closest friends, almost no one in the industry knew we had dated. The netizens relentlessly continued digging. They actually dug up photos of Jace picking me up from school when we were kids. In the photo, Jace was waiting for me outside the school gates. As soon as I walked out, I tossed my backpack and uniform jacket to him, and Jace actually flashed a huge grin, trailing behind me and catching them. The Twitter timeline was bombarded non-stop for a whole day. The gossip consumers were practically stuffed. [To treat the young master of the Thorne family like that, how does Quinn have the nerve?] [Why does it feel like she has this sense of disdain toward the young master? Like she looks down on him.] Rowan Pierce V: [Isn’t that just a photo from childhood? I have one too.] Wow, truly a man who lives on the internet. Rowan posted a photo of me when I was about seven or eight at an amusement park. In the photo, I was handing a balloon to a little boy. Thinking back carefully, I remembered hearing a kid crying nearby. I was tired of playing with the balloon in my hand, and finding the crying boy annoying, I just shoved it at him. That crybaby was actually Rowan Pierce? 4 Fans also dug up that I was present at Jace’s 18th birthday party, standing right next to him in the group photo. Rowan Pierce V: [You met the parents at 18? So I was just the rebound?] The most explosive part came when Jace’s fans dug up a photo of the two of us walking down the street holding hands. In the photo, Jace was looking at me with absolute adoration, and from the camera’s angle, my body was practically leaning into his embrace. I looked at my pained expression in the photo and the bicycle nearby, trying to recall the memory. Wasn’t that when I rode my bike into a ditch and he came to pick me up? These gossip-hungry netizens! Was that adoration? He was laughing at me! I had sprained my ankle and could barely stand. He was supporting me to the car to take me to the hospital. If you’re asking why I was riding a bike… well, my persona in the entertainment industry was “the broke girl.” Of course, this wasn’t my idea; it was arranged by my agency. However, I gradually realized that with the “broke girl” persona, I didn’t have to rack my brains trying to outshine other actresses. I wouldn’t be the first choice for high-fashion galas or new product launches, which gave me a lot more free time. I was quite happy to play along. Rowan Pierce V: [You forced me to do this!] Rowan posted another photo, but the traffic was so intense that it broke as soon as it was posted. The image was unviewable the moment it went live. [Bro, stop posting. I’m afraid Twitter is going to crash.] [Stop it, bro. I don’t know if Twitter will crash, but I know your persona is shattered into a million pieces.] [Can someone tell me why this guy suddenly lost his mind today?] [Which adult hasn’t lost their mind? We’re all just barely holding it together.] [Am I the only one who wants to know if they really dated?] The fan comments were getting more and more ridiculous. I couldn’t let this escalate any further. I dialed that familiar number on my phone, having just pulled it out of my blocklist. I said softly: “Hello.” “Finally decided to call me?” I don’t know why, but I could hear the smile in his voice over the phone. Ever since I realized Rowan Pierce and the crybaby at the amusement park were the same person, his image in my heart was completely ruined. “Was your Twitter hacked?” “No, I posted them all. If you didn’t call me, I was going to post something even worse.” He sounded incredibly smug. I gritted my teeth: “Rowan, what do you want?” “Break up with him.” I was baffled: “We have nothing to do with each other anymore. What right do you have to order me around?” “I’m not ordering you around, I…” His tone softened: “Unblock me on iMessage, and we can talk this over slowly.” I pulled his contact out of my blocklist. Me: “Spit it out. How much money do you want to delete the tweets?” Rowan: “Do you think I need money?” Me: “Then what do you want?” Rowan: “Go on a reality show with me.” After all this fuss, just to get me to go on a reality show? I seriously wondered if he had been kicked in the head by a donkey. He sent me a poster on iMessage. It was a travel reality show. The first two seasons had already aired, but because the drama in the second season was too intense, the third season had been delayed for a long time. A five-day, slow-paced travel show. It could be seen as a way to relax, which was acceptable. Me: “I’ll go. Will you stop causing a scene?” Rowan: “Once you sign the contract, I’ll delete the tweets immediately.” Fine, I’ll go. 5 After arguing with Rowan for a while, Jace had fallen asleep next to me. My manager gently shook him awake: “Young Master Jace, wake up. The PR team has left.” He opened his eyes groggily and asked me: “Quinn, what about me? Are we still clarifying?” “Send out a legal notice first, stating the rumors are false. I’ll think about the rest later.” “Okay.” He nodded and saved his drafted tweet to his drafts. Suddenly, he called out: “Quinn, look at this. A reality show reached out to me.” Jace pushed his phone toward me. Wanderlust Vibes? Wasn’t this the show Rowan wanted me to do? Alright, this is how we’re playing? “Go. Everyone’s going.” I looked at Jace with amusement: “Don’t tell outsiders you’re my brother just yet.” I admit I had a little selfish motive. I wanted to see what Rowan was really up to. To be honest, I still liked him. After all, as someone who appreciates good looks, he was genuinely handsome. 6’2″, broad shoulders, narrow waist—he gave off a strong sense of security. He dressed with great taste, and although he seemed cold to others, he was a true gentleman. He was infinitely better than the sleazy male stars I’d seen in the industry over the years, and the guys who used their status to sleep around. If he truly wanted to get back together, I thought I would be happy. Regardless of the outcome of this trip, I would clarify my relationship with Jace when it ended. Being an idol was his dream, and I couldn’t be so selfish as to jeopardize his future. Just as I was feeling happy, I was tagged in a tweet. Wanderlust Vibes V: [A new season of travel is about to begin! Let’s all look forward to the sparks our new cast members will create! Rowan Pierce, Quinn Thorne, Sloane Pierce, Jace Thorne, Leo Brooks.] Why was Sloane Pierce there too! Back then, for my first TV drama with Rowan, the rumor was that Sloane was supposed to be the female lead. In the end, for some unknown reason, she was replaced by me right before shooting began. And then Sloane’s fans held a grudge against me, constantly claiming I stole their idol’s role. At the time, it was my first acting gig. I had zero fans and could only silently endure the hate. Later, I just stopped looking at the comments and focused on acting. After it aired, the show was a massive hit, and both Rowan and I blew up. I looked pretty good, my acting was natural, and it was watchable, so my status in the industry rose. When the show got popular, Sloane’s fans were even angrier, saying all of this should have been Sloane’s, and that everything I got was stolen from her. The entertainment industry treated Sloane and me as rivals, and our fanbases tore into each other constantly. But the truth was, we had never even met. Sure enough, the production team knew how to generate buzz. Sloane Pierce’s name also hit the trending list. For an entire morning, the trending list had been dominated by the four of us taking turns. 6 During this sensitive time, Jace and I didn’t dare go back to the mansion, so we just packed a few clothes at my small apartment. By the time we arrived at the hotel prepared by the production team, the journey had already begun. The production team had installed cameras and required us to do a live stream sharing our luggage before departure. To maintain my “broke girl” persona, I brought very few things, but they were all highly practical. I showed them off one by one: “This hanger is foldable. When you pull it open, you can hang clothes, towels, and even shoes.” “This collapsible kettle is very convenient for boiling water when you’re out, and it doesn’t take up much space in your suitcase.” “This is hot pot base, and some instant food. If we run out of money and can’t afford to eat, at least we won’t starve to death.” I thought it was going to be a normal pre-interview like previous seasons, since I had binge-watched the first two seasons before coming. Suddenly, the production team handed me a mission card. The producer explained: “This is a secret guardian mission. You need to complete your guardian mission on the first day without being discovered by the others. If you succeed, we’ll increase your travel budget.” The production team arranged a draw. Four envelopes were placed in front of me. I silently prayed in my heart: Please don’t let me draw Rowan. And please don’t let me draw Sloane. I didn’t know Leo well either, so that would be awkward. Please, please let me draw Jace! Just to be safe, I asked before opening it: “What if I draw someone who’s already been drawn?” “You protect whoever you draw. If all four people draw the same person, then you all protect that one person.” I opened the envelope in my hand. As soon as I pulled the card halfway out, I quickly shoved it back in. The producer reminded me: “You need to show it to the camera.” I asked desperately: “Can I see the other three?” “You may.” I flipped them over one by one: Jace, Sloane, Leo. I really was that unlucky. I revealed the card in my hand—Rowan Pierce. I watched helplessly as the comments flew by faster and faster on the live stream. [Good stuff. Love to see it. Chaos lovers are satisfied.] [This is so dramatic. I’m already looking forward to this trip.] [Am I also a part of their game?] [Just go on the trip. I won’t say a word.] To prevent the live stream from leaking secrets, everyone drew their cards privately. My mission was to make him drink three glasses of water in one day. I was doomed. When Rowan was filming before, he hated drinking water. He could go a whole day without a single sip. 7 The next day, the five of us gathered at the airport and flew abroad together. We met for the first time in the VIP lounge. When I arrived, Jace and Rowan were already sitting in the lounge, but they were seated very far apart. Seeing me walk in, Jace came over to take my suitcase: “Hi, Quinn.” I nodded politely: “Hello.” Rowan cleared his throat: “Long time no see.” “Yeah, long time no see.” Rowan took my suitcase from Jace’s hand and placed it next to his own. As if to cover up something, he also moved Jace’s two suitcases over. Leo walked in pushing his suitcase. A boy wearing a white button-down shirt. He wasn’t composed like Rowan, nor did he have Jace’s bad-boy charm. He had a fresh, sunny vibe. As soon as he walked in, he pulled out business cards from his pocket: “Hi Quinn, hi Jace, hi Rowan. I’m Leo Brooks, an actor and singer. I just graduated this year, so I’m Quinn’s junior. I’m an extrovert. If anyone needs help or heavy lifting, just call me.” Since yesterday’s trending topic, Jace had a new nickname—Young Master Jace. Leo watched as we put all our suitcases to the side, so he pushed his all the way to the back. After putting away his luggage, he sat down next to me: “Quinn, I’m such a huge fan of yours. Can we take a picture?” “It was because you applied to the Drama Academy that I wanted to be your junior. I’ve always looked up to you…” Saying that, he turned to look at Rowan and continued: “And Rowan is my role model. Autumn Whispers left such a deep impression on me.” “I actually have a still from back then here. Could you two sign it for me?” I could tell he was an extrovert! Because he was invading my introvert personal space, and he seemed to be enjoying it! I looked at the photo. It was supposed to be a backstage group photo, but it was cut by the director because our smiles were too sweet. In the photo, the two of us were leaning our heads together, making peace signs. At the time, we filmed from summer to winter. I was still a nobody actress. Before that movie, I had only shot a few commercials and had no real acting experience. But Rowan was already an established actor and had a lot of say on set. We were the male and female leads, but he had a huge dressing room with air conditioning, and when filming got tiring, he had an RV parked right outside the set. I could only sit on a small stool on set in the summer, using a handheld fan to cool down, and relying on heat packs to stay warm in the winter. At the time, acting was my dream. I stubbornly refused help from my family, insisting I wanted to build my career from scratch, just like my parents did. I was too competitive. I really didn’t want a single dime from my family. So when I shot my first movie, I was genuinely broke. That was the toughest period of my life. Fortunately, Rowan was there during that time. Once we got to know each other, Rowan wasn’t as aloof as he initially seemed. He would invite me to his dressing room for the AC, let me nap in his RV, stand on the shore with a towel and jacket waiting for me when I had to film scenes in the water, halt production when I accidentally got hurt to take me to a hospital miles away, and guide my emotions during our scenes together. The sound of rolling luggage interrupted my memories. “Ms. Pierce, I’m Leo. I’ll be working with you on my next project. Please take care of me.” I watched Sloane Pierce walk in. She was wearing a white suit and black sunglasses. She had short hair and looked chic, capable, and had a very strong aura. “Oh no.” But as soon as she made a sound, that aura shattered, and a look of panic crossed her face. The four suitcases she was pushing were veering off course, and she was clearly losing control of them. Seeing this, Jace and Leo rushed over to take them from her. Empty-handed, she walked towards me step by step in her high heels, took off her sunglasses, and extended her hand: “Hello, I’m Sloane Pierce. I’ve heard your name for a long time, and I’ve been wanting to meet you.” “Hello, Ms. Pierce. I’m Quinn Thorne.” “Yeah, I know who you are.” Saying that, she glanced in Rowan’s direction. I originally thought meeting Sloane would be tense and awkward. After all, before yesterday, she was the only woman whose name appeared in trending topics alongside Rowan without being immediately debunked. But her initiative surprised me. However, looking at the dozen or so cameras in front of us, I figured I understood. “You go first.” “You go first.” “You go first.” Jace said straightforwardly: “I’ll go first.” He pulled out a card and opened the envelope: “No need to be polite, everyone. I’m the tour guide for the first stop.” 8 Jace took the mission card and read it aloud: “The hotel and dinner for the first stop have been provided by the production team. The initial budget is $500. The tour group can earn more travel funds by completing missions during the trip. If a mission fails, the initial budget remains. There is one mission per day.” He flipped the mission card in his hand: “Alright, brothers and sisters, you can now board the plane and begin your journey. Have a great trip.” Jace looked at the envelope in his hand: “$500? For two days? For five people? And we have to book hotels and restaurants? How is this going to be a ‘great trip’?” Since Jace’s identity as a wealthy heir had been exposed, everyone understood his reaction. I patted his shoulder: “Then we’ll just have to earn more money. Anyway, the hotel and restaurant for today are already sorted by the production team, so at least we won’t starve tonight. We’ll figure it out as we go.” Since we were already here, we had to just go with the flow. When the plane landed, our destination was a tropical coastal city. It was 11:00 PM when we arrived at the airport. Knowing it would be hot, I had already changed into a tube top and a short skirt in the lounge, but a wave of heat still hit me the moment we stepped outside. As we exited the airport, Rowan draped a jacket over my shoulders. I looked back at him. He acted like nothing had happened. I remembered the guardian mission. Could he have drawn me? I politely said thank you. For the sake of the travel budget, I’d endure it. By the time we got to the hotel, I was sweating profusely. Because it was a budget travel theme, there were only two rooms. Sloane hooked her arm through mine: “Then it’s boys in one room, girls in the other. Quinn and I will take the smaller one, and you three can take the bigger one.” Luckily, it was a room with two twin beds, so it wasn’t a big deal. Sloane smiled at me: “Is that okay, Quinn?” “Yeah, no problem.” “It’s just… them?” I turned to look at the three men. Rowan and Jace’s faces were darker than the other’s. Leo smiled as he pushed his suitcase: “Rowan, Jace, I’ll do missions to earn money tomorrow.” I checked my watch, then looked at the water glasses in the kitchen. We had ten minutes until midnight, and I still hadn’t completed my guardian mission. Looking at the situation! I gritted my teeth. I poured the bottled water provided by the hotel into glasses: “Let’s celebrate arriving safely!” I placed five glasses in front of us, and everyone raised them to toast. As soon as we finished, I refilled them: “Here’s to a smooth trip!” The five of us toasted again and downed the water. Running out of things to toast to, I braced myself and filled them one last time: “Let’s have one more!” Sloane didn’t raise her glass. She waved her hand: “I can’t. If I drink anymore, I’ll be bloated tomorrow.” Jace whispered: “I really need to use the bathroom. Honestly, I’ve been holding it in for a while.” “Quinn, if I drink this glass, I won’t be able to sleep tonight. I’ll drink it when I wake up tomorrow. Thanks, Quinn.” Leo quickly went out the door to help move our luggage. Only Rowan and I were left in the living room. I checked my watch. Two minutes left. I had no other choice. I forced myself to ask: “Are you going to drink it?” Rowan smirked: “Will you keep me company?” I looked at that huge glass of water: “Deal!” We clinked glasses and stared at each other. I checked my watch. 20 seconds left, and he still had half a glass. I chugged mine and turned the glass upside down. Refusing to lose, he downed his in one breath as well. Thank goodness, mission accomplished. We should have a bit more money tomorrow.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “421046”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

On my best friend’s 22nd birthday, she was harassed by a drunkard. As a Taekwondo black belt, I stepped in to protect her and accidentally killed the man. But in court, she refused to testify on my behalf. I was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to three years in prison. When I was finally released, I discovered that my best friend had married my boyfriend—and they already had a two-year-old daughter. They even conspired to marry me off to her abusive, divorced older brother. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the exact day of my best friend’s 22nd birthday. 1 One second I was getting into a fatal car crash due to my deteriorating mental state, and the next, I opened my eyes to find myself sitting in my own bedroom. Looking at the date on my phone, I confirmed that I had indeed traveled back three years in time. I was back on the day of Mia’s 22nd birthday. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. To attend the birthday dinner of the girl who had been my best friend since middle school, I had spent hours meticulously dressing up. There were two unread messages on my phone. One was from Mia. She sent a location pin, followed by a voice memo. I tapped it, and her sickeningly sweet voice played. “Hey bestie, I booked this restaurant. Don’t go to the wrong place!” The other message was from my boyfriend, Caleb. [Harper, are you ready? I’m almost at your place.] I rolled my eyes internally. In my past life, I thought they just didn’t interact much. Hearing people joke that a girl’s best friend is like a second mother-in-law, I had even pitched in my own money to buy Mia an expensive designer necklace under Caleb’s name, hoping they would get along well. Who knew that by the time I got out of my three-year prison sentence, their child would already be two years old? Doing the math, she was already pregnant with his baby right now. Fighting the urge to curse them both out, I texted Mia back. [Bestie, I accidentally sprained my ankle and need to go to the urgent care. I’m so sorry I have to miss your birthday. I’ll make it up to you later!] My family was much wealthier than Mia’s, and she had milked me for countless perks over the years, which was why she always acted so obedient and sweet to my face. She quickly sent back a barrage of concerned voice memos. I didn’t click on them. I was afraid hearing her sugary voice would literally make me throw up. I then texted Caleb: [I’m not feeling well. Just go without me.] Before he could reply, I put his notifications on Do Not Disturb. I looked back at the gifts on my bed. The necklace was supposed to be from Caleb, and the designer bag was my gift to her. Neither of them were styles I actually liked. So, I grabbed both bags and went straight to the boutiques to return them. 2 After returning the luxury goods, I casually opened Instagram. I immediately saw Mia’s new post. She was wearing a white princess dress, holding a massive bouquet, and surrounded by gifts, looking like absolute royalty. And my boyfriend, Caleb, was standing right next to her. He was leaning in toward her slightly. To anyone else, at first glance, they looked exactly like a couple. “Absolute trash!” I met Mia back in middle school. She came from an ordinary background. While the rest of us were still in our awkward, unpolished phases, she was delicate, fair, and soft-spoken. She captured the hearts of countless teenage boys. But with admiration comes envy. One day after school, she was cornered in an alley by a group of mean girls because the guy their leader liked had a crush on Mia. I was sickly as a kid, so my parents enrolled me in martial arts to build my strength. I only meant to get some exercise, but it turned out I was a natural. Even at a young age, I rarely lost a spar. Seeing Mia getting bullied, I jumped in and chased the mean girls off with a few quick moves. Before running away, they yelled at me, “Harper Hayes, you’ll pay for this!” I put my hands on my hips and yelled back, “Bring it on! My brother is Asher Sterling from the high school section!” I turned around and pulled a tearful, trembling Mia up from the ground. After that, despite our completely opposite personalities, we became best friends. Later, she asked me why my brother and I had different last names. I chewed on my yogurt straw, looking up at Asher’s photo at the top of the school’s honor roll, unsure how to explain that Asher lived with us because his parents had passed away. Seeing my hesitation, Mia gave me a playful smile. “I won’t pry into rich family secrets. But,” she paused, pointing at Asher’s photo, “you wouldn’t mind if I tried to date your brother, right?” 3 I didn’t understand it back then. Only after being reborn did I realize that from that very moment, Mia had been consciously trying to steal what was mine. If I bought new clothes, she’d borrow them. If I had a new book, she’d take it to read. She’d go out of her way to network with my friends. She even tried to pursue my brother… I was too young and naive to tell a real friend from a snake. Knowing Mia wanted to date Asher, I specifically ran to tell him. Asher listened, then glanced up at me. “Harper, where’s your ID?” I was confused but pulled it out of my bag. “Right here.” He scoffed lightly. “Do me a favor and look at your age. For the next three years, even looking at a boy counts as underage dating.” Asher was three years older than me. I was a freshman, he was a senior. He had lived with us since he was ten. At first, I loved hanging out with him. Having a ridiculously handsome older brother was a huge flex for a middle school girl. But as we grew older, I started to feel like he was made of stone. He was calm, rational, and as cold as a frozen lake. Even as a teenager, he was incredibly mature and rarely showed emotion. My dad always praised him, saying he was destined for greatness. Yet, this always-calm Asher was the one who, in my past life, cried with red-rimmed eyes countless times after I was sent to prison. 4 Maybe I was just an idiot in my past life, always letting Mia have her way. Now that her personal ATM hadn’t shown up to her birthday, the gifts she posted online looked significantly less impressive than the ones from previous years. Not long after her post went up, she tried to FaceTime me. I ignored it. I checked the time. By now, they should be done with dinner and moving on to the second part of the night at the downtown VIP lounge. In my past life, I was the one who footed that massive lounge bill. By the time we left the club, it was very late. The other friends left in their Ubers, and Mia was standing on the curb waiting for her ride when a drunk man lunged at her, hugging her and groping her inappropriately. Caleb and I had just pulled our car around. We saw Mia being dragged around, her clothes getting torn. It was a secluded spot, out of sight of the bouncers. The drunk man had a few buddies with him, all laughing lewdly. Seeing my friend being assaulted, I jumped out of the car and sprinted over. I pulled Mia behind me, and the drunk tried to swing at me. I used my martial arts training to throw him over my shoulder. Seeing this, his drunk friends swarmed me. Fighting off three or four grown men was a struggle, but Caleb acted like he was completely blind, hiding in the car and refusing to come out. In the chaos, desperate to break free, I couldn’t control my strength and kicked one of the men. He fell backward, his head slamming into the concrete, and passed out. A passerby called 911, and we were all taken to the police station. We later learned that the man died from severe cranial trauma. My family hired the best defense lawyers in the city, but there were no security cameras in that alley. The only witnesses were us and the drunkards. It was clear-cut self-defense. But in court, the girl I had treated with my whole heart, Mia, stood on the stand and said: “The man had already stopped harassing me. Harper misread the situation and thought I was still being attacked…” Even though my family spent a fortune, I was still sentenced to three years in prison. My parents aged decades overnight. Asher, usually so composed, looked at me with bloodshot eyes. “Harper, don’t be afraid. I’ll be right here with you.” 5 Later, when I was locked behind bars, Mia came to visit me. She cried beautifully, looking so pitiful, as if she were the one who had suffered a massive injustice. “I’m so sorry, Harper. I was just too scared…” Just like she had done countless times before when she made a mistake, she put on her helpless, innocent act. “You’ll forgive me, right?” Forgive? I wanted to tear her to pieces. I spent three years in that cell. It took three whole years for my hatred to simmer down to a dull ache. But the moment I was released, I was hit with the news: my best friend Mia had married my boyfriend, Caleb, and they had a two-year-old child. Did I hate them? Yes! Did I resent them? Yes! So, being reborn, I was going to stand safely on the sidelines and watch them get ripped apart by fate. I sat quietly at home, waiting for that moment to arrive. At 1:30 AM, my phone rang. It was Caleb. I knew exactly what this was about. I answered the call. Caleb was panting heavily, the background noise loud and chaotic. He sounded frantic: “Harper… you need to come to the police station right now. Mia is in trouble.” The show was about to begin. 6 When I arrived, the police station was pure chaos. Crying, cursing, officers yelling, and the wail of sirens outside all blended together. Normally, I would find this kind of noise grating. But right now, it sounded like an absolute symphony. This background noise was the final proof that I had entirely rewritten my life. I had completely escaped the tragedy of my past life and started a brand new chapter. Wearing cute leather boots and holding my designer purse, I bypassed the crowd and walked right up to Caleb. He looked like a mess. His lip was busted, and his shirt was torn. He was sitting with his head down. Hearing my footsteps, he looked up. The very first thing out of his mouth was: “Why didn’t you come to Mia’s birthday party tonight?!” I paused. Since when did Caleb have the guts to interrogate me like this? I tilted my head and looked at him. “Would my being there have changed anything?” In my past life, seeing Mia assaulted, my first instinct was to risk my life to save her. Meanwhile, Caleb—my boyfriend and the guy who was secretly sleeping with her—hid in the car and refused to come out. His excuse later was that he was busy calling 911 from the car. But the truth was, a random bystander had called the police. Perhaps provoked by my calm tone, he stood up abruptly, glaring at me fiercely. “You’re a black belt! When we went out before and ran into creeps, you fought them off! If you were there this time…” “So if I was there this time, I would be the one getting harassed, assaulted, and potentially catching a manslaughter charge, and you wouldn’t have to be sad right now? Is that it?” Caleb froze, his arrogant anger deflating instantly. He looked at me in utter disbelief. “You… you know about us, don’t you?” 7 I offered a sweet smile. “What do you think?” I didn’t want to waste another breath on him. I turned and followed a female officer to see Mia. She looked infinitely worse than Caleb. Her clothes were shredded, and the officer had to give her a jacket to cover herself. She sat on a cot, curled into a ball. Her expensive salon curls were a tangled mess. Her eyes were red. Because she was so pale, any bruises or scratches on her skin looked horrifyingly vivid. She sat there crying, looking like the epitome of a fragile victim. The female officer explained the situation to me. After Mia and her friends left the club, they were cornered by drunk men who dragged Mia into an alley. Caleb only rushed over to help after he had called the police and found security. Caleb had picked up a brick and smashed it into a guy’s head. The drunk man was currently lying in the ICU, fighting for his life. When the officer finished, Mia looked up at me, her voice incredibly weak. “Harper…” Instead of rushing forward to hug her like I would have in the past, I stayed rooted to my spot. She looked confused. The female officer, sensing the tension and assuming we needed to talk, quietly stepped out of the room. “Why are you standing so far away?” Mia asked. My expression remained neutral. “I just came to check on you. There’s nothing I can actually do to help. Now that I know you’re alive, I’m going home. It’s late.” I was being polite. The truth was, I just came to enjoy the show. Mia’s face changed. Her disbelief was laced with a hint of accusation. “Harper, what is that supposed to mean? Aren’t we friends? I’m sitting here traumatized, and you’re acting this cold? I never thought you were this kind of person.” “And I never thought you were your kind of person either,” I cut her off directly. “I treated you like a real friend. But you? Have you ever, even for a second, treated me like one?” Mia froze. “What… what do you mean?” “Exactly what it sounds like.” 8 I had no desire to argue with them. I said it already: I was just here to watch them burn. In my past life, this night was the beginning of my nightmare. After I accidentally pushed that man, my parents rushed to the station. My mother, who had lived her entire life with grace and elegance, collapsed on the floor sobbing at the news that I might go to prison. Both my parents aged overnight. While I was in custody and my parents were crying outside, Mia—the girl I had saved—stood quietly in a corner and didn’t offer my parents a single word of comfort. Caleb stayed by Mia’s side, gave my parents a half-hearted generic apology, and then left the station with Mia. Looking back, they probably didn’t even go back to their dorms that night. They probably went to a hotel. And I became the ultimate sacrificial lamb. But tonight, in this reborn life, I looked at my phone. In the family group chat with my mom, dad, and Asher, my parents had posted photos of their romantic dinner date before going to sleep. Their faces were radiant with happiness. In this life, I was going to hold onto my happiness with an iron grip. As I turned to walk out of the police station, Mia and Caleb’s parents were just rushing in. We brushed past each other. They looked back at me, probably wanting to ask me something, but the police ushered them inside. I stood outside the station and looked back at the chaotic building. Every ounce of pain I suffered in my past life, I was going to make them repay it a thousand times over in this one. 9 The news that Mia was dragged into an alley by drunkards spread through the entire college campus by the next evening. When I went to class the next day, a group of girls nearby were whispering frantically. I turned around curiously. “What are you guys looking at?” The girls exchanged nervous glances, hesitant to speak. I thought for a second. “Is it about Mia?” Their faces shifted, and they nodded. One girl who I was decently close with brought her phone over and sat next to me. “Harper, we know you’re close with Mia. We were afraid this video would upset you, so we didn’t want to show you.” “What video?” She held her phone out. It was a video shot secretly from a window above the alley next to the club. It showed Mia being dragged into the dark by a group of men, her white princess dress torn and tossed into the street. The video was blurry, so you couldn’t see exactly what was happening. But the girl’s screams and the men’s lewd laughter were enough to imply exactly what was going on. I frowned after watching it. Yes, I wanted revenge on Mia and Caleb, but I was deeply disgusted by anyone who would leak a video of a woman being assaulted. Seeing my displeased expression, the girl quickly paused the video. “We don’t know who posted it. It started spreading everywhere last night. Yesterday was Mia’s birthday, you were there, right?” Everyone knew Mia and I were best friends. Mia was the gorgeous star of the art department. With her perfect looks, she was famous across campus. A lot of rich kids pursued her, and she cycled through boyfriends constantly. Because of her arrogant attitude, she had offended a lot of people. Now that this video was out, all the people who secretly hated her were kicking her while she was down. I lowered my eyes. “I wasn’t there. I don’t know the exact details of what happened.” Even though I despised the person who leaked the video, I would never forget what Mia’s actions cost me in my past life. I would never forgive her. After a pause, I told the girls, “Going forward, if you have gossip about Mia, you don’t need to censor yourselves around me. We are no longer associated with each other.” Former best friends suddenly severing ties—the drama of it would give them something to gossip about for a long time. 10 Neither Caleb nor Mia showed up to classes that day. After sending Caleb a breakup text, I immediately blocked both of their numbers and social media accounts. Knowing them, they would definitely try to harass me later. I guess I had been way too naive and generous to them over the years. After my afternoon classes, I went straight home. In my past life, while I was in prison, my parents cried every day. Our family business plummeted, and everything was held together solely by Asher. Even though I texted them saying I was coming home for dinner, my heart still pounded as I stood at the front door. After giving myself a pep talk, I rang the doorbell. Our penthouse had a gorgeous view of the river. The door opened. Our housekeeper was setting the table, my dad was watching the news on the sofa, and my mom opened the door. Her eyes curved into a brilliant smile when she saw me. “There’s our Harper!” I thought I had mentally prepared myself not to show too much emotion. But seeing this warm, domestic scene, and looking at my gentle, radiant mother standing right in front of me, I couldn’t hold it back. Huge tears rolled down my cheeks. My mom panicked immediately when she saw me cry. “Oh honey, what’s wrong? Did someone bully you at school?” To them, I had just been away at college for a few days. But to me, it had been three agonizing years since I last felt the warmth of my family. 11 At the dinner table, my parents kept piling food onto my plate. As we chatted, they suddenly brought up Asher. “By the way, your brother should be coming back soon.” My chopsticks paused. After high school, Asher chose to study abroad at Stanford. He co-founded a tech startup with some classmates, and according to my dad, it was incredibly successful. In my past life, he was originally scheduled to come back around this time too. But because I got arrested, he dropped everything and rushed back, only making it in time to see me sentenced in court. This time, I didn’t get arrested. According to his original plan, he should be back within a week or two. Honestly, in my past life, my relationship with Asher had gotten a little strained. During my sophomore year of college, Caleb started pursuing me, and we started dating. We were holding hands at the mall one day when Asher bumped into us. He pulled me aside with a dark expression and told me I wasn’t allowed to date. I thought he was just trying to pull a strict-parent routine on me, and I got annoyed. “You said dating before eighteen was off-limits! I’m almost twenty now, why do you care?!” “I’m your older brother!” “You’re not even my real brother!” Because of that argument, I started avoiding him. By then, he had already gotten his acceptance letter to Stanford. He was busy leaving early and coming home late. Even if we crossed paths, I would puff out my cheeks and walk the other way. Right up until the day he flew out, I was still giving him the cold shoulder over the Caleb incident. The next time we saw each other, I was on my way to prison. Thinking back to my past life, he ran himself ragged trying to help my case. The usually impeccably clean and polished Asher had grown a messy stubble, and his beautiful eyes were completely bloodshot. Not blood-related, but better than blood. After dinner, I went to my room and pulled out my phone. My chat history with him stopped over two years ago, right around the time he left the country. I stared at the screen, trying to figure out how to apologize and break the ice. But my finger slipped and accidentally tapped the voice call button. I panicked and dropped the phone. I scrambled to pick it up, only to realize he had already answered. A crisp, cool male voice came through the speaker: “Hello?” I froze, completely terrified to speak. Asher called out again: “Harper Hayes.” Hearing that familiar voice, my nose stung, and when I finally spoke, my voice cracked. “I’m here.” He seemed to catch the tears in my voice. His tone lost its icy edge, rippling like a calm lake disturbed by a stone. “What’s wrong? What happened?” I sniffled. I looked at my desk, where a framed photo of us from childhood sat. I was looking at the camera, and the young teenage boy was looking at me. So, I opened my mouth, and across the Pacific Ocean, crossing multiple time zones, I delivered the truest words in my heart: “Asher, I miss you.” 12 As soon as I said it, I was so embarrassed I practically threw my phone across the room. Asher’s parents and my parents were close family friends. When my parents’ business went under years ago and all our relatives shut their doors on us, Asher’s parents were the only ones who helped. When Asher was ten, his parents’ business ran into trouble, and they died in a tragic car accident. My parents rushed to the Sterling estate and took Asher away from the aggressive debt collectors. When he first moved into our house, Asher refused to speak and refused to eat. My parents were at their wits’ end. I was the one who followed him around constantly, coaxing him and bothering him until he finally opened his mouth. And the very first thing he ever said to me was: “Can you be quiet for five minutes?” When I was little, I called him brother. As I grew up and realized we didn’t share the same parents, I called him “brother” when I was happy, and his full name when I was mad. During puberty, when all the other girls were swooning over boys at school, I shamefully realized I was blushing over Asher. But once I realized it, I mentally slapped myself. Harper Hayes, have some shame! He was forced to live under your roof due to a tragedy, and you’re having dirty thoughts about him?! Later, as I learned more about biology, I realized it was completely normal to develop crushes on the opposite sex during puberty. I slowly got over it, though sometimes I would still stare at him and randomly blurt out, “Wow, you’re really good-looking.” Anyway, if it wasn’t for Caleb, Asher and I would have always had a great relationship. 13 For several days, Mia and Caleb didn’t show up to classes. But their scandal had already become campus legend. Mia used to be so flashy and arrogant. Now that she had fallen, everyone she ever bullied was having a field day. When I walked into the lecture hall, people were whispering. When they saw me, they exchanged looks and quieted down. I sat down. A guy sitting in front of me, who I usually got along with, turned around. “Harper, I heard you and Mia had a falling out?” I hummed in confirmation. He asked, “What happened?” I couldn’t exactly tell him that Mia ruined my life and sent me to prison in a past life. While I hesitated, a girl next to me chimed in: “What else? She finally saw Mia’s true colors.” That one sentence opened the floodgates. Everyone started chiming in with their own grievances about Mia. “I lived in the same dorm as Harper, so I know best. Every time Mia had a date, she would come take Harper’s clothes and bags. I never saw her return them properly. If she did, they smelled like hotpot or had stains on them.” “Not just clothes and bags, but expensive skincare too! Harper is too nice, she’d buy two of everything and just give Mia one. Mia took it like she was entitled to it, but I never once saw her buy Harper anything.” “I could tell Mia was manipulative from day one. Smiling to your face, playing the gentle angel with everyone, but who knows what she’s doing behind your back.” “Also, I don’t know if you guys noticed, but Mia loved stealing people’s things…” … Everyone eagerly listed out all the little toxic things Mia had done over the years. Human nature is like that. The tiny, annoying details you previously brushed off suddenly compound into an avalanche at a specific tipping point. Since I met Mia in middle school, I had always viewed her as an underdog who needed help. I accommodated her. Her family wasn’t wealthy, but she was vain, so whenever I bought luxury skincare, I bought her a set too. When we went shopping, I always paid. I had gotten so used to it over the years, but hearing everyone say it out loud made me realize how grotesquely unequal our relationship was. In my friendship with Mia, I was always giving, and she was always taking. Give an inch and they take a mile. At some point, Mia must have developed a twisted resentment toward me and decided she wanted to steal my life. At first, she said she wanted to date Asher. When that failed, she pivoted and said she “wished she had an older brother like him.” So, on weekends, I would invite her over to play. Asher would be reading in his study, and she would constantly go in to bother him. She would call him “Asher-gege” in this breathy, sweet voice. At the time, Asher had just finished his high school exams and was studying college-level material. Hearing Mia call him that, he coldly looked up from his book. “I only have one sister.” Then, ignoring the incredibly awkward Mia standing there, he grabbed his backpack and left the house. I actually yelled at Asher for being rude and cold back then. Looking back now, Asher was a master at detecting toxic girls from a very young age. 14 On the fifth day after the incident, I ran into Caleb outside my dorm building. He was wearing a baseball cap and a mask, clearly aware that he was at the center of a massive scandal. I didn’t notice him at first until I walked right past him. He grabbed my arm out of nowhere, scaring the life out of me. He put a finger to his lips. “It’s me.” My lip twitched. “I yelled because it’s you.” A passerby glanced over at us. Caleb quickly lowered his head, terrified of being recognized. “Can we go somewhere private to talk?” Having learned my lesson in my past life, I was genuinely afraid he was going to drag me to a secluded spot and hit me over the head with a pipe. I laughed dryly and pushed his hand off. “No need.” Before blocking him, I had sent a clear breakup text to ensure he got the message. I figured he’d be smart enough to understand, but I underestimated how shameless he was to actually show up at my dorm. Seeing me try to leave, he grabbed me again. “Harper, you can’t just dump me like this! I know what happened with Mia looks bad to you, but you can’t put all the blame on me. Back then, when we had a fight, Mia texted me every single day to comfort me. That’s why it happened. Now that I’m in serious trouble, you can’t just abandon me…” Classic cheater logic. His first instinct wasn’t to admit he was wrong, but to blame everyone else. I laughed out of pure anger, turning to look at him with absolute disgust. “Caleb, I never realized how utterly pathetic you are until today!” I struggled to pull away, but Caleb, realizing he had nothing left to lose, physically tried to drag me away. People were staring, but no one stepped in to help. Just as I was about to unleash my martial arts, a tall, lean silhouette stepped in. He grabbed my hand, then locked his fingers around Caleb’s wrist. With a slight squeeze, Caleb grimaced in pain and let go of me. He pulled me behind him. I looked up and saw his profile. It was Asher! He glared fiercely at Caleb. “I warned you to stay away from her over two years ago, didn’t I?” Asher’s aura was entirely too intimidating, and with the crowd forming around us, Caleb tucked his tail between his legs and ran away like a coward. Asher turned around and met my awestruck gaze. It was getting chilly. He was wearing a long black trench coat, looking devastatingly handsome. I was still completely mesmerized by how good he looked when, the next second, he flicked my forehead hard with his knuckles. “Is dating fun?” I covered my forehead, glaring at him. This guy held grudges for way too long.

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The boyfriend I had been dating for a year turned out to be a married father! When his actual wife came crashing into my life, the realization hit me like a slap to the face, leaving me completely stunned. If you deceive me, you have to pay the ultimate price. 01 I had been dating Carter for a year. He traveled out of town for work frequently, but when he was around, he treated me like gold. Even my parents said he was a reliable man I could trust my future with. But lately, I noticed something was off. His “business trips” were getting longer and more frequent. He’d only come to see me every two or three days, and whenever we did meet, all he wanted to do was sleep. At first, I didn’t think much of it. I just assumed work was stressful and wanted to be an understanding girlfriend. But tonight, I accidentally spotted a scratch on his arm. A woman’s intuition told me it wasn’t just a normal scratch. Carter didn’t notice my suspicion. The moment he walked through the door, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “Mia, I missed you so much these past few days.” I played the part of the sweet girlfriend, massaging his shoulders while casually asking, “How did your arm get scratched?” He clearly hadn’t expected the question. His eyes darted away for a second before he quickly pulled me toward the bedroom. “Oh, it’s nothing. Accidentally scraped it on a pen at the office. Let’s go to bed.” He practically lunged at me. I put a hand to his chest to stop him. “It’s my time of the month. I’m not feeling well.” I thought he would be concerned, but instead, a flash of annoyance crossed his face. “Then when can we? Mia, we’ve been dating for over a year.” “When we get married, of course,” I answered with a playful smile. It was true. Despite dating for a year, I was very traditional. Carter and I hadn’t actually crossed that final physical line yet. But Carter always seemed incredibly impatient about it. Today, it looked like he had reached his limit. A dark cloud of anger settled over his features. “Mia, I respect you, but you need to be a little considerate of me too, right?” I was appalled. He had been disappearing on “business trips” constantly, yet no matter how late he came back, I would force myself to stay awake and cook for him. Whatever he needed, I provided. Wasn’t that considerate enough? Seeing he was genuinely upset, I tried to lighten the mood. “Then how about you take me to meet your parents in a few days? Let’s make things official.” Carter’s expression instantly shifted. His anger vanished, and he just put his arm around me and lay down to sleep. But my gut was screaming that something was terribly wrong. 02 Carter and I met through work. His office was close to mine. One night, after a brutal shift of overtime and a harsh scolding from my boss, I walked out of my building feeling miserable, only to be met with a torrential downpour. That was when Carter appeared with an umbrella, a warm smile on his face. “Careful, miss. You don’t want to catch a cold.” Later, as we walked toward the subway, I twisted my ankle in my heels. He actually offered to carry me all the way home. I was fresh out of college, struggling alone in a big city. Working late every night was draining, and Carter was one of the few people who genuinely seemed to care about me. Maybe that was the moment my heart fluttered. Later, he got my number, asked me out, and we naturally fell into a relationship. His monthly income was pretty low, so I basically paid for all of our living expenses. But throughout the year, he took such meticulous care of me that he even won my parents’ approval. I still remembered what Carter said to me early on, looking a bit embarrassed. “Mia, don’t worry. I promise I’ll give you a great life in the future.” He told me his job was demanding and that we might not have much time together. I told him I understood. But lately, that time was shrinking to almost nothing. And every time we met, all he wanted was to get into my pants. Ding. My phone lit up with a message from my best friend, Chloe. It was a photo. In the picture, Carter was holding hands with a strange woman at a shopping mall. They were laughing and chatting intimately. Chloe: “Mia, I just took this at the mall. I think Carter is seeing someone else. You’re being played!” Fighting the sickening feeling in my chest, I texted her back, trying to comfort myself. “Carter told me he has an older sister. Maybe it’s just her.” 03 The next day, Chloe dragged me out for tacos and margaritas. The restaurant was right near that same shopping mall. As soon as we ordered, Chloe activated her inner detective. “Seriously, Mia, aren’t you worried he’s scamming you? That woman looked absolutely nothing like him.” Meaning, it definitely wasn’t his sister. I took a bite of my taco, the spicy salsa hitting my tongue as I mumbled, “Don’t worry. Carter treats me so well. He doesn’t seem like the type to cheat.” Chloe sighed heavily. “Tsk. Women in love are blind.” But I was slapped with reality very quickly. Maybe the salsa was too spicy, because my stomach suddenly cramped. “Chloe, my stomach is killing me. I’m gonna run to the restroom.” I grabbed my phone and hurried out. About fifteen minutes later, I washed my hands and walked out of the restroom. Suddenly, I felt a slight bump against my leg. I looked down. A toddler, maybe two or three years old, had fallen onto his bottom and was staring up at me with tearful, pouty eyes. He was wearing an adorable cartoon onesie, looking like a little dumpling. I squatted down to help him up. “Auntie, I can’t find my daddy,” he sniffled, getting ready to burst into tears. I quickly patted his back. “Don’t cry, sweetie. I’ll help you find your daddy.” The little boy stopped crying and looked up at me blankly. In that split second, I froze. There was something incredibly familiar about this kid’s face, but I couldn’t put my finger on who he looked like. I mentally scrolled through everyone I knew, but drew a blank. Just as I took two steps with him, a woman blocked my path. “Excuse me, miss. This is my son.” Even though the woman was wearing heavy makeup, it couldn’t hide the exhaustion and the toll life had taken on her face. But I recognized her instantly. She was the exact same woman from the photo Chloe sent me yesterday. “Miss?” The woman waved a hand in front of my face. I swallowed the strange, sinking feeling in my chest and forced a smile. “Your son wandered off. We were just talking about going to find his dad.” Hearing that, the little boy threw himself into the woman’s arms and started whining again. “Mommy, why isn’t Daddy here yet?” The woman hastily thanked me and hurried away with her son in her arms. Driven by a gut instinct I couldn’t explain, I followed them. I watched the woman strap the child into a family SUV, but I couldn’t catch any other clues. Two days later, Carter returned from his “business trip.” 04 He had clearly been drinking. The stench of alcohol hit me the moment he opened the door. I walked over to help him onto the couch. He immediately started complaining, “Mia, you’re the best. You never lose your temper with me.” It was true. Carter and I rarely fought because I always tried to be understanding about his work stress. I paid for our rent and daily expenses, and I even gave him cash gifts on holidays. But as I leaned in to adjust his collar, I noticed something damning. There was a very faint trace of perfume on his collar. It was the exact same scent the mother at the mall had been wearing yesterday. Faint, but undeniable. Chloe’s warning echoed in my mind, and my heart sank to the floor. Even with all my patience, I couldn’t ignore this. I linked my arm through his and asked as casually as I could, “Carter, do you have any sisters or anything?” He frowned and answered without hesitation. “No. I’m an only child. You know that.” My suspicions locked into place. Thanks to the alcohol, Carter quickly passed out on the couch. Suddenly, his phone screen lit up with a notification. Curiosity drove me to grab his phone. Client A: “Hubby, why aren’t you home yet?” My heart slammed against my ribs. Hubby? Wasn’t Carter my boyfriend? My hand froze around the phone. Carter was sleeping heavily. My first instinct was to unlock the phone and dig deeper, but I didn’t know his passcode. Throughout our relationship, Carter rarely got this drunk, and because he had always been so attentive, I never had a reason to suspect him of cheating. Could it just be a crazy client harassing him? Another message popped up from Client A: “Leo says he misses you.” It was followed by a photo. The truth was screaming at me. Trembling, I quietly crept closer to Carter, took his thumb, and pressed it against the phone’s sensor. It unlocked instantly. The chat with Client A opened right up. I stared at the photo. It was the exact same little boy I had helped at the mall yesterday. In that instant, my blood turned to ice. With shaking fingers, I clicked on Client A’s social media profile. Her last post was from yesterday. Client A: “Out shopping with hubby and the baby today~” My brain exploded. The white noise was so loud I couldn’t hear anything else in the room. The man in the photo was my boyfriend, Carter. The location was the same mall I was at yesterday. The comment section was filled with friends congratulating their happy family. So yesterday, while I was eating tacos with Chloe, Carter was out playing house with his wife and child. I felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over my head. I was paralyzed. So Carter was really married? With a kid? Then why the hell was he with me? Staring at that picture-perfect family portrait, a dull, agonizing ache spread through my chest. Suddenly, the phone buzzed again. It was a text from Derek, a buddy from his office. Derek: “How’s it going, man? Your wife came to me asking questions again today. Did she find out you’re sneaking around with your mistress?” I started shaking uncontrollably. I couldn’t breathe. If I was looking for excuses for him a minute ago, now I had absolute, irrefutable proof. I was the other woman! What was the last year of my life even for? I had spent all my savings on Carter, covering all his living expenses. And now I find out he’s a married man, and I’m the home-wrecking mistress! Everything Chloe said was true. Carter had been playing me from day one. My fists clenched involuntarily. Anger washed over me like a tidal wave. I was going to make him pay. Maybe sensing the cold phone, Carter shifted on the couch. His eyes fluttered open groggily. I quickly backed out to the home screen and turned the display off. “Mia, what are you doing?” My heart was pure ice, but I forced a sweet smile onto my face. “I was just about to help you into bed.” Carter nodded and sluggishly pushed himself up. In the bedroom, he habitually wrapped his arm around me and fell fast asleep. I wanted to vomit. Every fiber of my being was repulsed by his touch. All I could see was that photo. Even in his drunken sleep, Carter was mumbling, “Mia, working is so hard… I had to take clients out to dinner, and now I’m broke for the rest of the month…” Normally, I would have made him a hangover remedy and handed over my paycheck with an aching heart. But right now, the man lying next to me was the most repulsive thing on earth. My skin crawled. From the day we met to now, Carter claimed he was constantly traveling to build a better future for us. Looking back, there was no future. He was just a married cheat living a double life. It was incomprehensible to me. My loving, attentive boyfriend of one year was legally bound to another woman, with a kid old enough to run around. The thought made me physically sick. But I wasn’t going to just roll over and take it. A flawless revenge plan was already taking shape in my mind. 05 The next day, I spilled everything to Chloe. She was absolutely furious. “That is so disgusting! Wait right there, I’m grabbing my bat and we’re going to break his legs!” I quickly stopped her. “No. I have a better way to teach him a lesson. Can you get me his wife’s phone number?” “You’re asking the right person. I know everyone in this city.” Thanks to Chloe’s wealthy background and massive network, getting the number was a breeze. Contacting Sarah, the wife, was a bit rockier. I called three times. The first two were rejected. On the third try, it took her a few minutes to answer. She sounded exhausted and annoyed. “Who is this?” Before I could speak, I heard screaming in the background. My gut told me it was Carter. “Do you have any proof?! Why do you always accuse me of cheating? Can you stop being so damn paranoid?!” A child’s crying mixed into the background noise. It was definitely the kid from the mall. Carter’s voice was getting closer to the phone. A flash of panic hit me. Thankfully, I had used a burner app to make the call. But to be safe, I hung up. I waited three hours before calling Sarah again. This time, she answered quickly. “Who is this?” I kept my voice as calm as possible. “Sarah, your husband is definitely cheating on you. And I have the proof.” I could hear Sarah’s breath hitch. Her voice trembled with suppressed emotion. “Don’t lie to me. How do you…” “Sarah, it’s hard to explain over the phone. We need to talk in person. I’ll be at the Starbucks on 5th Avenue tomorrow at 3:00 PM.” I hung up without giving her a chance to argue. I knew with absolute certainty she would show up. The next afternoon, I arrived at the cafe right on time. From a distance, I spotted Sarah sitting in a corner booth, staring anxiously at her phone. She was desperate for the truth. I walked over. “Hi, Sarah.” She looked up sharply. Recognition flashed across her face. “Aren’t you the woman from the mall the other day?” I nodded and got straight to the point. “The other day, you left your perfume on Carter’s clothes. The next day, I sprayed a different perfume on him. And the night after that, a new lipstick mysteriously appeared in his laundry.” “Obviously, you were trying to mark your territory.” Smack! Sarah finally processed what I was saying. A dark cloud of fury overtook her, and she slammed her coffee cup onto the table. “So you’re the tramp who’s been seducing my husband?!” I grabbed a napkin to wipe the splashed coffee off my shirt. “Sarah, I only just found out Carter has a wife and kid. When he pursued me, he swore he was single.” Sarah wasn’t buying it. Her anger escalated. “Is that your excuse for being a homewrecker?! Do you have any idea how miserable my kid and I have been? It’s all because of you!” The word “homewrecker” stung, but I looked at the hysterical woman in front of me. Knowing her husband was cheating had taken a massive toll. She didn’t have the polished makeup from the mall; she just looked deeply, painfully exhausted. This broken marriage was driving her insane. I waited for her to finish venting before sliding a glass of warm water toward her. “Sarah, I genuinely didn’t know he was married. He told me he was single and had never even been in a serious relationship before.” Sarah stared at me blankly. Suddenly, she let out a bitter laugh. “Right. You’re young and gorgeous. You wouldn’t knowingly throw yourself at a married man with no money. I was the blind idiot who married him.” “How long have you been together?” she asked. “A year,” I replied. Sarah laughed again, a harsh, self-deprecating sound, but the fire in her eyes burned brighter. “When we got together, he was dead broke. I gave him a child, and he’s out there telling people he’s single!” I offered a sad smile. “For the past year, I’ve paid his rent and his living expenses. He always claimed he was working hard and traveling to build a better future for us. Now I know he was just juggling multiple women.” The revelation pushed Sarah past her breaking point. “I’m going to go home and kill him right now!” I quickly grabbed her arm. “Sarah, I hate Carter just as much as you do. That’s why we need to make him pay. Just exposing him isn’t enough.” My words seemed to ground her. She took a deep breath. “Tell me, Mia. What’s your plan?” I hesitated for a second. “Are you planning on staying married to him?” She had a child with him, after all. I couldn’t blindly push her into a trap. But Sarah answered without skipping a beat. “I kept telling myself he wasn’t cheating, living in denial until you told me the truth today. I’d rather have a clean divorce than live every day fighting with a man who doesn’t love me, terrifying our child in the process.” She sighed. “My family actually has a lot of money. But I stubbornly insisted on marrying Carter. My parents were so furious they didn’t even come to the wedding. After we got married, his attitude toward me completely changed. It’s been four years, and I regret it every single day.” I stayed quiet. Carter really was a parasitic gold-digger, preying on women for their money. Thank God I saw his true colors early. “Sarah, is it possible Carter is hiding other secrets?” She frowned. “What secrets?” “We just have to push him a little to find out,” I said slowly. “You’re an only child, right? You haven’t seen your parents in years. They must miss you terribly.” Sarah looked confused, so I explained. “You can’t just divorce him now. We have to make sure he leaves with absolutely nothing. Especially since you want full custody.” “How do we do that?” “Make him sign a postnuptial agreement. Doesn’t he constantly deny cheating? Now that we have proof, you just need him to sign a legally binding document stating that if he’s ever caught cheating, you get full custody and all the assets, and he leaves penniless.” Sarah frowned. “But you know how he is. We’re fighting constantly. Getting him to sign something like that will be almost impossible.” “That’s why we have to offer him a little bait first,” I smirked. 06 Three days later, Sarah texted me: “It’s done.” She attached a photo of the signed and thumb-printed postnuptial agreement. The terms were clear: if he was caught committing infidelity, he would leave the marriage with nothing, and all assets and custody would go to the wife. Soon after, my phone rang. It was Sarah. She called while Carter was out. “Mia, I did exactly what you said. I reconnected with my parents and borrowed $80,000 from them. I told Carter my parents gave it to us to help out. You should have seen him—his attitude did a complete 180! He immediately started sweet-talking me into transferring the money to his account. “I used the opportunity to say I was feeling insecure lately and wanted him to sign an agreement for my peace of mind. He agreed instantly!” I laughed. He took the bait hook, line, and sinker. Sarah snorted coldly. “Men like him are absolute garbage.” I gave her some reassurance. “Don’t worry, he won’t get to keep a dime of that money. He’s going to pay for what he’s done very soon.” Sure enough, probably high on his newly signed contract and Sarah’s lingering suspicions, Carter ghosted me for three straight days. I played dumb and texted him: “Carter, where are you?” It took him half a day to reply. “Baby, I had to fly out for another work trip. I’m so exhausted.” I sneered at my screen. Exhausted my ass. You’re just terrified of getting caught cheating, and you’re probably rolling around in that $80,000 right now. Fighting back my nausea, I replied: “Make sure you get lots of rest. Come back to me soon.” He didn’t text back. Meanwhile, Sarah pressed Derek about Carter’s whereabouts. At first, Derek tried to cover for him. But when I told Sarah about Derek sexually harassing female colleagues at work, Sarah used it to blackmail him. Derek folded instantly. My guess was right. Carter did have another secret. On top of a long-suffering wife and a one-year girlfriend, Carter was tangled up with Lexi, a girl who worked at a sketchy massage parlor. According to Derek, Carter had been visiting that spa for the last six months, hooking up with Lexi. After he got his hands on that $80,000, he started acting like a high-roller, visiting the spa every day to get pampered. Lexi threw herself at him, and Carter happily soaked it all up. A trash bag will always be a trash bag. Give him ten thousand choices, and he’ll still choose the garbage. But this actually made Sarah and my plan much easier to execute. A week later, Carter showed up at my apartment. As soon as he walked in, he looked exhausted and reeked of alcohol. I put on my best act and went to support him. “What’s wrong? Why was the trip so long this time?” Carter immediately started spinning lies. “Mia, I’m just so tired. But it’s all for our future, right? Oh, by the way, how much was your paycheck this month? Did you get your commission bonus?” I sneered internally. This leech always came to me for money. I used to be so blinded by love that I handed it over, thinking we were saving for a house. In reality, he was using my money to play around behind my back. “Don’t even mention it. Not only did I not get a bonus, but my base pay got docked,” I lied smoothly. “Since your trip was so long, your boss must have given you a raise, right? Hand over your debit card, let me check.” Hearing the words “debit card,” Carter’s drunken haze vanished, replaced by instant panic. “No way. You know how my boss is. I’m totally broke right now…” Heh. The second I mention money, he dodges like I’m the plague. And to think I was the one paying for his dinners out! I nodded understandingly. “Okay, sit down and relax. I’ll go heat up some hangover soup for you.” After he slumped onto the couch, I went into the kitchen, heated the soup, and played the perfect, dutiful girlfriend as I handed it to him. Under the dim living room lights, Carter took the bowl, looking incredibly satisfied. “Mia, you really are the best to me.” “Drink up before it gets cold,” I reminded him with a smile. Did he think he was an emperor choosing concubines? ‘You’re the best to me’? Oh, buddy, the best is yet to come. He must have been incredibly thirsty because he gulped down every last drop. I smiled to myself. Soon enough, the drugs took effect. Carter passed out cold. Yes, I had crushed up sleeping pills and mixed them into the soup. Given how “exhausted” he had been lately, the pills knocked him out effortlessly. As his loud snores filled the living room, I frowned in disgust, pulled his phone out of his pocket, and expertly pressed his thumb against the sensor. I opened his texts. Sure enough, there was a new contact: Client C. The messages were incredibly explicit. This had to be Lexi. And my contact name? Client B. He really was running a whole harem out here. I scoffed, using a tool I prepared earlier to pry open his phone case. I slipped a microscopic GPS tracker and listening device inside, snapped the case back on, and slid the phone back into his pocket. Everything was in place. Now, all we needed was a little spark. 07 The next evening, Sarah and I met at a cafe. I pulled out the receiver and handed Sarah an earbud. According to Derek, Carter was hyper-excited lately because of his frequent dates with Lexi. But to play it safe, they always chose different locations to hook up. I planted the bug specifically for this moment. Soon, we heard Carter and Lexi talking on the phone. “Daddy, I miss you so much. When can we see each other again?” A sickly sweet, high-pitched voice pierced our eardrums. Carter sighed, sounding burdened. “Ugh, I miss you too, baby. But you know the old hag at home has been keeping a tight leash on me lately. Otherwise, do you really think I wouldn’t come see you?” Lexi whined in response. “Boo hoo, you don’t love me anymore! How am I worse than your wife? Waahhh…” Sarah and I exchanged looks of pure disgust. Carter, however, seemed to be loving it. “Pfft, what are you talking about? After that hag had a kid, I don’t even want to touch her. She’s nothing compared to how sweet and gentle you are.” Lexi sniffled. “Really? Then when are you going to divorce her? You promised you’d marry me…” “Okay, okay! She’s still got some money left, right? Give me two months. I’ll drain her accounts, divorce her, and marry you!” Lexi stopped crying instantly, her voice bubbling with excitement. “Really?! Then where should I meet you tonight?” “It’s a promise. Alright, meet me tonight at 9 PM at The Grand Monarch Hotel. Couples Suite 1039. Make sure no one sees you.” Carter’s voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. I chuckled darkly. Carter sure knew how to live it up. The Grand Monarch was the most expensive luxury hotel in the city. A little bit of cash and he was living like a king. He chose that hotel because it was luxurious, but also because they had ironclad privacy policies. But what he didn’t know was that my best friend’s family owned it. Lexi got the hint, letting out a shy “Mhm.” “Make sure you get there early and wait for me.” The call ended, and Sarah and I pulled out our earbuds. Sarah looked at me, worried. “Mia, what do we do now?” “We go catch them in the act, obviously,” I replied like it was the most natural thing in the world. “But The Grand Monarch won’t just let us waltz into a guest’s room.” I smiled confidently. “I have my ways. You go home and watch the kid. Wait for the good news.” Sarah’s imagination ran wild. “Mia, you aren’t going to do anything crazy, are you? I know you hate him as much as I do, but you can’t murder him! Murder is illegal…” I almost died laughing. I patted her shoulder. “Relax. I’m not throwing my life away for a piece of trash.” After finally convincing Sarah to go home, I immediately called Chloe. Hearing that it was time to destroy the scumbag, Chloe was vibrating with excitement, swearing she was going to chop him into a million pieces. We met up at The Grand Monarch. Chloe marched right up to the manager, claiming she needed to perform a surprise VIP inspection on behalf of her father. The manager happily escorted us straight to Room 1039. Chloe waved a hand dismissively. “You can wait out here. We’ll go inside and check the standards.” The manager happily obliged. After all, Chloe was the sole heiress to the hotel empire. Once inside, Chloe and I locked the door. The hotel security was top-notch, and the privacy was absolute. Aside from the hallways and elevators, there were no cameras. So whatever we did in this room, Carter would never know. I walked swiftly toward the bedside table. It was a Couples Suite. Translation: a romantic fantasy room. It was stocked with all the “essentials.” And that was exactly what I was counting on. Chloe watched in absolute shock as I picked up the bottle of premium personal lubricant. “Holy sh*t! Mia, you’re not going to tamper with that, are you?” I nodded. Under Chloe’s horrified gaze, I unscrewed the cap and dumped my special-grade, time-delayed industrial superglue inside. I had visited multiple specialty hardware stores to find this exact glue. When freshly unsealed, it looked and felt exactly like water. The adhesive properties only activated after an hour of exposure to air and friction. Once it set, ten bulls couldn’t pull it apart. It was currently 8:05 PM. Carter told Lexi to meet him at 9 PM. To be absolutely foolproof, I also swapped out the bedside condoms. I replaced them with a batch I had specially prepped at home—laced with the same industrial glue. They looked identical to the hotel’s standard issue. The whole process took barely three minutes. Chloe and I walked out of the room with pleasant smiles. The manager was waiting outside. Chloe played her part perfectly. “Alright, we’ve finished inspecting this room. Hygiene standards are perfect.” The manager breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Miss Chloe.” Step one complete. Chloe and I went to a restaurant across the street, put our earbuds in, and started monitoring Carter’s movements. It was 8:17 PM. Lexi was probably on her way. About forty minutes later, the bug picked up a woman’s flirty voice. “Daddy, what took you so long? I’ve been waiting for you forever.” A loud thud followed. Carter had probably thrown Lexi onto the bed. “Little vixen, I’m here now, aren’t I? Let me teach you a lesson! Tsk, this hotel has great service. They’ve got everything we need right here.” Hearing that, I leaned forward in anticipation. Sure enough, Carter’s frustrated voice muttered, “Hold on, let me put some of this on. Why is this cap so hard to unscrew?” A brief wave of panic hit me. Did the glue set too early? Thankfully, Lexi urged him on. “Hurry up, Daddy.” Caught up in the heat of the moment, neither of them stopped to question if there was something wrong with the “lubricant.” Carter quickly poured the liquid out. “Ah! It hurts!” Lexi suddenly shrieked. Carter was still excited at first. “Don’t be scared!” The next second, his entire body must have frozen. “What the f*ck?! What’s happening?!” “AH! HOLY SH*T! MY JUNK!” Carter suddenly started screaming in pure agony. “Stop moving, Carter! It hurts so much!” Lexi started sobbing. “What did you do?!” Panic erupted. The earbuds were instantly filled with chaotic crying and screaming. “You bitch! What did you do to this?! What the hell is going on?!” Carter started screaming profanities. Lexi was furious. “What do you mean what did I do?! You’re the one who put it on! What the hell did you use?! You psycho! What do we do now?!” “How the fck should I know?! Fck my life!” “Call 911! I’m dying!” Lexi sobbed. Her delicate, flirty persona was completely gone. Carter snapped back, “We can’t call! If the old hag at home finds out, I’m dead!” “Waahhh, then what do we do?!” “I don’t f*cking know! It hurts like hell!” Lexi cried even harder. “No, I can’t take it anymore!” The next second, a loud, shrill alarm started blaring. Ding-dong! Ding-dong! It was a special feature of The Grand Monarch. Every bed had an emergency panic button installed on the headboard in case guests experienced medical emergencies. “Don’t press it!” Carter tried to stop her, but it was too late. He could only curse under his breath. Seconds later, the door to Room 1039 was violently kicked open, followed by a chorus of shocked screams from the hotel staff. Because Carter and Lexi had been so focused on arguing about how to hide the situation, they completely forgot they were still stark naked. I took out my earbuds and dialed a number. “You guys can head to the lobby of The Grand Monarch now. There’s about to be some massive breaking news.” I had arranged for a swarm of paparazzi to wait near the hotel specifically for this moment. I hung up. Chloe looked at me, bewildered. “What are you doing?” I smiled. “Sending them to the front page.”

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With exactly thirty minutes left until the wedding ceremony, I found Tristan fooling around with his little side piece in the dressing room. Amidst the raucous, enabling laughter of his groomsmen, he exchanged a deep, passionate kiss with the girl, his expression utterly indifferent. “It’ll be quick. The wedding goes on as planned. Don’t make a scene.” I didn’t make a scene. I quietly ran away from my own wedding. Three years later, we crossed paths again. I was just walking out of a cathedral after lighting a candle to fulfill a promise, when Tristan grabbed my arm. “What did you pray for? A good marriage?” he sneered through gritted teeth. His brows were drawn tight, his gaze fierce. The window of the Maybach parked outside the cathedral rolled down. The man inside had a cold, aristocratic profile. Just as he was about to speak, a little kid popped her head out from the backseat first. “Nope, Mister,” the kid answered earnestly. “Mommy prayed for me.” 01 With thirty minutes left before the wedding march, I finally found Tristan in the VIP dressing room. Separated only by a slightly ajar door, I could hear the filthy, roaring laughter inside. “The bride’s side is almost ready to start, why is Tristan still in here messing around with his little sweetheart?” His frat-boy groomsmen chimed in one after another: “You think Tristan cares about that? Our guy gets a new bride every day and acts the groom every night!” “True, but Tristan still has that ironclad engagement with the Bennett girl—” “Come on, you think anyone is actually afraid of Chloe Bennett? Her family went bankrupt ages ago. A fallen socialite is worse than a street rat.” Tristan seemed to chuckle. “Alright, enough,” he said. “If my family wasn’t pushing so hard, I wouldn’t bother. But Chloe is obedient enough.” “Get out, all of you. I have some business to finish with your little sister-in-law here.” The guys laughed rowdily as they pushed the door open to leave. And bumped right into me. “Hiss—Ch-Chloe.” In the dead silence, someone sucked in a sharp breath. I stared silently at the chaotic mess of the dressing room. And at the girl sitting on Tristan’s lap, her face buried in his chest. “You heard all of that?” Tristan looked completely unbothered. “Don’t make a scene. The wedding goes on as planned. I’ll be out in a minute.” My fingers dug so hard into the white tulle of my dress it nearly ripped. I tried desperately to suppress the tremor in my voice. “You—” Just one word, and I choked on the rest. “Chloe, be good.” He coaxed me absentmindedly, his fingers still twirling the other girl’s long hair. Seeing that I hadn’t moved, he finally frowned in genuine confusion. “Come on, Chloe.” He noticed the tear stains on my cheeks, suddenly realized something, and bent over laughing. “No way. Did you actually think I was marrying you because I loved you?” Tristan looked as if he found this to be the funniest joke in the world, repeating it with a twisted sense of amusement. “Chloe, did you seriously take it to heart?” 02 Was I not supposed to? I stared blankly at Tristan, who was practically laughing to tears. Tristan and I were childhood sweethearts. We grew up together on the same wealthy estate. Later, my family went bankrupt, and we moved away. When we met again, over a decade had passed. The little boy who used to swear he’d marry me had grown up. He lit up the entire city skyline with fireworks to propose to me. Beneath that brilliant, exploding night sky, his eyes were deep and full of affection. “When you were little, you said you’d marry me, Chloe.” “Does that still count?” My nails dug sharply into my palms, the sharp pain pulling me back to reality. Thank god I found out in time, I thought. It can still not count. The gazes of Tristan’s groomsmen were all locked onto me. Mocking. Amused. I took a deep breath and walked right up to Tristan. Under his astonished gaze, I reached out and pulled the custom engagement ring—the one I had personally designed—off his left ring finger. “Chloe, what are you do—” His words cut off abruptly. I cleanly slid the matching ring off my own finger, and tossed them both straight out the open window, down into the estate’s sprawling swimming pool. “It’s fine. You can keep going.” I explained earnestly, “I just didn’t want the sight of those rings to ruin your mood.” 03 I ran. I started off walking out of the dressing room at a normal pace. Then I ripped the restrictive mermaid hem of my wedding dress, and my steps grew faster and faster. The wedding venue was simply too massive. I had barely sprinted past the grand banquet hall and turned down an unfamiliar corridor when a “wanted” announcement echoed over the PA system. “Chloe is throwing a little tantrum with me, and I don’t know where she’s hiding.” Tristan’s low, raspy voice echoed through the speakers. “If any of our guests see her, please do me a favor and bring her back to the dressing room area. The Vance family will reward you handsomely.” He was determined to drag me back to finish acting out his little play. A female guest passing by nearby sighed in admiration, “I’m so jealous of the bride. Mr. Vance spoils her so much!” “I know, right! You’d have to save a country in your past life to get that kind of luck!” If you love this luck so much, why don’t you take it? From far away, I could feel people closing in on this direction. They had probably spotted me on the security cameras. In a panic, I ducked down the corridor of the VIP guest suites. The Vance family had prepared luxury suites for all the prominent guests attending the wedding. But this hallway was too long; I couldn’t even see the end of it. Behind me, the sporadic, heavy footsteps of bodyguards were approaching. Fighting the sharp pain in my twisted ankle, I ducked into the closest unlocked room. Separated by a single heavy door, I could clearly hear the bodyguards muttering. “Weird, where did she go…” I covered my mouth, desperately stifling the heavy pants escaping my throat. A long time passed. The footsteps outside finally faded into silence. I let out a heavy sigh of relief, but when I looked up, I realized there was someone else in the room. It was a man in an immaculate, tailored suit. His long legs were crossed, his posture lazy and relaxed. Right now, he was resting his chin on his hand, watching me with quiet amusement. Seeing me look up, he let out a very soft chuckle. “Ah. Look what I found.” “A runaway bride?” 04 It was the look of a predator locking onto its prey. I instinctively stepped back. My stiletto heel gave way, and I forgot about my twisted ankle. “Ah!” With a gasp, I crashed straight into a chest that smelled faintly of cedarwood. It was an elegant, crisp scent. Inexplicably familiar. I looked up in a daze, tears involuntarily spilling from the corners of my eyes. “Have I—” Have I met you somewhere before? Before I could finish my sentence, the man effortlessly scooped me up and placed me on the edge of the king-sized bed. “Are you that scared of me?” He frowned slightly, his long fingers gently probing my badly swollen ankle. Being stared at so intensely made my face burn. I was thoroughly embarrassed, trying to scrape together some shred of dignity. “I’m not.” I defended myself quietly. “I just ran for too long, that’s why I twisted it.” The man kept his face neutral and didn’t reply. I couldn’t tell if he believed me or not. “Hey,” I tugged gently at his suit sleeve. “Could you… please not hand me over to them?” He lowered his eyes to look at me. “The Vance and Bennett families have an ironclad contract. I can’t help you.” I let go of his sleeve, closing my eyes in near despair. “However, I am a Vance, too.” The man let out a very light chuckle. “Miss Bennett, would you consider swapping your fiancé?” Over the PA system, Tristan’s “wanted” broadcast played on an endless loop. I figured this man, much like Tristan, needed a marriage of convenience to get the family elders off his back. Even so. I gathered my courage and asked softly, “Are you going to have a bunch of other women tangled up with you, too?” “Don’t worry, I’m not like those impulsive boys,” the man shook his head. A faint, almost imperceptible smile danced in his eyes. “Older men are much better at keeping their vows.” 05 The start of the wedding was delayed over and over. Tristan locked down the entire estate, searching for me with massive fanfare. It carried a terrifying vibe of I won’t stop until I find you. As if he was dead set on marrying me today, no matter what. Unknowingly, night fell. “Tristan is going to lose his mind,” Sebastian Vance remarked, glancing at me curled up on the bed nursing my injury. He sighed. “Looks like we’re not getting out of here today.” I swung my uninjured leg, messing around on my phone half-heartedly. Why do I feel like it’s getting hotter in here? “Mr. Vance,” I poked my head out of the duvet. “Can you turn the AC down? It’s hot.” The moment the words left my mouth, they sounded soft and completely breathless. Like a whimper. Sebastian frowned, walking over to feel my forehead. “What’s going on with you?” My brain felt like a puddle of melted wax. I mumbled incoherently, “…Hot.” Did I eat something bad and get a fever? I tried desperately to think back, and suddenly remembered— Right before I walked into the dressing room this afternoon, Tristan had handed me a glass of milk. It tasted a little strange. But he just smiled and said that’s how imported fresh milk tastes. “Chloe will love it.” That’s what Tristan had said. The hand pressing against my forehead was long, elegant, and cool as jade. The unnatural fire burning in my chest eradicated whatever reason I had left. I leaned into it, burying my flushed face into Sebastian’s palm, letting out a soft sigh of relief. So cool. In my mind, a voice kept screaming— Not enough. It’s still not enough. By the time my sanity returned to me slightly… My wedding dress and Sebastian’s suit jacket were scattered in a chaotic mess across the floor. Sebastian watched me lazily, his posture completely indulgent. From beginning to end, he hadn’t struggled at all. He acted like a tolerant elder indulging an unruly junior. But when I saw the messy array of kiss marks across his chest, I couldn’t help but flinch. “Mr. Vance… I-I’m so sorry…” What the hell did I just do! I scrambled in a panic, trying to hide back under the duvet. But Sebastian caught me easily with one hand. “You light the fire and try to run?” He laughed, a dark, amused sound. “No, I—Mmph!” Giving me no chance to explain, Sebastian forcefully parted my lips. …It was too deep. When the kiss finally broke, I covered my mouth, coughing until my face turned completely crimson. “I’m quite annoyed by your ‘tease and run’ tactic.” Sebastian’s voice was low and laced with a smile. His thumb gently, deliberately traced my wet, swollen lower lip. “I’ll teach you how to take responsibility, my little runaway bride.” 06 I was woken up by frantic knocking on the door. My head pounded. Everything hurt. I felt like I had been hit by a truck. Older men keeping their vows, my ass. I thought groggily, but when I clearly heard the voice outside the door, I completely froze. It was Tristan’s voice. “!” I looked around frantically for Sebastian. He had just stepped out of the shower. He was shirtless, droplets of water tracing the lines of his abs and disappearing into the towel wrapped low around his waist. I silently swallowed hard. My right ankle was swollen like a balloon. I lifted my left foot and kicked him resentfully. Sebastian caught my foot and laughed. “You’re awake?” He casually tossed the unlit cigarette in his mouth into the trash can. I pointed frantically at the door. —Tristan is outside. What do we do?! Sebastian just strolled unhurriedly over to the door. “Tristan, what is it?” The violent knocking outside came to a sudden halt. “Uncle Sebastian,” Tristan mumbled reluctantly. “You’re here too.” Sebastian hummed with a smile. “Still haven’t found your little bride?” At the mention of it, Tristan grew even more agitated. “No. We’re searching the rooms. The last security footage shows she might have run toward the VIP guest wing.” As he spoke, he caught sight of the red marks on Sebastian’s shoulder and asked suspiciously, “Uncle Sebastian, is there a woman in your room?” Listening from the bed, I went rigid, silently pulling the duvet all the way over my head. “It’s your new aunt. I’ll formally introduce you next time.” Sebastian smiled casually. “Not right now, though. She was exhausted from last night and she’s still sleeping.” 07 I followed Sebastian back to his private penthouse. His reasoning was simple: Tristan had definitely stationed people around my apartment. If I went back, I’d walk right into a trap. I thoroughly agreed. Sebastian was incredibly busy. The very next day, he had to fly overseas for a business trip. Before he left, he kissed my forehead. A brief, fleeting touch. Very restrained. Very gentlemanly. “Wait for me to come back. I’ll bring you a gift.” He added a warning: “Try not to go out too much. Tristan is still looking for you.” I nodded. Tristan’s frantic city-wide search for his missing wife was the top headline in New York. The clueless public was buzzing about how “the billionaire heir was going crazy for love.” Lately, though, the news had gradually died down. One afternoon, I was painting in the private studio Sebastian had renovated for me. Just as I set my brush down, I received a call from Tristan’s mother. I stared at the caller ID, hesitating for a few seconds. My mother and Mrs. Vance had been best friends; that was the entire foundation of my childhood engagement to Tristan. On the day I ran away, my phone had been turned off. When I turned it back on, I was flooded with missed calls—many of them from her. Not giving her an explanation didn’t sit right with me. I pressed answer. “Chloe.” The older woman’s exhausted voice came through the receiver. “Come back to the main estate for a bit. Tristan is refusing to take his medicine. He’s throwing a fit and demanding to see you.” She said that when Tristan couldn’t find me, he had literally jumped into the estate’s pool in the middle of the night to search for the engagement rings I threw away. He searched all night. He didn’t find them, but he caught severe pneumonia and fell into a feverish coma. “…” I was trying to formulate a polite way to decline. Noticing my silence, Mrs. Vance sighed. “I still have a few of your late mother’s belongings here.” “I was planning to give them to you on your wedding day. Come over this time and take them with you.” 08 Taking two of the bodyguards Sebastian left for me, I headed to the Vance family’s main estate. Tristan was indeed terribly sick. In just a few days, he had lost so much weight he looked gaunt. “Chloe is here.” Mrs. Vance shoved the bowl of liquid medicine into my hands and walked out of the room. The two bodyguards had been stopped at the door by the Vance family’s security, leaving only me and a delirious Tristan in the bedroom. For a moment, the air was deathly quiet. I stirred the dark medicine in the bowl. The porcelain spoon clinked against the bowl, a crisp, sharp sound. Tristan weakly opened his eyes. Seeing it was me, he suddenly grabbed my wrist. “…Chloe.” His voice was hoarse. “Don’t go.” I looked at him calmly, pressing the porcelain spoon against his lips. “Drink.” Tristan stared at me for a long time before obediently opening his mouth. It wasn’t until the bowl was empty that I set it down and turned to leave. “Wait!” I don’t know where the sick man found the strength, but he gripped my arm like a vice. His trembling hand fumbled under his pillow and pulled something out, holding it up to me. It was the engagement ring. “I found it.” Tristan spoke softly. “Forgive me, okay, Chloe?” “It’s true that Vanessa crossed the line, acting up in front of you—” I didn’t even look at the ring. I forcefully yanked my sleeve out of his grip. “Wow, you really are a fragile little victim, aren’t you? Being forced by Vanessa to hook up in the dressing room.” I mocked him lightly. “I get it. What are you, the delicate damsel in distress in some twisted romance novel?” Tristan’s face instantly darkened. “Chloe Bennett! Watch your mouth!” He tried to say more, but I cut him off smoothly. “I don’t care what you have to say. I came here today to officially break off the engagement.” Before I walked out, I heard Tristan’s cold sneer. “Chloe, walk out that door, and sooner or later, you’ll come crawling back begging me.” 09 A Vance family maid led me through the front reception hall, winding through several corridors into the inner courtyard. I frowned. “Where are we going?” The older maid smiled warmly. “Madam is in the back courtyard paying respects at the shrine. Please, Miss Bennett, just a few more steps.” She then blocked my bodyguards. “My apologies. This is the inner residence. Uninvited guests are not permitted.” We were at a standoff. I hesitated, but remembering my mother’s belongings, I decided to compromise. “If I’m not out in two hours, contact Mr. Vance immediately,” I whispered to the bodyguards before stepping into the Vance family’s backyard. Ten minutes later, I stopped in front of an ornate, antique-style building. The Vance family chapel. My stomach sank. Then, I heard Mrs. Vance’s voice. “Come in. I’ve been waiting for you.” The maid next to me was staring daggers at me, looking ready to physically drag me inside if I didn’t move. I crossed the threshold in silence. Mrs. Vance was sitting in a high-backed mahogany chair, staring at me coldly. “Kneel.” “Excuse me?” I looked at her in total confusion, wondering if I was hallucinating. Before I could react, the maid who had led the way forced me onto my knees on the hard floor. Furious, I snapped, “Mrs. Vance, what is the meaning of this?!” “Where are my mother’s things?” Mrs. Vance sneered. “Maria, slap her.” In the next second, the maid raised her hand, and my cheek exploded in stinging, burning pain. Seeing me shocked into silence, Mrs. Vance took a slow, elegant sip of her tea. “Before our ancestors, today I will discipline my son’s bride in his place.” “You clearly had a contract with Tristan, yet you ran away in front of everyone, bringing total humiliation to the Vance family!” “The Vance family has helped the Bennetts so much over the years, both openly and in secret—and this is how you repay us?” My heart turned to ice. Mrs. Vance never had my mother’s belongings. She had deliberately set a trap to lure me out here. The maid was still pressing heavily against my back. I could only stay silent. Mrs. Vance grew more agitated as she spoke. “Evelyn died early. I’m doing her a favor by disciplining her wild daughter.” “If she knew her daughter grew up to be such an ungrateful, backstabbing wretch, Evelyn wouldn’t be able to rest in peace!” How she spoke to me. How dare she… how dare she bring up my mother?! I could no longer suppress my rage. Like a madwoman, I lunged at Mrs. Vance. She jumped back in fright, dropping her teacup, which shattered into pieces on the floor. I grabbed a fistful of her hair, just about to unleash a threat, when the bodyguards stationed outside the chapel rushed in and pinned me down. Mrs. Vance was hyperventilating, her finger trembling as she pointed at me. “Treason… this is absolute treason!” “You lunatic!” She gritted her teeth, looking ready to order a public flogging. “Mrs. Vance,” I said coldly. “Get this through your head. I am not married to Tristan. We didn’t even sign a marriage license.” “What you’re doing right now constitutes kidnapping and false imprisonment.” I pointed to my swollen cheek. “Add assault and battery to the list.” Mrs. Vance’s face turned pale with rage. Her lips trembled, and finally, she spat, “Then you can kneel right here!” “You don’t come out until you’ve thought long and hard about your mistakes!” 10 The heavy wooden doors slammed shut, plunging the chapel back into darkness. I found a comfortable corner to lie down in, waiting for Sebastian to come save me. He… he would definitely come save me, right? I was starved for an entire day. That night, a knock came from outside the chapel. I rushed to the window, but the face on the other side belonged to Tristan. “I didn’t know my mom locked you in here.” He looked slightly angry. “Chloe, just apologize to her.” “If you just surrender and apologize, you’ll still be the daughter-in-law my family values—” I couldn’t help but interrupt him. “Am I the only woman left on Earth? If your mom is so unhappy with me, just switch to someone else!” Tristan’s eyes darted away. “I can’t.” His next words were barely a whisper. “My mom had a psychic read our astrology charts. We’re a perfect match. You’re my good luck charm.” Utterly disgusted, I shrank back into my corner, curling into a tight ball. Outside the window, Tristan’s furious voice echoed. “Chloe Bennett, stop acting so high and mighty!” “You think you can play the saint after acting like a whore? It’s pathetic!” It’ll be fine once the sun comes up. I covered my ears, thinking quietly. When the bodyguards realized I hadn’t come out, they would report back. Sebastian should know by now that I was locked up in the Vance estate. Thinking about that, my mind started to wander again. Did Sebastian only marry me because of my astrology chart, too? I was jolted awake by the deafening sound of something smashing against the door. Outside the chapel, it was pure chaos. “Sir—you, you can’t do this!” Sebastian’s cold, detached voice cut through the noise: “I said, open it. If you don’t, I’ll smash it to pieces.” When the chapel doors were finally broken open, the sudden flood of daylight blinded me, making my eyes water uncontrollably. A tall, elegant silhouette walked in against the light. I felt myself being lifted effortlessly into his arms. He gently touched my cheek. I gasped in pain and instinctively flinched away. As if terrified of frightening me, Sebastian softened his tone as much as humanly possible. “She hit you?” I nodded pitifully, dramatically recounting yesterday’s events with a bit of extra flair. “…And that’s what happened.” I carefully tugged at his sleeve. “You’ll back me up, right—” “Uncle Sebastian?” Sebastian’s footsteps paused. He reached up and stroked my hair. “I will. I’ll make them pay for every single thing they did to you.”

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