Category: English

They say I’m a bottom-feeding defense attorney, a parasite who specializes in losing cases. But the strange thing is, I’ve never received a single bad review. I remember the day it all shifted, standing in a sterile courtroom during a horrific murder and dismemberment trial. The defendant took one look at me and let his arrogance off the leash. He jutted his chin out, his voice dripping with venomous privilege. “You have absolutely zero evidence. You can’t touch me!” Then, he pointed a manicured finger right at my chest and burst into a jagged fit of laughter. “Hiring a garbage lawyer like this? What, is the prosecution trying to get me acquitted?” I didn’t flush. I didn’t yell. I just offered a calm, slow shake of my head and turned to address the room. “He’s right. As it stands, the evidence is purely circumstantial.” The gallery exploded. The air in the courtroom grew thick with outrage, a chorus of voices branding me a failure, a sellout, a waste of breath. I waved a hand, letting their vitriol wash over me, entirely unbothered. I turned back to the defendant, letting a slow, knowing smile stretch across my face. “But I’m entirely too tired to argue the minutiae of the law with you today,” I said, my voice cutting through the noise like glass. “So.” “I’d like to call the victim of this case to the stand, so she can say a few words herself.” The defendant’s smirk vanished. He stared at me, completely paralyzed. 1 My name is Simon. Simon Carmichael. I am a highly renowned attorney in my specific… circle. Though, looking at me, my new client clearly had his doubts. “Mr. Carmichael… why is your office door covered in paint?” I didn’t look up from the file. “Oh, a former client threw that on there. He was wishing my business a booming, fiery success.” “The paint is pitch black.” “Darkness absorbs the most heat,” I replied smoothly. “It’s a metaphor.” The client stared at me, hopelessly lost. He hesitated for a long, agonizing moment, the silence thick with his grief. Then, he gritted his teeth and slid the envelope of cash—his retainer—across my desk. “I don’t care,” he whispered, his voice cracking at the edges. “You are the only lawyer in the city who hasn’t slammed the door in my face. I have to believe in you.” I stared down at the meager stack of bills, plunging into a rare moment of introspection. The client shifted nervously. “Is there a problem?” I shook my head, snapping back to reality. “I’m just going to put this out there right now: my final bill is going to be significantly higher than this retainer.” He looked down, doing some silent mental math, before his jaw set in a hard line. “If it means making that animal pay for what he did, I don’t care what it costs. I’ll give you everything I have.” Just then, my phone buzzed against the wood of the desk. A text from an old colleague. You’re really taking the Trent Montgomery case? Are you out of your mind? You know what his family does to people who cross them. My client saw the notification light up on the screen. He lifted his head, a profound, hollow sadness settling into his eyes. “Mr. Carmichael…” I waved a dismissive hand, trying to inject some levity into the heavy air. “Relax, Thomas. Don’t worry about it. These billionaire types, their revenge tactics are so predictable. Bribes, threats, maybe a little extortion. Besides, my entire family is already dead and gone. If they want to kill me, they can get in line.” Thomas just stared at me. 2 “Trent Montgomery. Twenty-seven years old. Only son of the Chairman of Apex Enterprises. Former high school classmate of the victim, Sophie.” I read his list of sins with an utterly blank expression, letting the sterile legal jargon clash against the horror of his actions. “On the night of November 7th, the defendant, Trent Montgomery, stalked the victim, Sophie, to her residence. He assaulted her, and in an effort to cover his tracks, he murdered her, dismembered the body, and disposed of the remains in a municipal landfill…” Trent slouched in his chair, wearing a bespoke suit that cost more than my life. He raised a hand, looking thoroughly bored. “Objection, Your Honor. They don’t have a single shred of evidence proving I was the one who did that.” I didn’t miss a beat. “The victim’s phone contained a photograph of you two together, alongside other individuals, time-stamped on the day of the incident. Care to explain?” “Yeah. Like you just said, we went to high school together.” He rolled his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips. “We ran into each other at a reunion thing, snapped a pic. Is taking a photo a crime now?” I let out a low, cold laugh. “Then perhaps the defendant can tell the court exactly what he was doing between the hours of 10:00 PM on November 7th and 3:00 AM the following morning? Do you have an alibi? A witness?” Trent picked at a stray thread on his cuff, pretending to think about it. “After the reunion, I went home. Slept like a baby until the sun came up. And no, obviously I don’t have a witness. I like sleeping alone. Though, if you’re offering to join me, counselor, I’m pretty open-minded.” I fired off a few more pieces of circumstantial evidence. Every single one was effortlessly batted away by Trent’s high-priced defense attorney, Hughes. But it was the exchange that followed that truly shattered the fragile air in the room. Trent leaned forward, bracing his elbows on the defense table. The malice in his eyes was bright and venomous. “What’s the point of all this talking?” he sneered, looking directly at me. “Let me ask you one simple question: do you have any actual proof that I killed her? Hmm?” Beside me, Thomas’s face drained of color, turning the shade of old ash. He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles went white, his entire body trembling violently. Trent could afford to be arrogant. He could afford to be cruel. Because his father’s money had ensured that every tangible piece of evidence had been scrubbed clean from the earth. 3 I requested a recess. Hours of relentless verbal sparring hadn’t so much as chipped Trent’s psychological armor, nor had we produced a single smoking gun. Next to me, Thomas looked like a man standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to collapse into the abyss. But honestly, the most pressing issue was the gallery. The spectators had already begun rummaging through their bags, fully prepared to hurl whatever rotten garbage they had brought. They didn’t throw anything while court was in session, but the moment I stepped out into the hallway, an entire row of people synchronized their disgust, spitting at my shoes. Thomas watched, entirely bewildered. “Why do they hate you so much?” “If you were them,” I said, wiping my shoe on the carpet, “and you watched a lawyer lose case after case, yet keep showing up with absolute confidence only to lose again, you’d hate me too.” “But… aren’t you a famous attorney?” I reached into my briefcase and pulled out a small, rolled-up pennant that an angry mob had crowdfunded for me last year. I unrolled it. It read: BOYCOTT THE SCUMBAG. “I am famous,” I corrected him. “I am the industry’s most renowned, one-hundred-percent-loss-rate attorney.” Thomas just blinked. 4 As soon as Thomas returned to his empty house, he found an anonymous package waiting on his porch. Inside was a thinly veiled death threat. I had no choice. I packed him into my beat-up sedan and drove him to my place. Thomas sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window for a long time. Finally, the silence broke. “Mr. Carmichael… I know I don’t have the kind of money the Montgomery family has. If you need to drop my case to save yourself, I understand. I won’t hold it against you. But you don’t need to drive me out to the middle of nowhere to murder me to keep me quiet.” I scratched the back of my neck. “Who’s murdering anyone? I’m just bringing you to my place to crash for a few days.” Thomas looked out the windshield, profoundly horrified. “Wait. This… this underpass is your house?” “…” I coughed, a little embarrassed. “Underpasses are great real estate. Keeps you cool in the summer, freezing in the winter. Very open-concept.” Thomas tried to be polite. “Mr. Carmichael, if things are tough, you could just sleep on the couch at your law firm.” I waved him off. “I was secretly renting that office space. The landlord finally caught me yesterday, so I can’t sleep there anymore.” Thomas stood perfectly still under the concrete bridge for a long time before he finally sighed and walked in. I gave him the cot tucked against the farthest concrete pillar and took a seat near the edge of the shadows, watching the moonlight bleed through the smog. Around 2:00 AM, the quiet of the night was broken. It was a small, fractured sound. The muffled, suffocating weeping of a father whose heart had been entirely hollowed out. “Sophie… God, Sophie, I’m so useless.” “If I had just stayed home… If I hadn’t gone to the hospital that night…” I leaned my head back against the concrete and let out a long, quiet sigh. That night had been Sophie’s birthday. Thomas had spiked a severe fever, and a neighbor had rushed him to the ER. Sophie had just gotten off her shift at a local diner, walking her usual route home, when she was intercepted by some old high school “friends” who dragged her to their reunion. That was where Trent Montgomery locked eyes with her. She had screamed for help. But there was no one left to hear her. The neighbor was gone. Her father was gone. Thomas had passed Trent on the street that night, brushing shoulders with the monster in the dark. But he couldn’t prove it. When the police asked around, every single business owner on that street repeated the exact same, heavily compensated line. “The security cameras were broken.” 5 When the tears finally stopped and Thomas’s breathing leveled out into exhausted hitches, I walked over and placed a hand on his trembling shoulder. “I’m sorry,” I said softly. Thomas’s eyes were swollen, red, and raw. He shook his head frantically. “Mr. Carmichael, I know you tried. You gave it your all. Every other lawyer laughed me out of their office. You were the only one who tried. I’m grateful.” I couldn’t help but smile a little. “Thomas, I’ve never won a single case in my entire career, yet I have a flawless five-star rating online. Do you want to know why?” “Why?” I didn’t answer him directly. I just gently wiped a smudge off the corner of the photograph he was clutching to his chest—a picture of Sophie, smiling and radiant. “I’ll show you when we go back to court. But for the next few days, you cannot leave this spot under any circumstances. Can you promise me that?” He hesitated, just for a second, before nodding with fierce determination. “Okay.” As soon as I secured his promise, I turned and left into the night. It took me about thirty minutes to reach the outskirts of the city. I walked into an abandoned auto-shop, dropping to my knees right on the grease-stained concrete. “Walter. I need you. My twisted little heart is having a crisis of faith.” Walter, an old man who looked like he’d been dragged backward through a hedge, shuffled out from the back office, stifling a yawn. He didn’t say a word, just kicked me squarely in the shin. “What did you do this time? Help an old lady cross the street?” “No,” I rubbed my leg. “She tried to fake an injury to sue me, so I threw myself on the ground first and extorted her for cash.” Walter narrowed his eyes. “Did you give money to a homeless guy?” “I felt bad for him, so I used his brand-new smartphone to take out a fifty-thousand-dollar loan in his name.” “Only fifty?” “It’s from a loan shark. The interest compounds by fifteen percent daily.” Walter seemed to accept this, looking down at me with mild approval. “Alright then. What’s this crisis of faith you’re whining about?” I pressed my lips together. “This time… I actually want to help someone win their case.” “…” 6 Walter didn’t look thrilled. “Just handle it off the books like you always do. A life for a life. Blood for blood. It’s much cleaner.” I stayed on the floor, slowly walking him through every grueling detail of Thomas and Sophie’s tragedy. When I finished, Walter didn’t say a word. He just pulled a pack of Lucky Strikes from his flannel pocket, lit one, took a drag, and immediately lit a second one off the cherry of the first. “Kid.” “Yeah, Walter?” His voice was rough, like gravel scraping over rusted iron. “If your dark little heart breaks… let it break.” I asked the question that had been eating at me. “Can I still practice the craft if I do this?” Walter looked at me like I was an idiot. “Why wouldn’t you be able to?” “Because you explicitly told me that our lineage practices the art of the ‘Scumbag.’ You said if I ever showed genuine moral integrity, I’d lose all my abilities instantly.” Walter didn’t even blink. “I lied.” “?” I stared at him, absolutely incredulous. “Why the hell would you lie about that?” “One,” he ticked a finger, “because I’m a scumbag and I enjoy lying. Two, because I have zero moral compass, and I wanted to make damn sure my apprentice had even less of one than I do.” “…” I ground my teeth together. “Walter, do me a favor and take a trip out to the Mojave Desert.” “Why would I go there?” “Because it’s empty, desolate, and isolated. Just you and the dirt, right where you belong.” “…” 7 When I returned to my cozy little concrete bridge, I was practically buzzing with the good news I had for Thomas. But one glance at the shadows told me everything I needed to know. Thomas wasn’t there. I frowned, pressing two fingers against my temple, tapping into the tether I’d subtly placed on him. Damn it. He hadn’t left on his own. He’d been taken. Meanwhile, eight miles away, on the top floor of a private, members-only club owned by Apex Enterprises, a raucous celebration was in full swing. “Trent, my man, you are a legend. Slipping right through the cracks again!” Trent stood in the center of the room, casually swinging a bottle of expensive champagne, a wicked, jagged grin on his face. “What can I say? It pays to have a father who owns the city.” One of his buddies took a long drag from a cigar, shaking his head in mock sorrow. “Gotta admit though, isn’t it kind of a shame? You were obsessed with Sophie for years, and you only got to play with her once.” Trent’s smile slowly decayed. A dark, ugly shadow crossed his features as a memory flickered behind his eyes. “It’s her own fault for not knowing her place.” The buddy laughed nervously, desperately trying to change the subject. Trent shoved the bottle into a bucket of ice and headed for the private restroom down the hall. As he stepped out of the loud, thumping bass of the club, he paused, rubbing the back of his neck. “Why the hell is it so freezing out here?” A pair of long, impossibly pale hands draped over his shoulders. The voice that whispered in his ear was flat, devoid of any human warmth. “Trent.” “Who the hell—” Trent spun around, annoyed, throwing a blind kick that connected with absolutely nothing but empty air. A second later, his pupils dilated to the size of saucers. “Sophie?! You… you… how the hell are you here?!” Sophie tilted her head, offering him a sweet, terrible smile. “I’m dead, Trent. You strangled me with your own hands. Did you forget?” 8 “Ahhhhh—!!!” Trent scrambled backward, losing his footing and crashing onto the expensive carpet. His blood-curdling scream pierced through the heavy oak doors. His buddy rushed out into the hall, looking frantic, and hauled Trent up by the armpits. “Bro, what is wrong with you? How much did you pre-game?” The buddy looked down and wrinkled his nose. There was a sharp, distinct smell of urine. Trent was completely unhinged. He grabbed his friend by the lapels, shaking him violently. “It’s Sophie! It’s her! She came back!” The friend panicked, slapping a hand over Trent’s mouth. “Dude, shut up! You’re hammered. Do not say that name out loud here. Let’s just get you inside.” “She was right there! Right in front of my face! Didn’t you see her?!” His friend looked up and down the opulent hallway. Nothing. Not even a waiter. “Trent, you’re having a bad trip, man. This is my fault. I shouldn’t have brought her up.” Trent’s eyes were completely unfocused, darting frantically around the empty corridor. He muttered, his voice trembling. “Her hands were like ice… She’s back. She came back to drag me to hell…” “It was her! I swear to God, you have to believe me!” The buddy nodded frantically, just trying to placate him. “I believe you, man, I believe you. You’re just exhausted. The trial took it out of you. Let’s get you home.” As he practically dragged Trent toward the private elevator, he was already typing furiously on his phone, calling Trent’s private concierge doctor. As the ping of the elevator faded into silence, I stepped out from the blind spot of the security cameras. I looked at the empty air beside me, my voice low. “I didn’t pull your soul back across the veil just so you could play haunted house, Sophie.” 9 Sophie materialized, looking down at her translucent hands, suddenly looking very small. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I just… I saw him, and I couldn’t control it.” I didn’t reprimand her further. Instead, I bypassed the elevators and slipped into the emergency stairwell, descending deep into the bowels of the building. After a few minutes of navigating the damp, concrete labyrinth, I found what I was looking for: a heavy, reinforced steel door. I didn’t hesitate. “Sophie. Phase through. Tell me what’s on the other side.” She melted right through the solid steel. When she phased back out seconds later, her ethereal face was twisted in genuine horror. “There’s so many of them…” “What?” I frowned. “So many of what?” “Kids! There are so many kids down there!” I immediately pulled a small, ash-colored talisman from my pocket, slapping it against the doorframe to mute any sound. I took a deep breath, channeled a surge of kinetic force into my palm, and blew the heavy steel door off its hinges. The scene inside was sickening. On the left side of the cavernous basement, about a dozen children were huddled together, terrified and dirty. On the right side, tied to a chair, was a single adult. It was Thomas. His hands and feet were bound with zip-ties, and a greasy rag was shoved deep into his mouth. When he saw me step through the ruined doorway, he began thrashing wildly. I crossed the room in three strides and yanked the rag out. I rubbed my temples, exhaling a long, exhausted breath. “Thomas. I specifically told you not to leave the bridge.” Thomas looked up at me, his eyes brimming with desperate apology. “I know, Mr. Carmichael, I’m so sorry. I just… I kept thinking about Sophie being all alone in the dark. I just wanted to go home and burn some of her favorite things so she’d have them on the other side. But when I got there…” When he got there, the Montgomery family’s fixers had been waiting. I shook my head, my gaze drifting over to the huddled mass of children. “Where did you all come from?” The kids looked at each other in sheer terror. Finally, the oldest—a girl who couldn’t have been more than twelve—found her voice. “We’re… we’re from Saint Jude’s Foster Home.” Thomas spoke up, his voice hoarse. “Mr. Carmichael… I heard the guards talking. They’re running an auction down here tonight. They’re going to sell them. Please, you have to—” I shot him a withering look. “Do I look like a superhero to you? How the hell am I supposed to smuggle fourteen people out of a billionaire’s fortress?” Thomas shrank back, looking thoroughly defeated. Thirty minutes later. Walter slowly opened his eyes from his nap, blinking against the harsh light of the auto-shop, to find a baker’s dozen of traumatized children staring at him. Walter stared back. The silence stretched. “Kid.” “Yeah, Walter?” “I taught you how to lie, cheat, and steal. At no point in your curriculum did we cover human trafficking.” “Sue me,” I replied flatly, dropping a bag of convenience store sandwiches on the table. “…” 10 Once Thomas was safely stashed away in Walter’s back office, I forced him to set up a new social media account. Leaving out the parts that involved the supernatural or things that would get us killed instantly, I had him record a video detailing exactly what Trent Montgomery had done, laying out the timeline, the destroyed evidence, and the intimidation tactics. Sophie hovered near the ceiling, slowly shaking her head. Her voice was an echo. “Apex Enterprises controls everything. The moment he posts that, they’ll have it scrubbed from the internet.” I looked up from my work, my face a mask of righteous indignation. “No, they won’t. I believe that justice always finds a way in this world.” Sophie stared at me. “Okay. Then what exactly are you doing right now?” I didn’t stop chanting under my breath. “Weaving a digital-metaphysical warding hex into the server architecture to block their IP scrubbers.” “?” The hashtag about the only son of Apex Enterprises murdering a girl and laughing in court caught fire almost instantly. It was a digital wildfire. [This animal needs to be locked under the jail!] [That poor girl. She was so young. Is the justice system really this broken?] But soon, the PR machine woke up. The comments supporting Thomas began to vanish, replaced by a flood of highly coordinated skepticism. [Fake news. Look at who he hired. Simon Carmichael? This whole thing is a grift for clout.] [Wait, who is Simon Carmichael?] [He’s the lawyer who is so bad, he once turned his own client from the plaintiff into the defendant, and turned a parking ticket into a life sentence.] [The first one is funny, the second one takes actual talent.] [Wait, he turned a parking ticket into a life sentence?] [?] From that moment on, the entire internet’s focus aggressively derailed, entirely fascinated by my catastrophic legal track record. Apex Enterprises deployed their million-dollar bot farms, and they barely made a ripple against the sheer meme-power of my incompetence. Sophie floated down, looking genuinely awestruck. “You’re sacrificing your entire professional reputation to protect my dad’s video. Aren’t you worried you’ll never get another client?” Walter, who was lighting his fourth Lucky Strike of the hour, overheard her. He let out a bark of laughter. “Why would he care? He litigates for dead people, too.” “?” 11 The day court reconvened, the media circus had reached a fever pitch. Due to the overwhelming public pressure and internet virality, the judge had allowed the trial to be live-streamed. [Here for the legend. I just want to see how this Carmichael guy manages to lose this one.] [I hate rich kids as much as the next guy, but let’s be real. If Carmichael is on the case, this whole thing is probably a scam.] At the defense table, Trent looked exhausted, the bags under his eyes dark and bruised, but his arrogant sneer was still firmly in place. “You don’t have evidence,” Trent said to the camera, his voice dripping with condescension. “You can accuse me a million times, and it won’t change a thing.” Next to him, his attorney, Hughes, offered a cold, satisfied smile. After all, during the last session, I had been completely helpless against him. I stood at the plaintiff’s table, resting my hands on the wood. I let a long, heavy silence build in the room. “It’s true,” I said finally, my voice echoing in the microphone. “I have no further earthly evidence to present.” The courtroom erupted. Someone in the back row completely abandoned decorum, screaming out, “You absolute failure! My dog could argue a better case!” “Whoever hired Simon Carmichael is cursed!” Thomas sat beside me, his head bowed, completely silent. Even the live-stream chat was giving up. [Is this guy a comedian or a lawyer?] [I am fully convinced Carmichael took a bribe from the defense.] [How do I report a lawyer to the bar association? Watching him makes my blood boil.] But just as the judge reached for his gavel to restore order, I raised my voice, cutting through the chaos like a knife. “But I do have one question for you, Trent. Are you willing to swear an oath? Right here, right now. Swear to God that you did not kill Sophie.”

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The blue light from the laptop screen was the only thing illuminating the dark bedroom. My fingertips trembled as I typed my husband’s name into the county property records database. When the first result popped up, I managed to keep my breathing steady—it was our current home, the one we’d shared for five years. But the second entry hit me like a physical blow, the red text searing into my retinas. Unit 1103, Building 17, Riverview Estates. Registered date: three years ago. The autumn before our wedding. This wasn’t a mistake. That luxury condo in the city’s top-tier school district—the one I’d practically begged him to look at for years—had been in his name all along. My mind raced back to two hours ago, to the envelope that had slipped out of a pile of junk mail. It was addressed to Mark, and a faint pencil notation of a property address in the corner had made my stomach drop. “We don’t own a place there, do we?” I had asked, handing it to him. I watched his Adam’s apple bob twice as he swallowed hard. His hand shook as he reached for the paper, but his voice was breezy, dismissive. “Just some real estate spam, honey. I’ll toss it.” Now, looking at the screen, I realized how many lies were packed into his frequent sighs about “not having enough for a down payment.” From the very beginning, he never intended for this house—for us—to be his only destination. In the hallway, our daughter, Sophie, whispered, “Mommy, why are you crying?” I bit my lip until I tasted copper, unable to find my voice. This man had taken the future that belonged to us and tucked it away under another name. … I waited until he was dead to the world before I slipped into the home office. The desk drawer was locked. I tried his birthday as the passcode. Click. The envelope was at the very bottom, already torn open. “Notice of Eligibility Verification for 2026 Primary School Enrollment.” I stared at the words until they blurred. Every time he saw me looking wistfully at listings in that neighborhood, what had been going through his head? I picked up his phone. I entered his usual PIN. Incorrect. I tried his thumbprint while he slept? No, he’d wake up. When had he even changed his passcode? I realized with a sickening jolt that I didn’t know the man sleeping thirty feet away. I tried the condo number: 171103. Ding. Unlocked. Mark was meticulous. He had scrubbed his texts and call logs clean. I found nothing until I dug back through years of Venmo transactions. A single payment of $1,314—I love you forever in digital code—sent to an obscure, unlinked account led me to a private Instagram page. April 12, 2020. Barely a month after our wedding. The photo was of a man’s bare back. I’d know that mole on his shoulder blade anywhere. “Been sleeping with Big M for months now. He’s a total beast in bed.” January 2, 2021. The night of my first miscarriage. I had spent the night alone in a hospital bed, weeping until my eyes were swollen shut. Mark told me he had to stay late for a client. The photo was of the nursery we’d just finished, the handmade quilt I’d spent weeks sewing draped over the crib. “The thrill is unbelievable. His wife is at the hospital losing her kid, and we’re doing it in the nursery. We got her precious quilt soaking wet.” August 9, 2022. I was in the throes of postpartum depression, barely hanging on to my sanity. The photo was of our master bedroom. “First time doing it at his place while she’s actually in the house. He’s such a risk-taker. Best high ever.” I gasped for air, my lungs seizing. I clutched my hair, pulling until it hurt, trying to distract myself from the phantom needles stabbing at my heart. I wanted to scream, but I choked it back. Suddenly, a memory surfaced. Our downstairs neighbor had complained once: “Tell your wife to keep it down at night, it’s embarrassing!” I had been confused. Mark and I hadn’t been intimate in months, and I was always asleep by ten. Mark had brushed it off, calling the neighbor a “crazy, low-class prick.” Now, I had my answer. I stood up and looked around the room—this space that felt like a stranger’s house. Details I’d ignored started screaming at me. The smart speaker was always playing lo-fi beats I hated, even after I reset my preferences. The towels in the bathroom were folded into thirds, not halves like I did. The thermostat was always set to 68 degrees, a few degrees colder than I liked. The evidence was everywhere. This woman didn’t just have a secret home with my husband. She had been in my home. Sleeping in my bed. Leaving her scent on my things. It was a performance. A territorial marking. A cheap thrill. And I had been the oblivious fool. I bit my lip so hard the blood finally ran. I sat in that office until the sun came up. That afternoon, a text popped up on my phone. “Dinner at my mom’s tonight. Be there by six.” “Okay,” I replied. I’ve always been a woman of dignity. Even if this was the end, I didn’t want it to be ugly. But when I walked into my mother-in-law’s house, I froze. Mark and his mother both looked like they’d seen a ghost. But the woman on the sofa—a woman Mark was currently hand-feeding a slice of peach—just looked me up and down. She scanned me like I was a piece of trash she’d found on the bottom of her shoe. She wasn’t satisfied with secret trysts anymore. She wanted the main stage. “What are you doing here?” Mark asked, his smile turning into a grimace. “You texted me to come,” I said. Looking at the panic in his eyes, I realized the truth. She had sent that text from his phone without him knowing. She wanted this confrontation. “Oh… right. I… I forgot. Yeah,” Mark stammered, his face turning a blotchy red. There were three place settings on the table. None of them were for me. A lump formed in my throat, bitter and thick. My mother-in-law looked at me with nothing but disdain. “You should have called before dropping in.” “I… I’m sorry,” I managed, though I didn’t know why I was apologizing. “Anyway, this is Melanie,” Mark said, his eyes darting toward the floor. “A friend. She just came by to see Mom.” “Yes, Melanie is such a sweetheart,” his mother added, flashing a smile at the woman on the couch. “She even bought me this gold tennis bracelet.” Melanie didn’t look at me. She didn’t acknowledge my existence. She sat there like she already owned the place. Looking at my mother-in-law, all I could see was the Instagram photo of the nursery. I felt a wave of nausea so strong I had to bolt for the bathroom. I dry-heaved over the toilet, nothing coming up but bile. As I splashed water on my face, I heard their voices through the door. Mark’s tone was playfully scolding. “You little brat, why didn’t you tell me you invited her? You’re trouble.” “I just wanted to see her pathetic face when she realized she wasn’t invited,” Melanie purred. “And remember, you’re not allowed to touch her tonight.” “Please. Touching her is like touching a cold statue. She’s got nothing on you, you little wildcat.” My world fractured. The “late nights” at the office. The “stress” that meant he couldn’t be intimate with me. It wasn’t work. It was a promise to her. I looked at my face in the mirror—the tired eyes, the skin that hadn’t seen a spa in years because we were “saving money.” I felt like a bomb was about to go off in my chest. But I couldn’t lose control. Not yet. Melanie wanted me to go crazy. She wanted the drama, the screaming, the loss of my “class.” That would be her victory lap. I wouldn’t give it to her. I dried my face, took a breath, and walked out. “Something came up. I have to go,” I said. The door slammed behind me—heavy and final. I sat in my car and buried my face in my hands, tears finally leaking through my fingers. All those years. All that sacrifice. For what? Mark announced the next morning that he had another “business trip.” I didn’t help him pack this time. I knew I had to move. I needed leverage before the house of cards collapsed completely. As soon as his car pulled out of the driveway, I drove to his office. He’d always told me it was too far, that he was too busy for “lunch dates,” so I’d never been. “Is Mark in?” I asked the receptionist. “Oh, no, he’s out for the day. He took a personal day to take his son to that regional piano competition,” she said casually. Then, she turned to the girl next to her. “Honestly, Mark is such a girl-dad—wait, no, he has a son, right? Anyway, he’s a total family man. He’s always showing us photos of his ‘wife’ and the boy’s trophies. He’s so attentive when she visits the office.” The blood rushed to my head so fast I felt dizzy. Sophie had begged for piano lessons last week. Mark had snapped at her, telling her it was a “waste of money” and that “girls don’t need to be pampered with expensive hobbies.” And yet, he was at a competition for a son I didn’t know existed. “Are you okay?” the receptionist asked. “Who did you say you were with?” “I’m his wife,” I said, my voice sounding like it was coming from underwater. “We have a daughter. She’s in preschool.” I don’t know what her face looked like as I walked away. I probably looked like a lunatic. I went home in a trance. The smell of Melanie’s perfume seemed to linger on every surface. I went to Mark’s computer again. I found a hidden folder. I scrolled through the photos, and with every click, I felt like I was sinking deeper into a frozen lake. While I was recovering from childbirth alone, she was at a five-star postpartum wellness retreat. My daughter wore hand-me-downs from neighbors; her son was dressed in designer labels. While Sophie was hospitalized with a 104-degree fever, Mark was “at a conference” in Cabo with Melanie and the boy. I checked our joint savings account—the one he managed because he was “the finance guy.” Balance: $0.42. He wasn’t “investing” our future. He was liquidating it to build a life for another woman. I shook so hard I couldn’t stand. The sacrifice had only been mine. The suffering had only been Sophie’s. I looked at our wedding photo on the wall. I smashed it. I looked at the laptop. I smashed it. I went to the closet and took a pair of shears to every single one of his custom-tailored suits. I threw his toothbrush in the trash. I called a locksmith. And then, I went to the one place I knew I could find them. I waited outside the elementary school. When Melanie walked out, holding a young boy’s hand, she spotted me instantly. She tried to turn away, but I blocked her path. She immediately went on the offensive, her voice shrill and loud. “You crazy bitch! Get away from us! Stop stalking my husband!” Parents began to circle. Melanie’s eyes turned red, and she pulled the boy into a protective hug, looking like the victim of a deranged predator. “This woman is obsessed with my husband!” she cried out to the crowd. “She’s been harassing us for weeks! She’s trying to kidnap my son!” I was floored by the sheer audacity. She was spending my money, sleeping with my husband, and calling me the intruder. “You’re a liar!” I shouted back. “You’re the mistress! You’re the one who destroyed my marriage!” Melanie sobbed harder, her whole body shaking. “You’re insane! Everyone here knows Mark. He’s at every PTA meeting. He’s my husband!” A woman from the crowd stepped forward. “She’s right. This boy is in my son’s class. Mark is a great father. We see him here all the time.” The crowd turned on me. The whispers were like venom. “She’s clearly off her meds.” “Look at her, she’s a wreck. No wonder he wouldn’t want her.” “Get out of here before we call the cops, you psycho!” Melanie’s son stepped forward and kicked me hard in the shin. “Leave my daddy alone, you ugly lady!” I stood there, surrounded by people pointing fingers and hurling insults. “She’s the one who’s cheating! That kid is a bastard!” I screamed, but no one was listening. In this world, the most shameless person wins. I was the wife, the one who had played by the rules, and I was being branded a criminal. Then Mark’s car pulled up. He jumped out, and for a split second, a tiny, pathetic part of me hoped he would say something. Anything. “Stop, she’s my wife.” Just a shred of truth to make the last few years feel like they weren’t a total hallucination. But he didn’t. He threw his arms around Melanie, shielding her. “Are you okay? I’m here. Don’t be scared,” he whispered—a tenderness he hadn’t shown me in years. Then he turned to me, his face a mask of pure hatred. He shoved me back. “What is wrong with you? Get the hell out of here! I told you it’s over! I love Melanie! Stop harassing my family!” The way he looked at me… it was like he wanted me dead. He ushered them toward the car. Melanie looked back over her shoulder and gave me a small, victorious smile. The crowd’s jeering continued. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. “I have the marriage certificate,” I muttered. The noise dropped an octave. I reached into my bag and pulled out the legal document. “She really is the wife,” someone whispered. “Wait, so Melanie was lying the whole time?” “God, what a piece of work. Both of them.” Mark’s face turned feral. He lunged forward, snatched the certificate from my hands, and ripped it into confetti. “It’s a fake! She’s a stalker with a printer!” He leaned into my ear, his voice a low, terrifying hiss. “Play nice, and maybe I’ll let you keep the house. If you don’t, remember that my best friend is the head of the psychiatry department at the city hospital. I’ll have you committed so fast your head will spin. And I won’t spend a single dime or a single second on Sophie. I’ll let her rot in foster care.” He shoved me to the ground. He turned around, put his arm around Melanie, and drove away without looking back. My knees were scraped and bleeding, but I didn’t feel it. My heart was already in pieces. The daughter I cherished was nothing more than a bargaining chip to him—a piece of “trash” he was willing to discard. I thought that even if he didn’t love me, he’d love his own blood. I was wrong. He wasn’t a man; he was a predator. I wiped the blood from my knee and pulled out my phone. I dialed a number. “Attorney Paige? I’m sending you the recordings and the documents now. I want to file for bigamy and embezzlement. I want everything.”

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Fifteen years ago, my mother was dying. To scrape together the fifty thousand dollars for her emergency surgery, I did the unthinkable: I sold a piece of myself. I sold my kidney. The moment that blood money—the price of my future health—hit my account, my husband swept it clean. He didn’t use it for the surgery. He used it to buy a three-carat diamond ring for his brother’s widow, a woman he’d been sleeping with behind my back for years. Because I couldn’t pay the hospital, my mother passed away that very night. While I was drowning in grief, my husband showed up at the hospital with his sister-in-law on his arm, coldly demanding a divorce. My father’s heart couldn’t take the shock; he collapsed right there, and even the trauma nurses were screaming at my husband, calling him a subhuman monster. I didn’t scream. I didn’t fight. With a terrifying, hollowed-out calm, I signed the papers and walked away with nothing. My father disowned me for my “weakness,” and my relatives branded me a spineless traitor who let her mother’s killer walk free. For fifteen years, I let them whisper. I never defended myself. Not once. Until yesterday. I found out through the grapevine that my ex-husband’s son—the boy he raised with that woman—just got accepted into the State Police Academy. I picked up the phone and dialed the Background Investigation Unit. I’ve waited fifteen years. My moment has finally arrived. … 1 “Background Investigation Unit, Sergeant Miller speaking. How can I help you?” The voice was crisp, professional. I pressed my hand against my racing heart, my voice thin and trembling. “I’m calling to report a candidate.” The line went sharp. “A report? Ma’am, please state the name of the individual and the nature of the information.” I took a shaky breath. “I’m reporting a recruit in this year’s class. Tyler Vance. His father is a man of documented moral turpitude—a man who committed financial fraud and abandoned his family during a medical crisis. There are outstanding debts and a history of extreme ethical violations.” The sergeant sounded surprised. “Are you certain about these allegations? This call is being recorded for the official record. You will be held responsible for the veracity of your statement.” “I am certain,” I whispered, the words tasting like iron. “I stake my life on it.” How could I not be certain? I’d rehearsed this speech in the dark for over five thousand nights. I’d polished every syllable until it was sharp enough to draw blood. “Stay on the line, Ma’am. I’m bringing my commanding officer into this conversation. One moment.” I waited, listening to the muffled sounds of a busy office. “What? A formal complaint against Vance?” “Yes, Lieutenant. She’s on the line now.” “Damn. Vance is at the top of the class. His PT scores were off the charts…” “The whistleblower is waiting.” “Fine. Patch her through to me.” I picked at the peeling wallpaper of my cramped apartment. The cheap drywall crumbled under my fingernails, leaving a fine white dust on my skin—a pale shroud for a life that had been covered in ash for fifteen years. “Hello, Ma’am. This is Lieutenant Rodriguez. Can you identify your relationship to the candidate’s family?” I pulled my lips into a bitter line. “I was Tyler’s father’s first wife. The woman he robbed to fund his life with Tyler’s mother.” There was a heavy silence on the other end. “Go ahead. Tell me everything.” I closed my eyes, the ghost of a phantom pain radiating from the scar on my side. I let the memories drag me under. “Fifteen years ago, my mother was diagnosed with acute liver failure.” We were a typical middle-class family. My father and I were blindsided by the cost of the transplant. We begged, we borrowed, we took out predatory loans, but it was a drop in the bucket. In those weeks, it felt like my father and I had cried ourselves dry. I learned that when you hit the bottom of despair, the tears stop. You just become a machine. We sat in that hospital hallway, night after night, watching the light fade from my mother’s eyes. One night, I saw my father hitting his head against the brick wall of the hospital, sobbing that he was useless. That was the moment I made my choice. I went through a series of shaded contacts until I found a broker for the underground organ trade. He was a cold man who looked at me like a piece of USDA Choice beef. He offered me fifty thousand for a kidney. Fifty thousand. Exactly what we needed for the down payment on the surgery. I lay down on a rusted operating table in a basement clinic. I will never forget the smell of stale bleach or the way the cheap anesthetic failed halfway through. I bit my tongue until it bled to keep from screaming as they took a part of me. I crawled out of that clinic, clutching my side, and staggered to the hospital to pay the bill. But when I got to the cashier, the card was declined. Panic seized me. I called the bank. The teller told me the entire balance had been transferred out two hours after the deposit. The recipient? My husband, Rick. I couldn’t breathe. I called Rick over and over. On the twentieth try, someone finally picked up. It wasn’t Rick. It was Lydia, his brother’s widow. 2 “Oh, it’s you,” Lydia said, her voice dripping with a smug, honeyed cruelty. “Why are you calling? Rick is busy helping me pick out jewelry. He doesn’t have time for your drama.” My blood turned to ice. I’d suspected something was going on between them. Rick and I had been fighting for months, and I’d even brought up divorce, but then my mother got sick. I’d been so focused on the hospital that I hadn’t realized they’d stopped even trying to hide it. “Put Rick on the phone! That money—that’s for my mother! It’s her life!” Lydia let out a light, airy laugh. “What ‘life’? Rick said that money was just sitting there, rotting. He thought we should use it for something beautiful, something permanent. I’m looking at a three-carat princess cut right now. It’s exactly fifty thousand.” “It’s fate, really,” she continued. “Your mother was going to die anyway. Why waste good money on a lost cause when you can invest in our future? Rick always promised me a real ring. Consider it a gift for our engagement.” In the background, I heard Rick’s impatient voice. “Stop talking to her, babe. The jeweler’s waiting for the wire to clear. Let’s get the ring and head back to the hotel.” Lydia giggled, a sound that made my skin crawl. “Don’t be so impatient, you naughty boy.” Then, she hung up. I called until my battery died. I called every friend we had. I finally found out they’d flown to Chicago that morning for a ‘romantic getaway.’ It was a six-hour flight. My mother didn’t have six hours. I don’t remember walking back to her room. I just remember my father’s face, bright with hope. “Maggie! Did you get it? The doctor says if we pay now, they can prep the OR!” I looked at him. I looked at the frail, yellowed woman in the bed. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. The physical trauma of the surgery combined with the crushing weight of the betrayal was too much. I collapsed on the hospital floor. When I woke up, my father was sitting by my bed. He looked like he’d aged a decade in a single night. “She’s gone, Maggie.” Because of the delay, my mother never woke up. My father had to watch her slip away while I was unconscious in the next ward. He asked me, “You said you had the money. What happened?” I told him everything, except the part about the kidney. I told him Rick took the money. My father’s face went from pale to a ghostly, translucent white. I struggled out of bed, trailing my IV stand, desperate to see her one last time. But when I reached the morgue entrance, I saw the last people on earth I expected. Rick and Lydia were there. They hadn’t come to mourn. They hadn’t come to apologize. They stood there, arms entwined, looking down at me like I was something they’d stepped in. On Lydia’s finger, the diamond caught the harsh fluorescent light, mocking me with its brilliance. Rick looked at my mother’s body through the glass and scoffed. “Well, she’s dead now. At least you don’t have to worry about the bills. Anyway, I brought the papers. I want a divorce. I’m marrying Lydia.” My father started shaking. He pointed a finger at Rick’s chest. “You animal! You stole her life! How dare you show your face here—” He couldn’t finish. He clutched his chest, his face turning a terrifying shade of purple, and he hit the floor. “Dad! Dad!” I screamed, throwing myself over him. The hospital staff swarmed in. A nurse who knew our situation recognized Rick and Lydia. She turned on them, her voice shaking with rage. “Get out! You stole that woman’s surgery money for a ring? You’re not even human! Get out before I call security!” In the chaos, as they carted my father away to the ICU, I looked at my husband’s cold, indifferent eyes and Lydia’s triumphant smile. Something inside me snapped. The pain vanished, replaced by a cold, hard vacuum. I stood up, wiped the tears from my face, and looked Rick in the eye. “Fine. I’ll sign.” Rick blinked, surprised by my sudden compliance. “Good. Smart girl. But don’t think you’re getting a dime of that fifty thousand back. It’s gone.” “I don’t want it,” I said, my voice dead. “I’ll walk away with nothing. No alimony, no assets. Just give me the papers.” “Maggie, are you crazy?!” My father had regained consciousness as the medics stabilized him. He looked at me with pure horror. “Your mother isn’t even cold yet! You’re just going to let him go? You coward! I don’t even know who you are anymore. Get out! If you won’t fight for her, you aren’t my daughter!” The relatives who had gathered in the hall looked at me with disgust. I heard them whispering. Weak. Pathetic. She’s so obsessed with him she’ll let him kill her mother and still crawl back for more. Lydia leaned into Rick, smirking. I didn’t explain. I didn’t tell them I was too weak to fight because I was literally missing an organ. I just signed the name ‘Maggie Vance’ for the last time. My father disowned me on the spot. Rick and Lydia walked out like they’d won the lottery. I was escorted out of the hospital by the very people who had tried to save my mother. I left that city like a ghost. I moved to a different state, rented a windowless basement, and started a life of silence. That was fifteen years ago. 3 Life hasn’t been kind. Without a kidney and with a heart full of lead, I couldn’t hold down a high-stress job. I worked temp roles, lived in the shadows of the city, and spent my nights in a bed that felt like a coffin. I never blocked Rick on social media. Maybe it was because I’d made the divorce so easy for him that he never felt the need to hide his “happiness.” For fifteen years, I’ve been a silent witness to their life. They got married in a lavish ceremony months after I left. They had a son—Tyler. Rick’s profile was a shrine to the boy. Every trophy, every honor roll, every football win was documented. Rick was so proud. Yesterday, I saw the post that changed everything. It was a gallery of photos. In the center was a young man in a crisp uniform, his jaw set with pride. Rick’s caption read: “So proud of my son, Tyler! Passed the physical and the interview for the State Police Academy! Top 10% in the state. He’s going to be a hero. The Vance legacy starts here. Our ancestors are smiling down on us!” I stared at that screen all night. When the sun finally began to peek through my basement window, I started to laugh. It wasn’t a normal laugh. It was a jagged, hysterical sound that tore through the silence of fifteen years. I hadn’t cried since the night my father kicked me out. I’d let the world believe I was a spineless “love-brain” who didn’t care about her mother’s death. I’d let my own father die in his heart thinking I was a traitor. I didn’t care. I had waited fifteen years for this specific moment. “That’s the whole story,” I said into the phone. My throat felt like it was filled with glass. I hadn’t spoken this many words in a decade. I lived like an insect in the dark, fueled only by the singular goal of survival. Lieutenant Rodriguez was silent for a long time. I almost thought the line had dropped. Finally, he spoke. “Ma’am, we have recorded your statement. Can you swear that everything you’ve told me is the truth, and are you willing to testify to these facts?” “I am,” I said, my voice like iron. “Thank you for coming forward. We will be launching an immediate internal investigation. Until the veracity of these claims is determined, Tyler Vance’s enrollment will be suspended indefinitely.” I hung up and collapsed onto the floor. The strength I’d been hoarding for fifteen years evaporated in an instant. Fifteen years. I’d been a bug under their boots. But even a bug can trip a giant if it waits for the right moment. Mom, can you see me? The bug found her stiletto. Now, I’m becoming the monster they deserve.

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The night before my engagement, I was gagged and dragged into an alley by several men. Just as I was stripped naked and about to be violated, my fiancé, Ethan, suddenly appeared: “Enough, stop it! Don’t hurt her!” I stumbled into Ethan’s arms in a panic, but he chuckled and patted me: “Don’t be scared, it’s all fake. I hired actors.” I froze, tears still on my face: “What did you say?” He casually pulled out a ring and slipped it onto my middle finger: “Sophia, you passed my test. You were willing to die rather than comply. Indeed, I wasn’t wrong about you.” His assistant, Chloe, emerged from the shadows with a camera: “Sophia, don’t blame Ethan. It was my idea.” “After all, you reported your professor for sexual assault back then, causing a massive scandal, and who knows if you’d just turn against us later.” “I recorded the whole thing today, and I believe you now!” I gave a bitter smile and took off the ring: “Ethan, the engagement is off.” “Sophia, what are you talking about?” Ethan’s face darkened: “I already told you, you passed my test.” Seeing that I didn’t speak, his tone softened a bit. He took off his jacket and covered my naked body: “Don’t be silly. Besides, you were sexually assaulted… who else would want you besides me?” My fingernails dug deeply into my palms. I looked up, my face covered in tears: “Ethan, you clearly know this is the deepest scar in my heart, why do you still rip it open like this?” Chloe, standing nearby, pouted: “Sophia, don’t be so dramatic. What man wouldn’t mind? He just wanted to confirm.” I yelled back: “What does it have to do with you? Did I ask you to speak?” Ethan stood still, the tenderness on his face slowly fading. “Sophia, since you’re being so difficult…” He bent down and snatched the ring from my hand: “Then please return everything I gave you.” He ruthlessly yanked off the jacket covering me. Then he looked me up and down: “Take off your shoes too.” I stood there stunned, tears silently streaming down my face. Ethan raised an eyebrow: “What? You can’t bear to?” “If we’re going to draw a clear line, don’t keep anything of mine.” I bit my lip, squatted down, and took off my shoes, placing them in front of him. Ethan didn’t even glance at them, kicking them into the nearby trash can. He held out his hand: “Give me your phone.” I instinctively clutched my phone. It was a birthday gift from Ethan. Back then, he had looked at me gently: “Sophia, I saved my number. If anything happens, you must call me first.” I placed the phone in his palm. Ethan turned and walked away without hesitation: “No one is allowed to talk to her.” Chloe gave me a smug smile and jogged after him. I was left alone in the alley. I stood barefoot, completely naked, with only a torn pair of underwear barely covering me. I squatted down and hugged myself, sobbing uncontrollably. It turned out Ethan had never trusted me from start to finish. After Dad passed away, Mom saved every penny to put me through college. That year, I reported my professor for forcing me, causing a massive scandal. While Mom was seeking justice for me, she was obstructed by those people under various pretexts. They even twisted the narrative, maliciously editing footage to turn public opinion against her. Finally, Mom got so furious she had a stroke and was immediately admitted to the ICU. I used up all my savings to save Mom, but she was still partly paralyzed. It was Ethan who firmly stood by my side, helping me pay off the medical bills I’d incurred. He was gentle, considerate, and didn’t care about my past. Mom cried tears of joy when she found out we were getting engaged. She held my hand and said over and over: “Good, my daughter finally has someone to care for her.” Tomorrow was the engagement ceremony. Mom must be tossing and turning in her hometown, unable to sleep, waiting to see me happy. I took a deep breath, wiped away my tears, and stood up. I decided to go back and pack my bags. Since Ethan never trusted me, I didn’t want him either. I walked home barefoot, step by step. I took a deep breath and pushed open the front door. The living room light was on. Chloe was draped over Ethan, their clothes disheveled. Her skirt was bunched at her waist, revealing a large expanse of pale skin. Ethan leaned back on the sofa, clutching her waist, his expression sated and languid. The next second, Ethan looked up and saw me.

My hands and feet turned cold, like someone had poured a bucket of ice water over my head. “What are you doing!” My body moved faster than my mind. I lunged towards the sofa, reaching out to pull them apart: “Have you no shame!” My fingertips had just touched Chloe’s hair when a powerful force suddenly pushed me away. Ethan protected Chloe with one arm and shoved my shoulder with the other. I stumbled backward, slipped, and fell hard to the floor. Ethan looked at me with a cold expression: “Enough! Sophia, don’t act like a shrew!” Through my tear-filled eyes, I watched Ethan calmly put on his clothes. Chloe nestled in his arms, giving me a triumphant smile. I struggled to sit up: “Why? Ethan, why are you doing this to me?” Ethan fastened his last button and looked down at me. “Because it’s fair.” I froze. “Every time I sleep with you, I always remember you being pinned down by that fifty-something professor. Sophia, I’m disgusted!” My mind went blank. But he was the one who approached me first. After I was forced by my professor, Ethan was the first to stand up and help me gather evidence. He accompanied me to the hospital for examinations, accompanied me to the police station to give a statement. When I was being pointed at and talked about by the whole school, he held my hand and walked through the crowd. The day I had a mental breakdown and slit my wrists. He broke down the door, rushing me, covered in blood, to the hospital. He guarded outside the operating room all night, and the first thing he said when I woke up was: “Sophia, no matter what happens, I’m here for you.” Chloe stood up from the sofa, the hickeys on her collarbone so glaring they made me want to vomit. She leaned languidly on Ethan’s shoulder, saying sweetly: “Ethan, you’ve torn my underwear, what should I do?” Ethan chuckled, pulling a damp lace thong from his pocket: “What to do? Then don’t wear them.” Chloe playfully hit him. I couldn’t stop trembling: “Chloe, I paid for your college tuition, I gave you living expenses, I sponsored you!” “When you couldn’t find a job after graduation, I told Ethan to make you his assistant.” “Was I not good to you?” Chloe tilted her head, smiling innocently: “Oh yes, Sophia was very good to me.” “But just because you were good to me, does that mean I have to be eternally grateful?” “You yourself slept with an old man, you’re dirty, and you still demand loyalty from Ethan?” My ears were buzzing. I squatted down, clutching my head tightly. That feeling was back. Five years ago, they said I voluntarily climbed into the professor’s bed for a master’s degree spot. They said I turned on him afterward to blackmail him, that I was unclean, shameless, and deserved it. Back then, I had the same nightmare every day. The professor’s obese body was pressing down on me, and I struggled desperately but couldn’t move. After waking up, I started self-harming, as if only pain could prove I was still alive. It was Ethan who pulled me out of that abyss. He accompanied me to see a psychologist every day, hugged me when I broke down: “Sophia, don’t be afraid, I’m here.” I thought he was my salvation. But he personally pushed me back into hell. I curled up on the floor, twitching uncontrollably. Ethan approached me, looking flustered: “Sophia? What’s wrong?” Chloe, standing nearby, rolled her eyes: “Don’t use your depression to threaten Ethan again; the story of the boy who cried wolf loses its meaning if told too many times.” Ethan paused, then stood up and looked down at me condescendingly: “Alright, stop acting! As you wish, the engagement is off.” He turned and walked out, pulling Chloe with him. Chloe looked back, giving me a mocking smile. I was left alone in the living room. My vision blurred, and my ears filled with sharp ringing. In the last second before losing consciousness, I thought: “Mom, I’m sorry. Your daughter really doesn’t seem to deserve love.”

The next day, I was woken by the doorbell. I struggled to get up, stumbling to open the door. “Sophia!” Mom leaned on a cane, one side of her body partly paralyzed, her forehead covered in sweat. It takes an hour to drive from her hometown to here; how did she, a half-paralyzed person, even get here? I quickly helped her inside: “Mom, why are you here?” Mom, leaning on me, walked into the house, her expression worried: “I’m just glad you’re okay…” She saw the cuts all over my feet, and her eyes immediately welled up: “Sophia, why are you like this? What happened?” I shook my head and helped her sit on the sofa. Mom took a breath, her voice hesitant: “Isn’t today the engagement? I waited all morning, but I didn’t get your call…” I lowered my head, not daring to look into Mom’s eyes: “Ethan’s company had an emergency, so the engagement is postponed.” “He asked me to tell you, but I forgot.” Mom froze for a moment, then let out a long sigh of relief: “That’s good, I thought something had gone wrong.” She reached out and stroked my head: “Sophia, my biggest wish in this life is to see you happy.” I endured the tearing pain in my heart, nodding hard and forcing a smile: Mom kept chattering. “All the way here, I was thinking, my daughter finally found a good partner, I hoped nothing would go wrong.” Listening to her, my eyes stung, but I dared not let the tears fall. Just then, the living room TV suddenly turned on. A scene popped up: it was me, naked, being held down by several men. In an instant, my hands and feet turned cold, and my blood ran cold. Mom’s voice trembled, disbelieving: “Sophia, what is this? Is that you?” I frantically rushed towards the TV, wanting to block the screen. But my legs gave out, and I fell to the floor. I turned around, desperately shielding the TV, and my tears finally burst forth: “Mom, don’t look!” Mom stood up, leaning on her cane, tears streaming down her face: “Who did this? Who did this to you?” Just then, the door was pushed open. Chloe walked in, looking around: “This video? Mr. Ethan asked me to play it. He said it’s better for Sophia to face reality.” Mom’s eyes widened, her lips trembling: “Impossible! Ethan wouldn’t do this to Sophia! He’s a good kid!” Chloe glanced at me, her expression knowing: “Looks like Sophia didn’t tell you? Ethan already said last night, the engagement is off.” Mom’s body swayed violently, and her cane slipped from her hand. “Mom!” I rushed to help her, but she pushed me away. Mom stared fiercely at Chloe, her eyes red: “Who are you? What right do you have to say these things here?” Chloe’s smile grew sweeter: “Me? I’m Ethan’s person.” I trembled all over, yelling at her: “Chloe, get out!” Chloe sneered: “What right do you have to tell me to get out? Mr. Ethan sent me!” She tilted her head, her tone contemptuous: “If you kneel down and apologize now, maybe Mr. Ethan will be in a better mood, and he might even…” “Enough! How dare you talk about my child like that?” Mom, her face flushed, reprimanded Chloe. But the next second, she collapsed to the ground.

Blood kept overflowing from Mom’s mouth. I held Mom’s head, screaming at Chloe. “Call 911!” Chloe tilted her head: “Ethan sent me to see if you’ve realized your mistake, not to be your nanny.” My voice was hoarse, unlike my own: “Can’t you see my mom is hurt?” Chloe smiled, then turned and walked towards the door. “What are you doing!” The next second, the door was locked from the outside. Then, the TV screen also went dark, and the whole house plunged into darkness. I rushed to the door, frantically pounding on it: “Chloe, what are you doing? Open the door!” My palms stung from hitting, but there was no response from outside. In the darkness, Mom’s breathing was so faint I could barely hear it. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. My phone was taken by Ethan, where was Mom’s phone? I trembled as I searched Mom’s pockets. But she left in such a hurry, she didn’t bring anything. Clutching a last sliver of hope, I staggered to the window, wanting to open it. But there wasn’t even a handle on the window frame. Because I had depression, Ethan was afraid I’d do something foolish. He had all the windows replaced with tempered glass and welded shut. I turned and ran back to the door, screaming desperately: “Help! Is anyone out there! Help!” My throat was raw from yelling, but there was no response. Ethan had specifically bought this villa for me. He said the air in the suburbs was good for recovery. The nearest neighbor was a mile away, and there wasn’t even a pedestrian on the road. I collapsed to the floor, all my strength drained. Mom in my arms, her breathing growing weaker and weaker. I held her, tears falling onto her face: “Mom, don’t sleep, please talk to me? Mom, hang in there, I’ll save you!” I gently placed Mom on the floor, then rushed into the kitchen and grabbed a butcher knife. Aiming at the door lock, I hacked down hard. But the door only got a shallow white mark. I hacked again and again. The web of my thumb split open, blood flowed down the handle. I hacked countless times, my arm so sore I couldn’t lift it. The blade was bent, but the door was still intact. I knelt beside Mom, pulling her back into my arms. Her eyes were half-open, her pupils were already starting to dilate. “Mom! Mom, look at me! It’s Sophia!” I gripped her hand, pressing it against my face: “Mom, don’t leave me alone! Dad’s gone, you can’t go too…” Mom’s lips moved. I leaned closer and heard her weak voice: “Live well…” Then her hand slipped from my face. “Mom!” I screamed heartbroken, holding her and crying uncontrollably. I don’t know how long I cried, until I felt like an empty shell. I carried Mom to the bed in the bedroom, covering her with a blanket. Time passed, minute by minute, until finally there was a sound. I walked into the living room. Ethan stood at the door, with Chloe behind him. He looked at me, his voice gentle as if nothing had happened: “Sophia, Chloe said you’ve realized your mistake.” Ethan walked up to me, reaching out to touch my face: “Alright, stop this. I won’t bring up that professor thing again. Chloe and I, it was just this once, we’ll live well together from now on.” He said casually: “I’ll inform everyone, the engagement will proceed as planned. You can be Mrs. Evans in peace.” Chloe stood behind him, smiling sweetly: “Yes, Sophia, a man as good as Ethan, you won’t find another if you miss him. What else are you unhappy about?” She licked her lips, her tone suggestive: “And Mr. Ethan is really good in bed…” Ethan chuckled, not denying it: “Sophia, why aren’t you speaking? Still angry?” I finally looked up, meeting his eyes. “Before that, I have a big gift for you both.” Ethan paused, then smiled: “What gift? An engagement gift?” I walked into the kitchen, picked up a knife, and hid it behind me. Ethan and Chloe exchanged glances, waiting where they stood. I walked up to Ethan, and with all my strength, plunged the knife into his abdomen. The blade pierced his shirt, sinking into his flesh. Ethan looked down at the knife in his stomach, his face filled with disbelief. The next second, I pulled out the knife and plunged it fiercely into my own heart. Blood gushed from my chest, splattering Ethan’s face.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “384843”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

The third year of my secret marriage to Ethan Knight, I watched him passionately propose to another woman on our wedding anniversary. Live on TV. In that moment, I finally understood. All his tenderness was for someone else. I was merely his “compliant” toy, hidden in the shadows. He asked me, his secret wife, to personally help his “fiancée” pick out her wedding gown. He even had all the blue roses I’d painstakingly planted for him pulled out. Right in front of me. Just because she said she “didn’t like them.” My heart grew cold. I signed the Doctors Without Borders agreement and left for a distant land to pursue my dream. Three years later, I became a top trauma surgeon. When he knelt before me, pleading bitterly, I linked arms with my new love. “Mr. Knight, I stopped loving you a long time ago.” Sera Hayes’ POV It was the third year of my secret marriage to Ethan Knight when he proposed to another woman, Lana Bellweather, at a televised gala live-streamed across all major platforms. On the TV screen, the flashing lights were blinding. Ethan wore a bespoke black suit, his posture tall and commanding, his eyes holding a tenderness I knew so well. Only now, that tenderness was entirely for Lana, who stood before him. “Lana, this ring is five years late. Today, I want to put it on you.” Ethan’s voice, deep and affectionate, resonated through the screen, eliciting gasps from the audience. Lana covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face, her pale cheeks flushed with happiness. She had been in a vegetative state for five years after a car accident, only miraculously waking up last month. I sat on the sofa, quietly watching the scene unfold. There was no hysteria, just a cramping, churning feeling in my stomach. Today was our third wedding anniversary. I had specially cooked Ethan’s favorite steak and seared foie gras. Just three hours ago, as Ethan left, he’d kissed my forehead and smiled, saying, “Honey, when I get back from my business engagements, I’ll give you a huge surprise. After tonight, we won’t have to hide anymore.” The surprise I’d imagined was that he would finally make our marriage public. After all these three years, to avoid impacting Knight Enterprises’ stock price and to not upset his grandfather, Arthur, who highly valued social standing and family reputation, I’d been hidden away like a mistress in this suburban villa. He spoiled me, utterly. I’d casually mention craving macarons from that trendy bakery across town. He’d personally drive halfway across the city to buy them during a break from an international conference. My hands and feet would get cold in winter, and he’d hold my feet in his arms all night to warm them. Everyone said Ethan Knight was a cold-blooded corporate titan, but only I knew how much he loved me, how gentle he was in private. But now, that tenderness had become the sharpest knife plunging into my heart. The lock clicked softly. Ethan walked in, carrying a faint scent of cologne. Seeing me on the sofa, he paused, then quickly came over, habitually reaching to pull me into his embrace. “Why aren’t you in bed yet? Didn’t I tell you not to wait up for me?” His tone was still gentle, laced with a touch of fatigue. I subtly shifted, dodging his touch. Ethan’s hand froze in mid-air. He followed my gaze to the television. The screen was replaying the scene of him putting the diamond ring on Lana. The air instantly went silent. “Sera, let me explain.” Ethan sighed, crouching down, forcibly gripping my cold hand. “I was just putting on a show. Lana just woke up. The doctor said she has severe depression and PTSD and can’t handle any shock. She had that car accident trying to save me back then. I owe her my life.” “So, you’re paying off your debt by proposing to her?” My voice was very soft, so light it seemed a breeze could scatter it. “It’s just an act!” Ethan’s brows furrowed, his tone tinged with irritation and a sense of entitlement. “My relationship with her is fake. You’re the one I love. You’re the one who sleeps next to me every night. Once her condition stabilizes, I’ll find a way to break off the engagement with her. Sera, you’re always so understanding, so accommodating. Just this once, for my sake, can you bear with it, please?” Understanding. Accommodating. I forced a bitter smile, finding those words utterly ironic. Because I was understanding, I was meant to be hidden in the shadows for three years. Because I was accommodating, I was meant to watch my husband propose to another woman on our wedding anniversary. “Ethan, did it ever occur to you that I might be sad?” I looked up, meeting his eyes directly. Ethan gazed at me. Then, he abruptly pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. “I know you’re upset, but I promise, this is the last time. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to pick out your favorite island. We’ll go on vacation, okay?” He was always like this, hurting me first, then trying to make amends. The old me would always soften, because I loved him, loved him until I lost myself. But now, I suddenly felt it was pointless. “Okay,” I said, without struggling, letting him hold me, my voice flat, without a ripple of emotion. Ethan sighed in relief and kissed the top of my head. “I knew it, my Sera is the best. Get some rest early, I’ll be with you tomorrow.” Watching Ethan walk into the bathroom, listening to the sound of water, I pulled out my phone and dialed a number. “Caleb.” My voice was exceptionally clear in the silent night. “That Doctors Without Borders aid project you mentioned, to the impoverished region in Africa. Are there still spots available?” Caleb paused, his tone turning serious. “Sera, are you sure? The conditions there are extremely harsh. It could be deadly at any moment. And once you sign, you can’t return home for at least three years.” “I’ve thought it through.” I looked at the cold steak on the table, feeling no emotion. “I’m signing up.” “Alright, I’ll handle the paperwork. The medical team departs from the airport in half a month.” “Thank you.” I hung up and deleted the call record. Half a month. Ethan, fifteen more days, and I’ll cut you out of my life forever.

Sera Hayes’ POV The next morning, Ethan, as expected, didn’t go to the office. He personally cooked my favorite sandwiches and made a hot cocoa. As if nothing had happened, he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, resting his chin on my neck, nuzzling me. “Sweetheart, after breakfast, let’s look at island brochures. Do you want to go to the Maldives or Tahiti?” His voice, soft and languid with morning sleepiness, was incredibly gentle. If I hadn’t seen that live broadcast last night, I would have thought I was the happiest woman in the world right now. I lowered my gaze and slowly pulled his hands away. “Let’s eat first, the milk will get cold.” Ethan didn’t notice my change. He smiled and kissed my cheek. Just as he was about to sit down at the dining table, his phone in the living room rang urgently. A distinctive ringtone. It was Lana. Ethan’s movements paused. He instinctively glanced at me. I quietly drank my milk, not even lifting an eyelid. He answered the call, not avoiding me, even putting it on speaker, as if to prove his transparency. “Ethan…” Lana’s delicate voice came through, tinged with a hint of expectation. “Are you free today? I want to look at wedding dresses. The doctor said getting out and about would be good for my recovery, but I’m scared to go alone…” Ethan’s brows furrowed. He instinctively refused. “Lana, I have something on today. How about I ask my assistant to go with you?” “Oh…” Lana’s voice immediately dropped, subtly tinged with a sob. “It’s okay, I know you’re busy. I just… I just haven’t been out in the world for so long, I’m a little scared. You go ahead with your work, I can go by myself, even if I have an episode…” “Lana!” Ethan’s tone instantly tensed. “Don’t overthink it, I’ll go with you.” After hanging up, Ethan looked at me, his eyes filled with apology and helplessness. “Sera, Lana’s emotional state is unstable, I have to go see her. Can we look at the island tomorrow instead?” I put down my milk glass, pulled out a tissue, and dabbed my mouth, my voice calm. “Okay.” My quick agreement made Ethan slightly suspicious. He walked over, cupped my face. “Sera, are you mad? I promise, I’m just accompanying her to pick out a wedding dress. I won’t do anything more.” “I’m not mad.” My gaze was clear. “Go ahead.” Ethan relaxed. Just as he was about to turn, his phone rang again. Still Lana. “Ethan, I heard you have a Ms. Hayes by your side, a very famous jewelry designer. I hear she has excellent taste. Could you ask her to come along and help me pick? I’m afraid you won’t like the style I choose.” The air froze again. Ethan’s face darkened. “Lana, don’t be ridiculous.” “What? I’m not being ridiculous.” Lana’s voice was innocent. “I just want to pick a wedding dress you’re most satisfied with. Surely… Ms. Hayes wouldn’t mind helping me?” Ethan covered the phone’s microphone and looked at me, his eyes pleading. “Sera, she doesn’t know about our relationship. She just thinks you have good taste. Could you please just do this for me? If you go, she won’t overthink things.” Asking his wife of three years to help his publicly proposed fiancée pick out a wedding dress. Ethan, how could you be so brutally direct? My heart felt like it was being squeezed by a fist, the pain making it hard to breathe. But I managed a faint smile. “Sure, I’ll go with you.” Anyway, I had fourteen more days. Might as well treat it as watching a play unfold. The most exclusive bridal salon downtown. Lana emerged from the fitting room in a pristine white wedding dress, like an angel fallen to earth. She lifted her skirt, walked up to Ethan, and shyly twirled. “Ethan, do I look pretty?” Ethan, sitting on the sofa, had a fleeting moment of distraction in his gaze. But he quickly recovered, instinctively looking at me, standing in the corner. I was wearing a simple trench coat, quietly standing there like an outsider. “Ms. Hayes, what do you think?” Lana suddenly turned to me, smiling. “The design concept of this dress is ‘One True Love.’ I think it’s perfect for Ethan and me. Don’t you?” I looked at the dress, my eyes flashing. The style of that wedding dress was almost identical to the one I had sketched in my design book a year ago, planning to wear it myself once Ethan made our marriage public. Ethan clearly recognized it too. His face instantly changed, and he abruptly stood up. “This one isn’t suitable, try another.” “Why?” Lana bit her lower lip, looking wronged. “I really love this one. Ms. Hayes, you’re a designer too, don’t you think it’s beautiful?” I met Lana’s seemingly innocent but actually provocative gaze, a sarcastic curve forming on my lips. “It’s very beautiful,” my voice was cool, devoid of any emotion. “Ms. Bellweather, it suits you perfectly.” Ethan snapped his head to look at me, his eyes wide with disbelief. He had expected me to get angry, to be jealous, to throw a tantrum. But I hadn’t. I was as calm as if I were evaluating a commodity completely unrelated to myself. This calmness inexplicably stirred a wave of panic in Ethan. He strode over to me, and using the blind spot created by Lana turning to look in the mirror, he grabbed my hand, lowering his voice and gritting out, “Sera, do you have to ruin the mood?” I forcefully pulled my hand away, looking at him coldly. “Mr. Knight, didn’t you ask me to come help? I offered my opinion, and you’re still not satisfied. What exactly do you want from me?” Ethan looked stung by the coldness in my eyes. He took a deep breath. “You clearly know that dress…” “I know,” I cut him off. “It’s just a dress. If Ms. Bellweather likes it, let her have it. Anyway, I won’t be wearing it.” With that, I turned to walk out of the store. “I have other commitments, I’ll be leaving now. Enjoy yourselves.” Ethan suddenly grabbed my hand from behind, trying to stop me. Suddenly, I heard Lana’s soft cry from nearby. “Ethan, my chest feels so tight, I can’t breathe…” Ethan’s grip on my wrist loosened. He glanced at me, but ultimately chose to scoop Lana into his arms. “Sera, I’m taking Lana to the hospital first. We’ll talk about us later.” I watched him disappear from my sight.

Sera Hayes’ POV Twelve days left until I leave. Since the argument at the bridal salon, Ethan hadn’t returned to the villa for three days straight. Each day, he’d send messages explaining that Lana’s condition was very bad, and he was at the hospital nursing her. I didn’t reply to any of them. I spent every day packing, little by little, the things that belonged to me. There wasn’t much, really. The villa was filled with luxury items, jewelry, and designer gowns Ethan had bought for me, but I didn’t plan to take any of them. I only took a few old clothes and my design sketches. On the fourth afternoon, Ethan finally returned. His eyes were bloodshot, stubble dotted his chin, and he looked utterly exhausted. The moment he stepped inside, he hugged me tightly, with such force it felt like he wanted to knead me into his body. “Sera, I’m sorry for neglecting you these past few days.” His voice was hoarse, filled with deep apology. “Lana’s condition has finally stabilized, and I’ve come straight back to be with you.” I let him hold me, my hands hanging naturally at my sides, not embracing him as I used to. “It’s okay,” I said faintly. Ethan sensed my coldness. He released me, pulling a delicate velvet box from his pocket. He opened it, revealing a dazzling sapphire necklace. “This is ‘Tears of the Deep Sea,’ I bought it at auction. Didn’t you say you liked it before? It’s for you. Please don’t be mad at me, okay?” He looked at me pleadingly. I gazed at the expensive necklace, my heart unmoved. Before, if I casually mentioned liking something, he would remember it. But now, that thoughtfulness was just a tool to alleviate his guilt. “Thank you, it’s beautiful.” I didn’t take it. I just turned and walked into the kitchen. “You haven’t eaten, have you? I’ll make you some pasta.” Ethan watched my calm back, his uneasiness growing. He would have preferred me to yell at him than to see me so indifferent. Just then, the doorbell rang. Ethan frowned and walked to open the door. Standing outside was Lana. She wore a white dress with a loose knit cardigan over it, looking quite pitiful. Seeing Ethan, her eyes lit up, then she shyly lowered her head. “Ethan, I… am I interrupting you?” “Why are you here?” Ethan’s face darkened. He instinctively blocked the doorway, not wanting her to see me inside. “I heard your mother say you have a villa in the suburbs with a large glass conservatory built behind it, filled with blue roses.” Lana looked up, her eyes full of anticipation. “The doctor said I need a quiet, beautiful place to recuperate. Ethan, can I stay here for a while?” Ethan’s body stiffened abruptly. That glass conservatory, he built it for me with his own hands. I loved blue roses, so he had the most expensive varieties flown in from abroad and planted them himself. His hands had been pricked and bleeding because of those flowers. It was our most secret, most precious sanctuary. “No,” Ethan refused without hesitation. “This place isn’t suitable for you. I’ll arrange the best sanatorium for you in the city center.” “But I only like it here…” Lana’s eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up. “Ethan, are you tired of me? I know I was in a coma for five years, I’m useless, but I only have you…” As she spoke, she clutched her chest, gasping for air, her face rapidly turning pale. “Lana!” Ethan was startled and quickly supported her. I quietly watched the two entangled figures outside the door. Lana leaned into Ethan’s embrace, and over his shoulder, she shot me a provocative glance, then weakly said, “Ethan, I really love that conservatory… just let me stay for a few days, okay?” Ethan looked at the barely conscious Lana in his arms, then at me. I imagined he was in agonizing struggle. “Sera…” he began with difficulty, his voice pleading. “Lana’s illness can’t handle any shock. That conservatory… could you lend it to her for a few days? I promise, once she’s better, I’ll have her move out immediately.” I looked at Ethan and suddenly found it somewhat amusing. Lend? It was a gift he gave me, a testament to our love. Now, for another woman, he was willing to destroy that testament with his own hands. “Whatever you want,” I said, placing the pasta on the dining table, then turning and walking upstairs. “Anyway, those flowers are almost withered.” The next day, Ethan called in workers. Because Lana claimed she was allergic to pollen but liked the sunlight in the glass conservatory, Ethan ordered all the blue roses in the conservatory to be pulled out. I stood on the second-floor balcony, watching the workers roughly uproot those delicate blue roses and toss them into the trash. The ground was covered in fallen petals, much like my utterly ruined marriage of three years. Ethan came up behind me and hugged me, burying his head in the crook of my neck, his voice heavy. “Sera, don’t watch. Once Lana leaves, I’ll build you an even bigger and better conservatory, filled with all the flowers you love, okay?” I didn’t struggle. I just looked downstairs and said softly, “Ethan, flowers that have been pulled out cannot be replanted.” Ethan’s heart sank abruptly, an inexplicable panic seizing him. He tightened his arms, trying to draw some sense of security from me. “Yes, they can. As long as we’re together, anything can start anew.” I closed my eyes and said nothing more. Start anew? No, Ethan. Ten more days, and we’ll be completely over.

Sera Hayes’ POV Eight days left until I leave. To appease Lana, Ethan hosted a small banquet at the city’s most luxurious club, inviting only his closest friends. Before we left, Ethan handed me a designer gown. “Sera, you’ll accompany me tonight.” My hand, which was organizing design sketches, paused. I looked up at him. “In what capacity? Your secret wife, or Ms. Bellweather’s accessory?” Ethan’s face stiffened, then softened. “Sera, don’t make a scene. Tonight, only my friends are coming, and they all know about Lana’s condition. You’ll attend as my executive assistant, to help me look after Lana, just in case anything happens to her. I feel more at ease with you by my side.” Disguising his wife as an assistant to cater to his publicly engaged fiancée. Ethan’s shamelessness continued to push the boundaries of my understanding. “Fine,” I said. I didn’t refuse. I took the dress and walked into the dressing room. The banquet hall was dimly lit and luxuriously decorated. Lana, in a red gown, leaned against Ethan, like a princess. People around raised their glasses, offering her congratulations. “Mr. Knight, your patience has finally paid off! Ms. Bellweather is awake, and you two can finally walk down the aisle!” “Exactly, Mr. Knight has been so faithful these past five years, never a single other woman by his side. Ms. Bellweather, you really need to make it up to him!” Everyone burst into laughter. I stood quietly in the corner, wearing a modest black business suit, like a ghost. I listened to those ridiculous blessings, watching Ethan with a faint smile on his lips, not refuting a single word. Faithful? Then what was I, who slept in the same bed with him every night for three years? “Hey, who’s this?” A slightly tipsy guest suddenly noticed me in the corner, his gaze dismissive. “Mr. Knight, your new assistant? Quite pretty, but she doesn’t seem to know any manners. Shouldn’t she be pouring wine?” The private room instantly fell silent. A few people here knew about my existence; they knew Ethan kept a mistress, but not a single one of them thought I was important. In their eyes, I was just a gold-digger, and now that Lana was back, I naturally had to leave. Ethan’s brows furrowed. He was about to speak, but Lana quickly grabbed his hand. “Ms. Hayes isn’t just any assistant, she’s Ethan’s wonderful helper,” Lana said, smiling sweetly at me. “Ms. Hayes, Ethan’s glass is empty. Would you mind pouring him some wine?” This was blatant humiliation. Ethan looked at me. He seemed a little hesitant, but he didn’t stop her. He probably thought that if I could endure it, once Lana was well, he would compensate me doubly. “Sera, pour the wine,” Ethan said blandly. I lowered my gaze, concealing the mockery in my eyes. I walked over, picked up the decanter from the table, went to Ethan’s side, and slightly bent to pour the wine. Just then, the guest beside me suddenly extended his foot and tripped me. Caught off guard, my body lurched forward. With a crash, the decanter smashed onto the table, sending broken glass scattering everywhere. Red wine splashed all over me, and a few drops splattered onto Lana’s gown. “Ah!” Lana shrieked, clutching her chest, her face instantly turning pale. She gasped for breath. Ethan shot up, not even glancing at me, who had fallen onto the broken glass. He immediately pulled Lana into his arms, anxiously patting her back. “Lana! Lana, are you okay? Where’s your medicine? Quick, get her medicine!” The scene became chaotic. I sat on the floor, my palm pressed onto the broken glass. Blood instantly gushed out, staining the carpet. A searing pain shot through me, but I felt nothing, just quietly watched Ethan frantically embracing another woman. This was the man I had loved for three years. “Are you alright?” A gentle voice suddenly spoke above me. I looked up and saw Caleb Reid, who had entered the room at some point. He wore a well-tailored gray suit, his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with concern. Caleb crouched down, carefully avoiding the broken glass on the floor, and gently took my bleeding hand, quickly pressing a clean handkerchief onto the wound. “Caleb…” I was stunned. “I’m here to pick you up,” Caleb’s voice was not loud, but clear enough for everyone in the room to hear. He scooped me up from the floor, then coldly swept his gaze over the chaotic crowd, finally landing on Ethan. Ethan, who was feeding Lana her medicine, turned his head at the sound and was visibly shocked to see Caleb holding me. “Caleb, what are you doing? Put her down!” Ethan’s voice was laced with suppressed fury. Caleb scoffed. “Mr. Knight is so busy taking care of his fiancée, he can’t even see his assistant is injured. Since you can’t take care of her, I’ll take her away.” With that, Caleb held me and started to walk out of the room. Seeing this, Ethan quickly rose and grabbed my wrist. “What right do you have to take her?!” Ethan’s voice was full of anger. Before I could speak, I heard Lana behind Ethan begin to cry. “Ethan, my heart hurts so much… what should I do… am I going to die…” Ethan’s grip on my wrist loosened. He quickly turned back to the frail Lana. Watching this scene, I finally let out a low laugh. “Let’s go, Dr. Reid.” He chose someone else over me, again. I should be used to it by now, shouldn’t I?

Sera Hayes’ POV Five days left until I leave. Caleb took me to the hospital to get my wound bandaged. My palm had a deep cut from the glass, requiring three stitches. Throughout the entire process, I didn’t make a sound, as calm as a puppet without sensation. “The overseas paperwork is all settled,” Caleb looked at my face and sighed. “Sera, if you can’t bear it, you can always come to me. You don’t have to carry it all alone.” “Thank you, I’m fine.” I looked at my bandaged hand, a faint smile playing on my lips. “I just feel like these three years were a bizarre dream, and now that I’ve woken up, it’s time to go.” Leaving the hospital, it was pouring rain. Caleb drove me back to the villa. As the car pulled up to the gate, we saw Ethan’s black Maybach parked in the rain. Ethan stood under a black umbrella, his face terribly grim. Seeing me get out of Caleb’s car, he strode over, roughly pulling me under his umbrella, with a force that tugged at my fresh wound. I winced. “Ethan, you’re hurting her!” Caleb pushed open his car door, angrily moving to intervene. “Get lost!” Ethan glared coldly at Caleb, his eyes like poisoned daggers. “She’s my wife, it’s none of your business! Caleb, don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. Stay away from her!” With that, he forcibly embraced me and strode into the villa, slamming the door shut. The villa was dark, no lights on. Ethan pushed me against the door, his chest heaving violently. He had clearly smelled the unfamiliar cologne on me. “Sera, what is the meaning of this?” he demanded in the darkness. “I just wasn’t there to take care of you, and you’re already rushing to find a lover? Do you have any idea what people in that room will say about you tonight?!” Leaning against the cold door, I suddenly felt very tired. “Do you care what they say about me?” My voice was especially hollow in the dark. “In their eyes, I was already a mercenary woman. Ethan, you’re the one who pushed me into that position.” Ethan was stunned. “Sera, I didn’t mean it like that…” He softened his voice, trying to take my hand. “Tonight was an accident. Lana suddenly had an episode, I was too anxious and didn’t think about you. How’s your hand? Let me see.” I avoided his touch. “Ethan, you’re always like this,” I stated calmly. “You think that as long as you apologize, as long as you explain ‘it was for Lana,’ I have to unconditionally forgive you, understand you. But why should I?” “Because you’re my wife!” Ethan blurted out. “We’re married! We’re family. Lana isn’t my family, I’m just repaying a debt! Why can’t you be a little more understanding and not make a fuss right now?” Family. I laughed, tears almost welling up. “Yes, I’m your wife,” I said softly. “So you can propose to someone else on a national live broadcast, you can make me pour wine like a servant in front of others, and you can walk away without a backward glance while I’m injured and bleeding.” “Ethan, you actually dare to call me your family. It’s truly disgusting.” “Sera!” Ethan was stung. He suddenly raised his voice. “Do you have to be so mean? I told you this is only temporary! Everything will go back to normal once she has her surgery!” Just then, Ethan’s phone vibrated wildly. He answered with annoyance. The urgent voice of a hospital nurse came through. “Mr. Knight, Ms. Bellweather suddenly became emotionally unstable and ran to the hospital rooftop, threatening to jump! Please come quickly!” Ethan’s face instantly changed. He hung up, gave me a deep look. “Sera, Lana is threatening to jump, I have to go. We’ll talk about us when I get back.” With that, he turned and without hesitation, pulled open the door and rushed out into the rainy night. I stood there, listening to the car engine start, watching the Maybach disappear into the rain. I slowly walked to the sofa, pulled out a pre-prepared divorce agreement from my bag, and placed it prominently on the table.

Sera Hayes’ POV Three days left until I leave. Ethan hadn’t returned for two days. I learned from the news that Lana had cried and thrown a fit on the hospital rooftop, insisting she was useless and unworthy of the excellent Ethan Knight, and she wanted to jump. Ethan had stayed on the rooftop, trying to persuade her, eventually rushing into the rain to rescue the distraught Lana, then taking her for psychological counseling. Netizens were moved by their “great love story.” I gave a self-mocking laugh. Suddenly, I heard the sound of the door opening. Ethan was back. He must have immediately seen the divorce agreement I’d placed on the table. “Sera!” I heard Ethan roar, followed by a rush of footsteps. He stormed up to the second-floor bedroom. In the bedroom, I was sitting at my dressing table, calmly tidying the last few pieces of jewelry. Hearing the commotion, I turned, my expression composed as I looked at the furious Ethan. “What is the meaning of this?” Ethan slammed the divorce agreement onto the dressing table, his eyes bloodshot, like an enraged beast. “Divorce? Who gave you permission to suggest divorce?!” I glanced at the crumpled paper, my voice calm, without a ripple. “I’ve already signed it. I’m leaving with nothing, you don’t need to give me any assets. Let’s make time tomorrow to finalize the divorce.” “I don’t agree!” Ethan grabbed my wrist, his grip so strong it felt like my bones would shatter. “Sera, what exactly are you trying to do? I told you Lana is just a patient, I’m just doing my duty! Do you have to push me at a time like this?” “I’m not pushing you.” I met his eyes directly, no longer seeing the love I once held, only a dead calm. “I’m helping you. Ethan, I’m tired. I don’t want to play this three-way game anymore.” “You’re the only one I love!” Ethan panicked. He abruptly pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly, his voice trembling slightly. “Sera, don’t be like this. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have left you alone in the room, shouldn’t have ignored your injury. You can hit me, scold me, just don’t mention divorce, okay?” He thought I was just angry, that if he just sweet-talked me, I would forgive him as before. “Ethan…” A weak voice suddenly spoke from the bedroom doorway. Ethan stiffened, abruptly turning his head. Lana, wearing a hospital gown, stood weakly at the door, holding a piece of paper. Seeing us embracing, tears instantly welled up in her eyes. “Lana? How did you get out of the hospital?” Ethan instinctively let go of me and walked towards Lana. Lana held up the paper in her hand, her voice trembling. “I came back to the villa to get something, and I saw this in the study drawer… Ethan, you and Ms. Hayes… you’re married?” It was a copy of our marriage certificate. Ethan’s face instantly changed. He had kept the marriage certificate well hidden, never expecting Lana to find it. “Lana, let me explain…” “You lied to me!” Lana burst into heartbroken sobs, pointing at me. “You’re clearly married, so why did you propose to me? Why did you give me hope? What am I? A mistress breaking up someone else’s family?!” “No, Lana, don’t get agitated!” Ethan frantically tried to soothe her. But Lana abruptly pushed him away, rushed to me, grabbed my collar, and screamed hysterically. “It’s you, isn’t it? You’re clinging to Ethan! You know he loves me, why are you monopolizing the position of his wife? You hussy!” I coldly watched her performance, then shoved her hand away. “Ms. Bellweather, getting too deep into character isn’t fun. Didn’t you already know?” Lana froze, then suddenly slapped herself across the face, and then fell backward, landing heavily on the floor. “My heart…” Lana clutched her chest, painfully curling up on the ground, gasping for air, her face instantly turning bluish-purple. “Lana!” Ethan roared in anger, rushing over to scoop Lana into his arms. He turned, glaring fiercely at me, his eyes filled with rage and disappointment. “Sera! Why did you push her?! You know her heart is weak and she can’t handle shock! If anything happens to Lana, I will never forgive you!” I stood there, watching Ethan protect Lana as if she were a precious treasure, watching him unhesitatingly pin a fabricated crime on me. I suddenly felt incredibly light. “She won’t die,” I said, looking down at them. “But Ethan, we’re over.” Ethan had no time to ponder my words. He picked up Lana and rushed downstairs like a madman, driving straight to the hospital. The villa fell silent once more. I walked to the dressing table, smoothed out the crumpled divorce agreement, and picked up my suitcase.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “384844”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

I married Ethan Blackwood, the playboy heir to a billionaire fortune. Every time he cheated, I divorced him. Three times in total. And I fell for his apologies all three times. Until he personally destroyed my mother’s tombstone for his old flame, Serena Hayes, forcing me to apologize to her in public. Ethan even abandoned me while I was pregnant with his child to save Serena, causing me to hemorrhage and miscarry. After he crushed all my pride and love, he still had the audacity to say. “It’s not normal for a man not to cheat. Is this your first day knowing me?” My heart turned to ice, and I left. Three years later, I married Ryder Collins, who genuinely cared for me, at the foot of a snowy mountain. Yet, Ethan knelt in public, begging me to come back. I simply said, coldly. “I stopped loving you a long time ago. Your belated affection is just too fake.” Anya POV I was a spoiled, headstrong heiress who married Ethan Blackwood, the city’s infamous billionaire’s son and a notorious playboy. The first year of our marriage, I caught Ethan deeply kissing a young model at a club. It caused a massive uproar, and we divorced. Three months later, due to the need to push forward a joint project between our two families, we were forced to remarry. The second year of our remarriage, I publicly slapped Ethan three times on the street for having an affair with an aspiring actress. It went viral on Ins, and we divorced again. However, this time, less than three days after the divorce, our families pressured us into reconciling. By then, our two companies were deeply intertwined and couldn’t function without each other. After getting our marriage certificate for the third time, the playboy Ethan finally relented. He held a cigarette between his fingers, his expression veiled and indifferent. “Can we just live a good life together? You cool your bad temper, and I won’t see other women outside.” I smirked, sitting in the driver’s seat and rolling up the window. “Fine, but don’t let me catch you cheating again.” “Fine, but don’t let me catch you cheating again. If you cheat one more time, I will never marry you again. Over my dead body!” What I hated most in life was a cheating scumbag! My father’s infidelity caused my mother’s mental breakdown and eventual suicide. From that moment on, I hated this world. That’s why I’d stop at nothing to hurt the cheating Ethan. I’d rather hurt myself if it meant hurting him worse. The second year after this third remarriage, I went to a snowy mountain to find inspiration for my painting. I was caught in an avalanche and nearly died there. When Ethan heard, he defied the mountain closure and danger warnings, entering the mountain alone with rescue equipment to save me. Using our tracking watches, Ethan found me, barely clinging to life. The snow that day was heavy. Ethan must have searched for me for ages; his face was red from the cold, and his hands trembled uncontrollably. “Anya, let’s go home.” I stared at him blankly, a strange surge of emotion stirring in my chest. To meet the person who would risk everything to save you, right before death’s door. Perhaps, I had truly found the right person. After the mountain rescue, our marriage entered a honeymoon phase. Ethan reined in his wild ways. For an entire year, he had no rumors with any women; he kept himself clean. He stopped going to all the entertainment venues. When his friends tried to tease him into trouble at dinners, he would just smile and say he listened to his wife, coming home for dinner before ten o’clock. We were getting better and better, and Ethan poured all his efforts into loving me. He proposed on a yacht at sunset bay in Miami. He played the piano for me beneath the Swiss Alps, holding white moon flowers. He swore eternal love under a hot air balloon in Turkey. We passionately loved each other all over the world. Until a phone call shattered the silence of the night. Ethan’s face changed after he took the call. He quickly booked a flight back home. “Something urgent came up at work. I have to leave. Anya, you can take your time enjoying yourself here.” He left a deep kiss and turned to leave. I touched my reddened lips, watching his retreating figure. A creeping sense of dread spread through my chest. “Ethan, you’d better not be lying to me.” I calmly checked out of the hotel and bought a flight ticket. Following him all the way. His methods weren’t subtle. But Ethan, too flustered and anxious, didn’t notice my tail. The next afternoon, Ethan drove to a simple apartment complex. Soon, a scarred little girl ran out and threw herself into his arms. Behind her, a stooped, tired, and aged woman followed. Ethan’s usual good temper vanished. He gripped a baseball bat and stormed inside. I got out of my car. I could only stare as Ethan, like a madman, fiercely and wildly beat an old man with the bat, blow after blow. “You married Serena and treated her so badly, and you dared to abuse Lily? I’ll kill you right now!”

Anya POV My body trembled. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Ethan had never been so out of control. For an older woman and a girl? What was their relationship? Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit me, and I clutched my mouth, dry-heaving for what felt like an eternity. It was then that I realized. During our honeymoon, I’d forgotten to use protection. Could I be pregnant? A surge of joy rose in my heart. I looked up, just about to tell Ethan the good news. My eyes snapped open in shock as I saw the scene before me! It felt like a sour, bitter wad of cotton was stuck in my throat, choking off any words. The woman stood on tiptoe and kissed Ethan’s lips. “Thank you, Ethan.” Ethan turned his head, letting her kiss his cheek. “Serena, I’ll always have your back.” I looked at Ethan, deeply embracing the woman, and a chill ran through me. It was a mix of absurdity and a sickening feeling that I should have known. “Ethan, you’ve cheated again.” I should have known. I couldn’t keep a playboy. He was too affectionate. He loved too many people. I forced myself to ignore my physical discomfort, about to turn and leave for the hospital for a check-up, when a warm gush suddenly flowed between my legs. Looking down, fresh blood stained the snow through my dress. A violent cramp instantly swept through my entire body. My vision went black, and I collapsed helplessly into the roadside grass. When I woke up again, I was in a cold hospital bed. The doctor regretfully told me that I had lost the baby due to a natural miscarriage, attributing it to cold exposure and emotional distress. I stayed in the hospital for three days. During those three days, Ethan didn’t call once. After losing the baby, my heart turned to ashes. I found a lawyer, drafted the divorce papers, and brought them home. The house was eerily silent. Suddenly, the door opened. A drunk Ethan was helped inside by Serena Hayes, who was dressed in a professional women’s suit. She saw me, her gaze slightly startled. “Are you Ethan’s wife? He’s had too much to drink; I just brought him home.” I looked at her coldly. Just as I had looked at countless other mistresses who had challenged me. “Who are you? When did you get involved with him?” Serena gently set Ethan down and told me a poignant story. In college, Ethan had fallen in love with his lecturer, Serena. But due to practical reasons, they broke up not long after they started dating. Later, they both married and went their separate ways. Recently, Serena had been abused by her husband, who even nearly beat their eight-year-old child to death. Serena was forced to call Ethan for help. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have gotten involved with Ethan.” “He saw I had no job and a child to raise, so he made me his administrative assistant.” She knelt, her face full of shame. Her obvious gray hairs made her look different from all the young, beautiful models and actresses Ethan had cheated with in the past. Serena appeared simple and pitiful. I watched her coldly, feeling the hollow ache in my abdomen where my child used to be, my heart clenching into a tight knot. Ethan opened his eyes and saw the scene. He immediately stood up and rushed over. “Enough!” He tenderly picked up Serena, looking at me with cold eyes. “What are you trying to do? I haven’t cheated with Serena, and you’re not allowed to slander her!” A furious blaze ignited within me. Slap! I slapped Ethan hard. I was about to hit him again when Serena, rushing over, stopped me. She pushed me fiercely. “I won’t let you hurt Ethan!” She was like a protective lioness, shielding him firmly. Ethan’s gaze softened, becoming complex, as he looked at her. “Serena, why are you still protecting me like you used to?” Caught off guard by her push, I stumbled and fell to the floor, my back hitting a sharp corner of the table with a piercing pain. Clutching my aching back, I struggled to stand. I maintained my composure and threw the divorce papers at him. “Ethan, we’re getting a divorce!” Ethan picked up the agreement, signed it without even looking, and tossed it back. “So, has your family, the Reeds, thought about how they’re going to get me to remarry you again?” He simply didn’t believe I could truly divorce him. The previous two reconciliations had proven one thing: The Blackwood and Reed families were inseparable.

Anya POV I picked up the divorce papers, my gaze fixed on their intertwined hands. After a long moment, I took a deep breath. “This time, I won’t remarry you. Never.” I turned and went upstairs, grabbed my passport, and left. Ethan, drinking the black coffee Serena poured for him, watched my retreating figure with an indifferent expression. “The divorce will be finalized in a month. You won’t back out, will you?” “I’ll be there.” “Has the Reed family thought about how they’ll apologize to me? This time, the divorce isn’t my fault.” His attitude remained arrogant. My face was pale, and I clutched my stomach, leaving without a word. Indeed, a leopard never changes its spots. If it happens once, it will happen countless times. Tears streamed down my face as I walked. I cried for my own momentary weakness. And I cried for the child who never got to see this world. A month after submitting the divorce application. I completed the asset division and made a call. That afternoon, I was working at the office when Ethan suddenly burst in and grabbed my wrist. “What did you do to Lily? She came home crying and wanted to drop out of school, saying you spread rumors at school that her mother broke up a family!” Ethan’s eyes were fierce as he stared at me, enunciating every word. “She’s only an eight-year-old child. Do you really need to pressure her like this?” “What?” I was about to speak, but Serena, with red-rimmed eyes, interrupted me from behind. “Ethan and I have no relationship whatsoever.” “He just took pity on me, handled my divorce case, and let me temporarily be his administrative assistant.” “Why would you slander me like this and make my child suffer!” She cried, looking disheveled and frail. Given her age, many people thought I was being unreasonable this time. “I heard Mr. Blackwood has finally settled down. Why is the Reed heiress still so relentless?” “Exactly, she even went to the school. How can that child live with this?” “Rich heiresses really do love these public humiliation games.” The overwhelming accusations made me laugh bitterly. “What evidence do you have that I did this?” “Who else would it be but you?” Ethan’s cold gaze fixed on me. “You’ve ruined that actress before, spreading rumors about her being a mistress. This time is no different.” I was speechless. “Before, I did that because I wanted to divorce you…” “Go apologize to the school immediately!” Ethan didn’t want to hear it. I was practically dragged to the school’s parent committee office. Ethan said coldly. “Now, admit in front of everyone that you spread rumors, and apologize.” I shook my head indifferently. “Impossible. I won’t apologize for something I didn’t do.” I would never back down. Serena immediately broke down. She rushed forward and slapped me twice. My cheeks stung fiercely. I was completely stunned. It had always been me, the Reed heiress, doing the slapping. No one had ever dared to hit me like this! Especially not my husband’s old flame! “You!” I, furious and humiliated, raised my hand for a slap. But Ethan gripped my hand tightly! I looked at him in shock. “You watched me get hit?! Ethan, are you out of your mind?!” Perhaps the anger and pain in my eyes pierced Ethan, because his grip loosened. Once free, without thinking, I rushed forward and kicked Serena in the stomach. Sending her sprawling to the floor! Thud! Coincidentally, there was a stair step right there. “Save me!” Serena helplessly tumbled down the stairs. Her cries faded into the air. I froze. Ethan, even more frantic, rushed down. “Serena!”

Anya POV “It hurts so much!” Serena, having rolled twice, was bleeding from her head and looked utterly pathetic. She trembled in Ethan’s arms, tears streaming down her face. “Ethan, I just want a normal life. Please, I beg you.” “Please make Anya Reed clear my name, please don’t let her hurt me anymore.” Her tears poured down, making her seem tragic and pitiable. I stood above them, looking down coldly. In that moment, Ethan’s internal balance completely tilted. He picked her up, holding her steadily in his arms. He stared at me with icy eyes. “Anya Reed, you and I are not done with this.” After saying that, he turned and left. But behind his back, where he couldn’t see, Serena flashed a triumphant smile at me. She mouthed a single sentence. “You lost.” Watching his ruthless retreating figure, my heart ached as if it had been ripped out. After a long moment, I collapsed, feeling weak all over. A searing pain shot through my abdomen. I knew I had indeed lost. Ethan would completely sever ties with me, no longer caring about my status. The last time he did something like this, a large company went bankrupt, and its executives knelt at his feet begging for mercy. And that time, it was just because that executive had tried to touch my waist. It wasn’t until dusk that I stumbled to my feet and called my father, Richard Reed. After a long wait, the call connected. “Ethan is going to target our family business…” Richard immediately cut off my words. “Why would he do that? Did you go and annoy him again?!” “It’s normal for a successful man to have other women, especially him. Can’t you be more understanding?” “You go and apologize to him right now, beg him! Otherwise, I’ll kick you out of the house and won’t give you a single penny!” After saying that, Richard hung up fiercely. I put away my phone, standing in the cold wind, shivering slightly. “So cold.” There was a time when I thought Ethan, after seemingly changing, would give me a home. But it was just an illusion. My heart would never beat for him again. I walked out of the school, step by step. My vision went black. Someone knocked me out from behind. When I woke up again, my eyes were blindfolded. I smelled the damp, foul odor of an abandoned warehouse. “Was that kick earlier really satisfying?” Serena walked up and slapped me several times. “Strip her clothes off, take a few photos, and let everyone enjoy the show.” “Oh, and I want something extra spicy.” “Also, don’t do anything else!” After saying that, Serena waved to a few tattooed thugs behind her. The men grinned and walked closer. Thinking about what fate awaited me, I managed to croak out a trembling warning. “Get lost!” “I’m the Reed heiress; you’ll be dead if you touch me!” “Get lost, no, I’ll give you money, whatever you want!” “Let me go!” “Hehehe, we love playing with rich heiresses like you!” Amidst the men’s jeering and their foul stench. I went from crying for help, struggling, to despair and numbness. I never imagined I would fall to such a state. I thought about my past days, always high and mighty. Before, I would never have thought that my pride and confidence would be brutally crushed in this small, abandoned warehouse! The men brutally ripped off my clothes. They pinched and squeezed my pale body, posing me in various ways. Taking one humiliating photo after another. One of the men couldn’t help but swallow, muttering, “Why don’t we just go for it? Buddy, I can’t hold back!” “No! If this woman reports us, our crime will be too severe. Photos are enough!” But their hands moved all over me, back and forth, and their desires flared. Soon, I heard the sound of a zipper being pulled down.

Anya POV “No! Don’t!” In desperation, I bit the inside of my mouth, spitting out a mouthful of blood. I shrieked, struggling like a trapped beast. “If you dare touch me, I’ll kill myself right here!!” The men froze, scared. They didn’t want a murder on their hands either. “Forget it, just finish the photos and leave. We’ve got our money anyway.” “Such a shame, such a beautiful woman, only allowed to touch, not to taste.” … I don’t know how long it was until I heard the door open outside. I moved my wrists and found I wasn’t tied. I staggered to my feet, stiffly putting my torn clothes back on, piece by piece. I didn’t call the police. Instead, I went to the cemetery. I lay weakly on my mother’s tombstone, crying as if to shed all the tears of my life. “Mom, they’re all bullying me because you’re not here.” The next day, with a pale face, I brought fresh flowers to my mother’s grave. I stayed there for three days, oblivious to everything. Without food or water. Just sitting with my knees hugged, staring blankly at my mother’s photo. Until I collapsed from exhaustion and was taken to the hospital by a passerby. During this time, Ethan began openly flaunting his affair in the media, taking Serena to various events only wives could attend. He also punished the parents and students who had bullied Lily at school, then announced that Lily was his child. Finally, he arranged Serena’s divorce, ensuring her ex-husband left with nothing and was even sent to prison. Serena was constantly by his side. Countless times, Serena posted on Ins, thanking him profusely. “I thought I had entered hell, but I never expected him to bring me back to heaven.” The accompanying picture showed their hands clasped together. “He said we are the happiest family of three.” A happy photo of the three of them in front of an amusement park. Ethan holding Serena and Lily, smiling brightly. “Turns out, you don’t mind my past, and you’re even willing to…” This photo was the most explicit. It showed a white five-star hotel bedsheet, with the familiar bare shoulder of a man. Seeing this picture, I only felt disgust and ridicule. I still remembered Ethan’s solemn promises that he would never cheat again. But in just one year. He was dirty once more. So disgusting. I turned off my phone, unwilling to look anymore. A week later, at my mother’s grave, I saw the person I least wanted to see. Ethan, with a group of bodyguards, was destroying my mother’s tombstone. I instantly lost control, rushing forward and firmly blocking their way. “Stop! Who gave you permission to touch my mother’s grave?!” Ethan looked at me coldly. “It’s been a week. You disappeared for an entire week. I looked everywhere and finally found you here.” “Aren’t you going to explain?” I just felt absurd. “You didn’t ask why I disappeared, but you were having an affair with Serena.” “What explanation do you want?” Ethan’s gaze darkened. “Serena and I aren’t what you think; I just feel grateful to her.” I was so angry I laughed. “Grateful? Does gratitude involve kissing, sleeping together? Does gratitude involve destroying my mother’s tombstone for her?!” “Well, that’s quite remarkable gratitude. I want that kind of gratitude from you too!” Ethan’s suppressed emotions instantly erupted. He rushed forward and gripped my wrist tightly. “If I hadn’t cleaned up your mess last time, you’d be in jail for assault and slander!” “I’m only destroying your mother’s tombstone to force you out, to make you apologize to Serena!” I struggled desperately. “Get lost! Never!” His gaze grew even more sinister, and he motioned to the bodyguards beside him. “Keep smashing. Dig up the ashes and dump them in the sewer.”

Anya POV The sound of the bodyguards’ destructive work continued. I stared at Ethan, feeling my heart tremble with pain. Finally, I closed my eyes in a daze. “Fine, I’ll apologize.” Here, the only thing I cherished was my mother, who had always held me gently. I didn’t want my mother’s resting place to be disturbed, even in death. Ethan, seeing me finally relent, let out a sigh of relief. “Let’s go, come home with me to apologize.” I paused, slightly stunned. “She’s already moved into our marital home?” Ethan also realized his words were inappropriate, his gaze flickering as he explained. “No, it’s because your actions caused her mental breakdown, so I brought her home to calm her down.” “Let’s go.” I didn’t want to hear any more. Now, all I could do was to maintain my proud facade. Pretend I hadn’t been crushed. Stepping back into this house, which I hadn’t seen in a week, felt incredibly strange. White jasmine flowers in a vase, children’s toys, books scattered around… Facing me was Serena, holding an eight-year-old girl. “Ethan, you’re back.” Her smile froze when she saw me. She lowered her head, looking meek and timid. “Anya, you’re back too.” My eyes, full of resentment and coldness, stared fixedly at her. “If I didn’t come back, this house would be taken over by a cuckoo. Were you hoping I wouldn’t return?” Serena’s body trembled; she looked at Ethan with a pitiful expression. Ethan’s brows furrowed when he heard my words. “Enough. I brought you back to apologize!” Eight-year-old Lily Hayes immediately understood what was happening and rushed out like a small cannonball. She pushed me hard. “Bad woman, you’re bullying my mother!” Caught off guard, I was pushed to the floor, my head hitting the stair railing sharply, sending a piercing pain through me. “Hiss, you damn kid!” I scrambled to my feet, ready to teach her a lesson, but Ethan gripped my arm. “I told you, apologize!” “Why do you have to argue with a child who doesn’t know any better?” Ethan’s voice grew increasingly dark. I bit my molars in pain, glaring at Ethan. “Don’t forget about your mother’s ashes.” Ethan warned. In the end, I only felt utterly disheartened. I shook off his hand and looked at Serena. “I’m sorry.” “Is that enough?” I dropped those words lightly and turned to leave. When you no longer cared about anything, an apology didn’t sting as much. Ethan looked at my decisive attitude, paused, and felt an inexplicable sense of panic. “Where are you going?” I said nothing, continuing to walk out. “Ethan, Lily says her stomach hurts!” Serena, holding the child, looked at Ethan helplessly. Two women. One needed him. One was indifferent to him. Ethan didn’t hesitate. He turned, picked up Lily, and took Serena to the hospital. Days passed by. Later, I called Ethan. “See you tomorrow. You’re not going to back out, are you?” Ethan hadn’t seen me for over two weeks, and his temper was getting worse by the day. “I’ll be there tomorrow, but will Richard Reed let you go through with it?” He hinted at something. But I had already hung up. The next day, I was preparing to sign the final documents. Suddenly, a trending topic erupted online. “Reed Heiress Plays Performance Art in Abandoned Warehouse! Racy Photos Grab Attention!” One by one, they were the scandalous photos of me from that day.

Anya POV Richard slapped me hard. I hung my head, covering my face with one hand, my expression blank. Richard looked at me with disgust, his face full of heartache. “Tomorrow, go beg Ethan. Beg him not to divorce you.” “Your body has been exposed online. Who would ever marry you now?!” As I listened, I laughed. My body trembled uncontrollably, and a single crystalline tear fell. “How ridiculous.” “You don’t ask me how those photos came to be, nor do you ask if I willingly divorced. All the blame is just dumped on me.” “Are you truly my father?” Richard’s face grew even uglier. “Shut up. Tomorrow, no matter what, you cannot sign the divorce papers.” “Otherwise, don’t blame me for disowning you!” I looked up, my eyes brimming with tears, and nodded. “Fine, I’ll make sure you get what you want.” The third day, Ethan arrived as scheduled. He looked at my swollen cheek and indifferent expression and said coldly, “It’s not too late to regret it now.” “Your photos are all over the internet. Do you think anyone would still marry you?” “Why did you take those explicit photos with those men?” “Give me a reason.” His arm seemed to tremble slightly, betraying his unstable inner state. I said nothing, simply lowered my head and signed. Then I pushed it towards Ethan. “Sign.” Ethan was momentarily speechless. He stood up, exasperated, and signed his name without hesitation. Then he grabbed his suit jacket and turned to leave. “This time, we won’t remarry so easily. You’ll have to pay the price for your mistakes!” He got into his car without looking back. Serena, in the passenger seat, gently fastened his seatbelt. She looked towards the door, smiled at me holding the divorce certificate. And mouthed once more. “Thank you.” I put the divorce certificate in my pocket, my gaze icy as I watched the car speed away. “Heh, no need to thank me.” “Ethan, that cheating scumbag, he’s all yours.” I lowered my head, pulled out my phone, and made a call. The call connected. “Mark, take me out of the country now.” My uncle, Mark Miller, smiled, relieved, on the other end of the line. “I wanted to take you abroad when your mother died, but you insisted on staying in the country to guard her grave.” “Now you’ve finally seen sense.” I looked at the swirling fallen leaves in the sky, my voice faint. “I didn’t understand before, but now I do.” Actually, I always had a way out. I remarried Ethan twice because I truly loved him. But I kept that feeling so well hidden that my father and Ethan both thought our marriage was purely for a business alliance. But Ethan, in the end, wasn’t the boy I had fallen for at eighteen. He destroyed my true feelings again and again with countless infidelities. And this time, it was the last straw. We would never meet again. That evening, I threw away my phone card, blocked Ethan and all contact numbers from the Reed family, and boarded Mark’s private jet. I was leaving the country that had nearly destroyed me.

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My husband, Liam, had barely been involved in our family life for the nine years we’d been married. He never celebrated our anniversary, never celebrated our daughter Lily’s birthday. Every time I confronted him, he’d self-righteously claim he was busy working for our family, even accusing me of being unreasonable. It wasn’t until my mom’s funeral that he was absent again. But this time, I didn’t cry or make a scene. I even explained for him, “He’s busy making money for Lily and me.” Everyone said we were a loving couple, little did they know my husband didn’t love me at all. When he claimed to be busy, he was actually with his best friend’s fiancée. On my daughter’s birthday, he was traveling with her. On our anniversary, he lit fireworks for her birthday. At my mom’s funeral, he was with her, trying on wedding dresses. In my previous life, after I discovered the truth, I hysterically confronted them, crushing that woman’s ego underfoot. What I got in return was my mom’s grave being desecrated, my dad falsely accused of sexual assault, and my daughter labeled an illegitimate child. Later, my husband even meticulously engineered a car crash, ensuring we’d never rest in peace. So this time around, I don’t want that scumbag. I just want him to pay for what he did.

“Liam, if Scarlett finds out you’re here trying on wedding dresses with me, won’t she be upset? I heard it’s Scarlett’s mom’s funeral today…” Chloe’s voice in the video carried a hint of guilt. Liam quickly comforted her. “It’s fine. Ethan is gone, and I’ll make up for what he owed you. After all, I was Ethan’s best friend! And don’t worry, Scarlett understands everything. Besides, it’s her mom who died; my presence there doesn’t matter.” “Oh, thank you, Liam.” Chloe hugged Liam tightly. The video ended abruptly there. I knew Chloe had sent this video. Just like in my previous life, she knew exactly how to provoke me. But I wouldn’t be like my old self anymore. I simply replied, [“Don’t worry. I know you’re grieving Ethan’s death. I told Liam to go be with you. I won’t be angry.”] Then I sent a screenshot of the message to Liam, [“Liam, please take good care of Chloe. Tell her not to worry.”] After that, I didn’t look at my phone again. After finishing my mom’s funeral arrangements, my dad looked at me with red-rimmed eyes. I forced a faint smile. “Dad, you should resign.” My dad paused, then, as if something clicked, nodded quickly. “Okay, I’ll take care of it as soon as possible and then leave. You two should hurry too.” “Mm.” We tacitly avoided mentioning the reincarnation. After parting ways, I took Lily home. I hadn’t expected Liam to be home. He looked flustered when he saw me. “Scarlett, don’t misunderstand, I just feared Chloe would be sad, so I…” “I get it. It’s hard enough for you to earn money and support Lily and me. Ethan was your best friend, and he died because of you, so it’s only right for you to take care of his fiancée.” “Scarlett, you…” Liam stared at me in disbelief. Yes, his suspicion was right. After all, in my previous life, I absolutely loathed Chloe. Even when Ethan was alive, I never liked Chloe. I always felt there was something Chloe was after by being with Ethan, but Liam would say I was just jealous. “Just because Chloe is prettier than you, you claim she’s manipulative? Scarlett, you really disappoint me.” That was our first argument over Chloe. “Scarlett, you’re really not angry?” Liam pressed again. I nodded. “Nope.” Seeing that I didn’t seem to be faking it, Liam breathed a sigh of relief. I took the opportunity to slip the divorce papers in with some insurance documents and had him sign them. Perhaps out of guilt, Liam signed without even looking. And as I watched him sign the divorce papers, my eyes were filled with hatred. Liam, since you didn’t hesitate to kill our entire family for that woman in your previous life, this time, I’ll make sure you get what you deserve. I want to see what he’ll choose: money or that woman. After that, Liam behaved remarkably well, even volunteering to take Lily to school. But I didn’t expect Chloe to lose her patience.

That evening, after Liam picked up Lily, he didn’t return for a long time. No matter how many times I called, he didn’t answer. Scared, I rushed out to look for them. But as I opened the door, I saw Liam. His face was dark. Not seeing Lily, I was about to ask when Liam’s hand struck my face. “Scarlett, I actually thought you were truly understanding. I can’t believe you lied to me! Inciting our daughter to target Chloe, do you think that’s clever?” I didn’t know what had happened, but it wasn’t hard to guess it was all Chloe’s doing. “I didn’t.” But Liam didn’t believe a word I said. When I asked him where Lily was, he just snorted. “If she messes up, she has to face the consequences.” My heart clenched. Liam shot me a scathing look. To pacify him, I said no more, just apologized. Liam’s attitude softened, and he told me to apologize to Chloe. So I went. She pretended to be terrified, hiding behind Liam. In the end, I had to kneel in the pouring rain all night before Liam’s anger finally subsided. After taking Lily home, I finally understood what had happened. I couldn’t believe Chloe would scheme against such a small child. Lily said that when Liam picked her up, Chloe was already in the car. Then, before Lily knew it, Chloe started complaining that she felt unwell and something about allergies. Liam immediately concluded that Lily had deliberately caused Chloe’s allergic reaction. Seeing my daughter’s swollen, tear-filled eyes, my heart ached. At that moment, my desire to kill them both reached its peak. Afterward, Liam didn’t come home, staying with Chloe to comfort her. I, on the other hand, enjoyed the peace. But I didn’t expect him to return with Chloe in tow. “Chloe was living in the apartment she used to rent with Ethan. Now she keeps seeing reminders of him there. You see, our house is so big; one more person won’t make a difference.” Liam wasn’t asking for my opinion; he was informing me. I didn’t speak, just looked at Chloe. By now, all the neighbors knew that Liam had brought his best friend’s fiancée home to take care of her. They showered him with praise. “Exactly, Ethan was so lucky to have a brother like Mr. Sterling!” Even Chloe nodded along. “Yes, I’m so grateful to Mr. Sterling these past few days. If it weren’t for him, I don’t know if I’d still be alive.” When Chloe cried, Liam tenderly pulled her into a hug. But he seemed to forget this was our home, and he was my husband. The onlookers were stunned too. As soon as Liam realized his mistake, he quickly released Chloe. “Scarlett, you take care of Chloe for a moment. I’m going to visit Ethan’s grave.” The next moment, Liam kissed my forehead. “Thank you, Scarlett.” Now, no one around said another word. I was almost sickened by him but managed to maintain my gentle, understanding demeanor. Liam gave Chloe a reluctant look before turning and leaving. After Liam left, Lily looked at me, confused. “Mom, does she really have to stay here? I don’t like her.” I didn’t know how to explain about rebirth to Lily. When I first came back, Lily had cried in my arms for a long time. She said, “Mom, I had a nightmare. Daddy was with Aunt Chloe, and because of Aunt Chloe, Daddy killed us. I was so scared…” It took a lot of coaxing, but I finally calmed Lily down. But from that moment on, she stopped being close to Liam. Before, if he missed her birthday, I wouldn’t even need to get angry; Lily would ignore him for days. Before Chloe showed up, our entire family was the most important thing to Liam. Liam would fight thugs for me, and even when a thug asked him, “Only one of you can live, who do you choose?” He chose me without hesitation, saying, “It doesn’t matter if I live or not, but my wife must live.” When I had a difficult labor giving birth to Lily, he said, “Scarlett, no more children.” That day, Liam became the talk of the hospital. The entire hospital was buzzing, “There’s a husband in the obstetrics department who cried until he passed out because he saw his wife in labor pain.”

See, men, when they truly love you, they really do. But when they stop loving you, they really stop. Liam once said, “Scarlett, my parents left me early, so your parents are my parents.” But later, because of that woman Chloe, he personally killed our entire family. So now, Liam deserves to die even more than Chloe. “Lily, do you remember what Mom told you?” My daughter nodded innocently. I smiled. “Then listen to Mom. Don’t show that you dislike Aunt Chloe. Soon, Mom and Grandpa will take you away, okay?” “Okay.” Lily was very well-behaved and didn’t say another word. Meanwhile, my dad sent me a message. He had already resigned and would be ready to leave in two weeks. With the divorce papers and evidence of Liam’s infidelity, my lawyer said we could get divorced in less than half a month. The agreement stipulated that Liam would leave with nothing. I knew that killing Liam to avenge us from the previous life would be too easy a punishment for him. I had to make Liam know what true misery felt like. No sooner had he left than Chloe dropped her act. The sweet innocent facade in front of Liam, but in front of me, she was a snarling vixen. “Scarlett Sterling, I really underestimated you. Liam is being so obvious, and you still won’t divorce him?” Meeting Chloe’s eyes, which looked like she wanted to devour me alive, I couldn’t help but smile. So desperate to take my place, huh? Fine, I’ll help you get there. Just before Liam and Chloe walked in, I had already secured the most crucial evidence. These two were truly vicious. Liam was right about one thing: Ethan had indeed saved his life. But Liam had personally killed Ethan. “Scarlett, if I were you, I’d have already killed myself.” “Really? The woman who hooked up with her fiancé’s best friend hasn’t killed herself, so why should I?” I didn’t hold back with Chloe. Since Liam wasn’t here, there was no need for me to pretend anymore. We stood there, staring at each other with daggers drawn, for a long time, until the housekeeper had packed all of Chloe’s things. Watching her belongings being moved into the master bedroom, I didn’t say a word. Anyway, I was leaving soon. If she wanted to be with that scumbag, she could. I certainly wouldn’t let that dog near me. That evening, Lily and I were having dinner when Chloe suddenly screamed upstairs. At the same moment, the front door opened, and Liam walked in. But he didn’t even glance at us, going straight upstairs. A moment later, Liam stormed down to me. Seeing his agitated state, I quickly shielded Lily behind me. The next moment, Liam’s hands clamped around my neck. “Scarlett, I can’t believe you’d play such games with me!” Meeting Liam’s eyes, which looked like they wanted to devour me, I felt myself struggling to breathe. I desperately slapped at Liam’s arms, but he didn’t budge. It wasn’t until Lily started crying at my side that he finally threw me to the floor. “Mommy…” Lily cried, hugging me tightly. I hadn’t felt too bad initially, but seeing Lily like this, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. “Scarlett, you’re the one who let Chloe stay in the master bedroom. Why did you deliberately put a knife on the bed? Are you trying to kill her?” Hearing that, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Me? Put a knife?” “Isn’t that right?” “Then let’s check the surveillance footage.” No sooner had I spoken than Chloe, who was crying by the staircase, instantly changed color. “You—you installed surveillance in the master bedroom?” “It’s my house. Can’t I install cameras wherever I want?” My counter-question instantly shut Chloe up. “Fine, I want to see how malicious you are.” Liam said, heading towards the monitoring room, but Chloe stopped him. “Liam, I’m fine, don’t argue with Scarlett because of me.” Chloe said a lot, and Liam listened tenderly, not forgetting to add, “Scarlett, you should really learn a thing or two from Chloe.” I watched the two of them, expressionless, and almost gagged. But I held it in. Nothing else happened that night, except Liam stayed in Chloe’s room.

After that, I ignored Liam and Chloe’s open displays of affection. Outwardly, I was subservient to Liam, and even spoke highly of Chloe. Sometimes, I would even act quite pathetic. Liam saw it all. His guilt towards me grew daily, and now his gaze towards me had softened. Sometimes, because of me, he would even disregard some of Chloe’s demands. Chloe gradually realized I was doing this on purpose, so she started to act even more. Of course, what Chloe did most was falsely accuse me. However, having been reborn, I was already well-versed in her tricks. She tried to frame me for pushing her, so I made sure to injure myself. She’d be on the floor, and I’d be lying in a pool of my own blood. What could Liam say when he saw me covered in blood? He would rush me to the hospital, and each time, Chloe would stomp her foot in frustration. And while alone with Liam in the hospital, I would play him recordings of Chloe’s provocative words. Then I’d gently take his hand and say, “Liam, I know Chloe is like this because Ethan died. I don’t blame her, and please don’t bother her, okay? She’s really had it rough.” “Lily and I are fine. We’ll help her get through this.” My appearance, swallowing my grievances with red-rimmed eyes, completely drew Liam’s heart back to my side. As soon as I was discharged from the hospital, he pulled me in, clearly wanting to be intimate. It scared me, and I quickly made some noise. Sure enough, within three seconds, Chloe burst in. “Liam, I feel unwell. Can you take me to the hospital?” “Call a driver.” Liam was annoyed at being interrupted when things were heating up, and his expression towards Chloe was already sour. Chloe instantly looked heartbroken. As his wife, I expressed understanding. “It’s okay, you go with Chloe to the hospital. If Ethan saw us neglecting her from up above, he’d be upset.” When I mentioned Ethan, Liam, though still annoyed, got out of bed. A minute later, the car drove out of the villa. I watched them leave from the balcony before going to Lily’s room. Lily was already ready. She looked at me with a smile. “Mommy, can we go now?” I nodded. I’d endured for half a month; it was time to leave. For the past two weeks, I’d had to tolerate Chloe’s provocations and the strange looks from everyone around us. No one knew what I’d gone through. But I knew the time for blood for blood had come. When Lily and I arrived at the airport, my dad was already there. Before boarding, Liam sent me a message: [“Chloe’s situation is a bit complicated, you go to sleep first, don’t wait for me.”] Seeing the message, I couldn’t help but smile. Such a good actor. He probably still had no idea how smoothly Chloe and I had been communicating behind his back. Just moments ago, Chloe had also sent me a message: [“Liam is mine tonight.”] It was accompanied by a video of the two of them together in bed. I didn’t reply to their messages, but I did something else. After finishing my operation, I turned off my phone. At that moment, I felt completely liberated. The next moment, Liam, who was currently occupied, received a call from his assistant. “You better have a good reason.” “Mr. Sterling, you need to check the company’s official website right away.” After the assistant spoke, Liam impatiently opened the website. With just one glance, his face turned ashen. “No, this is impossible.”

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My boyfriend, Ethan Thorne, had a severe hearing impairment. To afford a cochlear implant for him, I worked multiple jobs, sometimes seven a day. But I didn’t mind. All that mattered was for him to be happy, to experience the beauty of the world. Ethan’s first reaction after getting the cochlear implant was to pull me into a passionate embrace, kissing me like there was no tomorrow. He swore he’d be with me for life. Then, two years later, one night after we’d been intimate, I vaguely noticed a black artificial cochlear implant on the bedside table. Ethan, tall and handsome, leaned by the window, a cigarette between his fingers, talking on FaceTime. His friend’s excited, sharp voice came from the other end: “No way, are you really going to marry that cheap commodity? What about Scarlett? She’s coming back in three days…” Ethan’s voice was hoarse from earlier, and he chuckled. “Don’t say that. Ava is mine for now; I haven’t gotten tired of her yet! Once Scarlett is back, I’ll naturally marry her.” I closed my eyes, tears streaming into the pillow, my hands clenched tight. So, the hearing impairment was fake. His love for me was fake. Even wanting to marry me was fake! From the very beginning, I was just a passing amusement for him.

Two minutes later, Ethan stubbed out his cigarette and walked straight towards me, his fingers gently touching the corner of my eye. His voice was deep and husky: “Bad dream?” It was a perfectly normal question, a sign of concern, but it sent shivers down my spine. With a surge of disgust, I slapped his hand away. I abruptly opened my eyes and met his gaze: “You lied to me. You don’t have a hearing impairment at all. Why would you do this?!” Unlike my breakdown, Ethan seemed to have been mentally prepared, as if he’d anticipated this day. “What, you’re not happy that I’m a normal person instead?” Ethan glanced at the artificial cochlear implant on the table, scoffing lightly, as if it were just an irrelevant ornament. “You were the one who got ahead of yourself. You were the one who wanted to make money to buy me a cochlear implant. You never asked for my opinion, not once.” “I’ve played along with you for two years. I’ve done more than enough. Now that we’re dating properly, why dwell on these minor details?” Minor details? I found myself unable to understand the man in front of me, baffled by how he could lie to me and still be so utterly at peace with himself. Back then, I felt so much pity for Ethan’s hearing impairment. He rarely spoke much to others, and to help him regain his confidence, I worked myself to the bone. During those most extreme months, I sometimes worked seven jobs a day, so busy I barely had time to drink water. My best friend, Chloe Green, laughed at me, calling me a hopeless romantic, throwing my health away for a man. I pouted, my eyes filled with concern, and shot back: “You don’t understand how difficult life can be for someone with a disability. I don’t want to see Ethan excluded anymore. I want him to see and hear the beauty of this world!” Later, I successfully bought him the latest cochlear implant. Ethan just smiled at it, then pulled me into his arms, kissing me passionately: “Ava, you’re so good to me. I’ll never betray you in my life!” Recalling the sweet two years we’d spent together, I felt as if hundreds of ants were crawling over me, a chilling sensation washing through my body. Yet the culprit acted as if nothing was wrong, carelessly trampling on my genuine feelings. “It’s my fault for not explaining this misunderstanding sooner. You wouldn’t break up with me over such a small thing, would you?” I opened my mouth in a daze, unable to utter a single word. Ethan was truly skilled at manipulating people. He knew the depth of my love, that I simply couldn’t bear to break up. Seeing my head bowed, my shoulders trembling slightly, a strange flicker of guilt passed through Ethan’s eyes. “Alright, it’s all my fault. I won’t lie to you again, okay?” I was about to press him further about Scarlett from his call, but a frantic phone ring interrupted me. Ethan’s usually composed eyes instantly showed a hint of urgency, an excitement I had never seen before. “Ethan…” I called out his name, but Ethan quickly pulled on his clothes and rushed out the door, tossing over his shoulder: “Work emergency. I won’t be back for dinner!” But I instantly saw through it, recognizing it as a clumsy excuse. His beloved, far away overseas, must have returned. I scoffed at myself, my heart aching with a dull pain.

Getting up, I tossed the artificial cochlear implant from the table into the trash. I looked up at the not-so-large apartment. After Ethan and I officially started dating after graduation, he moved me into this place. It was close to the subway station, convenient for commuting. Whenever I asked about the apartment’s origins, Ethan would always vaguely explain: “It was left by an elderly relative in my family.” But what elderly relative buys a newly renovated, European-style apartment in the city center? It clearly looked like it had been specifically designed by someone. But at the time, my heart was completely consumed by Ethan, and I never noticed these oddities in our relationship. No wonder Ethan, supposedly disabled, could effortlessly intern at a public company right after graduation, even without an interview. No wonder Ethan rarely wore the artificial cochlear implant voluntarily. It wasn’t that he didn’t care for it; it was that he didn’t need it at all. It turned out his entire persona was fake. The hearing impairment was fake, the poor boy identity was fake, and even his love for me and his desire to marry me were fake! I closed my eyes, trying to process the overwhelming grief, remembering his words during the call: “Ava is mine for now; I haven’t gotten tired of her yet!” “Once Scarlett is back, I’ll naturally marry her!” Ethan Thorne, you certainly hid your true colors well! At seven that evening, I packed all my belongings. Since I was determined to leave, I would do so cleanly. My gaze lingered on every corner of the apartment: the couple’s mugs we bought together, the matching slippers, the potted plant we spent two hours choosing… Memories were like a cruel hand, squeezing my throat, making it hard to breathe. Just then, the front door burst open, and Scarlett Davis’s beautiful, striking face appeared before me: “Who are you, and why are you in *our* home?” *Our home*. Those two words hit me hard, and it took me a few seconds to process them. Scarlett quickly let out a cold laugh, her perfectly manicured nail pointing directly at my cheek. “Oh, I remember now. You’re the little side chick Ethan told me he’d marry just to spite me?” “Looks like his taste is pretty mediocre!” I ignored Scarlett’s mockery, grabbed her provocatively pointing finger, and flung it away: “I’m not his side chick. I’m the girlfriend he publicly acknowledged. You, on the other hand, are the one intruding here, aren’t you?” Hearing this, Scarlett immediately frowned, a hint of malice in her eyes. She gave a small laugh, then deliberately twisted her ankle, crashing against the shoe cabinet with a pained yelp. Ethan, carrying bags, walked in to this scene. Scarlett leaned on the floor, holding her waist, her face contorted in pain, tears welling up in her eyes. I instinctively tried to explain, but Ethan’s hand flew out, slapping me across the face. My lip stung terribly, feeling as if it might split open. “Scarlett just got back from overseas, do you really have to be so cruel to her?!” “Don’t you know Scarlett injured her spine while dancing? She can’t take any bumps. Are you trying to make her permanently disabled?!” Ethan’s words were incredibly harsh, making me sound like some heinous villain. But he knew I would never intentionally harm anyone, yet he believed Scarlett’s one-sided story. “I didn’t! I didn’t even touch her!” Scarlett immediately spoke up, cutting off my explanation, her voice innocent and pitiful: “Perhaps your girlfriend doesn’t welcome me here. I should just go stay somewhere else. I won’t bother you two anymore…” “And you don’t need to worry about my work back home. I overstepped my bounds!” Hearing this, Ethan’s heart instantly tightened. He immediately pulled Scarlett into an embrace, comforting her, his eyes overflowing with tenderness: “Scarlett, this apartment was ours together. It’s your home too. How could you leave me, leave this place…” Then, Ethan coldly looked at me, issuing a direct eviction notice: “Ava Miller, you don’t need to stay here anymore. Move to a hotel. I’ll cover the expenses!” I forced a smile. So, one word from Scarlett, and I no longer even had the right to live here. Coincidentally, I had no intention of staying either! I wiped the tears from my eyes, dragging my two suitcases towards the door. As I passed, Ethan frowned and looked at me, seeming to want to say something. But Scarlett’s cry of pain interrupted him.

The city night was truly cold. Dragging my two large suitcases, I shivered, sneezing several times in a row. Ethan used to be so afraid of me getting cold. Whenever the weather changed, he wouldn’t let me go out in the wind. Now, Ethan hadn’t even called once. After checking into a hotel with my ID, I started looking for a new place to rent. Just then, I received an anonymous video. In the video, Scarlett was tugging on Ethan’s tie, their lips intertwined, her face flushed. She suddenly picked up the black artificial cochlear implant from the trash can, as if she’d found something amusing, and laughed: “Ethan Thorne, you’re playing quite the game behind my back, pretending to be deaf?” Ethan disdainfully glanced at the dirty cochlear implant, took it from her hand, and tossed it away, continuing to kiss her. He responded softly to Scarlett’s words: “Just messing with her. Who told her to take it seriously… I find that thing disgusting!” My breathing hitched instantly. I could only hear the frantic pounding of my heart. So, the thousand-dollar cochlear implant I worked so hard to buy for him was, in his eyes, just a disgusting piece of trash! I clutched my chest, trying to alleviate the discomfort, my breathing becoming labored. Just then, my grandmother Rose called me, asking with a smile: “My dear Ava, when are you and Ethan coming back? I have prepared some wine for you both!” Since my parents died in a car accident, my grandmother Rose had become my only pillar of emotional support. I visited her several times a year. It used to be just me; then, Ethan started coming with me. I didn’t know how to face Rose, so I remained silent for a moment. Rose was still grinning from ear to ear, chattering away: “Ethan said he’s going to marry you this year! I’ll make sure to take my medicine and stay healthy so I can take the bus to your wedding… Oh, my, it’s not easy for an old country woman like me to come to the city!” With every word Rose said, I felt more ashamed. I quickly hung up the phone, unable to face her anymore. I blocked the anonymous account that sent the video and warned Scarlett: **\[Ethan and I are over. You don’t need to provoke me.\]** That day, I remembered leaving something behind at Ethan’s apartment and took a ride there to retrieve it. I bumped right into Ethan as he was leaving. Looking up, I saw several hickeys on his neck, clearly left by Scarlett. Ethan frowned and grabbed my wrist, demanding to know why I hadn’t replied to his messages these past few days. I ignored him. “My mom said we’re having dinner at home this week to discuss wedding plans.” I laughed, looking at him, perplexed: “Aren’t you going to marry Scarlett Davis? Why are you telling me this? Do you need me to participate in your wedding too?” Ethan looked down at me, annoyance flashing across his brow: “My mom doesn’t like Scarlett. I won’t have a public wedding with her. Our engagement still stands; I won’t go back on my word to you.” *Slap!* I slapped him. His brazen words made me want to laugh in fury. “Ethan Thorne, the moment you lied to me, we were over!” “I’m not a tool for you and Scarlett to flirt with, nor am I a shield for your affair!” “The engagement is off. I won’t marry you. Let’s go our separate ways from now on!” Ethan gave me a strange look, then chuckled twice: “Ava Miller, don’t be so jealous. I’m not kidding. Besides my heart, I can give you everything else — the title, the status!” “Don’t make a fuss. My mom has already had someone calculate the wedding date. It’s next month!” “You wouldn’t want your only living relative to be disappointed, would you?” It was another naked threat and manipulation. Ethan had calculated that I couldn’t leave him and wouldn’t bear to disappoint Rose. I was practically boiling with rage, feeling utterly desperate.

Ethan used Rose’s health as leverage, forcing me to continue playing the role of his loving fiancée to reassure his mother. “Ava, my dear, among all the girls Ethan knows, you’re the one I trust the most. You two must get married smoothly and stay together for life!” Mrs. Thorne’s words exhausted me, but I felt powerless. For the next month, Ethan treated me with the same meticulous care and tenderness as before, accompanying me to try on wedding dresses and engagement rings. Looking at the sparkling diamond ring on my finger, I couldn’t help but sneer: “Ethan Thorne, your sincerity isn’t worth a thing. Aren’t you afraid Scarlett will go crazy if she finds out about all this?” A flicker of something crossed Ethan’s eyes when he heard Scarlett’s name. He brushed a strand of hair from my face and said indifferently: “I’ll calm Scarlett down. She won’t get jealous like you. You just need to play the part of a happy bride!” Sometimes, I truly hated Ethan’s cruelty, yet occasionally, I would find myself uncontrollably drawn into this vortex of tenderness. I couldn’t tell if Ethan had ever felt a shred of genuine affection for me. As the wedding day approached, Rose became noticeably more excited. She couldn’t sleep at night, whispering to me on the phone: “I’m old now. My only wish is to see you get married and have children. I’m so happy you found someone you love…” “I’ve never seen you look so happy and content. Only Ethan, that boy, makes me feel truly at ease!” Listening to Rose’s rambling, I suddenly couldn’t bear to tell her the truth. It was just a wedding, I thought, a way to fulfill her last wish. I thought naively, never expecting Scarlett Davis’s breakdown and jealousy to be so fierce. That day, as I left work, someone forcibly dragged me into the underground parking garage. Scarlett slapped me twice across the face, raging uncontrollably: “Ava Miller, you’re truly shameless. Ethan doesn’t love you at all, yet you still cling to him!” “Do you think by stealing my place, you can become Mrs. Thorne?!” “I’m telling you, I will never allow anyone to threaten my position. Just you wait, I absolutely won’t let you off easy!” Scarlett’s words made my heart clench, and I couldn’t help but retort mockingly: “The one insisting on marrying me is Ethan. If you’re so capable, why don’t you make his whole family change their minds?” “Oh, right. Mrs. Thorne doesn’t think much of your fickle and untrustworthy nature!” Scarlett’s face turned red with fury, her eyes practically spitting fire. She clenched her fists and said viciously: “Then just you wait and see!” The day before the wedding, Scarlett sent me a strange set of numbers. They looked vaguely familiar. By the time I tried to ask her about them, she had already blocked me. On the wedding day, I felt something was off, a persistent unease in my heart. Ethan was still playing the part of the perfect lover, just as before, putting the ring on my finger and kissing my lips in front of everyone. For a moment, I actually thought we had returned to the past, back to when he still loved me. Suddenly, my phone vibrated a few times. It was an unknown number, and on the other end, I heard Rose’s voice. Scarlett must have said something to Rose, because I heard Rose’s hurried breathing, followed by sounds of them pushing and arguing. I frowned and said “Hello,” but no one replied. I just dismissed it as a minor interruption. Suddenly, a panic erupted outside the wedding venue. Someone shouted: “Someone fell from a height!” My heart pounded erratically. I felt a dizzy spell and ran desperately to check. Ethan also rushed over. However, the person lying on the ground, in excruciating pain, was Scarlett Davis. What was going on?! Ethan, looking distraught, rushed downstairs from the second floor, embracing Scarlett, his eyes bloodshot. Scarlett cried out: “Ethan, save me! Ava and her grandma conspired to kill me!” Hearing Rose’s voice, I frantically ran over. I saw her lying at the corner of the staircase, gasping for air, her face pale, with several scratches on her body. “Ava…” I strained to hear, but Rose’s breathing was faint, almost in shock. Crying, I shouted for help, calling out to Ethan: “Ethan Thorne, quickly, call for a car! My grandmother is in critical condition!” “Ethan Thorne, I beg you, please come and save my grandmother! I promise I’ll be obedient forever!” The only response was Ethan’s voice, filled with utter disgust: “Ava Miller, you and your grandma used schemes to make Scarlett fall and break her leg. I will make you pay for this!” Ethan carried Scarlett and rushed to the hospital, ordering everyone present not to call an ambulance for me. Holding my grandmother’s gradually cooling body, I suddenly seemed to realize something. A heartbreaking cry escaped me: “Rose!” Ethan’s footsteps paused slightly ahead, then he scoffed. “Ava Miller, your acting is too clumsy. I won’t fall for it again!”

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The day of my heart transplant, my mother locked me in the dark basement. It was all because Chloe, the girl she treated as her own daughter, also needed a heart transplant. To ensure Chloe got the heart that was a perfect match for me, my mother covered my chest with electrode pads to suppress my heartbeat. I knelt on the ground, begging her, pleading with her to let me go. But my mother was unmoved. She pressed hundreds of electrode pads deep into my skin, making the angina I already suffered from even more unbearable. The last electrode pad was placed directly over my heart by my mother herself. She looked at me, trembling all over, and said coldly, “Chloe has been frail since childhood. She just wants a healthy heart. Do you have to fight her for even this?” “Ever since you came back, you’ve always targeted Chloe. Let’s see how you like this piercing pain!” “The specialists said the electrode pads, combined with a dark environment, could strengthen your heart. You can have your surgery later, once they find a second donor heart.” I lay on the ground, close to fainting, waiting for my mother to come and get me out. But my mother was overjoyed when Chloe’s surgery was a success, taking her on a trip to Europe. It wasn’t until two months later, when my mother returned home and saw my empty room, that she remembered me. She then ordered someone to rush me to the hospital. Housekeeper Mrs. Davies hesitated, her words caught in her throat. “Lily… she’s already dead in the basement.”

The electric currents coursing through my body, combined with the excruciating pain of my angina, made me question if I was still alive. Only my mother’s cold eyes in front of me forced me to cling to a sliver of consciousness. Before the basement door was shut, I desperately clung to my mother’s pants leg. “Mom! I really can’t hold on. My heart hurts so much. If this goes on, I’ll die…” “Please, can you send me to the hospital? I promise I won’t fight Chloe for the heart. I’ll just take my medication…” I cried and begged my mother, but she was indifferent. She turned to patiently comfort Chloe, who stood by, watching the show. “Be a good girl, Chloe. Don’t be nervous during the surgery. I will be with you the whole time.” “After you recover, I will take you to travel the world and give you everything I own, okay?” Chloe shot me a defiant glance, then asked my mother, “If all your assets go to me, what about Lily?” “Lily? Ha.” My mother scoffed. “She’s lived a life of poverty for so many years. She’s used to not having money. My love will be enough for her.” As she turned to take Chloe to the operating room, she suddenly received a call from Martha, my grandmother. “Ellie, Lily should be having her surgery soon, right? Please make sure you take good care of her these past few days. Lily has suffered so much. We can’t afford any more mistakes this time.” My mother mumbled a quick dismissal and hung up the phone. I closed my eyes, using the last bit of my strength to speak. “Mom… I really wasn’t lying. I’m in too much pain…” “If Martha finds out, she’ll definitely blame you…” After the Vance family found me again, my mother had always been cold towards me, all to manage Chloe’s emotions. At my mother’s instruction, everyone in the Vance household kept their distance from me. Only Martha was happy about my return. Even this donor heart was found with Martha’s help, but she had no idea that my mother had already forced me to give it to Chloe. After hanging up the phone, my mother glanced at me again. At this point, I was in so much pain I’d almost lost all feeling. My face was a mess of blood and tears. My mother looked at me, momentarily stunned, even wondering if the specialists’ words were credible. Chloe suddenly squatted down. Out of my mother’s sight, a faint smirk played on her lips. Then, she brutally pressed both hands onto my chest. The electrode pads on my chest dug in even deeper. The tearing sensation in my chest made me scream in agony. But Chloe suddenly fell backward, landing hard on her backside. Immediately, she burst into tearful sobs. “Lily, I just wanted to comfort you. You know my heart isn’t strong, yet you pushed me. Do you really need me to die for you to be happy?” My mother’s eyes instantly filled with pity. She pulled Chloe into her embrace, comforting her softly. Chloe cried, shaking her head. “I know my sister doesn’t like me. She blames me for taking her place for so many years, but I really have been kind to her.” “Maybe you should just send me away, Mom. That way, I won’t be in my sister’s way anymore.” My mother snorted. “If anyone’s leaving, it’ll be her.” After soothing Chloe, my mother turned and yelled at me. “How can you be so malicious?!” “You always pick on Chloe. She only wanted to show you some care, but you deliberately pushed her over.” “If anything happens to Chloe, I will never forgive you.”

If my current appearance hadn’t been so horrifying, my mother probably would have made me kneel in the yard for three days and three nights, just like before. My mother knew I had been kidnapped and suffered in that remote area for ten years. I had always been cautious and never blamed her for not taking care of me back then. But now she called me malicious? Finally, my mother left with Chloe, not even sparing a glance for me, lying on the ground, dying. The angina and the pain of the electrode pads digging into my chest felt like less than a thousandth of the pain in my heart. I was my mother’s biological daughter. Before I was taken, I was once her cherished little princess. But when I returned ten years after being kidnapped, I found a strange girl in our house. She also called my mother “Mom.” The gentle mother I remembered seemed to have changed overnight. She was still as meticulous in her care, as if she’d pluck the moon from the sky for her daughter, but the daughter in her heart wasn’t me, it was Chloe. Blood already blurred my vision. Suddenly, a wave of angina brought me back to full consciousness. I hadn’t even received my heart transplant yet. How could I just die like this? In the basement, I woke up only to faint again, over and over, no longer able to distinguish day from night. After regaining some strength, I forced myself to crawl to the iron door and repeatedly pounded on it. “Help me… Is anyone there?” “It hurts so much… Please let me out…” The rough iron door scraped my hands, but I couldn’t feel the pain anymore. It wasn’t until I had no strength left to lift my hands that I finally heard footsteps outside the door. I clutched at a straw of hope, calling out for help again. “Help me…” But upon hearing my plea, Mrs. Davies outside the door snorted disdainfully. “Stop shouting! If you disturb Mrs. Vance and Miss Chloe, you’ll be in for it!” “A country bumpkin from nowhere, daring to fight Miss Chloe for a heart? So what if you’re the true heir? In Mrs. Vance’s heart, Miss Chloe is the only heir of the Vance family. You’ll never take her place.” Because of my mother’s differential treatment, even the nanny in the house could insult me freely. I swallowed the humiliation, bit by bit, and spoke through gritted teeth. “My heart hurts terribly. I’m starting to suffocate. If this continues, I’ll die.” “Let me out quickly… If anything happens to me, Martha won’t let you get away with it!” Mrs. Davies, though opportunistic, understood that I still held some sway with Martha. If I died in the basement, Martha would surely seek justice for me. After much deliberation, Mrs. Davies decided to call my mother. “Mrs. Vance, Lily says her heart is giving out. She’s in excruciating pain. Should we let her out?” My mother sounded a bit confused. “She was fine when we left. How could she be dying now?” After a moment, my mother hesitated. “Why don’t you open the door first and check on her…” I thought I heard hope, but Chloe interrupted my mother, her voice filled with certainty. “The method of using electrode pads to strengthen the heart was something I specifically consulted a foreign specialist about. There’s no way it could go wrong. Mom, if you don’t trust me, don’t you trust a specialist?” Hearing Chloe’s voice, laced with a hint of petulance, my mother panicked a little and quickly reassured her that she believed her. The call continued. When speaking to me, my mother’s voice reverted to its usual coldness. “Lily Vance, you’d better behave yourself!” “She’s just trying to trick you into letting her out so she can go to the hospital and fight Chloe for the donor heart. I’ve already told her I’ll find her another heart. Can’t she even wait that long?” “Besides, I’ve already strengthened her heart according to what the specialist said. What else isn’t she satisfied with? None of you need to pay attention to her. If she wants to fuss, let her fuss.”

With that, my mother hung up on me without a second thought. Mrs. Davies also left, spitting contemptuously before she went. My world became quiet again. I could only hear my own erratic heartbeat. Everything was pitch black. My consciousness felt increasingly blurry. Was I really going to die like this? I didn’t dare to close my eyes, afraid that if I did, I would never open them again. But I didn’t want to die. Clinging to the last shred of my will, I actually managed to hold on until I heard sounds from the basement door again. “Is anyone there… Is someone outside?” “Help me… Please, please help me…” The person outside seemed to hear my plea. They ripped off the rickety padlock on the basement door. By the faint light, I recognized him. It was Mr. Clark, a manager from the Vance family company. Mr. Clark was startled by the metallic scent of blood in the basement and stumbled back a few steps. “Mr. Clark… it’s me…” I struggled to get up, but just as I reached the door, I collapsed heavily again. Mr. Clark quickly helped me up, asking what had happened. I had no strength left to speak, only endless tears streaming down my face. Mr. Clark quickly pulled out his phone and called my mother. “Mrs. Vance, Miss Lily seems to be injured. Please come back and check on her!” My mother’s voice on the other end instantly sounded flustered. “What? Chloe just said she wanted cake and asked me to buy her some. How could something happen to her right after I left? Where is she now?” Hearing my mother’s anxious voice, Mr. Clark continued to explain. “I’m not talking about Miss Chloe. I’m talking about your biological daughter, Miss Lily, who you recently found.” My mother on the other end paused. After confirming that Mr. Clark was only there to deliver some documents to the house and happened to hear my cries for help, she let out a scornful cold laugh. “That brat is getting bolder and bolder, just making up lies on the spot.” “Mr. Clark, leave the documents and go. Lily Vance is perfectly safe in the basement. You don’t need to worry about her.” Although my mother’s indifferent tone left Mr. Clark a bit bewildered, he still called 911 for me before leaving. I was in so much pain I nearly passed out. In a blur, I thought I saw someone lift me into an ambulance. But when I woke up again, I didn’t get the rescue I’d imagined. Instead, the pain in my chest intensified. “Ah…” I couldn’t help but cry out in pain, only then noticing a nurse nearby. “Please, save me… I’m in so much pain…” “If this goes on, I’ll really die…” The nurse looked anxious but hesitated, her words caught in her throat. “I’m so sorry, miss. All our cardiologists are currently assigned to a heart transplant surgery and can’t be spared. Can you please wait a bit longer?” My heart sank. I was in too much pain to speak, so I just gripped the nurse’s hand tightly, tears streaming down my face as I begged her for help. The nurse seemed a little sympathetic. After a moment of hesitation, she comforted me. “Alright, how about this: I’ll go ask the patient’s family next to the operating room if they’d be willing to have a doctor attend to you, okay?” I nodded frantically, hoping God would grant me a single mercy. The patient’s family the nurse mentioned seemed to be right next door. I could clearly hear their conversation. “Mrs. Vance, we have another heart patient who just arrived at the hospital. She seems very ill. Would you mind if we assigned a doctor to treat her?” “Another heart patient? This can’t be delayed. Send two doctors over.”

The nurse thanked her for me, and the person even asked a few questions about my condition. This Mrs. Vance was truly kind-hearted. She was willing to help a stranger. But how could such a kind-hearted woman bear to let her own biological daughter suffer?! I recognized Mrs. Vance’s voice; it was my mother. And the person who made her mobilize all the doctors in the hospital to save them must have been Chloe. My tears fell silently. I shouldn’t have wished for this kind of maternal love. However, with my mother’s instruction, I was quickly wheeled into the private room next to Chloe’s. I heard the doctor making the final pre-surgery confirmation with my mother. “Mrs. Vance, this donor heart was originally Miss Lily Vance’s. Are you sure you want to give it to Miss Chloe Vance?” “Confirmed.” My mother replied, her voice firm and resolute. I should have expected this outcome long ago. Because there was no donor heart for me, the doctor could only give me anesthesia to temporarily stabilize my condition, but this would only cause my heart to rapidly deteriorate. I endured the pain, reaching out to grab the doctor’s sleeve. “My body can’t take any more anesthesia… Please, save me. I can’t hold on…” Facing my plea, the doctor only said helplessly, “Miss, these are all Mrs. Vance’s arrangements.” “Right now, all heart medications must first be given to Mrs. Vance’s daughter. You’ll just have to wait a little longer. Otherwise, if you offend Mrs. Vance, you might not even get the anesthesia.” Despite my sorrow, I knew the most important thing now was to stay alive. I bit down hard on my tongue, the sharp pain instantly clearing my head. “Mom!” “Save me!” Hearing my gut-wrenching screams, the doctor merely sighed softly. “No one can help you now, miss. You just don’t have a mother like Mrs. Vance.” “You really came to the hospital at the wrong time. It just so happens that Mrs. Vance’s daughter is having surgery today, and Mrs. Vance arranged for all the doctors and medications to be moved to avoid any complications.” “But don’t worry. Once Mrs. Vance’s daughter’s surgery is over, you can have your medication.” … I didn’t hear the rest of what the doctor said. I only knew he was recounting my mother’s magnificent maternal love. The ironic thing was, I, her biological daughter, didn’t receive any of that love. Meanwhile, in the other part of the room, Chloe’s surgery had already begun. My mother was afraid Chloe would be scared, so she kept encouraging her. When rejection complications occurred during the surgery, my mother was so anxious she almost cried. “Don’t be scared, Chloe. I am right outside with you.” “Once your surgery is done, I will take you to travel the world and transfer all the company’s assets into your name.” And just one wall away, on the other side, I lay on a cold hospital bed as the anesthesia took effect. I couldn’t speak, only shed helpless tears, feeling my life slowly ebb away. “Heart transplant complete! The surgery was a great success!” The moment the doctor announced Chloe’s successful surgery, my life came to an end. I felt my body lighten, and I floated into Chloe’s operating room. I saw my mother crying with joy, carefully embracing Chloe. “My dear daughter, the surgery was a success. I am so happy.” Everyone around them marveled at my mother and Chloe’s deep mother-daughter bond, yet no one knew. In the dark corner, my mother’s biological daughter had just taken her last breath. After that, I saw my mother take Chloe on a trip to Europe. They ate together, took photos, celebrating Chloe’s new life. And I could only whisper to myself, [Mom, we’ll never see each other again…] It wasn’t until two months later, when my mother returned home and saw my empty room, that she remembered me. She then ordered someone to rush me to the hospital. Mrs. Davies hesitated, her words caught in her throat. “Lily… she’s already dead in the basement.”

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The day my parents ran away with my sister, Lily, they handed me over to the debt collectors as collateral. “This kid’s got issues, always glued to books, talking nonsense like an idiot.” “If you can take her, fine. If not, just sell her for cash.” Lily’s bright laughter floated from the hallway: “Mom, isn’t Chloe coming with us?” “No, sweetie. We’re not taking her.” I’d heard that sentence countless times. After Lily was born, everyone in the family revolved around her. I ran over, wanting to see, but Mom pushed me away: “Don’t touch your sister, your hands are dirty.” From then on, I was the extra one. When the debt collector’s big brother kicked open the door, he saw me squatting in the corner, reading a book on criminal law. “Hey, your parents bolted. How do you plan to pay back the money?” I closed my book: “Sir, I’ve analyzed your recordings of violent debt collection. Twelve points can be argued as civil disputes. Follow my plan, and you can avoid jail time.” He froze. I broke down their three years of past cases one by one, writing out strategies to mitigate risks. The man with the dragon tattoo finished reading, then cursed: “I’ve been a gang boss for 20 years, and today I just learned you can collect debts legally.”

He introduced himself as OG Marcus, then crouched down to my eye level. I could clearly see the scar on his chin and my reflection in his pupils. “Who taught you to say all that?” I shook my head, fighting back my fear as I answered word by word: “I taught myself.” He scrutinized me from head to toe, his suspicious gaze sweeping over my malnourished arms. “Did your parents often hit you?” I shook my head. They didn’t hit me. They just acted like I didn’t exist. There was no plate for me at the dinner table, no face in family photos, and no one cared when I got sick. Once, I had a fever of 104°F and couldn’t get out of bed. My mom glanced at me and said, “Stop pretending. You just want to be lazy.” Then she took Lily shopping. I lay in bed for three days before I finally pulled through. Marcus came knocking to collect debts while I was hiding in the corner reading. It was a Civil Code I’d picked up from the trash. A corner of the cover was missing, and I’d taped it up. I’d read the words inside so many times I could recite them by heart. Beside me, my parents and Lily were packing luggage. Since I could remember, they’d argued and thrown things in front of me, then disappeared with Lily. Before each disappearance, they’d always say the same thing: this kid isn’t as likable as Lily; bringing her along is just a hassle. So every time, I was the one left behind. When my parents returned after fleeing debts, they’d always look at me with a strange gaze and sigh. Later, I understood it was disappointment. Disappointment that I was still alive and well, disappointment that they had to support this burden of a child again. I looked up into Marcus’s eyes. They were fierce, but I’d seen fiercer. My dad’s eyes after losing money, like he was looking at trash. “My parents have owed debts for over a decade. Our house was full of legal documents. I had nothing else to do, so I read them.” A piece of moldy bread and a book, and a day would pass. I paused, then added, “I started reading when I was three.” I wasn’t boasting. My parents had abandoned me to these people. If I couldn’t prove my usefulness, I might be sold off. “How old are you?” “Twelve.” Marcus looked at me, his eyes full of suspicion. The hallway light flickered. He stood up and waved his hand. “Frank, bring all our IOUs. Let our big shot lawyer take a look.” I don’t know how long passed, my legs were numb from squatting. Frank finally carried over a cardboard box. It was heavy, landing on the floor with a thud. Inside were IOUs, contracts, and transfer records, all haphazardly crammed together. Marcus patted the box, nodding at me. “Big shot, show us what you’ve got.”

Marcus and his crew were playing cards in the living room. Three men, hunched around a folding table, smoking cigarette after cigarette, the whole room thick with smoke. I sat in the corner, poring over the contents of the box under the dim light. Mid-game, the youngest man, Leo, glanced at me: “Marcus, come on, what could a twelve-year-old kid possibly figure out?” Frank also looked over: “She’s been sitting there for two hours, hasn’t moved a muscle.” I didn’t dare move. I’d seen abandoned kids before. There was a boy, two years older than me, who slept beside a trash can after his parents ran off. His eyes were empty, like two dark holes. Marcus didn’t speak, playing a card. As soon as he spoke, I put down the last file. “I’m done.” Everyone looked over. I walked to the folding table, and they automatically made space. The table was covered in ash and beer cans. I swept them aside, clearing a spot. I pointed to the first case: “The year before last, in March, you said, ‘If you don’t pay up, we’ll make sure you regret it.’ That was deemed a threat. But if you’d said, ‘If you don’t pay up, we will pursue legal action,’ it would be a legitimate collection notice.” Frank’s mouth hung open. I pointed to the second: “Taking the debtor’s fridge and TV was classified as theft. But if you’d had the debtor sign a debt-for-asset agreement at the time, it would have been a voluntary civil transaction between both parties.” “Splashing paint. Illegal, but only civil compensation is needed. Go apologize and pay the person, then have them sign a letter of understanding.” “Last September was the most dangerous. Someone was injured, a pretty serious injury. But they struck first, so you could argue excessive self-defense, not intentional assault. The sentencing difference between those two is three years.” The room was silent. No one spoke. Marcus leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his expression shifting from skepticism to seriousness. “Marcus, the kid actually makes some sense.” Leo, the young one, picked me up and looked me over, his voice astonished: “You’re only twelve? How do you know all this? Are you a genius?” I flailed my arms and legs, wanting him to put me down. My face flushed crimson. No one had ever hugged or picked me up since I was little. I wasn’t used to the feeling of being lifted off the ground. I was scared. Marcus took a hard drag from his cigarette, then gave Leo a light whack. “She’s a girl, she’s shy!” He stood up, walked over to me, and crouched down. It was the second time tonight he’d crouched to my eye level. “Chloe,” he said, “you’ll follow me from now on. I’ll pay for your education. You just need to do one thing: teach us how to live legally.” “What’s in it for me?” Marcus paused. Perhaps no one had ever negotiated with him before; his lips trembled slightly. “You’re a clever cookie, little girl. Much sharper than your parents.” “You’ll get thirty percent of all recovered money. Also, I’ll rent you an apartment with a bed, a desk, a lamp, and a south-facing window.” A south-facing window. Since childhood, no matter how many times we moved, Lily always got the big room, a princess bed, and pink curtains. When the sunlight streamed through the window onto her curtains, she’d dance in the sun in her princess dress, looking beautiful. My room was always the smallest, cluttered with junk, never getting any sunlight all year round. Once, I was so cold I couldn’t bear it, so I crouched by Lily’s bedroom door. Lily woke up in the middle of the night, screaming that I was trying to scare her. From then on, I never longed for her room again. “Okay.” Marcus extended his hand. It was a large hand, with thick knuckles and several old scars on the back. I took it. Marcus squeezed once, then let go and stood up. “Frank, tomorrow, get her transferred to the best school.” Frank wiped his eyes, his voice muffled: “Got it.” “Leo, go buy her a backpack. A good one.” Leo grinned: “Alrighty!” “From today on,” Marcus swept his gaze over everyone, “she’s our little lawyer. Anyone who disrespects her, don’t blame me for being rude.”

Marcus didn’t lie to me. The new apartment was next to the school, only a ten-minute walk. The entire balcony faced south, and when the sunlight poured in through the windows, it made me squint. I stood on the balcony for ten minutes. Just stood there, doing nothing, letting the sun warm me. It wasn’t until tears fell onto the back of my hand that I realized I was crying. I didn’t know why, only that there was a fire in my heart that needed to be released. I cried for a while, wiped my face, and went back inside. A row of new books sat on the desk; Leo had brought them last night. Books on law and textbooks for school, all neatly arranged. I sniffed the scent of the pages; they smelled fresh. When Marcus pushed open the door with breakfast, I was sitting at the desk, staring blankly at the new books. He glanced at me, said nothing, placed breakfast on the table, and went to the kitchen for forks. I watched him clumsily pour milk into a bowl, spilling a little on the table, then wiping it with a cloth. “What are you looking at? Eat.” I sat at the table and took a bite of a churro. It was crispy. I took another bite. I didn’t have good table manners. No one had ever taught me table etiquette. Eating was for living, and living meant shoving food into my mouth as quickly as possible because I didn’t know when the next meal would be. Once, Mom made a table full of food. I was ravenous, ate too fast, and choked. I coughed desperately, my face turning crimson. Mom glanced at me and said, “Like a starving ghost, so embarrassing.” I ran to the kitchen myself, turned on the faucet, and drank several gulps of water until I swallowed what was stuck. A flicker of an unreadable emotion crossed Marcus’s eyes. “Chloe, do you hate your parents?” I thought about it. I matured early. I wasn’t as sweet-talking as Lily; I couldn’t sweetly call out “Mommy” and “Daddy.” I loved reading, and when those facts drilled into my mind, I even thought I was sick. I went to tell my parents, but they thought I was a weirdo. “What garbage are you reading? What if it messes up your brain?” “Stop reading, go wash the dishes.” In their eyes, reading was the most useless thing. When I came home with an award for first place in my class, Mom was braiding Lily’s hair and didn’t even look up: “Just put it there.” I placed it on the table, hoping she’d glance at it. The next day, I found it crumpled up in the trash can, discarded with the garbage. I picked up the award, smoothed it out, and pressed it under my pillow. “What is hate?” Marcus was silent for a moment, then peeled a boiled egg for me. “None of that matters.” “Chloe, you must study hard. Go to the best university, get the best grades. Later, you can do whatever you want, without having to cater to anyone’s whims.” “When you become a lawyer, I’ll be your security guard.” Frank acted fast. He got me into the city’s best private middle school. Tuition was fifty thousand a year, not including miscellaneous fees or uniform costs. I didn’t know how much debt Marcus and his crew had to collect to earn fifty thousand dollars. When he dropped me off at school, he even slipped a wad of cash into my pocket. “You don’t have to worry about money. Just study. Study hard, and later you can help me with my cases.” He instructed me gruffly. I nodded, standing at the school gate, looking back at him. I suddenly remembered when I used to attend school, and they’d ask for material fees. Mom would always give me half the money, saying we were struggling. Later, I learned to be smart, saving my lunch money to pay for materials. That way, Mom wouldn’t complain daily about me being expensive. The sun shone on Marcus, a small section of his dragon tattoo peeking out from his shirt collar. The homeroom teacher led me to the classroom and gestured for me to introduce myself. I was silent for a moment before I spoke: “My name is Chloe, and I like to read.” I didn’t know what else to say. Before, at school, even the teachers preferred the sweet-talking Lily. Teachers never called on me, and classmates never spoke to me. I was an invisible presence. The homeroom teacher smiled and asked, “What kind of books do you like to read?” I thought for a moment and decided to tell the truth: “Law books.” The classroom fell silent for a second, then erupted in laughter. “Law? Hahahaha!” “Is she a lawyer?” “Reading law books at twelve? Who’s she trying to impress?” The homeroom teacher clapped the desk: “Quiet! Quiet! Every student has different hobbies, and we must respect each other.” The laughter subsided, but the whispering didn’t stop. Bearing everyone’s gaze, I sat down in the last row. I lowered my head, focusing on my textbook. The words blurred then sharpened before my eyes, sharpened then blurred again. I didn’t cry. I couldn’t cry. Just like that, my life seemed to get back on track. Every day, I listened attentively in class. After school, I read books. In the evenings, I’d read legal knowledge to Marcus. Though every time, he’d usually just clean his ears and snore loudly. But I really liked this kind of life. During the first placement test, I got the top score. I held my report card, carefully tucking it into my backpack. I wanted to go back and show it to Marcus. But after a quick trip to the restroom, I returned to find my backpack thrown on the floor. Its contents spilled everywhere. A few boys were stepping on my books, their voices mocking. “She just transferred and got first place? Probably cheated.” “Guys, let’s rip up all her books. See how she copies then.”

Everyone around was watching, their faces carrying a subtle malice. Seeing me, they scattered. I walked over and picked up the things from the floor. My report card had a huge ‘X’ drawn across it, with “CHEATER” scrawled underneath. I carefully smoothed out the report card, holding it to my chest. The red ‘X’ couldn’t be erased. Neither could the words. It’s okay. I don’t need to care what they think. The next day, those boys poured ink and dead rats into my backpack. Everything was stained black, including the backpack itself. I went to the homeroom teacher. She looked at me with a sigh, her eyes filled with pity: “Ethan’s family is well-off, and he tends to be a bit boastful.” “He didn’t mean it, I’ll talk to him.” I returned to the classroom and placed my backpack on the desk. Someone quietly asked me, “Are you okay?” Before I could answer, Ethan’s voice rang out: “What could an unwanted stray possibly have wrong with her?” “You guys don’t know, do you? Her parents didn’t want her, they only liked Lily.” “Someone like her probably fantasizes about becoming a big lawyer and then proving them all wrong, right? What do they call that? Watched too many revenge dramas!” My hand clutching the backpack strap tightened. Everyone burst into laughter. I sat in my seat, legal statutes from the Civil Code flashing through my mind. From the very first article, I recited it over and over again. It wasn’t until the dismissal bell rang that I slowly headed home. When I got home, it was already dark. My backpack zipper was stuck; I tried several times but couldn’t open it. I sat on the couch, hugging my backpack, staring blankly. Marcus happened to come by to bring me dinner. He’d come two or three times a week, bringing food, bringing fruit. Sometimes he wouldn’t bring anything, just sit on the couch for a bit, watching me do my homework. He saw the backpack in my arms, and his face changed. “Who did this?” I didn’t speak. I didn’t know if Marcus would help me. He was good to me, providing for my education, but this kindness had conditions. Because he thought I was useful. But if I caused him trouble, what would he do? I didn’t dare to gamble. “Chloe, listen to me, you’re not alone anymore. If someone bullies you, you have to tell me.” “Marcus, do you hit people?” He paused. “Yes.” “Do you hit kids?” He paused again, then a slow smile spread across his lips. “Hit kids? I absolutely hit kids.” “Marcus, they’re only teenagers.” “So what? If they dare to bully you, they’ll pay the price.” I thought for a moment, then decided to tell the truth. “Ethan did it. His dad is on the school board. The teacher said I couldn’t afford to offend him.” Marcus stood up, pulled out his phone, and scrolled through a few contacts. “Mr. Davis,” he read aloud. “Owes two million three hundred thousand in merchandise payments. It’s been half a year. I was planning to go see him next month.” He put his phone away, looking at me. “Chloe, what do you want me to do?” The next day, I didn’t go to school. Not because I was afraid of Ethan. There was a contract for the company that needed reviewing, and Marcus couldn’t handle it, so I had to go help him oversee it. But Ethan didn’t know any of this; he thought I’d been scared off. During break, he stood at the front of the class, addressing everyone: “That stray isn’t here today; he must have been scared away by me.” “Honestly, I despise people who don’t know their place. They get one top score and think they’re hot stuff.” The whole class laughed along. A few girls whispered, “You guys shouldn’t be like this, she’s pretty pathetic.” Ethan got even more excited: “Pathetic? What’s pathetic? Her parents don’t even want her; it must be because there’s something wrong with her. She’s just an unwanted stray…” He didn’t finish his sentence before the classroom door was kicked open. Marcus, wearing a tight T-shirt that showed off his dragon tattoo, stood there. Behind him, Frank and Leo stood in a line, grinning as they looked into the room. “Heard someone’s been bullying Chloe?”

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