Category: English

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.

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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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I was childhood best friends with the male lead and the second male lead. Knowing that they would both eventually fall head over heels for the “pure and innocent” female lead, I chose to sit back, sip my champagne, and watch the show. I watched them drop millions at my family’s casinos just to make her smile. I watched them get into bidding wars, spending astronomical sums at charity galas to win my ordinary jewelry, all to coax her out of a bad mood. I originally thought I could just keep counting my money while happily observing their melodramatic love triangle. But later, the way they looked at me completely changed. 01 The first time I saw Maya Winston was at a VIP-only private club in Manhattan. I was leaning against the marble wall, bored to tears, waiting for the elevator. The ambiguous commotion from the two people next to me was getting on my nerves. I turned my head. A greasy, balding middle-aged man dripping in gaudy jewelry was clutching a heavily intoxicated young girl. Honestly, this kind of thing wasn’t rare in high society—if the girl hadn’t been wearing a local prep school uniform. I evaluated the girl with cold detachment. She was delicate and pretty, her eyelashes wet, her face flushed with an unnatural, feverish red. She looked like a fragile white camellia slowly blooming in the dead of winter. The older man’s fleshy, heavy hand was reaching under her blazer. She seemed completely out of it, only managing to mumble: “Mmh… let go… I have to go to my shift… to earn my tuition…” The man let out a sleazy chuckle: “You just be a good girl and come meet the big boss with me today. If you perform well, forget about tuition, I’ll pluck the stars from the sky for you.” I watched them impassively for a moment. When the elevator doors slowly slid open, I reached out and blocked their path. “Mister, drugging a minor and attempting assault is a federal offense.” The man clearly didn’t expect anyone to interfere. With a gentle pull, I yanked the girl out of his grasp and into my arms. He froze, then flew into a rage: “Which arrogant little brat dares to ruin my business?!” “You’re quoting the law to me? Even if I took a dump on the police commissioner’s desk, they wouldn’t dare touch me!” “If you know what’s good for you, get lost. If you ruin the big boss’s mood, I’ll have to drag you up there to apologize too.” He raised his hand, ready to strike. I let out a soft scoff. Applying a sharp burst of pressure to his arm, a crisp crack echoed through the hall. I dislocated his wrist on the spot. I loosely supported the girl, smiling at him: “Who exactly is this ‘big boss’ of yours? Drop a name. I’d love to see which major player in New York I supposedly don’t know.” Perhaps my tone was a little too arrogant, because the man’s face, already contorted in pain, paled instantly. The people who frequented this club were all wealthy and powerful. But even within the elite circle, there is a strict hierarchy. It all comes down to whose platinum spoon is heavier. He gritted his teeth, refusing to back down completely: “Who the fuck are you?” I tilted my chin up, radiating the absolute arrogance of a top-tier dynasty heir. I flatly dropped two words: “Eden Crawford.” The moment the words left my lips, the man transformed from a snarling boar into a terrified, shivering quail. His shoulders trembled, and he began bowing profusely: “Miss Crawford… I… I was deeply out of line…” Before he could finish his groveling, I cut him off: “Save it.” “For the injury to your wrist, you can take your medical bills to the Crawford Estate for reimbursement.” The man shook even harder. “I wouldn’t dare! I wouldn’t dare!” “If you wouldn’t dare, then get the hell out of my sight.” Watching him practically run for his life, a mocking smirk touched the corner of my mouth. I looked down at the girl in my arms, intending to wake her up. “Hey, are you okay…” Before I could finish, she frowned in deep discomfort. The very next second, she threw up all over me. I took a deep breath, feeling my temples throb violently. I gripped her jaw firmly, suppressing the overwhelming urge to strangle her. “You really want to die, don’t you?” I only stepped in because I was bored and had a fleeting moment of sympathy. If I had known the result would be my custom Balenciaga gown getting covered in vomit, I would have walked into that elevator without a second glance. But the moment my fingertips touched her, a strange, mechanical voice echoed in my mind— [Ding!] [The Heroine has come online.] 02 It happened in an instant. A barrage of flashbacks and information rushed through my brain. The girl in front of me, Maya Winston. She was the innocent, “white lotus” heroine of a reverse-harem, high-stakes romance novel. Like a piece of pure, fragile glass. And the Male Lead and Second Male Lead revolving around her? They were the two men I had grown up with, my childhood best friends. The Male Lead, Caleb Sterling, and the Second Male Lead, Jackson Ryder. And me? I was the quintessential “Villainess.” Because I despised how effortlessly the heroine captured the attention of the men around me, I would constantly plot against her. My ending was miserable: universally despised, kicked out of the Crawford family with nothing but the clothes on my back. Spending the rest of my life rotting in a psychiatric ward. Pure melodrama. Pure garbage. I was slightly dazed when a familiar, cold voice sounded behind me: “Eden.” I turned my head to see Caleb Sterling walking toward me. “Why haven’t you gone up yet?” He was dressed in a tailored suit, radiating a noble, untouchable aloofness. As he looked at me, his gaze unintentionally brushed over the barely conscious Maya. I was about to speak, but Maya suddenly lunged toward Caleb. She moved so fast that Caleb instinctively stretched out his arms to catch her by the waist. Perhaps the broad, warm chest of the man gave the girl a sense of a safe harbor. She struggled in Caleb’s arms for a few seconds, then her eyes fluttered shut, and she passed out completely. Me: “…” As expected of the protagonists. Even their meeting was explosively dramatic. Caleb still maintained some gentlemanly grace. He looked down at Maya in his arms, then at the disgusting mess of vomit on my dress. After only a brief hesitation, he said to me in a gentle tone: “I’ll have someone take you to get cleaned up.” “No need.” I rubbed the bridge of my nose in sheer annoyance. “Go up and tell Jackson I’m skipping tonight’s gathering. You guys have fun.” Caleb didn’t argue. He nodded and said flatly: “Yeah, I’m not going up either.” I shot him a questioning glance. Caleb shifted his arms, scooping Maya up in a bridal carry, and said without changing his expression: “I’m taking her home.” 03 As the orthodox heir personally groomed by the Crawford family, my adaptability has always been excellent. That very night, I fully digested the fact that I was the “Villainess.” Since fighting with Maya led to a terrible ending… I would simply stay as far away from her as possible. Furthermore, the idea of me going head-to-head with a little white flower over two men? I couldn’t help but find it absurdly hilarious. Granted, as the heirs to the Sterling and Ryder empires, they were top-tier. Caleb Sterling was brilliant but cold-hearted, an untouchable flower on a high peak. Jackson Ryder was the exact opposite: rebellious, untamable, a notorious playboy in our circle. Even my mother would occasionally pull me aside and whisper, “Which one of them do you like more?” And I would usually just offer a speechless smile. The training model for high-society heirs has always employed the laws of the jungle. The Vanity Fair is constantly shifting; there’s always new money trying to rise to the top. Instead of saying Caleb, Jackson, and I were childhood sweethearts… It would be more accurate to say we were three vicious wolves who grew up together and shared a relatively close alliance. When necessary, we wouldn’t hesitate to swallow each other whole to strengthen our own empires. Therefore, most of the time, I just smiled and spectated their melodramatic romantic entanglements. As long as it didn’t interfere with my business, I didn’t mind treating it as a source of entertainment. Of course, occasionally, I would make a healthy profit off them too— For example, taking them to the Crawford family casinos in Macau, watching them drop millions trying to impress Maya. The uglier their expressions got, the higher the chips stacked, and the happier I smiled. Or, watching them engage in astronomical bidding wars over my ordinary jewelry just to coax a smile out of Maya. When I finally walked on stage as the host to present the flowers… Jackson’s face was ashen. He finally couldn’t hold back, gritting his teeth: “You managed to fleece us again, you little brat.” Caleb, standing next to him, just shook his head with a helpless smile. I wore a sly grin on my lips, winking at them, but my gaze collided with Maya’s. Her eyes were gentle but complicated. I could read envy, awkwardness, and another incomprehensible emotion within them. I paused, gave her a symbolic hug, and placed the bouquet in her arms: “Congratulations.” 04 I originally thought I would never tire of watching them play this love triangle game. Until the gala for my 18th birthday. My grand coming-of-age ceremony was held at a luxury hotel controlled by the Crawford family. The Crawfords invited everyone who was anyone. The vast, luxurious ballroom was filled with dazzling gowns, fragrant flowers, and the elite of society. My father officially transferred several subsidiaries under the Crawford Group to my name. And I, wearing the elegant gown my mother had chosen, blew out my birthday candles under the spotlight. I displayed a massive check from my years of savings, ready to be donated to a charity foundation. With tears in my eyes, I delivered a speech about my grand ambitions for adulthood. Since I was a child, I knew that acting and etiquette were mandatory courses in my life. Therefore, even though I felt incredibly bored and unenthused at that moment… I still naturally displayed a blissfully happy smile, performing flawlessly until the very end of the ceremony. However, just as I was politely holding the microphone to conclude, a piercing scream erupted from the floor. Accompanied by the dull, sickening sound of fists smashing into flesh and bone. The crowd gasped in horror and looked over— My two good friends. Jackson was pinning Caleb to the ground, the veins on his forehead bulging as he rained punches down on Caleb’s face. Maya was crying, desperately pulling at Jackson’s clothes. The crowd quickly reacted, pulling them apart. And just like that, nearly everyone knew that the heirs of the Sterling and Ryder families had gotten into a physical brawl over a Cinderella at my coming-of-age ceremony. Older guests reprimanded them: “This is a disgrace!” I just watched quietly for a moment, then walked off the stage under the scrutinizing gazes of the crowd. Caleb hung his head; I couldn’t read his expression. Jackson stared fiercely at him, still radiating murderous intent. As I walked past Maya, I cast a cold, indifferent glance at her. That single look scared her into taking two steps back. I stopped in front of Jackson, parting my lips in a light, perfectly innocent smile. “Jackson, is this the birthday present you got me?” Jackson looked at me, snapping out of his rage, and froze for a second. “Eden, I—” Before he could finish, I raised my hand and slapped him across the face. A crisp SMACK echoed. In the crowd, someone drew a sharp breath. Maya’s face turned completely white. Even Caleb couldn’t help but look up. I merely withdrew my hand with a look of pure apathy, casually wiping it with a silk handkerchief. “Jackson, are you thinking clearly now?” Since this was Crawford territory, the bodyguards had already surrounded us. No one dared to move. Before Jackson could speak, Maya lunged forward and shoved me away. She questioned me with righteous indignation: “You don’t even know what happened! What gives you the right to hit him?!” “Jackson was… he was just standing up for me…” “This is all my fault. If you’re going to blame someone, blame me!” I looked at her and gave a shallow smile: “Sure.” “Then please take the bill for all the fixtures they just smashed, along with the invoice for that custom Balenciaga dress you ruined last time, and settle it.” Maya’s face instantly dropped several shades paler. She bit her lower lip, looking agonizingly conflicted: “I… I’ll work hard and pay it back…” “Eden, I know that because of my appearance lately, Jackson and Caleb have been ignoring you. You two used to be so close, it’s natural you hold some resentment. But no matter what, this incident started because of me. I hope it won’t affect your friendship.” I smiled placidly: “Miss Winston, I’m not talking to you about feelings. I’m talking to you about money.” “With your current part-time jobs, how long do you expect me to wait for you to pay it off?” Maya’s tears were truly magical; they fell on command. “…Then what do you want?” The smile in my eyes faded as I spoke coldly: “I don’t want anything. I just want to tell you something.” “If you can’t afford to play the game, don’t interfere.” “Since you weren’t the one throwing punches, don’t pretend to be weak and step up to take the blame. Do you really think shedding two tears means you don’t have to face any consequences? Or did you intentionally let them fight just to humiliate me?” Maya squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head, looking utterly tormented. “I’m sorry… I really didn’t know they would do this…” In the crowd, someone let out a cold scoff. My mother, radiating aristocratic elegance, walked over to my side. She looked down at Maya with intimidating authority. “Is my daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony your personal relationship counseling center?” “Maya Winston, is it? I recall that your name was not on the Crawford family’s guest list, and I have no idea who brought you in.” “But since you’re here, I assumed you came to offer your blessings.” “Yet here you are, crying and whining, bringing bad luck to my daughter.” “Security, please escort this impolite young lady out.” I suppressed a smile and glanced at my mother. I really wanted to say, Mom, the way we’re acting right now makes us look exactly like villainesses. The standoff made the atmosphere incredibly awkward. Ultimately, it was our Male Lead who stepped in to save the day. Caleb pulled out a check and pressed it onto a table. “Mrs. Crawford, I am deeply sorry for everything that happened today.” “I will cover all the damages for her.” Then, without another word, he grabbed the tearful Maya and left. Jackson’s face was dark. He wanted to follow them. But he was sharply smacked on the back of the head by his mother, who had been watching the drama unfold. She dragged him over to apologize to me. I looked at the ruined banquet hall, and then at the retreating backs of Caleb and Maya. A trace of genuine disgust flashed in my eyes. 05 After the birthday gala incident, I didn’t see those three for a very long time. Although I lost a major source of entertainment, I was perfectly content. After all, as we grew older, who knew what those three lunatics would do next for their ridiculous romance? It was better to stay away. Furthermore, since taking over several subsidiaries of the Crawford Group, I spent every day racing against the clock to earn my college credits, while also navigating endless business dinners and networking events that frequently left me with a fever and gastritis. However, since the Crawford, Sterling, and Ryder families had been allies for years, running into them eventually was inevitable. But what I didn’t expect was that the first person to seek me out would be Maya. I squeezed some time out of my busy schedule to meet her. We met at a cafe. After six months, Maya had transformed from the impoverished Cinderella into a polished socialite. Her flawless makeup and designer clothes proved that the Male Lead was taking very good care of her. I smiled lightly and gave her a brief greeting. Maya tried to exchange a few pleasantries, but I simply took a sip of my coffee and gestured for her to get to the point. Immediately after, I watched her pull a stack of documents from her bag and hand them to me. I flipped through them, my expression darkening with every page. It detailed how Maya’s father had been framed and sent to prison to take the fall for a high-ranking official in New York. Finally, I tossed the file onto the table, looking at her with a cold sneer. “What is the meaning of this?” Maya blinked at me, smiling radiantly. “Eden, people who get angry easily get ugly.” I took two slow breaths. In the next second, I threw my entire cup of coffee right into her face. “You also know I don’t have a good temper.” “So are you planning to speak some human language I can actually understand?” Maya didn’t get angry. She slowly and methodically wiped the coffee off her face. Her gaze drifted toward the window, seemingly unfocused. She spoke slowly: “The Crawford family has massive influence in New York. Pulling my father out of prison shouldn’t be too difficult for you.” Oh, I knew this trope well. Having a relative who took the fall and went to prison is practically the standard backstory for the tragic Cinderella heroine in most romance novels. But Maya’s current attitude was entirely unlike someone asking for a favor. It felt more like a provocation, a taunt, waiting for me to fall into a trap. I smiled: “You want my help? Sure.” “You can start right here. Kneel, and take one step and one bow all the way to the Chrysler Building three miles away. The whole time, you have to shout that I am your master. If you can do that, I might consider it.” “After all, if you’re asking for a favor, I need to see your sincerity.” As soon as I finished speaking, I understood what Maya’s so-called trap was. Because right then, a tall, imposing figure appeared at the entrance of the cafe. Caleb Sterling’s brow was furrowed in gloom, his face terrifyingly cold. Seeing Maya’s pitiful, dripping state, he first took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. After comforting her for a moment, he turned to me and said: “Eden, you’re going too far.” “Apologize to Maya for what you just said.” I rolled my eyes and couldn’t help but curse: “You two are absolute idiots.” I grabbed my bag and walked out of the cafe without looking back. But a sliver of doubt lingered in my mind. Was Maya really the sweet, innocent “white lotus” heroine from the sweet romance novel? Why were her tactics so clumsy and obvious? Are the standards for being a female lead really this low nowadays? But before I could figure it out, I paid the price— An investment deal I had spent six months personally securing fell through. Just as the deal was about to close, the partnering firm claimed they received an anonymous file. The file exposed a fatal, hidden risk in the manufacturing process of the investment product, and alleged that it utilized stolen, patented overseas technology. Not only that, the opposing party brought in Legacy Advisors, a notoriously ruthless top-tier investment firm, to issue a detailed analysis of the product’s value and future development. In short, every line of the report screamed pessimism. I stared at my computer screen for a long time, my face devoid of expression. I knew this was Caleb’s warning. It was his punishment for me offending Maya. This business—from the investment to the product—aside from being registered under a Crawford subsidiary, was completely independent of the Crawford family’s core assets. I had pulled in several senior researchers from my university, and our team worked day and night on R&D. The so-called high-pollution manufacturing process in that file was only the initial prototype. And the partners involved in the alleged tech theft had long been kicked out for unethical behavior. Explaining this would be easy. But I didn’t expect Caleb to have the patience and determination to do this. To throw me under the bus, he even dragged in the top analysts from Legacy Advisors. It was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. I took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the violent urge to smash the computer monitor to pieces. I suddenly realized that being the “Villainess” wasn’t without reason. I always knew I wasn’t a particularly “good” person. At the very least, I had a fiercely vindictive heart. Caleb Sterling, since you chose to play games with me, I will play you until you’re dead. 06 I opened the chaotic group chat. The screen was flooded with panicked messages about the broken supply chain and funding gap. I sighed and typed a message to comfort them: “Don’t worry, everyone. I’ll ask my parents for help.” That single sentence acted like an anchor. The chat went silent for a moment, followed by cheers of relief. I stared at the screen, feeling irritated. I was the one who swore I wanted to build something entirely my own. Now, I was the one who had to rely on the Crawfords and beg my parents for help. It was impossible not to feel disappointed. I distractedly scrolled through the unread messages on my phone. I caught a snippet of conversation in a group chat full of second-generation rich kids: “Man, we’re all the same age, but Caleb’s tech startup is already preparing for an IPO, while I’m still messing around on my family’s ranch in Australia.” “Obviously. Caleb has always been the golden boy. How can we compete with him?” “…” My eyes instantly locked onto the keyword in the conversation: Caleb’s company, Zenith Tech, was going public. Almost subconsciously, I recalled the original timeline plot points that had rushed into my brain earlier— The Sterling Group once faced a catastrophic crisis where their entire empire was on the verge of collapse. Core executives defected, and scandals erupted: tax evasion, quota fraud, stock manipulation, and rigged bidding. To save his family, Caleb was forced into an arranged marriage with me, using the Crawford family’s massive cash flow to turn the tide. This arranged marriage directly caused the first major breakup between the male and female leads, and it was a key factor in my ultimate tragic ending. And Caleb choosing to go public at this exact moment… I couldn’t help but deduce the reason— The Sterling family was out of money. Therefore, they desperately needed Zenith Tech to go public and secure a massive round of financing to save the Sterling parent company. I pondered for a moment, then dialed my father’s number. “Dad, I want to play a game.” … After the call ended, I locked my screen and let out a cold laugh. Since I’m the villainess, I might as well be evil to the core. Arranged marriage or an IPO—no matter which path Caleb chooses, I will block them both. 07 A luxurious, minimalist penthouse in the heart of prime real estate in Manhattan. When Jackson bought this place, he gave both Caleb and me a spare key. When I opened the door, the stench of stale smoke and alcohol hit me like a wall. The apartment was pitch black; the lights were off. But thanks to the neon city lights pouring in through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, I could faintly make out a living creature slumped half-dead on the sofa. I flipped the light switch with a loud click. Jackson jumped up in terror. “Fuck!” He stared at me with wide eyes. He looked incredibly disheveled. I guessed he had realized he was the absolute loser in their twisted love triangle, and the blow was significant. Jackson ran a hand through his messy bedhead and covered his eyes, asking in a muffled voice: “Are you here to laugh at me too?” I kicked an empty liquor bottle out of my way and scoffed: “I heard Caleb played you pretty hard.” That’s what happens in a high-stakes reverse harem. “Motherfucker… don’t mention that bastard.” I sat down on the sofa, crossed my arms, rested my chin on my hands, and said in a negotiating tone: “Jackson, let’s get married.” The reason I chose Jackson was simple. Griffin Capital, owned by the Ryder family, was the largest investment firm in New York. To date, they had helped clients raise over ten billion dollars. And the current Chairman of Griffin Capital, the most famous IPO mastermind in the industry, was Jackson’s older brother, Noah Ryder—a massive protective older brother. Although Jackson himself was a playboy who only cared about having a good time… He was undoubtedly the happiest and most pampered heir in our elite circle. Ignoring Jackson’s expression—which looked like he had just seen a ghost—I leaned in closer and chuckled: “I’m serious.” “Anyway, we’ll all end up in arranged marriages eventually. We grew up together, we know everything about each other. Aren’t we each other’s best option?” After I finished, I pulled a pre-drafted contract from my bag and laid it on the coffee table. “I haven’t reached the legal age to marry yet, so for now, we’ll just be engaged for a year. During this time, as long as you don’t cause any public scandals that embarrass our families, I won’t interfere in your business. And I expect the same from you.” “Watching Caleb and Maya being so lovey-dovey every day… doesn’t it make you sick?” “I heard Caleb’s little tech company is going public. Don’t you want to play a game with him?” “Jackson, we’ll all have to step up to the capital poker table eventually.” “Why not enter the game right now?” Jackson stared at me for a long time, then asked out of nowhere: “Eden, you don’t actually like me, do you?” I crossed my arms, looking at him quietly, not bothering to answer. No matter how Jackson interpreted it, as long as he nodded and agreed, it wasn’t a bad deal for me. An eerie silence settled between us. A moment later, Jackson tapped a cigarette out of a pack, placed it between his lips, and squinted at me. I took two steps forward, leaned over, and lit the cigarette for him. I looked him straight in the eyes and smirked. “Think it over.” “I’ll wait for your answer.” 08 After the news of my engagement to Jackson was announced. People in our circle joked that we were the “Broken Hearts Club.” I furrowed my brow, confused: “Whose heart did I break?” “Eden, did you forget? You used to be obsessed with Caleb when you were little. As soon as you learned how to write, you were eager to write him love letters.” Even though I had completely forgotten, it didn’t stop me from sneering: “That was eight hundred years ago. Why bring it up now?” The person joking immediately paled and hurriedly apologized. On the day of our engagement party, Caleb and Maya arrived as expected. Maya looked worried, speaking softly to Jackson: “Jackson, even though I rejected you… I still hope you find true happiness in the future. Don’t be with someone you don’t love just to spite me.” Jackson already looked annoyed just seeing her, and this pushed him over the edge. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the most rebellious heir in our circle looked furious. He pointed at Maya, his warning clear: “Shut the fuck up.” “Who the hell do you think you are? What does my marriage have to do with you?” The gossip cells in everyone’s bodies were activated. They scanned the room for Caleb, hoping the conflict would escalate. Unfortunately for them, they were disappointed. Because at that moment, Caleb had cornered me on the second-floor balcony. He looked conflicted, saying flatly: “Why did you get engaged so suddenly? I remember you didn’t even like Jackson.” I leaned against the crimson railing, raising an eyebrow with a smile: “If I don’t like him, does that mean I have to like you?” Caleb’s expression didn’t change. He simply spoke seriously, like an older brother: “Eden, I’ve always seen you as a sister.” “Marriage is not a trivial matter. If this is truly a decision from your heart, I have no objections.” “I wish you both happiness.” I acted as if I had just heard a hilarious joke. I laughed and retorted: “What kind of brother personally destroys his sister’s project—one she spent six months building?” “Legacy Advisors usually handles multi-million and billion-dollar deals, yet you used them to crush my little product that hasn’t even hit the market.” “Caleb, we’ve known each other for over a decade. We’re childhood friends. But you really wanted to drive me into a corner, didn’t you?” Caleb frowned, hesitating: “You went too far that time. Maya is just a defenseless girl. You didn’t need to make things so difficult for her…” Before he could finish, I slapped him across the face. Caleb’s face turned to the side. He lowered his eyes, his expression still unreadable. I gently blew on my fingertips, nodded, and said sincerely: “I won’t make things difficult for her.” Because the person I want to make things difficult for is you. “This slap settles our past grievances. We’re even now.” “I heard your company is going public. To celebrate clearing the air, Jackson and I decided to give you a big gift.” Caleb looked surprised but didn’t say anything else. He turned and walked away. I watched his retreating back, a mocking smirk on my lips. Even? Keep dreaming.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “420131”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I was a walking blood bank. Because of my incredibly rare blood type, my grandparents went to an orphanage and adopted a “blood bag” just for me. The “blood bag” was two years older than me. I treated her like my own flesh-and-blood sister. I took meticulous care of my own body because I never wanted her to have to shed a single drop of blood for me. Later, I was in a severe car accident and desperately needed a transfusion. She purposely swapped the blood bags, giving me the wrong blood type. I developed a severe hemolytic reaction and died. At my funeral, she comforted my grieving grandparents. But when no one was looking, she secretly held hands with my fiancé, Preston. I died with my eyes wide open. My soul lingered in the mortal realm, unwilling to leave. I watched her wrap her arms around Preston’s neck, sleeping with him in the very house meant for my marriage. I watched them pop champagne with the piano teacher I had respected since childhood, celebrating my death. I watched my grandparents, swindled out of their entire fortune by them, end up homeless on the streets like beggars. But heaven showed mercy. I was reborn to take my revenge. 1 “Sweetheart, she’s going to be your older sister. She’ll grow up with you, isn’t that wonderful?” My grandparents held my hand, pointing at the little girl our butler, Arthur, had just brought through the front door. “Look, doesn’t she look just like the porcelain dolls in your room?” Seeing the guarded, unfamiliar look in my eyes, Grandma quickly chimed in. My poor grandparents had absolutely no idea they had just brought a monster into our home. I stared at the seventeen-year-old Audrey Caldwell in front of me, saying nothing. Audrey Caldwell, my wonderful older sister. In my past life, I adored her the moment I saw her. She was beautiful, with a delicate oval face and bright, almond-shaped eyes that made people instantly like her. Being stared down by me made Audrey a little nervous, but she forced a smile, trying her hardest to look sweet and obedient. It made sense. To be adopted by a billionaire family at seventeen, she had to seize this opportunity with everything she had. “Okay! Sister can stay in the room right next to mine.” I smiled sweetly and stepped forward to warmly take her hand to lead her upstairs. Leaving my grandparents behind us, secretly wiping their tears of relief. “Our precious girl is finally going to grow up safe and sound.” I was born premature. I had been frail and sickly since childhood, and on top of that, I inherited my dad’s extremely rare Rh-negative blood type. It was a genetic cocktail practically guaranteeing a short life. Grandpa always said I was rarer than a giant panda. When I was fifteen, my parents died in a car crash. My dad had a chance to survive the massive hemorrhaging, but because of his rare blood type, the hospital’s blood bank ran out of stock. He tragically passed away. This became an insurmountable hurdle in my grandparents’ hearts. They refused to let history repeat itself with me. They hired private investigators to scour orphanages across the country. Finally, a year later, they found a matching “blood bag” for me. “Sweetheart, remember, no matter where you go, you must take your sister with you,” Grandma patted my head, emphasizing it over and over. To be bled when needed, to be a living supply—that was the sole purpose of a blood bag. If this were the old me, I would have fought my grandma tooth and nail. I wouldn’t have allowed them to use Audrey like that, because I loved her and couldn’t bear to see her hurt. Now, I just nodded obediently. “I’ll remember.” 2 Audrey was incredibly good at reading the room and knew exactly how to make people like her. She never slept in. She would come downstairs early and sit in the living room, waiting for my grandparents to wake up just to say good morning. Grandma loved gardening and had a courtyard full of flowers. Audrey would feign interest, keeping Grandma company while she pruned and arranged bouquets. She’d ask Grandma all sorts of questions about floral arrangements, keeping her entertained and incredibly happy. Grandpa loved coffee and tea. She meticulously memorized the different roasts on his shelf and the exact brewing times, pouring and serving him whenever he was busy with work. Even Arthur, our butler, received a sweet “Thank you for your hard work, Arthur,” from her every day. She served everyone in the house perfectly. Everyone except me. No matter how hard she tried to cater to my interests, I was always ice-cold toward her. Grandma told her it was because I had just lost my parents and hadn’t adjusted yet, asking her to be patient and accommodating with me. Audrey took the flower basket Grandma had just arranged and said sensibly: “Grandma, I see Stella as my own little sister. As the older sister, I should be the one to yield.” I stood on the second-floor balcony, my stomach churning with disgust. I once treated you as my own flesh and blood. I let you pick the best of everything. I remembered your birthday and begged Grandpa to throw you a lavish party matching the scale of my own. I even gave you one of the heirloom emerald bracelets Grandma passed down to me without a second thought. And what did you give me in return? You orchestrated a car crash, swapped my blood bags, stole the man I loved, and deceived and abandoned the grandparents who treated you like their own granddaughter. Audrey, my dearest sister. In this life, you better try your absolute hardest to survive. 3 Grandpa arranged for Audrey to be in the same grade as me. She was two years older. When we enrolled, the principal suggested she be placed in the junior class, but I clung to Grandpa’s arm, whining that I couldn’t be separated from my sister. “If anything happens to me, Sister will be right there to help,” I said. I knew exactly what Grandpa feared most. I purposely emphasized the danger, subtly reminding him of her function as a blood bag. A flash of reluctance crossed Audrey’s eyes, but she quickly masked it with a smile. Grandpa immediately waved his hand, rejecting the principal’s suggestion, and had the homeroom teacher lead us both to the sophomore classroom. Audrey wore a pink bow in her hair and a pristine white pleated skirt. She walked with elegant, dainty steps, looking more like a wealthy heiress than I did. The moment she entered the classroom, everyone gathered around, looking at her curiously. “Who is she? Why isn’t she wearing the uniform?” “Stella, do you know her? She’s so pretty.” “Yeah, she really is.” Being praised by everyone made Audrey blush. She lowered her head shyly. Of course. She woke up at 6 AM and spent an hour doing her hair and makeup; she absolutely had to soak up the praise. I cleared my throat and spoke slowly. “This is Audrey Caldwell. The older sister my grandpa picked up from the orphanage.” I deliberately emphasized the word orphanage. The color drained from her face, replaced by a deep, flushed embarrassment. “Oh, an orphanage. So she’s an orphan.” The class started whispering and gossiping. I raised my hand and pointed to a seat by the window. “You can sit there.” Under the watchful eyes of the entire class, Audrey murmured a quiet “Okay.” Then, clutching the straps of her backpack tightly, she walked over with her head down. I lifted my chin and walked back to my own seat, listening to my classmates whispering. “What ‘sister’? She seems more like Stella’s servant.” “Adopted from an orphanage, huh? How could she possibly be on the same level as Stella Thornton?” Seeing Audrey sitting by the window, looking mortified, I was absolutely thrilled. In my past life, she didn’t know her place. Because I liked her and didn’t want her to feel wronged, I publicly announced she was my real sister. I even had her last name legally changed to Thornton, elevating her to the status of a billionaire heiress right alongside me. But humans have a tendency to forget their roots. It’s always better to have someone remind you where you came from. 4 I attended an elite private prep school. The student body consisted of the ultra-wealthy, and the Thornton family was the school’s largest shareholder. Here, I was the undisputed queen bee. I wouldn’t maliciously bully Audrey, but I wouldn’t be close to her either. Rich kids always have a superiority complex. Audrey endured her fair share of mockery and snide remarks. I pretended not to hear any of it. Anyway, she was just a blood bag. Why should anyone respect her? Every afternoon after school, Arthur would pick me up for my one-on-one piano lessons. Sebastian Reed was the city’s youngest piano prodigy. Grandpa threw an astronomical amount of money at him to get him to teach me. I worked hard too. I never missed a single day. Audrey loved my white horse. She kept petting its head. “Stop touching him. He’ll get annoyed in a minute, and if he gets angry, I won’t be able to ride,” I interrupted her sharply. Looking embarrassed, she quickly stepped back. I rode my horse, galloping freely around the arena, looking incredibly cool and carefree. Passing by the fence, I could see the blazing envy in Audrey’s eyes. Suddenly, the horse bucked wildly. Its front hooves shot into the air, and the reins slipped from my control. I slammed hard into the dirt, blood gushing from my leg. I wailed in pain. Terrifying the entire staff, the instructors rushed me to the hospital. While waiting for the leg examination results, Grandpa and Grandma arrived in a sheer panic. Seeing them, I cried even harder, my face deathly pale. “There’s so much blood, Grandma. My pants are completely soaked red.” Grandma hugged me, her heart breaking. “Grandma, I feel dizzy. Am I losing too much blood?” I squinted, speaking weakly. Grandma turned and exchanged a look with Grandpa. Both of them simultaneously glanced at Audrey, who was standing to the side. Audrey’s eyes were filled with terror. Her legs involuntarily took a step back. “Sister, Sister, I’m so dizzy. Can you give me some blood?” I reached out and grabbed the hem of her shirt. Panicked and helpless, she tried to push my hand away. She checked my grandparents’ expressions but didn’t dare refuse outright. “Are you unwilling, Sister?” I squeezed out a few more tears. “No, no, it’s not that. But I’m still a minor,” she quickly waved her hands. A look of difficult hesitation appeared on Grandpa’s face. It was a perfect excuse. After all, according to the law, minors couldn’t donate blood. She had clearly researched the legal loopholes of her purpose in this house long ago. I rolled my eyes and said pitifully: “But Sister, the orphanage director called the other day. She said your birth year was registered two months late, and they’ve already corrected it. You’re legally 18 now.” 5 Audrey ultimately didn’t give me any blood. I was just scaring her. My injury didn’t actually require a transfusion. Having her blood in my body would make me feel sick. As finals approached, I was recovering at home, and Audrey tutored me every day. Actually, my grades were excellent. I didn’t need extra tutoring to get into a top Ivy League, but I just loved having Audrey hover around me. I loved watching her act cautious and speak to me with a fake, hypocritical smile. It constantly reminded me never to forget what happened in my past life. “Today’s key points are these. It’s all review from before. You can look over it yourself.” She closed the textbook, looking relieved that her daily task was finally over. “Sister, I don’t understand it. I feel like I really need the notes to help me. Why don’t you just write the notes out for me too?” I stretched lazily. I saw her face darken. “I’m not a maid.” After a long internal struggle, she finally chose to lose her temper. “Then what are you? The Thornton family’s eldest lady? Or my actual flesh-and-blood sister?” I smiled lightly, watching her with great interest. Her lips moved, but no sound came out. She just glared at me dead in the eye. You broke character that fast? You really are nothing special, Audrey. To think you destroyed me so thoroughly in my past life… I really must have had the brain of a pig. “Don’t look at me like that. I know you get good grades and want to get into a top college. You even have study-abroad brochures for elite European universities hidden under your pillow, don’t you? Too bad I have no intention of going to Europe.” I watched her face turn increasingly humiliated. It was exhilarating. “Know your place. You’re just a blood bag. The Thornton family found you, and we can easily find another one.” “Next time you try to spook my horse, you won’t be staying in the Thornton house anymore. You’ll go right back to wherever you came from.” My equestrian coach had noticed a strong smell of vinegar on my white horse’s head. Horses are highly sensitive to the smell of vinegar; smelling it for too long causes them to panic and lose control. Audrey was the only one constantly petting the horse. Even a toddler could figure out who did it. Actually, I had smelled the vinegar on the horse long before I got on. I just played along. I was in full control of how I fell. Because of her “minor” excuse, she thought she could watch me suffer without having to bleed. She didn’t expect that I had specifically called the orphanage to confirm her exact date of birth. “Coming up with a plan that hurts the enemy a thousand times but damages yourself eight hundred… With a brain like yours, do you really think you’re cut out for studying abroad?” I shrugged effortlessly, looking at her with amusement. 6 After exams, Audrey and I both got into top universities. Sebastian Reed won a major international piano competition and returned to the city to prepare for his premiere solo recital. At the airport, surrounded by reporters asking about his preparations for the concert, Sebastian smiled mysteriously and said that his only student would perform on stage. The moment the news broke, the internet exploded. Everyone started guessing the identity of this musical prodigy’s sole disciple. “Piano prodigy Sebastian Reed, heralded as a musical genius since childhood with a boundless future, took on a student at such a young age!” “To be mentored by Sebastian Reed and make a piano debut at his premiere recital… This student must be an absolute prodigy!” I sat in a haute couture boutique, listening to the reporters’ speculation on TV, leisurely sipping my tea. The genius student Mr. Reed was preparing to introduce to the world was me. To be precise, this entire piano recital was funded and prepared for my debut. As the heiress of the Thornton Group, if I was going to learn piano and hire a master, I had to pick the perfect moment to make a grand, highly publicized debut. Besides, I was Sebastian’s only student. Hearing the TV broadcast mention the word “only,” Audrey, sitting across from me, resentfully lowered her eyes. She was technically Sebastian’s student too. What a pity; only I was worthy of the word “only.” “Ms. Thornton, what do you think of these pieces? They’ve all been tailored to your measurements.” The manager asked politely. Several sales associates wearing white gloves wheeled the gowns in. “These are all the latest haute couture masterpieces. With your fair complexion, this smoky purple trailing gown will make you look incredibly elegant and regal.” “And this pink and white embroidered maxi dress is elegant with a touch of playful cuteness.” The manager introduced them one by one. I found the styles rather ordinary, but Audrey’s eyes sparkled. “I’ll take this one.” I pointed at the first smoky purple gown. “Wait!” I called out to the associate who was packing the dresses away, and pointed at Audrey. “Pick one for her too.” “Me?!” Amidst Audrey’s questioning and surprise, there was an unmistakable, overwhelming joy she couldn’t hide. “You have to go to the recital too. To the outside world, you’re a member of the Thornton family. You naturally need to dress the part.” I nodded. Watching Audrey happily follow the associate to get her measurements taken, I couldn’t help but sneer. In my past life, the person who shone brightly at Sebastian’s piano recital was Audrey. Just as I was about to go on stage, I suddenly had severe stomach cramps, forcing me to let Audrey take my place. Audrey used the opportunity to become famous, instantly becoming a highly sought-after piano prodigy. And through the media’s mouth, she officially announced her status as the eldest daughter of the Thornton family to society. And the naive, foolish me back then was sitting in the audience, happily clapping for my sister who was shining on stage. I never once suspected that the coffee she brought me that afternoon was spiked. Now, I wanted to see… The stage is set for you again. Are you going to pull the same trick? My favorite thing to do was to watch a freshly ignited hope get snuffed out and brutally crushed beneath my feet. 7 After three months of intense practice, the day of the recital finally arrived. Socialites, elites, and reporters took their seats one after another. I attended in full glamor. “Our sweet girl is the most beautiful little princess today.” Grandma and Grandpa came backstage to see me, holding my hands, their eyes full of loving affection. Audrey stood obediently next to Grandma. She was wearing a pink gown today, her long hair cascading down, accentuating her slender neck. She looked very radiant. “Audrey is such a beautiful young woman,” Grandma complimented her politely. While acting shy, she didn’t forget to shoot a glance my way. What the hell are you so smug about? “Grandma, I was so nervous yesterday I didn’t sleep well. I want coffee.” I yawned and said. Grandpa immediately waved his hand, calling his secretary downstairs to buy me a coffee. “I’ll go. I’ve been here with Stella for rehearsals a few times, so I’m familiar with the route,” Audrey quickly volunteered. “Okay, thank you, Sister.” I gave her a sweet smile. Sure enough, the fish took the bait. A few minutes later, Audrey returned with a cup of coffee. “Here, drink up.” I took it with a smile and told her I left my sheet music in the dressing room we were just in, asking her to fetch it for me. Her eyes lingered on the coffee for a second before she nodded and turned to go to the adjacent dressing room. I picked up the aromatic iced Americano, took a deep sniff, and then quickly walked outside Sebastian’s private lounge. “Mr. Reed, you’ve worked so hard. Have a cup of coffee.” 8 The opening went very smoothly. Sebastian, dressed in a sharp tuxedo, looked like a prince sitting at the piano. The stage lights illuminated the packed auditorium. As his fingers lightly touched the keys, Liszt’s La Campanella slowly echoed through the hall. Everyone was immersed in the beautiful melody. No one noticed the dense beads of sweat forming on Sebastian’s forehead, or his micro-expressions of excruciating agony. I leaned against the curtain backstage, watching Sebastian with intense interest. Mr. Reed, it must hurt a lot, doesn’t it? That’s laxative, after all. Sebastian wasn’t innocent. In my past life, Audrey being able to take my place on stage was fully aided by him in the dark. Originally, there were much better PR methods to smooth over my minor absence. But he specifically chose to be Audrey’s advocate. He convinced my grandparents that, for the sake of the Thornton family’s reputation, they should go with the flow and make Audrey the star of the piano show. He said, since Audrey was already treated like a real sister, I wouldn’t mind. The entire reason was that he thought I was just a rich piece of trash who had absolutely no right to be his student. Only someone as naturally gifted as Audrey deserved the guidance of the Piano Prince. “The Thornton family just has a little money, they don’t understand art at all. Stella is a mediocrity, she isn’t worthy of high art.” Those were the words he said while toasting with Audrey at my funeral. He seemed to have forgotten that he used to be a nameless nobody from a regular music conservatory. Who was it that paved his path with starlight? As the piece ended, Sebastian’s face was deathly pale. He bowed to the audience, then practically sprinted off the stage, making a beeline for the restroom. The host took the script and calmly went on stage to buy time for Sebastian. But no matter how professional the host was, they couldn’t stall for that long. Sebastian was unleashing a waterfall in the bathroom. The audience was getting restless and started whispering. The organizers sitting in the front row looked incredibly grim. Audrey stared blankly at the empty stage. She still had no idea her mentor had suffered a catastrophic blowout in the bathroom. The timing was perfect. I elegantly lifted the hem of my gown and walked gracefully onto the stage. Catching my eye signal, the host quickly reacted and immediately introduced me: “And now, please welcome Mr. Sebastian Reed’s sole disciple, the heiress of the Thornton Group, Miss Stella Thornton!” A wave of commotion swept through the hall, and countless camera flashes fired at me. I smiled gently, acknowledging the audience’s applause. In the audience, Audrey clutched her dress, her face shifting between green and white. She looked utterly horrific. 9 I played the remaining pieces that Sebastian was supposed to perform. I had memorized all those pieces perfectly long ago. This comeback concert for the musical genius completely transformed into my debut stage. Listening to the thunderous applause from the audience, I proudly lifted my chin, soaking in all the glory. Compared to Audrey, my natural aptitude was indeed average. But I worked hard. I started playing piano at 5 years old. Even if I hadn’t always taken it seriously, the foundation was there. Sebastian despising my “stupidity” was just because I didn’t take his lessons seriously to begin with. Because I despised his pretentious, pseudo-intellectual act. As the curtain fell, Sebastian finally emerged from the bathroom. His face was stiff as he walked to the front of the stage. Seeing the reporters below, he forced a smile and stood next to me for the final bow. “Stella, you did this on purpose.” I heard his low, teeth-gritting voice. I looked at him with an innocent expression. “Mr. Reed, what are you talking about? I don’t understand. I was just saving the show.” Sebastian’s expression froze; he seemed to believe me. “But Mr. Reed, why do you smell like crap?” 10 My debut was a massive success. Grandpa took the whole family to treat Sebastian to a celebratory dinner. “Sebastian, I heard about the little accident. I’ve already had the PR department handle it. It won’t have a major impact on you.” The PR department successfully shifted the focus onto me. No one paid attention to Sebastian’s embarrassing interlude. After all, my identity was far more newsworthy to the public. Sebastian politely thanked Grandpa, but his expression was incredibly unnatural. His spotlight was stolen. He was an arrogant man; naturally, he was resentful. Normally, he would have dug into the cause and refused to let it go. The fact that he remained silent meant he had probably already touched base with his star pupil, Audrey, and realized I had played them. “Grandpa, Mr. Reed has always been a meticulous person, very attentive to his condition before a performance. There must have been an error somewhere.” I said, locking eyes with a guilty-looking Audrey. “Mr. Reed, I’ve already had people investigate all your food and drink intake before taking the stage. We will definitely find the truth.” Sebastian’s face darkened. He immediately forced a smile and said, “No need, no need. It was probably just an upset stomach from catching a chill.” “Don’t say that, Mr. Reed. Arthur just said the results are out, and they’ve been sent straight to my phone.” Wanting to sweep this under the rug? Not that easy. You owe me, and you’re going to pay it back. I held up my phone, and a ding sounded. Panic flashed in the eyes of the two co-conspirators. I opened my phone to check, then placed the phone on the table, displaying the screen to Audrey sitting across from me. “Sister, it says here there were laxatives in the coffee.” “But wait, wasn’t this the coffee you bought for me?”

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After high school graduation, my illegitimate sister trended on Twitter and TikTok. Everyone was saying the wealthy Kensington family produced brilliant daughters. The older sister was the state valedictorian and an Ivy League admit, while the younger sister was the top recruit for Juilliard’s dance division. Just as that illegitimate daughter tried to use this wave of clout to force her way into our home… I had someone break her legs. 1 It was the night of my college acceptance gala. My father brought his illegitimate daughter to the banquet, where she dropped to both knees. Tearfully, she begged my mother to let her into the family. The surrounding guests gasped in shock. Just as the bodyguards stepped forward to drag her away, my mother stopped them with a single glance. I stood to the side, arms crossed, watching the show. I wanted to see what kind of nonsense this illegitimate daughter could spit out. She cried, looking like a fragile, rain-soaked flower: “I have Kensington blood flowing through my veins! Please, have mercy and let me through the doors!” “I can sing and dance, and I’m not ugly. I won’t embarrass the Kensington family!” After saying that, she shuffled forward on her knees. Just as she was about to speak again, Liam Sterling, the heir to the Sterling family standing next to me, recognized her. He pointed at the illegitimate daughter, his voice filled with unconcealed surprise: “Aren’t you that girl who got top marks in Juilliard’s admissions this year? The one who danced that viral ‘Swan Song’ piece?” Seeing that someone remembered her, Chloe nodded eagerly. She had hoped Liam would say a few more complimentary words. Instead, Liam clapped his hands and laughed out loud: “My grandma was just saying your dancing had a noble, unyielding spirit to it. I didn’t expect you to drop to your knees this fast.” Hearing this, snickers erupted from the surrounding crowd. Chloe’s face instantly turned pitch black. Seeing her look as if she were about to faint from humiliation, I didn’t step in to defend her. Instead, I stood there holding my champagne, smiling as I watched her make a fool of herself. Amidst the surrounding mockery, my father’s face darkened. He was the one who brought her; Chloe being mocked meant he was losing face too. He looked around, but not a single person stepped forward to smooth things over. After all, my father had squandered his side of the Kensington family’s wealth long ago. It was my mother’s family who had seized the market trends over the years, propelling us into Manhattan’s upper-crust elite. Everyone attending my gala was here out of respect for my mother. Father bringing his illegitimate daughter to publicly force my mother’s hand was a foolish move. Even for the sake of future business ties, no one was going to speak up for him. I watched coldly from the sidelines until Chloe had been humiliated enough. Only then did I leisurely set down my champagne glass and clap my hands. The bodyguards waiting outside immediately entered the room, dragging the limp Chloe up by one arm. I first smiled and apologized to the surrounding guests: “I am truly sorry. Our security was a bit lax tonight, and you all had to witness a farce.” Then, I gave the bodyguards a look. Understanding perfectly, they hauled the struggling Chloe away, marching her straight out the doors and tossing her out of the Kensington estate. Father watched Chloe being handled with an ashen face, but he was powerless to stop it. He could only smash his glass in anger and storm out of the venue. Meanwhile, my mother, sitting at the head of the room, maintained a look of amiable grace. She smiled warmly as she watched me take out the trash. 2 The gala ended. I changed out of my heavy, intricate evening gown and slipped into a comfortable silk dress. I loosely pinned up my hair and was led back to the living room by the staff. In the living room, my father and mother sat opposite each other. Kneeling on the floor to the side was Chloe, the very girl who had just been thrown out. She was currently wearing a white dress, crying pitifully. Seeing me come downstairs, Mother waved me over to sit beside her. She looked at Chloe kneeling on the floor and said casually: “Do you want to enter the Kensington family that badly?” Chloe nodded eagerly, just about to start begging again. Unexpectedly, Mother agreed immediately: “Of course you can.” With that, Mother narrowed her eyes, a smile playing on her lips: “If you’re willing, I’ll hold a press conference tomorrow and announce that you are my biological daughter.” A flash of shock crossed my father’s eyes, and he moved to stop her. But Chloe agreed without hesitation: “I will! I’m willing!” The moment the words left her mouth, Mother smiled and turned to my father: “But she isn’t my biological flesh and blood after all.” “If you want me to claim her, you must hand over every single cent of the assets your father left for my daughter in his will.” The atmosphere in the living room instantly grew tense. Father gritted his teeth, glaring at Mother. Mother just smiled fearlessly and took a sip of her tea. I lowered my eyes, remaining silent. Years ago, knowing my father was incompetent, my grandfather arranged a business marriage between him and my mother, a woman with immense capability but a slightly weaker family background. And the daughter my mother gave birth to—me—inherited her brilliant mind. Grandfather was incredibly pleased. He even considered bypassing my idiot father entirely and handing the Kensington Corporation directly to me. Unfortunately, before he could do so, he passed away from cancer. Fortunately, he left a will stating that once I turned eighteen, 20% of Kensington Corp’s shares would be transferred to me. Until then, my father was to hold them in a trust. But three months had passed since I came of age, and my father acted as if nothing had happened, delaying the transfer. Looking at it now, wasn’t he just trying to save those shares for his illegitimate daughter? Seeing my father remain silent, Mother let out a light chuckle. She turned and instructed the butler: “Since Mr. Kensington is unwilling, please escort this young lady out.” Seeing her chance to enter high society slipping away, Chloe cried out to my father in a panic: “Dad, please think about me… Ah!” Before she could finish, Father, as if making a painful decision, grabbed the butler who was stepping forward. Gritting his teeth, he hissed: “Fine! I’ll give them to her!” Mother nodded in satisfaction, then clapped her hands. A lawyer who had been waiting in the next room stepped forward. He pulled the documents from his briefcase, waiting for my father to sign. Seeing the matter practically settled, Mother patted my shoulder with a smile: “Victoria, you’re going to be an older sister.” “Since we have some free time, why don’t you take Chloe for a tour around the estate?” I smiled, nodded, and extended a hand to Chloe, who was still kneeling. No matter how reluctant Chloe was, she had to play the part of a sweet, obedient girl in front of my mother. She took my hand. The sharp diamonds on my bracelet dug viciously into her scraped wrist. She struggled slightly, but I held her in an iron grip. While my father was busy arguing over clauses with the lawyer, I dragged Chloe out of the living room. 3 Before my father tanked his side of the business, the Kensingtons were Manhattan royalty. Thus, the estate was nothing short of magnificent. I dragged Chloe down the long corridors until we reached the courtyard. Seeing that there were no servants around, she dropped her mask instantly, violently swatting my hand away. I leaned lazily against a pillar, watching her agonizingly inspect her injured wrist. Dancers are most afraid of leaving scars on their bodies. Chloe was no exception. Seeing her panicked expression, I feigned surprise: “Oh my, look how clumsy I am. I didn’t even notice my dear sister was hurt!” I took a step forward, but she slapped my hand away again: “Back off! You hypocritical bitch!” She hit me hard. I looked at the red mark on the back of my hand, my expression unreadable. Finally, I looked up at her and let out a cold laugh: “Who do you think you are? You dare lay a hand on me?” “An illegitimate bastard who was just kneeling on the floor, kissing my mother’s feet to get through the door, and now you have the nerve to call me a hypocrite?” As I spoke, I looked Chloe up and down with mocking disdain. Chloe had been spoiled and arrogant her whole life. Hearing my words, she almost exploded with rage. Forgetting my father’s instructions to endure, she sneered: “Victoria, don’t get too smug.” “So what if I’m illegitimate? Don’t you know marriage is a woman’s second reincarnation?” “I’m beautiful, and I’m the top recruit at Juilliard. Father can pick any elite family for a marriage alliance, and I’ll live a much freer life than you!” “What are you? Just a boring valedictorian. You’re not as pretty as me, you have no charm, and in the end, no one’s going to want to marry you!” She looked me up and down like a victor, clinging to her delusion as a lifeline. I watched her smug face, too lazy to argue. I twisted the ring on my finger, turning the sharpest edge toward my palm. Then, I grabbed Chloe by the hair with one hand, and with the other, I slapped her across the face, hard, several times! The sharp edges of my jewelry slashed her delicate, pretty face, leaving ugly, red handprints. She immediately squatted on the ground, covering her face. Taking the opportunity, I kicked her off the veranda and straight into the flowerbed. Amidst the chaos, I heard her furious, hysterical screaming. Lazily, I watched her struggle to climb out, and then I kicked her right back in. Only then did I speak: “You’re new here, so you probably don’t know yet. I, Victoria Kensington, am not someone you want to mess with.” “So what if your last name is Kensington now? In my eyes, the Kensingtons on your father’s side are just beggars.” “You’re nothing but a dancing toy meant for others’ entertainment. Relying on the half of our blood we share, you actually think you can covet what belongs to me?!” I stepped heavily on the hand she used to grip the stone paving, grinding my heel down. Unsurprisingly, she wailed in pain. Through her sobs, Chloe stammered: “If you treat me like this, Dad won’t let you get away with it!” Looking at her pathetic state, I laughed out loud: “He’s a nobody. Just a piece of trash who ran his company into the ground. Threatening me with him is less intimidating than threatening to take a dump in our living room.” With that, I stood up straight. I dusted off my clothes, though there was no dirt on them. Leisurely, I said: “No one is coming to save you tonight. If you can climb up, climb up. If you can’t, sleep in the garden.” “Everyone in this estate works for me. You better learn your place.” I grabbed a decorative fan left on the veranda and fanned myself as I walked back to my room. 4 Chloe had been pampered her whole life. She had never suffered such humiliation. The very next day, she ran to complain to our father. When I was called down to the living room, I found my furious father and a pitiful, teary-eyed Chloe covering her face. Father pointed at Chloe’s face and interrogated me: “Victoria, why did you hit your sister?” “How could you be so vicious!” I had just woken up. Ignoring my raging father, I looked at Chloe hiding behind him: “Didn’t I tell you?” “Instead of whining to Dad, you’d be better off taking a dump in the living room. It’s way more intimidating.” Father grabbed my arm: “Answer my question!” “Stop provoking your sister!” I rolled my eyes to the ceiling and slapped his hand away: “She’s an illegitimate bastard. I hit her. So what? Do I need a reason?” “Instead of interrogating me here, you should be figuring out how you’re going to explain to the shareholders of your last remaining company why you’re bankrupt again.” Sure enough, a look of guilt flashed across my father’s face. I let out a scoff and flipped off the illegitimate daughter before walking away. Seeing my completely shameless attitude, Father nearly popped a blood vessel. When Mother returned, he complained to her again. But Mother brushed it off with a few light words. When he tried to push the issue, she smiled and struck his weak spot: “If you keep talking nonsense, I was planning on hosting a welcome gala to introduce Chloe to society.” The moment she said that, Father shut his mouth. Even Chloe, hiding behind him, stopped her whimpering. I knew why Chloe was so obsessed with her face. Mother’s company was launching a new product line soon. Her Manhattan connections were supposed to be smoothed out at my acceptance gala. But my idiot father ruined a perfectly good networking opportunity by bringing his illegitimate daughter. To fix this, Mother was using the excuse of welcoming the illegitimate daughter to host another gala and rebuild those connections. And Chloe genuinely thought she was the star of the night. Smug and delighted, she immediately started preparing. On the afternoon of the gala, she even booked an emergency appointment at a high-end medspa to salvage the face I had ruined. I, however, stayed at the estate. My phone buzzed endlessly with messages from the elite group chat. [I heard the Kensingtons are officially letting the illegitimate daughter in. True or false?] [True. Tonight’s gala. My mom got the invite directly from Mrs. Kensington.] The questions in the chat quickly shifted from curiosity to disbelief: [Wait, Victoria didn’t skin her alive? Since when is her temper that good?] Laughter emojis flooded the chat. I typed back, exasperated: [I slapped her face so hard it swelled up like a balloon. She’s at a medspa getting emergency repairs right now.] I added a few more insults for good measure. The wealthy heirs in the chat clearly understood my attitude toward Chloe. They knew exactly how to treat her tonight. 5 When Chloe returned from the medspa, the butler was just bringing in the haute couture gown she requested. I was sitting in the living room drinking tea. When I looked up, I saw Chloe staring at the dress with thrilling excitement. She was just a brainless fool greedy for wealth and status. Destined to be cannon fodder in high society. Thinking about this, my eyes filled with pity. A pawn meant to be used from the moment she logged on. Truly pathetic. Half an hour before the gala started, I threw on a simple, elegant gown and went downstairs to wait. Chloe came down wearing a magnificent, overly elaborate dress. The luxurious fabric wrapped tightly around her curves, making her look undeniably beautiful. Adorned with diamonds, she really did look like a high-society heiress. But that was only what she thought. Once the gala began, Mother gave her a brief, perfunctory introduction before taking me, dressed in my understated elegance, to network with the VIPs. The scenario Chloe had imagined—being surrounded by admirers—never happened. Holding my wine glass, I stood a short distance away, smiling as I watched Chloe sit entirely alone on a sofa. The young heirs and heiresses clustered in small groups around her, pointing and whispering. After the first round of networking ended, Mother finally let me go, telling me to catch up with the younger generation. I smiled and nodded, walking toward the smaller banquet hall where the heirs had gathered. Harper, a girl from a family closely allied with ours, saw me and immediately rushed over to link arms with me. I raised an eyebrow, looking at the isolated Chloe on the couch: “Why are you all leaving my ‘good sister’ hanging like that?” Chloe astutely looked up at me. I smiled and raised my glass to her, not missing the flash of hatred in her eyes. Harper curled her lip: “She’s just a bastard daughter, yet she acts so high and mighty, expecting us to initiate a conversation with her.” “She even looks down on the smaller families. A guy from a lesser tier tried to chat with her, and she literally rolled her eyes at him.” I glanced at the pretentious Chloe and played along: “Exactly. Does she really expect us to suck up to her?” Then, as if suddenly remembering something, a smile curled on my lips. I whispered to Harper: “Let’s go mess with her.” I quickly gave Harper a few instructions. Harper understood perfectly. While Chloe went to the restroom, Harper briefed the group chat on the plan. When Chloe returned, she suddenly noticed a change. Several heiresses, as if suddenly enlightened, warmly linked arms with her and started chatting. Dazzled by the sudden attention, she didn’t even sense anything was wrong, comfortably accepting their fake goodwill. During their chat, Harper suddenly pointed at a handsome young man standing not too far away and casually introduced him: “That’s Carter Harrington, the eldest son of the Harrington family, and the sole heir to his generation.” “The Harringtons are one of the top elite families in New York, and Carter himself is incredibly outstanding.” “We were all just joking around, wondering who the future Mrs. Harrington will be.” Harper side-eyed Chloe, easily catching the eager, calculating look on her face. To add fuel to the fire, Harper added: “I heard your mother is very fond of Carter and is planning to arrange a marriage between him and Victoria!” Hearing this, Chloe couldn’t sit still anymore. A man approved by my mother? He was an absolute golden ticket in the marriage market! She had to seize this opportunity. If Carter Harrington fell for her, she could leap to the top of society as Mrs. Harrington. Then even that bitch Victoria would have to smile and bow to her! Harper watched Chloe practically vibrating with eagerness and almost burst out laughing. She added: “Carter loves ballet, by the way. I heard you’re a dance major?” Chloe nodded modestly. Harper dramatically clapped her hands together: “That’s perfect! Why don’t I introduce you two?” Feigning reluctance but secretly overjoyed, Chloe let Harper lead her toward Carter. Chloe was already mesmerized by Carter’s handsome face. She completely missed Harper turning her back to hide a massive grin. 6 The upper crust of Manhattan is a very small circle. We had all known each other for over a decade. We knew exactly what everyone else was really like. On the surface, everyone pretended to be proper and sophisticated, but in reality, they were just a bunch of wicked kids who loved playing pranks. I had just told Harper to set this up in the group chat, getting everyone to help Chloe act out a cliché romance novel trope. And Carter Harrington, the “male lead,” was the unlucky guy who rolled the lowest number in the group chat’s dice game. Watching Chloe approach Carter, the messages in the group chat exploded: [What do you guys think her first sentence will be?] [I don’t know, ‘Venmo me $50 for Taco Tuesday’?] [To the person above, stop.] I smirked and casually typed: [I bet a pack of spicy Cheetos she says: ‘Are you my sister’s fiancé?’] Carter immediately replied with a question mark in the chat. [When did I become the fiancé of the Grim Reaper?] Harper quickly explained: [I just gave you a backstory to make your character more compelling!] Sure enough, Chloe walked up to Carter. Carter discreetly put away his phone, and the very first sentence he heard was: “Are you my sister’s fiancé?” Carter’s mouth twitched. Victoria, the ultimate prophet. Just like that, under the group chat’s instructions, Carter chatted with Chloe. From high art to the mundane, they eventually even talked about the price of canned tuna at Whole Foods. Chloe didn’t sense anything amiss. She just joked: “I didn’t expect Mr. Harrington to be such a domestic man, knowing the price of tuna.” Carter forced a smile. He didn’t seem to want to accept her compliment. Meanwhile, Harper, acting as the conductor on the other side of the phone, was dying of laughter on the couch. I couldn’t watch anymore and nudged her: “Be serious, or she’ll notice.” Carter roared in the group chat: [Please, let’s talk about normal things! How the hell would a young master like me know the price of canned tuna?!] A wicked heir immediately replied: [Just say you’re the king of seafood. After all, your reputation as a ‘player’ in New York is pretty well-known.] The chat erupted into laughter, leaving Carter to awkwardly deal with Chloe. It wasn’t until a Harrington family servant came looking for Carter that he politely ended the conversation. Harper immediately texted: [Chloe looks really smug right now. Why don’t we give her and Victoria a chance to interact and see what she says?] The chat was full of chaos-loving instigators. The motion passed unanimously. I laughed and told them to wait in the upstairs restroom so we could watch a showdown. 7 Seeing me excuse myself to the restroom, Chloe quickly followed. When I came out of the stall to wash my hands, she blocked the door: “Sister, did you see that just now? Your fiancé and I had a lovely chat.” I leisurely shook the water off my hands, slowly stood up straight, and met her eyes: “And what exactly are you trying to say, Chloe?” She thought I would panic and threaten her for stealing my man. Instead, I looked completely unbothered, observing her like a monkey in a zoo. She gritted her teeth and laughed arrogantly: “I’m saying, you’re nothing special after all.” “Your friends are nice to me, and your fiancé is attracted to me. You’re just a clown throwing a tantrum.” “You don’t deserve to be the Kensington heiress!” “I want you to watch me take your inheritance, marry your fiancé, and become the most outstanding lady in the Kensington family!” I looked at her like she was an idiot and burst out laughing. Then, I swaggered out. I waited outside, casually inspecting my manicure. This illegitimate daughter was playing at such a low level, I couldn’t even be bothered to fight her. The heiresses hiding in the stalls pushed the doors open. Every single one of them wore an expression of utter boredom. Harper rolled her eyes: “With that IQ, she got top marks at Juilliard?” I shrugged: “Dancers use their feet, not their brains.” “With that pig brain of hers, if she had to take a real academic test, she’d be waiting tables.” When we returned to the banquet hall, the heirs gathered around to review Chloe’s performance. “This batch of illegitimate kids generally has pretty low IQs. That kid from the Miller family was the same. Took the bait effortlessly.” A guy standing nearby laughed and chimed in: “People who dream of climbing the social ladder in one step are never that smart to begin with.” “They fantasize about using their newfound status to hook a golden ticket, but in reality, they’re just clowns.” I nodded in agreement. After chatting a bit more, Mother sent someone to find me, taking me to meet another group of VIPs. It wasn’t until the gala ended that I saw Chloe again. She was still keeping up her glamorous facade, glowing as she stood by the door seeing guests off. When she saw Carter, the affectionate, longing look she gave him gave me goosebumps. Mother wasn’t an idiot. After the guests left, she asked me what happened. I told her exactly how the night went down. When I got to the part where Chloe threatened me in the bathroom, even my usually serious mother couldn’t help but laugh. After laughing, she patted my shoulder, telling me not to play too hard, lest Chloe die of anger when she found out the truth. I nodded and chatted with Mom for a while longer.

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The night I found out I was dumped, I stood outside the Vance estate for half the night. Preston Vance walked past me with his arm wrapped around his new flame, scoffing coldly, “What? Here to ask for a breakup fee?” He took off the ring I gave him and threw it on the ground. As I bent down to pick it up, Sienna Hayes ground her stiletto into the back of my hand. Preston acted like he didn’t see a thing. Later, I moved into the Sterling estate next door as its rightful mistress. During the day, I tended to the flowers and fed the cats in the garden. At night, I kissed Roman Sterling passionately on his balcony. Preston looked up and saw us. He crushed a thorny rose in his palm, his cold eyes looking as if they were dyed in blood. 01 I stood at the gates of the Vance estate, waiting for Preston. Late into the night, a Rolls-Royce drove past the gates and pulled into the garage. A moment later, Preston walked past me, his arm wrapped around the hottest new starlet in Hollywood, Sienna Hayes. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and sneered, “What? Are you here to ask for a breakup fee?” Before this, Preston had never once mentioned breaking up with me. Three hours ago, paparazzi had leaked photos of Sienna and Preston leaving a high-end French restaurant. As the rumors spread, Sienna responded on Twitter: [It’s just a normal relationship. Everyone can calm down now.] Preston had ‘liked’ her tweet. That was how I found out I had been dumped. Just last night, the person lying in his arms was me. He had made me look into the bathroom mirror, caressing my face from behind, murmuring, “Eden, do you have any idea how beautiful you look right now?” My cheeks had flushed. “Hmm? How beautiful?” His hot breath tickled the back of my ear: “More vibrant than the roses on the balcony. It makes me want to be completely ruthless with you.” Last night he couldn’t keep his hands off me, and in the blink of an eye, he had a new girl? I didn’t believe it, so I came to ask him myself. “Preston, I came to ask you… since when have you and Sienna been together?” Preston replied coldly, “We got together today. Is there a problem?” My eyes fell on the ring on his finger. We had given each other promise rings. If he had a new girlfriend, what did it mean that he was still wearing the ring I gave him? Preston pulled the ring off his finger and handed it to me: “Take it. And don’t ever come bothering me again.” Before I could even reach out to take it, he dropped the ring onto the ground. It was the ring I had bought him with my very first paycheck after graduating college. It wasn’t expensive, but it held deep meaning. I remember when Preston received that ring, he couldn’t stop smiling. That night, he used hundreds of drones to confess his love to me in the sky, wanting to announce to the whole world that I was his woman. Now, that same ring was thrown on the ground like garbage. Pushing down my emotions, I bent over to pick up the ring. Preston turned and walked toward the mansion with Sienna. As Sienna walked past me, she deliberately stepped her foot down, her heel grinding into the back of my hand. “Hiss—” I cried out in pain. Sienna was wearing impossibly high, sharp stilettos. I knew she was doing this on purpose to humiliate me. She moved her foot and chuckled lightly: “Oops, sorry. It’s too dark, I didn’t do it on purpose.” Before, if I got even a tiny scratch, he would be sick with worry. But right now, Preston acted like he didn’t see a thing. I shoved Sienna, and she conveniently fell right into Preston’s arms. “Eden, that’s enough,” Preston said. He wrapped his arm around Sienna’s waist and stepped through the grand front doors of the mansion. 02 I turned and walked away. I hadn’t gone far when it started to rain. I ran to take shelter under the eaves of the neighboring mansion. Looking up, I could see Preston’s bedroom. It was on the second floor, and the lights were now on. Sienna walked out onto the balcony, surveying the area around the front gate, as if checking to make sure I had actually left. A moment later, Preston walked up behind Sienna, holding his suit jacket. He wrapped the jacket around her and hugged her from behind. Sienna turned her head and rested her cheek against his chest. This scene was entirely too familiar. The Vance estate had practically been my second home. The roses on that balcony had been planted by my own two hands. He and I used to kiss passionately on that very balcony. I looked away, not daring to watch anymore. I was afraid of seeing something that would shatter my heart completely. Preston was my first love. I had taken our relationship incredibly seriously. I had even fantasized about our wedding day and our happy life afterward. Being dumped so suddenly, apart from being caught completely off guard, left me feeling like a massive chunk of my heart was missing. The cold wind of the rainy night blew into the gaping hole in my chest. When I looked up again, Preston had already pulled Sienna back into the bedroom. The motorized curtains slowly drew shut, hiding everything that left so much to the imagination. 03 Not only did the rain not stop, it started pouring harder. My phone was completely dead. Preston’s mansion was in an exclusive, gated community in the suburbs. In the middle of the night, it was impossible to get an Uber out here. Preston had changed. Before, he would never treat me like this. Even if we were fighting, he would still make sure I got home safe. I debated internally over and over: should I go ring his doorbell and swallow my pride to beg him to let me stay for one night? To be honest, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I don’t know how much time passed, but suddenly, a blinding light cut through the dark. A sleek Ferrari pulled into the garage of the mansion where I was taking shelter. I followed the car into the garage, hoping to borrow his phone to call an Uber. The man who stepped out of the car looked to be around twenty-six or twenty-seven. He was incredibly handsome. I had actually seen him a few times before. He was Preston’s neighbor, Roman Sterling. Sometimes, when I stayed the night at Preston’s, I could see Roman’s garden and balcony from ours. In the mornings, he would water the plants in his garden and then sit on his balcony drinking coffee. My impression of him was that he was noble and highly disciplined. Roman saw me standing there, completely soaked, and paused in surprise. “Why aren’t you going to your boyfriend’s house to get out of the rain?” “He changed the passcode on the lock,” I said dejectedly. “We broke up.” Roman looked up at the balcony of Preston’s bedroom and blurted out, “But weren’t you two just last night…” He seemed to realize something and quickly stopped himself. My face flushed bright red. He was right. Just last night, Preston and I were making out on that balcony. In the heat of the moment, he had even said to me, “Should we try it out here on the balcony?” I blushed. “No, the neighbors might see…” “Mhm, then let’s go inside.” Preston had carried me into the house. Had Roman seen us? This was incredibly awkward. I said bitterly, “He has a new girlfriend.” “That fast?” Roman looked thoughtful. “Do you want to come inside my house first? You can dry your clothes, and I’ll drive you back in the morning.” I hesitated for a moment. It was the middle of the night, and I lived forty minutes away. Having him drive me back in this weather was asking too much. Besides, even if I borrowed his phone to call a cab, it wouldn’t be safe. I nodded. “Okay, thank you.” 04 I took a shower at Roman’s house. Wearing a plush bathrobe, I put my soaking wet clothes into his high-end washer-dryer combo. I slept in his guest room for the night. Early the next morning, his housekeeper was making breakfast in the kitchen. He insisted I stay for breakfast, saying he would drop me off at work since he was heading to his office anyway. As we walked out the front door, we ran straight into Preston and Sienna. Roman went to the adjacent garage to pull his car out. When Preston saw me walking out of Roman’s house, his face instantly darkened. Sienna looked me up and down and let out a scoffing laugh. She turned to Preston and said, “Preston, you were so worried about her being unsafe going home alone last night, but she didn’t even go home. She moves on pretty fast, doesn’t she?” Preston’s face grew even darker. He marched over, grabbed my arm, and pulled me aside, furious and humiliated. “Eden, did you sleep with him last night?” “I’m not as easy as you are. I was just taking shelter from the rain at his house.” As soon as I explained, I realized we were already broken up. I had no obligation to explain anything to him. Hearing my explanation, Preston’s expression softened slightly. I quickly added, “But, I kind of want to see what it’s like to move on instantly. It’s probably pretty nice, right?” Preston gritted his teeth. “Don’t you dare!” “Preston, I know you think you’re God’s gift to women. Well, newsflash: I don’t think you are either. If I meet someone who’s a good fit, I’ll absolutely go for it.” With that, I shook off his hand and got into Roman’s Ferrari. In the rearview mirror, Preston’s eyes were glued to me. Until the car drove out of his line of sight. I knew he couldn’t stand it. He couldn’t stand the fact that I had hooked up with another man so quickly. 05 When I got back to the office, everyone already knew the news of my breakup with Preston. Walking past the breakroom, I overheard colleagues gossiping about Preston and Sienna’s new romance. I pretended not to hear. My colleague and best friend, Kendall, came to comfort me. “It’s just a breakup, it’s not the end of the world. Tonight, I’m taking you out to the club. We’re going to drink, dance, and order some hot VIP hosts for bottle service.” When night fell, Kendall and I changed into club-ready outfits and headed out. We happened to walk in just as the club was hosting a challenge. It was a promotion aimed at single women: if you could finish a dozen cocktails within a time limit, you won a free night with a VIP host—drinking and partying. If you hit it off, you could even take him home. When I was with Preston, he never let me drink. Now that we were broken up, I had no one tying me down. It was time to let loose. Both Kendall and I signed up for the challenge. Kendall’s alcohol tolerance was way better than mine. She quickly finished her dozen cocktails. She picked out a stunningly handsome VIP host. I rarely drank before, so I had no idea what my tolerance was. By the time I finished my dozen cocktails, the room was spinning. The world was tilting and swaying. The event manager lined up the VIP hosts for me to choose from. I raised my hand, waving it unsteadily, and pointed at the guy who looked the most handsome and pleasing to the eye. Then, I collapsed onto the table, passed out. In my hazy state, I heard Kendall’s voice in my ear: “LMAO, Eden, the guy you pointed at isn’t a host, he’s a customer.” She leaned in closer and whispered, “But I gotta say, his body and face are way better than any of the hosts here.” “Ahem, he’s walking over to you.” Just as Kendall finished speaking, the man I pointed at walked over. “Eden, why did you drink so much?” His voice sounded familiar, but I was so drunk I couldn’t remember who he was. Or maybe, for a split second, Roman Sterling’s face flashed through my mind, but I quickly forgot it. The man was indeed Roman. Kendall chatted with Roman for a bit. He said he was my friend, and since I was drunk, he would take me home. Kendall asked me, “Eden, do you know a guy named Roman Sterling?” I mumbled groggily, “Yeah, I know him. I… stayed the night at his house.” Kendall’s eyes lit up. She leaned in and whispered, “He’s way hotter than Preston. Since you guys are so close, I’ll let him take you home, okay?” The alcohol had completely taken over. I didn’t hear a word Kendall said. I just instinctively mumbled, “Mhm.” Roman wrapped his arm around my waist and helped me out of the club. He put me into his car, buckled my seatbelt, and asked, “Where do you live?” “You’re my prize, I won you fair and square! Why are we going home?” I grabbed his tie, looking at him with blurry eyes. “To a hotel. We’re getting a presidential suite. We’re going to keep… keep drinking.” 06 Once we got to the presidential suite, I clung to Roman, demanding he open more wine. He humored me and opened a bottle of red wine. I swirled the wine in my glass, looking through the glass at him sitting on the leather sofa. He was calm, composed, and incredibly attractive. I leaned forward and held the glass to his lips. “You’re not being proactive enough. Your customer service skills… are failing.” Roman pushed the glass away, looking at me seriously. “Do you know who I am?” “Of course I do. You’re a host. The hottest host in the whole club.” I said, trying to force him to drink. “Tonight you belong to me. Come on, drink.” “I am Roman Sterling.” He turned his face away. The wine spilled down his collar, staining his crisp white shirt a deep red. “Roman who? Don’t know him. I don’t care who you are, as long as you make me happy.” I pressed half my body weight onto him and kissed him. Our lips met, and it felt like an electric shock. Just like the alcohol, it went straight to my head. Roman’s voice was hoarse. “Eden, I am not a host. If you mess with me, you have to take responsibility.” “Fine, I’ll take responsibility. I’m going to keep kissing you.” I said, diving back in. When it came to kissing, he seemed to lack experience. At first, I was taking the lead. Once he gradually got used to it, he turned from passive to active. Later, when I was practically gasping for air, he carried me to the bed and tucked me in. I heard the water running in the bathroom. He was taking a cold shower. Roman was just as intoxicated as I was. He turned the shower all the way to cold, shaking his head as if trying to suppress the heat I had ignited in him. By the time he came out of the bathroom wearing a robe, I was already sound asleep. He didn’t wake me. Instead, he sat on the leather sofa, poured himself a glass of red wine, and drank it slowly. 07 When I woke up the next morning, my head was throbbing and heavy. I was the only one in the presidential suite. I had blacked out last night. My memories were fragmented. I only remembered the VIP host driving me to the hotel. I remembered making out with him on the sofa. What happened after that, I couldn’t recall. I threw off the covers and checked. Thank God, nothing had happened. That host had excellent professional boundaries and self-control. To be able to resist me when I was acting like that… impressive. I felt a pang of guilt. I shouldn’t have drank so much last night. If something had actually happened, I would have regretted it forever. I took a shower and went down to the hotel’s buffet for breakfast. It really is a small world. Preston and Sienna were also eating breakfast in the restaurant. It looked like they had stayed at this hotel last night too. When I woke up earlier, I was actually regretting going to the club and letting loose. But seeing Preston and Sienna parading their new relationship, an inexplicable wave of bitterness and vindictive pleasure washed over me. Next time I go to the club, I’m going to request that exact same host again. Preston froze when he saw me. He noticed there was no other man with me and subtly breathed a sigh of relief. Sienna smiled and greeted me. “Eden, what a coincidence! You stayed here last night too? All by yourself?” I smiled back. “Not by myself. I was with my boyfriend, but he already left for work.” Preston casually sipped his coffee, but his eyes betrayed him. When he heard me say the word “boyfriend,” his eyes darkened. “Ha, is it that Roman Sterling guy from last time?” Sienna smiled meaningfully. “It’s great that you were able to move on from your last relationship so quickly.” “Right? Preston.” Sienna turned to ask Preston. Preston slammed his half-finished coffee down on the table, stood up, and coldly threw out: “I’m full. I’m going outside for a smoke.” Sienna called after him, “Okay, I’ll come find you when I’m done.” Sienna moved her half-eaten breakfast to my table and lowered her voice to whisper to me. “Eden, I really have to thank you. You trained Preston so well. I’m really enjoying it.” I frowned. “What do you mean?” Sienna smirked. “He’s very much a gentleman, and he’s extremely generous with me.” She flashed the diamond watch on her wrist, showing it off to me. “A diamond watch worth millions, and he bought it for me without a second thought. Was he this generous with you before?” My eyes swept over the diamond watch on her wrist. I remembered seeing this exact watch in an in-flight magazine when Preston and I flew to Scandinavia for a vacation. I had looked at it a couple of times, and Preston had asked, “Do you like it? If you like it, I’ll buy it for you.” I shook my head. “No need. It’s too expensive.” I never expected he would actually buy it and give it to Sienna. Saying I wasn’t jealous would be a lie, but I no longer had the right to be jealous. Seeing me stay silent, Sienna lifted her hand to tuck a strand of long hair behind her ear, revealing a hickey on her neck. She said with a smirk, “He’s also very satisfying in that department.” Sienna’s words forced my brain to picture her and Preston in bed together. I used to think his preference for me was unique. It turns out, any other woman will do just fine. My heart felt bitter. I stood up and dropped a single sentence: “I’m full.” I walked out of the buffet restaurant. As I passed the corner of the hallway, I saw Preston standing in the shadows. Tall and striking, his tailored suit accentuating his noble elegance. The CEO of the Vance Group. Young, wealthy. How many starlets like Sienna in their circle wanted to climb that branch? Once, his every move captivated me. Now, this man no longer belonged to me. I looked away, unwilling to spare him a second glance. I walked quickly away. Who knew that as I passed him, he grabbed my arm and yanked me into the stairwell. I said angrily, “Let me go!” Preston pinned me against the wall, his deep eyes unreadable. “Did you get a room with Roman last night? Did you two sleep together?” I fired back, “We’re two consenting adults in a hotel room. Whatever happens, happens. What, did you think I was going to save myself for you?” Preston’s eyes blazed with anger. He grabbed my waist, dripping with jealousy. “Eden, I know you’re not that kind of girl. You’re doing this to force me to come back to you, aren’t you?” 08 Before I could answer, he rationalized it to himself. “Fine, you win. I admit I haven’t gotten over you.” I was stunned. “So what?” “I’ll break up with Sienna. From now on, you stay the hell away from Roman Sterling.” He finished speaking, leaned down, and quickly pecked me on the lips, declaring his territory: “You’re mine.” I snapped back to reality and slapped him hard across the face, furious. “Preston, do you think I’m a dog you can whistle for and shoo away whenever you please?” “Whether you break up with Sienna or not, it is completely impossible for us to ever get back together.” I pushed him away and walked out of the stairwell. Sienna was standing at the entrance to the buffet, staring at me in shock. She didn’t say a word, but her eyes told me she had heard everything. When I left, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a look of pure hatred bloom on her face. I went to the front desk to check out. The receptionist told me that the room had been paid for last night. I thought to myself, That VIP host must be experiencing life outside the club. A presidential suite is two thousand dollars a night, and he actually paid for it himself? I walked out of the hotel lobby and saw a familiar Ferrari pulling up in the distance. Roman rolled down the window and said to me, “Get in. I’ll drop you off at work.” I got into his car, feeling a bit guilty, not daring to look at him. Last night I clearly went back to the hotel with a male host. Why is it that when I woke up today and tried to recall making out on the sofa, the face that popped into my head was Roman’s? Could it be that I subconsciously have inappropriate thoughts about him? Or is he just too handsome, and my brain automatically substituted his face? Roman drove and asked me, “Are you still dizzy? Do you need to take a sick day?” Huh? How did he know I drank too much last night? I answered casually, “I’m fine. One more day until Saturday. I won’t take a sick day.” Roman added, “Don’t drink so much next time.” I finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and laid my cards on the table. “Wait, how do you know I drank too much last night?” We hit a red light. Roman stopped the car, turned, and looked at me. “With the way you were acting, you wouldn’t call that drunk?” The way I was acting? “How was I acting?” I was even more confused. Roman smirked, his tone meaningful. “I thought you were a good girl. I didn’t expect you to be so wild.” Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a hickey on his neck. That image perfectly overlapped with the memory of me forcing a kiss on the male host last night. My face turned beet red. It turns out the man who took me back to the hotel last night wasn’t a male host; it was Roman. It was a bit mortifying, but at the same time, I felt a little thrill of joy. It was better him than some stranger. When I got back to the office, Kendall hadn’t arrived yet. I went to make a cup of coffee. When I came back, I saw her walking in right behind our CEO. I pulled her into the breakroom and asked, “Are you okay from last night? Did you get drunk?” Kendall’s face was flushed. “I got drunk. After you left last night, I ran into Mr. Cole at the club. He carried me back to his place…” The Mr. Cole Kendall was referring to was our CEO, Harrison Cole. This was a completely unexpected turn of events. I turned on my gossip radar. “So, did anything happen between you two?” “I stayed at his place last night…” Kendall covered her face, looking both embarrassed and annoyed. “Ugh, if my brother finds out, I’m dead.” Kendall was a wealthy heiress who had just returned from studying abroad. Her brother was in the process of taking over the family business. He had sent her to work at our rival company as a corporate spy to gather intel. I didn’t expect her to end up having an unspeakable romance with our CEO. Interesting. 09 After that day, I heard Preston and Sienna broke up. Paparazzi caught Sienna drowning her sorrows at a bar, calling it the fastest breakup in history. She and Preston had only been together for two days. Preston started pursuing me again. He sent people to deliver flowers to my office every day. He tried calling and texting me, but I had already blocked him. He even came to my office and my apartment building to find me a few times, but I always took a detour when I saw him, refusing to give him a chance to explain. After I had been dating Roman for a while, he took me back to his family’s estate to meet his parents. His parents were prominent local entrepreneurs. The Sterling Group and the Vance Group were both leaders in their respective industries, equally matched in power and influence. Roman was an only child. He had started working in the family business two years ago and was poised to take over as the new head of the Sterling Group once he gained enough experience. When Mrs. Sterling saw the jade bracelet on my wrist, she smiled warmly. “This jade bracelet is an heirloom I’ve kept for my future daughter-in-law. It seems Roman is very serious about you.” So the jade bracelet wasn’t just bought at a store; it carried a much deeper meaning. Mr. Sterling asked about my college major and then invited me to work at the Sterling Group. I politely declined, stating that I still had ongoing projects to finish and would consider it later. It was clear that Mr. and Mrs. Sterling were quite pleased with me. When they found out Roman and I were together, they had someone look into my family background and education. While my family wasn’t as wealthy as the Sterlings or the Vances, we were still well-off. My family just lived in a different city. This was also why Preston had once said I was the perfect fit to be Mrs. Vance. Apart from my personality and looks, my family background and education were impeccable. I also took Roman to meet my parents. When Preston found out, he lost it. Because we had dated for two years before I took him to meet my parents, and now I had only been dating Roman for six months and we had already met each other’s families. He had always been incredibly competitive. When Roman and I returned from visiting my parents, I moved into his mansion, and we started living together.

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Everyone at school knew about my pact with Ethan Wright, the valedictorian. If I beat his test scores just once, we would date after graduation. Just when our classmates were eagerly waiting for our academic rivals-to-lovers story to unfold, Ethan started online dating. He stayed up all night carrying his “pocket healer” in ranked matches, skipped classes to meet her in person, and became half of a viral gamer-couple on TikTok. He even intentionally bombed the last three math questions on our finals just so his score would drop enough to attend a college in her city. Later, at our high school graduation, someone asked me a question. “You finally took the valedictorian spot, but Ethan fell for someone else. Do you regret it?” Holding my diploma, I shook my head. “Not at all. Men only drag down my GPA.” 1 Ethan Wright had been spacing out in class a lot lately. Even after being scolded by the teachers a few times, he showed no signs of changing. Just as I was trying to figure out what was wrong with him, I caught him sneaking his phone out of his pocket. Ethan slowly scrolled through the screen, a faint, doting smile playing on his lips. Seeing this, a bad feeling washed over me. I tapped on his desk, cleared my throat, and said seriously: “Ethan, midterms are coming up.” “This time, I’m definitely going to beat you and take the number one spot in the grade.” Issuing a challenge like this was nothing out of the ordinary for Ethan and me. As the eternal runner-up, I would playfully “provoke” him before almost every major exam. Usually, he would confidently tease me for wishful thinking, then pull his practice quizzes out of my desk. He would patiently help me find my weak spots and review my mistakes. In those moments, the usually aloof and composed Ethan would always show a gentle expression. It was as if he was looking forward to the day I finally surpassed him and took first place. But for some reason, this time, he didn’t even lift his eyes. He simply listened to my words and replied with a cold, impatient tone. “Take it if you want. Just leave me alone.” With that, he kept his head down, typing away on his screen. The early autumn sun filtered through the gap in the blinds, hitting his fingertips. I accidentally glanced over. It looked like he was typing the word “Babe” on his keyboard. And the person he was chatting with had a pink, aesthetic anime-girl profile picture. 2 A week later, the midterm rankings were posted. A crowd instantly swarmed the bulletin board. When everyone saw clearly that the name in the very first row of the first column was not “Ethan Wright,” a ripple of shock went through the crowd. But when they confirmed the first place was me, the crowd erupted into a chorus of teasing and playful cheers. “Chloe, you actually beat Ethan this time!” “Doesn’t that mean you won the bet?!” Hearing this, I slowly pulled my gaze away from the number one spot on the board. After a few seconds of stunned silence, I nodded awkwardly. I hadn’t expected the people around us to still remember that bet. A wave of panic hit me, but it was overshadowed by a hidden sense of anticipation. About half a year ago, standing right here by the bulletin board. When the junior year spring rankings were posted, I had lost to Ethan again by a mere 3 points. That was the 45th time I had lost to him. From freshman year to junior year, I hadn’t beaten Ethan a single time. Seeing my red, teary eyes, he suddenly had a spark of inspiration to comfort me. Right in the middle of the crowd, he said: “Chloe, if you can beat my score even once…” “I’ll agree to any request you have.” I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes and mumbled: “Really?” Ethan’s sincere, gentle gaze fell on me, and he nodded. I don’t know if it was that look that gave me courage, but I somehow found the nerve. I publicly confessed the crush I had been harboring for five years: “If I beat you, you have to date me after we graduate.” Amidst the roaring cheers of the crowd around us, Ethan looked at me with a smile and agreed. “It’s a promise.” From then on, I gave every exam everything I had. And Ethan did his best to help me. We had an unspoken understanding; we were just waiting for that final piece of paper to be torn away. However… My thoughts snapped back to the present. Half a year later, amidst the same teasing cheers from our classmates. I was met with a pair of angry, freezing eyes. Ethan sternly shut down the chants of “Date her!” from the crowd. He stood in front of me once again. Only this time, the words that came out of his mouth plunged me into an ice bath. “I already have a girlfriend.” “Chloe, that bet was just a joke. Please stop deliberately leading people on.” Ethan’s words left me with absolutely no dignity. He used the cruelest words to shatter that unspoken understanding into a million pieces. The anticipation vanished into thin air. Inappropriately, I suddenly remembered that pink profile picture on his phone. So the signs had been there all along. Amidst the whispers of my classmates, I used the excuse of needing to go to the bathroom and fled in a panic. Like a total clown. That day, I went to our homeroom teacher and asked to switch seats. From then on. My crush withered and died before it could even bloom. 3 Ethan falling from the number one spot was just the beginning. After that midterm, he actively requested to be moved to the back row. During class, aside from spacing out, he would constantly look down to secretly play on his phone. In just two months, he plummeted from being the top student in the grade to outside the top 300. It was also during these days that I overheard classmates gossiping. Ethan was addicted to an online multiplayer game. He was online dating a “pocket healer” he met in the game. When people looked up their match history, they saw that the two of them were still playing ranked duo matches at 3 AM. No wonder his dark circles were getting heavier, and he always looked so drained. “I really don’t understand what Ethan is thinking. Senior year just started, and he’s suddenly obsessed with online dating.” “He’s clearly Ivy League material, but with these last two midterm scores, he’ll be lucky to get into a state school.” A few girls next to me sighed and lamented. “Yeah, and that girl he’s playing with is apparently a minor streamer on TikTok.” “Look, she goes to a community college in the next city over. Her name is Lexi Carter.” My gaze fell on the screen they were holding. In the video, Ethan’s character was hard-carrying Lexi’s support character, securing a team wipe. He would run all the way back to spawn to pick her up, give her all the best loot, and let her take the final kills. He would even relentlessly hunt down the enemy team whenever Lexi got targeted. Countless details of favoritism and sweet interactions filled the clips. My eyes locked onto the “Couples” icon on their game profiles for a long time, unable to snap out of it. Her page was already flooded with these sweet gaming montages, some of which included screenshots of their text messages. Finally, in one of the chat screenshots Lexi posted, I saw that familiar pink anime profile picture. Sure enough, the person Ethan had been keeping his head down for, smiling warmly at all day, was Lexi. The comment section under the video was full of envy. “Kill me now, I’m so single it hurts.” “I’m so jealous of Lexi. She has money and such a handsome, cracked boyfriend.” “I heard her boyfriend is a total genius at a top high school in the city, super smart…” “Lexi, when are you going to show us what he looks like?!” Under that comment, Lexi replied: “The 25th of this month.” My heart skipped a beat. Because the 25th of this month was the first day of our senior year winter finals. 4 Ethan missed the exams. He used catching the flu as an excuse, but the reality was he went to meet Lexi in person. After finals were over, I lay in bed and watched the two of them flaunt their relationship online. In the video, Lexi was wearing a pleated skirt uniform. Her left hand was linked with Ethan’s. Because of the height difference, his face wasn’t in the frame. Then the camera panned to Ethan’s side profile. Seeing that chiseled side profile that used to sit next to me every day, now appearing on a screen… I felt a momentary daze. What followed was Lexi leaning in for a kiss. A bright smudge of lipstick suddenly appeared on that sharp jawline. It was jarring and an eyesore. For some reason, I had a premonition. The Ethan Wright who was like a bright, untouchable moon, had completely vanished from this world. I sighed, but my heart didn’t ripple the way it used to. His blind obsession made me suddenly realize something. I hadn’t admired Ethan himself; I admired the pride and academic brilliance he embodied. For five years, it had always been like this. It was my rational admiration for excellence. But once he fell into the mud and revealed a vulgar, pathetic side… I instantly went from his most loyal supporter to a cold, indifferent bystander. Ethan, you’re so disappointing. I frowned slightly, lifting my hand to swipe away the video. But unexpectedly, my cat suddenly rubbed against my right hand. Under Lexi’s pink profile picture, a word popped up. “Following.” Annoyed, I immediately tapped to unfollow. Then I grabbed my cat and continued scrolling through other videos. I didn’t take that little mishap to heart. Senior year breaks always go by fast. In just a day, we were back at school. On Monday, the final exam scores were posted. I took first place again. Without Ethan, my grip on this spot was practically guaranteed. No suspense whatsoever. After organizing my mistake notebook from the finals during evening study hall, I packed my bag and headed home alone. It was only a quarter-mile walk. It usually took a few minutes. But just as I was about to reach the entrance of my neighborhood… A group of people blocked my path. It was Lexi, Ethan, and her little entourage. I slowly eased my pace, pulled my phone out of my pocket, and discreetly hit record. Then I hesitated and asked: “Can I help you?” Lexi scoffed coldly. She immediately slapped me hard across the face. Her long, acrylic nails dug deep into my skin. With a burning, stinging pain, I could feel a streak of blood drawn across my cheek. “It was you who snitched to his homeroom teacher, wasn’t it?” The sharp pain on my cheek made my head spin for a moment. Snitched? Oh, it must be about them meeting up in person. I wondered what Ethan faking the flu to meet her had to do with me. If they got reported, why would they blindly blame it on me? But before I could even figure it out. Seeing no reaction from me, Lexi’s anger flared even hotter. She reached out and shoved me to the ground with all her might. “Still trying to play dumb? Is this account named ‘Chloe’ not you?!” Lexi cursed as she shoved her phone screen in my face. It was a screenshot of my accidental follow from a few days ago. It clicked in my head. Ethan must have told her that account belonged to me. Because on that app, Ethan and I were the only classmates mutually following each other. I let out a cold laugh. Looking up at Lexi, I said: “Just because I watched your little meet-up video, that makes me the snitch?” “Your messy drama is already known by half our class.” “Why do you suspect me?” I raised my eyes contemptuously, scanning Lexi’s heavy “innocent” makeup, before finally looking at Ethan. Compared to Lexi, I despised him even more. He was cowardly and disgusting. Ethan was staring at me with a completely indifferent expression, though his eyes carried a faint trace of resentment. A light chuckle broke our stare-down. “Stop playing dumb. Ethan already told me you’ve been secretly in love with him for years.” “He said you’re the number one suspect.” “As a girl, can you have absolutely no shame? I got Ethan, which means I won. You’re still pulling these petty tricks behind my back, have you no dignity?” With my palms pressed against the pavement, the gravel dug painfully into my skin. I slowly wiped my hands and stood up. The 11 PM wind carried a biting chill down the alleyway. I ignored Lexi. Instead, I walked right up to Ethan and tilted my chin up. “Ethan, I did have a crush on you. But ever since you publicly humiliated me, those feelings have been dead and gone.” “Tell me, why would I bother snitching when I don’t even like you anymore?” “I was second place for so many years. I wanted you to crash and burn more than anyone. With you being this pathetic, no one can steal my number one spot.” “And one last thing.” “Liking you was the most disgusting thing I’ve done in my entire life.” As the sharp, icy words left my mouth, Ethan’s previously detached, bystander-like expression finally began to crack. He looked at me in slight shock. His eyes carried not only disbelief but also a flash of anger. Who was Ethan Wright? He grew up as the golden child. Even now, throwing his future away for “love” despite the criticism, he probably viewed himself as some tragic romantic hero. So hearing words like that from me definitely pierced his ego. But was that enough? I shifted my gaze to Lexi and spoke up. “Having a few impressionable fans on the internet makes you think you’re tough?” “You brought a few friends to back you up, so you think you can just assault people in the street?” “A piece of trash like Ethan is only good for having you clean up his messes. If you offered him to me to tie my shoes, I wouldn’t even take him.” “Trash belongs with trash.” I stared at Lexi with undisguised mockery, tearing her down. Amidst my sneers, Lexi finally exploded. She grabbed my hair tightly. Then, she and her friends shoved me back to the ground. Punches and kicks rained down on me. I curled up, desperately shielding my head. From above came a barrage of vile, filthy insults and spitting. “You little slut, trying to act all high and mighty?!” “Lexi is a famous influencer, who the hell are you compared to her?!” “You think being a pocket healer is cheap? Those skins cost thousands! Could your family make that much in a year?” “All you know how to do is read a book, stop acting superior.” … I felt wetness hitting the top of my head. They were spitting on me. Half an hour later. It was finally over. My arms, which had been shielding my head, weakly fell to my sides. I tried to get up but found it incredibly difficult. My entire body was likely covered in bruises and swelling. With trembling hands, I pulled my phone out of my pocket. The screen showed over a dozen missed calls. I called back. “Mom, Dad… take me to the police station.” 5 There was a police precinct not far from the school. When filing the report, I handed my phone to the police. The recording was exactly forty minutes long. Most of it was pitch black. Because of the beating, I had kept it in my pocket to prevent it from being smashed. But the very beginning clearly captured the faces of Ethan, Lexi, and her followers. This recording became ironclad evidence. “You can also pull the security footage from the surrounding area.” “I didn’t fight back a single time.” “It was a completely one-sided assault by them.” I stated calmly to the officer. The officer watched the video, then looked at my injuries. Based on the information I provided, they immediately began tracking them down. The blood on my forehead still hadn’t completely stopped. At this moment, my condition was far from good. My entire body throbbed with pain, and I couldn’t even straighten my knee, but I forced myself to stay conscious. I had my parents take me to get a forensic medical evaluation. As long as it was classified as a ‘minor injury’ legally, no one would be able to save Lexi. 6 “Fractured patella, mild concussion, perforated eardrum.” The attending doctor looked at me on the hospital bed, listing off my specific injuries one by one during his rounds. When he had finished briefing me. He looked at my mother with deep sympathy. “How did she get hurt this badly?” My mother, her eyes red and swollen, choked out a reply. “She was beaten up by a gang of street girls.” “Her dad is already at the school trying to figure out what happened.” The doctor nodded gently and sighed. “Seeing her uniform, she goes to the city’s magnet school, right? My son goes there too.” “It’s such a good high school, how could something like this happen?” Hearing this, my normally poised and composed mother finally burst into tears. She kept repeating that she was sorry, that it was all her fault. The originally noisy hospital ward gradually quieted down amidst her crying. But how could this be her fault? I painfully raised my hand and patted her leg to comfort her. After all, I was the one who chose to take a massive risk… 7 The next afternoon, my father brought several of my close classmates to the hospital room. They brought flower baskets and fruit baskets. They looked into the room with worried faces. When she saw that almost half my body was wrapped in bandages, the soft-spoken Mia Brooks instantly burst into tears. “Chloe… How could Ethan do something like this?!” “He used to be so nice to you, how could he…” She choked on her sobs, unable to continue. She just stood by my bed, wiping away tears. Caleb Hayes, our usually calm and collected class vice president, comforted her, then looked at me with suppressed anger. “Chloe, don’t worry. The school will definitely handle this.” I nodded in response. I honestly didn’t have much hope for how the school would handle an incident like this. Ethan, who didn’t physically participate in the beating, wouldn’t be as easy to deal with as Lexi and her crew. Just then, having calmed down, Mia leaned in closer to me. She whispered: “Chloe, did you know? Yesterday at school, your dad punched Ethan’s dad several times.” “His dad didn’t dare say a word, and our homeroom teacher didn’t even try to stop him.” “Ethan is honestly disgusting.” “He swore up and down that he didn’t know the girls who attacked you. He said you brought the trouble on yourself outside of school.” “But when your dad dropped Lexi’s name, he completely panicked.” Hearing this, I raised an eyebrow. He probably assumed that because the lighting was bad last night and there were no cameras in that exact spot, there was no way to prove who attacked me. If that had been true, he could have helped his little girlfriend escape criminal charges. But he didn’t expect that I had recorded it all, and had already filed a police report. And now, the medical evaluation was out. A fractured patella officially constituted a ‘minor injury’ under criminal law. I would immediately press criminal charges against Lexi and her gang. And from what I knew, Lexi was a year older than Ethan. She was already 19 this year. She wouldn’t be able to escape a single punishment she deserved. “Chloe…” Mia looked at me lost in thought, her expression looking troubled. It seemed like she wanted to say something else. “What is it, Mia? Do you have something to tell me?” She tugged at the hem of her shirt. She hesitated but finally made up her mind to speak. “Chloe, could you let me take a picture of your medical evaluation?” I looked at her, a bit confused. Of course, she could take a picture, but what did she need it for? “Sure, but you have to tell me what you’re using it for?” I asked softly. Mia nervously pulled her phone out of her pocket. She scrolled for a bit, eventually stopping on a page. She handed the phone to me. “That girl Lexi posted a video about you online last night.” “She’s publicly trashing you…” “I spoke up for you in the comments, saying they jumped you, but no one believed me.” “I want to take a picture of this and post it online as proof.” My eyes fell on the phone resting on my blanket. It was Lexi’s video. White text on a black background read: “Chloe Adams from City High is a shameless b*tch.” “She tried to steal my boyfriend and act like a homewrecker, then purposely snitched to the school about us meeting up.” Right below that was my school ID photo, and she even tagged my social media account. My left hand, hidden under the blanket, clenched tightly into a fist. Because of my injuries, I had spent the last few days either sleeping or resting. Except for taking calls from the police, I hadn’t looked at my phone at all. I didn’t expect Lexi to so quickly use her influencer privilege to rally her fans to cyberbully me. The comments under the video were a barrage of insults and attacks aimed at me. Mia’s attempt to defend me was completely drowned out by the filth and proved entirely useless. With a trembling hand, I clicked into my own direct messages. There were already thousands of hateful messages. Every single one was vile and unbearable to read. Caleb, who had been silent by my side, borrowed the phone and saw the video. He frowned, looking puzzled. “The person who snitched about them meeting up was Ethan’s mom.” “She admitted it herself in the office this morning.” “How are they pinning this on you?” Caleb explained that his mother admitted she was checking Ethan’s phone and accidentally found out he was dating online. Then she saw the texts about them meeting up in person. So she complained to the teachers, asking why they weren’t keeping a closer eye on Ethan and letting his grades plummet. That was how the school found out about Ethan and Lexi. So, as far as I was concerned… This was a complete and utter disaster that had absolutely nothing to do with me. 8 “Mia, can you hand me my backpack?” I dug through my bag and pulled out the police report filing and the medical evaluation. I took screenshots from the video I recorded the night they assaulted me. Then I called my homeroom teacher. I confirmed the situation with him and asked him to verify that the person who exposed Ethan and Lexi’s meetup was Ethan’s mother. Not me. I also explained to him that I was being cyberbullied and needed to use this phone call recording as evidence to clear my name. At the same time, the police called. They informed me that they had issued summons for Lexi, Britney, Riley, and Ethan. I then requested a copy of the summons record from the police. With that, all the evidence I could gather at this stage was ready. I picked up my phone. I drafted a response video. “In response to the defamatory rumors spread by Ms. Lexi Carter about me last night, I have the following points to make:” “First, the person who reported Ms. Carter and her boyfriend Ethan Wright meeting up was not me, but Ethan’s own mother.” Then I attached the recording of my phone call with my homeroom teacher. “Second, Ethan and I are merely classmates. I am not a ‘homewrecker’.” “Third, Ms. Carter, Britney, Riley, and others subjected me to a 30-minute physical assault on the night of the 10th. I have full video evidence, a medical evaluation confirming ‘minor injuries’ (a felony threshold), and the police report and summons records. I will legally pursue criminal charges against all individuals involved.” I attached the screenshots and documents as evidence. “Fourth, Ms. Carter’s video last night constitutes a violation of my portrait rights and defamation of character. I will be filing a separate civil lawsuit against her.” “Lastly, to the ‘big influencer’ Lexi, I hope you won’t be begging me for mercy later. Xoxo.” The moment my video went live, it caused a massive uproar online. Complete and indisputable evidence was far more convincing than a few inflammatory, text-only claims from Lexi. After the video hit a million views. The fans who had been relentlessly screaming and the random internet users who jumped on the bandwagon were instantly silenced. Only a few incredibly immature, die-hard fans continued to leave comments: “We don’t know the whole story, reserving judgment. Waiting for Lexi’s response.” “Won’t take sides until the dust settles.” Hypocritical, double-standard garbage. Faced with hard evidence, they claim they “don’t know the whole story,” but when it was a baseless frame-up, they were quick to pick up their pitchforks of justice. It seems they just wanted to hack me to pieces. The narrative online rapidly shifted. It went from unanimous support for Lexi… To overwhelming condemnation and insults directed at her. Some insiders even stepped forward to share their own experiences of being bullied by Lexi in the past. They exposed her terrible behavior at school and the fact that she was actually the one with a history of homewrecking. Someone from Lexi’s inner circle even posted leaked chat logs: “The money she spent carrying Ethan on games was all from predatory payday loans. She’s been overdue for a long time.” “If she doesn’t pay it back next month, she’s going to end up on a debt defaulter blacklist.” In just two or three days, Lexi’s painstakingly built following of 170k dropped to barely 80k. Her persona as a young, beautiful, rich girl completely collapsed. I hadn’t originally planned to post all the details online. Seeing Lexi face legal justice was the part I cared about most. But since Lexi was so used to acting like a god on the internet, weaponizing her fans to enact her twisted “justice”… Then I didn’t mind using her favorite method to destroy the very capital that made her so arrogant. Over those three days, various commentary channels in the gaming community began to embellish the feud between Lexi and me. “Rich e-girl streamer used payday loans to buy skins, and led a physical assault against a top high school student?!” “Former wealthy e-girl influencer facing prison time for gang assault.” They added clickbait titles and spread the story even wider. Any viewer with a functioning moral compass and logical netizens understood this was a morally bankrupt case of an influencer using her platform to bully an ordinary student. The online crusade against Lexi reached new heights. Yet even backed into such a corner, Lexi still hadn’t come forward to deny it or apologize. Because. She had much bigger problems to deal with right now.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “420135”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In my past life, on the day I finally reached the pinnacle of my career, I exposed the horrifying bullying I had endured in high school. The girl who had tormented me, Vanessa, couldn’t handle the crushing weight of public outrage and legal consequences, ultimately ending up in a federal prison cell. But shortly after her downfall, my fiancé, Miles, had a massive, public psychotic breakdown right outside our wedding venue. He completely destroyed his own life and was committed to a psychiatric facility. Before he lost his mind, he left me a single message: “All these years, I only stayed with you to atone for her sins. Why couldn’t you just let her go?!” It was only then I realized: when Miles rejected Vanessa’s confession and she retaliated against him, I was the idiot who stepped in to save him. This time, I absolutely refuse to suffer through a nightmare for someone who was never worth it. 1 Vanessa’s life was over. It all started with an interview. Right after winning Best Actress, sitting in front of the cameras for my first exclusive interview, I opened up about the dark, suffocating days of being bullied in high school. The moment the interview aired, the internet exploded. Millions of netizens flocked to the story. My fans started digging deep, desperate to uncover the mastermind behind the abuse. Thanks to anonymous tips from former classmates, the bullying scandal that had been buried by time for eleven years was finally dragged into the harsh light of day. [I know that girl! She was the “Queen Bee” of our graduating class, Vanessa Sterling. I had a friend who was targeted by her just for being pretty. Vanessa cornered her in the bathroom and almost permanently scarred her face!] [She constantly used her family’s wealth to terrorize people at school. Her dad always just threw money at the problems to make them go away.] [I remember this scandal! It blew up back then. It almost cost someone their life. Vanessa was supposed to be expelled and sent to juvie, but somehow she got out of it. I think she was held back a year and then got into some prestigious university.] [Bullies deserve to rot! I can’t even imagine how much courage it took for our Best Actress to rip open her old wounds in front of the whole world.] [Exactly! Put her behind bars! Justice for Aria!] The online backlash stripped Vanessa of every defense she had. A tidal wave of condemnation and fury crashed down on her. Anyone remotely connected to the incident was dragged into the spotlight. Vanessa’s family business collapsed and filed for bankruptcy. Her husband of only a few months promptly filed for divorce to distance himself from the scandal. By the time I realized the situation had spiraled completely out of control, it was too late. Vanessa’s mind broke. She posted a single “I’m sorry” on her social media before she was arrested and sentenced to years in federal prison for her past and present crimes. On the night the news of her sentencing broke, I was busy preparing for my wedding the next day with my closest friends and family. That’s right, I was getting married. I had chosen to marry the man who had walked with me through the darkest days of high school, right at the peak of my career. When a friend told me about Vanessa’s fate, I didn’t know how to feel. For a moment, I wondered if I had done the wrong thing. Should I have kept my past trauma out of the spotlight? But I couldn’t swallow the bitterness of the past. That bullying had nearly cost me my life. I couldn’t even remember how many nights I woke up screaming from nightmares, or how long it took me to step out of that suffocating shadow. While I was agonizing, fighting tooth and nail to overcome the trauma she inflicted on me, what was Vanessa—the instigator—doing? She had left everything behind, traveling the world, vacationing on private islands, holding an acceptance letter to a top-tier university, and posting inspirational quotes on Instagram. The person who nearly ruined my life hadn’t paid a single price. She was living freely and lavishly. How could I ever let that go?! If Miles hadn’t been by my side back then, I probably would have drowned myself in the campus lake during the freezing winter of my sophomore year from severe depression. I definitely wanted Vanessa to pay, even if I hadn’t expected the internet to tear her life apart quite so thoroughly. Unsure if I had made a mistake, I instinctively grabbed my phone to text Miles. Miles, did I do the wrong thing? I waited anxiously for his reply, but my screen remained dark. A bridesmaid patted my shoulder, telling me not to overthink it. “This isn’t your fault. It’s karma. You did nothing wrong, so stop stressing.” “Besides, we agreed! No contacting the groom on the last night of being single!” “Relax and enjoy your bachelorette night!” She snatched my phone and tossed it onto the sofa, pulling me into a conversation with the other girls. I wasn’t in the mood that night. Staring at my phone abandoned on the couch, still open to my chat with Miles, a deep sense of unease settled in my chest. Facts proved my instincts were right. Miles snapped. Right outside our lavish wedding venue, he suffered a severe, violent psychotic break, completely destroying the venue lobby and his own career before being subdued by security and committed to a psychiatric ward. When I rushed to the hospital in my wedding dress, eyes wide with horror, all I was handed was the phone he had dropped at the scene. On the screen was a message he had typed but never sent to me. “All these years, I only stayed with you to atone for her sins. Why couldn’t you just let her go?!” 2 I didn’t have time to process what that sentence meant, because I blacked out. When I woke up in the hospital, it was three days later. As the newly crowned Best Actress, I was trending at #1 on X and TikTok—but for all the wrong reasons. The internet was tearing me apart because my groom had lost his mind and destroyed our wedding. That’s right, I was being cyberbullied. It started because some eagle-eyed netizens discovered Miles’s secret “burner” Twitter account. An account named SilentlyLovingV. The account was created ten years ago. For a decade, it documented his deep, unforgettable, unrequited love for a girl. But that girl wasn’t me. Ten years. 3,650 days and nights. 3,500 tweets. Every single post ended with the exact same sentence: To the love of my life, Vanessa. The fiancé of the new Best Actress was secretly obsessed with her high school bully. This was explosive news. As the scandal escalated, countless conspiracy theories flooded the internet. One theory in particular gained massive traction. [Am I the only one who thinks Aria purposely exposed the bullying to the media? Did she find out her fiancé was in love with Vanessa, and did it out of spite?] [Aria’s fiancé is her manager! According to her past interviews, they’ve been together since high school. But her fiancé was already in love with Vanessa back then! I bet there’s a hidden truth here. Who knows who was actually bullying who back then!] [Let me spill the tea! Vanessa and Aria were in the same class. They both liked Miles in high school. The tension between them started way back then. Read between the lines, people!] … The malicious speculation surrounding me grew louder and louder. With the exposure of Miles’s secret account, the narrative of the bullying incident suddenly flipped. The people who had actively participated in my torment, who had previously been doxed and shamed by the internet, now used this wave of public opinion to spread rumors about me. They claimed I was the one who came between Vanessa and Miles. They said the so-called “bullying” was just me playing the victim to build my Hollywood persona. The accusations and insults were enough to break anyone. But lying there, I didn’t have the energy or the desire to clarify anything. Why did it have to end up like this? I scrolled through the posts on Miles’s secret account. I desperately wanted to find a clue, a loophole, anything to prove this account didn’t belong to him. But it was futile. Eleven years together. I knew his tone too well. The specific details he posted about his high school interactions with Vanessa were undeniable proof of his identity. It was almost funny. He wrote that Vanessa was different from every other girl around him. He said she was bold yet delicate, arrogant yet sensitive. Every word, every sentence was saturated with his intense love for her. He remembered every look she gave him, every expression, every smile with perfect clarity. He wrote that the biggest regret of his life was rejecting her confession. But he conveniently forgot to mention what happened after he rejected her. Who was it that got cornered in an alley by her out of humiliation? Who was it that couldn’t stand seeing what she was doing and called the police for him? Who was it that took the brunt of Vanessa’s wrath, enduring two full years of her vicious bullying, just to protect him? So, eleven years of companionship… he was only doing it to atone for Vanessa’s sins. All my pain, all my gratitude, all the sacrifices I made over the years—it was all one massive, humiliating joke! The day before his breakdown, he posted his final tweet. [I ruined my life to avenge you. If I could do it all over again, I would walk toward you without a second of hesitation.] Fucking psychopaths! They belong together! If I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t waste a single second being the audience to their twisted romance. The abuser and the masochist. You two should lock yourselves together forever! 3 I never thought that when I opened my eyes again, I would be sitting in my high school classroom. Looking at the familiar scene, my mind went blank for a second. It wasn’t until I saw the Drama School application form tucked under my arm that I finally snapped back to reality, my eyes filling with sheer shock and joy. I was actually reborn! But the joy didn’t last long before it was interrupted by a commotion at the front of the class. “Miles, I like you.” “So? Want to consider being my boyfriend?” Vanessa’s voice was exactly as I remembered it—brimming with absolute confidence and arrogance. On her beautiful, striking face was a smile of inevitable victory. Miles was blocked by her and her entourage. His young, handsome face was practically expressionless, as if the chaos around him had nothing to do with him. But I saw it clearly. His ears were burning beet red. Watching this scene, my eyes turned icy cold. I bet he was thrilled right now. After all, his secret Twitter account clearly stated that this was the exact day he fell in love with her. Since you like her so much, why not just be together? A mocking smirk touched my lips. Was it because he was shy? Or just a coward? If that’s the case, I don’t mind giving him a little push. Everyone’s eyes were glued to the two of them, watching the drama unfold. No one noticed me, sitting in my seat. I suddenly stood up, waving a textbook in the air, and shouted at the top of my lungs toward the front: “Miles! What are you waiting for?! Vanessa is confessing to you! Do you know how lucky you are? Are you really going to reject our school’s Queen Bee?!” “Say yes! Say yes! Get together! Get together!” My sudden outburst drew everyone’s attention. Seeing someone leading the charge, the rest of the class quickly joined in the hype. “The Queen Bee and the Valedictorian! A perfect match!” “Exactly! You guys look great together! Say yes! Say yes!” Seeing me acting as her wingman, Vanessa shot me a surprised look. She clearly hadn’t expected me—someone who had never interacted with her—to help her out. But as the cheering grew louder, she didn’t dwell on it. Instead, she lifted her chin proudly at Miles. I watched with satisfaction as the chants of “Get together” echoed through the room. I wondered if, with me hyping them up so much in this life, he would actually say yes. In a daze, I felt Miles’s gaze linger on me for a fraction of a second. In those cold eyes, there seemed to be a flash of incomprehensible shock and panic. Or maybe I was just seeing things. When Miles still didn’t answer, Vanessa’s smug smile began to slip. A threatening glint crept into her eyes. Just as she was about to speak, Miles finally opened his mouth: “I’m sorry. I refuse.” “You’re very pretty, but I don’t like you.” The exact same two sentences from my past life. But for some reason, I didn’t feel any regret this time. Instead, I felt a strong urge to distance myself from him entirely. Vanessa’s face instantly changed. Seeing his absolute rejection, a dark cloud passed over her eyes, and she threatened him: “Are you sure you want to reject me in front of all these people?” “Miles, I’ll give you one last chance. Think very carefully!” “There’s no need. I’m sure. I don’t want to date in high school; it’ll affect my studies.” With that, Miles pushed past the students surrounding him and walked back toward his desk. “Fine! Miles! No one has ever dared to reject me!” “You’ve got nerve!” Vanessa spat the words through gritted teeth at his retreating back, then stormed out of the classroom with a dark expression. Everything was playing out exactly as it had in my past life. What shocked me was that even with me actively cheering him on, he still rejected her. He was clearly thrilled on the inside, yet he chose to say no. What is this? Self-sabotage? I sneered internally as I watched Miles step down from the podium and head toward his seat. I instinctively looked down to avoid eye contact. I absolutely did not want to have any interaction with him in this life, nor did I want to endure over a year of bullying because of him. But as the old saying goes, speak of the devil and he shall appear. Miles actually stopped right in front of my desk. “Why did you do that?” Miles stood in front of me and spoke. For some inexplicable reason, I felt like his question carried a hint of grievance and anger. I froze for a second, then looked up into his eyes. In a fleeting moment, I felt like there was something very wrong with him today. But when I saw his eyes return to their usual deadpan, emotionless state, I completely threw that thought out the window. “What?” I raised an eyebrow at him, then feigned realization: “Oh, you mean the cheering.” “No underlying meaning. I just thought you two looked like a great match.” “Come on, we’re all classmates. It was just a joke. You’re not actually mad about that, are you?” Let’s just say, after years in the entertainment industry, I was an expert at being passive-aggressive. Miles pursed his lips, seemingly disdainful of arguing with me, and walked back to his seat without another word. The bell for class rang at that exact moment. For the entire period, I could feel a lingering, almost piercing gaze on my back, as if trying to burn a hole right through me. Vanessa never returned to class. I knew exactly what was waiting for Miles, and honestly, I was more than happy to let it happen. 4 I spent the morning adjusting to the high school curriculum. After school, I carefully placed my Drama School application form into a folder and tucked it into my backpack. In my past life, I worked myself to the bone in Hollywood for eight years before finally winning Best Actress. But even then, I carried a massive regret. I wasn’t a classically trained actor. In my past life, Vanessa deliberately shredded my application form the day before the deadline, making it impossible for me to transfer to the Drama track. Later, when I finally found a backdoor channel to audition for an acting conservatory, she had her goons beat me half to death and locked me on the school roof the night before. Because I didn’t have the connections or the formal, systemic training, I had to take a lot of painful detours in my career. So, when I realized I had been reborn, my very first thought was to seize this opportunity. I was going to test into my dream film academy! As for Miles and Vanessa in this life? I couldn’t care less about them! Didn’t Miles fall in love with her at first sight? Didn’t he regret not being with her? Since he’s practically begging to be abused, I certainly wouldn’t step in and steal his chance to be “close” to her like I did last time. He can enjoy every ounce of her passionate “love”! With that thought, I put on my backpack and walked out of the school gates. As I passed the narrow alley near the school, I heard the familiar sound of insults and muffled groans of pain. I couldn’t help but stop. I peeked into the alley. I saw Vanessa and her gang of lackeys pinning a battered, bruised Miles to the ground. “Any guy Miss Sterling sets her eyes on should be grateful. No one has ever been ungrateful enough to reject her.” “Miles, who the hell do you think you are? You’re just a scholarship charity case. Miss Sterling liking you is a blessing.” “Not only did you say no, but you rejected her in front of the whole class! You completely dragged her pride through the mud!” Vanessa had a cigarette hanging from her lips. Her thuggish demeanor completely contradicted her innocent, beautiful face. She rested one foot on Miles’s chest, looking down at him like he was a stray dog. But I could see that her eyes were still burning with an intense desire to conquer him. For someone like Vanessa, things that come easy are worthless. Only the things she can’t have keep her intensely stimulated. Honestly, in terms of sheer psychotic behavior, these two were evenly matched! They were truly made for each other. In my past life, because I couldn’t stand seeing Vanessa bully him like this, I didn’t hesitate to pull out my phone and call 911. I even jumped out and stood protectively in front of him. After helping him scare Vanessa away, I thoughtfully took him to the hospital. Since I couldn’t reach his mother, I stayed and took care of him all night. I admit, my help back then was partly driven by a crush, but it was mostly out of admiration. The fact that Miles was a low-income scholarship student was no secret. His father died when he was young, and his mother struggled to support them. He had the highest test scores in the city. He could have gone to the elite prep school, but because of the tuition, he chose our public school instead. The principal promised him that if he came here, his tuition would be fully covered for all three years, and the school would give him a two-thousand-dollar monthly stipend. If he got into a top-tier university after graduation, there would be a massive bonus. Since enrolling, Miles’s grades were consistently ranked number one. Paired with his handsome, aloof face… He quickly became the school’s most popular guy. He was poor but resilient, brilliant but humble. What teenage girl wouldn’t be drawn to a boy like that? But that was only enough to attract the me from my past life. Whether in my past life or this one, Miles did not deserve to be saved! I retracted my gaze, pretending I hadn’t seen a thing, and turned to walk away. But as I took my first step, I heard his pitiful plea from behind me. “Aria… help me—” I didn’t quite catch what else he said. I furrowed my brow and sprinted away. It was as if I had never walked past that alley. When I got home, I locked the door, grabbed a handful of coarse salt, and threw it over my shoulders to ward off the bad luck. What a nightmare! 5 To prevent any further complications… First thing the next morning, I handed my Drama School application form directly to Mrs. Robinson, the teacher in charge of the arts program. Mrs. Robinson looked at the form and smiled warmly: “Aria, I’m so glad you didn’t choose to bury your talent.” “I believe you’ll become a legend, setting a new standard for our arts program.” Mrs. Robinson had incredibly high expectations for me. In my past life, she was the one who discovered my acting talent and suggested I pursue systemic training. She was also the one who, unable to bear seeing my talent wasted, pulled every string she had to get me an audition slot after I missed the deadline. It’s just a shame I disappointed her in the end. “Mrs. Robinson, I promise I won’t let you down. I will definitely get into the Film Academy!” My voice was firm, making a solemn vow. In this life, I would absolutely never disappoint her again. When I got back to class, morning study hall had already started. Miles wasn’t in his seat. For some reason, the homeroom teacher wasn’t there either, and the classroom was buzzing with loud chatter. I took out a textbook, trying to quiet everyone down and lead the study session. But before I could reach the podium, my phone buzzed. I opened it to see a message from my homeroom teacher, telling me to go to the Principal’s office immediately. I was a bit confused about what was happening. But when I walked into the office and saw the familiar scene, my vision went black. In the office, Miles’s mother stood with her hands on her hips, demanding the Principal give them an explanation. Vanessa’s parents weren’t there; instead, her father’s executive assistant was present, frowning, unsure of how to handle the aggressive woman in front of him. Vanessa stood off to the side. Her face showed absolutely none of the arrogance she had when beating Miles up yesterday. Her eyes were red, making her look like a terrified baby deer. This was her usual disguise. And Miles… his handsome face was covered in bruises. His left arm was in a sling. He looked as pathetic as humanly possible. But even so, I noticed that his injuries in this life were actually much worse than in my past life. Guess my loud cheering yesterday really did the trick. Seemingly sensing my gaze, Miles immediately looked over at me. Maybe it was an illusion, but I swear I saw his eyes light up the moment he saw me, carrying a faint glimmer of expectation. That unsettling feeling crept up on me again, but this was no time to dwell on it. “Sir, you called for me.” Seeing me arrive, the homeroom teacher looked like he had just seen his savior. My right eyelid twitched. A bad premonition settled over me, and sure enough, the very next second, the teacher pulled me aside and asked the question that made my blood boil. “Aria, Miles said he saw you walk past the alley where he was attacked last night.” “Did you happen to see who was beating him?” “Was it Vanessa, like he claims?” I felt a wave of dizziness, but mostly, I felt sheer disbelief. Because everything happening right now was playing out exactly as it had in my past life. In my past life, I called the police for Miles, preventing Vanessa’s goons from continuing their assault. The next day, Miles’s mother brought him and his medical report to the school, determined to make Vanessa pay. They also sought me out—the kind-hearted witness—hoping I would testify on the spot about who had attacked him. In my past life, I was naive. Even knowing I would offend Vanessa, I stood up for Miles and for “justice,” testifying that she and her gang were the attackers. But who could have predicted that Miles’s mother would ultimately choose to settle the matter with Vanessa’s family in exchange for ten thousand dollars? Vanessa then turned all her wrath onto me, unleashing the anger she originally had for Miles entirely upon my shoulders. I had assumed that today’s events wouldn’t happen. After all, I made sure that under the dim streetlights, while he was getting beaten half to death, there was no way he could have recognized me standing at the entrance of the alley. So what the hell was happening now?! Miles’s mother, desperate to protect her son, grabbed my hand and urged me: “Sweetie, I can tell just by looking at you that you’re a good student, not like this vicious little brat who’s trying to deny everything.” “Tell me, did you see this little brat hitting my son in the alley?” I felt a surge of disgust as she pulled on my arm, causing me pain. In my past life, I never liked Miles’s mother. She was incredibly arrogant. Even later on, when I became a somewhat famous actress, she still thought I wasn’t good enough for her son. After Miles’s breakdown, she unreasonably blamed me for destroying him. I still remember how, after accepting a massive payout from Vanessa’s family, she sat in front of the news cameras and lied, saying I forced Miles to marry me and that I drove Vanessa to her ruin. It was shameless! Thinking about this, my face turned ice-cold. Under her expectant gaze, I forcefully yanked my hand away and said slowly: “Ma’am, I didn’t see anything.” I kept my expression perfectly calm as I spun my lie. “I do walk past that alley every day after school, and I did hear some noises coming from inside last night.” “But I didn’t go in. So I have no idea what actually happened.” My expression was neutral. With my strong psychological fortitude and years of acting experience, I was flawless. No one could detect a single lie. “I was walking home alone. It’s not safe for a girl at night. Why would I purposely walk into a dark alley to investigate strange noises?” “I’d love to help Miles, but I can’t just lie and falsely accuse Vanessa.” “Besides, Vanessa is a girl. If she’s falsely accused, it would be terrible for her reputation.” I forced down my disgust to keep myself out of it. I didn’t actually want to defend Vanessa, but knowing how much it would piss off Miles’s mother made me feel a lot better. I firmly maintained that I hadn’t seen anything. The homeroom teacher and the Principal asked me multiple times, trying to find a crack in my story, but eventually had to let me go back to class. But from the moment I walked out of that office, Miles kept staring at me with a look of profound, agonizing betrayal.

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I’ve been bullying my childhood friend, the heir to the Pierce family, for over a decade. Who knew that the day after he went abroad, I was exposed as a fake heiress and kicked out of my home overnight? Later, at the real heiress’s birthday party, Liam Pierce, freshly returned from overseas, confessed his love on the spot. The onlookers were moved to tears. The very next second— “What the hell, who are you?! Where’s Maya Woods?!” Thanks for asking. I was busy selling hotdogs at the night market. 01 When Liam found me, the night market was at its peak. The streets of the old downtown were bustling with people, lively, and filled with the smell of street food and smoke. He wore a custom-tailored suit vest and thin-rimmed glasses resting on his nose. A pampered young master of a wealthy family since birth, he was immaculate from head to toe, down to every single strand of hair. He looked completely out of place in this entire night market. “Maya Woods?” He stared at me in disbelief. I glanced up at him, not surprised in the least. “Oh, you’re back?” Then I looked down, skillfully flipping a hotdog on the grill. “I’m busy right now, no time to catch up. Give me a minute.” Hearing this, he instinctively frowned, then raised his voice: “Maya Woods!” I didn’t even look up. “Three bucks for one hotdog, five bucks for two. How many do you want?” Silence on the other end for two seconds, before he finally choked out: “…Two.” “You got it.” Two minutes later, he and I were crouching behind the stall, eating hotdogs. The young master, pampered his whole life, had probably never eaten something this cheap. After taking a bite, his eyebrows immediately knitted together, but under my gaze, he obediently swallowed it. Looking totally pathetic. I, on the other hand, scarfed down a hotdog in three quick bites, ready to turn back and continue my hustle— “Maya.” He called my name again. I turned to look at him. “What?” He looked at me seriously. “I went to your house to find you. You weren’t there.” “Oh, I haven’t had the chance to tell you, but I left the Woods family.” I thought for a moment, then asked: “Did you meet Chloe?” “Yeah.” “Is she pretty?” Liam frowned slightly. His lifelong elite upbringing prevented him from saying anything derogatory about a girl, so he pouted and said: “She’s alright, I guess.” After a second thought, he added. “But she’s not as pretty as you.” I nodded. “Okay then, remember this. She is the real Woods family heiress. The person who was supposed to grow up with you. She had a hard life all these years and finally managed to return to the Woods family. You have to treat her well.” At the very least, don’t make an enemy out of her because of me again. That way, you won’t end up with that tragic ending. After saying that, I turned to leave— But I couldn’t move. I was exasperated. “What is it now? Young Master?” “You said once I came back, you’d agree to be my girlfriend.” Liam grabbed my arm, blinked, and his eyes instantly turned red, like a wronged puppy. “Does that still count?” Only then did I remember. Back when Liam refused to go abroad, to coax him, I seemed to have promised some conditions. Liam and I grew up together. Relying on our childhood bond, I bullied him for over a decade. The dignified young heir of the Pierce family, sitting at the very top of the wealthy elite pyramid, was incredibly obedient only to me. Back then, I already considered Liam my property. But who could have imagined that in just two short years, the gap between us would be like heaven and earth. However… this was an ending I had anticipated long ago. “It doesn’t count anymore.” I reached out and removed his hand from my arm. Seeing the look in his eyes like he was going to cry any second, I lowered my gaze. “Liam, our statuses now are no longer equal.” So, this time, you have to live a good life. 02 In my previous life, my ending was incredibly tragic. From the day Chloe returned to the Woods family, I was obsessed with going against her, like I was possessed. Relying on my status as the childhood friend of the Pierce family heir, I tried every possible way to trip her up. In the end, everyone abandoned me, and the Woods family, unable to tolerate me any longer, worked together to throw me into a mental asylum. Chloe, on the other hand, went from an innocent little white flower to the beloved darling of the Woods family. Later, she even took the initiative to break off her engagement with Liam, turning around and slapping him in the face by marrying his shrewd and capable uncle. She ended up having triplets in one go, becoming the cherished treasure of the Pierce family’s patriarch. Chloe and I were like contrasting characters in a satisfying revenge novel. Going from being surrounded by admirers to being utterly abandoned, it was as if everything was following a pre-written plot. From beginning to end, only Liam stood firmly by my side. He defied his engagement for me, publicly went against the family elders several times, and showed no courtesy to Chloe, who was his fiancée. As a result, his position as heir was snatched away. He went from being the Pierce family heir to an outcast. Later, on the day I was sent to the asylum, he got into a car crash while trying to save me. He could have had a great life—carefree and a happy future. If it weren’t for me… So, upon being reborn, I didn’t hesitate to persuade Liam to study abroad. And on the day I was exposed as a fake heiress, I didn’t choose to kneel and beg the Woods family to let me stay. Instead, I took the money, quickly packed my things, and left. This time, I didn’t want Liam to see all my wretchedness and misery. I would rather the image he had of me in his heart forever be the bright and proud Maya Woods from our youth, the little childhood friend he grew up with. 03 I changed into my uniform and walked out of the locker room. My part-time job tonight was as a waitress at a high-end club. In the past, as the Woods family heiress, I often hung out here with other wealthy heirs, but this was my first time here as a waitress. The manager arranged for me to deliver drinks to a VIP private room. I didn’t expect that the first thing I’d see upon pushing the door open was Chloe. Just like in my previous life, she sat in the center of the crowd, wearing a white dress, surrounded by admirers. According to the timeline, she should have already adapted to the wealthy lifestyle by now. Relying on her innocent and kind personality, she had gained the approval of the Woods family and was the undisputed little princess of the Woods family. Sitting next to her were all familiar faces—my former wealthy playmates. I frowned slightly, lowered my head, and walked in. Originally, I just wanted to drop off the drinks low-key and leave because I had more important things to do. But I didn’t expect to be recognized the moment I turned around. “Maya Woods?” The person who spoke happened to be holding the microphone. As his words fell, the private room instantly went quiet, and everyone’s eyes turned toward me. “It really is you!” That person seemed to have found some entertainment, chuckling lightly. “Our great Heiress Woods, when did you get so pathetic?” As soon as he said this, laughter erupted in the room. “Sure enough, fake is fake.” “Hilarious. To think she’d see this day.” And that wealthy heir who spoke first, Chase, leaned in next to Chloe and said: “See, Chloe, I told you Maya is inferior to you in every way.” “Liam was just putting on a show for the sake of your childhood friendship. Don’t worry, over time, he’ll naturally fall for you.” Chloe glanced my way and said timidly: “But I think Liam still prefers her.” Hearing this, I instantly understood. He did it on purpose. Because at the birthday party the day before yesterday, Liam confessed on the spot and only then realized he had the wrong person, making Chloe the laughingstock of the wealthy social circles. So this group of people, to flatter Chloe, deliberately kicked me while I was down. So childish. I sneered inwardly, but my gaze fell on a girl in the crowd. My former best friend, Sarah. In my previous life, before I was exposed as a fake heiress, her family went bankrupt. They sold all their real estate just to barely pay off their debts, and the whole family moved to another city to survive. Later, after the true and fake heiress incident was exposed, although I stayed with the Woods family, my allowance was cut in half. Even so, I still gave half of my allowance to help her, helping her family get through their hardest times. Just because she was my only best friend. In this life, her family’s company unexpectedly received a massive injection of capital. Not only did they not go bankrupt, but over the past two years, their business thrived, and their assets were catching up to the Woods family. However, meeting my gaze, she shrank back unnaturally, as if she was feeling guilty. In the end, she still didn’t speak up to say a single word for me. Expectation gradually turned into disappointment. I opened my mouth, wanting to ask her, Why? But I found I couldn’t even ask. “Maya, are you okay?” Seeing this, Chloe took the initiative to walk over. “I’m sorry, they didn’t mean to mock you.” Putting on the act of a considerate little white flower. Logically, I should now put down the drinks, feeling “unable to bear the humiliation,” and turn to leave— “Hey, hey, hey, where are you going? Is this how your club trains its staff? Hurry up and pour my drink!” Chase looked like he was deliberately picking a fight, smiling incredibly smugly. “Maybe if I’m in a good mood, I’ll even give you a few thousand bucks as a tip.” “Maya, life must be really hard for you since you left the Woods family, right?” Seeing me remain silent, his eyes darted around, and he went even further: “It just so happens I need someone to warm my bed.” “I see you still have some looks, and your body is pretty hot. Why don’t you get with me…” Seeing him take it further and further, the other people in the room also showed expressions of enjoying the show. Only Chloe frowned slightly, just as she was about to speak— Bang! The door to the private room was kicked open. Liam, arriving late, with a cold face, walked in briskly under everyone’s gaze. He stopped right in front of Chase, his eyes sharp as knives, asking through gritted teeth word by word: “Who did you just say had some looks?” There was a moment of dead silence in the room. Even I was a little surprised. Liam liked peace and quiet. In the past, unless he was following me, he rarely came to these kinds of places. “L-Liam…” Chase didn’t expect Liam to suddenly appear, and his legs instantly went weak from fear. “I-I was just joking…” In front of Liam, he didn’t dare act out. “Oh?” Liam tilted his head, his face expressionless. “Who gave you the guts to joke with her?” At this time, someone next to him tried to smooth things over. It was a wealthy heir who used to be on good terms with Liam. “Hey man, Liam, we know you and Maya used to be close, but things are different now. We all grew up together, why do you have to, for her…” Before he could finish, he was cut off by Liam. “So you also know we all grew up together?” Saying that, he glanced at that heir, then looked around at the different expressions of everyone in the room. “What did she do wrong? Did she choose to be the fake heiress? Did she ever do anything to wrong any of you in the past?” “The person I treated like a princess, is this how you trample on her?” He frowned fiercely. “Are you all out of your damn minds?” 04 Actually, it wasn’t just Liam; even having lived two lifetimes, I couldn’t understand it either. Why would childhood playmates, upon learning my true identity, immediately turn around and kick me while I was down? Why would a best friend who promised to be sisters for life refuse to say a single word for me when I was at my lowest? This world seemed to have a pre-set order. Over a decade of affection vanished the moment I was exposed as a fake heiress. From beginning to end, only Liam always stood firmly by my side. So, the more it was like this, the less I wanted him involved. But unfortunately, this guy Liam, like a husky off its leash, was completely out of control. The other people in the room were stunned by his scolding. The next second, Liam, who had an intimidating two-meter aura just a moment ago, turned to look at me and instantly shrank back. “Don’t be scared, I wasn’t yelling at you.” He thought for a second, then added. “Yelling at people isn’t good. It’s a manners issue. You shouldn’t learn from this.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the others looking at me with complicated expressions. My mouth twitched, and I quickly dragged Liam out of the room. “Hey, I wasn’t finished! How could they treat you like—” “Shut up.” It wasn’t until we reached the stairwell that I turned to look at Liam. “Why are you here?” “To find you,” he looked at me, innocent. “Didn’t I tell you, our statuses aren’t equal anymore, you don’t have to follow me around…” “Maya.” He interrupted me, looking at me seriously, and asked: “So, for the past two years, on the days I wasn’t around, was this the kind of life you were living?” Hearing this, I fell silent. “Maya, I regret it. I shouldn’t have listened to you and gone abroad to study.” His eyes were full of heartache as he looked at me, making me think of my previous life in a daze. Back then, he looked at me like this too, whispering: “Maya, my heart breaks for you.” If there was anyone in this world who would love me unconditionally and without reservation. Then that person could only be Liam. Taking a deep breath, I said softly: “Liam, just give me a little more time.” I would work hard to walk back to your side once again. 05 I was waiting for someone to appear. According to the timeline of my previous life, he would appear here tonight to discuss a business deal. Ultimately, he would be schemed against, accidentally drink spiked liquor, and stumble upon Chloe, who was drinking alone after being neglected by her fiancé. Then, they would have a one-night stand. And then, it would be the sweet, face-slapping plot of having triplets in one go. Following my memories of the previous life, I waited by the stairwell. Before long, sure enough, I saw that familiar figure. However, before I could make a move, Liam, who was following me, spoke up first: “Uncle?” I was just about to remind him that this person would be his formidable rival for the heir position in the future, and he must never underestimate him… “So you’re here today waiting for my uncle?” Liam looked at me in shock, and the next second, the jealousy in his eyes was overflowing. “How is he better than me?!” My face instantly went blank. And Liam kept spouting sourness: “Fine, fine, fine, I admit my uncle still has some charm.” “But he’s already in his thirties! Do you like older men now?!” “No, what am I lacking compared to him? My uncle is old. You should look at me instead!” I reached out and pinched Liam’s babbling mouth shut. “Shut up, or I’ll kill you.” Liam nodded pitifully. Just in that short delay, Ethan had already walked closer. Now, even Liam could tell something was wrong with him. “Why is my uncle’s face so red? He’s walking weirdly too. Is he drunk?” “No, he was drugged.” I didn’t plan on hiding it. “Someone schemed against him.” “What?!” Liam was shocked like a little puppy. “Then should we go help him?” “Of course.” I smirked slightly. “Go on, you’re up.” Originally, I was worried about how I alone was going to stop a grown man like Ethan. Now, having Liam made things much easier. Receiving the order, Liam immediately went to work. In the previous life, a drugged Ethan still retained his last shred of rationality. He barely managed to escape the private room, only to bump into a drunken Chloe, sparking a fiery encounter. But this time, intercepted halfway by me and Liam, Ethan was settled into a room found by Liam. Seeing Ethan’s eyes turn bloodshot from suppressed desire, starting to struggle frantically, Liam simply carried him to the bathroom, filled the bathtub with cold water, and tossed him in. “Uncle, I’m doing this for your own good,” he said earnestly. “You’ll understand me, right?” The answer he got was Ethan shivering from the cold: “Liam, you dare… glug glug glug…” Before he could finish, his head was dunked into the cold water by Liam. “Uncle, calm down a bit.” Ethan choked on a few mouthfuls of cold water. When he looked up again, his eyebrows were twisted in anger. “You little brat, you… glug glug glug…” “Looks like you’re still not sober enough.” Liam shook his head in regret, then turned to look at me. “Leave it to me here. Don’t worry.” “It’s getting late. You can clock out now, right? Go back and get some rest.” Me: “…” Although Ethan was indeed miserable, recalling the scenes from my previous life, I couldn’t muster an ounce of sympathy for him. So, I turned around and left. Pushing the door open, the cold winter wind hit my face, instantly clearing my head quite a bit. Thinking for a moment, I dialed a number. “It’s me.” I paused, then continued, “Notify everyone, convene a shareholder meeting next week.” The person on the other end was a bit surprised: “What’s wrong? Why so sudden…” “Nothing, just feeling a little disappointed.” I pursed my lips and continued, “Find someone to report Sarah’s dad for embezzling company funds. I’m going to remove him from his position at the shareholder meeting.” In my previous life, the reason Sarah’s family went bankrupt was because her dad embezzled company funds. “You haven’t shown your face all this time. Are you going to attend this time?” “Yes.” I said softly. “I will attend this shareholder meeting.” It turned out, living a second life, without her family going bankrupt, she was no different from anyone else… After a self-deprecating laugh, I hung up the phone and looked up at the woman standing at my doorstep. “So, what brings you here?” Chloe, dressed in a white dress, stood smiling in front of me. Meeting my gaze, she gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Then, taking two steps forward, she suddenly dropped to her knees, sliding over and hugging my legs tightly, the whole motion fluid and seamless. “Supporting Character Sis, save me!” She wailed. “I really don’t want to marry an old man and have triplets!” 06 This world was a massive CEO romance novel. This was what Chloe, who had transmigrated into the book, told me. “Let go.” “I won’t!” Chloe hugged my legs, crying like a screeching kettle come to life, so loud that my head, just cleared by the cold wind, started buzzing and spinning again. So, when Liam arrived, what he saw was Chloe hugging me, screaming, “Supporting Character Sis, how can I live without you!” “Y-You two…” He pointed at me, then at Chloe, his voice trembling, looking as if he was about to shatter. “Not only do you like old men now, but you also like girls?!” Facts proved that the screeching kettle spirit didn’t disappear; it just transferred. Liam cried louder than Chloe, like an abandoned, resentful little husband. “Is it a crime to be young and handsome?!” Me: “…” “I don’t care, I’m Maya’s most loyal lackey! You have to get in line behind me!” Chloe: “…” Before I could explain, Chloe frowned, realizing things weren’t that simple. “What do you mean by that?” I was just about to tell Liam, Please, mind your image as the heir. “I am the person who understands Maya best in this world!” At this moment, Chloe was terrifyingly confident. “Did you know Maya hates cilantro? I do!” “What?!” Liam was shocked, while his competitive spirit was simultaneously ignited. “You actually know that?” The next second, he smirked dismissively: “That’s nothing. I also know Maya hates green onions and ginger, doesn’t eat offal, and hates soup!” Liam was incredibly smug. Over a decade of childhood friendship and spending day and night together made him equally confident. However, Chloe wasn’t going down without a fight. Chloe: “Maya likes sweet and spicy food, but hates sour!” Liam: “Maya likes summer and autumn, but hates winter!” Chloe: “Maya wears size M for shirts and S for skirts!” Liam: “Maya prefers pants over skirts!” Seeing that she was running out of things to say, Chloe instinctively looked at me. Her gaze landed on my chest, and without thinking, she blurted out— “Maya’s bra size is 32C!” Me: “!” Liam stopped talking. Liam’s face instantly exploded in red. “Y-You…” He pointed at Chloe, stuttering for a long time. Finally, his gaze couldn’t help but land on my chest. Once he realized it, he immediately covered his eyes shyly. “I-I didn’t…” He still wanted to explain to me. “Hmph hmph, can’t say anything to that, can you!” Chloe was triumphant, leaning in to claim credit from me. “Look, Supporting Character Sis, look! I am the person who understands you best in this world!” I smiled faintly. Ten minutes later, holding her forehead, baring her teeth and glaring, Chloe reluctantly and fiercely said to Liam: “Sorry, Supporting Male Lead Bro. I shouldn’t have provoked you.” I nodded in satisfaction: “No bullying Liam.” Liam immediately raised his chin, like a favored, arrogant puppy. “Tch, male vixen.” Being under someone else’s roof, Chloe had to bow her head, unwilling to look at Liam again. Then she looked at me eagerly: “So, about the original plot I just told you…” Thinking for a moment, I asked: “You mean, you want to escape your fate from the original book, right?” Chloe nodded frantically like a chicken pecking at grain. I suddenly felt that this so-called original plot wasn’t something I couldn’t use. So I looked at Chloe with a smile: “Do you want to get rid of the original plot and, at the same time, make tens of millions and become a wealthy, beautiful boss lady?” Chloe’s eyes instantly brightened: “Supporting Character Sis, I would walk through fire for you!” “Alright.” I nodded. “Tomorrow, go seduce Ethan.” “Huh?” Chloe was confused, pointing at herself uncertainly and asking: “Me?” “Yes, you.” I cupped her face, starting the brainwashing. “Baby, you’re the female lead! Grasping a mere Ethan is a piece of cake for you, right?” “Since the original plot is like this, why don’t we use it?” After listening to my plan, Chloe’s eyes gradually lit up. “An innocent little white flower, right? No problem, playing an innocent little white flower is what I do best!” Seeing this, Liam shook his head, unable to watch. “Tsk, there’s no need to even act for that.”

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