Category: English

My best friend hid her identity as a billionaire heiress and told me, “For ordinary people like us, no matter how hard we try, we can never cross the class divide.” She pushed me to smoke, skip class, get into fights, date losers, and even worse… After graduation, I hit a dead end everywhere I went. I ended up dragging my sick, broken body into a factory for minimum wage, unable to even scrape together enough money for my daughter’s life-saving medicine. She, on the other hand, seamlessly took over her family’s empire, becoming a celebrated, untouchable CEO, marrying her perfect match, and living a flawless life. At my absolute lowest, I begged her to lend me fifty bucks just to buy a box of painkillers. She laughed so hard she practically doubled over. “I told you a long time ago, Sarah. Ordinary people like you are bottom-tier trash, generation after generation. “You’re a nobody. You have to accept your fate.” But… was that really my fate? Later, the factory exploded. I was buried in a sea of flames, dying with a heart full of agonizing regret and hatred. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the first day of high school. 01 Following a deafening blast, a rolling wave of heat crashed over me. I was huddled in the corner of the factory floor, staring in absolute despair as the wall of fire rapidly closed in. There was nowhere to run. I was going to burn alive. I squeezed my eyes shut, but when I opened them again, I felt the cool, crisp breeze of late summer. Outside the window, cicadas were humming. On the desk in front of me, tucked inside my faded, worn-out pencil case, was a crumpled piece of paper. On it, written in deliberate strokes, were the words: Fate is in my own hands. I had returned to when I was fifteen years old. The first day of high school. The timelines overlapped in my mind, and the phantom, agonizing pain of being consumed by fire still lingered. I broke out in a cold sweat. Suddenly, I heard a timid voice beside me. “Excuse me… are you… are you Sarah Jenkins?” I looked up and saw the fifteen-year-old Chloe Sterling. Right now, she was wearing a faded, hand-me-down hoodie, carrying a backpack that was frayed at the edges. She looked at me with a face full of shy admiration. It was a staggering contrast to the Chloe I saw at the end of my past life—dripping in designer brands, her makeup flawless, looking down at me from her high-rise office like I was an insect. My memories of her in my past life were too agonizing. Beneath the desk, I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms. I steadied my breathing. “Yes, I am.” “It really is you! I… I’m so lucky. I can’t believe I’m in the same class as the famous valedictorian from Southside Middle School. “You look exactly like you did in the local paper—smart and pretty. A lot of the guys at my old school had a crush on you.” She sounded just as excited as she did the first time we met in my previous life. But this time, I caught the fleeting, malicious sneer hidden deep in her crescent-moon eyes. Of course. In both my past life and this one, in her eyes, I was nothing but a “bottom-tier peasant.” I was the prey she had selected long ago to play with and destroy. And my crossing paths with her wasn’t her “luck,” as she claimed. It was entirely the handiwork of her powerful, elite mother. The scene of my final meeting with her in my past life flashed before my eyes again. Back then, my little girl was critically ill. The doctors shook their heads and said there was nothing more they could do, advising me to just buy some strong painkillers to ease her suffering. But my abusive husband and my mother-in-law refused to spare even fifty dollars. They said since she wasn’t a boy, it was better if she just died. Desperate, I went to Chloe. She sat in her luxurious corner office on the top floor of the Financial District, looking down at the destitute, broken version of me, laughing uncontrollably. “Sarah, I told you a long time ago. Ordinary people like you are bottom-tier trash, generation after generation. “Your parents are, you are, and naturally, your daughter is too. “You’re a nobody. You have to accept your fate.” It was only then that I learned the truth from her own mouth. “Idiot! Did you really think I wanted to be besties with you? “If my mom wasn’t in the middle of a critical corporate promotion, do you think she would have pulled me out of my elite private prep school and sent me to that dump of a public high school? “I didn’t want to go at first either, but my mom said, ‘Sweetheart, let’s play a game, okay?’ “She told me she’s loved this game since she was young. It’s called—’Destroying the Life of an Ordinary Person.’” She smiled and leaned across her mahogany desk. “My mom said that an ordinary person who can’t handle temptation is incredibly easy to break. They’ll fall step by step, all the way down into a bottomless hell, until it’s too late for regrets. “I thought the game sounded fun, so I immediately picked out my target. “…It was you. The straight-A, beautiful scholarship kid clawing her way out of the slums.” She stood up, her gaze raking over me from head to toe. My utter ruin and misery were on full display. “Looking at you now, I’d say I won!” That day, I left her corporate tower a hollow shell of a human being. My mind spun, endlessly replaying my twenty-three years of life, watching myself plummet into the abyss. I thought of all those brilliant, shining dreams I once had, dreams that were never realized. I broke down crying on the bustling streets of downtown Boston. But there is no medicine in this world to cure regret. Three days later, my sweet, understanding little girl closed her eyes in agony for the last time. Shortly after, the factory exploded, and I burned to ashes. … I bit my lip hard, feeling the tidal wave of pure hatred surging in my chest. Since I’ve been given a second chance at life. This time, I will rewrite the narrative. I will keep my destiny firmly in my own grip. And I will make those who deceived me, manipulated me, and ruined me pay a devastating price. … Right now, Chloe was lowering her head. “Sarah, the truth is, I come from a really poor family just like you. I don’t have any friends at this school…” Her voice trembled slightly. “Maybe… could I be your friend?” There were a few seconds of dead silence. I quietly raised my eyes to look at her. Then, I flashed her a brilliant, welcoming smile. “Of course you can. “Welcome to my world… Chloe Sterling.” 02 Chloe became my desk mate. She studied diligently, treated everyone kindly, and acted so sweet and innocent that no one had their guard up around her. During recess, she would vividly recount to me how she took care of her paralyzed mother in bed, how she endured her chronically alcoholic, gambling father, and how she worked grueling shifts at a diner under the scorching summer sun just to save up for her own tuition. When she reached the emotional climax of her story, she would bury her face in her arms on the desk and sob, her shoulders shaking violently. Then, with tear-blurred eyes, she would ask me, “Sarah, I read your interview in the paper. All these years, things must have been incredibly hard for you too, right?” I watched her put on her little show with icy detachment. In my past life, I fell for this hook, line, and sinker. I bared my soul to her, treated her with absolute sincerity, and never doubted her for a second. I even took the fall for her crimes, leaving a permanent criminal stain on my permanent record. Thinking back on it, I was remarkably stupid. Right now, she was biting her lip. “Where a person is born dictates everything. Does all our hard work even mean anything…?” “Yeah, you’re right,” I interrupted her, stealing her lines. “For ordinary people like us, no matter how hard we try, we can never cross the class divide.” A look of genuine shock flickered across Chloe’s tear-stained face. She probably didn’t expect my mindset to crumble this easily. In my past life, whenever she asked me this, I would always answer with fierce conviction: “It’s hard, and life is tough, but I still have hope. “I believe I can change my destiny through hard work. “Hope and effort are the best things in this world. “Chloe, you have to hold onto hope and keep working hard. That’s the only way to keep moving forward.” It took her a long time and a lot of meticulous plotting to gradually break down my psychological defenses. Like the time she used the excuse of “handing out flyers” to drag me—while I was stressing over where my next month’s $150 of grocery money would come from—to the gates of an elite private school. She made me watch the trust-fund kids who were born with silver spoons in their mouths, living in luxury, entirely ignorant of the world’s suffering. Like the time when I was studying day and night for the State Math Olympiad, and she “accidentally” let it slip that even though my grades were the best, the spot for the competition had already been rigged and given to the principal’s niece. Like when I slowly started to break down and doubt if I could really change my fate, she shared stories with me of straight-A kids from small towns who got into Ivy League schools, only to graduate and end up working dead-end, soul-crushing corporate jobs, exhausted and miserable. Like when I was entirely disillusioned and felt my life was hopeless, she repeatedly egged me on to skip class, get blackout drunk at bars, and then… In the trap she so carefully laid out, I slid into the abyss step by step. She was a very patient predator. But I decided to “help” her along this time. “Since working hard is useless anyway,” I said, closing my textbook. “We’re done studying for the day. “Come on, Chloe. I’m taking you somewhere fun.” “Huh?” 03 When we were in the club, drinking and dancing wildly to the heavy bass. Chloe looked genuinely terrified. It wasn’t an act. A pampered little princess like her had truly never set foot in a grimy, chaotic place like this. In my past life, when she eventually brought me here, she had made ironclad preparations. She had someone clear out all the dangerous individuals beforehand and planted bodyguards all around us before she dared to step inside with me. “Chloe, don’t just stand there! Come party!” Armed with the clubbing experience from my past life, I expertly popped open a bottle of high-proof liquor and, before she could protest, forced her to chug several gulps. “Drink up, Chloe! A good buzz cures everything!” She choked, unable to speak, her eyes wide with panic. I took the opportunity to “accidentally” bump into her. She stumbled forward and crashed right into the chest of a sweaty, sleazy older guy. “Ah! What are you doing! Don’t touch me! “If you touch me again—I’ll have my mom ruin you—let go! “Do you know who my mom is? She’s—” Her words died in her throat as her eyes met mine. Even in this situation, she chose to hide her identity. She was dead set on finishing her game of “ruining my life.” I laughed coldly in my heart. I pretended to step forward to protect her, but “clumsily” shoved her even closer to the sleazy guy. I clearly remembered that in my past life, this was exactly how she pushed me toward a man riddled with incurable diseases, and then… I clenched my fists so hard my knuckles turned white. Eventually, the sleaze got bored, muttered, “Dammit, she’s flatter than a board,” and turned away. Chloe’s eyes were full of humiliation. Her rims were red, and her lip was bleeding—I didn’t know if the guy bit her or if she bit it herself in panic. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. I didn’t protect you.” I pretended to cry in a panic. “Let’s call the cops! The police will definitely—” “Absolutely no cops!” She cut me off instantly. “Why? That was basically assault!” I played dumb. I knew exactly why. Because her mother, Victoria Sterling, was a major power player in Boston. She was currently in the middle of a massive corporate acquisition and couldn’t afford even a whisper of negative PR. And her father, Richard Sterling, the CEO of Sterling Enterprises, didn’t give a damn about Chloe or her mother. He was busy keeping a mistress—his first love—and an illegitimate daughter on the side. The mistress and the illegitimate daughter were watching the Sterling empire like hawks. If rumors of Chloe being involved in a sordid nightclub scandal leaked, her ruthless father would absolutely abandon her and pivot to grooming his favored illegitimate daughter instead. So she didn’t dare. She could only swallow the humiliation. “I… I don’t have any money or power. I’m scared he’ll come after me.” “Oh… I guess you’re right…” I nodded helplessly, then shook my head vigorously. “Then let’s never come back to a place like this again. I had no idea it was so dangerous.” “No, no, no! This was just a fluke!” She grew even more frantic, terrified that this would traumatize me and I wouldn’t return to this den of vice. “Besides, didn’t we come here to have fun? I had a great time! We should definitely come back!” “Really?” I acted worried. “Of course! Look at me—” She forced a smile brighter than the sun, purposefully swaying her hips to brush against random guys, even hiking her short skirt up dangerously high. “Sarah, you should come have fun too!” She was enthusiastically inviting me to join in. Little did she know, every single move she made was being watched by someone standing not too far away. His face was a mask of absolute disgust. And I had known from the very beginning that he would be here tonight. 04 By the time Chloe crawled back through the school gates, reeking of cheap alcohol, it was past midnight. She was utterly humiliated and exhausted. I could hear her stifled sobbing from the top bunk. But I felt absolutely nothing. Once the top bunk finally fell silent, I quietly got out of bed, grabbed my textbook and pen, and headed up to the dormitory roof. Here, I was closest to the bright, silver moonlight. Under the glow of the moon, I reviewed the day’s math lessons. Everything was quiet, save for the gentle summer breeze. Having lived through the displaced, horrific misery of my past life, just having the chance to hold a book and study made me feel unspeakably blessed. The wind brushed against my face. I pulled that crumpled piece of paper from my pencil case. Fate is in my own hands. I unfolded it gently. On the back, written by my ten-year-old self, were my dreams. [Get into Harvard.] [Take Mom away from this dead-end town.] I will make them come true. Hope and hard work are the greatest things in this world. 05 When Chloe finally woke up, it was already 11:00 AM. It was Saturday morning, so sleeping in was normal. The teachers hadn’t noticed anything off about us. She groaned, hungover and nursing a splitting headache, and got up to pour a glass of water. I proactively handed her a cup of warm water and casually mentioned, “Wow! It’s already the 10th. Time flies.” She froze mid-sip, sobering up instantly. “What day did you say it is?” I smiled. “The 10th.” “The 10th!” She snatched my phone, checked the date, then the time, muttering, “I’m dead. I am so dead.” Still wearing the alcohol-stained mini-skirt from last night and unmatched flip-flops, she bolted out of the dorm. I admired her frantic, pathetic retreat for a moment. Once she was completely out of sight, I calmly sat back down, smiled, and opened my math book. August 10th. For her, it was indeed a day of critical importance. She had forgotten in her drunken stupor, but I hadn’t. On this exact day in my past life, Arthur Sterling, the patriarch of the Sterling family, flew back from his retirement estate in Europe. On paper, he was just visiting his children and grandchildren. In reality, everyone knew he was evaluating the heirs. Because the person who truly held the power in the Sterling family wasn’t Chloe’s father, but Grandpa Arthur. Chloe and her mother had been preparing for this day for months. Wardrobe, etiquette, smiles, posture—they had even meticulously rehearsed her dialogue, determined to impress the old man. But right now, Chloe had vomit crusted in her hair, reeked of cheap liquor, wore an indecent skirt, mismatched sandals, and had breath that could strip paint… sprinting straight toward the Sterling family luncheon. It was going to be a spectacular show. I checked the time and sent a pre-drafted message: [Mia Sterling, are you ready?] The reply came instantly: [Ready. Thank you.] Forty minutes later, the highly anticipated Sterling family luncheon, hosted at the city’s most luxurious hotel, went live on a local news stream. “5… 4… 3… 2… 1… “Welcome, viewers, to the live coverage of the most high-profile private gathering of the Sterling family in the past decade. “Sources confirm that Arthur Sterling arrived at the venue at 10:00 AM this morning and has been enjoying intimate conversations with the younger generation—” Before the reporter could finish, a shrill scream cut through the broadcast: “Why won’t you let me in! I am the CEO’s legitimate daughter—” The camera immediately whipped toward the commotion. I watched Chloe’s furious back as she tried to physically ram her way into the banquet hall. The security guards at the door looked at her outfit with blatant disgust. “Miss Sterling has been inside keeping Mr. Sterling company all morning. Miss, if you keep making a scene, we will call the cops.” “What?” Chloe was stunned for a few seconds before her rage boiled over. “That’s impossible! The Sterling family only has one daughter—” Her screaming abruptly ceased as the grand doors of the banquet hall slowly opened. “What is all this racket?” A commanding male voice echoed out. It was Chloe’s father, Richard Sterling. “Chloe…” He froze for a fraction of a second. Once he recognized his own daughter, his face turned black with rage. “Why are you so late? And what the hell are you wearing!” “Dad…” Chloe’s voice cracked with tears. She tried to push past the bewildered security guards to grab her father’s arm. He ruthlessly threw her off. Richard glanced at the live cameras, clearly suppressing volcanic anger. “Is this how your mother raised you? “Get the hell out of here! What are you standing around for? You’re a total embarrassment!” “Dad, I just want to see Grandpa—” Chloe’s tears started streaming down her face. “Before your grandfather sees you looking like a streetwalker, get out—” “Who wants to see me?” A kind, laughing voice interrupted. A young woman, supporting an elderly man with silver hair, slowly walked out. It was Grandpa Arthur. “Grandpa—” Chloe looked at him like a savior and bypassed her father, but the moment she clearly saw the girl next to him, she lost her mind. Her voice spiked into a screech. “Mia? Why are you here?” “Sister, I’m here to see Grandpa, just like you.” Mia was dressed in an elegant, tailored vintage dress, her sleek black hair tucked neatly behind her ears. She looked poised, dignified, and smiled warmly. “You’re a bastard child! You have no right—” “Ahem.” Grandpa Arthur cut her off. He was still smiling kindly, but his ancient, calculating eyes swept over Chloe, taking in every detail without a shift in expression. “Chloe, is it? “Last time I saw you, you were just a little girl. Look how much you’ve grown.” “Grandpa, it’s me. I haven’t seen you in over ten years.” Chloe took a step forward. Grandpa Arthur kept his smile but subtly took a half-step back to avoid her. He turned to a middle-aged woman in a silk suit standing on the periphery. “Victoria, take Chloe to go change and clean up. I know this is a family luncheon, but dressing like this isn’t quite appropriate, wouldn’t you agree? “I know you’re busy with your career, but you can’t neglect your child’s upbringing and education.” “I am so sorry, Dad. I’ll take her to change immediately… Chloe is usually very obedient and has wonderful manners. It’s my fault, I’ve been too busy lately to keep a proper eye on her…” Victoria wanted her daughter to shine today, never expecting her to spectacularly self-destruct at the most critical moment. Her smile was strained, failing to mask her sheer panic and embarrassment. Grandpa Arthur merely chuckled, noncommittal, and turned back to Mia. “Let’s go, Mia. Tell Grandpa more about your internship experiences at the corporate level this summer.” “Yes, Grandpa.” The group turned and walked back into the hall. As Richard turned, he shot a look at his secretary. Two seconds later, the live broadcast was cut. A few minutes after that, the embarrassing video of the Sterling family luncheon and all related comments quietly vanished from the internet. Naturally, every photo of Chloe was wiped perfectly clean. That night, every major financial outlet ran the exact same headline: [Patriarch of the Sterling Empire Returns: Heir Apparent Selected.] The accompanying photo was a high-definition shot of Grandpa Arthur and Mia standing at the entrance of the banquet hall, chatting intimately—a picture-perfect image of family harmony. 06 When Chloe finally came back to the dorm, her eyes were severely swollen. She crawled into bed without a word. She was still wearing that chaotic mini-skirt. She hadn’t changed, and she hadn’t washed her hair. I knew then that she hadn’t been allowed back into the banquet. I quietly finished the practice exam in my hands. Chloe had absolutely no energy to bother with a “bottom-tier peasant” like me tonight. Her phone started buzzing. “Mom, leave me alone, okay? Are you going to keep screaming at me? “Do you think I wanted to look like that? It’s all because—” She shot a look at me and stopped herself. “Skip the lecture. Just tell me how we fix this— “What? Really? “I’m coming right now.” She practically vaulted out of bed, shot me a wary glare, and hurried out of the dorm room. I silently followed her. In the deserted stairwell, her voice grew loud and arrogant again: “Yes! Yes! The Harringtons will definitely back me up! Chase and I have been engaged since we were kids. They won’t just stand by and watch me lose my inheritance. “This is perfect. If the Harrington family speaks up, the old man can’t refuse! “I’ll be on my best behavior. I swear I won’t let that bastard Mia steal the spotlight again. “Thanks, Mom! Love you so much! “Uh huh. Don’t worry, Mom. “…” Victoria Sterling obviously wasn’t going to just sit around and wait for death. Richard wasn’t going to help them. In fact, he had been waiting for this exact opportunity. In my past life, after learning the truth, I frantically searched the internet for any information about Chloe and her family. I found a lot of buried gossip. When Richard was young, the woman he truly loved was Mia’s mother, Elena Davis. But Elena came from a working-class background and couldn’t help Richard’s “grand ambitions.” So he dumped her, married Victoria, and had Chloe. A year into his marriage, once his career was secure, he rekindled his affair with Elena and had Mia. From then on, his heart belonged entirely to Elena and Mia, sparking endless high-society rumors. For all these years, he had likely been waiting for an excuse to divorce Victoria without damaging his reputation, so he could legitimize Elena and Mia. Victoria knew all of this, of course. So when Chloe was little, Victoria aggressively courted the Harrington family, successfully locking in an arranged engagement between Chloe and the Harrington heir, Chase. Wary of jeopardizing the massive corporate ties with the Harringtons, Richard hadn’t dared to make a move all these years. Now, Victoria was playing her trump card, having the Harringtons intercede on Chloe’s behalf. But… even if the Harrington family elders were willing to pull Chloe out of the fire for the sake of their profit margins, would Chase Harrington—a notorious, arrogant playboy—actually agree? I smirked. And turned back to the dorm.

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The spoiled heiress of New York’s elite circle went out to clear her head when her “first love” left the country. She set her sights on my brother, threatening to make him her toy. When my brother refused, she ruthlessly destroyed his career and forced his fiancée to leave him. She even used our entire family’s lives as leverage. After three humiliating years of my brother being forced to stay by her side, her first love returned, wealthy and powerful. To win back her true love, she callously allowed our entire family to be murdered in a hidden basement, leaving no trace behind. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day before she ever met my brother. Without hesitation, I chopped off my long hair, put on men’s clothes, and approached her myself, playing her like a fiddle. Later on, everyone said the untouchable New York heiress had lost her mind, desperate and completely obsessed with a woman. 1 A drunken, arrogant rich kid stumbled over to me. “Hey, kid, you’re lucky. Chloe has her eye on you. Name your price.” I wasn’t drinking. I just gently swirled the liquid in my glass. “Sorry, I’m not interested in her.” The rich kid threw his drink right in my face. “Don’t be a fool!” “Do you know who she is? Do you really think you have the right to refuse?” I was slammed to the ground. Through the overlapping shadows and flashing lights, the woman sitting in the center of the VIP booth tilted her head and smiled at me, looking perfectly innocent and pure. Of course I knew who she was. Everything I was doing here today, this entire act, was just for her. Chloe Sterling, the spoiled princess of New York’s high society. As the only daughter in a massive dynasty, she was treated like royalty. No one in the city dared to cross her, and everyone fought to flatter her. Everyone knew she had a “white moonlight”—a first love. It was Julian Montgomery, the heir to the Montgomery empire, whom she had been promised to since childhood. But Julian didn’t care about her at all. And today, her fiancé had left for Europe without a word, with no return date in sight. The little princess was furious. In a fit of rage, she came to this club, declaring she was going to buy herself a man. In my past life, she ran into my brother on her way home. He was just leaving the library. She fell for him instantly. More importantly, my brother looked remarkably like Julian Montgomery. So, she latched onto him. Even knowing my brother had a fiancée, she didn’t care. She completely destroyed the business my brother had worked so hard to build and used despicable tactics to force his fiancée away. Finally, she threatened him with the lives of our entire family. “If you don’t agree, your little sister is next. Do you really want people calling her a cheap slut who seduces men for money?” And just like that, my brother endured the humiliation, staying by her side for three years, waiting for the day she would finally get bored of him. Sure enough, when Julian returned, Chloe’s attention immediately shifted back to him. But to punish Julian for his past coldness, she deliberately acted intimate with my brother in front of him, making Julian harbor a deep, lethal grudge against him. Our entire family was sacrificed for their so-called “epic romance.” None of us survived. The night of their grand wedding was the same night our bodies went cold. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day before Chloe ever met my brother. I decisively cut off my long hair, put on men’s clothes, and took the initiative to approach her. This time, I was going to destroy them both. 2 Chloe held a cigarette between her fingers, took a drag, and blew the smoke directly into my face. “You don’t like me?” “I’m gorgeous. If you don’t like me, then who do you like?” The coldness slowly crept across the woman’s stunning face: “Whoever you like, I’ll make them disappear.” I had taken a pretty bad beating. My face was fine, but I had two broken ribs. Luckily, this body was trained; I could push through the pain. “Miss Sterling, I have no interest in the drama of high society. I just want to live a quiet life.” “Let me go, please?” She was relentless, laughing loudly: “Beg me.” “…Please.” “…” Her friends laughed, mocking me for having no spine. Chloe shot me a look of disgust: “Are you even a real man? Guess I picked wrong. You’re just a spineless coward.” She didn’t want to look at me for another second and ordered her guys to throw me out. She was the one who dragged me here, and she was the one who discarded me. True to her title as the spoiled princess, she did whatever she wanted. 3 I naturally didn’t head toward my real home. As soon as I realized I had been reborn, I made up an excuse to send my brother and his fiancée on a trip to Europe, and sent my parents to a quiet house in the countryside to relax. Now, I was alone, with plenty of time to carefully calculate my next move. My brother looked like Julian, and since we were twins, my features were a near-perfect copy of his. So, I also carried the shadow of Julian Montgomery. It was hard for Chloe to find someone who resembled her precious first love. Naturally, she wasn’t going to let me go that easily. She had people following me. I rented a run-down room in a crumbling apartment building. The moment I walked in, I called out, “Mom.” Then I locked the door, looked through the peephole, and watched the two suspicious guys following me exchange a look. They knocked on the neighbor’s door across the hall, asking about me. The new neighbor was someone I had hired. Following the script I gave her, she put on an emotional, dramatic performance. “That poor boy, Liam… his dad drank himself to death, and his mom was bedridden for years before passing away just recently. I hear him crying in the middle of the night all the time…” An orphan with no family, a tragic past, and a face that looked just like her first love. Wasn’t this the perfect setup for a brooding male lead in a novel? Chloe always loved comparing herself to the heroine of a romance novel. She craved a dramatic, earth-shattering love story and unforgettable encounters. I was lucky she was so obsessed with that trope in my past life. She used to pay people to act as character models for her, forcing wealthy scions she fancied in New York to play roles in the cringe-worthy fanfiction she wrote. So, I molded myself into the exact archetype she needed: a brooding, affection-starved boy waiting for a heroine to save him. I went to acting school. Playing a guy wasn’t hard at all. The bait was set. Now I just had to wait for the fish to bite. 4 The day the fish bit, I was being harassed by a “client.” He was an NPC I had specifically chosen. A low-level director at Sterling Corp, a guy named King. He looked friendly enough, but he was notorious for preying on young men, especially pretty, delicate-looking boys like me. This sleazy man was reaching his greasy hand toward my face. “Hey cutie, has anyone ever told you how pretty you are?” I remained entirely unresponsive, perfectly calm. An ashtray flew out of nowhere and smashed directly into his head. “You disgusting old creep, has anyone ever told you how nauseating you are?” Chloe appeared, looking down at him from her high horse, wiping her hands as she clicked over in her designer heels. … As Director King wailed in pain, Chloe tilted my chin up, lifting her head to flash a radiant smile. “See? I have money and power. Wouldn’t it be better to be with me?” I frowned and stepped back: “Miss Sterling, please respect yourself.” The woman puffed her cheeks and put her hands on her hips. “Liam! I had my people look into you! You’re an orphan with absolutely nothing. You’re so broke you can barely afford to eat. What are you being so arrogant for? What exactly do you want?!” I want your life. You idiot. My expression didn’t change. “That’s none of your business.” Chloe was angry now, her tone turning nasty: “Do you believe I can make it impossible for you to survive in this city?” Of course I believed her, but if I acted scared, the play would be over. “Miss Sterling, stop trying to insult me with your money. I’m not the kind of guy you think I am.” I raised my hand and lightly brushed a strand of hair from her head, making sure my eyes held the right amount of emotion, and gave a soft chuckle. “I’m just not interested in you, understand?” Chloe was stunned by the sudden flirtation. By the time she recovered, she was flustered and angry, chasing after me toward the back exit. “Liam!” I walked fast, and she trailed about thirty feet behind me, yelling my name, refusing to give up. This area wasn’t exactly safe. There were plenty of street thugs around, and seeing a beautiful woman alone at night naturally invited unwanted attention. I vanished into the deep shadows of an alleyway. Chloe was too scared to follow. She hesitated, unsure which way to go, and then, a group of guys surrounded her. 5 “Hey little girl, want to grab a drink with us?” “A pretty thing like you in a neighborhood like this? Looking for a thrill?” Chloe screamed at them to get lost. The situation instantly turned chaotic. I lit a cigarette, watching the drama unfold through a cloud of smoke. Honestly, I could have just destroyed Chloe right then and there, but there was more than one person responsible for my family’s death. I had to play the long game. I crushed the cigarette under my shoe, stood up, and casually picked up a brick. “Stop.” The blonde guy in front took a brick to the head, clutching his skull and howling. These guys weren’t pushovers either. They instantly surrounded me. The fight dragged on for a bit, and it even started raining. Finally, I kicked one of them into a muddy puddle, making him beg for mercy. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand. “Get lost! If I see you again, you’re dead.” The guys scrambled away in terror. Chloe was crouched in a corner, hugging her knees, looking up at me pitifully. “Liam, my ankle hurts.” I remained unresponsive, even turning as if to leave. Her face darkened: “If you ignore me, I’ll call the cops and tell them you assaulted me.” “You know I have the power to put you away for years.” I dropped the brick, wiped my hands on my clothes, and crouched down in front of her. “Get on.” She smiled and hopped onto my back. It seemed that after surviving that danger, she was starting to depend on me. Without realizing it, her usual arrogance had faded. “You risked your life to save me. Admit it, Liam, you like me.” “Liam, I’ve decided. I’m never letting you go.” I turned my head away, my voice flat. “Whatever.” —— I transferred some money to a contact saved as ‘Tiger’. “Sorry I hit you so hard earlier. I sent extra for the medical bills. Make sure you go to the hospital.” Tiger was a guy I knew from the underground, undocumented, so he couldn’t be easily traced. “No worries, man. You could hit me with a gold brick and I’d be fine. How was it? My acting wasn’t too bad today, right?” I replied with a “Thanks.” And turned off my phone. The fish took the bait. No need to rush reeling her in. I had to feed her first. I had to make her so dependent on me that my status in her heart surpassed Julian Montgomery. Only then could I catch them both in one net. 6 The rumor that the esteemed princess of New York high society had fallen for a broke nobody spread like wildfire through their circle. Every day, people found excuses to come and see what kind of guy I was. Most were just there for the gossip, but a few took it seriously and actively tried to humiliate me. “I can’t believe Chloe actually likes a guy like you. No money, no power, average height, and your only redeeming quality—your face—looks kind of feminine. What does she even see in you?” “Did you put some kind of spell on her?” “She is way out of your league. Be smart and get lost. If we find out you’re just playing with her feelings, you’re dead meat!” My eyes flickered. I saw Chloe walking toward us from behind, looking displeased. Then, the tray of drinks in my hand conveniently slipped and crashed to the floor, right as one of the guys shoved me, sending me tumbling to the ground. “Get away from him!” Chloe’s furious roar made everyone freeze. Before anyone could react, I picked out the guy who annoyed me the most and started throwing punches. I beat him relentlessly. They were all frat-boy buddies. Seeing me beat up their friend, they swarmed me. I was pinned to the ground, kicked, and stomped on. Finally, someone got so angry they grabbed a glass bottle and smashed it over my head. Blood bloomed across the floor, mixing with the shattered glass. In that moment, my brain short-circuited. I felt nothing. “STOP IT!” Chloe ordered her bodyguards to pull them off me. She had been coddled her entire life, protected by everyone around her. This was the first time she had ever seen something so brutal. She rushed over to me but stopped a few feet away, unsure of what to do. “Liam?” “Liam, are you okay?” I weakly shook my head, saying I was fine, and staggered to my feet on my own. She pointed at me, afraid to get closer: “You’re bleeding so much.” I looked down. My white t-shirt was almost completely dyed red. “Are you done having your fun, Miss Sterling?” Chloe’s face froze. “You think I intentionally hired these people to mess with you?” I sneered: “Didn’t you? Isn’t this exactly the kind of thing you do? Just like last time?” Her face twisted with a mix of grief and anger. She raised her hand to slap me, but I caught it. Then, gripping her wrist, I forcefully pushed her against the glass wall nearby, pinning her in a ‘kabedon’ pose. She struggled. “Let me go!” The cut on my forehead was bleeding steadily, the blood dripping onto my eyelashes and sliding down the corner of my eye. Reflected in the glass, I looked overly dangerous and captivating. I tilted her chin up, my tone casual, yet laced with a teasing gentleness. “Chloe.” She went silent, completely quiet. Because this was the first time I had ever called her by her name. Her face slowly flushed red, her eyes darting around. Being this close, I could hear her heart pounding. Being a woman myself, I knew exactly what she was thinking. She was attracted to me. “Did you hear what they said?” She asked blankly, “What?” “I have nothing. I can’t give you what you want. You might say I can give you my feelings, but feelings are the cheapest, most fickle thing in the world.” “How long can you hold on? How long can I hold on? I swore an oath that I would only ever have one relationship in my life, and it has to lead to marriage. Can you promise me that?” Before Chloe could answer, the guys who had just beaten me up started laughing mockingly. “Are you out of your mind, kid? Our Chloe is just using you as a toy, and you’re actually dreaming about dating her? Marrying her? Delusional!” I ignored them, looking only at Chloe with a faint smile: “I want to.” She furrowed her brow, her pupils dilating for a split second. 7 That night, Chloe made an excuse and left early. But from the way she retreated, it looked like she was running away. After that, I had a few days of peace. “Look at you. You just got back, and you completely changed your look, got yourself beaten up… did she take the bait?” Savannah was my best friend. She was a doctor. She was the only one who knew I was reborn, and she had been coming over these past few days to change my bandages. She shooed the nurse away, changing the dressing on my forehead while asking about my plan. “That group of friends of hers needs to be dealt with. Otherwise, my family and hers have a lot of overlapping business interests. I’ll have to go trip her up myself.” I only felt comfortable enough to drop the act and be myself around her. “Soon. She’ll crack.” Chloe’s every move was part of my calculation. “I found a really pretty girl for you. Her acting is top-notch.” Savannah waved her hand dismissively: “Why bother? I’ll act with you.” I frowned: “That won’t work. What if she targets you?” “Joke’s on her. The Reynolds family is just as powerful as the Sterlings.” True. The Reynolds family had massive influence overseas; they just kept a low profile in New York. Compared in sheer power, they were definitely a step above. But I was still worried. I knew firsthand how ruthless Chloe could be. Savannah scratched her head sheepishly: “Don’t worry, even if the sky falls, my fiancé has my back.” “He even said that as long as I don’t cheat on him, he’ll cover for me no matter what.” I understood. Savannah’s fiancé was incredibly powerful. And more importantly, he was totally whipped… And just like that, she became my scene partner. On the very first day of our act, Chloe appeared. She came to the breakroom where I worked—a tiny, cramped room—where I was eating my lunch. “Savannah Reynolds, what are you doing here?” Savannah stepped forward, looking smug and arrogant: “He’s my boyfriend. I’m bringing him lunch. Why wouldn’t I be here?” Chloe’s face changed drastically. She looked at me in disbelief, her eyes accusing me of being a massive player. “She’s just a friend.” I kept eating my soup, completely unfazed. Savannah deflated, complaining loudly: “Whatever. Who told you to reject her anyway? You made her fly all the way back from Europe just to chase you.” No matter how you look at it, hearing that it didn’t work out made Chloe breathe a sigh of relief. “Liam, I’m here to apologize to you.” Rare. To push this arrogant princess into apologizing. I pretended not to care: “You weren’t the one who hit me. What are you apologizing for?” She carefully chose her words and spoke slowly. “They are my friends. They only did it for my sake. I should be the one apologizing.” I sneered internally. “Miss Sterling, you don’t need to apologize. Just stay away from me, and I’ll suffer a lot less.” Savannah crossed her arms, leaning against the wall: “If loving someone means making them suffer like this, then if I were you, I’d feel too guilty to sleep. I’d either distance myself from the friends making things difficult for him, or I’d give up on the relationship.” Chloe bit her lip. For the first time ever, she left without saying a word. Savannah turned to me, palms up: “Will she do it?” I smiled. “Just a little more heat, and she’ll break.” 8 The next time I saw her was at the hospital. She had followed me. Savannah was standing very close to me, applying medication. But from Chloe’s angle at the door, it looked like we were kissing. She kicked the door open, screaming my name: “What are you two doing?!” But when she saw the situation clearly, she froze. Because on the other side of the room, in a corner she couldn’t see from the hallway, stood several medical interns. Savannah shoved her hands in her pockets: “Miss Sterling, this is a hospital, not your private club. Please keep your voice down.” Chloe blushed in humiliation and looked at me pleadingly. “Liam, I was just so worried about you, I had to come see you.” I didn’t say anything. I said goodbye to Savannah and led Chloe away. She followed behind me, explaining frantically. “I wasn’t stalking you. I was just afraid you didn’t want to see me, but I was worried about your injuries, so I snuck over.” “You’re not mad, are you?” In a quiet, deserted corner, I stopped and turned around. “I’m not mad. I just think… since we have no future, why are you still coming to see me?” “Your friends look down on me. They say I’m just a toy you found to kill time. I don’t want to live that kind of life. Can you please just let me go?” “Can you?” She took a step toward me, forceful and proud. “Also, I like it when you call me by my name. From now on, don’t call me Miss Sterling. Call me Chloe.” I feigned confusion, frowning: “From now on?” “Yes.” She threw herself into my arms, hugging me tightly. “I’ve decided. I want you to be my boyfriend. Just in name, nothing messy or complicated. Just a boyfriend.” My eyes were ice-cold, but I let her hug me. “But your friends don’t like me. Your family won’t either. What do you even get out of being with me?” She said she didn’t care. “As long as you’re by my side, I don’t care. I’ll cut ties with them if I have to. My life, the person I love… I don’t need them dictating it for me.” I smiled in satisfaction, patronizingly stroking her hair. “Silly girl.” Perfectly executed.

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When no one was looking, he pinned me against the wall and kissed me. “Tali, you belong to me. “No matter where you run, I will find you.” His voice burned with a feverish madness. I trembled in his grip. After all these years, his “sickness” seemed to have only grown worse. 1 I stepped through the front door and froze. Silas Vance was sitting in our living room. Five years ago, I had dumped him. Back then, he was a boy who had begged me to stay, a boy who looked like he would die without me. Now, the boyishness was gone. He was dressed in a crisp, perfectly tailored white shirt and black slacks. His dark tie was knotted with military precision. He looked every bit the corporate elite. I stood there, paralyzed. I never imagined our paths would cross like this. The world is a cruel place. My father was getting remarried. His bride? My ex-boyfriend’s mother. And the two of them had already moved into our house. Silas and I locked eyes for a split second before I jerked my gaze away. “Tali. “This is Silas Vance. He’s older than you, so you should treat him as your brother. “Actually, you two went to the same high school. What a small world, right?” My father began enthusiastically introducing my ex-boyfriend to me. 2 “Hi, Tali. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Silas smiled at me and extended his hand, acting as if this were our very first encounter. My fingers curled into a tight fist at my side. Compared to his effortless composure, I was a nervous wreck. Our breakup hadn’t been civil. I had discovered his secret. He was sick. He was obsessively possessive and deeply unstable. I had found his journals. I had seen the darkness in his mind. He had written about things he wanted to do to me—locking me away, making sure I could never leave him, making sure he was the only person I would ever see. Those words were filled with a raw, violent intensity. God knows how terrified my teenage self had been when I read them. “Tali, your brother is talking to you.” My father nudged my arm, prompting me to respond. “Hello,” I forced out. The words felt like stones in my mouth. At dinner, my mind was a chaotic mess. The food tasted like ash. Every time my eyes accidentally met Silas’s, I looked away, my heart hammering against my ribs. I couldn’t finish the meal. Eventually, I made an excuse and bolted to my room. I grabbed my phone and texted my best friend. [Gwen, do you know what Silas Vance has been up to all these years?] [Is he okay? Did he… ever date anyone else?] This was the first time since the breakup that I had dared to ask about him. Gwen’s reply came almost instantly. [Where did this come from?] [I haven’t heard of him dating anyone. He’s doing great, actually. He started his own tech firm. I think they’re about to go public.] [He’s a genius, Tali. But seriously, why did you dump him back then?] [He was obsessed with you. He would have done anything you asked.] [Actually… there’s something I never told you. I didn’t want to freak you out or make you feel guilty.] [Tali, Silas tried to kill himself.] [It was right after you broke up with him and moved away for college.] [They said there was so much blood. He barely made it.] I stared at the screen, my vision blurring. My hand began to shake. The weight of that word—suicide—felt like a physical blow. 3 I couldn’t sleep that night. Every time I closed my eyes, I thought of what Gwen had said. Even after all this time, the gravity of it felt suffocating. What was he thinking now? After all these years, did he still feel something for me? Or had he finally let it go? And what about his “condition”? I sat up and reached for my water bottle, only to find it empty. Sighing, I slipped out of bed and headed to the kitchen. In the heavy silence of the house, a tall figure approached from behind. By the time I realized I wasn’t alone, Silas was already standing beside me. He was still wearing the same white shirt and slacks. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing the lean, corded muscle of his forearms. Being alone with him in the dark, with that new information echoing in my head, made me bite my lip in panic. “Do you… do you need water?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. “Yeah.” Silas gave a short nod and handed me his glass. I took it and filled it for him, my movements jerky. “Tali.” His deep, resonant voice drifted down from above me. “How have you been? Were you happy while you were away?” “Yeah. I was fine,” I whispered. “Silas, I… I hope we can just be civil.” My mother passed away years ago. Now that my father had found happiness with Silas’s mother, I truly wanted him to have a good life. I wanted everyone to be happy. “Can we just let the past be the past?” Silas didn’t answer. He just stared at my face with those dark, unreadable eyes. “Since you’re not saying anything, I’ll take that as an agreement. “Silas, we’re not kids anymore. You know what I mean.” I spoke firmly, my eyes reflexively darting to his wrist. He was wearing a silver watch on his left hand. A dark thought flashed through my mind, but I suppressed it immediately. I wouldn’t let myself go there. “It’s late. I’m going back to bed.” I hurried past him, my heart racing. I could feel his gaze burning into my back all the way down the hall. The next morning, I left the house early to avoid him. But fate had other plans. I walked into my job interview, and the man sitting across the desk from me—my potential boss—was Silas. 4 I hadn’t expected this. When I was told the CEO wanted to interview me personally because my resume was “impressive,” I actually felt flattered. Then I walked into the top-floor office and saw Silas. “Sit.” He gestured to the chair across from his mahogany desk. He looked perfectly at ease. On the desk, I saw a takeout bag from my favorite breakfast spot from college. He hadn’t forgotten. But for me, that wasn’t a good sign. It was a warning. “Tali, you left so early this morning you didn’t have breakfast. “Eat.” I hesitated for a few seconds before dragging myself to the chair. “I didn’t know this was your company.” If I had, I never would have applied. “I know.” Silas nodded. He picked up a pack of cigarettes, pulled one out, and lit it. He used to be the “golden boy” in school—the perfect student. I couldn’t even associate the image of him smoking with the person I used to know. “Do you mind?” I shook my head and opened the food container. I was actually hungry. The atmosphere in the office was suffocating. Even though Silas was acting normal, I knew deep down—he still loved me. He slid a folder across the desk toward me. I looked down. [Diagnostic Report] was written in bold letters. My heart skipped a beat. “Tali, I’m better now. “Those things you saw in my journal… I admit, I had those thoughts. “But I know the difference between fantasy and reality. “I’m not a monster. I would never actually hurt you.” I cut him off before he could continue. “Silas. “My boyfriend is coming into town today. “I have to go pick him up from the airport.” I looked up and saw the mask of composure slip. His face went dark, the “civil” facade vanishing instantly. To be honest, during all those years apart, I hadn’t been completely indifferent. There were nights when I missed him. There were moments when I thought about going back. But those thoughts died yesterday. Knowing our parents were together made any future for us impossible. I wanted to draw a hard line between us. Silas looked like he was on the verge of a breakdown. He stared at me, his pupils blown wide. My rejection had hit a nerve. In that moment, he looked just as dangerous as he had five years ago. 5 I fled his office. That evening, I brought Leo home. “Dad, this is my boyfriend, Leo.” I held Leo’s hand and introduced him to my father, while keeping my eyes on Silas, who was standing behind him with a stony face. “A boyfriend? “Tali, you never mentioned him.” My father looked Leo up and down, then smiled warmly. He seemed to approve. “I wanted it to be a surprise. “I’m an adult, Dad. It’s not that shocking. “Also… I’ve been meaning to tell you, I’m planning on moving out. “The new job I got is pretty far from here.” I took the opportunity to make my move. “Moving out?” My father frowned, hesitating. “Which company? If the commute is an issue, you can always work for me,” Silas interjected, his voice like ice. I ignored him completely. “Dad, I lived on my own while I was abroad. I can handle it. Besides, you and Elena need your space. I don’t want to be the third wheel. “Please, Dad? Just say yes.” I grabbed my father’s arm and started pleading. “Fine. If that’s what you want,” my father finally relented. I felt a wave of relief. An hour later, I was in my room packing. Leo was waiting for me downstairs. Silas appeared in my doorway. He marched into the room and closed the door behind him. “How long has this been going on with that guy? “You’re really going this far to avoid me? “Tali, this is your home. If anyone should leave, it’s me.” “You’re overthinking it. I’m just moving for work. As for Leo… “I don’t think I owe you an explanation.” I stopped packing and looked him in the eye. “Silas, we’re over. We’ve been over for five years.” The truth was, Silas was right. I was running. Leo was just a friend I’d asked to play the role of my boyfriend. I wanted to kill two birds with one stone: convince Silas I’d moved on and find an excuse to move out. “Tali, break up with him.” “No.” Silas grabbed my wrist. His grip was so tight it was painful. I winced. He loosened his hold slightly but didn’t let go. “Tali, please. Don’t do this.” “Silas, it’s over. “If you didn’t hear me the first time, I’ll say it again. “I don’t go back to my exes. Especially not the ‘sick’ ones.” I made my words as cruel as possible, hoping to finally break his obsession. “I’m better. “Tali, I showed you the report. I’m not sick anymore. “I’m normal.” Silas spoke through gritted teeth. His eyes were red. He looked like he was about to cry. He had cried once before, when he was begging me not to leave. That image was burned into my mind forever. My heart wavered for a second, but I stayed firm. “Silas, who knows when you’ll relaspe? “You’re unstable. You can’t just ‘fix’ that.” 6 I dragged my suitcase downstairs. “Your ‘brother’ is watching us from the top of the stairs,” Leo whispered as he took my bag. “Ignore him.” I had to play the part. At the bottom of the stairs, I looped my arm intimately through Leo’s. “This is a mess, Tali. “Seriously, the way he looks at you… it’s borderline psychotic. You sure you’re going to be okay?” Leo joked once we were outside. “Are you scared?” “No.” Leo laughed and leaned in close. “Honestly, Tali, you should consider making us official. “We could be great together.” “In your dreams.” I rolled my eyes and nudged him. At 10:00 PM, Leo dropped me off at my new apartment. I waved goodbye and headed up the elevator. The move had been rushed. I hadn’t even looked at the place before signing the lease. Luckily, the agency had sent over a cleaning crew, and since it was fully furnished, I just had to unpack. I was on a video call with Gwen. “So you moved out? “Tali, do you really hate him that much? “I mean, he’s clearly still in love with you. “The guy is gorgeous, successful, and obsessed with you. Most girls would kill for that.” “My dad is married to his mother, Gwen. How are we supposed to be together? “I’m not going to ruin my father’s marriage.” Click. The sound of the front door opening echoed through the apartment. I froze. My blood ran cold. Someone had just walked in. 7 A burglar? Panic flared in my chest. Since when was the security in this neighborhood so bad? I looked around frantically for something to use as a weapon. Nothing. The place was empty except for my clothes. I ran to the bedroom door, intending to lock it. But of course, things couldn’t be that simple. I discovered the lock on the bedroom door was broken. I couldn’t lock it. The sound of footsteps approaching the bedroom door made me forget how to breathe. It was too late to call the police. My hands were shaking so hard I could barely hold my phone. I tried to stay calm and started dialing 911. Thud. Just as I was about to hit ‘call’, the door was kicked open. I gasped, my heart stopping. Silas. It was him. How did he get in? “Tali, you look nervous. “Did you think it was a stranger? “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Silas looked at me, a faint, dangerous smile playing on his lips. I was still in shock. It took me a long time to find my voice. “What are you doing here? “How did you get in? “This is my apartment. You have no right to be here. “Get out. Now.” My voice was weak, lacking any real authority. I was still reeling from the shock. I frowned, trying to look imposing. “Silas. “Leave. I’m not going to tell you again.” “Where’s your boyfriend? “Is he not here?” Silas raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes scanning the room. I gritted my teeth and tried to push him out. But the next second, he grabbed my wrists and pinned me against the wall. 8 Silas’s left hand was behind my head, protecting me from the hard surface. His large frame pressed against me, pinning me in place. “What are you doing? Let me go!” The intimacy of the situation, the predatory look in his eyes… I felt a wave of danger. “Silas. “Let go. Get away from me.” “I can’t.” Silas buried his face in the crook of my neck. The gesture was far too intimate. “Tali. “You’re not really with that guy, are you? “You did all of this just to get away from me, didn’t you? “You’re so naive, Tali. Do you really think I’d let you go that easily? “Never. I’m never letting you go. You’re mine. “Actually, I’m glad you moved out. “It makes this much easier. “I’ve missed you so much. Every minute we were apart, I was thinking about you. “Stop running. It’s useless. No matter where you go, I’ll find you. “I was going to take it slow, but you pushed me too far.” He started kissing my face, my neck, his movements frantic. “Silas, stop! Silas!” I called his name, trying to reason with him. He was insane. Completely insane. How could he do this? Everything felt so surreal, so wrong. My struggles were useless against his strength. “Heh.” A long time later, after he had kissed me until my lips were numb, he whispered in my ear, his hand still tight around my waist. “Tali, I can feel it. You still feel something for me.” My face burned. The Silas I used to know would blush if I even flirted with him. This man… he was a professional. And I hated myself because, for a second, I had kissed him back. 9 “Silas, that’s enough.” I bit my lip and tried to push him away. Through the fabric of his shirt, I could feel the hard lines of his torso. “That was just a reflex. it didn’t mean anything. “Leave. Now. “If you don’t, I’m calling the cops. “This is breaking and entering. And you’re… you’re assaulting me.” I held up my phone, trying to look like I meant it. It was a bluff. I didn’t want to call the police. I didn’t want my father to find out about any of this. “Breaking and entering? “Tali, did I forget to mention? Your lease doesn’t start until next week. The agency just gave you the keys early. This week doesn’t count toward the rental period. “I’m just visiting my own property. “And as for the ‘assault’… didn’t we use to do this all the time? “You used to love it. “Just now, you were more into it than I was.” Silas gripped my chin, his calloused thumb tracing my lips in a slow, agonizingly intimate motion. My head was spinning. This was his property? How was that possible? “I bought this place today. “I heard you were looking at this unit, so I contacted the owner and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.” He explained it so casually, as if buying an entire apartment on a whim was perfectly normal. “We’re over. We’ve been over for five years. “Silas, I’m not going back to you. “I told you, I don’t want to be with someone who’s mentally unstable. “I don’t do ‘crazy.’ “I don’t love you anymore. I don’t want you.” Crazy. That was the second time I’d called him that today. I knew how much it hurt, but I didn’t care. I just wanted him gone. The air in the room seemed to go still. “Heh.” After a long silence, Silas tilted my head up and looked me in the eye. He was smiling. “You despise me? “Fine. “But it doesn’t matter. Even if you hate me, even if I disgust you, I’m not letting go. “Tali, you were right.” His expression turned dark, his voice dropping to a low, gravelly whisper. “That medical report I showed you today? It was a fake. “I’m not better. I never was. “In fact, I’m worse.” I stared at him in horror. He was admitting it? It was all a lie? “Are you scared?” He saw the fear in my eyes and his smile widened. “Then be a good girl. Don’t provoke me. Stay by my side. “Tali, don’t push me. You don’t want to see what I’m capable of when I lose control. “A ‘crazy’ person in a state of distress… there’s no telling what might happen.” His cool fingertips brushed against my cheek. I was frozen, unable to move, unable to breathe. “I heard what you said in your room earlier. “You’re worried about our parents, aren’t you? “Then you better behave. Because if you don’t, I’ll tell them everything.” 10 I looked at the man in front of me and couldn’t find a trace of the gentle boy I had known. He had changed. He was manipulative. Forceful. He was using tactics he never would have used on me before. And I could see the madness burning in his eyes. “Silas, what’s the point? “You’re being selfish. You’re forcing me to stay against my will. When did you become so cruel?” “Cruel?” Silas seemed to savor the word. He laughed, a dark, jagged sound. “If being cruel is what it takes to have you, Tali, then I’ll be the most heartless man on earth.” He had found my weakness. I gave in. But I wasn’t going to make it easy for him. I decided to treat this as a lapse in judgment, a temporary madness. I would hide my feelings. I would never admit that I still cared about him. Once our parents were married, I would leave the country again. If I was gone, he would eventually move on. Just like he had for the past five years. That night, Silas held me as I slept. I tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let me. His arms were like iron bands around me. He had taken off his watch. The scars on his wrist were clearly visible in the moonlight. I felt a pang of horror. Knowing about it was one thing; seeing it was another. The scars were deep and jagged. Silas had truly intended to end his life. Sensing my gaze, Silas moved his wrist, trying to hide the scars. “It’s ugly. Don’t look.” “Silas, why? Why did you do it?” I whispered. “If I said it was because of you, would you care more? “Probably not.” He let out a self-deprecating laugh. “I didn’t do it for you. It had nothing to do with you. “Does that make you feel better? “It was just the illness. I was depressed. I had suicidal tendencies. It was normal. “Maybe I should have cut deeper. Then you wouldn’t be stuck with a psycho like me.” “Don’t say that.” I frowned, reflexively defending him. Silas didn’t say anything else. He just pulled me closer and kissed my ear. I went rigid. “Don’t worry. I won’t touch you tonight.” My heart tightened. We were only ten days away from the wedding. 11 The next morning. When I woke up, Silas was in the kitchen making breakfast. I stood in the living room and watched him for a long time, my heart a heavy weight in my chest. He used to make breakfast for me all the time. Back then, I really thought we would be together forever. I have a bit of a flighty streak. I used to think I could never stay with one person for long. I thought I would get bored. But with Silas, I never felt that way. Before I found his journals, before I knew he was “sick,” I was happy. I loved his attention. I loved how he took care of me. I loved flirting with him and watching him blush. And having a genius boyfriend meant I never had to worry about my homework. He was patient. He would even do it for me when I was feeling lazy. “Awake? “Come eat.” Silas turned and looked at me, his expression perfectly natural. I trudged over to the table. “Relax. “Tali, why do you look so miserable? “We’re back together. This is a celebration. “Smile for me, okay?” Silas gave me a small smile. The darkness from last night was gone. But unlike him, I couldn’t find anything to smile about. “Your condition… “Have you been seeing anyone for it? Silas, what if… what if I went with you to see a specialist?” My approach to the problem back then had been immature. Now that I was older and couldn’t escape him, I wanted to try and help him face it. Maybe if he got treatment, he would be able to let me go. “There’s no point. “You said it yourself—you can’t ‘fix’ this. “Why waste the time? “If you’re worried about me hurting you—” Silas’s dark eyes locked onto mine. “I promise you, as long as you don’t try to leave, I won’t do anything. “You know that even if I hurt myself a thousand times, I could never hurt a single hair on your head. “Your dad called this morning. He’s going to check out the wedding venue tonight. I told him I’d bring you.” I panicked. “Why did you say that? You should have let my dad tell me himself. What if he suspects something?” “What is there to suspect? Tali, you’re being paranoid. I’m your brother now. “Your dad is happy we’re getting along. “Besides, I told him you’re going to work at my firm. I told him I’d take care of you. He agreed. He doesn’t want you working for some stranger who might treat you badly.” I bit my lip. Silas in this state was impossible to argue with. An hour later, I was in Silas’s office, staring at the new workstation he had set up for me. He had made me his personal assistant. We were in the same office, in the same room. He intended to keep me under his eye twenty-four hours a day. 12 [Gwen. [How much more do you know about Silas’s past few years?] I sat at my desk, only a few feet away from Silas, and texted Gwen again. [?] Gwen’s reply was immediate. [You disappeared halfway through our conversation yesterday. [Why are you asking about him again? [I told you everything I know. [Tali, seriously, I think you’re overthinking this. [Your parents’ marriage shouldn’t be a dealbreaker. [If you love someone, you should be with them. [Silas has clearly been pining for you for years. It’s hard to find that kind of devotion these days. Why won’t you just give him another chance? [You’re never going to find anyone who loves you as much as he does.] I stared at the message for a long time. [I don’t care. I’m not going to be selfish. I’m not going to make things difficult for my father. [After the wedding, I’m leaving the country again. [I’m not coming back.] [You’re leaving again?] [Yeah. It’s the only way Silas will let it go. [To the world, he’s my brother now. [We can’t have any kind of romantic involvement.] [So you’re just running away again? Tali, why? Why are you doing this to yourself?] [Because it’s the right thing to do. It’s the only choice.] I bit my lip as I typed the reply, unaware that every word I sent was being mirrored on Silas’s screen. He had installed a camera in the plant right next to my desk.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “420123”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My sister was a child prodigy. She started talking at six months and could recite the multiplication tables up to twelve backwards by age four. My whole family treated her like a precious treasure. As the older sister, I advised our parents: “Talent only takes you so far; hard work and education are just as important.” But they thought I was just jealous of her. Because of my diligence, my teachers loved me. My sister, on the other hand, slacked off and was frequently called into the principal’s office. Over time, she grew to resent me and eventually killed me in a deliberate hit-and-run. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the summer before eighth grade. This time, I smiled and flattered her: “My sister is way smarter than me. We should listen to her.” 1 “Mia, what do you think?” Mom’s voice suddenly echoed in my ears. I opened my eyes and realized I was actually wearing my middle school uniform. My younger sister, Chloe, was sitting on the couch scrolling through Amazon, while Mom looked at me with pleading eyes. The exact same scene from the past vividly played out in my mind. I realized I had been reborn. I had returned to the first day of summer vacation before eighth grade. In my past life, Mom wanted to enroll us in a summer prep program to help us test into the state’s elite magnet high school next year, but Chloe refused to go. She smugly scrolled on her phone and said, “I just have to glance at the textbooks to understand everything. Testing into an elite high school will be a breeze. I don’t want to do summer prep.” Back then, I kindly advised her that hard work was just as important as natural talent. The speaker had no ill intent, but the listener took it to heart. I didn’t realize the seeds of hatred had been planted right then. Both of us ended up testing into the top high school, but Chloe claimed she got in without needing any prep. In high school, I spent extra time going to teachers’ offices to ask questions, while she repeatedly feigned having “important things” to do to get out of studying. Under my constant pushing and supervision, Chloe relied on her talent and a tiny bit of effort to get into a prestigious university. She even studied abroad and returned as a PhD graduate. However, her fiancé dumped her, claiming her education made her too intimidating and difficult to control. Chloe blamed it all on me and ran me over with her car. And my family? To protect their precious “genius” genes, they paid someone to take the fall for her crime. Chloe walked free. The three of them lived happily ever after, completely forgetting I ever existed. But God gave me a second chance. This time, facing Mom’s question, I looked at Chloe and offered a sycophantic smile. “Chloe is way smarter than me. Let’s listen to her.” In this life, I wouldn’t spare a single drop of sisterly affection! I would watch with my own eyes as she plummeted from her high pedestal, never to climb back up! 2 Neither of them expected me to actually agree. Mom looked at me in confusion. “Mia, do you really not want your sister to go with you?” Her eyes were practically begging me to give a different answer. But I shook my head. “No, I don’t need anyone to keep me company.” A look of disappointment washed over Mom’s face. It was only after being reborn that I realized the mother I loved so much had always used me as her scapegoat. She obviously wanted both of us to attend the prep classes and get into the elite high school so she could brag to her friends. But she repeatedly asked me, forcing the harsh words out of my mouth, so she could keep her own hands clean. Perhaps from the moment Chloe first showed her “genius” traits, our weights in her heart had fundamentally shifted. Knowing she didn’t have to go to summer prep, Chloe bought a few more dresses on Amazon. She even begged Mom to take her on a vacation to Hawaii. Mom always gave in to Chloe. With just a few sweet words, she convinced Mom, who booked the flights overnight. Before leaving, Chloe tossed her summer reading and math packets at me, just like in my past life, telling me to do them for her. In my past life, she always claimed she already knew how to do the problems, saying she was “doing me a favor” by letting me practice the questions twice so I could “learn by repetition.” And like an idiot, I believed her. She was just lazy. This time, without missing a beat, I shoved the homework packets back at her. “I have to go to the prep academy this summer, and they give us homework too. I don’t have time.” Seeing her refuse to give up, she yelled loudly, “Mom, Chloe wants me to—” Before I could finish, Chloe yanked me into her bedroom and threatened me. “Try snitching on me, I dare you!” I laughed and shoved the packets back into her hands. “You’re a genius, Chloe. A mere summer packet should be a piece of cake for you, right?” “If I do it for you, people might think you’re bullying me. Since you’re so considerate of me, I obviously have to be considerate of you.” Hearing this, Chloe’s face turned as black as coal. She snatched the packets and slammed the door as she stormed out. Her furious, flustered expression was absolutely hilarious. In this life, I was done being the thankless fool! 3 Mom and Chloe spent the whole summer partying and vacationing, while I spent it reviewing all the knowledge from my previous life. Hard work always pays off. On the back-to-school placement test, I ranked second in the grade. First place was still Chloe. Even though I had lived a whole extra life, I hadn’t touched middle school textbooks in years, and I had forgotten a lot. But it didn’t matter. I didn’t believe that hard work was worthless in the face of talent. When we got home, the whole family cheered for Chloe’s test scores, completely ignoring the fact that I had won the “Most Improved” award. Mom bragged to anyone who would listen that Chloe was a prodigy. Even her Facebook cover photo was a wall of Chloe’s academic awards. Glowing with pride, Mom kept piling food onto Chloe’s plate. “Oh, Chloe, Mommy loves you so much.” I kept my head down and ate, automatically filtering out their picture-perfect family moment, silently reciting Shakespearean soliloquies in my head. It was fine. I would love myself. After dinner, Mom took Chloe out to buy a reward. I went back to my room, pulled out the Magnet School Entrance Exam Prep Book, and started doing practice problems. In my past life, I barely scraped past the cutoff score for Oakridge Academy. But while Chloe was placed in the honors program, I was stuck in the regular classes. This time, my goal wasn’t just to get in. I was going to proudly march right into the top honors class! 4 Time slipped through my fingers, and my eighth-grade year flew by. In the blink of an eye, there was only one month left until the high school entrance exams. I had buried my head in my books all year. For the entire second semester, I deliberately maintained a rank exactly one spot below Chloe’s. I had to admit, having a master-level grasp on the material and easily manipulating my test scores felt incredibly satisfying. Meanwhile, relying on her “talent,” Chloe slacked off all year. Her mind wasn’t on studying at all. Without my constant nagging in this life, she started hanging out with juvenile delinquents outside of school. Smoking, drinking, getting into fights—she didn’t miss a beat. Yet, Mom still claimed Chloe had a “great personality” and was highly sociable, mingling well with both guys and girls. While praising her, Mom never forgot to put me down. “Look at your sister. She gets good grades and has tons of friends. Look at you. All you do all day is read like a dead fish! You’re so thick-headed!” “You’re twins, but you’re as dumb as a pig. How can you be so stupid?!” In my past life, facing these words, I would only cry secretly, blaming myself, thinking everything was my fault and that I was an embarrassment to the family. But I had already died once. This time, I fired right back at her. “No matter how dumb I am, I’m still your biological daughter. If I’m a pig, what does that make you? The mother pig?” “Instead of spending your time insulting me, you should go look at your precious younger daughter’s latest mock exam scores. The door is on your left. Don’t let it hit you on the way out.” Mom was so furious she clutched her chest and rolled her eyes, nearly passing out from rage. Then, she stormed out of my room. A moment later, I heard yelling from outside. “Chloe, how did you do so poorly this time?! Your class rank dropped by a whole hundred spots!” While the argument raged on in the living room, I sat in my bedroom looking at my own report card—ranked number one in the grade—smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. Sorry, but I didn’t hold back my scores this time. I wanted to slap her right in the face. 5 However, the fire was quickly put out. When I went downstairs, I saw the mother-daughter duo had already returned to their picture-perfect harmony. Mom warmed up some milk for Chloe and even held it up to her lips. “I’m sorry, sweetie. Mommy just got a little too emotional. I believe you can definitely get into Oakridge Academy!” Chloe drank the milk reluctantly, pouting. “I told you, I only did bad this time because I forgot to bubble in the Scantron sheet! Even without the multiple-choice section, I still ranked in the top 20 of my class. If I had those points, I’d definitely be number one in the grade. Testing into Oakridge is a piece of cake.” Mom believed her nonsense, but I knew the truth. That was Chloe’s actual level. I was the one handing out the exams; how could I not see whether she bubbled the Scantron or not? But I didn’t expose her. After all, the higher she was placed, the harder she would fall. This time, I wanted to see exactly how long her “talent” could carry her. I grabbed some cold milk from the fridge, warmed it up myself, and headed upstairs. Chloe sneered at me while watching TV. “Mia, don’t think you’re better than me just because you got first place this time. Don’t forget, in the face of absolute talent, all your hard work is useless. You want to get into Oakridge Academy? I suggest you save your breath.” Facing her provocation, I felt absolutely nothing. I poked a straw into my milk carton, turned my head, and replied coldly. “Really? Then let’s wait and see.” With that, I went back to my room and did another set of practice exams. This was the third time I was going through this prep book. I had the answers memorized backwards. Oakridge Academy was already in the bag. Chloe continued watching TV downstairs. The volume was blasted, and the living room echoed with her laughter. This time, I didn’t beg her to study and prepare for the exams. Instead, I quietly put on my noise-canceling headphones, set my alarm, and crawled into bed. I dropped my savior complex and respected her fate. Everything would be revealed in two weeks after the entrance exams. After all, slapping someone in the face personally is always much more satisfying. I wanted to see if she would still be able to laugh then. 6 Dappled shadows, the hum of cicadas, the sun baking the pavement. The massive entrance exams concluded in the sweltering heat of June. The AC in my testing room was broken. By the time I walked out, the back of my uniform was completely soaked in sweat. Outside the school gates, Mom was massaging Chloe’s shoulders while holding a portable fan to cool her down, completely ignoring me standing right next to them. “Sweetie, did you know how to do all the questions?” Chloe rolled her eyes at her. “Mom, what kind of question is that? What do you mean ‘did I know how’? I crushed every single one. Just relax.” Mom’s face lit up with joy. “I knew my Chloe was the best!” The surrounding parents praised Mom for raising such a wonderful daughter. Chloe always enjoyed being worshipped. While soaking in the spotlight, she didn’t forget to drag me down. “Sister, how did you do?” The answer keys for all subjects had been posted online right after the exams finished. During their little chat, I had already checked my answers. Everything was exactly as expected. Facing Chloe’s taunt, I said casually, “We’ll know when the scores are posted, won’t we? What’s the rush?” My nonchalant attitude deflated Chloe’s ego. Unable to throw a fit in public, she resorted to passive-aggressiveness. “Don’t tell me you did so badly you’re too scared to say it. Fine, I’ll wait until results day to see if you can still act this calm and collected!” Great. I was looking forward to that day, too. 7 There was no homework over the summer before high school. From the moment the exams ended, Chloe had been partying non-stop. Once, at home, I even saw her bring back some punk with bleach-blonde hair and sleeve tattoos, a cigarette dangling from his lips. He took one look at me and strutted straight into my sister’s bedroom. At the end of the day, we shared the same blood. To say I didn’t feel a sliver of pity watching Chloe stray down the wrong path would be a lie. But then I remembered how, in my past life, she had shown zero sisterly affection and hadn’t hesitated for a second to run me over with a car. That tiny shred of pity vanished instantly. It’s hard to save someone who’s hell-bent on ruining themselves. She had to walk her own path. You only feel the pain when the whip strikes your own skin. In this life, I wouldn’t interfere with her at all. 8 The exam results were released. Not only did I rank first in the grade, but I was also the top scorer in the entire state. Oakridge Academy not only begged me to enroll but promised a full-ride scholarship covering all tuition and fees if I did. On results day, the house phone was ringing off the hook with media outlets wanting to do exclusive interviews with me. As soon as Mom hung up the phone, a bizarre silence descended upon the house. Chloe was sitting on the couch, sobbing. She had smashed most of the vases and decorations in the house; the floor was covered in shards. Mom was frantic. “Didn’t you say you had it in the bag? How did you not even meet the cutoff score for Oakridge?!” Wiping her tears, Chloe exploded like a firecracker when her sore spot was poked. “I was one point away! How am I supposed to know how the graders scored it?! I knew how to do all those questions! Even though I didn’t check the answer key, I guarantee I got them right! I probably just forgot to bubble the Scantron again.” Mom always blindly believed Chloe’s words. After Chloe spoke, Mom shot me a suspicious look. “Could they have mixed up the scores? You two are twins, you look so much alike. Maybe the scores were swapped.” I literally rolled my eyes. The exams are graded based on student ID numbers, not by what you look like. Besides, the graders can’t even see whose test they’re marking. How could there be a mix-up? Obviously, Mom couldn’t accept that her “genius” daughter had bombed the test. She consoled herself with this delusion, refusing to believe I could score so high, completely disregarding the entire year I had spent staying up late studying. Refusing to give up, Mom dragged Chloe to the school district office to demand a recount. After checking the scores again, the personal information matched perfectly. That was Chloe’s true score. The mother-daughter duo finally admitted defeat and started stressing over finding a high school. Meanwhile, I was doing TV interviews while prepping for the upcoming high school curriculum. The road ahead was long, but I knew my future was bright. As for Chloe. Her “talent” was about to run its course very soon. 9 Chloe’s score wasn’t terribly low; it was more than enough for a regular public high school. But her pride wouldn’t allow it. She insisted on going to Oakridge Academy just like me. Mom pulled every string she had and finally paid a massive $15,000 “donation” fee to squeeze her into the school. But this time, she was only placed in the regular classes. In her class, everyone knew she was a “bought” student, and rumors swirled around her constantly. Chloe was used to being the center of the universe. Unable to handle the slight, she constantly used her “genius” status to belittle others. Over time, everyone isolated her. With no friends at school, she started hanging out with even more delinquent teens off-campus. Whenever someone dared to bring up her bought-student status, she’d have her thug friends corner them. She acted one way in front of her classmates and completely differently in front of the teachers. She played the bullying game perfectly. Chloe thought no one could touch her. But her little tricks were used in the wrong place. Finally, disaster struck. The father of the girl she bullied happened to be a police officer. Chloe kicked a steel plate. She was detained at the police station for two weeks before being released. The school also issued a final warning. “Chloe was never a legitimately admitted student, and she has repeatedly violated school rules. If this happens again, she will be expelled.” Chloe was hit with a major disciplinary mark on her record. Awards, competitions, college recommendations—she was barred from all of it. Not only that, but one more mistake meant expulsion. Mom was worried sick. But Chloe didn’t think it was a big deal. “Mom, even without those extra credits, I can get into a good college just on my pure SAT scores alone. Don’t forget, I’ve been a genius since I was a kid.” “Besides, this whole thing wasn’t my fault. She kept talking trash about me first! Am I not allowed to fight back when I’m being bullied? Even if no one else believes me, you’re my own mother. Do you not believe me either?” Chloe’s eyes reddened with fake tears. Mom, remembering all of Chloe’s early childhood brilliance, quickly changed her tune. “Mommy believes you. Our Chloe started talking at six months and knew the multiplication tables backward at four. The doctors said you had a high IQ. Of course I believe you.” Mom went right back to coddling her. I stood off to the side, watching the whole thing coldly. Mom probably didn’t even know that Chloe’s test scores had tanked again. And I doubt Chloe told Mom anything about her ties with those street thugs. I smirked. Looked like my good little sister was keeping plenty of secrets from our mother. 10 Chloe laid low for a while and didn’t cause any major trouble, but turning 18 didn’t make her focus on her studies. More than once, I saw her bringing different guys into the house the moment Mom left. She was visibly spiraling into depravity. Our quiet life was soon shattered. Dad’s company ran into severe financial trouble. To secure funding, he needed to arrange a marriage between his daughter and the heir of the Sterling family. When Chloe found out the arranged match was a wealthy heir, she immediately volunteered without hesitation. “I’m smarter than Mia, and I know how to sweet-talk. All my sister knows how to do is study; she’s boring and dense. Let me marry him. Once I marry in, I’ll definitely know how to keep my husband happy.” The Sterling heir? I remembered now. It was Chase Sterling, Chloe’s fiancé from my past life. Back then, when Chloe returned from studying abroad, Chase immediately broke off the engagement. I would never forget his smug, mocking face. “Chloe’s education is way too high, and she’s seen too much of the world. Once she marries in, she’ll be too hard to control.” “Why don’t we switch brides? I think her older sister is pretty good. She’s pretty, soft-spoken, and docile. If I keep a few mistresses on the side, she definitely won’t complain.” Chase’s rejection pushed Chloe’s hatred for me to the absolute limit. That very night, she ran me over on my way out. In this life, Chloe was still babbling endlessly about the benefits of her marrying into the family. Mom finally remembered I existed. “Mia, what do you think?” Earlier, Mom had told Chloe quite a few unsavory rumors about Chase, worried that her precious sister would suffer in the marriage. But she conveniently forgot that I was also her flesh and blood. Before I could answer, Chloe grabbed Mom’s arm. “Mom, why are you asking her?!” “Don’t you love me the most? When something this good comes along, why is she the first person you think of?!” After all, this was a lifelong commitment. For the first time ever, Mom didn’t listen to Chloe. “Mia, Mom is asking you. Are you willing to marry into the Sterling family?” Chloe glared at me. “You better think carefully.” She didn’t need to remind me; I had made my decision a long time ago. I was still in school. The higher I climbed, the further I would see. What kind of good man wouldn’t I be able to find later? I wouldn’t take the Sterling heir even if they gift-wrapped him for free. I shook my head. “I don’t want to.” “Since Chloe wants to marry him so badly, let her.” 11 Chloe happily got engaged to the Sterling family. The two met over the summer, hit it off, and were soon joined at the hip all day long. Every time the Sterling heir visited, he brought luxury caviar and expensive vintage wines, making Mom beam with joy. She completely forgot all his past rumors and genuinely adored her new son-in-law. “Thank goodness Chloe was the one who got engaged. Seeing how well Chase treats her puts my mind at ease.” Chase brought thick stacks of expensive gifts for the family every time he visited, including for me. But I flat-out rejected them every single time. I had lived a past life. The way Chase looked at me wasn’t the way a brother-in-law looks at his sister. It was the way a predator looks at prey. My repeated rejections constantly ruined his mood. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore, and his true colors slipped out. When I went to the bathroom, he sneaked in behind me and locked the door. Without a word, he grabbed my waist from behind. Before I could react, he pinched my cheeks, trying to force a kiss on me. His disgusting face reflected in the mirror. I threw a harsh elbow back into his stomach, making him groan in pain and loosen his grip. Still undeterred, he tried to rip my clothes. I turned on the sink faucet and sprayed water all over him. “Get out!” Chase wasn’t scared at all. Instead, it ignited the filthy desires he had been hiding. “Who would’ve thought a girl who looks so soft and sweet could be this fiery?” “Good, I like it. I wonder if you’re as wild in bed as your sister, or if you’ve got a totally different flavor.” As his disgusting words hit my ears, I grabbed the heavy soap dish and smashed it right into his face. The dish caught him square on the nose. Instantly, blood gushed out, and he reflexively grabbed his face. Remembering how he had just touched me, I delivered a swift kick straight to his groin. “If you want a beating, just ask. Don’t act like a creep in front of me.” The house didn’t have great soundproofing. The bathroom door was quickly thrown open from the outside. When Chloe opened the door, she saw the two of us with soaked clothes, and Chase clutching his face, wiping away a bloody nose. Chloe quickly pulled Chase away and screamed at me, furious. “Mia, are you out of your mind?!” “He’s your future brother-in-law! What the hell are you doing in here with him?!” I threw the faucet hose on the floor, calmly grabbed a towel to dry my hair, and sneered. “Oh, so you do know he’s your fiancé.” “If you can’t keep your own man on a leash, what right do you have to yell at me?” “Instead of screaming at me for no reason, why don’t you ask your fiancé exactly what he was trying to do!” Even if Chloe was stupid, seeing my messy clothes and furious expression should have given her a pretty clear picture. But she was so madly in love with Chase that she firmly believed it was entirely my fault. “You shameless tramp! Trying to seduce your own sister’s fiancé! Mia, you’re a natural-born slut! A bitch!” As Chloe cursed me out, Chase smirked triumphantly at me from the shadows. My younger sister wasn’t just stupid now; she was completely, hopelessly brainwashed by love. There was no saving her. Idiot. Wait until Chase brings a whole harem of mistresses home. Then we’ll see who’s crying. 12 Chase was a master manipulator. Seeing how wild and empty-headed Chloe was, it only took a few sweet words to coax her into bed. By the time my sister found out she was pregnant, I had maintained my rank as number one in the grade for two and a half years straight. But no one in the family knew. They didn’t care, and I deliberately never brought it up. I wasn’t about to trade my success for their fake affection. Outside in the living room, while Mom and Dad were screaming at each other over Chloe’s pregnancy, an academic competition prize of $3,000 hit my bank account. At the exact same time, I received another piece of great news. My homeroom teacher texted me to say I had been accepted early into an Ivy League university with a full-ride scholarship. While they were wailing in despair outside, I was grinning ear to ear behind my closed door. Dad smashed an ashtray. “Cry, cry, cry! What’s the use of crying now?! You’re a teenager, and you let yourself get knocked up?! Where am I supposed to put my face now?!” Mom shielded my sister in her arms. “Stop hitting her! It’s already happened, what’s the point of beating her?” Furious, Dad slapped Chloe across the face. “You disgrace! So young and completely devoid of self-respect! Let’s go! While you’re not showing yet, come with me to the clinic and get an abortion!” Holding her cheek, Chloe shot back rebelliously. “Why should I?! It’s my baby! What right do you have to decide if it lives or dies?!” “You want me to get rid of it, but I’m having it! With this baby, my position as the Sterling family’s daughter-in-law is secured! Why should I throw away a perfectly good future?!” Chloe’s words had some logic to them. If this child secured her marriage into the Sterling family, it would massively benefit Dad’s company. If she gave birth to a son, as the father-in-law of the Sterling heir, his status and power would skyrocket. Seeing Dad’s expression soften slightly, Mom chimed in. “Don’t forget, the doctors said Chloe is a genius! Her genes are incredible. Her baby is bound to be a prodigy, too.” “When your grandson grows up to be someone important, you’ll be glowing with pride as his grandfather.” “We can’t get rid of this child. We need to take careful care of her to make sure he’s born safely.” “Honey, you have to think this through!” Dad’s eyes darted around calculatingly. Finally, he sighed, his expression softening. “Does Chase know about this?” Chloe shook her head. “I haven’t had the chance to tell him yet.” Hearing this, Mom quickly pulled Chloe onto the couch, pacing anxiously. “You silly girl, go call Chase right now and tell him you’re pregnant.” “Oh, wait, no. Don’t call him. Call his mother directly!” It turned out Mom knew Chase was unreliable, too. If Chase found out and forced her to get an abortion, that would be bad enough. But if he started messing around while Chloe was pregnant and grew tired of her, it would be a total disaster. But Mrs. Sterling was different. Chase was the only heir to the Sterling family, and she wanted a grandson more than anything. As long as they won over Mrs. Sterling, Chase wouldn’t dare disobey his mother.

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When I was eighteen, Vaughn Sterling, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, hooked his finger into the back tie of my dress and dragged me out of hell. “You guys don’t want her?” “Fine, I’ll keep her.” Later on, he trapped me against his chest, deliberately tempting me: “I’m getting sick of hearing you call me ‘Uncle Vaughn.’ Want to change it?” I suppressed my frantically beating heart: “C-change it to what?” The man’s voice carried a wicked smile: “We’re not related by blood anyway. What do you think?” 01 My first meeting with Vaughn Sterling was far from pleasant. That day, I was watching the family shop as usual. Exhausted, I had just rested my head on the counter and fallen asleep. Hearing a noise, I jolted awake and stood up. The first thing I saw was a face that was far too handsome. It was aggressive. Seductive. He looked exactly like the beautiful, dangerous immortals described in fantasy novels. I stared at him in a daze, not realizing he had already called out to me several times. “Tsk,” Vaughn’s eyes glinted with a layer of disgust. “Little girl, you’re drooling.” The moment he said that, I snapped out of it. Muttering an apology, I sprinted to the bathroom to clean myself up. When I returned, my messy braids were undone, falling loose down my back, and my face was washed clean. “Are you looking to buy a bottle, or do you need a room?” I looked at the man sitting in the wicker chair, biting down on a cigarette. My eyes were glued to his long, crossed legs; I couldn’t look away. My family originally just ran a small local liquor store, but because we were near a scenic national park, my dad had converted the second floor into a motel to host tourists. Vaughn only wanted a bottle of our craft bourbon. But as his eyes swept over my face, he suddenly pulled back the hundred-dollar bills he had laid on the counter. He changed his mind. He said he was staying the night. “What’s your name?” he asked. “Avery,” I answered honestly. “Got a boyfriend?” It was phrased as a question, but the man clearly didn’t care about the answer. He grabbed my wrist and yanked me forward. Vaughn’s legs trapped mine, and his long, elegant fingers effortlessly slipped under the hem of my shirt. 02 “How old are you?” His tone was frivolous. Feeling a dangerously unusual vibe, I violently pulled myself away. My back slammed into the wooden liquor cabinet, hurting so much it messed up my breathing. “I’m… I’ll be eighteen in less than a month.” The man’s gaze slid over my chest. He didn’t believe me. Until he spotted the high school textbooks sitting on the counter nearby. He believed me. “Fuck.” The cigarette slipped from Vaughn’s fingers and fell to the floor. He looked annoyed and embarrassed. “You’re an underage kid, and you’re out here watching the shop in the middle of the night?” “My… my dad told me to.” He looked incredibly angry. I was so scared I shrank into the corner. My nose stung, and I let out a few pathetic, stifled sobs. Hearing me cry, Vaughn rubbed his temples in frustration and buttoned up his previously loose shirt. He left. I thought he wouldn’t stay here anymore. But a little while later, he came back holding several large shopping bags. “I’ve never coaxed a kid before.” “Eat this, and you’re not allowed to cry anymore.” He tossed the bags to me. I opened them and saw food, snacks, and gadgets—things I always wanted but could never afford. I was a little happy. But not just because of the gifts. After doing all that, Vaughn didn’t rush upstairs. Instead, he lay back in the wicker chair by the door, closing his eyes to rest. He didn’t say a word. But I knew he was intentionally staying with me, giving me courage in the dark. He probably didn’t know. That was the safest, most peaceful night I had experienced since my mom died. 03 Vaughn paid me several crisp hundred-dollar bills. Enough to cover his room for a long time. I used to dread coming home from school, but now I couldn’t wait. Because Vaughn only showed up at night when I was watching the shop alone. When the weekend finally arrived, I woke up early and busied myself downstairs. But I never saw him come down. I was frustrated that I didn’t have an excuse to go find him, until I realized the ancient water heater was acting up again. It was practically a godsend. When I went up to deliver a kettle of hot water, he wasn’t fully awake. His silk shirt hung loosely, his belt unbuckled. He looked like a wealthy heir recovering from a wild night of indulgence. I didn’t dare look at him. I put the kettle down and tried to leave, but he raised an arm to block me: “Kid, grab me a towel.” His voice was low, raspy, and lazy. A shiver ran down my spine, and it felt like something was going to jump out of my chest. The motel towels were cheap bulk buys my dad got from the flea market. After thinking about it, I ran to my own room and grabbed a brand-new towel. I also made a piping hot glass of honey water. When I dropped off the kettle, I had smelled a faint scent of alcohol on him. However, when I went back, I saw Vaughn flirting with a female tourist. The man’s large hand, with its prominent veins, gripped the curvy woman’s waist without an ounce of tenderness. Half of his head was hidden behind her bare shoulder. … The scene was too intense for me. My body lost all its strength, and I couldn’t breathe. Crash. The glass cup shattered at my feet. The boiling water splashed, and I cried out in pain. At that exact moment, Vaughn stopped what he was doing. 04 “Are you cursed or something?” Vaughn grumpily grabbed my ankle and ran it under cold water in the sink. To escape his annoying family drama, he had specifically chosen this remote, secluded town. Figuring there were plenty of women around, he hadn’t brought anyone with him. But he had been here for almost a week and hadn’t found anyone to his liking. He had just bumped into one, and I ruined it. “I’m sorry…” I kept my head down, my eyes burning red. “Just my bad luck.” Seeing that I was on the verge of crying, Vaughn quickly changed his tune, his voice softening considerably: “Alright, I don’t blame you.” Only then did I break into a teary smile. I don’t know if the morning’s incident ruined his mood, but surprisingly, Vaughn didn’t go out. After treating my burn, he stayed downstairs the whole time. He either teased the stray dog in the yard or tossed me pieces of candy, hovering around me. “You look like a good student, but you’re doing terrible on these practice problems.” His gaze fell on my workbook. My face flushed red, and I used my body to block his view: “I… I missed a lot of classes…” “So there are a lot of things I haven’t learned.” “Why?” Vaughn paused, tapping his cigarette ash into an ashtray. “My dad doesn’t want me to go to school.” Just mentioning that man made my back and cheeks sting with phantom pain. “He makes me work… if I don’t finish, I can’t go out.” Hearing my words, the man didn’t say anything. He pulled up a chair and sat right next to me, his long legs almost brushing against mine. “Give me the book.” 05 Seeing me unresponsive, Vaughn gave a lazy smile: “What? You think a degenerate like me doesn’t know how to study?” “Relax. I’m more than qualified to teach you.” He really didn’t look like the type to sit quietly and study. He had an aura that suggested he was raised in extreme wealth and luxury. Plus, the things he did made him seem like a playboy heir treating the world like his playground. But who could have guessed? This man had earned dual PhDs from a top Ivy League university by the time he was twenty. Half-skeptical, I handed him the textbook. To my surprise, Vaughn was incredibly good at teaching. He explained things so clearly that I understood instantly, and my efficiency in solving problems skyrocketed. Just as I was immersed in the joy of learning, I realized he only had two days left before his checkout date. An unspeakable sadness filled me. The night before he was supposed to leave, I was miserable. Until— Vaughn slid a platinum credit card across the counter. “Extending my stay.” “I need to see your report card with my own eyes. Otherwise, I won’t feel any sense of accomplishment.” He didn’t specify how many days he was staying. Holding that card, I practically wanted to jump for joy. 06 The day the quiz grades came out, I ranked first in the class. It was the first time I got a perfect score in Physics. I was so excited I cooked two extra meat dishes to thank Vaughn. But instead of him, I ended up waiting for my dad, who had been gambling heavily for the past two weeks. He had lost money again. Carrying the suffocating stench of alcohol and violence, he flipped the table full of delicious food. Then, he mercilessly grabbed a cane and started whipping me. His arrogant curses and the whistling sound of the cane breaking the air rained down on me like a storm. I scrambled to dodge, begging for mercy, hoping to awaken whatever conscience he had left. But it only resulted in more brutal abuse. This nightmare, which had lasted for nearly ten years, finally ended when Vaughn appeared. Hiding in a cabinet, I watched him kick my dad squarely in the chest, sending the pathetic man flying several feet away. As if that wasn’t enough, Vaughn stepped hard on the hand that held the cane, grinding his heel into it. I turned my head away, unable to watch. Until—someone opened the cabinet door. Along with a sliver of daylight came Vaughn, his eyes full of heartbreak. He knelt in front of me, blocking the view of my deranged father, who was desperately stuffing the cash Vaughn had dropped into his pockets. “Don’t be afraid.” Vaughn brushed aside the sweat-soaked hair sticking to my face. When his gaze fell on my torn, tattered dress, a dark, heavy gloom settled in his eyes. He smoothly pulled my exposed straps back into place, wrapping his jacket around me. Then, he carried me out. My emotional state was a wreck. The man patiently coaxed me for a long time, letting me wipe my tears and snot all over his neck. Once I stopped crying so miserably, he finally stood up, wanting to take me to the hospital. “No…” I stopped him, shaking my head. These injuries would heal on their own. I had no money for the hospital, and I was terrified of hospitals. Unable to persuade me, Vaughn had someone rush over with a bunch of medical supplies. My dad hadn’t left, and Vaughn was afraid I’d be beaten again. So, he just let me sleep in his room. 07 When I woke up, the room was eerily quiet. Vaughn’s room was completely filled with his scent. It smelled amazing and seemed to have a sleep-inducing effect on me. The moment he went to cook, I fell fast asleep. “Vaughn?” I called out tentatively. The next second, a silk ribbon was suddenly tied over my eyes. I nervously clenched the blankets beneath me. But I relaxed when I smelled his familiar scent. When I opened my eyes, the room was pitch black. There was only a single cluster of warm light. It was coming from candles on a birthday cake. “Happy birthday, Avery.” This was the first time Vaughn had called me by my full name. Such an elegant name coming from his mouth sounded incredibly beautiful. My voice choked up: “How did you know…” Ever since my mom died, I hadn’t celebrated a single birthday. As long as my dad didn’t beat me, I considered it a birthday gift. “Saw a text notification pop up on your phone.” Vaughn teased: “Good thing you’re a heavy sleeper. Otherwise, where would I find the time to prepare this?” “First time celebrating a birthday with someone. You’re pretty lucky.” The man casually wiped away my tears and used his thumb to dab a bit of frosting onto my nose. “Make a wish.” Originally… I only had one wish. But now, looking at Vaughn, I thought I had a second one. 08 Maybe I was too greedy. My birthday wish didn’t come true. In fact, I didn’t even get to see Vaughn one last time before he left. It was raining heavily in town. I sat at the cherry wood desk as usual, staring at my blank test paper. If Vaughn hadn’t left, he would be sitting here, peeling walnuts for me, teasing me in his lazy drawl: “Wow, as expected of my student. You’re so smart.” Humans are like that. Once you taste sweetness, you never want to eat bitterness again. Even though I had made do for over a decade, after tasting the food he cooked, everything else felt impossible to swallow. Even though I was used to wearing ill-fitting old clothes, after wearing the pretty dresses he bought me, everything else felt unbearable. I bit my lip and wiped the tears from my face. I wrote a few words on the paper: Test into a college in his city. My wish was to go to a university in the same city as him. But I was too naive. Because my dad had no intention of letting me study. Worse, the day after Vaughn left, he tried to marry me off to a creepy, older bachelor in the next town to settle a gambling debt. A few older women held me down on the bed, forcing me into a cheap red dress. I cried and begged him not to sell me. But that so-called “father” had long lost his humanity. He pulled my hair and laughed triumphantly: “No one to protect you this time, you worthless money-drain.” “You hung around that guy every day, I thought you were going to fly up the social ladder and become a phoenix. But all he did was pay some useless tuition fees for you.” “But he gave me an idea. While you’re still pure, I can get a good price for you. If you run off with some wild man one day, I’d lose out, wouldn’t I?” Hearing those words, I felt like I was plunged into an ice cave. My hands and feet were bound with thick rope. I had nowhere to run. 09 But I never expected that Vaughn would come back. When he carried me out of the car, his tone was casual: “Kid, I haven’t been gone that long and you’re already in trouble? Are you a magnet for trouble or what?” Seeing that handsome face, I immediately burst into tears. It was the aftermath of extreme terror. I clung to Vaughn like a koala, refusing to let go. He tried a few times to peel me off him, but seeing how clingy I was, he finally compromised and let me hold him. My dad and that older man were beaten severely. When they crawled up from the ground, they spewed filthy curses at Vaughn, telling him to mind his own business. Seeing him unfazed, my dad went completely crazy, grabbing a weapon to hit me. He had taken that old man’s money to gamble. I had to marry him today, whether I wanted to or not. Afraid of dragging Vaughn into it, I proactively dropped to my knees to beg my dad. But I was grabbed by the back of the neck and lifted up. “Following a piece of garbage like this, it’s normal to be a little cowardly. However…” “A teacher for a day is a father for life. It makes sense for me to educate you on his behalf, right?” The last sentence was directed at my dad. Before I could react, Vaughn pressed something cold and metallic into my palm. A metal pipe. Then he grabbed my arm, raised it high, and brought it down hard. Smack. The man who was arrogant a second ago instantly turned into a puddle of mud, lying on the ground groaning endlessly. “Understand, kid?” “This is how you deal with scum. You have to hit them where it hurts. Efficiency is key.” Vaughn used real force that time. My palm was numb from the impact. But my heart felt incredibly vindicated. 10 My dad said he was going to call the cops. But when he saw the look in Vaughn’s eyes, he suddenly became very quiet. I didn’t know why. Then I saw Vaughn smiling, stepping on my dad’s head, and gesturing to the older bachelor with his finger. I don’t know what the man said, but the old man, already pale with fright, looked like he had seen a ghost. He trembled like a leaf. “You… you sold your daughter to me, so she’s mine! Now I’m giving her to him.” “I… I don’t want her anymore. It’s none of my business. Whoever wants her can have her.” “I don’t want her.” Vaughn was very satisfied. With a cigarette in his mouth, he hooked his finger into the back tie of my dress, pulling me toward him. “Hmm? None of you want her?” “Fine, I’ll keep her.” After saying that, he lifted my chin, forcing me to look up. In my line of sight, Vaughn’s narrow eyes were devilishly captivating. He exhaled a puff of white smoke. He asked me: “Kid. Want to come with me?” 11 I followed Vaughn back to the Sterling estate. Seeing that castle-like architecture, I truly realized that Vaughn and I were not from the same world. The men and women in uniforms called the man beside me “Young Master.” I had only seen scenes like this on TV. I was so nervous I could barely take a step. Until a large hand rested on the back of my head, and Vaughn unceremoniously ruffled my hair. “What are you spacing out for? We’re home.” That simple phrase “we’re home” made my eyes sting and filled me with deep anxiety. Back in my hometown, I had agreed so readily. I never stopped to think… would Vaughn’s family hate me? However, facts proved I was overthinking. I didn’t expect that only one person lived in this massive house. And it was an older man. Vaughn called him by his full name, Arthur Sterling. The man in his fifties just called him a little brat. I was totally confused. Thankfully, the housekeeper reminded me that this was Vaughn’s biological father. I had to call him Grandpa. Grandpa was thrilled by my arrival. Not only did he prepare a lavish family dinner, but he also excitedly told Vaughn to take me to pick out a bedroom. Dresses and jewelry were sent to my room by the pile. He treated me exactly like his own granddaughter. Even the maids in the house affectionately called me “Little Miss.” Overnight, I went from hell to heaven. 12 Vaughn transferred my school records at lightning speed. He enrolled me in the best prep school in the city. I was happy at first, until the pretty class president led the charge to isolate and bully me. Only then did I understand… class is an uncrossable chasm. At my strong request, I enrolled as a sponsored, low-income student. For my daily commute, I chose the most eco-friendly option: taking the bus. Probably because I was too out of place among those rich kids, they targeted me. I didn’t tell Vaughn about this. But he noticed something was wrong. “Tell me, what happened?” The man first checked my forehead to ensure I wasn’t sick, then looked at me expectantly. I mumbled: “Studying… is a bit hard.” This wasn’t a lie. Compared to my small-town school, this place focused much more on comprehensive development. Just the spoken language classes alone made me feel inadequate. Vaughn didn’t think this was a big deal. He said he would hire tutors for me, adding that I was very smart and catching up to the top students was only a matter of time. Finally, he looked at me, his tone teasing: “Also—kid, do you think I’m just a decoration?”

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My son returned from his Harvard graduation to attend my birthday party. With his right hand, he held his biological mother, and with his left, his girlfriend. He poured a glass of red wine over my head and said that the person he hated most in this life was me, and he wished I were dead. In the moment of agonizing heartbreak, his cold, disgusted eyes became my last memory. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to five years ago. 1 “Hello, Mrs. Vance, please come down to the school. Ethan, he…” Receiving the familiar phone call, I felt a bit dazed, my heart racing as if I’d had a long dream. “Mrs. Vance, Ethan happens to have a math competition this Friday, but he suddenly pulled a stunt like this. Please talk some sense into him. His future is on the line.” The homeroom teacher adjusted his glasses, looking at the two people in the corner with frustration. Ethan Vance and his girlfriend. The two were caught dating by the teacher, and showing no signs of remorse, the parents were called in. I watched my son glare at me with sheer hatred. His little girlfriend hid behind him, her lip gloss and eyeshadow shimmering as she pouted with grievance. “I don’t need you controlling me. You aren’t even my real mom! You’re just a homewrecker.” The teacher’s expression drastically changed, and the other teachers in the office looked up at me. Ethan didn’t spare me an ounce of dignity. “Mr. Davis, I’d like to take him outside to say a few words. Sorry for the trouble.” In my previous life, I forced the two to break up, compelling Ethan to participate in the competition that was crucial for his early admission to Harvard. He didn’t disappoint, taking home the gold medal and securing his spot. But his girlfriend suddenly transferred schools. He hated me for tearing them apart. On my birthday, he intentionally brought that girl to me. The two looked at me with disgust and poured red wine all over me. Ethan gnashed his teeth and said: “You just can’t stand to see me happy. You tore my parents apart, and now you want to tear us apart. Go to hell. I will never forgive you.” Coming back to my senses, I looked at the two holding hands in front of me. “I won’t…” “I won’t oppose you guys, just don’t embarrass me in front of the teachers. I don’t want to be called to the school for this kind of thing again.” Before Ethan could speak, I beat him to it. My son stared at me in disbelief. I ignored them, nodded to the homeroom teacher, and left the office. This Friday, that girl would make Ethan choose between celebrating her birthday and taking the math competition. Obviously, no matter what, he turned eighteen last month. This time, I was handing the choice back to Ethan himself. Let him choose! 2 The homeroom teacher still didn’t give up and called me again. Half an hour before the exam, the two had skipped class. I drove to the amusement park and could faintly see their backs—youthful, unrestrained, and reckless. I checked my watch, waited until the exam start time had completely passed, and drove away. The first time I met Ethan, he was only two years old, a tiny little thing. His mother divorced his father, Richard Vance, because Richard was always busy with work. She quickly found a new love and didn’t even take him with her. Ethan’s little hand gripped my thumb, and he spoke sweetly. Though it was slurred, he said: “Mom… Mom…” I hugged him tightly. Even though he wasn’t my biological child, I decided then and there that I would treat him as my treasure and be good to him for the rest of my life. He started growing up and went to school. I didn’t yield an inch to Richard on the issue of his education. I strongly disagreed with his free-range parenting style. I read countless books on child psychology and cognitive development, yet I was afraid of applying them incorrectly on him. Worried that my lack of expertise would hold him back, I entrusted him to professional tutors. I rejoiced at his every progress and lost sleep over his every setback. I had a gentle and kind personality, but I forced myself to play the strict mother. I loved him dearly and couldn’t bear to see him cry, but I was merciless when it came to correcting his mistakes. He once made a wish to me, saying he wanted to go to the best university in the country, to Harvard. That was his dream. I etched that firmly in my heart. Ethan’s natural talent was limited; he was a bit lazy and not very self-disciplined. So, I willingly became the stepping stone beneath his feet. Even if he complained about me and resented me, I wanted to lift him up to achieve his dream. In my previous life, after discovering Ethan had a knack for math, I swallowed my pride to seek out renowned professors to tutor him. I took time off to accompany him to summer camps and traveled across the country for tests. Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on tutoring fees, which caused me to miss out on several career promotions. But in the end, he said he hated me. He said he didn’t like math at all, and even without the competitions, he could have gotten into Harvard on his own. Now, I just wanted to see how he would get into Harvard on his own. When Richard called from overseas, nine out of ten sentences were questions about his son. “Audrey, thank you for taking such good care of him. I know it’s been hard on you all these years. Deep down, Ethan treats you like his real mom. I’ll make it up to you properly. I love you.” I coldly hung up the phone. One said he loved me; the other said he treated me like his real mom. Yet, in the end, I was humiliated by them and died full of resentment. Late that night, Ethan still hadn’t returned. I turned off the lights and fell asleep peacefully. I used to stay awake all night when he came home late, full of worry and anxiety, waiting up for him. He complained and accused me of restricting his freedom, saying my strict control was suffocating him. Now, I was setting him free. 3 When I received the call from the police precinct the next day, I wasn’t surprised. In my previous life, this same event occurred, but I had aggressively intervened and bailed Ethan out of the entire mess. The center of this incident was his crush, Chloe Harper. “Whose parent are you?” I scanned the dejected teenagers and said, “Ethan Vance’s.” “They got drunk and started a brawl. One kid got his head smashed and is in the ER right now. Nobody is admitting to throwing the punch, so we…” On Chloe’s youthful face, her makeup was heavy, her hair styled in big waves, yet she leaned pitifully against Ethan. Ethan glanced at me, lowered his head, and said stubbornly, “I want my dad here. I don’t need you!” I called his dad right in front of him. It just rang busy; no one answered. The police officer suddenly asked sternly again, “Who exactly threw the punch?” Chloe suddenly burst into tears, hugging Ethan tightly. He looked up, and our eyes met. I knew who did it, and Ethan knew too. How would he choose? “It was me. I threw the punch. I smashed the bottle over his head.” Ethan lifted his chin, his voice echoing firmly, taking the blame entirely. This was his defense of his true love, a display of his courage. He shielded Chloe in his arms like a real man. At that moment, Chloe’s mother arrived. Highly emotional, she slapped Ethan across the face: “You delinquent, ruining my daughter! Now you didn’t just end up in the precinct, you put someone in the hospital. One look at you and I know you’re a thug. You’re gonna end up in prison!” “Stay away from Chloe, do you hear me?!” Ethan’s face turned pale. As a proud, privileged boy, this was the first time he had ever been cursed at like this. He looked at me, lost and confused, unable to understand why I—who usually coddled him—was just watching him get insulted. Without a single ripple of emotion. Chloe hid behind her mother at this moment, not saying a word. Ultimately, because it was his first offense, he was a high school student, and the other party had fought back (resulting in minor injuries overall), the situation was deemed mild. As long as we actively paid compensation, it could be settled out of court. He was still wearing a ridiculous studded leather jacket, ripped jeans, and reeked of cheap alcohol. I rolled down the car window. “You, why did you…” he started blankly, looking at my reflection in the rearview mirror, a swollen red slap mark still on his face. He didn’t finish his question. After I finished handling the paperwork, we headed back to the school. 4 He used to hate me coming to his school. He wouldn’t even allow me to attend parent-teacher conferences. From the moment he started school, he never once called me Mom. Once he realized the existence of his biological mother, he stopped calling me entirely and instead began to hurl insults. He firmly believed I was the one who ruined his parents’ marriage, that I was a despicable homewrecker. I explained to him countless times that his dad and I dated normally; they had already been divorced. I was not a mistress. But Ethan clung to his own judgment. Combined with his rebellious teenage phase, he embarrassed me multiple times. He even directly invited his birth mom to family gatherings. Mother and son would sit together and pull his dad in, making me look utterly redundant. When introducing me to his friends, he would say: “Look, that’s my stepmom. She’s the mistress.” I truly loved and protected him, treating him as my own child. How could a mother hold a grudge against her kid? But then, I caught him slipping birth control pills into my water. When confronted, he made ridiculous excuses. He didn’t want me to have a child of my own, thinking I would start abusing him and that my child would fight him for the inheritance. I finally couldn’t hold back and slapped him, demanding to know why he harbored such messed-up thoughts. He glared at me, like he was looking at a sworn enemy. When I was heartbroken and in despair, Ethan suddenly apologized. He said he was wrong, and our relationship temporarily softened. I gave in again. I watched him grow from a tiny toddler into a tall, strapping young man; he was my child. He said he wanted to get into Harvard, and I did everything in my power to help him, sacrificing my own career to manage his diet and schedule. Getting into an Ivy League is no easy feat. If he could win gold in the national competition, he’d secure early admission. If he failed the competition and his SAT scores weren’t enough, I planned to arrange for him to study abroad. I had planned everything out for him, hoping his future would be smooth and brilliant. He achieved his dream; his future was bright. But it turned out he had always despised me deep down. I was a stain on his life. His warmth towards me was nothing but a fake facade, a scheme brewing to humiliate and take revenge on me. At his graduation, which also happened to be my birthday party, he was the golden boy, the envy of everyone. With his right hand, he held the birth mother who abandoned him, and with his left, the girlfriend who had once blackmailed me for $200,000. He looked at me with eyes full of pure hatred. In front of everyone, he called me a wicked stepmother with a venomous heart who abused him constantly, tearing him away from his true love and destroying his happiness. I was painted as an unforgivable, malicious woman. In front of the entire crowd, he poured red wine over my head and said he wished I were dead. In the moment my heart seized in agonizing pain, Ethan leaned close to me. He whispered that he had poisoned my medication, causing my body to fail day by day, because he truly wanted me to die. 5 I poured everything into raising him, yet he refused to attribute even a fraction of his success to me. But now, I was frequently heading to the school to clean up his messes. The homeroom teacher’s expression was one of absolute heartbreak: “Ethan, how did you end up like this? The school has always treated you as a top Ivy League prospect! And you? Now you’re dating, fighting, and ending up in the police precinct. What are you trying to do?!” “Mrs. Vance, as a parent, you have to care and discipline your child! You can’t just let them run wild! Both the school and the family need to take responsibility.” I patiently listened to the teacher’s lecture. I used to understand this logic better than him, but this was Ethan’s own choice. This time, I decided to respect all of his choices. I wanted to see if, by following his own desires, he could live a better life than in his previous one. He wasn’t expelled, but he received a major demerit and was transferred from the AP classes to the regular classes. Studying is like rowing upstream; not advancing means falling back. He was already failing to keep up with the AP curriculum anyway. Due to my outstanding work performance, I was scheduled to travel for a very important corporate meeting that week. Ethan mentioned that the class was holding a parent-teacher conference. He lowered his eyes, seemingly already knowing my choice, assuming I would choose him. I used to want to go to his parent-teacher conferences so badly as his mother. I wanted to witness his honors, to proudly show everyone the gem I had carefully polished. But he never allowed me to go. He never gave me that chance. In my past life, when he got his first top-tier grades, I turned down a major promotion from my boss just to watch him receive his award. But Ethan intentionally gave me the wrong time and place. I waited there all day like an absolute fool. I wouldn’t be a fool in this life. The next day, at his class’s parent-teacher conference, only his seat remained empty. I chose my job, fulfilling his wish from the previous life. When I walked through the door, Ethan smashed a glass cup at my feet. His eyes were dark and bloodshot: “Why didn’t you go to the school for the conference?! I was the only one in the whole class without a parent!” I looked at him silently. The scene was so strikingly similar. In the past life, he had roared at me just like this. “What right do you have to go to my school? Do you deserve to? You aren’t my mom; you’re just a disgusting homewrecker!” Time and space overlapped, shadows merging. I walked past him without a shred of emotion. In my past life, I was devastated, my heart pierced by the person I viewed as my own son. That feeling made me constantly doubt myself, wondering where I went wrong, where I had failed him. But now, my heart was completely indifferent. I wasn’t his mom, so why should I go to his parent-teacher conference? His dad finally found the time to deliver a long, trans-oceanic lecture. In the past life, he was an absentee father. He left all the “bad cop” parenting to me, occasionally popping up to play the “good cop.” It was so easy for him to become the tolerant, open-minded, ultimate good dad in his son’s eyes. “Audrey, Ethan’s teacher told me his grades have been slipping lately, and he’s not studying properly. He’s been doing all sorts of nonsense. What’s going on?” “My ability to educate him is lacking. Why don’t you come back and parent him yourself? Ethan misses his dad very much.” The man immediately changed the subject: “Sigh, studying is ultimately his own responsibility. I’m too busy over here, I want to come back too, but I really can’t get away. Audrey, you’ll have to put in more effort. I’ll call the boy and scold him too.” This was an outcome I had anticipated long ago. His son was important, but not as important as his job. Only the old me, blinded by self-righteous maternal love, willingly sacrificed everything for him. Only to receive not a single ounce of gratitude in the end. 6 My career skyrocketed, and I quickly became the general manager of the branch office. The truth is, I was never inferior to anyone; I had just poured all my time and energy into Ethan before. Meanwhile, Ethan had completely degenerated into a delinquent. Skipping class, fighting, dating, and receiving multiple school-wide disciplinary warnings. His teachers stopped calling me. If even the parents had checked out, what could a teacher possibly change? We all gave up on Ethan. He finally got to choose the freedom he desperately wanted. He didn’t have to be forced by me to drink milk every day or eat a balanced diet. He didn’t have to wake up early for study hall, didn’t have to shuttle between SAT prep classes on weekends, and didn’t have to wear the same boring uniform every day. He no longer had to endure my nagging, my supervision, or my “unnecessary” care. He started fighting with his dad: “You were always busy with work and never cared before! What right do you have to interfere in my life now?! I make my own choices!” “You ungrateful little brat! If I don’t make money, who supports the family? Who feeds you, clothes you, and apparently raises an enemy?! You better study hard and listen to me, do you hear me?!” “You guys never actually cared about me! You just treated me like a mindless puppet to satisfy your own control issues!” “What nonsense are you talking about?!” “…” “You little punk, if your teacher calls me again to say you’re failing, I’ll break your legs…” Crash— Ethan smashed his brand-new smartphone onto the floor. With bleached blonde hair and a black ear stud, he had completely transformed into a different person. He shot me a cold glare, left the house, and didn’t return all night. Time refreshed day by day, and the countdown to the SATs and college admissions had begun. My professional performance was stellar, and I was successfully transferred back to corporate headquarters, promoted to senior management. “Ms. Collins, I’d like to request some time off. My son’s school is having a parent-teacher conference. He ranked first in the entire school this time.” My subordinate, Linda, asked for leave with a proud expression. Her child sent a voice memo at that moment. “Mom, you have to come! I want you to watch me get my award.” I gladly approved her request. “Ms. Collins, your son must be taking his college entrance exams soon, right? I haven’t heard you mention him lately. Ethan, wasn’t it? You used to say he was so smart, he might just be the valedictorian this year!” I smiled. “I hope so. Hard work never deceives anyone.”

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My husband went through a breakup and has been crying himself to sleep every night. I pretended not to hear him, thinking I was handling our boundaries perfectly. But then he accused me of not caring about him. “Harper, I give you a $300,000 allowance every month.” “And this is how you brush me off?” I felt deeply ashamed. So, I called my eight boyfriends over to the house to take turns counseling him. After all, men understand men better, especially when there are so many of them. I didn’t expect him to have a complete meltdown. 01 Nathaniel has been acting weird lately. He stopped going to the gym and quit racing his sports cars. He even changed his Instagram bio to: “I was planning our future, while you were planning your exit.” He used to be out all night, but now he comes home earlier than I do. I flicked on the light and saw him lying on the couch, looking miserable and utterly shattered. Given his state, it was highly likely he had broken up with his latest little canary. As his legally wedded wife, I simply tiptoed to the bedroom door, closed it, and let out a sigh. Thank goodness things with my boyfriend…s are stable. We’re practically glued at the hip, wishing we never had to be apart. … I thought, given how fast Nathaniel changes women, he’d snap out of this heartbreak haze in no time. But his crying got worse every night. At its peak, the bed was literally shaking. I pretended not to hear it, priding myself on mastering the art of marital boundaries. I didn’t expect Nathaniel to suddenly turn around, his eyes swollen like walnuts, and indignantly accuse me: “Harper, I’ve been crying for days, and you’ve been playing deaf the whole time. “You’re just afraid of inconveniencing yourself. “Is this how a wife should act?” I was completely bewildered by his yelling. It took me a few seconds to process it. He actually wanted me to comfort him?! Ha! Men! He gets his heart broken by some girl outside, and he comes home to cry to his wife. We’re married, sure, but it’s not that I wasn’t willing to comfort him. It’s just that I’m madly in love right now, and he’s heartbroken—I couldn’t empathize at all. What if I said the wrong thing and triggered bad memories? The less you say, the fewer mistakes you make. Meeting Nathaniel’s expectant gaze and red nose, I simply offered a flat “Oh.” Nathaniel lost it. He bolted upright from under the covers, pointed a finger at my nose, and raged: “Harper, I give you a $300,000 monthly allowance. “You went from a country farm girl to the Mrs. Sterling everyone envies. “And this is how you repay me? “Do you have no conscience?” Nathaniel unloaded on me. I lowered my head, drowning in guilt. Back then, when I was raising pigs on a farm in Texas and dreaming of getting rich overnight. Nathaniel showed up. He declared: “I hate the arranged marriage they set up for me. I’m going to marry a country pig farmer to piss them off. “Her. She has the goofiest smile.” Just like that, I miraculously became Mrs. Sterling. On our wedding night, turning his handsome profile to me, Nathaniel coldly tossed a black Amex card at me. He delivered the most romantic lines in the world: “Harper, you are just a tool I married. If you’re smart, don’t harbor any unrealistic fantasies. I, Nathaniel Sterling, could never fall for a pig farmer. You may look decent, but we belong to different social classes. “From now on, we live our own lives. To compensate you, I’ll give you a $300,000 monthly allowance. “Don’t complain it’s too little. For a pig farmer like you, this is all you’re worth.” Complain it’s too little? Never. That was $300,000 a month! Besides, this was my area of expertise. I had just buried an old sugar daddy two years ago. This time, there were no annoying stepchildren, no monster-in-law, a husband who never came home, and I didn’t have to have kids. This was a blessing people would fight for. Tonight, it was my duty to soothe him. I slowly reached out, awkwardly patting Nathaniel’s back. My eyes were sincere and full of deep sympathy: “Don’t be sad. Next time, just find one who doesn’t already have a husband.” 02 Before I could say another word. Nathaniel was so enraged his mouth was twitching. He looked like he needed an ambulance. Before slamming the door on his way out, he dropped a threat: “Harper, if you don’t figure out a way to make me feel better, you can kiss this month’s allowance goodbye.” What? That was a death sentence! What was I supposed to do about my eight sweethearts? Winter was coming, and I was counting on that money to buy them custom-tailored luxury coats. I could suffer a little, but they were young and had delicate skin; they couldn’t just settle for anything. I was so anxious I couldn’t sleep. In the middle of the night, I texted a newly added, aloof guy with killer abs on Snapchat. It had been days, and he only ever replied with a lukewarm “Oh.” He was so damn hard to flirt with. Almost as challenging as the old man’s son, Sebastian Reed. Thank God I ran away immediately after the old man was buried. Unable to find a good conversation starter, I just threw caution to the wind and asked: “Hey cutie, my friend’s husband got dumped and cries himself to sleep every night. It’s breaking my friend’s heart. How can she cheer her husband up?” To my surprise, he replied instantly. “It’s simple. Have your friend’s boyfriend comfort him. Men understand men better.” I slapped my thigh. That was brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that? So, the next day. I prepared a feast with top-shelf liquor. I called my eight boyfriends to the house to take turns counseling Nathaniel. After all, men understand men better, especially when there are so many of them. I refused to believe he couldn’t get over it. Boyfriend #1: “Nate, bro, you’re the golden boy of the Manhattan elite. How can you let a woman who doesn’t love you drag you down like this?” Boyfriend #2: “Nate, if she’s gone, she’s gone. The next one will be sweeter.” Boyfriend #3: “Nate, if it’s really that bad, why don’t you try a silent retreat at a monastery for a while?” Boyfriend #4: “Yeah! Yeah! I’ve heard the ‘Wall Street elite turned Zen monk’ aesthetic is huge right now.” With that, Boyfriend #4 pulled out a singing bowl and was about to start chanting with Nathaniel. That wasn’t going to work! I quickly gave Boyfriend #6 a look. Number Six had high emotional intelligence and was a much smoother talker than the rest. He pushed through the group and familiarly threw an arm around Nathaniel’s shoulder: “Nate, bro. A bad breakup or terminal cancer—which do you choose?” Nathaniel stopped crying, thought about it seriously, and answered: “Breakup.” “A breakup or a lifetime of poverty—which do you choose?” “Breakup.” “There you go!” Number Six clapped his hands in satisfaction. “Still sad?” “I guess not as much.” The eight of them had successfully completed their mission. Nathaniel and I watched them leave. For the first time, there was a spark in Nathaniel’s eyes when he looked at me. “Harper, I always thought you were a boring country bumpkin. I never expected you to have such an interesting group of people around you. “Honestly, I’m starting to get curious about you. Maybe you will become the real Mrs. Sterling someday. “If you behave well, I might even consider having a kid with you. “After all, for you women, a child is security. “By the way, what’s your relationship with them?” I was still reluctantly waving goodbye to the eight of them. I answered without thinking: “Boyfriends. These are just the ones from this year; I broke up with last year’s batch. “I’ve got my eye on another one recently. He only posts ab pics on Snapchat, but based on my years of experience, I guarantee he’s super hot. “Too bad he’s so aloof. He barely even replies to my messages. “Hahaha, makes me want him even more!” After saying that, I chuckled creepily for a few seconds. Then I realized what I had done. Damn it. I just outed myself. 03 Nathaniel’s face looked worse than I had ever seen it. The veins on his forehead were bulging, and his jaw was clenched so tight his teeth were grinding. He looked ready to skin me alive. I opened my mouth to explain, but he grabbed my wrist and slammed me hard against the wall. “Harper, I underestimated you. “Tell me the truth, how many times have you cheated on me?” I shakily raised a hand, making a swearing gesture: “I swear, never enough to fill two poker tables at once.” Sob. I was just worried there would be too many people and they wouldn’t get along. Nathaniel laughed, though he was furious: “Great! Taking my allowance and partying harder than me. You’ve really got skills. “If the guys in my circle found out, where would I put my face? “Harper, I don’t think you need to be Mrs. Sterling anymore.” With that, Nathaniel smashed the most expensive vase in the house and stormed out again. I was terrified. My cash cow was divorcing me. This time, I was genuinely panicking. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep. Desperate, I went to Nathaniel’s favorite high-end lounge to find him. In the dimly lit VIP room. Nathaniel sat slouched in the center of the sofa, surrounded by a group of innocent-looking girls. I counted—exactly eight. His imagination was too limited. If it were me, I would have called sixteen. “Well, well, what brings the wife here?” His trust fund friends saw me enter and immediately sat up, looking like they were ready for a show. “Here to drag Nate home?” “Since when did Nate become so whipped?” Hearing this, Nathaniel snorted coldly and mocked: “She really thinks she’s Mrs. Sterling. Overestimating herself.” “Don’t mind him, sister-in-law. Nate just likes to play. “He’ll settle down when he’s older.” I bit my lip and stayed silent. My teary eyes made me look like a fragile, stubborn little flower, humbly begging her lover not to abandon her. “Hubby, I was wrong. Please don’t divorce me. “You are my hero, my true love, the one I want to grow old with. “Without you, I’m a fish out of water. I can’t survive. “Even if you find ten more girls, I don’t mind, as long as you remember to come home.” My passionate confession moved the guys who were hoping for drama to tears. “She loves him so much!” “She’s literally a hopeless romantic.” “What I said earlier was messed up.” The guy slapped his own face. “I’m so jealous Nate has a wife who loves him this much.” Nathaniel’s ego was massively stroked in front of his bros. He shooed away the girls around him, leaving me to help entertain a VIP guest with them. Word was, this VIP came from a prominent family but didn’t rely on his background. He came to New York alone two years ago and now controlled the local economy. Even a born-and-bred elite like Nathaniel had to walk on eggshells around this outsider. In a word: a total boss! I was dying of curiosity to know who this VIP was. The last person who surprised me that much was that psycho, Sebastian. Speaking of Sebastian, he had probably inherited the Reed family empire by now, calling the shots in LA, and married a girl with a background equal to his. They probably even had a second kid on the way. While I was still here, hustling like crazy. I wanted to cry! However, when the VIP room door slowly opened, and I saw the man walk in with his usual aloof expression, sharp features, and an aura that was gentle yet unapproachable… I was dumbstruck. It was Sebastian Reed. He was the VIP they were talking about. What a small world. Why wasn’t he staying in LA? What was he doing here? Was he… here to get revenge for that night? My mind flashed back to the scene of tying his hands and pinning him beneath me. The young man with red eyes, stubbornly saying: “Harper, have you forgotten who you are? You are my stepmother. Do you have no shame? “Stop this right now!” 04 I completely ignored him, ripping off his last piece of clothing: “I didn’t sign a marriage license with your old man, what kind of stepmother am I? “Aren’t you going around spreading rumors that we’re sleeping together? Today I’ll show you what that really means.” What followed was behavior worse than a wild animal, absolutely reprehensible. The high-and-mighty young master of the Reed family was ruined by me just like that. Afterward, Sebastian refused to admit defeat, viciously warning me: “Harper, you better pray you never fall into my hands.” I didn’t take it seriously. When he fell asleep from exhaustion. I pulled my pants up and fled in the dead of night. Just thinking about how furious he must have been when he woke up the next day and couldn’t find me to vent his anger made me feel incredibly satisfied. I thought I would never cross paths with Sebastian again in this lifetime. I didn’t expect us to run into each other tonight. Knowing his petty, vengeful personality, he would definitely tear me into pieces. After all, rumor had it the Reed family’s wealth was built on some shady business. Ugh… it was all the alcohol’s fault. As a good woman, I just made a mistake any woman could make. I prayed to Buddha that he wouldn’t spot me. So I quietly backed up behind the crowd, planning to slip away when they weren’t looking. Success was right in front of me. When suddenly, a waiter pushed the door open. I was exposed in broad daylight. And that sharp gaze immediately locked onto me. “Mrs. Sterling bears a striking resemblance to an old acquaintance of mine. If you didn’t look closely, you might think they were the same person,” Sebastian said lightly, glancing at me. A cigarette was lit between his fingers, the smoke slowly rising. My heart leapt into my throat. Nathaniel’s friends joked: “What a coincidence! Could this old acquaintance be your ex-girlfriend, Mr. Reed?” Sebastian chuckled: “She was my stepmother. She ran away the very night the old man was buried. I have no idea what she was running from. Was she worried my family couldn’t afford to keep her? What do you think, Mrs. Sterling?” “Me?” I shakily wiped the sweat from my forehead. “Maybe she was just too kind and didn’t want to be a burden to you.” “Kind?” Sebastian looked as if he had heard a hilarious joke. “This stepmother of mine is a textbook toxic woman. While the old man was still alive, she blatantly cheated on him.” “What? That’s insane!” “There are women like that in the world?” “Our sister-in-law is nothing like her. Sister-in-law is absolutely devoted and deeply in love with Nate. And she is incredibly innocent. Besides Nate, there will absolutely never be a second man. Right, Nate?” Nathaniel’s grip on his glass tightened so much it almost shattered. “That’s right. Besides me, Harper will absolutely never have a second man.” Nathaniel’s friends shot me looks, clearly wanting credit for hyping me up. I facepalmed in despair. You guys are absolute geniuses. Sebastian raised an eyebrow: “Mrs. Sterling sounds like a truly wonderful woman. “If I manage to find that stepmother, I’ll definitely bring her back to my family and treat her with all the ‘filial piety’ she deserves.” 05 The last few words were said through gritted teeth. After finishing, he forcefully stubbed out his cigarette. I suddenly felt a suffocating sensation, like someone was choking me. I couldn’t say a word of my suffering. Is it possible that the guy I hooked up with was your old man’s lover? I was just a tool who took $10 million to be his cover. Why was all the blame being pinned on me? I was more wronged than a falsely accused martyr. I shakily put down my wine glass, my face pale, and said to Nathaniel beside me: “Hubby, I just remembered I have soup on the stove at home. I need to go back first.” Sob, that kid’s intimidating aura is even stronger than it was two years ago. The way he stared at me sent shivers down my spine. Once out of the room, I wanted to slap myself a few times. “Harper, Harper, you brought this on yourself. Why didn’t you just take the money and run? Why did you have to go out of your way to offend that psycho Sebastian? “When he goes crazy, he even starts rumors about himself. “No, I need to figure out a way to run.” Suddenly, a pair of strong, powerful hands grabbed my arm and pulled me into an empty room next door. Before I could react, I was pinned against the wall by Sebastian in a highly compromising position. No, seriously, why do all you VIPs and elite heirs love cornering people against walls? If you guys aren’t sick of it, I am. Sebastian irritably yanked his tie loose, completely stripping away his previous gentle and refined demeanor. “I was wondering why I couldn’t find you. You were hiding in the countryside. Harper, you really are full of surprises. “You kept claiming you’d fight me for the inheritance once the old man died. So why did you run away when he actually died? “I honestly thought you’d stay and fight me for the rest of our lives. “Why are you trembling? Are you really that afraid of me?” I was practically in tears. I’m just a few years older than you, how brave do you think I am? Cause trouble and run, just waiting to get payback? “Harper… no, I should call you Mrs. Sterling now. Two years, and you don’t have anything to say to me? “Or is Mrs. Sterling so forgetful that she’s already forgotten what she did to me that night?” Sebastian furrowed his brows. The grip on my wrist tightened, leaving a red mark on my pale skin. I fought back the pain, tears welling in my eyes, and looked at him pitifully. “Sebastian, you think you’re so smart. Have you ever considered I might have had my reasons? “Actually, I have a split personality. “The one who did those absurd things to you was my second personality. I was afraid she would hurt you, so I was forced to leave.” “Harper, do you think I’m that love-struck old man, so mesmerized by you that I’d believe this kind of garbage?” Sebastian angrily pinned my palm against the wall and leaned in close. Suddenly being this close, my heart involuntarily sped up. This guy Sebastian is absolutely not meant to be viewed up close. Those eyes are like a fox spirit’s, totally captivating. At the time, I only wanted to scare him. Who knew I wouldn’t be able to control myself and actually kissed him. Sebastian struggled at first, but later he grabbed the back of my neck and kissed me back even harder than I was kissing him. Taking a step back, wasn’t he at fault too? You guys have no idea, my back was practically broken the night I ran away. Who on earth said the first time is always fast? It really depends on the person. “Played with me and ran, didn’t even leave a word, and went off and married someone else. Harper, what do you take me for?” 06 I got it. He wanted me to compensate him. I caught on immediately: “I have some savings.” “Do I look like I need your spare change?” “I have extra fingers. Do you want to chop one off to cool down? But let’s get this straight: you can only chop off one.” “I’m not the freaking mafia! How many times do I have to tell you?” This wouldn’t work, that wouldn’t work. I just threw it all out there: “I still have a spot open for a sugar baby. Do you want the job?” Sebastian’s face turned completely black. He clenched his fists, eyes wide with anger: “I am not going to be the other man. Divorce him.” ??? This plot development is weird. It feels like the evil stepsister wanting to be the female lead. Did he actually catch feelings from that one night? I shook my head vigorously. Absolutely impossible. Back when I was at his family’s estate, he hated the sight of me and constantly made my life difficult. We fought openly and secretly for two years. Even his old man would shake his head and sigh, claiming life was unbearable and he wanted to die early. No, wait, he wanted to go to heaven early for some peace and quiet. Several times, I caught the old man secretly trying to pull his own oxygen tube. Thank goodness I stopped him in time. To sum it up. He definitely wants revenge. But why was his method of revenge sending me flirty texts? For several days in a row, Nathaniel got blackout drunk and had to be carried back by his friends and his driver. Strange. I didn’t see him get this drunk when he went through his breakup. Out of curiosity, I asked his friend. His friend sighed: “Don’t even mention it. Last time, the business deal didn’t go through. For days now, Sebastian has been drinking with Nate like his life depends on it, making sure Nate doesn’t go home sober. “If you didn’t know better, you’d think Nate stole his wife.” I silently lowered my head, not daring to make a peep… The next afternoon. When Nathaniel woke up, I was in the living room binge-watching a show. After freshening up. He suddenly said he was taking me out to eat. The location was a romantic couples’ restaurant. Before the food even arrived, he expressionlessly tossed a bank card at me. “There’s $5 million in there. Take this money and break it off with those guys, and I’ll pretend this never happened. “Harper, this is my final bottom line. “Don’t let it happen again.” I nervously took the bank card: “Thank you, Hubby.” It really was time to switch out for a new batch of guys. Suddenly, there was a loud crash behind me. I turned to look. A pure-looking waitress had accidentally dropped a bottle of red wine. The manager rushed over upon hearing the noise. He started berating the waitress. I was just enjoying the show. Who knew Nathaniel would suddenly lose his mind, roll his eyes at me, and take large strides over to shield the waitress. 07 “How much is it? I’ll pay for her.” Seeing that the person was Nathaniel, the manager quickly adopted a respectful attitude. But the waitress was as stubborn as a mule, giving off major female-lead-in-a-drama vibes. “No need. I can pay for it myself.” The manager almost died of anger. “With your $4,000-a-month salary, how are you going to pay for it? Do you know how much this bottle costs? Selling yourself wouldn’t even cover it.” Nathaniel shot the manager a displeased glare. He uncharacteristically humbled himself: “Stop trying to be brave. Between us…” “There is nothing between us. I don’t need your help.” Feeling deeply insulted, the waitress had an emotional breakdown, covered her mouth, and trotted toward the back kitchen. As she ran, she shot me a fierce glare. Nathaniel didn’t hesitate to chase after her. The onlookers, including myself and the manager, were stunned. What a dramatic couple. More entertaining than a reality TV show. Jokes aside. I was very curious to see how dramatic the next part of the plot would be. So I followed them. Sure enough, when I reached the door of the locker room. I heard ambiguous sounds coming from inside. My heart pounded wildly. Through the crack, I could clearly see the two people kissing passionately inside. It was Nathaniel and the waitress from earlier. It looked like she was the little canary Nathaniel was keeping. “Mr. Sterling, we’re already broken up, what are you doing? “If your wife sees, she’ll call me a homewrecker. “Don’t… ah…” The girl’s soft, sweet voice was shattered by Nathaniel’s thrusts. I was too absorbed in watching. I accidentally bumped the door. The people inside noticed and immediately stopped their shameful actions. I turned to run, but unexpectedly crashed into a solid chest. Sebastian! In a moment of desperation, I tried to push Sebastian forward. But he anticipated my scheme a step ahead. He pulled me and hid in the locker room next door. In the cramped space, Sebastian and I were pressed tightly together. The atmosphere was indescribably weird. I shuffled my feet, trying to get further away from him. Then I heard Sebastian’s deep voice from above: “What exactly are you holding onto with him?” 08 I stubbornly replied, “Love.” Sebastian chuckled lightly. “That doesn’t sound like you. To you, love is more like a take-it-or-leave-it accessory.” I didn’t answer. When Sebastian walked me to the door, he suddenly blurted out out of nowhere, “Harper, you have all these boyfriends… what exactly are you looking for?” I didn’t understand what he meant at the time. It wasn’t until the day I arranged to meet my boyfriends that it clicked. That afternoon. I changed into a black dress and a black coat, determined to look as melancholic as possible. They had been with me for six months. Even though we hadn’t slept together, they had provided plenty of emotional value. So I wasn’t going to shortchange them. I arrived at the coffee shop. From a distance, I saw the eight of them taking up two whole tables. A wave of emotion washed over me. I remembered the first time I met them. The salesgirl saw me sitting in the middle and thought I was a modeling scout, looking at me like I was a snack. Until I pulled out a bank card and placed it on the table. She gave me a thumbs-up, her mouth hanging open in shock. I didn’t care about what others thought. I held their hands, overwhelmed with sadness: “There’s $5 million in here. Split it among the eight of you. Go find some good girls to marry. “Just pretend… pretend I never existed.” With that, I covered my face and stood up to leave. Number One, his eyes completely red, stopped me. Number Six pushed the bank card back to me: “Sister, keep this money for yourself. Someone has already arranged everything for us.” “Don’t worry, Sister, we’ll be fine.” “The time we spent with you was wonderful, we’ll always remember you.” “Let’s not contact each other anymore.” With that, the eight of them walked away without looking back. Leaving me standing there, completely dumbfounded. Who the hell stole my scene?! My favorite part of dating was breaking up—handing over the payout while looking deep into their eyes and saying, “I love you so much, but we can never see each other again.” Now, it felt like I was the one being bought off and dumped. I was so angry my whole body was shaking. Six months of build-up. Ruined! It had to be Sebastian, that bastard. Sebastian’s explanation was: “I don’t even want to be the other man, and you want me to be number nine? “Harper, I, Sebastian Reed, am not that kind of guy. You have to take responsibility for me.” I was so furious I almost smashed my phone. I stormed home, and before I could even take a sip of water, Nathaniel shoved me in front of several effeminate-looking men. “Please, gentlemen. She has a gala to attend tonight.” A few hours passed. I stepped out of the room wearing an elegant, minimalist haute couture gown. Nathaniel and his buddies were dumbstruck. “This is the sister-in-law?” “Oh my god, dressed up, she’s prettier than a movie star.” “Nate, I suddenly feel like you don’t deserve her, hahaha!” Their exaggerated reactions were understandable. To maintain my image as a pig farmer, I usually dressed as frumpy as possible. All for the sake of professionalism. That’s why Nathaniel kept calling me a country bumpkin. He thought I wasn’t good enough for him. Now, wearing this glamorous outfit, it felt like I was back in the Reed household. Even though the old man and I were in a fake marriage, he never skimped on my living expenses. And Sebastian was the same. Whatever I wanted, it would appear in my room the next day. At the gala, I caused quite a stir. No other reason than everyone knew I was the country girl Nathaniel brought home to piss off his parents. They didn’t expect me to look nothing like they imagined. “That’s Mrs. Sterling?” “I heard she got plastic surgery to win Nathaniel back.” “What a hopeless romantic, embarrassing all of us women.” ??? Wait, who started these rumors? You high-society people actually believe this garbage? I shook my head in disappointment, then retreated to a corner to text the aloof guy with abs.

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As the top sales rep, I was “downsized.” Reason for termination: Rarely in the office, failed to clock in on time. Me: “???” Bro, if I stayed in the office 24/7, where would my $3 million monthly quota come from? I didn’t understand it, but I respected the company’s decision. I immediately ripped up a $50 million contract that was just waiting for a signature, and took my clients and my elite team straight to a rival company. Half a month later, my former boss called, his tone desperately humble: “Sloane, I didn’t think things through before. Attendance really isn’t important. Can you come back?” I put him on speakerphone: “Boss, the failing company across the street is trying to poach your new partner.” 01 “Sloane, get back to the office right now.” I frowned as I read the message from our company’s HR manager. I quickly typed a reply and hit send. [I’m in a meeting. It’ll have to be later this evening.] I had just set my phone down when the HR manager called. I gave an apologetic smile to the client sitting across from me, stood up, and stepped aside to take the call. “Hello? What’s so urgent?” The woman on the other end, Ashley, suddenly shrieked, “Surprise!” Her voice was ear-piercingly shrill. I quickly pulled the phone away from my ear. “Sloane, congratulations! You’ve been optimized!” I froze, unable to process her words for a moment. Then it hit me. Optimized. She meant I was fired. I pressed my lips together, my mind racing to figure out if this was some kind of sick joke. I had been at Vertex VR for eight solid years. I watched it grow from nothing into an industry leader, establishing a firm foothold in the virtual reality sector. Unfortunately, our former CEO, for reasons known only to him, sold the company to a venture capital firm without warning any of the employees. He just packed his bags and went traveling around the world. He left a group of veteran employees staring at each other in confusion. Later, the VC firm stepped in and brought in a new management team to run Vertex. And this Ashley? She was the new CEO’s niece. A fresh-out-of-college grad installed directly as the HR Manager. It wasn’t that I looked down on recent grads. After all, everyone starts as a blank slate. But shouldn’t she at least have some relevant background? Ashley knew absolutely nothing about Human Resources. Her degree was in Supply Chain Management—completely unrelated. Since taking the job, she hadn’t done much of anything productive. Instead, she just kept firing veteran employees. The old-timers she let go all had plenty to complain about when it came to Ashley. But everyone knew whose idea this really was. If it weren’t for the team I managed, I would have left Vertex a long time ago. In the adult world, loyalty and sentimentality are just empty words. I just didn’t know what to make of this new CEO. Firing me? The top sales rep? Hilarious. 02 I glanced at the person sitting nearby: “Reason for termination?” Ashley covered her mouth and giggled on the other end of the line. “Oh, Sloane, listen to you! This isn’t a termination, this is optimization~ “As for the reason… well, because you’re rarely in the office, you don’t clock in on time, and your attendance hasn’t met the performance targets.” Me: “???” Was she even listening to the garbage coming out of her mouth? “Bro, if I was always in the office, where the hell would that $3 million monthly quota come from?” “Oh, Sloane, I’m a woman, you shouldn’t call me ‘bro.’ Besides, I’m younger than you, you should be calling me ‘little sister.’” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. I didn’t want to argue with her, so I asked point-blank: “Does Gavin know about this?” “Manager Gavin certainly knows.” I let out a soft chuckle, suddenly feeling a surge of relief that I hadn’t told Gavin about the massive contract I was about to sign today. “Fine. Let’s leave it at that. I’ll be back to discuss my severance.” Ashley laughed out loud again on the other end of the line. She pinched her voice and said: “Oh, I’m so sorry, Sloane. You’re being optimized, not terminated. There is no severance.” I laughed out loud. “Ashley, do you think I’m legally illiterate, or are you legally illiterate? What kind of nonsense are you trying to pull?” I didn’t bother engaging with her anymore and hung up the phone. I let out a breath, walked back to the table, picked up the contract lying there, and smiled at the man sitting across from me. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Mitchell. It looks like we won’t be able to sign this contract today after all.” “You heard it yourself. I’ve just been ‘optimized’ by my company.” I paused for a moment, then asked tentatively, “How about this… I’ll send someone else over to sign with you?” After all, I had negotiated this deal while at Vertex. If they used this against me later, it could have a huge impact on my career. Mr. Mitchell refused without hesitation. He handed his copy of the contract back to me. “Don’t bother sending someone else from your company to sign with me. This deal isn’t urgent. I’ll wait until you’re at your new company, and I’ll sign it with you then!” I raised an eyebrow and smiled, satisfied. “Thank you for your trust, Mr. Mitchell.” “Then I guess I better hurry up and find a good company. I wouldn’t want to keep you waiting.” 03 After exchanging a few pleasantries with Mr. Mitchell, I left his office and prepared to head back to Vertex. I glanced at my phone and realized Ashley had already removed me from the company’s Slack workspace. She really wasn’t wasting a single second. I put my phone away, turned my car around, and made a quick stop at an electronics store to buy a voice recorder. When I got back to the company, I could see Ashley standing by the entrance from far away. I smiled, clicked on the voice recorder in my pocket, and walked toward her. When Ashley saw me, her face was full of disdain, but only for a few seconds before she plastered on a fake smile and said: “Sloane, you’re back! Your keycard has been deactivated. I was worried you wouldn’t be able to get in through the main doors, so I specifically waited for you. “But this will be the last time. Hurry up, pack your things, and leave.” I gave her a flat look, shoved my empty coffee cup directly into her hands, and walked right past her into the office without saying a word. Ashley quickly followed me from behind, yelling indignantly: “Sloane, what the hell is your problem?! Throwing your garbage at me? Are you insulting me?!” The surrounding colleagues heard her voice and turned to look at us. I didn’t care. I kept walking toward my office. As soon as I entered the sales department, my entire team rushed over. “Sloane! You’re back!” “Sloane, we all heard! This is outrageous! You’re the top sales rep at Vertex! How could they possibly fire you?!” “Shh.” I pressed a finger to my lips, signaling them to keep quiet. I didn’t want my situation to negatively impact their future careers. I patted Lauren, who was standing next to me, on the shoulder and asked: “Where’s Gavin?” As soon as the words left my mouth, I heard a greasy voice fake a cough. I looked up and saw Gavin. Gavin waddled over with his prominent beer belly, smiling greasily at me. “Oh my, if it isn’t our Sloane. Looks like you’re looking for me? “Even though you’re about to leave the company, I’m still the Sales Manager now. How can you just call me by my first name? You should be calling me Manager Gavin. “Oh, it’s such a shame. Who would have thought our top sales rep would end up like this! The new CEO is just so… unsentimental. “Sloane, my hands are tied. I pleaded your case, I really did. But the CEO was adamant. I can’t protect you.” Ashley, who was standing next to him, nudged him in annoyance. Gavin instantly shut his mouth and didn’t say another word. If I couldn’t see what was going on here, I’d have to apologize to my years of professional experience. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Gavin had been whispering in the CEO’s ear. Gavin and I joined Vertex around the same time. Like me, he started from the very bottom. But he could never outperform me. His numbers were always lower than mine. However, the guy did have one redeeming quality that made bosses and managers like him. He was a world-class kiss-ass. And sure enough, relying on his formidable brown-nosing skills, he managed to instantly transform himself into the Sales Manager the moment the new CEO arrived. After he became manager, he constantly targeted me and made things difficult for me. But because I brought in millions of dollars in revenue every month, he couldn’t touch my position. So if he couldn’t shake my position, he’d just kick me out of the company altogether? 04 I raised an eyebrow at Gavin: “Weren’t you trying to fire me? Tell me, what’s the severance package?” Gavin gave a greasy smile and glanced at Ashley beside him. “Oh, Sloane, why are you asking me? That has nothing to do with me. And this isn’t a firing, it’s just a company optimization. You’re just being optimized.” I scoffed and slammed a folder onto a nearby desk. “What’s your problem, Gavin? I’m trying to have a civilized conversation, and you’re insisting on playing games! “If you don’t want to handle this properly, then we can have a nice, long chat right here about that $2 million deal you signed when you first joined the company.” Hearing that, Gavin immediately pulled me aside, all his previous arrogance completely gone. “Oh, Sloane, didn’t we agree to never bring that up again? There are too many people here, let’s… let’s go to my office to talk.” I let out a cold laugh and strode purposefully toward Gavin’s office. As soon as we entered, Ashley coldly held out her hand. “Sloane, please hand over your phone. The conversation we’re about to have involves company confidentiality, and we need to prevent any unauthorized recording.” Gavin piled on the fake smiles beside her: “Sloane, just do what HR says so we can move on to the next step, right?” I sneered and tossed my phone to Ashley. “You haven’t grasped the basics of HR, but your paranoia is off the charts.” Ashley smugly lifted her chin and flipped her hair. “Hmph, of course.” Gavin looked a little embarrassed and nudged Ashley. Ashley finally realized what was happening and glared at me indignantly. I beamed at the two of them. They were still too young. They couldn’t even tell an insult from a compliment. “Spit it out. Skip the bullshit. What’s the severance?” Ashley’s face instantly dropped. She picked up a file and flipped through it. “Sloane, you were frequently absent from the office and failed to clock in. Management was very dissatisfied. This is a dereliction of duty on your part. What kind of severance are you expecting?” Gavin chimed in from the side: “Yeah, Sloane. I talked to management, but the CEO was determined to optimize the company. He felt the sales department was overstaffed and needed to be streamlined.” Ah, streamlined. They ‘streamlined’ me right out, the top sales rep. I didn’t say anything, just stared at them blankly. Gavin and Ashley exchanged a glance, and then he said: “Sloane, as your colleague, let me give you some honest advice. Look at your age. You’re almost thirty. If you suddenly get married and have a baby, what is the company supposed to do? “As employees, we definitely need to consider the company’s interests. The company is our home. “You’re a veteran employee, you need to think about the company, right?” I laughed out loud. Did he think I was a naive new grad, trying to gaslight me like this? “What’s wrong, Gavin? Is the company discriminating against me because I’m a woman?” Seeing my attitude, Gavin dropped the act and crossed his arms contemptuously. “How is this discrimination? Isn’t what I’m saying the truth? “You’re a woman nearing thirty. You should just go back home, get married, have kids, and be a housewife. What are you doing out here showing your face? This society isn’t a woman’s world! “You need to step aside and give opportunities to young people. Besides, your sales job is simple. “Don’t think that just because you negotiated a $50 million contract for the company, you can strut around like you own the place. They didn’t sign because of you; they signed because of Vertex’s reputation. Anyone else could have closed that deal!” I suddenly understood everything. No wonder they were in such a rush to kick me out. They wanted to swallow that contract for themselves. I smiled slightly, looking straight at that son of a bitch, and said slowly: “According to the Fair Labor Standards Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, women enjoy equal employment rights with men. Employers may not discriminate against employees based on race, sex, age, or religious beliefs. “I’m not going to waste any more breath on you. According to the regulations, a company terminating an employment contract without cause must compensate the employee. “I’ve been at Vertex for eight years, going on nine. Less than six months counts as half a year. That means the company owes me severance pay. “Oh, right, and there’s my unused PTO for this year. According to the rules, that should be paid out as well.” 05 As soon as I finished speaking, both Gavin and Ashley’s faces changed. Gavin was so angry he slammed his hand on the desk and pointed at me, yelling: “Sloane, don’t push your luck! Who do you think you are? “Making such outrageous demands! Did you not hear a single word of what I just said? Do you think the company can’t function without you? You’re way too full of yourself! “You’re a woman in sales. All you do is go out and drink with clients. Anyone can do this job! If Ashley were in your position, she’d do it even better!” Ashley scoffed coldly and chimed in ominously: “Sloane, don’t blame me for not warning you. When you look for a job in the future, if they do a background check, they’ll definitely have to contact us.” I raised an eyebrow: “What, are you threatening me?” Ashley giggled, her voice as grating as a crow’s. “Sloane, I’m just reminding you of the facts. “How about this? The company appreciates your years of service. On behalf of the company, I can offer you standard one-month severance pay. How does that sound?” Gavin sneered from the side: “Sloane, I know what you’re thinking. You’re just upset about missing out on the commission for the $50 million deal, right? Let me tell you, even if we gave you another month, you wouldn’t be able to close it! “Ashley already contacted them. They specifically requested that only Ashley handle the account, and they’ll sign immediately! Stop dreaming! “Offering you any severance is a gift. You should be grateful!” I raised an eyebrow. Ashley had already contacted Mr. Mitchell’s team? And they specifically requested Ashley to handle the account? But Mr. Mitchell is the CEO of his company. If it hadn’t been for their interference today, I would have already signed the contract. He wouldn’t lie to me. Look at how confident they are… I couldn’t help but ask, “Who did you contact?” “None of your business! Why are you asking so many questions?! You’re no longer a Vertex employee. This is company confidentiality! No comment!” I didn’t press further. I stood up and stretched my wrists and neck. This move clearly intimidated Ashley. She quickly hid behind Gavin, stammering: “Y-y-you… what, what are you trying to do!” Gavin puffed out his chest, pointed at me, and yelled: “Sloane, don’t try anything crazy! If you dare lay a hand on me, I’m calling security!” I quietly picked up my phone and glanced coldly at Ashley: “Please present my termination notice.” Both Ashley and Gavin breathed a sigh of relief. They quickly handed over the termination notice they had prepared. Gavin thought I was compromising. He immediately changed his tune, smiling as he patted my shoulder. “Sloane, this is the right move. A smart person knows when to adapt to the circumstances.” I paused the recording and coldly swatted his hand away. “Gavin, Ashley, be prepared for an arbitration lawsuit!” Gavin and Ashley froze, clearly not expecting me to pull this move. “What do you mean? Did you not listen to anything we just said?” Ashley stared at me menacingly, threatening: “Sloane, if you dare file a lawsuit, I guarantee you won’t find a job anywhere in this city!” “Bring it on. We’ll see about that.” 06 I went back to the sales department and started packing my things. My team members all gathered around. “Sloane, are you okay?” “Sloane, what are you going to do about them treating you like this?” I looked up and smiled at them. “Nothing. I’m leaving. “There are some things I can’t say, but you guys keep working hard. Let’s get together when we have time.” Lauren quickly pulled me aside and whispered: “Don’t wait until we have time. We’ve already booked a place. Let’s get together tonight.” I nodded, not refusing. “Okay. Hurry up and get back to work. It won’t look good if you’re seen.” My team was entirely handpicked by me. The hardest part was leaving this group of people. But I couldn’t just tell them to quit and come with me right now. Some of them had mortgages and car loans. Some were getting ready to get married. They couldn’t afford to be jobless right now. I hadn’t even found my next job yet. Waiting until I was established and then bringing them over was the safest approach. I casually packed a few things and left the company. Colleagues walking by glanced at me, then buried their heads back in their work. No one wanted to get caught in the crossfire. This was completely normal, especially in a tough job market. I walked out of the building, holding my cardboard box, and sighed. Eight years at Vertex, and in the end, my belongings didn’t even fill a single box. Logically speaking, I had been a bit impulsive. Daring to challenge the company before securing my next job. But I wasn’t willing to let it go. In the VR industry, while I might not be at the very top, my influence wasn’t small either. I was easily in the top five. My performance was the source of my confidence. If they dared to use such a ridiculous reason to fire me, I certainly wasn’t going to let them slaughter me without a fight. Otherwise, if this got out, what would my clients think of me? People would start questioning my professional capabilities. I got back into my car, took a picture of the cardboard box, and posted it on LinkedIn. [Got optimized! (Facepalm emoji) Any kind souls out there willing to take me in?~] I glanced at my phone. It was still early, so I drove home first. As soon as I got home, I found that many people were already asking me about it. Before I could reply, my best friend, Paige, called. I quickly answered. “Hey, Sloane, what’s going on? You got fired?” “Yeah, just now.” I briefly explained today’s situation to her. Paige snorted coldly: “This stupid company must be blind, firing you! They’re really getting ahead of themselves, thinking they can thrive without you! Sloane, what are you planning to do next?” “Go to arbitration first, and take a little break. Oh right, Paige, do you know any reliable lawyers? Recommend one to me.” “Sure, I’ll send you their contact info later. By the way, do you remember my cousin, Grayson?” I thought for a moment: “Yeah, I remember. I’ve met him a couple of times. Why?” Paige’s tone was somewhat excited as she said: “It’s like this. He started a company a while ago, and it’s right in your wheelhouse. They do VR too. “Don’t you still have a contract that hasn’t been signed? Go to my cousin’s company! If you go there and immediately land that contract, your compensation will definitely be better than before!” I thought about it and said to Paige: “Okay, send me a link to their company website. I’ll take a look first.” After chatting with Paige, I checked LinkedIn. The post I had just made already had a lot of likes, but no one was saying anything negative in the comments. Most were congratulating me, and then they turned around and sent me private messages. I started replying to them one by one. I organized today’s recordings and clipped the part where Gavin and Ashley talked about the $50 million contract and sent it to Mr. Mitchell. Less than an hour later, Mr. Mitchell sent a voice message. “Sloane, I’ve figured it out. The people at your former company contacted a scammer! He pretended to be my relative, convinced them he could secure the contract, and collected quite a bit in kickbacks from those two! “I’ll handle that scammer through legal channels. But don’t worry! I’m only giving this contract to you! Never mind anyone from Vertex—even if their CEO came, I’d only sign it with you!” Hearing that this was the reason, I couldn’t help but laugh. Let’s set Ashley aside for a moment, seeing as she’s a recent grad with no professional experience, it’s normal for her not to see clearly. But Gavin is an old pro. How could he not distinguish true from false? Or maybe, in the face of massive profit, he was too dizzy to care. 07 As soon as I got home, I received a call from an unfamiliar number. I checked the time. It was 10:00 PM. I was afraid it might be a client, so I quickly answered. “Hello?” A cool voice came from the other end of the line: “Sloane, this is Grayson.” Grayson? How did he get my number? I suddenly realized—it must have been Paige who gave it to him. “Hi Grayson, what’s up?” Grayson said calmly: “Paige told me you were let go by Vertex. Why don’t you come to my company? “As for compensation, I won’t have you working for me. You can come on directly as a partner. 20% equity, annual dividends. You can also continue doing sales. A base salary of $20,000 a month, and a 10% commission on every deal. How does that sound?” I was stunned, unable to speak for a moment. When I didn’t respond, Grayson continued: “If you feel that’s not enough, we can negotiate in person.” Me: “…” How is that not enough? That’s more than enough! You have to understand, when I was at Vertex, my commission on each deal was only 1%! Not to mention the 20% equity. This is a complete game-changer! I quickly replied to Grayson: “No, no, no, Grayson. That’s not what I meant. “It’s just so sudden, I couldn’t process it for a moment.” Grayson on the other end of the line audibly sighed in relief and said slowly: “Then are you free tomorrow? Why don’t you come to my company to take a look, and we can discuss the details in person.” “Sure. Send me the address.” After hanging up the phone, I still hadn’t recovered from the shock. I lay blankly on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. Grinding in the city for eight years. After rent and daily expenses, I really hadn’t saved much money. At least, not enough to buy a decent apartment in a prime real estate area. According to the terms Grayson offered, in less than a year, I’d probably be able to buy a luxury apartment downtown. Thinking of that $50 million contract, I suddenly felt very grateful for Gavin’s decision. Thank goodness they didn’t get their hands on it. I knew Grayson had probably heard about the $50 million contract from Paige, which is why he offered a high price to poach me. But this was completely normal. There are many sharks and little blood in the water; you have to fight for it. I didn’t think Grayson sought me out just for Paige’s sake. After all, what I possessed was real capability. Gavin thought things were simple, believing that even if I left, the client contracts would still belong to Vertex. Changing the person who maintained the client relationships would be the same. But the fact that I was able to sit in the position of top sales rep wasn’t just because of drinking and kissing ass. As a woman in the tech industry, I definitely was at a disadvantage. Many clients wore naturally tinted glasses, believing that a woman like me wouldn’t understand any professional jargon, yet still dared to sell virtual products. When I first entered the industry, a client poured red wine over my head to mock me. I didn’t confront him publicly. I didn’t yell or make a scene. Instead, I silently improved my professional knowledge. I went through all the tech industry knowledge that those arrogant men thought only men could understand, ensuring that I could comprehend and converse about anything the clients discussed. When treating clients, I was on call 24/7. Not just during holidays, but usually, as long as the client needed me, I was there whenever called. I treated them with sincerity, and only then would they treat me with sincerity. Because of this, my clients trusted my capabilities. They introduced me to their friends, bringing me even more resources. I sat in the position of top sales rep, and I deserved it. And the client who poured the red wine earlier? His company collapsed and went bankrupt less than two years later. The client resources I held in my hands—Gavin and Ashley couldn’t steal them.

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The boyfriend I tricked into a relationship. He was deaf. My absolute favorite thing to do was take out his hearing aid when we were tangled up in the sheets, whispering filthy things right into his ear. Until I discovered he was actually the sole heir to the Sterling empire. So, the night we broke up, things got incredibly ugly. Julian, his eyes red and furious, told me to get the hell out. So I did. It wasn’t until three years later, when news of his impending engagement broke, that I finally dared to sneak back to Chicago. Julian looked at me, his face cold and utterly unreadable. But the second we were alone, he turned around and bound my wrists with his leather belt: “Where do you think you’re running to this time?” “My… fiancée.” 01 I lowered my head, pretending to adjust my camera settings. My palms were already slick with sweat. I didn’t expect to run into Julian so soon. “Mr. Sterling, don’t let Harper’s age fool you. She’s practically swept every international photography award over the past few years,” Monica, the senior editor, patted my shoulder and joked. “It took a small fortune to poach her all the way from Los Angeles.” “I promise you won’t regret agreeing to let us shoot your first-ever magazine cover.” Julian Sterling’s gaze swept over me coolly, completely devoid of emotion: “Is that so?” “Then I’ll leave it in your capable hands, Ms. Thorne.” It was the most standard, corporate pleasantry imaginable. I lowered my voice, trying to make it sound richer, or at least different from how I sounded years ago: “Of course, Mr. Sterling.” Julian nodded, not sparing me another glance. I lowered my eyes, my eyelashes trembling slightly. He hadn’t recognized me. Makes sense. I had changed my last name. A medical mask covered half my face, and based solely on my outfit, no one would ever connect the person standing here with the bright, arrogant Harper from the past. Throughout the entire shoot, Julian was incredibly cooperative. With just a slight prompt from me, Julian would flawlessly hit the perfect angle. Behind me, the crew was buzzing with whispers: “Mr. Sterling’s physique is insane, right? I’m literally drooling.” “This Harper Thorne is no joke. No wonder Monica paid top dollar for her. Her grasp of anatomy and muscle structure is incredible! Just looking at the monitor, you can feel the raw sexual tension radiating from him under that shirt.” I suddenly zoned out. My memory flashed to a younger boy with a flushed neck, completely bare. Even though I had painted him countless times, he was still painfully shy. Of course, that was only during the first half. I don’t know why, but every time I reached the latter half of the painting process, the location would inexplicably change. The bedroom, the sofa, the bathtub, against the floor-to-ceiling windows. It always ended with me exhausted to the bone—more exhausting than drawing ten anatomy sketches! I angrily kicked him: “Julian, you do this every single time!” “I’m never painting you again! I’m finding a new model! One with an eight-pack!” Julian gripped my ankle and said nothing. After a long moment, he leaned down and kissed the corner of my mouth: “Harper, I’m sorry.” I paused. Is he recognizing his mistake and promising to change? The next second, Julian took out his hearing aid. Four boxes of condoms, all different flavors. I didn’t get out of bed for a week. Dammit, and he even apologized. How polite of you. But eventually, we still broke up. That night, things got incredibly ugly. Julian’s eyes were red-rimmed, his voice freezing cold: “Harper, this is the last time. I don’t give second chances.” I kept my head down and gave a low “Mhm.” Julian clenched his jaw, scoffing: “Fine. Get the hell out.” “Don’t ever let me see your face again.” “Otherwise, I swear I’ll kill you.” 02 During a break in the shoot, I found a moment to go back to the equipment room to grab a lens I had left behind. Behind me, a shadow fell over me. A familiar woody fragrance drifted into my nose. I turned around stiffly, feigning composure: “Is something wrong, Mr. Sterling?” Julian looked down at me, his gaze exactly the same as years ago. I held my breath, my fingernails digging fiercely into my palms. I can’t lose my cool. “Nothing.” “Just looking around.” Julian’s eyes were pitch black, his smile faint: “But you, Ms. Thorne. What are you so nervous about?” I covered my trembling right hand: “The camera is heavy. Holding it for too long makes my hands shake.” “Is that so?” I lowered my head: “Mr. Sterling, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to the set to prep.” Without waiting for his reply, I turned to walk away. “Ms. Thorne,” Julian called out, stopping me. “If someone who betrayed you suddenly appeared in front of you again, what would you do?” 03 My breakup with Julian was ugly, but it could definitely be categorized as a betrayal. And knowing Julian’s personality, if he had recognized me, he would have exposed me immediately. He wouldn’t be acting this cold and detached. I steadied my breathing, turned slightly, and spoke with a smile, adopting a purely professional tone: “Mr. Sterling, while I don’t know the history between you and this person, I believe people should always look forward. There’s no need to stay fixated on the minor details of the past.” “Minor details? You’re very magnanimous, Ms. Thorne.” Julian curled his lip. “But what if I insist on holding onto it?” “Mr. Sterling, that is your private matter. I am just a photographer; I’m afraid I can’t help you there.” Julian stared at me without speaking. My feigned composure felt like it was going to shatter at any second. After a long pause. “True,” Julian smiled. “Just a photographer.” 04 The entire shoot went very smoothly, wrapping up an hour earlier than scheduled. After seeing Julian off, I started packing up my gear. Chloe, a production assistant, ran over, grabbed my arm, and dragged me toward the door: “Harper, hurry! Something big is happening outside!” “What’s wrong? Did someone—” My words caught in my throat. The plaza outside the studio was covered in roses, with candles spelling out my name in the center. How should I describe it? It was incredibly tacky. I had already rejected Carter three times, but he still wouldn’t give up. He even orchestrated this massive, public scene, creating a completely humiliating situation for me. No one knew how awful my face looked under my mask right now. I’m allergic to pollen. Thank God I was wearing a mask. I turned to leave, but Carter blocked my path. He held a bouquet of flowers: “Harper, I really, really like you.” “I promise I’ll treat you well.” “Just say yes, please?” For a moment, my mind drifted. I had said those exact same words to Julian once. 05 My initial attraction to Julian was purely superficial. Out of all the people I had ever met, only Julian perfectly matched my ideal type. A bartender at a club, yet he had an aura that screamed ‘do not approach.’ He wore a hearing aid, which only added to his cold, fragile aesthetic. It was only later that I found out the club belonged to the Sterling family. I was obsessed. I used every trick in the book—relentless pursuit, deception, persuasion. Finally, I managed to coax him into my bed. That night, I whispered so many sweet nothings into his ear: “Julian, I really, really like you.” “Julian, I promise I’ll treat you so well. The absolute best.” “Julian, let’s be together, okay?” Julian lifted his head from my neck, his dark eyes staring intensely into mine: “Do you really… like me that much?” I didn’t have the mental capacity to analyze the turbulent emotions in his eyes: “Mhm. Really.” Julian’s voice was hoarse: “If you promise me that you will only ever love me for the rest of your life, then we’ll be together.” At the time, I didn’t think deeply about his use of ‘the rest of your life.’ I lifted my head and bit his lip: “Okay, only you.” It was only after we got together that I realized Julian’s cold, ascetic persona was a complete act. He was greedier than anyone. I loved taking off his hearing aid during the heat of the moment and whispering dirty things in his ear, screaming recklessly. Watching him try to endure it, even though he couldn’t hear. I was arrogant and had a terrible temper. Julian accommodated me, coaxed me, and let me do whatever I wanted. It made me believe we really would be together for the rest of our lives. Until I accidentally saw a photo of Julian and his father on his phone. A summer afternoon, Julian’s fingers gently running through my hair. The warm hum of the hairdryer next to my ear. It turned out Julian’s last name, Sterling, was the Sterling family. My heart felt like it had been plunged into an ice bath. 06 The cheering crowd snapped me back to reality. At some point, Carter had dropped to one knee. “Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!” More and more people gathered. The cheers grew louder. More and more people were pulling out their phones to record. My cringe reflex was in overdrive. I took a deep breath, reining in my temper: “Carter, I—” My wrist was suddenly clamped in a vice grip. Long, bony fingers squeezed so hard it hurt. I looked up. Our eyes locked. The dark, elongated eyes, like spilled ink, felt like a massive net, threatening to swallow me whole. Julian’s tone was freezing: “Harper, we’re going home.” 07 “What? Afraid I drugged it?” An entire table of food, and every single dish, even the soup, was loaded with chili peppers. I’m the one who loves spicy food. Julian always preferred mild flavors. I paused, completely unable to read Julian’s current intentions. And this apartment—the one we used to share—was actually bought by Julian. I stood up: “Thank you for getting me out of that situation today, Mr. Sterling. It’s getting late, I should be going.” Julian looked up at me, scoffing: “Mr. Sterling? Harper, you’re really quick to draw a line in the sand, aren’t you?” “Since you’re back, shouldn’t we catch up?” I lowered my eyes: “We have nothing to catch up on.” “Nothing?” Julian’s jaw tightened, his voice dripping with mockery. “Right. After all, even if I died right in front of you, you probably wouldn’t even blink.” Julian stared at me, his face as coldly composed as ever, but the veins on his neck were bulging. I looked at him and said softly: “Julian, we are both adults. There’s no need to hold onto the past—” “The past? You’re calling everything we had ‘the past’?” Julian interrupted me, his tone hardening. “Harper, you never fucking loved me at all, did you?” “If you didn’t love me, why did you ever come near me?” Julian gripped my wrist, his eyes dark and brooding: “Harper, I warned you.” “If I ever saw you again, I’d kill you.” “You won’t do it, Julian,” I met his gaze. “I know you.” “You know me? What do you know about me?” “That I’m obedient? Innocent? Compliant? Generous?” Julian scoffed. “I was faking all of it, Harper.” “It was just a disguise to please you.” “Ruthless, selfish, and vindictive. That’s who I really am.” I took a deep breath and said quietly: “Julian, it was my fault for suddenly appearing and bothering you.” “I’ll go to the agency tomorrow and resign. I promise that after—” “Harper.” Julian’s face darkened, his words spoken through gritted teeth. “I really want to cut you open to see if you even have a heart.” The grip on my wrist tightened. The distance between us vanished, our breaths mingling. In Julian’s eyes, desire churned. I struggled fiercely: “Julian, let me go!” The tension was like an arrow about to leave the bowstring. The next second, Julian’s pupils abruptly dilated. He suddenly released me, a storm of emotions raging in his eyes. After a long pause, Julian curled his lip. I couldn’t tell if he was mocking me or himself: “Fine. Well done, Harper.” 08 Julian slammed the door as he left, locking me inside the apartment. I only then realized my phone must have fallen out in his car. The clock ticked past 3:00 AM, and Julian still wasn’t back. The closet was lined with rows of brand new women’s sleepwear, all thin and provocative. This wasn’t my style. It must be for Julian’s fiancée. Julian was getting engaged. He owned countless properties; why did he have to bring her here to live? A wave of sour bitterness filled my chest. I violently slammed the closet door shut and went to the bathroom to wash up. While washing my face, I noticed several red spots blooming on my neck and collarbone. I belatedly remembered the bouquet Carter had shoved toward me. Dammit. Not only did he humiliate me, but he gave me an allergic reaction. The bedroom door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. Julian, his steps unsteady, walked toward me. The smell of alcohol instantly filled my nose. I scrunched my nose: “Why did you drink so much?” Julian’s voice was hoarse: “After you break up with him, we can pretend everything between you two never happened.” I was stunned: “What does that mean?” Julian’s eyes were tinged with red as he chuckled softly: “What? You can’t bear to part with him?” I dried my hands: “Julian, you’re drunk.” Julian stared at me. The next second, he violently yanked me toward him, turning his head to bite and suck on the side of my neck. A sharp pinch of pain accompanied a tingling sensation. Julian bit down hard: “Harper, if you were going to mess with me, why didn’t you go all the way?” “Why is there someone else?” I instantly realized what he meant and hurriedly explained: “Julian, I didn’t sleep with anyone else.” I pushed him away, creating some distance: “Look closely at these red marks. They’re not hickeys, it’s an allergic reaction! A pollen allergy.” Julian’s cold fingertips traced along my neck, inch by inch. After a long pause, he spoke: “What about me? Do you want to sleep with me?” I froze, not fully processing his words. The next second, Julian pulled off his belt and bound my wrists. The world spun, and my back hit the cold porcelain of the bathtub. I struggled to prop myself up: “Julian, snap out of it. You’re getting engaged.” Julian turned on the water valve, and warm water flowed over my legs. “Yes. So, do you accept my proposal?” Julian looked at me, enunciating every word, “My fiancée.” I was instantly stunned: “The engagement news… was a fake story you released?” “If it wasn’t, how could I get you to come back?” Julian took off his hearing aid and placed it on the shelf. “Harper, I warned you.” His long legs stepped into the bathtub, kneeling on either side of my waist as he leaned down: “If I ever saw you again.” “I would definitely kill you.” 09 My brain buzzed, blood rushing to my head. With Julian’s strength, he could absolutely do what he said. I frantically raised my hands to stop him from getting closer: “Julian, let’s go somewhere else and talk properly, okay?” As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized my mistake. Julian… couldn’t hear. But the next second— Julian grabbed both my wrists with one hand, pinning them above my head, and leaned in close to my ear: “As long as you promise you won’t pass out halfway through, I’ll talk to you.” I froze instantly, feeling like I’d been struck by lightning: “Y-you… you can hear me?” Click. The lights went out. The darkness, accompanied by the damp, rising steam, amplified every sensation. Julian chuckled softly: “I never said I couldn’t hear.” “It’s true that I couldn’t hear very well when I took the hearing aid out initially, but someone was always so unapologetically loud.” In the darkness, his voice carried a seductive, alluring tone: “I liked it very much.” ? So all those dirty things I used to say… Julian heard every single word, loud and clear? My face instantly burned. A million imaginary Barbie Dreamhouses were being built by my curling toes. How should I put this? I wanted to run, but I couldn’t. I had no choice but to try a Hail Mary. I pitched my voice higher, faking a tearful, pitiful whimper: “Julian, my wrists hurt.” “Let me go, please?” Julian paused, the grip on my hands subconsciously loosening. This trick always worked flawlessly. I seized the opening and aimed a vicious kick at Julian. But as if he had anticipated it, he caught my leg mid-air. Julian’s fingertips lightly grazed the sole of my foot: “Baby, it’s not a good habit to kick people.” “I’m not letting you escape this time.” The world spun again as our positions reversed. The water splashed against my waist, a tempestuous storm. Julian’s hand pressed firmly down on my lower back: “Harper, say my name.” I bit my lip and turned my head, refusing to answer. Julian didn’t get angry; he abruptly sat up. The sudden movement brought tears to my eyes: “Julian, you’re a fucking bastard!” Julian’s tense body pressed against the shell of my ear, his voice hoarse: “Baby, you’re so beautiful.” ? He actually used the dirty words I used to say against me. A raging hurricane. Julian gave me no room to breathe. I dug my nails fiercely into his back. Heavy breathing, accompanied by the frequent flashes of white light in my mind. Again and again, hovering on the edge of the abyss. Julian kept talking, but I couldn’t hear clearly anymore. My bones felt like jelly, and my vision began to blur. “After all these years, you still haven’t improved,” Julian lifted me from the bathtub, a clear note of pleasure in his voice. “Hold on tight. If you fall, I’m not catching you.” 10 “What? Planning on just walking out like this?” Behind me, the bathroom door opened. The scent of body wash mixed with steam rolled out. Julian leaned against the doorframe. A bead of water slid from the tip of his hair, down his chest, reaching his waist, and finally disappearing beneath his V-line— My face instantly flushed, my eyes darting away: “N-no, I’m just going to the bathroom.” “You’re walking to the living room to use the bathroom?” Julian walked over and scooped me up in a bridal carry. I was wearing Julian’s hoodie, which barely covered the top of my thighs. I felt awkward and instinctively tried to struggle. As if expecting it, Julian pressed his hand against my leg: “Don’t move, unless you want to go another round.” I turned into a statue. “Eat breakfast.” I paused. He even made breakfast? “Or do you want me to feed you?” I shook my head frantically and grabbed a sandwich, gnawing on it. Silence hung between me and Julian. After a long while, Julian spoke: “When do you have time?” I was a bit lost: “What do you mean?” Julian slowly pulled out a napkin and wiped his hands: “To get the marriage license. To get married.” “You can pick out the wedding dress first. Next week—” I choked violently: “W-wait a minute! Marriage license? Marriage?!” Julian shot me a look: “What? Are you regretting it?” I exploded instantly: “What regret? I never agreed! What is there to regret?” Julian said nothing, pulled out his phone, and hit play. A few seconds of audio was enough to make my face turn bright red. “Stop, stop, stop!” I sprang up and lunged to grab the phone from Julian’s hand. I didn’t get the phone, and my feet got tangled, almost making me fall. Thank god Julian caught me. I stammered in panic: “Th-th-that doesn’t count! Words spoken at a time like that can’t be taken seriously!” “Is that so?” Julian rubbed my wrist bone and looked up. “But you also said you loved me.” “I took it seriously.” I froze, my voice hoarse: “Julian, I—” My words were cut off by the sound of the front door opening behind me: “Why are there women’s shoes here? Julian, you sly dog—Harper?!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “420126”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Landon Prescott was the boyfriend I tricked into a relationship. He was deaf. My absolute favorite thing to do was take out his hearing aid when we were tangled up in the sheets, whispering filthy things right into his ear. Until I discovered he was actually the sole heir to the Prescott empire. So, the night we broke up, things got incredibly ugly. Landon, his eyes red and furious, told me to get the hell out. So I did. It wasn’t until three years later, when news of his impending engagement broke, that I finally dared to sneak back to Chicago. Landon looked at me, his face cold and utterly unreadable. But the second we were alone, he turned around and bound my wrists with his leather belt: “Where do you think you’re running to this time?” “My… fiancée.” 01 I lowered my head, pretending to adjust my camera settings. My palms were already slick with sweat. I didn’t expect to run into Landon so soon. “Mr. Prescott, don’t let Piper’s age fool you. She’s practically swept every international photography award over the past few years,” Monica, the senior editor, patted my shoulder and joked. “It took a small fortune to poach her all the way from Los Angeles.” “I promise you won’t regret agreeing to let us shoot your first-ever magazine cover.” Landon Prescott’s gaze swept over me coolly, completely devoid of emotion: “Is that so?” “Then I’ll leave it in your capable hands, Ms. Collins.” It was the most standard, corporate pleasantry imaginable. I lowered my voice, trying to make it sound richer, or at least different from how I sounded years ago: “Of course, Mr. Prescott.” Landon nodded, not sparing me another glance. I lowered my eyes, my eyelashes trembling slightly. He hadn’t recognized me. Makes sense. I had changed my last name. A medical mask covered half my face, and based solely on my outfit, no one would ever connect the person standing here with the bright, arrogant Piper from the past. Throughout the entire shoot, Landon was incredibly cooperative. With just a slight prompt from me, Landon would flawlessly hit the perfect angle. Behind me, the crew was buzzing with whispers: “Mr. Prescott’s physique is insane, right? I’m literally drooling.” “This Piper Collins is no joke. No wonder Monica paid top dollar for her. Her grasp of anatomy and muscle structure is incredible! Just looking at the monitor, you can feel the raw sexual tension radiating from him under that shirt.” I suddenly zoned out. My memory flashed to a younger boy with a flushed neck, completely bare. Even though I had painted him countless times, he was still painfully shy. Of course, that was only during the first half. I don’t know why, but every time I reached the latter half of the painting process, the location would inexplicably change. The bedroom, the sofa, the bathtub, against the floor-to-ceiling windows. It always ended with me exhausted to the bone—more exhausting than drawing ten anatomy sketches! I angrily kicked him: “Landon, you do this every single time!” “I’m never painting you again! I’m finding a new model! One with an eight-pack!” Landon gripped my ankle and said nothing. After a long moment, he leaned down and kissed the corner of my mouth: “Piper, I’m sorry.” I paused. Is he recognizing his mistake and promising to change? The next second, Landon took out his hearing aid. Four boxes of condoms, all different flavors. I didn’t get out of bed for a week. Dammit, and he even apologized. How polite of you. But eventually, we still broke up. That night, things got incredibly ugly. Landon’s eyes were red-rimmed, his voice freezing cold: “Piper, this is the last time. I don’t give second chances.” I kept my head down and gave a low “Mhm.” Landon clenched his jaw, scoffing: “Fine. Get the hell out.” “Don’t ever let me see your face again.” “Otherwise, I swear I’ll kill you.” 02 During a break in the shoot, I found a moment to go back to the equipment room to grab a lens I had left behind. Behind me, a shadow fell over me. A familiar woody fragrance drifted into my nose. I turned around stiffly, feigning composure: “Is something wrong, Mr. Prescott?” Landon looked down at me, his gaze exactly the same as years ago. I held my breath, my fingernails digging fiercely into my palms. I can’t lose my cool. “Nothing.” “Just looking around.” Landon’s eyes were pitch black, his smile faint: “But you, Ms. Collins. What are you so nervous about?” I covered my trembling right hand: “The camera is heavy. Holding it for too long makes my hands shake.” “Is that so?” I lowered my head: “Mr. Prescott, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to the set to prep.” Without waiting for his reply, I turned to walk away. “Ms. Collins,” Landon called out, stopping me. “If someone who betrayed you suddenly appeared in front of you again, what would you do?” 03 My breakup with Landon was ugly, but it could definitely be categorized as a betrayal. And knowing Landon’s personality, if he had recognized me, he would have exposed me immediately. He wouldn’t be acting this cold and detached. I steadied my breathing, turned slightly, and spoke with a smile, adopting a purely professional tone: “Mr. Prescott, while I don’t know the history between you and this person, I believe people should always look forward. There’s no need to stay fixated on the minor details of the past.” “Minor details? You’re very magnanimous, Ms. Collins.” Landon curled his lip. “But what if I insist on holding onto it?” “Mr. Prescott, that is your private matter. I am just a photographer; I’m afraid I can’t help you there.” Landon stared at me without speaking. My feigned composure felt like it was going to shatter at any second. After a long pause. “True,” Landon smiled. “Just a photographer.” 04 The entire shoot went very smoothly, wrapping up an hour earlier than scheduled. After seeing Landon off, I started packing up my gear. Zoey, a production assistant, ran over, grabbed my arm, and dragged me toward the door: “Piper, hurry! Something big is happening outside!” “What’s wrong? Did someone—” My words caught in my throat. The plaza outside the studio was covered in roses, with candles spelling out my name in the center. How should I describe it? It was incredibly tacky. I had already rejected Wyatt three times, but he still wouldn’t give up. He even orchestrated this massive, public scene, creating a completely humiliating situation for me. No one knew how awful my face looked under my mask right now. I’m allergic to pollen. Thank God I was wearing a mask. I turned to leave, but Wyatt blocked my path. He held a bouquet of flowers: “Piper, I really, really like you.” “I promise I’ll treat you well.” “Just say yes, please?” For a moment, my mind drifted. I had said those exact same words to Landon once. 05 My initial attraction to Landon was purely superficial. Out of all the people I had ever met, only Landon perfectly matched my ideal type. A bartender at a club, yet he had an aura that screamed ‘do not approach.’ He wore a hearing aid, which only added to his cold, fragile aesthetic. It was only later that I found out the club belonged to the Prescott family. I was obsessed. I used every trick in the book—relentless pursuit, deception, persuasion. Finally, I managed to coax him into my bed. That night, I whispered so many sweet nothings into his ear: “Landon, I really, really like you.” “Landon, I promise I’ll treat you so well. The absolute best.” “Landon, let’s be together, okay?” Landon lifted his head from my neck, his dark eyes staring intensely into mine: “Do you really… like me that much?” I didn’t have the mental capacity to analyze the turbulent emotions in his eyes: “Mhm. Really.” Landon’s voice was hoarse: “If you promise me that you will only ever love me for the rest of your life, then we’ll be together.” At the time, I didn’t think deeply about his use of ‘the rest of your life.’ I lifted my head and bit his lip: “Okay, only you.” It was only after we got together that I realized Landon’s cold, ascetic persona was a complete act. He was greedier than anyone. I loved taking off his hearing aid during the heat of the moment and whispering dirty things in his ear, screaming recklessly. Watching him try to endure it, even though he couldn’t hear. I was arrogant and had a terrible temper. Landon accommodated me, coaxed me, and let me do whatever I wanted. It made me believe we really would be together for the rest of our lives. Until I accidentally saw a photo of Landon and his father on his phone. A summer afternoon, Landon’s fingers gently running through my hair. The warm hum of the hairdryer next to my ear. It turned out Landon’s last name, Prescott, was the Prescott family. My heart felt like it had been plunged into an ice bath. 06 The cheering crowd snapped me back to reality. At some point, Wyatt had dropped to one knee. “Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!” More and more people gathered. The cheers grew louder. More and more people were pulling out their phones to record. My cringe reflex was in overdrive. I took a deep breath, reining in my temper: “Wyatt, I—” My wrist was suddenly clamped in a vice grip. Long, bony fingers squeezed so hard it hurt. I looked up. Our eyes locked. The dark, elongated eyes, like spilled ink, felt like a massive net, threatening to swallow me whole. Landon’s tone was freezing: “Piper, we’re going home.” 07 “What? Afraid I drugged it?” An entire table of food, and every single dish, even the soup, was loaded with chili peppers. I’m the one who loves spicy food. Landon always preferred mild flavors. I paused, completely unable to read Landon’s current intentions. And this apartment—the one we used to share—was actually bought by Landon. I stood up: “Thank you for getting me out of that situation today, Mr. Prescott. It’s getting late, I should be going.” Landon looked up at me, scoffing: “Mr. Prescott? Piper, you’re really quick to draw a line in the sand, aren’t you?” “Since you’re back, shouldn’t we catch up?” I lowered my eyes: “We have nothing to catch up on.” “Nothing?” Landon’s jaw tightened, his voice dripping with mockery. “Right. After all, even if I died right in front of you, you probably wouldn’t even blink.” Landon stared at me, his face as coldly composed as ever, but the veins on his neck were bulging. I looked at him and said softly: “Landon, we are both adults. There’s no need to hold onto the past—” “The past? You’re calling everything we had ‘the past’?” Landon interrupted me, his tone hardening. “Piper, you never fucking loved me at all, did you?” “If you didn’t love me, why did you ever come near me?” Landon gripped my wrist, his eyes dark and brooding: “Piper, I warned you.” “If I ever saw you again, I’d kill you.” “You won’t do it, Landon,” I met his gaze. “I know you.” “You know me? What do you know about me?” “That I’m obedient? Innocent? Compliant? Generous?” Landon scoffed. “I was faking all of it, Piper.” “It was just a disguise to please you.” “Ruthless, selfish, and vindictive. That’s who I really am.” I took a deep breath and said quietly: “Landon, it was my fault for suddenly appearing and bothering you.” “I’ll go to the agency tomorrow and resign. I promise that after—” “Piper.” Landon’s face darkened, his words spoken through gritted teeth. “I really want to cut you open to see if you even have a heart.” The grip on my wrist tightened. The distance between us vanished, our breaths mingling. In Landon’s eyes, desire churned. I struggled fiercely: “Landon, let me go!” The tension was like an arrow about to leave the bowstring. The next second, Landon’s pupils abruptly dilated. He suddenly released me, a storm of emotions raging in his eyes. After a long pause, Landon curled his lip. I couldn’t tell if he was mocking me or himself: “Fine. Well done, Piper.” 08 Landon slammed the door as he left, locking me inside the apartment. I only then realized my phone must have fallen out in his car. The clock ticked past 3:00 AM, and Landon still wasn’t back. The closet was lined with rows of brand new women’s sleepwear, all thin and provocative. This wasn’t my style. It must be for Landon’s fiancée. Landon was getting engaged. He owned countless properties; why did he have to bring her here to live? A wave of sour bitterness filled my chest. I violently slammed the closet door shut and went to the bathroom to wash up. While washing my face, I noticed several red spots blooming on my neck and collarbone. I belatedly remembered the bouquet Wyatt had shoved toward me. Dammit. Not only did he humiliate me, but he gave me an allergic reaction. The bedroom door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. Landon, his steps unsteady, walked toward me. The smell of alcohol instantly filled my nose. I scrunched my nose: “Why did you drink so much?” Landon’s voice was hoarse: “After you break up with him, we can pretend everything between you two never happened.” I was stunned: “What does that mean?” Landon’s eyes were tinged with red as he chuckled softly: “What? You can’t bear to part with him?” I dried my hands: “Landon, you’re drunk.” Landon stared at me. The next second, he violently yanked me toward him, turning his head to bite and suck on the side of my neck. A sharp pinch of pain accompanied a tingling sensation. Landon bit down hard: “Piper, if you were going to mess with me, why didn’t you go all the way?” “Why is there someone else?” I instantly realized what he meant and hurriedly explained: “Landon, I didn’t sleep with anyone else.” I pushed him away, creating some distance: “Look closely at these red marks. They’re not hickeys, it’s an allergic reaction! A pollen allergy.” Landon’s cold fingertips traced along my neck, inch by inch. After a long pause, he spoke: “What about me? Do you want to sleep with me?” I froze, not fully processing his words. The next second, Landon pulled off his belt and bound my wrists. The world spun, and my back hit the cold porcelain of the bathtub. I struggled to prop myself up: “Landon, snap out of it. You’re getting engaged.” Landon turned on the water valve, and warm water flowed over my legs. “Yes. So, do you accept my proposal?” Landon looked at me, enunciating every word, “My fiancée.” I was instantly stunned: “The engagement news… was a fake story you released?” “If it wasn’t, how could I get you to come back?” Landon took off his hearing aid and placed it on the shelf. “Piper, I warned you.” His long legs stepped into the bathtub, kneeling on either side of my waist as he leaned down: “If I ever saw you again.” “I would definitely kill you.” 09 My brain buzzed, blood rushing to my head. With Landon’s strength, he could absolutely do what he said. I frantically raised my hands to stop him from getting closer: “Landon, let’s go somewhere else and talk properly, okay?” As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized my mistake. Landon… couldn’t hear. But the next second— Landon grabbed both my wrists with one hand, pinning them above my head, and leaned in close to my ear: “As long as you promise you won’t pass out halfway through, I’ll talk to you.” I froze instantly, feeling like I’d been struck by lightning: “Y-you… you can hear me?” Click. The lights went out. The darkness, accompanied by the damp, rising steam, amplified every sensation. Landon chuckled softly: “I never said I couldn’t hear.” “It’s true that I couldn’t hear very well when I took the hearing aid out initially, but someone was always so unapologetically loud.” In the darkness, his voice carried a seductive, alluring tone: “I liked it very much.” ? So all those dirty things I used to say… Landon heard every single word, loud and clear? My face instantly burned. A million imaginary Barbie Dreamhouses were being built by my curling toes. How should I put this? I wanted to run, but I couldn’t. I had no choice but to try a Hail Mary. I pitched my voice higher, faking a tearful, pitiful whimper: “Landon, my wrists hurt.” “Let me go, please?” Landon paused, the grip on my hands subconsciously loosening. This trick always worked flawlessly. I seized the opening and aimed a vicious kick at Landon. But as if he had anticipated it, he caught my leg mid-air. Landon’s fingertips lightly grazed the sole of my foot: “Baby, it’s not a good habit to kick people.” “I’m not letting you escape this time.” The world spun again as our positions reversed. The water splashed against my waist, a tempestuous storm. Landon’s hand pressed firmly down on my lower back: “Piper, say my name.” I bit my lip and turned my head, refusing to answer. Landon didn’t get angry; he abruptly sat up. The sudden movement brought tears to my eyes: “Landon, you’re a fucking bastard!” Landon’s tense body pressed against the shell of my ear, his voice hoarse: “Baby, you’re so beautiful.” ? He actually used the dirty words I used to say against me. A raging hurricane. Landon gave me no room to breathe. I dug my nails fiercely into his back. Heavy breathing, accompanied by the frequent flashes of white light in my mind. Again and again, hovering on the edge of the abyss. Landon kept talking, but I couldn’t hear clearly anymore. My bones felt like jelly, and my vision began to blur. “After all these years, you still haven’t improved,” Landon lifted me from the bathtub, a clear note of pleasure in his voice. “Hold on tight. If you fall, I’m not catching you.”

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