Category: English

I was secretly dating Lucas Gray. At some point, he became insatiable, growing more and more unsatisfied. He even had the audacity to ask me in front of my official boyfriend: “How long are you going to keep torturing me?” At my 22nd birthday party, as it was winding down, Lucas pulled me into the emergency stairwell. His eyes, hazy with alcohol, fixed intently on my lips. “Aria Reed, I’ve got a birthday gift for you.” With that, he leaned in and kissed me. A strong whiff of alcohol mixed with a faint mint scent enveloped me. As if possessed, I closed my eyes. Perhaps surprised by my compliance, he paused, his forehead resting against mine, our noses touching. “You like it that much?” I tilted my head up and initiated another kiss. He leaned against the stair railing, watching me with a smile. “Dare to come with me?” “What about your girlfriend?” I secretly pinched my palm, trying to sober up. Lucas was like a wild, mischievous wolf cub – very aggressive, wild, ruthless, and heartless. I had long felt that this kind of man was dangerous. Not to be approached lightly. But danger also meant allure. Lucas seemed to have heard something amusing. He narrowed his eyes and smirked, “Isn’t she in your boyfriend’s room? Are you really that naive, or just pretending?” I was shocked for a moment but quickly hid my reaction. I knew my boyfriend had betrayed me, but I didn’t know he was so shameless as to go after his best friend’s girlfriend. Lucas turned his head, pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it. The gray-white smoke billowed from his nostrils, swirling in the air, obscuring half of his face. The crimson glow flickered on and off, falling into his pitch-black eyes, like the brightest star at the edge of the sky. “Want to come with me?” After finishing his cigarette, his voice was lower and hoarser than before. Mixed with the night, it crept into my ears with a bewitching quality. I stepped forward, meeting his watery eyes: “Do you know what you’re doing?” He raised his hand to caress my face: “Of course. It’s a win-win, isn’t it? Don’t you want to get back at your boyfriend?” My boyfriend was his childhood friend. His good friend had slept with his girlfriend, so he came after me. Fighting fire with fire – I liked it. I wrapped my arms around his waist and gave him a hard pinch: “Let’s go.”

I never imagined Lucas would take me straight to his place. “Couldn’t we go to a hotel?” I asked, tugging at his sleeve. He glanced around the room: “Unless you want to be helpful and change the sheets for me?” We sat awkwardly in the living room for an hour. Suddenly, Lucas angrily smashed a vase on the table and cursed under his breath: “This is boring. I’m done playing. Go find your Noah.” Noah Parker was my boyfriend. We were high school classmates who got together after the college entrance exam. We didn’t attend the same university, but we were in the same city. Back then, he was very good to me, always accommodating my wishes. I was strong-willed, so he was the one who always gave in. In the second semester of our junior year, he participated in an entrepreneurship competition. He was busy day and night and received a lot of praise. I admired him deeply, and to make it easier to take care of his daily life, I agreed to his suggestion of living together. During that time, we, naive and innocent, learned to manage a household together, tempering our relationship through the daily grind of life. Our friends all said we would definitely end up together, and I believed it without a doubt. When exactly did things start to change? A sharp pain pierced my heart, as if countless needles were pricking my tender flesh. I walked over, crouched in front of him, and gently held his hand: “Lucas, what if I take the initiative?” Would that make it more fun? The next morning, I woke up in Lucas’s arms. We hadn’t slept in the bed, but were squeezed together on a narrow, cramped sofa, our bodies intertwined like two symbiotic plants. Looking at his peaceful sleeping face, I felt like a thief, secretly reaching out my hand to trace his features, being especially gentle and careful when I reached his lips. The phone rang abruptly, and I hastily withdrew my hand, putting on a smile to cover my embarrassment: “You’re awake?” Lucas didn’t fully open his eyes, just gave a faint “Mm” and said: “Answer the phone.” I picked up the phone and saw it was that little bastard Noah. Last night he said he had an urgent matter at the company and had to rush back to deal with it. Huh, I wonder which hotel he ended up “dealing” with it in. He probably didn’t have the guts like Lucas to bring someone back home, right? “Hello, what’s up?” I answered. He said a few caring words, then suddenly changed his tone, sounding a bit aggrieved: “Why didn’t you call me last night? Are you mad that I left early?” I laughed silently. Did he really want me to call and disturb him? “I didn’t want to bother you. When are you coming back?” I asked. “I can’t make it back today, still have to work overtime. Take care of yourself.” I tilted my head to look at Lucas, then after a few seconds, smiled and said: “Okay, don’t worry. Focus on your work.” After hanging up, Lucas sat up from the sofa and stretched: “Last night was exhausting. Shall we go grab a bite together to recharge?” I checked my schedule and replied with some regret: “I have meetings during the day, very busy. Maybe after 10 PM I’ll be free.” “Huh… no wonder your boyfriend cheats on you,” Lucas stared at me and said mockingly. I retorted, not backing down: “You’re no better. Didn’t your girlfriend find someone else too?” Before leaving, Lucas gently embraced me from behind. Through the thin fabric, I could clearly feel the rhythm of his heartbeat. “When do you plan to break up, and how?” My gaze fell on an empty spot as I zoned out for a moment. “I never said I was going to break up.”

After getting home and taking a shower, I drove to the office. As bad luck would have it, I ran into Noah and Lucas’s girlfriend on the street. They had just come out of a hotel and were saying a lingering goodbye on the sidewalk. Disgusting. I don’t know if they noticed my car, but Noah suddenly pushed away the woman in his arms and dodged to the side. I didn’t stop, just kept driving normally. Soon after, Noah called me. His tone was nervous, but with a hint of deliberate concealment: “Babe, have you had breakfast?” “Not yet, I’m driving. What’s up? Want to have breakfast together? I can detour to your office to find you,” I replied while driving. He seemed to relax a bit: “No, you focus on driving. Don’t come over, it’s too much trouble. I’ve ordered takeout to be sent to your office. Remember to eat.” “You’re so good to me.” “Of course, I’m your husband after all.” Ugh. I almost threw up last night’s dinner. At 9:50 PM, I finished organizing my plans and stretched, finally having time to check the messages on my phone. Noah had called me once and sent three casual greetings on SnapChat. I could reply or not, it didn’t matter. Lucas had sent me six messages. “Lunch together?” “Finished work?” “Dinner together?” “???” “How can you have an affair when you’re so busy?” The last one was sent three minutes ago: “I’m downstairs at your office. Come down when you’re done.” After thinking for a while, I typed back a simple “Okay”.

Lucas is really reckless and does whatever he says. When I went downstairs, he was already in the elevator going up, and we ran into each other. If I had been even a little later, he would have really gone to knock on my door. “He didn’t do anything to you, did he?” Lucas naturally put his arm around my waist and sniffed me like a puppy. I collapsed tiredly into his arms: “Was everything today planned by you?” Lucas didn’t completely condemn Noah, but left some hope for him just right, then coldly watched how he struggled for this false hope. In this process, he even brought his girlfriend along to play. Vicious. Lucas raised his hand and pinched my nose: “Don’t think of me as so complicated. I just want to… with you…” He glanced down and smiled flirtatiously. Lucas took me back to his place again, proudly pointing at the bedroom and telling me he had changed the bed – it was especially big and soft now. I glanced at the sofa, vividly remembering the details of indulging our desires that day. Huh… I guess a stable married life with kids just wasn’t in the cards for me. Is it my failure, or is life just like this – endless disappointments, unfulfilled promises, inescapable relationships, and messy affairs? I closed my eyes, and just before my emotions were about to collapse, I turned around, stood on tiptoe, grabbed Lucas’s collar, and kissed him squarely on the lips. He responded almost immediately. He understood me well, or perhaps he just understood women well. Rough when needed, yet patient and tender at the right moments. At the height of passion, Lucas hugged me tightly. I bit my lip, too preoccupied to pay attention to him. But unexpectedly, he suddenly flipped over and got off the bed: “If you won’t even give me this little sweetness, why should I bother trying?” I lay dazed on the bed, not knowing whether to cry or laugh. Later that night, as I was drifting off to sleep, I felt myself being pulled into an embrace that smelled faintly of tobacco. That person seemed to whisper in my ear: “Goodnight, babe.” Uh, must be dreaming. Lucas didn’t seem like the type to play these little games with me. When I woke up in the morning, there was no one beside me. I checked my phone and saw it was only 6 AM. Where did he go? I rubbed my messy hair and got up to leave the room. As soon as I opened the door, I smelled a sweet aroma wafting through the air. Following the scent, I saw Lucas busy in the open kitchen. The light from above illuminated his profile, making it look smooth and handsome. A surge of emotion suddenly rose in my heart, almost making me cry out loud. This intense reaction terrified me, and I couldn’t understand it. So I ran. Without makeup, face unwashed, I fled out the door in a mess, running wildly. Only when I was far from Lucas’s place did I stop at a bus stop, belatedly realizing what a stupid thing I had done. I also came to a clearer realization – Lucas and I weren’t evenly matched players in this game of love. I wasn’t as rational or mature as I thought. When it came to relationships, I was just a novice. I needed to retreat quickly, or the risks would be unpredictable.

When I arrived at the office by taxi, Noah suddenly appeared and blocked my way. “Aria, how are you… I’m sorry, it’s all my fault for making you so upset.” Seeing my listless appearance, his eyes filled with deep guilt. This is ridiculous, running into an ex without makeup on. He tried to take my hand, but I stepped back slightly and said coldly: “I need to go to work.” “Okay, then I’ll come pick you up after work.” Noah smiled with excessive gentleness. “No.” I took a deep breath, “I need some time alone to think clearly about how we should handle our relationship.” Noah panicked and quickly grabbed my hand, holding it to his chest: “Aria, I was wrong before. I didn’t give you enough security. Please don’t do anything rash. I’ll change, just give me one more chance.” I forcefully pulled my hand back and walked straight past him towards the office building. Back in my office, I took out my phone to message Lucas. “Don’t show up for the next few days. I’m very busy.” The message was sent less than a minute ago when he replied: “Oh.” He’s really cold and indifferent. If only I could be as detached and carefree about relationships as him, how nice that would be. Unfortunately, talent means nothing in the face of hard work. In the days that followed, Lucas really didn’t contact me again. But through his daily SnapChat updates, I knew he was living a very colorful life, not missing me as just one of his sources of fun at all. As for Noah, he would stake out my office every day whenever he had time, trying to make amends in various ways. My colleagues didn’t know about our situation and just thought we had a good relationship, urging us to get married soon. I didn’t want to make a fool of myself, so I just went along with it perfunctorily. But I didn’t expect Noah to really take it to heart. Friday night, as soon as I left the office building, I saw him kneeling in a circle of flickering candles, holding roses with a face full of tenderness. I paused, feeling a wave of nausea rising in my stomach. It’ll be over soon, almost there… “Aria Reed, marry me!” Noah shouted excitedly, his voice straining. The crowd that had gathered around was ignited by this sound, all cheering and egging him on. Through the dreamy, flickering candlelight, I looked at Noah, unable to help but sneer inwardly. Beneath this beautiful facade lay a festering wound too ugly to look at. If no one knew his true face, what a pity that would be. I squeezed out some tears, stepped over the candles, walked to his side, and looked down at his eager gaze. After a while, I finally broke through the sticky feeling in my throat and spoke: “Noah, I love you.” He suddenly stood up and pulled me into his arms: “I know.” He knows? This threw me off for a moment. Is he that confident? I suddenly felt like I couldn’t continue acting. Seeing that I didn’t speak, Noah released me, took out the ring from the jewelry box with tears in his eyes, and slipped it onto my index finger: “Aria Reed, I love you more.” Suddenly, a low chuckle came from behind, sounding particularly jarring in this romantic atmosphere. Noah’s expression changed abruptly. In his pitch-black pupils, I saw Lucas’s figure. My heart immediately jumped to my throat. Why did he come? “Lucas, what are you doing here?” Noah pulled me behind him, confronting Lucas warily. Lucas’s relaxed demeanor made it seem like he had just happened to stroll by while walking his dog. He stood with his hands in his pockets, the bangs on his forehead swaying gently in the night breeze, making the fragments of light in his eyes flicker on and off. “Hmm…” As if deliberately, he fixed his gaze on me, dragging out his tone, taking a long time to get to the point, leaving people on edge. “I’m here to propose too.” As soon as these casual words fell, he unhurriedly pulled out a sparkling diamond ring from his pants pocket. Compared to the one Noah had just put on my finger, it was much bigger and more exquisite. “Lucas, have you gone crazy?” Noah shouted, losing control. “Aria Reed, do you dare?” Lucas tilted his head and smiled innocently. I heard the cracking sound of Noah clenching his fists, feeling a rush of pleasure in my heart. But this wasn’t enough. The pain after joy, the loss after gain, that would be truly intense. I took the initiative to hold Noah’s hand: “Let’s go, I don’t know what he’s doing.” Noah held my hand as we left, passing by Lucas. As we did, I gave Lucas a deep look. I don’t know if it was my imagination, but there seemed to be a glimmer of moisture in his eyes. “How long are you going to keep torturing me?” His voice was very soft, but I still heard it. I had been intentionally trying to win over Noah’s mom for a while now. When she found out Noah and I were successfully engaged, she was extremely excited and video called Noah for nearly two hours, urging us to get married quickly. I pretended to be shy: “Didn’t Noah say there’s a headhunter trying to recruit him? Would getting married now interfere with that?”

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The celebrity boyfriend I had been dating for eight years proposed on stage at an awards ceremony. But the person he proposed to wasn’t me – it was my younger sister. My father told me to be gracious about it. I smiled and agreed. As I turned away, I bumped into my ex-boyfriend’s playboy uncle. Our eyes met. The man beneath me had a fierce, terrifying look in his eyes, as if they were saying “Go to hell!” Oh no, how could I explain to him that I had just accidentally bumped into him when I turned around? That I had accidentally kissed him too – it was all just an accident. Camera flashes went off all around us, instantly drawing attention away from the proposal happening on stage. “Had enough of kissing?” The man roughly pushed me off him and wiped the lipstick from his mouth, brushing dust off his expensive suit and irritably adjusting his tie. In the next moment, he smoothed the anger from his features and curled his lips into a smile, a hint of malice glinting in his eyes as he breathed into my ear: “Miss Chen, we’ll have plenty of time together in the future!” The man left without giving me a chance to respond. Um, wait, you’ve got some of my foundation smeared on your face. After he walked away, the awards ceremony erupted into chaos. The normally poised and haughty celebrities all started whispering amongst themselves. Well, the man I had accidentally kissed was a social media sensation, known as Lucas Howard, the young master of the Howard family who could shake up the entire entertainment industry with a stomp of his foot. He was also my boyfriend’s uncle. Oh, I mean ex-boyfriend. We had just broken up the day before. Thinking of this, I looked towards the stage. My ex-boyfriend was still down on one knee, proposing to my younger sister. The two of them were frozen on stage, no one caring about the outcome of this supposedly grand proposal. Everyone was too absorbed in the kiss between Lucas and me. The proposal ended abruptly. Ha, serves them right. My sister, a newly minted top celebrity, shot me a murderous glare. I smiled and waved at her. But karma came for me all too quickly.

In the backstage dressing room, I leaned against the wall with my head down, drawing circles on the floor with my high heels as I faced judgment from the three people opposite me. My father, my younger sister, and my ex-boyfriend. Isabella started sobbing dramatically: “My own sister causing a scandal with my boyfriend’s uncle – how can I ever show my face in public again?” What? Afraid of losing face? You didn’t seem to care about that when you got together with your sister’s ex-boyfriend. I smirked sarcastically, but Isabella caught my expression. She cried even more pitifully: “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t fallen for Aiden, none of this would have happened. But sister, you shouldn’t use this to get revenge. Don’t you know Mr. Howard isn’t someone to be trifled with?” She paused, looking worriedly at our stone-faced father before continuing hesitantly: “If you really offend him, forget everything else – I’m just afraid he might not even spare MJ Entertainment.” I raised my head, about to mock Isabella for making a mountain out of a molehill, when I was met with a slap across the face. The sharp sound echoed through the dressing room. “Dad!” Isabella exclaimed in surprise, but her eyes betrayed a hint of schadenfreude. The left side of my face instantly turned red, and a sharp ringing filled my left ear. Dad pointed at my nose and started cursing: “Sophia, you little brat!” The look in his eyes as he glared at me was filled with bone-deep hatred. It was as if I wasn’t his own daughter, but some mortal enemy who had murdered his entire family. “If Mr. Howard really gets angry, even your death wouldn’t be enough to make up for it!” I rubbed my swollen left cheek and glared right back at him defiantly: “What? Upset that I ruined your plan to sell your daughter for your own gain?” Isabella immediately jumped up: “Sophia, don’t go too far! Aiden and I truly love each other.” Me: “Truly love each other?” Aiden stood in the shadows, a cigarette between his fingers. Half his handsome face was obscured by smoke. As if he couldn’t bear to watch this farce any longer, he frowned and pushed open the door to leave. Isabella immediately chased after him. Dad’s gaze on me grew even fiercer: “Sophia, don’t forget how much your sister suffered for those 18 years! And whose fault was that?” Isabella had been kidnapped from an amusement park when she was three years old. It wasn’t until two years ago that I finally found her. They said it was supposed to be my trip to the amusement park that day. That I had snuck out with her and caused her to get lost. During the years she was missing, everyone looked at me with accusing eyes, including my mom. She even sent me away to live with my grandfather because of it. The excuse was “out of sight, out of mind.” When I was in high school, my grandfather passed away and I was brought back home. But the very next day, Dad told us Isabella would never come back – she was dead. At the same time, Mom died too. Between me and Isabella, she chose to go be with Isabella. I became the wretched daughter who caused her sister to get lost and her mother to commit suicide. The blame for causing my sister’s disappearance clung to me like a curse. Whenever I did anything that went against their wishes, they would invoke that curse, bringing searing pain. I held back the tears stinging my eyes, clenching my fists so tightly that my sharp nails dug into my palms until they were a bloody mess. “I’ve told you before, breaking up with Aiden was the last time. I’ve atoned for my sins.” Aiden pushed open the door, rubbing his brow. His eyes held disgust as he spoke in a condescending tone: “Sophia, you should be grateful you’re Isabella’s sister. Otherwise I wouldn’t bother with you. I’ll smooth things over with my uncle.” Isabella gratefully threw herself into his arms, hugging his waist and burying her face in his chest. “Aiden, thank goodness we have you.” Aiden placed his hand on Isabella’s back, his gaze deep as he spoke gently: “Bella, don’t cry. I’ll take care of everything.” “Sophia, this is the last time. Behave yourself from now on!” He emphasized those last four words especially heavily. My heart turned ice cold. Just three months ago, I never could have imagined that the man who had whispered sweet nothings in my ear and sworn to love me forever would now be telling me to “behave myself.” Drawing on some inner wellspring of pride, I enunciated each word clearly: “Aiden, that won’t be necessary. It’s better if we keep things clear between us.” “Suit yourself!” He tossed out those three words impatiently before immediately taking Isabella’s hand and walking out. Isabella glanced back at me, not bothering to hide the mockery in her eyes. Dad snarled viciously: “Sophia, I don’t care if you have to kneel or die, you must make Mr. Howard calm down within three days.” The dressing room suddenly emptied out. I slid down the wall to the floor, finally feeling the pain from my bloodied palms. As my mind slowly cleared, I remembered one important thing. I had badmouthed Lucas Howard behind his back before, and he had caught me red-handed. Hopefully…maybe…he’d forgotten about it? After all, it had been two years.

On the set of a fantasy drama, Lucas was sprawled in a chair. Even through his sunglasses, I could feel his arrogance. He lifted his sunglasses slightly, revealing a sliver of his eyes as he glanced at me and said sarcastically: “Well, if it isn’t the princess of MJ Entertainment. What brings you to seek out this good-for-nothing playboy who only knows how to mooch off his family?” Great, he hadn’t forgotten. I took a drink from his assistant’s hand and respectfully offered it to Lucas: “Mr. Howard is just being filial, giving up his career to spend more time with his elders.” He took the drink and drawled: “Is that so? I thought I was just an arrogant, unreasonable young master.” I forced a smile: “That just shows Mr. Howard has a unique, determined personality and doesn’t blindly follow others.” He took off his sunglasses and looked me up and down carefully before chuckling: “Miss Chen, your mouth has certainly gotten sweeter than before!” Oh please, you’ve just gotten even more petty and vengeful! Lucas’s gaze made my skin crawl. Beads of sweat broke out on my forehead. Thankfully, a coquettish cry from afar rescued me from the situation. “Mr. Howard!” The female lead of the fantasy drama threw herself into Lucas’s arms like a delicate songbird, clinging to his arm and pouting. “Look at them, making me do all the stunts for such a minor scene. The wire harness really hurts.” Lucas pulled her into his embrace: “That won’t do at all. If my little darling gets hurt, it’ll break my heart.” Help, I’m still here. Can you consider the audience a little? “What should we do then?” Lucas’s eyes fell on me again. “Why don’t we ask Miss Chen to help out?” The actress in Lucas’s arms instantly froze. She had just been casually complaining and hadn’t noticed the princess of MJ Entertainment was here. Although Sophia wasn’t favored by her family, the actress was just a passing fancy in Mr. Howard’s garden. She didn’t want to become collateral damage in the games of these powerful figures. She stammered: “Mr-Mr. Howard, I’ve thought about it and I think I can manage. The wire harness doesn’t hurt that much after all.” Lucas pulled the actress closer: “No, you can’t. Miss Chen, what do you think?” I swallowed hard and forced out: “Fine. I. Can. Do. It.” The next moment I was strapped into the wire harness. As the ropes lifted me up, in no time I was five meters off the ground. Looking down at the people and scenery below that were growing smaller, I gripped the ropes tightly with both hands. My whole body started to go weak and my legs wouldn’t stop shaking. The last time I had looked down from such a height was back in high school, the day my mom died. When she heard the news of my sister’s death, she took me to the amusement park where Isabella had disappeared. She pulled me onto the Ferris wheel with her. When the Ferris wheel reached its highest point, she suddenly undid her safety belt, pushed open the safety barrier, and jumped. The Ferris wheel stopped at the top for half an hour. I stood there at that height, staring down at the bloody, mangled body below for thirty minutes. It was like I was having a mental breakdown. One moment I felt like I was still on the Ferris wheel, the next I thought I had jumped down with my mom and become part of that bloody mess on the ground. From that day on, I never went anywhere high again. As the rope lifted me higher and higher, my heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest. My breathing became more and more rapid. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and let out a piercing scream: “Let me down! I want to get down!” The assistant director, stagehands and others below scrambled to lower me back down. I collapsed on the ground. Lucas walked up to me and looked down at me, his narrow eyes devoid of any emotion. “Giving up already? Miss Chen, you’re not sincere enough!” I struggled to my feet on shaky legs and stumbled away without looking back, trying to leave the terrifying experience behind me. I got into my car. Uncontrollable sobs rose from my throat. I bit down hard on my hand. Damn it, Sophia. Don’t you dare cry. Don’t you dare give up. Don’t you dare show weakness! A Rolls-Royce with a license plate full of 8s drove up from behind. Lucas was in that car. He glanced over through the half-open window. I was so scared I ducked my head under the seat, only realizing a moment later that he couldn’t see inside the car anyway.

It was evening by the time I got home. As soon as I entered the house, I sensed something strange about the atmosphere in the living room. All the maids kept their heads down, deliberately avoiding my gaze. What was going on? Isabella stammered: “Sister, Lucky…Lucky…” Lucky was the little dog my grandfather had left me. I had raised him for fifteen whole years. You could say he was the last family I had left in this world. I shoved Isabella aside and started searching the house for Lucky: “Lucky, sister’s home! Come out, boy!” Isabella’s eyes turned red. Crystal tears hung from her long lashes as she tugged at my sleeve: “Sister, Lucky…Lucky’s gone.” “Aiden and I were taking Lucky for a walk today when he ran off on his own and got hit by a car.” I grabbed Isabella’s shoulders, praying this was just another one of her cruel jokes: “Isabella, what did you say?” She turned away from Aiden and flashed me a vicious smile, speaking in a voice only the two of us could hear: “Lucky wasn’t killed by the first hit. He was still crawling on the ground, whimpering pitifully. It sounded so sad!” I raised my hand and slapped her across the face: “Isabella, you’ll pay for this!” Aiden rushed over and shoved me to the ground: “Sophia, it was just a dog. Why are you overreacting?” Just a dog? Overreacting? This was the only thing my grandfather had left me. On his deathbed, he had held my hand and smiled as he comforted me: “Sophia, don’t worry about me being gone. You’ll still have Lucky to keep you company!” Aiden avoided my gaze as he said: “That dog was already 15 years old. It was time for him to go anyway!” I glared at Aiden, feeling like I was seeing his true face for the first time: “Aiden, you should have died long ago. You’re an accomplice!” He glared back furiously: “Sophia, I’ll let this slide since your dog just died!” Isabella had the maid bring out Lucky’s body. I picked him up. The dog who used to run to my feet and bark happily every time I came home now lay motionless on the cold floor. His once snow-white curly fur was matted with blood. Both his hind legs had been crushed by the car. “Where’s the person who hit him?” Isabella put on an innocent face: “Sister, it wasn’t intentional. The driver even had a 5-year-old child with him! I felt bad, so I let him go.” Lucky’s cries kept echoing in my ears, but the body in my arms was already starting to grow stiff and cold. Lucky was really gone. It felt like my grandfather had left me for a second time. Isabella crouched down, pretending she was going to help me up. But she leaned in close to my ear and imitated Lucky’s whimpering, mocking me: “Sister, you must really want revenge right now, don’t you? But you have nothing. People with nothing don’t deserve revenge!” Isabella laughed gleefully. She had always resented me for causing her disappearance. But she forgot that when she went missing, she was only 3 years old, and I was just 6. I had long since repaid my debt to her. She shouldn’t have…she shouldn’t have taken it out on my Lucky. With bloodshot eyes, I set Lucky’s body down and suddenly lunged at Isabella, wrapping my hands tightly around her throat. Aiden and the maids swarmed over to pull me off her. Ignoring the pain, I clawed chunks of flesh from Isabella’s neck: “Isabella, you murderer! I won’t let you get away with this!” I was dragged back to my room like a madwoman. With a loud bang, the door slammed shut. I was locked in for a day of solitary confinement as punishment. It wasn’t until the next day that I received a phone call – a call that would ensure no one dared stop me from leaving.

I followed the waiter down a long hallway before finally stopping in front of a top VIP private room. As the door opened, I was hit by the stifling smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke. The dark green carpet, the crystal chandelier overhead casting a kaleidoscope of sultry colors. Sitting on the couch opposite were a row of people. Some I recognized, some I didn’t. To the me of the past, these were all Mr. Howard’s friends and lackeys. The karaoke room fell silent. All eyes focused on me as Mr. Howard’s friends exchanged glances, surprised that the princess of MJ Entertainment would come to their playground. Lucas lounged in the center seat, sprawled lazily on the leather couch. The pink lighting cast an otherworldly glow on his face. He glanced at me, exhaling a cloud of white smoke: “You’re here? Have a seat.” I carefully made my way through the crowd to his side. The pretty redhead sitting next to Lucas glared at me fiercely before reluctantly moving aside. Strangely, even though Lucas had called me here, he acted like I didn’t exist, not saying a word to me for a full half hour. The people in the room chain-smoked as if they’d been granted immunity from lung cancer. I felt nauseous from the smoke and slipped away to the bathroom when no one was looking. I splashed some cold water on my face. The mirror reflected back a pale, exhausted version of myself. This past year had been like a nightmare. Ever since Isabella was found, Aiden, who had always stood by my side, had inexplicably moved to her side instead. Now Lucky was dead too. Isabella said people with nothing had no right to revenge. Well then, I would go find my ally, my support! I pushed open the door and re-entered the private room, sitting down next to Lucas. I leaned in close to his ear: “Mr. Howard, want to date?” Lucas suddenly lowered his head, pressing his forehead against mine: “Why?” I didn’t back away, meeting his upturned smile: “He cheated on me, with my sister. I want revenge. I want to make that scumbag call me ‘auntie’.” He abruptly pulled back, lighting another cigarette and holding it between his lips: “That won’t do. Aiden is my dear nephew after all!” Ha, dear nephew my ass. The two had been at odds since childhood. Lucas’s mother was the new young wife Mr. Howard Sr. had married, while William was born to the original wife who had passed away early. William’s wife was childless. To continue the family line, he had brought home Aiden and Aiden’s mother, who was William’s mistress. Lucas’s mother naturally sided with William’s wife. Aiden and his mother secretly cursed Lucas’s mother for being a homewrecker and mocked her for shamelessly marrying an old man. Lucas overheard and told Mr. Howard Sr., who sent away Aiden’s mother that very night. The two became mortal enemies after that. “Unless Miss Chen can finish this whole bottle of alcohol. Then we might have something to discuss.” Lucas placed an entire bottle of liquor from the black marble table in front of me. I had no idea how Lucas always managed to find my weaknesses. I was afraid of heights, so he made me do the wire stunt. I was allergic to alcohol, so he was forcing me to drink. We really were like mortal enemies. But when I thought of Lucky’s cold, lifeless body, everything else seemed bearable in comparison. I took a deep breath, grabbed the bottle and chugged the entire thing in one go. The people around us were stunned, breaking into cheers and applause. As the last drops slid down my throat, I clutched Lucas’s collar: “Quick, take me to the hospital. I’m…I’m allergic to alcohol.” Lucas’s expression changed instantly, his nonchalant gaze turning panicked: “Shit, are you crazy?” He scooped me up in his arms and ran to the car. The driver immediately sped off towards the hospital. Seeing his furrowed brow, I knew this bastard must be cursing me in his head. At the hospital, the elderly doctor quickly hooked me up to an IV drip. He sternly warned Lucas: “Young man, how could you be so careless? You didn’t even know your girlfriend was allergic to alcohol? Pay more attention!” He didn’t contradict the doctor, just brushing it off with a few vague words. To my surprise, he didn’t leave. Instead, he sat next to me as I got the IV drip. In the empty hallway, it was just the two of us. I coughed lightly to get his attention: “Mr. Howard, let’s forget what I said earlier. An uncle getting together with his nephew’s ex-girlfriend would surely anger Mr. Howard Sr. We should call it off.” This was a risky move. Lucas was famously carefree and unpredictable. But there was one thing that had remained constant for decades – his opposition to his father, Mr. Howard Sr. I had once heard Aiden mention a rumor in the Howard family. Lucas had always believed his older brother – Aiden’s father – was responsible for the death of Lucas’s mother. But Mr. Howard Sr. had covered up his eldest son’s crime. That’s why Lucas despised Mr. Howard Sr. He opposed everything his father supported and liked everything his father hated. Mr. Howard Sr. cared about face and propriety above all else. What could make him angrier than his son getting together with his nephew’s ex-girlfriend? For the first time, I felt like Lucas was really looking at me. He smiled, revealing his canine teeth in a rare moment of brightness: “Miss Chen, I’m starting to like you a little!” I held out my hand: “Well then, Mr. Howard, shall we work together?” “Let’s work together!” He finally reached out and shook my hand. “But Sophia, don’t drink again next time. You look too ugly.” The smile froze on my swollen face. Lucas really had no filter. Talking like that was just asking to get punched. “Okay, sure!”

Isabella was like a wild dog that could track human scents, constantly finding ways to harass me. “Sister, it’s been three days. What did Mr. Howard say? Should I have Aiden put in a good word for you?” I shot her a glare and walked into the house without responding. This action angered our father again. Actually, in many ways he didn’t fulfill any fatherly responsibilities. To me, he was just a man named Frank Chen. He barked harshly: “You insolent girl! Don’t you have any manners? Your sister is talking to you!” He raised his hand again, but this time another hand stopped him. It was Lucas. “Mr. Chen!” Lucas tossed the black bag he was holding into my arms. “Sophia, your bag.” Frank’s eyes widened in shock: “Mr-Mr. Howard!” Lucas put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close: “Mr. Chen, you’re not that old. Why the stutter? Oh right, guilty conscience. You know our Sophia was old Mr. Jin’s most beloved granddaughter. Aren’t you afraid his ghost will come back for revenge?” From my angle, I could only see his chiseled jawline. I couldn’t read his expression to guess why he was standing up for me. But this was the first time anyone had ever shielded me and spoken up on my behalf. Frank said: “Mr. Howard must be joking!” Lucas raised an eyebrow, not bothering to hide the arrogance and malice in his demeanor: “I’m not joking with you. Is a son-in-law who married into the family worth joking about?” Frank’s expression turned extremely ugly. His status as a son-in-law who had married into the family was a humiliation he had always wanted to wash away. He never expected Lucas to bring it up again. But revenge is a dish best served cold. One day Lucas would fall into his hands. He quickly smoothed the expression from his face, carefully putting on a fawning tone: “Yes, yes, sometimes I can be a bit harsh as a father.” Lucas squeezed my shoulder, feigning intimacy: “Mr. Chen, even when beating a dog, you have to consider its owner!” Me: ? While I appreciated him standing up for me, couldn’t he have used a different phrase? Frank kept smiling and nodding along. Lucas seemed satisfied as he led me towards the door with his arm around me. Suddenly he turned back, his gaze falling on Isabella who was hiding in the corner: “Sophia, what was your sister’s name again? Isabella something?” Isabella hurriedly ran out: “Isabella Chen. I’m Isabella Chen.” “You seem to lack manners. Don’t you know how to address people properly? Didn’t Aiden tell you who I am?” Isabella bowed repeatedly in panic: “Have a good day, Uncle. Have a good day, Uncle.” Lucas pointed at me: “You’re not going to call her Aunt?” Isabella shot me a vicious glare. Lucas: “Are you glaring at your elder?” “No, no.” Isabella froze in a half-bow, her voice barely above a whisper. “Have a good day…Aunt.” “Your voice is too quiet. I’ll let it slide this time, but next time you see your elders, learn to address them properly!” Lucas said with slight displeasure, deliberately emphasizing the word “elders.” “Okay, okay, I’ll remember!” Other than the day Isabella was brought back, this was the first time I had seen her so flustered. I have to say, it felt pretty good to have someone powerful on my side. I was even starting to like Lucas a little. His sharp tongue was reliably devastating to everyone. Once we got in the car, Lucas withdrew his arm and told the driver in front: “Back to the old mansion!” My heart skipped a beat. Although I knew working with Lucas would inevitably mean facing Mr. Howard Sr., I hadn’t expected that day to come so soon. “Miss Chen, isn’t it time for you to help me out?” The Howard family’s old mansion was in the suburbs of a neighboring province. Mr. Howard Sr. was getting on in years, and a fortune teller had said that location had good energy that would help him live to a ripe old age.

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I was Bruce Wayne. During a contract negotiation, Elena West was deliberately plied with alcohol. I took her home and, at her desperate plea, comforted her in her distress. After that night, she found herself pregnant. Left with no other choice, Elena married me. However, when her childhood sweetheart, Aidan Moore, saw the news, he went out for a reckless high-speed drive and died on the spot. Upon hearing the news, Elena kept a poker face and simply said he was just a friend and that his death was no big deal. But on the seventh night after Aidan’s death, she grabbed a kitchen knife and slashed it at my waist. “It’s all your fault for having dirty thoughts about me. Aidan got drunk and went for that crazy drive, dying with a grudge. I want you to pay for his life with your own!” The next time I opened my eyes, I was back to the night when Elena got drunk. “Bruce, I’m feeling like absolute crap. Get over here quick!” The moment I heard Elena’s desperate wail over the phone, I shot up from my sleep, and it hit me like a ton of bricks—I’d been reborn. Without a second thought this time, I immediately dialed Aidan’s number and then headed out to pick her up. When I found Elena, her cheeks were all flushed, and she was slumped on the sofa, looking as drunk as a skunk with those bleary eyes. In my past life, it was those same pleading eyes that made her tell me how lousy she felt and beg for my help. I was so under her spell back then that I just caved in helplessly. And that single decision cost me my life. This time, I plopped down right next to her and said sincerely, “Elena, Aidan’ll be here soon. You two know each other like the back of your hands. He’s way better at taking care of you.” Elena started fidgeting in her seat and reached out her hand, trying to grab me. But I played dumb and shuffled a bit farther away. Not long after, Aidan burst through the door. He gave me a nervous look. When he saw I hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary, he let out a quiet sigh of relief. Aidan pulled Elena into his arms and smiled, “You can head home now. I’ll take Elena to my place to sleep it off.” I just nodded and made a quick exit. As I stepped out of the hotel, the cool night air hit me in the face, waking me up. I let out a long breath. In my past life, I just couldn’t stand seeing Elena suffer from the drug’s effects, so I took her home and tried to help her ease the pain with my body. After she got pregnant, we had to go public with our engagement. When Aidan saw the news, he went on a drunken joyride at breakneck speed and ended up getting himself killed. Elena coolly took care of Aidan’s funeral arrangements. That very night, she came at me with a kitchen knife. I lost so much blood that I collapsed on the floor, begging her to spare me for the sake of our long-standing relationship. But she glared at me with those red-rimmed eyes and roared, “You’re just a stray mutt I took in. There’s no such thing as a relationship. Die!” As the blade sliced into me, I passed out from the excruciating pain. This time, I called Aidan to take care of her so they could finally be together. And I’d get out of this place and never cross paths with them again.

The next day, I went to work at the company. Elena walked in, arm-in-arm with Aidan, and announced to all the employees, “From now on, Aidan’s my boyfriend. You all better respect him as much as you respect me. Whatever he says, you gotta follow it.” Then she looked straight at me and emphasized, “Bruce, especially you. Don’t think you can do whatever the hell you want just ’cause you’re somehow related to me. If you piss Aidan off, I won’t let you off the hook.” I just nodded silently. Aidan stood beside Elena, flashing a cocky smile. I didn’t even bat an eye. Seeing my calm reaction, he turned to the others and said, “I’ve ordered a dozen or so mango mille-feuilles for you guys. Consider it a little gift.” Amid the cheers, the cakes were handed out. I picked up a paper plate, planning to just leave it on my desk and go. But Aidan immediately said, “Honey, does Bruce have a problem with me being your boyfriend? Why won’t he take my gift? After all, he’s your brother. If we can’t get the family’s blessing, maybe we should call it quits.” Seeing Aidan looking so put-upon, Elena immediately gave me a dirty look. “Bruce, what the hell are you doing? Eat the cake before you go.” I flat-out refused. “I’m allergic to mangoes.” Elena said impatiently, “So what if you’re allergic? This cake’s all about your attitude towards Aidan. Is feeling a bit sick more important than giving him some respect?” I was completely floored by what Elena said. But I really couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. “I care more about my health. I’ve got a mountain of work to do, so I won’t ruin your party.” Ten minutes later, Elena stormed into my office. She stared at me, fuming with rage.

I shot her a cold glance and didn’t feel like saying much. But Elena stormed over and snatched the mouse out of my hand right away. She moved in close, scrutinizing my face. “Why are you being such a cold fish? Is it because I brought Aidan to the company that you’re all bent out of shape?” I quickly shook my head to clear things up. “No, I’m really chuffed for you. It’s just that I’m swamped with work and have to get it done ASAP.” Elena still looked mad as hell and clearly didn’t buy my story. She let out a scoff. “Really happy for me? Yeah, right! Bruce, don’t tell me you still have some wacky ideas about me. That night after high school graduation, you pulled out a love letter and tried to confess your love. After I turned you down, you ran outside blubbering and got plastered. “Over the years, you’ve been snooping around, keeping tabs on my likes and dislikes. Every time I said I was into something, you’d go and learn all about it, then act like it was no biggie in front of me. But it was as plain as day in everything you did. Even my friends knew you had a thing for me. “I’m warning you, don’t have any crazy pipe dreams. I’ll never fall for you. Stop making a fool of yourself.” As she ranted, she marched over to my desk drawer and yanked it open. It was crammed full of stuff I’d collected about her over the years. Elena grabbed a handful and chucked it in my face, laughing derisively. “Bruce, if it weren’t for the sorry sight of you bawling your eyes out in the orphanage back then, I wouldn’t have had a soft spot and decided to take you in. But instead of being grateful, you’ve got these pervy thoughts about your foster sister! “You know I’ll only ever love Aidan. Yet you’ve been keeping all these records. You’re like a total creep, and it makes my skin crawl!” She glared at me with pure venom in her eyes. “I came here today to set the record straight. I got drunk last night. When you came to see me, it was obvious you were getting ideas. Thank God you still had some sense and called Aidan over. Otherwise, I’d have had you locked up for attempted rape and made sure you paid the price.” My heart twisted in pain. But whether it was in my past life or last night, she’d called out my name in her stupor. I guessed she’d been confused. Even though I’d already decided to let her go for good, her harsh words still hit me like a ton of bricks. Seeing me keep quiet, Elena gave my leg a good hard kick. “Stay away from me and Aidan from now on. If you cause any hassle for him, you’ll be sorry.” With that, Elena flounced out of the room. I sat there in silence for a moment, then opened my email. There was an invitation from my overseas tutor. This time, I didn’t hesitate and clicked to accept. I spent the entire afternoon getting my overseas travel essentials in order and answering emails. By the time I finally wrapped things up, it was already the wee hours of the night. As I stepped out of the company building, I was floored to find that my car, which I’d parked there earlier, had vanished into thin air. Just as I was about to dial the cops, Aidan shot me a message: [Bruce, I noticed you hadn’t come back yet. Thought I’d let you know it’s been freezing cold these days. Elena was worried I’d catch a chill on my way home at night, so she lent me your car. You’d better take a cab back.] Then he sent a pic of himself grinning from ear to ear, holding the car keys. [Hey, it’s your sister’s ride after all. She can do whatever she wants with it, right? I’m sure you won’t kick up a fuss.] This car was a gift from Elena when I broke my leg last time. She wanted to make it easier for me to get around town. Back then, she said she couldn’t stand seeing me in pain. Elena knew darn well that being so nice to me would make a guy like me, who’d been starved of love since childhood, grow attached to her. But she still went ahead and did it. Now, Elena was mocking me, calling me pushy. And she didn’t even have the decency to give me a heads-up before snatching the car away, all because she felt sorry for Aidan. I let out a bitter laugh and hailed a taxi home. When Elena heard me unlock the door, she sauntered out of the bedroom and gave me a casual once-over. “Aidan’s still not fully over his cold. I was worried it might come back, so I told him to drive the car home. Besides, your leg’s all healed up. A little exercise never hurt anybody.” I just nodded and kept my mouth shut. But all of a sudden, Elena got her back up. “Bruce, what’s with the sudden silence? Don’t tell me you’re up to something shady. You’ve been acting fishy all day. Usually, you throw a fit when someone touches your stuff. How come you’re being so laid-back now? “I’m warning you, whatever scheme you’ve cooked up, ditch it right now. If Aidan tells me you’ve pulled something, I’ll make sure you live to regret it.” As I made my way to my bedroom, I retorted, “I’m not thinking about anything. I just wanna live my own life and stay out of other people’s business. “Besides, Elena, didn’t you always whine about me bugging you? You should be happy I’m like this now.” Elena was caught off-guard by my words. She huffed and clapped her hands. “Fine, Bruce. Just like you!” Then she spun around and stormed back into the bedroom, slamming the door shut with a deafening bang. In the old days, whenever she did that, I knew she was steaming mad. But now, I couldn’t care less about cheering her up. After all, Elena was just my foster sister in name. Since she had her own boyfriend, it was his job to calm her down.

The days that followed gradually slipped into a peaceful rhythm. Since moving in with Elena, Aidan had been rubbing his relationship in my face day in and day out. Elena was clearly still mad at me and gave me the silent treatment. I, for my part, couldn’t be bothered to patch things up. Half a month later, Elena sprang a surprise on us all—she was expecting. All smiles, she shared the exciting news with everyone at the office. After that, she and Aidan were inseparable, hashing out every single aspect of their wedding. They began to be a rare sight at work and instead spent all their time running around wedding boutiques. This time, Elena had finally achieved her heart’s desire—Aidan’s child. I knew it was high time I bid farewell to their world once and for all. As soon as all the formalities were taken care of, I quickly booked a flight overseas. Funny enough, I was set to leave on the very day of their wedding.

In the evening when I got home, Elena was sitting in the living room waiting for me. Aidan had gone out with his friends to celebrate over dinner. She intercepted me at the door, fished out the bank card statement from her pocket, and frowned as she grilled me. “Hey, how come you suddenly splurged on an overseas flight ticket? I got the spending alert and called the airline. They said it was you who booked it in person. “Are you being a sore loser ’cause Aidan and I are tying the knot soon? Trying to pull the ‘going abroad’ card as an excuse?” At first, when Elena started with the first part of her question, I was on pins and needles, scared that she’d uncovered my secret. But when I heard the second half, I let out a tiny sigh of relief. I hung my head, keeping my mouth shut. As she saw my reluctant look, Elena’s eyes turned icier. Clearly ticked off, she laid into me. “Bruce, when are you gonna quit this kid stuff? For the past two weeks, you’ve been dodging me like the plague. If I hadn’t brought it up today, were you just gonna keep this act up forever? “Ever since Aidan moved in with me, you’ve been giving me the cold shoulder. But I’ve made it abundantly clear. Aidan’s the only guy I’ve ever been head-over-heels for in my life. “If you see me as your big sister, you oughta respect Aidan like an older brother. Stop trying to avoid us at every freaking turn. “You’ll always be my little bro, but this kind of resistance ain’t gonna fix anything. I’m not gonna change my mind for you. Do you really think you can strong-arm me into loving you?” I quickly shook my head. “Elena, you’ve got it all wrong. I’ve always seen you as the kind-hearted soul who took me in. I’ve always looked up to you for taking care of me and guiding me, and I’ve wanted to pay you back.” Hearing me, Elena burst out laughing like a maniac, as if I’d said the most absurd thing ever. “Look up to me? If you really did, you wouldn’t have written me that love letter and spilled your guts. Bruce, aren’t you ashamed of spouting such BS?” With that, she stomped straight into my bedroom, flung open the bookcase, and pointed inside. “All the books I love, the vinyl records I listen to, the posters I like—you’ve gone to so much trouble to collect ’em here. And you still say you don’t have feelings for me?” As she rambled on, she proudly picked up a book. Looking at the well-worn pages, she was nearly in hysterics. “To wear a book out like this, you must’ve flipped through it a gazillion times. “But you’d better clear all this junk out before my wedding. Aidan’s gonna move in with me soon. I’ve promised to love him till the end of time, and I don’t want him getting the wrong idea because of your crap. “Also, no matter how lovesick you are, I’m not gonna return your feelings. Think twice before you do anything. I gave you a second chance at life, so don’t go giving me any more headaches.”

Listening to Elena, I nodded obediently. I walked over and tossed everything into the trash can sitting on the floor. Since I had no intention of coming back after leaving for abroad, it was best to get rid of these things now. It saved me the hassle and made my feelings clear. But when Elena saw what I was doing, her expression hardened instantly. She rushed over and grabbed my arm, her voice rising in anger. “Bruce, what do you think you’re doing? Why are you throwing all this stuff in the trash? That’s my limited edition book you just ruined!” I glanced at the book she was clutching. It was a birthday gift she had given me after I was adopted, the first one I celebrated here. Elena had told me how much effort she put into finding it, claiming it was precious. I had cherished it so much that I wouldn’t even let anyone else borrow it. Yet, now, seeing me toss it aside was something she couldn’t bear. Elena snapped, frustration etched on her face, “Bruce, do you really have to go this far? Is this how you plan to show your dissatisfaction? You fell for someone you shouldn’t have, and I asked you to keep your distance. Instead, you’re throwing a tantrum! “You were so shaken up by my engagement that you had to leave the country to get over it, yet here you are, pretending it doesn’t bother you at all. Don’t you feel ridiculous? “Honestly, you should just get out of here for a while. I just found out I’m pregnant, and I don’t want to deal with your long face every day.” With that, she pulled out her phone and transferred more money into my account. “Stay abroad for a few months. Don’t come back or contact me until I’m settled. Once my pregnancy is stable, we can talk.” She waved her hand at me, looking a bit drained. “While you’re away, take some time to reflect on your past behavior. Get your head straight. After all, I’m going to be Aidan’s wife. I hope you can act like a proper brother when the time comes. Otherwise, you might as well work at the branch office and stop bothering me every day.” Elena threw in a few more reminders about going abroad before turning to leave. But what she didn’t know was that I had been reborn in this life. I wasn’t trying to get her attention or stir up trouble. I had made up my mind to leave. On the morning of her wedding to Aidan, countless people were bustling around, making final preparations. While they were busy moving in and out of the house, I quietly grabbed my packed bags and slipped out through the side door, heading to the airport. After getting her hair and makeup done, Elena sat quietly in her bedroom, eagerly awaiting the long-awaited moment. She cast a casual glance around at the jubilant crowd that had gathered. Suddenly, it dawned on her that Bruce was nowhere in sight. Her heart skipped a beat, and without hesitation, she sprang to her feet and made a beeline for Bruce’s room. She was dying to ask him why he hadn’t joined her. Elena scoured every nook and cranny of the house, but there was still no sign of Bruce.

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Good news: While fleeing from zombies, I unexpectedly gained the ability to read minds. Bad news: This mind-reading ability seems to only work on my sister. It was then that I discovered my sister, who had always been closest to me, actually wanted to steal my destiny. Suddenly, I heard my sister’s thoughts. I was apparently the protagonist of this world, blessed with the protagonist’s luck. All the hardships I would endure were meant to be stepping stones for my future. My sister couldn’t accept it. We were born together, grew up together. Why was she just a supporting character while I was the protagonist? So, my sister activated a system to steal my destiny. If she managed to get me killed, she would replace me as the new protagonist of this world, gaining the extraordinary luck that others couldn’t match. At that moment, during our escape from the zombies, my sister was pushing me towards a group of ill-intentioned men. She pointed at three fierce-looking men sitting in a Jeep and said to me, “Emily, see those men? They have special abilities and food. If we go with them, we’ll have a good life.” But I heard her think, “Go on, once you’re tortured to death, your destiny will be mine.” I looked at the men who had just dragged a woman into their car. Screams were constantly coming from inside. My sister pulled me towards them without giving me a choice, pushing me forward, “This is my sister.” The man with a scar on his face looked at me with malicious intent, “Little girl, want to give it a try?” So, I stepped to the left, spread my hands, and pointed at my sister. “My sister likes you. She wants to have a good life with you.”

The air around us went silent for a few seconds. Scar Face probably didn’t expect someone to voluntarily offer themselves up like this. “Really?” he asked. I nodded, “Absolutely. My sister has been watching you guys for a long time, but she was too shy to approach you.” Sarah shook her head frantically, even calling out my full name, “Emily Hayes, what nonsense are you talking about!” I feigned confusion, “Sis, weren’t you telling me all along how great they were, how they had lots of food?” Sarah was at a loss for words, “I… I was telling you to…” I gestured towards Scar Face, “See, my sister is shy. Her face is all red.” Sarah’s face was indeed red, but from anger rather than embarrassment. Scar Face looked at me, then at my sister. At this moment, my protagonist’s luck worked its magic perfectly. In Scar Face’s eyes, I was barely noticeable. On the contrary, my sister appeared as a slender, long-legged beauty. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he hoisted my sister over his shoulder with one arm. Sarah struggled, hitting and scratching from behind, her eyes filled with murderous intent as she looked at me, “Emily Hayes!” I waved at her, “Brother-in-law, please be gentle with my sister.” As I turned away, I heard my sister’s terrifying screams behind me.

That night, I sat in a makeshift shelter of old rags, munching on a wafer cookie to stave off hunger. This cookie was found in my sister’s backpack. Sarah looked haggard, having changed into a new set of clothes. The old set was probably unwearable now. Her exposed skin was covered in bruises. As she walked towards me, her legs were shaking. “Emily, sis brought you some food,” Sarah said, handing me a piece of bread. Her voice was hoarse from crying, “Emily, why did you do that today? You knew…” I interrupted her, “Sis, we’re sisters. Mom and Dad are gone, leaving just the two of us to rely on each other. Of course, if there’s a good life to be had, I should let my sister have it first. How could I dare to compete?” Sarah’s mouth twitched a few times, clearly not expecting me to say this. After a while, she handed me the now misshapen bread, “Eat up. From now on, sis will give you a good life.” But I clearly heard my sister’s inner thoughts, “I’ll get my revenge sooner or later!” I ignored her, finished the bread alone, and turned to sleep. Let’s see what method she uses against me tomorrow.

Early the next morning, I was woken up by my sister. “Emily, quick, we’re going out to collect supplies today.” I frowned, watching her hurriedly pack things up. “What’s going on? Are we not coming back?” Our group of over thirty people had taken shelter in a bunker during our escape. There were few zombies inside, and it was hard for others to find. Except for the lack of food, it was a perfect natural shelter. Sarah pulled me aside, “Emily, your brother-in-law said it’s not safe here. We need to go to the big base.” I was surprised that my sister was already calling him “brother-in-law” so naturally. I guess she spent the whole night in that man’s car. The screams and noises had continued all night, never-ending. I wanted to ask Sarah more, but seeing my hesitation, she started crying, “Emily, why have you changed like this? You used to be so obedient, never questioning your sister…” How have I changed? I wanted to ask her the same thing, why she had become so heartless. If I hadn’t gained the ability to read minds, I’d probably be a corpse by now. We’re sisters by blood, yet she could harden her heart to harm me. We used to play together, cry together. The night before the apocalypse began, it was our 18th birthday. You wished to love your little sister forever. But now… I laughed bitterly to myself, “Sis, how could that be? You’re overthinking. If we’re going to the big base, then let’s go. I’ll do whatever you say.” Sarah smiled at me with satisfaction, but her heart was full of malice, “This time, I must steal all your luck, prevent you from reaching the big base, and keep you from meeting the male lead.” So that’s it. My sister wanted to get close to this world’s male protagonist. The male lead of this world, Aiden Moore. Born into a military family, he awakened three special abilities after the apocalypse. Among them, his lightning ability had already reached level five, the most powerful. Aiden Moore was a big shot in this apocalyptic world. Sister, so you want to latch onto the male lead. The migration of over thirty people wasn’t short, but it wasn’t too long either. The difficulty lay in snatching food from the jaws of death. For me, I not only had to guard against zombies but also my own sister. In just two short days, zombies mysteriously appeared in front of me once.

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Lucas Hart strode into the conference room to find the department director and Yasmin Quinn fighting over my computer, determined to delete my design work. I was pushed to the ground, a sharp pain shooting through my two-month pregnant belly. “Stop this at once! What do you think you’re doing?” Lucas’s voice was cold as ice. “Lucas, you’re here! Did you come to see me?” Yasmin’s eyes lit up at the sight of Lucas, her face flushing coyly. Lucas ignored her and scooped me up in his arms. “Lucas, what’s going on? Do you know this woman? She must have ulterior motives – she’s just pretending to get your attention!” Yasmin cried out. The bodyguards held them back at the elevator doors. Just before they closed, Lucas said icily, “If anything happens to my wife, you’d better not plan on living either!” The scorching sun beat down as I walked step by step towards the Blue Zenith Design office building, my heart full of hope for my new life. Suddenly, a deafening roar came from behind me. I turned to see a Lamborghini barreling towards me on the sidewalk, showing no signs of stopping. I froze in place, unable to react. The Lamborghini screeched to a halt mere inches from me. My body instinctively jerked backwards and I fell to the ground. “My baby!” I clutched my belly protectively. The car door opened and an aggressive-looking girl stepped out. Though impeccably made up, she couldn’t hide the hostility in her eyes. “Are you f***ing suicidal? What are you doing standing in front of my car? Do you have a death wish?” she snarled. I struggled to my feet, relieved to feel no abdominal pain. The baby seemed fine, though my dress was torn and my heels scuffed. A stinging sensation made me realize my leg was scraped, with visible blood. “This is a sidewalk. I was just walking normally. You’re the one illegally driving on the sidewalk,” I said, suppressing my anger. “What? You dare talk back to me? Don’t push your luck! It’s my first day of work and I don’t have time for this. Get out of my way!” The girl spat on the ground, got back in her car, and sped off. What awful luck to encounter someone like that! But thinking of my two-month-old baby, I knew I needed to stay calm and cheerful. I took a deep breath and did my best to clean up the scrape. Just ten minutes earlier, I had gotten out of Lucas’s car at the previous intersection. He had looked worried, reluctant to let his pregnant wife walk even a short distance in heels. But I insisted on getting out early, not wanting to reveal our relationship just yet. I could already imagine his reaction when he saw my injury tonight – angry, but mostly concerned.

Arriving at the 58th floor reception area of Blue Zenith Design, I stepped out of the elevator to find two rows of receptionists lined up. “Welcome, Miss Quinn—” they chorused with a bow. My mind went blank – had Lucas made our relationship public after all? “What are you doing? Stop that right now!” A woman with her hair in a bun came rushing over. “How many times do I have to tell you to use your brains! Look at how she’s dressed – torn dress, scuffed shoes. How could this possibly be the CEO’s wife?” The woman stood haughtily in front of me, berating her staff. “Yes, Ms. Young.” The receptionists looked me up and down, seeming to agree with her assessment, and lowered their heads. This left me thoroughly confused – if I wasn’t Lucas’s wife, then who was? Just then, the elevator doors opened again. The girl who had nearly run me over earlier swaggered out. The receptionists and Ms. Young immediately bowed respectfully in greeting. “Hello everyone, I’m Yasmin Quinn.” Yasmin looked very pleased by their deferential welcome. “Miss Quinn, oh I mean Mrs. Hart! Yesterday our director said the CEO’s wife with the surname Quinn would be starting work here. I received your resume last night and couldn’t sleep a wink from excitement! Please look after me and support me in the future!” Ms. Young fawned obsequiously. “Really? The director said I’m Lucas’s wife?” Yasmin’s face lit up with joy. “Yes! I received two resumes – yours and this woman’s. If you’re not the CEO’s wife, surely it couldn’t be her?” Ms. Young jerked her chin dismissively in my direction. Yasmin glanced at me scornfully. “Her? In those cheap clothes? As if she could be the CEO’s wife.” The others laughed derisively at her words. “If that’s what the director said, it must mean Lucas has feelings for me! After all, he and the director are so close, there’s no way he could have misunderstood!” Yasmin smiled smugly, her eyes gleaming with coy delight. Her expression made me rather uncomfortable. “Ms. Young, I think Miss Sinclair is wearing a Prada haute couture dress…” Tina, who had been standing quietly beside Ms. Young, said softly. Ms. Young’s face changed instantly upon hearing this. Yasmin also caught Tina’s words. “Haute couture? Prada? Come on Tina, don’t joke around. I’ve been to every major fashion show – that’s clearly a cheap knockoff!” “Haha, you’re right Yasmin! Tina, I can’t believe you got it so wrong! Don’t overthink things – hurry up and show Miss Quinn to the special workstation we prepared for her!” Hearing Yasmin’s words, Ms. Young relaxed completely. “Yes, Ms. Young. What about Aria Sinclair’s desk?” Tina asked. “Aria Sinclair? We don’t have any empty desks left! Let her work in the storage room for now!”

I entered the storage room, which was covered in dust. It was so stuffy I could barely breathe. I had to grab cleaning supplies from the utility closet and start scrubbing. I had just cleaned enough space to sit down when Ms. Young came in and dumped a huge pile of work on me – all her personal tasks. “Ms. Young, making a PowerPoint for your kid…is this really part of my job?” I asked incredulously. “Who do you think you are, Aria Sinclair? When I give you work, you do it! Don’t think I don’t know your type – daddy’s little rich girl who only got in here through connections!” Ms. Young put her hands on her hips and started berating me. “The design department is the biggest in Blue Zenith, and I’m the biggest player in the design department! You’d better listen to me and do whatever I say, or I’ll have you fired in no time!” With that, Ms. Young slammed the files on the desk and stormed out. I sighed and picked up the documents. Lucas’s words from yesterday echoed in my mind: “No matter how strict the management, in such a large company there are bound to be some sycophants in the subsidiaries. I’m worried they’ll bully you…” I had to laugh, remembering how I told him to think positively and trust his employees, as well as me. My whirlwind romance with Lucas felt like a fairytale. The reason I was reluctant to make our marriage public wasn’t just because I didn’t want to live under his protection, but also because I wanted to stand beside him with a brand new identity. I used to be a professional rehabilitation therapist, serving ultra-wealthy families in New York City. My very first client after starting work was Lucas Hart, who had lost feeling in his legs after a car accident. As the new CEO of Blue Zenith Group, news of Lucas’s potential paralysis would undoubtedly impact the company’s stock price and exacerbate the complex power dynamics among upper management. So Lucas decided to keep it under wraps, using the excuse of studying abroad to go to Switzerland with me for rehabilitation. At the time, Lucas didn’t know if he was facing permanent disability or eventual recovery. All he knew was that his 28 years of pride and invincibility had been shattered in the face of disaster. His mood was extremely unstable then. The slightest frustration would set him off throwing things in anger, causing his family great distress. But in those darkest moments, I patiently stayed by his side. I took him out in nature, let him vent his emotions freely in the wilderness, listened to his sorrow and helplessness, and offered sincere comfort… Later, to both our surprise, we fell in love. What surprised me even more was that his legs miraculously recovered. I had thought someone like him would never have a story with me. When I learned Lucas’s legs were back to normal, I was overjoyed but also deeply saddened, feeling I would no longer have the chance to stay by his side. I left a letter confessing my feelings for him and wishing him well in the future, then returned to the US alone. Unexpectedly, on the third day after I got back, as I was sitting at home lost in thought, the doorbell suddenly rang. Lucas was standing outside. He knelt on one knee with flowers and a ring, his eyes brimming with love. “Marry me, Aria.” … After we married, I quit my job as a therapist, but I wasn’t content to just be an idle housewife. I picked up my art and design studies again, which I had abandoned years ago due to financial constraints. I hoped to join my dream company – Blue Zenith Technologies under the Blue Zenith Group – as a designer. Even though I was pregnant, Lucas was very concerned about my health but still respected my wishes and agreed to let me pursue my dreams. But I never imagined that as soon as I arrived at the company, I would be taught such a ridiculous lesson.

“Aria Sinclair, come out for a minute.” Ms. Young had barely left when Yasmin came knocking. “What is it?” I followed Yasmin to her bright, spacious workstation. “Aria, did you know that for the first month at the company, we’re both on probation? Only one person can stay in this position, so there will be fair competition.” Yasmin crossed her arms and lifted her chin, smiling strangely. “Although they say it’s fair competition, we all know how things really work… My family may not be as powerful as the Harts, but we’re still one of the top families in New York. So I don’t need to spell out which of us will stay, right?” “You mean I’ll be the one to leave?” I smiled too. But my smile angered Yasmin. “What’s that supposed to mean? You think it’ll be me? I’m just giving you fair warning so you don’t cry too hard when the time comes!” “I believe Blue Zenith is a fair company that will keep the person who’s most qualified for the job.” I replied calmly. “Qualified? Ms. Young showed me your resume – you’re just some poor student who had to drop out after one year at the Paris College of Art! I studied properly in the US for three years. How can you compare to me?” Thinking of my unfinished studies, I lowered my eyes, feeling a moment of sadness. But then I remembered how my French professor Léo always said: “Aria, you have such talent. It’s as if you were born for art.” “Not necessarily. I don’t think I’ll necessarily lose to you.” I took a deep breath and said quietly. “Don’t push your luck!” Yasmin flared up. “Since that’s how it is, next week we’re co-hosting a fashion show with a French design company. You two will represent Blue Zenith. I want to see what skills you really have!” Ms. Young had just come over to bring Yasmin coffee and overheard our conversation. “One week…” I murmured. “What’s wrong? Scared? Listen up, if your design isn’t chosen by the French side, forget one month – I’ll kick you out of the company immediately!” Ms. Young said contemptuously. “I was going to say that one week is plenty of time.” I smiled, leaving the two fuming women behind as I walked away.

One week is indeed very tight for creating a perfect work of art. But in my mind, I had already sketched out a design – it was an unfulfilled dream from my time studying in Paris. It was a gown with the pattern of Wang Ximeng’s “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” painted on it. Silk lining embroidered with Chinese landscapes. An organza overlay to add a dreamy, ethereal feel. The main colors would be smoky gray with low-saturation blue-green and white tones… I pulled three all-nighters to complete the design. After the final stroke, I collapsed onto the desk in the study and fell into a deep sleep. In my dreams, I heard Lucas gently scolding: “How could you fall asleep here…” I felt his strong arms lift me up and carefully place me on the bed, followed by a light kiss on my forehead. … The next morning, I rushed out the door with my drawings. Lucas chased after me: “Staying up late every night, and now getting up so early! Aria Sinclair, do you care about your health at all? What about the baby?” Seeing how worried he was, I couldn’t help but smile. “I’m fine, I feel great. Work makes me happy! The baby’s good too, I felt it move just now!” “Then, then what about me? Don’t you care about me anymore?” Lucas furrowed his brow and pouted. Is this what a sulky CEO looks like? I couldn’t help but giggle and gave him a quick kiss to reassure him. “That’s more like it! Oh, and Mom’s coming to New York to see you in the next couple days. Make sure you come home early!” Hearing that my outgoing and friendly mother-in-law was visiting, I was also very happy and nodded repeatedly. Little did I know that when I got to the office, things would take an unexpected turn.

Ms. Young and the design team staff were already waiting in the conference room. Today’s meeting was to conduct an initial screening to determine if my and Yasmin’s designs qualified for the fashion show. Yasmin presented her work first – a bright red brocade gown. You could tell some effort went into it, but not much. Ms. Young still praised it effusively with exaggerated expressions and tone, then asked everyone for feedback. It was clear no one wanted to offend this young heiress. They each took turns complimenting Yasmin’s design with flowery words, no two people saying the same thing. Yasmin could barely contain her smug smile. She turned to me triumphantly: “Aria’s supposed to be a big shot designer who studied in New York for a year. I can’t wait to see what masterpiece you’ll present!” The others laughed at her words. My resume was indeed the least impressive compared to theirs – they just wanted to see me make a fool of myself. Unfazed, I connected my computer to the projector. The moment I opened my design, the previously noisy conference room fell silent. Everyone held their breath, as if afraid to disturb the atmosphere. “It’s so beautiful!” “Incredible!” “Wow Aria, I had no idea you were this talented!” … People started whispering excitedly. Yasmin’s face visibly darkened. “Aria, this design looks familiar somehow. You didn’t plagiarize it, did you?” Yasmin suddenly asked coldly. “That’s right, I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere too. You must have copied it!” Ms. Young quickly chimed in. “That’s impossible. I stayed up for days designing this myself. All the drafts are on my computer.” I replied calmly. “Really? I don’t believe you. Show us the drafts then.” Ms. Young sneered. I opened my computer and pulled up the folder. The various draft versions were clearly visible. “Ms. Young, these drafts were probably stolen together. Aria didn’t even finish grad school, how could she have this level of skill!” Yasmin continued stirring things up. “We can’t let these designs get out, it would ruin Blue Zenith’s reputation!” “You’re right. Tina, delete all these files from Aria’s computer!” Tina responded and lunged for my computer. “Don’t you dare touch my designs!” I shouted. They all froze for a moment. But they quickly recovered and three of them started fighting me for the computer. “Let go, you b*tch!” Yasmin yelled as she grabbed at it. “Let go, or I’ll fire you right now!” Ms. Young snarled through gritted teeth. “You try firing me and see what happens! How can Blue Zenith have someone like you? Is there no justice?” I shot back without hesitation. SLAP! A stinging slap landed on my face, making me stumble. I lost my balance and fell to the ground. A sharp pain shot through my abdomen, making me see stars. My heart clenched in fear. The baby… my baby… I fought through the pain, trying to stand up and get the computer back. I couldn’t just watch helplessly as they destroyed my hard work! But the physical pain prevented me from getting up no matter how hard I tried. Just as they were about to delete the files, a thunderous shout came from the conference room door. “STOP RIGHT THERE!” Lucas strode in with my mother-in-law on his arm, followed by several bodyguards and assistants. “What do you think you’re doing?” Lucas’s voice was ice cold as he quickly made his way to my side and helped me up.

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After my marriage, I was pressured to hand over all my earnings to my in-laws. But when I was diagnosed with a terminal illness and needed $10,000 for surgery, my husband Jason refused to help. “You know, I have a younger brother, Kyle, who isn’t married yet. I need to buy him a house. It’s a lot of financial pressure,” Jason explained. Then he added coldly, “Besides, you’re terminally ill. What’s the point of treatment?” After that, they vanished without a trace, refusing to even pay for my hospital bills. I suffered in agony until my last breath, never seeing them again. When I opened my eyes once more, I found myself back in time, just before Jason had taken control of my finances. This time, I wouldn’t make the same mistake. I threw the divorce papers directly in his face. “Olivia, haven’t you forgotten to give me something?” Jason asked, wrapping his arms around me with a smile. I felt a sudden sense of déjà vu. The last time Jason called me by that nickname was three years ago, right after we got married. It was the night of our college graduation party. My roommate Mia had dragged me to the plaza. There, in the center of a heart-shaped arrangement of candles, Jason knelt before me with a huge bouquet of roses. “Olivia, will you marry me?” he asked. I have to admit, I was truly touched at that moment. Jason and I had met during a trip to Paris. They say Paris is a city full of romance and chance encounters, and it was in a café there that we happened to meet. Jason told me that due to his family’s financial situation, he had dropped out of school early to work and help support his family. “You’re a student at a prestigious university. Won’t you look down on someone like me?” he asked, the light in his eyes dimming. I quickly reassured him, “Of course not! I don’t care about educational differences. As long as you truly care for me, that’s enough.” And so, I accepted his pursuit and began a four-year long-distance relationship. During that time, Jason would make the trip to see me once a month. My friend Mia often said I was lucky to have such a handsome and devoted boyfriend, and for a while, I believed it too. “Olivia?” Jason nudged my arm again. I snapped back to reality, slowly extricating myself from his embrace. Too many memories were flooding back, and my head was starting to throb painfully. I rubbed my temples, feeling a wave of disgust and nausea. Jason noticed something was off and asked with concern, “Are you feeling unwell?” “A bit,” I replied, turning my back to him as I lay down. “It’s nothing, I just need to rest for a while.” But Jason hadn’t given up on his original intention. He leaned close to my ear and continued, “So where’s your salary card? I can go get it myself.” At that moment, I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. So from the very beginning, all he cared about was my money. I pretended to be asleep. After calling my name several times with no response, Jason gave up. Half an hour later, I heard the sound of him typing on his phone, occasionally interspersed with laughter. They seemed to be having quite the pleasant chat. I pulled the covers up higher, determined to ignore it all. I had been given a second chance at life, and I had more important things to focus on.

The next morning, I was woken by Jason’s mother’s shrill screams. She burst into the bedroom, yanking open the curtains and pointing at me as she launched into a tirade: “What time is it and you’re still not up making breakfast? Do you expect me, your mother-in-law, to wait on you hand and foot?” The sudden flood of sunlight made it difficult to open my eyes. I could feel droplets of spittle landing on my face as she yelled. Seeing me frown, Jason’s mother’s tone grew even sharper. “Look at my son, getting up early on a weekend to go to work. I really don’t know how he ended up with such a lazy wife.” Right, I’m a financial consultant at a Big Four accounting firm, while Jason is just a regular employee at some unknown company. His yearly salary probably doesn’t even match my monthly earnings. Does working overtime on a weekend really make him better than me? Jason’s mother had always had an incredibly loud voice. With her nearby, I knew I wouldn’t be getting any more peaceful sleep. I silently sat up, opening my eyes to look at Jason’s mother, who stood in the doorway tapping her foot impatiently. “You have five minutes,” she snapped before stomping back downstairs. I paid no attention to her words, taking my time getting ready and contemplating what to wear. As I was doing my makeup, Jason’s mother came up several times to bang on the door. But since I had locked it, she could only curse and grumble outside before leaving empty-handed. In my previous life, I had always played the role of the obedient, dutiful daughter-in-law. Despite having to get up early for work, I would still wake up an hour earlier to make breakfast for the whole family. Then I would have to wait for everyone to finish eating and wash all the dishes before I could leave for work. Jason’s mother had a habit of watching TV while eating, and sometimes when she got into a show she liked, she would take half an hour just to finish a meal. “Mom, could you please eat a little faster?” I once asked. There was only 15 minutes left before I had to clock in at work, but Jason’s mother showed no signs of putting down her chopsticks. “How dare you rush me, your elder?!” she exploded, slamming her utensils down on the coffee table and launching into a tirade. It was always the same old rhetoric about how a woman’s place was in the home, taking care of her husband and children. She’d go on about how it didn’t matter how much money I earned if I couldn’t even manage to get pregnant. And just like that, the topic would shift from a wife’s duties to the belief that a woman’s only real value came from bearing children. Needless to say, I was late to work that day. After that, I never dared to rush Jason’s mother again. If I did, she always found ways to delay me from leaving on time. By the time I finished getting ready and went downstairs, an hour had passed. Jason’s mother and Kyle were sitting on the living room couch watching TV. Seeing me finally head to the kitchen, Jason’s mother let out a derisive snort. “Hmph, whatever you do, never marry a wife like this. She’ll be the death of me.”

Fifteen minutes later, I emerged from the kitchen with the prepared breakfast. Jason’s mother stared at the single egg and glass of milk on the table, her eyes wide with disbelief. After a long moment, she finally exploded, “Is this tiny amount supposed to feed anyone?!” “Kyle is still growing. Are you trying to starve him?” she demanded. Kyle remained on the couch, watching TV while playing his handheld game. He glanced at the table and sneered, “I’m not eating that. It looks gross.” I didn’t get upset. I simply sat down and began to enjoy my breakfast. “I know you two weren’t going to eat, so I didn’t make any for you,” I explained calmly. I generally don’t have much of an appetite in the mornings, especially on weekends when I eat even lighter. In the past, I would make a huge spread of breakfast foods to cater to the tastes of all three family members. And Kyle was an extremely picky eater. I had to come up with new menu ideas for him every couple of days. Now that I was free of all that hassle, I felt much more relaxed. “How dare you! I see you’ve completely lost all respect!” Jason’s mother shrieked. I ignored her constant yelling beside me. After finishing the last sip of milk, I went over to Kyle. If I remembered correctly, the handheld game console he was playing was one I had just bought. I hadn’t even had a chance to use it myself before he opened the package. Seeing me standing next to him looking like I was about to scold him, Kyle quickly hid the console behind his back. “This is mine. Don’t even think about taking it away,” he said defiantly. In Kyle’s mind, everything in this house belonged to his brother Jason. And naturally, everything of Jason’s belonged to Kyle as well. I had no right to question any of it, even though this entire house, including all the furniture, had been purchased outright with my own money. In my previous life, I never scolded Kyle for taking my personal belongings without permission because I cared for him like my own brother. “Kyle, I’m not upset about this,” I said gently, crouching beside him. “It’s just that you’re in high school now. You should be focusing more on your studies.” Kyle snorted, “You can say all that, but in the end you just don’t want me to have your game console. If it was Mia, she definitely wouldn’t treat me like this.” Unfortunately, back then I was so focused on my family that I never suspected there might be hidden meaning behind those words. Well, if you still love playing games so much this time around, then go ahead and play to your heart’s content. “You’ve misunderstood me,” I said, taking out $500 from my wallet and placing it on the table. “This console just arrived, so it probably doesn’t have many games yet. Since it’s the weekend, why don’t you go to the store and buy some game cartridges?”

Kyle was still young, so his reactions were quick. As if afraid I might change my mind, he grabbed the money and rushed out the door. “Don’t think this means I’ll give the console back to you,” he called over his shoulder. Of course not. As long as you enjoy it, I’ll keep buying you more. It’s just that this time, you probably won’t be getting into college. In my previous life, I had devoted myself to tutoring Kyle. Although his grades weren’t great in the end, he did manage to get into an average college. But shortly after starting university, Kyle developed a habit of drinking and partying. I often lectured him about it. One time when I went to pick him up from a bar, Kyle drugged me and handed me over to some of his drinking buddies. Afterwards, he proudly showed me the video. “If you hadn’t forced me to study so hard in high school, I might have been able to get the girl I had a crush on for years,” he taunted. After that, Kyle frequently used the video to blackmail me for money. In less than a year, my savings were completely drained. Having lived through it once, I won’t be so naive this time. Since you love it so much, go ahead and play to your heart’s content. I glanced at my phone. It was about time for my appointment with Dr. Chen. Seeing me getting ready to leave, Jason’s mother grabbed my arm. “You’re going out? What about my breakfast?!” I pulled my arm away, my expression blank. “Not just breakfast. I won’t be cooking anymore from now on.” “Didn’t you always complain my cooking was terrible? Well, now I’m too lazy to bother.” Ignoring Jason’s mother’s stream of insults, I got in my car and headed to the hospital.

“Fortunately we caught it early. The tumor is benign,” the doctor said. As I left the examination room, I felt an enormous weight lift from my shoulders. In my previous life, Jason had always insisted on managing our finances. Knowing how much men care about their pride, I handed over my salary card after we had been married for a year. But I never imagined he would completely take over all of my assets. Due to a congenital condition and work stress, I was diagnosed with cancer three years later. When I was lying in the hospital bed unable to move, I begged Jason to help pay for the surgery. “Olivia, the surgery costs are just too high,” Jason said, his expression torn. “Our family can’t afford it.” When I heard those words, I lay there in shock, barely able to breathe. I struggled to calm myself. “It’s only $10,000. How can that be…” “What’s the point of treatment?” Jason’s mother interrupted impatiently. She sat nearby, picking an apple from the fruit basket. She wiped it on her shirt before taking a big bite. “It’s terminal cancer anyway. Why waste money on something that can’t be cured?” Almost all of our family’s savings over the years had come from my income alone. Now that I wanted to use the money for my own medical treatment, she had the nerve to object? The pain in my chest intensified. “How is it not my money to spend?” “What do you mean YOUR money?!” Jason’s mother shrieked. She jumped up from her chair, crying and shouting about how ungrateful I was. As more and more people gathered to watch, she began embellishing the story, completely twisting the facts. In her version, I was a lazy wife who did nothing all day while her precious son supported the entire family on his own. “Now that she has an incurable disease, she’s trying to drain all our savings,” Jason’s mother wailed, throwing herself on the ground. “Oh, why is my life so miserable?” I felt utterly heartbroken, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. I looked to Jason, who stood silently nearby, hoping he would speak up to defend me. But his next words crushed what was left of my spirit. “Olivia, you know our family’s situation,” he said. “You know I still have a younger brother to support. He’s not married yet, and I need to help him buy a house.” Buy a house? With my money? “Like my mom said, this is a terminal illness. There’s no point in treatment.” The doctor had said the chances of recovery were very slim, but not impossible. I wanted to use my own money for treatment. What was so wrong with that? If only my parents were still alive. I wouldn’t have to suffer this kind of mistreatment. At that thought, I became so distraught that I passed out. ———-This is the breakpoint———-

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I had been in a mutually torturous marriage with Blake Johnson for three years when I developed a mild illness. It wouldn’t kill me, but my memories would slowly fade away. Then one day, after Blake had broken my heart once again, I looked up at him in confusion and asked, “I’m sorry, who are you again?” Blake’s towering posture didn’t change, but his gaze toward me carried a hint of contempt and impatience: “Zoe Lin, how many times are you going to play this game?” I stared at him with bewildered eyes. “You know my name?” Blake’s patience was exhausted. He coldly picked up his coat and headed for the door. “If your brain’s not working right, go to the hospital. How many times are you going to pretend to have amnesia? I have work at the company. You can eat dinner by yourself.” I watched in confusion as the man stormed out, seemingly furious with me. Unfortunately, I really had no memory of him in my mind. I only remembered that yesterday I should have been working part-time at a bubble tea shop outside the university. How did I end up in this strange place today, with a strange man? Thinking about it wouldn’t solve anything, so I found my phone and called my best friend. The call was rejected twice before finally connecting on the third try. I quickly spoke up: “Hello, Mia? Where are you? I think I’m lost. I’m in a completely unfamiliar place and there’s a strange man saying all sorts of nonsense. Most importantly! I think I might have been kidnapped!” Instead of Mia’s anxious voice as I had hoped, the other end of the line was filled with cold mockery: “Well, well, our Mrs. Johnson who married into a wealthy family still has time to call me? What a surprise.” I was baffled: “Mia, what are you talking about? What Mrs. Johnson? What marrying into wealth? I don’t understand what you’re saying at all.” Mia’s voice lost some of its earlier coldness, becoming hesitant: “Zoe Lin, I’m not that idiot husband of yours. Do you really need to act this convincingly with me?” “Mia… what act? I really don’t know what’s going on.” The other end of the line was silent for a long while before Mia’s voice sounded again: “Don’t move. Just wait for me in that room.” “Okay!” After hanging up with Mia, I felt like I had found an anchor and calmed down enough to survey my surroundings. The luxurious decor and furniture all suggested that the owner of this house seemed to be quite wealthy. Thinking back to the man from earlier, and what Mia had said on the phone. I covered my mouth in surprise, flashes of countless novel scenes running through my mind. But I shook my head to dispel them. The house was decorated very simply, though not to my taste. It must be someone else’s home. This was too absurd. Mia arrived quickly. When she knocked on the door, I was observing the fish tank in the living room. As soon as I opened the door, I saw a more mature and bold version of Mia. The familiar long hair I knew had become a sleek bob, and her lips were painted a fiery red. I exclaimed in surprise: “Mia… you…” Mia’s face was icy cold. She didn’t wait for me to finish before pulling me away. At the hospital. Mia frowned deeply, her expression displeased as she looked at the report in her hand: “So you’re saying she’s sick and has amnesia?” The doctor explained using a bunch of terms I didn’t understand, then pointed at my brain CT scan and said with certainty: “That’s right. Her condition has likely been ongoing for some time, and the symptoms of memory loss have probably been present for a while too. If not treated promptly, she may continue to forget more.” I sat to the side listening to their conversation with a bewildered expression. Amnesia? Illness? I just went to sleep, how did the world change so much? After learning about my amnesia, Mia’s expression softened somewhat, though her brow remained tightly furrowed. At least she no longer looked as cold as ice like when we first met. Leaving the hospital, I tentatively grabbed Mia’s hand. Seeing that she didn’t shake me off, I carefully opened my mouth: “Mia, I just found out I’m sick too. I have no memory of losing my memories. If I upset you before, I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” As I said this, for some reason, I felt a sudden lightness in my heart. Mia looked at me for a long time without speaking, but she also didn’t give me the cold shoulder anymore. “So what are you planning to do next?” Mia suddenly asked. I was caught off guard by her question. Then I thought of the man who had spoken to me so strangely this morning. Just thinking that man might be my husband gave me goosebumps all over. “First, let’s deal with that man.” Mia stared at me intently: “How do you plan to deal with him?” Looking at Mia’s strangely determined face, I hesitantly spoke up: “D-divorce?” “Let’s go. We’ll do it right now.” “Eh… I…” Before I could react, Mia was already pulling me along. Again with this. Mia seemed to have become quite decisive and efficient. When we arrived at the company, Mia and I had just reached the entrance when we were stopped by the security guards. “Mrs. Johnson, the CEO isn’t in the office right now. Please make an appointment and come back another time.” Judging by how practiced this seemed, it probably wasn’t the first time they had stopped me. A wife needing an appointment to see her husband. How interesting. I turned to Mia awkwardly: “Looks like we won’t be able to see him today.” It was my fault for making Mia come all this way for nothing. Mia stood with her arms crossed, her expression blank as she looked at me: “You’re quite the pathetic rich man’s wife, aren’t you?” I laughed sheepishly, using my amnesia as an excuse: “I forgot, okay?” Mia let out a cold laugh: “Alright, let’s go.” Just as she finished speaking and we were about to leave, a girl in a white dress with an extraordinary aura walked towards us. Mia’s expression changed, her already expressionless face growing even colder. I looked up in confusion to see the girl slowly approaching me. “Zoe, what a coincidence to run into you here. Are you here to see Blake too? Why don’t we go in together?” Although I didn’t know who this girl was, based on the current situation and what Mia had told me in the car earlier, I guessed she must be my husband’s beloved mistress. But needing to go through the mistress for the wife to see her husband… that did seem quite pathetic. “Fake sincerity.” Mia directly blocked my way. The girl seemed startled, tears quickly filling her eyes: “I-I’m sorry… I just… I just wanted to help Zoe…” I was shocked by how quickly the girl’s expression changed: “Uh, please don’t cry…” “Zoe Lin!” Hearing someone call my name, I instinctively turned my head. I saw the man I had met this afternoon, angrily striding towards me. “Why are you bullying Lily again!” He then shielded the girl from earlier behind him and started berating me. This was my husband in name. I instinctively said quietly: “I didn’t…” “You didn’t? How could you not have? If you didn’t do anything, why is Lily crying!” I was stunned for a moment, then seemed to come to my senses: “Why don’t you ask her? How would I know why she’s crying? I’m not a mind reader.” “You! Twisting words!” Blake patiently comforted the girl, his face showing a gentleness completely different from how he had faced me earlier. I didn’t understand why he harbored such hostility towards me. Moreover, we were still married. “Didn’t I tell you not to come to the company unless it’s important? What are you doing here?” After consoling his girlfriend, Blake resumed his cold and disdainful demeanor when facing me. Mia couldn’t stand it anymore: “Blake Johnson, what do you mean by this!” Blake’s face was icy: “Don’t you know what I mean? No matter why you came here, making Lily cry is your fault. Apologize to her right now.” Mia was about to step forward, but I stopped her. Then I walked in front of her, looked at the tearful girl, and spoke softly: “I’m sorry. Whatever the reason, it’s my fault for making you cry.” The girl was stunned, surprise evident on her face. “You…” Blake also seemed surprised by how quickly I apologized, but he just frowned slightly. “What trick are you trying to pull now?” I looked at him: “No tricks. I just want to talk to you about getting a divorce.” As soon as the word “divorce” came out. Blake let out a sneer, looking at me with contempt in his eyes: “Zoe Lin, how long are you going to play this divorce game?” “It’s for real,” Mia suddenly spoke up for me from behind. Blake turned to look at her, suddenly laughing: “And who are you to say anything?” ? I suddenly bristled: “Excuse me, who do you think you are to be yelling like this? I’m really sorry to say this, but you’ve got some nerve. You keep a mistress and it gives you a superiority complex? I said divorce and you can’t understand? Why do you like sneaking around with a mistress so much? You just like the thrill of it?” Blake and Lily were stunned by my outburst. People were coming and going at the company entrance. Lily’s face turned bright red as she shook off Blake’s hand and ran away. Blake’s expression wasn’t much better, but all he could do was rage impotently: “Zoe Lin!” I smiled sweetly: “I’m right here. Tomorrow morning at 9, at the civil affairs bureau. Don’t stand me up.” With that, I pulled Mia away and left. After we had walked quite far, Mia calmly gave me a thumbs up: “I didn’t know you had it in you to tell someone off like that.” I scratched my head and smiled: “Well, he was insulting you.” Mia looked at me for a long time without speaking. I fidgeted nervously with my fingers: “What’s wrong? Did I used to yell at you too?” Mia said flatly: “No. Let’s go, we’ll head to my place first.” After talking with Mia all night, I still found this marriage baffling. Mia’s knowledge was limited too. She didn’t know much about how I ended up marrying Blake, or why I hadn’t divorced him even after he openly took a mistress. She only knew that I had inexplicably married into a wealthy family, and then gradually distanced myself from her at the family’s urging, until we had a falling out. I was curious, but we both agreed that divorcing Blake was the most sensible option right now. After a very comfortable night’s sleep at Mia’s place, she drove me back to the Johnson house the next day. There was no other choice, as all my documents were still there. Mia waited downstairs while I ransacked the Johnson house. Luckily, I managed to find what I needed. Just as I was getting up from the mess, I ran right into Blake’s eyes. Blake’s face was mocking: “Stealing from your own home?” Having lost my memories, I had no recollection or attachment to this house. So I instinctively felt awkward and out of place. And I had the misfortune of running into the man of the house. I smiled nervously, waving the documents in my hand: “Civil affairs bureau. Don’t stand me up.” Blake laughed a couple times, no longer paying me any attention. But just as I was about to leave, he suddenly turned back to look at me. “There’s a family gathering this weekend. My mom wants me to bring you along.” I turned around, feeling confused: “What about the divorce?” Blake no longer looked at me, turning to walk inside: “We’ll talk about it when there’s time. A few more days won’t kill you, right?” “No,” I called out to stop him. Blake’s footsteps halted. “Give me a specific date for the divorce.” He stood still, silent for a long while. “Fine. Next Monday then, right after the family gathering.” His voice was cold, devoid of any emotion. “Okay,” I heard myself say. “I recorded that. Don’t go back on your word.” With that, I strode out confidently. I didn’t notice Blake turning to watch me for a long time as I left. Mia was still waiting for me downstairs. When she saw me come out, she walked over. “What took you so long?” I pointed upstairs: “Ran into that jerk. Got held up a bit. He insists I go to some family gathering with him, but I didn’t lose out. I got a specific date for the divorce, so he can’t back out now.” “We agreed that as soon as the family gathering is over, we’ll get divorced.” I was talking excitedly, not noticing Mia’s increasingly furrowed brow. “You can’t go.” “Why not?” “I’m worried his family will all treat you badly. I’m afraid you’ll get bullied if you go.” I shook Mia’s hand: “It’s fine, it’s just for a little while. It’s not like I’ll lose anything. Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone bully me.” “I’m afraid…” “It’s okay,” I looked at Mia. “I have to face these things myself eventually.” Mia nodded reluctantly. “Alright then.” The weekend arrived quickly. Mia dropped me off at the Johnson house. Blake’s car was already waiting at the front gate. I waved goodbye to Mia before getting into Blake’s car. In the car, the two of us sat in awkward silence. After a long while, Blake finally spoke first: “When did you two… make up?” Although I didn’t really want to talk to this jerk, I still answered him out of politeness. “None of your business.” Blake: … The conversation ended, and the car returned to its previous silence. After a while, Blake stretched his arms as if bored, surreptitiously glancing at me. “Wonder what food they’ll have at home.” I closed my eyes to rest, ignoring him completely. Pretending I didn’t hear anything. Until Blake “accidentally” bumped into me. I opened my eyes impatiently: “How would I know? I’m not the family chef. Besides, what do you care what food there is? All you do is eat, eat, eat anyway.” Blake got what he wanted and shut up. This guy just needed to be told off. The driver in front couldn’t help but laugh at our interaction. ———-Cut-off point———- He couldn’t help but remark: “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the young master so flustered.” Hmm. Speechless. The car fell blissfully silent after that. Blake didn’t say another word until we got out of the car. I was happy for the peace and quiet. The Johnson family’s main residence was huge. I couldn’t help but marvel again at the fact that I had really married into such wealth. As soon as we entered, before I could get a good look around, many people came up to greet us. Using my amnesia as an excuse since I didn’t recognize anyone, I just smiled politely at everyone. It wasn’t until Blake called one woman “Mom” that I realized which one was my mother-in-law in name. But when she turned around and I saw her face clearly, I was shocked. How could it be her? My breathing quickened. Blake’s mother. My current mother-in-law. Was actually the wealthy lady who had been quietly supporting me all this time. I was even more confused now, my head feeling like it might explode. What exactly had happened? Why had I become so entangled with her son? Perhaps I had been lost in thought for too long, because Blake suddenly pulled me over. “Mom, Zoe and I came back together.” The woman immediately took my hand: “Zoe’s back too. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, you’ve gotten thinner. Come here and let Mom have a good look at you.” I froze, barely able to maintain the smile on my face. “I’m fine…” But I didn’t have the courage to call her “Mom.” Before this, during the darkest period of my life. When I was being bullied and humiliated by the other kids at the orphanage, she had been the only one willing to support me, coming like a ray of light. How I had longed to call her “Mom” back then. But it shouldn’t have been in this role. “How could that be? I’ve been taking such good care of her, she’s actually gained weight. If anything, look at your son – I’m the one who’s gotten thinner.” Blake’s attitude towards me changed completely from his earlier coldness. He walked over familiarly, trying to take my hand. “Isn’t that right, Zoe?” There was something in his eyes that I couldn’t understand. I didn’t know what he meant, and I didn’t want to play along with his act. The moment his large hand was about to envelop mine, I instinctively pulled away. Blake’s expression froze for an instant. Mrs. Johnson acted as if she hadn’t noticed our little interaction, pulling me inside: “Never mind him, let’s go in.” Once inside, we were faced with a large group of family members. Perhaps the shock from Mrs. Johnson had been too great. Looking at so many people, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Before she could lead me to a seat, I frantically ran out. “Excuse me for a moment, I need to use the restroom.” The Johnson family’s courtyard was very large. As I ran to the front, a bamboo grove came into view, with a small river behind it. I actually had no idea where the restroom was. I just purely wanted to come out for some fresh air. The air here was very good. I took deep breaths, trying to alleviate my earlier discomfort. I desperately wanted to recover my lost memories. No one wanted to know why I had married into the Johnson family more than I did right now. “Zoe Lin.” A familiar cold voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned around, and sure enough, it was Blake. Before he could speak, I was already impatient: “What, you again? You’re quite persistent, aren’t you?” Blake’s words got stuck in his throat. “I can’t even leave for a moment? What, your family can’t function without me around?” “Besides, we’re about to get divorced. Your family will find out sooner or later anyway. Why bother putting on this fake ‘happy couple’ act? I hope today’s incident won’t happen again.” I was referring to his attempt to hold my hand earlier. Blake frowned, taking a while to react before laughing instead of getting angry: “Zoe Lin, wasn’t all this what you wanted? Now you’re acting all high and mighty!” His expression was both annoyed and urgent, as if he needed to confirm something: “I’ve told you many times, stop with all these ridiculous games. The person I love isn’t you – why can’t you understand that!” I just found it baffling. “Oh,” I said expressionlessly. “Let me remind you again, we’re about to get divorced. You can love whoever you want, I don’t care.” Blake met my emotionless gaze, froze for a few seconds, then suddenly said viciously: “Zoe Lin, you’d better keep your word.” With that, he walked away. I rolled my eyes in exasperation. “I’ll definitely do what I say. Whoever goes back on their word is a loser!” I shouted at his retreating back. Blake didn’t turn around, but his strides became even larger. When I went back inside, I didn’t see Mrs. Johnson. A servant led me to the banquet hall. Mrs. Johnson saw me come in and smiled, waving me over: “Zoe’s here, come sit by Mom.” After I sat down next to her, she carefully inquired about my health. “It’s nothing serious,” I nodded slightly at her. “I might have just gotten a bit carsick.” “That’s good.” Mrs. Johnson gently patted my hand. I sat there uncomfortably until the banquet began. Glancing around briefly, I noticed Blake was nowhere to be seen. Mrs. Johnson had clearly noticed this issue too: “Where did Blake go?” The people below all said they hadn’t seen him. Mrs. Johnson slowly shifted her gaze to me. I smiled, saying directly: “I don’t know either.” Mrs. Johnson was clearly startled by my frankness, but quickly recovered: “He might have gotten tied up with work and couldn’t get away. Let’s not wait for him then.” I nodded. The food the Johnson family had prepared was actually quite good. I was just about to dig in when I noticed Mrs. Johnson’s unpleasant expression out of the corner of my eye. I politely inquired: “Is something wrong?” Mrs. Johnson lowered her voice: “What was that about earlier? As Blake’s wife, how could you not cover for him and save face?” I asked sincerely: “Then what should I have said?” Mrs. Johnson couldn’t be bothered with me anymore, saying casually: “Just eat.” Oh. After the meal, there was still no sign of Blake. I didn’t care. I was planning to go back to my room for a nap. Led by a servant, I found the room the Johnson family had prepared for Blake and me to rest in. Just as I was about to take a nice nap, a servant knocked on the door, saying Mrs. Johnson wanted to see me. When I got to Mrs. Johnson’s room, I saw Blake, who had been missing for the entire banquet. Holding back a yawn, I politely asked: “Did you need something?” Mrs. Johnson’s expression was no longer as warm as when we first met, carrying a hint of sternness: “Blake tells me you’ve been acting up again lately.” The Mrs. Johnson in front of me was completely different from the Mrs. Johnson I knew. I could only nod and speak frankly: “I want to divorce him.” Blake turned his head to look at me deeply. “Are you going to make a scene in front of my mother too? Don’t you feel ashamed, Zoe Lin?” His voice was icy cold and harsh. But it couldn’t hurt me at all. Seeing that Mrs. Johnson wasn’t going to speak up for me, I had no choice but to face Blake directly. “I’ve had a question since yesterday that I hope you can answer for me.” Blake: “What?” “Why exactly are you so confident? So confident that even when I’ve clearly said I don’t like you and want to divorce you, you still think I’m just making a fuss.” Ignoring Mrs. Johnson and Blake’s unpleasant expressions, I continued: “What do I need to do to prove it? What do I need to do for you to take me seriously when I’m trying to discuss this with you?” “Is this the manners of the Johnson family’s eldest son? Not even having the most basic respect for another person.” “Respect?” Blake suddenly sneered. “I think you’ve taken this amnesia act too far. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten how you used to beg me to love you? Respect? What right does someone as lowly as you have to talk to me about respect?” “Zoe Lin, every inch of your body was paid for by our Johnson family. What gives you the right to talk to me about respect?” Blake got more and more worked up as he spoke, as if he had regained the upper hand. “That’s enough, Blake. Zoe is your wife after all. Why say such things?” Mrs. Johnson finally spoke up. But her expression was indifferent. She seemed to be scolding Blake, but was actually warning me. This was blatant humiliation. I took a deep breath. “How much?” Blake frowned: “What?” “How much? How much money have I cost you over the years?” Although I didn’t believe I would become the kind of person who only cared about money. But the fact that I had married Blake was true. If I had accidentally spent his money, it should be understandable. “Make an itemized list. I’ll pay you back in full after the divorce.” This time Blake was stunned. “Fine, you’ve really outdone yourself Zoe Lin. I’ll make a detailed list for you. I’ll be waiting for you to pay me back.” With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Mrs. Johnson let out a long sigh. Before she could speak, I said first: “You too.” Mrs. Johnson: “Hm?” “You make an itemized list too. You’ve been supporting me since I was little. It’s time for me to repay you now.” Mrs. Johnson was taken aback, unconsciously calling out to me: “Zoe, are you… are you trying to cut ties with me too?” I lowered my head silently, holding back tears. “It’s normal for men to make some mistakes outside. Why can’t you be more flexible, Zoe?” Mrs. Johnson was still trying to persuade me. “Go back for now. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything about a divorce.” “No…” I had barely gotten a word out when Mrs. Johnson shut me down. “Zoe Lin, how many times are you going to make a fuss about divorce? The Johnson family has treated you so well, what more could you possibly be unsatisfied with? I supported you for so many years, and you think you can just pay me off with money? Let me tell you, what you owe me, you’ll never be able to repay in this lifetime!” I stood there frozen. These words felt so familiar. Looking at Mrs. Johnson’s bitter and sarcastic face. The gentle and kind image of Mrs. Johnson in my memories was crumbling bit by bit. The person who had tenderly held my hand was gradually becoming blurry. I don’t remember how I left the Johnson house. By the time I came to my senses, I was already in the car with Blake heading home. Before we left, Mrs. Johnson and Blake had whispered to each other outside the car. I didn’t care at all. After getting in the car, Blake’s expression wasn’t as unpleasant as before. He even took the initiative to talk to me. “You acted pretty convincingly this time. But I still advise you not to waste your efforts. Lily is the only one in my heart. No matter what you do, it won’t change anything.” Looking at Blake’s faintly smug face, I fell into deep thought. Shouldn’t a man who has found true love harshly reject a clingy ex who won’t let go? But why did he seem to be rejoicing that I was just acting? The more I thought about it, the more my head hurt. I simply closed my eyes to rest. Yes. I owed Mrs. Johnson too much. More than I could ever repay. So she took away my marriage. And I couldn’t say anything. Back at Blake’s villa. I called Mia first to briefly report the situation to her. Mia was furious on the other end of the phone: “No wonder you wouldn’t divorce him. So that was the root of it. If you ask me, you shouldn’t have such a strong moral compass. She’s emotionally blackmailing you, you might as well just be an ungrateful bitch.” Now that everything was out in the open, Mia had reverted to her former chatty self. I stayed silent. Mrs. Johnson had always been different for me. “It’s fine. Looking at it from another perspective, I’m rich and free now, and my husband doesn’t even come home. How blissful.” Mia was quiet for a moment before asking: “How much does he give you each month?” I opened my banking app, took a look, and told her a number that nearly made my jaw drop. Mia: “Actually, I don’t think you absolutely have to get divorced.” She made me laugh. “Alright, you get some good rest today.” After chatting for a long time, Mia and I reluctantly hung up. Just as I was about to get some proper rest, I realized Blake was standing silently at my bedroom door. Startled me. “Need something?” Blake shook his head, but walked straight in. He casually opened the closet and started changing clothes. ? How shameless. Thinking this was his home, and I didn’t really have the right to make him leave, so I left first. Blake spoke coldly behind me: “Where are you going?” I turned back in a daze: “Aren’t you changing clothes? I’m giving you some space.” “It’s not like you haven’t seen it before.” But I haven’t seen it. Unfortunately, Blake wouldn’t believe me even if I said so. After this incident, I decided to choose a guest room with better lighting as my bedroom. When Blake found out about this, he didn’t seem to have much of a reaction, so I took it as his tacit approval. We continued like this peacefully for a week. One evening at dinner time, Blake didn’t come home. I didn’t wait for him either. He was probably with his true love. I guessed. In the middle of the night, as I was sleeping hazily, I felt someone standing by my bed. I opened my eyes and there really was someone there. I blurted out a curse. Turning on the light, I saw it was Blake. Having been woken up in the middle of the night, I was deeply resentful: “Are you sick? Standing by someone’s bed in the middle of the night?” Blake stared at my face without speaking. “Weirdo.” I cursed once more before turning over to go back to sleep. “Today, you didn’t send me a text message.” ? What text message? I was so tired I didn’t want to deal with him at all. “If you’re sick, go to the hospital. If you’re lacking love, go find your mistress.” With that, I fell asleep again, not caring if anyone was still there. Hearing my faint snoring, Blake seemed to laugh. “Mistress… looks like you still care after all.” Early the next morning when I woke up, I wanted to confront Blake, but found he had left very early. He got away quickly. After breakfast, I continued my job search. Ever since Blake had told me to pay him back, I had become wary. But after applying to several companies in my field, they all rejected me as soon as they heard my name. I knew Blake and his mother had probably warned them off. They didn’t dare offend the Johnson family, so they wouldn’t hire me. Perhaps this was why I hadn’t been able to find work all these years. But I couldn’t give up. I had to keep trying. Sitting around passively would only make things worse. After searching for a very long time, I finally found a company willing to let me come in for a trial. I was overjoyed and excitedly told Mia about it. “What did you say the company was called?” “Starlight. Why, have you heard of it?” Mia: “Have I heard of it? Starlight was founded single-handedly by the second young master of the Gu family. You forgot about the Gu family? They’re your Johnson family’s biggest rivals in Jianghai.” I pondered for a while. “No wonder they dared to hire me. But I think it’s more likely they want to see the Johnson family make fools of themselves.” “You really plan to go?” “Of course. It’s not easy to get an opportunity, I can’t miss it. Besides, the enemy of my enemy is my friend!” The interview was scheduled for an afternoon a few days later. I went over the professional knowledge in my mind again and again, and put on an outfit I thought was appropriate, before taking a taxi to the interview location. There were far more people interviewing than I had expected. Either bright-eyed college students, or experienced professionals in crisp suits. Looking around, I seemed to be the most ordinary one here. I sighed slightly, thinking I might really be wasting my time today. Sitting outside waiting, I was still a bit nervous. But when the impassive interviewer across from me fired question after question at me. I calmly answered them all. Afterwards, the interviewer nodded and told me to go home and wait for news. I breathed a sigh of relief. At least I had passed this round. When I got home, Blake was sitting on the couch waiting for me. Seeing his expression wasn’t great, I didn’t want to be bothered by him and just wanted to quickly get back to my room.

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My boyfriend, Kevin Murphy’s childhood friend, Tiffany Collins, had secretly loved him for ten years without being with him. On the night of our wedding, she went to a bar to drown her sorrows and unexpectedly got into a car accident. When she woke up, she claimed to have had a prophetic dream. As the events from her dream started coming true, everyone who had once laughed it off began to believe her without question. It wasn’t until the Murphy family’s dinner party when she pointed at me and said I would cheat, get pregnant with someone else’s child, and still be cherished by the Murphy family, that things took a turn. Kevin stood firmly in front of me, Abigail Carter, smiling without a hint of doubt, and said, “It’s just a dream. It’s not true. I will always trust Abigail. Don’t speak such things in the future.” The next day, I was told that the child I was carrying had a defect and I would have to terminate the pregnancy. But just before I slipped into a coma during the surgery, I overheard the nurses talking curiously. “Her baby was developing well, though. Why would Mr. Murphy not want the child and even insist on removing her uterus?”

Before entering the operating room, Kevin tightly held my hand, bent down, and kissed my forehead. His eyes were filled with deep affection as he looked at me. “Abigail, don’t be afraid. You’ll be out in no time. It won’t hurt. I’ll be waiting for you outside.” I placed one hand on my abdomen, trying to hold back the sadness inside, forcing a faint smile to respond to Kevin. The little angel I had once hoped for was supposed to come into this world, but after finding out about its defects, I had no choice but to cruelly let it go back to where it came from. The doctor administered anesthesia and wheeled the bed into the operating room. Under the harsh white light, I slowly slipped into unconsciousness, but I could still hear a nurse curiously asking. “Doctor, this patient’s baby is developing well. Even if she doesn’t want the child, is it really necessary to remove the entire uterus?” “Shh, don’t ask that. This is Mr. Murphy’s decision.” “Ah, it’s for that rumor, isn’t it…?” I thought, “Wasn’t the baby supposed to have a defect? What’s this about removing the uterus? What rumors?” A wave of fear gripped my heart. I struggled to wake up, wanting to stop the surgery, but my consciousness was pulled into a bottomless abyss. When I finally opened my eyes, Kevin was the only one in the room. He had stubble on his face, and his eyes were bloodshot, clearly having stayed up all night waiting for me. When he saw me wake up, his eyes lit up. “Abigail, you’re awake. How do you feel?” The incision on my abdomen throbbed with pain, and I felt an immense emptiness inside, as though a huge hole was left in me, the cold air rushing in. Tears uncontrollably slid down my cheeks. I really thought Kevin trusted me. I didn’t expect that, because of Tiffany’s slander, he would actually go so far as to cruelly end the life of our child and forever take away my right to be a mother. I thought, “I have been by his side all this time, trying to calm him, never once straying, so how could I have had an affair?” But I didn’t know. My desperate attempts to prove my innocence only made Kevin think I was guilty. Kevin assumed my pain came from losing the child and comforted me, saying I’d have a child someday. I stared at him, unable to believe that someone could be so loving yet so heartless at the same time. “Kevin, you really don’t care about what Tiffany said that day?” I just wanted an answer, something that would ease my pain. Kevin reached out and lightly flicked my forehead, then smiled indulgently. “Abigail, I already told you it was just sleep talk. Why do you remember it so clearly? Don’t worry. I love you so much. If you don’t believe me, who will?” My heart was filled with bitterness, and I held back the tears, swallowing down all the questions I wanted to ask. After staying in the hospital for half a month, Kevin took me home. As soon as we stepped through the doors of the Murphy Villa, I heard Tiffany laughing cheerfully with Kevin’s mother, Grace Murphy. A strong sense of discomfort surged in my chest. I frowned and looked at Kevin, only to find that he had a look of indifference, as if this was normal. Ever since Tiffany had said those things, I had felt uncomfortable seeing her in front of me. Kevin had promised me that she wouldn’t come to the Murphy Villa anymore. A feeling of disappointment spread rapidly as if everything had happened, just as I feared. When Tiffany saw us, she clutched her belly and knelt before me, tears in her eyes, her face full of guilt. “Abigail, I’m sorry. I was foolish and drugged Kevin before. I’ve realized my mistake, but the baby is innocent. Please forgive us both.” I was stunned by the news. My mind went blank, unable to process what was happening. Grace, who obviously felt sorry for Tiffany, who was carrying her grandson, gave me a disapproving look. “Tiffany has already apologized. You shouldn’t keep holding onto this.” Grace, who had once treated me like her own daughter and showed me so much care when my parents weren’t around, had completely changed since Tiffany’s affair came to light. Now, she seemed to look at me with disdain, and I couldn’t understand why. I could ignore everything else, but what I cared about most was Kevin, who always said he loved me. I turned to look at Kevin, who was silent and couldn’t hold back the tears in my eyes. “When did you find out?”

“Abigail, I’m sorry.” Kevin didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled me into his arms and buried his head in the crook of my shoulder. This was Kevin’s usual way of apologizing. I used to think it was kind of cute, the way he did it. Whenever he messed up, he would do this, and I’d forgive him quickly. I thought, “But did he really think that a simple apology could erase something like cheating? What does he take me for?!” I shoved him away, ignoring the look of shock on his face, and wiped away the tears that had suddenly appeared on my cheeks. Kevin tried to explain helplessly, as though my lack of trust in him hurt him deeply. “Abigail, I never thought she would drug me. The pregnancy… I only found out yesterday. I know you’re upset, but Tiffany said she just wanted to keep the baby, and we’ll raise it.” Tiffany inserted herself into the conversation, choking on her words. “Abigail, you’ve been a mother too. You understand I didn’t want to get rid of the baby, right?” Thinking of the child who had been deprived of life before even being born, my heart ached again, painfully tight, as though I couldn’t breathe. I thought, “Had Kevin known about Tiffany’s pregnancy all along? Was that why he so easily took my baby away? Can anyone really love someone and still hurt them like this?” Tiffany had secretly loved him for ten years, and he’d always made me feel safe, never crossing any boundaries. When our friends teased him, he always put me first. “I only have one lover, Abigail, and I’ll only recognize her.” I thought marrying Kevin meant marrying love, but in truth, love couldn’t withstand everything. A single, light prophecy shattered all the happiness I had once believed in. I suddenly felt so tired, losing the strength to argue about anything anymore. The scheming mistress, the intentionally difficult mother-in-law, and the husband who pretended to love me but pressured me with soft words… Maybe the only solution was to leave. I smiled bitterly, the dull pain in my chest relentless. “Do whatever you want.” Kevin thought I had agreed, letting out a huge sigh of relief. Grace scoffed at me, then turned to smile as she helped Tiffany up, her eyes full of sympathy. “You look so worn out. I’ll ask the nanny to make you some soup later to help you recover.” Tiffany playfully pouted, pulling Kevin’s hand to rest on her belly. “Kevin, look, the baby’s acting up again.” I coldly watched their loving family silently turning and heading upstairs. I had Lily Matthews, my friend from abroad, book me a ticket to leave. If someone was always going to be unnecessary, then I’d step aside and let them have their happiness. In the middle of the night, I woke up suddenly, the image of that child crying and asking why I hadn’t saved him flooding my mind. I trembled, tears silently streaming down my face. The cold, empty space beside me reminded me of the failure of my marriage. Tiffany had said she’d had a nightmare last night, and Kevin, worried about the effect it might have on the baby, said he had to go check on her. He never came back that night. The Kevin who used to pull me close and comfort me after my nightmares was gone. I got out of bed, wanting to go downstairs for a glass of water, but someone knocked on the door. It was Kevin. The look in his eyes was so different I barely recognized him. “Abigail, Tiffany had a dream where you didn’t want the baby and pushed her down the stairs. Now she doesn’t want to give the baby to you. “Mom has a Bible in her room. Maybe you should read it and pray for the baby. Can you apologize to Tiffany, too?”

I thought, “Am I Still Asleep?” I was starting to doubt if I hadn’t woken up yet. “She only had a dream, and you believe everything? Kevin, do you believe in dreams, or do you just believe in her?” The dream about that child made me emotional, and Kevin’s displeased frown made it harder to pretend I was calm. I thought, “To him, that child was just an illegitimate one. How could he feel guilty?” I was so angry that tears streamed down my face, and I couldn’t get a single coherent word out. Kevin sighed tiredly as if my unreasonable tantrum was putting him in a difficult position. “Abigail, just behave and pray for one night. It’s fine. “I’m doing all this for your good. Didn’t you always want a child? Your child is gone, but Tiffany has one. Maybe this is fate.” I trembled all over, unable to hold myself back any longer. I slapped Kevin across the face. If it weren’t for him, how could my child have ended up like this? Kevin’s expression turned cold as he looked down on me. A chill ran through my heart, and I instinctively wanted to lock the door, but Kevin blocked it. “You care so much about that child? Why do you get so emotional whenever it’s mentioned? “Abigail, listen to me, and don’t make me angry. You’ve already put me in a difficult position, but it’s okay. After all, I love you so much, I’m willing to overlook your affair, but if you keep acting like this, I’ll feed that illegitimate child’s ashes to the dogs!” I stared at Kevin in disbelief, unable to believe that the person I had loved for so many years had become so unfamiliar, so capable of saying such cruel things. “What proof do you have that I cheated? It was you who made the mistake first! Kevin, that was our child, how could you… how could you be so heartless?” Kevin didn’t answer, not believing a word I said. I had no choice. The child had already been taken from me. How could I bear to see him not even have peace in death? “Fine, I’ll go.” I closed my eyes, not wanting to look at Kevin again, holding back the metallic taste in my throat and forcing myself to respond. I would go and pray for that child, hoping God would bless him so that next time, he wouldn’t be born into a family that didn’t want him. “Also, Tiffany said the guest room isn’t comfortable. For the sake of the child, you should switch rooms with her for now.” Kevin didn’t care how I reacted. He said it as if it was just a matter of fact, and after hearing that Tiffany was uncomfortable, he left in a hurry. He left me standing there with my heart shattered and cold. From that night on, I had to pray with the Bible for two hours every night. Grace found me in the way, so she had the statue moved to a corner of the stairs, next to the storage room and made me pray while the servants were around. “No one’s watching. Who knows if you’re really sincere?” I remained silent, praying fervently for my child in the midst of the servants’ idle chatter. Meanwhile, the man who claimed to love me, Kevin, appeared with Tiffany in places where I used to be. His childhood friend had become the “lady” in the mouths of the company employees, the sister-in-law of Kevin’s friends, and the true love of Kevin in media reports. Their love was praised by everyone, a decade-long devotion that people envied. I was naturally left behind, even becoming the third party in others’ dinner table gossip. I thought Kevin would finally suggest a divorce, but when I placed the signed divorce agreement in front of him, he remained unmoved. “You and Tiffany are in love and have a child. Isn’t divorce the best option for us?” I had already made this concession, and I didn’t understand what Kevin still wanted. I had shattered my heart into pieces. I had nothing else to give. Kevin picked up the agreement, his eyes dark and unclear, but his face was veiled with coldness. He gave a small smile, but there was no trace of warmth in it. “I’ve already forgiven you for your affair and have been trying to make sure it never happens again. But you’re just thinking about leaving. “So, are you in such a rush to find your lover? Are you really that desperate?”

Kevin had always been gentle and polite in front of me, never speaking such vulgar words. I thought I wouldn’t be disappointed again, but Kevin always managed to surprise me. I endured the embarrassment and fought against the nausea rising in my stomach. There was no need to argue with someone who didn’t believe you at all. Once I got the divorce papers, I could take the earliest flight out tomorrow. “What does it have to do with you? “You accuse me of cheating but can’t provide any proof. On the other hand, you and Tiffany have been secretly meeting, and during our marriage, you both openly attended various events together. So who’s really cheating?” I was ready to see Kevin get angry after I exposed him, but he actually seemed pleased. “Abigail, are you jealous of me? “That’s good, but for the sake of our future, I need you to cooperate with me for now.” I frowned as I watched Kevin stand up, loosening his shirt cuffs and walking toward me. I instinctively stepped back, feeling an overwhelming sense of unease. Kevin saw my attempt to escape and quickly closed the distance, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the door. I fought back desperately, pounding and twisting his arm, but I couldn’t break free. The feeling of dread peaked when I saw the utility room, and my face turned pale. “Kevin, what are you doing? Let go of me, let go!” I clung to the doorframe, my eyes full of fear for the dark, narrow room. Cold sweat broke out on my forehead, and I couldn’t hear anything around me except the sound of my heart pounding, almost bursting my eardrums. “Kevin, I don’t want to go in there. Please, Kevin, don’t do this…” My whole body trembled uncontrollably, the air seemed thinner, and the sensation of suffocation hit me. My cries didn’t soften Kevin in the slightest. Without hesitation, he pushed me into hell. As the door slowly closed, the last bit of light vanished, and I was consumed by despair. I had been kidnapped when I was young. The kidnappers locked us kids in a small dark room, and if they didn’t get the ransom, they would kill us. The thin door couldn’t block the sounds of machetes slicing through flesh, the blood splattering everywhere. In just a few short hours, I was left with a lifetime of trauma. The first time I told Kevin about this experience, he was heartbroken and cried. He gently kissed my pale face, which was pretending to be carefree, and made a firm promise. “I will never let you be trapped in the dark alone.” But now, it was he who personally pushed me into the depths of despair. I curled up, unable to stop the tears, my body trembling as I weakly slapped the door. “Kevin, Kevin…” I thought, “Please, save me… please…” A buzzing sound came from the device, and Kevin’s voice came through. “Abigail, stop pretending. It’s just a short time in there. It’s not that painful. Reflect on yourself.” The last thread of hope I had was cruelly torn away, leaving me with nothing but despair. I had no sense of time. My mind was completely consumed by hopelessness, and I was on the verge of breaking down, unable to think straight. I thought, “Kevin, why do you say you love me yet constantly hurt me…” Unconsciously biting my wrist, in my blurry consciousness, a voice urged me. “Just bite down, and you can leave. You’ll never be afraid again.” Something wet trickled down. Before I lost consciousness, the door was kicked open, and someone rushed in to grab me. Kevin’s voice, full of suppressed anger, rang out. “Caring about my wife more than me. You dare to claim you didn’t cheat?!” But the next second, when Kevin saw me, his face paled, and he rushed toward me, full of panic. “The patient went into shock from excessive blood loss. If she had been brought in any later, even a miracle worker wouldn’t have been able to save her.” I slowly regained consciousness as the doctor’s harsh words echoed in my ears, my eyes blankly staring at the ceiling. “Abigail, you’re awake? How do you feel?”

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Three months before our wedding, my fiancé Ryan posted photos on social media of his marriage certificate with my stepsister Chloe, along with pictures of her pregnant belly. The caption read: “Legally welcoming our little one into the world.” Chloe commented with a shy emoji. My mom liked the post and commented: “Once the baby is born, I’ll take care of it so you two can enjoy your time together.” I couldn’t help but reply with a question mark. Immediately, Ryan’s harsh rebuke came flooding in. “She’s just borrowing my name for a year of marriage. Once the baby is born, I’ll come back to you.” “Don’t be so petty. My mom also said we should only get the marriage certificate after you give birth to a son. It works out perfectly to have the wedding first and get the certificate later.” I let out a faint “mm” in response, then deleted all my social media posts related to Ryan before posting a new one: “Need a new groom. Who wants to marry me?” Ryan was the first to reply. [Olivia Young, are you out of your mind? I’m just marrying her, why are you making such a big deal out of it?] [You don’t actually think posting on social media will make me jealous, do you? That’s laughable. I’m warning you, stop causing trouble for no reason, and don’t give Chloe a hard time.] Chloe quickly followed up on Ryan’s comment. [Sis, Ryan just wants our child to be born legally. I won’t steal him away from you. After you and Ryan get married, my child can call you mom too.] My mom scolded me for being ungrateful. [You get to have a child without suffering. Chloe is helping you so much, shouldn’t you be thanking her?] Several of Ryan’s friends chimed in to agree. [You and Chloe are sisters, so it doesn’t matter who Ryan marries, you’re all family anyway. How about Chloe gets him Monday, Wednesday, Friday and you get Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday!] Everyone was joking and laughing. I stood there stunned, tears welling up in my eyes. Until they could no longer be contained, dripping down my chin onto my phone screen. They were clearly in the wrong. Yet they had the audacity to turn around and blame me. How ridiculous. These people weren’t worth my tears. I wiped my eyes forcefully and noticed an eye-catching comment amidst the chaos: It was from Ethan Shaw: “Can I be your new groom?” Ethan and I grew up together. After college graduation, I stayed in the city while he chose to study abroad. We had avoided close contact since I started dating Ryan in college, and it had been a long time since we last spoke. As I was pondering this, Ethan called me directly. “Olivia, I’ve liked you for a long time.” “You know I’ve always disliked your stepsister, so I would never have anything to do with her. I don’t have any messy group of friends either. All these years, I’ve been focused on my career and haven’t had any ex-girlfriends.” As he spoke, I suddenly received a contract. When I opened it, I saw it was the transfer rights to all his assets and shares. While I was still surprised, Ethan nervously continued. “Olivia, this is all my sincerity. Will you give me a chance?” My nose stung with emotion. I suddenly remembered when we were kids, the teacher rewarded us with two candies he loved. Even though he really wanted them, he didn’t eat a single one and gave them both to me. He had always given me his utmost sincerity. I choked up a bit as I said: “I will.” Love had seemed so intangible. I once tried to grasp it, only to end up hurt all over. I had thought… Thought that being alone would be fine. But my grandmother’s dying wish was to see me married, to know that someone would take care of me from now on. Ryan wasn’t worthy. But I thought, if the groom was Ethan, grandma would be really reassured. Ethan’s voice was full of joy. “Then I’ll wrap up work and come back to marry you within two weeks.” “Olivia, you’ll wait for me and won’t change your mind, right?” His tone carried a hint of puppy-like pleading. I suddenly remembered promising as a child that I would be his bride when we grew up. I made an affirmative sound. Suddenly feeling the urge to cry. “Ethan, let’s pinky promise.”

After hanging up the phone, my mom pushed open my bedroom door. “Where’s that sapphire necklace your father left you before he died?” I remained silent. Mom frowned in displeasure, “What’s with that attitude? Your sister just thought it was pretty and wanted to borrow it for a few days. Hurry up and get it out, don’t be so stingy!” Chloe hung onto Mom’s arm, saying dejectedly: “It’s okay, Mom. Olivia has never seen me as a real sister. If she doesn’t want to, I won’t force her.” “She wouldn’t dare not recognize you! This necklace belonged to my husband, who was also your father. I’ll make the decision today and give it to you.” Mom hugged Chloe and glared at me sternly, “If you don’t hand it over, don’t blame me for having people search your room.” I stared at her blankly, my smile more painful than crying. The once gentle and loving mother in my memories. Had ultimately become this harsh-faced figure in front of me. But I was about to leave this place forever anyway. I no longer had the heart to engage in meaningless arguments with her. I silently took the sapphire necklace out of its box and handed it to her. Mom smiled with satisfaction, “That’s more like it. Chloe is your sister, so you as the older sister should let her have the nice things.” After Mom left, Chloe put on the necklace right in front of me. “Sis, don’t blame Mom for favoring me. To be honest, this necklace looks better on me anyway.” “Just like how Ryan is more suitable as my boyfriend.” “Things that belong to me, others will never be able to get.” Seeing Chloe’s smug expression. I didn’t say a word. People like her, the more you engage, the more they push it. I picked up my bag and walked past her down the stairs, treating her like thin air. “Ah! Sis, why did you push me…” Chloe suddenly darted in front of me, pretending I had pushed her as she stumbled backwards towards the stairs. Although I disliked her, I instinctively reached out to grab her. After all, falling down over 20 steps was no joke. “Olivia Young, you vicious woman!” Ryan violently slapped away my hand that was holding Chloe’s arm. My hand smacked hard against the railing with a loud “thud”. I broke out in a cold sweat from the pain. “Ryan, thank goodness you came in time, or else I…” Chloe hid in Ryan’s arms, her face tearful and frightened. “It’s okay, don’t be scared. I’m here.” Ryan stroked Chloe’s head, gently comforting her: “I won’t let anyone bully you.” I looked at my own hand, which was bruised, swollen and possibly fractured from the impact. Then I looked at Chloe, who had only been startled but was now being tightly held and fussed over by Ryan. Suddenly it all felt so ironic. The boy who once doted on me endlessly and promised to be good to me for life. The man who was supposed to marry me in just three months. How could he have suddenly changed his heart?

After comforting Chloe, Ryan glared at me darkly, “I know you’ve been unhappy about me marrying her and having a child behind your back. You can take it out on me if you want, since I didn’t tell you in advance.” “But you can’t hurt Chloe. Her health is poor, she’s pitiful enough already.” “She just asked me to give her a chance to be a mother, is that wrong? Why should she bear the brunt of your anger?” He angrily pointed at me, “You must apologize to Chloe today!” I struggled to control my trembling body. Hissing: “Then what did I do wrong?” “What exactly did I do wrong?” Ryan stared at my reddened eyes, taken aback for a moment. “Forget it, Ryan. Even though I almost fell to my death…” “I don’t blame Olivia, and I don’t need her to apologize to me.” “You and Olivia are still getting married in the future. I don’t want you to argue because of me.” Chloe cried sorrowfully. Ryan sighed, saying tenderly: “Chloe, your understanding sometimes really breaks my heart.” He looked at me coldly, “In the end, you’re just jealous of Chloe and can’t stand to see her doing better than you.” “I’ll let it go today since Chloe spoke up for you. But if you dare hurt her again in the future, I won’t let you off so easily.” He picked up Chloe and said disappointedly before leaving: “You’re not even half as good as your sister.” Only I was left in the silent living room. I stared blankly at the falling leaves outside the window. Finally unable to hold back, I crouched down and buried my face in my hands, sobbing. This is the last time… The last time I’ll cry over Ryan Cooper. That afternoon, Ryan posted on social media. It was a set of nine photos. The photos showed nine different corners of a home. The caption read: “Every room, every piece of furniture, every decoration here was carefully chosen and arranged by me, hoping to give my baby a warm and comfortable home.” Many people offered their congratulations in the comments. “Congratulations to Mr. Cooper on having a son so soon!” “So Mr. Cooper and Olivia are having a shotgun wedding! Congrats!” “To have such a good husband like Ryan, Olivia is so lucky! I’m so envious!” “Even if I had to turn down a billion-dollar deal, I absolutely wouldn’t miss your wedding three months from now.” Just as the comment section was bustling with congratulations, Chloe suddenly chimed in, “Everyone please don’t misunderstand, this isn’t Ryan’s marital home, it’s my house.” The comments suddenly turned awkward. I was the first to break the silence, posting: “Three’s a crowd. I’m out. Wishing you two happiness.” After that, I couldn’t be bothered to see what else they would say. I directly deleted Ryan and Chloe from my friends list. Within minutes, Ryan called me. “Olivia Young, have you had enough of this nonsense?” I calmly replied: “I’m not being nonsensical.” Ryan fumed: “What you said in my comments section was clearly trying to smear dirt on Chloe.” “Do you have to label Chloe as the other woman to be satisfied?” “If you keep slandering her, let’s just call off the wedding!” I listened to his cold and heartless accusations, my heart like dead water, calm and undisturbed. “Ryan Cooper, what makes you think I would still want something second-hand?”

I hung up the phone. Perhaps the words “second-hand” stung him. He called me countless times after that. When the calls wouldn’t go through, he sent all kinds of messages. I ignored them all. In ten days I would be marrying Ethan. These people would all become part of my past. I had hoped to spend the remaining days peacefully coexisting with them, but I never expected Chloe to knock over my father’s urn. The ashes scattered on the ground. Not only was she not remorseful, she even let her pet cat urinate on them. Then she looked at me happily. “Sis, look, the ashes can even be used as cat litter for my kitty!” In that moment, the grief and anger pent up in my heart exploded. I suddenly grabbed the baseball bat behind the door and swung it viciously at Chloe. She took one hit and ran away screaming, her face pale. “Olivia Young! You’ve really gone too far! How dare you hit your sister!” My mom’s appearance made Chloe feel like she had found a savior. She hid behind Mom, looking terrified. Choking back sobs, she said: “Mom, I’m scared. Olivia tried to kill me!” Mom shielded Chloe like a mother hen protecting her chick, sternly rebuking me: “I’ve let it slide when you bullied your sister before, treating it as harmless squabbling. But this time you’ve gone too far.” She was my mother, yet she always stood in opposition to me, defending an adopted daughter with no blood relation to her. Nothing could be more heartbreaking than this. I stared at Mom with tear-filled eyes, “She knocked over Dad’s urn!” “That was Dad! That was my Dad! Why? Why!” Why, even though I had already been so tolerant, did they have to destroy the memento Dad left for me? Why didn’t my mom love me? Chloe quickly knelt down to explain. “Mom, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, waaah… I’m so sorry Mom. If Olivia won’t forgive me, I might as well die!” Chloe cried heartbrokenly. “Chloe Wilson, don’t you dare-” “Slap!” Before I could finish speaking, Mom slapped me across the face. “Enough!” “It’s just ashes! The person is already dead, are ashes more important than the living?” “If you bully Chloe again, you can get out of this house.” This slap shattered any last shred of attachment I had for her. This was for the best. I could leave without any lingering feelings.

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I received Lucas’s divorce papers when I was twenty-eight. When we were eighteen, he proposed to me with a ring made of chocolate wrapper. Just ten years. On the day of our divorce. He got into a car accident and his memory reverted to when he was eighteen. That was when he loved me the most. When I received Lucas’s divorce papers, I was already at the airport in Los Angeles, about to fly to London. As I held the documents, I thought, so we’ve finally come to this day. By then, Lucas and I had been separated for exactly two years. Because his lawyer requested that I must return to the States to handle this matter, I canceled my flight from Los Angeles to London and flew back home instead. On the plane, I looked at the wedding ring on my finger, remembering how he cried like a child when he proposed ten years ago. He said he would love me for a lifetime. At that time, I really believed he would love me forever. But people change, don’t they? Two years ago, when I last saw the look in his eyes as he gazed at me, I knew he no longer loved me. There was no use dwelling on it. I closed my eyes, letting the darkness swallow all my thoughts. When I finally set foot on American soil, I understood what it meant to feel anxious as you approach home. Two years wasn’t long, but it was enough to make everything feel unfamiliar. “Sophia! Over here!” A familiar voice called out to me from the crowd. It was Emma. She had been my best friend since high school. I had told her first about coming back and agreeing to divorce Lucas. She wore a beige suit with wavy red lips and large, dramatic metal hoop earrings, looking very stylish. “Give me a kiss, Sophia!” She grabbed me and planted a big kiss on my cheek. I couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time. Just as I was about to tease her, she cupped my face and turned it away. “Don’t look, sweetie. It’s trash!” I smiled faintly and shook my head gently. How could I not see Lucas? The entire airport was filled with his various advertisement posters. Yes. My husband. Is a superstar.

“Hmph! Just wait, Sophia. I’ll be your divorce lawyer. That dog Lucas, hiding his marriage all these years and getting tangled up with that Olivia woman. Just based on the photos the paparazzi caught, I can make him suffer even if it doesn’t kill him.” Emma was now a partner at a famous law firm in the country. Watching her righteous indignation, I suddenly remembered that she used to be Lucas’s friend. Even if I lost Lucas, at least I still had her. “My great lawyer Emma, there’s no need to trouble you with such a small matter.” I just wanted to end it quickly. “You’re not planning to ask for nothing, are you?” Emma guessed my answer from my silence. “You… I’ve never seen anyone as foolish as you. When you were eighteen, you also gave up going to London…” Eighteen… Such a distant past. I never want to remember it. “Emma, I don’t want to get entangled with him anymore.” “The ten years I spent with him, I’ve already exhausted all my energy.” Emma didn’t say anything more, just took me to her apartment. “Rest well. I’ll go back to the firm to handle some things.” Once again, I was left alone in the spacious apartment, just like countless times in that house in the north, always just me. I turned on the TV, which was playing an entertainment news segment. “Breaking news, is famous actress Olivia about to tie the knot? There have been persistent rumors of her dating Lucas for years. Now, sweet photos of the two vacationing together in Hawaii have surfaced, seemingly scouting for wedding venues. When asked by reporters, although Olivia didn’t give a definitive answer, the unmistakable smile on her face hinted at happiness. Currently, Olivia is preparing to attend the Cannes Film Festival. All questions will have to wait until she returns!” Hearing this, I was surprised to find that my heart felt no ripples at all. Two years ago, if I had seen or heard Olivia’s name on TV, I would have screamed and smashed the television. Now I truly admire myself. Suddenly, a text message from an unknown number appeared on my phone. [Tomorrow at 9 AM, City Hall.] Efficient. So eager to divorce me, it was to marry Olivia. Perhaps I should even “thank” her. The next day, at 9 AM, I arrived at the entrance of City Hall as agreed. After waiting for nearly two hours, no one showed up. I mustered up the courage and was about to call that number. Suddenly, Emma’s call came in. “Sophia, come to First People’s Hospital quickly. Lucas has been in a car accident.”

“We’re… married?” Unexpectedly, the first thing Lucas said to me when I saw him after two years was this. Everyone in the hospital room looked at me, some wary, some worried. He looked at the ring on my hand, scratching his head, appearing somewhat confused. What’s going on? I glanced at Emma. “His memory has reverted to when he was eighteen,” Emma told me in private. “Due to the severe head trauma, the doctor says his memory is impaired. He only remembers things from before he was eighteen.” “Eighteen?” I murmured. Why! Why did it have to be that year! Because that year, I gave up the chance to study at the Royal Ballet School in London! Because that year, I had a falling out with my parents because of Lucas! Because that year was the beginning of the hell that would become the next ten years of my life! I don’t want to remember! I rushed into the hospital room. “I’ve already divorced you!” I blurted out. “I would never divorce her. My dream is to marry her!” Another voice countered simultaneously. We both froze, Lucas and I. Only his manager wore an “I told you so” expression. “You’re lying to me, aren’t you?” Lucas accused. “There’s no memory loss at all. You’re just pranking me, right?” “This isn’t funny at all. I need to go train!” He made to get out of the hospital bed but was stopped by his manager. “No one is lying to you, Lucas,” I said firmly. “Look carefully! What is this?” I took out our marriage certificate from my bag and threw it in front of him, emphasizing each word: “I don’t care about any memory loss. Today is the day I divorce you. No matter what, I will divorce you!” Lucas looked at the marriage certificate I had thrown, first smiling, then turning pale after hearing my words. “Sophia, you… I…” “That’s right, that’s right. Lucas, didn’t you just go to Hawaii with Miss Olivia to look at wedding venues?” his manager quickly chimed in. “Shut up!” Lucas shouted angrily. I felt a surge of anger and rushed over to pull him up. “Come on, let’s go to City Hall and get divorced!” Lucas was unwilling, but I forcefully pulled him, ignoring his increasingly pale face. “My head hurts so much!” He suddenly clutched his head, his expression pained, and then he fainted. After the doctor examined him, he scolded everyone severely. “The patient has severe depression and just had a car accident. How could you stimulate him like this? Do you want him to have another mental breakdown?” Depression? When did Lucas develop depression? “Don’t mention divorce in front of him anymore, at least not during this period of memory loss.” “This is just temporary amnesia. When all his symptoms stabilize, he will remember everything. Before that, whatever you want to do, please be patient and wait for the patient to recover.” “Especially you, Mrs. Reed. The patient needs you very much right now.” The doctor’s meaning was very clear. But this meant I had to stay by Lucas’s side. I didn’t want to. I looked at the sleeping Lucas, feeling utterly desolate. Why did you have to go back to being eighteen? At eighteen, that was when you loved me the most.

Lucas and I met at North Bay High School. In the second semester of my freshman year, I transferred to North Bay High and was assigned to sit next to him. North Bay High was the most famous high school in the entire North Bay area. My parents hoped that I would achieve excellent results in high school, which would give me a better chance of applying to the Royal Ballet School in London. I had always been an obedient child, never defying them. But North Bay High was primarily focused on college admissions, so they weren’t very welcoming to transfer students like me. So on my first day of school, I was assigned to the very last seat. My desk mate’s seat was empty. Everyone in the class was busy doing practice problems, and no one had time to talk to me. I remained invisible until two months later when Lucas came to school. When he arrived, I was sleeping. I was very dedicated to my ballet practice back then, practicing until midnight every day. So I was always short on sleep during the day. When I woke up, there was no one left in the classroom. I jolted awake in a cold sweat. “Ah! Hello, desk mate!” A pleasant voice sounded above my head. That was the first time I saw Lucas. He was tall, wearing a white tracksuit, with a youthful energy different from others. His face was handsome, with a straight nose, naturally good-looking. But I didn’t have the heart to look at him then. “What class is it now?” “PE, I think.” Heavens! It was the devil Coach Lee’s PE class! For being late, I was punished to run five laps around the track. Lucas came too, and he was punished to run ten laps. I protested, asking why our punishments were different. Coach Lee looked at me somewhat contemptuously and said: “You’re a girl, can you run?” I hated that contemptuous look the most. “I can!” “Then you run ten laps too!” I started running alone, and the other students on the field turned to look. Lucas followed shortly after. “Hey desk mate, don’t push yourself too hard,” he said with a slightly teasing smile. I ignored him. One lap, two laps… five laps… seven laps, nine laps… I gradually felt my breathing become irregular, my lungs about to burst. “Find the rhythm, ta-ta-ta, ta-ta-ta.” A voice sounded behind me. I glanced at him. How is this guy made! How can he run ten laps without even breaking a sweat! But his “ta-ta-ta” was very similar to my dance rhythm. I quickly regained control of my breathing rhythm. Ten laps completed successfully. Coach Lee was somewhat surprised by my performance and then announced that from now on, anyone who was late, regardless of gender, would run an extra five laps. Only then did I realize that originally, it was just five laps for everyone, and Lucas had to run ten laps simply because he was a sports scholarship student. Great, now I’d be even less welcome. But unexpectedly, when I returned to the classroom, some girls came over to talk to me, expressing their admiration for my angry ten-lap run. Because Coach Lee had always looked down on girls. One of them handed me a bottle of strawberry milk. But it was snatched away by a large hand. “Thanks, class rep!” Lucas said. “Lucas, you’re asking for it! It’s not for you!” the girl snapped. “Huh?” “It’s for your desk mate!” “Oh!” Lucas looked at the half-drunk milk and said to me: “I’ll treat you next time!” The girl rolled her eyes at him and smiled at me, saying: “I’m Emma.” “I’m Sophia.” Just as Emma and I were hitting it off, an affected voice chimed in: “I’m Lucas.” Emma, unable to stand it anymore, jumped up to hit Lucas. They played around behind me, but I felt a happiness I had never experienced before. I was finally no longer alone.

Afterwards, just like the beginning of many cliché romance novels. Lucas and I fell in love. He accompanied me in the dance studio at dawn, and I accompanied him in the swimming pool during training. We promised each other that one would become the world’s best ballet dancer, bringing glory to our country, while the other would become the best gold medalist, participating in the Olympics and winning honor for the nation. But we didn’t develop towards a happy ending like in romantic stories. At eighteen, Lucas got into a car accident on his way to watch my CHD Ballet Championship. His right leg was severely fractured, making it difficult even to walk again, let alone swim. Yet I shone brightly in that competition, securing an early admission to the Royal Ballet School in London. But I ultimately gave up the chance to go to London. Because at eighteen, Lucas, lying in his hospital bed, proposed to me with a ring made from a chocolate wrapper. Isn’t love supposed to be about never leaving each other? At eighteen, that’s what I thought. At twenty-eight, I sat by the hospital bed, looking at Lucas’s face. He hadn’t changed much from when he was eighteen. The only change was that his heart no longer loved me. I was a bit afraid of him waking up.

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