Category: English

The day I was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, I chose a grave for myself. I wanted the tombstone to read: “In my next life, I won’t be a Foster.” No more being the despised twin sister, no more biased parents and brothers. I gulped down a whole glass of paraquat and waited quietly to die in the living room. But then the cemetery office called. “Sorry, another gentleman has also purchased that plot…” “Miss Foster, we can compensate you.” “Would it be alright if we moved your plot slightly?” A string of expletives was on the tip of my tongue. But I swallowed them back down. I’d heard of people fighting over license plates and inheritances. But now even graves were being fought over! My blood boiled as I abruptly stood up from the sofa. The paraquat I had just drunk gushed out of my mouth along with fresh blood. The searing pain in my stomach left me speechless. “Miss Foster, if you don’t object, I’ll take that as your agreement?” I fucking object! Desperately suppressing the urge to vomit, I gripped the sofa armrest and said: “We signed a contract, right? Two copies.” “Yes.” The staff member’s voice sounded apologetic. “But Mr. Johnson signed with another colleague almost simultaneously, so…” “So this was your own work oversight, right?” My stomach cramped painfully. I collapsed back onto the sofa, my tone flat. “I’m sorry, but I refuse.” I was always the ignored one at home before, so everything was snatched away by my twin sister. Now that I’m about to die, I can’t even win a grave for myself? There was a hesitation on the other end. Then a deep male voice spoke up. “This grave does have special meaning for me.” “Miss Foster, name your price. I can transfer the money immediately.” The pain made my whole body tremble. I felt the paraquat ravaging my stomach, almost smiling. Then I said softly: “No amount of money will make me give it up.” “I need it urgently.” The phone was passed back to the cemetery staff. Clearly still siding with the high-paying gentleman, he tried to persuade me to give up. “Miss Foster, why don’t you reconsider?” “Mr. Johnson is very sincere. Money is not an issue.” “Look, there’s still time. You can pick another one you like, or I can give you one for free…” I cut him off directly: “What if I said I need to use it right now?” I couldn’t hold back and vomited more blood as I finished speaking. It splattered onto the sofa, a shocking sight. They were stunned into silence on the other end. I didn’t wait for their response. Just staring at the large bloodstain on the sofa, I said softly: “I’m in the middle of committing suicide. I just drank a whole bottle of paraquat. I’ll be dead soon.” “So please stop fighting me for it. I’ll need to use it shortly.” “If it really won’t work, can you ask that gentleman of yours… if he’d be willing to share a grave with me?”

Silence fell on the other end. I took the opportunity to up. After some brief consideration, I figured it would be better to be cremated and buried by this afternoon. I had specifically calculated that grave to ensure I would completely avoid the Foster family in my next life and live healthily and happily. What a great grave it was. I had to secure this treasure spot! By that calculation, I just needed to find someone to collect my body. After hesitating for a moment, I still sent a message in the family group chat. [Luffy’s Big Cream Puff: Hey everyone, I’m planning to commit suicide. Can anyone come to the old house to collect my body?] Without mentioning my cancer, I just sent this one line and tagged everyone. Within seconds, someone replied in the group. [Dad: What are you up to now?] I lowered my head and smiled bitterly. After finding someone to collect my body, I’ll leave this group chat. No need to bother them anymore. Anyway, they have another group chat. A family group without me. The cemetery called again on my phone. I answered, and that Mr. Johnson who wanted to snatch my grave spoke softly. Somehow, hearing his voice again, I actually found it a bit famimia. “Miss Foster, are you alright?” The pain spreading from my stomach to my waist caused a shrill ringing in my ears. The group was still silent, with no one responding to me. I pursed my lips and, kindly avoiding the bloody scene, took a photo of the empty paraquat bottle in the corner and posted it in the group. [Luffy’s Big Cream Puff: I really am committing suicide, not lying to you.] [Luffy’s Big Cream Puff: Someone’s fighting me for the grave plot. I have no choice but to be cremated today. It’s urgent.] [Luffy’s Big Cream Puff: Can anyone come to the old house to collect my body? I promise I’ll never appear in front of you again, okay?] Still no response. With no other option, I was about to post the hospital diagnosis. Dad and my brothers are all doctors, so they’d be able to tell if the diagnosis was real or fake. The next second, my phone vibrated. [Big Brother: OK.]

OK?! What the fuck does “OK” mean?! Did he mistake this for his work group chat or something? My finger twitched slightly. I was about to send a private message to Dad begging for help. Then I suddenly remembered that after being driven to the old house, Dad had deleted me from his SnapChat in a fit of anger. I sighed and was about to leave the group chat. Then I saw new messages pop up. [Lily: Third sister, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have suggested going out to play… We’ll come see you when we get back, okay? @Second Brother] [Second Brother: Go see her my ass. She’s just playing the victim again. How many times has she tricked us?] [Second Brother: Aria, can you not act for one day without dying?] [Second Brother: Just because we took Lily out to play without you, you have to throw a fit like a mad dog?] [Second Brother: If you want to die then hurry up and die. Stop bothering us.] My heart suddenly clenched. Although I knew my family all hated me, seeing this scene still made my heart ache unbearably. It seemed to hurt even more than the paraquat. I smiled bitterly. I took a selfie and privately sent my medical records to Samuel. “I’m not trying to bother you on purpose. I really am about to die.” There was no response from the other end. I laughed self-mockingly. You clearly knew they all abandoned you long ago. Why are you still desperately trying to get close to them? Aria, are you a masochist? Lily and I are twins, the fraternal kind. But after birth, my little sister was very frail. Thanks to her resemblance to Mom, she was extremely doted on at home. Even though the doctors said it was normal for one twin to be born weak, Mom still blamed my sister’s frailty on me, saying I stole her nutrients. So my childhood was always filled with neglect and blame. When my sister got sick, it was my fault for not taking good care of her. When my sister fell, it was my fault for not being there to catch her. Even when my sister got bad grades, it was my fault for maliciously stealing her nutrients in the womb. For so many years, I carefully tried to please my family. I wanted them to look at me, to smile at me. I wanted them to pat my head the way they did with my sister. But no matter what, they just favored the sickly Lily more. They even took my efforts as jealousy towards Lily and deliberate attention-seeking. Until the day I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, when I vomited blood at home. They anxiously took me to the hospital, only to find nothing wrong with my stomach. [You think it’s fun to trick us, don’t you! Aria, you’re absolutely ridiculous!] [Because you’re jealous of Lily, you’d even make up lies about having cancer. Aren’t you afraid of shortening your own life!] [I can’t control you anymore. Tomorrow you’re going back to live in the old house. I don’t want to hear any more of your lies!] Well, they certainly kept their word. The next day they drove me to the old house and never cared about me again. That was fine. I had no plans to go back home anyway. I wouldn’t “bully” their precious Lily anymore. I didn’t want this family either.

[Mom: Aria, how did you become like this?] [Mom: Lily is your own twin sister. How can you not accept her?] [Mom: It’s my fault for failing to raise you properly. You’re at the old house, right? I’m heading back right now.] [Samuel: Mom, don’t go back. The more anxious you are, the more pleased she’ll be.] [Samuel: If you ask me, she might as well just go jump in the sea. Even if she dies, no one will have to collect her body.] [Samuel: At least she’d be doing something good for once.] The other side hesitated for a moment. Then another message popped up. [Samuel: Sometimes I really feel like it would’ve been better if you were never born. You just mess up our family.] An agonizing pain shot through my chest. It didn’t hurt this much when I first swallowed the paraquat. I suddenly couldn’t hold back my sobs anymore, probably unable to bear this kind of pain. “Aria, where are you!” In my daze, a sudden shout came from the phone. The voice was deep and forceful. Maybe because he hadn’t heard me respond for a while, that Mr. Johnson sounded a bit agitated. “Say something!”

My consciousness snapped back in an instant. Looking at the sofa that resembled a crime scene, I took a deep breath and stood up with a bitter smile. [You can have the grave. I won’t need it after all.]

[Luffy’s Big Cream Puff has left the group chat.]

After learning I agreed to move the grave, the staff member almost immediately asked me to come to the cemetery center to sign the contract. Clutching my aching stomach, I simply set the signing location at the hospital. If I really died, at least I could be taken straight to the morgue. No need to trouble the sanitation workers if I died outside. I gave myself a mental thumbs up. As expected of a well-mannered young lady, considerate of city appearance even as a corpse. But I didn’t expect Mr. Johnson was apparently rushing from the suburbs to the hospital. We actually arrived at the hospital one after another. How did he get here so fast? The cemetery staff wiped his sweat: “As soon as he heard you were attempting suicide, Mr. Johnson drove straight to the city.” “It just happened that he was heading in the direction of the hospital.” Hearing this, I glanced at the man beside me. He was tall and thin with pale skin, looking like an upright bamboo in his trench coat. But he did seem somewhat famimia. “You just got here?” Felix looked at me a bit out of breath. “Let’s go, I’ll take you to see a doctor…” Before he could finish, a nurse called out in the hallway. “Number 244, Aria Foster, please come to the consultation room.” He looked at me in shock: “At a time like this, you still lined up to register?” I nodded blankly. “Yeah, what else?” Since I’ve already decided to die, might as well not take up medical resources. “Aria, is that really you?” A cold male voice sounded behind me. I turned to look – it was my eldest brother William, who had said earlier he was coming here for academic exc e. The youngest associate chief physician in the city. So this was the hospital he meant before. William clearly didn’t expect the person the nurse called really was me. He frowned as he walked over. His eyes held reproach and distance. I caught a glimpse of the family group chat page on his phone. Sure enough, William stood in front of me, his gaze filled with dissatisfaction. “You knew I was here for academic exc e, so you deliberately came to make trouble?” He snatched the registration slip from my hand, glanced at it and sneered. “Gastroenterology again. Wasn’t tricking us last time enough?” “Aria, family’s patience has its limits.”

The Foster family has two children, plus Dad. All three are in medicine. My eldest brother went abroad to study early on, so there’s quite an age gap between us. His attitude towards me has mostly been one of unfamimiaity and indifference. So hearing these words, I didn’t feel much. At most I found it a bit funny. I’m the one dying, what exactly are they being patient about? Felix couldn’t stand me wasting time here. He snatched the medical record and pulled me by the wrist to sit down in the consultation room. “Doctor, hurry and examine her. We can’t delay any longer!” After saying that, he glanced at the doorway. “Are irrelevant people not leaving?” William’s face darkened, clearly angered. He glanced inside the room, his tone mocking. “This act of yours can only fool Lily.” “She’s so worried she’s been crying and making a fuss for Mom and Dad to hurry back.” “The whole family can’t live in peace because of you. Are you happy now?” After speaking, he glanced at the medical record in the doctor’s hand and turned to leave. As if certain I would follow him as usual. Just then, the doctor looked at the medical record in surprise and said, “A whole bottle of paraquat? And pancreatic cancer!” “This won’t do, you need to get your stomach pumped immediately. We can’t delay!” The atmosphere in the entire consultation room became deathly still. Felix’s hands pressing on mine suddenly sank. William also stopped in his tracks at the door. He turned to look at me. His eyes held contempt and mockery, but no sympathy. “You drank paraquat on top of pancreatic cancer and you’re still alive?” “Aria, can’t you come up with less stupid lies?” “The bigger the lie, you won’t be able to back out even if you don’t die.” My pupils contracted slightly. I nodded with a bitter smile. “I get it. I’ll die right away.”

William raised his hand to press his brow. His tone was filled with extreme disgust. “I’ve been on night shifts these past few days. I’m not in the mood to play along with your act.” “Aria, can you stop causing trouble for the family?” After starting work, William became increasingly busy, often working overtime and eating irregularly. I had long gotten used to silently caring for him, obediently catering to his needs. In the past, even if he just frowned I would repeatedly ask if he was feeling unwell. Then I’d eagerly bring him medicine. But now, I’m tired. I don’t have the energy for that routine anymore. So I flatly said: “No need for you to play along. You can leave.” William was stunned for a moment, then his eyes swirled with bewilderment and confusion. Finally turning to irritation. “You think I want to come see you!” “Aria, if you have the guts then don’t come home. Never appear in front of me again.” I smiled: “Okay, I’ll keep my word.” “Keep your ass.” Inexplicably, Felix who was standing behind me suddenly swore. Then he straightened up and stood in front of me, facing William. His expression cold, gaze hostile. “Get lost!”

Felix stayed by my side while I got my stomach pumped. I had realized by now that he was my childhood arch-enemy. But he went abroad after middle school and we hadn’t seen each other since. I didn’t expect we’d meet again under these circumstances. He didn’t speak anymore, just silently watched me go in pale-faced and come out. Thanks to the cemetery letting me move my plot, I had vomited out most of the paraquat, which is why I managed to on until now. When the doctor looked at my medical record, I gestured to Felix. “Did you bring the transfer contract? I’ll sign it now.” After all, he had run around helping me. I’d feel bad not giving him the grave plot. But Felix didn’t respond, just stared at my face, his gaze profound. “Didn’t you say you needed to use it immediately? Why did you agree now?” This guy, I gave him the treasure grave, why is he still talking so much? What else is there to ask about this? I originally wanted to casually brush it off, but seeing Felix’s solemn gaze, I suddenly felt I probably couldn’t fool him. So I sighed. “My second brother said suicide by sea burial would be better, so I wouldn’t trouble anyone to collect my body.” “I thought that made sense, so…” The doctor was shocked by this bizarre conversation, almost tearing my medical record with his fingers. He looked at the personal information, paused, then suddenly said softly. “You’re only 20 years old. Don’t you want to try chemotherapy?” “If it goes well, you could extend your life by 5-10 years at least.” I waved my hand: “Nah, no need to go to that trouble. I’ve lived long enough anyway.” I took back my medical record and stood up to leave. I saw the cemetery agent still waiting outside with an odd expression. He didn’t even seem to have brought his bag. “Hey, where’s the transfer contract?” Felix’s footsteps paused. He pursed his lips and looked at me with a solemn expression. “Aria, let’s share a grave.”

My vision went dark. I’m not sure if it was from shock at Felix’s words, or low blood sugar from the stomach pumping. I stood rooted to the spot for several seconds before I reacted: “What did you say?” Felix chuckled. “You suggested it earlier, remember? Asked if I’d be willing to share a grave.” “I thought about it and think it’s not a bad idea. I don’t have any family anyway.” “When we’re buried together, I can benefit from the offerings your family brings when they visit you.” “I’ve thought it over and think this plan isn’t bad.” Raising my head, I noticed his gradually widening mouth and dazed expression. Felix couldn’t help but laugh: “I won’t freeload. I’ll help collect your body, how about that?” I took a step back. Placing my hand over my fluttering heart. You know what, I was actually a bit tempted. “But I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. My family won’t come burn incense for me.” “You saw earlier, they probably won’t even come see me once.” “That’s alright,” Felix shrugged. “At least we’ll have company. We can chat down there in the future.” As he spoke, he gradually bent down and leaned close to me. The expression on his face was completely different from William’s. An almost devoted seriousness. “If you have other candidates, you can also…” “Deal!” I chose the most beautiful moonlit beach in the city. There were even some bioluminescent algae by the sea, absolutely gorgeous.

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On the day I was seven months pregnant, James Sullivan proposed to his first love. That woman took off the ring James had personally put on her finger and threw it into the sea. “James, I heard Miss Carter used to be a state swimming champion. Why don’t you let her jump in and fetch the ring for me?” she said, her finger tracing James’s chest muscles as she whispered in his ear, “I’ll do anything you want tonight.” James’s heated gaze roamed over her legs before turning to me with a smirk. I saw his intention and frantically clutched my belly, pleading, “James, I’m seven months pregnant, and it’s winter…” But James just swallowed hard and sneered, “You don’t really think I want that bastard child, do you? It’s not like you haven’t miscarried before. Stop being so dramatic. Jump in and get the ring back, or you’ll never come up again!” He had someone forcibly lift me and throw me into the sea. I bobbed up and down in the icy water, searching for hours. Until I felt something slip out of my belly, until the azure sea was stained with a patch of blood… I looked up at the scene on the yacht where James and his first love were holding their wedding ceremony amidst the crowd’s cheers, and my heart finally broke. Seven years of marriage, nine miscarriages, this was the last time. When I woke up again, I found myself in the hospital. I felt my now flat and empty belly, staring blankly at the stark white ceiling of the ward. My mind was still replaying the scene of being engulfed by the cold seawater. Then I heard James’s impatient voice: “Awake? Then stop playing dumb. It’s just a miscarriage, what’s there to be so delicate about?” I turned my trembling gaze towards the sound, only to see James still holding Sophia Reed’s waist, their bodies pressed tightly together. On Sophia’s finger gleamed the jade ring that symbolized the Sullivan family’s daughter-in-law status. This was also the ring I had risked my life to retrieve from the sea for her, time and time again. I pulled my lips into a bitter smile. This was my ninth miscarriage. During my previous pregnancy, the doctor had told me that due to the earlier miscarriages, my uterus had been severely damaged. So this time, I was extra careful, doing prenatal exercises every day without fail, drinking bitter Chinese medicine to nourish my body. Even though the hospital had deemed it a high-risk pregnancy, I was still desperately trying to give birth to this last child with James. But now, because of one casual remark from Sophia, this child was gone. I still remember when I was pulled out of the sea for the last time by their cable, I was clutching that jade ring tightly, my belly hurting as if a thousand knives were twisting inside, the surrounding seawater gradually spreading with a salty, bloody color. “James, I found it, look…” “Please, save me, save our child…” There was a doctor on board the yacht. If only they had called for help, perhaps my child would still have had a glimmer of hope. But what I faced was James’s impatient face. He clicked his tongue, snatched the jade ring from my hand, and put it back on Sophia’s finger. “Can’t you see I’m busy? Today is my wedding with Sophia, who has time to care about you?” James and I were legally married. His marriage certificate and the Sullivan family records all bore my name. But everyone knew that I, this ‘Mrs. Sullivan’, was just a pathetic joke. So, after Sophia returned from abroad, James bought her millions of roses in front of everyone, creating a romantic sea of flowers on a yacht, proposing to her and holding a fake but grand wedding to make her happy. Before this, he had me brought onto the yacht to witness their happiest moment firsthand. Staring at the ring on Sophia’s hand, my eyes stung, and I barely managed to hold back my tears. The cries of those unborn children seemed to still echo in my ears. Accusingly and resentfully blaming me, their useless mother. I clenched my jaw tightly until the taste of blood spread in my mouth. At this moment, Sophia twirled the ring and said softly, “James, I heard this ring is only for the Sullivan family’s daughter-in-law to wear.” “After all, Miss Carter is your lawfully wedded wife. Isn’t it inappropriate for you to give it to me just like that?” James interlaced his fingers with hers, holding her hand and placing a light kiss on the ring: “This ring was always meant for you. As for her…” His sidelong glance fell on me: “Do you think she has the fortune and qualifications?” After seven years of marriage, I had never gained the approval of the Sullivan family or James. Let alone dreaming about this ring. I closed my eyes, then heard Sophia giggle: “You’re right. She didn’t qualify before, let alone now. After all, the Sullivan family doesn’t need a barren woman.” She affectionately wrapped her arms around James’s neck, then blinked her big watery eyes and pouted. “James, don’t worry. I’ll make up for all the children she lost. I’ll give you as many as you want…” James’s satisfied laughter immediately echoed through the ward, falling on my ears like countless needles pricking painfully. I finally couldn’t bear it anymore and said to them: “Have you said enough?” “I just had a miscarriage. I need to rest now. Can you please leave?” The next moment, James frowned in displeasure, snorting with full sarcasm. “What are you pretending for? You weren’t this dramatic with your previous miscarriages. Don’t tell me you’re trying to use this to attract attention?” My first miscarriage was because James dragged me to a business dinner to help him entertain clients. At that time, I was nearly six months pregnant and was forced to drink glass after glass of water disguised as alcohol. Despite this, when I miscarried in the hospital the next day, I heard that Sullivan Group’s project had hit a snag. I still stood outside the partner company’s building in 110-degree heat, fainting from heatstroke, to help him secure the contract. The second miscarriage happened when he came home drunk. I rushed to get him a hot towel and hangover soup, but James, in a moment of impatience, grabbed my wrist and forcefully threw me down the stairs. My belly hit the corner, and the scalding soup spilled all over me. At that time, I was nine months pregnant, just about two weeks from my due date. After resting in the hospital for a few days, I saw news of James having a car accident while on a business trip out of town. Seeing photos of him with his arm wrapped in layers of bandages, I immediately checked myself out of the hospital and rushed to the accident site to be by his side. But now, everything I had desperately done for him in the past had become his reason for telling me not to be so dramatic. Seeing me sitting silently on the hospital bed with reddened eyes, James finally lost patience. He stepped forward and roughly grabbed my wrist, violently pulling me onto the floor. “Still pretending? Sophia will be living with us from now on. Go home and clean up the room, give your room to her!” “She’s not used to the food made by the housekeeper. From now on, before she wakes up or comes home, you prepare the meals in advance…” I finally looked up, staring blankly at James’s face contorted with disgust. I didn’t cry or make a scene. Instead, I looked at him and pulled my cracked, bleeding lips into a smile. “James Sullivan, are you satisfied with how I look now?” Seven years ago, I was on the state swimming team with James’s sister, Emma Sullivan. We became best friends, and Emma even introduced me to her brother, James. During that time, the three of us went on adventure trips together. Even the day before Emma’s accident, James had blushed and placed a light kiss on my forehead. Everything was going well, but an accident pushed the fate of us three into an abyss. That night, Emma and I were coming back from swim practice when we encountered a group of thugs at the dark alley entrance. In the critical moment, Emma threw herself at the group, screaming for me to run. I was scared stiff at the time and instinctively lifted my feet, running out of the alley without looking back to find help. But when I returned with people, I only saw Emma lying in a pool of blood, her clothes in disarray… I still remember, in the funeral home where we said our final goodbyes, James, with bloodshot eyes, dragged me to the courthouse to get married. Ignoring my cries and pleas, he took me forcefully in the place where Emma was killed, which was like a nightmare to me. “Lily Carter, this is just the beginning…” “I’m trapping your soul here, in the Sullivan family, to atone for my sister for the rest of your life!” From that moment on, I seemed to be stuck in a nightmare I could never wake up from. Trapping myself in that long, dark alley, constantly getting pregnant and miscarrying, torturing myself to the point of madness in this way. But now, I’m tired. Even if it means death, I don’t want to continue anymore. Dr. Hannah Moore from the obstetrics department was my good friend. Seeing me admitted to the hospital again after another miscarriage, looking as pale and frail as a sheet of paper, she sighed. “Lily, this is your ninth miscarriage.” “You should know how much damage pregnancy and miscarriage do to a woman’s body. You won’t be able to have children anymore.” I forced a smile through heavy eyelids. “That’s fine. I don’t… want to have children anymore anyway.” Hannah seemed to want to say something but held back, finally offering some words of comfort: “How long are you going to torture yourself? What happened wasn’t your fault at all. If Emma were alive, she wouldn’t want to see you destroy yourself like this!” At the mention of Emma, I clenched my fists tightly, then took a deep breath. “You’re right. So I’ve decided to be selfish for once and let myself go.” On the way back to the Sullivan house from the hospital, I received a call from James, ordering me to get to the family mansion right away. The time on my phone showed it was the anniversary of Emma’s death. I knew the Sullivan family’s annual program targeting me was about to begin. Since Emma’s accident, not only did James hate me, but the Sullivan family naturally wouldn’t let me off either. The first year, Mrs. Sullivan whipped me until I was covered in cuts and bruises in front of her daughter’s memorial tablet. The second year, they forced me to crawl on my knees from the alley where Emma died all the way to her gravestone. … Now, I had been wallowing in this pain for seven years. As soon as I stepped over the threshold of the Sullivan house, Mrs. Sullivan ordered the housekeeper to hold me down and forcibly strip off my clothes. I tried to struggle against the weakness and pain from the recent miscarriage, but before I could, a bucket of black dog blood was poured over me from head to toe. Mrs. Sullivan held a whip, sneering at me: “Lily Carter, married for seven years, nine miscarriages, and you still say you’re not a jinx? How unlucky can our Sullivan family be to have someone like you? You caused the death of my precious daughter, the death of your parents, and now you can’t even keep your own children alive!” Seeing her mention my parents, a flash of pain finally crossed my numb, deadened eyes. My parents died in a car accident on the way to take me to the hospital during my fifth miscarriage. That day was Mrs. Sullivan’s birthday banquet. My parents, who didn’t know how to drive, knelt on the ground in front of all the guests, begging James to send someone to take me to the hospital. But the response they got was James coldly kicking them away, denying any relationship with me. Now, no matter how much abuse and humiliation fell on my ears, it all turned into a cold numbness. I laughed softly, raising my head to stare at Emma’s black and white photograph. She was still young and vibrant, but I seemed to see a trace of sorrow and heartache in her smile. If Emma were still alive, she wouldn’t want to see me become like this, would she? So… I turned to James in a daze, finally speaking hoarsely: “If that’s the case, James Sullivan, let’s get a divorce.” Hearing this, Mrs. Sullivan fell into an awkward silence. Sophia’s eyes flashed with excitement as she turned joyfully towards James. But James stared at me intently, and after a moment, he suddenly snorted mockingly and kicked me hard. My body slammed heavily into the table behind me, and my already pale face twisted in pain. Just as I tried to get up from the ground, James suddenly grabbed my neck. His eyes were bloodshot, like an enraged beast, gritting his teeth with hatred and murderous intent: “Lily Carter, how dare you?” He pointed at Emma’s memorial tablet with his other hand, shouting hoarsely: “Look at Emma’s photo! Think about the crime you committed. What right do you have to ask me for a divorce?” Then he leaned close to my ear, laughing coldly in a breathy voice: “I told you before, from the moment you caused Emma’s death, your life no longer belongs to you. Did you think I married you because I loved you?” Meeting my trembling, panicked gaze, he grinned viciously, his fingers touching my face: “It was to torture you better, to make you atone to Emma!” Perhaps the mention of divorce truly angered James. That day, his punishment for me was more severe than ever before. He had people bring in nine glass jars containing the blood and flesh of our unborn children. Some of the children had already taken shape, while others were just small lumps of flesh with indistinguishable limbs. But even though they were dead, their biological father was unwilling to let them go, keeping them pickled in jars of blood. Looking at those children, my body began to shake violently, and I clutched James’s pant leg tightly. “James, no, they’re your children too…” “Please, let them rest in peace. For the sake that they’re your flesh and blood…” But James just laughed coldly, squeezing my neck hard and speaking ominously: “Rest in peace?” “When my sister died, her eyes weren’t even closed. What right do you have to talk about resting in peace?” Then he turned his head and barked an order: “Go, bring me the ashes of those two old folks as well!” Realizing what he was about to do, I covered my ears and screamed: “No, please, don’t…” But James still dug out my parents’ ashes and shattered them in front of me. He forcibly pressed my head down, slamming it again and again into my parents’ ashes, making me kowtow to Emma’s memorial tablet. “Remember this, seven years of marriage, two lives, nine children…” “Now there’s only you left. When you die, we can finally settle our debt!” Due to the massive shock and bone-deep pain, I coughed up blood and fainted on the spot. When I woke up again, I found myself back in the hospital. As soon as I opened my eyes, I heard James roaring furiously outside: “What are you all good for?”

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My wife cheated on me, and my son wasn’t mine. She confessed this bluntly on our wedding night. But then, by some bizarre twist of fate, I discovered that my son shared my extremely rare blood type: Rh-negative. Behind my wife’s back, I secretly took a paternity test. The results floored me: a 99.99% DNA match. Andrew was related to me, without a doubt. But if he wasn’t my son, who was his “real” father? My mind raced, my stomach twisted. Could it be… A horrible thought crept into my mind, leaving me sickened. “Is this Simon Swift, Andrew Swift’s father?” The call came in abruptly, shattering my morning peace. “This is Children’s Hospital. Your son had an accident at school. He fell, hit his head, and lost a lot of blood. He urgently needs a transfusion. “Please come immediately.” I glanced at the clock. It was 10 AM, and annoyance quickly overtook concern. It wasn’t worry or even anger, but irritation. “You should call his mother,” I said coldly. “Besides, I’m Rh-negative. What good is calling me? Doesn’t your hospital have a blood bank?” I was ready to end the call when I noticed Roger, my driver, shooting me a stunned, judgmental glance. I could read his thoughts clearly. What kind of father would respond so callously to news that his son was hurt? Yet the truth was simple. Andrew wasn’t my son. Beatrice Moore, my wife, had been three months pregnant when we met. She married me carrying another man’s child, and I accepted it. I was nothing but a pathetic stand-in. “What kind of father are you?” The doctor’s voice on the line grew sharper, thick with frustration. “If our blood bank had his type, why would we call you? “We’ve already tested Andrew. He’s Rh-negative, exactly like you. Get here now!” The call ended abruptly, leaving me frozen in disbelief. Andrew had Rh-negative blood too? How could that possibly be just a coincidence? Roger cleared his throat gently. “Simon, he’s just a kid. Kids get hurt. It’s part of growing up. “Maybe you’ve been a bit strict with him, but right now, you really should focus on his health.” “I’m not his father!” I blurted out, louder than intended. Immediately regretting it, I lowered my voice. “Sorry, Roger. I didn’t mean to snap. Let’s just… get to the hospital.” After the transfusion, Andrew drifted into sleep. For the first time, I found myself truly studying his face, startled by the striking resemblance I saw there. Roger stepped beside me quietly, his voice low but sincere. “Simon, you can’t deny it. Andrew looks exactly like you.” A sudden panic surged through me. I turned to the doctor urgently. “Can you perform a paternity test here?” The doctor gave me a puzzled look. “Isn’t your shared blood type enough proof?” “That’s not enough. Just tell me, can you do it or not?” “We can’t run it here,” he replied slowly, still eyeing me skeptically. “But we can send the samples to the central hospital downtown. Results take three days.” Without hesitation, I rolled up my sleeve. “Do you need blood or hair? Let’s do this right now.” I watched intently as they took our samples and sealed them away. Only then did Beatrice arrive, eyes swollen and red, her cheeks still streaked from recent tears. Teachers and school officials immediately crowded around her, apologizing and comforting. I merely shot her an icy glare, turned to Roger, and said, “Let’s go.” It was lunchtime when we left the hospital. Feeling restless and needing something stronger than cafeteria food, I asked Roger to join me at a restaurant. The moment the alcohol arrived, I poured myself a glass and knocked it back. Anyone could tell that I was trying to drown my confusion. “Simon, slow down,” Roger said cautiously. “You’re going to hurt yourself drinking like that.” He paused, carefully selecting his next words. “Are you absolutely sure Andrew isn’t yours? Because this blood thing… it’s awfully strange.”

But it wasn’t just the blood type. Today, as I truly studied Andrew’s face for the first time, an unsettling feeling took root deep inside me. Panic crept through my veins, making my skin crawl. Beatrice and I had been set up by our families. At first, I liked her well enough. Everything moved fast; our families agreed, and my mother didn’t hesitate to hand over the dowry. The wedding was arranged hastily, just two weeks after our initial meeting. It was a classic shotgun wedding scenario. Then, just days before the ceremony, Beatrice confessed that she was already three months pregnant. The news hit me like a thunderclap, turning my world upside down. For days before the wedding, I drank myself into oblivion, tortured by indecision. In the end, I decided to bury the truth and marry her anyway. It was not out of love, but because my mother had just been diagnosed with cervical cancer. I couldn’t risk breaking her heart. From then on, I treated Beatrice with cold indifference. After Andrew was born, I never held him or played with him. His existence mocked my pride as a man. Hearing him call me “Daddy” only sharpened the blade twisting in my chest. Now he was three years old, already attending preschool, and yet I had never taken him to a playground or tossed a ball with him. Whenever he approached me, especially if I’d been drinking, I’d snap at him harshly, sending him running away in fear. Andrew grew up wary and distant, a child who didn’t know his own father. And I never felt a shred of remorse. He wasn’t mine, so he wasn’t my burden. Frankly, I often considered myself generous just to tolerate his presence. Andrew was a permanent stain on my life, a humiliating reminder of my cowardice. The fact that I hadn’t mistreated him physically felt like kindness enough. But today, all my comfortable lies were collapsing around me. Anxiety gnawed at my thoughts. If Andrew wasn’t mine, why did he share my blood type? Why did he look so unmistakably like me? Three days flew by quickly. Andrew was already discharged; it was just a small injury after all, needing only three stitches. During these three days, I didn’t once inquire about his recovery, nor did Beatrice bother updating me. This was our life and normality, coexisting like tenants in the same house, separate lives carefully never intersecting. The moment I left work, I went straight to the hospital to pick up the test results. I brought Roger along. Among all my coworkers, Roger knew me best since he drove me around every day. Besides, he knew about the test. I brought him also because I panicked and didn’t dare to face the result alone. When the nurse handed me the sealed envelope, I didn’t open it immediately. Instead, Roger and I headed to a nearby diner. Only once we’d ordered and sat down did I break the seal, hands shaking slightly from nerves. Roger leaned over eagerly as I unfolded the paper. The moment he saw the result, his face split into a wide, congratulatory grin. But my reaction was the opposite. My heart jolted in my chest, cold dread surging up my spine. I stared in stunned disbelief at the unmistakable words: Probability of paternity: Greater than 99.99%. Andrew was absolutely, undeniably, my biological son. Yet, that result, rather than bringing comfort, slammed into me with sickening force. It was impossible and unacceptable. My head spun violently, leaving me disoriented, breathless, and dazed. My voice shook as I muttered numbly, “No… no, this can’t be right. Where…where the hell did things go wrong?”

“See? Clear as day. There’s no mistake.” Roger grinned widely, practically glowing as though he were the proud father himself. “Simon, stop torturing yourself. Andrew looks exactly like you. Same blood type, and now even a DNA test. What more proof do you need?” “I told you, he’s not mine. He can’t possibly be mine,” I insisted firmly, my expression hardening. “Beatrice and I met through a blind date arranged by our families. We got married two weeks later, and we barely knew each other. “Just a few days before our wedding, she admitted to me that she was already three months pregnant.” “And the timeline proves it,” I continued bitterly. “Andrew was born only seven months after our wedding. “We told everyone he was premature, but he was full-term.” Roger’s jaw dropped open, eyes widening. It was clear his brain was spinning as fast as mine had been earlier. Several long, awkward minutes passed before he finally gathered the nerve to speak again, his voice hesitant. “Simon, are you absolutely sure you didn’t know her…from before?” “You mean, could I have dated her earlier, gotten her pregnant, and forgotten about it?” I shot Roger a sharp look. “Tell me honestly, would you completely forget someone you were involved with just three months earlier?” Without waiting for a response, I stood up abruptly. “There’s got to be a mistake. I’m getting another test.” “Hold on,” Roger grabbed my sleeve. “Simon, please don’t get mad at what I’m about to say.” “Look,” he added cautiously, lowering his voice as if delivering a hard truth. “Is it possible the issue isn’t the test itself? Think about it: Andrew looks just like you, and you share the same rare blood type. You personally watched them seal the samples. The chance of error here is practically zero. “And since you’re positive Beatrice was already pregnant before meeting you… Is there any chance Andrew might be your brother’s child?” I understood immediately what he was implying, but that was also impossible. Putting aside the scientific fact that a nephew and his uncle would never match at a near-perfect 99.99%, there was a much simpler reason. “I don’t have any brothers,” I said flatly. “Only a sister.” Roger blinked in surprise, quickly shifting gears. “Oh…no brothers. Then what about your d…” He caught himself mid-sentence, his face reddening in embarrassment. He’d clearly crossed a line. “My dad passed away eight years ago,” I said, shooting him a pointed look. “I’m so sorry, Simon. I-I didn’t mean it that way,” Roger stammered, waving his hands frantically in apology. After a tense silence, he awkwardly cleared his throat. “Well, in that case, I can only think of one other explanation. “Simon, have you ever heard of the multiverse theory? You know, alternate dimensions, parallel universes… “Maybe Andrew isn’t your kid… But maybe another Simon from some parallel universe crossed over and…” I stared at him, speechless. Was he serious? Clearly, he’d spent too many late nights reading ridiculous sci-fi novels. I turned my head slightly, noticing the diners at the next table quietly picking up their plates and moving to seats further away. The looks they cast our way spoke volumes: they clearly thought we’d both lost our minds.

I didn’t respond, choosing instead to frown deeply and bury my frustrations in the bottom of my glass. Roger, however, was still riding the high of his bizarre theories, each new speculation wilder than the last. “Simon, uh…in the months before the wedding, did you ever visit any…questionable establishments? You know, sometimes mistakes happen…” He coughed awkwardly. “Protection is always key. If you slipped up, maybe one of those girls could’ve ended up pregnant, and then…” He quickly raised his hands in surrender as my glare hardened. “Okay, fine, let’s try another angle. “Have you watched any romance dramas? I’m sure you had more than one girlfriend before getting married, right? “Maybe you had an ex who wasn’t over you, went abroad, got plastic surgery, and reinvented herself as Beatrice? “Or… wait, wait! Simon, have you ever donated…um, DNA samples?” I could only stare at him, utterly speechless. Roger’s imagination was truly astounding, absurd to the point of exhaustion. He finally got the hint from my murderous expression and shut his mouth. But as ridiculous as his ideas sounded, he wasn’t entirely wrong to grasp at straws. Still, none of these scenarios applied to me. I might not have been some paragon of virtue, but I’d never been one to sleep around. As for past relationships, sure, I had dated three women seriously before marriage. But none had mysteriously vanished or undergone surgery to reemerge as Beatrice. And donating DNA? My thinking had never been that progressive. The truth was, no matter how hard I racked my brain, nothing made sense. If I couldn’t find the answers, Roger’s random guessing certainly wouldn’t help. In short, the situation had me completely baffled. Since I couldn’t unravel this myself, I decided the only way forward was to confront Beatrice directly. When I returned home, she was busy putting Andrew to bed. Only after he was asleep did I emerge from the study. Beatrice seemed to sense something was up and joined me quietly on the sofa. I looked at her, my voice cold and direct. “Who is Andrew’s real father? You’ve never once mentioned him.” She raised an eyebrow. “Since when have you ever cared about Andrew? Nearly four years married, and suddenly, you’re interested?” I couldn’t shake the feeling she was mocking me, enjoying some private joke at my expense. Her voice hardened, a bitter edge creeping in. “His father’s a worthless scumbag who deserves every awful thing coming to him.” In the past, hearing that would have offered me a twisted comfort. Now, with that DNA test burning a hole in my pocket, it felt like a deliberate insult, like she was throwing those words directly at me. “You’re not answering my question,” I snapped impatiently. “I want a straight answer. At the hospital the other day, I gave him blood. Maybe you don’t know this, but I’m Rh-negative. And guess what? Andrew has the exact same rare blood type. “And lately, everyone’s been saying how much Andrew looks like me, as if he’s practically my clone.” As I spoke, understanding flickered in her eyes. She looked at me strangely for a moment before breaking into a self-mocking chuckle. “Wait…you don’t actually think Andrew’s yours, do you? Didn’t I clearly tell you before our wedding that I was already three months pregnant?” “Then explain this!” My patience snapped completely. I pulled out the DNA test results, slamming them onto the table between us. “Simon, you secretly ran a paternity test on Andrew without even telling me? What the hell were you thinking?” Beatrice snatched the test results off the table, her expression instantly shifting.

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Four years after my death, my blind ex-girlfriend returned from overseas. She brought back the luxury car worth millions and the multi-million dollar dowry I had once demanded. But she said she no longer loved me. She just wanted to see the regretful face of a heartless man like me. What she didn’t know was that I had already passed away from liver cancer four years ago. The corneas she received as a donation were the only remnants I left in this world. I saw Lily Chen again in the fourth year after my death. Her black Maybach stopped in front of my family’s run-down house. Dressed in luxurious attire, she gracefully stepped out of the car. Her eyes were cold as she looked disdainfully at my aging mother. “Where’s Jack Thompson? Tell him to come out and see me.” As she mentioned my name, a clear hatred spilled from Lily’s eyes. My mom’s body stiffened, and her originally nervous expression turned sorrowful. “Lily, Jack has passed away…” I thought Lily would be grief-stricken upon hearing of my death, or at least shocked. Unexpectedly, Lily just let out a cold laugh. “This heartless man, is he regretting abandoning me and now faking his death to deceive me?” After saying this, Lily clapped her hands. A group of men in black suits swarmed into our cramped yard. The men in black were each carrying briefcases. They opened them in unison, revealing stacks of crisp cash totaling several million dollars. Neighbors gathered at our door to watch the scene, letting out sighs of astonishment. “Back then, Jack Thompson despised me for being blind and complained I couldn’t provide a dowry. Today I’m just here to show him that I, Lily Chen, can definitely afford it!” Lily crossed her arms and looked down at my mother haughtily, continuing: “Tell Jack Thompson to come beg me on his knees. I might forgive his past actions. Otherwise…” Lily’s threatening tone was obvious. She then turned to address the neighbors. “Everyone, please bear witness. Jack Thompson wasted my youth, bullied and insulted me. Isn’t it understandable for me to seek revenge on such a scumbag?” The neighbors began whispering among themselves. “He always seemed like such a polite young man. How could he do something like this?” “Come to think of it, we haven’t seen that boy in about four years. Did he really strike it rich with some wealthy woman?” “Their family always seemed so honest. I can’t believe they’d do something so despicable.” The unbearable voices reached my ears. I saw my mother’s sunken eye sockets darken. When I died, my family was left penniless from my medical bills, so we couldn’t even hold a funeral. Most people didn’t know about my passing. But what pained me most was that Lily hated me so much. Still, I could understand. I’d rather the girl I loved hated me than grieve for a lifetime! Clearly, Lily enjoyed seeing me under the pressure of public opinion. After hearing those comments, she seemed satisfied and left without further action. The commotion quickly died down. I was also relieved… If Lily had walked in further, she would have seen the framed photo of me my mother kept. My mom was still shaking from the shocking scene. After everyone left, she collapsed weakly to the ground, murmuring: “My son, was a woman like that really worth it?”

My thoughts drifted back to when Lily and I were together. Lily wasn’t born blind. She lost her sight in an accident as a child. Her family favored boys over girls, so they never bothered to treat her eyes. My first encounter with Lily wasn’t particularly romantic. She ran a small flower shop. I went to buy flowers for my mom on Mother’s Day. You could call it love at first sight. Amidst the sea of flowers, the girl’s pure face was hidden among the petals. Though her gaze was empty, they were the most spirited eyes I’d ever seen. I remember thinking then what a pity it was for such a beautiful girl to be unable to see the world. I didn’t put much effort into pursuing Lily. I guess she was starved for affection since childhood, so she easily surrendered to my advances. But I didn’t take her for granted just because I won her over easily. On the contrary, we were saving each other. I found a sense of home in Lily, while Lily experienced unprecedented love from me. The unexpected happened four years ago when I was suddenly diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer. Afraid Lily couldn’t accept it, I made up an excuse to break up with her. I still remember the day we broke up. It was snowing heavily. Lily stood across from me. When I said, “I’m sorry, but I need to find a woman who can help advance my career,” Lily bit her lower lip hard. Snow had piled up thickly on her head. Her nose was red, and her shoulders were shaking. “So you’re abandoning me too?” Those words were like a knife, carving out a piece of my heart as the icy wind rushed in. I gritted my teeth, clutching my test results tightly. I tried to keep my voice normal, but it still trembled. “You can’t even provide a few thousand dollars for a dowry. What use are you to me?” I couldn’t bear to look at Lily’s face any longer. I was afraid I’d lose control and hug her tightly the next second, so I turned and left coldly. But I was still worried about Lily, so I secretly followed her. That day, on a path that should have only taken 10 minutes, Lily fell several times and took a full hour to walk back. Each time Lily fell, it tugged at my heartstrings. I hated that I couldn’t tell Lily the truth, but I also couldn’t selfishly let her suffer through the rest of her life. Now seeing Lily return successful and famous, my heart was filled with mixed emotions – joy tinged with sorrow. My spirit followed behind Lily. Fortunately, I could see after death. To my surprise, the second place Lily went after returning was her old flower shop. The door chimed as it hit the wind chimes. A young girl turned and greeted Lily warmly. It felt like a lifetime ago. That girl looked just like Lily used to – pure and innocent. The flower shop hadn’t changed at all either. A wave of nostalgia washed over me. Most of the time Lily and I spent together was here. This flower shop held all my beautiful memories. It meant so much to me. Lily carefully surveyed her surroundings. Maybe I was imagining things, but I saw Lily’s eyes redden. “Can I help you with anything, miss?” the girl approached and asked. Lily collected herself and casually bought a bouquet of lilies before leaving. But as she reached the door, Lily’s expression turned cold. She turned back to her assistant and said, “Buy this place no matter the cost, then tear it down.” Her tone was so calm, yet it sent chills through me. “But this place seems to be doing good business…” the assistant said, puzzled. Annoyance flashed across Lily’s face. “This place is my shame!” My heart clenched. So Lily despised me to this extent. In just a week, Lily bought the flower shop. She came in person to watch as bulldozers razed it to the ground bit by bit. I stood at the shop entrance, arms outstretched trying to block them, screaming myself hoarse.

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I lost five years of memories. When I woke up, I discovered that Ethan Sinclair, my longtime crush, had become my husband. But he wasn’t good to me at all. All his tenderness was reserved for his childhood sweetheart. Even when my life was in danger, he only cared about being with her. Everyone said I was madly in love with him; that even if Ethan made me serve his sweetheart hand and foot, I would do so without hesitation. Ridiculous. I didn’t remember this person at all. I didn’t remember Ethan. He wasn’t good to me, so I naturally suggested divorce. But later, he lingered outside my door late at night, refusing to leave for a long time. “Aria, can you… look at me one more time?” “Mrs. Sinclair attempted suicide!” I woke up to a blinding white light. Before I could fully process my surroundings, a sharp pain shot through my wrist. As I started to come to my senses, I heard an urgent male voice nearby. I saw a man with his back to me, speaking on the phone: “Mr. Sinclair, your wife is in the hospital. Would you like to come see her?” A cold voice came through the phone: “Is she dead? If not, don’t bother me!” The call ended abruptly. The man sighed heavily and turned around, startled to see me awake. After a moment, he approached me. “Mrs. Sinclair, you’re awake?” “…Mrs. Sinclair?” I looked at him in confusion. “Are you talking to me?” “You don’t recognize me?” The man’s expression changed. “I’m Zack, Mr. Sinclair’s assistant.” “…Who’s Mr. Sinclair?” Zack frowned, his patience clearly wearing thin. “Mrs. Sinclair, Mr. Sinclair is very busy with work right now. Your suicide attempt won’t get his attention, and pretending to have amnesia certainly won’t either! Give it up – he’s not coming to see you!” I was even more bewildered, not understanding what he was talking about. Seeing my silence, Zack took another step forward and continued in an exasperated tone: “Mrs. Sinclair, you’ve been married to Mr. Sinclair for five years and causing trouble for just as long. He still hasn’t fallen in love with you. Don’t you think it’s time for some self-reflection instead of constantly creating problems for him?” Although I still didn’t know what was happening, his attitude made me very uncomfortable. Looking at his face, I felt an inexplicable aversion. Wait a minute… “Did you say… five years?” I rushed to the bathroom attached to the hospital room and looked in the mirror. It was still unmistakably me, but I looked more mature, with a hint of sorrow I couldn’t quite place. Could what that man Zack said be true? Was it really five years later? Am I actually married? … As it turned out, I really was married. And had been for five years. I hadn’t time traveled or been dreaming – I had lost my memory. My current memories were still those of my 18-year-old self, just starting college. Back then, I had a crush on a senior named Ethan Sinclair. He was the epitome of perfection – looks, family background, abilities, all unparalleled. The quintessential ice prince. And now, apparently, I was married to him. According to Zack, I had married Ethan when I was 20, in a whirlwind romance with little foundation. I was still in college then, so we only registered the marriage without a ceremony. After getting married, I discovered Ethan’s heart wasn’t with me, but seemed closer to his childhood friend Olivia James. Apparently she was his unattainable first love. Unloved, I started acting out in our marriage. I used all sorts of outrageous methods to get Ethan’s attention, but only earned his increasing disgust. His friends all treated me like a joke, just waiting to see when we’d get divorced. Olivia never took me seriously either. She was the princess of their social circle. My hysterical antics just made me look like a clown in their eyes. Finally, I used suicide to threaten Ethan, demanding he cut off all contact with Olivia. But he didn’t agree. He even told me to go ahead and die. So I attempted suicide. That’s what happened right before I woke up – It all seemed so surreal to me. Suicide for love? That didn’t seem like something I’d ever do! By the time I pieced this all together, I was already in the master bedroom of our marital home. The doctor said I was fine, so Zack had brought me straight back, warning me not to cause any more trouble before he left. Looking at the massive mansion before me, I no longer had any desire to make a scene. I was completely overwhelmed by the sheer opulence. Just the walk-in closet alone was bigger than my old apartment! As I was taking in the grandeur of mine and Ethan’s bedroom, I heard movement at the door. I whipped around to find myself face-to-face with Ethan Sinclair, his expression cold and stern.

Even though I knew Ethan and I had been married for five years, this was still the first time I’d seen him up close from my perspective. I had to admit, there was a reason he’d been my teenage crush. Just having that face in front of me improved my mood considerably. Even with his cold expression, I didn’t find him particularly off-putting. Seeing that I didn’t speak, he frowned slightly. “Aria, what are you up to now?” As he spoke, he strode into the closet, passing right by me without pausing. He selected a robe and came back out. I turned to look at him. “Up to?” From the time he suddenly came home until now, I hadn’t said a word. How was I up to something? Ethan’s dark eyes glanced at me. “Haven’t you always thrown yourself at me the moment I get home? Changing tactics now?” I was a bit shocked. Had I really been so forward after marrying Ethan? But I kept my face neutral, only saying flatly, “Oh, that won’t happen anymore.” I had expected Ethan to be relieved. But instead, his brow furrowed even more, his tone growing increasingly impatient as he looked at me. “I’ve been very busy with work lately. I don’t have time to indulge your dramatics.” I stayed silent. Seeing this, Ethan’s gaze suddenly turned cold. “Aria, stop trying to do anything to Olivia. She hasn’t done anything wrong. Even if you threaten suicide again, it won’t work.” I was taken aback, my emotions complicated. Zack had already told me most of what had happened between Ethan and me. Basically, I loved Ethan, Ethan loved Olivia, and I was the clown in this love triangle who could only constantly cause trouble for Olivia, earning more and more of Ethan’s disgust. This suicide attempt was because I was jealous of how Ethan doted on Olivia, so I privately attacked Olivia’s company and slandered their artists. But Ethan unhesitatingly chose to support her – This undoubtedly told everyone in their circle that my position as Mrs. Sinclair was in name only. I didn’t even rank as high as Olivia’s pinky finger in Ethan’s heart. So I lost my composure and tried to use suicide to win back Ethan’s heart. The result was predictable. A man who was already tired of me wouldn’t suddenly cherish me because of a suicide attempt. He’d only find me more troublesome. Seeing I still wasn’t speaking, Ethan lost patience and went to the bathroom. I let out a sigh of relief, flopping onto the large bed, my mind in chaos. After all, I’d lost the memories of these past few years. I truly didn’t understand why I would have gone so crazy. My 18-year-old self had always looked down on people who lost themselves in relationships. Now I had apparently become the very thing I despised, ready to die for a man. I never imagined I’d see such a day! I was lost in thought, not yet sure how to handle my current situation, when the blanket beside me was lifted and a tall, firm body lay down next to me. The sudden warmth startled me. I turned my head to see Ethan looking at me with those pitch-black eyes, his usual cold indifference now tinged with a hint of suppressed intensity. I stammered, “W-what are you doing?” Though I had lost my memories, based on what I knew, Ethan and I should have a pretty bad relationship, right? We were probably even sleeping in separate beds. So why was he so naturally lying down next to me? Ethan seemed not to notice my panic. He wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me into his embrace without a word. Then he pressed me beneath him, his calloused fingers expertly finding my most sensitive spots, igniting unfamiliar sensations— “Ethan!” I couldn’t help crying out his name. “Don’t touch me!”

My eyes must have shown real resistance, not just an act, because Ethan paused for a moment, looking confused. But irritation quickly took over. “Aria, stop throwing a tantrum.” I didn’t like how he always used that tone with me. Even his face that I’d crushed on for years was starting to lose its appeal. “I’m your wife, right? I attempt suicide and end up in the hospital, but you don’t even ask if I’m okay. Now you’re just criticizing me. Ethan, what gives you the right to treat me like this?” My anger seemed to ignite his own. He gripped my wrist tightly, his tone icy. “Because you brought this all on yourself.” His grip was too strong, right on the wound from my suicide attempt. I winced in pain but held back any sound. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I saw my own pitiful reflection in Ethan’s gaze, on the verge of crying. Ethan suddenly let go, turning me away from him and holding me from behind. His voice was cold: “I’ll let it go this time, but don’t ever fake a suicide attempt to threaten me again.” I struggled a bit, but Ethan held me even tighter, clearly not wanting to let me argue. The difference in our strength was too great. After a few futile attempts to break free, I gave up. When I woke up the next morning, Ethan was already gone. I threw on some clothes and went downstairs to find him already eating breakfast at the table. The housekeeper greeted me. “Good morning, Miss Aria.” I stood there motionless. Ethan didn’t even look up. “Come eat breakfast.” Though it was just breakfast, the spread was impressive enough to make me gape. I couldn’t help thinking, no wonder they call it high society. Even breakfast is such a production. I sat down across from Ethan. The housekeeper brought me a bowl of sago pudding. Smelling mango, I frowned. “Why is there mango?” The housekeeper explained: “This is Miss Olivia’s special recipe, sent over by her. It’s her favorite, made with mangoes flown in from Europe…” I immediately lost my appetite. “I’m not eating.” The clinking of silver utensils on porcelain rang out. Ethan looked up at me, his voice cool. “Aria, that’s enough.” I held back my anger. “Is not eating mango offensive to you too?” “You’re not eating it just because Olivia sent it, right?” Ethan’s face was cold. “Aria, when will you rein in your jealousy?” Me? I’m jealous of Olivia? I don’t know how the 25-year-old Aria acted in front of Ethan, but I imagine it was a pitiful, petty image. But no matter what, we’re husband and wife. Does he not even know I’m allergic to mango? I was about to speak when the housekeeper suddenly said: “Sir, Miss Olivia is here!” A gentle voice rang out: “Ethan, am I interrupting?” A slender figure walked in from the doorway. The housekeeper and maids all greeted her familiarly. It was clear she was a frequent visitor. One glance and I knew this woman was Olivia. I noticed how the housekeeper addressed us. I was the lawful Mrs. Sinclair, yet he called me “Miss Aria,” while calling her “Miss Olivia.” The difference in closeness was obvious. No wonder the 25-year-old me was so hostile towards Olivia. As Ethan’s lawfully wedded wife, I still couldn’t compare to his blatant favoritism towards another woman. Anyone’s mental state would crumble. Olivia looked at me with concern. “Aria, I heard you cut your wrists… Are you alright now?” I snorted dismissively, not bothering to be polite. I don’t know how the 25-year-old me acted in front of them. Perhaps very meekly, perhaps willing to swallow my pride because I loved Ethan so much— But right now, I’m the 18-year-old me. I don’t love Ethan at all. So I have no reason to hold my tongue. Olivia turned to Ethan, looking troubled. “Ethan, I’m sorry. Aria doesn’t seem to want to see me. Maybe I shouldn’t have come…” “You knew that and still came?” I said bluntly. “Did you come to gloat?” Olivia’s face instantly flushed red. Ethan coldly rebuked me, “Aria, stop being unreasonable.” He was clearly defending Olivia. My impression of him sank even further. Originally, waking up to find I was married to my crush had made me a bit excited and grateful— But now I see, Ethan isn’t all that great. So what if he’s handsome and rich? Treating his own wife like dirt doesn’t make him look good. If he’s so great, why did he marry me in the first place? I was indignant, but Olivia remained gracious and calm. “Ethan, the reason I came today was to specially invite you to my celebration party…” As she finished speaking, she seemed to suddenly remember I was standing right there. She couldn’t very well not invite me, so she reluctantly said to me: “Aria, why don’t you come too?” I had originally planned to refuse. But seeing the barely concealed disdain and challenge in Olivia’s eyes, I suddenly smirked and agreed. “Sure, I am Mrs. Sinclair after all. I should accompany Ethan to social events.”

So I ended up going with Ethan to Olivia’s celebration party. When the three of us arrived, the reactions of the people in the private room were quite colorful. “Why did Ethan bring her?” “Not surprising. His wife is always making scenes and acting jealous. She’s hostile towards any woman near Ethan, let alone Olivia!” “I heard she even attempted suicide because of Olivia?” “That’s right! But she really doesn’t know her place. Marrying Ethan was already aiming too high for her. What right does she have to control him? Those other women were one thing, but Olivia? She’s not even in the same league!” These voices weren’t particularly quiet. I could hear them clearly. I swept my gaze over the group, guessing they were probably Ethan or Olivia’s friends. They were all part of the same social circle, no doubt. I inwardly scoffed. No wonder the 25-year-old me had attempted suicide. Hearing such belittling comments day after day, how could my psyche not become warped? Not to mention, I must have really loved Ethan back then. That’s why I suffered through the daily torment to the point of being willing to give up my own life. Ethan and Olivia had already sat down in the seats reserved for them. I was the only one left standing. “Is she just going to stand there by herself? Isn’t that awkward?” “How could it be awkward? As long as she gets to be near Ethan, she’d probably even kneel if you asked her to!” I coldly looked at the man gossiping. “He’s not dead, why would I kneel for him?” The man’s expression changed, clearly not expecting me to talk back today. Ethan’s expression was impatient. “Alright, that’s enough.” I had just been insulted like that, but not only did he not stand up for me, he just brushed it off equally. I sneered. “Looks like I’m not welcome here. I’ll take my leave.” With that, I turned to leave. Behind me, I heard those people’s sharp intakes of breath: “Did I see that right? She actually gave Ethan attitude!” “You don’t think she really went crazy because of Olivia, do you?” “I bet she won’t last half an hour before coming crawling back…” “…” Those noisy voices behind me were very off-putting. I went to the outdoor pool area to clear my head. Not long after, Olivia suddenly came out. “Aria, you’ve really surprised me.” I glanced behind her, seeing she had come alone. I said mockingly, “I hate you so much. Aren’t you afraid I might push you into the pool?” Olivia laughed. “I was hoping you’d dare. After all, everyone knows Ethan would save me.” I pressed my lips together, not bothering to respond. Olivia walked closer. “Aria, want to make a bet?” I found it strange. “If you two really love each other that much, why not just have Ethan divorce me? Olivia, do you really need to step on someone else’s sincere feelings to act out your little drama? Is that what you call true love?” Olivia’s expression changed for a moment before quickly returning to her calm, gentle demeanor. “That’s because you won’t let go! You cling to Ethan so desperately you’d even attempt suicide. He’s just taking pity on you!” Soon, she regained her composure and asked again, “Aria, dare to bet?” The pool’s surface sparkled, looking clear but actually quite deep. I shook my head firmly. “No.” I can’t swim. One stupid suicide attempt was enough. No need for a second. I had just stood up when I caught Olivia’s disappointed gaze. She was standing behind me and suddenly pushed me hard— Splash! Screams erupted all around as my body hit the water and quickly sank. In that moment, I couldn’t feel anything. Only the terrifying sensation of water engulfing me from all sides. My throat started choking on water, my lungs growing heavy. I desperately struggled to swim upwards, but only saw a familiar figure quickly swimming in another direction. My husband, Ethan Sinclair, swam towards her when Olivia and I both fell in the water. My heart was pierced by a sharp pain. This was perhaps the last bit of feeling left from my 25-year-old self… Although I had forgotten the past and no longer loved him, my body’s instincts remained. But this time, they were thoroughly drowned too. … When I came to, I was lying by the pool. Olivia and I had both been rescued, but she was saved by Ethan while I was saved by a stranger. He was quite handsome. I lay on the ground as he pressed on my chest, trying to expel the water I had swallowed. I coughed it all out— From the corner of my eye, I saw Ethan walking over. Olivia was still clinging to him pitifully, reluctantly watching him leave. Ethan seemed to have only just remembered he had a wife. He frowned and asked, “Are you alright?” I didn’t answer, struggling to stand up. The man beside me tried to help me up, but I pushed him away. When Ethan reached me, I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face— A deathly silence fell over the scene. I could even hear everyone’s deliberately slowed breathing. “Ethan Sinclair, let’s get divorced.” After a long moment, I heard my own voice in the silence. “Consider that slap your alimony payment to your ex-wife.” [Cutoff point]

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295971”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller #校园School

After finishing work and returning to the country, I didn’t expect the first message to come not from my wife, but from a high school classmate I hadn’t seen in years. “Ryan, tomorrow is Jack’s baby’s one-month celebration. Everyone’s going, but he specifically asked for you to come. Such an honor – you can’t disappoint!” I was surprised. I never imagined that the class bully would now have a child. “Sorry, I just got back from abroad. I still have some contracts to finalize, so I’m afraid I can’t make it.” A second after I sent that, I was pulled into a strange group chat. This was the first time I learned there was a class group. “Well, well, if it isn’t our big boss who just returned from abroad!” I estimated my assets of over 100 billion and humbly replied: “We’re all old classmates, no need to talk about that.” Unexpectedly, this triggered mockery from everyone. “Look at him putting on airs! A few years away and he doesn’t know his own place anymore?” “Yeah, if you were really a big boss, how come we’ve never seen you at any class reunions all these years?” “We all know each other’s backgrounds. No need to pretend in front of us. If you’re married, you can bring your wife to broaden her horizons. After all, following a useless guy like you, she probably can’t even afford meat, haha!” “Let me remind you – everyone who attends the one-month celebration gets a house in the school district. Jack’s wife is a real rich beauty. The houses others fight to buy are just her family’s properties!” Reading their words, I frowned but still politely declined. At this point, Jack sneered. “We invite you and you still put on airs? Is it that you’re ashamed of your wife? We’re all brothers here, don’t worry, I won’t mock you.” “After all, even if your wife is a heavenly beauty, she can’t compare to mine.” “And with your conditions, you probably can’t afford a school district house there in your lifetime. Don’t let pride ruin your child’s future.” He then sent a photo. When I opened it, I was stunned. Isn’t that my plastic surgery-loving wife Sophia? And looking at the celebration address – isn’t that the villa I’m living in right now?!

Before I could figure out what was going on, my wife sent me a message. “Honey, I’m going to a classmate’s baby’s one-month celebration tomorrow, so I might not be able to reply to messages promptly. As soon as it’s over, I’ll video call you. If only you were by my side, I wouldn’t have to go alone. I miss you so much, darling!” Reading my wife’s words on the phone screen, I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. How could this be such a coincidence? After thinking for a moment, I still asked: “Which classmate?” “You probably wouldn’t know even if I told you. I see the weather’s getting colder abroad. Remember to dress warmly, don’t let yourself get sick. I’d be heartbroken!” I had gone abroad a year ago to develop overseas business. My wife and I had been married for five years, but we were still as lovey-dovey as newlyweds. Especially during my time abroad, we video called every day without fail. Her gentleness and care always surrounded me, warming my heart. So I worked day and night, and the project finally got on track. That’s why I came back early without telling my wife, wanting to go to our empty villa in the city center to prepare a surprise for her. I didn’t expect her to give me a big surprise first! Just as I was about to send a message questioning her, I heard a commotion outside. I walked out of the room and stood at the edge of the third floor, coldly observing everything below. The originally quiet first-floor hall was now filled with balloons and streamers. In the center was a huge standing photo. The happy family of three in the picture was none other than my wife, Jack, and their child! Jack wore a low-key but luxurious white sweater and casual pants, looking every bit the gentle husband. His face radiated undisguised joy as he stood at the entrance greeting guests. The faces coming and going were all familiar. “Jack really lives up to being the school heartthrob back then. Not only did he marry a wife as beautiful as an angel, even his child’s one-month celebration is so grand!” “Yeah, his wife’s father is a real estate tycoon. If it weren’t for Jack, no matter how hard we tried, our kids could never get into that elite school!” “Exactly! Look at this villa! Prime location and so magnificent. If it weren’t for Jack, we’d probably never see such a place in our lives. And the rich beauty actively pursued Jack. Our Jack is just too capable!” In the crowd, I immediately spotted our former year head teacher. Back then, he looked down on Jack’s rebellious personality and especially disliked him. Now he was bent over slightly, his face full of flattery. “Little Jack, although the teacher was strict with you back then, it was only because I saw early on that you had a bright future. Others wanted me to manage them, but I couldn’t be bothered!” “Now that you’ve made it big, the teacher is very gratified. The teacher has a relative with a child who’s about to start school…” The teacher slipped a red envelope into Jack’s arms, his meaning clear. Jack accepted it as if it was his due. He held his head high, full of pride, but still pretended to be polite: “No need for this. It’s all good, all good.” Seeing his pretentious manner, I sneered. My wife used to be obsessed with cosmetic procedures and plastic surgery, running to beauty clinics every few days. Later she even wanted to change her entire face. I was so scared that I quickly found her things to do, letting her manage the city’s real estate projects. I didn’t expect her to make money, just wanted to distract her attention. As a result, now all this glory and capital had become a demonstration of Jack’s capabilities! Someone coughed, and after an exchange of glances, everyone turned their gaze to me, full of mockery. Jack’s former lackey jumped out first, pointing at me with a sneer. “Ryan, you don’t think wearing pajamas and standing there will make us believe you’re the owner of this place, do you?” “You pretended to be rich in the group chat earlier, and now that you know Jack borrowed this place for the celebration, you immediately rented a villa here? How come you weren’t this quick when you used to run errands for Jack back then?” Others chimed in. “Someone who doesn’t even come to classmate gatherings where we split the bill, now goes to such lengths just to show off once. Don’t let your wife divorce you over this later!” “What, you think wearing nice pajamas makes this villa yours? Why don’t you say Jack’s rich beauty wife is yours too, and those billion-dollar properties are yours as well?” “Must be mentally ill. What normal person would do this? I get it – definitely jealous of Jack and angry at his own incompetence. Mental illness is showing!” Hearing their words, I calmly stated the facts. “Indeed, it’s all mine.” Piercing laughter immediately erupted from the crowd. But Jack looked furious. He pointed at me, gritting his teeth. “You really dare to claim it!” “I’ve caught you now, you must be that mistress!” “Take off those pajamas right now, they were bought by MY wife for ME!” “Looks like you still haven’t learned your lesson from school. A shameless mistress actually dares to come to my wife’s house and act big!”

Everyone downstairs was shocked into open-mouthed silence. “What does this mean? Wasn’t this place supposedly borrowed just for the celebration? This is actually Jack’s wife’s villa?” “The pajamas are Jack’s too? No wonder! I could tell at a glance those pajamas were luxury goods, and a limited global edition at that!” Jack smoothly retrieved his wife’s property deed from a room. The crowd was shocked again, their tones even tinged with sourness. “I never imagined the ugly duckling from back then could now seduce a rich beauty.” “Is the bar for gold diggers so low these days?” Jack clenched his fists, his lips curled in mockery. “No wonder you haven’t come to class reunions all these years. Turns out you were feeling guilty.” Everyone looked at me with contempt. “Even stealing and wearing someone else’s expensive pajamas. How disgusting can he be? Those clothes are probably contaminated with some dirty disease now. What a waste!” “I was wondering how he changed so much, suddenly becoming handsome and refined. Turns out money really can change a person. He must have had plastic surgery.” “Ryan, does it feel good being a kept man? Back then you were so ugly you could make children cry. Now you’ve become a pretty boy. Must feel great, huh?” “Just thinking about having been classmates with such a lowlife makes me sick!” “A shameless male mistress, not even ashamed, but daring to openly come before the real wife. Have you no sense of shame at all?” The year head teacher also pointed at me with a dark face. “Ryan, the teacher helped you back then. Is this how you repay me?” “In the future, never say you know me. I’m old now, I still want to keep some face!” Because the noise was too loud, it attracted many onlookers. With just a few words, they joined the army denouncing me, even starting to throw pebbles. Jack, unable to contain his anger, took a pebble from an onlooker and threw it directly at my face. The sharp edge grazed just below my eye, instantly drawing blood. I sneered and walked down the stairs. “You know nothing yet dare to get physical. Want to bet I can send you all to jail?” Jack scoffed: “You? Look at yourself in the mirror first!” “You’re a male mistress who ruins others’ relationships. You dare to ride on my head? Don’t you deserve a beating?” He grabbed my collar and started tearing at it. “You have no morals, no bottom line. A homewrecker dares to say this to me? Even if I beat you to death, others would only applaud!” “This is my wife’s anyway. I want to see how you’ll live here now!” Jack was so angry he lost his head. He actually found some spray paint and started vandalizing the pristine walls. “I’ll let you live here! Live here!” After he vented, the walls were covered in vicious curses and accusations against the mistress. I smirked and advised him. “You shouldn’t speak so definitively. After all, are you really sure this house belongs to your wife?” As soon as I finished speaking, Jack became even more furious. His whole being erupted like a volcano, completely losing rationality. “Fine, fine, if that’s how it is—” He spun around, surveying everything in the house. Finally, he rushed into the storage room and came out with an axe, swinging wildly. Everyone was stunned. After a while, someone reacted and started smashing things too. Jack shouted. “Well done! Whoever smashes the most today gets the biggest reward!” “This is my wife’s anyway. I want to see how you, you piece of trash, will live here now!” With one person taking the lead, the rest followed suit. Everyone joined in this frenzy, growing more and more intense. Soon the entire first and second floors had been ransacked. All kinds of smart appliances, marble countertops, imported custom furniture – everything was smashed to pieces. What couldn’t be smashed was slashed open with various sharp tools. The place was a complete mess. The worst was the wall Jack had vandalized. After being viciously attacked with the axe, the wall was breached, exposing the steel bars and cement inside. I warned them not to do this, but Jack’s face was full of mockery. “It’s just compensation, right? I have plenty of money. Besides, this is my woman’s house. Forget smashing it, even if I burned it down, she wouldn’t dare say a word!” Cheers erupted from the crowd. “Jack is awesome! This is what a real man looks like!” At this moment, the year head teacher pushed up his glasses, his eyes flashing. He slowly opened the door to the last room on the second floor. Everyone’s eyes instantly lit up. They looked at each other, then at Jack. I frowned deeply and immediately spoke up. “Jack, you should know the value. The things inside are worth several properties. I advise you not to act rashly, or you won’t know how long you’ll be in jail!” The various antiques displayed on the rosewood shelves were my carefully curated collection over many years, all priceless treasures. But Jack ignored my warning and walked right in. With a light push of his hand, a Qing dynasty vase instantly fell onto the wool carpet with a muffled thud. “I do know. Even though I’ve seen many fine things over the years, I have to admit the items in here are invaluable.” “The things are good things, but trash like you who wants to climb up by selling your body doesn’t deserve them!” He smiled and looked back at the crowd. “Brothers, in all our lives, we’ve probably never heard such an expensive sound!” “Today, let’s hear our fill!” I stepped forward, trying to stop these people’s crazy actions. “I’ve already transferred the house to Sophia. However you smash it is her business, I won’t interfere. But these antiques are what I’ve painstakingly collected from various countries. You can’t touch them!” But Jack shoved me out forcefully, looking exasperated. “Are you really sick or just pretending?” “You’re the mistress, I’m the real deal. This is my wife’s money, our joint property, protected by law. I have the right to take it back, understand?” “Ignorant, stupid, and blindly confident. Not a single redeeming quality. She must have been really desperate to eat such garbage!” I was so angry I laughed. So in these people’s eyes, I was so unworthy of my wife. But besides eating, drinking, playing, and plastic surgery, everything else relied on me to solve for her. When we got married, my wife’s family was so poor they couldn’t even come up with a thousand dollars. It was all thanks to my help. Others said I was doing poverty relief. I never imagined it would turn around like this! At Jack’s signal, a new round of frenzy began in the antique room. They complained the sound wasn’t crisp enough, so they first threw out the carpet. Then came a series of crashes. I knew there was no reasoning with these fools, so I simply gave up trying. I issued recording and alarm instructions to the camera in the corner. As soon as I finished speaking, the camera was violently knocked down. “You dog dare to call the police? What, call the police on yourself?” “These are all Jack’s things. Where do you get the nerve? If not, let’s call a mental hospital first, get you treated. Don’t worry about the medical fees, it’s pocket change. Consider it Jack’s charity to you!” Someone even took out their phone, very arrogantly. “Go ahead and call the police! Jack has strong backing anyway. I want to see who goes to jail first, you or us!” Jack gave him an approving look. “The evidence probably wasn’t enough earlier. No worries, let’s add some more.” He said, looking towards the third floor. I instantly panicked. There were important things on the third floor that absolutely couldn’t be touched!

“I can let those antiques go, but the third floor is my bottom line. Leave some room for maneuver. Don’t make things too ugly.” I suppressed my anger and lowered my voice, trying to negotiate nicely. Jack was stunned, then quickly burst into laughter. “Weren’t you so arrogant before? Keep being arrogant!” “If you had this attitude earlier, how much trouble could we have saved?” He wore a smug smile on his face, patting my face. His voice wasn’t loud, but the insult was extreme. “Since it’s so important to you, I’m not an unreasonable person.” “How about this – you kowtow to me three times, shout ‘Grandpa, I was wrong,’ and I’ll give you a chance. How’s that?” I clenched my fists, considering whether my assistant would arrive with people faster, or if they would destroy everything first. The year head teacher, ever the cunning one, saw through my attempt to stall for time in an instant. He leaned over and whispered something in Jack’s ear. Jack’s expression instantly turned vicious. “I’ll give you five seconds.” “Five—” “Four—” “Three, two, one.” “You!” In the end, faced with everyone’s smug expressions, I slowly bent my knees. Someone questioned what could be on the third floor that was even more valuable than the antiques, worth giving up a man’s dignity for. I looked towards the room in the farthest corner of the third floor. There… was my father’s memorial tablet. When I was young, there was a huge flood. In the critical moment, my father gave me the last floating ring, staying behind himself. After I was rescued and brought people back to save him, the floodwaters had long since submerged our house’s roof, turning into a vast expanse of water, leaving no trace. In the end, I couldn’t even find my father’s remains. I could only silently set up a memorial tablet for him. Years ago, when my wife set her sights on this location and asked me to transfer the house to her, I specifically told her about the situation here. This was my Achilles’ heel. I stressed it over and over again. No matter what else she did, I could forgive her, even if she cheated on me! But this one thing, I could never forgive! My head moved towards the ground, but Jack’s lackey thought I was moving too slowly. He walked up, put his hand on the back of my head, and violently pushed down. There was a loud “thud”. I clenched my jaw, desperately gripping my own fingers. After three times, my forehead was already oozing blood. “Satisfied now?” Jack clapped and laughed, nodding. But I suddenly widened my eyes. At this moment, three to five people were eyeing the third floor covetously, charging up. I couldn’t stand it anymore and threw a punch. “You bastard, you tricked me!” Jack was knocked to the ground, blood at the corner of his mouth. Seeing this, the others quickly restrained me. In the end, I was pinned down, kneeling on the ground, unable to move. “We tricked you, so what? Who told you to be just a lowly insect? Not to mention Jack here is the victim of infidelity. This is just a small lesson to make you remember – who you can mess with and who you can’t!” “As old classmates, don’t say we’re not being kind. We’re teaching you a lesson, saving you from being beaten to death the next time you seduce someone’s wife!” Jack stood up, giving me several punches, then kicked my ribs several times, finally kicking me several meters away. My back landed on various fragments. I cried out in pain, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Soon they kicked open the last room. After a series of clanging sounds, someone came out holding my father’s memorial tablet, throwing it on the ground and spitting. “Ptui! And here we thought there’d be something good. It’s just this thing. Really unlucky!” My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as I let out an anguished howl. “Stop! I’m telling you to stop!” But I was restrained, only able to watch helplessly as they insulted my father. “I will definitely make you pay for this!” I bit off a piece of flesh from the corner of my mouth, my whole mouth filled with the salty taste of fresh blood. “Oh, I’m so scared.” Jack sneered, stepping on the memorial tablet and stomping several times until it was crushed to wood chips before he was satisfied. He then stepped on my face, grinding repeatedly. “In high school, this is how I looked down on you. Even if you’ve sold yourself to look presentable now, it doesn’t change the fact that you only belong under my feet.” “Trash like you, poor bastard, will never turn your life around. Just stay in the gutter! Don’t try to get attention in front of me, or your father will be next!” Under Jack’s lead, they strung me up and started playing games. Whoever lost would take out their frustration on me by hitting me. Whoever won would hit me twice as hard. Amidst their unrestrained laughter, regular footsteps could be heard from outside, even making the ground shake. Someone pushed open the door and filed in… ———-This is the breakpoint———-

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Lucas, the Wolf Prince, had lived for a thousand years. Though feared throughout the shapeshifter realm, he showed no interest in romance. The Wolf Queen Mother was frantic, as beauties from various clans lined up outside the royal den. I’m Lily, a poor girl from the modern world who accidentally fell into this realm of shapeshifters. After crossing over, by a twist of fate, I stumbled into the Wolf King’s chambers. On the day of his engagement to the Tiger Princess, I ran away carrying a litter of wolf cubs. Years later, I was busy feeding meat to eight little wolf pups. He pushed open my courtyard gate, looking as pitiful as a basset hound. “Lily, do you really not want me anymore?” I never expected to fall into a world of shapeshifters. One moment I was picking herbs for my grandmother in the mountains, the next I found myself in a strange land filled with half-human, half-animal creatures. Before I could get my bearings, a group of wolf patrols surrounded me. They were about to dispose of me when an old leopard lady intervened and brought me to the wolf territory. Growing up isolated in the mountains with only my grandmother, I was naive about the outside world. At first, I thought I could treat these beast-people like the small animals back home. But when I tried to pet their heads and ears, their fierce looks scared me away. They were more intimidating than the Tibetan mastiffs in my village! The leopard granny was kind to me though, just like my own grandmother. She wanted me to help with chores, but unfortunately, I was clueless about this world. Instead of helping, I caused all sorts of trouble – tearing precious scrolls while organizing bookshelves, nearly burning a hole in the floor after spilling potions… Exasperated, the leopard granny eventually brought me before the Wolf Queen Mother. The Queen Mother was pleased with my curvy figure, whispering to her attendant: “This little human would make a good surrogate, though she seems rather simple-minded and naive.” “That’s fine for a surrogate. She’ll be easy to deal with once we have a new princess.” I didn’t understand what they meant by “surrogate” or “new princess”. I only cared that the leopard granny said I could survive here if I slept in the Wolf Prince’s bed for one night. And so, I was happily led to Prince Lucas’s chambers. At the entrance, I saw a group of wolf beauties gathered there. They were clearly unhappy about my arrival. One silver wolf beauty even deliberately threw my luggage into the most remote corner of the courtyard. It wasn’t until evening that I first saw the Wolf Prince. He had a pair of fluffy wolf ears on his head, but his face was so handsome I couldn’t look away! “You… you’re so handsome…” I blurted out. Lucas was taken aback, seeming to develop some interest in this human. He leaned in to sniff me, then looked me up and down thoughtfully. This scene infuriated the other wolf beauties in the courtyard. From then on, they bullied me relentlessly. If they weren’t threatening to tear my throat out with their fangs and claws, they were putting bugs in my food. For days, I couldn’t eat a proper meal. Most wolves ate raw meat, which I simply couldn’t stomach as a human. When I was starving and couldn’t take it anymore, I remembered what the leopard granny said – I just needed to sleep in the prince’s bed for one night to survive and get good food. So in the dead of night, I snuck into the prince’s chambers. The room was empty, so I climbed right into bed and under the covers. Soon after, Lucas entered. He walked in while undressing, heading straight for the bath. Through the misty steam, I could only make out his muscular waist and the smooth lines of his muscles. This was the first time in my life seeing a naked man! My face burned as I watched, when suddenly he turned around. I quickly ducked under the covers, not knowing how much time passed. He stood by the bed, looking down at the little mound I made under the blanket. “Come out,” his voice commanded from outside, full of pressure. I timidly peeked out, patting the pillow next to me. “Prince, shall we… sleep together?” Lucas raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “What’s your name?” “Lily,” I answered honestly. As he spoke, he seemed to focus only on my lips, his breathing growing heavier. Then he turned and went back to the bath, emerging again moments later. His eyes were even redder than before, his breathing ragged as if struggling to suppress something. “I… I was recently injured and have some evil energy I’m having trouble controlling,” he said. “Lily, I want you now. Is that okay?” Want me? What did he mean? I was confused by his burning gaze. “If I say yes, will you give me food? Will I get to live?” I asked. He chuckled softly and nodded. Hearing there would be food, I perked up immediately. “Then hurry up! I want to eat after!” The next second, he pinned me to the bed. His kisses came like a storm, making me dizzy. I felt like I was melting into a puddle. In my daze, he tore off all my clothes. Suddenly, intense pain jolted me awake. I tried to push him away. “It hurts! I don’t want to anymore. I don’t need food!” He gently kissed away my tears, whispering soothing words, but his movements only grew more fierce. My protests and struggles seemed to fuel his frenzy. “Be good, just relax. It will feel better soon,” he murmured. I cried from the pain, but he seemed intoxicated, pinning me down for what felt like forever before finally stopping. Afterwards, I clung tightly to his arm. “You promised. I want food.” Lucas stroked my head indulgently, looking thoroughly satisfied. He immediately called for a table full of delicious food to be brought in. And just like that, I – a human who had only arrived days ago – inexplicably became the first person to sleep with the Wolf Prince.

The next morning, I woke up covered in Lucas’s scent. I had no idea what this meant in the beast world. The group of wolf beauties in the courtyard huddled together, their eyes shooting daggers at me. In just one night, I seemed to have become public enemy number one. I was moved to a special room, supposedly designed for humans, with strange charms hanging on the walls. It was close to Lucas’s chambers but heavily guarded. The leopard granny was right – after sleeping with the prince, I no longer had to starve. No wolf dared to threaten me anymore. Lucas treated me very well, sending all sorts of cooked dishes and desserts every day. Though some were quite strange, it was better than having nothing to eat. People outside said Lucas was cold and disliked women, but I knew better now – those rumors were complete nonsense! Since that night, he seemed addicted to me. As soon as he returned to his chambers, he would pounce on me relentlessly. From the bed to the bath to his desk, nowhere was spared. I would come to my senses to find it was already dawn outside. Even when handling official business, he often held me in his lap, kissing and nibbling. I was sore all over from his attentions but didn’t dare complain. In the end, I secretly went to the kind leopard granny to pour out my troubles. After hearing my description, a knowing smile appeared on her face. She patted my hand and said meaningfully, “Silly girl, the prince is marking you! In our world, that’s an immense blessing!” “Once you’re carrying his pups, you’ll have a bright future ahead! You’ll be a hero to the wolf clan and never want for anything again.” I listened in a daze, suddenly thinking of a serious question. “What if I give birth to a human baby?” This stumped the leopard granny. She frowned in thought. That night, curled up in Lucas’s arms, I worked up the courage to ask him. “Prince… if we have a baby, will it be a wolf cub or a human?” Lucas’s hand paused in my hair, then he casually replied, “You’re still young. Don’t worry about children yet.” But from the next day on, after each time we were intimate, he would feed me a strange fruit. He said it was good for my body, so I didn’t think much of it and ate them. It wasn’t until much later that I realized they were contraceptive fruits. Clearly, Lucas never intended for me to bear his heir. On normal days, as long as Lucas was in the territory, he liked to keep me by his side. During his free time, he would teach me the beast language and writing. I have to say, the beast script was even harder to write than human languages. My writing looked like chicken scratch. But Lucas was very patient, guiding my hand stroke by stroke. I loved writing his name in beast script the most, my heart fluttering with each careful line. Lucas understood my tastes well. Every time he returned from a trip, he would bring me exotic beast delicacies – glowing berries, strangely textured mushrooms, even the legendary “divine nectar”. Without realizing it, my heart grew stranger. When I couldn’t see Lucas, I was always thinking of him. When he was by my side, even if he was busy with work, I felt utterly content just quietly staying near him. Soon it was time for the annual “Full Moon Festival”, held at a distant sacred site. As the Wolf Prince, Lucas had to attend. The night before he left, he pinned me down in various places, frantically taking me as if to make up for a month’s worth. I was reluctant for him to go too. That night I was unusually proactive. Lucas was so excited his beast tail manifested, wagging happily. After he left, I wilted completely. Even my favorite roast chicken wings lost their appeal. Suddenly I remembered a beast proverb Lucas taught me: “A lone wolf howls at the moon, its solitary shadow sleepless.” I didn’t understand it then, but now I felt it deeply. As someone who had never dated before, I finally realized – this must be love. Without me noticing, it had already carved itself into my bones. The day Lucas returned, he dragged me into the room without a word. I thought he wanted me, but he mysteriously pulled out a glowing fruit from his robes. “Try this. It’s fruit from the divine tree. I managed to secretly pick one.” I was so touched tears nearly fell. The divine fruit was a treasure of the beast world. Even the Wolf King was said to be reluctant to eat it, yet Lucas secretly brought one back for me. Taking a bite, a strange energy immediately flowed through my body. I felt light as air, as if I could fly. In that moment, I even thought that if I could stay with Lucas like this forever, maybe never returning to the human world wouldn’t be so bad. But I forgot I was just a “surrogate”. How could I dream of growing old together with the Wolf Prince? Not long after, news spread throughout the beast world that the wolf clan would be forming an alliance through marriage with the tiger clan. The tiger clan’s eldest daughter was coming to stay in wolf territory, clearly with the air of a future queen.

The wolf beauties who had always looked down on me now took the opportunity to mock me even more. “A mere human, how dare you think you could monopolize the prince’s favor forever?” “The real deal is here now. A little thing like you who can’t even grow fur, get lost!” We lined up in two rows to welcome Lucas and Natalie, the tiger princess. As they walked hand in hand, my heart skipped a beat. Lucas exuded the powerful aura of a beast king, while Natalie’s beauty was both elegant and wild. They looked perfect together. My heart was instantly flooded with bitterness. Thinking of the long years ahead, having to watch them as a loving couple, I found it hard to breathe. In the days that followed, Lucas accompanied Natalie around the territory. They admired the moon together and chased each other while hunting. Some busybodies even used illusion magic to capture their sweet moments, deliberately showing them to me. I pretended not to care, but late at night, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Lucas hadn’t summoned me in many days. He returned very late at night, and I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of his shadow. Perhaps as the others said, I was just a toy he played with when bored. His previous affection was probably just a way to pass the time. Suddenly one day, the Wolf Queen Mother summoned us to the great hall. It turned out Lucas was busy with official duties and worried Natalie would be lonely, so he wanted us to keep her company. Natalie walked towards me with a smile, linking her arm with mine affectionately. “I heard you take care of Lucas. It must be hard work, right?” Once we were alone, her face immediately changed. She viciously flung my arm away. “A mere human like you, how dare you stay by Lucas’s side?” “I heard you think you’re his bedmate? Guess who’s more important to him – you or me?” My internal alarms went off, but before I could escape, I saw her rip off the protective charm around her neck and throw it into the nearby miasma-filled forest. Just then, Lucas happened to walk into the courtyard. Natalie immediately threw herself into his arms, crying crocodile tears as she accused me. “Lucas, this human in your household is so ill-mannered. I just wanted to chat with her, but she insulted me and threw the protective charm my mother gave me into the miasma forest!” I hadn’t seen Lucas in a long time. The man I once spent every day with now wore a cold expression, his gaze unfamiliar and making me uneasy. He glanced at me indifferently, his eyes as cold as ice. “I didn’t…” I tried to explain but was cut off. Lucas lowered his head to gently comfort Natalie in his arms. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll send someone to find it right away.” But Natalie pouted, pointing at me. “She lost it, so she should go look!” Humans have the weakest sense of smell among beast people. I had no way to navigate in the miasma. Lucas knew this – he used to tease me for being a “noseless fool” because of it. But now, he coldly ordered me: “Go find it!” I stumbled into the miasma-filled forest. The acrid smell made me dizzy, the poisonous gas burning my skin. I fumbled around, feeling my life force slowly draining away. After searching for who knows how long, I finally touched that damned charm. Covered in wounds, I crawled out of the forest and handed it to Natalie. The Wolf Queen Mother had arrived at some point. She glared at me furiously. “How outrageous! You’re a disgrace to our wolf clan!” “Go reflect in the dense forest for a day and night!” Lucas didn’t even look at me as he left with his arm around Natalie. The night wind blew, making me shiver. At that moment, I finally understood the vast difference between a surrogate and a queen. Here, I didn’t even have the right to speak. Natalie could easily control my life and death. I, who had once been intoxicated by sweetness with Lucas and attached to this wolf territory, thought about leaving for the first time. I couldn’t hold out for long in the miasma forest before passing out. In my hazy state, I thought I caught Lucas’s scent. He seemed to be carefully licking my wounds with his tongue, his movements incredibly gentle. Sobbing, I asked him: “Do I have a place in your heart?” But he remained silent. When I fully regained consciousness, there was no one around. I laughed bitterly and shook my head. It must have been a hallucination. Suddenly, a familiar set of footsteps approached. Lucas entered with a gloomy face, pushing open the door. My heart leapt with a glimmer of joy. “Your Highness, why did you come?” He sat down by my bed, staring at me with a complex expression. “Lily, Natalie contracted a spiritual decay after losing her protective charm. Her condition is critical.” He paused, his gaze growing determined. “The shaman said they need human blood as a catalyst for the medicine. You’ve always been understanding. Can you… help her?”

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I never imagined that my mother-in-law would turn out to be a fake, and worse yet, my “husband’s” real girlfriend. Yes, Jack had tricked me into marriage. “Who’s more important to you, me or Claire?” I overheard Rachel asking. “Of course you are, my love. Claire’s nothing but a means to an end,” Jack replied. “How do you think I did playing your mother? That little fool never suspected a thing! She even called me ‘Mom’ – can you believe it?” Rachel cackled. “You were perfect. Once she has the baby, I’ll kick her out and we can raise the child together as our own,” Jack assured her. I had just returned from taking out the trash when I heard my so-called mother-in-law and Jack talking in the bedroom. Tears began to fall unbidden down my cheeks. I had thought I’d found true love, but it was all an elaborate scam. Jack had conspired with his girlfriend Rachel to trick me into pregnancy and marriage. Jack and I met at a real estate company where we both worked as sales agents. As my senior colleague, he always looked out for me. He would argue with difficult clients on my behalf and bring me breakfast when I was running late. For someone like me, fresh out of college and trying to make it on my own, he seemed like a knight in shining armor. Our coworkers often teased that he had a crush on me. I started to notice the way he looked at me was different from how he regarded other women in the office. That special look in his eyes – I thought it was love. Jack casually mentioned to me one day that he made hundreds of thousands a month in real estate commissions and already had over a million in savings. He said he was looking for a simple woman to settle down with, someone to move back to his hometown with him and start a family. He planned to get a regular job in the small county town to supplement their income. One night after a work event, a client got me drunk and tried to take advantage of me. Jack chased the man off and took me back to my apartment. Things progressed naturally from there. Two months later, I started feeling nauseous all the time. A trip to the doctor confirmed it – I was pregnant. What touched me most was Jack’s reaction. He eagerly expressed his desire to take responsibility as a father. After our families met, we had a simple wedding ceremony and got our marriage license. Then I moved with him to his rural hometown to start our new life together. By the time I discovered that my mother-in-law was actually Jack’s girlfriend in disguise, I was nine months pregnant and about to give birth… No! I couldn’t let those two get away with this. All the pain and humiliation they put me through – I would make them pay dearly for it! They had to face the consequences of their actions! Perhaps it was the shock and anger, but suddenly my stomach cramped painfully. I collapsed to the floor. “Jack… Jack, my stomach hurts so bad. I think I’m going into labor. Jack, where are you? Please, save the baby!” After my cry for help, the bedroom went silent. Then I heard Jack’s voice: “Claire, don’t panic. I’m coming right now.” About a minute later, Jack burst out of Rachel’s room. Seeing me pale and exhausted on the floor, he frantically called for an ambulance while pacing back and forth in the living room. Half an hour later, the ambulance managed to navigate the rural roads and arrived at our village. I refused to let my fake mother-in-law ride in the ambulance with Jack and me, making the excuse that she should rest at home given her age. The paramedic, seeing my insistence, figured there must be some tension between us. She told Jack that a pregnant woman’s emotions were crucial and that we should try to accommodate my wishes when possible.

In the ambulance, Jack gripped my hand tightly. To an outsider, he probably looked like a concerned husband. But I noticed his eyes never left my swollen belly. It was in that moment that I truly lost all hope. I had given him everything, but Jack clearly cared more about the baby than my wellbeing. I turned to Jack, my face pale, and said through tears: “Honey… no matter what… please save the baby first.” The paramedic looked at me in disbelief, probably thinking I was being foolish. Jack hesitated before responding: “Don’t say such unlucky things. You and the baby will both be fine.” I caught a flicker of guilt in his eyes before it quickly vanished. His fake concern only disgusted me more. At the hospital, after determining there were no major issues, the doctor pulled Jack aside to speak privately. I overheard the doctor scolding him: “She’s pregnant and doesn’t know any better, but what’s your excuse? How can you talk about prioritizing the baby over your wife? Don’t you have any sense of responsibility as her husband?” “Forget it, talking to someone like you just makes me angry. Make sure she doesn’t eat anything cold or uncooked. Most importantly, keep her well-nourished and try to fulfill her requests. Don’t let her get upset – it affects both her and the baby’s health.” Jack responded dismissively: “Yes, yes, doctor. I understand. I’ll be more careful from now on.” The female doctor had likely seen too many cases like this. She could only sigh: “Don’t just say you’ll be careful later. Start paying attention now.” After speaking to Jack, she returned to my bedside. She leaned in and spoke to me quietly but earnestly: “Did you have a fight with your husband? Even if you’re upset, try to control your emotions. I know it’s unfair to put all that pressure on you as the pregnant one, but you can always set him straight after the baby is born.” I thanked the doctor, and she left. During my few days of observation at the hospital, Jack often brought me chicken soup. Of course, he couldn’t have made it himself – the man could barely boil water. He relied on “Mom” for everything, even making me take out the trash when I was about to pop. The soup must have been made by my fake mother-in-law Rachel. “Oh honey, it’s too bad I can’t cook,” I said. “If only you’d married someone who could cook, it would be so much better. Poor Mom is getting on in years, yet she still has to work so hard for me.” “You’re carrying my child now. It’s only right that my mother takes care of you…” Jack trailed off, suddenly wary. He must have worried I’d discovered something. He started probing: “Sweetheart, did I do something to upset you? Is that why you suddenly went into labor?” Hearing him call me “sweetheart” made me want to vomit. I clutched my chest, feeling nauseated. Seeing I was about to be sick, Jack instinctively backed away, afraid I’d throw up on him. “What, do I disgust you now?” I looked up at him pointedly. “No, no, of course not…” Jack stammered. Jack must have sensed the edge in my voice lately. He seemed to wonder if I’d uncovered his and Rachel’s secret. Seeing I didn’t say anything further and looked a bit accusatory, Jack quickly put on a gentle tone: “Don’t be silly. You’re my wife, the mother of my child. How could I ever be disgusted by you?” I wondered if he felt any guilt saying such things, given the truth. I looked at Jack and said: “I don’t know why, but lately I can’t stand the smell of oily foods. They make me want to throw up.” Jack nodded, seemingly satisfied with my explanation. Then he added: “Mom is really worried about you too. She wants to come visit you at the hospital. She said it wouldn’t look right if your in-laws found out you almost went into labor and she didn’t do anything as your mother-in-law.” I thought to myself, they must be getting impatient after just a few days apart. Rachel probably worried Jack might actually fall for me if she wasn’t around. But I wasn’t about to give them any chance to be alone together. I found my phone by the hospital bed pillow and took several photos of the chicken soup from different angles. Then I posted them on social media with the caption: Look at this delicious chicken soup my mother-in-law made for me! It smells amazing. I despised Jack and Rachel with every fiber of my being. But to lure them into my trap, I had to keep playing along for now. Within minutes, I got likes from my parents. They asked how I was doing and praised my “mother-in-law” effusively. After that, I showed Jack the posts and messages, making it clear I was really trying to maintain a good relationship with his “mother.” Jack visibly relaxed after seeing the exchange. If I’d really discovered anything, why would I be so naive as to keep up appearances? Then I said to Jack: “Mom isn’t in the best health. The hospital isn’t as comfortable as home. She’s getting on in years – you should think of her more. Let her rest at home. If she needs anything, you can bring it when you have time to go back.” Jack started to object, but swallowed his words, probably remembering the doctor’s instructions. I knew I had to keep up the act of being affectionate with this despicable man, as nauseating as it was. It would drive Rachel crazy with jealousy to see us together. I pulled Jack close and took a selfie of us with our faces pressed together. Then I sent the photo to Rachel. Just imagining her panicked, anxious reaction filled me with satisfaction. Such a simple act, yet it would make her so miserable. I’d been in the hospital for observation for a week now. I knew there was nothing wrong with me anymore – the doctor had cleared me to go home days ago. But Jack insisted on keeping me there, unwilling to risk anything happening to the baby I carried. While Jack was out getting food, Rachel came to visit, bringing bananas. She wore a forced smile as she set the fruit on the bedside table. After pulling up a chair, Rachel reached out to pat my hand, putting on an act of concern. She focused on asking whether Jack was taking good care of me, if he was being gentle and attentive. The more I praised Jack, the more her smile faded, until it disappeared entirely. This old woman clearly had no common sense. She started peeling a cold banana to feed me, just as Jack returned with lunch. Jack shouted: “Wait, stop! Don’t eat that.” “What’s wrong, honey?” I asked innocently, spitting out the bite of banana. I saw anger flashing in Jack’s eyes. He berated Rachel: “You’ve never had a baby, so don’t try to take care of her! Claire can’t eat cold things right now. I told you to stay home – why did you come? If something happens to the baby, could you live with yourself? You don’t know the first thing about caring for a pregnant woman…” I was secretly delighted. Rachel was caught off guard by the sudden scolding. She didn’t know how to respond, tears welling up in her eyes. If Jack had continued, she likely would have broken down crying. I kept playing dumb: “Honey, why are you yelling at Mom? She came all this way from the village to see me and even hand-fed me fruit. What are you so angry about?” “And what do you mean she’s never had a baby? Didn’t she have you?” Jack realized his slip-up could expose Rachel’s true identity. He stopped criticizing her and just put the food down before rushing off to find the doctor. For a moment, I had the strangest feeling. I almost wondered – if this man hadn’t deceived me, could he have been a good husband and father? But Jack had manipulated my marriage and my child. Given what he’d just said, it seemed Rachel had never had children. Yet he was so concerned about the baby I carried. I couldn’t help but think of how much my rural parents valued having descendants. Once I gave birth after nine months of pregnancy, Jack would probably divorce me quickly. Since I had no job, I wouldn’t be able to get custody. The judge would surely award custody to him. Then Jack would have Rachel act as the child’s mother, and the two of them would live happily ever after. What a perfect scheme they’d concocted. But how could I let my unborn child become a pawn in their sick game? After the doctor checked me over and confirmed everything was normal, Jack, Rachel and I returned to the village early the next morning. I’d always vaguely sensed the villagers looking at me strangely, but could never pinpoint why. Now that I thought about it, they seemed to purposely avoid me. Their looks made me feel like a trafficked bride rather than someone who came willingly. Jack commuted to his job in the county town Monday through Friday. Since it was Saturday, he was home. I went to the kitchen and made some tea with goji berries and red dates. I brought it to Jack in the living room, playing the role of doting wife: “Honey, you’ve been running back and forth to the hospital all week. You must be exhausted. I made you some tea with goji berries and dates. I added sugar too – try it and see how it tastes.” Jack took the tea, glancing at Rachel who was watching TV. He seemed to be seeking her approval. Then he looked at me standing there with my swollen belly and decided to drink the tea I’d brought. My actions must have looked like I was marking my territory to Rachel, even though she didn’t know I’d discovered her true identity. After tending to Jack, I turned to Rachel to twist the knife further: “Mom, you must be tired from taking care of the chickens and ducks while I was gone. Now that I’m back, let me do the laundry.”

Even though I was heavily pregnant, I used to do most of the housework to try to please my “mother-in-law.” Looking back now, I can’t believe how foolish I was. I started walking towards Rachel’s bedroom, using the excuse of gathering dirty laundry. Rachel panicked when she saw me heading for her room. She quickly stood up to stop me, exchanging a look with Jack. He rushed over to block my path. “You’re pregnant – you shouldn’t be doing chores,” he said with fake concern. “Mom can wash her own clothes.” I could imagine what Rachel’s room looked like, full of evidence of their intimacy. But I didn’t push the issue. I told them I was going for a walk in the village, but my real purpose was to ask the older villagers about Jack’s background. The elders seemed reluctant to talk at first. I noticed one old woman had an unemployed son who spent all day playing video games. So I offered to set her son up with a former classmate of mine. The old woman’s wariness melted away, and she dug out an old notebook with Jack’s mother’s phone number. I gave the woman my high school friend Emma’s number. I’d already asked Emma to play along with my plan. Emma had become a successful lawyer after handling some major cases. When the old woman heard my “classmate” was a lawyer, she was overjoyed. That’s how I got in touch with Jack’s real parents. At first, his mother couldn’t believe I was really Jack’s wife, pregnant with his child. I had to explain several times. Jack’s mother let out a long sigh on the other end of the line. “Oh, my dear girl. I’ve failed you… Jack’s father passed away when he was young. I didn’t raise him right…” She went on to tell me that Jack was very stubborn and insisted on marrying a woman 20 years his senior named Rachel. Rachel was too old to have children, so she couldn’t fulfill their wish for grandchildren. It caused a huge rift in the family. Then one day, Jack called saying he wanted to bring her to the city to retire. She was thrilled at first, thinking her son had come to his senses and would find a nice girl his own age. But Jack revealed his plan to trick a young woman into having his baby in the village. In the end, her desire for a grandchild won out over her conscience. She agreed to go along with it, renting an apartment in the city while Jack carried out his scheme. Learning the full story, I was even more disgusted by Jack’s utterly despicable behavior. After talking to Jack’s mother, my hatred for him and Rachel grew even stronger. Those two would face karmic justice, one way or another! I told my friend Emma, the hotshot lawyer, that my husband Jack was actually trying to trick me into having his baby through a sham marriage. Emma was furious on my behalf. As my best friend, she vowed to do everything in her power to help me. She advised me to gather evidence that Jack had committed bigamy, saying she could likely get him sentenced to two years in prison. With a criminal record, he’d have trouble finding work anywhere. I asked Emma to organize a high school reunion, saying I’d bring Jack along. At the reunion, Emma discreetly handed me a listening device. According to our plan, the others got Jack very drunk. He could barely stand by the end of the night. With help from my classmates, we managed to get him home. Rachel went to make hangover soup. I seized the chance to sneak into her bedroom and plant the tiny listening device behind the headboard. It was so small you’d never notice it unless you knew where to look. Late that night, the man beside me reeked of alcohol. I wanted nothing more than to strangle him in his sleep. Every time I thought of how this couple planned to use my unborn child as a pawn in their sick game, I nearly lost control. Only the swell of my pregnant belly pulled me back from the edge of doing something rash. To make me believe their lies, Jack and Rachel even planted crops in the village. Early the next morning, the two of them headed out, laughing and chatting. They claimed to be weeding the fields. In reality, they were just desperate for some alone time. I grabbed a chair and some water, intending to make the lovebirds supremely uncomfortable. I knew that the sweeter I acted towards Jack, the more it would drive Rachel insane until she couldn’t take it anymore. I called out to Jack as he was working in the field. Running over, I clung to his arm and said: “Honey, you must be so tired after last night’s reunion. I felt bad that I couldn’t drink to keep up with your old classmates since I’m pregnant.” Rachel was watching us embrace from nearby. Jack played along, gently pushing me away. “Don’t worry about it. What kind of husband would I be if I couldn’t handle a few drinks on your behalf? Your classmates would’ve laughed at me.” I used the edge of my shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow, gazing at him with feigned adoration. Rachel couldn’t stand it anymore. She fake-coughed loudly to interrupt. Of course, I hadn’t forgotten about Rachel. I turned to her and said: “Oh my, I got so caught up wiping my husband’s sweat that I forgot you were here, Mom! Here, let me help you too.” Rachel quickly waved me off: “No need, dear. That shirt is for your husband only. I couldn’t accept such treatment.” But shouldn’t a good daughter-in-law know better? So I pressed on: “Don’t be silly, Mom. If it weren’t for you raising such a wonderful son all on your own, how could I have found such an amazing husband? I only have one husband, but I only have one mother-in-law too.” Rachel clearly hadn’t expected sweet, obedient Claire to be so persistent. She gritted her teeth and let me wipe away her sweat. “Here Mom, have some water. I put it in the fridge earlier so it would be nice and cool.” Rachel had no excuse to refuse, so she took the cup and drank. As she sipped the water, I sighed dramatically: “You know, at the reunion last night, my old best friend told me the most awful thing. Her husband, who seemed so honest and reliable, has actually been cheating on her behind her back.” “She broke down crying as she told me. Her makeup was a mess by the end. The poor thing was absolutely devastated.” When I finished speaking, Rachel froze with the cup halfway to her mouth. Jack’s eyes darted around nervously, looking very guilty. Jack tried to sound calm as he asked: “Why are you suddenly bringing this up?” Rachel chimed in: “Yes, did that good-for-nothing Jack do something to hurt you? If he did, you tell me right now. I’ll teach him a lesson myself!” I deliberately didn’t answer their questions. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense. After about 15 seconds of awkward silence, I burst out laughing. “Oh, you should see your faces! You both looked so scared. I really had you going there!” “Mom, do you think I have talent as an actress? Maybe some big media company will discover me and you’ll be a celebrity’s mother-in-law!” I stuck my tongue out playfully, the picture of youthful innocence. Seeing me act so carefree, Jack and Rachel seemed to relax, figuring I must have been joking around. Then I waddled over to Jack with my big belly, demanding a hug. Nothing about my behavior seemed out of the ordinary. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rachel clench her fists, seething with barely contained rage. But there was nothing she could do. I wanted Rachel to keep bottling up her anger until she finally exploded. I announced I was going to the market in town to buy groceries. Jack and Rachel exchanged a look. “Claire, let me go with you!” Jack quickly offered. “You’re so pregnant – I don’t want you going alone.” I smiled and declined. “I know the market well. I’ll be fine, don’t worry. I know my own body, silly. I love you, honey!” I gave him a quick peck on the cheek. It made me want to scrub my mouth with soap. Rachel’s face turned green with envy. “Yes, go on then. Hurry up and go,” she snapped. Seeing Rachel’s anger, Jack had no choice but to let me leave alone. “Alright, just be careful,” he said. “I will, honey. See you soon!” I called as I turned to go. As soon as I was out of sight, I wiped my lips with my sleeve. How revolting. The two of them didn’t suspect a thing. I used to do all the dirty work and chores around the house. I thought Jack worked so hard and his poor old mother deserved a break after raising him alone. Ha! How stupid I’d been. When I got to town, I did actually buy groceries. But more importantly, I wanted to hear what those two dogs would say about me once I was gone. That’s where Emma’s listening device came in handy. They went back inside the house. First I heard Rachel’s voice: “Jack, do you know how much it kills me to see that little bitch Claire hanging all over you? I can’t take it anymore. From now on, you better find a way to avoid her when she tries to get close to you!” “Baby, you know I’m just playing a part. It’s all to get that child she’s carrying, remember?” Jack soothed her. Calling that old woman “baby” – disgusting! But Rachel wouldn’t let up: “For the baby, for the baby. That’s always your excuse. So what if she’s pregnant? It’s not that special. I just can’t stand it for one more second.”

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I married Sophia Scott less than a year ago, and now her first love has returned to town. She despises me and has even blatantly betrayed me. “You can’t give me what I want. Why can’t you just let me go?” I agreed to the divorce, changed my name, and started over. Five years later, I finally took my company public. When I returned to City A to expand my business, I didn’t expect to be clung to by a little girl the moment I stepped out of the office building. “Daddy!” she shouted, her voice echoing throughout the underground parking lot. The girl looked about four or five years old, old enough to have some understanding, and I didn’t recognize her. I couldn’t bring myself to be harsh with a child, especially not in front of my company’s new office, surrounded by my employees and business partners. “What’s your name, little girl? I don’t have a daughter your age.” I had a headache and decided to put her in the car to figure things out. “My name is Sophie Scott, and you are my dad. I’ve seen you on my mom’s phone,” she said with a pout, clearly displeased. “And who is your mom?” I asked with a wry smile. “Sophia Scott,” she replied, giving me a sideways glance as if my question was stupid. I was taken aback, memories flooding back like a wave crashing over me. Back in college, I had a crush on Sophia for three years. She was the darling of Harvard, and I was just a poor student living on scholarships. During military training, I fainted due to low blood sugar, and Sophia, who was a year ahead of me, was a volunteer at the infirmary. She handed me a gardenia-scented handkerchief, looking like an angel against the light. “You’re awake?” she asked, wiping the cold sweat from my forehead. “You’re in the infirmary now.” “Th-thank you,” I stammered, adding, “senior.” It was ridiculous. She was kind to everyone, yet I couldn’t help falling for her. Having a crush is a one-sided, chaotic feeling. I joined her club just to catch a glimpse of her, attended her college’s events, but kept my distance because she had a boyfriend who was a perfect match for her family’s status. After graduation, with the help of my mentor, I secured investment for a small tech startup. Sophia’s family fell on hard times, and her boyfriend left her to go abroad. She ended up working as a receptionist at my startup. My long-held affection couldn’t be contained, and I pursued her. One night, I was drugged and drunk, and she ended up with me, agreeing to marry me. Sophia didn’t love me, but I thought we’d make it work eventually. A year later, she betrayed me for her ex, leaking my company’s confidential project files. Not only did my company face a crisis, but I was also accused of stealing code. “You took advantage of me when I was drunk and ruined me. I’ll make sure you’re ruined too,” Sophia sneered at me through the bars of the detention center. I looked at the little girl resembling Sophia, feeling a chill down my spine. “I’m not your dad. Get out of the car. I’ll have my assistant take you home, or I’ll call the police,” I threatened coldly. Sophie seemed frightened, her eyes welling with tears. But my mind was made up. I messaged my assistant to take her away. Seeing her tears were useless, Sophie slowly got out of the car, looking back at me every few steps as my assistant led her away. I sighed, silently reassuring myself: Ethan Bennett, you’re not the same person you once were. You’ve been through hell; you can’t go back.

My name used to be Ethan Bennett. Like a character in a clichéd story, my family had an alcoholic dad, a gambling mom, and a broken me. I managed to escape to Harvard, living frugally. Other than my crush on Sophia, I didn’t do anything wrong. I was drugged that night. I didn’t know why Sophia was in my room or who drugged me. Sophia remained indifferent to my pursuit and didn’t believe my innocence, but she accepted my proposal. I thought time would reveal my true intentions. Outwardly, Sophia seemed like a breath of fresh air. Everyone adored her beauty and gentleness, saying I was lucky. I could only smile bitterly. Privately, Sophia was demanding, wanting the best of everything. I was under financial pressure and felt guilty, so I endured her insults without retaliation. Eventually, her verbal abuse became physical. I silently bore the bruises, presenting a polished appearance. Perhaps my compliance satisfied her. Sometimes, she’d let me “serve” her, but even that wasn’t on my terms. Once she was done, she’d kick me off the bed and throw contraceptives at me. “Disgusting. Even as a gigolo, you’re the lowest quality.” I felt undeserving of this treatment, but what could I do? As a child, my dad also beat me after drinking. Maybe I was just fated for this. I was tough, after all, and it wouldn’t kill me. The company picked up, and Sophia’s attitude softened. One day, she brought wine to my office, and we spent a wild night there. A few days later, the police came, accusing me of stealing code from the Carter Corporation and asking me to cooperate with their investigation. The project was gone, and the company’s finances collapsed. But I had evidence to turn the tables. The company might be lost, but I wouldn’t go to jail, just be saddled with debt. My dad had a stroke upon hearing the news, and my mom finally left the mahjong parlor, looking like a skeleton when she visited me in detention. “Mom, it’s okay. He always beat you. Think of it as freedom,” I said, having not slept well for days. But she only complained about her hardships, ignoring my situation. “Ethan Bennett, he’s your dad. I don’t care, you must save him,” my mom screamed, treating me like a criminal. I stayed silent. Save him? But who would save me, dear mother? My mom somehow contacted Sophia, who visited me with David Carter.

They said if I gave up fighting back and took the blame, they’d give my parents money, and I wouldn’t have to repay my debt. “I can crush your little company with a flick of my finger,” David Carter sneered, hand lingering on Sophia’s waist. “How dare you touch my woman. This is your fate!” “You’ll serve just a year and be out. Otherwise, for what you did to me, it’s at least three years,” Sophia nestled in David’s arms, looking at me with disdain. “Haven’t I treated you well since we married? Why did you betray me?” I nearly lost control, like a pathetic, soaked dog. I refused to give up until Sophia came alone. “Give it up. No matter how you struggle, the Carter family can crush you. If I hadn’t lost my virginity to you and married into the Carter family, my family could’ve risen again, and I’d have my old life back. Now I’m pregnant. Without you, I wouldn’t be here. You ruined me. Don’t ruin this child.” Sophia caressed her belly, nurturing a new life. I didn’t flatter myself that the baby was mine; it was likely her bargaining chip to marry David Carter. “I’m pregnant now. I wouldn’t have come this far without you. You’ve already destroyed me; you can’t destroy this child too. You can’t give me the life I want, so why can’t you just let me go?” Sophia Scott gently touched her abdomen, where a new life was growing. I don’t fool myself into thinking the child is mine; it’s probably her way to secure a marriage with David Carter. Yet, unable to handle my mother’s tantrums or the shock of this unexpected child, I eventually signed the divorce papers, exchanging a year in prison for some peace. During my sentence, my father passed away, and my mother, drowning in gambling debts, was chased by creditors and fell to her death while trying to flee. With no one to claim her body, the call was made to Sophia. After I was released, I tried to find out where my mother’s ashes ended up, only to be mocked by Sophia, who said she had thrown them away and told me not to contact her again. Alone, I changed my name to Michael Turner, hoping for a fresh start. I didn’t expect a little girl to suddenly disrupt my life. Fortunately, there was plenty of work in City A, and I quickly forgot about Sophia and that little girl, immersing myself completely in work. “Mr. Turner,” my assistant knocked on the door. “Come in, what’s up?” I looked up from the mountain of contracts, hoping she wasn’t bringing more paperwork for me to sign. “Don’t look so pitiful; I don’t want to work overtime either.” My assistant, Lily Johnson, was a college classmate who had been with me since I started my business. I had changed my name and moved to City C, where I unexpectedly ran into her visiting family, and we became work partners again. “Haha, is it that obvious?” I laughed awkwardly. “Uh-huh,” Lily shrugged. “It’s not work-related. That little girl from last time sneaked into the office. She’s so small she slipped in unnoticed during the chaos. She’s in the meeting room next door right now.” “I’ll handle it.” I sighed and headed to the meeting room. Sophie was sitting there quietly, sipping on the Wahaha drink Lily had given her. I never quite understood why someone like Lily, at twenty-seven or twenty-eight, would enjoy drinking Wahaha. “Daddy,” Sophie called out when she saw me. “Let’s get one thing straight, I’m not your dad,” I quickly interrupted. “Now, little one, can you tell me why you snuck in here?” “Mommy’s not home, and I’m hungry,” Sophie said, looking upset. “Why didn’t you call her?” I asked. “Mommy doesn’t like it when I call. She’s with Uncle David,” Sophie said, looking down, her little fists tightly gripping the hem of her shirt. Uncle David, David Carter? Weren’t those two involved a long time ago? Why does Sophie call him uncle? How have they not married after all these years? The next second, I felt disgusted with myself. Whether Sophia is married or not is none of my business! “If you’re hungry, you should go to a restaurant, not disturb my work,” I said, my mood less than friendly. “I’m sorry…” Sophie immediately began to cry. “Today’s my birthday, but Mommy went to be with Uncle David. I have no money, and I’m so hungry I came to find you.” I noticed her clothes were a bit dirty, her shoes had a hole, but her braid was neatly done, tied with Lily’s favorite Stitch hairband. Sophia never watched cartoons; Lily probably fixed the braid out of pity for the little girl. “Let’s go, I’ll buy you a cake and then take you home.” I finally softened. “Okay.” Sophie stopped crying and carefully held my hand. I will ensure that the content remains true to the original meaning while making it closer to English expressions, making it easier to understand. Throughout this process, we will keep the original format unchanged. To provide a precise analysis of the translation, it is essential to have both the original text and the directly translated text. Since these are not provided in your query, I will outline the typical issues that can arise in direct translations based on general knowledge: 4. Sophie was such a delight. I took her to a dessert café, and she sat quietly enjoying her cake. It was hard not to think of Sophia; not because I still have feelings for her, but because it felt surreal. Here was the child she brought into the world, the one who changed my life before she was even born.

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I was lying on the operating table for a miscarriage when my parents were in a car accident. I had just lost the second child I was carrying for Zack Johnson. At my parents’ funeral, I called Zack again and again. Until his childhood friend Natalie Parker answered, her voice impatient: “Zack’s washing strawberries for me. What do you want?” Cradling the urn containing my parents’ ashes, my expression blank, I replied: “Nothing. Just tell Zack when you’re done eating the strawberries that I agree to the divorce.” I was alone when I took my parents’ bodies to be cremated. Along with the second child I had deliberately terminated, the one I had conceived with my husband, Zack Johnson. All my living relatives in this world were sealed into that small cremation chamber. Reduced to a handful of ashes. But it didn’t matter anymore. I was dying too. My parents were kind people in life, and many relatives and friends attended their funeral. The only person missing was the one who should have been there – my husband, Zack Johnson. My parents’ closest friend, my uncle, mentioned Zack’s name and shook his head in anger. He looked at me with eyes full of sympathy. They all said similar things: “The Wilsons were kind their whole lives, and in the end, they helped raise that ungrateful bastard Zack Johnson!” … Dressed in black funeral attire, I carried the urn as I walked to the burial site. The sky was overcast. My lower abdomen still ached dully. I gently placed my hand over it. It had once nurtured two unborn children. But alas… Never mind. Their father didn’t love me, so he naturally wouldn’t have loved them either. The wrist peeking out from my sleeve was dry, yellow, and emaciated. I remembered the doctor saying I only had three more months to live. In these three months, I wanted to take my parents’ and baby’s ashes to see the world one last time. Without Zack Johnson. I took out my phone and dialed the number I knew by heart. Again and again, with no answer. Until the 13th try, it finally connected. But it was Zack’s childhood friend Natalie Parker who spoke, her tone coquettish and demanding: “Girl, it’s 4 AM in Los Angeles right now!” In the past, I would have hysterically called her a bitch. But now my heart felt nothing. I just calmly said: “I need to speak with Zack about something.” Natalie snorted coldly, very impatient: “Zack’s washing strawberries for me. What do you want?” Before I could answer, she sneered again, “You’re keeping too close an eye on him, aren’t you? We just finished a big meeting, and Zack and I are both exhausted. Whatever you have to say, just tell me.” I was silent for a moment, looking at the urn in my arms, my expression blank as I replied: “It’s nothing. Just tell Zack when you’re done eating the strawberries that I agree to the divorce.” I hung up without waiting for her response. I had loved Zack Johnson for ten years and been bound to him in marriage for five. But I still couldn’t warm his heart. Now, I was choosing to let go. The next time I received a call from Zack Johnson was the following day. I was sorting through my parents’ belongings. On the other end of the phone, Zack’s tone was full of disgust: “Aria Wilson, what are you up to now?! I’ve told you many times, this trip abroad with Natalie is just to discuss business!” “You deliberately made Natalie cry last night, saying you wanted to divorce me because of her. Natalie cried all night. Do you find that amusing?” Natalie was truly the apple of Zack’s eye. He chose to believe such a clumsy lie. In the past, I might have explained myself pitifully. But now, if he wanted to believe it, let him. I carefully wiped my parents’ memorial photos, softly replying: “Mm-hmm, so when are you coming back? Let’s go to the registry office for the divorce.” But he stopped mid-sentence. A moment of silence. I thought he was considering the issue of property division, so I reassured him: “Don’t worry, I don’t want a penny from you. I’ll leave with nothing.” After all, I didn’t have long to live. I didn’t want Zack’s money – I found it dirty. But Zack gritted his teeth and snarled viciously: “Aria Wilson, I will never divorce you! Give up that idea!” Then he hung up abruptly. I was dumbfounded. Before he left the country, he had laid down harsh words: “Aria Wilson, it was your family who drove Natalie away back then. You’re the one who ruined her chance at happiness.” “If you keep making trouble like this, let’s just get divorced!” The reason he said such harsh things… Was because Natalie had smashed the urn containing the ashes of my first child. I had slapped her. When Zack heard the commotion and came to see what happened, upon seeing the ashes on the floor, he showed only disgust. Natalie explained through tears: “Zack, I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry, I was just startled…” After hearing this, Zack slapped me on Natalie’s behalf. His tone full of revulsion, he said: “It’s already dead, why keep the ashes at home? It’s bad luck!” It was then that my heart finally died. He truly didn’t love me, to the point that he utterly despised even the child I had carried for him. So, on the third day after he left the country this time. I terminated my second pregnancy. It was a warm, sunny day. My parents had just attended my cousin’s wedding. They didn’t yet know I was pregnant, but they were very happy. Because they had just received an investment. With that money, the factory that had gone bankrupt could reopen. Just as I was about to call them, I suddenly received a voice recording from an unknown number. The recording contained only Zack Johnson’s voice. He said: “…Natalie’s brother’s leukemia is a ticking time bomb. Luckily, Aria is still useful. When the time comes, I’ll have another child with her. The baby’s umbilical cord blood can save a life…” I was thunderstruck. I always knew Zack didn’t love me. But I never imagined he would scheme against me to this extent! So I gave up. At that moment, my last shred of love for Zack Johnson dissipated. I went straight to the hospital for an abortion. But I never expected that my parents would be rear-ended by a dump truck. They passed away just like that. … Zack Johnson came home on the third day. By then, I had just returned from the hospital with medication. A bag full of painkillers. The doctor who prescribed them for me had a grave expression as he asked: “Mrs. Johnson, where is your family? These painkillers will only worsen your condition—” I curled my lips into a smile, my sunken cheeks squeezing out a faint grin: “I know, but my family is all gone. I don’t want to live anymore.” The doctor’s words froze, and he looked at me with pity. I wore the oversized coat my mother had bought me, but it still couldn’t cover the chill in my bones. I was sick after all, and my physical condition was too poor. I tightened the coat around me and opened the door to the villa, only to see Zack Johnson sitting on the sofa. When he saw me, he got up and walked over. But I instinctively stepped back, as if the noble aura surrounding him had hurt my eyes. The expectant look in his eyes was replaced by a thick layer of gloom. “Where have you been?” he asked, his tone cold and hard as he looked down at me. I blinked, ignoring the cufflink on his wrist, and said nothing. I had seen that cufflink on Natalie’s social media just two weeks ago. It was a birthday gift she had designed herself. Meanwhile, all the gifts I had given him over the years had been disposed of for various reasons. The handmade mug – given to his subordinate as an ashtray; The coat I had waited half a year to have made – used as a dog bed for Natalie’s pet; Even the ultrasound photo of our first child that I had carefully prepared – torn to shreds… For ten years, I had been chasing after Zack Johnson, caring for him, loving him. Now, I was tired. “Why did you go to the hospital? Why do you look so pale? Do you have a fever?” He frowned and came closer, raising his hand to feel my forehead, but I dodged him. “No need for Mr. Johnson to worry, I’m fine.” I lowered my eyes, suddenly understanding how Zack Johnson had felt before. So this is what it’s like when you no longer love someone – even trying to make conversation becomes exhausting. “It’s still early, we can make it to the registry office now.” I went back to the master bedroom to put away the medicine, then came downstairs with our household registration book. But I was met with Zack’s shocked expression. I asked him: “Didn’t you want a divorce? I agree, let’s go.” Zack’s face turned deathly pale in an instant. He seemed to have been struck in a sore spot, pointing at my nose in a rage: “Aria Wilson, what do you mean?!” “You Wilsons are all so selfish! Your parents saw my talent back then, and just because your family sponsored me for a few years, they forced me to marry you!” “They even used their power to force Natalie to study abroad at such a young age!” “Now that I’ve made a name for myself, your whole family is still greedy, wanting to take the money I’ve earned through divorce so you can run off with your lover?!” After his outburst, he looked like an enraged lion. His face contorted. But I couldn’t help but laugh, and I really did laugh out loud. The movement in my abdomen tugged at all my sore and aching muscles, making me laugh until tears streamed down my face. So, my parents, those good people who did charity work for years. Sponsoring the orphaned, excellent student Zack Johnson was wrong? My secret crush on Zack Johnson for ten years, begging my parents to secretly give projects to the entrepreneurial Zack Johnson, was wrong? My mother believing that Natalie’s artistic talent was more suited for a prestigious school abroad, sponsoring her to study overseas, was also wrong? … “Hahaha, yes, I was wrong…” I laughed until my chest ached painfully, my mouth filled with the taste of blood, “I’ve made a huge mistake in this life…” Zack seemed frightened by my hysteria. He stared at me coldly, grinding his back teeth as he spoke: “Tell me, was it your snobbish parents’ idea again this time?” “Tell them to come talk to me in person!” I closed my eyes, letting the tears slide down my face. Thinking of my parents’ bloodied bodies from the car accident, my chest was filled only with regret. Just then, there was a knock at the door. It was the uncle and aunt who lived next door. They were good friends of my parents but had long since settled abroad. Upon hearing of my parents’ passing, they had rushed back. The neighbor aunt’s eyes were red and swollen from crying. She trembled as she hugged me: “I’m so sorry, Aria, we came too late…” The neighbor uncle was also wiping away tears, choking out: “The Wilsons never did anything bad in their lives, how could they be gone so suddenly!” The grief and regret in their words didn’t seem fake. Seconds later, Zack’s disbelieving voice rang out: “Who did you say passed away?” I looked at Zack with red eyes and a cold smile: “You hate my parents so much, shouldn’t you be happy they’re gone?” But Zack opened and closed his mouth, unable to speak for a moment. The neighbor aunt didn’t recognize Zack. She seemed to remember something and asked me: “You didn’t end up with that boy your family sponsored back then? Sigh, when your factory wasn’t doing well and money was tight, your dad specially borrowed $3,000 from me to pay that boy’s tuition. He said that boy was very talented and would surely be successful in the future…” “Bang—” It was the sound of Zack bumping into the furniture. His face was pale, as if he couldn’t believe it. But I just tugged at the corners of my mouth and said to the aunt: “Let’s not talk about this. Auntie, let me take you to see my parents.” … At the cemetery, the neighbor aunt and uncle were crying their hearts out. My tears had long since dried up, leaving only a sour, swollen pain. Surprisingly, Zack had followed us. He looked at me somewhat at a loss. The now successful Mr. Johnson, the new elite of the city, also had such a flustered day. He looked down at me, his voice hoarse: “Why didn’t you tell me about Mom and Dad’s passing?” This was the first time since our marriage that Zack had referred to my parents this way. Even at our wedding banquet, Zack had only stiffly called them “Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.” Now that my parents were dead, he changed how he addressed them. How ironic. I avoided his gaze and said softly: “Do you remember what you said when my dad’s factory went bankrupt?” He froze, then seemed to recall something. His whole body shook, and panic flashed in his eyes: “I…” By then, Zack had already become the CEO of a listed company. He had also successfully brought his beloved childhood friend Natalie back to his side as his secretary. But my parents’ factory couldn’t keep up with the internet era and was gradually abandoned. In the end, it went bankrupt. Actually, before the bankruptcy, I had begged Zack for help. I was pregnant with our first child at the time. I went to his company to find him, my belly swollen with pregnancy, but I was stopped at the front desk on his orders. Everyone in the company knew that Zack Johnson despised his wife. So I was forced to stand at the entrance of the company. It was a rare heavy snow day in the city. I stood for three hours before I finally saw Zack coming downstairs, with Natalie nestled by his side whispering in his ear. By then, I actually no longer had any desire to compete with Natalie for his affection. I just wanted to beg Zack to save my parents, so I took stiff steps forward to plead with him: “Zack, can you please help my parents? They’re now—” But before I could finish speaking, Zack thought I had come to cause trouble for Natalie. He shoved me away and pulled Natalie into his arms. He sneered coldly: “Dream on. Even if your parents died, I wouldn’t spare them a glance!” My heart felt like it was being cut by a knife, and my belly cramped painfully. Zack hated me so much that he used great force to push me away. I fell sitting in the snow. I miscarried. From that day on, I decided. I would never love Zack Johnson again. “I…” Zack’s face was pale as he was about to say something, but he was interrupted by a familiar ringtone. It was the one he had specially set for Natalie. Zack promptly stopped talking and answered the phone. On the other end, Natalie’s voice was panicked and tearful: “Zack, what should we do? Gigi is hurt!” Gigi was the stray dog she and Zack had adopted together. Every time Zack and I were alone for more than a day, Natalie would use Gigi as an excuse to call Zack back. “You should go. I’ll see you at the registry office tomorrow morning.” I watched the flash of panic in Zack’s eyes and couldn’t help but laugh coldly inside. When I miscarried our child back then, he didn’t care at all. I turned to leave, not wanting to look at him anymore, but he grabbed my wrist. He said to the person on the phone: “There’s a vet clinic right downstairs. Take Gigi there yourself.” Then he hung up and looked at me suspiciously, “Why are you so insistent on divorcing now? Is it because Cameron Foster is back in the country?” I frowned at him, not understanding why he would bring up Cameron Foster, my high school classmate who had long since gone abroad. “Mr. Johnson, I—” I shook off his hand, wanting to explain, but felt a warm rush in my nose. The next second, Zack completely panicked. “Aria!” My last consciousness faded with Zack’s terrified shout. When I woke up again, it was in a VIP hospital room. A group of doctors surrounded my bed, with Zack in the middle, his face so ashen he could barely look at me. How strange. He clearly hated me so much, why would he react like this? I couldn’t be bothered to think about it. My whole body ached, even down to my bones. Actually, when I was first diagnosed, I was very scared too. I listened to the doctor and stayed in the hospital. But at night, the dark hospital corridors, the quiet room, the occasional groans of pain from nearby… I couldn’t take it. “It can’t be cured. I’m in the late stages of bone cancer. There’s no treatment.” I looked at Zack calmly, trying to persuade him, “You’ve earned so much money, keep it for Natalie. I don’t want any of it.” But Zack cried. This was the first time I had ever seen him cry. This tall man, nearly 6’3″, who always stood straight-backed when talking to me, always with his chin raised. Now he had lowered it. He hunched his back, half-kneeling by my hospital bed, holding my hands, his voice shaking: “Aria, please listen to the doctors and get treatment, okay?” I got a bit angry and pushed him away: “Zack Johnson, can’t you understand what I’m saying?! I said I won’t get treatment!” After marrying Zack, I had argued with him many times, invariably about Natalie. And without fail, Zack would always argue back. But this time, he trembled, his lips quivering, his eyes full of fear and unease. He shook his head and said: “Honey, please.” “Please stay alive.” I was stunned and tilted my head in confusion to ask him: “Zack Johnson, don’t you hate me anymore?” Zack looked as if he had been slapped out of nowhere. He covered his face with a bitter smile, his whole body shaking uncontrollably. He replied to me through tears: “I don’t hate you… I never hated you…” But I still took advantage of the night to pull out my IV and escape from the hospital. I didn’t believe Zack’s words. I went home and packed a simple suitcase. I didn’t have much time left. I wanted to hurry and see the world. But on my way to the airport, Zack found me. He drove his Porsche Cayenne, looking extremely disheveled as he blocked the taxi I was in. The frightened driver shouted: “Miss, do you owe him money?!” I tugged at the corners of my mouth in a faint smile: “Mm, I suppose you could say that.” Zack hadn’t changed his clothes, but his usually well-groomed hair was a mess. There were dark circles under his eyes, which were bloodshot. The moment he saw me, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “Honey—” He ran over in big strides and gently pulled me into his arms, as if I were some fragile, precious object. I pushed him away, my eyes full of confusion and disgust: “Zack Johnson, can you please leave me alone? You clearly love Natalie, so stop bothering me, okay?” “I don’t have any umbilical cord blood left to save her brother!” Zack was dumbfounded. After a moment, he said with a pale face: “I… How do you know about this?” In the end, I still went back to the hospital. Because I fainted again while going through security. The doctor said my condition was very bad. The shock of losing my parents, combined with the effects of the miscarriage. If I didn’t get treatment, I would only live for another month. But Zack was stunned. In just two short days, he seemed to have lost dozens of pounds. He asked with red eyes: “…Miscarriage?” The doctor froze: “Yes, the tests show that Mrs. Johnson miscarried a three-month-old fetus.” Zack suddenly looked at me. He remembered. It was on his birthday. Also the anniversary of his parents’ death. By then, I had already decided to divorce him, so I didn’t prepare the birthday gifts and wishes I usually would have. I even had dinner with a lawyer friend I had known for many years, asking him to help draft a contract. But Zack came home drunk in the middle of the night. He forcefully had relations with me. Actually, I was willing too. Because it had been so long since he had shown a gentle expression in front of me. I was momentarily dazed and couldn’t help but indulge in that illusion of tenderness. Three weeks after that day, I discovered I was pregnant. But I also found that I had started getting nosebleeds from time to time. “I… I once had a child?” Zack asked softly. He seemed to have forgotten how to drink water; his lips were covered in dead skin. He looked at me, the sadness in his eyes so intense it seemed about to overflow, “Honey, why didn’t you tell me about this?” I remained silent. Then, shaking my head in his despairing gaze, I said: “You killed our first child with your own hands. Have you forgotten?” Zack looked like he was about to shatter. He suddenly stood up, his eyes full of terror. He said: “Impossible, that child… that child was actually—” I looked at him, blinking slowly. He suddenly seemed to realize something and rushed over, carefully avoiding my IV as he hugged me, muttering: “Never mind, let’s not think about it. Honey, please get treatment properly. We can have children in the future…” I ignored him and turned to go back to sleep. Love that comes too late is cheaper than grass. I don’t want it anymore. The days of chemotherapy were monotonous. Fortunately, the times I was conscious grew shorter and shorter. Zack had arranged for me to stay in a VIP single room. Every day, there would be flowers by my bed. Yellow roses, my favorite. Zack seemed to have resigned from his job, spending all day by my hospital bed. In my hazy state, I thought I heard his subordinates reporting some work matters to him. “…In those years, Mrs. Johnson indeed never had any intimate contact with Mr. Foster… Moreover, Mr. Foster seems to… prefer men…” I turned over in pain, my consciousness sinking into a fog. Of course Cameron liked men. In our sophomore year of high school, he had even planned to give Zack a love letter, but I beat him up for it. The days passed in a blur.

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