Category: English

My Husband and I Went to the Orphanage to Adopt a Child, and the Little One Suddenly Ran Over and Called Him Daddy After a car accident left me, Bella Carson, unable to have children, my husband Mason Reed suggested we adopt. So, we went to the adoption center. When we met the little boy Mason had chosen, a healthy, fair-skinned boy named Liam Archer, he suddenly rushed into Mason’s arms, calling out, “Dad, why did it take you so long to get here? Mom and I have been waiting forever…” Mason had a low sperm count, so after we got married, I repeatedly went to the hospital for IVF in hopes of having a child with him. Finally, in the third year of our marriage, I got pregnant. Both Mason and I were deeply invested in this long-awaited child. We often imagined what the baby would look like when it was born. But, in the end, our hopes were shattered. At six months pregnant, I was in a car accident on my way to a check-up. The accident caused me to lose the baby, and it also left me unable to have children again. I was devastated. Although Mason was just as heartbroken, he showed a smile and said it was okay. He told me that, compared to the baby, he cared more about me. He said if I really wanted a child, we could adopt one from an orphanage. However, when we went to the orphanage to adopt, the child Mason immediately picked out jumped into his arms and said, “Dad, why are you so late? Mom and I have been waiting for you!” The child’s words made my heart drop. Though I didn’t want to doubt Mason, my rational side couldn’t help but want to dig deeper. I squatted down and looked at the boy, who looked about 80% like Mason, and smiled as I asked, “If he’s your dad, then who’s your mom?” Mason’s face immediately paled. Before the child could answer, Mason hurriedly spoke, “Of course it’s you! This child is smart. He can tell we’re the perfect parents for him! Even before we officially adopted, he started calling us mom and dad!” “Dad, that’s nonsense. My real mom isn’t this dull, lifeless woman…” The child pushed me away from Mason and stood there defiantly. My heart sank. I thought, “Dull… Lifeless… These weren’t words a five-year-old should be able to say.” Mason’s face turned ashen. Just as I was about to press for more answers, the door to the break room opened. Mason’s secretary, Ruth Sterling, walked out. She looked surprised to see Mason and said, “Mr. Reed? What are you doing here? I’m off today, just came by to see the kids… Liam, what are you bothering Mr. Reed for? Didn’t I tell you before?” She walked over and yanked the child, who was still clinging to Mason, away, scolding him. Mason, looking flustered, hurried to my side, grabbed my hand, and awkwardly smiled as he explained, “All the kids here act like this. When they see good adoptive parents, they rush to call them mom and dad…” I calmly pulled my hand away. “Then why did he call Ruth mom’? I came here with you, shouldn’t he call me?” “Uh…” Mason hesitated, then replied, “After we decided to adopt, I came here with Ruth to check things out. This child had met us before and immediately decided we were his parents… you know, kids from orphanages crave affection but can be really stubborn. Changing their initial view takes time.” “Really? I guess I was just overthinking…” I stood up and started walking out. Mason hurried after me, asking, “Aren’t you going to finalize the adoption today?” “Adopting a child isn’t a small matter. I’ll think about it more carefully and let you know.”

I thought, “Women are sensitive creatures, especially those who have just lost a child and their ability to have more.” That day, at the orphanage, after the seed of doubt was planted in my heart, I couldn’t help but pay closer attention to Mason’s work and personal life. I always had the feeling that Mason and his secretary, Ruth, were up to something. One night, as I passed by the study on my way to the bathroom, I overheard a phone conversation. “The child would have been better off dead. He shouldn’t have come into this world! So what if he was a fully formed baby boy? He’s nothing compared to even a single strand of hair from Ruth’s child…” It was Mason’s voice, deliberately lowered. I thought, “Who was he talking about? Who was nothing compared to Ruth’s child?” I pressed my ear to the wooden door, straining to hear more. Then, I heard the voice of his father, Jackson Reed, come through the phone. “Are you out of your mind? How can you say something like that? Do you really think you deserve Bella? “When you and Ruth broke up because of the business trouble, you were drunk all the time and didn’t care about the company. If it weren’t for Bella begging her parents to help you, you wouldn’t be the president of the Carson Group today! You wouldn’t even have a job fixing shoes on the side of the road! “And yet? You didn’t appreciate Bella. On your wedding night, you drugged her and told her you had a weak sperm count. Bella, despite all that, didn’t blame you. She risked everything and went through nearly three years of IVF. The doctors even told her to give up, but she stubbornly insisted on having a child to carry on the Reed family legacy. But you? “You heartless bastard, not only did you fail to cherish her, but you also caused a car accident to kill the child in Bella’s womb for the sake of your and Ruth’s child and even bribed the doctor to make sure she could never have children again! How the hell did I end up with such a soulless scumbag son like you?!” “That was her choice,” Mason’s cold voice cut through the conversation. “If she hadn’t insisted on IVF, she wouldn’t have miscarried, and I wouldn’t have had the chance to make sure she couldn’t have children. “Now it doesn’t matter what you want. Bella can’t have children anymore. If you don’t let Ruth’s child, Liam, into the Reed family, you can forget about keeping any of our fortune.” I stood frozen outside the door. I thought, “What were they talking about? Mason was the one who caused my miscarriage? He was also the one who made sure I could never have children again. Was all this just so he could bring Ruth’s son, Liam, into the Reed family and secure his future?” The cold truth made my teeth clench together tightly. Then, I heard Jackson’s voice, nearly breaking down. “When your company was on the verge of bankruptcy, Bella’s parents helped you out because of her. They saved your company. After everything they did for you, why didn’t you just leave their daughter alone? Why marry her if you didn’t love her? And then, you didn’t even cherish her. Do you have any idea how much damage you’ve done to her?” “I didn’t want to marry Bella either! But it just so happened that her family, the Carson Group, could save my company, and she just happened to like me… I was just going with the flow! But that wasn’t love. The only one I’ve ever loved, from the beginning to the end, is Ruth!” I couldn’t listen to it anymore. Stumbling, I returned to the bedroom and buried myself under the covers. Over and over again, I replayed Mason’s words in my head. So, Mason had never loved me. What he married was just my position as the only daughter of the president of the Carson Group. But after the Carson Group went bankrupt and my parents passed away last year, my identity had become meaningless. That was why he dared to orchestrate a car accident to kill the child I was carrying, to hurt me beyond repair, all to make way for Ruth’s child and for Ruth herself.

When Mason’s footsteps sounded at the door of the bedroom, I quickly closed my eyes, not wanting him to know that I was awake. He tiptoed over to my bed and gently kissed my forehead. In the past few years, he often did small things like this. At that time, my heart was full of sweetness. But now, when he kissed my forehead, I only felt a chilling, spine-tingling cold. Just a moment ago, during our phone call, he had clearly told me that he didn’t love me. Yet now, he was casually making a move that contradicted his true feelings and kissed me. He was so good at pretending! His scheming was so deep it was almost terrifying. I had no power right now, so I absolutely couldn’t tear my face off with him just yet. I couldn’t let him know I had already uncovered the truth. If I did, given Mason’s unpredictable nature, I was afraid I might not even survive this. I had to quickly find the evidence of Mason’s affair and his involvement in killing our child and harming me. Then, with the law’s protection, I could completely break free from this scum of a man. Mason fell asleep soon after. Maybe I had been so naive and unaware before that Mason didn’t guard himself around me. Once he was asleep, I used his phone’s password for the first time since we got married. The phone looked clean. Whether it was WhatsApp or text messages, everything was about work and normal, everyday conversations. But this couldn’t be right. He loved Ruth so much. He had even killed our child and made sure I would never be able to have children again, all for Ruth. In such a situation, there was no way his personal phone would be so spotless. I’d heard that some cheating men set up two systems on their phones, so I tried switching the system. And sure enough, there was another one. I tried the old lock screen password. It didn’t work. Then I tried Ruth’s birthday from the HR form, and it worked. It seemed this system was set up just for Ruth! When I switched over, the first thing I saw was a wedding photo of Mason and Ruth embracing each other. In the photo, Mason had the brightest, most radiant smile. But I remembered that when Mason and I took our wedding photos, he always kept a straight face. The photographer had asked him to smile, and he’d said he wasn’t someone who liked to smile. It seemed he wasn’t someone who didn’t like to smile. He just didn’t want to smile for someone who wasn’t important to him! Although I already knew he didn’t love me, the bitterness in my heart still flooded over me. I took a deep breath and opened WhatsApp. In his WhatsApp contacts, there were only two people. One was Ruth. The other was their son, Liam. Just as I logged in, Liam had sent Mason a voice message. After glancing at the sleeping Mason, I clicked to convert it to text. [Dad, Mom is mad at me! She says it’s my fault I said the wrong thing in front of that woman, and that’s why I can’t come back to you… But I said that on purpose, we’re supposed to be a family! I don’t want anyone else to be my mom except for her!] I didn’t reply, but instead, I opened the chat between Mason and Ruth. I saw the latest messages. [I just gave your son a good scolding! With all the trouble he caused today, don’t even talk about him coming back to the Reed family to claim his place. It’s going to be tough.] Mason replied: [He’s still young, don’t hold it against him. I’ll think of a way here. Bella listens to me. I’ll talk to her in a couple of days. Maybe she’ll agree to let Liam come live with us.] [Why do you need her to agree? Why don’t you just kill her and be done with it? After all, she doesn’t have any family to back her up.] [Don’t talk like that. I’ve been married to her for three years…] [Wait, are you developing feelings for her? Choose her or me. If you pick her, I’ll take the kid and disappear from your life forever!] [I’ll choose you…] [Then kill her! Kill her, and I’ll take the kid, and we can proudly be your wife. From now on, we’ll be together forever as a family.] [Murder is illegal…] [Then use someone else to do it! Didn’t you always say your driver, Noah Blackwood, looks at Bella with interest? Why not arrange for an accident? Make sure they both die in a car crash. If it’s investigated and they find out the car was tampered with, we can blame it on Bella and Noah having an affair and committing suicide together!]

I thought, “The Driver… Yes, I do have a driver named Noah Blackwood. He’s a young man with great driving skills.” His wife had breast cancer, and to pay for her treatment, he worked three jobs every day. One time, after he collapsed in front of my house, I learned about his situation from a passerby. I found out that his combined salary from three jobs didn’t even add up to a third of what my family’s driver earned, so I decided to offer him a helping hand. At that low point in his life, Noah didn’t turn me down. When he started working as my driver, I advanced him a year’s worth of salary. He used the money to get his wife the surgery she needed in time, and now, she’s able to live a normal life again. Once his wife regained her strength, Noah was extremely grateful. Every day when he came to work, he would bring me some food made by his wife, and he would tell me that she wanted to meet the person who saved her life. From beginning to end, there was never anything inappropriate between Noah and me. I never noticed Noah looking at me in a way that wasn’t proper. Noah had his beloved wife, and his Instagram was full of pictures of them together, living happily. I didn’t understand why Mason, who also had Noah’s WhatsApp, misunderstood the situation. Even more confusing was why he would tell Ruth about these baseless rumors. I thought, “But none of that matters now. What matters is that Mason, taking Ruth’s advice, decided to make a move against me and Noah tomorrow. It’s truly sad. They say that a married couple shares affection. But for me, after three years of marriage, I’ve only earned hatred so intense that they wish they could get rid of me completely.” Fighting back my frustration, I saved all these chat records. I also looked through the earlier messages and saved some evidence that could prove Mason’s infidelity, the abortion, and how he caused harm to his wife. I then logged out of the system and put his phone away. Perhaps the truth hit me so hard tonight that I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned in bed all night while Mason, in his sleep, muttered Ruth’s name the most. Occasionally, my name came up, too. I thought, maybe in his dream, I had some kind of conflict with Ruth. Otherwise, how could someone like me end up in the same dream as Ruth? But never mind, after tomorrow, everything will be over. The next morning, when I opened my eyes, I saw that Mason was already gone. When I was having breakfast, he came back home. As I was eating, I noticed the smell of gasoline on him. “Did you drive out?” “Yeah, Dad suddenly felt unwell last night. Since the driver had finished his shift, I drove myself over to check on him…” I thought about Jackson, who had been defending me last night while Mason kept attacking him, and I couldn’t help but put my fork down and ask, “How’s your dad doing?” “He said his heart was bothering him. I’ve already taken him to the hospital… Honey, do you want to go see him?” “I should go,” I replied calmly, finishing the last bite of my egg. Mason looked at me with a complicated expression. “You don’t have to go if you’re not up for it… Your health hasn’t been great since the miscarriage…” “I’ll go. After I married you, your dad has always treated me well. If he’s unwell, I should see him,” I said, standing up and asking Sara Baker to get me some clothes. But then Mason came up behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and buried his head in my neck. He took a deep breath and said, “Honey… I’m sorry…” “Why are you suddenly apologizing?” “Since we met, you’ve helped me so much, but because of me, you’ve suffered so much… When we got married, I promised I’d give you a lifetime of happiness, but now, it seems I was too confident back then.” I couldn’t help but laugh coldly to myself. I thought, “Was this regret? But Mason, even if you regretted it, you still didn’t stop me from jumping into your trap of death!” With Mason seeing me off, I walked to the door. Outside, Noah, already at work, opened the car door and greeted me with a bright smile. “Good morning, Mrs. Reed!” I nodded at Noah and got into the car. Mason stood at the door, watching us leave. In the rearview mirror, Mason’s figure grew smaller and smaller. In the end, he even chased after the car, but… it seemed like it was already too late! Noah drove steadily, but if something were to happen to the car, the brakes would have to be tampered with. I didn’t know much about cars. And I didn’t know how Mason had tampered with the brakes. But I could clearly feel the car, which had been driving at a constant speed, picking up speed. Noah seemed to notice it, too. He tried to brake. But it failed. “Mrs. Reed…” He looked at me with a pale face and said with a trembling voice, “The brakes seem to be failing! I checked everything before leaving yesterday…” “It’s fine!” I pointed ahead at the bridge railing and said coldly, “Crash into it, and after the car falls off the bridge, use the safety hammer’s blade to cut the seatbelt and break the window to escape. I can swim!”

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On the tenth anniversary of my marriage to Ryan Thompson, I discovered he was cheating. I had no photos, no evidence. My only reason for suspicion was that he said “Good morning” to me when he woke up. After ten years of saying “Morning,” he suddenly switched to “Good morning.” When the private investigator sent the photos, I was sitting in my usual cafe at my usual time, drinking my usual cappuccino. The steam from the coffee blurred the images on my phone screen, but the content was crystal clear. Ryan had indeed been unfaithful. The other woman was barely twenty, twelve years younger than me. Seeing him gazing lovingly at her, I set down my coffee cup. Today’s coffee tasted bitter. I first suspected his infidelity two days ago. That morning, he woke up looking cheerful, wearing a hoodie instead of his usual dark suit. Then he said, “Good morning” to me. They say a woman’s intuition is accurate. It certainly was. That morning, without photos, evidence, or any woman causing a scene, I knew my husband of ten years had strayed. After he left that day, I called a private investigator. Today’s results merely confirmed what I already knew. I felt oddly calm, so calm that I wondered if I had already lost all feelings for Ryan. I saved the photos, paid the investigator’s final fee, settled my coffee bill, and took a taxi to Ryan’s office. The receptionist tried to announce me, but I stopped her. I took the elevator to Ryan’s office on the ninth floor. When I opened the door, he was grinning at his phone. Seeing me, he quickly changed his expression to his usual gentle, caring demeanor: “Olivia, what brings you here?” I stared at him silently, watching the nervous sweat form on his brow, seeing the guilt he couldn’t quite hide in his eyes. After making him squirm, I finally spoke: “Nothing much. I just remembered today is our tenth wedding anniversary. I booked a restaurant and thought we could have dinner after work.” Ryan’s face paled for a moment. I knew he had completely forgotten. I also knew he had promised to take that young girl to the amusement park to ride the Ferris wheel tonight. The investigator was thorough – he even sent me the girl’s social media account. I browsed through it out of boredom. They first met ten months ago. The girl’s name had “Zhi” in it, and she was a pastry chef at a cake shop. That explained why desserts from a brand called “Azhi Handmade” kept appearing at home. Several times, Ryan had even brought home desserts with mango – the fruit I’m allergic to. The girl also had a white cat, which explained the cat hair on Ryan. He’s actually allergic to cats, which is why we never got one despite how much I love them. Ryan was really sacrificing for love. Twenty-year-old girls are easy to read and can’t hide things well. Her account was full of lovey-dovey content. She called Ryan “Uncle.” For nine months, she had been documenting their sweet story: [Uncle came to buy my cake again today. I drew a special heart on it just for him.] [Uncle confessed to me! It feels like a dream. I’m the happiest girl in the world now.] Photo: roses.jpg That night, Ryan didn’t come home. I remember it clearly because I had a stomachache and called him several times, but he didn’t answer. The next day, he came home looking disheveled, hugged me and apologized, saying there was an emergency at work and he had to pull an all-nighter.

I kept scrolling through her posts – birthdays, trips, dates. They did look happy. Until the most recent update: [Uncle finally agreed to ride the Ferris wheel with me tonight! We’ll kiss at the highest point, so we’ll never be apart!] Ryan didn’t go with her to the Ferris wheel after all. He chose me. Ten years of companionship still outweighed ten months, it seemed. The familiar revolving restaurant, the familiar table – from here, we had the best view of the entire city. Ten years is a long time. Long enough for us to go from sharing a bowl of noodles to sitting at the highest point of the city, ordering two steaks that had been flown in from Holland that morning. I pushed the gift I had prepared towards Ryan. He had to feign gratitude. It was a pair of cufflinks worth six figures, but Ryan wasn’t wearing a suit today. He wasn’t even wearing his wedding ring. “I’m touched, thank you, Olivia.” “I really should apologize too. I’ve been so busy that I forgot our anniversary, so I didn’t have time to get you a gift. Can you forgive me?” Ryan held my hand, apologizing with seeming sincerity. I smiled: “It’s alright, I forgive you.” The double meaning was clear. I hoped he would understand. After that, we fell silent. We clinked glasses silently, cut our steaks silently. The knives and forks made harsh sounds against the plates. Ryan seemed uncomfortable, constantly checking the time. “Do you remember when we were poorest? I found a great part-time job as a waiter at a five-star hotel. One table ordered over ten thousand dollars worth of food. While serving, I dropped a pastry. The customer got angry. That pastry cost $1,345 – half a month’s salary for me. It was so expensive.” “Olivia, why are you suddenly bringing this up?” Ryan’s face showed a hint of embarrassment. I ignored him and continued: “The manager scolded me harshly. I had to stand there for two hours as punishment. After the customers left, I secretly packed up that pastry and took it home. We squeezed into our tiny, powerless rental apartment and shared it, bite by bite. I thought it was the most delicious pastry in the world then, but today…” I looked up, and Ryan avoided my gaze guiltily: “I suddenly can’t remember what that pastry tasted like anymore.” “Olivia, do you want some dessert? I can order some right away,” Ryan said eagerly. “Forget it, let’s just eat,” I said, lowering my eyes. But Ryan suddenly stood up: “Olivia, there’s an emergency at work. I need to go back. I’ll make it up to you for our anniversary another time.” He left in such a hurry he almost tripped, not even looking back. All because that girl had just posted an update: [Uncle is a big liar. I don’t want to talk to him anymore. crying] The photo showed her burned hand and a half-finished anniversary cake. I looked out at the glittering city night view. I put down my knife and fork, finally remembering what that pastry from years ago tasted like. It was bitter. In the reflection of the glass, I saw my tear-streaked face. Ryan had forgotten. That night, squeezed onto our tiny single bed, he held me tight and said: “Olivia, I promise I’ll make something of myself. I’ll let you sit at the highest point of the city and eat the most expensive meal.” Now I was eating that meal, but the person was gone. It turns out ten months really can be longer than ten years.

After that day, Ryan didn’t come home for three days. Love is always impulsive and passionate. Before midnight that night, they rode the Ferris wheel, kissed at the highest point, and promised to never be apart. “Here’s your cake.” “Thank you.” I politely closed the photo on my phone screen of the two of them kissing on the Ferris wheel. I carefully examined the girl before me. We were finally meeting. Emily Davis, Ryan’s mistress. She smiled warmly, showing her cute little fangs. “This is our shop’s signature cake. It’s super delicious!” Young girls really are different – so full of energy and sunshine. I tried a bite of her cake. It tasted good, just too sweet. Sickeningly sweet. “It’s very good.” “Can I get another one to go? I want to bring it to my husband.” She smiled: “Of course, beautiful sister. You and your husband must have a great relationship.” I didn’t respond, just watched her carefully tie a bow on the bag. As I was leaving, she said sweetly: “Come back again soon! I hope your husband likes my cake too.” “He will. He’ll love it.” I gave her one last long look, then turned and left. I sat on the sofa waiting for Ryan to come home. Because he hadn’t been home for several days, he had an ingratiating smile when he saw me. “Olivia dear, I’ve been so busy these past few days. I brought you a gift. Please don’t be mad at me, okay?” He came up behind me, put his arms around my shoulders and buried his face in my neck. But I could still smell that sickly sweet scent on him. I shrugged out of his embrace without a word. I handed him the boxed cake. Sure enough, when he saw the packaging, the color drained from his face. “Why did you suddenly buy cake?” He was testing me. I kept my face expressionless. Ryan was still trying to keep up appearances. He pulled a velvet box from his pocket containing a jeweled bracelet. “Olivia, are you still mad at me? I swear, it won’t happen again. Really.” “Don’t be angry, okay Olivia?” I used to find Ryan’s wheedling childish but endearing. No matter how decisive and ruthless he was outside, at home he was always my Huaizhi. But now, this special treatment had become his way of lying to me. I forced a smile: “I was passing by and remembered you like it, so I bought some.” Ryan let out a sigh of relief. He leaned in again and fastened the bracelet around my wrist. “I knew my Olivia couldn’t stay mad at me.” I felt dazed. I used to think Ryan had never changed. In my heart, he was always that 20-year-old boy. Now, I could clearly see the fine lines around his eyes, his sagging cheeks, the gray hairs mixed in with the black. “How many years have we known each other?” “Fifteen years. Five years dating, ten years married.” Ryan answered quickly, as if afraid of making another mistake I might notice. “Fifteen years… that really is a long time.” “Only fifteen years, Olivia. We still have many more fifteens ahead of us.” Ryan was eager to prove his loyalty. But fifteen years really was too long. So long I thought it would be a lifetime. Long enough for someone to grow tired of it.

After that day, out of guilt, Ryan stayed home obediently for a week. Then he started not coming home again. I went back to Azhi Handmade. Sat in the same spot as before. Scrolling through Emily’s page. Turns out they went skiing last week. The same cake was placed in front of me. Emily still had that same smile. “Nice to see you again, beautiful sister.” I nodded but didn’t touch the cake. “What’s wrong? Not going to try it today?” “I’m tired of it.” I said simply. Emily’s expression froze for a moment before she recovered her smile. “That’s okay, we have other flavors in the shop. They’re all delicious!” “You can try a different one.” Try a different one. Indeed, I could try something different. I took out my phone and snapped a photo of the shop, posting it with the caption: [Delicious.] Within minutes, Ryan called. I ignored it, hanging up and putting my phone on silent. Emily was making a cake. I stood up and slowly walked over. She looked up and smiled at me. “Want to give it a try, beautiful sister?” “It’s different when you make it yourself.” I nodded. So she brought me into her workspace. She guided me hands-on in making a cake. As we worked, she chattered away: “Beautiful sister, let me tell you, I met my boyfriend while making cakes. The first time he made one, it was all crooked and ugly.” “You two must be very close.” Emily smiled shyly, her eyes sparkling: “Yes, I love him so much.” “We need to trim the cake first.” She handed me the knife. I looked at her young, radiant face and raised the knife. Suddenly I heard a shout: “No!” Then I saw Ryan rush in, roughly push me aside and shield Emily, looking at me in panic. “Olivia, I know I was wrong, but don’t hurt her.” My shoulder slammed hard into the wall, a sharp pain shooting through me. The knife slipped and cut across the back of my hand, drawing blood. I stared at Ryan as I put down the knife and straightened up. Emily was still confused. She clung to Ryan, gripping his clothes tightly. “What’s wrong, Uncle?” I took off my ring and held it up in front of her. It matched the one on Ryan’s left hand as he shielded her. She finally realized – I was the original wife he had no feelings for, who made him lose his passion. Those were her words on her blog: [I feel so bad for Uncle, trapped in a loveless marriage. But it’s okay, I don’t need anything. I just want his love.] She had known all along that Ryan was married. I watched her face turn pale with shock, then suddenly gather her courage and step forward. She bowed to me, her voice shaking: “I’m sorry. I know what I did was wrong, but I have to say it. Uncle and I truly love each other. I don’t want anything else, I just want him.” Ryan looked at her with eyes full of emotion. How pure, I thought. But he had forgotten that I said those exact words ten years ago. Kneeling in front of my father, my face set stubbornly. [I don’t need anything. I just want him.] Back then, Ryan had grabbed my hand and told me he would never let me down. But now. “Olivia, I’m sorry, but I love her.” Ryan looked the picture of undying love as they embraced. I had become the evil supporting character getting in the way of the leads’ romance. Slap! I raised my hand and struck Ryan hard across the face, so hard my palm stung. The wedding ring traced a beautiful arc through the air, fell to the ground, and rolled out of sight. Ryan held his face, not daring to look at me. The young girl was heartbroken for him. She wanted to say something to me, but Ryan held her back. I didn’t say a word. I just straightened my back, walked out of the workspace, smoothed my hair, and picked up my bag. Then I turned back to Ryan and said the only thing I had to say since he arrived: “I’ve sent the divorce papers to your email. Sign them quickly.”

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Five years of marriage, yet my wife never let me touch her. It wasn’t until she left me in the emergency room to pick up her true love at the airport that I finally understood. She was saving herself for her ideal man. And I was just a substitute, a toy she could discard at will. I gave up, choosing to let them be together. But my wife grabbed my clothes, kneeling on the ground, refusing to let go. “You said you’d love me for a lifetime,” she pleaded. My girlfriend was lying on the couch, editing photos on her phone. As I walked by, I accidentally caught a glimpse of a picture of her with her ideal lover. The two of them were wearing matching outfits, cuddling together, looking like the perfect couple in love. My heart instantly turned cold. In our five years of marriage, forget about matching outfits – she wouldn’t even walk next to me in public, saying I was too ugly and embarrassed her. I had a crush on her for four years in college, and we rushed into marriage right after graduation. I knew it was because her ideal lover had abandoned her that day, and I happened to be by her side when she impulsively chose me. Despite this, I still believed that through sincere dedication, I could make her fall in love with me. But now, seeing this photo, I realized it was just my wishful thinking. I confronted her with a dark expression: “Why do you still have this kind of photo with Chris?” To my surprise, she exploded, looking down on me with contempt. “Who told you to look at my phone? This is private, don’t you understand?” Private? After five years of marriage, I just glanced at her phone, and she talks about privacy? Chris was practically kissing her cheek, and she had a big smile on her face. I felt sick. Seeing that I didn’t respond, Mia became even more aggressive. “Chris is now working with our company, and this photo was just for a game. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do about it.” “People with dirty minds think everything is dirty.” With that, Mia walked away without looking back. In the past, I would have tried to stop her. But today, I didn’t. I was starting to lose hope in her. Did she even believe what she was saying? What kind of game requires matching outfits? And looking at the watch Chris was wearing, it was clearly a couple’s set with hers. Was that part of the game too?

That night, I was negotiating with a client and ended up with an acute gastric perforation. The doctor said I needed a family member to take care of me. In this city, Mia was my only family. It was because of her that I came to this city in the first place. I had no choice but to call her. “Mia, can you come to the hospital to take care of me?” Before I could finish, she coldly interrupted me. “It’s just a photo, and now you’re pretending to be sick to trick me? I’m out right now!” Before she finished speaking, I heard a man’s voice, and then the call was abruptly ended. Looking at the five-second call on my phone, I laughed bitterly, my heart turning cold. I recognized the voice – it was her ideal lover, Chris. I was her husband, drinking myself to the point of gastric perforation just to help her more. Yet she would rather accompany her true love than come to the hospital for me. No wonder in five years of marriage, she wouldn’t let me touch even a finger. She was saving herself for her ideal man. Maybe if I really had an accident, she would be happy. After all, without me as an obstacle, she could openly be with her true love. That night, I spent the most painful night of my life in the operating room. I thought I would be very angry, that my heart would ache. But surprisingly, I felt nothing, not a single emotional fluctuation. I knew this was a sign of falling out of love. Mia could no longer affect my emotions in any way. The doctor saw that I didn’t make a sound during the surgery and couldn’t help but admire me. It wasn’t that I couldn’t feel the pain, it was just that in my state of despair, this little pain was negligible. The day after the surgery, ignoring the doctor’s advice, I forcibly checked out of the hospital. I printed out a divorce agreement downstairs. Lying on the couch, I quietly waited for Mia to come home. 2 It wasn’t until midnight that Mia returned home, drunk and smiling. In five years, I had rarely seen her smile so happily. She could smile and speak softly to others, but to me, she was always cold-faced, speaking in a commanding tone. Seeing me lying on the couch, Mia waved her hand and coldly ordered: “Jack, go get me some water to wash my feet.” Seeing that I didn’t move, Mia’s expression turned colder. “Jack, are you deaf? I’ll say it again, go get me some water to wash my feet.” I had just had surgery on my stomach and couldn’t move easily. I shook my head. “Go get it yourself.” As soon as I spoke, Mia’s eyes turned ice-cold. “You think you’ve grown wings now, daring to disobey me?” Mia sat down opposite me with a mocking expression, reeking of alcohol, her eyes full of disdain. I laughed coldly inside. It seems she had quite a few drinks today, and she was in a good mood. No wonder, two old lovers reuniting. If she had said she wasn’t coming home tonight, I wouldn’t have been surprised. After loving each other for so many years, having dinner, drinking, and maybe rolling in bed to reminisce – not too much to ask, right? I took a deep breath and looked at her calmly. “Mia, let’s get a divorce.” Mia’s expression changed as she looked at me. It wasn’t pleading or reluctance, but shock. “You dare to divorce me?” Her tone was high and mighty, as if speaking to her servant or slave. She couldn’t believe I had the guts. For five years, I had been like a dog, accepting everything she did. When we got married, she refused to serve tea to my parents as a sign of respect. She said she had already served tea to her ideal lover’s parents before, and that she would only do it once in her life. She could only have one set of in-laws in this lifetime. The wedding venue fell silent instantly. It was me who jokingly took the microphone and went along with her wishes. Under my parents’ grim expressions, I served that cup of tea on her behalf. Thinking about it now, I was such an idiot! I handed her the divorce agreement, my expression flat. “Sign it. I’m making way for Chris. From now on, the man of this house will be the one you’ve been dreaming of day and night. You won’t have to face this substitute anymore.” Mia’s face changed, looking a bit flustered. “How did you know? Did you follow me?” “If you had spoken a little quieter on the phone a few days ago, I wouldn’t have heard. And didn’t you go to see him today?” I laughed coldly. Did I need to follow her? A few days ago, they were video calling in the living room, laughing and chatting, completely disregarding my presence. They even openly planned their travel itinerary. It’s really ironic when I think about it. She never went out to eat with me, not even to watch a movie. But for her ideal lover, she could drop all her work just to accompany him properly. Mia fell silent at my questions, her eyes dodging mine. But she quickly regained her composure. “Jack, don’t be delusional. When I married you, you had nothing. Now that you’ve achieved a little success, you want to fly solo? Not a chance. I’ll make sure you leave with nothing, you ungrateful bastard!” I looked at her calmly, my eyes full of disappointment. The year we graduated, because I had a falling out with my parents, I was penniless. Her parents demanded a $50,000 bride price, plus a house and a car. I borrowed from everywhere, but still fell short. Because of this, her parents always looked down on me, thinking I wasn’t good enough for Mia. Mia negotiated with her parents to pay them in installments. I agreed readily, vowing at the time to love her, cherish her, and spoil her for a lifetime. I never expected that after five years of marriage, I still couldn’t warm her heart.

“I can sign the agreement. The company is yours. I came with nothing, and I’ll leave with nothing. Consider it the final punctuation mark for all these years of dedication.” I didn’t want to argue with her anymore. After we got married, to give Mia a better life, I chose to start a business and worked part-time at night. Once the company stabilized, Mia said she wanted to help and asked me to arrange a vice president position for her. I gladly agreed. But she only took a salary, going out shopping with friends every day. It was me who went to entertain clients, drinking until I got a gastric perforation. I personally negotiated all the important projects for the company. Mia knew nothing about the company, no wonder she was worried. If she wanted it, she could have it all. Consider it my closure for these five years of marriage. This way, at least there would be no financial disputes. “Divorce is impossible. You said you’d love me for a lifetime. Are you going back on your word? Don’t you have any feelings for me at all?” Mia suddenly changed her attitude, stepping forward and tearing the divorce agreement to shreds. “What about you? Can you put your hand on your heart and say you have feelings for me?” I asked sarcastically. The room fell silent for a moment. My words had stumped her. Looking at Mia standing there dumbfounded, I felt no ripple in my heart. Five years of marriage, no, nine years of love. How ridiculous. “I’ll print another copy of the divorce agreement. This marriage is over, as far as I’m concerned.” I looked at Mia, then stood up to leave. Perhaps I got up too quickly. A sharp pain shot through my abdomen. I clutched my stomach, staggering and almost falling. Mia frowned slightly and came forward to support me. Seeing me clutching my stomach, pale-faced and sweating profusely, she lifted my shirt despite my protests. The bandage on my abdomen was soaked with blood. I must have torn the wound open with my sudden movement. “You had surgery? Why didn’t you tell me?” Mia asked, shocked. I laughed bitterly. “Didn’t I tell you? Oh right, you were too busy rushing to the airport to pick up your true love to listen to me.” “I… I’ll take you to the hospital,” Mia said, her eyes dodging mine. “No need to trouble you, Ms. Lee. I’ll go myself.” She flinched at my formal address. I used to call her “honey”. Addressing her by her title for the first time signified that she no longer held a place in my heart. “You can’t leave. I won’t allow it,” she said weakly. Hearing her powerless words, I said flatly, “I’m tired. I can’t love you anymore.” “You proposed marriage back then. Today, let me end it.” “Mia, if I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t have attended that graduation party. I wish… I had never met you.” With that, I pushed her away, ignoring her attempt to grab me, and walked out the door. I didn’t have much in this house anyway. I was always an outsider here. Mia would lock the door whether she was sleeping or showering. Who else was in the house besides me? She guarded against me like I was a thief. Was there any point in continuing such a marriage? Once outside, I took a taxi back to the hospital to have my wound restitched. I felt utterly exhausted, so I stayed at the hospital for the night. The doctor was worried about my wound reopening, so he quickly arranged a bed for me. The next day, I went to a small shop outside the hospital to print another copy of the divorce agreement. Just as I was about to go back and end this relationship that had exhausted me for years, I saw a man and a woman approaching, laughing and chatting. They were carrying gifts, as if visiting someone in the hospital. The woman was my wife, Mia, and the man was her ideal lover, Chris.

Of course, I didn’t think they were coming to see me, because Mia had no idea I was in this hospital. Mia was startled when she saw me. She looked flustered and quickly put down what she was carrying, walking up to me. “Honey, why are you here?” Honey? How ridiculous. In five years of marriage, this was the first time she had called me that. Yesterday she was making a fuss about not wanting a divorce, and today she’s laughing and chatting with her ex. The term made me feel sick. “Don’t call me honey. It makes me nauseous,” I said, looking at Mia with disgust. Seeing me, Chris’s face took on a playful expression, like a cat that had stolen some fish. “Hello, I’m Mia’s friend. Nice to meet you.” “Are you here to visit a patient too? Mia insisted on coming with me to see my mom. I told her it was just a fever, but she was so worried.” “Look, she even bought all these gifts.” After speaking, he gave me a smug look. I laughed coldly inside, ignoring him. When I was lying in the hospital unable to even drink a sip of water, I didn’t see Mia come to visit me once. But when her ideal lover’s mother just had a headache and fever, she rushed to visit as if the woman might die any second. How ridiculous. Anyone who didn’t know better would think they were the real family. Mia seemed to remember why I was in the hospital and looked at me with guilt. I sneered, “The divorce isn’t final yet, and you’re already so eager to see your future mother-in-law?” Mia looked at me nervously, “I didn’t… you misunderstood me.” I waved my hand dismissively. “That’s not important.” “Just sign the agreement quickly. We’ll go to the civil affairs office this afternoon. Otherwise, if I leave, you and he won’t be able to be together openly.” Mia’s face changed. “You’re leaving? Where to?” “None of your business!” After coldly saying this, I ignored her and turned to go home to pack, leaving her to do whatever she wanted with her ideal lover. I had very few belongings, just a few changes of clothes and shoes. My only suit was bought for the graduation party. Over the years, although I had earned quite a bit of money, I rarely spent it on myself. It was mostly to please Mia, buying her things to make her smile. For every holiday, anniversary, or birthday, I would prepare a gift for her. But she would always throw them in the trash without even looking, trampling my sincere feelings at will. As I thought about this, I fell asleep on the couch. I was woken by the sound of the door opening. Mia was back. I looked at the time. It was already afternoon. That meant she and her ideal lover had been out playing all day. They might even have been invited to her future mother-in-law’s house. Seeing Mia nervously approach me, I took out the divorce agreement I had signed. “Hurry up. Sign it and we’ll go to the civil affairs office. I don’t want to delay your date.” I said coldly. But Mia suddenly grabbed my clothes, her face pleading. “Jack, let’s not get divorced, okay?” “I know I wasn’t good to you before. I’ll make it up to you.” “I even bought some lingerie. You’ve always wanted children, right? I’ll give you one today.” As she spoke, Mia started to undress. It was the first time I had seen her white body. It was so alluring. The body I had longed for day and night was right in front of me, but I felt no desire at all. In fact, I felt a bit disgusted.

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My stepsister married the billionaire who was supposed to be my fiancé. As she walked past me on his arm, she gave me a smug smile. “Little sis, this incredible fortune was too much for you to handle. Your big sister had to step in and take it off your hands.” I just smiled back without saying a word. I still remember how she later ended up beaten bloody by debt collectors, kneeling and begging me for help. What a pitiful sight that was. My sister had locked me in the house. Today was the day my fiancé Jack was returning to the country. We had been betrothed since childhood, an arrangement made by my late mother and Jack’s mother when they were young. My stepmother had known about this for a long time. She had always despised me, so how could she possibly let such good fortune fall into my hands? They locked me in my room and had my stepsister take my place. Chloe gave me a vicious kick, hitting me right in the stomach. I was already hungry, and now the pain made me curl up on the floor. The next second she roughly yanked me up by the arm. Her eyes were full of mock pity as she sneered, “Little sister, I’ve stolen everything from you for twenty years. Now I’m even taking your fiancé. How does it feel? Do you hate me?” I glared at her fiercely, wanting to fight back, but the pain left me too weak to move. Seeing this, she slapped me hard across the face. “You’ve got some nerve giving me that look. Don’t even think about resisting.” The bright red handprint stung on my cheek. Chloe was very pleased with my wretched state. She taunted me cruelly: “Who can you blame for the misery of your 25 years? Your short-lived mother for leaving you all alone in this world? If you want to blame someone, blame her – you poor motherless child.” “Oh right, you don’t know this, but I’m the one who got your mom killed.” My body went rigid with shock. Everyone had always said my mother was assaulted and killed by some thugs. I had suspected my stepfamily’s involvement, but those thugs had mysteriously died afterwards. Even if I wanted to prove their guilt, I had no evidence. Chloe cackled with laughter. “That’s what you and your mother get for being so pretty. You deserved to be ruined.” I clenched my fists tightly, trembling with rage. No, now wasn’t the time to strike back. I had to wait a little longer. Chloe kicked me again before continuing: “When I was little, I was on my way to buy candy when I came across your mom. She was lying motionless on the ground. I was so scared at first.” “When I got closer, I realized she was still barely breathing. Want to know what happened next?” She crouched down and whispered in my ear: “She weakly called out to me, ‘Chloe’. She begged me to call 911. Her phone was right there next to her.” “But I didn’t. Hahaha I watched her die right in front of me. All I could think was that you were motherless now, but I still had my mom!” “I don’t know why, but seeing you in pain just made me so happy. The more you suffered, the better I felt!” I felt my blood run cold, my body frozen stiff. My stepmother’s voice came from the doorway: “Why are you telling her all this? Hurry up and go meet your fiancé!” “Coming, Mom!” Chloe called back. I stared out the window at the sunset, biting my lip hard until I tasted blood. Only then did I manage to calm myself as memories flashed through my mind. Suddenly, I smiled. Their time to be so arrogant was running out.

From the moment I was born, I had been aware that I was living in a story. I knew how everything would unfold. My so-called billionaire fiancé was actually a despicable hypocrite. He appeared refined on the surface, but was rotten to the core – an abusive gambler and womanizer who would eventually be shot dead. His wife, after enduring endless torture and humiliation, would end up jumping to her death. My stepmother would die alongside her daughter. The mother-daughter pair’s fate could be considered karmic retribution for their evil deeds. Now, if the story went according to the usual script, they would inevitably bring about their own downfall sooner or later. But I never expected there would be a twist. I suspected that the Jack Johnson in this story had been replaced by someone else.

He was lounging on the sofa as my stepmother Fiona brought him tea, grinning from ear to ear. “Oh my, what a handsome face! I like this son-in-law more and more!” She reached out to touch Jack’s face, but Chloe quickly pushed her hand away. “Mom! What are you doing?” she scolded, clearly annoyed. Fiona just chuckled. “Alright, alright. I know he’s yours. I won’t steal him, you little brat.” Sitting across from them, I smirked as I watched the scene unfold. In the original story, there was even a plot where the mother and daughter fought over the same man. However, my smile caught Jack’s attention. He asked, “And who is she?” Fiona quickly spoke up: “That’s Chloe, Abigail’s sister that I told you about.” “Is that so? For some reason, I have a feeling she’s actually the real Abigail Quinn,” Jack replied. The room went silent for a moment. Fiona panicked. “No, no, that’s impossible. You two have never met before. I already told you she’s Chloe. Why would I lie to you?” She hurriedly tried to pull me into another room to lock me away again. But Jack said, “Wait.” Fiona nervously swallowed. Jack smiled. “She is Abigail Quinn, isn’t she?” “Impersonating someone else’s identity is a crime, you know.” I could feel Fiona’s hand trembling violently as she gripped my arm. Chloe stepped forward, shielding Fiona. “It was all my idea. Don’t blame my mom!” As I listened to their conversation, I frowned in confusion. In my memories, Jack had married Chloe without any doubts, completely fooled by the deception. Could it be that he knew something? Looking into Jack’s dark, inscrutable eyes, I had an ominous feeling.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Suddenly Jack burst out laughing. It was a cruel, dangerous sound. “Why are you all so nervous? Even if she is the real Abigail, I’ve already given my heart to Chloe. Let’s just have the wedding as planned. You’re all part of the Quinn family anyway.” Hearing this, Chloe’s eyes immediately lit up with joy. She clutched Jack’s arm, asking excitedly, “Really? Do you really mean it?” Jack patted her head. “Of course I do.” Fiona happily clapped Jack on the shoulder. “You naughty boy, you nearly gave me a heart attack! As punishment, you have to have a drink with me tonight!” Chloe shot me a smug look. “Little sister, I guess you just don’t have the good fortune to enjoy all this wealth and luxury!” Thanks for the offer, but I wouldn’t want that “good fortune” even if you gave it to me. Jack’s little performance tonight made me suspicious. His tone, logic, and even appearance were completely different from the character I remembered from the story. I had a bold theory – I suspected he had been replaced by someone else. Friend or foe, I couldn’t be sure. I also couldn’t be certain if this transformation meant he was now on a path of righteousness. If that was the case, I’d have to carry out my revenge on my own. For now, I couldn’t figure it out. I turned to go back to my room, but Chloe grabbed my arm. She looked down at me haughtily and commanded, “I order you to bring me a basin of water to soak my feet.” Look at that, she’s already putting on airs before officially becoming Mrs. Johnson. Unfortunately for her, I had no intention of indulging her. I dumped an entire bucket of scalding hot water all over her body. The boiling water instantly turned her skin an angry red. She let out a piercing scream. “Ahhhh! Abigail! Are you trying to kill me?!” “Mom! Mom! Hurry up and beat her to death!” Chloe was bright red all over, like she’d just been pulled out of a boiling pot. She wailed as she ran to pour cold water on herself. As she passed by, I slapped her face hard twice. “Stop putting on an act, sis. I’ve been holding back for a long time today.” If it weren’t for wanting her to successfully marry Jack, I would have run away long ago. Did they really think they could keep me trapped with their puny brains? Fiona rushed over to hit me, but I caught her arm and flipped her whole body. Her flabby rear end hit the floor with a thud as she cried out in pain. “Owww!” I sneered, “Stepmother, are you so arrogant because you have some animal protection group looking out for you?” “Unfortunately, you’re nothing but a couple of mad dogs.” “Next time you bark at me like that, I guarantee I’ll beat you until you can’t even afford the medical bills!”

I didn’t give them a chance to react before heading back to my apartment. As soon as I opened the door, my cat Sweetie jumped into my arms, nuzzling against me. After petting her fur and feeding her, there was a knock at the door. Through the peephole, I saw it was Jack outside. I frowned, not planning to let him in. But then he spoke: “You’ve awakened, haven’t you?” My heart skipped a beat. Did he know? “Don’t be so extreme. They are family after all.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “You fake, are you here to speak up for them?” Jack: “Yes. Don’t go against your stepsister.” So he really was on their side. My clenched fists trembled violently. “And what if I don’t listen?” I challenged. Jack didn’t respond. After a long silence, I realized he had already left. It seemed he would have to be dealt with as well.

The wedding was set for three days later. Before then, I went to cash in a winning lottery ticket and used the money to hire some people. But I didn’t expect to run into Chloe on the street. She was dressed up glamorously. As soon as she saw me, her eyes blazed with fury. She charged at me, ready to attack. But Jack grabbed her arm, stopping her. “What are you doing?” “Jack, she poured boiling water on me yesterday. I have to get revenge!” She tried to lunge forward again, but Jack said in a low voice, “Enough.” Chloe didn’t dare defy him, but she still glared at me, grinding her teeth in hatred. She turned to me, “Little sister, you were quite bold yesterday!” I raised an eyebrow. “I suppose.” Chloe looked up at Jack and said, “Jack, you don’t know this, but my sister is actually a prostitute. She didn’t come home last night – who knows which man she was sleeping with.” Those kinds of insults didn’t faze me at all. But Jack’s gaze as he looked at me was very searching. “Soon I’ll be the high and mighty Mrs. Johnson. When you see me, you’ll have to kneel and beg forgiveness!” Chloe gloated. I found it amusing. “Has the water damaged your brain, sis? The nonsense coming out of your mouth is laughable.” “You-!” She sputtered in anger. “Just wait and see me walk down the aisle in three days!” I smiled and agreed. Sure, in three days you’ll be walking straight into your coffin. I didn’t expect Chloe’s revenge tactics to be so crude. That night, as I was leaving work, someone knocked me unconscious. When I came to, I found myself tied up and lying on a bed. I smirked in disgust. Using a small knife, I cut through the ropes. Opening the door, I realized I was in a hotel. Hiding behind a wall, I saw a shadowy figure sneak into the room I had just left. Soon after, I heard him cursing and making a phone call: “What the hell are you playing at?!” The person on the other end said something. The man snapped in frustration: “I don’t care! Come see for yourself!” A few minutes later, Chloe showed up at the hotel. But before she could say much, the man roughly dragged her into the room. Her shrill screams rang out. [CUT-OFF POINT]

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After Dad brought me back home, I was bullied by my twin sister for ten years. To control me, she went as far as drugging her boyfriend and staging a scene where I was caught in bed with him. Just when I thought I could finally escape my sister’s control by debuting through a talent show, I was bombarded with crazy declarations of love from sponsors, and my name was all over the trending topics. When my sister discovered that her string of boyfriends had suddenly turned to fervently support me, she flew into a rage and released a flood of scandals and compromising photos of “me.” I couldn’t defend myself and had to accept being blacklisted from the industry. My sister then brought her entire entourage of boyfriends to mock me, saying, “You think you’re worthy of taking what’s mine? Even if I don’t want something, you can only have it if I allow it!” Even with her pregnancy bump showing, she still imperiously ordered me to sleep with her husband. Later, she even embraced other men in front of her husband and framed me for it. But her husband wasn’t like the boys in her string of boyfriends – he could really bite back. I refused to be my sister’s puppet for life. So, in the middle of the night, I knocked on the door: “Brother-in-law, open up.” 0

I opened my eyes to find myself lying next to a man I knew but wasn’t close with. It was none other than Sebastian Hayes, my sister’s fiancé and the eldest son of the Hayes family. At that moment, Sebastian and I were in bed together, completely naked! The soreness throughout my body and the glaring red stain on the sheets screamed one fact at me—I had slept with my soon-to-be brother-in-law, but he seemed to have mistaken me for my sister. To avoid being exposed, I fled in a panic. On my way home, I made sure to stop by a pharmacy for some emergency contraception. As I pushed open the front door, I saw my sister Vivian standing at the top of the stairs with a cold smirk. “Out all night? Is this how I taught you to behave?” “I had a bit too much to drink at a class reunion and crashed at a friend’s place,” I lied. Vivian knew full well how poor my social circle was. She let out a mocking laugh, clearly thinking I was just making excuses to drown my sorrows after being blacklisted from the entertainment industry despite all my efforts. Vivian and I are twins. When our parents divorced, it made sense to split us up—one went with Dad, the other with Mom. I was the one who returned to our hometown with Mom. Unfortunately, that area was quite underdeveloped, and I got lost not long after. It took years before I was found and brought back. By the time I returned home, Mom had already passed away, and Grandma who had been raising me for a few years had also died. That’s how I ended up being brought back to the Quinn family by Dad. But Dad was hands-off, leaving everything to Vivian once he brought me home. She’s been running the household ever since. I worked hard in the shadow of Vivian’s academic brilliance. Though I could never match up to her, it was still much better than life in our small hometown. The two sisters lived together peacefully like this for years. Until the night before I participated in a talent show, when Vivian caught me in bed with her boyfriend. She took photos and videos of the scene, cursing me for being shameless and cheap. Our sisterly relationship was never the same after that. From then on, Vivian made no effort to hide her contempt for me. She threatened me, controlled me, and monitored my every move. Even when I debuted in the entertainment industry with a face similar to hers, she saw it as something beneath her status. She didn’t hesitate to release a flood of false scandals about “me” to ruin my career. Everything about me was laid bare before Vivian. As time went on, I somehow got used to it and never thought about resisting her control. Looking back now, I realize I never actually slept with her ex-boyfriend. The so-called evidence in Vivian’s hands was either staged photos or pictures of herself. It was all just a ploy for her to manipulate me. Back in my room, I locked myself in the bathroom, stuffed my clothes into the washing machine, and stood under the shower. To my surprise, I heard Vivian shouting and opening the door outside. Years of conditioning under Vivian’s rule had stripped me of the habit of locking doors. I hadn’t thought of it this time either. If Vivian barged in and saw me covered in hickeys… I didn’t dare imagine what that psycho would do. In a panic, I hastily wrapped a towel around myself and ran smack into Vivian as she opened the door. Vivian stood with her arms crossed, eyeing me suspiciously. “Why are you showering in the middle of the day?” I said, “I was out drinking all night and smell awful. You don’t like that, right?” My show of weakness didn’t soften Vivian’s heart one bit. She looked me up and down for a while, then suddenly smiled with her eyes narrowed, though there was no warmth in her gaze. “Slept with a man?” Is Vivian so sensitive about me being with men because she’s afraid I’ll discover I didn’t actually lose my virginity back then? I kept my head down, meekly saying, “No, I really was at a friend’s place last night. You can call and ask her if you don’t believe me, sis.” “That won’t be necessary,” Vivian said. Then, with a cold look in her eyes and a curl of her lips, she continued, “If you didn’t sleep with a man, what are you afraid of? Open your towel and let me take a look.” 0

My pupils constricted as water droplets and cold sweat ran down my back. Seeing my hesitation, Vivian’s suspicion grew. “Do I need to do it myself?” I kept backing away, my heart in my throat, not daring to take a single breath. Just as the situation reached a critical point, Vivian’s phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she broke into an excited smile. She cleared her throat and answered sweetly, “Sebastian.” Hearing my brother-in-law’s name, my relaxed nerves instantly tensed up again. The heart that had just settled back down leapt right back into my throat. Even my hair stood on end in fear. What if Sebastian asked about last night… Watching Vivian’s expression change as she spoke, my emotions rollercoastered along with her facial expressions. Thankfully, I managed to get through this crisis without incident. After showering, I went downstairs to find Vivian pensively examining a tube of ointment. I tried to quietly slip past, but Vivian caught me with a glance and blocked my way. She raised her arm as if to hit me, but I nimbly dodged. “You dare dodge?” Vivian’s face turned ashen as she demanded loudly, “Tell me! What exactly did you do last night? Why did Sebastian bring me this?” Looking at the ointment in front of me, I wracked my brains and came up with a seemingly convincing lie. Seeing Vivian buy my story, I finally let out a sigh of relief. Vivian handed me the ointment and went back to scrolling on her phone. Just when I thought I’d made it safely through the day, Vivian’s calm voice exploded in my ears: “Find an opportunity to sleep with Sebastian.” Excuse me? I always feel out of sync with this world because I’m not twisted enough. Vivian keeps pushing the boundaries of my understanding of her. I couldn’t help but mock her, “Is sis afraid Sebastian will find out you’re not pure anymore?” Thinking of Vivian’s endless string of boyfriends and her debauched lifestyle as a spoiled rich girl, it seemed to make sense. “Want me to smack that smart mouth of yours?” she threatened, avoiding my question. I didn’t push it. “Sis, have you forgotten? I’m not a virgin either. That time…” “I’ll take you to get it fixed,” Vivian interrupted coldly, as if everything was under her control. “Why don’t you go yourself? Or is sis planning another ‘caught in the act’ scene?” I said lightly, as if just making casual conversation. Vivian’s face changed. She tossed out a “mind your own business” and left. The next morning before dawn, Vivian burst into my room, threw some clothes on me, and dragged me to a sketchy back-alley clinic. I snapped wide awake, looking at Vivian in disbelief, silently questioning her with my eyes. Vivian instantly understood my meaning and said dismissively, “We didn’t come to the wrong place. We can’t leave any records that might raise suspicion.” I dawdled as I walked through the door, about to turn back and come clean to Vivian, when I heard her tell the doctor, “Break it first, then fix it. I paid good money for this.” Vivian was still as malicious towards me as ever. But I had actually slept with Sebastian, so there was no need for any “fixing.” Looks like I’d have to use some tricks. I picked up the scalpel and twirled it expertly, pressing it precisely against the doctor’s neck. It was easy enough to get him to agree to play along with me. I didn’t expect the doctor to be such a coward. I even gained some unexpected intel that gave me a glimpse into Vivian’s little secret. It wasn’t a waste to go along with Vivian’s scheme after all. 0

When I came out, Vivian just gave me a cursory glance before stepping on the gas and driving off alone. I knew crystal clear that Vivian had definitely run off to meet up with one or more of the boys in her string of boyfriends. But unlike usual, I didn’t try to bargain or negotiate. I just kept staring intently at Vivian’s belly. No wonder Vivian had become more generous with money lately. Turns out it was thanks to the little one in her belly! But Vivian went through men faster than I went through pen refills. Did she even know who the baby’s father was? And how could she be sure she could keep it a secret from the Hayes family? If the truth came out, wouldn’t the entire Quinn family become targets for the Hayes family’s revenge… Lost in thought, a black car sped past then reversed back to stop beside me. The window rolled down to reveal none other than my soon-to-be brother-in-law. “Didn’t you use the ointment I gave you? Get in, I’ll give you a ride.” Following the man’s gaze, I looked at my wrist. Damn! I remembered to apply it on my legs but completely forgot about this spot. But from the looks of it, he seemed to have mistaken me for Vivian again. I kept reminding myself: Stay in character, stay in character! Thinking about how I could squeeze some more money out of Vivian when I got back, a professional smile instantly spread across my face. I smoothly opened the car door and got in. “Thanks, bro-” My polite self almost slipped up. Meeting the man’s scrutinizing gaze, I gave an awkward laugh and continued, “Can I borrow your charger? My phone’s dead.” Sebastian didn’t probe further, and my little life was saved. After getting home, messages from Vivian came pouring in. “Make sure you seal the deal with Sebastian tomorrow night.” “The weather forecast says it’ll rain tomorrow. I’ve mailed you some aphrodisiacs via express delivery. I don’t need to teach you what to do, right?” “Don’t try to be clever. Remember to take photos in bed for me to check! Otherwise tomorrow’s headline will be your sex tape. You know I’m capable of anything.” “You wouldn’t want to experience cyberbullying again, would you?” Vivian sure moved fast. She could still think of everything while fooling around with her boy toys. That’s something. Counting the string of zeros in the payment Vivian sent me, I slept soundly that night. The next evening, I timed it perfectly to get caught in the rain on my way to Sebastian’s villa. When I arrived, Sebastian lived up to his reputation as a gentleman, easily agreeing to let me stay the night. Perhaps to avoid making me uncomfortable, he hid in his study all evening without coming out. I sat in the living room, watching the clock hands go round and round, but there was no sign of him emerging from the study. I pondered silently, then heated up a glass of milk, secretly dissolving a sleeping pill in it, and carried it to Sebastian’s study. I handed him the milk and made sure to give him a suggestive look before leaving, coyly reminding him, “Don’t lock your door tonight, okay?” Then I sashayed out. I mentally calculated how long it would take for the drug to kick in. When I estimated the time was right, I took my phone and snuck into Sebastian’s bedroom, planning to stage some suggestive photos. Just when I thought I had succeeded and was about to leave, his hand suddenly wrapped around me like a vine, locking me in place like an iron clamp. He even unconsciously gave my butt a light pat, mumbling drowsily, “Still being naughty in my dreams?” As soon as he finished speaking, his burning lips crashed onto mine fiercely. It was as if he wanted to swallow me whole, clearly intending to thoroughly feast on me. I didn’t dare struggle too hard for fear of waking him, but my small attempts to break free were completely ineffective against his grip. I was both angry and anxious, only able to silently curse Vivian. The intel didn’t say he was resistant to sleeping pills! That Vivian really set me up this time. To think I delivered myself right to his doorstep, letting him have an all-you-can-eat buffet for free! 0

I woke up groggily in the morning and instinctively looked to my left. He happened to glance to his right at the same time. Our gazes collided unexpectedly, like an electric shock, and we quickly looked away. In that instant, the awkward atmosphere in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I was so uncomfortable I couldn’t even stay for breakfast before fleeing in a panic. Mission accomplished. Vivian was in an unusually good mood and treated me with unexpected kindness for two whole months. Until I just got her call, I realized the interest on her kindness was more than I could bear. Looking at the cold $100,000 in my bank account, my heart was pounding. This… this couldn’t be hush money, could it?! When I rushed to the hospital, I even doubted if I had gone to the wrong place. My sister, my brother-in-law, and one, two, three… countless guys from Vivian’s string of boyfriends. What a chaotic scene!! I had anticipated that the $100,000 wouldn’t come easily, but I never imagined it was for me to inherit Vivian’s “harem”! Looking at all these men, I felt my scalp tingling. My mind was screaming: This many men, I really can’t handle it! This is not okay at all! Vivian didn’t care about any of that. When she saw me arrive, it was like she had found a lifeline. She grabbed my hand tightly and said, “Aria, you’re finally here. Your brother-in-law came with me for a prenatal checkup, but these boyfriends of yours mistook me for you. Quickly explain to your brother-in-law.” After saying this, she took advantage of everyone’s distraction to pinch my waist hard without leaving a trace. Under Vivian’s threatening gaze, her boy toys swarmed towards me one by one. I welcomed them all without discrimination. To everyone’s shock and bewilderment, I gave each of them a resounding slap across the face. I muttered under my breath, loud enough for everyone present to hear clearly: “Each of you claims to love me the most, yet you can’t even tell me apart from my sister. What a bunch of brainless losers. No wonder none of you can become official boyfriends. Your intelligence is really worrying!” After finishing, I noticed from the corner of my eye that they were still dumbfounded, not yet recovered from the shock. I quickly turned my head, flashed a ingratiating smile at my brother-in-law, then made a swift escape from this “den of trouble”. Not long after I got home, Vivian predictably came storming in to confront me. Those little fish in her pond had each whispered lies in her ear, instantly bewitching my sister to the point where she couldn’t tell north from south. Fortunately, our family is now on the brink of bankruptcy with nothing left. We don’t have to worry about my sister doing anything as stupid as “using sex to gain favors from powerful men.” But I still underestimated Vivian. To please her boy toys, she actually outsourced the task of “bonding” with my brother-in-law to me. Seriously? Is this right? Even when filming movies, the lead actress’s name appears in the credits while a body double does all the work! But thinking of the threatening messages bombarding my phone from her sugar daddies, I had no choice but to continue following Vivian’s orders. Who would have thought that Vivian’s little fish were all richer and more powerful than me! If I were to betray her now, who knows what trouble it would stir up. With this helpless mindset, I came to Sebastian’s house again. As soon as I entered, without a moment’s hesitation, I walked straight towards the study door. “Sis…” I was about to say “Sis’s husband, open the door.”

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A car accident caused my soul to swap with Vivian’s, my husband Alexander’s childhood friend. Vivian, now in my body with an injured leg, took my place as the lady of the Sterling household. Meanwhile, I was relegated to the guest room, forced to listen to their nightly passion and watch everyone praise their “undying love” despite the accident. When I lashed out in desperation, Alexander locked me up, gripping my throat: “Vivian endured pain for you. She deserves to enjoy your life now.” “Be good and I’ll keep you as my mistress. I’ll take responsibility!” But the day I was exposed as “the other woman”, Alexander personally kicked me out of the house. He left me to sleep on the streets as onlookers hurled insults, ignoring when I was assaulted by homeless men and miscarried. As I lay dying on the street, cradling the lost child that wasn’t even mine, I swore vengeance. When I was reborn, I immediately handed Alexander divorce papers… “Baby, you learned a new position?” “Same body, but such a different sensation – how thrilling!” The housekeeper standing outside blushed hearing their passionate exchange, marveling at the couple’s intimacy as she blocked my way. I barely held back tears, my chest heaving, as I brandished the knife I had prepared: “I’m going in there today no matter what!” After the soul swap, Alexander had moved into the master bedroom with Vivian, who had stolen my body. They flaunted their love shamelessly every day. He always told me to be patient, for his sake and for Sterling Corp which had just gone public. We couldn’t let anyone notice anything amiss! But no matter how much I endured, they only grew more brazen! I shoved the door open. The couple on the bed, tightly joined, appeared before me without warning. My heart shattered seeing them like that. Alexander had always insisted they were just pretending, but this looked all too real! Our five years of tenderness had clearly become Vivian and Alexander’s love nest long ago! “Ah!” Vivian let out a shrill scream, quickly hiding in Alexander’s arms. The man glared at me furiously: “How dare you! You think the Sterling house is your playground, barging in wherever you please?” Alexander showed no trace of panic, still acting like the lord of the manor, as if he truly didn’t know I was his real wife. With a glance, he dismissed all the servants. Roughly running a hand through his hair, he threw on some clothes before coming to stand before me, irritated: “Didn’t I tell you not to come here? Why won’t you listen?” I pointed at the bed, my vision blurring with tears: “So this is what you call pretending, Alexander? What an actor you are!” I had discussed boundaries for their interactions many times since the accident. But Alexander had gone from promises to dismissive excuses! He argued back, unrepentant: “What am I pretending? It’s your body, so how can it be cheating?” “Besides, do you know how much Vivian has sacrificed for you? You lost a leg in the crash, but Vivian took on that pain for you! Now she’s even giving her body to play my wife convincingly. Why can’t you be as understanding as Vivian?” I stared at him in shock, tears flowing freely. How dare he bring that up? In that critical moment during the crash, Alexander’s first instinct was to protect Vivian in the backseat instead of me right beside him. And when I first woke up in Vivian’s body, before Alexander even knew about the swap, he had immediately embraced and kissed me to comfort me. He later explained he was just too emotional. But looking at the rumpled sheets on the bed now, everything suddenly became clear! I grabbed a nearby vase and hurled it at him, demanding: “You two were sneaking around long before this! You’ve been lying to me this whole time!” “I don’t want to pretend anymore. I’m going to tell everyone the truth!”

I turned to leave, but Alexander couldn’t stop me. In desperation, he grabbed my wrist! “Who would believe you now? Besides, Sterling Corp has just stabilized! Can’t you think of me for once?” When I ignored him, Alexander simply threw me over his shoulder and locked me in a room! He hissed through gritted teeth: “Think of our child. He’s only one year old. If you keep quiet, you can still see him by pretending to be my childhood friend living with us. But if you speak up, you’ll be seen as mentally ill and locked away in a hospital!” At the mention of our son, I calmed down. He was right, but how much longer did I have to endure this? When I first married Alexander, I knew about Vivian’s existence. She was orphaned young and grew up in the Sterling household. Back then, I admired Alexander’s loyalty in still caring for his childhood friend even after our marriage. I didn’t mind Vivian living with us since she had nowhere else to go. But over time, the two grew increasingly intimate in front of me. It wasn’t until after this soul swap that I finally realized the truth. They had just been hiding their true relationship all along! I gazed at Alexander through the window, lost and confused: “So you only married me for my family name and wealth? Just because I’m the Turner heiress?” Alexander turned away, unable to meet my eyes: “Don’t overthink things. Just calm down for now, alright?” His footsteps faded as sounds of pleasure once again drifted from across the hall. I laughed bitterly, realizing all my sweet memories with Alexander now felt like a dream. As night fell, my heart grew colder. The next day, my door remained locked. After Alexander left for work, Vivian had the nanny bring our son to play in her room. Seeing my child, I couldn’t help but warn her as she passed: “Don’t you dare touch him!” Vivian, still holding a puppy, looked at me with amusement. “Why can’t I touch my own son?” she taunted in a low voice. “I’ll take care of him however I want.” A sense of dread washed over me. The nanny hurried after her with two leashes – one for the dog, and one for…my son! “Leo!” I cried out. “What are you doing?” Vivian glanced at me as she set both the child and dog on the ground, making them compete for food from a single bowl on the floor. My blood boiled as I frantically rattled the doorknob! Vivian seemed utterly relaxed: “I’m just training the kid. If he can beat a dog, he won’t get bullied in preschool later. You wouldn’t understand a mother’s love.” “You monster!” I kicked at the door desperately. The servants found my reaction strange, but no one helped. Only Daisy, who used to care for me, apologized: “I’m sorry Miss Wood, but Mr. Sterling ordered us not to let you out!” Vivian even kicked the dog to make it more aggressive. My son was already crying from being scratched by its sharp claws. I clutched Daisy’s hand like a lifeline. “Please, I’m begging you. Just bring me my phone!” She hesitated before secretly passing it through the window. I immediately called Alexander. “Alex, hurry and have someone open the door! Vivian is abusing our child! I need to save him!” I put the phone on speaker and held it out the window: “Mr. Sterling says to let me out right away!” Seeing this, Vivian’s face flashed with guilt. But the next moment, Alexander’s annoyed voice came through the speaker: “Do you have nothing better to do? An outsider couldn’t possibly care for a child better than his own mother. If you keep saying such things, don’t blame me for disowning you as my sister!” Click. The call ended abruptly. I was still in shock when Vivian’s laughter reached my ears. “I’m disciplining my own child, yet my ‘sister’ tattles to my husband? Aren’t you overstepping, dear?” The servants nodded in agreement. They had always disliked Vivian’s behavior, thinking I was finally standing up to her. Little did they know our souls had long since swapped. The person before them was no longer me, but Vivian. She snatched my phone away and turned to Daisy. “Go treat the child’s wounds. Press hard – the more Leo cries, the more effective the medicine!” “No!” I cried out. My son’s wails tore at my heart. I smashed everything in the room trying to break down that door, but it wouldn’t budge. I slumped against the door, my eyes bloodshot: “What do you really want?” Vivian looked down at my defeated form from outside: “Find a chance to leave the Sterling house. Otherwise, you may never see Leo again!”

Her words chilled me to the bone. I didn’t know if Vivian would actually harm Leo, but I couldn’t take that risk! “Fine! I’ll do what you say!” My voice shook. I just needed to wait for Alexander to return and tell him everything. That evening when Alexander came home, he saw the injuries on our son. I waited anxiously for him to realize something was wrong. But Alexander simply put an arm around Vivian’s waist to comfort her: “It’s okay, honey. New moms are bound to make mistakes.” “Don’t blame yourself too much. Boys are tough – he’ll be fine!” He gently wiped away Vivian’s crocodile tears. The tender gesture made my anger and grief surge. When Alexander finally came to unlock my door, I told him what really happened. But he just brushed me off carelessly: “Don’t be so sensitive. It’s normal for kids to get bumps and bruises. You never used to blame the staff before. Why have you become so unreasonable since swapping bodies with Vivian?” A wave of helplessness washed over me. Tears streamed down my face: “You still don’t believe me?” I curled up, burying my face in my knees. Ever since that car accident, everything had changed. Every time Vivian gave me that taunting look, I felt intensely unsafe. As if the moment I let my guard down, I would lose everything I cherished – my child, Alexander, all of it! I missed my mother terribly. If she were here, would she recognize me? Would she understand my pain? Alexander sat down and held me close, sighing at my state: “You’ve been a pampered heiress all your life. You don’t know how hard it is for those of us who grew up without parents. Is this little setback really too much for you?” “I’ve been more than good to you! Even though you’re in someone else’s body, I still love you.” “Olivia, please don’t make things harder for me.” He leaned in to kiss me, but I shoved him away, wiping my tears: “Is it really for my sake? Or is it because of this body? I bet you and Vivian were already sleeping together long before this!” “You don’t want to sleep with me – you want to sleep with her!” My voice broke as I glared at him accusingly. Alexander’s anger flared, his hand raised to strike me. But he held back at the last second: “Fine! We did have an affair! You think I’m not hitting you because of you?” “Don’t flatter yourself. It’s only because this is Vivian’s body that I can’t bring myself to hurt it!” I stared at him unblinkingly, my heart turning to ash in an instant. Vivian burst in at that moment, slapping me hard across the face. “Don’t worry about my body, Alex. People who need discipline should be disciplined!” I wanted to hit her back, but Alexander quickly shielded her. Vivian pointed at me indignantly: “Alex has been agonizing over our situation, working himself to the bone to keep up appearances for Sterling Corp!” “Meanwhile all you do is cause trouble and throw tantrums!” “If I’d known you were this useless, I never would have let you marry into the family!” As they ganged up on me, I started to doubt myself. Was it really all my fault? They were the ones having sex in my bedroom! They made my child compete with a dog for food. How could I not fight back? Alexander looked down at my wretched state, his tone dripping with pity as he volunteered: “I’ll invite your mother over tomorrow so you can see her. If you behave yourself this time, I won’t restrict your movements in the future.” Vivian chimed in: “Don’t forget your promise from earlier, sis. What’s more important – you or the child?” I tossed and turned all night, but seeing my mother the next day lifted my spirits immensely. I rushed to greet her, but Vivian beat me to it, taking my mother’s hand coyly: “Mom, I’ve missed you so much!” Her expression and tone were identical to mine. My mother didn’t suspect a thing, smiling as she walked arm-in-arm with Vivian right past me. “What are you standing there for? Go prepare some tea and snacks.” Vivian ordered me haughtily. I swallowed my emotions and busied myself in the kitchen. When I returned, Alexander and Vivian sat on either side of my mother, cradling Leo. They looked like the perfect family. My hands shook as I poured tea for my mother, scalding myself. I wiped it away silently and served her. She finally glanced at me, saying happily: “Vivian has really matured. She’s becoming more and more like Olivia. When you get married someday, I’ll prepare a dowry for you too.” My voice quivered as I couldn’t hold back any longer: “Mom…” Hearing me speak up, Alexander quickly changed the subject and pulled me aside: “Olivia! You need to accept the situation. If Mom sees you acting like this, she’ll get suspicious!” He continued trying to persuade me: “Look how pleased Mom is with you now. She doesn’t dislike Vivian anymore like before.” “If you two get along well, maybe she’ll even adopt you as her goddaughter someday. Then Mom can shower you with more affection. Wouldn’t that be nice for all of us?” After a moment of silence, I looked up at him: “But all that affection was originally mine!” “You’re the one who’s happy, aren’t you? With a wife and a mistress on the side?” Alexander’s fist flew past my ear, slamming into the wall behind me: “So what?” “Are you trying to disgust me by saying that? You two can’t switch back anyway. Who else could you possibly marry now? Why not just serve me together?” “Olivia, I’m telling you – you have no choice!” He forcefully pinned me against the wall by the balcony, crushing his lips against mine. The more I struggled, the deeper he probed. Just as my dress was about to be torn off, I bit down hard on his lip. Only then did he release me! “You’ve got guts, Olivia! We’ll see how long you can keep this up.” Alexander stormed off angrily. I crouched in the corner for hours. When the house finally grew quiet, I snuck back to my room in my tattered clothes. The next day, photos of Alexander and I kissing passionately went viral online! Chapter 5 “I told you that Vivian girl was trouble! I said to kick her out, but you just wouldn’t listen!” my mother ranted furiously, clutching Vivian’s hand as she repeated the same scoldings she used to give me! I faced the group, listening to my mother’s tirade while awkwardly standing off to the side. My face burned with shame, but I couldn’t utter a word in my defense. She jabbed a finger at my nose: “And to think I praised you for being sensible yesterday! I should have known you’d never change, you disgraceful creature!” She then turned her rage on Alexander, hurling whatever was in reach at him: “And you! How could you do this to my daughter?” Alexander didn’t dodge, letting my mother vent her anger. Only when he looked at me did he finally speak: “I treated you like a sister. How could you try to seduce me?” “Apologize now. For old times’ sake, I won’t press charges!” I stared at him wide-eyed, stunned that Alexander would pin this on me! Seeing I didn’t move, he kicked the back of my knees, forcing me to kneel: “Mom, don’t worry. I won’t let Olivia suffer for this.” I laughed bitterly, finding his words jarringly insincere. I tried to stand, but Alexander gripped my hair, whispering in my ear: “Think of the child! Apologize now!” My lips trembled as I knelt before everyone, forcing out each word: “I’m sorry! It was wrong of me to seduce Mr. Sterling. It’s all my fault!” Tears rolled down my cheeks as Vivian pressed on relentlessly: “You’ve brought such shame on us. The Sterling house can’t keep you any longer!” “Throw her out!” I jerked my head up in shock. Even Alexander seemed taken aback as he looked at her. “For the child’s sake, I can’t risk keeping someone so morally corrupt around. You wouldn’t understand a mother’s concerns!” Vivian continued applying pressure. Alexander stood frozen, hesitating. My mother eagerly agreed, nodding in approval: “It’s about time! Alexander, go take care of it. Don’t disappoint the Turner family!” “Alright!” Alexander grit his teeth and complied. I couldn’t read his expression as he turned away. “I’ve already apologized. Isn’t that enough?” I pleaded desperately. “It’s all my fault. Please don’t make me leave. I’m begging you!” Once I left, I would have nothing left! But Alexander ignored my pleas, shoving me out the door in nothing but my nightgown. “Just bear with it for now. I’ll bring you back after your mom leaves!” he whispered. The door slammed shut with finality. In the freezing winter air, I pounded on the door, shaking uncontrollably! But all I got in response was a bucket of ice water dumped on me by a maid! My body began to stiffen from the cold. Survival instincts kicking in, I desperately begged passersby for help. Finally someone gave me a thin jacket, but then they recognized me as the homewrecker from the viral photos. A barrage of cruel insults rained down. “Why give her clothes? The ungrateful bitch! The Sterlings raised her from childhood, but she still did such a disgusting thing!” “Yeah, the Sterling couple is so in love! She just had to insert herself as the other woman. This is what she deserves!” “Get lost! Don’t hang around my shop – you’re bad for business!” I was chased away like a stray dog, clutching the thin jacket as I fled. I just had to make it until nightfall. Surely Alexander wouldn’t abandon me completely. But as night deepened with no sign of him, I noticed several homeless men had started following me. Terrified, I ran frantically towards the Sterling mansion. But the security guards wouldn’t let me in! “There are bad men after me. Please, you have to help me!” I begged. The guard yawned indifferently: “Mrs. Sterling already gave orders to cut all ties with you. Even if you get assaulted, it’s got nothing to do with us. Now scram! You’re disrupting my nap.” My strength finally gave out. The Sterling house had been my last hope. I weakly pounded on the iron gates. The group of homeless men grabbed my legs, dragging me into a dark corner. My bloody fingernails left desperate scratches in the snow as my hoarse screams for help mixed with the men’s vicious laughter. My body went numb. I lost count of how many men violated me before the endless flow of blood between my legs finally made me lose consciousness. In my haze, I saw Alexander rush over with reddened eyes. He stumbled to his knees before me: “Olivia, wake up! You animals, I’ll kill you all!”

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After my wife abandoned me for her first love for the tenth time, I received the ultimate punishment from the system. My love for my wife was erased. My wife thought I was acting. To force me to apologize, she brought her first love in front of me and kissed him passionately. She posted sweet photos on Instagram that only I could see, and even handed me divorce papers when I remained unmoved. She thought I would definitely compromise. But she didn’t know that I no longer loved her. When I signed the divorce agreement, my wife finally panicked. She cried and begged me to love her one more time. In the dark room, only flickering candlelight remained. The cream on the cake on the dining table had already collapsed. The system’s voice sounded in my head. [Host, this is your last chance. If you can’t call Jessica back, you’ll face punishment.] I calmly replied “okay,” but my heart was still filled with pain. This was the tenth time Jessica had abandoned me for Luke. Today was my birthday, and Jessica had been called away by Luke halfway through. I didn’t know what punishment I would face, but based on past experience, it definitely wouldn’t be pleasant. The first time Jessica abandoned me for Luke, the punishment felt like high-voltage electricity coursing through my body. I couldn’t get out of bed for three days from the pain. The punishments got worse each time. The ninth time, I was vomiting blood non-stop. I was truly scared. I took out my phone and called Jessica. First call. Second call. It wasn’t until the eighth call that someone picked up. Jessica’s impatient voice came through the receiver. “Jessica, wish me a happy birthday…” I said, my throat tight, almost begging. Just saying “happy birthday” would save me from punishment. At least I wouldn’t lose so miserably. But Jessica just let out a cold laugh at those simple words. “Ryan, do you have nothing better to do? Luke is sick, so I came to take care of him. Who are you trying to act pitiful for? Don’t make me look down on you.” I laughed bitterly, my voice calmer than ever before. Every time Luke called Jessica away and I tried to get her to come back, she always said I was making a fuss over nothing and complaining for no reason. I was tired of explaining. “What if I said I would die?” I asked. I wasn’t sure what would happen to me, but I might actually die. Or maybe…I would leave this world? Isn’t that what happens to other system hosts in novels when they fail their missions? I was truly scared. I thought Jessica would at least be anxious if she heard I might die. Even if she just showed a little concern, I would feel like all these years of devotion and love were worth it. But Jessica replied with disgust, “Always talking about dying. It’s just a stupid birthday, can’t you celebrate next year? If you really want to die then go die far away. I might actually think better of you then!” Before I could respond, I heard a male voice on the other end of the call. “Jess, I’m done showering. You can go wash up now.” The call was immediately hung up. As I listened to the busy signal, I fell into deep thought. Jessica never showered outside our home. I couldn’t rule out that Luke had said that on purpose for me to hear, but there was no denying that Luke was always the exception for Jessica. [Host, time’s up. Punishment begins.]

The clock in the living room struck midnight. My birthday had passed, which meant my mission had completely failed. When the system’s voice sounded, it seemed to carry a hint of gentleness. Jessica and I had been together for five years. I had pursued her for five years. That’s right, I was a transmigrator tasked with winning her over. I thought that as long as I married Jessica, my mission would be complete. I never wanted to return to the real world. After all, in the real world I was an orphan with cancer. The exorbitant surgery fees were beyond my reach, so I ended it all by jumping off a building. In this book world, at least I had a complete family. But Jessica’s heart was never with me. Whenever Luke needed something, even if I was sick and hospitalized, Jessica wouldn’t come back to me. Even ice can be melted with enough warmth, but Jessica’s gaze never lingered on me. But I still couldn’t let go. As the punishment began, I felt something being drawn out of my body. Past memories played like a flipbook in my mind. Jessica’s smile, her silhouette playing in the sunlight, me holding her hand as we exchanged wedding vows under everyone’s gaze. Those warm, beautiful scenes unexpectedly brought tears to my eyes. Amidst gut-wrenching pain, I lost consciousness. When I woke up, my throat felt parched. I stumbled to the kitchen for a glass of water, only to run into an exhausted-looking Jessica who had just returned. Luke followed behind her, looking smug. For some reason, even though I knew the woman before me was my wife, she felt like a stranger. Jessica let out a cold laugh when she saw me. “Weren’t you going on about dying last night? Look at you, still alive and well. All talk and no action – it’s disgusting.” I looked at Jessica in confusion. Her words were harsh, even making my heart ache instinctively. I couldn’t quite remember why I had married such a sharp-tongued woman. For a moment, I couldn’t hide my dazed expression. Even my hand paused as I was drinking water. Jessica casually sat down, leading Luke to do the same. Luke said apologetically, “Sorry to disturb you so late, Ryan. It’s my fault for being in poor health. Jess was worried about me, that’s why she brought me back. You don’t mind, right?”

I don’t know if I was being overly sensitive, but I felt like Luke was blatantly showing off. Before I could respond, Jessica rolled her eyes at me and reassured Luke. “You’re my best friend. Certain people aren’t important enough to interfere with my decisions. Make yourself at home. Let me know if you need anything.” Then Jessica turned to me, her eyes wary, as if afraid I might do something to hurt Luke. She warned, “Ryan, I’m telling you, if you want to stay with me, don’t play any tricks. Don’t make me hate you!” I finally realized that I no longer loved Jessica. In the past, when Jessica brought Luke in front of me, I would feel angry, sad, and wronged. But now I felt nothing. So the system’s so-called punishment was to take away my love for Jessica. For a moment, I didn’t know whether to feel sad or relieved. Perhaps I should be relieved. Loving Jessica was too exhausting. Even though my memories were hazy, when I tried to recall the past, it felt like something was crushing my chest, making it hard to breathe. I calmly finished my water and coldly replied, “Oh, okay.” Jessica looked surprised. She had probably prepared a bunch of insults, expecting me to protest. She didn’t expect me to be so indifferent, and was momentarily at a loss for words. But Luke didn’t seem to want things to go smoothly for me. He immediately lowered his gaze, as if I had bullied him. “Jess, maybe I should leave. It seems Ryan doesn’t welcome me. Don’t let me affect your relationship.” Jessica seemed to find an opening and grabbed Luke’s hand in front of me, looking at me with disgust. “Ryan, who are you putting on this dead-faced act for? I came back like you wanted. Luke is just staying with us for a few days. If you don’t welcome him, fine, but do you have to look so sour? Did all those years of education go to waste? You have no manners!” These words left me stunned. I hadn’t said anything, hadn’t even tried to drive Luke away. How had I become the petty one in Jessica’s eyes? Oh, I almost forgot. It wasn’t just this time. It had always been like this. When I protested Jessica seeing Luke, she said I was jealous and had no sense of boundaries. When I was forced to accept Jessica and Luke’s relationship, Luke would find ways to provoke me, saying I didn’t like him. And Jessica would still scold me harshly. In short, everything I did was wrong. Now I was incredibly grateful that I no longer loved Jessica. Looking back, I realized how helpless and pitiful I used to be. I paused as I was heading back to my room. “How about I leave instead?”

The air in the room froze for a few seconds. Jessica and Luke looked at each other in disbelief, as if they couldn’t believe this was my reaction. It’s true, in the past, if I didn’t kick up a huge fuss to vent my dissatisfaction, I wouldn’t be Ryan. Everyone in our social circle knew I was Jessica’s devoted admirer. I loved Jessica to death. People even joked that even if every man in the world were to change his heart, I never would. It was because I loved her too much that I couldn’t stand any man being close to Jessica, let alone giving them private time together now. But Jessica quickly realized something and laughed loudly. “Ryan, tired of the suicidal act? Now you’re playing hard to get? “Let me tell you, even if you do this, I still…” I had already closed the door and left before Jessica could finish her sentence, cutting off her unfinished words. No heartache, no grievance. I just found Jessica annoying. The streets were cold late at night. I walked aimlessly, feeling an unprecedented sense of freedom and relaxation. Since coming to this book world, every day had been spent hovering around Jessica. I never had time for myself. I still remembered Jessica’s birthday, when she smashed the cake I had made with my own hands onto my body in front of everyone in our social circle. She gritted her teeth and said to me: “Ryan, no matter how much you grovel, I will never like a pushover like you. Even if you were the last man on earth, I would never choose you!” But how did Jessica agree to marry me? At that time, Jessica’s family company was facing a financial crisis and on the verge of bankruptcy. Who among the elite doesn’t kick you when you’re down? Overnight, Jessica was begging everyone for help, even willing to offer herself. But those she once called friends all closed their doors to her. Even her first love Luke made excuses about going abroad and broke up with her. I still remember that rainy night when Jessica came to find me. My family’s company wasn’t small, but it was inferior to Jessica’s former company, which was why she had looked down on me. At that time, I knew I was Jessica’s last resort. When her tear-filled eyes stared at me, begging me to save her family, I softened. Jessica asked to marry me. Although she was my target, I wasn’t the type to take advantage of someone’s misfortune. Besides, I had already truly fallen in love with her after pursuing her day and night. In the end, Jessica’s family felt indebted to mine, so they let her marry me. This time I didn’t refuse. But after marriage, Jessica gradually came to her senses. She felt I had taken advantage of her vulnerability and that I had ulterior motives for helping her. She never looked at me with warmth. But I still remembered why I liked Jessica in the first place. She would buy vegetables and fruits from elderly vendors, donate to orphanages, and smile at poor people. Jessica was originally a good person. She just… didn’t love me.

After walking for over an hour, a Maybach suddenly pulled up beside me. When the window rolled down, it revealed Jessica’s delicate face, though she was frowning and looked displeased. “How long are you going to keep this up? Walking around on the streets like this – if the media reports on it, they’ll say I’m ungrateful again.” Then Luke’s head poked out from the passenger seat. He said pitifully, “Ryan, I’m sorry. My presence caused you two to fight. I’ll go back now. Even though I have no family or friends here, I’ll accept my fate even if I die alone at home.” Luke’s clumsy attempt at playing the victim – I don’t know why I used to fall for it repeatedly. Could Jessica really not see through Luke’s act? She probably could. She just enjoyed Luke going to such lengths for her, which meant he still cared about her. And I was just the sacrificial lamb in their love game. I ignored Jessica and kept walking. The night wind was really cold, seeping into my body. Jessica impatiently honked the horn. Seeing I didn’t react, she stopped the car and shoved me into the backseat. “Can’t you be more sensible? You’re only making things more difficult for me! Why can’t you be more like Luke?” This was probably something Jessica blurted out in anger. Yes, I’m not like Luke. At least in Jessica’s heart, I can’t compare to Luke at all. I wanted to speak, but my throat felt tight and salty. In the end, I couldn’t say anything. People’s preconceptions are like mountains. In Jessica’s mind, I had always been unreasonable and jealous. No matter how I tried to explain myself, the verdict had already been passed. Besides, I no longer cared. The rest of the ride was silent. When we got home, Luke, who had been crying about going home, still followed us in. As soon as we entered, Luke quickly ran in front of me and threw himself against the entryway. His forehead hit the corner of a cabinet, immediately drawing blood. The loud noise caught me off guard. Jessica quickly went to help Luke up. The blood from Luke’s forehead was flowing down his face, looking quite gruesome. Luke’s tears immediately fell. He looked at me in disbelief. “Ryan, even if you don’t like me, you can’t hurt me like this. I’ll leave right now, okay? Please spare me.” As he spoke, Luke stumbled trying to get up, falling several times. I inwardly scoffed. Luke never tired of using these framing tactics on me. He probably couldn’t even remember how many times he’d done it. Jessica held Luke protectively in her arms, looking at me with deepening hatred. “Ryan, why can’t you ever learn? How dare you be so vicious right in front of me. I’m warning you, if anything happens to Luke, I won’t let you off!” Jessica anxiously helped Luke to the hospital. Before leaving, I caught a glimpse of smug satisfaction in Luke’s eyes. But what did it matter? I had anticipated this kind of treatment. In the past, I definitely would have frantically explained that it wasn’t me, even chasing them to the hospital. My desperate attempts to explain made me look like a criminal. Since Jessica despised me so much, so be it. Close to dawn, I saw Luke’s Instagram post. [So this is what it feels like to be cared for.] The photo showed Jessica sleeping by Luke’s hospital bed, her head propped up on her arm. Back when I was punished by the system, I had crawled to the hospital on my own. When I called Jessica, she impatiently said:

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I had been married to Lucas for sixty years. After we both died, we were reborn. This time, at the proposal scene, he handed the flowers to my roommate standing beside me. “Olivia, whether you accept me or not, I just know that if I don’t confess to you today, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.” Our friends were all stunned. They couldn’t understand why the proposal ceremony had turned into a confession to another woman. I looked at Lucas, but he avoided my gaze. “Amber, even the most beloved person becomes tiresome after a long time. In this life, I want to live differently.” I didn’t say anything more, just silently left. Later, Lucas came to find me and proposed earnestly. “Let’s get married, Amber. I’ve had my fun, can we get our life back on track?” I raised my hand, showing him the diamond ring. “I’m sorry, Mr. Parker, you seem to have forgotten that marrying into the Parker family was always just a task for me as a Thompson daughter.” “Since I can’t marry you, I had to marry your uncle Ethan instead.” When I opened my eyes, I found myself at the bottom of the dormitory building. The ground was covered with roses and candles, incredibly romantic. Lucas was holding a guitar, softly singing a love song. This song was the birthday gift he gave me on my 22nd birthday. My roommate Olivia was holding my arm, her smile a bit unnatural. “How wonderful, Lucas confessed to you.” “You two have been childhood sweethearts, and you’re both from wealthy families. It’s a perfect match. Are you going to get married after graduation?” I didn’t notice her tone, just staring dazedly at Lucas singing softly. He was holding the guitar, his face turned to the side, his profile looking exceptionally handsome in the candlelight. It was 22-year-old Lucas. I saw him again. My eyes blurred, and I wiped away tears, a smile on my face. “Lucas!” But before I could get close, Lucas stopped playing. He walked straight past me to Olivia. “Olivia, I like you.” “Whether you accept me or not, I just know that if I don’t confess to you today, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.” I froze, turning around in confusion. I clearly remembered that this was the day Lucas proposed to me. Olivia glanced at me intentionally or unintentionally, a smile on her lips. Her eyes were extremely pleased, but when facing Lucas, her face was full of hesitation. “Lucas, are you sure you didn’t make a mistake? Shouldn’t you like Amber?” “After all, you two are a perfect match, while I’m just an ordinary person.” As she spoke, Olivia deliberately lowered her eyes, looking sad. Lucas looked at her, his eyes filled with pity. “Olivia, you’re still like this, always thinking you’re not good enough. You don’t need to feel inferior, you deserve everything in the world.” Saying this, Lucas pulled Olivia into his arms. I watched this scene silently, the flesh and blood in my heart collapsing inch by inch. Something was wrong, something was not right. I looked at Lucas, noticing his eyes. Such eyes would not belong to 22-year-old Lucas. They would only appear on the face of Mr. Parker who had inherited the family business. Lucas had also been reborn. Just as I had this guess, Lucas raised his eyes, meeting my gaze. He slowly opened his mouth, silently mouthing. “Sorry, Amber, even the most beloved person becomes tiresome after a long time. In this life, I want to live differently.” Live differently. In our previous life, we were childhood sweethearts. After graduating from college, Lucas confessed to me. We dated for a year before getting engaged, and then held a grand wedding witnessed by both families. After marriage, the Parker and Thompson families formed a strong alliance. I quit my job to stay at home and manage the household for Lucas. Lucas focused on fighting for power in the company without distractions. After marriage, I gave Lucas three sons and a daughter. He also loved and protected me, promising me lifelong fidelity. When Lucas died, he was lying in my arms, still holding my hand. “Amber, I have no regrets in this life.” After he left, I was overwhelmed with grief and passed away not long after. When we met again, I thought it was heaven’s grace, allowing us to be together for another few decades. But Lucas said he was tired of me. It turned out that lifelong fidelity was a lie, and having no regrets was also a lie. Olivia was his regret. I coldly watched the two embrace. A few friends hesitantly came forward. “Amber, are you okay?” At the same time, there were also glances with mockery. “Amber Thompson relied on being a rich girl, chasing after Lucas all day, but in the end, Lucas doesn’t even like her.” “That’s right, what’s the use of being a wealthy heiress? Lucas still prefers Olivia.” I stood there, suppressing the bitterness in my heart. Lucas, you said you want to live differently. But I, Amber Thompson, have never been someone who only had you as an option. Even though I had seen through Lucas’s true face, I was still a bit dazed when I returned to the dormitory. After all, we had been married for sixty years in the previous life. The sweet words Lucas once said to me seemed to still linger in my ears. Now, it all seemed like a dream. It made me start to doubt. Were all those happy memories from the previous life just my imagination? As graduation approached, people from other dorms had mostly moved out. But the people in our dorm were all still here. I was staying because I had been accepted for graduate studies at the same university. Olivia didn’t leave for some unknown reason. The other two roommates hadn’t found suitable jobs yet. I felt unwell, with waves of pain coming from my stomach. So I climbed into bed to lie down, wanting to take a short nap to feel better. But just as I was about to fall asleep, a commotion came from outside the door. “Olivia, this is Lucas Parker, the heir to Parker Enterprises! He’s going to inherit the whole company in the future!” “That’s right, we all saw it just now, he didn’t even look at Amber when he passed by her, he was just staring at you. He really likes you so much.” It was the voices of my two roommates. Olivia kept responding coyly. “It’s not as exaggerated as you say.” “Amber and Lucas have been childhood friends after all, he must care for her like a sister.” “Actually, Lucas and I have been dating for a year, but I didn’t let him tell you guys.” Hearing this, I suddenly pulled open the bed curtain, glaring at Olivia with red eyes. “What did you say!” They were startled to find I was in the dorm. I suppressed the surging emotions in my heart and repeated word by word. “What did you just say?” Olivia met my gaze, a hint of smugness in her smile. But the next second, she shrank behind the two roommates. “Amber, I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to. I’ve talked to Lucas about it, but he said he only likes me.” “I know you’ve liked Lucas for many years, but you can’t disregard his feelings.” I watched her pretend to be pitiful, my hand gripping the bed sheet tightly. Seeing me like this, the other two roommates started to speak up for Olivia. “Amber, what’s wrong with you? Lucas likes Olivia, why are you angry?” “That’s right, you’re always so high and mighty, what are you being arrogant about now? Don’t tell me you really think Lucas is your personal property?” I looked at these two, barely feeling any emotion in my heart anymore. Just a few days ago, they were still following me around every day, begging me to find them positions at Thompson Group or Parker Enterprises. In the previous life, out of four years of dormitory friendship, I agreed to their requests. I found them two easy positions in the company and gave them generous monthly salaries. Now, just because Lucas confessed to Olivia, they’ve completely changed their attitude. “Olivia, now that Lucas likes you so much, he must agree to whatever you say, right?” One roommate looked at Olivia expectantly. Olivia smiled: “Don’t say that, Lucas and I are just boyfriend and girlfriend.” “Oh come on, future Mrs. Parker, just ask Lucas to arrange jobs for us at Parker Enterprises.” Olivia looked a bit troubled, took out her phone, and seemed to be messaging someone. After a while, her phone notification sounded. Olivia smiled slightly. “Lucas agreed.” The two roommates cheered and showered Olivia with compliments. I coldly observed everything, and after a moment, I still asked Olivia. “Is it true that you were dating before?” Olivia sighed and looked at me with a hint of condescension and pity. “Amber, I know you might think that because my family background isn’t as good as yours, I don’t deserve to be with Lucas.” “But think about it, if he really liked you, why didn’t he confess to you in the four years of college?” I sat on the bed, vaguely recalling memories from the previous life. Yes, Lucas hadn’t confessed to me in the previous life before graduation. Before he proposed at graduation, we didn’t even have an official boyfriend-girlfriend relationship on the surface. But that was because we had grown up together, and everyone in our social circle knew about our relationship. Although there was no formal confession, we had done everything that couples do. I had asked Lucas before why he didn’t confess to me. He smiled helplessly and tapped my nose. “Everyone in our circle knows you’re my little wife, Amber.” But I never thought he actually had something going on with Olivia. Seeing my expression change, Olivia’s smile grew wider. “Lucas told me he had to marry into the Thompson family, so he couldn’t publicly announce our relationship.” “For the past year, Lucas and I have always met in secret.” “But he just told me that this time, he wants to give me a perfect relationship rather than relying on the Thompson family’s support.” After Olivia finished speaking, I felt dizzy and my ears were ringing. When I came back to my senses, Olivia had already changed clothes and happily left for a date with Lucas. My phone rang, and I looked down to see it was my dad. Sure enough, he must have received news of Lucas confessing to Olivia. “Useless girl, you can’t even do such a simple thing. I just asked you to maintain your relationship with Lucas.” “I don’t care what method you use, win Lucas back as soon as possible. As the Thompson heiress, you must marry into the Parker family.” I smiled bitterly. Of course it would be like this. In my father’s eyes, I was always just a tool for exchanging benefits. But for my mother’s sake, I had to agree. I supported myself to climb down from the bed and silently packed my things. I called the driver to pick me up at the dormitory building. In the previous life, my happy married life with Lucas was no longer credible. He had betrayed me from the very beginning. Perhaps Lucas remembered his previous life and believed he could easily win the competition for heir without relying on the Thompson family’s support. So he went to pursue his true love, Olivia, without worries.

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I had been married to Jack Wilson for ten years, but we had long since been living separate lives. He was deeply in love with his secretary, while I had my own string of young lovers. I thought this was how our lives would continue indefinitely. Until I met a young man who touched my heart. He didn’t care about my money – he just wanted to marry me. I was moved. I went home and asked Jack for a divorce. That night, Jack smashed everything in the house. He grabbed me by the throat and snarled viciously: “Who gave you permission to take this seriously?!” I was dozing on the couch late one evening when the doorbell rang. I shuffled over in my slippers to open the door. Jack stumbled in, reeking of alcohol. His young secretary was struggling to support him. When she looked up at me, her eyes flashed with disdain even as she flipped her bangs coyly. “Rachel, Mr. Wilson had too much to drink so I brought him home,” she said. She emphasized the words “I brought him” before continuing in a wifely tone: “Rachel, why don’t you make some hangover soup for Mr. Wilson? But don’t add any longan – he doesn’t like that.” She gave a shy smile. “He always wants it when he’s hungover in the morning.” I had to stifle a laugh. This fresh college graduate’s attempts to mark her territory were so clumsy that I couldn’t even be bothered to spar with her. I took Jack from her arms and said coolly: “Alright, thank you. Do you need me to call you a cab home?” “Jack is so careless, making such a pretty young girl bring him home. Aren’t you worried about going back alone? It could be dangerous.” Olivia’s face fell and she said nothing. I couldn’t be bothered to engage further. I closed the door and kicked Jack, who was slumped on the couch. “Alright, you can stop pretending now.” Jack didn’t open his eyes, but his voice was completely sober: “Thanks. She’s been clingy lately, always talking about marriage. I figured I’d give her the cold shoulder for a while.” I said nothing. Olivia was different from the others. Over the years Jack and I had lived our separate lives, with women coming and going from his side. The longest any had stayed was three months. He was a born playboy, never willing to settle down with one person for long. At the time, I thought I would be the exception. But just three years into our marriage, he was already unable to resist the temptations outside. This Olivia was different though – she had been with him for two years now. It was clear Jack truly cared for her. With anyone else, he would have moved on long ago. But this time he was just trying to cool things off a bit. He clearly couldn’t bear to let her go. In the past, I probably would have been crying and screaming, utterly heartbroken. Now I just said emotionlessly: “Jack, let’s get a divorce.” Jack cracked open an eye to look at me and snorted. “Rachel, what’s gotten into you now? Didn’t we agree to live our own lives? What are you on about?” He rolled onto his side, long legs curled up on the carpet, and reached out halfheartedly to take my hand. “I was wrong tonight, okay? I shouldn’t have let her bring me home. She’s young and naive, don’t hold it against her.” I pulled my hand away and took out a divorce agreement from the coffee table drawer, placing it in front of him. “I’m serious. I’ve met someone.”

Jack finally deigned to open his eyes fully. But he still had that lazy, contemptuous look, as if certain I was just acting out again. He picked up the divorce agreement and flipped through it casually, but his expression slowly froze. I leaned over to look, worried he wouldn’t understand. “We have 17 properties in total, including the ones in Australia and America. I had them appraised – I’ll take 8, you take 9. As for the company, I have a 22% stake. You can buy me out at market price if you want. The rest isn’t worth much, we can each keep our own things. What do you think? If it’s not okay I can have a lawyer revise it.” Jack slowly sat up straight. That lazy demeanor vanished in an instant, his whole being radiating pressure once again. “Rachel.” He looked up at me, a cold glint flashing behind his wire-rimmed glasses. Jack’s eyes were a pale color, especially under the lights. When he stared at someone, there was an inhuman indifference in his gaze. “You’re serious?” Of course I was serious. I had brought up divorce before, but that was years ago. Back then, to try to get Jack to change his ways, I had cried and screamed and threatened suicide. I had tried everything. But this time, I truly wanted a divorce. “Rachel, what is it you want this time?” Jack tossed the agreement onto the coffee table in frustration. “Olivia won’t affect your status. Why can’t you just accept her?!” He thought I was making a fuss over Olivia. And it’s true, when I first found out about Olivia, I had thrown some major tantrums. The worst time, I smashed everything in the house. I sat amidst the wreckage with my hair wild, like a madwoman, threatening to slit my wrists with broken porcelain if he didn’t break things off with Olivia. It was useless. He stayed with her anyway. I shook my head. I really had been such a lovesick fool back then. So pathetically desperate, I wanted to go back in time and slap some sense into my worthless self. “It’s not about her this time,” I said, meeting Jack’s eyes. I gave a slightly embarrassed smile. “It’s that young guy I’ve been seeing. He’s insisting on marrying me, won’t take no for an answer. I just can’t say no to him.”

It was rare to see such a blank expression on Jack’s face. After a moment, his expression finally darkened. “Rachel, I’ve already said Olivia won’t affect your position. There’s no need to be so stubborn about this.” He still didn’t believe me. I almost wanted to laugh bitterly. “How about this – you can have a larger share of the assets. The villa in Australia can be yours too. My side is in a rush, so let’s consider it compensation for emotional damages.” Jack stared at me for a while, as if trying to determine if I was really serious this time. He narrowed his eyes, his expression suddenly inscrutable. “Is it that young guy who drove you home last time?” I nodded. Ethan had dropped me off at home once and Jack had seen him. Ethan had even smiled and greeted Jack, calling him “sir”. At the time, Jack’s expression had been a bit stiff, but he hadn’t said anything. After all, the open relationship had been his idea in the first place. He had been actively living that way for years, so he really had no right to object. Thinking of Ethan, I couldn’t help but smile. Today at the beach, he had taken out a ring. The diamond was at least one carat. But compared to my other jewelry, it was actually quite modest in size. I thought it might be fake and didn’t pay much attention. But he knelt down in front of me very seriously: “The ring is a bit small, please don’t mind. I bought it with money from my part-time job. I was going to save up more, but I just couldn’t wait any longer. Rachel, divorce him and marry me.” Most proposals are “Will you marry me?” But he came right out with “Divorce your husband and marry me.” I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I was about to brush it off casually when Ethan grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let go. The sea breeze carried a crisp, moist scent. His black hair was plastered to his fair forehead with sweat, his eyes shining with pure light that reflected my entire being. The young man’s love burned fiercely like a fire, heedless of time or place, with the courage to consume everything. In that moment, I was suddenly infected by his courage too. A voice appeared in my heart. It was my own voice. I’m already 29. I’ve been entangled with Jack for 9 years. How many more 9-year periods do I have left in my life? Am I going to keep living like this for the next few decades? The wind howled past, waves crashing against the rocks on shore, spraying snow-white foam. After a long while, I heard my own voice. “Okay.”

To be honest, I started regretting it as soon as I got home. After being with Jack for so many years, even just dividing up our assets would be a very complicated affair. For both of us, it would be a painful ordeal. That’s why all these years we had tacitly agreed to live our separate lives, but never actually brought up divorce. But remembering Ethan’s eyes, I felt a secret excitement and reckless sense of liberation in my heart again. Perhaps it was time to start a new life. “Kids, you know,” I smiled. “Always acting on impulse. If I don’t agree he’ll just get upset again. You understand, right?” I looked at Jack. “Isn’t Olivia the same way?” Jack’s brows lowered, revealing a hint of gloom he couldn’t hide. “Rachel, you’re really serious about this?” Admitting I was serious about a guy 8 years younger than me wasn’t something I could easily say out loud. But I still nodded. “Ethan is different from the others.” Jack had once said those exact words to me, when I demanded to know why he had to be with Olivia: “Olivia is different from the others.” His “others” of course included me. I never thought I’d be saying those words back to him now. Jack paused, a storm of emotions gathering in his eyes. His fingers slowly clenched, knuckles turning white. He sneered, “Rachel, you’re really regressing. What can some snot-nosed kid give you?” He jerked his chin at the coat I had carelessly tossed on the couch behind me. “Could he afford even one of your coats with a year’s salary?” That wasn’t untrue. Over the years, although Jack’s heart hadn’t been with me, he had still been very generous materially. I could use his credit cards freely. I didn’t even need to go look at new luxury items myself – the store managers would bring models to try things on for me at home. No wonder Olivia was so desperate to secure her position. The life of a rich man’s wife truly was decadent and luxurious. I touched the unremarkable diamond ring on my hand. It was from an average brand, with average clarity and an average setting. The kind of thing that would never even appear in my jewelry box. But I liked it more than all the others. “It’s fine, I don’t care about those things.” Jack had clearly noticed the ring on my hand too. The engagement ring he had bought me was a 7 million dollar pigeon egg diamond, dazzlingly opulent. He had it specially shipped from Hong Kong. I had always been too afraid to wear it, so I bought a cheaper pair of matching rings for us to wear instead. But after those first few good years passed, we started living separate lives. Or rather, he unilaterally grew tired of me. He stopped wearing his ring, because the young girls outside didn’t like it. During one of our countless fights, I yanked off that ring and threw it as hard as I could. Afterwards, that ring was never found again. My hand remained bare until now. I repeated, “Jack, let’s get divorced.” He paused for a moment, then suddenly lunged forward! The coffee table crashed to the floor, the vase shattering with a crisp sound. I was startled, but he grabbed me by the throat! Jack leaned in close, his eyes full of viciousness. “Rachel,” his voice lost its usual coolness for the first time, “Who gave you permission to be serious?!”

I was shocked, then shoved him away forcefully. “What the hell is wrong with you?!” I complained, rubbing my neck. “Why are you suddenly going crazy?!” Jack stumbled but caught himself. He picked up the agreement: “I’m going crazy?! Do you have any idea how much property we’d have to split up if we divorced? Just that villa you mentioned is worth $120 million! You’re willing to give up all that money for divorce – is that guy really so important to you?!” I thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yes.” It wasn’t that I was blinded by love. Mainly, half of our assets was already more than enough for me to live comfortably for several lifetimes. Why should I stay trapped in this relationship for money I couldn’t even spend? I had thought it through. Even if it wasn’t for Ethan, I didn’t want to keep torturing each other with Jack anymore. Jack clutched the divorce agreement tightly, crumpling the thick stack of papers in his grip. He had always been good at hiding his emotions. In the past, no matter how hysterically I screamed and cried, he would just watch coldly without revealing a hint of feeling. But now he seemed truly furious. His face was dark with anger – I could even see the red veins in his eyes. Just when I thought he might actually hit me, Jack suddenly took a deep breath. He pushed up his glasses, bit down on his back teeth, and regained his usual rational demeanor. But his eyes were heavy, emotions unreadable. “Rachel,” he tore the agreement to shreds and tossed it aside. “If you want a divorce, keep dreaming.” … Jack stormed out, probably to find Olivia. I lay back on the couch alone, covering my eyes with my arm. A message came from Ethan. “Did you talk to him about the divorce? Did he give you a hard time?” I didn’t reply. I didn’t know how to respond. I suddenly felt very tired. How did we end up like this? In the beginning, Jack and I had been so deeply in love. Back then he had no money. After work we’d be starving, but we’d scrape together enough to buy one order of cold noodles to share. He’d swallow hard and push it towards me: “You eat it.” I refused, and we kept pushing it back and forth. In the end we each started from one end, slowly eating towards the middle. He stuffed the last bit of topping into my mouth. When we got married, he was as excited as Ethan is now. Back then he didn’t even have as much money as Ethan. The diamond was so tiny, like the ring Tom gave to the goddess – you needed a magnifying glass to see the stone. He held me close. The young man’s body temperature was so high, I broke out in a sweat. He said: “Rachel, I’ll be good to you for the rest of my life.” Of course I believed him. We were so in love then, we thought growing old together was the most natural thing in the world. It was only later that I realized, the human heart is the most fickle thing of all. In that moment, Jack probably truly meant to be good to me for life. Later, he also truly wanted to be good to others. In our third year of marriage, he came home smelling of Chanel No. 5 perfume that hadn’t yet faded. Tears immediately fell from my eyes as I demanded to know what was going on. He held me and swore up and down that he had just been entertaining clients at a karaoke bar, that the scent had rubbed off. He absolutely hadn’t been unfaithful to me. I believed him. Then it happened a second time. A third time. He slowly lost patience and stopped trying to placate me. He just irritably pushed me away: “Men have to socialize for work, what can I do? Can you stop being so unreasonable!” Later, he got together with Olivia. She was a girl who looked a bit like me, but much younger. Fresh out of college, full of youthful energy. He had made an exception to hire her. Jack started staying out night after night. I knew he was tired of me. With such a young, vibrant body available, why would he come back to sleep next to me? My heart slowly burned to ashes, night after agonizing night. So when he said to me: “Rachel, I think we should try an open relationship. You can go out and find whoever you want, I won’t interfere. And you don’t interfere with me. Of course, I won’t let anyone outside threaten your position. How about it?” I looked at Jack. The man before me didn’t have even a trace of the boy I once knew. That boy who would squat with me at the subway entrance to share a roll of cold noodles was just my imagination, I suppose. The years hadn’t killed him. They had simply revealed his true nature. A nature I had never seen clearly before. After a long while, I closed my eyes. “Okay.” Meeting Ethan was an accident. At the time, I was trying to get revenge on Jack by using his money to hire male models every night. That day I was drunk out of my mind. The manager had sent over five batches of models but I hadn’t liked any of them. Irritated, I stumbled to the bathroom.

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At the CEO’s birthday banquet, I accidentally wore the dress of his late wife. His ten-year-old son shoved me into the champagne tower in front of everyone. He stood there, watching indifferently as I struggled on the floor, blood streaming down my body. His expression mirrored his father’s, cold and emotionless. “Wearing my mom’s dress doesn’t make you her. “You’re just my dad’s secretary. I can have him fire you!” Cold champagne soaked me to the bone. I lay there weakly, staring at the child I’d raised for ten years. “Don’t bother. I’ll submit my resignation tomorrow.” Ten-year-old Nash Vincent’s eyes were icy, sharp enough to cut. I took the shawl handed to me by the maid and turned to go back to my room to change. The hem of my dress snagged on the table corner, ripping a long tear down the fabric. “You ruined it! That was my mom’s favorite dress!” The previously mocking Nash instantly transformed into a furious little lion. His eyes were burning with anger as he glared at me, hatred written all over his young face. I looked at him with a complex expression. “Nash, you’re lying.” Nash’s mother always preferred luxurious styles; she would never have liked such a simple, elegant dress. Caught in his lie, Nash looked guilty. He stomped and stormed off. I didn’t chase after him to comfort him as usual, letting him vent his anger. After the guests had left, I returned to my room alone. As I opened the door, a dead dog dangled in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. Bright red blood dripped to the floor, staining my shoes and soaking Snowball’s soft fur. I was stunned, and before I could recover, Nash’s shrill laughter exploded behind me. “Serves you right! You took my mom away, now I’ll make you feel the pain of losing what you love!” He made a face at me and ran off triumphantly. I stared at the shocking pool of blood on the floor, unable to speak for a long time. Years ago, I arrived in this city with nothing but a small suitcase. I was hired to work for the Vincent family. The Vincent Villa was vast, but it felt more like a gilded cage than a home. They stripped me of all my hobbies, leaving me with nothing but a demanding child and a spoiled little dog. It took me ten years to raise them. But losing them happened in an instant. After a sigh, I caught the familiar scent of fir. Looking up, Maddox Vincent stood quietly before me. Maddox and Nash were two sides of the same coin, equally arrogant and cold. He stood there with his arms slightly open, expecting me to change his clothes like always, while saying, “I heard about what happened today. “Stella, you were in the wrong first.” Seeing my lack of response, he frowned, clearly displeased. He glanced at the glaring blood on the floor, his tone softening slightly. “Nash is still young. Just let him have his way.” With a look from Maddox, someone immediately came to clean up the blood on the floor. The lights were dim, the shadows hazy. Snowball, who had once played around the table, seemed as if he had never existed. Just like me, who had cared for them day in and day out for ten years, yet never left even a trace in the hearts of them. After changing, Maddox sat on the sofa, gently tapping the table to signal me to pour coffee. I instinctively complied. As I approached, he pulled me into his arms. His fingertips gently brushed my cheek as he said in a low voice, “It’s your birthday tonight. Skip the pill. If you get pregnant, well, that’s your gift to me.” His warm breath on my neck sent a chill through my bones. Maddox had a strong appetite in that regard. In my first month at the Vincent Villa, I was found to be pregnant. Before I could even feel anything, I was handed an abortion pill and told to take it. “In this lifetime, I only love Sylvia, and I will only acknowledge Nash as my child. “If you had a child, you might develop other thoughts and wouldn’t be able to take good care of Nash.” After that, he would always watch me take the contraceptive pill. For ten years, without fail. Tonight, I was supposed to be grateful and give him what he wanted. But for the first time, I avoided his touch. “Mr. Vincent, our ten-year agreement is over. I’ll be leaving tomorrow.”

Whatever warmth and hope I once had were long gone. Maddox snapped, “Nash is just a kid! “As his… nanny, it’s your job to raise him right. I haven’t held you accountable, yet you dare to throw a tantrum?” Nanny? I let out a dry laugh at that word. Years ago, Maddox fell head over heels for my friend, Sylvia Olsen. Despite his family’s disapproval, he married her anyway, and the Olsen family quickly climbed the social ladder thanks to him. They went from a nobody family in the middle of nowhere to high society almost overnight. After marriage, they were inseparable, deeply in love. But fate had other plans. Sylvia died giving birth. Fearing the loss of support, the Olsen family sent me, their adopted daughter, as a replacement. Maddox, deeply in love with Sylvia, refused to remarry but couldn’t bear to see young Nash left uncared for. So the two families made a ten-year arrangement: I would stay at the Vincent Villa as a so-called personal assistant. Though called a personal assistant, I had no formal employment contract or legal protection. My entire life was defined by a single piece of paper. Looking back, it was almost laughable. I raised Nash for ten years. Technically, I was still single. I collected my thoughts and calmly said, “I’m not throwing a tantrum. The agreement has expired. “Staying here without a defined role will only stir up gossip for you and Nash.” Maddox’s furrowed brow relaxed slightly. His gaze was probing, but his tone softened. “If you’d have a child for the Vincent family, I will include you and the child in the family registry, giving you the status you deserve…” “No, thank you.” No one would willingly lower themselves like that. In this life, I had suffered enough as an illegitimate child. How could I bear to let my child endure the same? I straightened my clothes and retrieved the company seal and documents related to the Vincent family’s assets from the bedroom. “I’ve already sorted out all the accounts. Sylvia’s people will take over my responsibilities. “Nash has grown up. He should be taught by professional tutors. I’m not qualified to teach him anymore.” Maddox waved his hand dismissively. The priceless property documents and the agreement were scattered on the floor like trash. He stepped on them without hesitation. “Stella, don’t push your luck. “Considering it’s your birthday, I’ll let it slide. “Stay in your room for the next few days and think about what you’ve done.” The heavy mahogany door closed, separating us into two worlds. I looked up at the sky, watching the faint glow drift away until it vanished. I couldn’t help but smile. It was a sky lantern, lit to celebrate my birthday and pray for blessings. But today wasn’t my birthday. It was the day Maddox first met Sylvia. The night before I was sent to the Vincent Villa, my adoptive mother came to me. She told me to memorize everything about Sylvia and imitate her every move. “Stella, you must impress him. Only then will you have a place in the Vincent family.” Her eyes burned with intensity, her tone leaving no room for doubt. As she predicted, Maddox, who cared little for anything, remembered my birthday. It was the one day of the year I looked forward to. Only on this day could I feel a hint of familial warmth, briefly held in his thoughts. But stolen things must eventually be returned. As I sighed, a sharp pain shot through my forehead. Nash stood on the wall, proudly holding a slingshot. “If you keep clinging to the Vincent Villa, one day it won’t be a stone hitting your head, but a bullet!” He was proud of his marksmanship. He completely forgot I was the one who taught him how to shoot and drive fast cars. Yet, ten years had passed. Maddox treated me as invisible, and Nash seemed eager for me to vanish immediately.

“It’s cold at night. Don’t catch a chill.” I gave him one last reminder before turning and heading back to my bedroom. The next morning, my adoptive mother showed up in a panic and blocked the doorway. Just like ten years ago, she dropped to her knees, begging. “Stella, Nash still needs you. “Your father and brother depend on Maddox’s support, and the Olsen kids rely on you too. You can’t just walk away on a whim.” I couldn’t hold it in anymore. “You’ve said all that, but have you ever asked how I’ve been?” She was stunned. A car pulled up outside, cutting her off mid-sentence. A woman stepped in, all elegance and charm. As soon as she entered, Nash rushed over and threw himself into her arms. “Monica, I’ve missed you so much!” Hand in hand, they walked right past me without so much as a greeting. The scent of her perfume lingered as the housemaids started whispering, “Poor Ms. Spears spent years trying to win over Mr. Vincent and his kid, and now she’s not even worth a footnote in the family.” “Yesterday she was desperate to leave, and today she’s changed her mind,” someone sneered. “Probably panicked when Monica showed up, afraid of losing her position.” Nash lifted his little face, nuzzling into Monica Stewart’s arms, his voice sweet and syrupy. “Dad’s been waiting for you. Let’s go see him. “I like Monica best. You smell pretty and talk nicely, not like someone who always acts like a naggy hillbilly.” I stood there, frozen, feeling as if something had stabbed my heart. I grew up in the south, and when I first moved here, nothing felt familiar. The cold hit like a blade, and I got sick so often that I barely pulled through. The servants mocked me for being uncouth, refusing even to bring me medicine. Back then, only little Nash stayed by my side, whispering sweetly, “Stella, get better soon. You look so cool when you ride your bike.” That little boy who once never left my side had now become a sharp thorn, piercing my heart. This turn of events was something I never could have imagined. Monica smiled politely, every move calculated and graceful. But her words carried a subtle dig. “Don’t take what a kid says too seriously, Ms. Spears.” I ignored her and turned to help my adoptive mother up. “You see, Maddox and Nash are never short of people to care for them.” Monica was the second daughter of the Stewart Group. With her striking resemblance to Sylvia, she could freely enter the study I was barred from, effortlessly winning the hearts of both father and son. My adoptive mother stood up, her earlier sorrow gone, and coldly demanded. “Are you really leaving?” “I won’t waste my life stuck in this gilded cage, chasing after two men who couldn’t care less about me,” I said firmly. With a loud smack, she slapped me hard across the face. “You’re hopeless,” she scolded. “If I hadn’t taken you in, you’d have drowned in that river years ago! How can you be so heartless? You’re worse than the Olsen family’s dog.” As she raised her hand for another slap, I caught her wrist. “They raised me until I was eight. I gave them ten years in return. “We’re even now,” I said, staring into her eyes. For ten years, I endured Maddox’s cold indifference. In the Vincent Villa, I managed every detail. I treated Nash as my own son, giving him all my love and care. I had done my best, with a clear conscience. The only person I had failed was myself. My adoptive mother left in a rage, her persuasion unsuccessful. I turned around and met Maddox’s unfathomable gaze.

His expression was cold, like he was looking at a disobedient pet. He tossed a remark my way, casual and dismissive. “Stella, you’re smart. You know leaving the Vincent family means you’ll have nothing. “I’ve had someone find a prettier dog for you. I’ll send it over later.” He spoke casually, like he was doing me a favor, “If Nash gets too annoying, Monica can help you take care of him. I’ve already had the room prepared for her to stay here.” In Maddox’s script, I was supposed to be overwhelmed, then meticulously arranged everything for Monica, playing the role of the virtuous and dutiful wife. But I was truly tired of it all. “Let the butler handle it. I’m leaving.” Monica stepped out gracefully from behind Maddox, her voice soft. “You don’t seem too pleased. Maybe I should leave. “Ms. Spears is a noble lady. Someone like me, a divorced woman with a child, naturally wouldn’t meet your standards.” She hadn’t taken more than a few steps before Maddox stopped her. “Why belittle yourself? A woman’s happiness depends entirely on a man’s opinion,” he said, glancing at me before scooping Monica into his arms. Soon, the sound of their heavy breathing drifted from the study, leaving people flushed and embarrassed in broad daylight. Nash made a face at me. “I want Monica to be with Dad. She’s not like you, a vain and wicked woman.” I stared hard at the little brat I’d raised, wanting to hear what he’d say. “Is that really what you think?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295942”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #校园School #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #擦边Steamy #后宫Harem