Category: English

I worked part-time jobs to support my boyfriend Jack through college. Once, I even bought a 10-hour standing-room-only train ticket to visit him when we were in a long-distance relationship. I wanted to surprise him, but instead, I caught him intimately strolling arm-in-arm with a rich heiress. Devastated, I confronted him: “Why are you doing this to me?” He just sneered and said, “Let’s break up. You have nothing to offer. She can give me so much more.” However, the very next day, my life took an unexpected turn – I discovered I was the daughter of a billionaire. When Jack broke up with me, I was still holding a bouquet of flowers in my hand. The rich girl in the red dress beside him looked at me disdainfully and asked, “Jack, who’s this?” Jack seemed surprised to see me and nervously withdrew his arm from the rich girl’s. “It’s nothing, just a friend of mine.” “Friend?” I stared at him in disbelief. I looked disheveled and travel-worn, having rushed here straight from the train station to give him a surprise. “Jack, you told me you were working overtime at the company. I wanted to surprise you, but you’ve ended up giving me such a big surprise instead?” The rich girl seemed to catch on and asked unhappily, “Jack, didn’t you say you were single? Is this your girlfriend?” Jack looked annoyed. “What girlfriend? I stopped liking her ages ago.” Then he turned to me, “I don’t like you anymore. Stop clinging to me.” His eyes were so cold, as if he couldn’t wait to get rid of me. It was as if the eight years we’d spent together meant nothing to him. It felt like a bolt from the blue. I blinked in disbelief, unable to process that the person looking at me with such disgust was the same one who had been talking about celebrating our eighth anniversary just yesterday on the phone. Jack turned to the rich girl and said softly, “Chloe, it’s cold out here. Why don’t you wait in that coffee shop over there? This girl is clingy. I’ll deal with her.” Chloe wasn’t stupid. She sensed that our relationship was far from ordinary. She looked me up and down haughtily, then laughed and said in a coquettish tone, “Alright, but hurry up and deal with it, okay?” Then she strutted off to the nearby coffee shop in her high heels. A light drizzle had started. I was dressed thinly, but as the night wind blew, I couldn’t feel the cold. The person in front of me had become a stranger, making my heart feel ice-cold. “Pursuer?” I sneered, throwing the flowers at him forcefully. “Some pursuer, Jack! Which pursuer would stay with you for eight years? Which pursuer would be discussing engagement plans with you just two days ago? I was so excited to come and be with you, and this is how you treat me!” Jack’s expression darkened as he silently watched me. The person standing before me was someone I had been with for eight years, someone I had wholeheartedly wanted to marry. I had once believed that even long-distance couldn’t hinder our love. Yet here he was, calmly watching me break down and go crazy, completely unmoved. “Are you done?” Jack frowned impatiently. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” I found it absurd and laughed through my tears. “Tell you? So you could have time to prepare and continue deceiving me?” Jack suddenly started laughing, looking at me with mockery in his eyes. “Emily, don’t you get it yet? You’re just an orphan. What can you offer me?” “Chloe is a rich heiress. Her dad owns a big company, with mansions and yachts. She’s got a great figure too. What do you have?” I stood there, stunned. “Jack, I’ve been with you for eight years. Yes, I’m an orphan without a degree, but don’t forget that your college and master’s degree were funded by me working two jobs and doing part-time work every day.” “Haha, wasn’t that all voluntary on your part?” Jack’s expression was strange. “So you do know I graduated from a top university? I’ve got a good job now, and plenty of girls like me. Look at yourself, Emily. You’ve got no money, no looks. You’re just a high school graduate. How can you compare to her? How are you worthy of me?” “She’s very rich and she likes me. I finally have this opportunity, and I don’t want to live that hard life anymore. We’re not a good match. Just let me go.” I opened my mouth but couldn’t say a word. The fine rain fell on my head, blurring my vision. I felt like I was truly seeing this person for the first time. With the gentle facade stripped away, all that remained were shocking scars. An umbrella appeared over Jack’s head. Chloe was holding it for him. She smiled, “Jack, is this the orphan ex-girlfriend you mentioned who keeps clinging to you? She really doesn’t match up to you.” Ex-girlfriend? I nodded and calmly said, “Yes, I’m the ex-girlfriend now. But Chloe, this Jack beside you isn’t a good person. Rich lady, open your eyes and take a good look. This guy has been living off me for years while studying. He ate my food, wore clothes I bought, and spent the money I earned from part-time jobs. He was happy to be a kept man, and it wasn’t a small expense.” I opened my bag, took out a pen and paper, wrote down my payment details, and slapped it onto Jack’s chest. “Want to get rid of me? Fine. Pay back every cent I spent on you over these years. Not a penny less. I want it in my account within three days, or we’ll settle this in court.” I then turned to Chloe, “You like this scumbag? Well, I was blind. He’s all yours now. If you really like him, you can pay me back on his behalf.” With that, I turned and walked away.

I’m an orphan. I was abandoned at the doorstep of an orphanage when I was still a baby. The kind-hearted director took me in and raised me. Some charitable people sponsored my education. But because I had no parents, I was often bullied at school. The other kids would gang up to mock me for wearing patched clothes, saying I was an uncultured wild child without parents. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I told the teacher, but they didn’t care. I couldn’t even afford the school uniform fees and often had to work part-time jobs or collect recyclables for pocket money, which led to poor grades. So those bullies became even worse. They were like a pack of wolves that had found a weak rabbit and felt excited. They would pour ink on my books, my desk was always covered in messy graffiti, and after school, I’d be cornered and forced to hand over my pocket money. That day, I was cornered again. Their tall shadows loomed over me, making me feel terrified. Suddenly, an angry voice came from behind: “What are you doing?” That was the first time I saw Daniel. He threatened to call the police if they bullied me again. Only then did they reluctantly disperse. Daniel asked me with concern, “Are you okay?” The boy’s clean shirt smelled of laundry detergent. At that time, he was full of righteousness, with gentle features. He was a model student at school, shining like a deity in my eyes. Later, I started to frequently “bump into” him. I deliberately created every opportunity to meet him. He said, “Emily, you’re very pretty.” He kissed my eyes and held my hand on the playground. So we naturally became a couple. Everyone said I was lucky that Daniel liked me, but this made those bullies target me even more. However, Daniel’s family suffered a setback and fell on hard times just as he was about to start college. I stepped up, just as he had once saved me: “Daniel, I’m not going to continue studying. My grades are far worse than yours, and we can’t afford to support both of us.” So I started working several jobs a day to support his studies. He would always hug me tenderly, whispering sweet nothings that made me willingly fall into his honeyed words and devotedly give everything. He said, “Emily, when I graduate and find a good job, I’ll marry you.” He was good-looking, and when we were in a long-distance relationship, many girls at his school liked him. But he said he only liked me and wanted to be with me forever. Now I see it was all just sugar-coated bullets. He just needed a fool to pave the way for his future. I deleted everything related to Jack and hid in a hotel, slowly accepting the fact that I had been betrayed. On the third day of my stay in this city, I suddenly received a payment in my account, along with a text message from an unknown number. [The money has been repaid. Don’t come looking for Jack again. You’re not good enough for him. He’s my boyfriend now.] It was that rich girl. I could only laugh. Looks like another girl fooled by Jack’s sweet talk. I was feeling like a lost goose, not knowing where to go, when I suddenly received a call from the orphanage director. “Emily, there’s a couple here who say they’re your birth parents.”

My heart sank. The word “parents” was foreign to me. In countless dark moments, I had hoped they would appear in my life, but I was always disappointed. Despite this, I still traveled overnight to the city where the orphanage was located. Before me stood a well-dressed middle-aged couple. The man wore a suit and tie, while the woman was dressed in an expensive fur coat with perfect makeup. The moment she saw me, the woman’s eyes welled up with tears. She rushed forward and hugged me excitedly, “Daughter, we’ve finally found you!” It felt surreal. The middle-aged man beside her took off his glasses and wiped his tears, “Emily, we’ve been looking for you for so long.” The woman’s name was Sarah. She looked at me carefully, with a gaze I had never experienced before – gentle and filled with heartache. The middle-aged man was called Robert. He looked at me with relief, “Your mom and I were quite young when we had you. We didn’t have much money then, so we took you north to find work. But the train was so crowded, and in a moment of carelessness, you were stolen by a trafficker. Your mom nearly cried her eyes out. We reported it to the police, and after a long wait, the trafficker was finally caught. But he said the buyer had changed their mind at the last minute, so he just left you at the doorstep of an orphanage.” “But he had done this so many times that he couldn’t remember which orphanage it was. By the time we found out, we were told that you had moved from the old orphanage. It’s taken all these years for us to finally meet, father and daughter.” Robert’s eyes were a bit red as he looked at me excitedly, “They named you Emily, right? Now you have a surname. Your name is Emily Yan.” “Emily Yan…” I murmured. It all felt so unreal, as if I were in a dream. Sarah affectionately held my hand, “My dear child, you must have suffered a lot all these years. I heard from the director that you’ve been very strong and capable. Your dad and I have had some success in our business over the years, and we can give you a good life now. Come home with us.” The director nodded approvingly, so I went home with them. It was only then that I realized their “some success” was far more than just a little. Robert, my father, was the director of the city’s largest venture capital group, with countless businesses under his name. When the car pulled up to a high-end villa complex, I still couldn’t believe it. This area was known for its exorbitant property prices, with many top celebrities choosing to buy luxury homes here. In the past, this was something I couldn’t even dream of. As we entered, an elegant young woman came down the stairs. When she saw me, her eyes lit up, and she quickened her pace, rushing over to grab my hand. “Mom, Dad, is this my sister?” she asked. Her eyes were bright, and her features were similar to mine. She was fair and beautiful, and I immediately took a liking to her. Sarah smiled and pulled me closer, “This is your sister, Lily. She’s been looking for you with us all these years. When we went to pick you up, she kept talking about you.” I felt awkward due to the unfamiliarity, but Lily was excited. She pulled my hand and led me upstairs, “Come on, sis, let me show you your room. I decorated it myself.” As she opened the door, a grand crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, with a huge princess bed in the center. Lily hadn’t let go of my hand. She chattered away, “Sis, here’s the walk-in closet. It’s all filled with the latest seasonal fashion. I picked them out for you, but I’m not sure if they’ll fit. Oh, and we’ve booked a designer to come and take your measurements in a few days. And look, this is my favorite bunny plushie. I’ve put it on your bedside table.” As I listened to her, I felt a lump in my throat for some reason. “Thank you, Lily.” Lily pursed her lips and frowned, “Sis, have you been through a lot of hardship?” I didn’t say anything. She looked at me with concern, “When I held your hand just now, I felt a lot of calluses.” “But don’t worry, I’ll protect you from now on. You won’t have to suffer anymore,” she said with a smile.

Robert said that in a few days, there would be a birthday party for him, with invitations sent to various celebrities and influential people. He planned to announce my return at the party. Over these few days, I truly felt the love of my parents, and my sister loved to stick close to me. At night, we would often squeeze together, and she would listen to stories about my past. The blood ties quickly dissolved the sense of unfamiliarity, and Lily happily helped me choose an evening gown. “Lily, I’m a bit nervous,” I said, feeling anxious at the thought of facing so many people. “Oh, don’t be nervous,” Lily squeezed my hand reassuringly. “Sis, just remember you’re our dad’s daughter. There will be a lot of media there too, announcing your identity to the world.” Soon, the day of the party arrived. I changed into a carefully designed red evening gown, with flawless makeup and hair styled in big waves. The person in the mirror looked so beautiful, I hardly recognized myself. The party was set in a grand hall, with champagne and wine glasses filling long tables covered in red cloth. Men in suits escorted their partners, clinking glasses in conversation. I had only seen such scenes on TV before, but I never expected to see Jack here. He was standing not far from me, with Chloe intimately holding his arm. As Jack turned, he clearly saw me and was visibly stunned. Chloe, the rich girl beside him, was talking to some socialite. Noticing his odd expression, she followed his gaze and saw me, also looking surprised. Then Chloe smiled, her red lips curving as she held her wine glass. With a challenging look, she strutted over in her high heels. She looked me up and down and sneered, “What? Are you working as a waitress here? Do waitresses need to dress up like this?” Jack beside her also looked at me quizzically, though there was a hint of admiration in his eyes. In the past, I had always been weighed down by life’s pressures. This was the first time I appeared so glamorous in front of others. I looked at the couple in front of me and smiled without saying a word. Jack frowned, “Emily, where did you borrow this evening gown from? Are you doing some kind of part-time job?” “This kind of place requires invitations. Ordinary people can’t just waltz in,” Chloe looked me up and down. “Don’t tell me you rented an outfit and are pretending to be some socialite? Or have you hooked up with some rich young master?” Her words unintentionally stung Jack, who was there precisely because he had hooked up with her. “She doesn’t need to pretend, nor does she need to hook up with anyone,” a voice rang out. Lily, wearing a deep red cocktail dress, walked over like a proud swan. She looked Chloe straight in the eye, took my hand, and smiled lightly, “Let me introduce you properly. This is Emily Yan, my elder sister. She’s the long-lost daughter of the Yan family, whom we’ve finally found!” Chloe’s hand holding the wine glass trembled, and Jack beside her turned pale. “Listen, Chloe,” Lily said, her usual warm and lively demeanor replaced by a serious expression. “You brought this kept man to my family’s event and insulted my sister. Are you sure you want your family’s business to continue?” Chloe’s face turned from red to white. “Lily, you…!” At this moment, Robert walked over. He had witnessed everything with cold eyes. He took my hand – the first time I felt the warmth of a father’s broad palm – and led me to stand on the raised platform in the grand hall. He announced to everyone: “Ladies and gentlemen, I have something else to say. My long-lost daughter, Emily Yan, returned to my side a few days ago.” There was a commotion below, and camera flashes went off, dazzling my eyes. But I didn’t shy away, facing head-on what should have been mine all along. I caught sight of Jack staring at me in a daze from below. He was now looking up at me from a slightly lower angle. “How is this possible…” he muttered, seemingly regretting his misjudgment. Chloe’s fingers gripping the wine glass turned white as she noticed Jack’s expression. She spat out bitterly, “Like what you see?” Jack snapped back to reality, cleverly concealing the regret in his eyes. At the party, those people I used to only see in business reports and finance magazines were all praising me for how beautiful I had become. For a moment, I felt like the moon surrounded by stars, though I understood they were only saying it for my father’s benefit. Lily pulled me over to a group of socialites to introduce me. Jack remained silent, drinking alcohol with half his face hidden in shadow. Chloe was fuming inside. She sneered, “Does everyone know? This Miss Emily was just a factory girl who barely graduated high school, living at the bottom of society before she was found. She used to cling to my boyfriend, but unfortunately, my boyfriend didn’t like her.” People around started to whisper. Lily’s brows furrowed, about to say something, but I gently patted her hand to calm her. Then I spoke up: “Miss Chloe, you keep mentioning that I only graduated from high school. So why did you eagerly pick up what this high school graduate discarded?” Chloe’s face immediately darkened. I felt she was easy to provoke, so I continued, “You’re a guest in my home, yet you’re so rude to the host. Is this the kind of upbringing you’ve had, Miss Chloe?” The socialites around, who probably had long disliked Chloe, chimed in sarcastically, “That’s right, some people think they’re all that just because their daddy made some money riding a trend. Now they’re causing a scene on someone else’s turf.” Provoked, Chloe exploded in anger: “Emily, don’t think you’re so great just because the Yan family found you! Deep down, you’re still just an orphan with no parental guidance!” Her words caused a stir, directly slapping Robert in the face. Lily, furious, stepped forward and grabbed her hand, looking like she was about to hit her: “Who are you calling an orphan with no parental guidance?” Robert walked over, his aura intimidating as he glared at Chloe: “You’ve really gone too far! Your father begged and pleaded yesterday to do business with us, and now you dare act so arrogantly! Do you really think I, Robert Yan, have been eating vegetarian dishes all these years?” “Get out of my birthday party right now. You’re not welcome in our home! Go back and tell your father that the business deal is off. We won’t be associating anymore. By calling my daughter an orphan, aren’t you cursing our whole family? Get out of here right now!” Chloe had never faced such a situation before. Her face turned red, and with everyone around watching her like a spectacle, she couldn’t bear to stay any longer. She picked up her dress and ran out crying. Jack hadn’t expected things to turn out this way either. He gave me a deep look before chasing after her. Robert raised his voice, essentially giving a message to the media: “The Zhao family can’t control their daughter. She came to my house today and greatly embarrassed my daughter, which is like slapping me, Robert Yan, in the face. From now on, our Yan Group will have no more dealings with the Zhao family’s investment bank.” For the first time, I felt the confidence of having a strong backing. After years of struggling alone, I now had a safety net. Lily whispered in my ear, explaining, “Dad’s meaning is clear. He’s drawing a line between us and that Chloe’s family. Sis, our family is the industry leader. If we make this statement, other families probably won’t dare to go against us. Anyone who does business with them will be seen as opposing us.” I was shocked, not realizing the Yan family’s influence was so powerful. I was also amazed that my father would go to such lengths for a daughter he hadn’t seen in years. Sarah arranged the best private tutors to teach me, and even suggested that if I was willing, I could study abroad with Lily for a while, taking the opportunity to travel and clear my mind. Studying abroad was something I had never dared to dream of before.

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There are seven days in a week when I don’t want to work. To fulfill my wish, my boss ran the company into bankruptcy. Now I really don’t have to work anymore. Heartbroken at not being able to earn my workhorse wages, I chose to go crazy in the group chat. [Boss, will we ever meet again?] [Boss, please be happy when we do meet again, okay?] [Boss, how can I live without you!!] [Boss, take me with you boss~~] The group chat was silent for a few seconds, then exploded with laughing emojis. Everyone started joining in: [Boss~ don’t go~] I replied: [I’m not going~] Just as the atmosphere was getting lively, the boss replied with [Okay.] My phone suddenly felt hot in my hand. Before I could reply, the boss messaged me privately [Tomorrow at 10, wait for me downstairs at your place.] I stared at my phone, lost in thought. Why? Was the boss planning to elope with me? If I had known, I wouldn’t have talked nonsense! I don’t want to live a life of starvation with the boss for three days out of every nine! Thinking of this, I replied tactfully: [I have a blind date tomorrow to find a sugar daddy, we’ll meet again if fate allows, boss!] To show I was serious, I even sent a “sorry” kneeling emoji. After sending the message, I started a game. What was the point of being a diligent workhorse for three years? It was all so I could achieve financial independence and go out and have fun. Only an idiot would get married. But I have to say, Lucas was truly a godsend of a boss – no overtime, no team building activities, and the salary arrived more punctually than my period every month. Plus there were all kinds of bonuses from time to time. Most importantly, the boss was so handsome! Easy on the eyes. So after working for three years, I had saved up a bit of money. Take it one step at a time, worst case I’ll die halfway. But after finishing a round of the game, an image of Lucas looking sad popped into my mind. The company going bankrupt was already tragic enough, what if he did something stupid if I didn’t go meet him!? Then wouldn’t I become the final straw that broke Lucas’s back? After tossing and turning all night, I still decided to go see him. The moment I sat down in Lucas’s car, I stared at his fair, slender hands and thought with some regret that this might be the last time Lucas would be driving a Rolls-Royce one-handed. Lucas was silent the whole way. Sigh, the boss must be heartbroken. I opened my mouth to comfort him: “Boss, don’t be too sad. If we work hard, we can still make a comeback.” “When we make it big again, we’ll come work for you.” Lucas remained silent, not saying a word. He’s not thinking of crashing the car with me, is he!? The car stopped in front of another villa, and my heart slowly settled down. Lucas finally spoke: “Does what you said yesterday still stand?” My heart that had just settled down leapt up again. What I said yesterday? I couldn’t even remember what I ate yesterday. After pondering for a while, I tentatively said: “Boss, take me with you?” Seeing that I still remembered, Lucas rested one hand on the steering wheel, looked towards the villa, and said: “I promised my dad that if my startup failed, I’d go back home to inherit the family business.” Wow, so my boss was a hidden rich second generation. Wait, then what was all my heartfelt consoling just now? Was it all for nothing? Lucas continued: “But after I went home, my dad said I’m not stable enough to inherit the business unless I get married.” I silently swallowed my bitterness. I almost thought the boss was about to get rich, but it seems being a rich second generation isn’t so easy after all. Perhaps my sympathetic gaze hurt Lucas, as he cut straight to the point: “I thought about it, and I think your proposal isn’t bad, so let’s get married.” “That way I can inherit the family business.” What the hell!? Who taught you this, Lucas!? You think this is some kind of business collaboration with a good proposal! I covered my forehead, trying to reason with him: “Boss, that’s not how inheritance works. You just need to show your uncle your abilities.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted it. I forgot Lucas had just run a company into bankruptcy. I changed the subject: “Besides, I can keep working for you. What’s the point of getting married?” Want me to work for free? Think you don’t have to pay me after we’re married? Luckily my mind was spinning quickly, otherwise I would’ve been tricked. Seeing through it all, I looked at Lucas with a hint of coldness in my eyes. Truly an evil capitalist. As if seeing through my thoughts, Lucas analyzed it for me: “Working for me, monthly salary $30,000. Being my wife, monthly salary $300,000.” “You choose. I’ll respect your decision.” One shouldn’t be too greedy. So I gave him a sweet smile: “Hubby!” Lucas took me to get our marriage certificate that same day. When taking the ID photos, just thinking about the $300,000 made the corners of my mouth curl up uncontrollably. $300,000! If I stick it out for a year, that’s $3.6 million. Three years, and it’s $10 million. By then, even if I become a discarded rich man’s wife, so what!? I can totally use that money to buy a car and house outright and reach the peak of life, hahahahaha. I looked at Lucas with starry eyes and coyly asked: “Hubby, why did you choose me?” Could it be that Lucas has secretly loved me for years? Lucas’s eyes were full of mirth: “Because you’re good at acting.” With those words, I who had been waiting for Lucas to say something touching froze in place. What did I act? Other than faking being sick a few times when I didn’t want to work, what else did I act? Besides, how can a workhorse’s affairs be called acting? Seeing my unconvinced face, Lucas helped me recall: “A month after joining the company, you said you had gastroenteritis and needed to be hospitalized. Later I found out you were drinking with the new employees, and when I caught you, you immediately performed a fainting act on the spot.” “Two years after joining the company, you said you had a bad breakup, and even found someone to perform a breakup scene outside the company. Later I found out it was an actor you hired, $20 an hour.” “And…” “Stop! Stop stop stop stop!” I reached out to cover his mouth. How does he know everything? Is he omniscient? Lucas spoke with difficulty with my hand over his mouth: “So I think you have great potential.” I was rendered speechless. To be able to find my strengths from these things, Lucas truly… has an eye for discovering beauty. Scrolling through social media, I saw that Lucas had posted our marriage certificate photo. Within seconds, I was bombarded with messages from former colleagues. [WTF Rachel, how did you become the ex-boss’s wife!?] [True love really does emerge in times of trouble. Wishing you a hundred years of happiness, and wishing the ex-boss a comeback!] [Ex-boss’s wife! Is that you? Don’t forget us little people when you get rich and famous.] Some closer friends earnestly advised me: [Are you really just after the ex-boss’s body?] [I only regret we never had team building activities before, otherwise I would’ve been the first to take you digging for wild vegetables!] Me: “…” Even a former colleague who was about to start at a new company told me that if I ever needed startup funding in the future, I could look for him for loans. Forget it friends, fend for yourselves. I’m already on my way to the peak of life! Lucas said he wanted to fulfill his husbandly duties, and started packing my luggage to move in as soon as we left the registry office. I politely declined: “It’s not appropriate, just call me when you need me.” No matter what, Lucas is still a tall handsome guy over 6 feet. I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself. Lucas argued reasonably: “My dad is old and cunning, he could come to check on us at home anytime. If we’re exposed then, it’s all over.” Lucas brought up our collaboration, so I had no choice but to agree. Although his face showed no expression, I could still see a hint of success. Lucas moved all my things into the new house overnight. As he predicted, his dad came barging in as soon as we finished moving. A guy about Lucas’s age came along with him. He righteously accused Lucas: “Bro, how could you not tell us about such a big thing as getting married!?” “Am I no longer your most beloved little brother!?” Lucas rolled his eyes at him, lowered his head to fiddle with his phone, and gestured for me to check the message. I took out my phone and saw the message Lucas sent. I almost couldn’t hold back my laughter. [My brother Ethan, a nutcase.] [Wifey, what should we do.] Ethan, a 5’7″ guy, stood in front of 6’2″ Lucas, coquettishly complaining about Lucas. I quickly typed back: [Give him an eye roll, let him figure it out himself.] Lucas looked up at me, understanding dawning. He rolled his eyes expressionlessly, then looked at Ethan and said coldly: “Get lost.” Lucas’s brother didn’t expect this reaction from Lucas. He stood there stunned, looking pitifully at his dad. His dad couldn’t be bothered with him and looked at me saying: “So this is my daughter-in-law.” I nodded obediently, wanting to leave a good impression of being sweet and lovable with uncle. Lucas’s dad happily took out a red envelope and handed it to me: “This is a welcome gift for you.” I felt the red envelope, it was super thick. I happily opened the red envelope, ready to count how many bills were inside. Seeing me like this, Lucas’s dad smiled and said: “Don’t worry, I won’t shortchange you.” I looked up at him, grinning from ear to ear: “Thank you, Dad!” As I was feeling it, I suddenly sensed something was off. This texture, this size… I looked down and saw that the red envelope was stuffed with a stack of white paper! I looked pitifully at Lucas’s dad. The huge sum I thought I had just slipped through my fingers. Lucas’s dad looked at me, shock mixed with confusion on his face. Lucas had an expression of watching a good show. Lucas’s dad looked at Ethan and scolded angrily: “You did this?” “You put it in?” I asked Ethan incredulously. He looked wronged: “Yes, I put it in, but I don’t know why it turned into white paper.” “I clearly put in a stack of red bills!” As he spoke, he even wiped away fake tears. Me: “???” Watching Ethan pretend to be wronged in front of me, my fists gradually clenched. Trying to put me in my place, huh? Who can’t act? I turned to look at Lucas pitifully, my eyes glistening with unshed tears, ready to burst. Lucas quickly put his arm around my shoulders, playing along. I nestled in Lucas’s arms, pretending to wipe away non-existent tears, and choked out: “Little brother, if you don’t like your sister-in-law you don’t have to do this. I’ll leave.” Lucas’s dad hurriedly stopped me: “Daughter-in-law, don’t be angry. It’s all this kid’s fault.” “You little brat, I ought to teach you a good lesson!” Seeing that Lucas’s dad was really angry, Ethan had no choice but to compromise. He gritted his teeth and said: “Sister-in-law, I’m sorry. I was wrong.” Lucas looked at him and asked: “Don’t you have any compensation?” Ethan: “??” He hesitated for a moment, then took out a card from his pocket and handed it to me: “Here, this is a welcome gift for you.” “There’s $660,000 in it. Wishing you good fortune.” I took the card, almost laughing out loud. This idiot was pretending to be wronged just now, and now he’s giving me money. I signaled to Lucas with my eyes: [Your brother doesn’t seem too bright.] Lucas looked at me, holding back laughter as he replied with his eyes: [He’s always been like this, don’t take him seriously.] I nodded, then smiled at Ethan: “Well then, I won’t be polite. Thank you, little brother.” Ethan looked at me, nodding resentfully. Lucas’s dad looked at me and smiled: “Rachel, don’t worry. If this kid dares to bully you, just tell Dad. I’ll teach him a lesson for you.” I quickly nodded in agreement. Lucas’s dad turned to look at Lucas and scolded: “And you, now that Rachel has married you, you better treat her well.” “I know,” Lucas replied. Lucas went into the study with his dad. Ethan and I were left in the living room. I was happily thinking about what to do with the $660,000. Buy a house? Buy a car? Or save it to earn interest? Ethan looked at me with disdain: “Is it really worth it? It’s just a bit of money. I really don’t know what my brother sees in you.” Looks like Ethan has a brother complex. I moved closer to Ethan and whispered: “Let me tell you a secret, your brother has actually had a crush on me for a long time.” Ethan’s face was full of disbelief: “How could my brother possibly have a crush on you?” I immediately sat up straight and looked at him seriously: “Why couldn’t your brother have a crush on me?” “I’m fair-skinned, beautiful and have long legs. Your brother is handsome and capable. Us being together is simply a match made in heaven!” “Don’t underestimate your sister-in-law. The line of men chasing me could stretch from our front door all the way to France!” Seeing my serious expression, the corners of Ethan’s mouth twitched a few times. “Bro!” Ethan suddenly called out. I immediately turned to look towards the study door. No one was there. I looked back at Ethan with a serious face: “Ethan, are you messing with me?!” Ethan burst out laughing: “You really were lying!” I gritted my teeth, unwilling to admit defeat: “Who says I’m lying?” “Go ask Lucas yourself if he hasn’t had a crush on me for a long time.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I suddenly heard a cool voice from the doorway: “Who do I have a crush on?” I quickly turned to look. Lucas had appeared at the door at some point and was looking at me with an amused expression. I froze. Ethan took the opportunity to escape. Lucas walked towards me step by step, a smile playing on his lips. He stopped in front of me, slowly bent down to my eye level. “I have a crush on you?” I laughed awkwardly, trying to cover up my panic: “I was just joking with your brother, don’t take it seriously.” But Lucas didn’t let me off. He leaned in slightly, his shadow looming over me. I could smell the faint sandalwood scent on him, mixed with an indescribable masculine aura. Lucas looked at me, the corners of his mouth curling into a barely perceptible smile: “I do have a crush on you.” I thought he was joking and was about to say “Stop messing around”. But he suddenly spoke: “Do you remember that year in freshman year?” [Truncation point] I was stunned. Freshman year? What? I have no memory of it at all. Lucas looked at me and slowly said: “In freshman year, you participated in the campus singing competition and sang ‘Sunny Day’.” “But you went so off-key it was like you were singing to your grandma’s house. The whole school laughed at you.” “Only I sat in the audience, silently applauding for you.” Me: “…?” I looked at him in disbelief: “Are you sure that was me? Not Flora from the next class?” Lucas paused, then burst out laughing: “You’re right, I got it mixed up. It was Flora from the next class.” Me: “…” Seeing Lucas’s shoulders shaking as he tried to hold back laughter, I suddenly understood. This bastard was just messing with me! I took a deep breath. For the money! I’ll endure it! I asked: “So is your uncle willing to give you the company now?” Lucas looked at me, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile as he nodded. My eyes lit up and I immediately hugged his arm, jumping up and down excitedly: “That’s great boss, my sugar mama lifestyle is about to begin!” Lucas looked at me, raising an eyebrow: “What did you call me?” I grinned and let go of his arm. “Boss?” Lucas frowned in displeasure: “$10,000 per word.” Of course I knew what he wanted, but am I the kind of person who only cares about money? I am. “Hubby, hubby, hubby…” My phone notification sounded. [PayPal received $100,000.] This morning, I was woken up by the alarm clock before dawn. I sat up groggily, looked at the clock on the bedside table, and sighed. Last night before bed, Lucas said I needed to iron his clothes in the morning. Of course I didn’t want to do it, but he offered way too much. Money makes the world go round, let alone a workhorse like me. I got out of bed reluctantly and walked to Lucas’s closet. When I opened it, I was dumbfounded. A whole closet full of clothes – shirts, suits, jackets… all kinds of colors and styles. One? More like a million! I stared wide-eyed at the closet full of clothes, unable to hold back a wail: “Lucas you slave driver!” I resignedly picked up the iron and started ironing the clothes one by one. By the fifth piece, I was already drenched in sweat, my arms too sore to lift. I paused, looked at the iron in my hand, and couldn’t help complaining: “Lucas has so many clothes, why doesn’t he just open a clothing store!” As soon as the words left my mouth, a cool voice suddenly came from the doorway. “Good idea, we’ll open one tomorrow.” I was startled and looked up to see Lucas standing in the doorway, looking at me with an amused expression. I immediately laughed awkwardly: “Boss, I mean, hubby, I was just joking. Don’t take it seriously.” Distracted by talking, I didn’t notice the iron in my hand slip and burn my arm directly. “Ah!” I cried out in pain, quickly throwing down the iron and clutching my arm. Seeing this, Lucas hurriedly came over and grabbed my arm to check the injury. I grimaced in pain, looking at the red patch on my arm, and whined: “It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!” Lucas frowned slightly, turned and went to the bathroom, came out with a towel, wet it and pressed it on my arm. “Cool it down first, I’ll go get some burn ointment.” Who knew Lucas was so good at taking care of people. I couldn’t help teasing: “This is a work injury, boss. You have to compensate me.” Lucas came back with the burn ointment, heard what I said and looked up at me with an amused expression: “Alright, how much do you want?”

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I’m Lucy, 23 years old. A few days ago, I told Mr. Thompson, “Let’s break up.” When I said “break up,” I felt unsure because I knew I wasn’t really his “girlfriend.” My “ex” Mr. Thompson is thirty-one years older than me. He has a family abroad, but during our three years together, I never felt mistreated. On my 23rd birthday, Mr. Thompson couldn’t accompany me. He sent me a generous cash gift. He left a voice message saying he’d be home at 10 PM. That meant I needed to be at his villa before then, showered, dressed, and ready to do whatever he liked. But that night, I was distracted. He noticed and asked if something was bothering me. I nodded and said, “I want to get married.” “Are you sure?” I nodded again and said we should break up. He fell silent. I knew he was angry. In the past, I would have cuddled up to him, softly saying, “Don’t be mad.” But this time, I didn’t. He stood up in his robe, poured half a glass of whiskey, and downed it in one gulp. “What do you have without me?” he asked, his voice soft but authoritative. It’s true. Without Mr. Thompson, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’m from a single-parent family. Coming to this big city for a second-tier college was the best my mother could do for me. The day she sent me off to school was her first time riding the subway, her first time seeing skyscrapers. She said it was wonderful, that I should put down roots here and bring her over someday. I loved this place too. The luxury cars, the stores with handbags worth thousands, the haute cuisine and French restaurants you only see in movies, the wealthiest people in the country. But I couldn’t stay. Graduates from my college earned only about $500 a month, but the cheapest apartment here cost over $500 per square foot. Later, while working part-time at a bar, I met Mr. Thompson. He wore a Richard Mille watch. He was older but well-groomed, with a tailored suit and a fit physique. Even after drinking, he remained gentle and reserved. He was my perfect target. I sent Cindy, the bar manager, a big tip and told her if table 37 asked for company, it had to be me. That night, I sat next to Mr. Thompson but spent the whole time chatting and drinking with another client. This was Cindy’s strategy. She said if you want to attract someone, turn your back to them, make them want you. “The person you’re entertaining isn’t the one you’re after. Get the one you’re with drunk, then wait in the alley by the parking lot exit. Don’t wear a coat, the colder the better. Wait for the one you want to offer you a ride.” That night, it drizzled. I waited from 1 AM until 3 AM, finally seeing Mr. Thompson’s car. Later, he told me he knew I was waiting for him. He saw through everything. He said he didn’t like girls with such obvious intentions. But when it started raining and he saw I hadn’t left, he softened. I was barely 20 then, my first time riding in a Maserati, my first time staying in a villa. Mr. Thompson gave me a card with unlimited spending and a $25,000 monthly cash withdrawal limit. I calculated that if I maxed it out every month, in just over two years, I could buy a small two-bedroom apartment in this city and bring my mom over. But I wouldn’t do that. I couldn’t be so presumptuous. From then on, I accompanied Mr. Thompson on business trips, vacations, and cocktail parties. Sometimes I wouldn’t return to school for weeks at a time. Last year, I officially dropped out. The administrator who stamped my papers looked me up and down, her gaze so sharp I felt like my expensive clothes were stripped away in an instant. She smirked, saying, “I guess you don’t need this degree anymore.” I thought if I was careful, this life could continue. There was nothing bad about being with Mr. Thompson. I could treat him like my “boyfriend” and enjoy this “romance.” I was lost in this fantasy until two weeks ago when Mr. Thompson found a new flame. A girl even younger than me. The housekeeper told me this. He showed me her photo – taller than me, with a face like a minor, a small-time celebrity. The housekeeper said, “Mr. Thompson started a film company this year. There will be plenty of girls like her from now on.” “I see.” “Also, Mr. Thompson is going abroad for about a week. He’s not taking you this time.” As he said this, his tone became increasingly mocking. “You can still stay here during that time.” That night, lying alone in Mr. Thompson’s master bedroom, I couldn’t sleep. Of course, Mr. Thompson wasn’t my “boyfriend.” Mr. Thompson was my sugar daddy. We had an employer-employee relationship. He could hire another, hire many more, or fire me at any time without reason. I went into the bathroom, turned the shower on full blast, and started crying. It was then that I understood Cindy’s words. “For people like us, 23 is a turning point.” I’m 23 this year. “College graduates are 23. After 23, you’re not standard anymore. No matter how well you take care of yourself, no matter how carefree you act, you lose that quality. Age can’t be fooled.” “But the bosses always like them young.” [Cutoff point] 0

“Is it because I found another girl?” He took a sip of his drink and smiled. “So you’ve learned to be jealous?” Just one drink. With just one drink, he regained his composure. I guess I didn’t matter much to him at all. “You’re right, you’re 23 now. You’ve been sensible these past few years. Not like those girls who always dream of marrying me.” “Thank you, Mr. Thompson.” He sat down beside me, his large hand resting on my leg. “What are your plans now?” “I want… to travel.” “Alright. Since you’ve decided to leave, go to the housekeeper tomorrow for some money. I’ll treat you to dinner in the evening.” I nodded. Indeed, I needed this “severance pay” from him. He thought for a moment. “Do you need me to arrange a job for you?” I shook my head. “So… you’ll stay in New York?” Seeing I didn’t answer, he added, “I don’t mean anything by it. Just thought we might get together sometime in the future.” Of course, I didn’t misunderstand his intention. Get together anytime, for what? Just to book a room? What else was there between us? I remained silent, neither refusing nor agreeing directly. “Let’s not talk about this. Get some sleep. I have a meeting early tomorrow. Don’t forget to make me breakfast.” The next day, I moved out of Mr. Thompson’s villa. He gave me a generous severance package. Combined with what I’d saved over the years, I had about $250,000 – enough to live in this city for over a decade. But not enough to settle down. I guess that’s why those “girls” Mr. Thompson mentioned wanted to marry him. After being a mistress for years, I still couldn’t stay. I called Cindy and talked for a long time. She said, “Did you really think being a mistress for a few years would let you settle down in a big city? Don’t dream, girl. Our bodies and faces combined aren’t worth as much as those plots of land. You’ve got to keep hustling.” “But don’t worry, you don’t have to hustle yourself. The urgent task is to find someone who can hustle for you. Get married.” 03 Cindy was the bar owner where I worked part-time. She always looked out for me. She said I didn’t look like the type of girl who’d work in such a place. “Seeing you dressed like them makes me a bit sad.” She said she used to do this too, and was even more popular than me. In the era when internet images loaded slowly, bosses had few channels to find beautiful women, so someone like Cindy was especially precious. Bosses bought her jewelry and bags, took her traveling around the world. But no one married her. “You must get out of this life, as soon as possible,” she told me after I broke up with Mr. Thompson. “Youth is the biggest capital for people like us. Every day you delay marriage, you lose a day of your worth.” “But getting married isn’t hard, especially for us. So stop drinking at my place every day. You won’t find good men here. You need to go out and fish.” Cindy suggested I travel abroad, to America or Europe, because the expensive flights and high living costs would at least filter out the poorest men. Later, I set my sights on a small island called Tasmania in Australia. A heart-shaped island. Not just for the romance, but because it was far away. The farther, the more I felt I could escape my past with Mr. Thompson. In Tasmania, I met Jack. 04 – Jack Lucy was the most perfect girlfriend I’d ever had. I met her during my graduation trip to Australia. The day we met was like a fairy tale. There’s an island in Australia called Tasmania, shaped like a heart. It’s considered the holy grail of Australian tourist destinations. I had been studying for my master’s in Australia for over a year, too busy with coursework to date. So I was hoping for a bit of romance during the trip. Luckily, Lucy was in the Chinese tour group I joined. I was sitting in the back of the bus when I saw her board and take a seat in the third row by the aisle. Just those few steps from the door to her seat were enough to make my heart skip a beat. Her long hair fell over her shoulders, she wore a light camisole top and tight jeans, with a sliver of ankle visible between the jeans and her sneakers, so delicate it looked like you could encircle it with one hand. Her face was pure, with eyes reminiscent of the actress in that old TV series “Chinese Paladin” from over a decade ago. I’m not a shy person. While the bus wasn’t full yet, I counted down in my head – three, two, one – then got up and sat next to her. We talked for the entire bus ride around the island. Not just talking, of course. While making her laugh, I also casually probed for her basic information, and she seemed to play along. A girl from the South, 22 years old, graduated from an Ivy League school, Gemini, likes Japanese hot pot, works in administration in New York. Recently single. Romance happens quickly when traveling. That evening, on this heart-shaped island of Tasmania, we – two people who had known each other for less than 5 hours – stood barefoot where the sea met the sand and held hands. She had changed into a white dress, wearing a cute straw hat and small white flip-flops. The sea breeze lifted her skirt, outlining her slender, beautiful figure in the moonlight, like the final frame of a Japanese anime ending. She seemed too good to be just 20 years old. After Tasmania, we traveled to many places in Australia together. Lucy always arranged all the itineraries in advance, researching every attraction, booking flights, hotels, or Airbnbs. She considered whether we’d get enough sleep each day, if we were eating enough vegetables, scolded me for wearing my jacket to bed, and ordered me to sleep early. She always woke up before me. The sight of her making breakfast in her nightgown was incredibly alluring. I thought she was the girl I liked, someone I could spend my life with. I thought, if our relationship could stabilize, even for just half a year, I wouldn’t be able to resist proposing to her. But the day before we were to return home, she suddenly said to me: “Let’s get married.” I was stunned, feeling a mix of happiness and panic. “Marriage?” Lucy nodded, “Marry me.” “Are you serious? We’ve only known each other for 20 days.” “17 days and 7 hours, but I think it’s enough. I can marry you. I’ll give you two months to think about it. If you agree, bring me to meet your parents.” The next day, Lucy returned home alone. Since she had booked all the tickets and itineraries, I didn’t have a return ticket. For the next two months, Lucy didn’t let me see her again. But the less I saw her, the more I remembered all the good things she did for me. Every moment of our time together was vivid in my memory. We watched the sunrise together at the easternmost point of Australia, posed like in the “Titanic” poster, went diving at the Great Barrier Reef where she took off her oxygen mask 20 meters underwater to kiss me, visited the glow worm caves where she made me sing surrounded by tens of thousands of “stars” in the enclosed cave. “What should I sing? ‘Fireflies’?” I asked her. She pointed, “Look at their country’s glow worms, not a single one flying. That song doesn’t fit the scene.” “Then what should I sing?” She thought for a while, “Let’s go with ‘Fireflies’ after all.” “Didn’t you say it doesn’t fit?” “I suddenly want to hear you sing it.” I thought, I’d never find a girl more wonderful than her. After waiting anxiously for two months, we met again at the agreed place. I bought a $25,000 diamond ring, got down on one knee and said: “Marry me.” She started crying, suddenly kneeling down too and hugging me so tight I could barely breathe. She said to sell the ring, she didn’t need it. “As long as you love me, that’s enough. I have someone who loves me now, I have someone who loves me.” 05 It was just around Christmas time. I brought Lucy to my family home up north for the holiday dinner. Everyone loved her. She was beautiful, had a lovely voice, and carried herself with grace in everything she did. She helped my mom make dumplings, rolling out the wrappers more skillfully than my mom. At the dinner table, she didn’t drink but kept smiling and listening to everyone’s drunken ramblings, then cleaned up afterwards, washing dishes and doing all the chores as if she were already the woman of the house. My mom said, “Such a beautiful girl who can do all this, what more could you ask for, son?” My aunt said, “Where are you two settling down? If you need help buying a house, let your uncle chip in!” My uncle said, “Hurry up and find a job to support your family. With such a good wife, you better be able to provide for her.” And my brothers and sisters, while their words were full of jealousy and resentment, I’m sure in their hearts they all adored Lucy. It was the happiest Christmas I’d ever had. “But I feel like I’ve seen your girlfriend somewhere before,” my cousin, the oldest of us younger folks, said. “Where does she work?” “In New York,” I answered for Lucy. “I work in New York too, as an executive assistant. What do you do?” Lucy hesitated for a moment, “Oh, I work in administration.” “Carrying that kind of bag, you must earn quite a bit.” My cousin took a sip of her drink. “Thompson Group, Mr. Thompson, do you know him?”

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After being admitted to the psychiatric hospital, I fell in love with the attending physician, Finley Sampson. When I was discharged and accepted his marriage proposal, I learned that he was the one who had caused all of my mental breakdowns. My younger sister, Patricia Roberts, who was the only one I could count on and had been through thick and thin with me, committed suicide and left behind nothing but a suicide note. That was when I realized how much Patricia resented me. I isolated myself at home, cutting off all contact with the outside world, and sank deeper into self-blame day after day. It was Finley who accompanied me day after day and stayed by my side to protect me. He proposed to me, and looking into his affectionate eyes, I agreed. On the day I returned from the psychiatric hospital, I happened to overhear Finley talking on the phone with his best friend, Zachary Blair. Zachary asked, “Do you regret what happened to Patricia all those years ago?” “Not at all,” replied Finley.

Zachary continued, “Natalie keeps questioning herself because of that suicide note. If she ever finds out that the note is a fake and there’s more to her sister Patricia’s death…” Finley interrupted him, “Shut up. There’s no way she’ll ever learn the truth about what went down back then.” “Have you forgotten what happened? Patricia was crying out for help, and your indifference led to that tragedy,” Zachary said. “Harper is the most important woman in my life. Not only would I cook up evidence for her, but if I had to, I’d even kill someone for her.” Harper Wilson was the woman Finley held dear above all else. Zachary replied, “If Natalie finds out, she won’t be able to handle it.” “She won’t. Natalie is crazy about me. I’m her last emotional crutch. Besides, I’m about to marry her, so I’ve already made amends,” said Finley in a patronizing tone, as if marrying me was some huge favor he was doing. The voices inside carried on, but I couldn’t make out a word now. My mind went completely blank. I clamped my hand over my mouth, trying my damnedest not to let out any sobs. My blood seemed to turn to ice, and my body wouldn’t stop shaking. An excruciating pain in my heart made it almost too much to bear. When I heard some movement inside, I turned around and left. I ran all the way home, feeling like every ounce of strength had been sucked out of me. I plopped down on the floor and stared blankly at the spot on the floor not far away. I thought Finley was my knight in shining armor, but it turned out he was the mastermind who’d shoved me into the abyss. I didn’t know how much time had passed, but I was shivering all over when the door was pushed open from the outside. The familiar scent enveloped me, and Finley picked me up off the floor and placed me on the sofa. There was deep concern in his eyes. “Natalie, were you thinking about what happened back then again? “Don’t dwell on it. Patricia was too young back then to understand your good intentions. It isn’t your fault at all. You had nothing to do with it.” His gentle voice was just like the way he used to soothe me. If I hadn’t heard the whole conversation, I probably would’ve been fooled by his top-notch acting for the rest of my life. I looked up and stared at him for a long time. Finally, I said softly, “The one in the wrong isn’t me. “Patricia was a tough person, and we had an amazing relationship. I don’t believe that letter was written by her. “I’m gonna get that letter authenticated. I’m sure the police will give me justice. What do you think?” Finley panicked at my words and blurted out, “No, you can’t.” Perhaps realizing his tone was too harsh, he explained, “It’s been ages. The truth about what happened back then can’t be dug up anymore. “Revealing this thing means you’ll have to put yourself back in the spotlight. “I’m worried you won’t be able to handle it, and I don’t want you to go through that rough patch again. Let’s just let it go, okay?” I looked at him with bloodshot eyes, feeling like I’d fallen into an ice-cold cave. I was giving him one last shot, but he just didn’t cherish it.

I kept my eyes fixed on Finley, and he bent down and planted a kiss on my forehead. “You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I’ll go cook for you.” With that, he turned and walked away. On closer inspection, his steps were a bit wobbly. I stared at his back, and tears welled up and trickled down from the corners of my eyes. My chest felt as if it were filled with ice-cold water, making it difficult for me to breathe. I bit my lip hard, but the tears still streamed down uncontrollably. Finley had always been the support in my heart. Now that the support had crumbled, I didn’t even know what reason I had to keep going. My phone rang, and it was the doctor who had done my last physical. “Is this Ms. Roberts?” “Yes, it’s me. What’s up?” I answered. He said, “Ms. Roberts, the results of your last physical are in. You’d better come here.” I slumped to the floor, my face expressionless. “Just tell me.” He replied, “Ms. Roberts, you’ve been diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer.” At that moment, my mind went completely blank, and only the words “advanced gastric cancer” echoed in my head. I started laughing, and then I broke down in tears. The doctor on the other end of the line tried to comfort me, saying, “Ms. Roberts, if you cooperate actively with treatment, there’s still a chance.” “How long do I have, roughly?” I asked. “Conservatively, one month.” I hung up with the doctor, got up, and headed downstairs. When I heard the news, my first instinct was to find Finley. These days, he had become my mainstay. But as soon as I got downstairs, I heard sobbing. In the kitchen, two figures were locked in a tight embrace. “Finley, I’m so scared. I don’t know what to do.” Harper said, “The doctor said I only have three months left, and there’s still no matching heart donor. Am I going to die soon?” “No, Harper. Don’t worry. I won’t let you die,” Finley said, patting her back, trying to soothe her. His face was etched with worry and panic. So, when you cared about someone, you couldn’t stay calm. Finley had never looked panicked in front of me, so I guess I just wasn’t important enough. I opened my mouth. I had rehearsed what I was going to say, but at that moment, not a single word came out. My lips trembled slightly, and the words seemed to be stuck in my throat. Every word I managed to utter came out with a faint cracking sound. Hearing the noise on my side, Harper looked up. She quickly pushed Finley away and explained, “Natalie, don’t get the wrong idea. I was just so upset, and Finley was consoling me.” I gave her a cold stare, and she was the woman my ex-boyfriend loved. It was because of her that my ex-boyfriend had dumped me and married her. I only knew that Finley had met Harper after we got together, and I had often argued with Finley because of her. But every time, Finley would look at me, frustrated, and explain helplessly that they were just friends. I could sense that Finley treated her differently, but I felt helpless. Just as he had said, I loved him deeply, and I didn’t know how I was supposed to go on living after losing him.

Seeing that I remained silent, Harper’s eyes welled up with tears as she said, “I know you hate me, Natalie. I’ll leave. I’ll leave right this minute.” I picked up my handbag and turned around, ready to leave. Finley grabbed her wrist and stepped in front of her, looking at me with a disapproving frown. “Natalie, Harper and I are just friends. Don’t be so narrow-minded.” I thought, “Narrow-minded? That’s how he thinks of me? I didn’t even utter a word.” I felt my nose sour, and I managed to swallow the bitterness in my throat. “You two are friends, and I’m the one who’s in the way.” I clutched my handbag and left the house. Before I left, I could still hear Finley consoling Harper. “Harper, don’t pay her any mind. She just likes throwing fits and will be back soon.” I wandered around on the street as if there was an invisible barrier separating me from the world around me. Patricia and I had been orphans since we were kids, and we’d leaned on each other as we grew up. She was the most important person in my life. But Patricia killed herself on her eighteenth birthday and left behind a suicide note that blamed me. It said that because of the pressure I’d put on her and my lack of understanding, she couldn’t carry on. Everyone called me a murderer, and I holed myself up at home, too scared to go out, and even cut off all contact with the outside world. When I felt like I couldn’t go on living, it was Finley who broke open my door and took me to the hospital. He stayed by my side, looking after me with great care. One day, Patricia’s classmates came to the hospital and called me a murderer who’d killed Patricia. Finley was like an angel. He pulled me into his arms and glared at them sharply. “It has nothing to do with Natalie. She’s not a murderer.” Over the years, he was the first and only one who was willing to believe me. So, a tiny crack formed in my frozen heart. Later, as we spent more time together, my world revolved around him. Naturally, we got together, and he proposed to me. Finley was the light that brightened up my life. At that time, I even daydreamed that after we got married, we’d have a simple and peaceful life together. Now, it all seemed incredibly ironic. I randomly found a park and plopped down on a bench. Suddenly, the sky darkened as dark clouds gathered, and the whole world was cast in shadows. The thunder roared deafeningly, and the rain came down in torrents. Everyone around was running for shelter, but I was the only one sitting on the bench, unmoving. I didn’t want to go back, and I didn’t want to face Finley. The rain soaked through my clothes, and the cold seeped deep into my bones. Suddenly, I was pulled into a familiar embrace. Finley looked a mess, and there was a hint of anxiety in his eyes. He scolded me, “What are you doing sitting here all alone in this downpour?” For a moment, I couldn’t tell if it was rain or tears streaming down my face. He’d come looking for me. My heart felt as if it had been ripped open, and I couldn’t put into words how I felt at that moment. I followed him like a zombie. Then, Finley led me to the hospital. When I saw the hospital, an inexplicable sense of resistance welled up in me. “I don’t want to go. I don’t want to go to the hospital.” The memory of seeing Patricia’s cold body in the morgue played over and over in my mind like a broken record, and I was shaking all over. Finley didn’t seem to notice my distress and tried to take me inside. I struggled frantically. “Let me go! Let me go!” There was a sharp pain in my neck, and I blacked out. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. I’d already been changed into dry clothes. Finley was sitting beside me. When he saw that I was awake, he was overjoyed. “Natalie, how are you? Do you feel any pain anywhere?” My face was pale, and I waved my hand dismissively. “No, I don’t want to stay in the hospital. Can we go home?” I didn’t know if it was just my imagination, but I got the sense that Finley was extremely excited. Finley stopped me from getting up. “Natalie, you just got drenched in the rain. Stay in the hospital and rest well for one night. We can leave tomorrow.” I thought about it for a moment and then nodded in agreement.

Finley made up an excuse about going to buy me food and headed out. I stared at his back, and my vision gradually grew hazy. He was right. I was completely dependent on him, even after finding out about his past actions. The instant I laid eyes on him, all my anger and resentment melted away. I sniffled, thinking, “After all, back then, he just stood by and did nothing. Patricia’s death wasn’t his fault, and he seems intent on making amends.” I wanted to forgive him. During my final days, I wanted to spend the remaining time with him in peace. I muttered, “Patricia, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me for being selfish. I can’t bear to lose him.” There was a sound at the door, and I thought it must be Finley coming back. I quickly got out of bed, eager to open the door for him. Just as my hand reached the doorknob, Finley’s gentle voice sounded. “Harper, you can have the surgery tomorrow. I’ve managed to get the heart.” I didn’t know what was said on the other end of the phone, but his smile grew even more tender. At that moment, a chill spread through my entire body. When he walked in, he was holding a surgical consent form. He approached me and gently stroked my hair, his eyes filled with sorrow. “Natalie, why didn’t you tell me about such a huge thing?” There was a hint of sob in his voice. “The doctor said that as long as you cooperate with the treatment, there’s still hope for you to beat this gastric cancer.” He held out the surgical consent form to me. I lost my mind and tore the paper to shreds, my voice sharp. “Get out! Get out! I won’t sign it!” I knew what he was up to. He wanted me to donate my heart to Harper and was trying to get me to sign the consent form. Finley looked at me as if I were a stubborn, disobedient child and kept trying to convince me. “Natalie, you’re so irrational. Don’t you want to be with me forever?” He took out another surgical consent form and shoved it forcefully into my hand. “Sign it now. I’ll have the doctor arrange the surgery for tomorrow morning.” I held the pen, and my fingertips trembled uncontrollably. I looked up at him, my eyes filled with hope. “Do I have to have the surgery tomorrow morning?” Finley didn’t even hesitate. “Yes, the earlier you start the treatment, the better. Natalie, don’t be scared. I won’t leave you. I’ll always be here to protect you.” I lowered my eyes, closed my eyes, and wrote down my name. I thought, “Finley, since you’ve already made up your mind, let it be as you wish.” I lay on the cold operating table, a cold shiver running up my spine. Watching the doctors bustling around in front of me, I found my head grew dizzier by the second.

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During my brain surgery, Jason Lee, the medical student I had sponsored for ten years, deliberately switched my anesthesia. I lay there with my eyes wide open in terror, while he told everyone it was an awake craniotomy. In my last phone call before the surgery, I desperately pleaded with my fiancée for help, but she impatiently cut me off: “Lucas, not everyone is as paranoid as you about brain tumors.” “Jason is being generous by agreeing to perform your surgery despite your past conflicts. Just cooperate with him and stop bothering me!” The next second, my phone was snatched away. As they cut open my scalp and drilled into my skull, I died in excruciating pain. With my last breath, I left a message exposing Jason’s crime. However, my fiancée testified in Jason’s defense: “Lucas’s chances of surviving the surgery were already slim. His death has nothing to do with Jason.” When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the moment just after the anesthesia was switched, at the start of the surgery.

“Lucas Foster, did you think that pitiful amount of money you used to sponsor me would make you superior?” Jason sneered. “So what if you’re the young master of a wealthy family? In Scarlett’s eyes, you’re nothing but a pathetic lapdog. I just had to say the word, and she handed you over to me as a lab rat.” His voice was deliberately lowered, whispering right next to my ear. The anesthesia was steadily eroding my consciousness. I forced my eyes open with all my might. The pungent smell of disinfectant, the blinding surgical lights above – everything reminded me of the truth. I had been reborn. Reborn to the day Jason performed my brain surgery. In my previous life, he had arbitrarily administered a low dose of anesthesia, causing me to remain conscious throughout the procedure, experiencing the full terror and agony of having my skull opened. “How about we give Scarlett a call to confirm?” Jason taunted. As my thoughts cleared, I realized Jason had already dialed Scarlett’s number. He raised an eyebrow at me challengingly, tossing the phone near my hand before turning to prepare the surgical tools. Just like in my previous life, Scarlett’s voice was cold and impatient: “Jason comes from a prestigious background. He’s the young master of a wealthy family. How could he possibly dirty his hands just to harm you?” “Just cooperate with him for the awake craniotomy. If you survive, he’ll get a promotion. It’s a win-win situation. Lucas, can you stop being so unreasonable?” But she knew full well that not everyone was suitable for an awake craniotomy, let alone this being only Jason’s second surgery ever. He could barely hold a scalpel steady due to years of heavy drinking. I don’t know if it was the low dose of anesthesia taking effect, but I started to lose sensation in my limbs. Scarlett called out my name. She said something else, but I could barely make out the words. This time, I didn’t hysterically beg her to come save me like in my previous life. Instead, I hung up the phone and tried to call my father with trembling hands. In my past life, my family had always disapproved of my relationship with Scarlett. I had secretly used my resources to help her climb the ranks and become the head of Mercy Hospital. Only then did they stop objecting. If they found out that Scarlett and Jason were using my life for practice, they would never let it go. “Dad…” I managed to say. But as soon as the call connected, Jason snatched the phone away and hung up right in front of me. “I knew you wouldn’t behave,” he said. Jason deliberately held his shaking hand in front of my eyes. His gaze, visible through the protective mask, was filled with undisguised hatred. A shadow moved from my side to above my head. The blinding surgical light made it impossible to see his actions clearly. The fear of the unknown danger was even more terrifying than witnessing it firsthand. The excruciating pain from my previous life was still vivid in my mind. The cold, sharp scalpel pressed against my scalp. My heart was about to leap out of my throat, but I couldn’t move. Just as I thought I was going to relive the nightmare of my past life, the door to the operating room burst open. My friend Ryan glanced at the heart rate monitor and grabbed Jason’s arm: “Jason, are you insane? The anesthesia dose is too low. He’s clearly still conscious. How could you start the surgery?” Ryan looked around the operating room angrily at the other staff: “You’re all just going along with Jason’s recklessness? If word of this gets out, you’ll all be in big trouble!” The others exchanged uneasy glances, their faces showing signs of internal struggle.

Jason let out a scornful laugh: “So what if it gets out? This operation was approved by the hospital director. Scarlett just called to say that Lucas’s surgery is entirely in my hands.” “Don’t believe me? Want to call and ask him yourself?” After receiving Jason’s piercing glare, the staff in the operating room all lowered their heads. In my previous life, Jason had been strutting around the hospital using my identity. With Scarlett backing him, no one dared to cross him. Ryan was so angry his chest was heaving. “Get out of my way!” Jason shoved him aside. Ryan lost his balance and knocked over the surgical tray, cutting his cheek on a scalpel. “Are you the lead surgeon or am I? Keep causing trouble and I’ll have the director fire you!” Ryan took a few steps back, secretly patting my hand. He was about to leave when I desperately grabbed onto the hem of his scrubs. In my previous life, Ryan had gone to confront Scarlett out of anger. After my death, Scarlett had pinned everything on him, ruining his reputation and driving him to suicide by jumping into a river. Having lived another life, I didn’t want to implicate him again. I struggled to speak: “Don’t go to her… Contact the chairman of Foster Group…” Ryan nodded and turned to leave. But Jason grabbed him and pulled him back, landing a punch: “Who said you could leave before the surgery’s over? You think you can tattle to my dad? You’re not worthy!” “Jason, you… let him go!” I was furious but helpless, unable to move a muscle. The low dose of anesthesia kept me conscious but I could barely speak clearly. I could only glare at him fiercely: “That’s my dad… If you dare touch me today… I’ll make you pay a hundredfold, a thousandfold in the future!” Jason sneered, completely ignoring my warning: “You claim to be the young Foster heir, but ask anyone here – who would believe you?” Everyone present kept their eyes down, tacitly agreeing with Jason’s words. My heart sank. Jason leaned in close to my ear again and whispered: “Besides, even if you were the real deal, as long as you die here today, your dad will let me into the Foster family as the true young master, the heir to the family fortune.” “When that happens, the fake will become real.” My pupils constricted in shock. I was filled with bitter hatred, but the paralysis had spread to my mouth and tongue. I could only drool, unable to utter a single word. Seeing me like this, Jason smiled with satisfaction. Just as he was gloating, Ryan suddenly broke free from Jason’s grip and ran towards the door. However, a moment later, several men in black suits pushed their way in, grabbing Ryan and shoving him in front of Jason. “Dr. Lee, the hospital director instructed us to ensure you can perform the surgery without any disturbances,” one of them said. “With us here today, we won’t let anyone interfere with your work.” “Whether the operation succeeds or not, we won’t let any information unfavorable to you leak out.” Jason raised his eyebrows at me tauntingly. My heart sank to rock bottom. This was the woman I had loved unconditionally for seven years. I suddenly felt incredibly foolish. Another dose of anesthesia was injected, and soon Ryan lay helplessly on the floor. The men in black suits lined up at the door of the operating room. At some point, Jason had moved above me. The low dose of anesthesia left me completely paralyzed. My conscious mind clearly felt my scalp being cut open. The pain made my whole body tremble. I could barely speak, my mind involuntarily imagining that gruesome scene. My heart was also pounding violently, blood pressure skyrocketing. Just then, a phone rang. A young nurse rushed in, her face pale: “Dr. Lee, Ms. Foster wants you to take the call.”

Jason’s hand trembled, the blade leaving a long gash on my scalp. I saw a glimmer of hope and stammered: “Emma…” But Jason clamped his hand over my mouth. His blood-covered hand pressed down on the breathing mask and nasopharyngeal tube. The wound on my scalp continued to throb with pain, but I could only stare intently at Jason. Unable to say a word, even breathing became difficult. Jason turned his head and spoke into the phone in a low voice: “Emma, the surgery isn’t over yet. Yes, that’s right, Dr. Wang is the lead surgeon, I’m just assisting. Don’t worry, everything is going smoothly so far. We’ll do our best, I have to go now…” “He’s lying!” Ryan gritted his teeth and shouted. Jason’s face changed. He gave a look to the guards at the door. They immediately went over to cover Ryan’s mouth and injected him with another dose of anesthesia. I tried to struggle and make a sound to reach Emma, but it was futile. Several nurses held down my arms, copying Jason by covering my mouth. Jason held the phone in one hand and the scalpel in the other, randomly slashing at my scalp: “It’s nothing, Emma. Don’t worry.” “Patients under anesthesia often become delirious and say nonsense. It’s perfectly normal.” Each cut was agonizing, making me break out in a cold sweat and tremble uncontrollably. In Jason’s last surgery, he had been on the phone while performing a C-section on a pregnant woman. Distracted by the call, he had left a piece of gauze inside the patient. By the time it was discovered, the woman had already died of sepsis and high fever. The scandal was barely contained after Scarlett spent a fortune to suppress it. And now, Jason was clearly trying to kill me. He hung up the phone. A nurse approached and whispered hesitantly: “Dr. Lee, the patient’s blood pressure is dangerously high. His heart rate is too fast. If this continues, he could die from oxygen deprivation.” Jason said nothing, giving her a meaningful look. The nurse immediately pressed her lips tightly and stepped back. My vision started to blur, and my mind felt hazy. I couldn’t tell if it was from the anesthesia or lack of oxygen. In my daze, I seemed to hear the sound of the skull drill. The same buzzing noise as in my previous life. Even though I had been given another chance, why was it still ending up like this? But I didn’t want to die. I stared helplessly at the light above, feeling like my throat was being squeezed shut, unable to breathe. Suddenly, a commotion broke out. Scarlett burst in wearing a white coat. I instinctively tensed up. However, she didn’t even glance at me. She just smiled and linked arms with Jason: “How much longer until the surgery is over? The eldest Ms. Foster is waiting outside. After you’re done, let’s all go out for a meal together.” Her tone was gentle, completely different from her cold attitude towards me. But having lived through this once before, seeing her now barely stirred any emotions in me. Only the words “eldest sister” made me force my eyes open through the drowsiness. I don’t know what Jason said, but Scarlett laughed and snuggled into his arms. The drill bit of the skull drill slipped to the wrong spot. It felt like my scalp was being forcibly torn off. I clenched my jaw and stared intently at the surgical tray 30 centimeters to my right. Move a finger, just move one finger, please… I pleaded silently, using all my strength to swing my arm. Scarlett rushed over to hold me down. The skull drill fell to the ground, hitting the surgical tray and sending the tools clattering to the floor. “What’s with all the commotion? Did something happen to my brother?” Emma’s voice came through. The next moment, the door was pushed open a crack. [BREAK POINT]

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I spent three years in prison for my husband Adam’s company. When I got out, all I received was a $1 bonus check for the business opening. Just as I thought there must have been a mistake, I noticed the girl next to me, Lily, also only had a single dollar bill in her envelope. Putting aside my concerns, I happily accompanied Adam to complete the opening ceremony. But that night, I came across Lily’s Instagram post. She had shared a photo of a check: “Congrats on the big opening, boss! So generous with that $1 million bonus!” The comments were full of envy, congratulating her on her relationship with the “boss.” Not only did Adam fail to explain, he was quick to distance himself from me: “You just got out of prison, it’s not appropriate to go public. Let’s keep our marriage secret for now. Just call me boss in front of others.” Then he immediately liked Lily’s Instagram post. I wiped away a tear and called his arch-rival. “I’ll work for you from now on.” “You were willing to go to prison for three years for Adam’s business. Why the sudden change to work for me?” “I remember he promised to give you a department manager position when you got out. Are you sure you don’t want it?” I fidgeted with the $1 bill, letting out a bitter laugh. “Mm, I don’t want it anymore.” Just as I said that, Adam suddenly appeared in front of me, asking suspiciously: “What don’t you want?” I calmly hung up the phone and told the truth: “The department manager position.” Hearing this, a flash of relief crossed the man’s complex expression. “Good. I was planning to give it to Lily anyway. You can start as a clerk for now.” Hearing these words, I couldn’t help but frown. Back then, I endured three years behind bars for Adam’s company. He had repeatedly promised me that when I got out, the position would be mine and mine alone. Who would have thought that in the end, I’d become nothing more than a lowly office worker. At this moment, Adam was breaking the promise he made three years ago with his own mouth. But I couldn’t see a hint of guilt in his eyes. My eyes burned as an unstoppable pain flooded my heart. Seeing I didn’t respond, Adam took out a contract from his briefcase and tossed it on the coffee table. He said nonchalantly: “This is a secret marriage agreement, for the sake of the company.” The words “Secret Marriage Agreement” stung my eyes badly. Three years ago, the day before I went to prison, Adam and I got our marriage certificate. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of a happy married life after my release. But now, I had become something he was ashamed to mention. He even wanted me to disappear without a trace. I laughed bitterly to myself, picked up the pen without a second thought. Adam suddenly turned his head, frowning as he watched me about to sign. She who once couldn’t wait to announce this marriage to the world, how could she suddenly be so decisive? He instinctively grabbed my wrist, his words puzzling: “You’re not even going to think about it?” I didn’t even look up, signing immediately. Getting the secret marriage agreement as he wished, he fell oddly silent for a moment. After a while, he cleared his throat, his voice turning gentle: “Rachel, don’t worry. Once the company stabilizes, I’ll definitely make it up to you properly.” I responded with a noncommittal “mm”, just as the company WhatsApp group lit up. Lily had become the company’s first department manager, with all the employees offering congratulations. “You’ve been by the boss’s side these past three years, we’ve all seen it. This position is well-deserved!” “I think Lily will be the boss’s wife soon, right? We’ll have to get on your good side from now on.” Immediately after, Lily sent a shy emoji, tacitly accepting everything. “I still think Rachel is luckier. She went to prison for three years and can still be a clerk at the company. The boss really spoils her!” Knowing the truth, she was clearly mocking me. I struggled to look away from the screen, inadvertently catching Adam staring at his phone. The smile on his lips was a tenderness I had never seen before. It made me wonder. Was his secret marriage to me really for the company, or was it for Lily?

To fulfill the secret marriage contract, Adam moved from the master bedroom to the guest room. Besides that, he also made it crystal clear: I wasn’t allowed to ride in the same car as him. I couldn’t talk to him at the company, only call him boss. And his relationship with Lily was just an act, I wasn’t allowed to make a fuss about it. After explaining everything, Adam disappeared for three days. It wasn’t until I took a day off work with a fever that he bothered to call me: “You’ve only been working a few days and you’re already taking time off. Aren’t you being a bit dramatic?” “You’ll have to go to the hospital yourself. I’m still on a business trip, I can’t take you.” An expected result. I mumbled a vague “mm”. But just as I finished speaking, a coquettish female voice came through the phone: “Adam, my zipper’s stuck! Come help me quick!” Although Adam quickly hung up, I still heard the sound of his hurried footsteps. Looking at Lily’s Instagram again, she had already changed her profile picture. It matched Adam’s as a couple. I remembered when we were dating, I always pestered him to use matching profile pictures. But he always had countless reasons to refuse me: Too much trouble, childish, tasteless… I don’t know what came over him, but he started frantically texting and calling me. I only replied once: “This is my rest time, please understand, boss.” After finishing the IV drip, I returned to the company. My coworkers were as cold to me as ever, piling work on my desk. In their minds, I was probably just a lucky ex-con taken in by the boss. I should naturally take on more. I adjusted my mood and packed all the couple items from the storage cabinet into a black garbage bag. If I had known they would never see the light of day, I wouldn’t have worked so hard to bring them to the office. I was about to go throw them away when Adam unexpectedly returned. Before I could react, he angrily dragged me all the way to the stairwell. Seeing the garbage bag in my hand, the man’s face darkened: “You have time to clean up garbage but not to return my calls?” The strong perfume on him made me take a step back involuntarily as I said calmly: “I replied to your message.” Hearing this, Adam seemed to catch fire, demanding: “Why did you call me ‘boss’ on the phone?” What’s the difference between on the phone and in person? He was the one who told me to, so why was he upset when I did? Seeing I had no intention of explaining, he let out a cold laugh: “You know I don’t like willful women. You’d better not turn into someone I hate.” As he spoke, he snatched the bag from my hand and hurled it to the ground with all his might. Amid the thunderous crash echoing through the stairwell, he strode away. Looking at the shattered photos and couple mugs, my heart trembled. Just like our years of feelings would ultimately be broken to pieces. I cleaned up the fragments and called a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement. After getting the document, I printed a copy in the copy room. Just as I had mentally prepared myself and was about to knock, Adam opened the door first. Meeting his icy gaze, I calmly handed over the document: “Sign it when you have time.” But Adam didn’t even look at it, flipping straight to the last page to sign. Then he handed it back casually, instructing: “Come out with me for a business dinner later. Be smart and remember to help block the drinks.” I was puzzled – Adam could usually hold his liquor well, why did he need me to block drinks? Before I could ask, Lily bounced out from behind him: “Boss is so thoughtful! You even remembered I have a cold and can’t drink!”

Lily sat next to Adam wrapped in a blanket, her head resting directly on his shoulder. Seeing me, she frowned and complained: “The boss is just overreacting. It’s only a cold, but he won’t let me drink or go to work. If I hadn’t begged him, he wouldn’t even bring me to this business dinner.” Hearing her say this, Adam fondly tapped her nose. “I don’t care what you say. Just don’t cry when it’s time to take your medicine.” The two people before me were clearly a couple in love. His gentle humor was also a side of him I found unfamiliar. Clutching the divorce agreement in my hand, I felt oddly relieved. Arriving at the restaurant, Adam exchanged pleasantries with the business partners for a while. Then he stepped back and began introducing everyone. “This is Lily, our company’s department manager.” When introducing me, the partner’s boss frowned slightly. “I remember clearly, this young lady went to prison for owing money. Boss Adam, you really are loyal to old friends.” Adam tensed up, glancing at me before laughing it off in agreement. During the project discussion, Adam and Lily’s seats were pressed close together. He kept giving me looks, telling me to proactively help block drinks for Lily. At the table, someone noticed their intimate gestures and couldn’t help teasing: “Boss Adam and Miss Lily look so well-matched. I wonder if the boss is married?” As soon as the words fell, Adam looked at me, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. The next second, we said in unison: “No.” Even though we gave the same answer, he abruptly turned his head to stare at me in shock. It wasn’t until the partners went to the restroom that he messaged me: “It’s all just an act, don’t take it to heart.” Adam said it was acting, but I was telling the truth. After all, he had already signed the divorce agreement. I glanced at the message and flipped my phone face down. Seeing this, Adam was about to get up and come over, but I turned and went to the restroom. Coming out of the stall, I ran into Lily. She stood with her arms crossed, clearly with a victorious attitude. “Rachel, you’re truly pathetic as a woman. To be so despised by your husband – if it were me, I definitely wouldn’t have the face to show myself in public.” I washed my hands nonchalantly, saying coolly: “That’s not for Miss Lily to worry about.” Drying my hands, I prepared to leave. But Lily darted in front of me, looking me up and down. “How can the boss’s wife still wear such rags?” “Oh I forgot, Adam must have spent all the money buying me haute couture. Sorry about that.” The expensive brands she wore seemed to constantly remind me of the difference between $1 and $1 million. In an instant, the bitterness that had built up in my heart exploded, and I fled in a panic. Back in the private room, I picked up my bag to leave. Adam hurriedly came over to stop me, his tone gentle: “Don’t go yet, I’ll take you home later.” I was about to refuse when Lily suddenly burst in crying. Instantly attracting everyone’s attention. Adam immediately let go of me and ran over to ask what had happened. Lily was frantically rummaging through her bag and all her pockets. Then she cried out in dismay: “My custom diamond ring is missing!”

As soon as the words left her mouth, everyone in the room started looking for Lily’s ring. While searching, she kept muttering: “This was a birthday gift from Boss Adam, worth over $3 million. I can’t bear to lose it!” Though I didn’t know what game she was playing, I just wanted to leave immediately. But just as I reached the door, Lily blocked me. “Rachel, let me check your bag. Otherwise you won’t be able to clear your name.” Whether or not I stole her ring, I knew the truth. “I’m tired. Miss Lily can look for it herself.” Seeing I was determined to leave, Lily actually grabbed my bag directly. In the struggle, the contents of my bag spilled all over the floor. And among the scattered items, there was indeed a sparkling large diamond ring. I stared at the ring in shock, suddenly meeting Lily’s provocative gaze. “Why are you framing me?” Turning around, I found everyone looking at me with contempt. Especially Adam, who frowned with disgust in his eyes. I instinctively tried to explain to him: “I didn’t take this!” But my explanation seemed so feeble in the face of the glaring “evidence”. Next, Lily picked up the ring and started crying even harder. “This ring means so much to me. How could Rachel steal it?” “I thought Rachel had reformed in prison, but I never expected she’d still do anything for money. I don’t dare work with her anymore…” Lily’s words made everyone’s expressions turn ugly. The partner’s boss spoke up first, breaking the awkward silence: “Boss Adam, let’s call off this deal!” With that, he stormed out of the room with his people. I wanted to chase after them to explain, but was met with a solid slap from Adam. Meeting my incredulous gaze, there wasn’t a hint of regret in his eyes. “I never thought you’d be the type to see money and lose your mind!” “I brought you out, not for you to steal things!” Adam’s words completely convicted me. Didn’t he know what kind of person I was? Had he also forgotten why I went to prison? Seeing the anger in his eyes, I knew he would never believe me. I could only laugh bitterly and hand him my phone. “Then call the police.” He looked down at the phone, then frowned at me again, still not moving. The long stare seemed to let me see through the man before me. After a while, Adam snorted coldly, “Ridiculous!” He turned around, helped Lily put on the diamond ring, and gently coaxed her to leave. In the room, only I remained, along with the mess on the floor. I picked up my scattered belongings and headed straight for the airport without hesitation. In the late night waiting area. I was about to draft a resignation letter when I received a dismissal notice from Adam first. His words were filled with anger: “Don’t come to the company anymore. Stay home and reflect on yourself!” Seeing his absurd demands, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Without thinking, I sent him a photo of the signed divorce agreement. Along with the text: “Adam, I wish you and Lily a hundred years of happiness and growing old together!” “But first you need to get our divorce certificate, otherwise I’ll report you for bigamy.” After I sent this, Adam started frantically calling me like his life depended on it. This is the cutoff point I hung up on all the calls, so Adam sent messages instead: “Rachel, what kind of joke are you playing? When did I ever agree to divorce?!” “If you really think there’s something between Lily and me, then I’ll actually do something with her for you to see!”

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On our fifth wedding anniversary, Vanessa’s junior colleague posted a photo of them scuba diving together on social media. The caption read: “Nothing sweeter than diving with my boss 💕” I commented, reminding them to be safe while diving, but my comment was instantly deleted. Vanessa immediately video called me, her face beautifully made up but full of impatience. “I’m on a company retreat with my employees. Why are you being so passive-aggressive in the comments?” “My employees can make money for me, can you? You’re just a sick man staying at home without earning a penny. How dare you criticize my staff!” In the background, I could see other employees comforting her junior colleague. Before I could explain, Vanessa hung up abruptly and blocked me. The next moment, her junior colleague flaunted a million-dollar watch on social media. I knew it was Vanessa’s way of compensating him. I tossed the anniversary gift I had prepared for Vanessa into the trash. Five years of marriage, it was time to end it. “I’m sorry, sir, but we only have one room left in the hotel today,” the receptionist at the Maldives resort apologized to me. Lucy, standing beside me, looked troubled. “Ryan and I were supposed to share a room, and you with Vanessa…” “Jack Sullivan, what are you doing here in the Maldives?” Vanessa, who had just berated me on video, stepped out of the hotel elevator. Behind her were several employees she had brought on this company retreat. Chris Zhang, Vanessa’s junior colleague and secretary, was carrying her bag and standing intimately close to her. Vanessa furrowed her brows and stormed over to me, her voice a mix of disbelief and anger. “Is this really necessary, Jack? Just because I’m a few days late coming home, you followed me all the way to another country?!” Two weeks ago, Vanessa had left for the Maldives on a company retreat, promising to return two days early to celebrate our anniversary together. But when the day came for her to return, she didn’t show up. I was worried sick at home, wondering if something had happened to them in the Maldives, so I anxiously called her several times. She impatiently accused me: “I’ve only been gone for a few days and you’re calling every day! How annoying! I’ve never seen such a nagging man. I’m not some little wife you can keep locked up!” My heart sank as I realized that my concern for her was nothing but a shackle in her eyes. It was she who had eagerly proposed to me several times, asking me to put a diamond ring on her finger, saying she belonged only to me and would be my wife alone. I coughed lightly, my expression cold as I looked down at her. “You can come to the Maldives for a vacation, why can’t I?” “What’s with that tone? You’re clearly stalking me!” Vanessa glared up at me, indignant. Lucy, standing next to me, quickly tried to smooth things over. Only then did Vanessa notice Lucy and me standing together. She looked at us suspiciously. Chris suddenly chimed in with a smile: “Jack, are you here on vacation with this beautiful lady? What a coincidence that you’re staying at the same hotel!” Vanessa’s face immediately changed, her eyes full of jealousy and envy. She stepped forward and pinched my arm hard, yelling: “How dare you betray me and have an affair with Lucy!?” I shook off her hand, coldly saying, “Are you crazy? Lucy is my buddy’s girlfriend. Don’t spread rumors!” My friend Ryan had just returned from the restroom. Seeing the situation, he quickly pulled his girlfriend into his arms to comfort her, glaring at Vanessa: “Vanessa, have you lost your mind? You know how much Jack loves you. How could you accuse him of being with my girlfriend!” Vanessa frowned, her tone full of arrogance. “Why didn’t you explain earlier!” I laughed bitterly to myself. As if she had given me a chance to explain. Lately, she had been increasingly impatient with me, just like earlier on the video call when she hung up without letting me explain. But I wouldn’t bother explaining to her anymore. There was no point. With only one room left in the hotel, I didn’t want to intrude on my friend and his girlfriend, so I had to share a room with Vanessa. I had been on a long flight, and I could feel my lungs were already overworked. Even breathing was becoming difficult. Back in the room, I sat on the couch, pale-faced, trying to rest. Vanessa urged me to go out for dinner with her employees. “I’m not feeling well, I’ll pass. You guys go ahead.” Vanessa rolled her eyes impatiently, her tone sarcastic: “You insist on coming here even though you’re sick, you deserve it! Fine, stay here then. I’ll bring you some leftovers when I’m done with dinner.” Vanessa left quickly in her high heels without giving me another glance. I opened my eyes wearily, took out my medication from my suitcase, and only felt my breathing ease after taking it. I opened my phone and sent an email to Dr. Zhang, a medical expert in treating lung conditions. Today was my fifth wedding anniversary with Vanessa. I had originally planned to come here to surprise her. But now it seems this wasn’t a surprise for her, just a shock and annoyance. Fortunately, my trip wasn’t wasted. Dr. Zhang replied that he had time to treat me over the next couple of days. I felt relieved and contacted a lawyer back home, asking him to draft a divorce agreement. When we return, I’ll officially divorce Vanessa. I fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up, Vanessa had just returned. But when I opened the takeout box, I saw cold, greasy leftovers that turned my stomach instantly. Vanessa flew into a rage: “Eat it or not, I don’t care if you starve!” She sat on the couch angrily playing with her phone, chatting with someone, a sweet shy smile gradually appearing on her face. Suddenly she said to me, “It’s too late now and the hotel’s not delivering food anymore. I’ll go out and buy you some supper.” But I had been hungry for too long and didn’t want to wait for her to go out and come back. I decided to go out with her. But Vanessa lost her temper again. “You want to follow me even to buy supper! Don’t you trust me? Do you think I’m going to meet someone? How can a man be so petty, always getting jealous! ” I hadn’t said anything, and she was already on the defensive. I said sarcastically: “You’re overthinking. I just want to eat out, otherwise how would I know what leftovers you’ll bring back this time.” Vanessa still looked unconvinced: “What leftovers? You’re just making excuses to argue with me! Now you’re finding reasons to follow me!” My stomach was cramping from hunger. I looked at her coldly, impatient. “Are you going or not? If not, give me the car keys. I’ll go eat by myself.” Vanessa rolled her eyes and reluctantly drove me to a nearby supper spot. On the way, she kept glancing at her phone while driving. The screen showed a group-buy deal for a famous restaurant nearby. When we arrived, Vanessa immediately shooed me out of the car, as if afraid I’d linger. “The staff called me over for supper. It’s not to your taste, so you eat here. I’ll come pick you up in two hours to go back to the hotel together.” With that, she drove off in a cloud of dust. I ordered a table full of delicious food and enjoyed it alone. It’s my own body, and I won’t ruin my health for her anymore. After eating, I waited outside for Vanessa, but the agreed time had long passed without a sign of her. A gust of cold wind blew, entering my lungs through my nose. I covered my mouth and coughed violently. Spots of blood seeped through my fingers, dripping onto the ground. My heart sank. It seemed my old lung problem had worsened again. Suddenly, it started pouring rain. By the time I hurriedly retreated back into the restaurant, I was already soaked. The cold moisture invaded my lungs again, and I couldn’t help but cough up another pool of blood. The restaurant owner was startled. I had to swallow my pride and ask him to drive me back to the hotel, otherwise if I kept waiting, I might cough up my entire lung. Back at the hotel, I showered, took my medicine, and quickly arranged to see Dr. Zhang tomorrow afternoon for treatment. By chance, I saw that Chris had posted on social media ten minutes ago. Among several food photos was a picture of intertwined hands. One of the hands wore a very familiar diamond ring. The location tag on this post showed it was the trendy restaurant I had seen on Vanessa’s phone earlier. When Vanessa returned, she started yelling at me as soon as she entered the door. “Didn’t I tell you to wait for me? You came back without telling me, making me look for you in the rain for hours!” I smirked, directly exposing her lie. “Half an hour ago I was still waiting for you outside the restaurant. Where exactly were you looking for me for hours?” A flash of guilt crossed Vanessa’s face. She bit her lip and glared at me. “Hmph, anyway, you should have called me if you weren’t going to wait!” I laughed inwardly. She had blocked me this morning, how could I call her? But I was too tired to explain. I took a set of spare bedding from the hotel and put it on the couch, lying down to rest. Vanessa sneered, “Don’t want to sleep in the same bed? As if I care!” “Cough cough!” The rain earlier had affected my lungs, which were now throbbing with pain. Vanessa slammed the bedroom door, leaving only a parting shot: “Sick dog, coughing all day! It’s so annoying to hear! When we get back home, let’s sleep in separate rooms!” I would certainly fulfill her wish. After the divorce when we return, I’ll have nothing more to do with her. My lungs hurt with every breath. I couldn’t sleep all night and even coughed up blood again. But my medicine was still in the bedroom and I hadn’t brought it out. I knocked on the door for a good ten minutes, coughing, before Vanessa finally opened it, her face full of anger. She didn’t even look at me, just turned and lay back on the bed with her back to me. I took my medicine and left. Hearing me close the door, Vanessa, lying on the bed, cursed me for being sick. But I really am sick. I tilted my head back and took a pill to treat the lung bleeding. Five years ago, if it weren’t for saving Vanessa, I wouldn’t have gotten this illness. Early the next morning, Vanessa had already changed and applied her makeup, looking ready to go out. Seeing me still lying on the couch, she frowned, looking displeased. “Why aren’t you up yet?” I ignored her, replying to a message from my friend. He said he and his girlfriend were going diving today and asked if I wanted to come see the ocean. Vanessa looked at my cold profile, feeling a bit panicked. She suddenly softened her tone. “Jack, we didn’t celebrate our anniversary yesterday. Let’s go diving together today, we can make up for it, okay?” So she did remember yesterday was our wedding anniversary. But my friend had just said he and his girlfriend were diving in the same area, so I nodded, planning to meet up with them. When Vanessa and I arrived, several employees from her company retreat were already on the yacht. Chris, wearing swim trunks and shirtless, asked Vanessa to help him apply sunscreen. He deliberately showed off his physique, raising an eyebrow at me, then said softly to Vanessa: “Vanessa, can you help me put on some sunscreen? I can’t reach my back!” A tour guide on the yacht joked, “Mrs. Wells, you and your young boyfriend get along so well.” At these words, the few employees present all looked at each other awkwardly. Chris pretended to be embarrassed, scratching his head: “Jack, don’t misunderstand, the guide is just joking. Maybe he thinks Vanessa and I look good together!” I glanced at him coldly, my tone contemptuous: “Indeed, you do look like a kept man.” Chris’s expression changed slightly, flashing embarrassment and anger. “Jack, what do you mean by that? Vanessa and I are purely professional. Are you deliberately mocking me?” Vanessa also frowned at me, her tone unpleasant. “Don’t be so rude. Weren’t you and Chris like brothers when he first joined the diving club? Why are you targeting him now!” Chris was our junior in college. When I first met him, I could tell he liked Vanessa. But this guy went abroad after graduation, so I didn’t pay much attention to him. Who knew that when he returned two years ago, he went straight into Vanessa’s company as her secretary. It seems that from then on, Vanessa became increasingly cold and impatient with me. Thinking back over the past two years, the many times Vanessa stood me up, stayed out all night, perhaps Chris had already replaced me in her heart. Seeing the atmosphere turn awkward, several employees came over to smooth things over. “Jack, I remember you’re good at diving too. Why don’t you come down and enjoy it for a while?” I shook my head, refusing. “No thanks, you guys go ahead.” The employees looked awkwardly at Vanessa. She felt embarrassed and bit her lip, cursing me in a low voice: “Jack Sullivan, how can a grown man be so petty! Can’t you read the room? You’re deliberately making everyone uncomfortable. What’s wrong with you!” Chris also said: “Jack, come down and play with us. Although Vanessa personally taught me yesterday, I still haven’t learned well. Why don’t you try teaching me?” As he spoke, Chris walked over and forcefully pushed me towards the diving suits. I was already annoyed that this pretty boy had cuckolded me, and now he dared to get in my face. Angry, I raised my hand and pushed him away. “Get lost!” “Ah! Vanessa, save me!” Unexpectedly, this pretty boy suddenly tilted towards the railing and fell straight into the sea. Vanessa rushed over, pushing me aside, and jumped into the sea without hesitation to bring Chris back up. Chris lay in Vanessa’s arms, looking panicked and scared. Vanessa anxiously asked if he had swallowed any seawater. Chris spoke weakly: “Vanessa, I’m okay… cough cough! Just swallowed a little water. Don’t blame Jack. Even though I know he dislikes me, he wouldn’t deliberately push me into the sea to hurt me…” Watching Chris’s poor acting, I laughed coldly. “Didn’t you just flip over yourself? If I wanted to hurt you, I would have held you underwater. Would I have let her fish you out?” Vanessa came over angrily, raising her hand high and slapping me hard across the face. “Jack Sullivan, have you gone crazy?! If anything had happened to Chris today, I wouldn’t have let you off!” I probed my cheek with my tongue, raising my hand to wipe the blood from the corner of my mouth, looking down at her coldly. IIn all our years together, no matter how fiercely we argued, she had never hit me. Now, for Chris’s sake, she didn’t hesitate to slap me.

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I never expected that when my grandfather asked me to choose one of the Johnson brothers for marriage, I would pick Ethan, Caleb’s older brother. Everyone knew I had been Caleb’s shadow since childhood. I once made myself deathly ill, begging to marry him with my life. I smiled bitterly, remembering my past life. On our wedding day, Caleb ran away with Lily, the girl my family had been supporting, declaring he would marry no one but her. I stood there in the wedding dress I had dreamed of for so long, utterly humiliated. Only then did I realize he had agreed to marry me just to get revenge at the wedding. After being reborn, I started avoiding him at every turn. Later, when his brother Ethan held me in his arms and kissed me until my lips were swollen, Caleb, who had always looked down on me, suddenly lost control of his emotions. After setting the wedding date, I started preparing things we’d need for the ceremony. I didn’t expect to run into Caleb and his friends at the mall. “Coming out to play and still keeping such a close eye on her. Caleb, you’re watching your woman way too tightly,” his friend teased, causing Caleb to frown in annoyance. “She’s not my woman. Say that again and I’ll sew your mouth shut.” Caleb spotted me from afar and walked over, clearly displeased. “Aria, when will you give it a rest? Why do you have to follow me everywhere I go?” “You forced the elders to tie us together. Now everyone knows you’re marrying into the Johnson family. Are you satisfied now?” I stayed silent for a moment, my expression calm. “I’m not trying to tie myself to you. You’ve misunderstood.” His emotions suddenly flared up as he gripped my wrist tightly, causing pain. “Then why are you here? Aren’t you just stalking me?” I shook off his hand, instinctively rubbing my reddened wrist as I explained: “I’m here to prepare things for the wedding. I didn’t expect to run into you.” Seeing our unhappy expressions, his friends quickly gathered around. “Preparing for the wedding? Caleb, marrying her sure is convenient – you don’t have to prepare anything yourself.” Caleb glared at the speaker without responding. “Aria, don’t think that just because our families arranged this marriage, you can use these tactics to get me.” “Even if you get my body, you’ll never have my heart. I despise manipulative, vicious women like you the most.” His eyes were cold, his voice suppressing anger. But I felt nothing, only wanting to escape this troublesome situation. I looked up and met his gaze calmly: “Who wants your heart? Don’t flatter yourself. I won’t be marrying you either.” Hearing this, Caleb’s face immediately fell. “How can you still deny it at this point? You’ve always used every trick to force me to marry you. Now that you’ve finally succeeded, you’re saying you won’t marry me…” His friend bumped his shoulder: “Caleb, can’t you tell? The little lady is just mad at you. She’s saying that out of anger.” “She’s personally out choosing things for the wedding. How can she be happy when you’re being so cold and sarcastic to her?” Caleb’s expression finally softened a bit. He stared at me with a complex look, finally forcing out a sentence after a long pause. “I’ll show up for the wedding on time, but like I said, don’t expect me to ever like you.” Suddenly there was a sound of something dropping behind us. Caleb and I turned to see Lily standing there in shock, wearing a cute sundress. She was the foster child my family had been supporting. With poor health, she was a frequent hospital patient. My mother felt bad about her poor living conditions and took her in to live with us. She was now dressed up like a delicate doll, with fluttering eyelashes over watery eyes. Caleb immediately let go of me and rushed over to her. “Lily, let me explain. It’s not what you think.” Lily covered her face and ran off, not giving him a chance to explain. Everyone dispersed unhappily after Lily left. Before leaving, Caleb threatened me harshly. “If Lily gets upset over this, I won’t let you off easy.” I laughed mockingly, for a moment doubting if the childhood friend I grew up with had been possessed by someone else.

After that whole scene, I lost interest in continuing to shop and went home early. It wasn’t until evening that Caleb brought Lily back. He was carrying bags of things, with his driver following behind carrying several boxes. The boxes were filled with expensive fruits and imported snacks. It was clear Caleb had bought a lot to appease Lily. When they came in, I was curled up on the couch watching TV. I deliberately didn’t look Caleb’s way, but he came over on his own. At first he didn’t speak, just pursing his lips as if waiting for my reaction. But I kept my eyes fixed on the TV, not even glancing his way. “Aria, you clearly saw me bring in all these things. Why didn’t you come help?” I gave him an indifferent look: “Why should I help you? The stuff wasn’t bought for me. What does it have to do with me?” His expression darkened: “If you want something just say so. If word gets out that my fiancée is so desperate for a few trinkets, people will laugh at me.” Caleb completely ignored what I’d said at the mall. I couldn’t be bothered to keep emphasizing to him that I wouldn’t marry him. He’d understand completely on the wedding day. Caleb casually picked up a box of blueberries and tossed it next to me. Due to the force, the box bounced off the couch and fell to the floor. “A reward for you. Don’t say I mistreat you.” I looked down at the box of blueberries, but had no desire to pick it up. Because if I did, I’d be like a begging dog, eagerly accepting Caleb’s handouts. I don’t need that kind of charity. I curled my lips in a cold smile: “You’re quite at home in my house. Don’t you have any sense of being a guest? Don’t embarrass your family’s upbringing.” We’d grown up together and were certainly familiar with each other’s homes. I’d never said such insulting words before. Caleb’s face turned red with anger. He looked at me like he wanted to eat me alive. My parents weren’t home yet, and the staff were busy with their own tasks. Only Caleb, Lily and I were left in the living room. Caleb acted like I didn’t exist, pressing Lily against the wall and giving her a quick kiss. He murmured: “Lily, in the future if anything upsets you, just tell me directly. Don’t let it hurt your health.” Lily’s coquettish voice reached my ears. “I know. Caleb always treats me the best.” As Lily responded to him, the two started kissing passionately, their intimate sounds making one blush. I turned off the TV and walked around the couch, deliberately taking a path farther from them to reach the stairs, intending to return to my room. When I was halfway up the stairs, Caleb suddenly opened his eyes, remembering there was another person present. He instinctively pushed Lily away. Lily didn’t notice his change, just reluctantly ending the kiss. Finally Lily looked up at me, her eyes full of provocation and disdain, as if showing off her victory. Back in my room, I received a message from Lily. [Sister, even though Caleb promised you a wedding, the title of Mrs. Johnson will only ever be mine.] [Aria, whatever outcome you got in your past life, you’ll get the same this life. You can’t beat me.]

Seeing this message, my heart suddenly skipped a beat. So I wasn’t the only one who had been reborn. In my past life, after Caleb accepted the engagement, I thought he had been moved by my sincerity. After all, I had chased after him for over a decade. Even a rock should have been warmed up by now, right? I never expected that he only accepted the marriage to thoroughly humiliate me at the wedding. In front of all the guests, he tightly held Lily’s hand. He announced to everyone that he could never marry me, that Lily was the only one he loved and would marry in this life. I was utterly humiliated, standing alone in my wedding dress, trapped in awkward emotions. Everyone in our social circle knew how much I liked him. I had even made myself deathly ill, just to get my parents to agree to an engagement with the Johnson family. I had lowered myself so much, shaming myself and my parents, only to be repaid with Caleb’s revenge. He resented me for using my family’s status to force an engagement, making him and Lily separate. I also passed away from illness. I never want to experience that kind of suffering again. So after being reborn, I gave up on Caleb and chose his brother Ethan instead. But I never expected that this time, my marriage to Ethan would proceed so smoothly. There were no obstacles. I just had to wait patiently for the wedding next month to arrive on schedule. In my past life, Ethan had always worked abroad and never married. Everyone thought he had some unspeakable issue. Even my grandfather asked me to confirm again when he heard I decided to marry Ethan. Was I really sure I wanted to marry Ethan? I nodded. Even if he had some physical problem, so what? If I had to choose between them, a life of mutual respect was far better than one full of scars. The next day, I went to the jeweler to pick up the wedding rings for Ethan and me. But the staff informed me that the rings had already been taken by Mr. Caleb Johnson. This jewelry store was under the Johnson Group. If Caleb wanted to take them, the staff couldn’t stop him. Out of all the couples’ rings, he just had to take my wedding rings. Anger suddenly flared up inside me, because those rings were my own design. Since childhood, I’d had a dream of wearing rings I designed myself at my wedding to the man I loved. In the past, I thought the man wearing the matching ring would be Caleb. But now that the groom had changed, I’d torn up that old design and made a new one specially for Ethan. Yet Caleb had snatched them away. Just as I was about to call Caleb to demand an explanation, I suddenly saw Lily’s new post on social media. [A one-of-a-kind ring from my beloved.] The photo showed her and Caleb wearing the rings I had designed. People flooded the comments with congratulations. My eyes unconsciously welled up with tears. Even if the arranged marriage had once troubled Caleb, I had already backed out in time and given him his freedom. Why did he have to keep humiliating me, and even let Lily take my wedding rings? I couldn’t wait another second. I didn’t want to argue with Caleb over the phone. So I took a cab straight to Caleb’s office.

Caleb wasn’t in his office. But Lily was there. When she saw me, her eyes showed no surprise. As if she had expected I would come demand an explanation. Lily kept fiddling with the ring on her finger, occasionally pouting. “Sister, what do you think of the ring Caleb gave me?” She shook her head as she spoke. “I think it’s ugly as sin, but since Caleb gave it to me, I love it.” “I love anything he gives me.” Hearing her words, I couldn’t help but clench my fists. “Sister, do you think if I wear this ring to your wedding, I’ll steal your spotlight?” “After all, the diamond Caleb gave me is definitely bigger than whatever ring you’ll have.” Something snapped in my mind. I rushed forward to grab the ring from her hand. So Lily and I ended up in a tussle. The moment I got the ring off her finger, I felt a sharp blow to my waist. Someone kicked me hard, sending me sprawling on the ground in pain so intense I could barely breathe. Tears leaked from the corners of my eyes as I stubbornly turned my head, gritting my teeth as I glared at the petite woman now cradled in Caleb’s arms. “You crazy woman, how dare you lay hands on Lily? Don’t you know her health is fragile?” The pain spreading up from my waist was nothing compared to the ache in my heart. Caleb didn’t bother scolding me further, focused on comforting the distraught Lily. “Caleb, I can’t believe it. If you hadn’t arrived in time, would my sister have beaten me to death?” His gaze fell on Lily as he gently wiped away her tears, his movements tender and attentive. Caleb’s brows were tightly furrowed, his eyes rimmed with red. “Lily, don’t worry. I won’t let that crazy woman near you alone again.” “I won’t allow anyone to hurt you. Even if it’s the Wilson family’s daughter, I’ll turn against them if they so much as touch a hair on your head.” Caleb really went to extremes for Lily’s sake. Many people at Johnson Group knew me, including his secretary. The secretary helped me up, but Caleb angrily berated her. “Who said you could help her? Go to accounting and get your final paycheck. Don’t come in tomorrow.” The secretary stood there stunned before reluctantly leaving the office. I clutched my waist, my face flushed red. Just thinking about this humiliating situation made me want to cry. I laughed mockingly at myself. Each laugh blurred my vision a little more with unshed tears. He fired his secretary who helped me without a second thought. Did Caleb really hate me to this extent? “Crazy woman, you still have the nerve to laugh?” Caleb demanded: “I told you I would never like you. So why do you keep hurting the person I love?” I stubbornly refused to back down: “Are you blind? She’s the one who stole my things!” Caleb hesitated for a moment, but after glancing at Lily’s pitiful expression, he impatiently scolded me: “It’s just a ring. It was meant for me anyway. What’s wrong with her having it since it was meant for me!” I sneered: “You must not have a mirror, or even a puddle to look in. Check yourself – your ego is way too big!” I almost blurted out that the ring was meant for Ethan. But I suddenly remembered Ethan would be back tonight. I would thoroughly humiliate Caleb at the family dinner. I pressed a hand to my waist, each step difficult and painful. His voice came from behind me: “Come to the family dinner on your own tonight. I don’t have time to pick you up.” I left the office without looking back, a faint smile still on my lips. Laughing at his conceit, and even more at my own pathetic state. It’s fine. I don’t need him to pick me up. He’ll understand soon enough that my life will have nothing to do with him from now on. ———-This is the breakpoint———-

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After being crushed to death, I transmigrated into a poor college student in a true-and-false heiress drama. The dirt-poor male lead hurled the villa keys, gifted by the fake heiress, onto the ground, his face twisted with defiance. “Keep your damn charity!” he snarled, his voice raw with pride. The heroine, ever the saintly meddler, chimed in, her tone dripping with righteous sympathy. “Don’t underestimate a young man’s potential just because he’s broke.” Before the keys could even settle in the dust, I dove forward in a dramatic slide, snatching them up with a flourish. Heart pounding, I clutched the cold metal to my chest and declared, “Well, I need it. Thank you very much!” The fake heiress, seizing the chance to save face, gave an approving nod, her lips curling into a smirk. Just like that, I became her loyal sidekick. Whenever the heroine tried her sickly-sweet manipulations disguised as kindness, I was there, ready to slap her down with a verbal beatdown. And the male lead? Oh, the second he sat down to eat, I flipped the table, sending plates crashing and his pride into orbit. From that moment on, I clawed my way to the top.

The day I arrived at university, the entrance was swarmed with people. Pushing my way through the crowd, I caught sight of what could only be described as a scene straight out of a drama. Our male lead, female lead, and the quintessential villainess, the fake heiress, gathered there. Right there in front of everyone, the fake heiress, Molly Joyce, shoved a set of villa keys into Aiden Gray’s hand. Without missing a beat, Aiden tossed them to the ground like they were nothing more than trash. His face hardened with irritation as he glared at her. “Molly,” he snapped, “I don’t need your charity.” Beside him stood the real heiress, Celine Morton. Celine wore simple clothes but carried herself with quiet dignity. Nodding firmly, she added, “Don’t think just because you’ve got some dirty money that you’re better than poor people. Take your little key and get lost.” Molly’s face turned an unflattering shade of red as whispers rippled through the onlookers. The hushed gossip left her stranded on a stage of humiliation, her pride teetering on the edge of collapse. My eyes zeroed in on those gleaming keys lying abandoned on the ground. I thought, “A villa! Can this day get any better?” Without hesitation, I dropped to the ground in one dramatic slide and snatched up the keys before I looked up at Molly with wide-eyed admiration. “I’ll gladly take your charity, Ms. Joyce!” I declared with all the enthusiasm of someone who’d just won the lottery. Her expression instantly brightened. Clearly relieved to have found a willing recipient for her generous gift, she waved dismissively. “It’s yours. Keep it.” Celine shot daggers at me while casting mournful glances toward the discarded keys. Normally, this was where the impoverished leads would refuse such lavish gifts repeatedly, proclaiming their pride and self-worth until Molly forced them to accept under duress. But this time, I intercepted the prize. Those two probably already hated my guts. But honestly, I didn’t care. Standing tall, I sidled up behind Molly, my grin widening. “Please, shower me with your riches, Ms. Joyce! You’re truly beautiful inside and out!” I exclaimed. Molly preened under my flattery, shooting a smug glance over her shoulder at the fuming leads. Then, quirking an eyebrow, she asked, “You really need the cash?” Tears welled in my eyes as I replied, “Yes, Ms. Joyce. With this villa, I won’t have to sleep under bridges anymore!” Seemingly moved, Molly pulled a sleek black card from her designer purse and handed it to me. “There’s half a million dollars in there. Treat yourself to something nice.” She gestured toward the Lamborghini parked dramatically by the gate. “Take my luggage to the dorms, and the car is yours.” If looks could kill, Celine’s glare would’ve reduced me to ashes right then and there. In the original script, Molly should’ve handed Celine that fat stack of cash after being provoked, driving a wedge between her and Aiden. That money was supposed to belong to her. But instead, here I was, cheerfully hoisting Molly’s possibly light suitcase onto my shoulder, trudging ahead to lead the way for her. “No problem, Ms. Joyce! Feel free to call me anytime you need errands run!” Was I shameless? No. I was just desperately broke. Life hadn’t exactly been kind to me since I landed in this world a year ago. Orphaned, penniless, and surviving on scraps, I spent nights curled up in drainage tunnels, wearing clothes so threadbare that they barely kept me warm. Protein came exclusively from cockroaches. If it weren’t for my stellar grades earning me a tuition waiver, free room and board, plus a modest scholarship, I’d have starved long ago. But now, things were about to change. Clutching the keys, credit card, and the car, I could practically taste freedom and luxury. Four years of college expenses were covered. Hunger pangs were gone. Bridge-dwelling lifestyle would never be my thing again. As luck would have it, Molly turned out to be my dormmate. According to the book, she was supposed to fawn over Celine in the dorms for Aiden’s sake, only to be met with icy disdain from Celine. Each interaction would end with snide remarks about looking down on others and reminders that fortunes could flip overnight. Eventually, Celine would win back her rightful inheritance using Molly’s money before forcing her to repay everything to the Joyce family. I clenched my teeth, determination burning in my chest. “Fine. Let the main couple stick to their noble ideals of love over wealth. They didn’t want material comfort? Great. That left plenty of headaches and perks for me to handle instead.” Thinking about the opulent future ahead, I threw my head back and laughed.

Molly stared at me, her perfectly arched brows knitting together in bewilderment. “What are you grinning like an idiot for?” She was unable to wrap her head around the sight of someone losing their mind with joy over a single house and a few hundred thousand dollars. To her, this was pocket change. She had tossed such luxuries at Aiden without so much as earning a flicker of a smile in return. “Oh, nothing,” I replied, clasping my hands together as if in prayer. “I’m just thrilled at the thought of sharing a dorm with someone as beautiful, kind, elegant, and generous as you!” Molly’s cheeks flushed a delicate pink. “Oh, stop it. I’m not that great. Just call me Molly, alright? But seriously, where’s all your stuff? You didn’t bring a single bag.” I scratched the back of my head, offering a sheepish grin. “Well, I’m an orphan. Broke as a joke, too. School’s the only reason I’m here, like government grants, charity programs, you name it. Sometimes my classmates are nice enough to share their leftovers, so I don’t go hungry.” Molly’s eyes widened as she gave me a slow, disbelieving once-over, her gaze lingering on my threadbare clothes, which were riddled with patches. At first, she had probably thought I was rocking some avant-garde “beggar chic” trend, but now the truth hit her. I was the real deal. A wave of sympathy softened her expression, and before I could blink, she grabbed my wrist and tugged me toward the dorm exit. “Come on,” she declared, her voice brimming with haughty determination. “We’re going shopping! No way am I letting my sidekick look this pathetic. It’s embarrassing.” Molly marched me straight to the city’s glitziest mall, her heels clicking with purpose. Inside the most extravagant boutique, she pointed imperiously at the racks of designer clothes. “Not this one. Not this one either. Just wrap up everything else for me.” My jaw dropped as I glimpsed the bill, a dizzying string of zeros that made my hands tremble. “Molly, honestly, I think the stuff from the street vendors outside is just fine.” She whirled on me, her eyes flashing with indignation. “You’re my sidekick, so you do as I say. This? This is pocket change. Stop humiliating me and let them pack it up!” It took all my pleading and the excuse that I physically couldn’t carry any more bags to talk her out of buying out the entire store. Even so, by the time we left, I was dripping in luxury: a sleek Louis Vuitton bag slung over my shoulder, a twinkling starlit watch on my wrist, gemstone jewelry glinting at my throat, and a wardrobe of high-end clothes that cost more than I had ever dreamed of. My arms were weighed down with bags of gourmet supplements, too. “Look at you, all skin and bones,” Molly huffed, eyeing me critically. “You’re an embarrassment to take out in public. When we get back, you’re eating every last bite of this. No scraps left. Got it? And don’t you dare wear the same outfit twice. I’ll wire you a million dollars a month, so don’t even think about shaming me with repeats.” Tears welled up in my eyes, hot and grateful, and I snapped to attention, giving her a salute. “Yes, ma’am! Mission accepted!” Inside, I whispered under my breath, “Please bless this woman. If being the lackey of the so-called “villainess” means living like this, then sign me up. If this is what “evil” looks like, then the world can use a few less goody-two-shoes saints.”

Back at the dorm, Celine had already charmed our two other roommates, the three of them giggling like old friends. But the second I walked in, arms overflowing with shopping bags, her face darkened. She shot to her feet, pointing an accusing finger at Molly. “Molly, this is too much! Nora Gomez isn’t your servant, so you can’t just boss her around like this. It’s degrading!” Before Molly could even respond, I charged forward, my voice ringing with indignation. “Celine, mind your own business!” Celine blinked, undeterred, her eyes wide with faux concern. “Nora, I’m trying to help you! I know exactly what kind of person Molly is. She thinks her dirty money gives her the right to bully everyone. This is textbook campus harassment. You don’t have to be afraid of her!” Molly’s lips pursed, her temper flaring as she snapped, “I’m not bossing her around, you drama queen! What are you even yapping about? I paid her, not enslaving her!” Our other two roommates, clearly siding with the more familiar Celine, frowned at Molly’s sharp tone. “Hey, we’re all roommates here. Do you have to talk like that?” Celine, ever the martyr, dabbed at her crocodile tears, clutching the others’ arms. “It’s fine, really. We’re just poor, so of course she looks down on us. Please, don’t ruin our dorm harmony over me.” My internal alarm blared like a siren. “Oh, enough, Celine! These are my things, and here you are, slandering Molly without a shred of proof. You cry ‘bullying,’ but if anyone’s playing the victim card, it’s you!” Celine gaped, pointing at the pile of Louis Vuitton bags at my feet. “You’re a scholarship girl. There’s no way you could afford stuff like that!” “Oh, so because I’m poor, I must be someone’s lapdog or sugar baby, is that it?” I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Sounds to me like you’re the one who looks down on poor people, Celine.” The other two roommates exchanged uneasy glances, their eyes flickering to Celine with newfound doubt. “And another thing,” I added, my voice rising with righteous fury. “I didn’t eat your food, and Molly didn’t spend your money. So why are you so hellbent on painting her as the bad guy? She even thought of all of us while she was out shopping!” To prove my point, I dug into the mountain of bags and pulled out three identical Louis Vuitton purses, thrusting one into each of their hands. The roommates’ eyes widened at the price tags, guilt washing over their faces as tears welled up. “Oh my gosh, we were so wrong,” Lexie Willis sobbed, clutching the bag like a lifeline. “Seriously, bring on more of this ‘campus bullying,’” Adley Elliott wailed, laughing through her tears. Celine’s eyes bulged, her face flushing a furious red. “Pathetic,” she thought. “They’re just swayed by Molly’s money, huh? But I wasn’t done.” “Sounds like you’re the one who hates the rich, Celine,” I said coolly. “Molly didn’t spend a dime of your cash, and now that you’ve got a bag in your hands, are you really going to keep badmouthing us without so much as an apology?” I bit my lip, the old saying echoing in my mind, “Take someone’s gifts, and you’re at their mercy; eat their food, and your words turn soft.” At my announcement, my roommates wouldn’t turn on Molly like they did in the story. Instead, they would probably think I was loyal, standing up for a friend with fierce righteousness. “Yeah, Molly’s just blunt. But she’s actually pretty great,” Adley said, bobbing her head like a dashboard toy. “Exactly,” Lexie agreed. “We’ve seen it with our own eyes. She even got us these amazing gifts. Celine, maybe you’re overreacting a bit?” Celine’s face twisted, her cheeks burning as she gripped her own bag, clearly humiliated. Then, in a dramatic flourish straight out of the male lead’s playbook, she raised her hand to fling the purse away. But I wasn’t about to let her grandstand. With a theatrical leap, I snatched the bag midair, cutting her performance short. “Oh, I get it! You’re too pure for ‘dirty money,’ right? Well, in that case, I’ll just take this back, so you don’t have to sully your precious principles or ruin our precious ‘dorm harmony.’” As we stepped outside, Molly’s eyes sparkled with delight, a grin spreading across her face. “That was incredible,” she yelled. For years, she had been the punching bag of Celine and Aiden, pouring out her fortune in pursuit of Aiden, only to watch everyone turn against her, baffled by their disdain. But today, my performance had cemented my place as her number-one ally. Basking in her praise, I felt the ruby necklace at my throat gleam even brighter, as if it, too, reveled in our triumph. “When Ms. Joyce is in despair, I drown in her sorrow! When she is in bliss, I soar with her joy! I’ll raise the grandest banner for her, waving it high with unwavering devotion!” I promised secretly.

Molly swept us, me and our two roommates, into the city’s swankiest influencer hotspot, a seafood restaurant so upscale that it felt like stepping into a fever dream of luxury. The waiters were all chiseled, six-foot-five male models who looked like they had just strutted off a runway. As they set down platters of glistening lobster and caviar-drizzled oysters, I swear I felt tears of joy leak from the corners of my mouth, while drool threatened to spill from my eyes. I dug in with reckless abandon, shoveling food into my mouth like a woman possessed, letting out little mewls of ecstasy as each bite purified my soul. But just as I was about to ascend to culinary nirvana, a deep, accusatory voice boomed from the entrance. “Molly, I knew it! Celine was right. You’re all here having a feast, and you didn’t even invite her? Don’t you think freezing out your own roommate is straight-up bullying?” I froze, a shrimp halfway to my mouth, as Aiden stormed in, dragging a tear-streaked Celine behind him. Her delicate frame trembled, a perfect portrait of wounded innocence, like a rain-soaked flower. Aiden, all righteous fury, jabbed a finger at Molly’s nose, his voice dropping into a commanding growl, “If you want to keep being my friend, you’ll apologize to Celine. Right now.” Aiden stood there, radiating smug confidence, clearly convinced he had Molly wrapped around his finger. After all, he knew she had been pining for him forever. In his mind, Molly was nothing but a shallow rich girl, frittering away her days on frivolous pleasures, always flaunting her “dirty money” to belittle him. Celine, on the other hand, was the only one who truly respected him. Today, he was determined to make Molly grovel. Molly shot to her feet, her chair scraping against the polished floor. “I’ll invite whoever I damn well please. If you’re going to beg, at least pick a place Celine can afford to step foot in. She’s like a bad penny, always turning up where she’s not wanted.” Celine, clinging to Aiden’s sleeve, blinked up at him with doe-like eyes, her voice quivering. “Molly, I know you’ve always had a thing for Aiden, but love, whether it’s romance or friendship, can’t be forced. No matter how much money you throw at our roommates, it won’t change the bond we all share.” At her words, I nearly choked on my lobster. “Bond? You’ve known them for, what, a day? I bet you don’t even remember their names,” I thought. Molly’s lips trembled, her anger warring with the humiliation of having Aiden witness this showdown. She was fuming, but the words seemed to stick in her throat, leaving her flushed and speechless. I sighed inwardly, “Oh, Molly, no wonder you’re the ‘villainess.’ You’re hopeless at clapping back when it counts, while Celine’s over here spinning tales by the bucketload.” I grabbed a silk napkin, dabbing my hands with deliberate calm, and cast a sidelong glance at Aiden. His pants were streaked with grime, his shirt rumpled, his whole vibe screaming “just rolled out of a construction site.” This was the guy Molly had fawned over for years, showering him with job offers and flooding his accounts with cash. With all that money, he could just let it sit in the bank, raking in interest. However, after all these years, he still clung to this same pitiful look. What a hypocrite, playing the martyr while reaping the rewards! “Hold up,” I said, my voice cutting through the tension. “Having dinner is ‘isolating’ someone now? You’re gonna need some proof to back up that accusation.” Aiden bristled, his eyes flashing like a cat with its tail stepped on. “Proof? I’m looking at it! You’re all here, wining and dining, while Celine, your roommate, is left out. On the first day of school, you’re already ganging up on her. Who knows how much worse it’ll get if this keeps up?” I held up a hand, stopping Molly mid-lunge as she looked ready to deck him. “Patience, girl. If you want to take someone down, you let them dig their own grave first,” I thought. “Alright,” I said, leaning back in my chair with a smirk. “If I can prove we didn’t ‘isolate’ Celine, what are you gonna do to make up for slandering us?” Aiden scoffed, folding his arms, “Go ahead. Try to spin your lies. If you can prove you didn’t ditch Celine, I’ll eat every damn dish on this table.” Adley and Lexie instinctively clutched their plates, shooting him wary looks. It seemed that Aiden was trying to freeload. I took my time, pulling out my phone with a flourish, and tapped play on a recording. Celine’s voice rang out, crystal clear, dripping with venom. “Who cares about eating with you losers? Fuck off!” The line went dead, the dial tone echoing in the stunned silence of the private dining room. Aiden’s face turned beet red, his glare shifting to Celine with a flicker of reproach in his eyes. Celine, meanwhile, looked like she had been slapped, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to comprehend why any sane person would record a phone call. Before either of them could recover, Molly snapped her fingers, summoning the waiter. “Pack up everything on this table,” she ordered. Then, turning to Aiden with a saccharine smile, she added, “Oh, and this gentleman will be taking care of the bill.” As we gathered our things to leave, I couldn’t resist one last jab. I sauntered over to the shell-shocked duo, patting their trembling shoulders with mock sympathy. They should pay fifty thousand dollars for a single meal. “They’re about to go from riches to rags. Or, in their case, from broke to broker,” I murmured. Indeed, I had nearly fainted myself when I saw the radish salad, each plate tagged at a jaw-dropping eighty-eight hundred dollars.

Ever since Aiden and Celine’s wallets bled out at that seafood extravaganza, Molly had been on a mission, dragging me and our two roommates on a whirlwind of retail therapy. Under my relentless coaxing, Molly finally shed the demure aesthetic she adopted to win over Aiden, an ill-fated attempt to mimic Celine’s “innocent” charm. Truth be told, Molly was a bombshell, a vision of vibrant beauty. Her natural allure lay in fiery reds and dazzling golds, not the ghostly pale, ethereal whites and straight brown hair she had forced herself into. That washed-out look had only made her seem gaunt and shadowy, a mere backdrop to Celine’s spotlight. Losing herself was the first step to becoming a supporting character in her own life. But now, Molly was reborn in all her dazzling glory. At the freshman assembly, she strode onto the stage, a vision in a crimson dress that hugged her curves like a lover’s embrace. Her makeup was bold, making her presence electric. The crowd erupted in gasps and shrieks, jaws dropping as she claimed the spotlight. “Who is that goddess? Has she been at our school this whole time?” “I thought Celine had the campus queen title locked down, but wow. This girl’s a total dark horse!” “Sure, she’s gorgeous, but so what? Celine’s the outstanding freshman rep. What’s a pretty face compared to that?” Lexie, buzzing with excitement, leaned in to dish the dirt. “That’s Molly Joyce. You know the Joyce family, the real estate tycoons? She’s the heiress of Joyce Properties. She’s stunning and sweet. She’s opened so many doors for us, showing us fancy dinners and exclusive events. She even helped my family land jobs!” Molly had a habit of showering us with cash like a human slot machine, but her temper could flare up like a wildfire, though never without reason. And when the storm passed, she’d always make it up with extravagant gifts. After just a month of living with her, our roommates had fallen head over heels, utterly enchanted by her charm. We were deep in our gossip, buzzing like bees, when Celine glided onto the stage, a vision in a flowing white gown. “The most important day of my life is today, the day I finally found my real parents,” she declared. The crowd, half-asleep from the monotonous speeches, snapped awake at those words. The air crackled with the scent of scandal, gossip igniting like wildfire. And then, Molly’s scream cut through the murmurs like a blade. “No way! You’re lying! Those are my parents!”

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I was the fake young miss, and after the real young master was found and brought back… I couldn’t wait to show him the life of luxury. “Look! A huge mansion! All yours!” “Look! 108 supercars, all yours!” “Look! A fabulously wealthy older brother! He’s yours too!” … Meanwhile, I was getting ready to make a run for it. Ha! Who would want to be a young miss? Not even a dog would want that life! I was in the alley behind school, fighting over street food with Aaron, when the bodyguards mercilessly dragged me back home. I thought I was done for, but when I got back to the living room, I saw a gloomy crowd surrounding a fair-skinned young man. Mom and Dad said he was the real young master of the Johnson family, and I was just a fake. “Really? Are you sure I’m not your real daughter?” I asked shakily, feigning disbelief. “Of course not. I’m their real son, you need to step aside!” the real young master said disdainfully. “Alright, alright! Young Master Johnson, I’ll get out of your way right now!” While everyone looked on in confusion, I started the handover ceremony with the real young master. “Look! This is your room! A whole 1000 square feet!” “Look! There are 108 sports cars in the garage, take your pick!” “Look! Your fabulously wealthy older brother, all yours!” … Meanwhile, I hurriedly packed my bags and bolted out of the house. Thank heavens! I’ve finally waited for this day! From now on, I’ll never again be that young miss whose life was more miserable than a 996 worker! I’ll never again be enslaved by that freak Lucas Johnson! Hot pot! BBQ! Spicy noodles! Crawfish! … Here I come!

The first thing I did after escaping that hellhole was rush to Aaron’s place and order a huge feast. As soon as I took a bite, I couldn’t help but tear up. “What are you, a starving ghost?” Aaron looked at me with disdain. “You don’t understand! I’m finally free!” I chugged a big gulp of Coke. It felt so good! At the Johnson house, I had to get up at 5 AM every day to do all kinds of exercises with Lucas, followed by an unappetizing healthy breakfast. At 6 AM, I’d start two hours of foreign language study – English, French, Spanish… At 8 AM I’d go to school, and after classes I’d have to learn all the skills expected of a wealthy young lady – violin, painting, calligraphy… On weekends I had to learn horseback riding, golf, rock climbing, scuba diving… I also had to attend all sorts of fancy parties. Every day I was exhausted like a dog. As soon as I mastered one skill, the next one was already waiting for me. It was endless, learning non-stop until I turned 20. Even in college they wouldn’t leave me alone. In my free time I still had to complete all kinds of tasks Lucas assigned and work like a slave at the company. Is this the life of a wealthy young miss? It’s even more miserable than being a 996 worker! Every night before bed I would pray to the heavens, and I couldn’t believe how generous they were, directly giving me a new identity. “You’re celebrating too early! Do you really think Lucas will let you go that easily?” Aaron’s words extinguished my enthusiasm. “Hmph! You think I’m afraid of him?!” “Before I was the Johnson family’s young miss, his sister. Now I’m not anymore, he can’t control me!” That “wonderful” life of luxury has nothing to do with me anymore! “I hope you’ll still have that backbone when you see Lucas.” Aaron had a schadenfreude look on his face. Damn! If I didn’t know him for so many years, I’d really suspect he was Lucas’s spy. “He’s too busy to deal with me now, gone overseas for business. He won’t be back for a month.” By the time he gets back it’ll be too late! Just thinking about his freakish ways sends chills down my spine. 20 years of enslavement has seeped into my bones! I must have committed all kinds of heinous crimes in my past life to end up as his sister in this one! And I’m not even his real sister.

After a few blissful days at Aaron’s place, a call from my academic advisor shattered my dreams. No choice! I still had to go to school. It had taken everything I had just to get into college. But I didn’t expect to see the real young master in the alley behind the school. He was surrounded by a group of people, like a lamb waiting for slaughter, glaring at them tearfully without any intimidation. I pretended not to see and strode towards the school. Having finally left the Johnson family, I didn’t want to get involved with them again. But I couldn’t get that tearful face out of my mind. He looked so much like Lucas, truly brothers. “Fine, fine! He’s still a Johnson after all. I’ll help him this once, for old times’ sake.” I turned back and charged into the circle, pulling the real young master behind me. “What’s going on here? Bullying someone in broad daylight?” “Mind your own business, or we’ll beat you up too!” The thugs talked big while leering at us. “You’re not hooking up with this pretty boy, are you? Protecting him like that.” Damn! How dare they slander me! “Just go! They only want money, give them some and it’ll be fine,” the real young master tugged at my clothes. “Pretty thing, he’s such a wimp. You’re better off with me.” Seeing the thug’s grimy hand reaching for the young master’s face, I grabbed his wrist and flipped him! Finally all those skills I learned came in handy. Lucas never let me fight, but forced me to learn lots of self-defense. What’s the point of being a hero with no chance to use your skills?! But now I was saving his precious brother, so he couldn’t blame me. After a flurry of punches and kicks, the thugs fled in disarray, leaving the young master staring in shock. Seeing his dumbfounded look, I couldn’t resist reaching out my evil hand. So cute! I just had to pinch those cheeks! He looked so much like Lucas. I could never pinch Lucas, but I could pinch his little brother. “W-what are you doing?” The little bunny had a frightened expression. “Shouldn’t I get some reward for saving you?” I raised an eyebrow smugly and gave another pinch. Hahaha… That felt so good! It was like pinching Lucas himself. My life is complete! “Why are you here alone? Didn’t the driver drop you off?” “I’m not like you, needing to be chauffeured around at this age.” The little bunny tried to act tough. Looks like even such an obedient son couldn’t move that couple’s hearts. I thought they’d pay more attention to him. “Alright, alright! You’re a mature adult. But don’t walk alone in the future, or you’ll get bullied and cry again.” With that, I sprinted off to class. Behind me came the little bunny’s angry shout: “I wasn’t crying!”

After a morning of classes, it was finally time to eat. I eagerly dragged Aaron to get some spicy noodles. Seeing Aaron strolling leisurely, I couldn’t help but curse: “Walk faster! We won’t get any if we’re late.” “Your phone,” Aaron said expressionlessly. “Who is it? Why are they calling you? Don’t mess with my meal time.” I grumbled as Aaron silently mouthed a name. “Hang up quick!” I snatched the phone in panic, about to end the call when a magnetic male voice came through the speaker. “Lily.” The voice sounded gentle but was full of threat. “Big brother! What can I do for you?” My sycophantic voice came out automatically. Aaron gave me a side-eye. This was just conditioned reflex, okay! “Having fun these past couple days? Looks like you’re so happy you’ve forgotten all about me, not even answering my calls?” “How could that be, I just lost my phone.” “Is that so? Then I must have wrongly accused you?” “No no, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have lost my phone and made you worry.” Passive-aggressive bastard! “Tomorrow morning at 10, come to the airport to pick me up.” “I…” “You know the consequences of not showing up. Enjoy your remaining happy times, don’t say I don’t care about you.” “Thank you for your love, big brother.” I said through gritted teeth as he hung up. “Aaron, you did that on purpose, didn’t you?” “How could I not answer your brother’s call? He could bankrupt me in a second.” Aaron looked helpless. Damn it! I really know how to pick my friends! He’s definitely Lucas’s spy. “No way, I need to hide first.” “Weren’t you the one saying you weren’t afraid of him? I think he treats you pretty well, just behave yourself and stop causing trouble.” “He’s a total freak, okay?” I glared at him. No, I need to hide for a year or two before Lucas gets back, or I’m doomed if he catches me. Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck me. At 2 PM, I rushed into my academic advisor’s office. To my surprise, the little bunny was there too. The scene looked oddly familiar. How should I put it? Just like when he was surrounded by thugs earlier, except now he was encircled by a group of teachers, plus a balding principal. “It’s her! I saw her bullying Noah with my own eyes,” a girl angrily pointed at me. Me? Bullying the little bunny?

“No, Professor. Lily didn’t bully me,” the little bunny anxiously explained. “Noah, don’t be afraid. The teachers will stand up for you.” “The school absolutely does not tolerate any bullying.” Everyone looked at Noah with sympathy, then turned to glare angrily at me. What’s with this differential treatment? “Lily, did you or did you not bully Noah?” My advisor pulled me into the circle. “When did I ever…” “It was her, I have a photo on my phone.” Before I could explain, the girl suddenly pulled out her phone and showed a picture. In the photo, I was smugly pinching Noah’s face while he looked at me with red eyes, clearly unwilling. Uh… It did look a lot like a bullying scene, but I just pinched his cheeks! “Lily! How could you bully a classmate? I’m so disappointed in you!” The balding principal angrily berated me, completely different from his previous fawning attitude. After all, Lucas had donated several buildings to the school. He knew very well about my identity, naturally knowing who was the real young master and who was the fake young miss between me and Noah. “Expulsion! You must be expelled!” Talk about a quick change of face. They were eager to stand up for Noah without even investigating properly? “Principal, Lily really didn’t bully me. I was bullied by some thugs from outside school, and Lily helped chase them away,” Noah explained anxiously. The little bunny was running around in circles trying to explain, but no one was listening. They were convinced I had bullied him and started criticizing me one after another. So annoying! If this drags on any longer I won’t have time to run away. Might as well go with the flow. “It was me! I did bully Noah!” “If you don’t expel me, I’ll beat him up every time I see him!” I yelled arrogantly at everyone. “Lily, why are you talking nonsense? It’s clearly…” The little bunny was so kind. The more I looked at him the cuter he seemed. I couldn’t help but pinch his cheek again. But in everyone else’s eyes, this was blatant bullying. They quickly took Noah away in shock. I effortlessly got the expulsion notice, and couldn’t help but laugh. Everyone looked at me like I’d eaten shit. “What are you looking at? Never seen someone go crazy before?” Next step is to run away! I sprinted to Aaron’s place. That bastard had bought an apartment near campus just to pick up girls. After just a few days he complained I was in the way, saying I was interfering with his dating. Such a fragile friendship – in the future I wouldn’t stay even if he begged me!

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