Category: English

My son is three years old, but he looks nothing like my husband. My father-in-law, suspicious from day one, secretly took my son for a DNA test. The results came back showing that the two of them shared no biological connection. Furious, he started screaming at me, threatening to strangle us both. My husband slapped me hard across the face. “You shameless bitch! You actually made me raise some other man’s bastard for three years!” Staring at their ugly, contorted faces, I threw down a different DNA report—one between my father-in-law and my husband. It stated they were not biologically related. They both froze, their jaws slack. I just smiled. “It looks like we’re not quite sure who the real bastard is in this family, are we?” 1 I was buried in work, drowning in overtime at the office, when my father-in-law’s call came through. His voice was a raw, guttural roar on the other end. “Elina, you shameless woman! You get your ass home right now! This instant! If you don’t, I swear I’ll tell everyone what you’ve done!” He hung up before I could say a word, leaving me stunned at my desk. I had just wrapped up my project anyway, so I grabbed my bag and rushed home. The moment I walked in, I saw him sitting stiffly on the sofa. Two pieces of paper lay on the coffee table in front of him, covered in dense text. I didn’t pay them much mind. I slipped off my shoes and looked at him. “Dad, what’s so urgent?” He let out a cold, bitter laugh, his eyes burning with contempt. “You don’t know what you’ve done? You really need me to spell it out for you?” My patience wore thin. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. If you have something to say, just say it.” The next second, he snatched the papers from the table and slammed them against my face. “Here! See for yourself! The worst day of our lives was when we let a woman like you into this family!” I looked down at the paper that had fluttered to the floor. A single line was printed in bold: No biological relationship detected. And at the top of the report were the names: George, my father-in-law, and Aiden, my son. My head snapped up, the realization hitting me like a physical blow. He had actually taken Aiden for a paternity test behind my back. I was furious. “Dad,” I shot back, my voice trembling with anger, “ever since Aiden was born, you’ve been muttering about how he looks nothing like Mark. I always ignored it, I never made a big deal of it. Mark has never said a word, so how could you secretly take him for a test? He’s only three years old!” But he was beyond reason. “So what if I did?” he roared. “If I hadn’t, we’d still be in the dark about your dirty little secrets! Now tell me! Whose bastard is he? You made our family raise him for three years! What a disgrace! Mark is too trusting, but not me. If it weren’t for me, who knows how long you would have kept up this charade!” I struggled to keep my composure. “Dad, I am certain that Aiden is Mark’s son, which makes him your grandson. I have never done anything to betray Mark. There has to be a mistake with this report.” My denial only fueled his rage. He hurled his glass to the floor, where it shattered. He pointed a shaking finger at me. “Still lying! I took Aiden to the hospital myself! I watched them draw his blood! What, you think I own the damn hospital? You think they’d fake a report for me? If you don’t believe it, I’ll take him for another one right now!” I said nothing, my mind racing, trying to figure out where things had gone wrong. How could Aiden not be related to his own grandfather? Just then, my mother-in-law, Helen, walked in with a bag of groceries. Seeing the tense atmosphere, she hesitated. “What’s going on? I was only gone for a few minutes. Why does it feel like a war zone in here? What are you two fighting about?” George spat, “The perfect daughter-in-law you picked out has been playing us for fools! We’ve been raising someone else’s kid for three years! I don’t know where your head was at when you chose her.” 2 Helen froze, her eyes falling on the report scattered on the floor. I saw a flicker of sheer panic flash across her face. Before I could process it, her hand flew up and she slapped me hard. “Aiden isn’t our grandson? How could you do something like this? Mark has been nothing but good to you! How could you be so cruel?” George piled on. “Call your parents! I want to know how they raised a daughter like you! Aren’t you afraid of karma for pulling a stunt like this?” I held my ground, my voice tight with suppressed emotion. “I’ll say it one last time. Aiden is Mark’s son. If you don’t believe me, then wait for Mark to get home. He can do a paternity test with Aiden himself!” George just glared at me. Helen immediately jumped in, her voice shrill. “You’ve been caught in your lies and you’re still acting so self-righteous? Even when Mark gets back, he won’t forgive you! Another test? The truth is right here in black and white! If Aiden was Mark’s son, how could he not be related to his own grandfather? What, are you going to bribe someone at the hospital to keep lying to us?” I was about to argue when Aiden padded out of his room. “Grandpa, Grandma, Mommy, why are you yelling? Is dinner ready?” Seeing him, George seemed to lose what little control he had left. “Who’s your grandpa? Don’t you dare call me that! You’re just some bastard! Get out!” Aiden had never seen anything like this. He burst into tears and ran into my arms, completely bewildered as to why the grandparents who usually doted on him had turned into monsters. His crying only agitated George further. He yanked Aiden away from me and threw him onto the sofa, his hands closing around Aiden’s small throat. “You dare to cry? We’ve been too soft on you! Get out! Go find your real father! Get out of our house!” Helen just stood there, stunned, her face a blank mask. Aiden’s face was turning a terrifying shade of red. I lunged forward, prying George’s fingers from my son’s neck and pulling Aiden behind me. Tears streamed down my face. “Whatever this is, we can wait until Mark gets home! He can decide for himself whether Aiden is his son.” George finally backed off, shooting me one last venomous look before storming into his room. I carried Aiden back to our bedroom and, with trembling hands, texted my husband, telling him everything that had just happened. To my surprise, he didn’t ask any questions. His only reply was four cold words. On my way. Staring at that message, a knot of dread tightened in my stomach. It was nearly midnight when Mark finally walked through the door. Hearing the noise, I gently tucked Aiden in and slipped out of the room, closing the door behind me. The moment I saw him, all the fear and injustice of the day came pouring out. “Do you have any idea what your father did to Aiden today? Before we even know what’s going on, he nearly strangled him! He wants to throw us out! Aren’t you going to do something? If I hadn’t been there—” “Will you just shut up? I just walked in. Can you give me a second to breathe?” The cold indifference in his eyes made my heart freeze. The DNA report was still on the coffee table, but he didn’t even glance at it. It was as if he had already accepted the result as fact. His parents emerged from their room, drawn by our voices. “Mark, you’re finally home,” Helen began, her voice dripping with drama. “This family is falling apart! You need to ask her whose child she’s been hiding all this time!” George stood beside her, his face a thundercloud, his glare fixed on me. After a long, heavy silence, Mark finally spoke. “Where’s the child?” 3 He said “the child,” not “Aiden.” In that instant, I knew. Even he didn’t believe our son was his. I took a deep breath. “Mark, we’ve been married for four years. We’ve known each other for six. Don’t you know what kind of person I am? Even if you don’t trust me, how can you not trust your own son?” He paused. “Four years? What does that prove? Besides, everyone has said it since the day he was born—he looks nothing like me. What am I supposed to think?” I was speechless. There was no reasoning with these people. “Fine,” I said, my voice hardening. “Since none of you believe he’s your son, let’s go to the hospital and do another test. Right now. I’ll go wake Aiden.” I turned to go to the bedroom, but Mark grabbed my arm. He shoved me aside, his voice laced with fury. “Haven’t you had enough? You want to drag this out at the hospital? Isn’t this humiliating enough already? Do you want to announce to the whole world that I’ve been raising another man’s kid?” I laughed, a humorless sound. “What’s so humiliating? My conscience is clear! You’re the ones with doubts, so let’s get another test!” In the dead of night, my voice was sharp and unwavering. Just as Mark was about to respond, Helen cut in. “What’s the point of going to the hospital? The answer is right here! Are you saying your father is lying? Or have you already paid someone off at the hospital, just waiting for us to fall into your trap? Haven’t you deceived us for long enough?” Her words were so nonsensical, so completely illogical, I stared at her in disbelief. She was normally so gentle and reasonable. This wasn’t like her at all. What was going on? I clenched my fists. I knew that no matter what I said now, they wouldn’t believe me. The silence stretched on, thick and suffocating. Finally, Mark picked up the report and gave it a cursory glance. He threw it at me. “It’s right here in black and white. Aiden and Dad have no biological connection. If he were my son, how could that be possible? What else do you have to say? Or do you think the hospital faked it?” I gritted my teeth. “I don’t know what’s going on with that report, but something is wrong. If you trust me, just do one more test with Aiden. The results will clear everything up.” Mark sneered. “You don’t really think I’d believe you over my own father, do you?” His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I knew he wouldn’t believe me, but hearing him say it out loud was a new level of cold. I was done arguing. “So what do you want to do now?” I asked flatly. “Kick us out?” At that, George shot to his feet, his face purple with rage. “So you finally admit it! The act is over, is it? I told Mark he never should have married you! Wasted three years raising another man’s child! How are you going to compensate us for that?” Helen chimed in, “That’s right! I worked my fingers to the bone for you two, treated you like my own flesh and blood, and this is how you repay us? Do you have a conscience?” I couldn’t hold it in any longer. “When did I admit anything?” I yelled back. “Stop twisting my words! You’re just looking for an excuse to blame me! No matter what I say, you won’t believe it, will you?” Smack! A sharp sting exploded on my cheek. My husband’s hand was still in the air.

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The very first night in my new apartment, a dark shadow darted across the living room. Before I could even process it, a monstrous rat was already charging straight for my feet. Terrified, I fumbled for my phone, desperate to call maintenance for help. Just then, a new message popped up on my screen. The sender was “Ace Rat Catcher – Ginger,” and the message read: “On-site rat catching service, two cans of wet food, immediate deployment.” How could they be so fast? My mind was swimming with questions, but I opened the door anyway. The hallway outside was empty, not a soul in sight. I was about to close the door when a soft “Meow” stopped me. Looking down, I saw a ginger cat standing by the entrance, its paws neatly together, looking incredibly polite. I stared at it for a few seconds, and a wild, ridiculous thought bubbled up. “Are you… Ace Rat Catcher – Ginger?” I couldn’t help but ask. The ginger cat responded with two “Meows,” and then, another message from “Ace Rat Catcher – Ginger” appeared on my phone. … After I moved into my new place, the building management added me to the residents’ group chat, saying it was for important announcements. I didn’t pay much attention at first, especially since everyone’s profile picture was some kind of animal. Then one day, I idly scrolled through the chat. Evil Fuzzybutt: [I’m so mad! Mom caught me stealing snacks and spanked my butt a few times. Tonight, I’m definitely tearing up her slippers!] Lord Poshpaws: [Useless! How can you let that human walk all over you?] [I am the tiny emperor.jpg] Goldie the Fatcat: [Hey everyone, when you drink water, does it sometimes taste kinda spicy?] Lord Poshpaws: [Idiot! Your water dispenser is probably leaking electricity, kick it over already!] Sweet Cheesus: [Mom’s trying to clip my claws, help! Call the cops!] I watched, amused, for quite a while. I figured it was just the neighborhood kids, playing animal characters in the chat. Honestly, their cute, quirky conversations were quite heartwarming. Just then, a new message popped up. [I think there’s a stranger in my house.] [Observing from the shadows.jpg] The sender’s profile picture was a small husky. From previous messages, it seemed like a four or five-year-old kid. My heart jumped. I was about to ask if he was home alone when I saw the other group members expressing doubt. [Are you sure it’s a stranger?] [A stranger in your house again? Last time you said there was a stranger, and it was just your dad in a different shirt.] [Meow, I’ll call the police for you!] I hesitated, wondering if I should tag the building management. Then, the husky replied, [Hehe, turns out it was just Dad wearing a mask. As a reward, tonight I’m peeing in his room.] False alarm. While I found it funny, a faint, unsettling feeling lingered. That day, I got back late from an interview. As I flicked on the light, I saw a dark shadow scuttle across the living room floor. My heart lurched. I was just about to crouch down and peer under the coffee table. When a large rat shot straight for my feet. I shrieked, leaping onto the coffee table. Immediately, I panicked and messaged the group for help. [There’s a rat in my house! Does anyone know of a reliable, immediate rat catching service nearby? Urgent, waiting online!] [Meow? Rat? What’s a rat?] [A rat is a fast little toy that squeaks when you squeeze it. Dad won’t let me play with them.] [Are you new? Never seen you before. Why is your profile pic a human? What species are you?] Can’t my profile pic be human? What did “what species” even mean? No time to think. The squeaking of the rat made my skin crawl. I immediately opened an app to find an on-demand service. Just then, someone in the group tagged me. Ace Rat Catcher – Ginger: ? [Two cans of wet food, no haggling, immediate on-site service.] [At your door, open up Meow.] That fast?? I opened the door, but the hallway was empty. Just as I was about to close it, a cat’s meow caught my attention. A very polite ginger cat stood at the doorway, its paws pressed together. As our eyes met, an unbelievable thought popped into my head. “You’re Ace Rat Catcher – Ginger?” The ginger cat meowed twice, and a message popped up in the group. [It’s the cat.] [Two cans of wet food, immediate deployment.] I chuckled, reaching out to stroke its head. The ginger cat tilted its head, dodging my hand. [Meow meow meow, that’s extra. A head pat costs half a sausage.] I don’t have pets, so I naturally didn’t have any cat food cans. I negotiated with Ginger, offering four sausages as payment. It licked its paw and agreed. But it demanded payment in installments. Deal made. The nimble Ginger followed the rat from the living room to the kitchen. Aside from accidentally knocking over my water glass on the table. The rat-catching service was successfully completed. Ginger, sensing my fear, placed the dead rat outside the door. [Human, cat accidentally broke your cup. Cat can charge you one less sausage.] I shook my head, [We agreed on four sausages, not one less. But can I get a head pat for free?] Ginger let out a soft “Meow.” It lowered its head and rubbed against my palm. Before leaving, it said I could call it in the group if I needed it again. After the house grew quiet, I finally processed everything. It all felt like a dream. The animals in the Starry Cove Community chat group were real. Their profile pictures were their actual selves. No matter how fantastical last night’s experience was. When the sun rose the next day, I still had to hustle for interviews in this new city. I live on the 12th floor. When the elevator reached the 10th, a guy stepped in, leading a husky. He looked familiar. Of course, I meant the husky. I stared at it intently. It sensed my gaze and stared back just as intently. The guy looked at our staring match. “You two… know each other?” I quickly waved my hands. How was I supposed to tell him I thought this husky was the one from the group chat? I certainly couldn’t ask if it peed in his room yesterday. Just then, the Starry Cove Community chat popped up with a new message. Dad’s Big Brain: [Saw a girl in the elevator, she looked familiar, like I’d seen her somewhere before. Hehe, she smells so nice, want pats.] Evil Fuzzybutt: [Stupid dog!] Lord Poshpaws: [Stupid dog!] I tentatively reached out my hand, and sure enough, the husky leaned in for a rub. The guy gave me a look that screamed, “You said you didn’t know each other!” As I petted the dog, I gently asked, “What’s your name?” “Liam.” I squatted down and gently squeezed the dog’s paw. “Nice to meet you, Liam.” The guy: “……” “I’m Liam!” I looked up, embarrassed. “Oh, my bad, my brain wasn’t working.” Liam’s face flushed slightly. “It’s okay, I just didn’t react fast enough. He’s called… Buddy.” [Big Brain! Miss, I’m Big Brain! My mean dad got my name wrong, hit hit hit!] Big Brain immediately stood up and got into a scuffle with Liam right there in the elevator. Liam cursed the “stupid dog” while fighting back. I stood by, laughing and trying to mediate. After a morning of rushing around, I’d interviewed at three companies. The results didn’t look promising. I decided to head home and grab something to eat. Walking back along the street, I suddenly spotted a pet supply store for sale. Thinking of the Starry Cove Community chat, an idea sparked in my mind. Isn’t this the perfect way to directly understand customer needs? Who wants to be a drone when they can be their own boss? I tallied up my savings, contacted the current owner, and bought the store. Then, I started advertising in the group. [Does anyone like this little toy?] [New stock: biscuits, freeze-dried treats, small snacks! Welcome to bring your humans for a taste test!] The ads exploded in the group chat. No dog or cat had ever posted a short video in the group before. They immediately sensed that I was different. Lord Poshpaws: [It’s a human! It’s a human! It’s a real human! A human snuck in!] [My reign is over.JPG] Ace Rat Catcher – Ginger: [The cat told you guys last time…] Sweet Cheesus: [Human, can you tell Mom that I don’t like getting my claws clipped?] At first, the pets in the group were astonished by my human identity. Once they realized I meant no harm, they grew accustomed to it. They would even frequently ask me to relay messages to their humans. So, I simply launched a special offer. For any single purchase over five hundred dollars, I would provide one free pet consultation. My first client was Liam. He bought ten pounds of dog food and several small toys for Big Brain. “You can really communicate with them?” I offered a noncommittal shrug. He raised an eyebrow, gave me a mischievous grin, then ruffled Big Brain’s head and said, “Alright, then ask him, he eats too much, Dad can’t afford him anymore. Can he be more self-sufficient?” I waved at Big Brain, subtly picking up my phone. After a moment, I managed to suppress my laughter and said, “Big… Buddy says it’s okay if you’re broke, he can go out and eat poop, and he can take you with him. He’ll eat the poop, and you can have the good bits.” Liam looked down, a profound expression on his face. Big Brain gazed back at him with sincere eyes. “Stupid dog, is this how you repay the old man who raised you so painstakingly?!” Liam fiercely rubbed Big Brain’s head. Dad’s Big Brain: [???] [Giving Dad all the good poop bits, and he’s still not happy! So unfair to a dog, hit hit hit!] Big Brain straightened up, waving its two paws, and started another brawl in my store. I had no idea how one dog could be so fond of hitting people with its paws. My second client was also a familiar face—or rather, a familiar feline. It was the little tabby cat from the group, Sweetie. Her owner was a young woman. Holding the cat, she said, a bit shyly, “Sweetie’s been acting strange lately, always meowing at the wardrobe. I’m a little scared. If you can really talk to pets, could you ask her what’s wrong?” I immediately thought of online news stories about strange men hiding in wardrobes. But the young woman insisted it wasn’t that. “I was afraid of that, so I already checked. There’s nothing in the wardrobe.” That was odd. I took Sweetie, carried her into the back room, and then tagged her in the group chat.

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1 Outside the glass walls of the office, Stella and Brooke were laughing, their faces lit up in bright, carefree smiles as they joked with the new intern. They were supposed to be at the hospital picking me up right now. When they finally looked up and saw me standing there, the warmth vanished from their faces. Their expressions instantly turned freezing cold. “It’s just a little cut. You really had to drag us all the way out there to pick you up?” I looked down at the gauze wrapped around my abdomen. Fresh blood was already seeping through the white fabric. A bitter smile touched my lips. Stella and Brooke were my childhood best friends. We grew up on the same street, went to the same college, and started our careers together. Two decades of history. Yet, all of that meant absolutely nothing compared to Toby, a guy they had known for barely two months. There was a time when they would panic if I got a paper cut. Now, they hovered around Toby, not even bothering to give me a second glance. Watching them laugh even harder at something Toby said, the last shred of hope in my chest finally died. I turned my back on them and walked away. Pulling out my phone, I dialed a number. “Harper,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “I’m taking the offer. Once my resignation paperwork clears, I’ll be ready to move to the London office next month.” I ended the call. Through the office blinds, I could still see Stella and Brooke leaning against Toby’s desk, completely engrossed in whatever he was saying. I pressed a hand against my stomach. It had been less than three days since I was discharged from the hospital. The stab wound was far from healed, sending sharp, throbbing waves of pain through my body with every breath. Just yesterday, Stella and Brooke had insisted on booking a table at an upscale organic restaurant, promising to pick me up from the ward to celebrate my discharge. I had waited in my hospital room for three hours. The doorway remained empty. Their phones went straight to voicemail. Terrified that they might have gotten into an accident, I forced my battered body out of bed and rushed to the company. I never expected to walk in on this. Through the glass, I watched Toby step out of the breakroom carrying coffee and pastries. “Strawberry shortcake for Stella, and the mango tart for Brooke.” The girls took the plates, their smiles sickly sweet. “Toby, you’re an angel. You always remember our favorites.” Toby ducked his head, playing the shy card perfectly. “It’s no big deal. When you care about people, remembering the little things is easy.” A hollow laugh escaped my throat. I had bought those pastries from the cafe downstairs during my lunch break. Now, he was handing them out, playing the perfect gentleman. Since I was on the phone with a client earlier, I couldn’t step out to give them the food. So I was forced to watch my two oldest friends eat the cake I bought, leaning into Toby’s workspace, looking radiant and utterly captivated by him. Toby opened his desk drawer and pulled out three glossy tickets. “I managed to get passes for the Harbor Fireworks Festival tonight. Do you guys want to go?” Those tickets had been sold out for months. I had no idea how he got his hands on them. No one could resist a massive fireworks show by the water, and the girls immediately snatched them up. “These are impossible to find! How did you pull this off? Let us pay you back,” Brooke insisted. Toby shook his head, his eyes turning wide and innocent. “You guys should take Lucas. Honestly, I’ve never been to an event like this… I’d probably just embarrass you. There are three tickets, so it’s perfect for the three of you.” He let his shoulders slump, looking like a kicked puppy. Instantly, a wave of pity washed over Stella and Brooke. As if suddenly remembering, Toby added, “Oh, wait. Lucas is still recovering, right? You have to be super careful with him in that crowd. It would be terrible if someone bumped into his stitches.” Right on cue, Stella turned to Brooke. “He’s right. Lucas shouldn’t be in a crowded place like that. Let’s just tell him to stay home and rest. Sleep is the best thing for him right now anyway.” At that exact moment, the client on the other end of my phone line spoke up. “By the way, Lucas, did you get the Fedex package I sent? The three passes for the Harbor Fireworks?” I froze. “Three passes?” “Yeah,” the client chuckled. “I pulled some major strings to get them, but my wife and I have a family emergency and can’t make it. Figured you young people would love it, so I mailed them straight to your office.” I stared through the glass at the three tickets in Toby’s hand. My voice went dead flat. “Yeah. I got them. Thanks, Mr. Carter.” I hung up, pushed the glass door open, and stepped into the bullpen. “Toby. Those three tickets. Mr. Carter mailed them to me, didn’t he?” The air in the room evaporated. Toby’s face drained of color. He looked up at me, his eyes wide, terrified, and painfully pathetic. “I saw the package on the reception desk. Since I’m your assistant, I thought I should open it for you.” I took a step closer. “Then why didn’t you hand them to me? Those were a personal gift from a client. And since when do interns have the authority to tear open their boss’s private mail?” Toby looked down, nervously rubbing his hands together. “It was delivered to the office. I assumed it was business.” I scoffed, my voice dripping with disgust. “Even if it was business, do you get to hijack company property and distribute it however you please?” He couldn’t speak. Tears welled up in his eyes, making him look incredibly bullied. He let out a shaky little breath. “Lucas, I was just scared you’d force yourself to go into that huge crowd. What if someone pushed you and your wound tore open? I figured… I figured I would just play the bad guy. If I took the tickets, you wouldn’t be able to go. You’d have to go home and heal. I was only thinking about your health.” Stella immediately stepped in, placing a protective hand on his back. She shot me a furious glare. “Why are you jumping down his throat? He just graduated, he doesn’t know all the corporate rules yet. Making a mistake is completely normal. Why do you have to be so damn petty over some stupid tickets?” 2 Brooke quickly chimed in. “Exactly. He was worried about your stomach. He hid them because he knew you’d be stubborn and try to go. He’s so pure hearted, Lucas. Everything he does is for your own good. Why do you always have to be so aggressive?” Toby kept his head bowed. A single tear dropped onto the desk. “It’s fine. You guys go. These belong to Lucas. I shouldn’t have overstepped. I’ll just go home.” Stella grabbed his wrist, holding him in place. “You are not leaving. The three of us are going tonight. Lucas, you go home and sleep. You’re in no condition to go anywhere anyway.” Toby bit his lower lip, giving me a trembling look. “Lucas…” Checking her watch, Brooke grabbed her purse. “Let’s grab dinner first or we’re going to miss the opening show.” Just like that, they grabbed their things. The three of them walked out of the office together, laughing and chatting, leaving me completely alone in the dead quiet room. I pressed my hand against my ribs and forced myself to stand. The wound felt like it was on fire. A bitter, broken laugh spilled from my lips. Ever since Toby joined the firm, the dynamic of our lifelong trio had completely fractured. The center of their universe shifted from me to him. To them, he was this hard working, struggling kid from a poor background who was trying so hard to make it. Whenever something went wrong, whether at work or in life, they immediately stood by his side to point their fingers at me. The dinner they promised to celebrate my discharge from the hospital? Neither of them even remembered. Just like they seemed to have completely forgotten exactly how I got this stab wound in the first place. Stella, Brooke, and I went through middle school, high school, and college together. After graduation, we all got hired at this company. We worked in different departments, and we all thrived. We were completely inseparable. We even bought apartments in the exact same building, on the exact same floor, just so we could look out for each other. We commuted together, came home together, cooked dinner together. Since I was a bit rough around the edges, they took care of the details. They made me hangover cures after late business dinners and forced cold medicine down my throat when I got sick. Everyone in the office knew we were the golden trio. We had a bond that nothing in the world could break. Until that night outside the bar. Toby had tagged along. He pointed to a dark, unlit alleyway and whined about wanting to “explore” to take a shortcut. Stella and Brooke giggled and followed him. I saw how sketchy it looked and tried to stop them, but they wouldn’t listen, so I had no choice but to follow. Sure enough, halfway down the alley, a group of guys stepped out of the shadows. Knives caught the dim streetlight. They demanded our wallets. Then, noticing the girls, they started getting handsy. Toby, the guy they constantly defended, actually hid behind the two women, trembling like a leaf. “What do we do?” he whimpered. I knew things were going to turn bloody fast. “Toby and I will hold them off,” I whispered fiercely. “You girls run.” I shoved the girls backward. “Run!” I lunged forward to block the attackers. But Toby didn’t stay. He didn’t even hesitate. Leaving me to die, he turned and sprinted away right alongside the girls. By the time they finally flagged down the cops and came back, I was already bleeding out on the concrete, a switchblade buried deep in my gut. When I woke up in the hospital, Toby was sitting by my bed, putting on a masterful performance of self blame. “What do I do, Stella? I was just so terrified. My brain went blank and I just ran with you guys. The alley was so dark, I thought you two might get hurt in the chaos, so I just had to protect you…” “I’m so useless. This is all my fault Lucas got hurt.” Stella was rubbing his arm. “It’s okay. Being scared is a normal human reaction. Lucas is years older than you, it’s his job to protect us. You have nothing to feel guilty about.” Brooke sighed heavily. “Seriously. Lucas used to take self defense classes. How could he not even dodge a simple pocket knife?” “You must be starving,” Stella said to Toby. “Let’s go grab a bite. Don’t starve yourself over this. The doctor said he just needs rest, he’ll be fine.” I had been about to open my eyes, but hearing their voices, I kept them tightly shut. Apparently, taking a knife for them was my own fault. I listened to their footsteps fade out of the ward. I slowly opened my eyes, staring at the sterile white ceiling. Back in the day, if I caught a mild fever, Brooke would simmer chicken soup for hours, and Stella would sit by my bed to make sure I took my pills. Now, I had nearly died for them, and they didn’t even wait for me to wake up. They were too busy worrying about Toby’s appetite. I spent two agonizing weeks in that hospital bed before I was stable enough to leave. Standing in the empty office now, ignoring the sharp, tearing pain in my stomach, I started packing up my desk. I had made the right decision. It was time to disappear. When I finally made it back to my apartment, I looked around the place I had called home for years. It was time to start throwing things away. My phone buzzed. A notification popped up. Toby had updated his Instagram. The caption read: “Meeting the most amazing people in this beautiful city is the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.” The photo showed Toby, Stella, and Brooke. Their faces were pressed close together, beaming at the camera, with a massive, brilliantly colored firework exploding in the night sky behind them. I couldn’t even remember when the leading man in our trio’s photos had shifted from me to him. I genuinely couldn’t remember the last time I took a picture with them. I locked my screen, took a quick shower, and got ready for bed. Then came the knocking. It was the three of them. Stella was holding a greasy takeout bag. “Lucas, we brought you some food.” “Also,” she continued without missing a beat, “Toby lives way out in the suburbs, and it’s too late for him to commute. Let him crash at your place tonight.” I looked at her, deadpan. She knew perfectly well that I was a massive neat freak. I practically never let anyone sleep in my apartment. I glanced at the wall clock. “It’s not too late to catch an Uber.” Toby gave the girls his signature kicked puppy look. “Stella, Brooke, please don’t make things awkward for Lucas. If he hates me being here, I’ll just leave. I don’t mind paying for an expensive surge ride. Just watching the fireworks with you guys tonight was more than enough for me.” Brooke pushed past me, forcing her way through my front door. “You’re a grown man. What is the big deal about letting him crash for one night? He’s not sleeping in your bed, he’ll take the guest room. Get over it.” She reached back and pulled Toby inside. “Come on in. We said you can stay, so you’re staying.” They treated my home like their own. They walked right past me, dug through my closets for spare sheets, and set up the guest room for him. 3 Toby stood awkwardly in the hallway, wringing his hands as he looked between the girls. “Guys, if Lucas really hates it, I should just go.” I was so exhausted. My body ached, and my soul was tired. I didn’t have the energy to scream. “One night. Never again. Just leave it.” Stella and Brooke finally looked satisfied. “Eat your food before you sleep,” Stella ordered, dropping the bag on the counter. I opened the plastic containers. Inside was heavily spiced, oil soaked Sichuan food, completely coated in red chili peppers. They had forgotten. Anyone who just had abdominal surgery absolutely cannot eat spicy food. A hard lump formed in my throat. Years ago, they would meticulously check every ingredient if I had a mild stomach ache. Now, they didn’t even possess the basic awareness to realize this food could send me back to the ER. I snapped the lids back on. “I’m not eating.” Toby looked at me. “Lucas, are you mad that we didn’t take you with us tonight? I’m so sorry. Do you want me to Venmo you the money for the ticket?” He pulled out his phone, making a big show of opening the app. Stella slammed her hand on the counter. “Lucas, are you done throwing your little tantrum? We told you, you shouldn’t be in crowds with your stitches. We did this for your own good. Why are you acting like a spoiled child? Do you want me to apologize to you? Stop taking your anger out on Toby, his life is hard enough as it is.” “Who are you giving attitude to?” she continued, her voice rising. “We brought you food out of the kindness of our hearts, and you act like a jerk.” I calmly pushed the takeout bags away. “My stitches haven’t healed. The doctor explicitly forbade spicy food.” Stella froze. A flash of genuine embarrassment crossed her face. They had completely forgotten. She quickly grabbed the bags and threw them directly into the trash can. “I forgot. Just starve then.” It was getting late. They finally left to go to their own apartments down the hall. I pointed to the guest room. “The bathroom is attached. Disposable toothbrushes are in the cabinet. Goodnight.” After Toby showered, I was sitting on the couch, reviewing some highly confidential design blueprints on my laptop. He walked out, holding a glass of water. “Still awake, Lucas?” He leaned over my shoulder, trying to peek at my screen. “Are you working on the new designs?” I immediately closed the laptop and shifted away from him. “This is highly confidential client work. You know the corporate rules. Interns aren’t cleared for this.” He stood there, instantly looking like a victim. “Lucas, I would never steal from the company. Are you doing this because you hate me? Because I’m close to the girls?” “I’m supposed to be your intern. Isn’t it your job to teach me? Why are you guarding everything from me? Is it because Stella said my rough drafts were good, and you feel threatened?” “I never meant to steal their affection from you.” A vein throbbed in my temple. I stood up, grabbing my laptop. “You’re delusional.” As I turned to walk to my bedroom, he grabbed my arm. “Lucas, wait, don’t be mad.” His grip yanked me back. The sudden movement pulled violently on my fresh abdominal stitches. A blinding flash of pain shot through me. At the exact same moment, he threw his glass of water directly onto my stomach. I shoved him away by pure reflex. “What the hell are you doing?!” The glass shattered against the hardwood floor. He stumbled backward, then quickly grabbed a wad of paper towels. “Oh my god, Lucas, I’m so sorry, I tripped. Let me dry it off.” He lunged forward and pressed his hand forcefully directly onto my healing wound. He began scrubbing violently. Agony ripped through my body. Fresh, hot blood immediately soaked through the bandages. I grabbed his wrist, my vision spotting black from the pain. “What are you doing?! Can’t you see I’m bleeding?” A loud banging came from the front door. “Toby? What’s going on?” It was Stella and Brooke. They must have heard the glass shattering. They punched in my door code and rushed in. They walked in right as Toby was kneeling on the floor, holding the bloody paper towels, looking absolutely terrified. Stella rushed forward and yanked him to his feet. “Why are you on your knees?! Lucas, are you seriously physically abusing him now?!” Toby shook his head frantically. “No, it’s my fault. Lucas, don’t be mad, it was an accident.” Brooke, who had always had a fiery temper, marched up to me and shoved me hard in the chest. “What is wrong with you?! You’re a grown man, and you act like this? You let him stay one night and you decide to torture him? Are you even a man?” The shove sent me stumbling back. A horrific tearing sound echoed inside my own head. A rush of sickening heat poured down my stomach. I collapsed onto the couch, curling into a ball, clutching my gut. I couldn’t even draw enough breath to speak. Toby kept talking, his voice shaking. “I accidentally spilled water on him. He didn’t mean to shove me down. Please don’t yell at him. I tried to wipe the water off, and I think I bumped his stitches. That’s why he got angry.” Stella shielded Toby with her body, screaming at me. “He barely grazed your stomach and you threw him to the floor?! If I push you, are you gonna beat me up too?” She marched over and shoved me back down against the armrest of the couch. Blood was pooling through my shirt now, dripping onto the leather sofa. My hands were shaking uncontrollably, but I managed to pull my phone from my pocket and dial 911. “I need an ambulance,” I gasped, tasting copper in my mouth. “Oakwood Complex, Building 2, Apartment 21A. My surgical wound burst open. I can’t stop the bleeding… I’m getting dizzy.” Only then did they realize something was horribly wrong. Brooke’s face dropped. “Lucas, what’s happening?” I slapped their hands away as they tried to reach for me. I clutched my phone, practically crawling toward the front door to unlock it for the paramedics. Stella tried to grab my arm, her voice trembling now. “I… I didn’t mean to yell that loud. And I didn’t mean to push you that hard. It’s your fault for…” Sirens wailed in the distance. Knowing help was coming, the last shred of adrenaline holding me together completely evaporated. The world went violently dark, and I hit the floor.

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“He’s a pathetic stray. Only I’d ever feed him. Where else would he go?” My wife sneered, her voice dripping with contempt. There she stood, safe and clean beside her male best friend, laughing into her phone. And I—the “stray” she mocked—stood nearby, covered in soot, skin blackened by smoke. Moments before, I’d rushed into a burning building after her desperate call, believing she was trapped. I found her unharmed, amused by my panic. “Ashton, you fool,” she laughed, tears in her eyes. “Fooled ninety-nine times, and you still fall for it.” A bystander spoke up: “Aren’t you afraid he’ll divorce you?” She didn’t flinch. “He caused my first love’s death. This suffering is nothing.” That’s why she was sure I’d never leave. I didn’t argue. I just gripped the medical report in my hand, hidden beneath my stained clothes. She didn’t know: I was dying. This time, I was really leaving. 1 I looked at my wife, Scarlett, standing before me. The disgusted expression on her face mirrored the faces of those who had bullied me in my memories. But in the past, every time I was humiliated, she would stand in front of me without hesitation, protecting and caring for me. She even risked breaking rules and facing family punishment, just to stand up for me. Everyone envied us, saying we were childhood sweethearts, truly meant for each other. Both our parents had also arranged our marriage. However, if I had known that after we married, we would become enemies filled with mutual loathing, I would have preferred to remain her friend forever. Right now, Scarlett and her male best friend were still laughing, making a clown out of me. But I finally spoke the words I hadn’t dared to utter in five years of marriage: “Scarlett, let’s get a divorce!” The laughter abruptly stopped. A flicker of surprise crossed Scarlett’s eyes, and she immediately refused without thinking: “I don’t agree.” I looked up at her, taken aback. Did she still have some feelings for me? Before I could ponder it, the next second, Scarlett raised an eyebrow, displeased. “You know that if I divorce, my family’s company stock will drop. You’re deliberately using that to threaten me, aren’t you?” “Ashton, don’t forget, you owe me a life. You have to spend your entire life repaying it. Don’t even think about escaping.” My heart constricted, and my sickly pale complexion grew even whiter. Yes. She hated me too much to have any feelings for me. I was just deluding myself. Five years ago, because of my marriage into her family, Scarlett was forced to break up with her first love, Liam Hunt. At first, knowing the arranged marriage was unavoidable, she didn’t resist. She even solemnly promised me: “Ashton, I’ll forget Liam and live a good life with you.” “It’s just that our breakup was so abrupt, I’m afraid he might do something foolish in a moment of despair. Can we keep our marriage a secret for a while before telling him?” Just being by her side was enough for me, so I naturally agreed to her wishes, nodding to a secret wedding, not to be publicly announced yet. But on our wedding day, news of our arranged marriage leaked online, a powerful alliance that became known to everyone. Liam, rushing to the scene, tragically died in a car accident. Scarlett rushed, heartbroken, to the morgue, and found a blood-stained wedding invitation on his body. Everyone around her accused me of spreading the news, and of sending the invitation. “Ashton, I promised to live a good life with you, so why did you maliciously cause his death?” Scarlett was furious on the spot, convinced that I had caused her first love’s death. I explained countless times that it had nothing to do with me, but she refused to believe me ever again. From then on, she despised me, and her attitude changed completely. She not only spoke cruelly to me but also openly kept Liam’s doppelgänger, Alex Miller, by her side, claiming he was just a male best friend for the sake of reputation. She often found amusement in tormenting me daily, games like today’s often played out over these five years of marriage. Facing their taunts, I had grown accustomed to them, keeping my head down and remaining silent, meekly listening to her reprimands. Fresh out of the fire, I was covered in soot, my clothes torn in several places, looking utterly wretched. Scarlett’s friends, unable to watch any longer, handed me a jacket. My parched throat managed a faint thank you. But Alex rushed forward, ripped the jacket off, and threw it aside, pointing at me and raging: “Ashton, you caused your mother’s death, and you caused Scarlett’s beloved’s death.” “You carry two lives on your conscience. You don’t deserve a good life. Just endure the ridicule and scorn of others, and walk back step by step.” I instinctively looked at Scarlett. Scarlett said nothing, tacitly approving Alex’s actions. I smiled bitterly. My mother died in childbirth with me. My father and brother both believed I was responsible for her death, subjecting me to constant harsh treatment from childhood—either depriving me of clothes and food, or verbally and physically abusing me. Scarlett, however, always quietly extended a helping hand, even comforting me: “Life and death are fated. Your mother’s death isn’t your fault. Don’t let others’ words affect you.” But now, she allowed Alex to speak of me this way, without stopping him, which was no different from their tacit belief that everything was my fault. My father and brother despised me; now even the only light in my life, Scarlett, hated me intensely. But I couldn’t understand, I had always been so careful with my words and actions since childhood, where exactly did I go wrong? A wave of pain coursed through my body. I shook my head. Never mind, I won’t think about it. Anyway, I have late-stage lung cancer and not much time left to live. When I die, they’ll probably feel their vengeance is complete. I walked on in silence, Alex happily recording a video behind me. A flicker of something—perhaps reluctance—crossed Scarlett’s eyes. She waved her hand, stopping him. “Enough. He’s my husband, after all, even if just in name. If passersby film this and upload it, it’ll damage my family’s reputation.” After all, she marketed herself as a dutiful wife. If word got out about her mistreating me, her live-in husband, it would undoubtedly invite criticism. She warned everyone present not to spread what happened today. Then she drove me home, roughly pushing me out of the car. Without a backward glance, she slammed her foot on the accelerator, and the car sped away. The house staff secretly chuckled, calling me a usurper and saying I deserved what I got. Not one dared to interfere. I was long past caring. I limped back to the bedroom. After showering and changing, exhausted from the day, I drifted into a hazy sleep. I don’t know how much time passed. Suddenly, there was a loud bang. My bedroom door was violently kicked open. 2 Alex burst in, enraged, ordering his bodyguards to drag me from the bed onto the floor. He then raised his hand and slapped me several times across the face. My ears rang, and through the buzzing, I heard Alex’s roar: “Ashton, I underestimated you! You actually dared to post this online, stirring up public opinion and ruining Scarlett’s reputation!” I was still dazed. Scarlett, heels clicking, walked into this room, a room she hadn’t entered since our marriage. Alex lowered his head and apologized: “Scarlett, I’m sorry. I silenced everyone present, but I never imagined Ashton would leak it himself.” “It seems your little ‘fire prank’ angered him quite a bit. He’s even willing to go down with you.” Only then did I understand. It turned out that the incident where they ridiculed me during the day had been exposed, and they were blaming me for it. Scarlett was about to unleash her fury on me, but then she suddenly noticed my swollen face. She paused, demanding from Alex: “You hit him?” How could she be concerned? The pain she inflicted on me was a hundred times worse than a mere slap. Alex raised an eyebrow, retorting, “What, Scarlett? Are you feeling sorry for him?” Scarlett looked at his face, nine-tenths similar to her first love’s, and gave a haughty snort. “Next time, don’t hit his face. It looks bad.” My lowered gaze darkened. So, she was afraid of damaging the company’s image and her own. If not for that slight concern for public opinion, she wouldn’t even spare me a glance, even if I were beaten to death. Scarlett looked down at me. “Ashton, did you leak that news?” Of course not me. But if I said so, would she believe it? Ever since Alex moved in, he had repeatedly slandered me. No matter how much I explained, or even presented evidence, she only believed Alex. Simply because he resembled her first love, Scarlett saw everything through a biased lens, convinced that every fault was mine. Each time I tried to explain, her hatred for me deepened. Now, I was tired of explaining. I merely hummed in acknowledgment: “If that’s what you believe, then it is.” Hearing my answer, Scarlett’s emotions seemed to find release. With tear-rimmed eyes, she threw her bag at me. “What? This time you’re not stubborn, you admit you were wrong?” “Ashton, if you had just admitted your mistake earlier, you wouldn’t have suffered so much!” She had the housekeeper bring me ice to put on my face, her tone still distant. “Once the swelling goes down, come with me to the press conference to show affection and clear up the rumors.” Seeing that Scarlett had no further punishment planned and her attitude had softened considerably, Alex tugged at her, confused. “Scarlett, Ashton caused a lot of trouble for our PR department. Are you just going to let him off so easily?” Usually, Scarlett was almost completely subservient to his words, but this time she raised an eyebrow, brushing him off. “Didn’t you hit him? He’s been punished. Let’s not let it happen again.” A flicker of hope inexplicably ignited within me, and I asked her expectantly: “Scarlett, if I die, will you be sad?” Scarlett looked displeased. “Ashton, don’t push your luck! You’re getting off easy.” “If you die, I’ll set off fireworks for a month to celebrate.” I gave a bitter smile. I had imagined too much. She was still the Scarlett who hated me to the core. The pain in my lungs spread throughout my body. I bit down on my teeth, forcing myself not to groan, but inside, I felt a subtle sense of liberation. Good. Her wish would soon come true. 3 Seeing my face contorted in pain. Scarlett glanced at me. “Wipe that jaundiced makeup off your face. I’m not falling for your self-pity act.” I froze. She thought my sickly pale face was due to makeup, little did she know, I was close to death. She finished speaking and was about to leave when her assistant approached with a phone. “Ms. Su, your call.” Scarlett put it on speaker. From the other end, her competitor’s light laugh drifted through. “Ms. Su, the online rumors are just a warning. You’d best withdraw from this bid.” “Otherwise, if I’m not careful, all the videos I have might just get released.” The call ended. Scarlett clicked on the video, her face turning ashen. It turned out that the online rumors were spread by her competitor; they had all wrongly accused me. Alex apologized, remorseful. “Scarlett, it’s my fault for not checking thoroughly. I almost messed things up.” Scarlett couldn’t bring herself to blame him, sighing. “Ultimately, it’s our carelessness that gave others something to exploit. We just need to be more careful next time.” Seeing Scarlett frowning. Alex gritted his teeth, helped me up, and offered a stiff apology. “Ashton, I misunderstood you this time. If you’re upset, hit me back.” Before I could even move, Scarlett lovingly reached out to block me. “Nonsense! You were looking out for me. He himself didn’t speak up clearly, so it’s not your fault.” Heh. It was my fault again. But when had she ever believed my explanations? I remained silent. She, in front of me, her husband, hooked her arm through Alex’s, consoling him as they left, not even sparing a glance for me, the wrongly accused. The people in the room dispersed with them. My strained body could no longer hold out. A dizzy spell hit me, and I collapsed to the ground. When consciousness returned, my nostrils were filled with the scent of disinfectant. I was about to open my eyes when I heard Alex’s hushed, gleeful voice: “Ashton has late-stage lung cancer; he won’t live much longer. It wasn’t in vain that I caused Liam’s death and sabotaged their relationship back then.” “Now, I’m finally close to achieving my goal!” My body trembled. So, all these years, I had been covering for someone else! For a moment, I desperately wanted to tell Scarlett the truth. But the next second, I bitterly withdrew the thought. I had no evidence; Scarlett wouldn’t believe anything I said. Once Alex’s voice completely faded, I pulled out my phone and contacted a private investigator, asking them to look into the matter. Whether Scarlett believed it or not, I had to clear my name before I died. After what felt like an eternity, Scarlett finally rushed in, agitated. The moment she entered, I actually caught a flicker of worry in her eyes. But as soon as I blinked again, only coldness remained, as if everything I had just seen was an illusion. She asked the doctor: “Why did he suddenly faint?” 4 The doctor hesitated. Alex interjected, “Oh, he had low blood sugar. It’s nothing serious.” Scarlett breathed a sigh of relief, believed him without even asking me, and took it as truth. She discharged me from the hospital and brought me home. She had the housekeeper prepare a lavish meal and pushed a bowl of pork rib soup in front of me, scolding me to eat. “Ashton, I haven’t deprived you of food or clothes, have I? Who are you trying to impress with this pathetic act?” “Hurry up and eat more, so people won’t say my family mistreats its live-in son-in-law, that we don’t even feed him.” Scarlett valued her reputation above all else. So, even during the most strained period of our relationship, she never followed my family’s example of depriving me of food and clothes, letting everyone know I was disliked. Instead, for the sake of appearances, she maintained an image of a loving couple in public. Seeing I didn’t speak, Scarlett put down her chopsticks, paused, then spoke. “I was wrong to blame you about the previous incident. I have something for you; just a moment.” She got up and went upstairs to retrieve it. I watched her leave, feeling a strange curiosity, wondering why she was being so kind. Alex pulled a small booklet from his bag and waved it in front of me. “Do you know what this is?” I ignored him. Then, I heard a ripping sound. He tore the booklet into shreds, smiling sinisterly at me. “These are Liam’s love letters to Scarlett.” I froze, and before I could react, I heard Alex loudly, exaggeratedly shout: “Ashton, that’s something Scarlett values more than her life! Stop him!” Scarlett, hearing the commotion, rushed in, only to see her first love’s handwriting torn to pieces, scattered on the floor. Alex, eyes red, slapped himself across the face. “Scarlett, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have taken it out in front of Ashton, giving him a chance to destroy it.” Scarlett’s face darkened. She raised her hand and slapped me directly, then slammed a set of luxury car keys onto my body. “I was originally planning to get you a car for getting around. But now, it seems you don’t deserve it!” It was like this again, accusing me without any clear reason. I couldn’t help myself; I wanted to reveal the truth, but just as I uttered the words “It wasn’t me,” The butler, standing to one side, knelt. “Miss, I failed to stop Ashton from tearing up the keepsake. I am also at fault. Please deduct my salary.” Other servants also jumped in, seemingly admitting fault, but in reality, accusing me. The scenes from five years ago were replaying today. When I saw Alex’s triumphant gaze, I finally understood. These people had all been bought by him long ago. Scarlett saw my attempt to argue and flew into a rage. “Ashton, you still dare to talk back? You’re simply incorrigible!” “Butler, throw him into the dark room in solitary confinement. Release him only when the press conference begins.” I was dragged away by bodyguards. She, on the other hand, carefully collected the shredded paper, while still comforting Alex. “Don’t be sad. It’s not your fault. Ashton is simply malicious, not even sparing a deceased person’s belongings.” She still didn’t trust me, as always. But it didn’t matter. I was about to be a dead person myself. I was locked in a pitch-black room, my phone confiscated. Without medication, I passed out from the pain and woke up again, countless times, unsure of how much time had passed. Perhaps it was due to inhaling a lot of smoke earlier while trying to save Scarlett, but I noticed my condition seemed to have worsened. My consciousness slowly blurred. The moment my eyes finally closed, the screen of my phone, locked in a cabinet, lit up. The detective sent a message: “The truth has been uncovered. Evidence will be handed to Scarlett soon. Bro, don’t forget to settle the final payment with me.” Meanwhile, Scarlett, calculating the time, knew it was time to release me. As she was about to enter the house, a delivery driver handed Scarlett a sealed envelope. “Are you Ms. Scarlett Su? Please sign for this.” Scarlett took it, and her expression froze when she saw the name on it. 5 It had “Ashton Kaling” written on it. She raised an eyebrow, signed it, and tossed it aside. The delivery driver hastily added, “Ms. Su, the sender said this is very important.” “It’s imperative that you open it immediately upon receipt.” Scarlett was displeased, but seeing an outsider present, she didn’t curse. Instead, she impatiently tore open the envelope. The delivery driver breathed a sigh of relief, pulled out his phone, and sent a message, reporting the task complete. The moment Scarlett saw the contents, she froze, a flicker of bewilderment in the depths of her eyes: “Why did he send me this stuff?” When I saw Scarlett, I was also somewhat confused. Wasn’t I in solitary confinement? When was I released? I had no memory of it. Before I could dwell on it too long, I heard Scarlett’s murmur, and was instantly surprised. Shouldn’t Scarlett be furious upon learning the truth? Why was she wearing that expression? I walked over, curious. “Scarlett, let me see.” She acted as if she hadn’t heard my question. I called her several more times, but she still pretended not to hear. I sighed, reaching out to take it, but my hand passed through the documents, grabbing nothing. “Scarlett.” Scarlett looked up at the sound. Seeing Alex approach, a smile appeared on her usually serene face. She waved to him, her arm passing directly through my body. I looked down, startled, and only then realized that my body was semi-transparent. The sun shone brightly above, yet I cast no shadow. I smiled bitterly. It turned out I hadn’t been released. I had died. “Scarlett, what’s this?”

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The girl was dying from a snakebite. As the village’s only doctor, I let the last vial of antivenom fall and shatter. I watched calmly as her life faded. Her family knelt outside, begging. My kind apprentice pleaded with me. My gentle husband screamed I was a monster who should have been bitten. I held up a shard of the broken vial. “I’m sorry. The last vial was dropped. Get her to the city hospital. Now.” In my past life, I’d treated her carefully. I had the right antivenom, cleaned the wound for hours, and saved her. But she died moments after. Then the door burst open. A mob of reporters and villagers stormed in. They called me a quack, accused me of taking bribes and selling expired drugs. They found cash and old medicine in my clinic. My own husband denounced me on camera. My apprentice testified she’d seen me sell expired drugs. I was branded a murderer. The villagers released venomous snakes on me until I died. Yet in twenty years as a doctor, I had been honest. I never took bribes, never sold expired medicine, and often waived fees for the poor. I couldn’t understand it. The antivenom should have worked. Then I opened my eyes. I was back on the day the girl was brought to my clinic. 1 “Doctor, please, you have to save that poor girl! Her face is turning purple.” The sweet, delicate voice in my ear made me freeze. I’d know that voice even in death. It could only be my darling apprentice, Amelia. Her eyes were filled with tears, her expression a perfect blend of compassion and concern. A true angel in white. She took my hand, ready to pull me to my feet. But I remained seated, my gaze fixed on the safe in the corner of the room. I’m meticulous. Obsessive, even. Every time I use the safe, I reset the combination dial to zero. But now, untouched by me, the dial was pointing to a different set of numbers. A cold fury washed over me as I remembered the cascade of cash that had poured from that very safe in my previous life. Besides me, only one other person knew the combination. My husband, David. Was it possible? Had he planned my death all along? I had spent my life doing good, treating countless poor and sick villagers. I thought I was earning good karma, ensuring a peaceful future for myself. I never imagined I would be betrayed and destroyed by the two people I loved most. But I was still confused. The girl was clearly bitten by a pit viper. That was the only deadly snake in the area. So why didn’t the antivenom work? Before I could think further, the clinic door burst open. An old woman stumbled in, carrying a young girl with a deathly pale, bluish face. She collapsed to her knees, sobbing. “Dr. Evans! What are you waiting for? Please, save my granddaughter! She was bitten by a snake!” “Ma’am, please try to calm down,” Amelia said, her voice gentle. “Do you remember what the snake looked like?” “It was… it was green,” the old woman stammered. “Oh! It must have been a pit viper!” Amelia exclaimed, turning to me and grabbing my arm. “Doctor, I remember we have one vial of pit viper antivenom left, right? We have to use it now!” I ignored her and calmly assessed the girl’s condition. 2 Last time, I was in too much of a hurry. I didn’t ask enough questions before administering the antivenom. But now, looking closely, I could see how frail she was. When I lifted her sleeve, I saw not only the snakebite but also a constellation of dark bruises, as if she had been beaten. Pit viper venom isn’t the most potent. The fatality rate is relatively low. It seemed there was more to her condition than just the bite. “Ma’am, did you manage to bring the snake with you? Or take a picture of it?” I asked. “What? I didn’t have time for that! I was in a panic! Doctor, just give her that shot, please!” A flicker of panic crossed the grandmother’s eyes. She glanced nervously in Amelia’s direction. Were they in on it together? “I can’t do that, ma’am. Not all green snakes are pit vipers. This is a small clinic with limited resources. I can’t definitively identify the snake. If I use the wrong antivenom, it won’t work, and it will waste precious time. You need to get her to a proper hospital in the city.” As I spoke, Amelia’s expression soured. In the past, I would have been frantic, desperate to help the patient, and would have likely followed her suggestion. But not this time. I was not getting dragged into this mess again. “Doctor, you can’t be serious! The girl is in critical condition. What if something happens on the way to the city? Don’t you have a conscience?” Amelia’s voice was sharp, her gentle facade cracking. “It’s precisely because I have a conscience that I won’t treat her blindly,” I retorted, my voice cold. “If I make a mistake and her condition worsens, will you take responsibility for that?” My icy glare made her flinch, and for a second, a look of pure venom flashed in her eyes. Just then, a figure stormed into the clinic. Without a word, he slapped me hard across the face. “Rebecca! You call yourself a doctor, and you’re just going to let her die? What was the point of all your years of study? I am so disappointed in you!” “You’re a monster. Why wasn’t it you who got bitten by the snake?” My husband, David, had arrived. The slap made my head spin. For a moment, the world tilted on its axis. When my vision cleared, I saw the rage in David’s eyes. He wasn’t looking at his wife of over a decade. He was looking at me like I was his mortal enemy. He had been planning this for a long time. He was just waiting for me to fall into his trap so he could get rid of me and inherit my clinic. But I wasn’t playing by his rules this time. He was getting desperate, trying to guilt-trip me. It wasn’t going to work. “If you’re so concerned, then drive her to the city. It’s an hour away, at most. David, you’re such a hero. Why don’t you use that new car of yours and put the pedal to the metal? Don’t worry, in an emergency like this, you won’t get a ticket for speeding or running a red light.” The suggestion caught him off guard. He stammered, “What does this have to do with me? You’re the doctor! You’re supposed to save people! Just give the girl the antivenom. If you delay any longer, I, as your husband, will be the first one to hold you accountable!” His threat was meant to intimidate me, but it only made my heart grow colder. The new car he was so proud of? I had bought it for him. For years, I had given him everything. And this is how he repaid me? By plotting my murder? “I’ve already told you, I don’t know what kind of snake it was. As a doctor, my first duty is to do no harm. That includes not administering a treatment without a proper diagnosis. While you’ve been standing here yelling at me, you could have been halfway to the city by now.” I refused to budge. David and Amelia were growing more and more frantic, their insults and accusations bouncing off my wall of calm indifference. Then, I saw Amelia give a subtle hand signal to the grandmother. The old woman immediately understood. She fell to her knees again, pulling out a wad of crumpled, dirty bills from her pocket. “Dr. Evans! Please, save my granddaughter! I have money! I’ll give you all of this! If it’s not enough, I’ll borrow more! I’ll sell everything I own, I’ll sell my own blood, my kidney, whatever it takes to pay you!” 3 I frowned. A dark sense of foreboding washed over me. Sure enough, David pointed an accusing finger at me. “So that’s it, Rebecca! I thought you were actually being professional. Turns out, you were just holding out for more money!” Amelia started sobbing beside him, looking at me with wide, wounded eyes. “Doctor, I chose you as my mentor because you seemed so honest, so principled. I never thought… I never thought you were this kind of person! You’ve disappointed me so much!” She cried dramatically, her pretty face crumpled in despair. It was a convincing performance. I saw a flicker of concern and tenderness in David’s eyes as he looked at her. So, there was more going on between them than I knew. I wasn’t even dead yet, and they had already dropped the act. “Why are you so worried about my apprentice’s feelings?” I asked, a playful, dangerous smile on my lips. “What exactly is the relationship between you two?” David’s face flushed, then paled. He seemed to snap, shoving me so hard I stumbled backward into a medicine cabinet. “What the hell are you talking about? Don’t you dare slander me!” The cabinet door wasn’t properly latched. The impact sent glass bottles crashing to the floor, shattering with a deafening noise. Shards of glass flew through the air, and I felt a sharp sting as a few pieces sliced my cheek. Blood welled up, and the sight of it seemed to startle David. But he didn’t move to help me. He didn’t offer a bandage. Instead, he marched over to my safe. “Rebecca, I’ve been covering for you for years, hoping you would change your ways. But this is too much. As your husband, it’s my duty to expose you to the village!” “This safe is full of the bribes she’s taken from all of you! These poor people! They have so little, and she’s been bleeding them dry! If you don’t pay her, she won’t treat you!” He started turning the dial, rattling off the combination as he continued his tirade. But when he finished, the safe door wouldn’t budge. He pulled and pulled, but it remained sealed. Just then, the clinic door flew open again. A group of reporters burst in, their cameras already rolling. “Dr. Evans, is it true that for the past twenty years, you’ve been demanding bribes from the villagers before you’ll treat them?” “Dr. Evans, we’ve heard that medicine that costs twenty dollars elsewhere, you sell for a hundred. Do you have no shame?” The questions came rapid-fire, the camera flashes blinding. But they weren’t getting the shot they wanted. David was still struggling with the safe. “You changed the combination!” he accused, his eyes wide with disbelief. What he didn’t know was that in addition to the combination lock, there was a second, key-operated lock at the bottom of the safe. I had quietly locked it while everyone was distracted. “So what if I did?” I shrugged. “A wife is allowed to have a few secrets, isn’t she?” “Damn it, open this thing! It’s full of cash! She’s taken in almost ten thousand dollars this month alone!” David roared. “No. Those are my personal belongings. I have a right to my privacy. If you want to accuse me of something, you can call the police.” I sat down calmly and watched him fume, a small, satisfying smile playing on my lips. “You just wait!” David snarled. He suddenly broke into a wicked grin, then ran into my storeroom and emerged with an armful of medicine boxes, which he dumped in front of the reporters. “Look! She’s been selling expired medicine! All of it! How much more evidence do you need?” 4 The reporters swarmed the pile of boxes, their cameras clicking furiously. “The evidence is right here. Let’s see you talk your way out of this one,” David sneered, ready to enjoy the show. But I wasn’t worried. “You say I’ve been selling expired medicine,” I said, my voice calm. “But where did you find these boxes?” “In your storeroom, of course!” David snapped, clearly not expecting the question. “Exactly. In my storeroom. Which means I haven’t sold them. It’s perfectly normal for a clinic to have some expired stock. I just haven’t had time to dispose of it properly.” The reporters seemed to find my explanation plausible. They looked at each other and nodded. “Stop pretending! I have a witness!” Amelia, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up. She brought in a young man from the crowd outside. “Go on, Sam! Tell them!” she encouraged. Sam looked dazed, his eyes darting around nervously. Amelia nudged him with her elbow, and he finally mumbled, “I… I bought a box of expired medicine from her. This one right here.” He placed a box on the counter, and the reporters immediately descended on it. “It’s true. This expired three years ago. And it has your handwritten dosage instructions and signature on it, Dr. Evans. What’s your explanation for this?” a reporter asked. I walked over and examined the box, then looked straight at Sam. He squirmed under my gaze, unable to meet my eyes. “Sam, who was this medicine for?” I asked. “Uh… for my dad? Why?” “If I remember correctly, your father passed away four years ago. So if you bought this medicine four years ago, it makes sense that it would be expired now, doesn’t it?” Sam’s eyes widened in panic. He turned to Amelia. “She figured it out! What do we do now?” Amelia quickly clamped a hand over his mouth, her eyes darting around in a panic. “Okay, let’s not get sidetracked,” she said, quickly changing the subject. “The girl is what’s important right now! Her condition is getting worse! You’re a doctor! You can’t just let her die!” Seeing her plan unraveling, she tried to steer the conversation back to the dying girl. “I’m not going to repeat myself. If you’re so concerned about this girl, then you save her. You’re a doctor too, aren’t you?” My challenge made her shrink back. “Me? No, I can’t. My skills are nowhere near as good as yours.” Just then, the village chief arrived. Amelia rushed to him, pouring out a dramatic, twisted version of the events. The chief looked at me, his expression troubled. “Dr. Evans, please, just treat the child. Time is running out. You’re the best doctor for miles around. If you can’t help her, who can?” The girl’s grandmother started wailing again, and the reporters joined in, urging me to do something. With all eyes on me, I had no choice but to relent. “Fine,” I sighed. “I’ll get the antivenom.” I walked back into the treatment room and looked at the overturned medicine cabinet. An idea struck me. I slapped my thigh and put on a look of utter panic. “Oh no! No, no, no!” “What are you screaming about now? Just treat the girl!” David yelled. I ignored him and sifted through the broken glass on the floor until I found a shard from a vial with the word “antivenom” still faintly visible. “I’m sorry,” I announced to the room. “The last vial of antivenom was accidentally dropped. You should get her to the city hospital. Now.”

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On our wedding anniversary, Sienna blindfolded me as a “surprise.” When the scarf came off, I stood in a remote, wild stretch of the American West, surrounded by animals. A plane roared overhead, and her cold voice echoed from a loudspeaker: “Mason Najimy, you said adults should know how to call a cab. Try calling one now.” I couldn’t help but laugh. To get back at me over her assistant, she’d actually left me here. Maybe this marriage ended long ago. I quietly took out my GPS satellite phone. “Come pick me up,” I said calmly. It started after a meeting. Outside, I saw an elderly homeless man collapse from the heat. I helped him into my car to take him to the hospital. But Sienna’s assistant, Kyle Finch, covered his nose in disgust. “He’s filthy. I won’t ride with him.” I told him to take a cab back. After getting the man emergency care, I went home relieved. Sienna was instantly furious. “You left Kyle in 113-degree heat! He walked back, collapsed, and spent a day in intensive care!” Kyle had pulled this before—always twisting things, driving Sienna and me apart. I explained patiently, “I was helping an elderly man. Kyle refused the car. Shouldn’t an adult know how to call a cab?” Sienna didn’t argue then. She just said flatly, “So it was his fault. I understand—I misunderstood you.” I thought it was over. I never imagined she’d held onto it until now. … Hearing my words, Sienna scoffed mockingly. “Mason Najimy, I think you’ve lost your mind from fear. This is the wilderness. Who else but me could possibly come and pick you up?” “I advise you, get on your knees now and politely apologize to Kyle. If he forgives you, maybe you can leave early. Otherwise, you can just wait here to be torn apart by wild animals.” Kyle, beside her, looked smug. “Mr. Najimy, I didn’t want this either, but you left me to nearly die of heatstroke last time. This is what you owe me.” “But if you humbly admit your mistake and beg for my forgiveness, I’ll ask the CEO to make your suffering less.” Watching him, a grown man, constantly acting with such a saccharine, pretentious demeanor, made me sick to my stomach. Seven years. Sienna and I had been married for seven years. I never imagined she could be so heartless as to put me in such danger for this young assistant. Our past promises were smoke and mirrors; she had long forgotten them. Suppressing the pain in my heart, I looked up at Sienna. “Sienna, do you really think what happened that day was my fault?” “All I did was try to help an elderly homeless man suffering from heatstroke. And he, a perfectly able-bodied man, would have known how to take public transport unless he was an idiot. This was clearly one of his pathetic tricks; I refuse to believe you couldn’t see through it?” Sienna’s expression was slightly awkward. Kyle, seeing this, shot me a resentful glare, then, with red eyes, spoke in his usual saccharine, wronged tone. “I know Mr. Najimy doesn’t like me, but how can you call me an idiot?” “I’m just a recent college graduate. How can I compare to Mr. Najimy, who’s so wealthy he either drives or takes a cab? Where would I get money for a cab?” A tear fell from his eye, as if he had suffered immense injustice. “Never mind, I’ll just consider it my own fault. CEO, please don’t punish Mr. Najimy. I’m just an insignificant assistant. At most, I’ll leave. I don’t want Mr. Najimy to resent you because of me.” Seeing her beloved assistant so wronged, Sienna’s face instantly hardened. “Mason Najimy, you still refuse to admit your mistake. You’re hopeless. Kyle is clearly the one being wronged, and I won’t let you bully him anymore.” Watching Kyle’s clumsy performance, I laughed out loud. “Sienna, you believe such a clumsy excuse from him? Have you forgotten how much salary you pay him each month? A hundred thousand dollars a month, while I only get five thousand. He has no money for a cab? Do you want to check what he’s wearing?” Kyle was clad in expensive designer clothes, while I wore a few cheap outfits season after season. That’s because after paying the household utility bills with my five thousand dollars, there was barely anything left, certainly no spare money for clothes. Hearing this, Sienna’s face twisted for a moment, then she angrily retorted, “Are you complaining that I pay Kyle too much? He just graduated; he needs money for rent, food, and commuting. What’s wrong with me giving him a little extra so he doesn’t have to struggle so much? You’re a director, and my husband. You have food and shelter. What do you need more salary for?” “I think you’re just jealous of Kyle, that’s why you deliberately left him behind. This time, I’m definitely going to punish you severely and teach you a lesson.” No matter what Kyle did, she could always defend him. I felt there was nothing left to say to her. But as darkness fell, I had to rely on my compass to keep myself as far from danger as possible. To my surprise, a wolf howl echoed from the distance, and as I focused my eyes, I gasped, almost losing my breath. On the distant hillside stood over a dozen wolves, their eyes gleaming as they stared intently at my location, as if ready to charge at any moment. My legs went weak with fear, my face pale. If this pack of wolves attacked, I would surely be torn to shreds. I looked up at Sienna in the plane; if she lowered the rescue ladder, she could take me out of danger. Sienna looked at me too, but her eyes held no concern, only amusement and cruelty. “Mason Najimy, now you know fear, you want to beg me? Too bad, it’s too late. You threw Kyle on the roadside in 113-degree heat. He walked back to the company and collapsed from heatstroke, nearly losing his life.” “This is what you owe him. I have to teach you a lesson.” I looked at Sienna in disbelief, deciding to give her one last chance. If she would let me board the plane, I would once again abandon my principles for her. “Sienna, those are wolves. Do you know what I’ll become if they attack? What did I do wrong that you wish me dead so badly?” Sienna paused, then looked at me as if nothing was amiss. “You won’t die. I just want to teach you a lesson. Once you’ve learned it, I’ll take you back.” I laughed, tears streaming down my face. I had overestimated my place in her heart. I looked at Sienna with disappointment. “Sienna, you don’t need to take me back.” From now on, whatever happens, remember this is the fruit of what you’ve sown today. Hearing my words, Sienna’s face flushed with anger. “What do you mean by that? Is it because I didn’t let you board the plane immediately, so you’re throwing a tantrum at me?” “I must have treated you too well normally, for you to dare to give me attitude even now.” Just then, the pack of wolves began to charge towards me. I couldn’t be bothered to argue with Sienna anymore and started running towards the other side. Not daring to relax for a second, I sprinted forward, wanting only to put as much distance between myself and the wolves as possible. But how could a human outrun a wolf? I heard the increasingly close howls of the wolves; I could almost hear my own heart pounding. Watching the scene from the plane, a flicker of worry crossed Sienna’s face. Kyle, catching this, had a look of resentment in his eyes. He then clung to Sienna’s arm, whining, “CEO, are you worried about Mr. Najimy? This is just the outskirts of the wilderness. These wolves are trained; they won’t harm anyone. Yet you’re still so concerned. If that’s the case, then you don’t need to pretend you’re getting justice for me.” “That day, I was nearly killed by the 113-degree sun. I guess my life is cheap. But I always remember you holding my hand in the hospital, saying you’d get justice for me. If it wasn’t for you, I would have never made it through and would have died then.” Sienna listened, no longer interested in looking at me. She pulled Kyle into her embrace, comforting him with a pained expression. “You poor thing. I said I’d get you justice, and I always keep my word.” “It’s just that these wolves look so fierce. I was momentarily stunned. Do these wolves really not hurt people?” Kyle’s eyes, cast downwards, flashed with a hint of panic, then quickly returned to normal. “Of course, CEO. I just wanted to vent a little. Do you really think I wanted Mr. Najimy’s life? Don’t you trust me?” Sienna quickly shook her head, placing a kiss on Kyle’s forehead. “You’re so kind, of course I trust you. After Mason Najimy apologizes to you this time, you two must get along, alright?” As Sienna finished speaking, she looked down at the ground, and her eyes widened in shock at the sight. The howling wolves had already surrounded Mason Najimy. They circled him, just like they would size up and play with their prey. Seeing this, Kyle said with a smile, “CEO, look, these wolves are just playing around with Mr. Najimy. As long as Mr. Najimy doesn’t make any aggressive moves, the pack won’t attack.” Sienna, who had been worried, immediately breathed a sigh of relief. “I hope this teaches him a lesson.” Sienna looked down at me and said, “Mason Najimy, do you understand your mistake now?” I looked up at her coldly. “I was wrong.” She froze. I continued, enunciating each word. “I was wrong seven years ago.” Sienna’s face filled with rage. “Unrepentant. Don’t blame me for not giving you a chance.” I watched the red dot on my satellite GPS watch flicker closer and closer, and my heart eased a little. Looking at the pack of wolves, I made a quick decision. I pulled out the hidden dagger from my bracelet and, with lightning speed, charged at one of the wolves. I had figured it out: this was the alpha. If I subdued it, I could deter the other wolves, making them hesitant to act, and buy myself some time. At the same instant, a gasp of alarm sounded from overhead. “Mason Najimy, what are you doing?” I ignored the anxious shout, leaped onto the alpha wolf, choked its neck, and plunged the dagger into its throat. Hot blood spurted out, splattering my face. The pack, seeing this, quickly dispersed, watching me warily. The alpha howled twice, then collapsed completely. I breathed a temporary sigh of relief. The surrounding wolves howled and whimpered at the sky, but not one dared to come forward again. Kyle flung himself into Sienna’s arms, looking utterly terrified. “CEO, that was so scary. Mr. Najimy has angered the pack. Will they come after us?” Sienna glared at me furiously. “Mason Najimy, were you crazy just now? Why would you kill a wolf? What if this pack goes mad and attacks you? Then what? Am I supposed to rescue you or not? Are you trying to deliberately drag me down with you?” “I never imagined your intentions could be so malicious. Do you want me to be buried here with you?” My face covered in blood, I looked up at her coldly, saying sarcastically, “According to CEO Finch, I should have done nothing, just waited for this pack of wolves to pounce and tear me to shreds, is that right?” Sienna choked. “They were just circling you, trying to scare you. How would they truly hurt you? Instead, aren’t you afraid your actions will provoke the entire pack?” I shook my head. Sienna had been completely brainwashed by Kyle. There was no point in explaining to her anymore. “Get on your knees and apologize to Kyle immediately, and I’ll let you board the plane.” I looked at the red dot on my satellite watch, which was getting closer. I chuckled softly, “No need. I will never apologize to someone like that in this lifetime.” With that, I began to cautiously survey my surroundings. They weren’t attacking now; they were simply observing, waiting for a better moment. In a life-or-death situation, I didn’t want to waste any more words on Sienna. Who knew, at that moment Kyle suddenly threw a string of firecrackers from the plane towards the wolf pack. “Mr. Najimy, don’t worry, I’ll help you scare off the wolves!” The firecrackers exploded, and the agitated wolves, their eyes blazing red, charged at me one by one. Amidst the frantic wolf pack, I cursed furiously, “Kyle, are you crazy? Throwing firecrackers at a wolf pack? Do you have any idea that you’re just provoking them?” Kyle, his eyes red and face full of grievance, pleaded, “CEO, I didn’t mean it! I just wanted to help Mr. Najimy scare away the wolves!” “When I was a kid, setting off firecrackers on New Year’s would scare away little dogs. I thought it would scare away wolves too. I was just trying to help.” Sienna, seeing her ‘boy-toy’ secretary’s wronged expression, immediately soothed him gently. “I know you didn’t mean it. How could someone as kind as you intentionally try to harm him?” Then she angrily rebuked me. “Mason Najimy, why are you being so aggressive towards Kyle? He was just trying to help. Besides, didn’t you just kill a wolf? These wolves shouldn’t be a problem for you, should they? Why are you being so dramatic?” My chest heaved with fury. This was the wife I had given everything for. Even if her ‘boy-toy’ secretary killed me in front of her, she would find a hundred reasons to defend him. A wolf pounced on me. I rolled, dodged, and plunged the dagger into its neck. It howled and fell. I barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief when another wolf leaped onto me. It bit deeply into my shoulder. As I struggled, a piece of flesh was torn off. Seizing the opportunity, I plunged the dagger into its neck again. The pain in my shoulder made me tremble all over, my face pale. I shakily looked at the remaining wolves, each glaring fiercely at me, waiting for an opportunity to tear me to shreds. Killing three wolves had already driven them mad. They found an opening and charged at me again. As I raised my wrist, a wolf clamped down hard. “Ah!” I cried out in pain. I could feel the wolf’s teeth biting into my bone. If it didn’t let go, my arm would be torn off. In the nick of time, I switched the dagger to my other hand and fiercely stabbed it into the wolf’s neck. It tore off a piece of my flesh in pain, then wolf after wolf charged at me. They bit my thigh, my back. I fought wildly with the dagger. Pain surged through my entire body. The frenzied pack ripped at my flesh. From the plane, all they could see was me being swallowed by the pack of wolves, a bloody scene. Sienna froze, crying out in alarm, “How can this be? So many wolves, Mason Najimy will die! Hurry, get down there and save him!” The bodyguards on the plane trembled with fear. “CEO, this is a frenzied wolf pack. We’ll be torn to shreds if we go down there.” Sienna froze, instinctively moving to get off the plane, but Kyle blocked her. “CEO, you’ll die if you go down now.” “He brought this on himself! Who told him to provoke the wolf pack first?” “But he’s my husband! He’s the most important person to me!” Kyle froze. Just then, a scream came from below the plane. “Ah!” “Mason!” Then, a gunshot echoed across the entire wilderness. I weakly lifted my gaze, a faint smile on my lips. The person I was waiting for had finally arrived.

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There was a moment at a friend’s party the other day that I can’t get out of my head. Our friends’ one-year-old suddenly burst into tears, a loud, heartbroken wail that sent all of us into a mild panic. While the rest of us fumbled around, my husband, Vincent, was an island of calm. He took the baby from his friend, his movements practiced and sure. He held the child close, patting his back gently while humming a lullaby I’d never heard before. To everyone’s astonishment, the crying subsided, and the baby quieted down. Our friends were floored, praising him for being a natural with kids. Vincent just smiled and waved it off. He even gently corrected our friend’s posture for holding the baby, adding a casual tip that infants this age are prone to gas and need to be burped thoroughly after feeding. On the drive home, I sat in the passenger seat, watching the city lights blur past. “When did you become a baby expert?” I finally asked, a teasing note in my voice. “I’m the one who’s supposed to be the die-hard child-free advocate, and even I don’t know all that.” His eyes stayed on the road, but his fingers flexed on the steering wheel. “You hear things,” he said lightly. “All the new dads at the office talk about this stuff nonstop. It’s hard not to pick it up.” He reached over and squeezed my cheek, a warm smile playing on his lips. “What, are you afraid they’re going to brainwash me? Make me go back on our DINK pact?” Then his expression turned serious, his eyes meeting mine for a brief, intense moment. “Don’t worry. We promised each other it would be just us, a world for two. And that’s all it will ever be.” 1 The day after the party, I was gathering Vincent’s suit jacket to send to the dry cleaners when something hard and small tumbled out of the pocket, clattering against the hardwood floor. It was a baby rattle. A bright red drum with a smiling doll painted on its face. It was brand new, the edges still sharp and un-scuffed. I picked it up, the smooth plastic cool against my palm. Vincent walked out of the bathroom, his hair still dripping. His eyes landed on the rattle in my hand, and for a split second, he froze. “Oh, that,” he said, his voice casual as he walked over and plucked it from my fingers. “It’s Mark’s kid’s. The little guy must have shoved it in my pocket when I was holding him yesterday. Guess I’ll have to get it back to him. What a pain.” His explanation was flawless. I just nodded. “Well, don’t forget to return it.” “I won’t.” He tossed the rattle onto the console table by the door, the one where we keep our keys and loose change. It was a spot you couldn’t miss on your way out. He’d thought of everything. But a strange, prickling discomfort settled in my chest, like the sting of a tiny, unseen needle. A few days later, I was reviewing our monthly credit card statement when a single charge jumped out at me. “The Baby Château Boutique. Total: $1,250.” The date was from last Wednesday. I remembered that day clearly. Vincent had told me he was visiting an important client. I brought it up that night. He was on the couch, watching the financial news, and didn’t even look up. “Oh, that was a massage chair for my mom. She’s been complaining about her back lately.” “You bought a massage chair at a baby store?” I asked. His eyes finally left the screen. He turned to me and smiled. “Don’t be silly. Those kinds of high-end places sell all sorts of things, wellness gadgets, stuff for seniors. It was just close to the client’s office, so I popped in.” He stood up and came around the couch, wrapping his arms around me from behind. “If you don’t believe me, we can ask Mom how she likes it when we see her tomorrow.” His warm breath tickled my ear. My entire body went rigid. In three years of marriage, he had never once used that placating, almost condescending tone with me. That night, I lay in bed, wide awake. Vincent was sound asleep beside me, his breathing deep and even. His phone, resting on the nightstand, suddenly lit up. It was on silent, the glow faint in the dark room. A message preview materialized on the screen. [Mrs. Gable (Building Super): The baby’s fever is back, 102. You need to come now.] It was followed by a crying emoji. My heart didn’t just sink. It plummeted into an icy abyss. The manager of our apartment building was a man in his fifties named Mr. Peterson. There was no Mrs. Gable. My hand moved on its own. I took Vincent’s thumb and pressed it to the sensor. His skin was warm. Mine was as cold as iron. The phone unlocked. I opened the chat with “Mrs. Gable.” There was no saved contact, only a profile picture: a selfie of a woman with long, dark hair and soft, gentle eyes. He hadn’t deleted the entire chat history. I scrolled up, and my world tilted. It was an endless stream of a baby. A newborn. A one-month-old. A baby smiling. A baby crawling. And under every single photo, a reply from Vincent. “Thank you for everything.” “Was he a good boy today?” “I’ll be there tomorrow.” Further up, there was a video. A woman’s voice, soft and sweet, cooing as she held an infant. “Come on, sweetie. Say ‘dada.’” The baby just gurgled, blowing spit bubbles. The background of the video was an unfamiliar apartment, but the floral pattern on the curtains… I recognized it. It was from a swatch Vincent had sent me on a business trip last year, telling me he loved the design. I’d laughed at him then, teasing him for having such frilly taste. It wasn’t for him. It was for her. 2 I backed out of the chat and clicked on her profile. Her name was Isabelle. Her social media presence painted the picture of a strong, optimistic single mother. [It’s hard, but seeing your smile makes it all worth it.] The caption was next to a photo of a sleeping infant. [Don’t you worry, baby. Mama will give you double the love.] That one was a picture of her holding the child at an indoor playground. But beneath the declarations of independence were a thousand tiny betrayals. A photo of her eating a meal at home, and next to her plate sat a coffee mug—a custom one I had given Vincent, engraved with his initials. A selfie of her holding the baby, and in the background, a man’s dress shirt was slung casually over the arm of the sofa. The cufflinks at the wrist were a mother-of-pearl set I knew he adored. Her latest post was from just three hours ago. [In the next life, I’ll choose you.] And right below it, a single comment. A “like” from Vincent. In that moment, I felt nothing. Not rage, not heartbreak. Just a vast, echoing void. Every beautiful dream I had for our future, every promise we’d made about our world for two, shattered into dust. I turned off the phone and placed it exactly where it had been. My hands were perfectly steady. I didn’t cry. I didn’t scream. I opened my laptop. I searched for the best divorce attorney in the city and sent an inquiry email. Then, I started to compile a list of my personal assets. Savings, investments, property. My phone screen lit up with a text from an old college friend, Alex. [Hey, how have you been?] My mind was a chaotic storm. I didn’t reply. I am child-free by choice. My life plan has never, ever included children. When Vincent proposed, I made that crystal clear. He had taken my hands, his gaze unwavering and sincere. He told me he loved me, not my potential to be an incubator. He said it didn’t matter if we had kids or not. Having me was enough. I believed him. What an absolute joke. The next morning, the sun streamed into our bedroom. Vincent was already in the kitchen, just like any other day. The smell of toast and fried eggs drifted under the door. He came in carrying a breakfast tray, a perfect, husbandly smile on his face. “Morning, beautiful. I made you your favorite.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead. I could smell his familiar cologne, but underneath it, faint and cloying, was the unmistakable scent of baby formula. My stomach churned. I fought it down. “It smells amazing.” I sat up and smiled back at him. My reflection in the vanity mirror looked pale, but my smile was sweet. “Hurry and eat. Don’t you remember? We have a date to see that new movie today,” he said, handing me the tray. “I know. I’ve been looking forward to it all week.” I took a small bite of toast. It tasted like ash. He sat on the edge of the bed, watching me, his eyes overflowing with a tenderness that made me want to vomit. “Slow down, you’ll choke.” Just then, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, and the smile on his face tightened for a fraction of a second. He took the phone and walked out onto the balcony, lowering his voice. “Hello?” “Didn’t I tell you I had plans today?” “…Fine, fine, I get it. Stop crying. I’m on my way.” He ended the call and walked back in, his face a mask of apology. “Aurora, I’m so sorry. Something urgent just came up at the office. I have to go in.” “The movie… can we reschedule? Please?” I looked at him. The panic in his eyes was so real, so convincing. “Of course,” I said, putting my fork down with a thoughtful smile. “Work comes first.” “You’re the best.” He leaned in and kissed my cheek one more time. 3 He changed his clothes in a hurry, grabbed his keys, and rushed out the door. The moment it clicked shut, the smile vanished from my face. I walked to the window and watched his car speed out of our complex. I knew he wasn’t going to the office. He was going to his other home. The one with his child, and the other woman who needed his comfort. A hot sting filled my eyes, but I forced the tears back. He wasn’t worth it. From the second he chose to lie to me, this man was no longer worth a single one of my tears. I didn’t cancel the movie tickets. I sat alone in the cavernous, empty theater and watched the romantic comedy we were supposed to see together. On screen, after a series of hilarious misunderstandings, the hero and heroine finally embraced in a perfect, happy ending. The theater was filled with the laughter and sniffles of other couples. I just sat there, my face blank, sipping my soda until the ice numbed my teeth. After the movie, I didn’t go home. I took a cab to the apartment complex I’d seen tagged in Isabelle’s social media posts. It was a new, upscale building with tight security. I couldn’t get in. As I hovered near the entrance, a familiar car pulled up to the gate. Vincent’s car. He parked and got out, pulling a mountain of things from the trunk. A stroller, cans of formula, and several expensive-looking gift bags. He was so preoccupied he didn’t even see me standing just a few yards away. A moment later, a woman ran out from the building and linked her arm through his. It was Isabelle. She looked exhausted, her eyes red and swollen as if she’d been crying for hours. Vincent soothed her, handing her the bags before taking a swaddled bundle from her arms. He looked down at the infant, and his face transformed with a look of such profound, genuine love and tenderness—a look I had never, ever seen on him before. He held the child, and together, he and Isabelle walked into the building I could never enter. They looked like any other loving, ordinary couple. I stood frozen, watching until their figures disappeared through the lobby doors. So, it wasn’t that he didn’t want children. He just didn’t want my children. Or maybe, he wanted it all: a docile woman to give him an heir, and a “perfect wife” to provide him with emotional support and a high-status lifestyle. He wanted everything. I took out my phone. I took a picture of his car. I took a picture of the building. Then, I made a call. It was to a senior I knew from college. He was now the editor-in-chief at a major media outlet. “Hey, Mark. I have a story for you. And I need a favor.” As I hung up, a car pulled up beside me. The window rolled down to reveal my mother-in-law’s face. Her expression was a mixture of shock and guilt. “Aurora, what are you doing here?” I looked at her and a slow, cruel smile spread across my face. “Oh, hi, Mom. I’m just here to see Vincent.” “He told me his… little brother lives here now, you know?” I gestured towards the gleaming apartment tower, my smile widening. “I just wanted to come by and see what he looks like.” The color drained from her face. She knew. She knew that I knew everything. Her mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. I didn’t give her a second glance. I turned and walked away, the sharp click of my heels on the pavement echoing in the quiet street. Every step felt like I was grinding my heel into the hollow, deceitful heart of their entire family.

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When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back the night before the surgery that had shattered my fate. The nightmare of my past life was as vivid as yesterday: I’d declined the general practitioner skills competition to take on that surgery. However, another surgeon’s egregious malpractice led to a severe medical error. My older sister, the head of the department, had pinned all the blame on me. Even my girlfriend had sided with her, accusing me of incompetence. Overnight, I went from a respected medical doctor to a pariah. Unable to prove my innocence, I was fired from the hospital and faced jail time. My parents, who had always been so proud of me, pointed and cursed: “We have no son who treats human lives with such contempt.” The immense blow plunged me into severe depression, ultimately leading me to jump from a rooftop. In this life, on the eve of the surgery, I preemptively resigned from the lead surgeon position. My colleagues in the department openly mocked me, saying I wasn’t fit for the job. “Is this really a doctor with a degree from a European university? More like some diploma mill.” “He just runs away from every challenge. He doesn’t deserve to be a doctor!” Their taunts fell on deaf ears. This time, I would not repeat history. 1 “This surgery is extremely complex. The hospital has decided to assign you as the lead surgeon. Do you feel confident?” In the department office, my sister smiled, placing a patient file in front of me. I looked at the file, and my body involuntarily trembled. Regaining my composure, I decisively shook my head. “I’ve just returned from abroad and need more time to learn. I’m not suitable for such a major surgery at the moment.” In my past life, this very surgery had plunged me into an abyss of no return. And my sister, who had always showered me with affection, was the one who orchestrated it all. Back then, I had unhesitatingly accepted the surgery, co-leading it with another doctor in the department, Dr. Ryan Vance. However, Ryan was not in good form and made frequent mistakes during the procedure. Despite my constant reminders, it led to irreversible consequences. I, who had no direct involvement in the incident, was caught in an unexpected disaster. My sister, as the department head, pushed all the blame onto me. Overnight, I became a pariah, not only scorned by everyone but also losing my job. Unable to cope with the blow, I ended my life in a haze of despair. My sister frowned, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. “This is a great opportunity. I worked so hard to get it for you. Why are you refusing?” I pushed the patient file back across the table to her, smiling. “My capabilities are limited; I’m not up to such a vital task.” Hearing my words, my girlfriend, Lisa Chen, immediately scolded me. “Sam, can’t you be more of a man, more courageous? You’re so timid with everything. How do you expect to advance in your career?” Seeing her exasperated look, all I wanted to do was laugh. Both of them seemed more concerned about me than anyone. In truth, in their hearts, I would never measure up to even a single hair on Ryan. I stood up and looked at her. “Ryan is a graduate of a prestigious university, superior to me in every aspect. He can handle this surgery on his own.” The tragic experiences of my past life were still vivid. Reborn, I would certainly not repeat those mistakes. My sister and Lisa both paused, stunned by my words. Then, Lisa took my hand, trying to encourage me. “That’s why you should strive to emulate Ryan, Sam, and become an excellent doctor like him as soon as possible.” When she spoke Ryan’s name, she seemed to transform, her voice filled with an inexplicable excitement. 2 I suppressed the pain in my heart and refused again. “I also have a general practitioner skills competition to prepare for recently. I can’t participate in this surgery!” The reason they were so keen on having me and Ryan perform this surgery together was that they both knew Ryan, at his skill level, couldn’t complete it without me. And if this extremely complex surgery succeeded, it would be a significant feather in Ryan’s cap. Seeing their skeptical gazes, I pulled a document from my folder and placed it before them. “What? You don’t even believe what I’m saying?” Lisa’s face instantly flushed with anger when she saw the document in my hand. “Why didn’t you tell Ryan about such an important competition?” “Are you perhaps afraid Ryan would steal your thunder?” My sister’s expression also darkened. “We’re colleagues from the same hospital. Why are you so unwilling to share? I’ve never seen anyone as selfish as you.” I looked at them, incredulous. “Ryan and I aren’t close. Why should I tell him?” Although we were in the same department. Ryan was aloof, always giving me, a newcomer to the hospital, the cold shoulder. In the past six months, I’d had no more than three private conversations with him. How could that be my fault? Lisa became even more furious after hearing my words. “Haven’t you learned Ryan’s personality by now?” “As a colleague, can’t you be more proactive and foster a good relationship with him?” With that, Lisa immediately pulled out her phone and called the organizers of the skills competition to register Ryan. My sister, Hannah, walked out directly, intending to ask Ryan in person. I watched the scene unfold before me, my heart heavy with bitterness. In their eyes, I was nothing more than an irrelevant outsider. A moment later, Lisa finally finished her call. Because the registration was full, Ryan couldn’t sign up. Lisa’s face was etched with urgency, and she kept muttering. “If Ryan can’t register for such an important skills competition, his future will definitely be affected!” “No, I have to find a way for Ryan.” Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she looked at me. “Don’t you have a spot already? If you just give up your spot, Ryan can participate in the competition smoothly.” Hearing Lisa’s words, my body couldn’t help but tremble slightly, and even my breathing became difficult. “Ryan’s future is important, but isn’t mine just as important?” Throughout our years together, I had always valued her more than my own life. But in her eyes, I would never measure up to Ryan, a man who meant nothing to her. Lisa glanced at me, then, unusually, began to flirt. “Ryan is older than you, so just let him have this spot!” “You’re still young, you’ll have plenty of opportunities later!” Watching Lisa’s utterly ingratiating behavior, a cold laugh involuntarily bubbled up inside me. So, the woman always hailed as a strong career woman could become so delicate and charming for Ryan. Unfortunately, I was no longer as naive as I had been in my past life; I wouldn’t be led by the nose by them again. 3 “Sam, Lisa’s right. You’re still young. Just give this opportunity to Ryan.” As I was thinking, Hannah had already walked in with Ryan. I looked up at them, my gaze meeting Ryan’s. Ryan’s eyes were filled with sarcasm. He seemed to be mocking my incompetence. I shook my head firmly. “You have no right to choose my life for me.” With that, I walked out without a backward glance. To my surprise. For the two days of the competition, they surprisingly didn’t bother me further. I checked my social media and learned that Ryan had taken on the surgery alone. I thought there wouldn’t be any more issues with this, but when I returned from the competition, Hannah and Lisa immediately found me. Their faces were filled with panic. “Sam, you have to save Ryan this time. If you don’t, he’s truly done for.” I immediately guessed that Ryan’s surgery had gone wrong again, and I asked them coldly, “How do you expect me to help with something like this?” This time, I wasn’t even at the hospital. They couldn’t possibly pin it on me, could they? Hannah’s next words utterly stunned me. “I’ll handle this. You’ll cover for Ryan.” “You haven’t been at the hospital for too long, so if there are any mistakes, no one will blame you too much.” Hearing Hannah’s words, I felt as if I’d been plunged into an ice-cold abyss. As her younger brother, she was actively asking me to take the fall for such a massive blunder for Ryan. If I covered for Ryan, I would not only ruin my career but also face jail time. The experiences of my past life were still vivid in my memory. I rejected her without a second thought. “As a doctor, if a surgery goes wrong, he should take responsibility himself. Why should I cover for him?” Lisa’s voice grew even more urgent when she heard my words. “Isn’t it natural for colleagues to help each other?” “If you help Ryan this time, all of us will remember your kindness.” Hearing her words, laced with moral blackmail, I could no longer control my anger. “You always think of Ryan. Have you ever considered my feelings?” “Don’t forget, one of you is my sister, and the other is my girlfriend!” By the end, my voice was tinged with a hint of a sob. In my past life, those two, because of Ryan, drove me to despair, leaving me with no peace even in death. Did they really want me to relive that tragedy again? My sister Hannah’s tone was filled with unquestionable authority. “Sam, you don’t have a choice. I’ve already arranged everything for Ryan. You have to take the blame for this.” As she spoke, Hannah directly slammed a stack of documents onto my desk. They had forged evidence of my presence. Everything had been meticulously crafted to perfection. If not for me, the person directly involved, anyone else would never have suspected a problem. They had gone to such lengths for Ryan. I couldn’t help but marvel at how much I had underestimated their determination to run to Ryan’s aid. However, there was no panic on my face, only a mocking smile as I looked at them. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll turn you both in for doing this?” 4 “Sam, what are you talking about? I’m your own sister! If you dare to do such an outrageous thing, Mom and Dad will never forgive you.” Hannah’s face darkened as she continued to threaten me. In her eyes, I had always been weak-willed; a scare from her would usually send me crying. I didn’t know why I was so resolute this time. I looked at her with a cold smile. “Now you remember we’re family? As an older sister, you’re asking me, your own brother, to take the fall for someone else. Do you think you deserve to be my sister?” “From now on, I want nothing to do with any of you. You’d better not provoke me again.” After what just happened, I was completely disillusioned with them. If they continued to harass me, I wouldn’t hesitate to expose them all. Seeing that Hannah couldn’t sway me, Lisa quickly stepped forward. “Sam, how can you say such things? Even if Hannah asks you to cover this, she won’t treat you badly.” “Ryan said that if you help him out this time, he’ll give you thirty thousand.” “With your current abilities, earning thirty thousand would take at least four years! You won’t lose out, no matter how you look at it.” After hearing her, I felt an even stronger urge to laugh. From what I knew of Ryan in my past life, he was addicted to online gambling and often lived hand-to-mouth. Let alone thirty thousand, he probably couldn’t even scrounge up three thousand. That thirty thousand, I didn’t need to think twice about it; it was definitely Hannah and Lisa who pooled their money for him. Moreover, the consequences of this matter were far more severe than they claimed. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been driven to suicide in my past life. Even now, they were still trying every trick to deceive me. For Ryan, they had truly reached a point of madness. I looked at them coldly. “Thirty thousand for my entire future? Isn’t that a bit cheap?” “My expenses for one year studying abroad are worth more than that.” With that, I didn’t give them a chance to persuade me further, and began to busy myself at my desk. Lisa and Hannah’s gazes turned exceptionally grim. As if they wanted to devour me whole. I merely glanced at them, completely unfazed. Our conversation just now had actually been recorded. If they dared to do anything outrageous, I would immediately post the recording online. Let them experience the feeling of public disgrace. As I was thinking, Ryan suddenly kicked open the office door, his face contorted in fury.

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Fresh from the ER, I found the hospital room barricaded. Julian’s assistant, Angela, held my newborn, her eyes full of malice. Before I could react, she hurled the baby to the floor. The crying stopped. I fought to get up, but Julian just stood there, cold and detached. Angela snatched the baby up again, glared at me—her eyes so much like mine—and hissed, “This is what you owe me. Today, you’ll pay with his life.” The baby fell still, growing cold. My world broke. I scrambled to hold him, screaming for someone to call the police. Julian slapped my phone away. His voice was ice: “Don’t. We do owe her.” He leaned close, kissed my tears, and said calmly, “It’s my fault. When you were studying in Europe, I was lonely. I found Angela to stand in for you… To keep me, she got pregnant. Then you came back, and I made her end it.” “So this child is what you owe her.” “And what I owe her.” … Angela stood a short distance away, meticulously wiping her hands with a wet wipe. She rubbed them over and over, then tossed the wipe into the bin. “Jan Fischer, being your stand-in has been the most disgusting thing I’ve ever done. And you and Julian Daniels, you both owe me for life.” Julian remained silent, his grip tightening on my hand, stopping me from dialing. He pressed me down, forcing me to watch as Angela strolled out of the room. The moment the door clicked shut, Julian grabbed my hand. “Just let it go, okay?” “Isn’t having me enough for you? It’s just one baby. We’ll have plenty more children later.” “You can just say you were weak from childbirth and accidentally dropped him…” I stared into his eyes. He showed no flicker of emotion, as if the child in my arms was just a discarded doll. The baby looked so much like him. He didn’t even glance at him, just grabbed a blanket, attempting to take the baby from my arms. “Angela’s had it rough. She lost her ability to have kids after that termination. Seeing you deliver easily, she must have been consumed by jealousy…” “Jan, if you want more children, we can try now… right now.” He kissed me frantically, his hand gripping my waist. I bit down hard on his hand. Just then, perhaps from our movements, the baby let out a faint, tiny cough. “He’s not dead! My baby’s not dead!” I fought with all my might, clutching the baby, and dashed for the door. Just as my fingers grazed the doorknob, Julian struck me, knocking me unconscious. As I fell, the baby slipped from my grasp. I watched, horrified, as my child hit the floor, blood seeping from his mouth. I tried to scream, but a hand clamped over my mouth, muffling my cries until I finally blacked out. When I woke, the Daniels family relatives crowded the room. Even a police officer sat nearby, taking notes. The moment I stirred, Julian’s mother marched over and slapped me across the face. The blow left my ears ringing for a long time, the voices around me a muddled blur until the officer approached. “Ms. Fischer, we’ve received a report from the hospital. You’re suspected of accidentally causing the death of your child. We need to ask you some questions.” “Specifically, between eight and ten last night, did you pick up your child and subsequently cause him to fall?” Those two sentences cut through the ringing in my ears. But they triggered an uncontrollable pain in my chest. What did they mean, I was suspected of accidentally killing my child? It was Angela… I tried to speak, but when I opened my mouth, my voice was unnaturally hoarse. In that instant, I sensed something was terribly wrong. I turned, meeting Julian’s gaze. He stroked my hair, his voice impossibly gentle. “My wife already suffered from severe depression, and with the postpartum hemorrhage, she hasn’t recovered well, leading to this accident. I’ll send her to a sanatorium for proper care…” “I have her psychiatric evaluation results, Officer. You can see them.” I struggled, desperate to deny it, to speak. But the harder I tried, the more my voice failed, my throat feeling as if it had been brutally sliced open by razor blades. And the entire Daniels family looked at me with an unshakeable hatred. Julian’s parents pointed at me, accusingly. “How could a mother be so cruel! To throw her own child to his death!” “He was barely born, and you killed him yourself. You’re heartless, a monster, you don’t deserve to live in this world.” Their accusations grew sharper, each one stabbing deeper than the last. Angela stood nearby, a faint, unreadable smile playing on her lips. Julian spoke briefly with the officer, who then left. Julian approached, wiping my hands, while trying to silence his family’s tirade. “Stop saying those things. She’s suffering enough. She’ll get better at the sanatorium, and we’ll have more children later.” He finished, and as our eyes met, he whispered, “Jan, your voice will come back. I didn’t give you too strong a dose. Once you come to your senses, it’ll be fine.” So, he was the one who silenced my voice. Just to prevent me from revealing the truth. Julian gently wiped the tears from my face with a damp cloth, comforting me. “Don’t worry. I’ve arranged for a reputable funeral home to handle the baby’s arrangements.” “We’ve chosen the best possible resting place for him.” “Angela felt terrible afterward, too. She specially hired a priest to pray for our baby, spent a lot of money, and even personally took him for cremation.” Cremation? My baby was cremated after I passed out? I stared, wide-eyed, at Julian. I hadn’t even seen my child one last time. Why was he cremated? Why didn’t they let me see him? I stammered, tears and snot streaming down my face, but everyone present thought I was insane, scoffing at my distraught state. “What’s she blabbering about? Doesn’t someone have a sedative to give her a few shots?” “She killed her own child and she’s still screaming like that. Insane, absolutely insane. It’s a disgrace to the Daniels family to have a daughter-in-law like this.” Angela stood near me, her voice sickeningly sweet, her usual gentle tone cutting me to the bone. “Oh, Jan, don’t you worry! I personally oversaw the cremation. He’s in a little urn now, a tiny little bit of ash. There’s no more pain, and the baby won’t blame you.” That phrase, “a tiny little bit,” magnified my agony a thousandfold. I lunged at her, a primal scream trapped in my throat. But the postpartum hemorrhage, the exhaustion, the lingering weakness from the night before… I crumpled to the floor, scrambling desperately towards her, only to be branded as having a psychotic breakdown. A group of orderlies were called. They tied me down with cloth strips, even gagging me. “I’m not crazy, I’m not…” All my incoherent pleas were muffled. They dragged me, forcefully, back to the bed. Julian pushed them away and embraced me. “Please, stop this, Jan. You’re breaking my heart. It’s just a child. Didn’t we marry for love? Not for breeding. Can’t you be rational?” “Julian, don’t spoil her so much. Your wife is a lunatic, she killed her own child with her own hands!” “If she can kill her own baby, who knows, maybe she’ll kill you one day. You’d be better off getting a divorce.” “I think Angela’s wonderful. Why don’t you divorce her and be with Angela? After all, when Jan was in Europe, Angela was always by your side.” His parents finished speaking. Angela looked on, expectant. Julian merely shook his head. “I only love Jan. I’ll only ever love her.” He carried me out of the hospital, personally taking me to a sanatorium. From the day I entered the sanatorium, the media swarmed. They’d caught wind of the story – my alleged infanticide – and hounded me for interviews. They’d even burst into my room late at night, relentlessly asking why I’d thrown my child to his death. “Are you genuinely mentally ill, or was it intentional?” “How can you kill your own baby and sleep soundly? Do you even have a conscience?” “You’re a mother! How could you throw your own child to his death?!” More and more media outlets clamored to report the story. Before long, the sanatorium asked Julian to take me back. But Julian never came. In the end, the sanatorium staff drove me to the outskirts of the Daniels estate. They unceremoniously shoved me out of the car. “Good riddance! A nuisance like you is disrupting our entire sanatorium.” “Get lost!” I rolled a full circle on the ground, my hands scraped and bleeding. I struggled to my feet, tried to call out, but my voice still hadn’t returned. I walked to the facial recognition scanner and the gate swung open. I staggered inside. The moment I pushed open the front door, I heard Julian’s voice. “You took Jan’s child, so you deserve to be punished.” “Don’t think that me keeping you out of jail means I’m letting you off. You know how much I love Jan, how much I looked forward to that child. You have to compensate! You have to pay!” Julian was avenging our child? A sliver of hope sparked in my heart, and I followed the sound. But when I pushed open the bedroom door, I froze. Julian had Angela dressed in my clothes, even wearing my favorite makeup and my framed glasses, lying on our wedding bed. Various props were strewn about. Angela and he were entangled. Her body was covered in whip marks, yet they seemed inextricably bound, like lovers in a passionate embrace. The floor was a mess. Angela even had a tattoo identical to mine. I couldn’t fathom that this was his idea of punishment. And Julian was still utterly engrossed. “If you hate being a stand-in so much, then why are you so willing to wear her clothes to please me?” “Angela Vance, when Jan gets out of the sanatorium, you’re in for it!” Angela seemed utterly absorbed in their perverse dynamic. She adjusted her glasses, a smirk on her face. “Didn’t you provoke me, saying that throwing her baby to his death would prove the depth of my love for you? I did it. I picked him up and threw him again and again. I was so afraid he wouldn’t die, and then I couldn’t prove how much I loved you.” “I don’t want to be a stand-in anymore. You just like her type. Jan Fischer can be your first love, but I, Angela Vance, can be too!” Just then, I knocked on the door. Both of them snapped their heads towards me… Julian scrambled to pull on his clothes, snatching the discarded clothes from the floor and throwing them at Angela. Angela, seeing me, was clearly less flustered than Julian. She even pushed up my glasses, a defiant glint in her eyes. As she bent to pick up the clothes, she deliberately bumped into me, hard. “What? You heard everything?” she sneered. “Heard it all and still so calm? Aren’t you depressed? Shouldn’t you be off killing yourself right now?” “Your own husband used your baby as a bet in our game of love, you know.” Julian, hearing her words, roared, “Shut up!” She just smiled at Julian. “Okay, Mr. Daniels, I won’t interrupt your conjugal bliss.” Julian rushed over. “What’s wrong?” “Why are you back so suddenly? Weren’t you comfortable at the sanatorium?” “You didn’t even tell me you were coming back. I would have picked you up.” He finished, then saw the injuries on my body and instantly became furious. “Who did this? Didn’t I tell them not to be rough with you, not to hurt you? I said I’d pick you up when you came to your senses. How dare they?” He helped me sit on the scarred bed. He took out a first-aid kit and began to gently clean my wounds. His movements were exceptionally careful. He looked as if he loved me just as much as before. He bowed his head, meticulously treating each wound, then bandaged me up. He looked at me. “Don’t misunderstand. Angela and I were just… letting off steam. Physical release and love are always different.” I stared at him. “Did you tell her to throw my baby to his death?” Julian stood up and put an arm around my shoulder. “Angela was just speaking in anger. I love you, so naturally I loved our child. How could I ever use our child as such a massive gamble? I was devastated when he was gone.” Looking at the used condoms scattered on the floor, I truly couldn’t see where his devastation lay. The baby’s funeral arrangements weren’t even finalized, and he was already rushing to share a bed with the very person who murdered my child. “I just want to know if you made a bet with her!” Julian avoided the question, deliberately trying to gloss over it. I stared into his eyes. “I’m only asking you one last time.” Julian, cornered by my persistence, turned to face me. “I just said it in passing. I wasn’t serious. Angela is just… so obsessive, she actually did it. Honey, please believe me.” He knelt on the floor, earnestly swearing to God. I ignored him, asking instead, “When did you say it in passing?” “Where did you say it in passing?” Julian gripped his hands, looking at me. “Why are you being so pedantic? The baby is dead. It was just a child, and you didn’t even spend much time with him. Are you really going to quarrel with me over a mere ‘lump of flesh’ you barely knew?” “Jan, think of everything we’ve been through to be together. Are we really going to break up over a child?” He said, then forcefully pushed me down. While I was distracted, he used the same handcuffs Angela had used to bind my wrists. “Your condition still hasn’t improved. I’ll find a private doctor to give you one-on-one treatment.” “When you’re better, we’ll have another child. And I won’t let Angela touch the baby then.” “Okay?” He casually tied me to the chair, then changed clothes and walked out the door. My phone, still recording, continued its silent work. I struggled to turn it off with my bound hands. Then, using the reflection in the mirror, I managed to send the video to a reporter. I had Angela to thank for this, in a twisted way. If she hadn’t deliberately leaked the story of my supposed infanticide to the media, I wouldn’t have had contact with so many journalists. And I wouldn’t have met a social media journalist who was willing to believe me. After I sent the video, the reporter quickly responded, but I was tied up and couldn’t reply. It wasn’t until evening that Julian returned.

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I handed Roy Novak my divorce papers. In that moment, the long-accumulated disappointment finally crushed the last shred of my affection. This marriage was destined for my humiliation from the start. On our wedding day, his childhood sweetheart became a widow, and he unhesitatingly abandoned me to rush and bring her home. Everyone in the compound laughed at my expense. I completed the wedding alone, a ceremony that should have been shared by two. And scenes like this replayed almost a hundred times throughout our marriage; each time, he would cast me aside for that woman. 1 I clutched Roy Novak’s hand, my face full of pleading. “Please don’t go, okay?” “Meredith, Lydia Vance lost her husband. I have to go see her. Don’t be so unreasonable!” “I’ll come back to you. Everyone will understand!” Ridiculous. Understand? He pried my hand away, leaving me alone at the wedding venue. My hopes were crushed. I no longer wanted a man like this. Facing the sympathetic gazes of the crowd, I forced back my tears, one by one, while loudly announcing: “I apologize, but today, the wedding is canceled!” A ripple of shock went through the crowd. My neighbor, Mrs. Smith, grabbed my hand. “Meredith, my dear, you can’t be so childish. What Roy did was wrong, but you two, this…” “Mrs. Smith, the other day I saw Officer Davies laughing and chatting with a woman. Officer Davies even said he would give her your job.” Hearing this, Mrs. Smith immediately exploded! “Who?! I’ll kill her!” I gave a bitter laugh. “Yes, you’re ready to kill someone I merely spoke about, but I actually experienced this.” Mrs. Smith fell silent, only muttering, “But, but you can’t just give up like that!” However, she didn’t press further. I treated everyone to a meal. The wedding might be off, but we still needed to eat. Meeting their sympathetic yet amused gazes, I remained calm and composed. After seeing off the last group of guests, I finally broke down in tears. Roy and I met through an arranged introduction. It was love at first sight for me. Not long after we started dating, I learned about Lydia Vance’s existence. Roy told me, “Lydia is already married. She’s a childhood friend of mine.” “Lydia will definitely like you when she meets you.” “Lydia loves pickled plums the most, Meredith. Make plenty.” “Lydia…” There was too much of Lydia Vance in our relationship. When I flared up at Roy, he would frown. “Meredith, Lydia and I are completely innocent. How can your mind be so dirty?!” My heart sank, but I loved him too much. After apologizing, I fell back into it again. During our most intense argument, I suggested breaking off the engagement, but Roy refused. I proposed, “From now on, every time you see her, I’ll put a bean in this jar. When it’s full to a hundred beans, we’ll break up, and you’ll never get another chance.” Roy readily agreed. In his mind, a hundred beans? Impossible! But now, as I placed the last bean, the jar was full. Roy, you’re out of chances. Roy didn’t return. I knew he wouldn’t be back anytime soon, so I went directly to his superior. The old Captain, David Miller, already knew what had happened when he saw me. Before he could speak, I knelt down! “Uncle Miller, please, for my father’s sake, let me get a divorce!” My father was his old comrade, but after he died in action years ago, we lost touch. It wasn’t until my mother’s passing that I met him again, and through his introduction, I met Roy. He was our matchmaker, but now, with things so messy, Uncle Miller sighed. “Meredith, have you thought this through? What Roy did was wrong, but it was sudden…” “Lydia Vance’s family is all there. Regardless, it’s not Roy’s place to go, especially not on his wedding day.” “I don’t want to be wronged. If my father were alive, he wouldn’t stand by and watch me be humiliated!” Hearing this, Uncle Miller still agreed, accepting my divorce application. “Meredith, Uncle Miller was inconsiderate in this matter. Don’t worry, once you’re divorced, I’ll introduce you to someone better!” 2 I couldn’t help but give a bitter laugh. “Uncle Miller, never mind. I plan to go back to my hometown and start a small business.” Uncle Miller thought for a moment, then sighed. “That’s fine too. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to tell me!” After leaving Uncle Miller, I went back home, gathered all my money and tickets, and started packing. At the time, I had bought many things for the wedding. I packed cotton quilts, new bedding, and clothes. The cotton quilts were sent back to my hometown, and the bedding, I sold directly on the street. As for the new clothes, I thought for a moment and decided to give them to my neighbor, Martha, who had always looked out for me. Martha looked at my clothes, her eyes widening. “Meredith, are you giving up on everything?! Such good fabric, you don’t want it anymore?” “Yes, Martha, I’m planning to go back to my hometown!” “Then, what does Roy say?” My eyes moistened. “I… I don’t want him anymore. If a man’s heart isn’t with me, no matter how good a wife I am, it’s useless.” “That woman can make him not come home with just a word. Why should I stay?” I wiped away a tear, and Martha immediately became indignant. “I’ve heard it all! That Lydia Vance is no easy woman!” “Her husband died, but are her parents and in-laws all dead too? Why does she have to cling to your Roy?!” “I’m going to go talk some sense into him!” Martha started to get up, and I quickly stopped her. “It’s alright, Martha. I’m going back to my hometown. Please take these if you don’t mind them.” “I’ll head back now.” Martha saw me out, asking for my departure date. I thought for a moment and said, “I’m leaving tomorrow.” I had bought a train ticket; I would leave tomorrow. I told Martha to keep it a secret for me, and Martha reluctantly agreed. After returning home, as soon as I sat down, Roy came back, uncharacteristically bringing a chicken. “Meredith, stew a chicken soup, and also, cook more rice. Lydia hasn’t eaten all day!” My newly rekindled hope was finally dashed. In the past, I would have made a scene, but now, I wouldn’t. “You go prepare the chicken. Two people working together will be faster.” Roy froze for a moment. Not until he saw me boiling water did he realize, and he quickly came to help. Perhaps seeing the extreme calmness on my face, he quickly said, “After this busy period, I’ll take you out for a trip.” “As for Lydia, you know, she can’t manage on her own.” “I know.” My expression was calm. After boiling the water, I quietly started cooking and stewing soup. Roy busied himself, running back and forth. When the food was on the table, he immediately portioned out the chicken soup and said to me: “Meredith, I’m taking this to her. I’ll buy another one later to replenish your body.” “It’s okay, go ahead!” He froze, not expecting me to say that. He paused, then left. After eating, I dragged the suitcase from under the bed. After packing, I wrote a letter to Roy. Additionally, I took out an envelope from the drawer. After Roy and I got together, he turned over his salary, but every now and then he would ask me for money, saying Lydia Vance was struggling and he needed to help her out. Out of thirty-five dollars a month, twenty would go to Lydia. Including the money from selling my things, I had about one hundred and ten dollars left. Roy, I’d like to see if you and Lydia Vance can make it work without me. I put the money away and went back to the guest room to sleep. That night, Roy didn’t return, and I didn’t mind. However, not long after, Roy returned, with Lydia Vance by his side. “Meredith, Lydia’s family kicked her out. She has nowhere to go temporarily, so I brought her back. Let her sleep in the guest room!” “Improper.” No sooner had the words left my mouth than Lydia’s eyes reddened. “Forget it, Roy. You two are newly married. It’s not appropriate for a woman whose husband just died to move in.” “What’s improper? This is my home, and I say so!” I nodded. “You’re right, the guest room isn’t suitable. Let her sleep in the master bedroom. I’ll take the guest room.” 3 Roy froze, and even Lydia was somewhat taken aback, though a flicker of triumph immediately crossed her eyes. “Meredith, do you really mean that?” “Of course. Hurry up and get settled. It’s getting late.” “Oh, and since you just came back from a funeral, let’s not share a room tonight to avoid bad luck. You’ll have to sleep on the floor!” With that, I turned and entered the guest room, locking the door behind me, leaving them to arrange things as they pleased. In the middle of the night, I vaguely heard sounds from outside. “Roy?” “Come here, the floor is too cold!” I couldn’t help but sneer. Was Lydia already so impatient? A pang of sorrow went through me. Even though I had made up my mind to leave him, hearing this, I couldn’t stop my heart from aching. However, the heartache soon faded. By the time I woke up, it was already morning. I still had things to do today. After I got up, Roy was gone, and Lydia was sitting in the living room, eating. Seeing me, she smiled and said, “Meredith, Roy specially made this chicken porridge. He knows my stomach isn’t good, so he got up at four in the morning.” “Is that so? Then you should eat more.” I was unfazed. Lydia, unwilling to give up, stopped pretending. “Meredith, even if you’re married to him, he only has me in his heart!” “Do you believe me? If I call out, he’ll be the first to rush in to see me!” I couldn’t help but scoff. “He’s just a man. If you want him, he’s yours!” “Just make sure to keep a close eye on him this time, so he doesn’t disappear again.” “You!” Lydia suddenly rushed towards me, grabbing my hand. “Meredith, Roy and I are innocent. No matter how much you hate me, you can’t curse him like that. He’s your husband!” I forcefully shook her off. “Stop acting!” My strength wasn’t great, but Lydia still shrieked and fell to the ground. The next second, Roy rushed in, shoving me hard. Caught off guard, I crashed into the corner of the cupboard, the pain bringing tears to my eyes. “Meredith, what have you done?! Hurry and apologize to Lydia!” “It’s okay, it’s my cursed fate!” Roy cradled her in his arms, looking at me coldly: “Meredith, apologize, or else, I won’t forgive you!” “Don’t forgive me then, I don’t care. Apologize? Impossible!” I straightened up, blood trickling down my forehead. Roy was startled! “Meredith, I… I didn’t mean it, I…” As he was about to come over, Lydia suddenly clutched her stomach. “Roy, my stomach hurts so much!” Roy immediately returned to her side, quickly carrying her to the hospital. Before leaving, he didn’t forget to admonish me, “Meredith, wait for me to get back!” I didn’t say a word. I went directly to Martha, who was startled and quickly took me to the clinic for bandages. Learning the full story, she cursed all the way! “Meredith, that day you said you were going back to your hometown, I was a bit sad, but seeing this today, that Roy is a piece of trash!” “It’s good that you’re leaving. If you have any difficulties after you go back, send me a telegram!” I nodded, not lingering, and took my luggage to see Uncle Miller. He approved the divorce application and handed me the divorce certificate. “Meredith, I’ll talk to Roy. That boy is getting more and more out of hand, actually laying hands on you! I think he’s utterly deluded!” I sniffed. “Uncle Miller, please take care. I’ll write to you when I get back!” Uncle Miller personally walked me to the door, sighing: “That boy, he doesn’t know how to appreciate what he has!” I left the divorce certificate and the jar of beans in the drawer, and left without looking back. The moment I stepped onto the train, watching the scenery continuously recede outside the window, my mood immediately lightened considerably. Roy, goodbye. At the hospital, Roy felt uneasy, his mind filled with Meredith’s blood-stained face. “Lydia, I’m glad you’re alright. I’m going back to check on things!” Lydia knew she couldn’t rush things now, and generously indicated she could manage alone. Roy hurried back, receiving many strange looks along the way. He was filled with surprise when he returned home, only to find no trace of Meredith! His heart tightened, and he quickly pulled open the wardrobe. The clothes were gone! The bedding was gone too! And the items they had bought when they got married were also missing! He searched high and low, but Meredith was nowhere to be found. When he saw the divorce certificate left in the guest room drawer, he staggered two steps, then collapsed to the floor!

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