Category: English

After my mom woke up from a nap, she became a completely different person. Before, she always doted on my sister, fulfilling her every wish. As for me, she was always critical and harsh. But now, everything has flipped upside down. She started demanding that my eight-year-old sister take care of the whole family’s daily needs, often beating and scolding her, claiming it was to toughen her up. Meanwhile, she began buying me pretty dresses and delicate cakes that I’d never had before, calling me her little princess. Under Mom’s treatment, my sister grew more sullen by the day, which only led to harsher punishments from Mom. But only I knew the truth: Mom had traveled back in time. Interestingly, so had I. “How did I end up with a child like you? Eat, eat, eat, that’s all you do. You see food and can’t control yourself. Were you a starving ghost in your past life?” I had just opened my eyes when I heard Mom yelling at my sister Rachel downstairs. Soon after, Rachel’s earth-shattering cries filled the air. I had lost count of how many times Mom had found an excuse to beat and scold Rachel like this. I waited until Rachel’s cries subsided a bit before slowly getting out of bed and heading downstairs. The moment Mom saw me, her fierce expression instantly melted into a smile. She hurried over to greet me, glancing at my feet before turning to yell at Rachel again, “Are you blind? Can’t you see your sister isn’t wearing slippers? Hurry up and get her a pair!” Rachel, still sitting on the floor, wiped her eyes roughly before reluctantly getting up to fetch my slippers. By then, Mom had already carried me to the dining table and set me in a chair. In front of me was an elaborate breakfast, though I noticed the plate of cherries was considerably depleted. Connecting this with Rachel’s scolding earlier, it wasn’t hard to guess that Rachel had been caught sneaking some cherries. Ever since Mom woke up from her nap last week, Rachel hadn’t had the chance to eat any fruit. Even for regular meals, she only got leftovers after everyone else had finished. I poked at the food on my plate with my fork, smiling silently to myself.

Last week, after Mom woke up from her nap, she started acting strangely. She came downstairs to find Rachel riding on my back, making me mop the floor while pretending to be her horse. Mom’s face immediately darkened. In the past, Mom would have praised Rachel for being clever. But this time, she rushed over and knocked Rachel to the ground, slapping her several times and scolding her for bullying her sister. Shocked by the sudden slaps, Rachel wailed loudly, which only earned her more punches and kicks from Mom. Then Mom scooped me up in her arms as if I were a precious treasure. Ever since Dad died in a plane crash, Mom had given all her love to Rachel, who resembled Dad more. She always treated me with coldness and quick temper. It seemed like my only purpose in life was to please and serve my sister. Feeling Mom’s warm embrace after so long, I instinctively tried to pull away. But Mom held me tighter, and I heard her muttering to herself. “Never again… This time I won’t make the wrong choice. I won’t spoil that ungrateful brat anymore, never again.” Hearing Mom’s words, I understood the reason for her change in attitude. In my previous life, Mom had given all her love and attention to my sister. She indulged Rachel’s every whim, no matter how outrageous. If Rachel had asked for the stars in the sky, Mom would have moved heaven and earth to get them for her. Under Mom’s pampering, Rachel became increasingly selfish and willful. She treated me, the unloved younger sister, just as badly as Mom did, often hitting and scolding me. “I’m Mom’s favorite child. If you make me unhappy, I’ll tell Mom to throw you to the beggars and let you have a bunch of beggar babies!” Rachel would say. Rachel slapping me and pulling my hair in front of Mom had become a regular occurrence, and Mom never batted an eye. At school, Rachel bullied me without restraint, even spreading rumors about my supposedly improper behavior, claiming it caused her and Mom a lot of trouble. With me as a foil, Rachel became known as the beautiful and kind older sister. Later, Rachel tricked me into going to a bar late at night to pick her up, only to watch with a smirk as I was drugged and kidnapped by human traffickers. During the police investigation, Rachel just cried crocodile tears, insisting that I was promiscuous and would go off with any man I saw. She claimed there was nothing she could do about it. Mom chimed in, fabricating numerous stories about my “past misconduct.” But Rachel, who had grown up so spoiled by Mom, ran off with all the family’s money when Dad’s company started going downhill. When Mom finally found her, Rachel tricked her onto a boat in an industrial park and sold her for a few thousand dollars to maintain her lavish lifestyle. It wasn’t until the very end that Mom realized she had raised an ungrateful child. As she was beaten by thugs in the industrial park, she cried and wished she could start over, vowing not to love the wrong child again. Her wish came true. She traveled back in time. But what she didn’t know was that I had also traveled back in time, just an hour before her. She came back with hatred for Rachel, while I returned with hatred for both of them, back to when I was six years old.

“Mom, I’m full. I need to go to class now,” I said, putting down my knife and fork and looking sweetly at Mom. After realizing Mom had also traveled back in time, when she frantically tried to make it up to me and asked what I wanted, I pointed at the TV and said I wanted to learn ballet and enter math competitions. I told her I wanted to become a daughter she could be proud of. Mom’s eyes filled with a kind of frenzy when she heard that. In my previous life, under Mom’s doting, Rachel never cared about studying. She often got Mom called to school because of her poor grades. If she couldn’t even handle basic schoolwork, forget about any extracurricular activities. While kids from similar backgrounds all had one or two special skills, Rachel only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun. I knew that even though Mom never said it out loud, she secretly envied other people’s children. So, if that’s what she wanted, I’d become that child she envied in others. After all, knowledge belongs to whoever learns it. As Mom and I finished getting ready and were about to leave, Mom suddenly turned to look at Rachel standing alone behind us, her face filled with undisguised disgust. “Clean up the house before we get back! All you do is eat and sleep all day, like a pig. How did I end up with a child like you?” Turning back to me, Mom’s voice became extremely gentle. “Sweetie, after your class, how about Mom takes you shopping for clothes? That brand store just got a lot of new styles in. They’ll look perfect on our little princess!” I hugged Mom’s neck and thanked her sweetly. My gaze fell on Rachel’s bruised face behind Mom, and I couldn’t help but smirk. You think this is unfair? This isn’t even a tenth of what you and Mom did to me in my past life! Just you wait, the real suffering is yet to come.

The better I performed, the more enthusiastic Mom became towards me. Correspondingly, Rachel faced the same nightmarish treatment I had endured in my previous life. The only difference was that I wouldn’t do to her what she had done to me. Interestingly though, people are different. In my past life, I endured endless abuse, still foolishly hoping for the day Mom would love me. But in this life, faced with the same situation, Rachel had already started trying to threaten me. On my eighth birthday, I won the children’s ballet championship. Mom threw a grand party for me, never once mentioning that she had another daughter. After we got home, I casually brought up what Mom had said at the party. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rachel’s expression grow increasingly twisted. After Mom went upstairs to rest, I was about to return to my room when Rachel violently pushed me to the ground from behind. The next second, she was on top of me, grabbing my hair. “You little bitch! You stole Mom from me! What’s so great about being able to dance? I’ll cut your tendons and see how you dance then, you bitch!” Rachel raised a piece of broken glass, her face a mix of excitement and ferocity, about to stab at my ankles. “Sister, no!” I cried out in feigned panic, trying to struggle. But I clearly heard Mom’s hurried footsteps coming from her room. Three, two, one… Before Rachel could react, Mom kicked her away. The next moment, Mom held me in her arms lovingly, glaring at Rachel with fury. “You little demon! What were you trying to do to your sister?!”

Of course, Rachel didn’t get the chance to do anything to me. After making sure I was okay, Mom put me down and started beating Rachel. I slowly got to my feet, watching coldly as Mom grabbed Rachel’s hair and slammed her head against the wall repeatedly. She still held the broken glass Rachel had prepared, now using it to slash at Rachel’s body. Rachel cried and tried to dodge, but being only ten years old, she was no match for an adult no matter how hard she struggled. It wasn’t until Rachel’s head was visibly bleeding and her body covered in cuts that I timely let out a yawn. “Mom, I’m tired. I want to go to sleep.” My voice immediately snapped Mom back to reality. She instinctively looked down at Rachel, disgustedly throwing her aside. “You’re disturbing Lily’s sleep. I’m warning you, if you dare bully your sister again, I’ll break your legs!” Turning around, Mom beckoned to me lovingly, saying that since I’d been frightened today, she would tuck me in. But before we could enter my room, we heard Rachel’s weak sobbing. “Mom, why? Why are you doing this?” Rachel raised her head pitifully, her face a mess of tears, snot, and blood. She struggled to open one eye. “You used to love me the most. Why are you being so mean to me now?” After Rachel’s words, a fleeting look of confusion and struggle crossed Mom’s face. She seemed to remember how close they had been as mother and daughter in the previous life. But then… Mom seemed to recall how her beloved daughter had betrayed her in the end. Her face suddenly turned cold, and she patted my shoulder. “Lily, dear, go to bed first. Mom needs to have a talk with your sister.” I nodded obediently, but as soon as I went inside, I immediately pressed my ear against the door. I heard the sounds of Mom abusing Rachel again. At first, Rachel was wailing, but her voice grew weaker and weaker until it stopped completely. Is that all? I lay back on my bed comfortably. It’s not enough, far from enough! But to my surprise, the next day, Rachel gave Mom and me a big “gift.”

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I lost my voice to save Zoe, my childhood sweetheart. When I finally regained the ability to speak, I held back my excitement, wanting to surprise her. But just before our wedding, I caught her fooling around with a college guy in our new home. Through the crack in the door, I saw her lying on his abs, her face flushed. She spoke about me with utter contempt. “He’s just a mute who can only communicate with his hands. How could he possibly be worthy of marrying me?” She promised the guy, “I’m only marrying him to save face for our families. You’re the one I love, and I’ll never leave you.” But later, at the wedding venue, Zoe frantically searched for me, insisting on marrying me. This time, though, I’m the one who’s going to leave her behind. I coldly shut the door, blocking out their disgusting scene. After regaining my ability to speak, I had practiced for days, hoping to recite wedding vows at the ceremony as a surprise for Zoe. Now, it seems I’m the one who ended up looking like a fool. Zoe had said she wanted the most unique wedding in the world, so I worked tirelessly on the venue, personally overseeing every detail, no matter how small. Back at the wedding venue, I destroyed everything I had prepared with my own hands, then went home and fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up, my phone was flooded with messages and missed calls from Zoe. [Ryan, the hotel told me you trashed the wedding venue. What the hell are you doing?] [Why aren’t you answering my calls? What’s with the attitude?] [Do you even want to get married? If not, forget it!] … [Ryan, are you still mad at me? I really didn’t mean to stand you up…] Perhaps this is Zoe’s true nature. First, she slaps you silly, then when she’s in the mood, she offers you a piece of candy to make up for it. Keeping you firmly under her control. Yesterday, she had asked me to meet her at a restaurant, but I waited until the place closed, and she never showed up. She didn’t answer my calls or texts. Worried something had happened to her, I searched everywhere she might have gone, only to find her in our new home, engaged in that passionate affair. She had grown accustomed to me wagging my tail at her beck and call. But I’m tired of it. I looked at her messages but didn’t reply. The door to my apartment opened, and Zoe rushed in, her high heels clicking on the floor. Seeing me, she demanded, “You were home? Why didn’t you reply to my messages? You made me look like an idiot sending all those texts.” Looking at her face, flushed with anger, I felt like laughing. Was she only now experiencing the pain of sending a bunch of messages without getting a reply? I had endured this for eight years, with her disappearing without a trace. I coldly signed, [I was asleep. Didn’t hear anything.] Zoe came forward and swatted my hands, growing angrier. “I told you not to use sign language. I can’t understand it!” In the eight years since I lost my voice, my parents and close friends had all learned to understand at least some basic signs. But Zoe, the very person I had saved, couldn’t understand. Whenever I tried to communicate with her using sign language, she would get irritated and give me the cold shoulder. To this day, she couldn’t even understand the simplest sign for “thank you.” I had no desire to sign anymore, nor did I want to tell her the truth about my restored ability to speak. Zoe threw her bag on the table and crossed her arms. “We’re getting married in a week. Why did you destroy the wedding venue?” Simply put, I don’t want to get married anymore. I’m tired, weary, and fed up. I typed out a message on my phone: [I just wasn’t satisfied with how I had arranged it.] Hearing this, Zoe’s tense expression softened. She took my arm and leaned gently on my shoulder. “You must be exhausted. Let’s leave it to the wedding planners.” Her phone rang abruptly, and she immediately let go of me, sneaking away to answer the call. Through the door, her words were all too clear. “I know you miss me. I’ll be with you tonight, baby.” “Him? Just thinking about sleeping next to him after we’re married makes me sick. How could he compare to you?” “The food was good last time, so I’ll have him make it for you again.” The call ended with Zoe blowing a kiss, and she walked out of the room. I couldn’t help but recall Zoe’s behavior these past few days. Indeed, she had been coming home very late for many nights, and I would only hear the heavy sound of the door closing in the early hours of the morning when I was half-asleep. I may have lost my voice, but I wasn’t deaf. Each time I was woken up by the noise, I found it hard to fall back asleep. I had asked Zoe what she was so busy with, coming home so late every day. She always brushed me off impatiently, “Work, of course. Writing proposals with clients. What else could it be?” I would make her hangover soup, and she would mutter behind my back. “You can’t even get a proper job yourself, and now you’re trying to control me.” Most of the time, I pretended not to hear. So, her recent strange behavior was because she had found a man she cared about outside. Abandoning me to be with someone else. “Make some food for me to take away,” she said. Then she added, “The same dishes you sent to my office before, but spicier this time.” So, the carefully prepared stomach-friendly meals I had made for her had all gone into another man’s mouth. She had a sensitive stomach, and even though I used to love spicy food, I was willing to eat bland meals with her. But now she was thinking about someone else’s tastes, using the food I made to please another man. How ridiculous. I didn’t cook for Zoe. Instead, I went to my parents’ house.

“Mom, Dad, I don’t want to marry Zoe anymore.” Seeing me speak, their eyes immediately welled up with tears. Mom hugged me, sobbing uncontrollably, asking over and over if I had fully recovered. My parents had never wanted me to follow Zoe around since childhood, let alone marry her, so they readily agreed to my request. Although I had practiced hard for a long time, my voice was still hoarse and strained. My parents immediately contacted doctors abroad. I nodded in agreement, “I’ll go abroad for treatment in a week, after I’ve sorted everything out.” Years ago, when I saved her, I was nearly choked to death by the enraged kidnappers in an abandoned warehouse. When I woke up, I couldn’t make a sound. Zoe was crying heavily by my side, her tears falling like broken strings onto the hospital bed, soaking the sheets. After years of unsuccessful treatment, Zoe grew discouraged. Not wanting her to exhaust herself, I simply gave up. Zoe said, “Ryan, don’t be afraid. I won’t look down on you.” When I returned home, there was no sign of Zoe. It seemed she had left eagerly as soon as I was gone. My friend William sent me a message with a video attached. [Ryan, is this Zoe?] [Why is she cuddling with a guy in a bar? Aren’t you two getting married soon?] [The guy looks familiar. I think he’s Xavier Quinn, the new intern at the company.] In the dimly lit, flashy bar, it was the same young college student from last night. Zoe and he were dirty dancing in the crowd, kissing passionately. Her slender arms climbed up his shoulders, emotionally embracing his neck. In the past, she had never even deigned to give me a kiss. At our engagement party, I was only allowed to kiss her hand. She told me she preferred to take things slow, and that we should wait until the wedding for a real kiss. But with him, whom she had only known for a short time, she could hug, kiss, and sleep together. I was truly a complete fool. Zoe had never liked me for a moment. Back in school, she was the adored princess, ignoring my feelings for her. It was only after I was injured saving her that she deigned to give me a glance. As she said, she was willing to marry me just to settle a debt. She just didn’t want to be seen as ungrateful. I contacted William and met with him, bringing the share transfer agreement. He looked at me in surprise, utterly confused. “Ryan, wasn’t this supposed to be your wedding gift to Zoe?” In the company we three founded, William and I each owned 33% of the shares, while Zoe had 34%. I had always planned to gift my 33% shares to Zoe at our wedding, as a token of my sincerity in marrying her. But now, it was no longer necessary. After some consideration, I spoke, “She doesn’t need it anymore. I’m transferring these shares to you at the lowest price. From now on, you’ll have veto power and won’t be controlled by her anymore.” William stared at me in shock as my mouth moved, unable to react for a long time. His voice trembled with joy, “You… you’re better? Ryan, you can speak!” I nodded and signed my name on the share transfer agreement. William is my best friend, and I feel confident leaving the company in his hands. In the past, because of my love for Zoe, I often turned a blind eye to her unreasonable actions in running the company, ignoring William’s complaints and accusations. But that won’t happen anymore. The company will surely develop better under William’s management.

The next day, Zoe returned home and threw her expensive bag at my face, furious. “Why did you fire Xavier?” My cheek stung, but I didn’t move, just rubbed it gently. Yesterday, I had asked William to fire the college student, and he had acted quickly. Zoe grew anxious, “He’s just an intern, doesn’t earn much. How is he supposed to survive now that you’ve fired him?” Every word she spoke betrayed her fondness and concern for Xavier. [Do you care about him that much?] I typed. Seeing my words, Zoe hesitated for a moment before speaking again, “No, I just… I just feel sorry for him. His family is struggling financially.” I didn’t say anything more. Seeing my unhappy expression, Zoe tried to speak more patiently. “The wedding is just a few days away. Let’s not fight, okay? You’ve always listened to me, haven’t you?” Fight? I hadn’t even said a harsh word. This was just her venting one-sidedly. I did listen to her, to the point where I let myself be cheated on. [I looked at his resume. His major doesn’t fit our company’s needs. He’s not suitable.] Zoe exploded, her shrill voice echoing through the room. “I own 34% of the company shares. I have the final say. And you, a mute, what right do you have to judge him!” You, a mute. Her words stabbed at my heart. Did I want to become mute? Did I choose to lose my voice? Over the past years, countless times of ridicule and disdain, and I had always turned a blind eye. Zoe’s hurtful words were as harsh and cutting as ever. Why had it taken me until now to see clearly? She called HR, insisting on keeping Xavier’s job, only to be regretfully informed that it was William’s order. I showed her the share transfer agreement with William, and she immediately understood everything. “Why did you transfer your shares to him! I’ve been talking to you about the shares for so long, and you never agreed to give them to me.” Her voice took on a crying tone. I just looked at her coldly. [Zoe, if you despise me for being mute, we don’t have to get married. I’m not forcing you.] Zoe saw what I had typed, snatched my phone, and smashed it on the ground. “How am I supposed to explain if we don’t get married! Ryan Sullivan, you never truly loved me.” I did love her, but did she love me? She had already completely disregarded my feelings and self-esteem, brazenly using the word “explain” to humiliate me. As Zoe was crying, she received a call from Xavier. Over the phone, I heard Xavier’s pitiful voice, “Sis, my stomach hurts so bad.” It seemed Xavier had been drinking at a bar, forced to down several bottles. Zoe was extremely worried about him, no longer caring about me. She hurriedly left. This made me feel even more like a clown. In the past, I always put Zoe first, prioritizing her above everything else. In school, when she was bullied, I stood up for her and got my leg broken in the fight. The very next day, she was laughing and chatting with the guy who had bullied her. I advised her to stay away from such a bad guy. But she stubbornly refused, blaming me for bruising the face of the guy she had a crush on during the fight. I still can’t forget Zoe’s cold face, her moist eyes glaring at me fiercely as she scolded me for meddling. Thinking of my foolish past self, I find it utterly laughable. I was truly able to endure, following her despite being humiliated in countless ways. Was my brain kicked by a donkey in the past? Putting aside those memories, I calmly entrusted the high-priced house I had bought to a real estate agent to sell at a low price. I never want to set foot in that house again. It was the home I had bought with high hopes for our marriage, choosing the best location, personally overseeing the renovation. Every piece of furniture, even the pots and pans, every flower and plant in that house, I had personally bought and brought in. But now, none of that matters anymore. I want to sell it, along with all the dirty memories it holds, and expel them from my life. Three days before the wedding, Zoe came to find me. “I won’t hold the share transfer against you. After we’re married, you can get them back from William.” Before I could say anything, she affectionately took my arm and blinked her eyes. “The wedding venue is all set up. Shall we go take a look?” I did want to see how the wedding venue I had destroyed had been restored in such a short time. Stepping into the familiar wedding venue again, everything seemed unfamiliar. Zoe was very satisfied and brought a man with her. “Ryan, our wedding venue was personally decorated by Xavier. Look at his hands.” I lowered my gaze to see his fingers covered in blood stains. “For this sea of flowers, his hands were pricked and torn by thorns.” Xavier ruffled his hair, smiling brightly like an eager-to-please puppy. “As long as sis and brother Ryan are happy, it doesn’t matter what happens to me.” Zoe looked at Xavier’s hands with concern, unable to resist gently holding them. I thought of my own hands. During the wedding preparations, Zoe had never come even once, so naturally, she couldn’t see my hands covered in wounds, cut by wooden boards, pricked by thorns, healing only to be injured again, leaving my hands in a sorry state. Yet when I held Zoe’s hand, she was disgusted. She looked at my scarred hands with disdain, complaining that they were too rough for her delicate skin. Xavier was young, sunny, and knew how to act cute. Seeing Zoe’s concern for him, he pouted and whined, calling her “sis” in a sticky voice. Zoe told me to sit and rest while she went to go over the wedding procedure with the planner. She probably thought that since I was mute, there was no need for me to go along. As I watched Xavier and Zoe enter the same floor of the hotel one after another, I couldn’t help but smirk coldly. In the corridor, urgent gasps could be heard. Before they even entered the room, their tongues were already eagerly intertwined. Zoe was pressed against the wall by Xavier, kissed until her eyes were misty. I heard Xavier say, “Sis, you marrying him really breaks my heart.” “Decorating the wedding venue for you was like killing me. Sis, do you want me dead?” Zoe wrapped her arms around his neck and chuckled softly, “I only want to kill you in bed.” They entered the room, and ambiguous sounds continuously leaked out. After going downstairs, I called the police to report prostitution at the hotel.

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After I started dating Zachary Goodwin, I overheard his twin brother say: “Bro, let me pretend to be you and play with Lily for a bit.” Zachary carelessly replied, “Sure.” I pretended not to know and dated the fake Zachary. But when Zachary saw the marks on my neck, he went berserk. Grabbing his brother’s throat, he demanded: “Who gave you permission to touch her?!” That night, just after I finished showering, Zachary sent me a message. It was the address of a high-end nightclub. I gripped my phone tightly, not replying. Zachary sent another message: “Don’t keep me waiting too long, Lily.” I sighed and replied, “Coming right away.” I quickly got dressed and as soon as I left the bathroom, I saw my stepfather standing outside the door. His cloudy eyes were filled with a nauseating desire. “All covered up after a shower? Are you going out?” My stepfather approached me, smoking a cigarette. I stepped back, keeping my distance: “Zachary wants to see me.” Hearing those words, my stepfather stopped in his tracks, seemingly afraid. I took advantage of this moment to quickly move past him and open the door. “Shameless girl, you think finding Zachary as your protector means I can’t touch you? Using him to threaten me.” My stepfather spat viciously behind me. I turned back and gave him a cold look, “Would you dare?” Then I slammed the door shut. The sound of the door closing mixed with my stepfather’s curses reached my ears.

When I arrived at the nightclub, I noticed how luxuriously it was decorated, with all the guests dressed in expensive clothes. In my hoodie, I stood out like a sore thumb. As the waiter led me to the VIP room on the top floor, I could already hear voices from inside. “Bro, I heard Lily’s been really good to you?” “Let me pretend to be you and play with her for a bit.” As soon as these words were spoken, a chorus of jeers erupted: “Damn, Harrison, you’re openly trying to steal your brother’s girl!” “You don’t get it, Lily’s so pure. She makes soup for Zachary, coaxes him to take medicine, who could resist that kind of tenderness?” “But would the great Mr. Goodwin be willing to share?” “Don’t be stupid, Zachary and Harrison are so close, it’s not like they haven’t done this before.” … After the teasing died down, Zachary’s deep voice finally sounded: “Sure, consider it my welcome home gift to you.” His voice carried a carefree laugh. The jeering grew louder. The waiter stood there, looking at me awkwardly. As the person in question, I didn’t show any emotion. I smiled at the waiter and pushed open the door to the VIP room. When I first approached Zachary, it was only to gain the Goodwin family’s protection. So I wouldn’t be bullied at school or coveted by my stepfather at home. As for who exactly I was getting close to, I didn’t care.

As I entered the room, the young men inside whistled at me. Quite the playboys. I wore a gentle smile as I walked towards the center of the sofa. Zachary and Harrison sat together, looking at me with ambiguous gazes. Like predators waiting for their prey to enter the trap. They had identical faces. The same pale skin, both extremely handsome. “Lily, you’re here.” A hand reached out to me, pulling me to his side. I looked at that face, inwardly sneering. Although Harrison and Zachary looked the same, their auras were completely different upon closer inspection. Zachary exuded a gloomy, oppressive air. Harrison was arrogant and wayward. But it didn’t matter to me. I didn’t care if he was Zachary or Harrison. As long as he could let me finish my exams safely and leave that rotten home, it was fine. I naturally took Harrison’s hand, as if I really thought he was Zachary. Harrison was pleased with my action, and after interlocking our fingers, he pointed to the person beside him: “My brother, Harrison.” I saw Zachary frown at this introduction, but he quickly composed himself and nodded at me. As if we were really meeting for the first time. I also greeted him politely, then turned to Harrison with a loving gaze: “Zachary, I bought some hangover medicine on the way. Would you like to take one first?” I had said this to Zachary many times before. Every time he drank, I would prepare hangover medicine for him. After sending him home, I would make him a warm soup for his stomach. Harrison looked at the medicine in my hand, his eyebrows twitching slightly as he smiled: “Sure, why don’t you feed it to me?” From the corner of my eye, I saw Zachary holding a cigarette but not smoking it, lost in thought. I brought the medicine to Harrison’s lips, feeding it to him.

After drinking in the VIP room, someone suggested playing a game. “The people with the 3 of clubs and 6 of clubs have to kiss for thirty seconds.” One of the guys shuffled the cards and gave the order. Harrison and I revealed our cards at the same time. “Oh, looks like we’ve got a couple here.” The guy was a good friend of the Goodwin brothers and knew about this boyfriend-swapping game. He now looked around nervously. Harrison held my chin and was about to kiss me. A dull thud sounded from beside us. Zachary had violently kicked the coffee table in front of him. He stood up, looking down at us: “I’m tired. Let’s call it a night.” Harrison paused at my lips, his eyes turning cold. After a moment, he let go of me and stood up: “You’re right. I forgot Harrison just got back today. Let’s end it here then.” Harrison looked at the grim-faced Zachary, continuing the act. Before we left, I gently zipped up Harrison’s open jacket: “It’s windy outside and very cold. You just recovered from a fever, don’t catch a chill.” As I said this, Zachary was standing right behind his brother, staring at me intently. He had a fever a few days ago, and I went to his house to take care of him, coaxing him to take medicine, making him soup and porridge. “Zachary, let’s go home.” Harrison was stunned for a few seconds before gently embracing me. As we were leaving with Harrison, the silent Zachary finally spoke: “Lily.” I stopped and turned back, looking at him like a stranger. Zachary’s brows furrowed, his voice deepening: “Who do you like?” I smiled at him mockingly, then looked up at Harrison who was holding me: “It’s Zachary. The person I like is Zachary Goodwin.” Harrison’s expression gradually cooled at my words. Yet he still insisted on continuing the act.

Zachary thought I loved him deeply. Everyone around him thought I loved him deeply. But they didn’t know that this was just an elaborate scam I had planned exclusively for Zachary Goodwin. I was just trying to survive, to leave my suffocating home. If illness hadn’t taken my father away, I would have been a girl who grew up in wealth and love. Although I lost my mother when I was very young, my stepmother had always been good to me. She would make me sweet cookies, tell me stories, and cover for me when my dad scolded me for being lazy. I thought I would grow up happily like this. But on my 12th birthday, My dad collapsed at home and was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. After a year of treatment, he still left us. I remember that day in the hospital, my dad held my hand and wiped away my tears: “It’s all Dad’s fault, I couldn’t let Lily have her 12th birthday cake.” “This year for your 13th birthday, Dad won’t be able to be with you. You won’t be mad at Dad, right?” I was crying so hard I could barely breathe, I could only shake my head. I didn’t want a birthday cake, I only wanted my dad. If I could, I would trade all my future birthday cakes for my dad to be healthy and safe. But the heavens didn’t hear my prayers. At that moment, his last words to me were: “You must live on well, Lily.” Later, my dad passed away. My stepmother tried to do business with the inheritance my dad left, but ended up being scammed out of everything. I became the biggest burden. My grandfather didn’t want me. My maternal grandparents had long passed away. The only person I could call family was my stepmother, who no longer loved me.

After my dad passed away, my stepmother often scolded me. “What are you looking at? I’m not going to raise you. It’s all because your dad was short-lived!” My stepmother pushed me away as she berated me, getting into a taxi without looking back. Ignoring my scraped knees, I got up and chased after her, crying: “Mom, please don’t abandon me. I’ll be good, I’ll eat very little.” I don’t know how long I chased, but the car finally stopped. I saw my stepmother’s eyes were red, filled with hatred and helplessness. And so, I began to rely on my stepmother for survival. Later, she remarried. The man was ten years older than her. This marriage became my hell. On the first night we moved in with my stepmother, the man opened my locked room door with a key. When I ran out to tell my stepmother, I received a slap. “Don’t spread lies here. He was just worried you might kick off your blanket and catch a cold. If you dare ruin my marriage, get out!” After that, every time I returned to my room, I would push the desk against the door. Then at midnight, I would stand by the bed, holding scissors, watching the door being pushed. Once, twice, three times. Only when the person outside finally gave up would I dare to sleep. At that time, school became my only sanctuary. No disgusting stepfather, no cold stepmother. But this sanctuary also became hell after a mock exam. I had just happily gotten first place for myself. The next second, I was dragged into the bathroom and doused with a bucket of cold water. I was held down and couldn’t fight back. The mastermind was a pretty transfer student, I remember her name was Chloe Lambert. “Lily, it’s all because of you that I only got second place this time. Do you know how many beatings I got at home?” Chloe gripped my chin, looking at me like a rat. As the slaps fell, I heard someone beside Chloe counting. It was long and torturous. When I told the teacher about this incident, I only got one response: “Chloe is an excellent student, she wouldn’t do such a thing.” “When there’s conflict between classmates, you need to be understanding and forgiving of each other.” At that moment, I realized it wasn’t that Chloe wouldn’t do it, but that the Lambert family was too powerful, and they didn’t dare to intervene. As I was leaving the office, I saw a boy walking towards me, surrounded by people. Judging by everyone’s reactions, They all seemed to be afraid of him.

When I returned home in wet clothes, I saw the man who was supposed to be on vacation with my stepmother. He looked at me lecherously. It made me sick. “Lily, why are you in this state?” “Don’t call me that!” I growled, searching for any sign of my stepmother. “What are you looking for? That woman isn’t home, she’s on vacation.” “I told her there was a problem with the business at home that needed to be dealt with, so I asked her to wait for me at the destination.” The man stood up and walked towards me step by step. I fumbled for the new craft knife in my backpack. “Lily, you’re getting prettier and prettier.” The man’s gaze deepened. As if he couldn’t resist anymore, he lunged at me. I slashed the knife hard, blood gushing from his forearm. “You little bitch!” The man roared in pain. “Touch me again, and I’ll kill you. I don’t care if I have to fight to the death with you.” I put the knife back in my backpack and ran out. I had lied to the man. I did care about my life. Because I had promised my dad that I would live on well. Suddenly, I thought of the boy I had brushed past earlier that day. I think I heard them call him Zachary Goodwin. I had a new idea.

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My boyfriend of five years finally proposed to me. Filled with joy, I celebrated a bit too much that night. The man I knew to be calm and considerate seemed to have vanished. He accused me of lacking self-control and left me alone and intoxicated by the roadside. Battling a headache, I wandered the chilly streets by myself for what seemed like an eternity. When I got home, I found him in our new house, embracing another woman. “I regret it. If you come back, I’m willing to call off the wedding for you.” Watching him shower her with the tenderness I once knew, I suddenly felt regret as well. To prevent him from canceling the wedding, I ran away on the day of the ceremony. No one expected that after I left, the man who was usually so confident and composed would search for me frantically everywhere. Through the window of our new home, I saw two familiar figures locked in a tight embrace. I slipped off my high heels. Theo Brooks had given them to me as a proposal gift. I liked them, but they were uncomfortable and had rubbed my feet raw. So now, I’d rather walk barefoot than endure the pain any longer. I dialed a familiar number. “Sis, I’m not getting married. I want to come find you.” My sister paused, “Alright, little sister. You’re always welcome here whenever you’re ready.” I choked back tears as I answered. Then I heard a sigh from her side, “I thought he was different… I didn’t expect you’d get hurt.” “Nora, don’t cry. You’re still young. There’s more to the world than love, so many beautiful things for you to discover. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you.” Until tonight, I thought Theo Brooks was different too. He was mature, steady, and always caring. He kept a respectful distance from other women. Even when busy with work, he made time for me. But tonight, at the celebration, he saw Lydia Harris, who showed up uninvited. For the first time, he lost his composure and knocked over a glass. For the first time, he exploded over something trivial and left me alone by the roadside. If Theo Brooks had seen someone else, I might have thought it was all a misunderstanding. I might have given him another chance. I would have been willing to spend another five or ten years quietly by his side. But the woman in the room was Lydia Harris. The Lydia Harris who bullied me for years, who took so much from me. The Lydia Harris I could never forgive. When I saw Theo Brooks bring Lydia Harris home, I gave up on him completely in my heart.

Yet, for some reason, I couldn’t help but check the home surveillance. On the screen, Lydia Harris was wearing my nightgown, lounging in our new house. Theo Brooks, who never did housework and always criticized me for drinking, was in the kitchen making her a hangover soup. Lydia looked up at him, “A stand-in, are you really going to marry her?” Theo didn’t reply, instead bending down to massage Lydia’s foot. “You don’t have to say it, I know you’re doing all this to upset me. The proposal party was just to make me show up.” “You can’t forget me. This room is decorated to my taste, the wedding ring is the style I like, the cake has our initials, even the shoes she’s wearing are ones I didn’t want.” With that, Lydia pressed her foot against Theo’s chest. “The one you love has always been me.” Theo remained silent. After a moment’s pause, he suddenly embraced Lydia. He poured all his love into a passionate kiss. Watching this, tears streamed down my face. I remembered our five years together, every time I wanted to kiss him, he’d find an excuse to avoid it. I thought he was just shy. I never imagined he reserved his deepest affection for Lydia. For five years, his body was with me, but his heart belonged to another woman. I took a deep breath, ready to leave. But Theo, somehow, was downstairs, calling my name. When I turned around, he instinctively let go of Lydia’s hand. “Lydia drank too much tonight. I was worried about her walking alone, so I brought her home.” “She’s considerate, worried you’d misunderstand, she insisted on leaving first.” Theo, usually a man of few words, seemed to have endless things to say about Lydia. And every word was in her defense. I looked at the man in front of me, suddenly feeling he’s a stranger. Clearly, I’m the girlfriend who has known him for years. Clearly, I’m the fiancée who’s been through so much with him. Why, in the end, did I become just a substitute? I held back my heartache, took a deep breath. “An offspring of an affair is still an affair.” Hearing my words, Theo suddenly got angry. “Nora Harris! How can you say that about Lydia? Apologize to her now!” “No wonder no one cares about you since you were little, no wonder no one likes you. Your sharp tongue makes me sick, you deserve to be unloved!” As if afraid I’d hurt Lydia, Theo pushed me aside to protect her. The soft moonlight fell on Theo’s face. That concerned look overlapped with the warm figure in my memory. Many, many years ago, when we were young. Theo would protect me like this. He said, “Nora, you’re the kindest girl. Even if everyone ignores you, I’ll love you forever and ever.” Growing up, I always kept Theo’s words close to my heart. I worked hard, wanting to create a beautiful future with him. But whenever I brought it up, he’d always brush it off with “We’ll talk about it later.” And now, Lydia Harris appeared. He didn’t even bother with excuses anymore. With “You deserve to be unloved,” he stabbed my deepest wound.

I turned my head away, unwilling to look at him. Yet my eyes reddened uncontrollably. Theo’s eyes trembled slightly. I don’t know if he realized he’d gone too far or noticed my bleeding feet. He sighed, “Tonight, I’ll pretend you were talking nonsense while drunk. From now on…” “There will be no ‘from now on’.” I spoke calmly. “What?” Theo was puzzled, wanting to ask more, but then he saw Lydia running away in tears. He could no longer care about his doubts, hastily chasing after her. He left so quickly, he didn’t notice the bracelet falling from his pocket. I picked up the bracelet, recalling the small tattoo on Lydia’s wrist. All the details I ignored connected at that moment. Childhood bonds couldn’t withstand a sudden love. Our so-called five years of love was just my wishful thinking. Given that, there’s no need to cling to an undeserving man. As I turned to head home, I received a message from my sister. She booked me a flight to leave. The timing was just half a month later, on our wedding day. The wedding countdown in the living room now became my countdown to leave. I let out a bitter laugh, discarding all new house decorations and couple items. With destiny’s will, I’ll use this last half month to bid farewell to my past.

After dawn, Theo’s call woke me up. “Nora, are you awake? I ordered your favorite breakfast. I won’t be back today, there’s an emergency at the company, let’s reschedule the wedding photos.” “Don’t worry about last night, I apologized to Lydia for you.” “Alright.” Theo didn’t expect me to agree so easily. Awkwardly, he added, “The wedding is just a formality, our relationship is so strong, we don’t need to prove anything with this, let’s keep it simple.” “Alright.” Keep it simple. This wedding had no marriage certificate, no wedding photos, no emcee, and no bride. After hanging up, I used a marker to cross off “wedding photos” on the calendar. Theo was busy with work, rarely having time for me. So I wrote down all the things I wanted to do on the calendar. I planned to fulfill all my wishes during the wedding period. Unfortunately, one by one, those wishes got covered by thick marker strokes. They became unspeakable regrets. I no longer focused on Theo. After submitting my resignation, I met up with some friends to say goodbye. In the following days, I slowly contacted my friends here, informing them that the wedding was canceled. “Actually, we all guessed…” A friend opened Theo’s social media for me to see. “During this time, Theo has been with Lydia.” “People who don’t know might think the person in his posts is you, but we recognized her immediately.” Theo, who never posted a photo of me, now had his profile filled with images of Lydia. They watched movies together, dined at restaurants, strolled in parks. His love for Lydia was blatant. Yet he blocked me from seeing it. My friend looked at me with concern. “Nora, don’t be too upset. Lydia can’t compare to you. If Theo knew her true colors, he would definitely regret it.” “Theo has been spending all his time with Lydia lately.” “People who aren’t familiar with them think it’s you in his social media posts, but we can tell otherwise.” Theo has never shared a single photo of me. Now his feed is filled with Lydia. They go to movies, dine out, and stroll in parks together. His affection for Lydia is on full display. Except, I’m the one who’s blocked out. My friend gives me a worried glance. “Nora, don’t be too upset. Lydia can’t hold a candle to you. Theo will realize his mistake once he sees her true colors.” “It’s alright. I’ve stopped caring long ago.” I gaze out at the street. In a few days, I’ll leave this place for good. I don’t have the time or energy to be heartbroken over Theo. So when Theo finally returns after being away for days, I remain indifferent. 5. Upon his return, he keeps responding to messages, barely looking around. “Why is the house so empty? Didn’t you pack?” “You said to keep it simple.” Theo falls silent, his eyes landing on the countdown showing “7.” “Time flies. Our wedding is just a week away.” I tear off two pages. “Our wedding is in five days.” These pages had wishes like “go to the beach together” and “stargaze together.” But Theo will never notice anything about me. Just then, my sister calls, and I step out to the balcony for a brief chat. When I return, Theo is still on his phone. “What’s up? I thought I heard something about a plane ticket.” “Nothing, just work stuff.” “Okay, just don’t plan a honeymoon. I’m too busy.” “I know.” Since Lydia returned, he hasn’t wanted to be apart from her for a second. Trying to ease the awkwardness, I hand Theo the bracelet. His calm eyes light up immediately. “So it was with you. I’ve been searching everywhere for it.” “I know. I saw your high-priced lost and found post online.” Ten thousand for a simple bracelet. Our entire wedding costs only five thousand. I look at Theo and suddenly ask, “Where’s your wedding ring?” He pauses, only realizing then his finger is bare. “Not sure when I lost it…” Theo tries to explain, but another message arrives on his phone. It’s Lydia’s special notification sound. He glances at it, then stands to kiss my forehead. “Sorry, babe. I’ve been so busy lately. Please take care of the wedding details.” “Once things settle, I promise to make you the happiest woman in the world.” Theo, usually so quiet, suddenly knows how to sweet-talk. In the past, I would have been moved. I’d have felt like I warmed that icy mountain. But now, I wash my face with disdain and continue my own tasks. Time slips by. Soon it’s the day before the wedding. The calendar’s wish is “have dinner together.” It’s been my biggest wish for years. But I know it will never come true. My sister won’t forgive the one who hurt me. And I won’t forgive Theo. I went to the beach myself, watching the stars by the sea. The starry sky envelops this familiar land, and all memories seem to fade with the sea breeze. Meanwhile, Lydia posts a new update. A big family dinner, everyone is there. Theo is beaming as he serves Lydia food. The caption reads, “Both families meeting, discussing final wedding details.” I don’t feel angry, just amused. Whose wedding? Mine or Lydia’s? I block and delete Lydia, trying to compose something to Theo, but I can’t send it. Just as I’m about to head home, Theo calls. “Where are you? Why aren’t you at home?” “Send me your location. I miss you.” 6 Theo arrives quickly. Once in the car, I notice a pillow on the passenger seat. I move it aside and find an opened box of condoms. Hesitating, I choose to sit in the back seat. Theo’s eyes remain glued to his phone, oblivious to my discomfort. He casually asks, “Why the beach? Is everything for the wedding done?” “Almost.” “I remember you always wanted to go to the beach. When I have time, I’ll take you for a proper trip. I didn’t mean to interrupt today, but my mom wanted to see you.” In Theo’s eyes, the wedding is solely my responsibility. He only thinks of me when he needs me. I don’t respond; my eyes sting from the wind. At the old house, only leftovers remain. Dad is chatting with Aunt Hazel. Aunt Hazel warmly takes my hand. “Nora, I really like you. You’re sensible and well-behaved.” As she says this, her eyes flicker to Lydia. “Though with Theo’s conditions, he could find someone better. But I advised him to cherish what he has.” “But you’re not young anymore. After the wedding, maybe stop working, have a child soon, and focus on taking care of Theo.” I respond perfunctorily. When I look up, Theo is already by Lydia’s side. He brings bridal and bridesmaid dresses for us to try on. “Knowing you’re busy, I let Lydia choose. She has better taste than you.” The old yellowed dress even has a tear. Meanwhile, Lydia, in a white dress, looks more like the bride. Theo seems anxious. “It must be a store mistake, nothing to do with Lydia.” “It’s too late to change. I’ll figure something out tomorrow.” “It’s fine.” I calmly want to change out of the bridal dress. But Lydia suggests taking a big group photo. She squeezes me to the side, standing next to Theo. As the shutter clicks, she nudges me. The final photo is so blurry, I can’t be recognized. Theo suggests retaking it. I smile, “Maybe another time. It’s late.” The wish for a group photo has already been crossed off my list. Lydia, with teary eyes, apologizes to me. “Sis, don’t be mad at Theo. I’ll scour the city tonight to find you a dress you’ll like.” With that, she runs out crying. Theo glares at me and chases after her. I feel bored and leave with the tattered dress. Anyway, tomorrow, everything will be over.

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On the night of the Valentine’s Day, a big scene unfolded at the entrance of our neighborhood when seven luxury cars suddenly lifted off the ground. My brother was yelling at the blown-off manhole cover, “Thanks for the rocket, bro!” The property manager shoved the security footage at me: “Which one of you threw fireworks into the septic tank causing the methane explosion? The repair cost for the Rolls Royce Cullinan is 2.8 million!” At the police station, my mom was in tears, pinching my arm, “Phoebe, just say it was you. Your brother can’t have a blemish on his record!” I glanced at the family group chat filled with messages like “A sister should protect her brother.” I suddenly burst into laughter. This time you can handle it yourself, dear brother—Logan “the Ground King.” 0 My brother Logan, known online as “Logan the Ground King,” is a minor TikTok streamer, often performing awkward antics. He couldn’t have picked a worse day—on Valentine’s Day, he managed to blow up a manhole cover. That’s real talent. “Thanks to our top supporter for the rocket! Thanks, everyone!” His altered voice, sounding like a raspy duck, was giving me a headache through the phone. The camera focused on the dark manhole cover, while colorful comments filled the screen. “Wow, thrilling!” “This city knows how to play; even manhole covers can explode!” “Why isn’t the streamer showing his face this time? Is it really him?” “Folks, today we’re challenging ourselves to blow up a manhole cover! Thanks for the support! Double tap, mwah!” His irritating altered voice came through the phone, making me want to reach through the internet and slap him. In the live stream, I saw him light a string of firecrackers and toss them into the manhole. The comments section erupted. Before I could react, the screen shook violently, followed by a loud “boom.” A flash of white light filled the screen before it returned to normal. In the camera, the manhole cover was gone, replaced by a deep, dark hole. A few brightly colored sports cars suddenly appeared in the frame. The nearest Cullinan had half a firecracker stuck on its starry roof, still smoking. Another flashy Lamborghini had some yellow, unidentified object dangling from its undercarriage, fluttering in the wind. The comments exploded. “Cullinan owner: Thanks a lot!” “Lamborghini: What did I do to deserve this?” Seeing the familiar car logos on the screen, my hand shook, nearly dropping the phone. Were those Mr. Wang and Mr. Li’s cars? And my recently acquired Cullinan client’s car? The phone rang incessantly, displaying “Manager.” I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice calm: “Manager, happy holidays” “happy holidays my foot! Phoebe! Look at what your wonderful brother did!” “There are seven supercars at the community entrance! All of them got blown up! The Cullinan’s starry roof is gone! Your client’s cars! They’re all your responsibility!” “I… I know, Manager, I’m dealing with it now.” I hung up, my hands shaking. Seven supercars, all my clients, and all with full damage coverage? My mind buzzed, filled with emptiness. My work group chat had over 99+ notifications already. My boss’s voice was cold: “Initial estimate, six million in losses! All have full damage coverage! Phoebe, tell me, who will pay for this?” At this point, the family group chat was in an uproar. My parents’ calls were incessant, so I took a cab home. Upon opening the door, everyone in the family was waiting in the living room. The atmosphere was as heavy as a memorial service. 0

My parents sat in the center of the sofa. My brother Logan stood beside them with his head down, looking like a wilted eggplant. My Aunt Lydia was sitting next to them, vividly recounting something to my mom. When she saw me enter, she immediately switched to a “devastated” expression. “Phoebe, you’re finally back!” Aunt Lydia rushed over first, grabbing my hand with tears in her eyes. My mom joined in, looking distressed: “Phoebe, be honest with your mom. Was this your doing?” Was it me? I quickly realized they wanted me to take the blame again. At 12, Logan set the community’s electric meter box on fire, and my parents had me take the blame, apologize, and get scolded. At 15, Logan threw his classmate’s backpack into water, ruining the latest tablet inside, and I got blamed for not teaching my brother properly. At 17, Logan acted up during a hot pot meal, pouring a whole bottle of industrial alcohol, almost causing a manslaughter case, and my parents made me pull strings and spend a fortune to settle it. I’ve always been Logan’s personal scapegoat, on call 24/7, dealing with emergencies at my own expense. But this time, I didn’t want to be their blood bank anymore. “Mom, what did I do?” I feigned confusion. My dad coughed heavily, pointing at a piece of paper on the coffee table. It was a notice from the police station. “Look for yourself! The police called, saying they need our cooperation for an investigation! The surveillance footage clearly shows someone throwing firecrackers into the manhole!” “Dad, did the footage show who threw it?” I deliberately asked. My mom, realizing I didn’t want to admit to this black pot, immediately cried harder. “Phoebe, your brother needs to take the civil service exam! If he has a criminal record, his life is over!” Aunt Lydia chimed in, “Yes, Phoebe, you’re the older sister, always so mature. Help your brother this time.” “Help him?” I raised an eyebrow, “How?” My parents exchanged a glance. My mom cleared her throat and started babbling: “You see, Logan didn’t show his face. The footage is dark; no one can tell who it is.” “Besides, you’re the sister. Isn’t it your duty to cover for your brother?” My mom said, giving me a look. I almost laughed out loud. This familiar manipulative talk, I’ve heard it all my life, and it’s still the same old song. “Mom, you mean go to the police station and admit it was me who blew up the manhole?” My parents nodded vigorously, and Aunt Lydia chimed in, “Phoebe, just say you were messing around. Young people make mistakes, right? Be polite, and maybe the police will go easy on you.” “Besides, once your brother becomes a civil servant, he’ll be part of the state, unlike you who work a regular job. You need to understand what’s best for our family.” My dad frowned at me. “Exactly, just say it was you. You don’t need to take the civil service exam anyway.” My mom quickly added. Looking at them, a chill ran through my heart. “And what about the repair costs? 2.8 million for the Cullinan, plus the other supercars, it’s over six million, right? Who’s paying?” I asked calmly. My mom hesitated, stammering: “Well… well… doesn’t insurance cover it?” Aunt Lydia’s eyes lit up, scooting over, “Yes, Phoebe, don’t you work at an insurance company? You’re a claims adjuster; you must have a way. Just help out, pull some strings, and have the insurance company cover it.” I couldn’t believe my ears. They wanted me to abuse my position to commit insurance fraud? “Aunt Lydia, what are you saying? Insurance claims follow a process. It’s not up to me to decide. This is clearly human-caused damage. The insurance company won’t cover it.” I said coldly. “Why can’t they cover it? You’re a claims adjuster. Can’t you handle this little thing?” Aunt Lydia looked incredulous. “Yeah, Phoebe, you’re the most accomplished in our family, and you won’t even help with this?” My mom started piling on the guilt. Looking at them, it was both laughable and pathetic. “You want me to take the blame and also fake claims to defraud the insurance company? You really think highly of me.” I retorted sarcastically. “Anyway, the situation is already out. What’s one more blame? If you end up in jail, your brother, once he’s a civil servant, can help you out.” Aunt Lydia said, trying to mediate. “Phoebe, didn’t I buy your brother an accident insurance policy before? He got injured yesterday. You can also have the insurance company pay thirty or fifty thousand for his recovery.” I looked at them coldly, saying nothing, feeling utterly disheartened. 0

Seeing the hard approach wasn’t working, my mom switched to a softer tactic. She took out a bank card, where I’d deposited almost 80% of my salary in the “family account.” My mom actually said my brother planned to use this money to buy me an apartment, hoping I’d be grateful enough to take the blame for Logan? I picked up my phone, walked over to the credit card machine, “Insufficient balance.” I frowned, checking the transaction details, seeing a long list of expenses on the screen. Luxury boutiques, fine dining, bars, karaoke, game top-ups… Thirty-eight thousand, already spent. I wanted to slam the door and never return to this home again. But today, if I didn’t admit to this, it seemed I wouldn’t be able to leave. I came up with a plan. “You want me to take the blame? Fine.” I suddenly laughed, tears almost coming out. “After all, I’m just a useless daughter. Our family is still counting on my brother to bring glory to the family name. For our family’s legacy, I admit it!” I pretended to be tearful, the more broken I appeared, the more easily they’d fall for it. My mom and Aunt Lydia exchanged a satisfied look, thinking they had me where they wanted. “That’s right, we’re family. It’s good you understand.” But today, if I don’t take responsibility for this, it seems I won’t be able to leave the house. A plan started to form in my mind. “You want me to take the blame? Fine.” I suddenly laughed, tears almost spilling over. “After all, I’m just the useless daughter. Our Logan family is still waiting for my brother to bring honor to the family. For the sake of the Logan lineage, I’ll admit it!” I deliberately acted more desperate, knowing the more I played the part, the more likely they were to believe me. My mom and Aunt Lydia exchanged a glance, satisfied smiles on their faces, thinking they had me cornered. “That’s the spirit, we’re family after all. It’s good you understand.” “But, Mom, Aunt Lydia, I’ll take the blame, but I need to know the full story: what explosives were used, and… why did Logan blow up the manhole cover?” I asked, fixing them with a piercing gaze. “Well, it’s nothing much. Logan, that kid, wasn’t he live-streaming, trying to add some excitement? He wanted some explosive effects to attract followers,” Aunt Lydia finally confessed, though she downplayed the situation. Then my mom reluctantly recounted the sequence of events. Just as I suspected, Logan had planned a “Valentine’s Day Extravaganza” for his TikTok stream to draw attention. He bought some fireworks, not realizing there was a septic tank under the manhole cover. “Mom, you’d better be honest with me. Whether I can ‘successfully’ take the blame and ‘pull strings’ with the insurance company depends on it.” I emphasized “take the blame” and “pull strings” to make sure they knew I was “playing the role.” “Alright, actually… it was a little ‘homemade bomb,’ like those kids play with during the New Year, just with a bit more power.” I didn’t plan to probe any further; I already had the gist. Next, I needed to get the explosives report to see what they really used. The next day, I excused myself, saying I needed to check the “details” of the insurance claim, and returned to work. When I saw the words “nitroglycerin” and “glycerin,” I couldn’t help but smirk. Logan, that kid, really had nerve. To become an internet celeb, he dared to possess and use explosives. This wasn’t just a simple public safety matter anymore; it might escalate to a criminal issue. Back home, I acted nonchalant, continuing the charade with them. Logan was in the living room, live-streaming with his “top fan sis,” oblivious to my little actions. I discreetly unlocked his phone, opened the PayPal account, and began reviewing recent transactions. Logan, that kid, bought so many highly dangerous fireworks. What infuriated me was he used my account to buy these dangerous goods, clearly trying to drag me down with him, making me the fall guy. It was clear Logan had planned everything: from buying explosives, orchestrating the stream, to shifting the blame afterward—every step meticulously calculated. Such a schemer! Since that’s the case, there’s no need for me to be polite anymore. “Logan, you brought this on yourself,” I thought coldly to myself.

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I had just been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease when I forgot to pick up my son from kindergarten again. When Tommy got home, he angrily threw his backpack at me: “What’s wrong with you?! You’re nowhere near as good as Aunt Rachel!” Ethan also looked at me with disdain: “Are you becoming senile? Go wash my underwear!” As days went by, my memory got worse and worse. On my birthday, my husband and son were celebrating with his first love. I turned to go home but couldn’t remember the way. I got on a bus, heading to the only address left in my mind. Later, someone called me: “Samantha, are you done with this drama? Now you’ve even run away from home?” I frowned at the vaguely familiar yet strange voice: “Who are you?” Three months ago, I noticed my memory was getting worse, and I often became forgetful. After a hospital examination, I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. I couldn’t believe it and repeatedly asked the doctor if this was really my diagnosis. I was only twenty-six years old. Ethan and I were college classmates. We got married after an unexpected pregnancy after graduation. Now our son is three years old. The doctor advised me to inform my family immediately and come to the hospital together to discuss the treatment plan. This disease requires a lot of help and care from family members. I opened Ethan’s contact in my phone, hesitating. Today was the day Rachel returned to the country. Ethan called me first: “I have a business dinner tonight. You go pick up our son.” Before I could respond, he hung up. I stared at the darkened screen and smiled bitterly. After some thought, I decided to tell my mom. “Al… what? I’ve never heard of this disease. Are you sure the doctor isn’t trying to scam you?” “How much does it cost to treat this? I don’t have money right now. Your brother is getting married soon.” The sharp voice from the other end of the line made my temples throb. I brushed her off with a few words and hung up. Making this call was indeed unnecessary. I looked up at the doctor across from me: “Doctor, you can just tell me the treatment plan. I can take care of myself.” Not wanting the doctor to see my embarrassment, I quickly left the hospital with the treatment plan in hand. On my way home, I felt like there was something I needed to do, but I just couldn’t remember what it was. When I reached the entrance of our community, I saw Ethan standing under a streetlight. I was delighted, thinking he was waiting for me, and was about to approach him. A girl in a pink dress bounced over to him and gave him a hug. Ethan, usually cold and aloof, now had a gentle smile on his lips. He ruffled the girl’s hair, put his arm around her shoulder, and they drove away together. At home, I sat in the dark living room without turning on the lights. My mind was filled with the scene I had just witnessed. After who knows how long, I heard a sound from the entrance. My son rushed to me and threw his backpack at me: “Mom! Why didn’t you come to pick me up?! The teacher called you but you didn’t answer!” “You’re nowhere near as good as Aunt Rachel!” I picked up my phone and realized it had died. I tried to comfort him softly: “Tommy, I’m sorry. Mommy forgot…” Ethan came in shortly after, his face full of anger. He walked over and said: “Didn’t I tell you to pick up our son?!” “He waited at the kindergarten until he was the last one left. He cried so much even the teacher couldn’t bear it!” “You’re a stay-at-home mom now, enjoying an easy life without having to work. Can’t you even handle this simple task of picking up our son?!” I opened my mouth, wanting to explain. I forgot because I’m sick. But looking at the two nearly identical faces in front of me, both scolding me, I swallowed my explanation and grievances.

I didn’t expect Rachel to come find me so soon. She asked to meet me at a coffee shop but arrived nearly half an hour late. Rachel sat down across from me. Her face was actually a thorn in my heart. On Ethan’s computer, there was a folder named “first love”. It was full of her photos. When I accidentally opened it, Ethan acted nonchalant, saying he kept these just to reminisce about his youthful self, not because of her. Looking at Rachel up close, her makeup was exquisite, her smile sweet. As for me, though we were about the same age, I looked much older. I rarely put on makeup or dressed up after marriage, and my complexion wasn’t good. “Samantha, long time no see!” She spoke first with a bright smile, her eyes curved like a cunning fox. I always felt inferior in front of Rachel. She was my half-sister, sharing the same father but different mothers. The first time I met Rachel was on my eighth birthday. My mom rarely took me to fancy restaurants, but she did that year to celebrate. Knowing how hard it was for my mom to earn money, I only dared to order the cheapest items on the menu. At the table next to us, another family was also celebrating a birthday. A girl in a beautiful puffy dress wore a birthday crown, smiling happily. As for me, my clothes were wrinkled with visible mending patches. I lowered my head, but then I heard a familiar voice. The man with his back to me turned sideways, and I realized it was my dad. He was smiling and singing happy birthday to that girl. The fatherly love that seemed so out of reach for me was all given to Rachel. She was beautiful and had many admirers at school, but she turned them all down. Until she started dating Ethan, an upperclassman. Everyone said they were a perfect match. I was always the ugly duckling, the most inconspicuous existence in the crowd. That year, Rachel suddenly went abroad and broke up with Ethan. He tried desperately to keep her, but couldn’t. In college, I deliberately imitated Rachel’s style and preferences to get close to Ethan. My intentions were obvious, and after persistent pursuit, he chose me. So, I always felt that I had stolen Ethan. Now the rightful owner had returned. I took a sip of the floral tea in front of me and spoke softly: “It has been a long time. Did you ask me out today for something specific?” “Nothing special, just catching up.” “I saw Tommy yesterday. He’s very cute, looks a lot like Ethan.” “They were quite upset yesterday… I told them not to give you a hard time when they got home.” Her tone was polite, but there was an unmistakable hint of acting like the lady of the house. I looked up at her and smiled: “My husband and son certainly won’t give me a hard time.” I emphasized the word “my”, smiling brightly. Only I knew that my heart was already panicking because of her, my nails almost digging into my palms.

After delivering lunch to my son, I passed by Ethan’s company and had a sudden urge to go up and see him. Ethan had grown his small studio into a listed company that now occupied an entire office building. I had witnessed every step of his journey. Carrying some afternoon tea, I had just stepped out of the elevator when the receptionist greeted me with a smile: “Mrs. Shen, it’s been a while since you last visited!” I smiled faintly and nodded at her, then walked inside. Ethan was in a meeting, so I sat outside waiting for him. “Samantha!” I looked up, startled to see Rachel. What was she doing here? “I got bored, so I came to work for Ethan,” she said. I glanced at the name tag on her chest: ‘Executive Assistant’. “Let me get you some tea. The weather’s getting cold.” Rachel brought out a cup of tea from the pantry. Just as she was about to place it in front of me, someone rushing by bumped into her. She lost her balance and fell to the ground, shattering the teacup. Her palm was deeply cut, blood spilling onto the floor. I crouched down, wanting to check her injury. Ethan saw the injured Rachel through the glass of the conference room. He dropped the documents in his hand and pushed open the door. He shoved me aside and pulled Rachel into his arms. I fell to the ground, staring at him in shock. He turned his head to look at me, frowning: “What’s wrong with you?!” “Rachel and I are old classmates. She just came to help me at the company.” “Can’t you keep your female jealousy out of my company?!” Rachel, in pain from the shard in her palm, cried out but still said softly to Ethan: “It’s not Samantha’s fault… I was just careless…” Ethan glared at me, then carried Rachel out, full of concern. I sat on the floor, watching his back, rubbing my bruised arm, trying hard to suppress the rising bitterness. An alarm reminded me it was time to pick up my son from kindergarten. Since the last incident, I had set reminders for everything. Standing at the kindergarten gate, I looked around. My son walked up to me, looking deflated. I gently stroked his head: “What’s wrong, son? Did something unpleasant happen today?” He looked up at me, his eyes as cold as Ethan’s: “Mom, can’t you dress up a bit?” “Like Aunt Rachel.” “Look at other kids’ moms. I feel so embarrassed with you like this!” I looked down at my yellowing white down jacket and worn-out canvas shoes. My expression stiffened, and I forced a laugh: “Okay, okay. Mommy will dress up nicely to pick you up tomorrow.”

When Ethan came home, I was in the bathroom hand-washing his and our son’s underwear. He walked into the bathroom, threw a pair of underwear he had just taken off into my basin, and went into the shower. Without saying a word. I looked up at myself in the mirror, sallow and thin, with dark circles under my eyes. No wonder our son was embarrassed by me, and my husband was protecting his first love. While Ethan was showering, I opened the wardrobe and found the black lace lingerie I had bought years ago in the corner. Ethan and I hadn’t been intimate for a long time. I put it on and stood in front of the mirror, feeling a bit awkward, then quickly covered it with a bathrobe. I lay on my side on the bed, facing away from the bathroom door. Hearing the water stop, Ethan opened the door and walked out. I unconsciously gripped the bedsheet tightly. Ethan got into bed on the other side. I could smell his shower gel. I turned to look at him. He had his hands crossed on his chest, eyes already closed. I took off my bathrobe and pulled Ethan’s hand to my chest. He half-opened his eyes, glanced at me, and pulled his hand away: “I’m a bit tired today. Not in the mood.” I froze. His cold attitude made my attempt at seduction seem so ridiculous. I said nothing, turning over noisily to show my dissatisfaction. Ethan, perhaps feeling his behavior was a bit excessive, suddenly hugged me from behind and kissed my hair: “Honey, I didn’t mean anything by it… I really am tired today.” “Rachel told me today that it was another colleague who bumped into her.” “I misunderstood you, honey. I’m sorry…” “Next week is your birthday. How about I take you to the Sky Restaurant to celebrate? Our son has been wanting to go there too.” After a long silence, I finally mumbled in his arms: “Okay.” Hearing my agreement, he let go of me. Soon, I heard his steady breathing. I comforted myself. It’s okay. Anyway, my memory is bad now. I’ll soon forget these grievances.

On the day of my birthday, after sending our son to kindergarten in the morning, I specially booked a makeup artist, wanting to dress up nicely for the evening date. The makeup artist worked on my face for over an hour. Looking in the mirror, I seemed like a completely different person. The life of a housewife had long been seasoned with the flavors of daily chores, making me forget what it was like to wear makeup. From day to night, I hardly did anything. I just stood by the window, eagerly anticipating Ethan’s car. But the clock on the wall was approaching 9 PM, and Ethan still hadn’t returned. The calls I made and messages I sent to him went unanswered. An hour ago, I had asked the company receptionist, who said Ethan had left work after 6 PM. Why hasn’t he come home yet? I opened SnapChat, habitually clicking on the new updates notification. The first update was from Rachel, posted 10 minutes ago. [Being loved really can make you feel like a little girl again. Another year older!] The photo showed Rachel in a princess dress, holding a birthday cake. Behind her was the night view from the rooftop restaurant. I immediately recognized the reflection in the glass of the photo. Sitting across from her were my husband and my son. My hand holding the phone trembled involuntarily. So while I was eagerly anticipating, they were celebrating Rachel’s birthday. I rushed out the door, stood by the roadside, anxiously waving at the passing cars, watching the traffic flow. All the taxis that passed by were full. Finally, I managed to hail one. I urged the driver to go faster and faster. The driver lazily glanced at me through the rearview mirror: “Going on a date, young lady?” I met his eyes in the mirror: “Going to catch a cheater.” The next second, I clearly felt the car speed up. Getting out of the car, I ran into the Sky Restaurant, straight up to the 58th floor. Standing in front of the glass door, I was still panting heavily. Ethan had booked the entire place for Rachel. The huge restaurant had only the three of them. Every corner was carefully decorated, full of jasmine flowers, Rachel’s favorite. My husband was feeding cut steak to another woman. My son was taking photos of them with his phone. Anyone who saw this would exclaim, what a happy family of three. Looking at the scene before me, I trembled with cold all over, as if I had fallen into an ice pit. I felt like a third party, peeking at someone else’s happiness. Their every move was like a needle stabbing into my heart, making it hard to breathe. My legs were nailed to the spot, lacking the courage to step forward. I don’t know how I left the restaurant. I walked on the street, with horns occasionally telling me to move to the side. Suddenly, a speeding motorcycle brushed past me, almost hitting me. The rider even turned back and cursed at me. I crouched by the roadside, not knowing where to go. When my legs went numb from crouching, I stood up, feeling dizzy. I rubbed my aching temples and looked at the street in front of me, suddenly feeling unfamiliar. I opened the map app, wanting to take a taxi home, but my finger paused on the destination field. Where is home? I tried to search for the address in my mind. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t remember. There was only one address in my mind. I tried entering it. It turned out to be 500 kilometers away from here. I booked a bus ticket departing in thirty minutes.

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For a week straight, my roommate dreamed of having passionate encounters with a mysterious man. We joked that her destined soulmate was on his way. The next day, she died. That night, I dreamed of a man climbing into my bed. On a weekend morning, Rachel, my roommate, teasingly asked Emma, our other roommate, “You were up to no good again last night, weren’t you? I heard you moaning all night long.” Emma’s face turned bright red, and she lowered her head, stammering. “Well… it was just a dream. I can’t control that, you know.” Then she looked up and whispered to us, “To be honest, I’ve been dreaming about this guy for a whole week now.” This revelation instantly sparked our gossip-loving souls. “Really? Is he handsome? Do you know him?” we asked eagerly. “He’s incredibly hot,” Emma replied. “Six feet tall, with a six-pack, and he’s amazing in bed.” “Ooh!” We wiggled our fingers at her teasingly. “This might be your destined soulmate,” Rachel said, putting her arm around Emma’s shoulders. “Have you thought about trying to find him?” Emma shook her head and pulled away. “Stop it, you guys. I’m not talking about this anymore. I’m leaving.” With that, she grabbed her bag and skipped out of the room. There were only three of us in our dorm room. Rachel left in the afternoon for a club activity. Bored, I went out on a date with my boyfriend, Jack. On our way, I told Jack about Emma’s dreams. His face suddenly changed. “What soulmate? This is a evil spirit coming to claim her life. If she dreams about him for seven consecutive nights, she’ll die for sure!” I was startled by his reaction and looked up at him, confused. “But she’s already been dreaming about him for seven nights.” His face turned grim, and he sighed. “Then there’s no hope for her.” I was completely bewildered by his words. Just then, I received a call from Rachel. Her voice was trembling on the other end of the line. “Lily, Emma is dead.” I felt a chill run through my entire body.

When we arrived at the scene, Emma’s body had already been taken away. Rachel stood nearby, covering her mouth, her eyes filled with terror. According to witnesses, Emma seemed to be talking to someone on the street, even though there was no one visibly near her. Then, at a red light, she suddenly ran into the middle of the road like a madwoman. A truck couldn’t stop in time and hit her. The scene was horrific. I covered my mouth, tears streaming down my face, unable to believe that my roommate, who had been joking with us just this morning, was now gone. When I turned around, Rachel was looking in my direction, her eyes full of sorrow. I walked over and hugged her, trying to comfort her. She hesitated for a moment before hugging me back. Jack’s expression was very strange. He stared intently in my direction, his eyebrows furrowed. After saying goodbye to Jack, Rachel and I returned to our dorm room, feeling lost and dejected. Looking at Emma’s empty bed made us feel awful. “Lily,” Rachel said, her voice trembling as she stared at the ceiling, “do you think Emma’s death could be related to those dreams she was having?” I shuddered, remembering what Jack had told me. A chill ran down my spine. “Don’t think like that,” I said, forcing a smile. “It was just an accident.” I pulled my curtains closed, but Jack’s words kept echoing in my mind. The more I thought about it, the more scared I became. I sent him a message on SnapChat. “Babe, how did you know something would happen to Emma?” “She was haunted by an evil spirit,” he replied. “The guy in her dreams was a male ghost sucking her life force. When a person’s energy is drained to a certain point, they fall under the ghost’s influence.” My heart skipped a beat. If anyone else had said something so bizarre, I wouldn’t have believed it. But Jack’s family had a history of dealing with the supernatural, and he knew a lot about ghosts and spirits. Besides, he wouldn’t scare me with something like this for no reason. I started to panic. “What should I do? Will it come after me next?” “Don’t worry, that evil spirit was probably only targeting your roommate. It shouldn’t bother you.” Hearing this, I breathed a sigh of relief and put down my phone. Soon after, I felt drowsy. As I was drifting off to sleep, I suddenly heard the creaking sound of someone climbing the ladder to my bed. I was startled awake. Who would be climbing up to my bed in the middle of the night? I turned my head and saw a naked man smiling as he climbed onto my bed. In that instant, I felt as if my blood had frozen. The man looked very young and extremely handsome, with a perfect six-pack. Then I remembered – this was exactly how Emma had described the man in her dreams! Recalling Emma’s terrible fate, my eyes widened in terror. No matter how handsome he was, he was still a deadly evil spirit. I tried desperately to struggle, but I couldn’t move a single finger. I suddenly realized I was experiencing sleep paralysis. All I could do was watch helplessly with wide eyes as he slowly began to remove my clothes. Tears rolled down my cheeks. Just as he was about to succeed, my phone suddenly emitted a blinding white light. The man let out a painful scream, jumping off the bed and clutching his hand in agony. He shot me a hateful glance before disappearing into thin air. I felt an immense sense of relief, gasping for air. Everything around me started to blur, and then everything went black. I’m not sure if I fell asleep or passed out.

I don’t know how much time had passed when I suddenly woke up, sitting bolt upright, my body covered in cold sweat. I touched my body nervously, relieved to find everything intact. Then a burnt smell hit my nostrils. Looking down, I saw that my phone case had been scorched. Inside, there used to be a talisman that Jack had given me, but now it had been reduced to ashes. It seems that the talisman had saved me last night. That evil spirit had indeed come after me. Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief and go seek Jack’s help, I heard a thumping sound coming from right next to me, behind my curtain. I froze, swallowing hard. What could be making that noise by my bed? Slowly, I pulled back the curtain. My blood ran cold at what I saw. A face with bulging eyes and a purple-blue complexion was inches from mine. My head felt like it had been hit with a hammer. I screamed and recoiled. I recognized the face – it was Rachel. I was so terrified that I burst into tears. Rachel had hanged herself from the railing of my bed. She had tied the rope to my bed frame and was dangling in a grotesquely contorted position. My bed wasn’t very high; her toes could almost touch the ground. It seemed impossible for someone to hang themselves at this height. But she was dead, her face blue-purple, eyes bulging, tongue protruding. It must have been that evil spirit’s doing. I jumped out of bed like a madwoman, wailing and scrambling to call the dorm supervisor. When Mrs. Johnson heard that another student in my room had died, she nearly fainted from shock. But when I brought her to our room, Rachel’s body, which had been hanging from my bed, was gone. Mrs. Johnson visibly relaxed, frowning at me. “Young lady, do you think it’s funny to play such pranks?” I stared at her in horror, pointing at my bed. “Mrs. Johnson, I’m not lying. I saw her hanging there with my own eyes just now.” Mrs. Johnson looked at me sympathetically, thinking I was hallucinating due to the trauma of Emma’s death. She sighed and turned to leave. Gathering my courage, I walked over to Rachel’s bed and pulled back the curtain. She wasn’t there. What I had seen earlier was definitely not a hallucination. Rachel was dead too, and I would be next! Terrified out of my wits, I fled the dorm and arranged to meet Jack somewhere.

When Jack saw me, he was shocked. I stood in the sunlight, drenched in cold sweat despite the heat, wrapped up tightly in layers of clothes. Passersby stared at me as if I were mentally ill. Jack’s lips trembled slightly as he slowly approached me. I grabbed his hand like a drowning person clutching at a lifeline. “Babe, please help me,” I pleaded. “Rachel is dead too. I’m next…” Before I could finish, I froze. Jack wasn’t looking at me, but frowning at something behind me. “You bastard, get off her!” he shouted. “Who… who are you talking to?” I stammered. Jack’s face was filled with anger as he pulled out a talisman from his pocket. “Don’t move, darling. That ghost is on your back.” I started shaking uncontrollably, making strange choking sounds. I felt as if a pair of icy hands were caressing my body. Jack gritted his teeth, stamped his foot, and suddenly threw the talisman. I thought I heard a faint scream, and it felt like something had been lifted off my body. I threw myself into Jack’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Jack sighed and stroked my body, trying to comfort me. We went to a coffee shop. I stared out the window, looking almost catatonic. Jack lowered his head, deep in thought. After a long silence, I was the first to speak. “Darling, is there any hope for me?” Jack took a sip of coffee, his expression grim. “I didn’t expect this thing to be so powerful. If it had been a few days ago, I could have dealt with it. But now that it has absorbed the life force of two people, I’m no match for it.” I panicked instantly. “Does that mean I can only wait for death?” Jack grasped my hand, his eyes full of tenderness. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely save you.” “Do you still have the amulet I gave you last time?” I paused for a moment, then pulled out a wooden amulet from around my neck. “It’s here.” He took the amulet and muttered a few words. “Every night before you go to sleep, bite your finger and drop some blood on it,” he instructed. “This way, the ghost won’t dare to approach you.” “After some time, when the ghost realizes it can’t harm you, it will give up and leave. Then you’ll be safe.” I nodded vigorously, holding his hand tightly. “Darling, can I stay at your place for a while?” Jack shook his head, his eyes filled with a hint of sadness. “You must stay in the dorm. The girls’ dormitory has strong yin energy, especially after two recent deaths. The negative energy there is intense. Only in that environment can the amulet work most effectively.” I swallowed hard and nodded in agreement.

That night, I returned alone to the empty dorm room, feeling terrified. But for the sake of my life, I followed Jack’s instructions. I bit my finger hard and let the blood drip onto the amulet on my chest. At midnight, a gust of cold wind suddenly blew open the door of the dorm room. I shuddered. It was back. I squeezed my eyes shut and remained motionless. I felt a chill on my face, as if something was pressed against it. My teeth chattered, and my body was drenched in cold sweat. The entity lingered around me for a while, then seemed to realize it couldn’t harm me and left. I felt as if something had been drained from my body. I gasped for air, lacking the strength to even move a finger. An overwhelming fatigue hit me. My mind became foggy, and I slowly lost consciousness. In my hazy state, I heard someone calling my name. The voice sounded familiar. I slowly opened my eyes and saw a face covered in blood and mangled flesh. I nearly fainted on the spot. The face looked as if it had been hastily pieced together, with features misplaced and distorted. A strong smell of blood assaulted my nostrils, nearly making me vomit. “Lily, don’t be afraid. It’s me, Emma.” I huddled in my blanket, trembling. Actually, I had recognized her earlier. She was Emma, who had been crushed by the truck. The male ghost who wanted to take my life was at least somewhat presentable, but Emma’s face was utterly horrifying. “Lily, I know I look terrifying now, but don’t be afraid. I’m not here to harm you. I’m here to help you.” “Don’t trust your boyfriend. He’s trying to hurt you. That male ghost was summoned by him.” “Whatever you do, don’t trust him, or you’ll die.” With that, the smell of blood outside my blanket dissipated. I peeked out, but there was no one there. I rubbed my head, my thoughts in chaos. What did Emma mean? Jack was trying to hurt me? But he had saved me so many times. Now, not only was the old ghost still around, but a new one had appeared. I couldn’t trust the words of a ghost. If it weren’t for Jack repeatedly saving me, I would have fallen victim long ago. Besides, we had been together for a long time, and our relationship had always been good. I had no reason to distrust him. But I couldn’t help but wonder why Emma, who had been on good terms with me when she was alive, would try to drive a wedge between Jack and me. I shook my head, trying to stop my wild thoughts. According to Jack, I should be safe during the day. I didn’t want to stay in this eerie dorm room for a minute longer than necessary. I only felt a sense of safety when I was with Jack. I ran out of the dorm, intending to meet up with him. As I was passing under an overpass, a female Taoist suddenly grabbed my arm. She was heavily covered, giving off a mysterious aura. Her small eyes darted over me. “Young lady, are you being haunted by an evil spirit?” she asked. I was startled and covered my mouth. How did she know? The Taoist woman looked down and made some calculations, then looked even more shocked. “This is… a soul-stealing spell. Oh no, you might not live past tomorrow!” “What did you say?” I stumbled back two steps in horror. “What soul-stealing spell? I’m being haunted by a male ghost.” The Taoist shook her head. “That’s a minor issue, just a demonic seduction. At worst, you’d lose your life. But this soul-stealing spell is several times more vicious.” “Once the spell is complete, your soul will be scattered to the winds.” “Young lady, let me ask you, where did you get that thing around your neck?” I looked down at the amulet on my neck. “This was given to me by my boyfriend. He said it would protect me.” She paused, then shook her head. “This isn’t a protective amulet at all. On the contrary, it’s a spirit-attracting charm. Wearing this will draw evil spirits towards you from miles around.” “If I’m not mistaken, you probably have more than one evil spirit around you now, don’t you?” I stood there, dumbfounded. She was right. Last night, Emma’s ghost had also appeared at my bedside. “Young lady, take my advice. Your boyfriend is not a good person.” For a moment, I couldn’t believe it. Since I had known Jack, our relationship had always been good. I couldn’t imagine why he would want to harm me. But this Taoist woman’s words were surprisingly consistent with what Emma had said last night, which made me doubt my previously firm belief. I clutched my head in pain. Just as I was about to ask the Taoist how to break the spell, I heard Jack’s voice behind me.

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When I Found Out My Sugar Baby Was Using My Money to Support Other Women When I discovered that the young man I was supporting was actually using my money to keep other women, I was furious. I immediately decided to break up with him and even considered suing him for fraud. But he was quite the charmer. On a rainy night, he stripped naked and knelt in my yard all night with tears in his eyes. He claimed he was young and foolish, and only made this huge mistake to repay his first love who had supported his education. Looking at his rain-soaked body, I had to admit he was incredibly handsome. I thought to myself, at least he knows how to show gratitude. In a moment of weakness, I chose to forgive him. Little did I know, he would soon conspire with his first love to blind me and steal all my assets. This time, I didn’t hesitate. I immediately called my seven ex-boyfriends… 0 “If it weren’t for your money, do you think I would have put up with you until now? You blind bitch, how dare you act like some rich princess in front of me?” Lucas Evans slapped me hard across the face before kicking me out the door. “Don’t come back until you realize your mistakes!” he shouted. I clutched the medical report confirming my restored vision tightly in my hand, my mind in turmoil. I had wanted to share the joyful news that my eyesight had returned to normal. But Lucas, who had always been gentle and caring, suddenly flew into a rage when I asked him to pour me a glass of water. He violently smashed the glass on the ground. Shards scattered everywhere, instantly cutting my cheek. Blood beaded up and dripped to the floor. I stood there stunned, staring at him in disbelief. This usually kind man was now coldly throwing me out of our home without a shred of mercy. My heart was filled with hurt and confusion. Tears I could no longer control streamed down my face. Just as I turned to leave, I unexpectedly ran into Amber Sullivan – Lucas’s unforgettable first love. She stood a short distance away, watching my misfortune with obvious glee, as if she had anticipated this all along. “Well, if it isn’t Miss Thompson! What’s the matter, dear?” she said mockingly. I shot her a cold glance, wiping the tears from my face. Not wanting to engage with her, I started walking away. But Amber wasn’t done. She blocked my path. “Is Miss Thompson too high and mighty to acknowledge me? Can’t you see I’m talking to you?” I pursed my lips, not wanting to waste my breath on her. She then feigned a sudden realization. “Oh my, silly me! Of course Miss Thompson can’t see – she’s blind after all.” With that, she burst into shrill, grating laughter. I couldn’t hold back anymore. “Being blind isn’t so bad. At least I don’t have to watch you shamelessly flirting with other people’s boyfriends,” I retorted. “Mia Thompson!” Amber shrieked in fury, charging at me. “I’ll tear that mouth of yours apart!” I was prepared for this. I stepped aside slightly, causing her to stumble and fall face-first onto the ground. Passersby stared, some even laughing out loud. Amber got up from the ground, glaring at me viciously. Her face was contorted, though I couldn’t tell if it was from the fall or from anger. “Didn’t I just tell you to get lost? What are you still doing here?” Lucas’s angry voice came from nearby. He immediately started scolding me without bothering to find out what happened. My heart ached. He always chose Amber over me, every single time. Yet I was supposed to be his girlfriend. 0

Seeing Lucas appear, Amber instantly transformed back into a pitiful damsel in distress. “Lucas, I’m so sorry,” she whimpered. “I just wanted to say hello to Miss Thompson, but she suddenly pushed me down.” “Maybe I shouldn’t have come to see you?” Amber put on an act of being bullied. Sure enough, Lucas’s heart melted instantly. He rushed to wipe away her tears. “Amber, you poor thing.” He turned to glare at me fiercely. “Mia Thompson, I can’t believe you’re still so vicious even after going blind!” “Apologize to Amber right now, or I’ll never forgive you.” Seeing that I remained silent, his anger grew. “If you won’t apologize, then get out of my sight!” He then instructed the security guard, “Don’t let her into the complex again without my permission.” With that, he took Amber inside, not sparing me another word. I clutched the medical report tightly once more, crouching down and bursting into tears. It turns out my seven ex-boyfriends were right – he only loved my money, not me. At this thought, I sobbed uncontrollably. When my phone rang, passersby were still pointing and whispering about me. They were saying I must be some rich man’s mistress who got kicked out by the wife. I held back my tears and answered the phone with a sniffle. The moment I heard Ethan North’s deep voice, tears started flowing again. Hearing my cries, he immediately panicked, asking if someone had bullied me. A warmth spread through my heart. At least they still cared about me. In that instant, I made up my mind to end this one-sided cold war with them. From now on, even if they kept telling others they were my exes, I wouldn’t get upset anymore. I grew up with those seven boys since childhood. They were all my ex-boyfriends. Officially “crowned” as such, in fact. I was young back then, obsessed with the story of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history. Every day I imagined myself as the chosen empress, inducting all seven childhood friends into my “harem”. I even gave them official rankings, with Ethan as my “empress” since he was the oldest. As we grew older, I started to feel embarrassed about it and gradually distanced myself from them. But they uniformly claimed to others that they were my abandoned ex-boyfriends, making it hard for me to find a new boyfriend for a while. Finally, after college graduation, I met my current boyfriend. Gentle and obedient, with a baby face but an incredibly sexy inverted triangle physique – he made my heart race uncontrollably. I was so smitten that I even bought him an apartment to keep him as my secret lover. Who would have thought things would turn out like this? In the end, I only have myself to blame for being blinded by his looks. Fortunately, I still have seven ex-boyfriends who adore me waiting for me. After hanging up with Ethan, I immediately headed back to North City. I decided to give them a big surprise! The thought of seeing them soon filled me with excitement I could barely contain. But when I arrived at the usually quiet mansion gates, I found them crowded with young girls holding up banners. How strange. 0

Before I could think too much about it, I walked straight towards the gates, only to be stopped by the security guard. “I’m sorry, only residents are allowed in!” I was taken aback. I had sold my house in the complex before going to Sea City. “I’m a friend of Ethan North. I’m here to see them,” I said. Surely a resident’s friend would be allowed in. The guard gave me a look that said “I knew it”, his tone full of impatience as he pointed at the group of young girls, “Every woman who comes here claims to be here for them.” “And they all say they’re their girlfriends too.” He started pushing me away, “You’re so young, don’t you have anything better to do? Chasing after celebrities all the way to their homes.” “Have you no shame!” Suddenly I remembered Ethan mentioning something about their debut a while back. I hadn’t paid much attention then, but it seems they’ve become quite famous now. But how was I supposed to get in? “Wang, do you still want this job? How could you let someone rush in like that?” A familiar female voice came from behind just as we were at an impasse. The guard immediately put on a respectful demeanor, apologizing profusely, “I’m sorry, Miss Sullivan. I’ll send her away right now.” Miss Sullivan? I didn’t know many people with the surname Sullivan! Curious, I turned around, startled to see Amber’s face. It was her! Wasn’t she with Lucas? What was she doing here?! Amber looked equally surprised, but only for a moment before switching to a mocking tone, “Well, if it isn’t Miss Thompson! Just got dumped by your boyfriend and now you’re here to chase celebrities?” “Aren’t you moving on a bit too fast?” I felt extremely annoyed. Who did she think she was?! Trying to control every aspect of my life! She clearly thought I was easy to bully. Well, it was time to show her who Mia Thompson really was. “None of your damn business!” I snapped. Before Amber could respond, the guard roughly shoved me. “How dare you speak to Miss Sullivan like that!” “So vulgar. Dressed like that and claiming to be friends with Mr. North and the others. Have you no self-awareness?” “If you want to get close to celebrities like Miss Sullivan, at least buy a villa in our complex first!” Seeing the guard’s arrogant attitude, I couldn’t hold back my anger. “You think I can’t afford it?” Amber and the guard were stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter. Especially Amber, who was laughing so hard she could barely stand straight. “This is hilarious, Mia. I think it’s not just your eyes that are messed up, but your brain too!” She came closer, whispering in my ear, “Do you still think you’re some millionaire sugar mama?” My heart sank suddenly, an ominous feeling washing over me. I stared at her intently, my voice trembling uncontrollably, “What… what do you mean by that?” Seeing my panicked expression, Amber’s face lit up with a smug smile. She turned to instruct the guard, “Wang, make sure you guard the gate well. Don’t let any riffraff slip through.” “Especially blind ones like her. Be careful she doesn’t try to scam you later.” The guard agreed eagerly, turning to drag me out. 0

I quickly pulled out my phone and showed the call log to the guard. “I really am Ethan’s friend. Look, we just talked on the phone this afternoon.” The guard looked carefully, his expression wavering slightly. “It really is Mr. North’s number.” Amber’s face changed, but then we heard the guard continue, “But there are so many people who save a random number under a celebrity’s name. This trick is so childish.” Getting anxious, I pressed on. This guard was really difficult to deal with. “Just call Ethan and tell him Mia Thompson is outside. He’ll come out to get me.” At this point, I didn’t care about the surprise anymore. Getting inside was the priority. Plus, I wanted to know what Amber meant by her earlier comment. What happened to my money? To my dismay, the guard looked even more suspicious after hearing my suggestion. “You know Mr. North has a performance down south today, yet you’re asking me to call him. I think you’re just a scammer.” Ethan wasn’t here today? What a coincidence. “Fine, then I’ll call Ryan Frost,” I said, dialing his number immediately, praying that Ryan would pick up quickly. I glanced at Amber inadvertently. Her expression seemed a bit odd. She walked in front of me and waved her hand before my eyes. “Mia, can you see me?” The call still hadn’t connected, and I was getting impatient. I was about to tell her to shut up. Just as I opened my mouth, I suddenly realized something. Was Amber suspicious of me? Pretending to be angry, I said, “You know I can’t see. Why are you asking this?” Amber looked unconvinced but didn’t press further. I couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. The person on the other end of the line finally answered, “Hello! Mia, you finally remembered to call me?” “The signal here is bad, we might get cut off…” “I’m at…” The call abruptly ended, and I felt like cursing. Damn Ryan and his jinxing habits, still the same after all these years. Holding my phone, I tried to explain to the guard, “At least this proves I know them, right? Can you let me in now?” The guard shook his head, his attitude unyielding. “Who knows if you’re using some AI call simulator? With technology these days, it’s easy to fake a call with a celebrity.” My blood pressure was rising rapidly, but remembering Ethan and the others’ current celebrity status, I forced myself to calm down. I turned to leave, planning to wait at a nearby hotel for them to contact me. Uncharacteristically, Amber called out to stop me. “Mia, let me take you in.” As if afraid I wouldn’t agree, she added, “You can’t see, so it’ll be faster if I guide you, right?” I looked at her smiling face, feeling a chill run down my spine. She wasn’t this kind-hearted. Was she planning something sinister? “What’s wrong? Are you scared?” Amber narrowed her eyes at me, her tone somewhat challenging. Yeah, right. I’ve lived here for over a decade. Why would I be afraid of her? Besides, I wanted to see what she was up to. Amber led me into the complex, finally stopping in front of my old villa. She had bought my villa! 0

As soon as I stepped inside, Amber swiftly locked the door behind us. Realizing something was wrong, I immediately turned to run out, but Amber forcefully pushed me into the bathroom. I shouted, “What are you doing? Let me out!” Her face was gloomy, her eyes filled with anger as she looked at me. “You’re not really blind!” “Lucas praised you for being pure-hearted, but I never expected you to be so cunning.” I mentally rolled my eyes. “This has nothing to do with you. If Lucas is what you want, congratulations, I’ve already broken up with him.” At this point, I just wanted to leave. Amber’s hostility was making my skin crawl. She didn’t answer me, just kept advancing step by step, her eyes seeming to drip with venom. “Mia Thompson, why do you always have to steal what’s mine!” “I finally managed to move in here, become the top fan in their fan club, get close to those seven guys, and even had a chance to go further.” “Then you suddenly show up with that seductive face of yours, claiming to be their friend.” “Do you think I’ll just sit back and let you take my place?”

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On Valentine’s Day, Joyce got into a car accident while making a U-turn on the highway, all to save the cat of her first love. Both the cat and I were trapped under the car, and no matter who she saved first, the other would suffer more serious injuries from the imbalance. I endured the pain and called for help, but Joyce didn’t hesitate at all to save the cat. “This is Samuel’s favorite cat. I can’t let it get hurt. Don’t worry, even if you lose a hand, I’ll stay with you.” The car was hit again, the glass shattered, and my arm was crushed, flesh mangled. Yet Joyce was still entirely focused on checking the cat over and over. When the ambulance finally arrived, she even stood in front of the vehicle, ensuring the doctors treated the cat first. “William’s just got a minor injury. How can he compare to my cat? If you don’t save it, you’re not leaving today!” She forgot that I have a clotting disorder. With all this blood loss, I could die. “Joyce, what is this supposed to mean?” I let out a desperate growl and used all my strength to push her away. But the intense pain from my right hand made me nearly lose consciousness. Joyce gave me a complicated look. “William, don’t blame me. Luna is Samuel’s favorite cat. I have to do this.” Then she left me behind, walking straight to the side of the road and holding the cat. Blood poured from my wrist, and the wound was deep enough to see the bone. But Joyce still ignored me, continuing to check the cat for any injuries. Five minutes later, the paramedics finally arrived. They quickly moved me onto a stretcher, ready to transport me, but Joyce stopped them. “Don’t you have a first aid kit? Help me check on the cat first!” “What are you doing, worrying about a cat now? The patient’s lost so much blood, and if we wait any longer, it’ll be too late!” The doctors exchanged looks, their expressions full of disbelief. Upon hearing this, Joyce stood in front of the ambulance. “Do you know whose cat this is? It’s Samuel’s! If anything happens to it, you’d better worry about your jobs!” Samuel’s family was wealthy, and his grandfather had once been the hospital director, with powerful connections. The doctors knew Samuel’s name, so they hesitated slightly. They took the cat, examined it quickly, then handed it back to Joyce. “It’s just a little shaken up, not even a scratch. Don’t worry.” The sting from my wound made me groan involuntarily, and seeing my condition, the doctors rushed to close the door and start the journey. But Joyce was still unrelenting. “You just glanced at it to appease me, I’m not so easy to fool! William, you’re fine with just a little injury, why are you acting like this? “Move aside, check my cat again!” She then pulled out her phone and took a picture of each doctor’s ID badge. “If you keep messing around, I’ll send this straight to Samuel. Don’t regret it when someone gets fired.” The doctors, unable to do anything else, had no choice but to leave me aside and continue inspecting the cat. The blood kept flowing, and I felt myself growing colder. Three minutes later, the stretcher was almost completely soaked in blood. Seeing my condition worsen, Joyce finally relented. “Fine, let’s go. William, I barely put any pressure on you, why are you so fragile?” She cast a disgusted glance at me, then muttered under her breath, “Such a waste of time… I don’t even know if Luna’s really alright…” Earlier, when she knew I was cut by glass shards, she still cruelly pressed down on me, deepening my wounds. But now, she was accusing me of being weak. The hurt and humiliation overwhelmed me in an instant. I opened my mouth to defend myself, but no words came out. Joyce, seeing this, made no attempt to hide her disdain.

Joyce and I had been married for three years, and up until this incident, our relationship had been quite good. A while ago, she brought home this cat, saying she had just found it, feeling sorry for it. I believed her and took care of the cat, feeding it carefully and even making sure to clean its litter as soon as I came home from work each day. Who would have thought I was just being a fool, doing everything for someone else? I even almost lost my life today because of it. Tears streamed uncontrollably from my eyes. I shut them, feeling utterly disappointed in Joyce. Once we arrived at the hospital, the tension I had been holding in released, and I passed out completely. I didn’t know how much time had passed when I slowly regained consciousness. My right hand was wrapped in several thick layers of bandages. “We spent a long time resuscitating you. You mustn’t let this hand get injured again, or it will be permanently damaged,” the doctor said, his voice full of concern. He continued with a serious tone, “Rest well. If you get through the next few days, there may be a chance for recovery.” I nodded gratefully. After they left, I instinctively reached for my phone to call Joyce. But then I remembered she was the one who had hurt me, and the excitement I initially felt turned into bitterness. I closed my eyes in exhaustion, ready to rest, but Joyce called me. “I paid for the ambulance ride earlier. Transfer the money to me, I still need it. “The doctor already told me you’re fine. It was just a minor injury, right? You were just pretending to be so dramatic!” I clenched my phone tightly, my voice trembling. “You’re the one who hurt me, and now you want me to transfer money? Joyce, do you even have a heart? “Also, you still haven’t explained why you’re helping your ex-boyfriend take care of a cat?” I had been rushed into the emergency room, and she still thought I was faking it. My disappointment deepened, my throat tightened, and tears once again filled my eyes. The line fell silent for a few seconds, and then I faintly heard some voices, a man’s voice. I couldn’t make out the words, but I could tell Joyce was with Samuel. Just as I was about to hang up, Joyce finally spoke, “So now you dare speak to me like this? Samuel and I are just friends. He went abroad and left Luna with me for a few days. It’s just a small favor between friends. Is that so hard to understand? “I’ve been considerate of you. If I didn’t worry about you getting jealous, why would I have lied and told you Luna was a stray?” Hearing that, my heart hurt uncontrollably. No wonder, a month ago, Joyce started using business trips as an excuse, and the number of nights she stayed out kept increasing. During that time, her behavior became erratic. She kept her phone glued to her hand and was unusually defensive toward me. I had suspected something. After seeing the diamond ring on her finger, I even asked her about it. But every time, Joyce found a way to brush it off. At that moment, I already had a bad feeling in my gut, but I chose to trust her. I had been in love with her for seven years, ever since I first saw her at university. Later, when her family faced a crisis and she was dumped by Samuel, she had a breakdown and tried to take her own life. I happened to be there to save her, helping her through her family’s troubles and resolving the crisis. Joyce was moved by me, and six months later, she proposed to me. Though her temper grew worse after we married, and she frequently nitpicked at me, I stayed by her side without complaint, giving all my heart and love. But now, I suddenly didn’t want to keep lying to myself and holding onto this relationship. “You don’t have to worry about me anymore, Joyce. Let’s get a divorce.”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, and then Joyce’s laughter clearly came through. “So now you’re threatening me with divorce? Fine, let’s get a divorce, but only if you can convince my parents to agree!” As soon as she finished speaking, she hung up. I let my wrist drop, lying on the hospital bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Joyce’s parents had always treated me very well, and I owed them a lot. Even though they knew I was an orphan, they never once criticized my family background. In my heart, they were like my own parents. In the past, when Joyce and I had conflicts, I would always consider their feelings and try to let things go. But now, I couldn’t stand it anymore. After mentally preparing myself, I called her father. After explaining what had happened that day, he immediately transferred 50 thousand dollars to me. “William, you’ve been wronged. This is just a little compensation from me. “But about the divorce, please don’t act in haste. After all, in my heart, you’re the only one I recognize as Joyce’s husband! Don’t worry, I’ll talk to Joyce now and make her come to apologize to you.” I wanted to refuse, but then her mother joined in. Both of them sincerely tried to persuade me. After hanging up, I almost softened again. But then Joyce barged into the hospital room, with Samuel in tow, both of them furious. “You really complained? You got me scolded by my parents and even froze my bank card! “Do you know I was shopping for Samuel’s clothes? At the checkout, the salespeople were laughing at me!” Joyce cared so much about her pride, and now she was practically trembling with anger. She even reached out to grab me. I remembered the doctor’s warning and frowned. “Don’t touch my arm. The doctor said it can’t be injured again!” But to my surprise, she didn’t stop. Instead, she deliberately picked up a nearby vase and smashed it onto my injured arm. In an instant, I let out a painful scream that echoed through the entire ward. The wound was torn open again, bleeding profusely. I curled up, writhing in agony, almost passing out from the pain. “You deserve it! This will teach you a lesson. Let’s see if you dare to complain again next time!” Joyce stood smugly, watching me in pain, while Samuel stood next to her, holding her in his arms. “Joyce, your temper is still the same, so clear-cut in who you love and hate. It’s really cute,” he said. At his words, Joyce’s face flushed red. “Achen, stop it. There is an outsider here.” We were a legally married couple, but to Joyce, I was nothing more than an outsider. “Get out! Get out!” I glared at them, my eyes red with anger, gritting my teeth. Joyce rolled her eyes disdainfully. “Do you think I want to see you? What a nuisance. If it weren’t for you making trouble, Samuel and I could still have fun for a long time. “William, you’d better stay put and not cause any more trouble. Samuel just got back, and I’m just here to welcome him.” With that, she pulled Samuel with her and left arrogantly. I pressed the call button for the doctor, and when he saw my injuries and the broken pieces on the floor, his face changed dramatically. “How did this happen? Didn’t I tell you not to get injured here again? Your hand… it’s most likely beyond saving.” Tears flooded my eyes once more, and the hatred I felt for Joyce reached its peak. After the doctor managed to stop the bleeding, I immediately contacted a lawyer to draft the divorce agreement. Then I messaged my mentor, David Parker: [I agree to the project you mentioned.]

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I turned my back on Lucas Grant during his darkest hour, falling into the arms of his sworn enemy. Yet Lucas humbled himself to the dust, begging me not to leave him. Nestled in another man’s embrace, I poured half a glass of wine over his head, my smile dripping with scorn and contempt: “Let me go. I’m sick of being chased by debt collectors every day.” Utterly devastated, he left in disgrace. Five years later, Lucas Grant made a triumphant comeback as a prominent overseas business tycoon. On his first day back in the country, he brought his dream girl to settle scores with me. But what he didn’t know was that I had already died, on the very day he and his dream girl went public with their relationship. Lucas Grant was back in the country. I hid in a dark alley, peering out with my one good eye at the LED screen on the skyscraper across the street. On the screen, Lucas was holding hands with Aria Sullivan, the reigning pop queen, preparing for an interview. The flash of cameras seemed too bright, causing Aria to blink uncomfortably. Lucas instinctively shielded her, then calmly answered the reporters’ questions below. My heart felt like it had been stung, aching slightly. He used to protect me like that when debt collectors came looking for trouble. Everything was proceeding as usual until near the end when someone in the crowd suddenly asked, “Mr. Grant, we heard you’re married. So who is this lady beside you?” Lucas smiled, pulling a shy Aria into his arms before answering, “My ex-wife abandoned me when I was at my lowest point, terminating our unborn child and divorcing me. Aria stood by me through it all, and now she’s my new bride.” “I’ve returned to the country to give my wife the grand wedding she deserves, to make up for all these years of her support.” “As for what happened before, let’s just say I was a poor judge of character.” The crowd erupted in a clamor. In just a few short sentences, Lucas had painted me as a selfish, cold-blooded ex-wife devoid of any wifely virtues, throwing me into a sea of controversy. People were quick to condemn me. Naturally, some were also swooning over the sweet interaction between the pop star and the business tycoon. But I could see the endless hatred lurking in the depths of Lucas’s eyes. Even through the screen, it felt like he wanted to devour me whole. I realized deeply that he hated me. The kind of hate that wished me dead. My blood almost froze. My body, already cold, now felt like it had plunged into an icy abyss. I clutched the red string bracelet in my hand. Averting my gaze, I limped away on my broken leg. As I neared the basement, a little girl bumped into me. When she saw my scarred face and the empty socket where my left eye should have been, she burst into terrified tears. Her mother rushed forward, shoving me hard and cursing, “Ah! You freak! Stay away from my daughter!” The cement ground was covered in puddles from the recent rain, and filthy water splashed all over me. The woman hurriedly left with her child, not looking back once. I calmly picked up the red string bracelet from the ground, wiped it clean, and left. During my first year of work, I was in a car accident and almost didn’t wake up. They issued three critical condition notices. Lucas had specially gone to a temple to get this red string bracelet for me. Yesterday, when I went out to buy food, I accidentally dropped it on my way back. I used every ounce of strength I had to find it. It’s the only thing I have left that’s connected to him. I can’t lose it. Back in the basement, I suddenly lost all strength and collapsed to the floor. My vision blurred as excruciating pain swept through my body, every inch of my skin feeling like it was on fire. I trembled uncontrollably from the pain, my chest feeling as if a boulder was pressing down on it, making it hard to breathe. I clutched the red string bracelet tightly. Besides the external injuries, I had a lame leg and had once been injected with an overdose of bromide. I’ve known for a while that I don’t have long to live. Holding on until today was already my limit. But even in death, there’s no dignity. I laughed bitterly. At least Lucas won’t see me in this state. As the sky darkened, in a place where no one passed by, my body gradually grew cold and still.

I never imagined that one day I, who never believed in ghosts, would become a spirit. After a moment of surprise, I quickly accepted it. I drifted aimlessly through crowds until I found myself at Royal River Gardens. That’s when it hit me. Five years ago, Lucas had used the first money he earned as a stock trader to set up our home there. It was our marital home. The interior was decorated entirely to my tastes. But shortly after we moved in, he was schemed against and lost everything, drowning in debt. His mother was also diagnosed with leukemia. We were left penniless and helpless. I took the opportunity to terminate his child and divorced him. He sold the house to clear the debts and left for five years. As the lights came on, a Bugatti slowly approached from the distance. The car door opened, and out stepped Lucas and Aria. Aria seemed drunk, hanging onto him. Lucas expertly lifted her in his arms and strode inside. Once in the room, he placed Aria on the bed and turned to leave, but she hooked her arms around his neck. Aria nuzzled his face, her soft voice tinged with drunkenness, “Lucas, stay with me tonight, please?” She was wearing a light purple silk camisole that showcased her beautiful figure. Lucas didn’t refuse. Aria’s hands began to wander. His shirt quickly fell to the floor. My heart felt like it was being tightly squeezed. I abruptly turned away and left. Why torture myself? They’re married now. It’s normal for couples to be intimate. Besides, I was the one who left him first. I wandered around, dazed, looking at the familiar layout. This house, full of our memories, now housed another woman, becoming a place of despair for me. After what seemed like an eternity, the bedroom door opened. Lucas walked out, holding a box. The pattern on it was all too familiar to me. Inside were all the gifts I had given Lucas. He sat straight on the sofa, lit a cigarette but didn’t smoke it. After a while, the cigarette burned out. He expressionlessly picked up his phone. I leaned in and froze for a moment. Five years later, I was still pinned at the top of his WeChat. He clicked on my avatar and typed a message in the chat box, “I’m married now. There are still some things you left in the house. My wife isn’t happy seeing them. When are you coming to take them away?” After a moment’s thought, he added, “Come get them tomorrow, or I won’t hesitate to throw them out.” The glimmer of hope that had just risen in my heart burst like a bubble, leaving me with nothing but endless pain. The box contained everything I had given him over the past decade and more. He used to treasure them so much that no one else could touch them. He’d fight anyone who tried. But now, he was ready to throw them away without a second thought. Cold and merciless to the extreme. So, had Aria seen the things in the box and gotten upset? An overwhelming sense of bitterness welled up inside me. I looked away, wanting to touch the box one last time, but could only watch helplessly as my hand passed right through it. Lucas sat on the sofa all night, waiting for a response that never came. His expression grew colder by the minute. I whispered in his ear, “Lucas, I’m dead. My phone is broken. How can I reply to you?” But Lucas probably thought I was avoiding him, not wanting to deal with him. A storm began to brew in his eyes, his face now covered with hatred, his hands clenched so tightly at his sides that his knuckles turned white. He let out a laugh, “Zoe Foster, don’t you dare regret this!” The box was instantly thrown into the trash can. It shattered into pieces, its contents spilling out. The white sweater I had spent three nights knitting for him was instantly soiled with filth. How jarring it looked. All those things seemed to have become dirty in an instant.

It felt like a sharp knife was constantly twisting in my heart, the pain so intense I could barely breathe. I crouched on the ground, large tears falling from my eyes. So, even spirits can feel pain and cry. The commotion in the living room disturbed Aria in the bedroom. She came out, coaxing him, “Lucas, I have a photoshoot today. Will you come with me?” Lucas’s expression softened slightly. He grabbed his coat and left, holding Aria’s hand. At the venue, Aria, now in full makeup, wore a black cheongsam with intricate embroidery. Her hair was elegantly styled in an updo as she gazed at Lucas with love in her eyes. “Lucas, you are the eternal one in my heart.” With these words, she rushed to him without hesitation, cupped his face, and kissed him on the lips. The photographer stepped forward. Click. Time seemed to freeze at that moment. I no longer had the courage to watch. Aria posted the proofs of this photoshoot on her Instagram. It immediately caused a sensation. Fans had been obsessing over them for days. “OMG! That’s my idol for you! Look how smitten Mr. Grant is!” “Exactly! She’s beautiful and so good to Mr. Grant. She’s thousands, no, millions of times better than that wicked ex-wife of his!” “I vow to be vegetarian for life if it means they’ll be together in every lifetime!” “Waiting for the ex-wife’s demise!” Lucas scrolled through the comments with boredom. Suddenly, he smirked, “Zoe Foster, you think ignoring my messages will work? Let’s see how long you can hide.” “All the pain I suffered five years ago, I’ll make you pay for it one by one.” The bitter emotions in my heart couldn’t be suppressed. Lucas, I’m sorry. But if I had to do it all over again, I would still make the same choice. After dropping Aria off at home, Lucas went to the company. For the next few days, he didn’t return to Royal River Gardens. It was as if he had forgotten about my existence. He was busy flying high at the company. His affair with Aria continued to be a hot topic. Until this day, when Aria’s phone rang. He made another trip to the police station. Because Aria had been harassed outside. The car stopped in front of the police station. When Lucas went in, Aria and the man were giving their statements. When Lucas saw the man’s face clearly, his pupils constricted. In that instant, my mind went blank too. The man who harassed Aria was Marcus Lee, the same man who had acted with me in front of Lucas five years ago. Coming to his senses, Lucas’s eyes turned cold. He strode over, grabbed Marcus by the collar, and punched him hard in the face. “Who gave you the guts to touch my woman?” “Does Zoe Foster know you’re out here harassing my wife?” “Or is she too scared to show her face to me, so she’s resorting to these despicable tactics!” Marcus was thin and weak, no match for Lucas at all. He was beaten until blood streamed from the corner of his mouth. I cried out anxiously, “Lucas, stop hitting him!” “Marcus, you idiot! Why didn’t you dodge!” But they couldn’t hear me. Fortunately, this was a police station, and they were quickly separated by the officers. Aria had already run over, looking worried, checking Lucas up and down for any injuries. Marcus wiped the blood from his mouth and sneered, “Harassment? I just wanted this woman to delete those photos from Instagram.” “She refused, so I had to use some tactics.” “As for you, Lucas Grant, the rumors about you and this woman have been spreading like wildfire. You had a hand in that too, didn’t you?” “You’re nothing special, Lucas Grant. You don’t deserve her.”

Marcus, so you harassed Aria for my sake? Guilt, gratitude, and various other emotions intertwined, leaving me with mixed feelings. “You don’t deserve her.” These five words seemed to have struck a nerve with Lucas. His eyes blazed with fury as he clenched his fists and shouted at Marcus, “I don’t deserve her? And you do?” “She’s the one who’s fickle and chose to degrade herself!” “Marcus, did you think I’d be the same as five years ago? You’ll all pay the price. Just wait, I’ll deal with you one by one.” After saying this, Lucas left with Aria. Marcus was detained by the police for harassing Aria. Before being taken away, Marcus smiled at the departing Bugatti, “Lucas Grant, you’ll regret this.” However, Lucas didn’t hear him. In the car, Aria asked softly, “Lucas, should we take down those photos?” Lucas hesitated for a moment before saying, “No need.” The car drove slowly, but this wasn’t the road to Royal River Gardens. Aria placed her hand on his, her tone somewhat anxious, “Lucas, can I stay at your place tonight? I’m scared.” Perhaps today’s encounter with Marcus had brought back memories of the past and soured his mood. Lucas looked at her for a while, but still removed her hand, “The house hasn’t been cleaned in a long time. It’s very dirty.” Aria wanted to say something more, but Lucas patted her head, “Be good, just bear with it for tonight.” Aria could only nod. Because she saw the impatience in his eyes. After dropping Aria off, Lucas drove to Royal River Gardens. The car stopped by the roadside. He leaned back in the driver’s seat, eyes closed, lost in thought. Until Mrs. Grant came down, impatiently knocking on the car window, “Lucas! What are you daydreaming about? Get out now!” Lucas was startled for a moment, then got out of the car, “Mom, why are you back in the country?” Mrs. Grant looked exasperated, “If I didn’t come back, Zoe would be bullied to death!” “What’s going on between you and that Aria Sullivan? If you don’t like her, why are you still being all lovey-dovey with her! What about Zoe? How could I have a son like you!” All the grievances of the past days finally burst out at the sight of Mrs. Grant. I could no longer control myself and burst into tears, “Mom, I’m right here.” Thankfully, she looked in good health now. No longer the bedridden, comatose person in my memory. But she couldn’t hear me. Lucas walked all the way, and she scolded him all the way. She was venting for me, feeling indignant on my behalf. Finally, back in the room, Lucas couldn’t bear it anymore. With a grim face, he said, “Mom! Stop talking! What do you know about what happened back then!” “Zoe Foster abandoned me first! Why don’t you scold her!” Mrs. Grant pointed at him and shouted, “Lucas, I found Zoe abandoned as a child. From when she was ten until now, she’s been with us for over a decade. Don’t you understand her personality?” “You loved her so much. When Zoe suddenly changed into a different person, shouldn’t your first reaction have been to find out why?” “Zoe is kind-hearted! I don’t believe she’s a bad person!” When I was ten, my birth parents, who favored sons over daughters, took me out of the mountains and sold me to a homeless man for a thousand dollars. The homeless man had probably never seen a woman in his life. After the transaction, he eagerly took me to an alley and was about to molest me when Mrs. Grant happened to pass by and saved me. She stood with her hands on her hips, cursing non-stop and threatening to call the police. Although her hands hidden in her sleeves were trembling non-stop, in the end, she and Lucas managed to drive the homeless man away.

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