Category: English

The day my daughter went into anaphylactic shock, my husband blocked the ambulance and told me I was exaggerating. He cared more about his sister’s graduation than our child’s life. In my last life, he poisoned me for exposing the truth. I died without clearing my name. This time, I returned to the same day. He lies again to stop the hospital from helping us. But I am no longer the woman he controlled. I fight back. And I will make him face every consequence he escaped. My daughter is allergic to peanuts, yet my sister-in-law deceived her into eating something with peanuts. Without a moment’s hesitation, I flagged down a car to rush to the hospital. In a previous time, when my daughter had an allergic reaction, I called my husband in a panic. Although he was reluctant, he hurried back from my sister-in-law’s graduation ceremony. Unexpectedly, that night, my sister-in-law was attacked by a criminal and tragically lost her life. My husband calmly handled her funeral and told me it was just her ill fate. A year later, on the anniversary of her death, my husband poisoned my food. As I lay dying, I heard his spiteful words: “You wicked woman, you made our daughter have an allergic reaction on purpose to stop me from attending my sister’s graduation.” “You deserve to die, go and atone for her!” My daughter and I died with our grievances unresolved. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of my daughter’s allergy incident. I clutched my daughter, tears blurring my vision. The situation was critical, leaving no room for delay. I hurriedly carried my daughter downstairs. She was having a severe reaction, breaking out in hives and quickly going into shock. It was just like before. In my panic, I called my husband. He initially refused to return, insisting it was just a common cold. But my desperate cries eventually brought him back, though unwillingly. That decision led us to a dead end before. This time, I didn’t seek his help. Instead, I flagged down a car on the street. Halfway to the hospital, we encountered an Audi parked in the emergency lane. Other drivers avoided it upon hearing there was a patient inside, but this one wouldn’t budge. The driver honked furiously, but the Audi stayed put. “Damn it, this person is doing it on purpose,” the driver cursed. I was drenched in sweat from anxiety, my daughter looking ghostly pale. I could only provide her with some basic first aid. Then my phone rang. It was my husband, Ethan. “Aren’t you the schemer? Not calling me this time? Well, enjoy being trapped in the car!” I froze. The Audi blocking the way was Ethan’s doing. “Ethan, are you insane? That’s your own daughter in there, fighting for her life! Are you human or a monster?” He chuckled coldly on the other end, “Stop pretending to be pitiful. You think I don’t know your plan? Just trying to ruin my sister’s graduation, right? I’ve had enough of women like you!” My sister-in-law’s voice chimed in. “Sis, can’t you let me enjoy my graduation? I promise to give my brother back to you after this.” “Bastards!” I shook with rage. “We can’t move because of the car you called to block us. If you have any humanity left, move it!” “Spare me the act. You’re not getting your way today. I want you to feel what it’s like to be manipulated.” Ethan hung up. I looked at my unconscious daughter, tears streaming down my face. The driver was anxious, “Your husband did this? Tell him to move the car.” I wiped my tears and continued calling Ethan. This time, my sister-in-law answered. “Sis, my brother’s busy. Talk to me.” “Put him on.” “No can do, he’s really busy.” I screamed, “Tell him to move that Audi now.” She laughed softly. “No can do. He said you’d ruin my graduation if you got out. Just stay put.” With that, she hung up. The driver was desperate, trying to push past the Audi. But the Audi stubbornly stayed put, reversing into us. The driver cursed, “Son of a b*tch.” Left with no choice, he called the traffic police, but they were slow to arrive. I grew more frantic. “We can’t wait any longer. My daughter’s condition is critical. If we don’t get help soon, it’ll be too late.” Tears fell uncontrollably. In that previous time, my daughter made it to the hospital. Could things turn out worse this time? With no other option, I got out to confront the Audi driver. I ran over, knocking on the window. It rolled down, revealing a familiar face. It was Ethan’s childhood friend, Liam.

“Liam, please move the car. My daughter’s in danger.” He chuckled, shaking his head. I anxiously reached to pull him, but he rolled up the window, trapping my hand. I screamed in pain. “Are you trying to scam me?” Liam laughed maliciously. The other drivers were watching. Some began to speak up for me. “There’s a patient in the car behind, move yours!” “Yeah, you’re endangering lives.” Liam opened his door abruptly, causing me to stumble and fall. He enjoyed watching my misery. “Folks, it’s not that I don’t want to move. This lady’s daughter is fine.” “Her daughter just has a cold. She’s making a big deal to fight with her sister-in-law, using her daughter as a pawn.” After his words, others looked at me with disdain. I couldn’t bother explaining, trying to drag him to see for himself. He pushed me off with force. “Disgusting, don’t touch me. Why Ethan married a jealous woman like you, I don’t know!” “No, she’s really allergic. If you don’t believe me, go see.” I pleaded from the ground. The driver came down. “Move the car, the kid looks really bad, as pale as a sheet.” Liam frowned, then smirked knowingly. “I underestimated you, got someone to act with you.” His stubbornness and malicious assumptions made me furious, tears uncontrollably flowing. “Liam, this is a matter of life and death. How can you be so heartless? This is a living, breathing life. Aren’t you afraid of karma?” The crowd sided with Liam, some accusing me of wasting public resources. “People these days, making a scene over small disputes, using their kids as actors, it’s morally corrupt.” “Exactly, it’s too much.” I was desperate but couldn’t defend myself. My daughter’s condition worsened with every passing second. Yet, I was stuck here arguing with Liam. The driver pleaded with him, “Sir, you’ve misunderstood. The child really looks serious. Any more delay could be fatal.” Perhaps the driver’s earnestness made Liam doubt. He called Ethan. “What’s going on? Are you sure she’s not allergic?” “Of course not. I saw her coughing this morning. If she were allergic, would I leave her?” To convince Liam, Ethan lied. Liam nodded, satisfied, and hung up. He turned to us with more disdain. “Ha, you two act well. You think I’ll move the car? No way!” I lost control. Frantically, I tried to drag Liam to see my daughter’s dire state. “Go see her, see how bad it is.” Liam didn’t budge. Just then, a police car sped over with its siren blaring. The traffic police finally arrived. They quickly got out.

Understanding the situation, the officer sternly told Liam, “Sir, move your car immediately.” Liam tried to argue, pointing at us, “Officer, they’re scamming me, saying the kid’s allergic. It’s just a cold, they’re wasting medical resources.” The officer frowned, then looked at me. With tears streaming down my face, I pleaded, “Officer, please believe us. My daughter’s in critical condition. It’s urgent.” Realizing the gravity, the officer ignored Liam’s nonsense. He commanded other officers to tow the Audi from the emergency lane. Liam was taken away for obstructing traffic. Finally, we sped to the hospital. But upon arrival, I received devastating news. The allergy emergency equipment was under maintenance and unavailable. This sudden news hit me like a bolt from the blue, plunging me into despair. This didn’t happen before. Ethan must have had a hand in this. He’s one of the hospital’s investors. “How can this be? What about my daughter? She can’t wait!” Desperate, I clung to the doctor’s arm, voice breaking with tears. The doctor was anxious, “I… there’s nothing I can do.” I felt like I was falling into the deepest pit of hell. I rushed to the hospital, only to be met with devastating news. The hospital’s emergency allergy equipment was undergoing a comprehensive inspection and was currently out of service. This news struck me like a lightning bolt, plunging me back into a pit of despair. This never happened in my past life. Ethan must be behind this; he’s one of the hospital’s investors. “How could this happen? What about my daughter? She can’t wait!” I cried out, grabbing the doctor’s arm in desperation, my voice cracking with tears. The doctor was just as anxious, “I… I don’t have a solution.” It felt like I was suddenly trapped in a living nightmare. The doctor continued, worried, “We can try some basic medications to start an initial anti-allergy treatment for the child to ease her symptoms, but it’s just a temporary fix. Her condition is still very critical.” I looked at my daughter, unconscious on the hospital bed, her breathing shallow. Heart heavy with worry, I nodded in agreement. The doctors quickly got to work, frantically attending to my daughter. During this time, I made an urgent call to the relevant authorities. To make them take it seriously, I falsely claimed that the hospital was withholding the allergy rescue equipment deliberately because I had offended them. The department took immediate action, promising a swift investigation and a prompt response. Upon hearing this, I finally felt a glimmer of hope. Time crawled by, each second feeling like an eternity. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Ethan. “How does it feel to be played for a fool?” “Why are you doing this? You know our daughter has allergies.” Ethan’s low laugh echoed with malice, like a devil’s whisper. “So what? She’s a bastard. Don’t think I don’t know she’s not my child.” I was stunned. I had gone through so much to have this child through IVF, and he’d never believed she was his. No wonder he was so ruthless to me and our daughter in our past life. I pleaded in despair, “She is your daughter. Save her!” “Shut up, you witch. My sister secretly did a paternity test. That little bastard and I have no relation.” His sister, always his sister. Does she hate me and my daughter that much? Tears streamed down my face, a mix of anger and despair. “Ethan, do you really trust your sister that much?” “I only trust evidence. How can a paternity test be wrong? You and your bastard daughter can fend for yourselves!” He hung up. I collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed by sorrow. Just then, the doctor rushed out from the emergency room. The doctor looked serious, “The child’s situation is very critical. If we still don’t have the allergy emergency equipment, she might…” The doctor didn’t finish, but I understood what he meant. As I was sinking into despair, my phone rang again.

I numbly picked it up and pressed the answer button. “Is this Ms. Beatrix? I’m with the City Health Department.” My heart leapt. “Yes, it’s me…” “We’ve launched an urgent investigation following your complaint. We’ve found that the hospital indeed has an unreasonable equipment inspection schedule.” It was like rain falling in a desert. I was speechless, only nodding through my tears. “We’ve ordered them to immediately allocate allergy emergency equipment from another hospital. It should arrive in 15 minutes.” I hung up and silently prayed, hoping the 15 minutes would pass quickly and my daughter would be safe. During those 15 minutes, I paced back and forth in front of the emergency room. Finally, I heard hurried footsteps. Several medical staff rushed in with a brand-new allergy emergency device. I quickly made way for them. Watching the equipment being pushed into the emergency room, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. Another half-hour passed, and the emergency room door slowly opened. The doctor came out, looking tired but relieved, “The child is temporarily out of danger, but she needs to be observed in the ICU for a while.” I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I almost fainted, tears flowing again. I couldn’t stop thanking the doctor, my hatred for Ethan and his family deepening. While my daughter was hospitalized, I stayed by her side day and night. I looked at her pale little face and silently vowed to make those who hurt us pay. After being discharged, I took my daughter to my parents’ house. Then I started gathering evidence against Ethan and his sister-in-law. My daughter’s allergy was because the sister-in-law tricked her into eating peanut candy. I already knew this in my past life. But by then, the sister-in-law was dead. Not wanting to dwell on a dead person, I never mentioned it to Ethan. It wasn’t hard to find surveillance footage of the sister-in-law coaxing my daughter. In the video, my daughter was on the phone with her sister-in-law. At the time, I was in the bathroom. The sister-in-law kept coaxing my daughter, saying the candy in her bedroom was strawberry-flavored. My daughter loved strawberry-flavored candy, so she didn’t hesitate to eat a piece. But she clearly ate a peanut candy. … I watched with a heavy heart, my hatred for the sister-in-law and Ethan deepening. Not trusting the nanny, I had secretly installed surveillance in the living room. Even Ethan didn’t know about it. I didn’t tell him because he never cared about our daughter. Then I picked up my phone and started contacting a lawyer friend. “Hi, Liam Parker, it’s me. I need your help. This time, I’m going to make Ethan and his sister pay…” I explained the whole situation to him, my tone firm and resolute. Liam thought for a moment after listening. “Don’t worry, what they did was too much. We’ll make sure they face legal consequences. Keep your phone on and cooperate by providing necessary information.” I hung up and looked at the setting sun outside the window. I silently vowed: Ethan, sister-in-law, your good days are over. In the following days, I took good care of my daughter while working closely with Liam. Meanwhile, my sister-in-law thought she had pushed my daughter and me to the brink and continued dreaming her sweet dreams. During this time, Ethan and his sister-in-law didn’t come home. Based on her social media, they had gone to Norway for a vacation. They were having a great time, their updates filled with photos together.

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I rushed to the hotel entrance just to deliver a box of condoms for my childhood crush. The moment the door opened, I saw the passion he gave another girl. And in that instant, I finally understood: Twenty years of companionship had never meant anything to him. I thought I would never be able to love anyone again— until a boy named Ethan Callahan pulled me out of the darkness with nothing but his genuine heart. But just when I thought the past was over, Tyler suddenly turned back. (1) My “friend” suddenly announced he had a girlfriend. The caption read: “I’m not good with words, I just want to see you.” In that instant, my SnapChat exploded. All our mutual friends bombarded me with messages: “Riley, isn’t Tyler’s girlfriend supposed to be you?” Indeed. Why wasn’t I Tyler Harper’s girlfriend? Before I could process what was happening, Tyler sent me a message: “So, what do you think? Isn’t my girlfriend pretty?” Each word felt like a knife twisting in my heart. My hands were shaking so much I could barely see the screen through my blurred vision. He must have grown impatient waiting for a response because he sent another message: “My girlfriend knows we’re close. I don’t want her to get the wrong idea, so maybe don’t come find me for a while.” I read his messages over and over, then threw my phone aside and burst into tears. All these years, everyone knew I loved Tyler. Everyone except Tyler himself. He always thought I was just his best friend. His family without the blood ties. In this world, if we’re talking about who knows Tyler Harper best, I, Riley Bennett, would say I’m second to none. I know he likes his egg pancakes without green onions, his beef noodles without cilantro, his winter hoodies without hoods, and that his sneakers are half a size bigger than his regular shoes. I’ve made all his literature notes since we were kids, and when he first started college, I bought him his first set of formal wear. I used to be so proud of how much space I occupied in Tyler’s life. I thought no other girl could leave as many traces in his life as I had. I thought there was just one small step left between us. One opportunity that would make it all fall into place naturally. But I never got that opportunity. Instead, I got the fact that Tyler now had a girlfriend. He kept chattering away on SnapChat, telling me how great his new girlfriend was. How she surprisingly liked green onions and cilantro, and now he liked them too because she did. He shared pictures of the hooded sweatshirt she bought him, saying he loved it so much he’d wear it every day. He even mentioned how cute it was that she bought him sneakers that were too small. Every word felt like it was erasing my past. Finally, he sent me one last message, “My girlfriend says if you could bring us some condoms, she’d believe we’re just friends. Riley, hurry and bring them over!” He attached the address of a hotel. His audacity with me was entirely my own doing. Since childhood, I’d always given him whatever he wanted. If he asked for the stars, I’d have built a ladder to fetch them for him. Even his mom said there wasn’t another person in this world who’d be as good to him as I was. It was precisely because I was so good to him that he took such liberties. He took me for granted. I wiped away my tears and actually went. When I arrived, he was already impatiently waiting. As soon as he opened the door, he snatched the condoms from my hand, giving me a dirty look: “Riley, what took you so long? My girlfriend almost got suspicious!” He didn’t even give me a chance to speak before slamming the door shut. Before the door closed, I caught a glimpse of the girl. She was wrapped in a towel, her hair loose, water droplets still clinging to her skin. I saw Tyler eagerly walking towards her, about to embrace her… Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. I didn’t want to look so pathetic in front of Tyler, so I tried to cover my mouth, but I still couldn’t hold back a sob. Suddenly, I felt like a complete joke. I wiped away my tears and tried to message him in as calm a tone as I could muster: “Tyler, I won’t bother you anymore.” After sending it, I blocked him. Tyler and I had known each other since we were in diapers. After more than twenty years, there were too many memories. Just the photos of us together took up over 30GB of my phone’s storage. I deleted them all. Not just that, I even deleted all those childish photos we’d taken together years ago from my social media accounts. I made up my mind. From today on, I would no longer love Tyler Harper. (2) The next day, after class, Tyler cornered me. He looked at me, exasperated, as if I was being unreasonable. “Riley, what’s your problem?” I admit, it’s impossible to forget someone you’ve loved for so long overnight. Seeing him again, my heart still ached a little. I pretended nothing was wrong and acted like I hadn’t heard him. He was clearly getting impatient. “You’re making Mia really uncomfortable. She thinks she’s the reason we’re not getting along.” I looked at him, feeling a bitter taste in my mouth, unable to say a word. I could only quicken my pace to leave. Tyler cursed behind me, “Damn it, Riley, are you getting too full of yourself? Making such a fuss just because your bro is dating someone. Mia was right, you’re acting like a possessive bitch. Don’t tell me you actually like me?” I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at him. Suddenly, I had the urge to lay it all out. “What if I said yes?” “Huh?” Tyler awkwardly rubbed his fingers, seemingly caught off guard by my response. “I was just kidding. Uh, I gotta go. We’ll talk later, okay?” For the next two months, Tyler didn’t contact me, and I didn’t reach out to him either. I heard he’d been getting pretty serious with his girlfriend. They even signed up for a travel group, planning to go on a trip during summer break. My friends were indignant about this and messaged me to complain: “Doesn’t Tyler have a heart? How can he be so public about it? Doesn’t he worry about hurting you?” I paused for a moment before replying: “Let him be.” It would get better slowly. While Tyler was flaunting his relationship, I cried silently in pain several nights. But I forced myself not to think about it, not to ask about it. Later, I truly stopped thinking about it. I started focusing on my studies, keeping myself busy every day. Then one day, my roommate informed me that I was featured on the university’s confession wall. The confession was simple: “Riley Bennett from second-year Economics, I, Ethan Callahan, have decided you’re the one for me.” Well… To be honest, it was a bit underwhelming. Who still uses these cheesy, domineering pickup lines these days? I didn’t take it seriously at all, thinking it was just someone’s prank. But what I didn’t expect was that Ethan Callahan really did start pursuing me aggressively. Because of what happened with Tyler, I was extremely averse to the idea of dating, so I was very cold towards him. But he never got discouraged. In fact, he seemed to become more determined with each rejection. At first, every time I came out of the library, I’d see him waiting there, always holding a cup of my favorite cheese grape tea. He’d hand it to me as soon as I came out. At first, I refused to accept it, but he didn’t get upset. He just smiled and said, “But senior, I’ve already bought it. It’d be such a waste.” “If you really don’t want it, why don’t you just transfer me the money?” And just like that, he successfully got my SnapChat contact. I thought giving him my contact might be troublesome, but he was very considerate. He’d only occasionally like or comment on my posts, rarely actively disturbing my life. Gradually, I even started to get used to it. After a while, when I tried to transfer him money for the milk tea again, he refused, giving a very reasonable explanation: “We’re so familiar now. Treating you to a cup of milk tea is just what I should do.” Reading this message, I found myself sprawled on my bed, laughing uncontrollably. I never thought this kid would be so good at pursuing girls. He handled the boundaries between men and women just right. I started to enjoy interacting with him. After all, who doesn’t like a good-looking guy who knows how to treat a girl right? As I got to know him better, I found out that Ethan’s college entrance exam score was actually over 30 points higher than our university’s admission line. I couldn’t understand it: “Then why did you come here?” He seemed a bit embarrassed for once, scratching his head: “Because the person I like is here.” The atmosphere suddenly became a bit awkward. I coughed uncomfortably: “With 600 points, you don’t seem like someone who’d write that kind of confession.” This time, he was even more embarrassed, a blush quickly spreading across his face. “That was posted by my roommates. They were just messing around.” Ethan is very good-looking, a bit more than just conventionally attractive. Growing up, the most handsome person I’d ever seen was Tyler. But looking closely, Ethan seemed no less attractive than Tyler. As I stared at him for a while, I suddenly realized that I hadn’t thought about Tyler for quite some time. He seemed to have really disappeared from my life. Ethan started to occupy my time. Every day, he’d find new ways to cater to my preferences. I didn’t like eating breakfast in the cafeteria, so he’d wake up two hours early to buy me breakfast from my favorite store. It wasn’t just me; even my roommates benefited. Every time he brought something to my dorm, he’d bring a portion for my roommates too, making sure everyone got a share while ensuring mine was always the best. If I posted on social media in the morning saying I wanted to go out, by afternoon he’d be dressed up ready to take me on a suburban outing. When I casually mentioned wanting to eat a strawberry cake, that evening I received a strawberry cake he’d bought. It had the logo of “South Family Rice Shop” on it. This shop was near my home. I looked at him in surprise: “When did you go buy this?” Ethan looked a bit embarrassed, still catching his breath: “I went as soon as I saw your post. I was playing ball with my roommates in the afternoon and saw it a bit late. I almost didn’t make it in time.” This shop had always been popular. It had been there since I was little, but the owner was someone who really knew how to live. Every day, without fail, he’d close shop at 5 PM, regardless of whether there were still customers or not. The reason I knew this so well was because I’d passed by their shop countless times, but never bought anything. Their prices were about a third higher than other places. Even my mom only bought me one on my birthday each year. I couldn’t bring myself to buy one, but I always craved it. Every time Tyler saw me looking, he’d pat my head and comfort me like a child: “Don’t look anymore, little one. Big bro Tyler will buy you one next time.” But I waited year after year, and it never happened. Every time, he had an excuse. He’d spent all his allowance, or he didn’t have time to go buy it, and so on. Back then, I believed him. Now, looking at the small 6-inch strawberry cake in Ethan’s hands, I suddenly felt my eyes getting warm. So, if someone really wanted to buy it, it only took two hours. So this is what it feels like to be cherished. I couldn’t help but cry. Ethan immediately panicked, “Don’t cry! I really was playing ball and didn’t see your message, or I would have brought it earlier.” “When I got there, the owner was about to close. I had to beg him for a while before he agreed to make one for me.” “Riley, please don’t cry.” He looked so pitiful, seeming like he wanted to wipe my tears but didn’t dare. He was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. His reaction made me laugh. I took the strawberry cake and asked him: “Ethan, you really like me, don’t you?” “Of course!” He rolled his eyes, exasperated. “I wouldn’t spend two hours buying a cake for a girl I didn’t like.” Hearing this, I smiled slowly: “Then remember this. From today on, you have a girlfriend.”

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A utility bill led me back to the home I bought years ago. An old con artist had moved in. Her son guarded the door. Their relatives forged papers to steal my deed. They wanted a free house. What they got was me— and the revenge I brought with me. Four years ago, I bought a property but never moved in. Two years later, out of the blue, I started receiving overdue utility bills. Confused beyond belief, I went back to check—and found strangers living in my house. After work, I received a utility payment reminder on my phone. Staring at the unfamiliar address on the screen, it took me a minute to remember that I did have a property at that location. My mom had bought it for me during college, wanting me to have a place off-campus. But, in a last-minute decision, I ended up studying abroad, leaving the place vacant and barely furnished. That was when it hit me: no one should be living there. So where was this utility bill coming from? With mounting confusion, I headed to Oak Hollow Estates, following my memory. … Standing at the door, I noticed that the door itself looked nothing like what I remembered. The black steel door here was new, a stark contrast to the original one I had from the builder. I checked the door number again, feeling unsettled. “808. It’s definitely this one…” Staring at the unfamiliar black door, I caught a whiff of a foul odor leaking from inside. An uneasy feeling crept over me. I didn’t waste any time and called a locksmith. The locksmith, Silas Truitt, arrived quickly, giving me a once-over. “This your place?” I nodded, digging my property deed and ID from my bag to show him. “Of course. Here are the papers if you’d like to verify.” Silas studied the documents and, still looking wary, handed them back. Hoping to get inside quickly, I said, “Look, if it speeds things up, I can pay you a hundred extra, alright?” Silas finally crouched down, opened his toolkit, and muttered under his breath, “Wasn’t there an old lady living here before?” “What did you say?” I asked, but before he could answer, an angry voice yelled from behind us. “What do you think you’re doing?” Something knocked my shoulder as a frail-looking old lady rushed toward Silas, jabbing a finger in his face and shouting, “How dare you, trying to steal from my home in broad daylight!” With surprising strength, she swiped at him, her nails catching his face and leaving a scratch. Silas staggered back with a yelp, clutching his cheek, and pointed toward me. “It’s not me! She asked me to unlock it!” The old lady’s head snapped toward me, her eyes flickering over my face before settling on my necklace with a flash of greed. “Oh, you little thief,” she hissed, striding toward me. “You think I’ll let you get away with this?” As she reached for me, I stepped back, avoiding her. She shot me a quick, calculating look before dropping to the ground with a dramatic wail. “Oh, my bones! This young woman tried to break into my home, and now she’s attacking an old lady!” she shrieked, loud enough to draw nearby residents out of their doors to watch. It was like nothing I’d ever seen. I fought the urge to back away, but as people gathered, the woman clutched at my leg, crying out, “Don’t leave! You knocked me to the ground, and now I can’t move. You’re responsible!” “What?!” I protested. “I never touched you! Silas here can vouch for that.” But when I glanced at Silas, he looked away, refusing to meet my eyes. The old lady’s expression twisted with smug satisfaction, her grip on my leg like a vice. “See? Good people don’t lie for thieves. Now, if you don’t want trouble, I suggest you compensate me.” She stared hungrily at my necklace, making her intention clear. Taking a steadying breath, I raised my chin. “Alright. What kind of compensation are you looking for?” Her eyes lit up, and she jabbed a finger toward my necklace. “Hospitals aren’t cheap! If you want me to forget this, leave that gold necklace as payment, and we’ll call it even.” I nodded. “Fine. But before I hand it over, answer a couple of questions?” Without hesitation, she agreed. “Ask away.” I gestured at the steel door. “First, is this your place?” “Of course it’s my place!” she snapped, not missing a beat. “Oh, really? Then why would my property become yours?” I asked with a pointed smile. She faltered, stammering, “I—I don’t understand what you mean.” “I mean it literally. Why are you living in my house?” A glint of guilt flashed in her eyes, but she squared her shoulders defiantly. “Who says it’s yours? I’ve lived here for years. What proof do you have that it belongs to you?” “Oh, I have proof, alright.” 2. Slowly, I pulled out my property deed, flipped to the first page, and pointed to the line clearly stating that Mara Carlisle was the registered owner. Behind me, my neighbor Alvin “Al” Renfield muttered in surprise, “So, it’s not even hers?” “Didn’t think she could afford a place like this,” another murmured. The crowd’s growing murmurs left the old lady’s face turning red with anger. She lunged toward me, reaching for the deed. I raised my hand just in time, laughing. “Weren’t you just unable to stand a second ago? Seems like you’ve made a miraculous recovery.” Realizing her blunder, she flushed, then shoved me hard, snarling, “I’ve been here for three years, so it’s mine now! Who are you to come out of nowhere and claim it?” I nearly laughed out loud. “So by your logic, anyone can move into any property and call it theirs after three years? Is that it?” “Yes, exactly!” Her shouting was so loud that finally, the complex’s security guard showed up. “What’s going on here?” he demanded. The old lady’s face lit up. “Oh, thank heavens you’re here! This girl was breaking into my home, saying it’s hers! You have to help me!” Without missing a beat, the guard stepped between us, glaring at me. “What are you doing here, disturbing the residents?” I’d never seen someone leap to conclusions so quickly. Exasperated, I shoved my deed toward him. “Why don’t you take a look and see who owns the property?” As he took in the document, his face briefly went pale, but with a glance at the gathered neighbors, he snatched for it. I pulled it back just in time. “What are you doing? I can hold it for you to read.” The guard’s face darkened. “Who knows if this is real or fake? Just waltzing in with a phony deed to take someone’s place? Get lost!” As he moved to push me away, the old lady took the chance to quickly unlock the door. The moment it opened, a stomach-turning stench wafted out, strong enough to make me gag. Inside, I saw heaps of trash, and a rat scurried out through the crack. The old lady darted inside and slammed the door shut. I started to knock, but the guard blocked my way, brandishing his baton. “Still here? I’ll kick you out myself!” Silas, the locksmith, finally spoke up in a low voice, “You might want to leave. That old lady is notorious for her antics. She’s always trying to take advantage of people, and no one wants to deal with her.” With a final sympathetic glance, he left. Glancing at the bulldog of a guard, I had no choice but to retreat for the moment. 3. Once outside, I headed straight to the Oak Hollow Sheriff’s Office, though I wasn’t holding my breath. The look on the deputy’s face confirmed my suspicions. “This case is a bit tricky. She’s older, and, well, she has a bit of a temper,” said Deputy Eli Boone, a touch sheepishly. His tone said it all: Agnes Forsythe, that “old lady,” liked to cause trouble. Even law enforcement had a hard time dealing with her. Seeing my frustration, he added, “The best option here is to file a civil suit. The court can issue an eviction order.” Who knew how long that would take? I could only imagine the state of the place by then, seeing how she was turning it into a junkyard. Taking a deep breath, I got an idea and asked, “Officer, I can go into my own property to clean up the trash, right?” The officer coughed and replied, “As long as there’s no lease in place, technically, you can. Just avoid any physical confrontations.” That was all I needed. With renewed energy, I left the station. Just as I stepped out, I saw the old lady herself, Agnes Forsythe, hunched over a dumpster, digging through garbage. Beside her, holding an oversized canvas sack, was none other than the guard—her son, Travis Forsythe. Freezing in place, I hid behind a sign just in time to catch their conversation. “Mom, you think that woman will come back for the place?” he asked. “Relax, Travis,” Agnes replied. “I won’t let her set foot in here again.” Ah. No wonder the guard had been so hostile. The two of them were in on it. “But she has the deed,” Agnes said, voice tinged with worry. “What if she calls the cops?” “Don’t worry,” Travis scoffed, puffing up his chest. “Next time, I’ll just grab the deed and rip it to pieces. No proof, no problem. Besides, Uncle Harvey Lane can make us a new one if we need it.” I clenched my fists, holding back a laugh. Did these two really think that destroying my deed would make the house theirs? Watching as the “Recording Complete” icon appeared on my phone, I smiled grimly. So, the Forsythe family thought they could stake a claim? They had no idea who they were dealing with. 4. Early the next morning, I gathered a small crew and returned to Oak Hollow Estates just as Agnes was out scavenging. Travis tried to block our way, but seeing the muscle I brought, he quickly stepped aside, muttering nervously. Reaching the door, I instructed the team, “Break it open.” The stench hit us immediately as the door opened, revealing an avalanche of trash—cans, cardboard, foam boxes, and unwashed takeout containers piled from floor to ceiling. I gagged and pinched my nose. “Clear it all out,” I ordered. Then, with a smirk, I added, “Carefully. Stack it all neatly by the garbage bins.” The hired team, worth every penny, tackled the job with professionalism, unaffected by the rancid smell. As they worked, Travis stepped back and whispered into his phone, probably summoning his mother. By the time Agnes arrived, clutching her oversized sack, half of her “collection” was gone. “Stop! Put it all back!” she shrieked, lunging forward. But one of the crewmen casually lifted her by the collar and set her aside. Sputtering with rage, she spotted me, screeching, “You little hussy! I’ll scratch your eyes out!” She was back at it again, her claws out. Another crew member lifted her and set her down in a corner, out of reach. I casually blew on my fingernails, glancing at the movers. “Hurry up and clear this place. I want the locks changed.” Fuming, Agnes screamed at her son, “Call your uncle! Now!” Amused, I watched as Travis dialed Harvey Lane Forsythe, the property manager. I was curious to see the man who had helped turn my house into a squatters’ paradise.

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“This pregnancy test is fake! You’re really going all out to get Hunter, aren’t you?” Hunter’s fiancée stomped my pregnancy test report under her heel. I wanted to argue, but Hunter just had the security guards throw me out. “It’s my boss’s big day! Get this fraud out of here, now!” That same day, I became headline news, subjected to everyone’s ridicule. “Hunter is a billionaire! No way he’d ever look twice at a cheap gold-digger like her!” “Who even knows whose bastard child that is?” “She’s pulling stunts right in front of his fiancée? She’s clearly a professional homewrecker!” He didn’t know it, but everything was about to end. This baby was the only thing I’d leave behind in this world. Three days after the scandal broke, Hunter never came to find me again. He was always like that. I opened SnapChat, and his profile picture had changed to a wedding photo with Brianna. Their most recent update was about their engagement ceremony. At the end of our chat history, there was my desperate plea. “Hunter, can we talk?” I tossed and turned all night, thinking, and then spent the entire night vomiting in the bathroom. I wasn’t sure if it was the torment of early pregnancy symptoms or the agony of late-stage stomach cancer. When I woke up again, Hunter was already sitting on the sofa, quietly watching me crawl weakly out of the bathroom. “Skylar, you shouldn’t cause trouble.” “My marriage to her is for business interests. You’re still my woman.” He was terrifyingly calm, dismissing his infidelity in a few words, as if everything was my fault. After three years together, it felt like I was meeting him for the first time. Hunter was still wearing his engagement suit, his hair meticulously styled. He looked like a perfect gentleman, but I found him utterly repulsive. He raised a hand to brush a strand of hair from my forehead, then pulled out a gift box. A delicate, high-end necklace lay inside. “Alright, that’s all over. Just stay by my side, and I can give you anything you want, except marriage.” I suppressed the nausea churning in my stomach, but still dry-heaved violently. His brow furrowed slightly, a hint of impatience in his eyes. “Feeling unwell?” I clutched my stomach, a bitter smile twisting my lips. “I’m really pregnant.” Hunter pushed me away, his gaze turning sharp. “Skylar! Don’t joke with me like this. We’ve always been careful. Manipulative women trying to get ahead always pull these kinds of stunts. When did you start playing their games?” I looked up at him, searching for any trace of the love he once had for me. Sadly, there was only suspicion in his eyes. “If you’re really unwell, I’ll take you to a doctor. Don’t lie.” Hunter’s phone suddenly rang. The ringtone was Brianna’s saccharine hum. “Hunter, pick up! Your little baby misses you!” I curled my lip, shaking his hand off. He put a finger to his lips, signaling me to be quiet, before answering the call. “Hunter, darling, help me choose a wedding dress! I’m completely overwhelmed.” “Just buy all the ones you like.” After the intimate call ended, only dead silence remained in the air. That sweet, coquettish tone, that patient expression on his face. When Hunter and I first got together, those were the words he’d whisper day and night, holding me close. “Skylar, you’re so perfect.” “So perfect that I want to spend my whole life with you, forever, no pressure, no shackles, just a simple life, that’s all I want.” “If that person isn’t you in the future, then I’ll definitely die alone.” Three years later, what I got was him with someone else. My eyes welled up, and I sank to the floor. People change. My voice trembled with a cry, forcing out a smile. “Just go. Go be with her.” Hunter sighed, then knelt down and pulled me into his arms. “That’s a good girl.” “I’ve already arranged for a doctor to come check on you. I’ll see you in a few days. Don’t eat takeout if your stomach is upset, it’s not healthy.” The lock clicked shut. I clutched my lower abdomen, looking at the room that was once filled with tender warmth. Those intimate memories turned into sharp blades, piercing me over and over again. Hunter had promised me a home, to keep me safe and secure forever. Every word sincere, filled with genuine emotion. “If you betray me, may you have a terrible end.” He had agreed. But I believed him, and now I was scared. “Never mind. Little Hunter, be safe and sound. I’ll pay all the debts for him.” I never thought this day would come so soon… I called my childhood friend, Dr. Ryan. “I’ve made up my mind.”

The next day at the hospital, during my check-up, my cancer had already spread. Aside from chemotherapy, surgery was the only other sliver of hope. And I was about to personally snuff out that hope. “You’ve thought this through. This medication will help you carry the baby to term, but it will also drastically shorten your lifespan.” Dr. Ryan looked at me, exasperated. “Does this child absolutely *have* to be born?” I patted his shoulder reassuringly. “My illness is incurable anyway, but I want to keep this baby.” Dr. Ryan didn’t speak, burying his head in front of the computer, repeatedly checking my medical records. Tears still uncontrollably streamed down his face. He knew in his heart that this was the best way. As I walked out of the consulting room, Hunter and Brianna collided with me head-on, coming out of the obstetrics department. His face changed, and he shot me a warning look, telling me to leave quickly. But Brianna spoke first. “Oh, it’s you? What, you’re *actually* pregnant?” Hunter’s expression was also difficult, and after a moment of silence, he finally spoke. “Let’s go, Brianna. No need to talk to irrelevant people.” But Brianna wouldn’t let up, continuing to mock me. “So, have you found out whose bastard child that is in your belly?” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. The more I got tangled, the more trouble it would be. As I turned to leave, Brianna deliberately stepped on the hem of my skirt, a malicious smile on her face. “Running away? Did I hit a nerve? Do you know that in our circles, bastards born to homewreckers like you never live long? Do you know why? Because their mothers are morally bankrupt!” My hands trembled uncontrollably, and I slapped her across the face. “Shut up!” “Bitch! How dare you hit me?” When Brianna reached for me, Hunter stepped in front, taking the blow himself. “Enough,” Hunter glanced at her. “Brianna, don’t cross the line. Watch your public image!” I rubbed my reddened wrist, leaning against the wall. Hunter’s tall figure trapped me in the corner, shielding me from the prying eyes and gossiping cameras of passersby. Then he whispered to me, “Go home and wait for me.” “No need,” I replied. He froze. “Don’t be difficult, Sky—” Before he could finish, I said, “Let’s break up.” Hunter laughed. “Here we go again. I told you our relationship won’t change. I can’t believe you’re still pretending to be pregnant, still wanting to argue! You truly disappoint me.” I sighed, took his hand, and gently placed it over my lower abdomen. But the next second, Brianna’s scream echoed from behind me. Blood seeped thinly from her thigh, quickly staining her dress. “Hunter! The baby! Our baby! After she hit me, I started bleeding!”

Hunter stared at me, then told me with absolute certainty, “Whether you’re really pregnant or faking it, this child cannot exist now!” He rushed Brianna to the emergency room and called a doctor to examine me. When my pregnancy test results were placed in front of Hunter, he didn’t even glance at them, showing no trace of joy. I remained silent too. After a long, silent standoff, he finally spoke. “She lost the baby.” I found it inexplicably amusing and looked up at his solemn face. “So? So you’re going to kill *our* child?” “My child with you… it can’t be an illegitimate child… your child can’t stay.” I paused, then looked up at him in disbelief. “This is our first baby.” Brianna, her face pale, rushed in from outside the hospital room and collapsed into Hunter’s arms, her swollen eyes accusing me of her pain. “What child? She clearly bribed the doctor to trick you! That report is fake!” I was about to speak, when Hunter slowly picked up the pregnancy test report and examined it carefully. Bodyguards dragged the fleeing doctor back in through the door. The man grabbed the hem of my dress, desperately pleading. “Ms. Skylar, I did exactly as you asked! You promised me a promotion if you succeeded! You can’t abandon me!” After a moment, Hunter tore the report to shreds and turned to look at me. “Skylar, give me an explanation.” I pursed my lips, holding back tears, and stared at Hunter, counter-questioning him. “Is that truly how you see me?” “Perhaps I didn’t know you well enough before. People change.” Brianna choked back a sob and threw a newspaper in front of us. The headline blared: “Star Schemer Uses Fake Pregnancy To Oust CEO’s Fiancée, Ends in Miscarriage Scandal.” “Ms. Skylar, you got what you wanted!” “You deliberately came here, appeared in front of us, and blew things up, wasn’t it all for this moment? You succeeded! My baby is gone! You have to pay the price!” Hunter reached up and rubbed my shoulder, his voice devoid of emotion. “Skylar, you were too eager, but not clever enough. Playing dangerous games always has consequences!” His words struck me as utterly absurd and laughable. He was the one who, after his celebration banquet that night, begged me for his child. A unique little one, just for us. I thought he was finally ready to settle down, finally ready to give me a home. But I never imagined it was just drunken babble, empty words. Only I took it seriously. “Hunter, let’s stop torturing each other. Let’s break up.” He curved his lips. “Don’t try that ‘playing hard to get’ act.” “You’re all alone. Without me, where would you go? How would you live? Get an IUD, and I can pretend nothing happened. We can go back to how things were.” Brianna, still sobbing, pursed her lips. “Just an IUD? She should be sterilized! Her womb needs to be ripped out to pay for my baby!” Hunter simply glanced at her, then repeated, “Her matters, I decide.” Only then did she quiet down, glaring venomously at my lower abdomen. He had always been domineering and autocratic. I mistakenly thought that possessiveness was love.

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When it was time for year-end bonuses, I announced that everyone’s bonus would be doubled this year. But the company SnapChat group instantly blew up with a barrage of insults aimed at me. Thinking they were unhappy with the amount, I immediately announced the bonus would be multiplied tenfold. To my shock, the employees reacted even more violently this time. Someone even smashed up my office. I was completely baffled when I heard. Gritting my teeth, I decided to increase it to a hundred times the original amount. Yet, the next day, as soon as I stepped through the company doors, the employees swarmed me in a furious mob and beat me to death without a word. I died without ever understanding why. Then, I opened my eyes again. I had been reborn, back to the very day I announced the year-end bonuses. My entire body trembled as I stared at the message box, where the notice for the doubled bonus was still drafted. I frantically deleted every last word. Recalling my gruesome death in the previous life, all because I had doubled the year-end bonus, I was filled with a chilling confusion. Normally, I was incredibly good to my employees. They had all the benefits they could ask for, a four-day work week, and absolutely no overtime. I even set up a digital feedback system where employees could submit any suggestions, and I’d implement improvements immediately. They had even independently nominated me for a ‘Best Boss’ award from the local business community, which hung proudly in my office. As I was deep in thought, Liam, my boyfriend, pushed the door open and strolled in, smiling softly at me. “Hey, babe, everyone’s asking about this year’s bonus. Have you decided how we’re going to do it?” I froze. In my previous life, Liam had also been beaten to death trying to protect me. Our lives were on the line this time. I had to make a careful decision. After a moment of thought, I tentatively asked, “What do people think? I want to hear their opinions.” Liam shook his head, a wry smile on his face. “I knew you’d ask that, so I already checked. But everyone just said they’d follow your lead.” With the ball back in my court, I felt a familiar frustration. After a brief pause, I gently tapped my desk. “How about we stick to last year’s standard?” No changes. That had to be safe, right? “That could work…” Liam nodded. “But we’ve had a lot more business this year. If the bonus stays the same, won’t people feel…?” My heart clenched. I quickly changed my mind. “Okay, then besides the bonus, we’ll give everyone an extra three thousand dollars in shopping vouchers!” Last time, the problem arose from increasing the bonus amount. This time, I’d switch to physical gifts. Surely, that wouldn’t cause any trouble? Liam agreed, then posted the announcement in the SnapChat group. I waited anxiously for the employees’ reactions. Thankfully, the first reply was a huge thumbs-up emoji. More replies followed, all positive. Soon, the screen was flooded with approval. I breathed a sigh of relief. This disaster, at least, seemed to have been averted. But just as I was about to move on to other tasks, Liam’s face suddenly contorted. “Ava, look at the messages in the group!” A chill shot down my spine. I reopened the chat. Message after message popped up: “We hit double last year’s performance, and Ava gives us an extra three thousand in shopping vouchers? Wow, how generous!” “Company B, with less than half our performance, gets double our year-end perks. Clearly, Ava is the most ‘generous’ boss!” “When did Ava become so ‘magnanimous’?” Their words dripped with sarcasm. Cold sweat trickled down my back, and then it hit me: something was wrong. I knew Company B’s benefits. At most, their annual year-end perks barely reached twenty thousand dollars. Our standard year-end bonus alone was forty thousand, not to mention the extra three thousand in shopping vouchers. No matter how I calculated it, their claims didn’t add up to the situation. I was still pondering when Liam, visibly agitated, couldn’t hold back. His face was etched with alarm. “Everyone clearly disagrees! We need to come up with a new plan, fast!” I gritted my teeth. If shopping vouchers weren’t working, I’d try something else! I had Liam draft another announcement: “In addition to the above benefits, everyone will also receive the latest top-of-the-line Apple phone and an iPad!” 2. The group went silent after the message was sent. Still, my nerves were stretched taut, terrified of another disaster. Over half an hour passed, and there was still no activity in the group. Liam was the first to relax, forcing a smile. “Looks like everyone’s happy. They’re just too embarrassed to change their tune immediately, so no one’s saying anything.” I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, about to put my phone down, when several messages popped up. They were from Chloe, the manager. “Ava, I’ve muted them all. These people are going too far, insulting you over a few benefits!” “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to them later. I promise this won’t happen again!” She even included a few fawning emojis, clearly believing she’d done me a great service. My brain exploded. I sent a voice message back at lightning speed: “Who told you to mute them! Unmute them in three seconds, now!” “If you waste one more second, don’t bother coming to work tomorrow!” Less than two seconds after I sent the message, the group chat blew up again, every message directed at me: “Ava really has some tricks up her sleeve, doesn’t she? Not only is she constantly stripping away our benefits, but now she wants to silence us too!” “Hmph, looks like her ‘good boss’ image was all an act. Her true colors are finally showing!” “Why bother talking to a heartless capitalist like her? Let’s just take her to court and make her lose everything!” Staring at those messages, I was completely overwhelmed. I had given them everything I could, and the benefits were far beyond what any previous year had offered. I couldn’t understand why they were increasingly unhappy, even turning hostile. Liam, beside me, was frantic, pacing like a caged animal, muttering “What do we do?” over and over. Finally, he suggested I try giving out several times more in bonuses. I, of course, immediately shot down that idea. After a brief period of thought, I finally made a decision: I would talk to everyone face-to-face and find out what they really wanted. But when I expressed my thoughts to everyone, they all remained silent. I grew even more confused. “If you’re all unhappy with my bonus plan, then tell me your thoughts! That’s the only way I can make things better.” To my surprise, an employee named Maya sneered, “Ava, you know exactly what’s going on. Why are you still pretending in front of us?” “If you want to exploit us, just say it directly. There’s no need for these roundabout games. You’re tired, and we’re even more tired!” Another employee, Sarah, scoffed, “Exactly. I actually thought Ava King was a good boss. Turns out you’re just setting traps for us to fall into!” “I’ve seen shameless bosses, but never one as shameless as you! Ugh!” Immediately, others joined in, their voices overlapping in angry discussion, all fuming at me. After being inexplicably insulted for half an hour, even my good temper snapped. “I keep adding to the bonus because you’re unhappy! The benefits you’re getting now are already far beyond any other company in our industry!” “Even if you’re still not satisfied, you can tell me your demands directly, and I’ll grant them! But you’re saying nothing, just constantly insulting me. How does that solve anything?” I thought someone would finally tell the truth, but everyone just stared at me with cold sneers, utterly silent. Their stares made my skin crawl. Remembering how those same faces had beaten me to death in my past life, I quickly turned and hurried away. 3. But behind me, I heard several mocking voices: “See? She’s clearly guilty, that’s why she ran!” “She put on such an innocent act just now, I almost believed her.” Then followed a torrent of vile insults aimed at me. Back in my office, I leaned back in my chair, staring blankly at the ceiling. I had done everything I could, yet I still couldn’t figure out why everyone harbored such resentment over the bonuses. If this continued, I truly didn’t know what to do! Just then, my phone rang. It was Liam. “Ava, I’ve been thinking, and I’m sure everyone still thinks the bonus is too small. But you rejected my suggestion to add more money last time.” “I know you care about the company’s finances. So, I’m willing to cover this expense myself.” “I’ve already sent out the notice for you: everyone’s bonus will be increased tenfold!” My mind instantly exploded. I screamed, “Liam, you need to retract that messag—” It was too late. A barrage of shouts and insults suddenly erupted from outside my office, growing rapidly louder. The next second, my office window was smashed to smithereens, and the door frame rattled violently from repeated kicks. I quickly ducked into the hidden cabinet I’d prepared, clamping my hand over my mouth, afraid to make a sound. The smashing and shouting outside continued for about fifteen minutes before gradually subsiding. Only after confirming it was safe did I emerge, gazing at the wreckage scattered across the floor. A chill ran down my spine. Though, based on my past life, a tenfold bonus shouldn’t cost me my life, being caught would undoubtedly lead to a lot of suffering. I dialed Liam’s number, furious at this screw-up. “Liam, from now on, you are not to make any decisions without my approval! Do you hear me?” Liam sounded completely bewildered on the other end, but after another stern warning from me, he meekly agreed. Chloe soon called, saying that the office smashing was just a few hot-headed male employees, most people weren’t involved, and the matter had already been resolved. I finally relaxed a bit, then asked her to relay a company-wide meeting notice for me. I then called the bank manager, requesting ten million dollars in cash be delivered immediately, escorted by armed bodyguards. In the meeting room, everyone stared in astonishment at the small mountain of cash behind me and the line of armed bodyguards. Liam and Chloe looked completely bewildered, unsure of my intentions. My gaze swept over everyone. I cleared my throat and said solemnly, “Given everyone’s hard work this year, I’ve decided to increase this year’s year-end bonus to a hundred times the original amount! And it will be distributed immediately!” The next second, the room erupted in uproar. Almost every employee’s face twisted in fury, glaring fiercely at me. Many even radiated pure murderous intent. If not for the deterrence of the armed bodyguards behind me, I had no doubt they would have rushed forward immediately and beaten me to death! Though no one dared to act, a tidal wave of insults washed over me: “Ava King, we worked our backsides off to make this company bigger and stronger. We put in so much effort, and you’re trying to drive us to ruin! Are you even human?” “Ava, if my whole family is pushed to their deaths by you, I’ll haunt you even as a ghost!” “Ava King, I’m going to fight you!” Several employees could no longer hold back. They grabbed chairs and charged at me, their eyes screaming that they wanted to smash me to pieces!

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Everyone was scrambling to sell their accounts for the mobile game that was about to shut down. Only I stayed up all night, saying goodbye to each NPC in the game. My friends all laughed, calling me crazy for treating a bunch of data like real people. But then, monsters suddenly descended upon the world. The game’s NPCs became terrifying realities. Everyone was panicking, running for their lives. Only I was in my backyard, casually fishing and enjoying a barbecue. Terrifying realities? What terrifying realities? They were all my best friends. Eldoria Online, a globally popular game, announced it would shut down in one day. As soon as the news broke, everyone rushed to sell their accounts. My roommate, Leo, urged me to sell mine quickly too. “Even a little money is better than nothing,” he’d said. But I didn’t want to sell. For me, what that account meant to me, personally, was far more valuable than money. I politely declined Leo’s suggestion to sell our accounts together and logged in alone. I figured if the game was closing, I should at least give it a proper farewell. After all, this game had been with me through the hardest five years of my life. As usual, I logged on, harvested my garden vegetables, and tidied up my in-game yard. Then, I started visiting each character one by one. I went to the main city and spent all the gold in my account. I bought the old messenger his favorite pastries. I brought Professor Miller the paper and pens he wanted. I bought new shoes for the homeless man by the city gates. I brought something for every single game character. Watching them smile and say, “Thank you, noble hero,” filled me with satisfaction. I smiled back. “Goodbye for now. We might not see each other again, so please, take good care of yourselves.” I whispered to the characters on the screen. My roommate, Leo, scoffed dismissively: “I swear you’ve lost your mind. They’re just data. Once the servers shut down, they’re deleted with one click.” “Take care of yourselves? You actually think they’re real people? You’re out of your mind.” I lowered my eyes, my voice soft but firm as I retorted: “How you see it is your business.” “I consider them my friends. Please don’t insult them.” He snorted. “Alright, alright, ‘friends,’ hahahaha. You really need to see a shrink.” “Calling screen data your friends? How desperate for affection must you be?” “I told you before, something’s not right with him. We should tell the teacher to send him to a mental hospital.” As he spoke, he reached for my phone: “Stop being crazy. Just link your account with mine and sell them.” I pushed him away. “I said no. Leo, I’ll do what I want. Mind your own business.” “Besides, friends are people who provide good emotional support, and they give that to me. Why can’t they be my friends?” As we argued, the clock silently ticked past midnight. I frantically glanced at my phone, only to find the game had been forcibly logged off and shut down. Evelyn! I hadn’t visited Evelyn yet! It was all Leo’s fault, just one more to go. She’s so delicate; disappearing without saying goodbye would probably upset her for ages. But now, no matter how anxious I was, it was too late. Eldoria Online had officially shut down.

On the first day after Eldoria Online shut down, a fierce wind swept outside. A convenience store’s awning on the roadside was ripped up, base and all, flying several meters away. The frantic clerk tried to stop it but was pushed back by the strong gusts. The news repeatedly broadcasted reports of this global storm. Experts took turns analyzing it, but there was no definitive explanation. Some even speculated it was the end of the world. I looked at the dwindling food supply in our dorm and felt a surge of panic. The wind wouldn’t stop, making it impossible to go out. My remaining supplies would only last until tonight. Leo, however, was completely unconcerned: “See? I told you to sell your account with me.” “I made a fortune, eighty thousand bucks! Once the money clears, I can order takeout even if delivery costs a hundred. You just wait to starve!” I didn’t bother arguing with him. He hadn’t even considered that with the game shut down, no one would pay big money for an account; it was probably a scam. I got up to go to the bathroom and wash up when a mechanical system voice suddenly sounded: “Eldoria Online dungeon upload successful. Fantasy dungeon initiated. First mission: Find Ellie’s favorite thing!” “Time limit: 24 hours. Failure will result in annihilation.” “Ellie?” “What the hell is that sound? A mission? Who’s the crazy person talking?” Leo and I spoke at the same time, but our questions were completely different. Ellie was a character in Eldoria Online, the village elder’s granddaughter in the starting zone. She usually loved playing hide-and-seek in the grass by the stream near the village entrance, a really cute kid. But this must just be a coincidence, right? Same name. *Knock, knock, knock.* The dorm door suddenly rattled. Leo walked over and opened it: “Who is it?!” “Mark? What happened to you?” I leaned in to look. Mark was covered in blood, weakly clinging to the wall: “Help, help me!” He stammered the words, and before we could react, he collapsed to the floor. Behind him emerged a small girl with two pigtails, holding a lollipop, her big eyes blinking. She squinted at us and grinned: “Big brother, did you find Ellie’s favorite thing?” Leo jumped back in fright: “Where did this kid come from? You scared me! Kid, where are your parents?” I stared at the girl’s face, finding it increasingly familiar. Wasn’t this Ellie from Eldoria Online? Her clothes and appearance were identical to the game model. How could someone look exactly like a game character? Unconsciously, I shifted a step to the side—a habitual movement when I was thinking. But a sudden chill pierced my calf, making me flinch. What was that? So cold. I looked down. It was Mark! I knelt down and touched him. Mark, at some point, had stopped breathing. His whole body was ice-cold, like he’d just been pulled from an ice cave. I scrambled back onto the floor, stunned: “Dead! Someone’s dead!” “Dead? Are you losing your mind?” Leo turned back to glare at me, annoyed. At the same moment, computers, TVs, phones—every electronic device worldwide—suddenly switched to the same screen. “Experts have confirmed that this anomaly originates from a fantasy game: Eldoria Online.” “Urgent broadcast: We are seeking information from anyone familiar with this game!” “Remember, if you encounter anyone who strongly resembles a character from the game, do not stop! Do not look, do not listen, evacuate immediately!” “If you unfortunately encounter one, please answer any questions they ask with extreme caution. A wrong answer will lead to death!” “Repeat: All citizens must answer any questions posed by these characters with extreme caution!!!” “Now broadcasting character game screenshots.”

“No, no way. It’s a joke, right? Game characters actually came to life?” Leo stared back and forth between the computer screen and Ellie’s face, utterly disbelieving. Ellie still smiled at us, looking just like a normal kid. “Brother, did you find Ellie’s favorite thing? It’s getting late, Ellie needs to go home. Hurry and tell Ellie!” My hands trembled, not from fear or nervousness, but from excitement! I thought I’d never see my friends again, the ones who’d been with me for five years. A game shutting down is sad and helpless. No matter how much you don’t want it to, if the developers decide, everything you poured your heart and soul into—the people, the things, the account—can disappear overnight. And you’re powerless to stop it. The moment I saw the shutdown announcement, my blood ran cold. My mind was consumed by uncontrollable panic. I couldn’t imagine how I’d live without them. But now, they were back. Even if it was in this terrifying form that spread panic among the public, I felt overjoyed! “Ellie’s favorite thing? Who the hell knows? She’s just a starter zone guide. Her storyline is less than one percent of the game.” Leo’s eyes darted around. He suddenly grabbed me and shoved me forward forcefully. “Ask him! He knows! He found it!” *Slam!* He shut the dorm door, leaving me and Ellie locked outside. Through the transparent window on the door, he smirked at me triumphantly: “I’m not dying. You can die first, you monster.” “Besides, didn’t you love studying character lore? Now’s your chance to shine, good luck!” His eyebrows were raised, showing the arrogant swagger of a spoiled rich kid. He was utterly vicious. Just like he used to be, telling classmates I was crazy for treating screen characters as real people, leading everyone to ostracize me. It made my teeth itch with hatred. Fine, Leo, you treat me this way, don’t blame me. I looked at Ellie: “Ellie, I know what your favorite thing is, but after I tell you, you have to go ask that big brother over there. That big brother also wants to answer your question.” Ellie tilted her head: “That big brother also wants to play with me? Okay! You tell me first, and after you do, I’ll go find him!” Leo instantly panicked, pounding on the metal door and cursing: “Alex, you bastard! You’re trying to get me killed! Why don’t you just answer it yourself?” “Damn it! Damn it!” I ignored him, leaned close to Ellie’s ear, and whispered so only we could hear: “Our little Ellie loves big machetes.” A flash of insight sparked in Ellie’s eyes. She giggled: “Brother knows so much.” Leo’s pounding on the door grew louder: “What did you say?! Tell me! Alex, you can’t just leave me to die! We’re roommates!” “But… that’s the wrong answer!” What?! Wrong answer? How could that be? I was stunned, and Leo froze too.

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After I was kidnapped, my family was practically *relieved*. The kidnappers had gotten the wrong person; my older brother, Lucas, the one they *meant* to snatch, had escaped. When the police rescued me, blood was seeping from almost every pore, but I didn’t cry, didn’t make a sound. I was diagnosed with emotional apathy. No emotions. I could no longer feel sad about anything happening around me. I felt freer than I had ever been. But later, they all regretted it. They cried, begging me to go back to my old self. When I was discharged from the hospital and returned home, the house was empty. Even the furniture had been moved out. Unable to reach anyone, I called our housekeeper, Martha, only to find out they had moved. I went to the new address. My family was already seated at the dining table, ready for dinner. Seeing me walk in, everyone at the table looked a little uncomfortable. “Why didn’t anyone tell me you were moving?” “Oh, Lucas has been having nightmares lately, dreaming of being kidnapped. I thought maybe the old house wasn’t good for him, so we found a new place.” Mrs. Davis said, as casually as if discussing what was for dinner. “You’re back just in time. Sit down and eat with us.” The table was laden with all of Lucas’s favorite dishes. My face was covered with thick bandages, and I limped when I walked. No one seemed to notice or care. The old me would have been devastated. But now? I felt nothing. My emotions were gone. Seeing me calmly sit down, Lucas suddenly leaned over. “I’ve been so scared these past few days, I didn’t even dare to go out, so I couldn’t visit you. Mom and Dad were worried I’d get kidnapped too, so they stayed home with me. You don’t blame me, do you?” Before I could say a word, Mr. Davis quickly jumped in. “Come on, Hymen, it’s not that serious. You two are brothers; you should cut each other some slack.” I didn’t know how to react. *I* was the one who was kidnapped. Lucas laughed heartily. “Hehe, I just didn’t want him to overthink it! Hymen has always been so independent, much braver than me. I really envy people with courage.” He said, picking up a shrimp and placing it in my bowl. I silently put down my fork. I’m allergic to shrimp. No one at the table remembered. *No one.*

My name is Hymen. My older brother’s name is Lucas. No doubt about it, we’re biological brothers. An old fortune teller once told my parents that I had a difficult fate and shouldn’t be raised by them. So, they sent me away to live with my distant grandparents in a remote town. All those years, they barely visited me. They only brought me back after my grandparents passed away. I came home filled with hope, but I quickly realized this house wasn’t for me. The day I was kidnapped, Lucas insisted on taking a deserted alley. After a few steps, he claimed he needed to find a restroom and told me to wait right there for him. After that, I lost consciousness. I’ll never forget those memories. “Damn it, a worthless piece of trash.” The kidnapper’s fists landed on me, blow after blow, venting their rage. They had mistaken me for Lucas, they had kidnapped the wrong person. My family refused to pay my ransom, so they wouldn’t get a single dime. I was starved for three days, tortured for three days. My throat was raw, I couldn’t even scream anymore. When the police burst in, the kidnappers were about to strip me. Blood blurred my vision, but I still strained to open my eyes, looking behind them. No one. No one from my family had come. I wanted to cry, but no tears would fall. The doctor said I had Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, manifesting as a loss of emotions, medically known as emotional apathy. The hospital room was empty. After the investigating police officers left, no one else came. At the dinner table, they treated me like I was invisible. The three of them chatted and laughed, a picture of a happy family. In the past, I would always try to join their conversations, but today I did nothing. “I’m finished.” I casually grabbed a napkin from the table to wipe my hands. “Which room am I staying in?” Mrs. Davis paused, then collected herself. “The other rooms haven’t been tidied up yet.” Lucas interjected, “Hymen, don’t blame Mom and Dad. They’ve been so busy with everything lately, they just can’t keep up.” He sounded like he was protecting our parents, but he was really hinting that I was being inconsiderate – something he’d done countless times. I simply asked, “Did I say I blamed them?” I gently put down the napkin, my voice flat. “Then I’ll just pick an unoccupied room. You all enjoy your dinner.” I slowly walked upstairs, their voices drifting up to me. “Who did he inherit that prickly attitude from? Don’t take it to heart. Come on, Lucas, you haven’t had any of my special stew yet!” Lucas’s voice was calm, “My brother might just be scared.” Mrs. Davis disagreed, “What’s he scared about? He’s back home safe and sound, isn’t he?” I closed my bedroom door, shutting out their conversation.

Chloe came home that evening. She wasn’t Mr. and Mrs. Davis’s biological child; she was adopted, and Lucas and I called her sister. I once dreamed of having an older sister who would stand up for me. And Chloe did fit my image of a good sister, except she always protected Lucas. Towards me, this sudden interloper who seemed to take some of his spotlight, she was openly hostile. From the moment she walked in, Chloe hadn’t spared me a single glance, practically writing “unwelcome” on her face. How could I have been so naive before? Even with her attitude, I always wanted to get close, to care for her, to give her all kinds of gifts. I envied Lucas; I envied him for receiving all the family’s love. But with those emotions gone, everyone’s actions seemed deliberate and utterly uninteresting in my eyes. I felt a little hungry. Chloe, noticing I hadn’t initiated conversation, actually looked at me twice. “Hey, your stuff. I don’t want it.” She held out a beautifully wrapped gift bag. I recognized it; it was the birthday gift I had chosen for her. A piece of jewelry I had personally polished and crafted. I had given her many things, and every single one had been publicly returned. She and Lucas both seemed to enjoy the process of trampling my dignity. “Got it.” My attention wasn’t on her at all. The food was all served, but I had no appetite. A table full of seafood. Nothing I could eat. Just looking at it made my wounds throb faintly. Chloe, however, was stunned. Usually, I’d beg her to accept the gift. This time, I was surprisingly direct. Was I playing another trick, trying to get the family’s attention? “Sister, what did he give you?” Lucas asked, but his hand was already quicker, tearing open the gift. “Oh, what beautiful jewelry! He must have put a lot of thought into this, Chloe. You should keep it.” Chloe pursed her lips. Keep it? That would mean she accepted *me*. This was the person who made Lucas feel insecure, the one who caused him to cry countless nights. “I won’t accept anything from him. Take it back.” She looked at me, her tone brooking no refusal. My stomach ached with hunger. Faced with a table of inedible seafood, I just wanted to go out and eat something else. As I started to rise, Chloe, thinking I was trying to avoid the situation, grabbed my wrist. “Take your stuff away.” Lucas looked on, clearly enjoying the spectacle. In the past, I would have cried. “Just throw it away.” “What?” Seeing that no one moved, I picked up the jewelry and tossed it into the trash can. “I said, throw away what you don’t want. I’m leaving.” Everyone at the table fell silent. This version of me was too unfamiliar. I ignored them and simply left the table. Chloe felt a strange pang. Watching that annoying figure slowly disappear, it felt like something had quietly spun out of control. Lucas glanced at Chloe, his hand, still holding a fork, clenched abruptly.

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Five years after my fiancé died, I suddenly received a wedding invitation from him. I escaped the mental hospital, desperate, heading for the wedding venue, only to get into a car accident. Through a blur, my best friend Chloe’s figure appeared. “What are you doing here?!” “Liam is alive.” I clutched her wrist, “He sent me an invitation. I’m going to his wedding.” “How is that possible? He’s been dead for 5 years.” Chloe flashed a moment of surprise. But faced with my stubbornness, she gave in. “Let’s go. I’ll drive you.” Five years, Liam. This time, I’m bringing you home. The red light ticked down, second by second. I tapped my fingers anxiously, shaking off the raindrops clinging to the window. Chloe’s sigh broke the dead silence. “To think, back then, you and Liam were a renowned forensic expert and a genius who solved countless cases.” “Who would’ve imagined you’d be stuck in a mental hospital now, and Liam… whether he’s alive or dead is anyone’s guess.” At the mention of ‘dead,’ my nails dug into my skin, drawing blood. Chloe choked, then stiffly changed the subject. “While you were hospitalized, I got my license as a psychological therapist.” “Can you tell me what really happened back then? Maybe I can help you heal.” “At least get you out of this place.” The next second, the light turned green. The car lurched forward with the flow of traffic, and my mind drifted back to twenty-eight years ago. My family and Liam’s family were old family friends. Our parents were practically soulmates, and our houses were only about thirty feet apart. Plus, Liam and I were born on the same day, same month, same year. Besides ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad,’ the first words we learned were each other’s names. Because of this special connection, our parents informally ‘betrothed’ us, almost like a childhood promise. From birth, Liam seemed destined for greatness. With a privileged background, striking looks, and a charming personality, he was loved by all our classmates. His photographic memory and ability to absorb any knowledge instantly made him the teachers’ favorite student, the one they always praised. In any crowd, Liam was always the center of attention, the one who stood out. He thrived under the spotlight, as if he were born to be the focus. Until that day, when Liam’s mom frantically picked him up from school. Soon after, rumors spread like wildfire through the class. Some said Liam’s dad had abandoned his family, fleeing out of guilt. Others said Liam’s family was involved in some seriously shady business, living off dirty money. Overnight, he went from the golden boy to a public pariah, scorned by everyone. It was a month later before I saw Liam again, and with his return came the news of his father’s death. He’d lost weight, silently staring at the table covered in red, hateful graffiti aimed at him. Classmates looked at him with disgust, and even the teachers moved his desk to the darkest, most isolated corner of the classroom. His former confident chatter was gone, replaced by a solitary boy with hair obscuring his eyes. Even in gym class, Liam, once everyone’s first pick, was now an outcast. He quietly walked to the steps, silently waiting for the bell to ring. Three minutes later, I appeared before him, holding a deflated soccer ball. Before I could speak, Liam spoke first. “Get close to me, and you’ll get dragged into it…” “I believe Mr. Davies, and I believe you.” I cut him off. “There has to be a misunderstanding.” Under the setting sun, Liam looked up, revealing eyes red and swollen from trying to hold back tears.

That was the first time I’d ever seen Liam cry. He muffled his sobs, burying his face in my shoulder until class ended. Liam said he’d never forget my belief in him. My gesture didn’t change much. Liam remained a loner, his grades steadily dropping to average. It wasn’t until two years later that the city brought in a new team of forensic experts to re-examine old cases. They unexpectedly found a note written in permanent ink inside Mr. Davies’ body. It detailed the distribution and precise map of an illegal manufacturing facility the police had been searching for years. After Mr. Davies’ name was cleared, everyone’s attitude towards Liam’s family flipped again, as if all the previous harm had just been a nightmare. His tombstone finally bore Mr. Davies’ name. Honors and medals poured into their home. Every child who had bullied him was, without exception, beaten black and blue by their parents and dragged to their door, crying apologies. When I heard about it, I couldn’t wait to find Liam. But all I saw was the lifeless, vacant look in his eyes. “Avery,” Liam said softly, “I contacted the forensic team the week Dad died.” “They turned me away, saying they were short-staffed.” “They told me they needed to prioritize their resources for more urgent cases.” I held his slightly trembling hand. Those three casual sentences revealed the most painful two years of Liam’s life. Even with all the financial compensation now, it couldn’t soothe the pain he had endured. That night, we solidified our future paths. Liam chose to enroll in the police academy, taking on his father’s badge number. I enrolled in the nation’s top medical school, specializing in forensic science, vowing that no death would remain silent on my watch. In our junior year, Liam took on a case, a dangerous and highly classified mission. The day he left, he didn’t say anything extra, just smiled easily. “Avery, if I die, remember to use your forensic skills to speak for me.” After he left, I started to fear that under every shroud, I’d find Liam’s face. Night after night, I had nightmares, dreaming of an endless stream of Liam’s bodies being brought to the morgue, piling up into a small mountain. I needed sleeping pills every night to fall asleep. The day Liam returned, he wore a baseball cap and a mask, his skin noticeably darker peeking through the gaps. His team successfully took down the core of the operation, the main hideout. Having fulfilled his father’s dying wish, a smile, long-buried, finally bloomed on his face. When he saw me, his movements were stiff with nervousness. He pulled a diamond ring from his chest pocket and asked softly, “Avery, will you marry me?” After a moment of stunned silence, I immediately nodded, raising my hand for him to place the ring on my left ring finger. “I bought this ring before I went on the mission.” Liam lowered his head and kissed the ring, “I was afraid something dangerous would happen, that I’d become a burden to you.” “Thankfully, I came back safe and sound…” Before he could finish, I kissed him, my eyelashes fluttering. Our wedding date was set for the day his father’s name was finally cleared. Liam said he wanted to get married with his father’s hopes and legacy in mind. We personally handled all the wedding arrangements. Making sure every detail was perfect, with no oversight. On the wedding day, I woke up early. Every detail had been rehearsed, everything was foolproof. Yet my nervous heart still pounded. The clock ticked by, and my mood slowly shifted from nervous excitement to anxious unease. The time for him to pick me up had long passed. I hadn’t seen a shadow of Liam. The door burst open, my parents’ faces ashen, and they struggled to speak. “Avery, Liam, he… he seems to have run away.” I dragged my wedding dress to Liam’s front door; the pristine white gown was now stained with mud, trailing on the ground like a ragged cloth. Sweat had smeared my once-perfect makeup and hair, sticking grimy to my hairline. Before I could even raise my hand to knock, the door opened from the inside. A real estate agent, seeing me like this, jumped in surprise. He stammered, “Can I help you?” “Mr. Davies has instructed me to rent out this house.” The festive wedding banner by the door had fallen, trampled under messy black footprints, its cheerfulness long gone. I couldn’t hear the end of the agent’s sentence, only felt a sudden dizzy spell, and collapsed onto the ground.

A screech of brakes ripped through the air. Chloe looked at me, her eyes wide with shock. “So the reason your wedding was canceled was because Liam ran out?!” I lowered my gaze. Yes. After confirming Liam had run out, I fainted and was rushed to the hospital. Our home was in chaos. Finally, Dad settled on a plan. The reception proceeded as planned, using Liam’s ‘sudden mission’ as an excuse to cancel the actual wedding ceremony. Everyone thought it was just a minor hiccup due to Liam’s unusual profession. No one knew Liam had truly vanished from the venue. The moment I opened my eyes and saw the hospital ceiling, I ripped out my IV, desperate to confront Liam for an explanation. Dad had someone lock me back in my hospital room. He looked at me, only able to sigh. “No one can reach Liam, not even the department says he’s taken extended leave.” “You get some rest. I swear I’ll drag that jerk out of hiding.” But by the time I was discharged, no one had seen Liam again. I locked myself in my room, squatting on the floor. My phone, glowing beside my feet, was filled with countless unsent texts I’d drafted for Liam. The tone shifting from demanding answers to desperate pleas. Begging him for a reason. Begging him to just let me know he was safe. The man who once responded to every single word I said never replied to a single message. I felt the heat of burning photographs before me. Liam’s face was slowly consumed by the flames. It wasn’t until they were almost ashes that I snapped out of it. I only managed to salvage one photo, barely recognizable as Liam. The acrid-smelling remnants were soaked with my tears, turning into a wet, clumpy mess. I gasped for air, frantically trying to calm myself down. In over twenty years, I had never once imagined Liam would willingly walk out of my life. During our wedding rehearsal, his eyes were only for me. Liam held me close. He said marrying me was his greatest dream, his biggest wish in life. Afterward, we walked hand-in-hand down the street, dreaming of all the wonderful things our married life would hold. We had so many memorable moments together. Why did he suddenly act as if seeing me was repulsive? Controlling my trembling body, I went to Liam’s house. The real estate agent was showing Liam’s house to someone; seeing me, his expression grew strange. “Ms. Avery, you can’t go in.” I stared at him blankly, tears silently tracing paths down my cheeks. “You can reach Liam, right?” “Tell him I’ll be waiting here for him.” At that moment, I would have rather Liam showed up with another woman, claiming he’d fallen for someone else, than endure this abrupt, unexplained ending. A month passed, and I was still there, waiting outside his house every day. Suddenly, Mrs. Peterson from next door rushed over, frantic. “Avery, why are you still here?!” “Your dad’s in trouble! He got a call and just collapsed! Go, quickly!” My head buzzed. As I started to move, my phone suddenly rang. An unknown number, but Liam’s familiar voice came through. “Avery, don’t be so pathetic.” “I don’t want you anymore, why are you still clinging on? You’re acting so desperate, it’s embarrassing.” “If you don’t stop harassing me, your family will be completely ruined and forced out of this city.” “I always keep my promises.”

When I arrived at the hospital, Dad was still in the ICU. The rhythmic beeping of the machines grated on my nerves. Mom was sobbing by the door; seeing me, she clutched my sleeve. “Avery, your dad’s company just had its funding completely cut off!” “What are we going to do?!” My vision blurred with white spots, but I still tried to comfort Mom. During Dad’s time in the ICU, I ran around to countless factories. Begging them to take on our family’s orders. But soon, the identical, hesitant excuses from every owner made it clear: Liam had already pulled strings, making sure no one would help us. This sudden disaster that struck our family, it was all because of me. Self-blame, guilt, and a constant wave of nausea rising from my stomach overwhelmed me. The cold wind bit into me. Countless times I dialed that unfamiliar number, desperate for Liam to give my family a break, but I was always met with a busy signal. Finally, things took a turn. Dad was safely moved out of the ICU. His connections, cultivated over so many years, finally paid off. A small company agreed to secretly help us fulfill some orders. This bought us some breathing room. Things were steadily improving. Just as I was about to head to the factory to oversee production, a crowd had gathered at our community entrance. When they saw me, they all scattered, shouting and fleeing quickly. I stepped closer and saw Liam’s wanted poster, starkly displayed in the center of the community bulletin board. His features were clearly printed. The words ‘EXTREMELY DANGEROUS’ were highlighted in red. The former detective became a wanted fugitive overnight, and no one knew what Liam had done. Everyone who had any connection to Liam became a target of public scorn. The red spray paint yelling ‘GET OUT OF THIS COMMUNITY’ on our front door was scrubbed off countless times, only to reappear. Our business partners shook their heads, backing out mid-agreement, saying they couldn’t risk getting involved in such a mess. Our family, having barely survived one crisis, plunged back into rock bottom, every breath tight with tension. We were forced to move out of the community, ending up in a dilapidated house on the outskirts of town. The severe blow caused me to develop emotional issues. In my dreams, I often revisited our engagement day, each time screaming and recoiling from the ring that once symbolized infinite happiness. Later, the news of Liam’s death arrived. All my lingering obsessions and hatred were rendered meaningless, and I was admitted to a mental hospital. Until now, receiving his invitation. My memories ended there as the car pulled up to the venue entrance. “Are you sure you still want to go to his wedding?” Chloe rolled her eyes, a sarcastic smirk playing on her lips. “Who knows if it’s even Liam? Didn’t everyone say he was dead?” “Maybe it’s just a sick prank.” “How can a dead man come back to life?” I lowered my eyes, looking directly at Chloe. “I just want to know the truth.” “Why did he do this to me, try to utterly destroy my family?” “I won’t let him get away with it.” “I need closure. And I need retribution.” Chloe swung her legs out of the car, lifted her chin, and a long-lost smile returned to her lips. “Let’s go. I want to see what kind of wedding a dead fugitive can even throw.” The moment we pushed the door open, a tension settled over both of us. The door creaked open, slowly revealing the full extent of the venue. The carpet was strewn with fresh flowers, intertwined with ribbons tied in delicate bows. The crystal chandeliers refracted the lights into a dazzling array of colors. The melodious piano music played on without pause. My eyes blurred slightly. I wanted to make out the figures on stage, but found only blank cardboard cutouts. Looking closer. It wasn’t just the stage. The entire lavish and grand venue was utterly deserted…

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Right after dropping my daughter off at kindergarten, I got a call from her teacher. “Lily’s mom, please come to the hospital. Your daughter injured a classmate.” When I rushed to the hospital, I saw a fruit knife sticking out of Lily’s stomach, blood pooling on the floor. Meanwhile, the other child only had a scraped finger. I demanded to know what happened from the teacher. She stammered, refusing to tell the truth. It was only after I checked the school’s surveillance footage that I understood. The other kid had called Lily a “bastard child of a whore,” and when she protested, he stabbed her with the knife. Faced with such clear evidence, the other child’s parents were still arrogant. “A bunch of whores raising a little slut, if she died, she died. Is her life as precious as my son’s?” “The Vance family owns stakes in every hospital in this city. If she dares hurt my son, she won’t leave here alive today!” But she didn’t know that after Lily’s parents sacrificed their lives, she became the pride and joy of our army. Everyone fought to be her mother, and even General Maxwell doted on her like his own granddaughter. And now, she was being called a whore and a slut? I immediately called the military command. “Lily’s injured, and she’s being called a little slut. Cancel all leaves. Everyone not on active duty, report to the hospital now!”

The words barely left my mouth when my phone was violently knocked to the ground. Tiffany Vance, who introduced herself as the richest man’s daughter-in-law, scoffed, looking at me as if I were trash. “What? Did you hear I’m a Vance, and now you’re calling all your hooker sisters to back you up?” “Heh, birds of a feather flock together, don’t they?” “Sluts like you, who get by seducing men, raise unruly little bastards who even dream of seducing my son!” The fury in my chest was about to explode. I was just about to stand up when I heard Lily’s faint voice. “Mommy… Mommy isn’t a hooker…” Her small face was pale, eyes closed, her whole body trembling. “My mommy… is a hero.…” My heart instantly clenched. I quickly gripped her cold little hand. “Mommy’s here, baby, don’t be scared. Lily’s mommy is a hero who protects people, she’s—” “She’s lying!” Tiffany’s son, Brendon Vance, shrilly interrupted me. “Different women drop her off at kindergarten every day. How can one person have so many moms?” “She’s just a bastard from a whorehouse, no one knows which man spawned her. Her mom can’t possibly be a hero!” Brendon’s face was chubby, his features squeezed together, wearing an insolent expression far beyond his age. “She lies all the time and never listens to me. I have the right to punish lowly people!” “My mom said our family runs this city. Even if she dies, someone will clean up the mess for me!” I couldn’t believe a five-year-old child could utter such venomous words and act so maliciously. I looked at Tiffany. “Is this how you teach your child?” She, however, looked proud, lifting her chin. “Isn’t it the truth? Am I wrong?” “A child getting dropped off by different women—what else is it if not a whorehouse?” “What’s wrong with me teaching my son to recognize the true nature of society’s bottom-feeders early on?” She stepped closer, almost pointing a finger at my nose. “Let me tell you, in Emerald City, what the Vance family says, goes!” “My son punishing her was giving her face. She dared to resist and hurt my son. Even if she dies, she deserves it!” “The lives of people like you, combined, aren’t as precious as a single strand of my son’s hair!” I clenched my fists, wanting nothing more than to rip apart her foul mouth. Lily’s parents had both died in service to the country one after another when she was one. Both their families were generations of decorated heroes, and she was their only remaining kin. We didn’t want to send her to an orphanage, so we raised her in the army. The reason different people dropped Lily off every day was because she was so loved and cherished. Everyone on leave fought for the chance to take her. It was finally my turn today, and I never expected something like this to happen. If anything happened to Lily, I didn’t know how I would explain it to my sisters in the unit and to General Maxwell. In the end, reason won over fury. I am a soldier. My actions represent the country. Knowing it was useless to reason with someone like her, I stepped back, my eyes cold as I stared at Tiffany. “The Vance family, huh?” Good. I’ll remember that. Some debts, we’ll settle them later. No point in wasting more breath on her. Saving Lily was the priority now.

The nurse had just said there was a major car accident on the highway, and many injured people were being brought in. The hospital was short-staffed. Luckily, I always carried the special military-grade painkiller and coagulant General Maxwell had given for Lily. I’d already given it to her, so for now, her life shouldn’t be in immediate danger. But time was precious. I was about to pick Lily up and switch hospitals when a doctor rushed over. “Where’s the injured child? What’s the situation?” I immediately moved aside. The nurse clearly reported. “The child is five years old. A fruit knife was inserted into her abdomen. Depth unknown. She’s currently conscious but has lost a significant amount of blood.” Dr. Carter quickly examined the wound, then used a flashlight to check Lily’s pupils and complexion. “Thankfully, initial assessment suggests no major organs were damaged, but blood loss is the primary issue. We need to clean and stitch the wound immediately to stop the bleeding.” He frowned deeply. “But all operating rooms are full. Patients from the major car accident are lined up. No choice, we have to perform emergency stitches here first to stabilize her vitals.” He immediately turned to the nurse beside him and shouted. “Prepare the wound cleaning and suturing kit, anesthetic, and blood bags!” The nurse acknowledged and was about to run off but was yanked back by Tiffany. “Wait!” She forcefully pushed Brendon in front of the doctor. “Treat my son first! His finger is broken, and he’s bleeding a lot too!” Dr. Carter glanced at Brendon’s index finger, which merely had a tiny scratch, the blood already congealed. His frown deepened, and his expression turned severe. “Madam! Please stop this nonsense!” “Your son only has a minor surface injury. He doesn’t even need stitches. Have the nurse apply some antiseptic solution.” “Move aside, quickly! Hospital resources are stretched thin right now. Severely injured patients take priority. That’s a basic principle!” Seeing the doctor dare to contradict her, Tiffany raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face. “Principles? I am the principle here!” Everyone was stunned by her sudden action. She pointed at the bewildered doctor, screaming. “A attending physician, daring to yell at me? Do you know who we are?!” “I am the Vance family’s daughter-in-law! This is the Vance family’s golden grandson! Your director has to be polite to me. How dare you speak to me like that?!” “My son’s finger touched the blood of this little bastard, he might catch some nasty disease!” “I order you, now, immediately, to give my son the most detailed full-body examination! From the top of his head to his toenails, don’t miss a single thing! Otherwise, I’ll have you kicked out of this hospital today, and you’ll never work in the entire medical field again!” Dr. Carter clutched his face, his eyes filled with humiliation and rage, but more so, with disbelief at the unreasonable woman before him. “You…” The surrounding crowd couldn’t help but murmur condemnations, but Tiffany ignored them. She directly ordered the bodyguards behind her. “Take him to examine my son! A doctor’s duty is to save lives, not to save some rat from a gutter!” Two men in black suits immediately covered the mouth of Dr. Carter, who was still trying to argue, and forcefully dragged him away. Tiffany turned back triumphantly, casting a cold, mocking smirk my way. My blood boiled with rage. I wanted to rush forward to stop her. But the nurse beside me held my arm tightly, urgently whispering. “Mom, calm down! We’ll be the ones to suffer if we clash with people this rich and powerful. Saving the child is what matters!” My eyes were bloodshot with anger. “The doctor’s been kidnapped! Who’s going to save my child? Can money and power mean you can do whatever you want?!” After roaring, I took a deep breath, trying to control my emotions. The nurse was right. Lily’s life was more important than anything. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t yelling at you.” “Where’s the nearest hospital? I need to transfer her!” I bent down, intending to pick Lily up and transfer her immediately, but the nurse stopped me again. “There are too many seriously injured patients from the highway accident. All the major hospitals in the city are completely full right now. Transferring her now would mean waiting, and the child would be in even more danger!” “The child has lost too much blood and needs an immediate transfusion, but… the blood bank is definitely low right now. You need to find someone to donate blood quickly. I’ll get the child hooked up for now to stabilize her vitals!”

My heart plummeted. I unhesitatingly extended my arm. “Take mine. Lily and I are both B positive!” The nurse shook her head. “Close relatives cannot directly transfuse blood; it can easily cause graft-versus-host disease, which is very dangerous.” “I’m not her biological mother!” I practically yelled, my voice trembling with suppressed emotion and pleading. “She’s the child of fallen heroes! Her parents both sacrificed for the country! Please, I beg you, save her! Take my blood!” The nurse hadn’t expected Lily’s background and immediately began preparations. In the blood donation room, I watched as the dark red blood flowed through the tube into the blood bag, feeling time pass agonizingly slowly. Every second, Lily was fighting for her life. I pulled out my phone with its cracked screen and saw messages constantly popping up in the unit’s private SnapChat group. “What happened? Why is she suddenly injured? We’re on our way!” “How is Lily? We’re bringing a combat medic!” “Tell Lily not to be scared, her dads from the Second Combat Division are coming too, about ten minutes out!” My sisters and comrades, along with a combat medic, were on their way, which brought some stability to my racing heart. Just as the 400cc of blood was drawn and the nurse removed the needle, preparing to send the life-saving blood for processing, a hand adorned with bright red nail polish suddenly reached out and snatched the blood bag. “Isn’t there blood right here? You lied to me about the blood bank being low!” “Quick, give it to my son! He was startled and now has low blood sugar, he needs nutrients!” I suppressed the dizziness in my head and stood up, staring intently at her. “Put the blood bag down!” Tiffany was momentarily intimidated by my gaze but quickly regained her arrogant composure. “You… what are you going to do? This blood belongs to the hospital now. I can give it to whoever I want!” The nurse, unable to stand it, bravely stepped forward to reason with her. “Mrs. Vance, that little girl is the child of fallen heroes. Her parents sacrificed their lives for the country, and she’s all that’s left…” “Please, for goodness’ sake, just return the blood. Save a child’s life!” Tiffany remained unmoved. Instead, she roughly pushed the nurse away. “Fallen heroes? Ha, telling so many lies to gain sympathy, aren’t we?” “Who knows if that’s even true? And even if it is, what does it have to do with me? My son’s health is the top priority!” If I hadn’t steadied her, the nurse would have hit her head on the corner of a table. I stopped wasting words with Tiffany. With a swift, precise grappling move, I instantly locked onto her wrist joint. She cried out in pain, her fingers involuntarily loosening. The still-warm blood bag steadily dropped into my hand. “You… you dare to hit me?!” Tiffany shrieked, yelling at her bodyguards. “Are you all dead?! Teach her a lesson!” Two bodyguards quickly surrounded me. Their steps were steady, clearly indicating they were professionally trained fighters. Since they wanted to fight, the long-suppressed anger and frustration within me instantly found an outlet. “Watch this.” I placed the blood bag into the nurse’s hands. Almost simultaneously, I lowered my center of gravity, sidestepping the first bodyguard’s incoming punch. My right leg, like a cannonball, shot out in a fierce, rapid side-kick, striking him hard in the abdomen. “Ugh!” The bodyguard had completely underestimated my speed and strength. He was sent flying backward. Seeing this, the other bodyguard’s eyes hardened. He attempted to choke me from behind and to the side. I abruptly dropped my body, avoiding his arm while my left leg supported me. My right leg executed an incredibly swift back-spin kick, my heel precisely connecting with his chin. The second bodyguard’s eyes rolled back. He fell straight to the ground, unconscious. The entire process took mere seconds. The corridor fell silent. I slowly turned around, taking one step after another toward Tiffany, who was already frozen in terror. She watched me approach, the color draining from her face, backing away repeatedly. “You… what do you want? Don’t… don’t think I’m scared just because you can fight!” “I’m telling you, I’m the Vance family’s daughter-in-law! If you dare to hurt a single strand of my hair, the Vance family will never let you get away with it! You won’t have an easy time either!” I looked down at her face, twisted with fear, and grabbed her by the neck.

“Cough… Let… let go of me!” I leaned closer to her, staring into her terrified eyes. “You should be grateful you were born in a time of peace, protected by the law.” “Otherwise…” My fingers tightened slightly, letting her know I wasn’t joking. “Just for what you did, I’d rearrange your face so badly you wouldn’t be able to string a sentence together!” Tiffany trembled under the undisguised killing intent in my eyes, forgetting even to struggle. Just then, Brendon’s gloomy voice came from behind. “Let go of my mom, or you’ll regret it.” I turned around, and when I saw the sight before me, the blood in my veins seemed to freeze. Brendon, I don’t know when, had dragged Lily, with the help of two bodyguards, right off her hospital bed. She was like a rag doll, her arm being dragged across the rough floor, leaving a vivid trail of blood. The simple bandage on her abdomen was stained red with blood. Her small face was contorted in pain, emitting faint whimpers. “Mommy… it hurts…” My heart felt like it was being pricked by countless needles, a dense, throbbing ache. Brendon was only five! How could he dare?! Was he a devil?! “You little monster! Let go of Lily!” I let out a gut-wrenching roar. Just as I was about to charge, Tiffany grabbed my hair from behind and yanked hard. While I cried out in pain, she quickly retreated to her son’s side. She looked at Lily, painfully curled on the floor, a flicker of sadistic pleasure and indulgence in her eyes. “See? This is what happens when you mess with us! My son is destined for great things!” Hearing his mother’s praise, Brendon’s small face showed a twisted, smug grin. He even stretched out his leg and kicked Lily. Tiffany pointed at me with haughty pride. “Now, get down on your knees and apologize to us! Otherwise, if my son ‘accidentally’ hurts her anywhere else, it won’t be our problem!” The sight before me made my eyes burn with fury. An arrogant, inhuman mother. A naturally evil, cruel son. They were actually threatening me with a critically injured child. I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging deep into my palms. Lily was in their hands. I had no choice but to compromise. All my pride and dignity were worthless in the face of a child’s life. I slowly knelt down. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have used force.” “Please, have mercy and release the child. She’ll die like this… I beg you.” Seeing me bow my head and admit fault, Tiffany’s face contorted with triumphant pleasure. “Heh, now you realize your mistake? Too late!” She had her bodyguards snatch the blood bag from the nurse and threw it on the ground… “Weren’t you so tough just now? You dared to fight me for this pathetic bag of blood?” She said, then stomped her high heel down on it with brutal force. “No!” The nurse and I cried out simultaneously. Tiffany watched the bloody mess on the floor and our pained expressions, her smile growing more twisted and malicious. “You want me to let this little bastard go? Fine.” “You strip those clothes off right here, right now! Let everyone see the cheap, nasty slut you really are underneath!” Tiffany saw me hesitate and keep glancing at the door. “What? Still waiting for your other hookers to save you? I’m telling you, if they show up, I’ll make them strip naked too!” “You won’t strip, huh? Then I’ll have to help you!” With that, her hand slowly reached for the handle of the fruit knife still embedded in Lily’s abdomen. If not for a doctor’s careful handling, pulling the knife out like that would instantly cause massive hemorrhage, and Lily would surely die. “No! Stop it!” I screamed, forgetting everything else. “I’ll strip! I’ll strip! Just don’t touch her!!” Just as my fingers touched the first button, Tiffany’s wrist was struck by a slingshot projectile. The impact made her cry out in pain, clutching her hand as she fell to the ground. At the same moment, a thunderous roar echoed from the corridor entrance. “I’d like to see who dares touch them!”

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Ten years after I married my brother Eric’s fiancée, he suddenly reappeared. The whole family stared, frozen in stunned silence. He yawned, his voice laced with a casual indifference. “Thirteen countries in ten years. I’m exhausted.” “So, where’s Lily? Why hasn’t she come out to greet me?” Lily is Eric’s daughter. Years ago, on his wedding day, he faked his own death, abandoning both his child and his wealthy fiancée, Aurora Sinclair. My parents were terrified of offending the Sinclairs, so they forced me to marry her instead. I took in Eric’s arrogant posture and allowed myself a slow, cold smile. “My wife took our daughter out.” Hearing that, my brother Eric’s brow furrowed in immediate annoyance. “Didn’t I make it clear I was coming home? Did you even tell Aurora I’m back?” I sipped my tea calmly. Years of quiet perseverance had changed me. I wasn’t the shadow under his spotlight anymore. My silence completely infuriated Eric. He shot to his feet, his voice sharp. “Adam Miller! What the hell is your problem? Or have you forgotten? I’m the one who was engaged to a Sinclair! Now that I’m back, you think you can keep that title?” I glanced at him, a faint smile on my lips. “Eric, I have no idea what you’re talking about. My wife and I are perfectly happy.” Over the years, I’d accompanied Aurora to countless charity galas and business events. Our reputation as a devoted couple became a strategic asset. Aurora expertly leveraged it to win over partners. Perhaps there was no passionate love between Aurora and me. What bound us was a connection far stronger than romance. It was mutual benefit. That’s why I was so confident. Eric’s face twisted in disbelief. He thrust a finger toward me, his voice rising to a shout. “Adam! Do you have no shame? That’s your sister-in-law!” I set my teacup down, my composed smile not faltering in the slightest. “No, we’re legally married.” My gaze was steely. I rose to my feet, done with this charade. Mom and Dad stood nearby, looking utterly lost. Eric lunged forward, grabbing Mom’s sleeve. “Mom, Adam’s lost his mind! Aurora was my college sweetheart! Without me and the Sinclairs, our business would be nothing.” My parents had always coddled Eric. But this time, Mom secretly observed my expression, her voice soft. “But… you left your wedding. You faked your death. We didn’t hear from you for years.” “There was no groom! If Adam hadn’t helped, the Sinclairs would have been humiliated. They would have ruined our company!” Eric’s face froze for a moment. “I… I wasn’t ready to get married!” he stammered. “But I’m back now!” “And the Sinclairs always looked down on us. I was supposed to be a live-in son-in-law! I would have been bullied!” My eyes were cold. “So why are you back now?” Eric looked utterly self-righteous. “They accepted you, so they’ll accept me. It’s perfect.” “I’ll move in with Aurora today. I’m sure her family will treat me well now. And Lily… she can finally know her real father. It’s good for everyone.” With that, he stepped forward, seized my hand in a tight grip, and looked at me with feigned earnestness. “Adam, you’re free! You can go find your happiness now.” I stared into his eyes. They held the spoiled, cruel naivety of someone who had always been favored. He was so sure I would sacrifice everything for him. I sneered and pulled my hand away. “I’m perfectly happy with my life, Eric. You need to face reality.” Then I turned and left that cold house behind.

I didn’t know how Eric felt, but I was sure it wasn’t good. And I knew his stubbornness too well. He wouldn’t give up. I dragged my exhausted body back to the Sinclair estate. These past few days, I’d been swamped with projects, almost working late into the night every day. I entered the house, rubbing my temples. Then I remembered the text from my parents an hour ago: “Eric is back.” At the time, my body had frozen. I always knew he might return, but the news still shocked me. I hung up my bag and saw high heels on the floor. I paused, then put on a polite smile. “You’re back?” A gentle voice asked. I turned. Aurora stood there, draped in a black lace nightgown. It was modest, but hugged her alluring curves. Her fair skin and exquisite features were framed by a soft smile. She frowned with concern. “You look so tired. Haven’t you been sleeping well?” I smiled. “It’s just work. Did you have a good time? How’s Lily?” Aurora stepped into my arms, her face against my chest. Her fingers gently stroked my back. “Lily had a great time. She’s already asleep. She just wished you were there. Next time, we all go together.” “I missed you,” she whispered, her voice laced with an intimate, almost possessive warmth. I kissed her soft hair, but inside, I felt nothing but a cold void. I felt a soft touch on my lips, and my body stiffened. My mind was filled with what Eric had said to me earlier that day. I didn’t respond to her as I usually would. Instead, I slightly resisted, using my hands to create some distance between us. “I…” My words trailed off, because I distinctly felt Aurora’s body stiffen for a moment. I keenly sensed that she was displeased. After a pause, Aurora smiled and picked up my words. “You are tired. Go take a shower and get some good sleep.” It was an excuse, offered for my benefit. Then, she kissed my lips lightly. I nodded and went upstairs. Behind me, the woman in the shadows had a dark, unreadable look.The pressure around her solidified as she watched my back. The next day, I left for work as usual. The moment I stepped out of the apartment complex, I saw a familiar figure. My hand clenched the steering wheel, my brows furrowing tightly. Eric saw my car too. He suddenly rushed in front of it, forcing me to stop. The cars behind me honked furiously. It was peak rush hour. The security guard eagerly tried to pull Eric away. But Eric was relentless. Even as he was being pulled back, he desperately shouted. “Adam! Don’t play dead with me! You’re occupying my wife, do you have no shame?!” His sharp, piercing voice drew everyone’s attention. I pulled my car to the side, ensuring I wouldn’t block anyone or anything, then got out. I stared at him with a cold expression. Eric flashed a smug smile, running a hand through his messy hair. He chuckled. “What? Embarrassed? Or scared Aurora will leave you when she finds out I’m back?” My voice was ice. “Eric, you are a plague upon my life. This is your final warning. Do not seek me out again.” He ignored me. A determined smile spread across his face. “Stop pretending. You’re just scared. You’ve always been in my shadow. Of course you’re jealous. Of course you want to be me.” His voice paused, then he took a few steps closer and whispered in my ear. “Too bad, a cuckoo in a nest will always be driven out. I’ll wait right here. When I see Aurora, I’ll explain everything clearly, and she’ll forgive me.” “And Lily, she’s my daughter. We have an unbreakable blood connection. You’ll never be able to replace me!” I didn’t say anything, just turned and got back into my car. This time, Eric didn’t stop me. In the rearview mirror, I saw him standing there, smiling faintly as he watched me go. An icy dread trickled down my spine. Eric was spoiled and never faced consequences. Anyone who crossed him was met with the full, destructive force of his tantrums. I took a deep breath, forcing my mind to let him go. I had spent years building my marriage and my career. A divorce now would shatter me. And it would deal a devastating blow to everything Aurora and I have built. Aurora had her family to fall back on. But I had only myself.

I sat in my office, my thoughts drifting far away. In elementary school, every summer and winter break, Eric loved to go out and play basketball like crazy. By the time school started, his homework would be untouched. He was terrified of being scolded by the teacher, so he’d try to pass my homework off as his. My parents always had an excuse: my grades were good, , so even if I missed an assignment, the teacher would likely let it slide. Eric was different. If he didn’t do his homework, he’d be scolded in front of the class. A boy’s pride, they argued, was everything. So, for the sake of Eric’s pride, my efforts could be casually erased. From then on, every holiday, I knew better than to argue and wrote two sets of homework. In high school, Eric started dating. He’d flamboyantly chase the prettiest girls, get into dramatic fights, and expertly schmooze with all his teachers Although his grades weren’t good, he was outgoing and naturally had many friends. From childhood to adulthood, all his whims were always covered for him. He always had a safety net. While I, on the other hand, had to live carefully, weighing every step. After college, he met Aurora at a music festival outside of school. They played in a temporary band at a local bar with live music. For two months, while I was shuttling between various part-time jobs to earn tuition, they were wildly indulging their youth on stage. I originally thought that after graduating from college, I would save enough money to completely escape my dysfunctional family. Until that night, Eric came home very late, reeking of alcohol. My parents got up in the middle of the night, cooking him porridge and taking off his clothes. The whole family revolved around him. But Eric, in his drunken state, uttered a sentence that shocked everyone. He was going to be a father. During that time, the entire house was frighteningly silent. My parents were flustered by the sudden news. I was busy working part-time during the holidays to save for tuition. The most carefree person in the whole family was surprisingly Eric. He seemed completely oblivious to the change his identity was about to undergo. To cover up the scandal, my parents made him stay at home, confined indoors. On the other side, my family and the Sinclairs had already discussed the marriage. After the baby was born, a paternity test would be done, and then the wedding would be held. Everything had been agreed upon. The Sinclairs were forced to accept the marriage out of necessity. If this scandal were to be exposed, the Sinclair family’s reputation would be ruined, potentially even affecting their company’s stock. The night before the wedding, I took a four-hour train ride home. But the next day, Eric had vanished. The house was left with only baby Lily in her swaddling clothes and the furious-looking Sinclair family. Aurora’s face was grim. My parents stood awkwardly, then their eyes slowly shifted to me. Mom seemed to grasp a lifeline. “We have another son! He’s never even dated! Consider it our apology!” Dad immediately chimed in, “That’s right! Adam! Hurry! Your brother is gone, now you have to step in!” I stood there, stunned, my mind not yet processing what was happening. My parents already had their hands on me, pulling each of my arms, ready to drag me into the dressing room to change into a suit. I struggled desperately, my heart freezing to the core. Anger and disbelief intertwined within me. My first twenty years had been spent living in Eric’s shadow, and now my latter half of life would also be sacrificed for him. Resentment filled my heart, and my nose burned. That was the first time I truly broke down. I argued loudly, shaking off the hands that held me captive. “Why?! Why do I have to be responsible for his recklessness?! This is his business, it has nothing to do with me!” Dad, hearing that, slapped me hard across the face. “That’s your brother!”

I staggered a few steps, feeling a burning pain on my cheek. Mom cried, tears streaming down her face. “Your brother certainly went too far, but you can’t just stand by and watch our family fall apart! The guests are all waiting for the groom now!” My face was ashen. Finally, I gritted out a few words through clenched teeth: “I’m not doing this! I won’t marry her!” No matter how they tried to persuade me, or even resorted to force, I remained stubbornly defiant. I held a knife to my throat, my eyes red, and said, “Anyone who tries to force me, I’ll kill myself!” With that, everyone present froze. I didn’t know if they were afraid I would die, or if they were afraid of the greater trouble of a death on their hands. Whatever the reason, I didn’t care anymore. I’d graduated. I believed a job would be my ticket to freedom. The standoff ended when Aurora asked to talk to me alone. Everyone left us in the dressing room. Half an hour later, the door opened. I walked out in a tuxedo, my face blank as I took Aurora’s hand. With a smile that never reached my eyes, I played my part in the entire wedding ceremony. The memory dissolved, pulling me back to the present. I stood by the window, looking down at the city. I had fought for ten brutal years to reach this position. A cold emptiness washed over me. Then, a pair of arms wrapped around me from behind. I was startled, but the sweet scent of cherry blossoms filling my nose relaxed me. “What are you thinking about? You didn’t even notice me come in,” a light voice whispered in my ear. I chuckled. “Just the investor gala tomorrow.” Aurora took my hand and smiled. “I believe in you. Your capabilities speak for themselves.” A smile touched my lips. “What brings you to the office? I thought headquarters was keeping you busy.” “It’s manageable. I came to pick you up,” she said. “And to tell you that Lily wants to see that new movie tomorrow.” I nodded absently. Aurora leaned down and kissed me. I reached up, gently ruffling her hair in response. The house was quiet when I got back. Eric was nowhere to be seen. I figured my parents had locked him away again to protect the family, just like last time. I was utterly exhausted and fell asleep as soon as I went to bed. In the night, a soft figure held me from behind. The next day, I navigated the crowd at the investor gala before slipping away to the back room. Lily was waiting for me, sitting quietly on the sofa. Her eyes lit up when she saw me. “Daddy, are we seeing the movie after this?” I smiled and tapped her nose. “Of course, sweetie. Have we ever broken a promise to you?” My answer made Lily giggle. Her happiness eased my worry a little. A sense of dread had been coiled in my gut since the gala began. I took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the banquet hall. My eyes scanned the crowd, landing instantly on a familiar silhouette. My body went rigid. There, not far away, Eric was speaking to Aurora. Her back was to me, shielding her expression from view. Then Eric saw me. He pointed at me, his face twisted in a sneer. “I am your husband!” he shouted at Aurora. “He is the one who shamelessly stole you and my daughter from me!” In an instant, every conversation died. The weight of a hundred stares converged on me.

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