Category: English

On the day I was supposed to marry Bernard, heir to the Godfather, his adopted sister threatened to kill herself. For her sake, Bernard abandoned me and fled the wedding. I became the laughingstock of the entire city. When I saw the mocking looks from the guests, I immediately announced, “Whoever is willing to marry me today, I’ll marry him!” Three years later, Bernard returned with his adopted sister, Sandra. Bernard stared in shock at my swollen belly, then asked through gritted teeth, “Whose child are you carrying?” I smiled. “A child of this family, of course.” …… Bernard yanked me up in a fury. “You bitch! On the day I was supposed to marry you, I left with Sandra. I haven’t been back for three years. How could that child possibly be mine?” I found it laughable. I had never said the child was his. Besides, he was not the only man in this family. “Of course it isn’t your child. You don’t deserve to be my child’s father.” Hearing my answer, Sandra covered her mouth in shock. “Mignon, even though Bernard abandoned you at the wedding and eloped with me, you are still his wife!” “All these years, you’ve been enjoying the wealth of the Ben family. How could you shamelessly cheat on him and get pregnant with another man’s child?” I glanced at her, my expression calm. “Sandra, you openly carried on an incestuous relationship with your adopted brother, Bernard. I doubt anyone could be more shameless than the two of you.” At that, Sandra’s eyes instantly reddened. Tears fell in fat drops as she turned to Bernard with a wounded look. “Bernard, for the past three years we’ve kept a proper distance, but she betrayed you and got pregnant. Now she’s even trying to frame us.” After hearing Sandra’s words, Bernard’s breathing grew harsher. Then he raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. “You shameless bitch! You’re carrying another man’s child, and you still dare slander me and Sandra? Get out of my house right now!” A sharp pain exploded across my cheek, and the force of it left my mind blank. Three years ago, Bernard and Sandra eloped, leaving me alone at the wedding to be mocked by everyone. Back then, I had been helpless and humiliated, raging inside but unable to do anything. Anger overwhelmed my reason, and I announced on the spot that I would marry whoever was willing to marry me. What I never expected was that the man who stepped forward would be Bernard’s uncle, Bowen. Bowen was the adopted son of Bernard’s grandfather. He was the strongest fighter in the Ben family, and the person their enemies feared most. Even Bernard was afraid of this cold, distant uncle. After Bowen and I married, everyone treated me with exceptional warmth and courtesy. When I became pregnant, Bowen was overjoyed, and he cared for me even more carefully. If Bowen knew Bernard had hit me, he would make Bernard pay. Thinking of the child in my belly, I frowned and said coldly, “If you leave now, I’ll pretend this never happened.” I thought they would at least restrain themselves. Instead, they did not appreciate it at all. Sandra reached out and grabbed my hair. “Bernard, she must be scared! She wants to drive us out and use this child as a bargaining chip to take everything from you.” Bernard’s expression changed. He glared at me and cursed, “What a despicable woman. So this is your plan? I won’t let you succeed!” I broke free from Sandra’s grip, anger filling my chest. “From the day you eloped with Sandra, the old Godfather already announced that you no longer had anything to do with this family.” Sandra laughed softly, as if mocking my “nonsense.” “The old Godfather was only speaking in anger. Bernard is his only heir. How could he possibly announce that Bernard has nothing to do with the family?” Bernard’s face also filled with smugness. “I am the only blood-related heir of the Ben family. Naturally, I am the only one who will inherit the title of Godfather.” I instinctively placed my hand on my belly. After all, Bowen was already the Godfather now, and my child was also the Godfather’s heir. At that moment, Bernard’s eyes widened. He raised his hand and pointed at me. “You shameless bitch! Are you trying to pass your child off as mine so he can seize the Godfather’s position in the future? I’m going to teach you a lesson today!” He slapped me hard again. I clutched my belly and fell to the floor, accidentally knocking over a teacup. Looking at their vicious expressions, fear rose inside me. I was afraid they really would hurt my child. I could no longer worry about anything else, and I tried to tell them the truth. “He isn’t an illegitimate child. He is…”

Before I could finish speaking, Bernard bent down and grabbed my hair violently. “For the past three years, Sandra and I have been wandering from place to place, while you lived a rich, happy life in my home. It’s time you paid the price.” His eyes searched around, finally landing on the broken shards of the teacup. His gaze turned vicious. He grabbed a shard and shoved it into my mouth. The sharp porcelain cut through my lips and tongue, and blood flooded my mouth. I lifted one arm to protect myself, but Sandra stepped on the back of my hand. Pain made my whole body tremble, but I could not make a sound. After Bernard shoved the shards into my mouth, he spat on me, then clapped his hands and stood up. Sandra’s gaze fell on my belly. She stepped closer and closer until she was only ten centimeters away from it. Terrified, I grabbed her ankle tightly with both hands to stop her from doing anything. This child had not come easily. To me and Bowen, he meant everything. Sandra laughed mockingly. “Mignon, you look like a bitch protecting her litter. How ugly.” Bernard stared at my belly and frowned. “If word gets out that I was betrayed, what happens to my reputation? Sandra, stomp her to death. Kill the child too.” As I spat out blood and broken porcelain, I shook my head desperately and forced out the truth through the pain. “This child… is… Bowen’s…” Bernard froze for a moment after hearing that. Then he burst into loud laughter. “Mignon, if you want to lie to me, at least come up with a better excuse. The entire Ben family knows my uncle doesn’t like women.” Sandra agreed. “You really are shameless. After being exposed, you dare slander Bowen?” “Bernard is the Godfather’s heir. Do you think he’d be fooled so easily, you idiot?” Bernard and Sandra had eloped for three years without sending even a single letter home. The old Godfather, York, had been utterly disappointed in him and finally gave up. Within the family, he issued the announcement that Bernard was completely cut off and that the choice of Godfather would be changed. But the two of them clearly knew nothing about it. To avoid provoking them further, I did not argue. I could only try to explain the origin of the child in my belly. “I’m not lying. I really am carrying Bowen’s child.” “If you don’t believe me, send someone to Bowen and confirm it.” Bernard gripped my chin. “Bowen has always been cold-blooded and ruthless. If he knew I couldn’t even handle something as small as my wife cheating, he’d only think I was useless. When it came time for me to inherit the Godfather’s position, he would never agree. He might even steal my place…” “Mignon, I’m guessing this is another scheme of yours, isn’t it?” Sandra gave a cold snort and stepped on my belly. “Bernard, why waste time on this loose woman?” “Why don’t we just kill the child? Then we’ll tell the old Godfather and make him understand that Mignon was the one who was shameless and betrayed you. He definitely won’t blame you for running from the wedding then.” A sharp pain tore through my abdomen. I could feel the child turning wildly inside me, and an unprecedented, indescribable terror surged up. I looked at them and begged, “Please, let my child go…” Sandra suddenly laughed, as if she had thought of a wonderful idea. “Kneel. Crawl like a dog. Bark while you admit you’re a filthy, promiscuous woman. If you do that, I’ll let your child go.”

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The Chieftain gathered every unmated male and told me and sister to choose. Male shifters are ranked S, A, B, or C. My sister Lyra chose the clan’s only A-rank wolf shifter. She bore him five litters. Every single one B-rank. He raged. Cast her out. Tore the bond like it was nothing. The other males wanted nothing to do with her either. And me — I chose a B-rank snake shifter. One litter. Ten cubs. Every single one A-rank. The whole clan named me the Sacred Daughter. My mate inherited the Chieftain’s seat. Lyra couldn’t stand it. She killed all my children and pushed me off a cliff. When I opened my eyes again, we were back. Back to the day of choosing. I came back to myself just as Lyra pressed her body against the snake shifter’s side. “Chieftain.” she said sweetly. “I choose him.” I understood immediately She’d been reborn too. Actually, my sister and I weren’t from this world. But we couldn’t find a way back. In the end, we would just have to adapt to the rules here. But this time, I absolutely won’t let her control everything! * In this world, Male shifters are born ranked — S, A, B, or C. The higher the rank, the more valuable the male. C-rank males were everywhere. B-rank was considered a prize. A-rank was rare enough to cause a stir. As for S-rank — even the elderly Chieftain had never seen one. Females in the Beastlands were fewer than males. Their social standing was higher, which standing on the children they bore. The higher the rank of your cubs, the higher you climbed. In our last life, Lyra had wanted to be the top female in the clan. She’d gone straight for the only A-rank wolf shifter without blinking. She’d told me to choose Voss, the snake shifter. “Snakes have two, you know.” she’d said, with that conspiratorial smile of hers, “But they lay eggs. Hatching eggs is so much easier than live birth.” I’d listened. I’d chosen Voss. We bonded, and I fell pregnant quickly. One clutch — ten cubs — every single one A-rank. This clan had existed for over a century. Among clans,They’d never had more than five A-rank shifters total. The Chieftain declared Voss his successor on the spot.

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My boss offered me 500,000 dollars just for my breast milk. I thought he wanted it to feed a baby. But then I saw him lying there, weak and almost lifeless. After drinking my milk, he suddenly regained his strength. That’s when I realized he was using it as medicine. Later, he offered me five million dollars to nurse him directly. For the money, I said yes. And then, he asked me if 50 million would be enough for me to… * My boss called me into his office that day. I was freaking out, terrified that he was going to lay me off. If I lost this job, I wouldn’t have a dime coming in. Back when I was pregnant with my daughter, Lily, my previous company basically forced me out. After prenatal checkups and hospital bills drained what little savings I had, I had no choice but to ask my husband for money. Every single time, he gave me this attitude. He’d constantly nag me, saying, “You don’t need to buy this,” or “That’s a waste of money.” And he always ended with, “Look, I’m broke too.” Thank God I had plenty of milk and could breastfeed. Still, diapers aren’t free, and neither are clothes. My daughter’s clothes were already too small, and with winter here, she needed warm clothes. Honestly, if I hadn’t lucked out and found this job, she wouldn’t even have diapers or warm clothes. Relax. My boss said gently as he sat across from me. This is personal. I relaxed a little. And then my boss smiled faintly at me. My boss was good-looking, came from a very wealthy family, and clearly never had to worry about money. God, I wish I could be him. I hated myself for being so naive back then, marrying my husband and having a child at that age. Now my life is miserable, and my child has to suffer with me. Are you currently breastfeeding? I’d like to buy some of your breast milk, if that’s okay. Don’t worry, I’ll pay you. I naturally assumed he had a baby at home, or maybe a friend whose wife wasn’t producing enough milk. In my mom groups, there were always mothers who didn’t have enough milk and asked if anyone had extra. But usually, it’s free. If you have extra, you just pass it on. So I said, ‘Sir, if you need it, you don’t have to pay me. My baby can’t finish it anyway, and the extra just goes to waste.’ He quickly said, ‘Absolutely not. I don’t like owing favors. And I need it supplied on time every day. If you don’t accept payment, I won’t feel comfortable making specific demands.’ Ah, so he did have conditions. Fair enough. If I didn’t take his money, it would be awkward for him to demand anything. So I nodded. ‘Alright, but you don’t have to pay much.’ If I kept him happy, he probably wouldn’t fire me. Then, he asked for my bank account and directly transferred 500,000 dollars to me.

I stared at him, completely shocked. ‘This… this is way too much!’ He stopped me before I could say more. ‘Just take it. I have many specific requirements. Plus, you’ve done your medical checks, so I feel safe about your health. I also have some pretty intrusive requests, so you deserve this. Staring at that 500,000-dollar balance, my eyes stung with tears. Minutes earlier, I had only about 80 bucks left in my bank account. I didn’t even buy lunch at work anymore. To save money, I would go to the company pantry and eat the free crackers and bread there. I was really that poor. So even if my husband and mother-in-law treated me like dirt, I didn’t even dare to get a divorce. If I did, they might fight me for custody. Even if I got custody, who would take care of her? I’d still have to rely on my mother-in-law for help. On top of that, leaving my husband meant renting my own place. I really regretted being so young and naive, rushing into marriage and motherhood. Every step felt impossible. But with these 500,000 dollars from my boss, a huge part of my problem would be solved. He told me his conditions. First, you need to pump the milk in my office every day. You can’t do it anywhere else, because I need to make sure the milk is clean and safe. That sounded reasonable. I’ve heard that he came from a wealthy family, and rich people were always afraid someone might try to harm them. Second, to make sure the milk is nutritious, you’ll eat three meals a day prepared by my personal chef. Wow. The wealthy really live in a different world. But this was good for my daughter too, and I was actually getting the better end of the deal. I wouldn’t have to eat dinner at home, so I wouldn’t have to face my husband or my mother-in-law. It’s perfect. Third, I don’t want you to have sex during this period. Me:??? Okay, that is definitely crossing a line. But hey, the man just gave me half a million dollars. Besides, I don’t want to touch my husband ever again anyway. So I nodded readily. Then I went into his private lounge to pump. It was kinda humiliating to be honest. Stepping into his private space doing such personal things. But ever since I became a mother, my pride had taken a back seat. For the money, and for the future of my daughter and myself, I gritted my teeth and sped through the process. I walked out holding two bottles of milk. Mortified, I asked, “Sir, I’m done. Should I put these in the fridge for you?” Without even looking up, he said, I’ll handle them later.

My boss had me eat dinner in his office. The food was healthy, filling, and actually delicious. After pumping milk once more, I clocked out and went home. I had to hide my bank card first. I was afraid my husband would find out. I wanted to divorce him. But not yet. The timing was not right. I needed to get through probation first and make sure I had a steady income. That money from my boss was my safety net. And I needed to wait until my daughter was old enough for daycare. But honestly, the thought of daycare still made me nervous. And I had no one else to help me watch her. So for the time being, I was trapped. When I got home, my mother-in-law just dumped the baby on me and headed out to a bar. My husband was just sitting there, glued to a game on his phone. He did not make much money either, yet I had been pathetic enough to hope he’d help out with babysitting. But every time I asked him to do anything, he always found an excuse to wiggle out of it. Before the pregnancy, he had been the perfect, devoted husband. He had done everything—the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry. He had promised to treat me like a queen. But as soon as I was pregnant, the mask slipped. He stopped doing housework, stopped giving me money, and kept saying we needed to save money. If I’d seen his true colors back then, I wouldn’t have looked at him twice. I was in the room, breastfeeding the baby. Looking around that cramped, messy rental apartment, I felt so lonely and hopeless. I couldn’t stand the thought of my daughter living like that. At night, Lily slept between us. My husband started pawing at my pants. He used to be so affectionate, making me feel cherished. But at that time I felt like I was just a hole to him. A tool for his release. There was no foreplay, no nothing. I told him no. He snapped, “It’s been long enough since the baby was born. You’re fine to have sex now.” We struggled, and I landed a sharp slap across his face. He slapped me right back. In the dark, we just stared at each other in silence. He started ripping at my clothes again. I grabbed my phone and smashed it right against his head. He flicked the light on and screamed at me, “Cyrus! What the hell is wrong with you?!’ His eyes were wild. I froze, paralyzed by his rage. The baby woke up and started wailing. I pulled her close, trying to quiet her down. That just made him angrier. He gave me a hard shove, and before I could react, I hit the floor with the baby in my arms. Luckily, I hit the ground first and held her up so she wouldn’t get hurt. My mother-in-law burst into the room. Without a word, she rushed over and slapped me. “You worthless bitch! How dare you talk back to my son? Who the hell do you think you are? I could not fight back at all. The baby was terrified and crying even harder. My husband just stood there, coldly watching his mother beat me. After she was done, she snarled at me, “You better serve my son right, or I’ll make your life a living hell. Who do you think you are? A useless second-hand bitch. Just suck it up, shut your mouth, and serve my son! Then she turned to my husband and said: ‘A woman only learns to behave when you rough her up. You treated her way too well, and it made her forget who’s in charge here.’ He said: ‘I get it, mom. Take the baby out.’ She reached for the baby. I knew exactly what he was planning to do. It wasn’t the first time he had forced himself on me. He had even told me: ‘Are you a nun or something? We’re married. I can do whatever I want to you, and the cops won’t do a damn thing!’

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In a Dare Challenge video, I saw a conversation between my best friend, Kewell, and her boyfriend, Paul. Kewell asked Paul, “Dare you tell Joel we slept together?” Paul said, “No way.” Kewell replied, “Coward. Honestly, I wouldn’t dare either. Joel is my best friend, always has been. She’s more important than you.” The comments section was filled with people trashing them, sticking up for me. But they didn’t know that I was the one who owed Kewell and Paul. Paul had gone to jail for me, stabbing someone, and his dream of becoming a police officer was shattered forever. Kewell had been assaulted because of me, losing hearing in one ear, and she woke up screaming from nightmares every night. I clutched the late-stage cancer report in my hand, then smiled, a wave of acceptance washing over me, and called Kewell: “Can you come with me to try on wedding dresses?” I had nothing else to give them, only a wedding. Of course, I wouldn’t be the bride. She would. Kewell arrived while I was trying on wedding dresses. A satin mermaid gown, adorned with pearls – Kewell’s preferred elegant and sophisticated style. She looked confused. “But don’t you like elaborate, long-train gowns?” “I thought I’d change my style,” I said with a soft smile. She didn’t notice how pale my face was; her eyes were fixed on the dress, sparkling. Before that incident, she often used to dream with me about her future wedding. She said she wanted to walk down the aisle in a satin mermaid gown, with the venue covered in champagne-colored roses… Kewell, I remembered it all. I took her slightly cold hand. “Could you try it on for me, please?” Kewell flinched as if my hand’s warmth had burned her. “No, that won’t do. A wedding dress is so sacred, I…” “But I’m a little tired! Just help me out.” I whined and nuzzled into her neck. Kewell finally nodded. She always had a soft spot for me. Without a second thought, she changed into the gown. In front of the huge full-length mirror, her eyes sparkled like a little girl who’d found a treasure. But then, Kewell’s eyes welled up. She turned her back to wipe away her tears, choking back a sob. “Are you going to marry Paul in this?” I nodded. “Yes.” Her voice trembled. “Then, congratulations, Joel.” I lowered my head, silent. Suddenly, a furious shout broke the quiet. “What are you doing?!” I turned to see Paul. I was about to speak. Paul grabbed my wrist without a word and dragged me towards the changing room. He wasn’t careful with his strength, gripping my wrist so hard it felt like he was trying to crush my bones. His strides were long, and I gasped, struggling to keep up. He was blinded by rage, not noticing his force as he violently slammed me against the changing room wall. My whole body shook with pain, and tears streamed down my face, an unwelcome betrayal. “Joel, do you even have a heart?! You asked Kewell to try on a wedding dress for you, knowing full well she can never get married because of you!” My lips were pale, and I struggled to open my mouth to explain. Paul’s bloodshot eyes shot me a venomous look. “How could you be so heartless, twisting the knife in her wound?” No, that wasn’t it. I wanted to explain, but I didn’t know what to say. Should I tell him I saw Kewell’s account and knew they’d slept together? Should I tell him I didn’t want to hurt her, that I was giving her the wedding and him? Should I tell him I was dying soon? But all those words choked in my throat, impossible to say. Paul coldly dropped a single sentence. “You’ve disappointed me greatly.”

He turned and left with Kewell to change. The sales assistant looked at me awkwardly. She asked, “That wedding dress…” Recalling the fleeting sparkle in Kewell’s eyes, I pulled out my card. “I’ll take it.” This was their first wedding gift from me. Soon, I arranged the second gift. I submitted a new wedding plan to the wedding planning company. They looked troubled. “The new plan is completely different from the previous one, Ms. Schmidt.” I felt a pang of guilt, remembering how they’d worked sleepless nights on the first plan. “Can I pay extra?” After I offered a generous amount, they promised to deliver a flawless champagne rose-themed wedding in a month. I smiled faintly and told them, “The bride’s name needs to be changed as well.” The assistant, who had been smiling moments before, gaped at me. “I’m dying soon. I want the two most important people in my life to take care of each other.” There was no malice in my eyes, only a pure innocence that made the assistant think I was joking. “It’s late-stage cancer, no cure. Please don’t tell them.” I spoke each word clearly, and the assistant stammered, “O-okay…” Stepping out of the store, I slowly exhaled. But a wave of nausea hit me, and I doubled over, dry heaving until I vomited blood. I fumbled in my bag for my medication, only to realize I’d accidentally left the special pills, disguised as regular stomach medicine, in Paul’s car. Frantically, I pulled out my phone and called Paul. “Paul, my stomach hurts, and my pills are in your car. Could you…” In the past, Paul would panic if I so much as scraped my finger, running a mile to get me iodine and bandages. But today, he was unusually silent. “Are you doing this on purpose?” Cold sweat broke out on my forehead from the pain. “W-what…?” I almost wondered if I was in so much pain I was hallucinating. “Did you also see Kewell’s Ins post? You know she’s drunk at a bar right now and it’s dangerous, yet you’re using these petty tricks to get my attention and stop me from going to get her.” “I’m not.” The pain made my vision swim, and my heart felt like it was being pounded by a blunt object. A thick cloud of injustice crept into my heart, and my nose began to sting. “Enough. You’re getting so selfish. Kewell already sacrificed so much for you once.” “She can’t be hurt again. Buy your own medicine.” I nodded, wanting to say ‘okay,’ but realized the call had already been disconnected. I gazed at the empty street, forcing myself to stay upright, though my body felt like it would collapse, and headed back to the hospital for more medication. It hurt so much! I hated pain. I had booked euthanasia abroad, just three days before the wedding. After taking my medicine, I started writing my will at home. As I wrote, my eyelids started to droop. I slumped on the desk, my mind hazy, and dreamt of the past. Kewell, Paul, and I were eighteen, the inseparable trio, the ‘It’ crowd of our city. But everything changed the day I accepted Paul’s confession and went home. My adoptive uncle, Richard, had been drugged. His eyes were bloodshot as he looked at me and the roses in my hand, asking, “Joel, don’t you love me?” I had only ever seen him as an elder, never harboring any other thoughts. He crept closer, knocking the phone out of my hand before I could call for help. He cornered me against the window, and I screamed for help to Kewell and Paul, who hadn’t gone far. They burst in, seeing Richard pinning me to the floor, and Paul’s eyes turned red.

He grabbed a fruit knife from the table and plunged it into Richard’s back. Kewell, fearing what might happen, held Richard in a death grip as he tried to chase us. Gripping his waist tightly, she didn’t hesitate. “Joel, take Paul and go! Something bad will happen!” I struggled to drag Paul away, who looked ready to go back and finish him off. I thought that if I separated Paul from the scene while he was in a fit of rage, nothing else would happen. I thought the tragedy had stopped there, but I was wrong. It was only just beginning. My uncle, Richard, whom I had respected and loved since childhood, my usually refined uncle, had assaulted Kewell under the influence of drugs. When we returned to the villa with the police, I saw a memory I would forever wish to forget. Kewell lay pale on the wooden floor. Her clothes were in tatters, blood gushing from one ear — Richard had slapped her — and her face was marred with bite marks. She was rushed to the hospital. But assault wasn’t flirting; her injuries were so severe that she would never be able to have children. Upon learning the news, Kewell’s mother lunged at me and slapped me hard. “Why was it Kewell who got hurt, not you?!” “It’s all your fault, you’re a walking disaster.” A tidal wave of guilt swallowed me whole, and in a daze, I walked to the hospital’s rooftop. I told myself I needed to atone to Kewell. But Kewell pulled me back from the edge, crying, “What about Paul and me if you die?!” “Please don’t die.” I smiled and nodded, but secretly hid a fruit knife in my sleeve. It was all for me; I wanted Richard to pay for what he did to Kewell. I pushed open the villa door, and an eerie silence hung in the air. Richard was dead. He’d slit his wrists in the bathtub. He’d left a suicide note and a letter of apology and understanding. My eighteenth year, my youth, ended so abruptly. When I woke up from the nightmare, I realized Paul hadn’t come home all night. I opened Ins, and Kewell’s private account popped up on my feed again. This time, the video showed two hands intertwined on a bed, with the wedding bed I’d personally picked out as the background. The caption read: “Sorry, Joel, this is our last indulgence.” I smiled helplessly. Kewell was so foolish. That wedding house was their third wedding gift from me. Why the rush? But then, the pain of the double betrayal by my best friend and the man I loved surged through my heart. I rushed into the bathroom and dry heaved over the sink. I looked up and realized tears were streaming down my face. When the pain reached its peak, I started hallucinating. In the mirror, it was a vibrant, youthful Kewell, looking up with her innocent face, asking me: “I want a satin mermaid gown, a wedding covered in champagne roses… Do you remember all of it?” I smiled faintly, nodding at the empty air. “I remember, I remember it all, Kewell.” Happy wedding, Kewell and Paul. The sound of a key turning in the lock came from the door. I haphazardly wiped away my tears and walked out. Paul walked in, supporting Kewell with one hand and holding my pill bottle in the other. Their eyes met my swollen, red eyes, and for a fleeting moment, they showed shock and concern. Then, Paul frowned deeply. “How long are you going to keep making a fuss? Shouldn’t I go get Kewell, considering her state?” He threw the pill bottle at my feet. “Stop playing the victim for attention, okay? Haven’t we sacrificed enough for you?” I bent down to pick up the pill bottle, saying calmly, “Okay, thank you.” Perhaps I was too calm, Paul looked bewildered for a moment.

Kewell turned and pushed Paul’s supporting hand away. She limped over and spread her arms in front of me: “What’s wrong with you, Paul? Why are you yelling at Joel?!” I saw her slightly trembling arms and that one ear that could no longer hear. I suddenly remembered countless times in the past when she had stood in front of me like that. When a dog chased me in elementary school, Kewell spread her arms to shield me. In middle school, when the school bully forced me to be her girlfriend, Kewell stood in front of me. And during the incident with Richard, it was her who stood in front of me. My nose suddenly stung, and I tried to suppress the injustice I felt. “I’m sorry, I won’t make a fuss anymore.” Hearing my words, Paul’s body trembled. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something. But I pulled Kewell and turned upstairs, playfully toying with her hand. I began preparing their fourth wedding gift. I asked casually, as if it didn’t matter, “Is your ring finger still size twelve?” “Mm-hmm,” Kewell replied distractedly. Then she smiled and asked, “Are you getting me a gift?” “Yes, and you’ll love it.” “How do you know what I want?” I looked at her gently. “Then tell me, what do you want?” Kewell gently flicked my nose. “I want you to be healthy and live a long, happy life.” I smiled and said, “Okay.” But deep down, I sighed. I’m sorry, Kewell, that’s one wish I can’t fulfill. I returned my wedding ring and exchanged it for Kewell’s favorite brand. The woman’s ring, a size twelve, felt unusually loose on my hand. It was then I realized that the illness had wasted me away to skin and bones, yet Kewell and Paul hadn’t noticed. In the past, if I lost even a pound, they’d get furious and blame each other for not taking good care of me. Now my cheeks were hollow, my wrists alarmingly thin, and neither of them had noticed. I placed the ring in its original box so they could use it directly on their wedding day. After doing all this, I found I didn’t even have the strength to lift my wrist. I took a deep breath, feeling as if the pain in my stomach would kill me instantly. I forced myself to the garden, wanting to see the white rose bush my mother left me. I’d already left this house to Kewell. I thought that if they lived in the marital home permanently, and if they weren’t too bothered by the morbid thought, I hoped my ashes could be buried under this white rose bush. Like I was returning to my mother’s embrace. But the scene in the rose bush made my eyes burn, the pain making it almost impossible to breathe. The entire white rose garden had been carelessly torn up and trampled. I screamed at the people, “What are you doing?!” The gardener, confused, replied, “Mr. Paul asked us to change them. He said he was getting married soon, and he didn’t like white roses; he wanted champagne-colored ones instead.” My body swayed precariously, and a mix of injustice and a flicker of unexpected hatred crept into my heart. Even if he didn’t love me anymore, he could have told me. Why did he have to destroy the only keepsake my mother left me? I stopped everyone, telling them to restore the rose bush to its original state. My eyes burning, I ran to the study; I needed to talk to Paul clearly. I needed to tell him everything. I was dying soon; he shouldn’t bully me anymore. He and Kewell could be together in peace. I wouldn’t blame them; it was just me paying my debts. I pushed open the study door. He looked up, his eyes bloodshot, clutching several papers tightly in his hands. I looked closer and realized they were my cancer reports. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

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I was buying a cake at a bakery when I overheard the staff complaining about the pressure to meet their sales targets. One employee named Skyler said: “Lucky for me, I have the sweetest boyfriend. Whenever I’m short on my quota, he just buys out the entire store.” I felt a pang of envy. My boyfriend Caldwell was a major client at my company, but he was always harsh on my proposals. He’d never bend the rules to help me meet my targets. Just then, a customer walked in and asked for Skyler by name. “Skyler, same as last month. I need 300 cakes.” “Coming right up, Lisa!” Skyler bounced over cheerfully. I froze in place. The customer was Lisa from Caldwell’s company’s purchasing department. Looking at the cakes Skyler was packing, it suddenly hit me. These were the exact cakes Caldwell bought every single day. Even at our company celebration banquets, all the cakes came from this shop. So Skyler’s “sweet boyfriend” was Caldwell. Lisa didn’t notice me tucked away in the corner. As the purchasing manager, there were few things that required her personal attention anymore. Yet here she was, treating Skyler with a respect tinged with warmth. “Wait, Lisa! Can you give this to Caldwell for me? He left it at my place last night and forgot to take it!” Skyler handed Lisa a watch. Witnessing this scene, my face must have turned deathly pale. That IWC watch was what I’d bought him with my year-end bonus last year. Yesterday morning, I’d clearly seen him wearing it when he left. By evening, his wrist was bare. When I casually asked about it, he said he’d probably taken it off during his golf game that afternoon and forgotten to retrieve it. Turns out, he’d left it at Skyler’s place. “Huh, why are you crying?” When Skyler came back, she looked startled. I stared in the direction Lisa had gone, unable to snap out of it. “Maybe because I’m too envious.” I forced one corner of my mouth up in a bitter smile. “You have a boyfriend who treats you so well.” This got Skyler excited. She sat down across from me and pulled out a tissue to wipe my tears. “Of course! Even though he’s loaded, he respects me!” “Actually, he told me I didn’t need to work. Said he’d take care of me.” Skyler stuck out her tongue. “But I don’t want to be some trophy wife!” “He couldn’t change my mind, so he had no choice but to support my girl-boss dreams!” Those words sounded so familiar. That was exactly Caldwell’s personality. He’d once urged me to quit work early too. “You’ve got such an amazing husband. Why put yourself through the grind for that measly paycheck?” At the time, I was working overtime in the study, rushing to finish a report. When I finally sent it off, I breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at him: “Having an amazing husband like you and wanting to establish my own career aren’t mutually exclusive!” Caldwell’s tone immediately soured. “You’re just working for your boss. You really think you’re creating any real value?” That conversation ended badly. It wasn’t the first time he’d dismissed my work. In Caldwell’s eyes, I could be capable, but that capability should only serve to embellish my identity as his wife. From that point on, Caldwell, as our company’s biggest client, started nitpicking everything, finding fault with me left and right. Just like yesterday. Our team had prepared three proposals for his company Radiance’s Valentine’s Day marketing campaign for Caldwell to choose from. He wasn’t satisfied with any of them. We revised them for three solid weeks. Five minutes after I sent the final draft to Caldwell’s email, I got a reply with just one cold word: “Redo.” No reason, no comments, not even a hint about what direction to take. Days of pulling all-nighters had crushed everyone on the team. I sat in my office, looking at those young subordinates outside, drowning in guilt. All I could do was sigh and decide to go to Caldwell’s office myself. “Can you at least tell me what’s not suitable?” I was somewhat helpless. He didn’t even glance at me. “If you can’t even see what’s unsuitable, Director Nivea, I suggest you switch careers.” It was so insulting. I couldn’t maintain basic business etiquette anymore. I slammed the door on my way out. Late that night, after working overtime, I dragged myself home feeling angry and exhausted, only to find a huge bouquet of flowers in the bedroom. Caldwell came out of the shower, acting like nothing had happened, smiling as he said: “I was a bit harsh during the day. These flowers are my apology.” “Don’t be mad, Nivea.” “You want to pursue your own life goals, so naturally I can’t show favoritism in business.” The same situation, the same conflict. Caldwell refused to acknowledge my soul’s outlet, yet chose to support this girl’s dreams. “What the hell is the point of a husband like that?” After hearing my story, Skyler was indignant on my behalf. “After you dump him, come back here with proof and I’ll give you free coffee!” After talking it out, I felt much calmer. Caldwell’s heart had really strayed to another galaxy. Maybe I really should come claim that free coffee.

There was another presentation that afternoon. To prevent Caldwell from finding fault, I prepared thoroughly, pushing the proposal’s creativity to its limits. I didn’t expect to be met with awkward silence after presenting. Caldwell tapped the table. Anticipating what was coming, my fists clenched unconsciously, my nails digging deep into my palms. But Caldwell wasn’t looking at me. He just addressed the person in charge from Radiance with earnest instruction: “When you do proposals in the future, don’t be like Director Nivea here—seemingly comprehensive but actually lacking focus, flashy and hollow.” Naturally, it was another wasted effort. Everyone was used to it by now, ready to pull another all-nighter to redo it. But for the first time ever, I let everyone go. “You’ve all worked hard this past while. Go out and have a nice meal, put it on my tab.” “Get some rest when you get home.” Everyone cheered, and infected by their mood, I showed a rare smile. After work, I didn’t want to go home and face Caldwell. So I drove to my mom’s house. As soon as I opened the fridge, I saw it stuffed with cinnamon cakes. All because she didn’t want to waste Caldwell’s “thoughtfulness.” My mom forced herself to eat several, which resulted in an upset stomach that landed her in the hospital for a week. After that scare, I gently hinted to Caldwell not to buy my mom so many cakes anymore. Mom already had diabetes and wasn’t in good health. But he didn’t take it to heart at all. Furious, I immediately wanted to throw out all the cakes in the fridge. “Mom, I told you not to eat these anymore. Have you forgotten about your hospital stay?” But she looked conflicted. “Won’t Caldwell be upset? He means well, after all.” Seeing my mom so timid broke my heart. Caldwell did mean well—but that thoughtfulness was for Skyler! I couldn’t tell her that. I could only swallow my bitterness. When I got home, the first thing I saw was another huge bouquet of flowers. I didn’t even want to look at it. I just felt sad. His own wife came home this late, yet Caldwell didn’t find it strange at all. After all, ever since our conflicts began, I’d been working overtime almost every day. I finally showered and lay down in bed, clean and refreshed, when he turned over and pulled me into his arms. The moment our lips were about to touch, I couldn’t help but imagine him with Skyler. I instantly felt sick. Almost as a reflex, I broke free from Caldwell’s embrace. “What’s your problem now?” He turned on the bedside lamp. His expression was terrifyingly dark. I dry-heaved, then suddenly felt a surge of impulse. “Let’s get divorced, Caldwell. Let’s stop torturing each other.” He looked at me in disbelief. “Just because I rejected your work during the day?” Seeing my tear-filled eyes looking so pitiful, his tone softened. “During the day, I was just being objective about work. Don’t take it personally.” “You know that’s just how I am at work.” He pointed at the bouquet and presented it to me like a treasure: “Look, your favorite white roses.” Seeing that I still wasn’t moved, Caldwell smiled helplessly. “How about this, Nivea. Let me apologize first, and tomorrow I’ll make it up to your team too.” “Don’t be mad anymore, okay?” Caldwell was always generous with apologies, but he never actually solved the problems. He just wrapped them up with ribbons and sent them back disguised as gifts. Even when I brought up divorce, he thought I was just being petulant. Tears instantly soaked into my pillow.

Caldwell’s compensation came in the form of desserts from Skyler’s cake shop. Various cakes filled our break room. One of the women on my team let out a long sigh. “Does Mr. Caldwell own this shop or something? Why is it always this stuff!” I couldn’t help but laugh sarcastically. “Maybe one of the employees saved his life.” Everyone rarely heard me speak in such a tone. They exchanged glances. I didn’t continue. Instead, I pressed the elevator button and went downstairs to the coffee shop. It was during work hours, so there weren’t many people. Skyler always looked carefree, nothing like the typical corporate drone. Today she seemed especially happy. “Nivea! I’m about to be promoted to shop owner!” “Today’s my last day working here. This one’s on me!” Her smile was practically overflowing. Something ugly began to crawl through my heart like ants. It was jealousy. Jealousy drove me to open my phone’s voice recorder under Skyler’s curious gaze. “You said if I had proof of a breakup, I could get free coffee from you. Does that still stand?” Skyler looked pleasantly surprised at first. “Of course! Congrats—” Before she could finish, she heard my voice from the recording. “Let’s get divorced, Caldwell.” Her face went white as a sheet. “Looks like you knew he was married.” Skyler frantically shut off the recording. She wanted to explain, but having no mental preparation, her words came out jumbled. “No, I… I didn’t mean to…” The other customers in the shop seemed to smell drama and gradually gathered around. “Skyler, you’re about to have your own coffee shop. Congratulations.” “But do you know how you got that position?” My voice was just loud enough for everyone present to hear clearly. “Last night, Caldwell had his assistant contact your regional headquarters, promising long-term cooperation.” “On the condition that this shop be handed over to ‘the person most familiar with their needs’—meaning you.” The color drained from Skyler’s face inch by inch. “Is this your girl-boss script? Enjoying someone else’s husband helping you meet your KPIs with one click?” “Is this your girl-boss script? Using someone else to exchange resources, easily getting your first shop?” By this point, the onlookers understood everything. “A homewrecker! Disgusting!” Someone spat directly onto Skyler’s shoe. She flinched and completely broke down. “Stop it, stop it, please stop!” Seeing her like this, I felt bored. I really had no desire to continue the confrontation. I was about to turn and leave when I saw Caldwell rushing over. “Smack!” The moment the slap landed, everything spun. I collapsed to the floor and couldn’t get up for a long time. Well, no need to pity Skyler anymore. I was in far worse shape than her. “Caldwell! Tell them I’m not a mistress, I’m not…” Skyler cried like a helpless little rabbit. Seeing people still taking photos, Caldwell took off his jacket and threw it over her head. He carefully sheltered the girl in his arms and ushered her behind the counter, telling the other staff to take good care of her. Only then did he come to stand before me. “In a moment, you’re going to cooperate with me and apologize to Skyler.” Caldwell crouched in front of me, making a show of helping me up, but the words that reached my ears chilled my heart. “And if I say no?” Blood trickled from the corner of my mouth. I looked at him defiantly. He smiled gently, speaking softly by my ear as if whispering sweet nothings: “Then I might have to transfer Radiance’s Valentine’s Day project to Glamour, your competitor.”

I was shaking with rage. “That won’t benefit Radiance at all!” Switching teams at the last minute was a move that would hurt both sides. But Caldwell smiled like a devil. “Remember, you’re the one who made this mess.” “I don’t really care. As long as Skyler isn’t hurt, Radiance can handle it.” “Can you?” I desperately wanted to be selfish just this once, regardless of my career. But thinking of those young faces on my team, their complete trust and reliance on me… For this project, everyone had sacrificed so much. They didn’t deserve this outcome. So I couldn’t tell which hurt more—my face or my heart. I could only agree to Caldwell’s terms. “Sorry for disturbing everyone’s day. This was a misunderstanding.” “I admit, my heart did wander outside my marriage for a while.” “But Skyler is a good person.” “She consistently rejected my advances and always maintained proper social boundaries with me.” He was actually willing to use his own reputation to protect Skyler. It was like I didn’t know him anymore. “As for my wife, she grew up in a single-parent household, so she tends to be suspicious. I hope everyone can be understanding.” To sell this lie, Caldwell directly targeted my deepest pain. When my dad died, my mom nearly cried herself blind. He was the one who supported both of us. But now, he was using my pain as a weapon against me. “She’s just been under a lot of work stress lately, so she’s seeing things that aren’t there and overthinking.” Then Caldwell turned to look at me, his complaining voice tinged with indulgent helplessness. “Stop making a scene, Nivea.” “You can’t joke around with people’s reputations like this. When we get home, I’ll make it up to you, okay?” That speech tarnished me and tarnished himself. Only Skyler remained spotless, as if she were the purest white lotus. Finally, Caldwell ran his hand through my hair. The seemingly affectionate gesture carried a heavy threat. I couldn’t help but shrink back, then forced out those words with difficulty. “I’m sorry. I was wrong about you.” Skyler’s emotions had already calmed down. Seeing me like this, she looked reluctant. She started to speak several times but ultimately didn’t have the courage to face the truth. She could only laugh awkwardly and chose to forgive. “It’s okay, I understand how you feel.” And just like that, a perfect victim was born. From now on, no matter how I tried to bring this up again, with Caldwell’s narrative set today, Skyler would forever remain unassailable. Caldwell had taught me a masterclass in my own field—marketing. I closed my eyes and let the tears flow. In that moment, I felt incredibly grateful that I’d submitted my resignation letter that morning. Mr. Mycenae had wanted to convince me to stay. But I told him that only if I left would Caldwell stop making things difficult for the company. He let out a long sigh. That sigh contained guilt toward me—far more genuine than any guilt Caldwell felt. After all, when the crowd dispersed, the first thing Caldwell did was take Skyler home. He did try to placate me, saying the slap wasn’t intentional, telling me to go home first and have the housekeeper tend to it. He said that tomorrow when he got back, I could hit him or yell at him all I wanted. Tomorrow was Valentine’s Day. He didn’t know yet that there would be no tomorrow.

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My alpha husband Michael suddenly brought home a she-wolf nanny with a five-year-old child in tow. He said they were a struggling mother-son duo and he wanted to give her a job. But late that night, in the basement, I saw Michael roughly taking that woman, Emma: “Sweetheart, thank you for giving me a child.” Emma shuddered, whimpering softly, “Then when will you finally Mark me?” Five years ago, I nearly burned to death because of Michael’s enemies, losing my ability to become a mother forever. Back then he held me and cried his heart out, saying over and over that it didn’t matter if we had children or not—having me was enough. Turns out it was all lies. I stood in the shadows, a cold smile twisting my lips. A man this filthy? I don’t want him anymore. Victoria POV Michael and I had been married for nine years. We were the power couple everyone admired in our social circle. I was the daughter of the chairman of Vanguard Group, one of the top financial conglomerates. He was the alpha of Silver Crest Pack, one of the most powerful werewolf packs in North America. Though ours was an arranged marriage, our relationship was the envy of everyone. That belief shattered completely the moment I saw Michael holding a five-year-old boy. The reason was simple: that child wasn’t mine. Michael, always so cold and aloof in front of others, was now using the most indulgent tone to coax the child: “Alex, listen to your mother.” My brain buzzed. I couldn’t hear anything anymore. Five years ago, in a fire targeting Michael, I was accidentally burned. Michael slashed open his palm and used his blood to heal my burns. But he couldn’t save my baby. After that, I completely lost the possibility of becoming a mother. I remembered Michael gripping my hand tightly by my hospital bed, eyes red as he swore: “I don’t need children, Victoria. I only need you.” Those vows still seemed to echo in my ears, but the scene before me shattered everything. He was holding a child he had with another woman, tenderly calling his name. I pressed my hand hard over my mouth to keep from crying out, then turned and ran. At the entrance, my friend Jennifer was startled by my ashen face. I grabbed her, my fingertips ice cold, my voice hoarse: “Jennifer, help me investigate Michael. He might have a son.” Only now did I understand. All these years he’d cherished me like a treasure, but it was just sugar-coating a bullet. When I got home, I received a message from Michael: “Three more days on this business trip. Miss me?” The message was followed by a kissing emoji. I stared at the text as tears fell. For the past five years, he went on business trips to Europe every autumn for a month. I’d always thought he was working hard for his career. Now I understood—that month was reserved for his other family. Snow had started falling at some point, covering the oak tree outside the window. I scrolled through the information Jennifer sent me. The woman’s name was Emma, a Delta’s daughter who grew up with Michael. He’d gotten into fights at football games for her, and bought her rare vintage watches at auction. When they were eighteen, they discovered they were fated mates. I’d heard that a werewolf’s fated mate is arranged by the Moon Goddess. For werewolves, it means their soul has found its other half and become complete. But some people try to gain higher positions of power through alliances, agreements, or even forcing arranged marriages on their children. So Michael ultimately didn’t choose Emma. Instead, he chose to marry me through an arranged alliance to gain Vanguard Group’s support. But he didn’t reject her. Instead, he sent her to Europe. They’d secretly built a little family there, hiding it from everyone. My phone rang. Michael’s name flashed on the screen. I bit my lip hard, letting it ring over and over, before finally answering with trembling hands. “Why did it take you so long to pick up?” His voice was warm as always. “Were you being bad again? Not eating properly?” My fingers curled into fists. He used to hold me like this too, laughing softly as he asked: “Not eating properly again? If you get too thin, it’ll break my heart.” I would shake my head: “No.” Then he’d kiss my earlobe, laughing low by my ear: “So disobedient? Victoria, do I need to watch you every second?” I’d thought we’d be like that forever. This was the first time I lied to him, my voice muffled like I was actually sick: “I have a bit of a cold. I was already asleep.” “A cold?” His tone immediately turned anxious. “Is it serious? I’ll fly back right now.” “No need.” I quickly stopped him, my voice carrying a distance I didn’t even notice. “I took medicine. I’ll be fine after some sleep.” I was about to hang up when I heard a woman’s lazy, intimate voice through the phone. “Michael, Alex is asleep, we can…” Michael hurriedly hung up the call. He was with that woman right now. Looking at my silent phone, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I broke down crying. Jennifer rushed into the room and held me with heartache. “Sweetheart, it’s okay. I’m here.”

Victoria POV When I opened my eyes again, the view outside was blindingly white. “Victoria, how are you? Do you feel sick anywhere else?” I heard a familiar voice. Opening my eyes, I saw Jennifer’s worried face. Jennifer sat by the bed, her eyes bloodshot. She must have stayed up all night watching over me. “…I’m fine.” Memories from before I passed out flooded back. I forced myself to sit up. “Sorry for worrying you.” Jennifer nodded, her voice trembling with lingering fear: “You scared me to death yesterday. I was so afraid you’d do something…” Halfway through her sentence, my phone rang. I answered, my voice already calm: “Dad.” “Victoria, why does your voice sound hoarse? Were you up all night again?” “I’m fine, Dad. Isn’t the Zurich branch short-staffed? I’d like to go handle it.” My father paused. “Why do you suddenly want to go to Switzerland?” “I want a change of scenery.” I glanced out the window. “Jennifer’s going back next month too. I want to go with her.” My father was silent for a long time before finally sighing. “Alright. Whatever you want.” I hung up. Jennifer looked at me with concern: “Are you sure about this?” I nodded. The lawyer sent the drafted divorce agreement to my email. I stared at the screen. Every word hurt to look at. I hadn’t figured out how to bring it up to Michael yet. We were entangled in too much—decades of friendship between our two families, extensive business dealings. As I left Jennifer’s apartment and got in my car, I saw a familiar figure. Michael. What was he doing here? He wasn’t supposed to be back for three more days. The man wore a well-tailored custom suit, his figure tall and lean, though his eyes showed fatigue. He walked over quickly and pulled open the car door. “You sounded off on the phone. I was worried, so I flew back overnight.” He pulled me into his embrace. This embrace once made me feel so safe. Now it only made me tremble uncontrollably. My head was full of Emma’s voice and images of that child calling him “Dad.” I clenched my hands, forcing myself not to push him away. He used to hold me like this too, laughing softly as he asked: “What are you overthinking now? Hmm?” I’d shake my head: “Nothing.” Then he’d hold me tighter, laughing low by my ear: “Little liar. You’re not allowed to leave me. Wherever you go, I’ll find you. Understand?” I used to think I could never escape. But this time, I was the one choosing to leave. “You seem thinner.” He stroked my cheek with his thumb, his eyes full of concern. “When I’m not home, you don’t eat properly again, do you?” I couldn’t understand how he could say these things so calmly to me when just the night before he’d been with his “true love” he was supposedly forced to leave. I didn’t want to explain. I just shook my head: “No, I’m just a bit tired.” I saw he wanted to say something more, but from the corner of my eye I caught sight of a slender figure standing not far away. Emma. She wore a white dress, her long hair flowing over her shoulders, looking pitiful and delicate. Almost simultaneously, Michael’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen. So did I. The caller ID showed Emma. Michael’s expression became conflicted. He quickly hung up the call and kissed my forehead apologetically. “There’s something urgent at the pack. I have to go. Be good and wait for me at home. Tonight I’ll take you to that Italian restaurant you love.” With that, he hurried to his car. After his car drove away, Emma walked over to me in her high heels. “Miss Victoria.” She smiled as she introduced herself, her gaze full of assessment and provocation. She wouldn’t even call me Luna or Mrs. Whatever. When Emma saw me, she knew I’d figured everything out. Her smile deepened. “I see Miss Victoria already knows about Alex and me.” She paused, unable to hide her smugness. “Miss Victoria, the Luna position will only ever be mine.”

Victoria POV I took a taxi and followed them to the Silver Crest Pack’s packhouse. Emma’s car had just stopped at the entrance. I paid and walked in after her. Honestly, I rarely came here. I had my own work to handle. And Michael’s company was doing well. Most of Silver Crest Pack’s young wolves chose to work at the company and live in the city. Those who stayed at the pack were mostly Omegas and some young children. Plus some warriors necessary to protect the pack. Michael and I were too busy to touch the ground, so all these people were managed and cared for by the Elder Luna. I followed her to a building that looked like a clinic. Walking in, I saw a boy lying in one of the hospital rooms. It was Alex. His face was pale, his leg covered with some kind of medicinal paste. Michael was yelling at a healer. “Why did he suddenly run to the forest and step in a trap? Is this how you watch him?!” I recognized the healer too. He was the one who healed my burns. “Michael, calm down! His injury is fine.” He tried to reason with him. “Besides, what’s the point of yelling at me?!” I hid behind the wall, my heart growing colder the more I listened. “I told you from the start—if you only want a child, you shouldn’t have kept Emma around! And now? The kid runs out looking for her every time she leaves, and you don’t have the heart to be firm. What kind of situation is this?” “Victoria is my Luna, but the pack can’t be without an heir.” Michael’s voice was weary. “Besides, Emma is my fated mate. My wolf can’t lose her.” So this was the whole truth. He couldn’t lose my business support, and he didn’t want to reject his fated mate. Perhaps that would mean losing something. I knew that when werewolves Mark their fated mates, they become stronger. So conversely, maybe rejecting one’s fated mate would weaken him? Just then, the hospital room door opened. Emma walked in carrying a cup of water, her eyes red. The moment she saw the child in the bed, tears fell. “It’s all my fault… it’s all my fault for not taking good care of Alex…” She cried with her shoulders shaking, looking especially pitiful. Michael softened. He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, comforting her gently: “It’s not your fault. Alex is our child. I’ll heal him.” Those five words—”our child”—hit my heart like a sledgehammer. Emma leaned against him, sobbing: “Michael, I know I shouldn’t expect anything. As long as I can stay with Alex while he grows up, I’ll be content…” Michael was moved by her words. He lifted his hand and wiped away her tears with his thumb. The gesture was intimately painful to watch. I clenched my palms, nails digging into my flesh, but I felt no pain. The pain in my heart had already overwhelmed everything else. I turned and left, my footsteps numb. Outside, it had started snowing again at some point. Snowflakes landed on my face and melted, ice cold. I couldn’t tell if it was snow or tears. I returned to the company soaking wet. The receptionist stood up in alarm when she saw my disheveled state. “Miss Victoria, what happened? Should I call Mr. Michael? He’ll be heartbroken seeing you like this.” To others, this would sound perfectly normal. To me, it was the ultimate irony. Heartbroken? He was heartbroken over another woman right now. I didn’t say anything. I walked straight into the conference room and locked the door. I leaned against the door, my body slowly sliding down. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I buried my face in my knees and cried out loud. I thought I’d already gone numb, but seeing that family of three with my own eyes, I completely broke down anyway. Nine years of feelings, all those moments of life and death together… none of it was his true heart. He didn’t want to lose anything, so he kept two women on the side. I don’t know how long I cried. Only after my tears ran dry did I support myself against the wall and stand up. I walked into the restroom in the break room. Looking at myself in the mirror—eyes swollen red, face deathly pale—I suddenly laughed. What was the point of crying? I changed into a spare business suit and transformed back into that lofty business elite. The dozens of messages and missed calls from Michael on my phone—I didn’t even look at them. In the evening, I dragged my exhausted body back to that gorgeous manor villa. I’d already decided. Tonight I would pack my things and leave. But when I pushed open the door, I saw Emma and Alex sitting in my living room.

Victoria POV The crystal chandelier in the living room shone brilliantly, but my eyes were ice cold. Emma wore a brand new maid’s uniform. Seeing me, she immediately stood up and bowed respectfully: “You’re home.” And that boy named Alex was taking a limited edition model car and smashing it on the floor. It was from my favorite collection series. I’d put in so much effort to complete the set. “What is going on here?” My voice was cold as ice. Michael hurried down from upstairs, forcing an unnatural smile: “Victoria, you’re back. This is… a nanny Mother sent over. She said we’re too busy and need someone to take care of us.” He pointed at Alex, telling a clumsy lie. “This child’s… father passed away. It’s been very hard for them…” I was shaking with anger. “His father passed away? Michael, do you think I’m an idiot?” I pointed at the child who looked almost exactly like him, my voice trembling. “Do you think it’s fun to carve out my heart piece by piece like this?” Seeing I was truly angry, Michael panicked and grabbed my hand. “Victoria, don’t be angry,” he said urgently, making his position clear. “If you don’t like it, I’ll have someone take him away immediately!” His false show of love only made me sick. “Waaah—” Alex seemed frightened and suddenly burst into tears, pointing at me and screaming: “Bad lady! You’re bullying my mom!” “Alex!” Michael scolded sharply. Emma immediately rushed over and held her son, saying to Michael with red eyes: “Alpha, please don’t blame him. He’s just… just shy around strangers.” Michael’s tone softened as expected. Watching this painfully glaring scene, I felt cold all over. I shook off Michael’s hand forcefully and walked upstairs without a word. The bedroom door slammed shut, cutting everything off. Michael stood outside the door for a while, murmuring a few soothing words. Hearing no response, he turned and left. Soon after, my phone received a message. It was from Emma: [Miss Victoria, if you keep Michael locked outside, don’t blame him for coming to me for comfort.] I deleted the message and got up to leave the bedroom. The villa was very quiet. Somehow I ended up at the door to the basement wine cellar. The door was ajar, warm yellow light spilling out. I walked closer and clearly heard a woman’s panting and a man’s muffled groans from inside. “Michael… slower… it hurts…” “Isn’t this what you wanted? Afraid of pain but you still dared to seduce me here?” Michael’s voice was husky, tinged with impatience, but his movements didn’t stop. “I’m warning you, Emma, don’t provoke Victoria anymore, or else…” The woman’s moans drowned out the rest of his words. I stood frozen in place, my whole body ice cold. By dawn I was lying back in bed, staring at the ceiling with empty eyes. Nine years of passionate love, his grand pursuit of me. All of it shattered in this moment. This time, I was the one who didn’t want him anymore.

Victoria POV The next morning when I came downstairs, Emma had already taken off that offensive maid’s uniform. She’d changed into a water-green silk dress that outlined her shapely figure perfectly. Only then did I realize Emma’s features were somewhat similar to mine. No wonder. No wonder Michael chose her. Or rather, no wonder he chose to marry me through an arranged alliance. “You’re up? Come have breakfast.” Emma greeted me warmly, like she was the lady of the house. As she spoke, she deliberately turned to the side, revealing the scattered red marks on her neck—intimate and glaring. But what really made my pupils contract was the brooch pinned to her chest. A vintage brooch set with a pigeon blood ruby, dazzling and brilliant. I recognized it. That was the pack’s heirloom, passed down only to the Luna. I remembered that years ago, Michael had asked his mother for this brooch for me, but his mother coldly refused, using my inability to have children as the reason. “A human woman who can’t even bear children—does she deserve to be called the pack’s Luna?” The Elder Luna’s harsh words still echoed in my ears. And now, this brooch symbolizing status and recognition was brazenly worn by a mistress. In this moment, I completely understood. How laughable was my earlier thought of maintaining the decades of goodwill between our families, not wanting to make things too ugly. It turned out that in the eyes of the Elder Luna and even the entire pack, Emma—the woman who could bear an heir—had long been recognized as their Luna. And I was just a clown kept in the dark, occupying a position I wouldn’t give up. A human they never respected but had no choice but to curry favor with. Michael came downstairs wearing a casual loungewear set. He first exchanged a knowing look with Emma, then quickly walked over to me, reaching out to feel my forehead, looking worried. “Why are you so pale? Did you catch cold last night? Don’t go to the company today. I’ll stay home with you.” Watching his masterful performance, I only felt my stomach churning. Every second I stayed with him made me feel suffocated. I found him dirty. “No need.” I coldly pushed away his hand. “I have a lot to handle at the company.” Just then, Emma came over with a cup of coffee, saying softly: “Michael, your coffee.” She naturally reached out to straighten his slightly messy collar. And Michael actually lowered his head instinctively, cooperating with her movements. It was an incredibly familiar, habitual gesture. More hurtful than any deliberate showing off. The servants around us gasped. Michael seemed to realize something was wrong and immediately stepped back, creating distance from Emma. He picked up his coat, walked to my side, and pressed a light kiss to my forehead. “Wait for me to come home.” He used the exact same indulgent tone he’d used in the wine cellar last night when speaking to another woman.

Victoria POV After Michael left, I calmly finished breakfast. I didn’t look at Emma again. I went straight upstairs and started packing. Those things Michael had given me, filling the entire walk-in closet—I packed them one by one and called my assistant to have them all sent to auction. “Donate the proceeds to charity in my name.” If I was going to make a clean break, I’d do it thoroughly. “Is Miss Victoria planning to run away from home?” Emma appeared behind me at some point, leaning against the doorframe with a smug smile. “Makes sense. A woman who can’t have children, occupying the position beside Michael all these years—it’s time to step aside.” Her words struck precisely at the most painful places in my heart. If this were before, I might have gotten angry, might have lost control. But now, I just looked at her calmly. “The Luna position? If you like it so much, take it.” I pulled out the divorce agreement I’d already signed from my bag and handed it to Emma. “Here.” Emma’s smile froze. She looked at the document in shock. Then she looked at me and told me something I never knew. “Do you know? In the werewolf world, only a formal mate ceremony is recognized by the Moon Goddess as a true mating. But human marriage…” She waved the document in her hand. “We’ve never recognized it.” So this was the fundamental reason those werewolves didn’t recognize me as Luna. In their eyes, their alpha had never truly chosen me. But I laughed, looking down at her with a hint of amusement in my tone. “But I and my business partners all recognize this arranged marriage. However, since you think I’m unimportant, then have Michael sign this agreement.” I was like a queen bestowing grace upon a jumping clown. “If you don’t have that ability, even if you shout a million times that you’re the one he chose, you’ll only ever be a mistress who can’t see the light of day! You can throw your weight around in your pack all you want, but you have no place in this city.” Emma’s expression changed several times before she finally snatched the divorce agreement, her eyes flashing with greed and wild joy. Though she was suspicious of how readily I was letting go, she believed more that I was just being stubborn. How could a woman who’d been pampered by Michael for so many years really be willing to let go? Watching Emma hurry away with the document, a hint of mockery flashed in my eyes. After packing the last piece of luggage, I sat in the living room quietly waiting for Jennifer to pick me up. My gaze swept over the empty living room, and I suddenly realized I hadn’t seen Alex, that child, from morning until now. An inexplicable doubt rose in my heart. Just then, the villa’s door was violently pushed open from outside. Michael rushed in frantically, followed by the Elder Luna with an ashen face, and… Emma crying piteously. “Victoria!” Emma rushed at me like a madwoman and shoved me hard toward the table edge. “Where did you hide my Alex?! What did you do to him?!” I was hit so hard my vision went black, and a sharp pain shot through my elbow. I steadied myself and looked coldly at the crazed woman before me: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “You still dare to lie!” Emma suddenly grabbed a fruit knife from the fruit bowl, the sharp tip pointed straight at my throat. “You can’t even tolerate an innocent child?! Victoria, how can your heart be so vicious!”

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After five years together, on the day of my wedding dress fitting, my fiancé, Liam, abandoned me alone at the bridal shop. He had to rush my sister Ashley’s pet cat, which had a mild case of diarrhea, to the emergency vet. Over the phone, his voice was filled with impatience. “Chloe, can you stop being so dramatic? Is a cat’s life not more important than you trying on some dress?” “Fine, then the wedding is off.” I calmly took off the custom-made wedding dress, worth three hundred thousand dollars. He was convinced I was just throwing a tantrum. After all, everyone knew I loved him without an ounce of dignity. He thought that in less than three days, I would come crawling back to him, begging him to reconcile, just like before. But he didn’t know I had just landed an offer from a multinational investment bank, with an annual salary of three million, and was about to leave. As for him? Whoever wants him, can have him. After all, love that comes too late is worthless. And my life, it was just beginning.

“Just because I didn’t go with you to try on wedding dresses and went to take care of Ashley’s cat instead, you want to call off our wedding?” On the other end of the phone, Liam’s voice dripped with condescending mockery. “Chloe, are you out of your mind? Is that all it takes?” “Yes, that’s all it takes.” I looked at myself in the mirror, dressed in the pure white wedding gown, my eyes devoid of any emotion. “I’m breaking off the engagement with you. We’re done.” Liam scoffed into the phone. In the background, I could hear my sister Ashley’s overly sweet, affected voice trying to soothe him. “This is the eighth time you’ve threatened to break up with me this year. Chloe, you’re an adult. Stop playing these dramatic games. I’m exhausted.” “I’m absolutely certain I want to break up. Do you understand?” I had never felt this clear-headed in my entire life. Liam gritted his teeth, his voice cold and hard: “Fine, you’ve got nerve. If you dare walk out of that bridal shop today, even if you get down on your knees and beg me later, I won’t spare you another glance. Don’t you dare regret this!” The call was abruptly disconnected. I took a deep breath, called the sales assistant, and unzipped the back of the dress without hesitation. The wedding dress was heavy. The moment I took it off, I felt the five-year-old boulder that had been weighing on my heart shatter on the floor with it. Just as I changed back into my regular clothes and was about to push the door open to leave, my phone screen lit up. It was a photo from Ashley. In the picture, Liam was bending down, carefully feeding goat milk to a Ragdoll cat, his profile so tender it could melt. Below it was a caption: “Piglet is throwing another tantrum? Oh my, I’m so jealous you have so much free time to get emotional every day. Liam is just too kind; he can’t bear to ignore even a cat. Sis, don’t be mad at him, okay?” “Piglet.” Seeing that nickname, my stomach lurched, and a wave of disgust shot straight to my head. My name is Chloe. When I was little, I was chubby from a medical condition. Ashley had always rallied all the kids at school to call me “Piglet,” and once even pushed me into a mud pit, saying pigs belonged in the mud. Ashley calling me that was one thing, but I had explicitly told Liam thousands of times that I hated that nickname, that it was a lifelong childhood trauma. Yet, just two days ago, Liam, in front of his shady friends, chuckled and patted my head, saying, “My Piglet just has a big temper.” I froze on the spot, but he blamed me for not being able to take a joke. Now, Ashley was using that condescending tone to sicken me again. I didn’t send a long message arguing with her like before, nor did I hysterically call Liam to confront him. I simply saved the screenshot, closed the chat, and muted both of them. Stepping out of the bridal shop, the sun was blinding. I hailed an Uber. “To the airport, please.” To hell with love, to hell with family. I was done playing along.

“Are you crazy? You actually broke up? Even returned the wedding dress?” My best friend, Sophia, sat across from me, so shocked she spilled her coffee. I calmly stirred the ice in my cup. “We broke up. This time, it’s for real.” “No way…” Sophia swallowed, looking at me like I was an alien. “Chloe, don’t get mad at me for being blunt, but breaking up just like that? That’s not like you at all. You used to be completely obsessed with him.” “That was then, this is now. I find him disgusting.” I took a sip of my iced Americano. The bitter taste spread through my throat, yet it cleared my head completely. Sophia sighed, reaching out to cover my hand. “If it’s over, it’s over. You should’ve dumped that jerk ages ago. But the question is, can you really let him go?” *Can you really let him go?* I had asked myself that same question countless tear-filled nights in the past. Could I really let go of Liam? Five years ago, I was a chubby girl, bloated from long-term hormone medication, and insecure to my core. That day, I was working part-time at a convenience store when a wealthy woman in designer clothes insisted I had stolen her diamond ring, which she claimed had fallen on the counter. She pointed her finger at me, cursing: “It was you, you fat pig! Look at your pathetic self, probably never seen anything this expensive in your life, have you? Hand it over, or I’m calling the cops!” I was speechless, sweating nervously, surrounded by onlookers who were all pointing fingers at me. “It wasn’t me, I really didn’t take it, the surveillance camera is broken, but I really didn’t take it…” I was so anxious I started crying, but no one believed me. Just as the woman raised her hand to slap my face, a hand with distinct knuckles firmly gripped her wrist. I opened my eyes and saw Liam, dressed in a white shirt. He stood in front of me, his voice clear and firm: “Ma’am, although the surveillance camera is broken, I was standing behind the shelves the whole time. I saw with my own eyes your ring fall into a pocket in your own handbag. If you continue to be unreasonable, I will report you for slander.” The woman froze, rummaged through her bag, and indeed found the ring. She eventually slunk away. As the crowd dispersed, I nervously clutched the hem of my shirt, unable to utter a complete thank you. He turned to me, smiled, his eyes sparkling. He gently said, “Don’t be scared. If you didn’t do it, no one can wrongly accuse you.” In that moment, Liam became the only light in my otherwise bleak life. Later, I desperately worked to lose weight, desperately tried to be good to him. I thought I had found a lifeline, that I, someone who had been unlucky for over twenty years, finally deserved a little bit of love. The day I confessed my feelings, Liam’s eyes welled up. He pulled me into a hug. “Chloe, you don’t need to change anything for me. You’re adorable when you’re plump, and beautiful when you’re thin. As long as it’s you, I love you.” I remembered those words for five years. I thought it was a mutual salvation. Until Ashley returned home, until she, as my “sister,” forcefully wedged herself into our lives. That’s when I realized Liam’s tenderness was never exclusive to me. He could shine his light on me, but he could just as generously cast it upon Ashley. And I? I was just a cheap prop he used to feel good about himself and showcase his kindness.

Ashley first contacted Liam using the excuse that her “computer was broken.” “Chloe, I heard your boyfriend works in IT. Can you send me his SnapChat? My computer crashed, and I urgently need to work on some files.” My sister and I had been at odds since childhood, so her sudden friendliness took me by surprise. I foolishly sent her Liam’s contact. For the next two weeks, Ashley didn’t contact me again, and I assumed the computer was fixed and the matter was over. Until one day, the three of us accidentally met out and went to dinner. While ordering, I was about to choose a mango pastry when Liam suddenly pressed my hand, blurting out, “Don’t order that. Ashley is allergic to mangoes.” My whole body froze, a buzzing sound in my head. I had never told Liam that Ashley was allergic to mangoes. I turned to Ashley, who was covering her mouth, giggling, “Oh my, Liam has such a good memory. I just casually mentioned it when we were chatting the night before last, and you actually remembered.” The night before last? Chatting? I looked at Liam, feeling a chill run through me. So, without my knowledge, they had become close enough to chat late at night. On the way home that day, I lost my temper with Liam for the first time. “Why were you secretly contacting my sister behind my back?” Liam, however, looked innocent, even a little impatient: “Chloe, do you have some kind of paranoia? She’s your own sister! She just got back to the country; she doesn’t know a lot of things. What’s wrong with her asking me? Aren’t I taking care of your sister to make a good impression on your family, for our future?” “But you crossed a line!” I yelled, my eyes red. “Crossed a line? I just helped her fix her computer and chatted casually for a bit. How is that crossing a line? Piglet, can you stop being so sensitive? Are you serious about making such a fuss over something so trivial?” *Piglet.* He called me Piglet again. I instantly felt all my strength drain away. I thought that by showing him my scabbed wound, he would be sympathetic, but instead, he unhesitatingly rubbed salt in it. From then on, Ashley seemed to have a get-out-of-jail-free card, becoming more and more brazen. I’d ask Liam to pick up a package for me on his way home from work, and he’d put it off for three days, saying he was too tired. But if Ashley wanted late-night street tacos from across town, he’d immediately put on his jacket and drive halfway across the city to get them. For Valentine’s Day, he gave me a wilting, discounted bouquet of roses. For Ashley’s birthday, however, he spent half a month’s salary to pick out a limited-edition necklace for her at a boutique. I argued, I cried, I even confronted my parents. But what did they say? “Ashley is your sister! What’s wrong with Liam helping her out? You’re not even married yet, and you’re already controlling your man so tightly. With your petty and small-minded personality, who would ever want you in the future?” “Ashley has always been more outstanding and sensible than you! Her testing your boyfriend for you is for your own good! Don’t be ungrateful!” Everyone stood on their moral high ground, accusing me. Everyone thought I was making a mountain out of a molehill, that I was an irrational lunatic. Over time, I even started to doubt myself: Was I really too narrow-minded? Did I really have a mental illness? I fell into a deep cycle of self-destruction, checking his phone like a maniac every day, looking for clues, only to be harshly shamed by him using the excuse of “family loyalty.” What truly made me give up completely, what made me finally tear that cancerous growth from my heart, was the day I had surgery last month.

Last month, I had stomach pain for over two weeks straight, and medication wasn’t helping. The doctor recommended I undergo minimally invasive stomach surgery immediately to remove a suspicious polyp. I was terrified. I told Liam a week in advance, hoping he could accompany me to the hospital that day. He was staring at his phone screen, not even looking up when he said, “I have a big project at work next week; I really can’t get away. It’s just minor surgery. Go by yourself, don’t be so delicate.” Suppressing my heartache, I signed the surgical consent form myself and lay alone on the cold operating table. After the anesthesia wore off, I was in so much pain I was covered in cold sweat, unable even to pour myself a glass of water. Weakly, I pulled out my phone, wanting to call Liam and hear his voice. The call connected; the background was a bit noisy. “Hello, Liam, are you done with work? I’m in so much pain…” My voice was trembling. “I’m with a client right now. It’s really loud here, so I can’t talk. Just drink some water and take it easy.” He spoke quickly, hanging up the phone in less than ten seconds. I stared at the black screen, tears silently streaming down my face. Just then, I wanted to get some hot water from the dispenser at the end of the hallway. I leaned against the wall, painstakingly moving one step at a time. As I reached the corner, I suddenly froze. Right outside the orthopedic clinic diagonally opposite, my boyfriend, who was supposedly “with a client,” was kneeling on the ground, his face full of concern, massaging Ashley’s ankle. Ashley, wearing killer heels, leaned delicately against a chair. “It’s all your fault, insisting on taking me to that walking street. My feet are all blistered.” Liam carefully applied a bandage, his tone unusually gentle: “My fault, my fault. I’ll carry you downstairs later, okay?” In that moment, the cold draft in the hospital hallway chilled me to the bone, cutting through my thin patient gown. I didn’t rush up and slap them, nor did I cause a scene like a furious banshee. I just stood there quietly, watching them laughing and chatting as they entered the elevator. Suddenly, I felt so tired. So incredibly tired. For a man who didn’t love me, for a sister who never respected my dignity, I had tormented myself, making myself out to be a pathetic fool. A “knight in shining armor” doesn’t just turn into a villain; the signs were always there. He wasn’t clueless about boundaries; he just didn’t care about my feelings. Whether he was trying to curry favor with my family under the guise of “taking care of my sister” or using the “sister” excuse to flirt with Ashley, I no longer cared to investigate. I, Chloe, never want anything that’s tainted. I leaned against the wall, slowly walking back to my room, pulling the covers over my head, and sleeping a surprisingly peaceful sleep. From that day on, I stopped arguing with him, stopped checking his phone, and stopped getting angry over Ashley’s provocations. Liam still thought I had finally “grown up” and learned to be “generous.” He didn’t know that when a woman stops arguing with you, it means she has completely given up on you. I started furiously preparing for the final stage of the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) exam, while secretly submitting my resume to several top investment banks in New York. I was never inferior to Ashley growing up. My college entrance exam scores were dozens of points higher than hers, and I won national scholarships every year in university. But my parents were biased, pouring all the family’s resources into the manipulative Ashley, forcefully cutting off my chance to study abroad and pushing me to start working early to support the family. But now, I refused to accept my fate. When my gaze was no longer fixed on Liam and Ashley, that despicable pair, I found my world to be incredibly vast. With my stellar resume and an almost perfect interview performance, I smoothly landed a Senior Associate position at a top-tier investment bank in New York, with an annual salary plus bonuses reaching close to three million. Everything was ready; all that was left was a dignified breakup. Initially, I had intended to calmly explain things to him on the day of the wedding dress fitting. But he just *had* to go take care of Ashley’s cat. So be it. Go live your life with that cat.

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This is my third year as a professional organizer, and today I received an anonymous order. When I arrived at the client’s home, the entire apartment was strewn with sex toys. The girl looked at me, embarrassed. “Sorry you had to see this. My boyfriend is just so clingy.” I smiled, reassuring her. “I get it. You two are clearly very passionate. It means you have a great relationship.” To my surprise, she brightened up. “You don’t know the half of it. My boyfriend just can’t keep his hands off me once he sees me.” “Last time, we were right in the middle of dinner, and he just had to grab me for a quickie.” “And he still wasn’t satisfied afterward. He didn’t stop all night. My legs felt like jelly when I went to work the next day.” “I told him I couldn’t take it anymore, but he insisted it was ‘a sign of his love’.” I looked at the signs of their passionate encounter all over the room, then thought of my fiancé, Ethan, who hadn’t touched me in three years. I shook my head, ready to start working. Just then, the client’s phone rang. She blushed, looking at me. “See? He wants me again.” The caller ID clearly displayed “Ethan Vance.” But wasn’t that my sexually unresponsive fiancé? …

Chloe turned, slipped into the room, and picked up the call. “Ethan, you miss me that much?” “Then come over today, please?” The male voice was silent for a moment, then agreed. “But no staying overnight, okay?” “I’ll make it up to you next time.” I froze, mechanically putting on my mask and gloves. A voice in my head screamed, desperately telling me it was just a coincidence, just a similar name and voice… I pulled out my phone and opened my chat with Ethan Vance. The last message was him wishing me a happy birthday. I quickly typed a few words: [What time do you get off work today?] Then, I turned off my screen and started working. Chloe’s coy, flirty voice from her call kept drifting into my ears, but I pretended not to hear it. Usually, time flies when I’m working, but today, seconds felt like hours. By dinnertime, the living room was already tidy. I adjusted my expression. “Ms. Miller, your order was for two days. I’ll come back tomorrow to organize the bedroom.” Chloe saw the spotless living room and grabbed my hand, her eyes sparkling. “Wow, thank you!” “Hehe, my boyfriend is coming over soon, and he’ll be so happy to see the place clean.” “Though tonight, he’s going to have me pinned down again…” I forced an unnatural smile and left the apartment. Pulling out my phone, I saw Ethan had only replied to my message five minutes ago. [Overtime at the office today. Can’t have dinner together. I’ll be back late.] Overtime again… He started his own law firm six months ago and often didn’t come home until midnight. But I never worried, after all, Ethan was sexually unresponsive. He would even vomit uncontrollably if he was intimate with a woman. I gripped my phone tightly, letting out a long breath, trying to calm the bitter wave rising in my chest. Just then, Ethan’s second message came through: [Honey, happy birthday. I know organizing involves a lot of bending over, so I specially ordered you a massage chair. It’s already been delivered home. Sorry I can’t be with you tonight. Once this busy period is over, I’ll make it up to you properly.] Seeing the words “make it up to you,” my eyes welled up. Ethan was always so thoughtful. For three years, no matter how busy he was, he always kept my well-being in mind. How could a man like that be the same man who was flirting with another woman on the phone just now? I must be too tired lately, my nerves are shot, I misheard. That night, I returned home to find a huge massage chair sitting quietly in the living room. I lay down, feeling the relief on my back, and that little flicker of doubt in my heart vanished. I habitually opened Instagram, just scrolling casually before bed. Suddenly, a newly posted update popped into my view. It was from today’s client, Chloe Miller. It was an intimate photo, not showing faces, just a man and woman intertwined in dim light. The caption read: [He said this was his way of making it up to me.] My breathing instantly hitched. In the photo, the man was tightly embracing the girl’s waist, and on the back of his hand, gripping the bedsheet, there was a dark brown scar. That scar, I would never mistake it in this lifetime. Three years ago, after my night shift, I was dragged and sexually assaulted by several strangers. It was Ethan Vance, passing by, who fought desperately to save me. That scar was left when he took a blow for me then. Later, I suffered from severe depression and wanted to die. He, as my lawyer, stood by me to win the case, sending the bad guys to prison, and pulling me out of the abyss. It was natural for us to become a couple. But for these three years, every time things got intimate, right at the last step, Ethan would suddenly rush into the bathroom and vomit violently. He’d apologize to me with a pale face, saying he had a psychological barrier. Because I felt for him, and because I was grateful to him, I never doubted him for a second. I even thought a sexless marriage for life was fine. But now, this man was sweating it out on another woman’s bed. I trembled all over, my stomach churning. With trembling hands, I screenshotted the post and sent it to Ethan, exactly as it was. My fingers stiffly typed a few words: [When you’re with her, don’t you feel like throwing up?]

Less than a minute after I sent the message, Ethan’s FaceTime call came through. I took a deep breath and pressed the answer button. On the screen, Ethan wore a neat shirt, gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. The background was clearly his law firm office. “Anya, what’s with that bizarre screenshot you sent?” He frowned slightly, a hint of helplessness in his voice. “I’ve been at the firm all night reviewing case files, I haven’t even had dinner. Are you overworked lately, starting to overthink again?” He turned the camera around. Files were piled on his desk; he was indeed alone. Seeing the bloodshot eyes, my tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and a wave of immense guilt washed over me. “I’m sorry, Ethan. I just… the scar on that person’s hand looked so much like yours.” “Silly,” he smiled gently. “All scars pretty much look the same. Get some sleep. I’ll be home soon.” In the middle of the night, there was a faint sound from the front door. Ethan hugged me from behind, whispering in my ear. “Anya, happy birthday.” “Honey, I missed you so much.” An indescribable impulse surged through me. I turned and climbed onto him, actively kissing his lips. Ethan stiffened for a moment but quickly responded with fervor. We kissed and caressed in the darkness; everything was going incredibly smoothly. Just as I thought we could finally overcome that obstacle, Ethan suddenly pushed me away as if electrified. He stumbled into the bathroom, and immediately, heart-wrenching sounds of vomiting echoed from inside. I lay stiffly on the bed, his warmth still lingering on my body, but tears silently soaked into my pillow. Immense feelings of hurt and humiliation enveloped me. Sure enough, it still wasn’t possible. I wouldn’t force him anymore… The next day, I composed myself and, as agreed, returned to Chloe Miller’s apartment to finish the remaining work. Chloe was in exceptionally good spirits today, wearing a sexy slip dress and chatting with me. “Yesterday was quite a scare, but we got away with it. My boyfriend’s shrew of a fiancée almost found us!” My hands, folding clothes, paused. She giggled and continued to boast. “But my boyfriend is so smart. To placate that stupid woman, he just took me right there to his office!” “You wouldn’t believe how thrilling it was on the office desk. While he was on a FaceTime call with his fiancée, I was ‘helping’ him under the desk.” My mind went blank. I quickly pulled out my phone and opened the screenshot of my FaceTime call with Ethan last night. I zoomed in on the image, then zoomed in more. Finally, in the shadow at the bottom right corner of Ethan’s desk, I saw a scrap of pink lace dress. Exactly like the one Chloe was wearing right now! “Oh, what are you looking at?” Chloe leaned closer, her gaze falling on my phone screen. She first froze, then the innocent look on her face instantly faded. She scrutinized me from head to toe, then covered her mouth as if suddenly realizing. “Oh, so you’re the fiancée who got raped, huh?” “What was your name again? Anya Hayes, right?” My body went cold. I stared fixedly at her. Chloe curled her lips and decided to just lay it all out. “Do you really think that hero-saving-the-damsel-in-distress act three years ago was destined by fate?” My heart clenched. “What do you mean?”

“Use your brain. That alley didn’t even have streetlights. How could Ethan just coincidentally be passing by there in the middle of the night?” Chloe giggled. “Those strangers? Ethan actually paid them to put on a show for you, just so you’d be completely devoted to him!” “What are you saying…” I felt like I’d been plunged into an ice bath. Three years ago, I was about to confess my feelings to my crush from college, whom I’d liked for years. On the way, Ethan Vance blocked my path, holding a large bouquet of roses, and publicly confessed to me. I rejected him without hesitation. “I’m sorry, Ethan. I have someone I like, and I’m going to see him today.” I still remember how Ethan, always so proud, instantly had his face darken when he heard that. At the time, I just thought he was bowing his head in sadness. But I never imagined that it was on that very night I was dragged into that unlit dead-end alley… “Too bad the act went too far, though.” Chloe leaned closer to me. “He didn’t expect those strangers to get carried away by lust and get serious.” “Even though Ethan sent them to prison, he’s been completely disgusted by you inside.” “He told me, every time he sees you, he remembers you being pressed down by those men. He thinks you’re tainted goods, he couldn’t even get it up with you, so how could he possibly touch you?” A loud, heavy slap landed squarely on Chloe Miller’s face. My palm tingled with numbness, and my blood ran cold. “Shut up!” My eyes were red, and my voice was so hoarse it didn’t sound like my own. Chloe, clutching her rapidly reddening and swelling face, shrieked in disbelief. Just then, the apartment door was opened from the outside with a code. Ethan Vance walked in, carrying two takeout bags, and happened to witness the scene. “Ethan!” Chloe’s tears instantly burst forth, and she flung herself into Ethan’s arms. “She hit me! Your fiancée is so mean!” The moment Ethan saw me, a flicker of panic crossed his eyes. But when he saw the slap mark on Chloe’s face, that bit of guilt instantly turned into accusation. “Anya Hayes, what are you doing?!” He pulled Chloe behind him, frowning at me. “What couldn’t you talk about calmly? Why resort to violence? When did you become such a shrew?” “A shrew, me?” I pointed at this disgusting pair, tears of despair streaming down my face. “Ethan Vance, that act you put on three years ago was so convincing!” Hearing me bring up three years ago, Ethan’s face changed, but he quickly forced himself to be calm, sighing. “Since Chloe has already told you, I won’t hide it anymore.” “It was indeed an accident back then, but I also paid the price and got you justice, didn’t I?” He sounded self-righteous. “I just can’t get past it emotionally. Every time I touch you, I feel disgusted. What am I supposed to do?” “But I never thought of abandoning you. Our wedding next month will proceed as planned. I will still take care of you, and I’ll continue to cover your mom’s medical expenses.” “I just need Chloe to take care of my… needs. You can be Mrs. Vance, and we can all just live in peace, right?” Chloe, hiding in his arms, peered out and provocatively raised her eyebrows at me. I looked at this man before me, finding him terrifyingly unfamiliar. So his “heroic” act back then was just a calculation. And his kindness to me for these three years, was it just charity… “Ethan Vance, you disgust me.” I wiped away my tears, my back stiffening. “Cancel the wedding.”

I returned to the apartment we shared, packed my things, and moved back to my mom’s old apartment. Walking in, my mom was sitting on the sofa, wearing her reading glasses, happily cutting out wedding decorations. Seeing me return with my suitcase, she froze. “Anya, what’s wrong? Did you fight with Ethan?” My mom quickly put down her scissors and, taking my hand, tried to comfort me. “You’re getting married soon. Ethan is such a good boy. Back then, when you went through such a terrible thing, if it weren’t for him…” Hearing about that incident, my heart clenched, stinging like needles. After my incident, my mom couldn’t bear the shock and suffered a sudden, severe heart attack, barely surviving after three days and nights in critical condition. Since then, doctors said she absolutely couldn’t endure any more stress. That’s why for these three years, I had always been so compliant with Ethan, humble to my very core. I suppressed my tears and forced a smile. “It’s nothing, Mom. Just some pre-wedding jitters. I’m coming home for a few days.” As soon as I settled in, Ethan’s call came through. “Anya Hayes, are you done with your drama? I’ve provided for you all these years, what more could you want?” I trembled with anger, but he just scoffed and continued. “Don’t forget, Dr. Adams, the lead surgeon for your mom’s heart bypass surgery next week, was arranged through my father’s connections.” “I advise you to face reality, come back, and apologize to Chloe and me. Then we can put this behind us.” “You’re the ones who are wrong, why should I apologize?” I hung up on him abruptly. To prevent my mom from seeing anything amiss, I went out as usual the next day to take organizing jobs. But halfway through work, my phone started ringing wildly. It was an emergency call from the hospital. “Is this Ms. Anya Hayes? Your mother suddenly collapsed from a heart attack and is currently in critical condition. Please come immediately!” I rushed to the hospital like crazy. As soon as I burst through the emergency room doors, I saw Chloe Miller. She was sitting on a bench in the hallway, admiring her freshly done nails. When she saw me, she smiled smugly. “You’re too late.” “I specially went to visit your mom on Ethan’s behalf, and casually told her that Ethan had arranged for you to be assaulted back then, and now he despises you, thinks you’re tainted goods, and doesn’t want you anymore.” After hearing that, I completely lost my mind. Screaming, I lunged forward, grabbed her hair, dragged her fiercely to the ground, and like a maniac, strangled her neck. “Stop it!” A strong force suddenly pushed me away. Ethan Vance had arrived at some point. He kicked me to the ground and tenderly picked up Chloe from the ground, holding her in his arms. My forehead hit hard against the iron corner of the bench, and blood instantly streamed into my eyes. At that moment, the emergency room door opened. Dr. Adams walked out anxiously. “The patient’s condition is very critical. She needs open-heart surgery immediately, or she won’t last five minutes!” I scrambled up, wanting to beg Dr. Adams to save my mom no matter what, but Ethan blocked me. He looked down at me. “You want the surgery? Fine.” “Now, get on your knees and beg Chloe for forgiveness.” I bit my lip hard, my mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood. My mom, my only relative, lay in the emergency room. I smiled miserably, my legs buckled, and I knelt with a thud before Chloe Miller. “I’m sorry.” I raised my hand, slapping myself repeatedly across the face. “I was wrong. Please, save my mom.” My face stung, but my heart was already numb. Chloe snuggled into Ethan’s arms, curling her lips in satisfaction. Only then did Ethan snort coldly and nod to Dr. Adams. I slumped down outside the cold emergency room, praying for a miracle. After what felt like an eternity, the doctors slowly wheeled a gurney out. I scrambled forward on my hands and knees but stopped stiffly. On the gurney, there was only a stark white sheet, quietly covering my mom’s face.

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I’d been in a secret relationship with my best friend’s brother for eight years. During the day, Ethan Rivers treated me like just another secretary at the office. At night, he cherished me completely, holding me close and whispering sweet promises of love. One day, I accidentally discovered he’d bought a lifetime commitment ring – the kind you can only customize once in your life. Heart full of joy, I followed him to the prepared venue. Only to watch Ethan kneel on one knee before a woman who looked eerily like me, promising to marry no one else but her. After the successful proposal, Ethan’s friends congratulated him while teasing: “Now that your first love is back, when are you planning to break up with Luna?” Ethan exhaled a lazy smoke ring, his eyes dark and unreadable: “Luna is crazy about me. She can’t leave me even if she wanted to. Let’s just… take our time with that.” I pressed my hand over my mouth to muffle my sobs, turned around, and texted my family: [Mom, I agree to come back for the arranged marriage.] By pure coincidence, Ethan’s wedding day happened to fall on the exact same day I was getting my marriage certificate. When he saw the photo of my marriage announcement, his face went deathly pale…

After calling my mother to finalize the arranged marriage, I immediately booked a plane ticket. Forcing myself not to replay what I’d just witnessed, I rushed home and started packing as fast as I could. When I went to the living room to grab some things, Ethan came home. He wrapped his arms around me, his expression happier than I’d ever seen it. “Luna, I love you so much. Let’s stay together forever, okay?” He leaned in to kiss me, his breath reeking of alcohol, the gardenia perfume on him so strong it was suffocating. Ethan used to constantly give me gardenia-scented perfume. Even after I told him countless times that I preferred jasmine, he kept enthusiastically buying me gardenia. A few times when I forgot to wear it, he got really angry with me. Only now did I understand – the one who loved this perfume, the one Ethan truly loved, had always been another woman. From the very beginning, he’d only been trying to recreate a substitute. Nausea rising in my throat, I dodged away from Ethan’s advance. But the desire on his face didn’t fade. He suddenly pinned me against the door, his cool hands already sliding under my clothes. “Ethan! Let go of me!” The man’s eyes flashed with surprise. I’d never used this tone with him before. Just as Ethan was about to speak, the doorbell rang. When he opened the door, a woman rushed in and threw her arms around him, quickly planting a kiss on his cheek. She saw me and smiled brilliantly, blindingly so. “You must be Miss Grey, the secretary who’s been by Ethan’s side for eight years, right?” “Hi there! I’m Vivian, Ethan’s fiancée. Thank you so much for taking care of him all these years!” The strong scent of gardenias rushed into my nostrils as she moved, the exact same fragrance that was all over Ethan just moments ago. I didn’t move, just looked at Ethan. Ethan only froze for a moment before avoiding my eyes and nodding. “Yes, she’s the secretary I told you about.” “She doesn’t make much, so I let her stay in the guest room here. It’s convenient having her around to help with various tasks.” Vivian waved her hand dismissively: “Ethan, why are you explaining this to me again? I’m not some petty woman who can’t separate business from personal matters.” “Besides, Miss Grey looks so much like me – of course you’d feel more comfortable and familiar having her around! Actually, I should be thanking Miss Grey!” “Oh, and since Miss Grey is familiar with the layout here, I’ll trouble you to move all my luggage to Ethan’s room! Ethan and I are getting married soon, so it’s time we started living together!” Vivian excitedly bossed me around. Ethan showed no sign of objecting. I remembered the several times I’d begged to move into the master bedroom. Ethan had always refused, saying couples also needed their own space. Only occasionally, when passion struck, would he let me stay the night in his room. If I accidentally left anything behind, he’d darken his expression and say he hoped I could be more mindful of boundaries. So in the end, it was simply because the position of mistress of the house had never been meant for me. Ethan suddenly gestured at his phone. I looked down to see a message from him in our chat. [Vivian and I are only in a nominal alliance marriage, just for show for the company merger. Don’t misunderstand.] I couldn’t help but laugh. Even now, Ethan was still treating me like a three-year-old child. Fine. If he said his alliance marriage was fake, then it was fake. As long as mine was real, that’s all that mattered. I headed to the guest room to finish packing my luggage, but saw Vivian get there first. “Miss Grey, Ethan is going to be all over me from now on, so it won’t be convenient for you to keep living here. You should hurry up and pack your things and find your own place…” “Oh my, Miss Grey, you’ve already packed half your stuff? And your clothing style is so similar to mine! We’re so meant to be!”A chill spread through my heart, impossible to stop.

What Ethan loved most was buying me clothes and jewelry. I used to think it was proof of how much he cherished and loved me. Now, looking at this roomful of clothing and accessories that completely clashed with my own style, I could see that every single piece would look absolutely perfect on Vivian. It made me look like the intruder who’d stolen someone else’s nest. I didn’t want to question anything anymore, but Ethan grabbed my hand with a dark expression, his tone urgent: “Why would you suddenly start packing for no reason? Answer me!” I turned my face away, not wanting to respond, when I saw Vivian reaching for my music box. “Don’t touch it!” CRASH! The music box fell heavily to the floor, the lid and the little figurines scattering everywhere, shards covering the ground. “Ah… I’m so sorry, Miss Grey, I didn’t mean to… Ethan, my hand… it hurts so much…” Vivian clutched the scratch on her palm and started crying. Ethan ran over to check her wound. The next second, he stomped his foot down hard on the music box remains, his face black with anger. He glared at me viciously: “It’s just a broken decoration! Did you really need to deliberately scare people like that, Luna!?” “Hurry up and throw this pile of garbage away. I don’t want to see it in my house again!” After saying this, Ethan ground his foot harder on the remains, then picked up Vivian and left without looking back. Tears splashed onto the music box wreckage. The shards cut my fingers, but I couldn’t feel any pain. When I was sixteen, my parents were getting divorced. Not knowing what to do, I ran to my best friend Claire Rivers’ house. She wasn’t there, but I ran into Ethan, who’d just come back from playing ball with friends. “Luna, you’re Claire’s friend, right? Why are you crying? Tell me what’s wrong.” Eyes red, I tried to leave, but Ethan grabbed me, frowning as he chased away the friends who wanted him to game with them. He told me to wait, then ran out alone in the rain to buy the best desserts and cakes in the entire city, piling them all in front of me. He ruffled my hair to comfort me, then mysteriously pulled out a music box from behind his back. It played a gentle melody, with little figurines of a hero and princess slowly spinning in circles on top. “Luna, don’t be afraid.” “No matter how others treat you in the future, I’ll protect you for the rest of my life. Let this music box be my promise.” The way teenage boys comfort people is always pure and direct, but in that moment of helplessness, it made me fall completely for him. From that day until today, I’d loved Ethan Rivers for a full ten years. I still remembered the promise he made. But the person who made that promise had long since forgotten it completely. Cradling the remains in my palms, I took one last look before throwing them in the trash. If that’s how it was, then I didn’t want the promise or Ethan anymore. Never again. Ethan didn’t come back until the next morning. After shipping my luggage home, I went to the office to print my resignation letter, preparing to hand it in to Ethan’s office. On the way, Ethan sent me a message. [Baby, I spoke too harshly yesterday. I ended up sleeping at the office after working late last night, just woke up. I’ll head home soon.] I looked up at Ethan’s empty office in front of me and placed the resignation letter on his desk. I didn’t reply, just exited the chat and unpinned him from the top of my messages. A red notification appeared in my contacts – Vivian had added me. The moment I accepted, a message from her popped up. [Ethan, when you get back from the convenience store, remember to buy a few more boxes of condoms! You were so intense last night… you used up everything we had at home!] Followed by several blushing emojis. Right at the two-minute mark, Vivian deleted the message. [OMG I’m so sorry Miss Grey… I sent that to the wrong person… You didn’t see anything, did you?] My heart ached, but I was too tired to play along with her act. Still, I instinctively opened her Instagram. Photos and posts unfolded before me like a movie. Turns out Vivian had been back for a month. During that month, Ethan had taken every spare moment to travel with her to various places. Looking back at the dates, I realized these were all trips Ethan had claimed he was assigning to other employees so I wouldn’t be overworked. The Eiffel Tower in Paris, Mount Fuji in Tokyo… All places I’d begged Ethan to take me to. He’d always held me and coaxed me, saying yes, yes, as soon as work wasn’t so busy, he’d take me. I waited eight years and never saw the day when he’d have free time. Vivian had only been back one month, and suddenly he wasn’t busy anymore. At each location, Ethan cooperated with Vivian to take many photos. But during all these years with Ethan, I’d never been allowed to point my camera at him. “If my sister finds out I stole her best friend away, she’d probably kill me.” “Luna, you’re my secretary after all. Office romances attract gossip – I don’t want you to get hurt.” But when you truly love someone, how can you possibly hide it? I was too slow to realize – Ethan had kept our relationship shrouded in secrecy for eight years. I should have understood long ago that he simply didn’t love me! I was about to exit the app when I saw a new photo pop up on Vivian’s profile. The background showed a bed. Vivian wore a skimpy camisole, her slender fingers trailing across the man’s firm, muscular abs. Tears finally spilled out uncontrollably, landing right on Vivian’s caption. [Last night’s beautiful memory. He said the imitation is just an imitation – it could never compare to even half the flavor of me, the original.]

I wiped away my tears and casually liked the post. Turning to leave the office, I ran into my best friend Claire Rivers, who was there on business. I told her directly that I’d be going back to get married soon. All these years, because Ethan made me keep our relationship secret, whenever Claire brought up romantic topics, I’d deliberately change the subject. Now that I was leaving, I at least needed to tell her goodbye properly. Claire looked completely shocked. “So sudden! Does that mean we’ll barely get to see each other anymore!” I nodded helplessly. The next second, she grabbed me playfully. “Luna, you always said you were too busy with work, so I never got a chance to have my mom really meet my best friend.” “Now that you’re leaving, you absolutely cannot bail on me today!” Just like that, Claire dragged me to attend a dinner party her family was hosting that evening. I’d always avoided Claire’s invitations before because Ethan said he wanted to wait until he officially made our relationship public to personally introduce me as the future Rivers daughter-in-law. In all these years together, I never got to see the day when Ethan would introduce me to his family. Who would have thought that now, as I was leaving, I’d finally get the chance. After getting styled, Claire and I arrived at the Rivers estate just as the family dinner was already halfway through. Ethan stood beside Mr. and Mrs. Rivers with Vivian on his arm. Various celebrities and elites took turns coming forward to offer congratulations on their engagement. So that’s what tonight’s dinner was for – to officially announce their engagement. Ethan Rivers really couldn’t wait to tell the whole world he was marrying Vivian. I instinctively wanted to leave, but Claire was already pulling me toward them. “Dad! Mom! I brought my dear best friend to meet you!” When Ethan saw me, his expression froze, and he slightly loosened his arm from around Vivian. The moment Mrs. Rivers saw me, her face lit up with joy. “I’ve always heard my daughter mention she has such an accomplished and kind best friend. Now that I’ve met you in person, you really are as lovely and sweet as she said!” I shook my head awkwardly. Looking at Mrs. Rivers holding my hand so warmly and affectionately, I felt an indescribable desolation. We’d almost been able to become mother and daughter-in-law who genuinely got along. “By the way, Miss Grey, Claire mentioned you’ve been so busy with work all these years that you haven’t had time to date anyone. There are many wonderful young men at our dinner party tonight – would you like me to introduce you to someone?” Before I could refuse, Ethan let out a cold laugh: “She doesn’t need that.” Right, I didn’t need it anymore. After all, I was about to go back for an arranged marriage. Claire jumped in to help explain: “Mom, Luna really doesn’t need it. My precious best friend is about to go to New York to get married. I don’t even know how many times a year I’ll get to see her after this…” Hearing this, Ethan’s previously smug expression suddenly froze. He stared at me, his eyes dark and unreadable. Midway through, I went to the restroom. When I returned to the banquet hall, Ethan pulled me into a corner and held me in his arms. The man lazily lowered his head, his voice carrying a hint of reproach as he spoke in my ear. “Baby, don’t make up stories about marrying someone else anymore. Even I get jealous hearing that.” I looked at him, finding it somehow absurd: “But aren’t you about to marry another woman too?” Ethan frowned. “Don’t be difficult. You know this is just for the company.” A moment later, he softened his voice to coax me: “Alright, baby, you’ve always been so understanding, haven’t you? After the banquet ends, go home and finish packing. I’ll take you to move into the new apartment.” “After all, Vivian and I are officially engaged. It’s not appropriate for you to keep living at the house.” Because I was understanding, I obediently stayed in a secret relationship with Ethan for eight years that no one knew about. Now, was he planning to keep me as some kind of mistress who could never see the light of day? I was about to say “no thanks” when Vivian’s crying suddenly echoed from the main hall. Ethan immediately released me and rushed over.

“What’s wrong, Vivian?” Vivian held out her left hand, pointing at her empty ring finger, sobbing uncontrollably. “Ethan, the proposal ring you gave me is gone… That’s the ring you can only customize once in your life, and it was still there before I went to the restroom…” Vivian looked at me, then grabbed me while crying: “Miss Grey, you and I were the only ones in the restroom… I know you’ve been Ethan’s secretary for many years, so you probably have some possessive feelings toward your boss… but that ring is really important to me. If you took it, please, I’m begging you to give it back!” With this move, Vivian made everyone see me as the thief. “I knew these secretaries were all trouble. She even deliberately made herself look like Miss Vivian. A sparrow is still a sparrow – did she really think using cheap tricks would turn her into a phoenix!?” “Exactly! And she actually had the audacity to steal an engagement ring! This kind of low-class woman should be permanently banned from our circle!” All kinds of cutting, mocking words shot toward me. I instinctively looked at Ethan, only to see him darkening his expression and snapping at me: “Hand it over!” Even knowing he didn’t love me, I still couldn’t believe that in his heart, he actually thought I was capable of doing something like this. “How am I supposed to hand over something I never even saw!” I bit my lip hard, struggling to control the sob in my voice. I absolutely could not cry here. If I cried, I would truly lose everything. Ethan shook his head, his eyes filled with disappointment in me. “You’re still making excuses!? Since you won’t return it voluntarily, I’ll have to have you searched!” With that, Ethan called over several servants to search me on the spot. Claire rushed over: “Ethan, don’t do this to Luna! I’ve known her for years – she would never do something like this!” Mrs. Rivers also anxiously tried to intervene: “That’s right, Ethan. I also think Miss Grey doesn’t seem like someone who would do this. Could there be some misunderstanding?” Ethan laughed coldly: “There can’t be any misunderstanding! Vivian has always been kind-hearted, not the type to falsely accuse people. If she hadn’t done something, why would Vivian suspect her for no reason?” My heart turned to ash. Even Mrs. Rivers, who’d only just met me, was willing to believe in my character and speak up for me. But Ethan had known me for ten years, and we’d been together for a full eight years! One casual accusation from Vivian made him completely disregard all those years we’d spent together, nailing me to the pillar of shame as someone with rotten character! The difference between being loved and not being loved truly was the most insurmountable chasm in this world! I was held down by several servants and could only close my eyes in despair as they roughly searched me. Only after they’d searched everywhere did Vivian suddenly cry out in surprise. She pulled the engagement ring out of her purse: “Oh my… I’m so careless… I forgot I’d already put it in my bag before washing my hands…” “Miss Grey, I’m so sorry… I misunderstood you. I apologize…” Vivian spoke the words of apology, but the next second she covered her face and ran out crying. Ethan only glanced at me once, said nothing, and then chased after Vivian to comfort her. Exhausted in body and soul, I declined Mr. and Mrs. Rivers’ apologies on Ethan’s behalf, left the Rivers estate, and got straight into a cab headed for the airport. I sat numbly in the airport waiting to board my rescheduled flight. In the meantime, Ethan sent me a message. [You shouldn’t have made Vivian lose face like that at the event. She’s technically your superior now. Remember to apologize to her later.] The announcement for my flight boarding just happened to come over the speakers. A relationship no one knew about didn’t need a breakup. I replied with a simple [Okay], treating it as my final goodbye to Ethan. Then I exited the chat, blocked him on every platform, and boarded the plane to New York without looking back. …… A few days later, Ethan’s wedding day with Vivian arrived. But he stood in the wedding hall smoking one cigarette after another. When his friends asked what was wrong, his furrowed brow showed concern: “Luna hasn’t made a peep these past few days. With how big my wedding is today, she’s probably crying somewhere right now.” One of his friends looked stunned and pulled out his phone, showing it to Ethan: “You don’t know yet? The Cross family – New York’s wealthiest – just announced a wedding this morning. Their eldest son, Sebastian Cross, is marrying your secretary…”

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A week before Valentine’s Day, my roommate Eve suddenly started being nice to me, clearly trying to butter me up so she could borrow my car. I didn’t even think twice before turning her down. She’d borrowed my car plenty of times before, but she never cleaned it afterward. It was always left filthy. When I refused, Eve didn’t say anything at the time. But on Valentine’s Day itself, I got a call asking me to move my car. I immediately pulled up my car’s remote camera system to see what was going on, and discovered that the person who’d stolen my car was none other than my roommate, Eve. And her boyfriend Lawrence was sitting in the passenger seat. “This car is amazing! I had no idea you were so loaded!” “Let’s do something exciting tonight. What do you say we try it in the car?” Eve giggled and said “stop it,” but I was already so disgusted I wanted to throw up. Stealing my car to go out was one thing, but they were planning to do THAT in it? I noticed they’d parked at the location of a famous food festival. It would be packed with people tonight. Well then, I’d make sure they got plenty of attention. Let them get their “excitement” in front of everyone! ……

On Valentine’s Day, I was the only single person left in the dorm. Everyone else had gone out on dates. I’d just finished my takeout and was about to take a nap when I suddenly got a call asking me to move my car. “Hello, your parking time is up. We’re opening the food festival tonight, so you need to come move your car as soon as possible.” His words confused me. My car had just been sent to the shop for maintenance yesterday. How could it be parked outside? Instantly, I remembered news stories I’d seen online. Shop employees would secretly take customers’ cars out for joyrides. Had they stolen my car? I quickly hung up and opened my car’s remote camera app, rewinding to this morning to see what had happened. The image on my phone screen made me freeze completely. The person who’d taken my car wasn’t a shop employee. It was my roommate. Eve. She’d brought her boyfriend Lawrence and two guys I didn’t recognize. They looked like they were probably Lawrence’s roommates. From the moment they got in the car, they’d been complimenting Eve non-stop. “Wow, this car is incredible! I had no idea you were so loaded!” “This is my first time in a Tesla. It feels so cool!” Lawrence was sitting in the passenger seat, looking smug. “Well, look whose girlfriend she is. You think I’d date just anyone?” As he spoke, his hand wandered inappropriately onto Eve’s thigh. “But babe, your family must be so rich! You haven’t even graduated and they bought you such an expensive car.” Eve let Lawrence touch her leg without any shame, lying through her teeth. “It’s just a commuter car. My dad saw that my internship was pretty far away and didn’t want me taking the subway, so he just bought it on a whim. He said when I graduate, he’ll get me something even better.” The two guys in the back seat gasped. “This is just a commuter car? How rich is your family?” “Damn, I’m hanging out with wealthy people now.” “Can I take some photos in the driver’s seat? I want to brag to my friends.” Eve casually agreed. “Sure, no problem.” Lawrence stroked his chin creepily. “Let’s do something exciting tonight. I think this back seat is big enough. Want to try it out later?” As soon as he said that, Eve responded with a coy “stop it!” while the two guys in the back pretended not to hear and kept taking photos. Watching through my phone screen, I felt so disgusted I almost threw up. I should have suspected it was Eve all along.

Ever since my dad bought me this new car, Eve had been constantly asking for rides, sometimes even borrowing the car outright. At first, I felt awkward refusing since we were roommates, so I lent it to her a few times. But every single time Eve used the car, she didn’t clean it, and she’d drain the entire battery without charging it. She wouldn’t even pay the few dozen dollars it cost to charge. I wasn’t going to be a pushover, so of course I stopped lending her the car. Because of this, Eve and I had a cold war in the dorm for a long time, only recently patching things up a bit. A week before Valentine’s Day, Eve suddenly bought me a milk tea as a peace offering. “Karen, I’ve realized what I did wrong. I promise if I use your car again, I’ll definitely clean it. Can we still be friends?” I couldn’t very well ignore her when she was making an effort. So I accepted the milk tea and made peace with her. “As long as you know what you did wrong. We’ve been living together for so long, I’m not going to hold a small thing like this against you.” Hearing my words, Eve eagerly grabbed my arm. “That’s great! Karen, I knew you were the most beautiful and generous person! So, do you have plans for Valentine’s Day? Want to hang out with me?” I calmly pulled my arm free and declined. “No thanks. You should spend that day with your boyfriend. I don’t want to be a third wheel.” “Oh, okay then.” Eve sighed with fake disappointment, then revealed her true intentions. “Could I borrow your car then? I want to go on a road trip with my boyfriend. I promise I won’t make it dirty this time!” Hearing her ask to borrow the car again, I instinctively shook my head. “I already sent my car in for maintenance. I can’t lend it to you that day.” This wasn’t a lie—I really had taken my car in for maintenance. I was single and didn’t have a date anyway, so I didn’t need to pick a specific day for car maintenance. I thought Eve might get angry when I refused, but surprisingly, she didn’t seem upset at all. In fact, she looked excited as she pressed me for more information. “Is it the same shop as before?” “Yeah.” I answered, a bit puzzled. “Since it’s in for maintenance, I won’t borrow it then. I’m going out on my date now. Enjoy your milk tea.” With that, Eve happily left. At the time, I didn’t understand why Eve seemed happy even though she couldn’t borrow the car. Now I realized she’d already planned to steal my car. Thinking of this, I picked up my phone and called the shop. As soon as they answered, I confronted them. “Why did you let someone take my car from your shop without even calling me?” The employee answered nervously. “Miss Karen, wasn’t that your sister who picked it up? She gave us your phone number and knew your name, so we gave her the car.” “Sister?” I couldn’t help raising my voice. Eve had claimed to be my sister. “Yeah.” The employee sounded confused. “This isn’t the first time she’s picked up the car. She’s come for it during previous maintenance appointments too, returning it after a couple days. That’s why we gave it to her. Don’t you know her?” His words gave me a bad feeling. This wasn’t the first time Eve had stolen my car. But why had Lawrence just said this was his first time in this car? What had Eve been doing with my car? I quickly told the employee that only I could pick up the car from now on, then hung up. Then, based on when my car had been in for maintenance, I checked through my dashcam footage. What I saw nearly made me die of anger.

Eve had been stealing my car and renting it out to other people to have sex in! No wonder the car was always such a mess when she borrowed it, with that weird smell. She’d been using my car as a mobile hotel! My whole body started trembling. I grabbed the dorm bunk bed and dry-heaved several times. This was the first car my dad had ever bought me, a graduation gift, and now Eve had ruined it like this! Just then, the dorm door opened. It was my best friend Mia coming back. She was holding a little cake she’d brought for me. “Pretty sweet of me, right? Even on my date, I was thinking of you.” As soon as I saw her, I threw my phone aside and rushed into her arms, telling her everything that had just happened. My best friend was furious. She grabbed her phone to call Eve and confront her directly. But I stopped her. “Wait!” My friend looked at me in confusion. “What’s wrong, Karen? You’re not thinking of forgiving her, are you? Absolutely not! This is theft!” “Of course I’m not going to forgive her.” A sly gleam flashed in my eyes. “I just have a better way to deal with her. Right now, you need to take me to the night market on your electric scooter. Fast!” My friend thought I wanted to confront Eve in person, so without another word, she pulled me downstairs. On the way to the night market, I scrolled through Instagram and actually saw a post from Eve. She’d posted a nine-photo grid, all posed shots in my car, with the middle photo being a couple shot with Lawrence. The caption made me want to laugh. “Haven’t even graduated from college and my dad insists on buying me a car. I told him it was too flashy and I didn’t need it, but he got it anyway, so I guess I’ll show it off~” Our mutual friends had all liked it, and there were plenty of comments. “Wow, I had no idea you were rich, Eve!” “When do you have time to hang out? We should go for a drive in your new car.” “Does your dad need a son? I can be your brother.” Seriously? Eve didn’t even block me from seeing this? That bold? I immediately took a screenshot and posted it directly to our dorm group chat, tagging Eve to scare her a bit. “Isn’t this my car? Eve, you’re using my car without even telling me?” After I sent the message, no one in the group chat said anything. My friend also tagged Eve with me. “Stop playing dead and explain yourself, or we’re calling the police.” This time Eve responded quickly. “What do you mean ‘your car’? Are all Teslas yours now? My family bought this for me. Why would I need to tell you anything?” Her tone was so confident it almost made me doubt myself. If I hadn’t just seen Eve driving my car through the dashcam, I might actually have been fooled. Another roommate started defending Eve. “Eve’s right. Just because the car model is the same doesn’t mean it’s your car. Are you saying only you can buy a car and no one else can?” This roommate had always been close with Eve, like her little sidekick. Usually in the dorm, it was me and my best friend hanging out together, and the two of them hanging out together. Except for when Eve borrowed my car, we generally didn’t interact much. My friend was stunned by Eve’s shamelessness. “Oh really? If Eve bought the car herself, fine. Just post the purchase receipt in the group chat and we’ll believe the car is yours.” “Why should I have to prove anything to you?” Eve was finally getting defensive. “Anyway, this car isn’t Karen’s. Stop bothering me while I’m on my date with my boyfriend.” After that, she sent a voice message in the group. It was Lawrence’s voice. “I’ve always heard girls’ dorms are full of drama, and I guess it’s true. It’s normal for you to be jealous of my girlfriend. After all, she’s rich and has an amazing boyfriend like me. But stop harassing her, okay? Don’t ruin our romantic time together, or I’ll make things difficult for you.”

After sending that message, Eve disappeared and stopped responding in the group. By then, my friend and I had arrived at the night market. This night market was a very unique local spot. During the day it was a parking lot, but at night it transformed into a bustling night market full of people. But Eve and Lawrence weren’t from around here, so they probably didn’t know about this. Otherwise they wouldn’t have parked the car there. Just then, the staff member called me again about moving my car. “Hello ma’am, our night market is already getting very crowded. If you don’t come soon, we’ll have to tow your car. Otherwise it’ll interfere with the vendors’ business.” “Can you ask the vendors around my car how much they make in one night?” My tone was calm. “I can’t move my car right now. I’ll cover the lost revenue for all the nearby vendors. Just let my car stay parked right in the middle of the night market.” The staff member paused, probably never having encountered such a generous car owner before. After a long moment, he responded. “The vendors just told me they make around $20,000 in one night.” “Okay, give me an account number and I’ll transfer it to you.” After I said that, I hung up. My friend looked confused. “We’re not going to find those two cheaters directly? Why are we paying the vendors?” I didn’t say anything. I just silently opened the app connected to my dashcam. It immediately showed the current scene inside the car. The two guys from Lawrence’s dorm who’d been in the back seat were no longer in the car. They were probably out eating at the night market. Only Eve and Lawrence remained in the car. They’d hung clothes over the front windows, and the two of them were embracing in the back seat. “Why are there more and more people here? Maybe we should leave?” Eve looked at the crowd outside, her face showing some discomfort. “No need.” Lawrence didn’t care at all. “I actually think this is perfect. More people makes it more exciting.” “But babe, is this car really yours? How come you never mentioned your family was so rich?” Lawrence suddenly changed the subject, catching Eve off guard. She answered somewhat nervously. “I was testing you before. Now that you’ve passed the test, I won’t hide it from you anymore.” “That’s great! I already told my mom about us. She’s urging us to get married after we graduate.” “Really? Your parents approve of us?” Eve’s eyes lit up. “Of course. You’re so great, and your family is well-off. What wouldn’t my parents approve of?” As he spoke, Lawrence started getting handsy again. I had no interest in watching them put on an inappropriate show for me. I immediately exited the app. My friend beside me had already covered her eyes, traumatized by what she’d seen. “Eve is crazy! She’s actually doing this kind of thing in your car? She’s so disgusting! Karen, how are you going to deal with them?” A cold smile curved my lips. I grabbed my friend’s hand and walked straight toward my car. By now, the area around my car was already full of people visiting the night market. Calculating the time, Eve and Lawrence should have already taken off their clothes by now. Under my friend’s puzzled gaze, I pulled out my phone, opened the car’s bluetooth key, and activated the convertible mode. In an instant, the car’s top slowly retracted. Passersby were drawn to it and stopped to watch. In front of everyone’s eyes, Eve and Lawrence appeared before us, half-dressed.

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