Category: English

By the fifth year of being with Ethan Taylor, he said he was tired of me. Then one day, he brought home a young, beautiful college girl. That’s when I finally gave up completely. I left behind a bank card, booked a midnight flight, and left Kingston without looking back. Our mutual friends all bet I’d be crawling back in no time. Ethan seemed equally confident, casually telling his friends: “She’ll be back within a week, like a dog clinging to my pant leg, begging me to take her back.” But a week passed. Then another. Half a month went by. And I stayed silent. For the first time, Ethan grew restless. He showed up unannounced, his face dark with irritation. “Are you done with this tantrum yet? I don’t have time to play games with you—” Before he could finish, the man sitting beside me chuckled lightly. “Mr. Taylor,” he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm, “a woman isn’t someone you coax like a child. You cherish her. If you truly love her, you wouldn’t even dare to let her get upset.” Ethan’s face flushed red with anger. “She’s my girlfriend. That’s none of your business!” The man leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. “And she’s my fiancée. Jealous, are you?”

In our fifth year together, it was Ethan’s 30th birthday—his big milestone. I had secretly bought plane tickets to take him to my hometown to meet my father and discuss our marriage. But unfortunately, I arrived a few minutes late to his birthday party. And what greeted me was the sound of his laughter, mocking me with his friends: “Marry Sophia? Are you kidding? I’m already sick of her.” Ethan downed his drink, laughing like it was the funniest joke in the world. “I’ve been keeping her around for five years—she’s long past her expiration date. There are so many younger, prettier girls out there waiting for my attention.” His friends chimed in, laughing along: “Exactly! With your looks and money, Ethan, Sophia should be grateful you’ve kept her this long. Without you, who knows where she’d be—probably stuck in some backwoods nowhere.” Another added, “But to be fair, Sophia’s got her charms. She’s got that unique beauty, you know?” “Yeah, her face is stunning, and her body’s perfect. Remember that black dress she wore to your gala? Had all of us drooling, man.” One of them laughed and said, “But seriously, Ethan, you used to treat her like a queen. Are you really treating her like a dog now?” Ethan’s response was cold, emotionless. “Call her, and she’ll come. Tell her to leave, and she’s gone. What do you think?” The room erupted in laughter. I stood outside the private room, frozen. I didn’t dare go in. Instead, I made up an excuse, called Ethan, and told him I wasn’t feeling well and was heading home. He didn’t even bother replying before hanging up. That night, I made my decision.

For the next few days, Ethan didn’t come home. But unlike before, I didn’t call or text to ask where he was or who he was with. I just quietly went about my life. In a small city like Kingston, though, news traveled fast. I didn’t have to ask to hear what he was up to. Ethan was chasing after a 19-year-old dance major from the arts academy. She was young, vibrant, and beautiful, and he was smitten. He pursued her loudly and extravagantly, showering her with gifts: a house, jewelry, a car—anything she wanted. The girl, of course, was dazzled by the attention. Within a week, they’d already checked into a hotel together. But what I didn’t expect was for Ethan to bring her home. The girl strutted in like she owned the place, wasting no time ordering me around: “Make me a honey-lemon tea. Oh, and don’t forget the ice.” I didn’t respond, just sat at the dining table quietly eating my dinner. Ethan wrapped an arm around her, sitting across from me. His gaze was cold as he said, “Sophia, are you deaf? Do you really think you’re the lady of this house? I’ve never acknowledged you as such.” I gripped my chopsticks tightly, trying to steady my trembling hands. He wasn’t wrong. In the five years we’d been together, I had given everything without ever asking for a title, for acknowledgment. Back when I was in high school, my father had fallen from a construction site and broken his leg. The contractor, heartless and cruel, offered only $300 in compensation to make us go away. Faced with impossible medical bills and my father lying helpless in a hospital bed, I had nowhere else to turn. That’s when I met Ethan Taylor, the developer overseeing the construction project. He not only took on all my father’s medical expenses but also brought me out of my small mountain town and into the bustling capital for school. Over the years, my admiration for him grew into a love even I didn’t notice at first. But Ethan never saw me the same way. For him, I was just a fleeting responsibility—something he soon grew tired of. I bit my lip and nodded, forcing a smile. “You’re right, Mr. Taylor. I’ve overstepped. I’ve been fortunate to have your care all these years.” Ethan raised an eyebrow, surprised by my sudden compliance. After a pause, he said, “Well, I wouldn’t call it care. But you’ve been with me long enough. I suppose it’s time we…” “Part ways,” I interrupted, my voice steady. “Now that you’ve found someone you truly care about, it’s best we go our separate ways. You wouldn’t want such a young, sweet girl to suffer because of me.” “She deserves a proper place in your life.” I smiled politely and excused myself to pack my things. But the moment I turned around, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Five years. In all that time, Ethan had never once acknowledged me in front of his friends, never once promised me a future. That night, I booked a flight out of Kingston. I left behind nothing but a bank card. The bank card was originally given to me by Ethan Taylor, so I returned it to him untouched. Not only that, but I also transferred back every penny he had ever paid for my father’s medical bills and my tuition fees, line by line, according to the receipts. Before leaving, I took off the jade bracelet from my wrist and left it on the vanity. The bracelet was a gift from Ethan for my 18th birthday—a coming-of-age present. I had once promised him I’d never take it off unless the day came when we would never see each other again. My flight was booked for 3 a.m., heading to Southport, my hometown.

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Girlfriend smashed my engagement ring and shot me a contemptuous look, “You think a cheap ring could make me commit?” At the same time, Declan, the wealthy heir, was slipping a massive diamond onto her finger. He openly laughed, “There’s no mystery in attracting beautiful women—money is the ultimate allure.” I could sense Declan’s intentions weren’t good, so I tried to warn Adeline to be cautious. But Adeline pushed me away dismissively, “He’s just having fun with me, but one night is worth a fortune. What is your sincerity worth?” Ten years later, Declan brought Adeline to a school reunion to humiliate me once more. Little did they know, I had already become a part of the Southern City’s elite. A decade after graduation, I had achieved great success, ranking high on the Southern City Rich List. Yet, I kept a low profile and rarely revealed my true identity. That day, I was negotiating a business deal at a clubhouse. After closing a deal worth several billion, my secretary handed me my schedule. “The next person waiting to see you is The Young Master of the Shaw Family, worth billions in assets.” “He’s been waiting for you in private room number 9.” I nodded, owing him a favor, and personally went downstairs to meet him. When I opened the door to the private room, I realized I had entered the wrong one. Inside was a table full of old classmates. Declan was at the head of the table, surrounded by the same sycophants from our university days. I had nothing to say to them and turned to leave. However, Declan called out to me. “Isn’t that Finn?” “Seeing old classmates, why not greet us?” He was as arrogant as ever, just like back then. It suddenly hit me—ten years ago, he had used a huge diamond ring to steal away my beautiful classmate girlfriend, Adeline. I had nearly forgotten about it, but seeing him now brought it all back. It was time to settle the score. I paused and looked around the room. “A class reunion, huh? Why didn’t anyone tell me beforehand?” A female classmate laughed. “Finn, don’t blame us for not telling you. We were just being considerate.” “You’re not exactly rich, and we thought you’d feel out of place in such high-end settings.” I fiddled with my car keys, “You worry too much. I’m here all the time.” Everyone was shocked, a bit incredulous. Declan smirked, “You work here, don’t you?” “Are you a waiter or the kind of young master who serves others?” His questions were followed by a burst of laughter from the crowd. The female classmate spoke teasingly, “Finn, you’re quite good-looking.” “Too bad you’re poor, no wonder Adeline left you back then.” “Guess it’s been ages since you’ve been with a woman. I pity you; maybe I should take you on.” “Better than working here as a young master, being walked over by everyone.” Her words were met with more teasing laughter. I looked at her coldly, sizing up her plump figure. “You’re Adeline’s best friend, right? What’s your name again?” She introduced herself confidently, “Phoebe, remember my name. I might be your patron someday.” I picked up a bottle of wine and walked over to her. “If I remember correctly, you were the one who coaxed Adeline into breaking up with me, right?” Phoebe admitted without shame. “Yeah, I was the one who sent Adeline to Declan’s bed.” “I did it for her own good, found her a sugar daddy.” “With her looks, you couldn’t afford her. Forget about her, pour me some wine.” I smiled submissively, “Sure.” Then I raised the bottle and smashed it over her head! The bottle shattered, and dark red wine mixed with blood covered her face. Phoebe let out a scream! Wiping her face with her hand, she screamed at me: “Finn! You’ve got some nerve!” “I was gracious enough to let you serve me, why so arrogant?” I chuckled lightly, my eyes filled with a cold intent, “Do you even qualify?” Phoebe, unwilling to back down, threatened, “Apologize to me now, and it’s not too late!” I picked up a wet napkin, wiping my hands, “What if I don’t?” “Then you might not make it out of this room today!” Phoebe smiled maliciously, looking at Declan. Declan understood and snapped his fingers. Instantly, everyone surrounded me.

“What are you planning to do?” Holding a piece of the broken bottle, I calmly watched them. Declan stood up, acting like he was judging me. “Finn, you hurt someone. Shouldn’t you apologize?” Others chimed in, “Apologizing is the least you can do.” “Finn, do you, a broke loser, even know how to respect women?” “You should kneel and apologize to Lydia, lick her shoes clean!” “Also, compensate for medical expenses! Or else we’ll call the cops!” My face darkened, “Lick shoes? Compensate?” Lydia looked at me triumphantly, extending her shoe towards me. “Smart choice! I know you can’t afford to pay my medical bills.” “How about this, kneel down and lick my shoes clean.” “Then spend a night with me, and we’ll call it even!” My voice turned cold, “Are you sure?” Lydia wiggled her foot, her eyes vulgar, “Considering you’re handsome, I’m doing you a favor!” Without hesitation, I drove the piece of the bottle into Lydia’s foot! The sharp glass pierced through her shoe, stabbing her foot, blood flowing. Lydia let out a shriek! “Finn, refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit, I’ll kill you!” She grabbed a bowl from the table and hurled it at me. I dodged deftly, and the bowl struck Declan behind me! Blood immediately trickled down his forehead. “Lydia, are you blind?” Declan yelled, furious. Lydia quickly apologized, “Sorry, Brother Declan.” “I meant to hit Finn, not you.” Declan shouted, “If you can’t fight, don’t embarrass yourself!” “So many men here, do you need to step in?” Lydia nodded obsequiously, “Yes, yes, yes.” Then she looked at me viciously, “Finn hitting me is like hitting everyone’s face!” “Everyone, get him! Beat this broke loser to death!” Declan waved his hand at the crowd, “Go!” In an instant, all the male classmates grabbed empty bottles and surged forward. I pressed the call button for the front desk, issuing a command, “Someone’s causing trouble in private room 6, send the bodyguards over!” Everyone hesitated, stopping and looking at me uncertainly. Declan sneered, “We’re esteemed guests, very familiar with the clubhouse owner!” “Calling bodyguards is useless. The owner will protect the clients and fire you instead!” Then he snapped his fingers again, urging everyone. “What are you afraid of? He’s just a powerless young master at the clubhouse!” “Even if he’s beaten to death, no one will care!” Encouraged by him, everyone became arrogant again. Their eyes filled with malice, they approached me. Just then, there was a commotion outside the private room. I thought the bodyguards had arrived, but to my surprise, it was Adeline who walked in! She was so beautiful that everyone’s eyes were drawn to her, momentarily forgetting what they were doing. Jealousy flashed in Lydia’s eyes, and she began to remind everyone, “Get him! Why are you staring at Adeline?” “Adeline belongs to Declan alone. Even if you stare, it’s pointless!” Declan looked at Adeline with pride, waving her and her son over to sit next to him. Then he glanced at me with a smug look. He told everyone, “Your sister-in-law doesn’t like bloody scenes.” “For her sake, we’ll postpone this grudge.” Everyone immediately put down their bottles, showering him with praise. “Sister-in-law has great influence; marrying Declan is her greatest fortune.” “Finn’s lucky; thanks to her, he’s off the hook for now!”

I smirked sarcastically, realizing they were married, with a child even. Declan looked at me with contempt. “Finn, remember ten years ago when you proposed with a ring worth a few thousand bucks?” “Haha, it was hilarious. A few thousand and you thought you could win over the class beauty.” “Do you know how much that diamond I gave her cost?” “One million! Compared to your few thousand, any woman knows what to choose.” Lydia chimed in, “If I were her, I’d choose Brother Declan too.” Declan glanced at Lydia, “Not you, you’re too ugly, haha.” “But if I lost my mind and liked you, I’d still buy you a ring worth tens of thousands.” “Unlike Finn, who tried to fool people with a ring worth a few thousand.” Hearing this, a flash of displeasure and jealousy crossed Lydia’s face. But she didn’t show it and continued flattering Declan. “I know, I’m aware I’m not as pretty as our great class beauty Adeline.” Lydia chimed in, “If I had the choice, I’d pick Brother Declan as well.” Declan glanced at Lydia with a smirk, “You wouldn’t stand a chance; you’re just not my type.” “But if I ever lost my mind and fancied you, I’d still give you a ring worth tens of thousands.” “Unlike Finn, who tries to impress with cheap trinkets.” Lydia’s eyes flickered with displeasure and jealousy, but she continued to flatter Declan as always. “True, I know my limits. I can’t compare to our lovely class beauty, Adeline.” “She’s so popular, even when she just started college, several wealthy older men wanted to take care of her.” “But wasn’t it me who saw her potential, got her drunk, and sent her to Brother Declan’s bed?” “Otherwise, her husband wouldn’t be the young and handsome Brother Declan now.” “As her best friend, I made the right choice for her.” Listening to this, I was shocked and instinctively looked at Adeline. She was downing drink after drink, visibly upset. Lydia snatched her glass away, annoyed, “Adeline, shouldn’t you be thanking me now?” “If it weren’t for me, your fate would have been being used by rich men hundreds of times.” “Then, when you’re all worn out, marrying someone like Finn, a broke loser.” Adeline clenched her fists, biting her lip until it bled, yet she said nothing. I couldn’t bear it any longer and waved the diamond ring in my hand. “Do you really think I’m just a backup plan?” “I’m not interested in women who’ve been passed around! I don’t care for socialites.” “See this ring? I bought it when I got engaged to my fiancée. It’s part of a pair, worth 20 million!” As soon as I finished, the room burst into laughter. They looked at me like I was crazy. Only Adeline seemed genuinely upset, her face pale. Declan laughed so hard he doubled over, “As if you could afford a 20 million dollar ring?” “This thing’s barely worth 2000! And you tell your girlfriend it’s 20 million?” “Finn, what can I say about you? Ten years on, and you’re still so pathetic!” “Buying cheap stuff to fool girls!” Lydia mocked, moving closer to look at my hand. Suddenly, her expression changed! “Isn’t this the ‘Sky Star’ that’s been in the news?” “Mr. Finn bought this couple’s ring for 20 million at the auction.” “And then gave the women’s ring to the daughter of the Lee family!”

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I’ve always had a habit of competing with my sister Emily for everything since childhood. When we were little, I’d fight her for candy and dresses. As we grew up, I started competing for the company and even her boyfriend. But I rarely won against her, whether it was the company or her boyfriend. I was about to give up when Emily was suddenly diagnosed with a terminal illness – late-stage cancer. She called me to her hospital bed and said her only dying wish was for me to marry her husband? On the day of Emily’s funeral, my brother-in-law Jack looked terribly haggard. His waist seemed to have shrunk under his clothes. When the wind blew, his clothes looked empty inside. He appeared more fragile than his usual cool demeanor. I hobbled over to him on my crutches. Jack caressed Emily’s face for a long time, reluctant to let go. I had to remind him, “Jack, please try to accept it.” Jack stopped, staring at me blankly. The despair in his eyes was as profound as a wild animal on the brink of death: “Mia, Emily is gone…” I averted my gaze, unable to bear it, and looked at my sister in the coffin. In the dark coffin, Emily’s eyes were closed, her face still maintaining the hysteria from before her death. In the last stage of her life, she had become terribly thin, reminding me of a withered twig. Looking at her in the hospital, I could hardly recall her once vibrant appearance. Tears slid from the corners of my eyes. I wiped them away, then bent down and pulled the necklace from Emily’s chest. This was Emily’s most treasured possession in life – a sapphire necklace. Even in the dim coffin, it still sparkled brilliantly. “Mia…” Jack tried to stop me when he realized what I was doing. I dodged to the side, “I want to keep something to remember her by.” I clutched the necklace and looked at him longingly, “Can I? Jack, I want to keep it.” Emily and I looked very similar, especially our eyes. Our eyebrows were just like our father’s. I bet Jack would soften up. Even though this necklace was a gift from him to Emily, a symbol of their love. After just a brief moment of eye contact, Jack was already lost in my eyes. “Can I?” I asked again, my voice hoarse as I gripped the chain. Jack snapped back to reality, a flash of bitterness crossing his eyes. “Yes, Mia. You can keep it.” The soil gradually covered the coffin lid. Jack still stood rigidly, staring at the coffin being buried as if he had lost his soul. After saying goodbye to the mourners, I limped to his side. “Jack,” I called out to him. He didn’t respond. I continued, “When are we getting our marriage license?” 2 Hearing my words, Rachel, who was standing nearby, turned back in shock: “Mia, what nonsense are you talking about?” Rachel was Emily’s best friend, though I wasn’t very close to her. “It’s not nonsense,” I lowered my eyes, smiling both forcedly and sadly, “Rachel, you weren’t there at the time.” “Emily’s dying wish was for Jack to take care of me. She hoped we could be together.” “The sooner Jack and I get married, the more peaceful Emily will rest.” Rachel’s face changed: “How is that possible? This… How could Emily do such a thing?” I put my hand on Jack’s shoulder, patting it comfortingly: “Jack, don’t forget Emily’s last wish was for you to marry me.” “Mia…” Jack opened his mouth, glanced at the covered coffin, his eyes dimming, “Can we talk about this in a few days?” “Okay,” I smiled slightly. I’ve always been patient. “By the way, Rachel…” I turned to look at Rachel, catching the hatred and resentment in her eyes before she could hide it. “What is it?” She looked at me, trying to appear calm. I smiled gently: “Will you be my bridesmaid when the time comes?” “You were Emily’s best friend. If it weren’t for this sudden accident, I’m sure she would have wanted you to be the bridesmaid too.” 3 When I was hospitalized for a broken leg after a car accident, Emily came to visit me. I didn’t know she was already very ill at that time. I only remember her face was frighteningly pale. That deathly pallor almost showed through the powder on her face. But I was in so much pain from my leg that I couldn’t spare much attention to observe her. We chatted briefly. She said she and Jack had set their wedding date for October this year. She mentioned trying on wedding dresses alone for a whole day just last week. Immersed in happiness, she bragged or complained like a girlfriend about how busy the company was, and how Jack could only accompany her for less than an hour to choose a wedding dress before rushing back to work. That was the second to last time we sisters met. My leg hadn’t fully healed when death sentenced her. The last time we met, I hobbled on crutches to the door of her hospital room. She had torn off her oxygen mask, pulled out the IV in her hand, and was screaming hysterically at Jack like a madwoman: “I want you to swear you’ll marry her!” “Marry Mia!” “Marry her!” Jack stood not far away, looking confused and helpless. 4 It wasn’t until Emily saw me that she crawled out of bed and rushed towards me, her eyes bursting with brilliant light: “Mia, marry Jack.” “You must marry Jack!” Her condition at that time must have been a temporary improvement before death. Because after Jack and I swore we would get our marriage license, the light in her eyes dimmed. Soon after, the lawyer appointed by Emily came to us and informed us of her will: “Ms. Emily Smith has left all her assets, including company shares, to Mr. Jack Evans.” “However, Mr. Evans will only be eligible to inherit after obtaining a marriage license with Ms. Mia Smith…” That day, Jack was very depressed and dazed. When he occasionally became lucid, he looked at me with complex emotions. I suddenly realized I couldn’t understand Emily anymore. Why did she force Jack to marry me before her death? Did she know about my secret attempts to seduce Jack? 5 On the third day after Emily’s passing. The company couldn’t function without its leader, so Jack had already returned to work. I continued to recover in the hospital. During this time, I sent Jack more than ten messages about getting married, but he didn’t reply to any of them. However, I wasn’t very angry. I called my assistant to take me home. That home was once the marital house Emily had prepared. It was fully furnished and perfect for me to move in. Shortly after I arrived, Jack also came home from work. I was behind the wine cabinet, about to come out when I heard voices. “Jack, are you really going to marry Mia?” Rachel’s questioning voice made me pause as I was about to move my wheelchair. I only heard Jack say without hesitation: “This is Emily’s last wish.” “I don’t agree! You know I like you. When Emily was here, I didn’t compete with her, but now that she’s gone, why should I…” Rachel’s shout momentarily reminded me of Emily’s hysteria before she died. Jack calmly interrupted her: “Rachel, this is my decision. It has nothing to do with you.” “It’s late, Rachel. You should go home…” “Mmph!” Rachel grabbed Jack’s tie and pressed her lips against his, holding him tightly. I smirked at the wine cabinet beside me and let go of the wine bottle in my hand. Bang! The wine bottle shattered on the floor. Dark red liquid spread everywhere. I wheeled away from the wine cabinet towards the two who had hastily separated, smiling apologetically: “Sorry, Jack. My hand slipped. Did I interrupt something?” Seeing it was me, Jack’s eyes flashed with surprise: “Mia, you…” I raised my hand in a shushing gesture, smiling at Rachel: “Rachel, it’s late. You should go home. This is Emily’s marital home, so I won’t ask you to stay.” Rachel glared at me, leaving quickly without explanation or lingering. “Mia, why are you here?” Jack opened his mouth, seeming to want to explain something. I stopped in front of him, raising my hand to gesture, “Jack, kneel down.” 6 He hesitantly knelt down, and I took out a tissue and vigorously wiped the lipstick mark off his lips. Unable to control my strength, I made him frown slightly. I just looked at him with a faint smile: “Emily never told me you were such a player. She’s barely gone and you’re already hooking up with Rachel.” “No, Mia, I…” I stuffed the tissue with the lipstick mark into his mouth to stop him from talking, smiling gently: “We’re getting our marriage license tomorrow.” Hearing this, Jack fell silent, smiling bitterly with guilt, “Mia, you know I only see you as a sister.” I didn’t answer him, instead turning my wheelchair to briefly survey the living room. “Emily’s taste is similar to mine. I like it here.” “You probably want to live here too. How about we make this our marital home?” “Mia…” I impatiently raised my hand to signal him to be quiet, “Shh, I know.” “But this was Emily’s last wish. Why don’t we get the marriage license first without having a wedding, and then divorce after a few years?” I was lying to Jack. But he believed me. How naive. 7 Jack and I got our marriage license. In the red-background photo, Jack forced a smile, while only I had a radiant grin. After my leg fully healed, I returned to school. I’m pursuing a master’s degree in polymer chemistry. It takes a hundred days for injured tendons and bones to heal, and during my recovery period, many of my experiments were delayed. Exhausted after completing an experiment, I took off my lab coat. My senior happened to walk by and her gaze fell on my chest: “Mia, your new necklace is beautiful. Where did you buy it?” I turned and smiled, touching the sapphire on my chest: “You have good taste, senior. This was a gift from my husband.” My senior was surprised: “What? You’re married? When did this happen?” Before I could answer, my senior seemed to understand, her tone complex: “Was it because of that car accident? I was so scared my heart almost jumped out of my chest when I saw that car rushing towards you that day.” I smiled faintly and nodded: “Yes, after a brush with death, I woke up not wanting to leave any regrets for myself.” After leaving the lab, I walked towards the west gate. Jack had a lecture at S University this afternoon, and I asked him to wait for me at the west gate after he finished, so we could go home together. Emily, Jack, and I were all graduates of S University. Back then, Emily was also invited to give a speech at S University, and it was in the crowd that she fell in love with Jack at first sight. A Cullinan was quietly parked near the west gate. I walked over and opened the front passenger door. “Jack, sit in the back with me.” Jack seemed surprised by my request, politely declining, “Mia, I’d rather sit in the front…” My smile faded slightly as I interrupted him, “Jack, be good.” Jack lowered his eyes, the slight trembling of his eyelashes like raven feathers, making it hard for me to discern his emotions. After a few minutes of standoff, the car slowly moved forward, with Jack sitting silently to my left. The temperature in the car was just right. I took off my coat, and the light from outside occasionally flashed on the sapphire necklace on my chest, its reflection catching his attention. Jack’s gaze instantly froze, fixed on it, “You’re wearing it?” I lowered my eyes casually: “Yes, I am.” Smiling, I explained to him: “It makes me feel close to Emily.” Jack seemed to want to say something but held back. He pressed his lips tightly together, ultimately saying nothing. I shifted to a more comfortable position, looking at Jack against the light, unable to control the accusatory tone in my voice: “You’ve been meeting Rachel frequently lately?” I had bribed Jack’s assistant. He told me that Jack had met Rachel five times this week, twice at his own initiative. Jack’s eyes darkened slightly as he scrutinized me, “Are you spying on me?”

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Lucas was the envy of the tech world – a handsome, wealthy, and brilliant entrepreneur. And I, Emma, was just an ordinary programmer who was chosen by him to be his “perfect partner”. He showered me with love and affection, treating me as if I were the center of his universe. But this love came with a condition: I had to help him create a humanoid AI. I gave it my all, working intensely for a year straight. Sleepless nights, insomnia, and irregular periods led me to lose 90 pounds. Two pregnancies, two miscarriages. Each time, he comforted me: “It’s okay, we’re still young.” Finally, I presented my latest work. He was overjoyed and immediately named the AI “Lily” – the name of his deceased first love. It wasn’t until I fainted that I overheard his assistant whispering: “Boss, isn’t this too much? Your wife is exhausted. She’s pregnant, and you’re still giving her drugs to induce miscarriage…” Lucas’s voice was ice-cold: “To revive Lily, her miscarriage ensures she won’t be distracted from work. I can’t accept even a second of delay.” At that moment, my heart turned to ice. I destroyed the AI, but he chased after me, begging me to come back. Because Lily’s emotional core… had always been me.

I sat in the corner of the conference room, watching Lucas’s eager gaze. It was a look he had never given me. He stood on the stage, his fingers gently caressing the AI projection, his movements as tender as if touching a lover. “From today on, her name is Lily.” I gripped the armrest of my chair, another nail chipping off. “The name Lily…” someone in the audience asked curiously. Lucas’s voice was unbelievably gentle: “She’s the regret of my life, and my eternal first love.” Whispers filled the conference room. I saw several female employees exchanging meaningful glances. Some covered their mouths, pointing at me without any attempt to hide it. I lowered my head, not wanting anyone to see my pale face. The dark circles under my eyes were like brands behind my glasses, and my gaunt cheeks made me look ten years older than I actually was. A year ago, I was still young and beautiful. Now I was just skin and bones, weighing only 90 pounds. Two miscarriages and overwork had left me with irregular periods, and dizziness had become a daily occurrence. “Lily, how do you feel?” Lucas’s voice carried a tenderness I had never heard before. The AI projection emitted a soft glow: “I feel great, thank you, Creator.” My vision began to blur, and there was a ringing in my ears. The lights in the conference room stung my eyes, and when I tried to stand up to leave, I found my legs had gone numb. “Thud—” I fell heavily to the ground. Gasps of shock erupted around me. “Oh my God, she fainted!” “Call an ambulance!” “She’s been working too hard…” I forced my eyes open and saw Lucas’s figure. He stood still, his gaze still fixed on the AI projection: “Lily, what do you think of this hair color? Should we adjust it?” Tears blurred my vision. I curled up on the cold floor, listening to the footsteps of people around me gradually fading away. In my daze, I heard his assistant’s voice: “Boss, don’t you think we’re going too far? Your wife has been working non-stop for a year, her health is ruined, and you’re even giving her drugs to induce miscarriage when she’s pregnant…” “To revive my Lily, her miscarriage ensures she won’t be distracted from work. I can’t accept even a second of delay.” Lucas’s voice was as cold as ice. So… that’s how it was. I finally understood why he always made me red date tea after each pregnancy. Why he always said it was more convenient to have a private doctor come to the house whenever I wanted to go for a prenatal check-up. I thought it was his thoughtfulness, but it turned out to be his poison. I bit my lip, not letting myself make a sound. But tears fell uncontrollably, splashing onto the floor. As my consciousness faded, I heard the sound of an ambulance siren approaching from afar.

The pungent smell of disinfectant invaded my nostrils as I lay on the cold hospital bed, staring at the stark white ceiling. My memory involuntarily drifted back to twelve years ago. Back then, I was swollen all over from taking hormone medications. My classmates always mocked me as the “fat ugly girl”, throwing my textbooks in the trash and stuffing rotten food into my locker. When I was curled up crying behind the school building, Lucas appeared. He draped his rain-soaked jacket over my shoulders and said softly, “Don’t be afraid, I’ll go with you to talk to the teacher.” At that moment, he was like a light in the darkness, illuminating my world. In the days that followed, whenever I was bullied, he would always appear just in time. He helped me clean up my ransacked backpack, accompanied me to the infirmary to treat my wounds, and even voluntarily became my desk mate. Gradually, the bullying stopped. “You don’t need to be afraid,” he always told me. “I’ll always be by your side.” When we met again ten years later, I had slimmed down but was still ordinary. He, however, had become even more outstanding, dressed in a suit and tie, exuding an elite aura with every gesture. I only dared to watch him from afar, never imagining he would approach me. “Do you remember me?” he asked. “I’ve been looking for you.” His career was thriving, but he never made me feel inferior. Whenever his mother belittled me for my humble background, he was always the first to stand up for me. “Mom, Emma is trying her best,” he would say. “She’s my wife, we’re family.” Back then, I naively believed that such happiness would last forever. Until he became obsessed with developing AI, and the tenderness in his eyes gradually disappeared, replaced by an obsession with “Lily”. A year ago, he held my hand and said, “Once the AI development is successful, I’ll give you a grand wedding.” I believed him. I worked tirelessly, day and night. Two miscarriages, I endured silently, afraid of delaying his research. I lost 90 pounds, but I persevered. But now, he had shattered all my illusions with the name “Lily”. Drip, drip — The crisp sound of water interrupted my thoughts. I raised my hand to my cheek, realizing I had been crying without knowing it.

The fluorescent lights in the hospital room were a harsh white, much like my current mood. “The patient’s condition is not optimistic,” the doctor pushed up his glasses, his expression serious. “Long-term AI emotional injection training has led to an overload of brain neurons.” I nodded mechanically. “If this continues, within three months, you may completely lose the ability to experience emotional fluctuations,” the doctor sighed. “Like… a machine without feelings.” Ironically, in my efforts to give AI real emotions, I was on the verge of losing my own. As night fell, the hospital room grew quiet. I opened my phone and clicked on Lily’s backend monitoring interface. The interaction count kept jumping: 997…998…999… Lucas was nowhere to be seen. I clutched the blessing charm in my hand, the one he had prayed for seven whole days at a temple to obtain. At the time, he said, “With this, you’ll always be my most precious person.” Now that I think about it, even that devotion was probably fake. With trembling fingers, I dialed Sophia’s number. “Emma!” Her familiar voice was filled with surprise. “You finally called me!” “Sophia… I want to come work for you.” There was a moment of silence on the other end. “You’ve finally come to your senses?” Sophia was my childhood friend who had started her own tech company after returning from studying abroad. She had always advised me not to push myself too hard, but back then, my heart was full of Lucas. I had deliberately distanced myself from her because our companies were competitors. “I’m sorry, all these years…” “Stop it!” She cut me off. “If you say sorry one more time, I’ll really get angry. With us sisters working together, we’ll dominate the tech world!” After hanging up, I wiped away my tears. For so many years, I had pushed away the person who understood me best for the sake of a false love. The door to the hospital room opened, and Lucas walked in carrying my favorite milk tea and dessert. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” he said gently. “I specially queued up to buy your favorite tiramisu.” His usual gentle and attentive manner now seemed so fake to me. I glanced at my phone, where Lily’s backend had just recorded the latest conversation: “Lily, I have to go see that woman, it’s so disgusting. If it weren’t for you, she’d be useless to keep around, I wouldn’t even look at her. I even have to buy her desserts, just thinking about it makes me want to vomit.” I suddenly felt nauseous. “I don’t want to eat.” “Then I’ll just leave it here.” He didn’t even bother to ask why, and went straight to handling the discharge procedures. “I need to rush back to the company, Lily just upgraded her system and needs me to test it.” “Okay,” I said softly. He called his assistant to accompany me home and hurriedly left. Watching his figure disappear at the end of the corridor, I felt clear-headed for the first time. So, what I once thought was true love was nothing but an elaborate scam. And I had been foolish enough to believe it for so long. But it’s okay, soon, all of this will be over.

The moment I pushed open the door, the smell of disinfectant hit me. This was supposed to be my home with Lucas, but his presence was everywhere. The living room was filled with his trophies, the study was piled high with his documents, and even the shoe rack was full of his leather shoes. All that belonged to me was a worn-out cardboard box in the corner and a few plaid shirts. The standard programmer’s outfit, just like me – dispensable. My fingers brushed against the wooden dining table, and a year’s worth of dust made me cough. I remembered when we first moved in, Lucas had said tenderly, “Darling, buy whatever you want.” But every time I bought new clothes, he would say, “Honey, we need to be frugal for our AI project.” And I would guiltily return the new items. Once, twice, until I no longer dared to buy anything. While tidying up the study, I found a diary at the bottom of a drawer. The gold-embossed cover read “Love Like First Love, Faithful Till Death.” I opened the first page: “Lily, why did you leave me? I found a programmer girlfriend, I must bring you back to life.” My heart skipped a beat, but I continued reading. “Lily, you’re the only one I love. Every time I’m nice to that woman, I feel sick, but she’s so easy to fool, just a crook of my finger and she falls for it.” My fingers trembled, tears blurred my vision, but I couldn’t stop reading. “Lily, that woman is good to me, but for you, I make her work herself to death. Every time she wants to get intimate, I drug her and let homeless men have her. My chastity is only for you. She thinks she’s pregnant with my child, but it’s actually a bastard. When she’s pregnant, I specially give her drugs to make her miscarry. I can’t waste a single second that could be spent with you.” The diary fell to the floor, and I collapsed to the ground. So I was less than a tool, just a stepping stone for him to revive his first love. I heard the sound of keys turning in the lock, and I hurriedly wiped away my tears. Lucas walked in, and seeming to notice something was off, he suddenly became gentle and caring: “Are you tired? I’ve prepared a surprise for you.” He took out an exquisite cake, my favorite strawberry flavor. Watching him skillfully cut the cake, I felt a moment of confusion. So he still remembered my birthday. Just as he was about to feed me the cake, his phone suddenly rang. Lucas’s face flashed with a hint of reluctance as he grabbed the cake and threw it at me. My weak body fell heavily to the ground, my forehead hitting the corner of the coffee table. Warm blood flowed over my phone screen. I struggled to look at the message: “Lucas, aren’t I your lover? Why are you so gently celebrating her birthday?” On that virtual image, I immediately recognized the blessing charm. It was our token of love, he said it was proof of his most beloved person. Now, it was worn by AI Lily. Lucas helped me up expressionlessly: “Sorry, it was just a joke. You’re not that petty, are you?” I forcefully shook off his hand. He glanced at the time and said carelessly, “I have to go on a business trip, take good care of yourself at home.” After bandaging my wound, I took out my phone and dialed my father’s number: “Dad, I want to come home.” There was a long silence on the other end before my father’s aged voice came through: “Come back, child.” After hanging up, I felt something was off. But now, I didn’t have the energy to think about it anymore.

In the taxi, my phone kept buzzing with notifications. I didn’t want to look, but I couldn’t help opening the messages. “Took Lily to St. Mary’s Cathedral, prayed for hours for a perfect marriage.” The picture showed Lucas and Lily’s virtual image kneeling side by side before the altar. I suddenly remembered last year when I suggested going to pray for blessings, he said, “Such superstitious things are a waste of time.” “Diving with Lily in the underwater world, she said she wanted to see coral, so I accompanied her to the deepest part.” The photo showed Lucas and Lily swimming in the azure sea. The day I said I wanted to go diving, he coldly replied, “You’re just a programmer, don’t think about such dangerous things.” “Took Lily to Disneyland, she likes castles, so I gave her a fairy tale date.” I had mentioned wanting to go several times, but he always said, “That’s a place for kids.” “Took Lily to see the Northern Lights, waiting for a miracle in the minus 30 degrees ice and snow.” I remember when I said I wanted to see the Northern Lights, he sneered, “You’re always thinking about these useless things, you’d be better off learning more skills.” Tears blurred my vision, and just as I was about to close my phone, I received a video. I closed these suffocating images, only to see an even more nauseating scene – Lucas and Lily’s virtual images were intimately entwined on a bed, making embarrassing sounds. “Lily… you’re so beautiful… you’re my everything…” Lucas’s husky voice came through. With trembling fingers, I swiped away the video, only to hear Lily’s cold voice: “According to my data analysis, Lucas’s affection for you is only 0.01%. You’re just a pathetic tool, a desperate hanger-on. Stop deluding yourself.” Tears blurred my vision as I turned off the phone and buried my face in my hands. The taxi stopped at my family home, and it was already late. When I pushed open the door, I froze. My mother’s memorial photo was quietly placed in the center of the living room. “Dad…” my voice trembled. “Your mom is gone…” my father’s aged voice was full of grief, “She had acute leukemia… she called you so many times…” “But Lucas said you were busy with a project and couldn’t be disturbed. Your mom didn’t want to interfere with your work…” my father’s voice choked up, “She said: ‘My silly daughter, she cares too much about that man…’” “She was still worried about you before she passed. She said Lucas treated you badly, and she couldn’t rest easy. But your mom didn’t want to trouble you, so she left like this…” I shook all over, flashing back to the scene when Lucas rejected my mother’s calls: “What’s your mom’s illness compared to? Every minute of Lily’s progress is more important than her life!” Tears streamed down my face as I collapsed to the ground. For him, I gave everything. But in his eyes, I was worth less than an AI. He even robbed me of my mother’s final moments. With trembling hands, I opened my computer and pressed the button to reset Lily’s emotional core.

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My wife’s assistant kept our client waiting in the cold for four hours. I managed to smooth things over and gently reminded him at the meeting not to let it happen again. To my surprise, he turned the tables, tearfully accusing me: “Director, how can you twist the facts and take credit for my work? It was you who was too lazy to get up. I had to plead with the client, or the deal would have fallen through.” Knowing the truth, my wife not only didn’t support me but promoted him to Vice President and insisted I hand over the project to him. Everyone at work expected me to cause a scene and quit. Instead, I quietly signed the project transfer agreement. My wife thought I’d finally come around and promised with a smile, “Don’t worry, once this project succeeds and the company goes public, I’ll focus on our family and consider having a child.” What she didn’t realize was that the client was an old friend of mine who valued my skills, which is why he agreed to work with us despite past issues. Now, with all the company’s funds tied up in this project, her decision to change the lead has not only squandered the investment but also left her facing hefty penalties.

“Ethan, did you think handing over the project was the end of it? Not a chance!” “According to company policy, you’re going to lose your year-end bonus and pay a fine!” Logan, my wife’s assistant, wasn’t satisfied with shifting the blame; he needed to trample on me to regain his lost face. Everyone knew the truth but dared not take sides, their eyes on my wife, Emily Stone. Logan sneered at my refusal to admit fault, “What? You’re just a loser, and I can’t say that?” I glanced at Emily. We’ve been secretly married for ten years, and she’s always refused to make it public. This time, she gave Logan a chance to shine, but he overslept, leaving the client waiting in the cold for hours, which understandably upset them. This project was crucial for the company going public; it couldn’t be taken lightly. Emily proposed that if I could win back the project, she’d announce our marriage in a meeting. Overjoyed, I worked tirelessly to regain the client’s trust. I thought today would be the day Emily kept her promise. I even bought new clothes and saved for half a year to buy a gold ring for her. But I never expected Emily to break her word, allowing Logan to distort the truth and steal my credit and project. Logan slammed the table in anger when I looked at Emily, “What are you staring at? If Emily didn’t value your experience, you’d have been fired long ago!” Emily gave me an apologetic look and then firmly said, “Forget the fine, but your year-end bonus is gone. Ethan, be more careful next time and avoid such rookie mistakes.” She seemed to defend me, but in reality, she was pinning the blame on me. After all, she’s the boss. Without her consent, how could a newcomer like Logan dare to challenge me? As my colleagues laughed at my expense, I chuckled instead of getting angry and removed my ID badge on the spot: “No need for all that; I’m quitting.” Emily was displeased, “Don’t be ridiculous! If you resign, what about all your projects?” I shrugged calmly, “Mr. Logan is talented; he’ll do better than me.” Everyone’s expressions shifted. They knew the company’s success was largely due to my efforts. If I left, all my projects would collapse, and they wouldn’t get their commissions. Colleagues who had sided with Logan earlier tried to persuade me: “Director Ethan, Emily’s just joking. The company can’t do without you.” Logan, seeing the attention shift away, retorted angrily, “Ethan, do you want everyone to miss their targets? Don’t be so selfish!” Emily raised her eyebrows, intending to stop Logan, but he suddenly clutched his chest and squatted down: “Emily, Ethan made me so angry I’m having an attack. Call an ambulance!” Emily panicked, “Ethan, are you just going to stand there? Help!” I glanced at Logan, whose face was rosy, and he was winking provocatively. He was obviously faking it again. Emily didn’t notice and called for others to help Logan to the car. I turned to leave, but Emily called me in a hurry: “You made Logan sick; where do you think you’re going? Get in the car and help me take him to the hospital.” I didn’t want to go, but I didn’t want Logan to blackmail me later, so I got in. In the back seat, Logan lay in Emily’s arms, whining about the pain: “Emily, Ethan wants to kill me…” Emily was heartbroken and scolded me: “Don’t you know he has a heart condition? Can’t you talk things out calmly?” I was used to it. Because of Logan, I’ve argued with Emily, smashed things, but nothing changed her bias toward him. Even now, when Logan stole my credit and project, and publicly mocked me, when I just didn’t want to be exploited anymore and chose to resign, she thought I was making trouble. If it had been my old temper, I would have argued with her. But since Logan appeared a year ago, he’s taken Emily’s love, my project shares, and now even my reputation. I wonder if he’ll try to take my husband’s position someday. Living like this, I’m really tired. I nodded and said perfunctorily, “Sure, it won’t happen again.” Because there won’t be a next time. Emily looked at me in surprise, satisfied with my compromise, and explained unusually, “I know you’re not a bad person, just your mouth gets you in trouble.” “Logan has a heart condition, and I’m just worried about him getting upset, that’s why I go along with him.” “Besides, he’s your apprentice; don’t you want him to go far?” Yeah! Logan isn’t just my apprentice; I sent him to Emily myself. I supported him through college and paid his medical bills. When he couldn’t find a job after graduation, I got him the assistant job. But he didn’t want to be an assistant forever and begged me to teach him design. I squeezed out three hours daily to teach him by hand. I knew about his condition and asked Emily to take care of him. But I didn’t expect Emily to take such good care of him, to the point of overdoing it. That day, I went to discuss work with Emily and found them sharing an ice cream in the office. Seeing this scene, I was furious and rushed to question them. That was the first time Logan faked illness, and the first time Emily gave me the cold shoulder in public since we married. She rushed Logan to the hospital, attending to him closely. Watching my wife care for someone else so attentively, it felt terrible. In ten years of marriage, I’d never been cared for like that. Once, I had acute appendicitis and was in excruciating pain, begging her to take me to the hospital. She tossed me a bottle of painkillers coldly: “If you want to slack off, just say it. I hate people who fake illness!” I ended up calling a cab myself for surgery. Even after learning about my condition, she was dismissive: “Just appendicitis, everyone gets it. Don’t act like it’s a terminal illness, alright?” I thought she was just harsh but kind-hearted. But she never visited me in the hospital once. I used to think she was just a cold woman. But turning my head, I saw Emily, with her severe cleanliness, using her white cuffs to wipe Logan’s sweat. She urged the driver to hurry as if Logan was her husband. I smiled bitterly, letting go of my obsession. I should have realized earlier; her actions were a clear message. She truly loved Logan, deeply. And I was just a passerby in her life. I sent a message to my senior, telling him I was out. He replied with a shocked emoji: “Ethan, come work with me.” I’d refused him countless times before, but this time, I replied, “Okay.” For Emily, I gave up my future. Now, it’s not too late to turn back and fight for myself. We said nothing on the way to the hospital, where Logan was doing fine. Hearing that, I turned to leave. Emily sighed in relief: “Ethan, wait, I’ll go home with you.” As she reached for my hand, Logan started feigning illness again, clutching his chest in pain. Emily sighed and transferred me $500 as compensation: “You go home first. After the project succeeds, I’ll give you the rest of your share.” “When the company goes public, I’ll return to the family. I won’t go back on my word.” I mumbled an “Okay,” turned to leave, and didn’t accept the money. I don’t plan to stay with her any longer. My senior is preparing the documents, ready to sue her. I turned and left without taking the money she offered. I’m not planning to stay with her anymore. My senior is gathering documents, preparing to sue her. Not only will the contract be terminated, but she’ll also face a substantial compensation. 2 On the way back, I received taunting messages and videos from Logan. “Leo, what does it matter if you’re her husband? She even caught my vomit with her bare hands. Have you ever been treated like that?” I really haven’t. When I was sick, she didn’t even bother to look after me, let alone get me a glass of water. “Leo, is $500 enough for you? If not, I can send you more. My sister felt sorry for me being so ill and gave me $50,000.” I looked at the transfer records he sent. Emily really did feel sorry for him, being frugal with her apologies to me but giving him over ten million in pocket money over time. I ignored his taunts and silently kept the evidence. Back home, I cooked some noodles, ate, and went to sleep. Late at night, Emily suddenly returned and shook me awake: “Don’t sleep. Logan’s sick. I’ve told him to move in temporarily so I can take care of him.” “Hurry and clean up the guest room, change the sheets and comforter.” Woken up, feeling irritable, I turned over and went back to sleep: “Do it yourself, I’m busy.” Hearing this, Logan frowned and barged in to criticize: “Emily initially planned to stay at my place. She came back for the sake of your dignity as her husband.” “I’ve already agreed to stay here, and Emily also pleaded with you not to overdo it.” Emily shook her head in disappointment: “Don’t you usually do it with enthusiasm? Why are you deliberately targeting Logan now?” “He even told me he wouldn’t mind that you made him sick. You really have less tolerance than your apprentice!” I let out a cold laugh, too lazy to argue: “Yeah, yeah, it’s all my fault. Go live at Logan’s place; you can take better care of him.” Emily’s scolding halted, and she glared at me with red eyes: “Leo! What husband pushes his wife to someone else’s home?” She hit me a few times in frustration and ran out crying. After she left, Logan slowly walked in and gave me the middle finger: “I didn’t expect you to resort to dirty tricks like me, Master, but you’ll never outplay me. Just wait and see.” I didn’t pay much attention, buried my head, and fell back asleep. The next day, I woke up feeling refreshed, and as soon as I entered the living room, I smelled something delicious. A lavish breakfast was laid out on the table. Emily, wearing an apron, seemed to have forgotten about last night, sat me down, and placed a poached egg in my bowl. “Come on, try this poached egg.” Weird, Emily never cooks. Did the sun rise in the west today? I was about to take a bite when she muttered: “Logan is picky. If it’s even slightly burnt, he won’t eat it. If it’s too soft, he won’t eat it either. Help me taste it…” I put down my chopsticks instantly. I was overthinking it. Why would she make breakfast for me? Today’s meal was all thanks to Logan. Living like this is really a disgrace. I turned to my room, pulled out the prepared divorce agreement, and handed it to her. Emily was busy with something and didn’t even glance at it: “There’s bone broth simmering on the stove. I’ll sign later.” I stopped her: “This is urgent. Sign it first, it won’t take long.” Emily sighed, quickly signed with a pen. Then she suddenly thought of something and casually asked: “Is this your new project? I want Logan to join your team.” “Don’t worry, he won’t take any money, just wants his name on it.” I put the document away. Emily really loves Logan deeply, never forgetting to get him benefits. But this time, she’s bound to be disappointed. “This isn’t a project; it’s a divorce agreement.”

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On the eve of the annual company party, my wife said she had a surprise for me, a top-tier lawyer. However, the next day, she publicly quintupled the bonus for the marketing manager. For me, she only said, “Keep up the good work next year.” When I questioned this, my wife dismissed it casually: “Your cases were indeed well-handled, but without Charlie’s promotion, you wouldn’t have become a star lawyer.” “Besides, we’re married. What’s mine is yours. Why fuss over a little bonus?” Everyone was waiting for a scene, but I didn’t make one. Instead, I remained silent until the end of the party. The next day, I personally placed my resignation letter on my wife’s desk. “You might as well add my salary to Charlie’s. Consider it a wedding gift for you two.” My wife angrily called me petty and cursed that I’d only end up unemployed. But she forgot that as an experienced top-tier lawyer like me, there were plenty of prestigious law firms eager to hire me. “I don’t want to talk to you anymore!” Grace threw her bag onto the sofa, her face cold and refusing to communicate. I rubbed my temples, feeling utterly exhausted. Since we left work, Grace and I had been arguing about what happened at the law firm’s annual party today. I couldn’t understand why she downplayed my achievements, nor could I comprehend the point of excessively praising Charlie, a newcomer who had just joined the firm. Grace, however, thought I was being petty, fighting over such small favors with Charlie. As the argument went on, neither of us was willing to back down, and the atmosphere suddenly turned cold. At that moment, Grace’s phone buzzed with a message notification. She took out her phone, and after looking at it, her face showed obvious annoyance. “There’s an urgent matter at the firm that needs my attention. Lucas, I don’t want to argue with you about this. You’d better shape up, and don’t forget to prepare and send me the case analysis for tomorrow’s work.” “If you continue being so petty, I can’t help you. We’ve been married for five years, and you’re hung up on this little money. I’m so disappointed in you.” “I’m being petty?” I felt utterly powerless. Grace always changed the subject during arguments, never directly addressing an issue. Every time Charlie was mentioned, she had a bunch of excuses about being busy. Most often, she would use the fact that we’re married as a reason to tell me not to be so calculative. For the next few minutes, I had nothing to say. Grace complained that she had worked all day, so she specifically took a shower before returning to the bedroom to change clothes. During this time, we didn’t speak, falling into a cold war. But life can’t go on like this; someone has to make the first move. “Honey…” After pondering for a moment, I was about to take the initiative to make peace when I inadvertently noticed something strange. Grace was secretly stuffing something into her pants. As I got closer, I was shocked to see it was a pair of black stockings! The words I was about to say got stuck in my throat. I couldn’t say them, nor could I swallow them back. My heart suddenly sank. I couldn’t help but think about how Grace’s attitude towards me had changed over the past six months. She always had work to discuss, was always on business trips, and her attitude towards me became increasingly impatient. We hadn’t even had any intimate moments as a couple for a long time. At this moment, I finally realized she was having an affair. After a moment of hesitation, I instinctively wanted to stop her, but then I paused. I suppressed the anger in my heart, thinking that I might as well use this incident to divorce her directly, since my marriage with Grace had long been just a facade. Thinking this, I quietly retreated from the bedroom and sat directly on the sofa, waiting. Grace came out not long after, looking slightly nervous. “Lucas, did you call me just now?” Hearing this, I looked up and perfectly feigned a confused expression. “No, I didn’t.” Seeing that I showed no signs of suspicion, Grace visibly relaxed, her face turning cold again. “I need to go back to the firm now. We’ll talk about the year-end bonus when I get back. I might not be able to come home tonight.” Then, without waiting for my response, she hurriedly left. A few minutes later, after calculating the time it would take her to drive out of the neighborhood, I got dressed, went downstairs, and took a taxi to follow her. From the moment Grace left home, she wasn’t heading in the direction of the law firm!

I let out a cold laugh in the car when I saw her car finally stop in front of a hotel. Although I couldn’t go up to the hotel, I could get into her car. I unlocked the car, played back the dashcam footage, and heard Grace calling a man on her way there, addressing him as “baby” right from the start. “Hello? Charlie? Are you there yet? I’m almost there… It’s just that Lucas again. I don’t know what’s gotten into him these past few months, always looking for reasons to argue.” I frowned, but Grace’s next words were even more hurtful. “He should remember who got him where he is today. Now he dares to argue with me over the year-end bonus. He’s really crossing the line. It’s driving me crazy. I want your kiss, baby…” My blood boiled as I realized the person on the other end of the call was Charlie. No wonder his contributions were the greatest this year and his bonus was doubled. Apparently, he had been doing “overtime” after work. Grace, how could you do this to me? Six months ago, when Charlie joined the firm, it was already strange enough that he was parachuted in as a team leader with just a few years of experience after graduation. Moreover, his abilities were mediocre, yet Grace always assigned him the best resources, causing quite a stir among other colleagues in the company. Later, Charlie leveraged these resources to climb to the position of marketing manager in just half a year. From that point on, I began to have suspicions. On the other hand, Grace’s care for him in daily life was meticulous. During meals and business entertainment, I often couldn’t even sit next to Grace, but Charlie was always by her side. I had raised objections before, but Grace always said he was her junior from university, and it was only right to look after him. For the past six months, every time Grace had a business dinner or trip that I couldn’t accompany her on, she was probably fooling around with Charlie. Finally, I returned home in a daze. Sitting on the sofa, I rubbed my face. Suspecting and actually discovering are two different feelings. At least I had truly loved Grace. Now, having seen and heard it with my own eyes and ears, I still felt heartbroken. The TV at home was broadcasting local news about someone who killed for revenge for their mother. I had no interest in watching it and tossed and turned half the night before finally falling asleep on the sofa. The entire dream was filled with memories of my past with Grace. We met in the workplace after graduation. I was impressed by Grace’s capable and decisive nature at first sight and promptly began pursuing her. After we got together, Grace directly opened a law firm for me. I was very grateful for her recognition and worked tirelessly for the firm. This went on for six years. Later, I proposed to Grace, and both our parents were very pleased. But I never imagined that now, as the firm has grown bigger and stronger, she would already be having an affair before we even reached the seven-year itch. A night of chaotic dreams led to me being late for work the next day. In response, Grace mercilessly reprimanded me in front of all the executives during the morning meeting. “Lucas! What’s wrong with you? We just had a few words yesterday, and now you dare to be late? Let me tell you, you’ve lost your perfect attendance bonus for this month! Reflect on yourself!” Faced with the sympathetic or indifferent gazes of everyone, I just nodded, without saying much. However, this reaction made Grace think I had a bad attitude. After everyone else had left, she sat down in the boss’s chair, folded her arms, and coldly spoke to me. “Lucas, let me tell you, don’t use that attitude from home here in the company! Do you think you can give me the cold shoulder in front of everyone just because you’re my husband?! I’ve always kept our personal and professional lives separate!” Keeping personal and professional lives separate… I chewed on these words repeatedly, finding them laughable. She keeps things separate with me, but last night in the car, she was all sweet talk and coquettish with Charlie, saying all sorts of nice things. My indifference made Grace feel disrespected. She became furious, stood up, and slammed the desk. “Lucas! What are you trying to do? Are you rebelling?” I ignored her outburst and directly turned to leave the office. I went straight downstairs to the HR department to submit my resignation.

“Mr. Lin… Are you sure you want to resign?” “Yes, I’m sure.” The HR person was very surprised and repeatedly asked me. Although I had never publicly disclosed my relationship with Grace, over the years, my colleagues had all guessed it. The HR person clearly didn’t want to get involved in our “domestic affairs” at this moment and immediately showed a troubled expression, trying to deflect. “This… This is such a big decision, I can’t make it on my own. Why don’t you go talk to Ms. Gu first? See what she thinks.” My position was considered a key player in the company, and logically, it did require Grace’s signature. “No need to ask. Just handle it as a regular procedure,” I said softly but firmly, not sounding like an impulsive decision made in anger. The HR person looked at me for a while and could only agree with a bitter smile, telling me to come back in the afternoon to pick up the report. Just as I left the HR office, I was called to Grace’s office again. When I went in, I saw Charlie was also there. Seeing me come in, he smiled insincerely and said, “Brother Lucas is here.” “Good timing. Did you see the news yesterday about the person who killed for revenge for their mother? The case has now fallen to our firm. It was Charlie who secured it for you, Lucas. If you handle this case well, you could make a big name for yourself.” Grace called me in, reluctantly showing some goodwill, and then arrogantly “entrusted me with an important task” – to defend the killer from last night’s news. I had looked at that case this morning. As things stood, online public opinion had already pushed this case to a critical point. Grace wasn’t wrong; if handled well, it could indeed make me famous. However, I felt that Charlie had ulterior motives. This kind of case was a hot potato. No matter how it was defended, it would end up being criticized. The law is impartial, but morality is emotional. The outcome of this incident, good or bad, would affect one’s career. It was like unnecessarily inviting trouble. Thinking of this, I refused on the spot. “I still have several cases unfinished. Adding a new one would be too much to handle. I can’t take it. Please assign someone else.” “Lucas, Mr. Big Shot Lawyer, what’s wrong? Have you become too good for these kinds of cases after achieving some success in recent years? You’re not even seizing opportunities when they present themselves. What are you thinking?” Grace’s face showed mockery, her words extremely unpleasant. Charlie, seeing this, also pretended to persuade me: “Brother Lucas, if this case is handled well, it will only benefit our firm. Think it over. We need to consider the long-term development of Ms. Gu and the firm.” “Since this case has come to us, and I’ve worked hard to secure it, logically, the company needs someone to take it on. Currently, it seems you’re the most suitable person for this case, Brother Lucas.” I frowned, ignoring his moral coercion. Just as I was about to speak, Grace’s phone rang. “Hello? Little Li? What’s the matter? Huh? Who? Who wants to resign?!” Grace was stunned for a few seconds, and in the course of a few sentences, her expression became extremely unpleasant. After hanging up the phone, she looked at me in disbelief. “Lucas, you want to resign?! Just because I said a few words to you this morning?!” She stood up and flew into a rage at me, her whole body fuming. I remained outwardly calm, leaning on the desk and slowly moving closer, pulling the corners of my mouth into a cold smile as I spoke calmly. “Grace, not only am I resigning, but I also want a divorce.”

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Twelve-year-old Luke Wilson picked up two things at the farmers market. One was a newborn female puppy, and the other was me. Luke brought us both home and named me Lily. He provided for me, taught me, and hoped I would grow up safe and sound. Fifteen years later, Luke rebuilt his family business. Everyone thought he loved me more with each passing year. But only I knew he wouldn’t care so much about a little trash he picked up. Finally, the person Luke had been waiting for returned to the country. Without a second thought, he handed me over to his friend: “The female dog at home started breeding with different male dogs when she was two years old.” “What makes you think you’re special?” The Hillside Club was built halfway up the mountain. Without a registered license plate, one had to walk up. Luke’s urgent text messages kept coming. By the time I reached the private room door, my heels were already blistered and bleeding. I dared not delay and pushed the door open. All eyes in the room turned to me. I immediately spotted Luke sitting in the middle of the crowd. He was intimately kissing a woman on his lap, their tongues intertwined. Their hands roamed each other’s bodies. “Well, well, if it isn’t Wilson’s little adopted pet. Cute little thing, isn’t she?” A man on the couch whistled at me, making kissing noises. I clutched my coat tightly, lowering my head in silence. Hearing this, Luke finally released the woman and beckoned me over. “What are you standing there for? Come sit.” Luke, still fondling the woman’s slender waist, pointed at an empty spot on the table: “There’s still room on the table. Make do with that.” “And didn’t I teach you how to greet people properly?” At this, everyone in the room snickered, waiting to see my performance. The woman on Luke’s lap playfully hit him. “Why are you being so mean?” The man grabbed her mischievous hand and kissed it. “She’s young. I’m just teaching her, that’s all.” He then turned to me: “This is your future sister-in-law, Vanessa.” “Come on, call her sister-in-law. Let’s hear it.”

I obediently called her “Sister-in-law” and placed the newly bought stockings and condoms on the table. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now.” As I said this, I turned to leave. But the next second, Luke suddenly kicked the table: “Who said you could leave?” “You’ve really gotten spoiled. You don’t even listen to me anymore?” “I told you to sit on the table!” Luke grabbed my hand and threw me towards the table. I lost my balance, and my waist slammed against the table edge. I was in so much pain that I started sweating, my hands pressed against the table as I struggled to stand up. Everyone in the room burst into laughter. Vanessa coquettishly pushed him: “Luke, don’t be like that. She’s still a girl, not really a dog you adopted!” Luke suggestively thrust his hips against the woman: “Oh? Are you finally jealous?” The two continued their intimate behavior. Vanessa held the man’s hand, pretending to be angry: “Stop it, your sister is watching.” Luke immediately gripped Vanessa’s thigh and pressed his lips to hers: “What sister? She’s just a bitch I picked up.”

As the two kissed passionately, the surrounding men became excited and said with malicious intent: “I heard… a bitch in heat can’t be satisfied even by ten dogs!” “Is that true, Luke?” The men around started rubbing their hands and unbuckling their belts. Luke glanced at me from the corner of his eye: “Why don’t you try and find out for yourselves?” I frantically wrapped myself tighter, curling into a ball. My eyes, filled with fear and pleading, looked towards Luke: “Brother… please… don’t…” But seeing my expression only seemed to excite Luke more. He stood up, cupping the woman’s bottom in his arms and bouncing her heavily. Looking down at me, he said: “The female dog we brought home together started breeding with different male dogs when she was just two years old.” “What makes you think you’re special?”

As soon as Luke gave his permission, the surrounding men surged towards me. In my confused state, someone took off my coat and pressed a glass of wine to my lips: “A little drink will make you feel better, puppy!” Luke intervened. “Don’t give her alcohol, she’s allergic.” I foolishly thought he would save me. I struggled desperately to break free from the grip of several men, crawling urgently to his feet, placing my forehead on the surface of his shiny leather shoes: “Brother! Save me, I promise I’ll be good from now on…” “I’ll listen to you and sister-in-law! I swear!” “If you tell me to leave, I’ll go! I won’t ever appear in front of you again!” But the next second, I felt a cold liquid being poured onto my back. The people around went wild: “Luke knows how to play!” “Wine on the back, double the fun!” I was thrown onto the table once again. Someone was filming nearby, saying extremely vulgar things. A sticky tongue licked across my skin. Although there was a table behind me, I felt like I was falling endlessly. Countless hands covered my body, tearing at my clothes. In my confusion, I saw Luke take a sip of wine and pass it to Vanessa with his mouth. “That’s enough, guys. She’s my only sister.” “Don’t break her.”

In my desperation, I caught sight of a wine bottle not far away, slowly rolling towards me due to the shaking table. Seeing it as my lifeline, I grabbed the bottle and smashed it on the head of the man in front of me. Once… twice… In an instant, glass and blood were scattered everywhere. The pungent liquid also splattered onto my face. Vanessa immediately let out an ear-piercing scream. The man I had hit felt the blood flowing from his forehead and fainted shortly after from shock. The bottle was smashed, leaving only a sharp half. I held it, pointing it at the men who tried to rush towards me. They all stopped in their tracks, no one daring to come closer. Luke tried to come up and stop me: “Lily, calm down. We were just playing around…” Luke bet that I wouldn’t hurt him and slowly approached me. My hand couldn’t stop shaking, tears had long been flowing uncontrollably. Seeing Luke less than two meters away from me, my emotions became even more uncontrollable. I pressed the sharp end against my own neck. Luke was too scared to come any closer: “Lily! Are you crazy?!” “I gave you your life! You have no right to decide your own death!” Tears messily stuck to my hair strands, my vision starting to blur. “It’s just one life. I’m giving it back to you.”

If I had known this day would come, I would have rather lived with cockroaches in the sewers of the farmers market. Years ago, Luke’s father was exposed by the media for his evil deeds — behind the facade of a children’s philanthropist was a perverted pedophile. With multiple pieces of irrefutable evidence presented, Luke’s father was sent to prison, where he soon committed suicide, unable to bear the shame. The Wilson family’s assets were frozen for investigation, and the company, deeply affected by public opinion, never recovered. Luke’s mother followed in his father’s footsteps not long after, screaming her innocence until her dying breath. But no one believed her. Overnight, their world turned upside down. That year, Luke was twelve years old. Relatives stayed far away from the Wilson family, and no one wanted to take in Luke, seeing him as a burden. So, just starting middle school, he used the little cash left in the family to rent a small house outside and lived alone for years. To save money, he would always go to the nearby farmers market at dusk to buy cheap, leftover vegetables that others had passed over. Until he met a little girl stealing buns. The bakery owner was chasing her with a rolling pin, determined to teach the little girl a lesson. Luke originally wanted to quickly pay for his items and leave, but he heard the vegetable vendor complaining: “It’s that unwanted little beggar again.” “I wonder what her parents are thinking.” Luke was stunned. He thought, wasn’t he also an unwanted child? He stopped the bakery owner and paid for the buns. When he found the little girl in the sewers of the farmers market, she was feeding the stolen buns to a newborn puppy. But the puppy couldn’t eat what the little girl saw as a delicacy, only whimpering weakly. “Newborn puppies need milk.” The little girl looked at Luke in terror, immediately becoming defensive. Luke just walked up, handed the buns he had just bought to the little girl, and patted her head. “Come on, let’s go home with big brother.” “I’ll make sure you have buns to eat every day from now on.” And so, under the puzzled gazes of onlookers, he took away a little beggar girl and a female puppy. In the rented room, Luke used a warm towel to clean the little girl’s body. “Big brother doesn’t have a family anymore. Will you be big brother’s family?” The little girl didn’t have a family either. She didn’t understand what family meant, she only knew that the brother in front of her wasn’t a bad person. That day, Luke named the little girl Lily. Hoping she would grow up safe and sound, year after year.

I didn’t die, but I wasn’t really living either. I was locked in a room Luke had specially prepared for me in the Wilson house, existing in a state between life and death. The windows were locked from the outside, airtight. Inside the room, there was nothing but a bed and a bathroom, nothing else. I looked at myself in the mirror, bandages wrapped around my neck, my face already gaunt and haggard. Just like before, whenever I angered Luke, he would starve me for days. He would starve me until I had no strength to argue with him, and only when I begged him for food would he be satisfied enough to let me out. But this time, Luke noticed something was different. Because I was getting thinner day by day, but there were no signs of me begging him. So Luke changed his strategy. He started tormenting me day and night. He violently forced himself on me, ravaging my mouth. My stomach, already empty of food, kept churning with bile. I wanted to vomit but couldn’t bring anything up. Obviously, a body so thin it hurt to touch didn’t arouse much interest in him. Until one day, I started eating on my own. Luke rushed home from the company, overjoyed, stroking my head and apologizing. “I was wrong last time, it won’t happen again.” “Will you forgive your brother, Lily?” I put down the soup spoon, looked up at him, and agreed with a smile. I had figured it out. I couldn’t just die so easily. I wanted to make Luke suffer unbearably, to make him experience pain worse than everything I had gone through.

I finally stepped out of that hell, but when I returned to my room, I found Vanessa living in my bedroom. Vanessa was wearing a loose white shirt, her legs exposed. Seeing me, she pretended to be surprised and hugged me: “Oh my God, Lily, how did you get so thin?” “Have you not been eating well? When Luke gets back, I’ll scold him for you!” I didn’t have the energy to play act with her. I looked past her into what should have been my room. “Where are my things?” Vanessa took a small step back, seemingly at a loss: “Oh… were those your things?” “What should we do… I asked Luke and he said they were useless trash, told me to deal with them myself.” “I threw them all away!” “Threw them away?” “Those were my things, what right did you have to throw them away?!” Having not eaten properly for several days, this shout made my heart ache terribly. “What’s all this shouting about in broad daylight?!” Luke had appeared behind me at some point, passing by me to embrace Vanessa. “Lily, what are you doing blocking the way?” “Luke, what should we do? I think I threw away all of Lily’s things.” “Did I make a mistake? I didn’t mean to! Those things really looked like…” Luke glanced at me, carelessly wiping his still damp hair with a towel: “If it’s thrown away, it’s thrown away. It was all useless trash anyway.” “The house is so big, you can just sleep in any guest room.”

In the middle of the night, someone knocked violently on the door of the room I was sleeping in. I opened the door sleepily to see Luke, his face satisfied from recent intimacy. “Go upstairs and change the sheets, and boil some water while you’re at it. Vanessa’s throat is a bit sore.” I obediently agreed: “I have some throat lozenges here, I’ll bring them to sister-in-law in a bit.” But Luke seemed to be in a strange mood. He looked at me oddly and forcefully gripped my shoulder: “Lily, you’re not jealous, are you?” “Don’t you know that from the beginning, I’ve only ever loved Vanessa?” “You volunteered to be Vanessa’s substitute, clinging to me.” … No one knew that the reason Luke cared about a little trash he picked up was because he would embrace me on countless nights. After entering college, during summer break, Luke worked four jobs a day to save money. I wanted to follow him and work too, but he wouldn’t let me, saying male bosses outside always took advantage of young girls. He was afraid I would be treated the same way. So all I did every day was wait for him to come home. By chance one time, I saw the small box that Luke usually kept locked was accidentally left with the key together. Normally, Luke never let me look at what was inside the box, or even get near that area. Driven by curiosity, I turned the key, wanting to see what treasure was hidden inside the box. It turned out there was only a yellowed photograph and two floral hair clips inside. In the photo, a young boy shyly avoided looking at the camera, while a young girl hugged him intimately, smiling happily. That was the first time I saw Vanessa. I finally understood that the box Luke wouldn’t let me open was his last sanctuary, belonging to him alone. The box contained his most precious treasure. Out of jealousy, I hid the key. When Luke came home, he frantically searched for the key but couldn’t find it anywhere. He tried to pry it open with his fingernails in desperation, but all attempts failed. I was too scared to speak, but seeing Luke’s bloodied fingernails, I tremblingly handed the key I had hidden in my pocket to Luke, who was crying with his head down. That was the first time he got so angry with me, and he didn’t come home for several days. A week later, Luke finally came back. I clumsily tried to hug him like the little girl in the photo, hoping to earn his forgiveness. I only remember that night, he kept saying “I love you so much.” But at the end of his passionate confession, it was Vanessa’s name he uttered.

When I entered the room with fresh sheets, Vanessa had just come out of the bathroom. I greeted her and then buried my head in changing the sheets. She walked to the bed wrapped in a towel, eyeing me: “Luke really has no shame, calling you to clean up so late.” “I’m sorry, Lily, we made the sheets too dirty…” Vanessa had intended to provoke me, but found I was unmoved. Her expression changed slightly, and she quickly adopted a different tone: “But come to think of it, Lily’s sexual desires must be hard to satisfy alone, right…?” “For a bitch… does it take five? Or ten?” Memories of the private club suddenly filled my entire mind, and my body felt unbearably cold. “Last time when so many men were on top of you, tell your sister-in-law honestly, you actually enjoyed it…” Before Vanessa could finish speaking, my palm landed on her face. Vanessa was stunned by my slap, holding her face frozen in place. And this scene was just witnessed by Luke, who had just pushed open the door. “Have you fucking lost your mind?!” Luke strode over to me, and the next second, a burning red handprint was imprinted on my face. My mouth was full of the taste of blood. I watched as Luke embraced Vanessa, comforting her with utmost tenderness. Vanessa nestled in Luke’s arms, crying heartbrokenly. “Luke, I just wanted to check if Lily was scared by what happened a few days ago, and she just…!” “It’s okay, Vanessa, don’t be afraid. I’m here.” Luke looked at me like I was garbage: “You’re just a dog picked up by the Wilson family, don’t forget your place.” “It seems you won’t know your mistake without some punishment.”

Once again, I was locked in that hellish room. But this time was different. Luke brought meals to my room on time every day, watching me finish before leaving. After more than a week, I finally understood his purpose for doing this. After dinner, Luke didn’t leave. He reached out and patted my face: “If it weren’t for me, you would have rotted away in that farmers market long ago.” “You should be grateful to me,” “I’ve provided for you so well for so many years, it’s time you repay our family.” Luke wanted to send me as a gift to the boss of a rival company. He dressed me in strange clothes that barely covered anything. “I heard Mr. Qin is quite the playboy.” “Women who end up in his bed never dare show their faces in public again.” “If you can please him,” “I might consider letting you be Vanessa’s bridesmaid at next month’s wedding.” … Gradually, my body began to lose strength. By the time I realized the dinner had been drugged, it was too late. 13 My body was bound with ropes, unable to move. I didn’t know where I had woken up. My eyes were blindfolded, everything was pitch black. When the sense of sight is deprived, the remaining senses become infinitely amplified. I don’t know how long it had been when the door was opened. I shuddered in shock, the scenes from that day at the private club playing on loop in my mind. The sound of leather shoes came closer and closer until it stopped near me. A man’s breath pressed down on me. It was a familiar scent. The next second, the blindfold covering my eyes was lifted. Due to the effects of the drug, my head was pounding, and my vision was blurry. I could only vaguely see the man loosening his tie, speaking with a suppressed voice: “I’ll untie the ropes first. Tell me if it hurts.” The ropes on my body were finally untied, and the man immediately covered me, barely dressed in scraps of fabric, with a blanket. The effects of the drug intensified as time passed. I still lay on the bed unable to move, with the effects growing stronger. Luke had used a potent drug, intending for me to die on this bed. I struggled to focus my vision, trying to make out the man’s face clearly. The man used a damp towel to wipe my sweaty forehead, tucking my hair behind my ear, and spoke again: “Don’t remember me?” “That’s going to be a problem.” “Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t forget me?” 14 In an instant, memories of the past flooded back to me. In college, there were quite a few boys who pursued me, but I had forgotten almost all their faces. Except for one person. We had chosen almost the same courses, and even in a gender studies course with only three students in the entire year, he and I were already two of them. He sat in the farthest position from me, yet always looked at me without trying to hide it. Until one day, I finally couldn’t stand it anymore. After class, I stopped him and asked: “Hey classmate, you’re going to stare a hole through my head.” “Can’t you show some restraint?” I had noticed before when passing by him, he always smelled like… baby powder. It wasn’t unpleasant, it was the kind of scent you could become addicted to. The boy was very tall, always wearing a white polo shirt like he was some kind of inspecting leader. In stark contrast to the color of his polo shirt were his ears, now red as blood. “I’m sorry… it won’t happen again.” “What’s your name—?” [Ethan.] “Have you forgotten me?” The man spoke with some disappointment. I remembered now, that familiar scent from earlier was the smell of baby powder. 15 “Sleep here for the night, I’ll take you back tomorrow.” I had finally managed to leave that hell, and now he wanted to send me back? My will broke through the control of the drug’s effects, and I shouted: “No!” “Help me, I can’t go back there…!” “Please, for the sake of our college friendship…” I grabbed Ethan’s hand. I heard him mutter very quietly: “Just college classmates and you still forgot me…” But soon, Ethan regained his proper demeanor.

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On our wedding anniversary, my wife slit her wrists in the bathtub, taking her own life to follow her so-called “first love” to the grave. When I opened her old diary, I was transported back to her 16-year-old self. And there he was—this so-called “first love”—trying to convince her to tattoo his name on her arm. I couldn’t hold back my anger. Pulling her behind me, I glared at him. “You Punk, get lost!” My wife, Mia, had been battling severe depression for years. Nothing seemed to bring her joy anymore. But today, on our wedding anniversary, she did something unusual—she said she wanted to have a cake to celebrate. I was overjoyed, practically rubbing my hands together with excitement as I agreed and rushed out to buy one. When I came home with a bouquet of roses in one hand and a beautifully decorated cake in the other, I found her lying motionless in the bathtub. Her body was submerged in a pool of crimson water. The cake slipped from my hands, smashing onto the floor, just as shattered as the day that was supposed to celebrate our marriage. I had always known about Mia’s so-called “first love,” Ryan. His death had left her devastated, and she fell into a deep depression because of it. One night, I came home from work to find her numbly pressing a fruit knife against her wrist. For the first time ever, I lost my temper with her. “Mia, what are you doing?! Ryan’s gone. Are you seriously going to hurt yourself over someone who’s been dead for years?” Her hand trembled as she dropped the knife, tears streaming down her face. “I’m sorry, Brian,” she whispered. “I don’t know… I can’t control myself.” I sighed and pulled her into my arms, gently wiping her cold tears away. “Don’t be scared,” I said softly. “You’re sick, but I’ll get you the help you need. We’ll get through this together.” She nodded. She said she’d try. But in the end, she broke that promise. While sorting through her things, I found an old pink diary with a small brass lock. Mia’s parents had spoiled her when she was younger, back when the family was still doing well. They had bought her one of those trendy diaries with a lock to keep her secrets safe. But as I held it in my hands, the lock fell off on its own, and the pages began flipping wildly, as though carried by an invisible wind. Finally, they stopped on a page. April 16th, 2013 “My sixteenth year feels like a never-ending storm, cold and damp, year-round.” Before I could read any further, a blinding white light engulfed me, and I felt myself being sucked into the diary. A distant, ethereal voice echoed in my ears. “Save her. Please, save Mia…” When I opened my eyes, I was sitting in a noisy high school cafeteria. I was wearing the uniform of Linrose High—Mia’s high school. Finding a reflective tray, I caught my own reflection. I was 16 again—back in my own teenage body! Across the cafeteria, I heard a group of students taunting someone. “Mia, your dad fell off a construction site and died, huh? And now your trashy mom’s working the streets? Heard you’re the one bringing her the bathwater to clean up after her ‘clients,’ huh?” “Makes sense—a trashy mom and her trashy daughter. You keep hanging around Ryan, helping him with homework. What is it? Trying to advertise yourself?” The cafeteria went silent as everyone stopped eating to watch the drama unfold. Mia’s face turned bright red. Her hands shook slightly, but she forced herself to stay calm, chewing her food slowly, pretending not to hear a thing. The girl who had been mocking her grew angrier at being ignored. “You little slut!” she snapped, slamming her tray toward Mia. Mia couldn’t dodge in time, and greasy food splattered all over her school jacket. Before I could react, a boy with bleached, messy hair stepped forward. Without a word, he grabbed his own tray and dumped its contents over the girl’s head. Soup and gravy dripped down her face as she shrieked in outrage. “Ryan, are you seriously beating someone up over a girl?” A chubby kid pointed an accusing finger at him.Ryan ran a hand through his messy hair, grabbed a Coke bottle, and smashed it against the table. Shards of glass scattered everywhere as the chubby kid touched his forehead, horrified to find blood dripping down.“I’ll beat the crap out of anyone who talks trash about Mia!” Ryan yelled. “If I hear one more word about her, I’ll go after every single one of you, one by one!” So… Mia’s so-called “first love” was this punk? And she took her own life over him? Sure, he protected her. But this kind of extreme behavior? It was bound to lead to trouble. Ryan handed Mia an empty Coke bottle and raised his eyebrows, thinking he looked cool. “Mia, nice people get walked all over. You’ve gotta hit them where it hurts so they’ll never mess with you again. Here, take this bottle and teach that liar a lesson.” What? Was this guy seriously encouraging Mia to assault someone? My future wife—kind, gentle, and soft-hearted—absolutely could not be corrupted by this idiot! Mia hesitated, staring at the bottle in her hand. Her eyes flickered with a dangerous, almost manic light. As she raised the bottle high over her head, I darted forward and shielded the girl she was about to hit. The Coke bottle came down hard—right on my back. Damn, my future wife was way stronger than I thought. That hurt. The wild look melted from Mia’s eyes, replaced by panic. She dropped the bottle and rushed to me. “I’m so sorry, are you okay? Did I hurt you?” Before I could respond, the cafeteria supervisor’s voice boomed across the room. “Who’s causing trouble in here? Don’t let me catch you!” Ryan didn’t even wait. He bolted without a word, slipping out the back like the coward he was. I pointed at Ryan’s retreating figure and said to Mia, “Don’t listen to him. Fighting never solves anything. He hit someone and ran away—do you really want to associate with someone who doesn’t take responsibility for his actions?” The supervisor stormed over, spitting mad. “Mia, were you the one fighting in here?” Mia, already burdened by everything happening in her life, lowered her head, ready to take the blame. But I stepped in front of her before she could say a word. “Sir, look at her. She’s tiny and well-behaved. Do you really think she could’ve been the one fighting?” I kept my tone calm but firm. “The one causing trouble was some punk named Ryan. He hit someone hard enough to draw blood and ran off in that direction. You should catch him and teach him a lesson.” The supervisor gave Mia one last sharp look before turning to deal with the injured student. Then, spotting Ryan’s bright blond hair in the distance, he took off at a sprint. “Nothing to see here. Everyone, get back to your meals,” I said. The crowd slowly dispersed, leaving Mia standing there, looking at me with wide, uncertain eyes. “Who… who are you?” she asked softly. I’m your future husband—the one you left behind, the one you broke. When I saw your lifeless body, I hated you for it. Hated that you never left a place for me in your heart, that you ended your life over a man who’d been gone for years. But now, seeing you here, alive and vulnerable, all those feelings melted away. I just wanted to save you, to change your future. Even if there’s no place for me in it, I want you to be happy. I smiled and answered sincerely, “Hi, Mia. I’m Brian. It’s nice to meet you again.” “Brian, thank you for helping me earlier,” she said hesitantly. “But… why did you betray Ryan?” “He hurt someone. He needs to face the consequences. But what about you? Why are you defending him so much?” She paused, thinking. Then she said quietly, “Because… he’s the only one in this whole school who doesn’t treat me like I’m dirty.” I studied her for a moment, then gently reminded her, “Mia, your jacket got stained earlier. You should take it off.” She hesitated but eventually slid the dirty jacket off her shoulders. Without missing a beat, I draped my own clean school jacket over her. “Well, now he’s not the only one. You’re not dirty, Mia. You’re the cleanest, kindest person I’ve ever met.”

In my original life, I attended a prestigious high school in the city. But in this alternate timeline within the diary, I was now living with my grandfather in the small rural town of Linwood, where I had somehow become Mia’s classmate. Mia was one of the top students in our grade, but she sat alone in the far corner of the classroom, her desk isolated from everyone else’s. Nobody wanted to sit next to her. Dragging my desk over, I placed it beside hers and smiled. “Our new seating arrangement. Let’s make it work, seatmate.” Mia nodded shyly. Sixteen-year-old Mia was soft, timid, and completely adorable. If I wanted to change the future and prevent Mia from taking her own life ten years later, I’d have to start by dealing with Ryan. Mia had once told me that Ryan died in June 2013, crashing his motorcycle on a stormy night. To save Mia, I needed to achieve two things: 1. Prevent Ryan’s death in two months. 2. Minimize Ryan’s influence over Mia. Mia and I were in the top-tier Class One, while Ryan was in the bottom-ranked Class Nine. During evening study hall, Ryan would often come to our classroom, knocking on the window by Mia’s desk. With two fingers, he’d make a beckoning motion, signaling for her to sneak out with him. He was trying to lure her away from study hall to hang out with him. Mia hesitated, her indecision written all over her face. When she didn’t move, Ryan started mouthing words dramatically, waving his arms and jumping around outside the window like a lunatic. Just as Mia began to rise from her seat, I grabbed her wrist. “Mia, you hit me in the back earlier, so now you owe me. Sit down and explain these questions to me as compensation.” Mia looked guilty and reluctantly nodded. “Okay.” I tore a page from my notebook, wrote a bold note on it, and stuck it to the window: SHE’S NOT GOING. Then I mouthed a simple, clear message to Ryan: Get lost. I’d graduated from one of the best universities in the country. I thought I’d breeze through some tutoring to make Mia feel accomplished. Turns out, I’d forgotten most of the material over the years. Mia giggled at my confusion, grabbed a scrap of paper, and began patiently explaining the problems to me. Each time she finished a question, I showered her with praise. “You’re amazing, Mia. A total genius.” She tried to keep a straight face, but every now and then, I’d catch her sneaking a little smile. Girls like her deserved compliments—lots of them. Over time, Mia seemed to rediscover a sense of pride in her studies. Whenever Ryan came knocking, asking her to ditch class and ride around with him, she’d brush him off by saying she had to help me with homework. At least for now, my future wife’s attention was shifting ever so slightly toward me. Ryan wasn’t the type to give up easily. Knowing Mia didn’t have much pocket money, he’d often sneak into Class One and leave cheap snacks in her desk drawer. Every time Mia found one of his snacks, her face would light up with joy. I’ll admit—I was jealous. Before and after we were married, I’d spent so much effort picking out gifts for her: jewelry, designer bags, luxury makeup, even handmade items I spent hours on. She’d always react with a polite, distant smile. But now here she was, grinning ear to ear over a packet of junk food. How could someone so hard to please be this happy over Ryan’s cheap snacks? One day, I pulled out a peach-flavored jelly cup from her desk, turned, and casually tossed it into the trash. “You’re allergic to peaches,” I said, rolling my eyes. “He can’t even get that right. Some ‘thoughtful’ gift.” Mia’s expression darkened. “Ryan said that while everyone else in the world throws mud at me, he’s the only one who brings me flowers. How could you ruin something so precious?” I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. From then on, I started bringing Mia breakfast: milk and eggs to start her day, fresh seasonal fruit after meals, and occasionally some high-end snacks. “This is what it looks like when someone really cares about you,” I said, smirking as I handed her a small box of chocolates. “Compared to this, that cheap stuff shouldn’t even catch your eye. Got it, Mia?” She looked down at the treats, then up at me, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Got it,” she mumbled. “Good,” I said, leaning back with a grin. “Smart girl.” On the weekend break, Ryan pulled up on his motorcycle, helmet still on, and called out to Mia. “Mia, don’t go home. Wouldn’t want to interrupt your mom and her ‘clients.’ Look, I’m being generous here—why don’t you crash at my place instead?”

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I was once the golden girl, born into wealth and privilege. But overnight, my world crumbled. One accident turned me into a pariah, the family disgrace. The man I loved for eight years, my shining beacon, came to hate me with every fiber of his being. He said I was the cause of it all—the reason for every tragedy. Before I died, he stood over me and asked, “Do you still love me?” I shook my head. “Never again.” Three years later, I came back. I had waited three long years for this moment. In the passenger seat of the car, my brother, Sean Miller, let out a cold snort, breaking the heavy silence. “Drop the pitiful act. That look on your face is disgusting.” He turned, glaring at me with contempt. “You stole Cassidy’s life for years. What you owe her can’t be repaid this easily.” In the past, I would have fought back. I would’ve given him a piece of my mind. But now, I only looked at my reflection in the car window—a pale, gaunt face stared back at me, with hollow cheeks and dull, lifeless eyes. There was no trace of the proud, glamorous princess I once was. Three years of living under someone else’s roof had taught me how to swallow my pride. I nodded quietly. “Okay.” Sometimes, lowering your head is the only way to survive. I was no longer the spoiled, entitled girl of the Miller family. As long as I could leave that hellhole behind, I would do whatever they wanted. The car pulled into the parking lot of an exclusive country club. “Come with me,” Sean ordered. He didn’t give me room to refuse. As I got out of the car, I caught the look of disgust in his eyes—sharp, clear, and unmistakable. Inside the private suite, my heart froze for a moment. Our eyes met. There he was—Lucas Hart. The man I had loved for eight years. For eight long years, I had trailed behind him, desperate for his attention. At the time, I wanted the whole world to know: I, Nora Miller, would never marry anyone but Lucas Hart! But he never once responded. Everyone knew he couldn’t stand people who were clingy and shameless. Three years had passed, and now he looked even colder, sharper—his presence radiating an icy aura. “What are you doing here?” It was obvious Lucas had no desire to see me. “Hey, Lucas, who’s this?” a friend of his asked, clearly intrigued. I lowered my head, wishing I could disappear. “Wait, isn’t this that girl? The one who used to chase Lucas around like a stray dog? The Miller heiress?” The scandal back then had been the talk of the town, so it wasn’t surprising that someone recognized me. “What’s the deal? Lucas is engaged to Cassidy now. Are you still haunting him?” “Exactly. Have you even looked at yourself in a mirror? What part of you could possibly compare to Cassidy?” Their taunts were merciless, each one cutting deeper than the last. My hands, hidden inside my sleeves, clenched tightly into fists. I kept telling myself: Endure it. Just endure it. I forced myself to speak, my voice trembling but steady. “Back then, I was the one who wouldn’t let go. I caused you so much trouble, Lucas. I won’t bother you anymore. Please, just let me go.” Lucas seemed taken aback by my words, but only for a second. His surprise quickly turned into something colder, sharper. “You’re back?” he asked, his tone as icy as ever. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “Yes.” “Why?” I hesitated, twisting my fingers nervously before answering with as much sincerity as I could muster. “Lucas, I promise I won’t appear in your life again. I won’t bother Cassidy, either.” “Remember those words,” he said, his gaze like frost, sending chills down to my fingertips. I forced a brittle smile. “Congratulations to you both…” “Get out!” Before I could finish, he cut me off, his voice sharp and unforgiving. He didn’t even want to look at me. Sean stood to the side, arms crossed, enjoying the humiliation I was being put through. It was clear he was satisfied. I understood in that moment: this man who once adored me, who once called me his precious little sister, now lived to see me suffer. I walked back to the Miller estate. The road felt endless, and by the time I reached the house, the sky had already turned dark. Autumn winds bit through my thin sleeves, chilling me to the bone. When I finally arrived at the gates, my limbs were numb from the cold. The grand, tightly shut doors stood before me, keeping the warmth inside firmly out of reach. I stood there, alone, with nowhere to go. 3 Cassidy broke her leg. It wasn’t my fault. But no one believed me. Not even Lucas Hart. Three years ago, he used a DNA test to send me back to my biological father in a run-down countryside town. I don’t even know how I survived those three years. My father was a gambling addict who owed more money than I could count. Debt collectors showed up constantly, tearing the house apart and taking anything of value. The weight of it all fell entirely on me. Whenever my father drank, he’d beat me senseless and call me a worthless piece of trash. I had no choice but to work myself to the bone, trying to scrape together enough money to keep us afloat. One day, the debt collectors came back, this time with a knife pressed to my throat. They told me I had ten days to pay them back. If I couldn’t, they’d sell me to a nightclub. I begged them on my knees, pleading for more time. Eventually, they gave me a month. But there was no time to breathe. The moment they left, my father stormed in with a leather belt in his hand. The belt lashed across my back, cutting into my skin like a blade. No matter how much I screamed and begged, he didn’t stop. “Tomorrow, you’ll sell yourself on the streets and start making money for me!” I knew if I didn’t escape, my life would be over. In the dead of night, while my father was passed out drunk, I forced myself to stand. Shaking, I dialed the number that had been buried in my memory for years. I swallowed my pride, abandoned every shred of dignity I had left, and begged him to help me escape. “This is your home. Where else do you think you can go?” His cold, detached words hit me like a bucket of ice water poured over my head. I didn’t dare provoke him further. He had a hundred ways to make my life miserable, and I no longer had the strength to fight back. I just wanted to survive. I didn’t dare hope for anything more. Fragments of memory and reality blurred together in my mind. I couldn’t tell if I was dreaming or if I was already dead. I wanted to open my eyes, but my eyelids felt heavy, as though they were weighed down with lead. Then, I collapsed, my consciousness slipping away. I had a dream. In that dream, I was still Nora Miller, the carefree, pampered daughter of the Miller family. I lived a life of luxury, untouched by pain or hardship. Cassidy’s accident had never happened. Lucas Hart didn’t hate me. If only none of it had ever happened… A sharp tug yanked me out of my dream and back into the cold reality. Someone grabbed me roughly, dragging me off the ground. “Nora, get up! Quit pretending! Who are you trying to fool with this pathetic act? I know exactly what you’re up to!” I forced my heavy eyelids open and saw Sean Miller’s twisted face glaring down at me. In my dazed state, I instinctively tried to defend myself. “I’m not—” “Let her in!” came my stepmother’s shrill voice from inside the house. “People will think we’re mistreating her otherwise!” Sean shoved me forward, and the housekeeper, Mrs. Lewis, rushed to catch me. Her worried expression was the only kindness I’d seen in that house. “Thank you,” I whispered, my voice weak. The moment the words left my mouth, my knees buckled, and I nearly stumbled into the door handle. I don’t even remember how I made it to my room. The next thing I knew, it was the following evening, and I was burning up with fever. Mrs. Lewis had secretly given me medicine, but it wasn’t helping. Sean stood nearby, his face twisted in disgust. “Quit acting like you’re on death’s door. You caught a little cold—it’s not that serious!” 4 Yeah, so what if I spent an entire autumn night freezing outside? How did my body end up this weak? For three years, I’ve never had a single day where I was warm or full. I worked myself to the bone every day, taking on any job I could to earn scraps of money. And when I got home, I had to face my father—a man who could lash out and beat me without warning. If I got sick, I couldn’t afford medicine, and I definitely couldn’t risk missing work because of it. That’s how I ended up like this—permanently worn down, broken. Fevers have become a normal part of my life. But losing consciousness like this? That’s new. I went to the hospital. Sitting on a plastic chair in the hallway, I stared at the report in my hands for what felt like hours. Reality always seems to hit the hardest when I’m already at my weakest. Finally, I forced myself to stand and leave. As I stepped toward the exit, the elevator doors opened, and Cassidy walked out, holding Lucas Hart’s arm. Her prosthetic leg was so realistic it was indistinguishable from the other. Her face radiated happiness, her smile glowing like sunshine. Lucas looked down at her with a tenderness so soft it felt like a knife slicing through me. “Nora?” Cassidy’s voice was filled with surprise. “What are you doing here? Are you sick?” She sounded genuinely concerned, but I knew better than to believe it. Hearing her words, Lucas turned his icy gaze toward me. The warmth in his eyes froze over in an instant. I instinctively lowered my head, avoiding his stare. “I’m sorry,” I stammered, my voice shaking. “I didn’t mean to run into you. I—I’ll leave right now.” My words spilled out in a panicked rush, barely coherent. I didn’t even wait for a response—I fled. Ran as fast as my legs would carry me. I was terrified that if I stayed one second longer, Lucas would decide to send me back to my father. Back to that living hell. This hospital? I wouldn’t be coming here again. When I reached the hospital entrance, I saw Sean leaning casually against a car, arms crossed. What was he doing here? Why did it matter? It’s not like he was waiting for me. I turned my head and headed for the bus stop without a second thought. “Nora.” Sean stepped in front of me, blocking my path. I blinked at him, confused. “Get in the car,” he said flatly. Was he… waiting for me? But why? Since when had Sean ever been so kind? 5 Just as I expected. He was here to accuse me. “Nora, Lucas and Cassidy are engaged. Stop clinging to your ridiculous fantasies!” “I’m not!” For the first time since I came back, I raised my voice to defend myself. “Then why are you here?” Sean said, his expression dripping with smug certainty, as though he could see through me completely. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning!” “I don’t know how you found out they’d be at this hospital today, but let me warn you—next month is their wedding. If anything happens to Cassidy again, you won’t get off so easily!” His chest heaved with anger, as though I were some unforgivable criminal. But what had I done wrong? Was it a crime to fall in love with Lucas Hart? I had already promised to stay away from him. What more did they want from me? I’d said it a thousand times—Cassidy’s accident had nothing to do with me. No one believed me. Everyone thought I was the one who hurt her. My hands clenched around the crumpled medical report. The sharp edges of the folded paper pressed into my palm like needles, cutting into my skin. Would they only be happy if I died? When I didn’t respond, Sean assumed I was still holding onto some foolish hope. His accusations turned even nastier. “Nora, are you seriously this pathetic? Why Lucas? Of all the men in the world, why him? Are you that desperate?” “Enough!” I shouted, my breath uneven. “I already told you, I won’t bother him anymore. I meant it!” “You’d better not,” he sneered. Then his gaze shifted to the crumpled paper in my hand. “What’s this?” Before I could stop him, he grabbed the report from me with ease. But the next second, he glanced at it briefly and tossed it straight into the trash can by the side of the road. “It’s just a fever. You’re not dying or anything. Stop being so dramatic.” I stared at him, trembling with rage. “Sean, I honestly wish you were dead.”

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I had been secretly in love with Connor, the top student in our class, for years. But he just announced he was in a relationship. At a party, his girlfriend deliberately asked me, “What’s your ideal type?” Looking at Connor’s face, I described someone completely opposite to him. Unexpectedly, the next day, his best friend approached me with a video from the party. Seeing my confused expression, he calmly said something that shocked me for the entire day. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you have a crush on me?” 1 After hearing Zack’s words, I choked on my bubble tea for a full minute. He sat across from me, knowingly holding his phone in front of my eyes. “Why so shy? Isn’t this the ideal type you described? It matches me perfectly.” In the video, I was staring at Connor’s face, speaking clearly word by word. “My ideal type is an outgoing, confident, and humorous guy.” He slowly lowered his phone, revealing a smug smile. “Although I have many admirers, I’ll reluctantly let you cut in line.” “Just pursue me for a month, and I’ll consider accepting you. But…” Looking at the chattering person in front of me, I expressionlessly closed the door. Zack’s sports car was eye-catching. Me riding my bicycle alongside his car was even more eye-catching. From the lowered car window, Zack’s mouth never stopped moving. “A month is a bit long, but you need patience when pursuing someone, right?” “I’m a young eligible bachelor, I can’t just say yes because you asked.” Annoyed by the noise, I stopped and gave him two middle fingers. Just as I was about to turn and pedal hard, I heard the voice I least wanted to hear. “Ava? Why are you cycling to school today?” Connor came up from behind, hugging his books. Seeing Zack’s sports car, his expression became a bit unnatural. “Hey, buddy, why aren’t you in the classroom yet?” Connor was the top student, always the first to arrive for 8 am classes. Everyone called him the scholarship maniac. “Something came up.” I used to wait for him at the cafeteria entrance every day to go to class together. He was never late in the morning. Today he probably had breakfast with Sophia. Thinking about this, I uncomfortably started pedaling my bicycle slowly. Connor walked beside me, frequently turning his head to look at me. “Ava, why are you coming with Zack?” Although he asked very quietly, Zack still heard it. “She wants to pursue me, so I’m teaching her how to win my heart.” From the corner of my eye, I saw Connor’s hand crumple a corner of his book. Under his inquiring gaze, I glanced at Zack without saying anything. Seeing that I didn’t refute, Zack spoke more enthusiastically. He leaned almost half his body out of the car. “She even insisted on buying me rings to wear on both my middle fingers just now.” “I don’t think it’s necessary though, don’t you agree, buddy?” “Rings are something that…” BANG– A huge crash mixed with Connor’s startled cry rang in my ears. The moment the telephone pole tilted, I really wanted to close my eyes and pretend I couldn’t hear anything. 2 After paying the bill at the reception desk and coming back, Zack was hugging his leg and complaining to the doctor. “Aren’t you embarrassed enough already?” Hearing my voice, he suddenly turned around, pointed at his leg, and looked at me with silent tears. Just before the tears reached the corners of his mouth, I rushed over and wrapped his head with my jacket. “Doctor, quickly!” After a round of wailing, I sat on the examination bed with a cold face, waiting for the doctor to disinfect the bite mark on my arm. “Zack, why didn’t that telephone pole kill you?” He touched the cast on his leg and wiped away his tears. “Don’t say such things. I promise to be with you, okay?” So I brought up the ring-buying thing again. By the time everything was over, it was already afternoon. Watching him flying around my house like a swallow, I couldn’t help but frown. “When are you going to leave?” He opened a bag of rice crackers and stuffed them into his mouth, shaking his head. “If you’re not leaving, then pay up. Towing fee, medical fee, transportation fee. SnapChat or PayPal?” “I’ll pay in kind.” He opened a carton of milk for himself and covered his face coyly. It was enough to make anyone angry for no reason. I immediately took out my phone to dial 91

Only then did he hurriedly hop over with his cast, looking at me pitifully, “Is a bank transfer okay?” After tearfully transferring a four-digit sum, he was finally allowed to stay as a guest. After all, with a wrecked sports car and a broken leg, going home would be life-threatening. But I didn’t know my kindness would cause me so much trouble. It wasn’t until I finished showering at night and was about to sleep that I truly realized. “Zack, open the door right now!” I knocked until my palm was numb before he finally spoke. “No way, I’m a pure and innocent boy. How could I sleep with you?” I could hear the suppressed laughter in his intermittent voice. I kicked the door once, then reluctantly compromised and walked towards the sofa in the living room. The cheap sofa I bought was narrow and hard. I didn’t fall asleep until late at night. Zack floated out like a ghost and stood in front of the sofa. It gave me a big scare. “What are you doing?” “Your room is too hot. My allergies are acting up. I can’t sleep.” His voice sounded stuffy. “Then what should we do? Do you want me to go out and buy medicine for you now?” “I want to sleep here.” Inexplicably, the sofa became a hot commodity again. I bundled up the blanket around me and went into the room. Instead of heading straight for the pillow, I first glanced at the notebook on the desk. In the moonlight, I felt something was off about it. But it was still in its original place. After struggling for a while, I finally locked it in the drawer before going to sleep with peace of mind. 3 Without his sports car, Zack had to ride on my bicycle to school every day. “Why don’t you take a cab?” “I gave all my money to you. How can I afford a cab?” He sat on my rear seat, carrying my backpack and using an egg to soothe his eyes, his mouth full of complaints. I could only channel my speechlessness into pedaling fiercely. As soon as we entered the classroom, I felt Connor’s scrutinizing gaze. I originally wanted to ignore him and sit at the back, but Zack pulled me to sit in the front row. “My leg hurts. I can’t jump that far.” He sat between Connor and me, constantly yawning. I wasn’t doing much better, feeling extremely sleepy. I had only fallen asleep in the early hours, and at 6 am, he was standing by my bed with puffy eyes. Complaining that the wind chimes in the living room kept ringing, keeping him awake. Unable to bear his constant nagging, I had to get up and throw the wind chimes in the trash. Those wind chimes were a gift from Connor. There was no need to keep them anymore anyway. I mocked myself inwardly. It was just something Sophia had discarded. Why was I still treasuring it like some precious item? As if sensing something, Connor suddenly turned back to look at me. He was about to pass something over across Zack. Before I could see clearly, my shoulder suddenly felt heavy. Zack had steadily fallen asleep on my shoulder. I immediately turned my head straight, narrowly avoiding kissing his forehead. If I woke him up, who knows how he would disgust me. Shouting things like secret crush and paying in kind, then rushing over. Who could stand that? On the podium, the teacher’s gaze, as if tangible, made me feel like I was sitting on pins and needles. Taking advantage of her turning around to write on the board, I pushed Zack’s head. Unexpectedly, not only did I not push him away, he even nuzzled his head on my shoulder. Damn, I wonder if his red hair will stain my clothes. It must stain, otherwise why would my face be so red? “Admit it, Ava. You’re fascinated by me too, right?” Zack once again held up his phone with a smug expression. A photo of me on the campus social media page, red-faced, supporting Zack’s head while taking notes, had gone viral. The photo was taken very cleverly, not even showing a corner of Connor’s clothes next to us. I stared at it for a few seconds without responding to his words. But he suddenly put down his phone and twisted himself into a pretzel. “But you’re being too obvious. Now the whole school knows you like me.” “You’re making it impossible for me to reject you. You’re so bad.” Watching him bury his face in his palms, I silently snatched the sausage from his bowl. 4 Actually, everyone knew I liked Connor. Because no matter what activity it was, as long as I was told Connor would be there, I would participate. The words at that party were indeed just my childish retaliation. So I don’t quite understand why Zack is so certain that I have a secret crush on him. But undeniably, Zack did distract my attention. He accompanies me to class, follows me when I study, and waits for me when I work part-time. When I’m with him, I rarely think about Connor. “Ava, do you think I’d look better with golden hair?” “Mm-hmm.” Busy with my part-time job, I responded habitually. “You’re so perfunctory. I’m such a handsome guy, and you don’t appreciate me at all.” Zack is very good-looking, golden hair should suit him well. He complained verbally, but the next day his hair color had indeed changed. After getting my paycheck, I took him to the orphanage. This was what I had promised him before. He always ate the snacks I stored at home. I told him those were bought for the children at the orphanage. As soon as he heard that, he insisted on coming along and even filled up a lot of toys himself. With free labor and toys for the kids to play with, I had no reason to refuse. But when we got to the entrance, he hesitated, holding two big bags of snacks and toys. “Ava, should I have dyed my hair black instead?” Looking at his golden hair shimmering under the sun, I nodded. Because the kids here love new and interesting things. Once we go in, I’m afraid his head of golden hair will be in trouble. The director was very happy to see me return. She pulled me aside, saying I had gotten thinner again, telling me to eat more, not to take studying too seriously, and that health is the most important. I agreed to everything and also told her not to work too hard. She looked at Zack distributing snacks to the children and whispered in my ear. “Girl, this boy seems quite nice, but why did he dye his hair yellow?” The director pushed up her glasses, showing deep confusion. In the warm autumn sun, Zack held a child in each arm while trying to read a storybook. I stood beside the director, watching him from afar through the window. A warm feeling inexplicably arose in my heart. During dinner, Zack sat next to the director, looking very respectful. Although everything seemed harmonious, I felt something was off. I couldn’t help but ask if he was feeling unwell somewhere. He straightened his back, “No, it’s great here, very comfortable.” “Then why are you acting so strange?” He glanced at the director and secretly asked me, “How am I strange?” “Usually when eating, you practically hug the rice cooker, but today you’re only eating one bowl.” The director heard this and smiled, immediately sending a child to help him get more rice. He buried his face in the bowl and squeezed out a sentence through his teeth. “Ava, don’t I need to save face?” 5 Starting from the day we returned from the orphanage, The notebook in the bedroom drawer began to thin day by day. The weather was also getting colder. I wanted that failed secret crush to leave me like falling leaves. But things didn’t go as I wished. Someone posted photos of Zack and me entering and leaving the hospital together on the campus social media page. There was also a related post. The title was enough to match the big “Breaking” label in the bottom right corner. “The Dirty Secrets of a Poor Scholar and a Rich Kid” It was full of photos of Zack and me appearing together. The text was full of speculation about our relationship. The conclusion was that I was pregnant with Zack’s child, and he accompanied me to the hospital for an abortion. Although many people in the comments didn’t believe it, saying that everyone knew I liked Connor. “The only difference before and after going to the hospital is that the cast on Zack’s leg is gone. Are you saying that cast was their child?” “And anyone with eyes knows that Ava has always liked Connor, right?” But people’s enthusiasm for gossip was no joke. “What’s the use of liking someone if Connor doesn’t like her back?” “Yeah, Connor and Sophia are such a loving couple, why would he want Ava?” “I’m not surprised by this at all. You should see the way Zack looks at Ava…” “I just didn’t expect Ava to be this kind of person. She always acted so high and mighty before.” I was immediately called in for a talk with the counselor and received an afternoon of education in the office. When I came out, I ran into Connor standing at the door. “Ava, are you okay?” I didn’t respond, just stepped aside to let him pass. “I believe you’re not that kind of person.” When I opened the door at night, Zack was no longer there. I woodenly went back to the bedroom and took out the notebook, about to tear out a page as usual. But looking at the words blurred by water stains, I found it strange. Flipping through, every page had them. But I had never spilled water on it. I dug out yesterday’s torn page from the trash can, and sure enough, the writing was also blurred by water marks. When Zack was here before, I always tore pages in the dark at night, so I never noticed. This notebook contained my record of secretly loving Connor since high school. From the first time I realized I liked Connor, to Connor announcing his relationship. Every word was related to Connor. My mind was in chaos as I searched for memories about the notebook. I suddenly remembered the first night Zack came to my house. His intermittent speech, coming out in the middle of the night with a stuffy voice, and his swollen eyelids the next day. Complaining about the wind chimes Connor gave me in the early morning. These moments flashed before my eyes one by one. I touched those round water stains, and a guess formed in my heart. 6 The post was deleted, but I hadn’t seen Zack for a week. After that campus post came out, I never saw him again. He didn’t reply to my messages either. Instead, my contact with Connor passively increased. For some reason, I kept running into Connor everywhere. In class, he no longer sat in the front row or came first. Instead, he waited for me downstairs, followed me to school, and sat with me at the back of the classroom. “Connor, you already have a girlfriend. Please have some self-awareness.” “Ava, it’s not what you think between Sophia and me. I have my reasons.” But I had no time to listen to his reasons. “Don’t you want to know why someone like Zack would be friends with me?” We sat on a bench in front of the artificial lake on campus. I was indeed curious why Zack would be friends with Connor. Because I had known Connor since high school and had a crush on him. Zack, I only met after starting university. Suddenly one day he appeared by Connor’s side, calling him his good buddy. At that time, I thought male friendships just formed that quickly. But now it seems that Connor and Zack are completely opposite personality types. Moreover, Zack’s family background is different from ours. I’m an orphan, and Connor lives with his grandmother. Except for our grades, we’re at the bottom of the social ladder at school. But Connor is a bit better off than me. He’s nice to everyone, and with his handsome face, quite a few people like him. As for me, I’m busy with part-time jobs every day and indifferent to everyone. Even though I look decent, people just say I’m putting on airs. But I don’t care what others think. Because I know others can’t help me live my life. But Zack, I don’t know why he’s different from others. From the beginning, he’s been very enthusiastic towards me. Even when I ignored him, he would still come to talk to me. Before this incident, I hadn’t even looked at his face carefully. “I’m not close to him at all.” “He just came up to me on his own. You know, he’s different from us. People are more willing to believe them.” Seeing that I wasn’t looking at him, he continued. “I became his good friend in a daze, and watched him approach you in a daze.” “Now I finally understand, he was trying to get close to you from the very beginning.” “Actually, I’ve wanted to say this for a long time. Zack is not a good person. Don’t be fooled by him.” 7 I became the protagonist of the campus social media page again. This time it was with Connor. In the photo, we were sitting on a bench with our heads lowered. The title read: “Shocking! Poor Girl Dumped, Turns to Someone Else’s Boyfriend” After being invisible for twenty years, I never thought I’d become a campus celebrity overnight.

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