Category: English

It was a rainy night when a couple came to our house seeking shelter. My mom, Helen, warmly welcomed them. That night, my brother Jack led a group of men from the village into the couple’s room. The next day, a large cauldron was set up in our yard. I silently added firewood under the cauldron. Our yard was bustling with activity, everyone’s face beaming with smiles as if it were a holiday celebration. Jack emerged from the warehouse, adjusting his pants with a lewd grin. “Tom, you’re up next.” “Alright!” A tall, skinny man eagerly stood up and entered the barn. I watched them coldly, cursing them silently in my mind. Noticing my gaze, Jack’s expression darkened. He walked over and kicked me to the ground. “What the hell are you looking at? Keep the fire going, you little bitch. I’ll sell you off one of these days.” I lay on the ground, expressionless, brushing off the dirt before sitting up again. Seemingly satisfied with my reaction, Jack sneered and went off to drink with his buddies. Soon after, the tall skinny man came out, a satisfied smile on his face. My mom, Helen, handed me a bowl of food with a cold expression. “Go feed that whore. If she dies, the men in the village will have nothing to play with.” I nodded, not daring to say anything, and limped towards the woman’s room. As I pushed aside the curtain and entered, a nauseating stench hit me. The woman lay naked on the floor, covered in filth, her eyes filled with despair. She was truly beautiful, yet now reduced to such a pitiful state. My heart ached as I slowly approached her. “Sister, please eat something.” Seeing a young girl enter, a glimmer of hope flashed in the woman’s eyes. She struggled to sit up and knelt before me, sobbing uncontrollably. “Little girl, please, I beg you to let me go. I’m pregnant.” My heart clenched painfully. “I’m sorry, I can’t,” I said with a bitter smile, pointing at my injured leg. “If I let you go, they’ll kill me.” “Then do you know where my husband is?” she asked desperately. “Do you smell the barbecue outside?” I tilted my head, unable to look at her. “There’s a large cauldron in our yard right now.” The woman’s face turned even paler. She let out a heart-wrenching scream, pushing away the food I offered, and frantically tugged at the rope around her neck. “You monsters! You’ll all rot in hell! I’ll haunt you even after I’m dead!” I froze in fear. Hearing the woman’s screams, my mom and Jack rushed in. Seeing the wailing woman, Helen slapped her hard across the face. “Shut up, you whore! You should be grateful my son and the others even look at you. You don’t look like a decent woman anyway, so stop pretending!” The woman collapsed on the floor, her body shaking violently. Helen pinched her harshly. “Cry again, and I’ll cut out your tongue.” Jack laughed lecherously, patting Helen’s shoulder. “No need for that, Mom. I’ll shut her up myself.” He began to unzip his pants. Helen chuckled and kicked me. “Get out, don’t interrupt your brother.” I glanced at the poor woman, who was also looking at me. Her bloodshot, desperate eyes pierced my heart. But I couldn’t even save myself, let alone her. I could only lower my head and walk out. Outside, the special “barbecue party” was in full swing. Men, women, old and young, everyone held a bowl of meat soup, their faces beaming with joy. The village had held countless such parties, and I had become numb to them. I never ate the meat from that cauldron. In fact, I wasn’t even allowed to. As I sat lost in thought, a dry, bony hand landed on my shoulder. I jumped in fright. Turning around, I saw Old Pete, a lecherous old man with yellow teeth, eyeing me greedily. I let out a small cry and backed away. “Uncle Pete, what’s the matter?” Pete wiped his drool, grinning. “Oh my, Lucy, you’re getting prettier by the day. Let Uncle Pete check if you’re developing properly.” I retreated in horror, bumping into someone behind me. It was my mom, her face dark with anger. “Mom, I…” Before I could finish, she slapped me hard across the face. “Pete, what are you doing?” “Helen, I really like this girl. Why don’t you sell her to me?” “Pete, it’s not that I won’t sell her. She’s still too young. Wait until she’s a bit older, then you can have her.” The old man’s face darkened. He muttered under his breath, “What do you mean ‘wait’? It’s just that the price isn’t right, isn’t it?” He cast one last longing look at me before shuffling away. “You little slut, seducing men at such a young age. I’ll sell you off sooner or later,” Helen hissed, pinching my arm hard before going off to entertain other guests. I didn’t dare make a sound. I turned back to see men still going in and out of the woman’s room.

The next day, the woman was dead. She had stabbed her neck with a small wooden stick, her death gruesome and terrifying. Even more horrifying was the eerie smile on her lips. The yard was once again crowded with people. The men sighed repeatedly, lamenting the loss of their plaything. Helen’s face was grim. She had planned to make money off this woman. “That bitch,” she cursed softly, turning to the men beside her. “You know the drill. Throw her in the big pit.” Jack frowned. “What a waste.” “No, don’t throw her away!” Just as the men were about to lift the woman’s body, a voice rang out from our doorway. Everyone turned to look. It was Crazy Joe, the village idiot. He danced around, singing off-key. “You’ll die, you’ll all die! The whole village will die!” Everyone looked at him with disgust. “You idiot, what nonsense are you spouting? Want me to beat you up?” Jack rolled up his sleeves, ready to hit Crazy Joe, but was stopped by an old man. Jack was about to curse when he realized it was Mayor Thompson. He immediately fell silent. “How many bodies are in that pit now?” the mayor asked. The villagers looked at each other, shaking their heads. “Can’t remember, but it must be dozens.” Mayor Thompson closed his eyes, thinking for a moment, then let out a sigh of relief. “It’s okay, this is the 99th body. We’re still one short.” He slowly opened his eyes. “It’s fine, throw her in the pit. But from today on, we can’t do this anymore.” The villagers murmured among themselves. Although they weren’t happy about it, they had to agree due to the mayor’s authority. “No, don’t throw her! If you do, everyone will go to heaven!” Crazy Joe fell to his knees in front of the mayor, wailing. The mayor frowned and kicked him away. “You beast, I’ll eat you one day.” With that, he walked away, hands behind his back. I sat silently, suddenly realizing something. But I didn’t speak up, just watched as the woman’s body was carried away. Late that night, I snuck out of the house to find Crazy Joe. He usually slept in the abandoned cemetery, any hole in the ground was his home. “Brother Joe, wake up,” I whispered. Crazy Joe opened his eyes groggily. Seeing me, he suddenly smiled and clapped his hands. “Lucy, good person! Lucy, good person!” I quickly covered his mouth, looking around warily. “Brother Joe, do you know something? What’s going to happen to the village?” Crazy Joe suddenly became very excited. He stood up, gesticulating wildly. “They’re coming back! They’ll all come back! Everyone will hug together and go to heaven!” I listened, confused, but a chill ran down my spine. The mayor had specifically checked the number of bodies in the pit today, only allowing them to throw in the body when he knew it was the 99th. This meant that once there were 100 bodies, something would happen. And now, there were exactly 100 bodies in the pit. They didn’t know that the woman had been pregnant. With the fetus, it made exactly 100. As I was lost in thought, Crazy Joe seemed to hear something. He suddenly stood up. “Hehe, my mom is calling me. Everyone hugging together, how nice.” I froze, staring at him blankly. Then, with empty eyes, he started walking towards the back mountain. I knew that’s where the pit was located. The silver moonlight spilled onto the ground, casting an eerie glow over everything. After a moment’s hesitation, I gritted my teeth and followed him. Even from hundreds of meters away, an unbearable stench assaulted my nostrils. Fighting back nausea and fear, I slowly approached the pit. One glance was enough to nearly break my mind. The village had been doing this for decades, claiming countless victims. Dozens of bodies lay haphazardly in the pit, dismembered limbs everywhere. Rain and decomposition had caused the bodies to fuse together, forming a mountain of corpses covered in a sickly green fluid. I stumbled backward, accidentally bumping into something. I turned around to see the woman who had died yesterday. Her head was tilted at an unnatural angle, a sinister smile on her face. Blood still oozed from her mangled neck. She put her hand on my shoulder and spoke in a chilling voice: “Why didn’t you save me?” I let out a scream and ran as fast as I could.

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At the filming location of a children’s variety show, I told my husband, Hank Schrader, that I wanted a divorce. Aside from money and property, I didn’t want anything else. He sneered, “You’re not even going to fight for the child you worked so hard to raise?” I replied, “Get as far away as possible.” Because I already knew that my son had once begged the director, “Can we get a new mom? I want to be on the show with Ms. White. I don’t want that old hag as my mom!” I smirked coldly. I wouldn’t just divorce him. I’d step over him to climb even higher! “I don’t want that old hag as my mom! Dad, what do you even see in her? Ms. White is so much prettier than my mom!” I clutched my phone so tightly that my fingertips turned white, but I didn’t even notice. Beneath the video, there was a voice message from Suzanne White. She spoke with mockery and arrogance. “So what if you had kids with Hank? They still prefer being with me. “You want to be on the show with him? I’d advise you to stop being a clingy, disgusting pest. Hank will only despise you even more!” I stood frozen for a moment, then cruelly played the video again. In it, my son, Alex Schrader, spoke those words, and Hank merely chuckled softly. “Alright.” Then he looked up with eyes full of warmth and tenderness, gazing directly into the camera. “Then let’s have Suzanne be your mom.” I paused. It took me a moment to realize that he wasn’t looking at Alex but at Suzanne, who was filming the video. That tender gaze… I couldn’t even remember when he last looked at me like that. When he did look at me, it was always with disgust, cold indifference, and disdain. When they returned home, I was clearing away dishes and cake from the table. Today was Alex’s birthday. I had started early, spending my whole morning cooking and decorating. But it wasn’t until I saw Suzanne’s message that I realized they never intended to celebrate with me. Alex bounded up to me, his tone filled with entitlement. “What are you sitting here for? Can’t you see Dad’s drinking? Go make him some coffee!” The old me would have jumped up immediately, flustered and obediently attending to his every whim. But today, I laughed. A bitter, scornful laugh. “Go ask your mom to do it,” I said. Alex frowned in confusion. “What’s wrong with you? You are my mom!” “Can we get a new mom? I want Ms. White to be my mom,” I mimicked sarcastically. “Didn’t you say that yourself?” Seeing his stunned expression, I swallowed my bitterness and forced a wry smile. But Hank was angry. “Adrienne, Alex is just a kid. He doesn’t know any better. Why are you picking fights with him?” With a disapproving expression, he scolded me, “Can you stop making trouble? Your shouting is giving me a headache.” Before I could respond, he continued, “There’s a new kids’ reality show coming up. I don’t think you’re in the right state for it, so let’s leave you out.” Even though I had braced myself for these words, they still pierced me. I blinked, ready to respond, but he cut me off again. “Besides,” he said with certainty, “Alex wasn’t wrong. You can’t do anything right these days. You’re just an old hag. You’d only embarrass me if you went.”

I lifted my eyes to meet his. He wore a crisp white shirt that accentuated his tall, lean frame and sharp, chiseled features. His eyes radiated nothing but cold indifference. Even at thirty, he was still impossibly handsome. But was I really so much worse? We had once been a golden couple in the entertainment industry, the perfect match. Seven years ago, I became the youngest actress ever to win Best Actress, earning both fame and fortune. Then, I got pregnant. Hank had gently placed his hand on my belly, filled with concern. “Adrienne, now that you’re pregnant, you should stop filming. It’s too dangerous.” I nodded eagerly, brimming with joy and anticipation for our child. Then Alex was born prematurely. He weighed only 4.6 pounds, no bigger than the palm of my hand. A fragile, delicate bundle curled up in an incubator. Guilt and love overwhelmed me. I postponed my return to acting again, devoting myself entirely to caring for him. When he first learned to say “Mommy”, he cupped my face in his tiny hands and said, “Mommy, you’re so pretty. You’re the most beautiful mommy in the world.” When had he stopped calling me “Mommy”? When had I become nothing more than an “old hag” to him? I let out a bitter laugh and shattered their illusions. “The contract for the kids’ show is already signed. If you don’t want me there, pay the breach of contract fee.” Time passed quickly. I had just finished drafting the divorce papers when it was time for the show’s recording. Growing Together was a live-streamed variety show featuring six families. Besides my family, Suzanne appeared with her niece, Vicky. Singer, Aaron Banks, joined with his younger brother, Jesse Banks. Three other families were ordinary parents and children. “Hank, you’re finally here!” Suzanne’s tone was sweet and coy as she sauntered toward us, a taunting smile playing on her lips. She didn’t even need to make an effort. My husband and son would naturally gravitate toward her. Like a cannonball, Alex hurtled past me, full of joy as he dashed into her arms. I wasn’t prepared for the sudden shove. I stumbled forward, nearly falling. When I finally regained my balance and turned around, no one noticed my awkwardness. Alex clung to Suzanne, chattering happily as he snuggled against her. Hank stood protectively by their side. They looked more like a family. It wasn’t just my own perception, even the online viewers agreed.

[I think Hank and Suzanne are a better match. They look like a real family. So warm.] [Alex ran straight to Suzanne. It’s obvious he likes her more. Seems like his taste matches his dad’s.] [It may be wrong, but I can’t help shipping them, they’re so sweet together!] Though I had already decided on divorce, ten years of love had left a bitterness in my chest that swelled painfully. I pulled my gaze away in silence, feeling a pounding headache begin to bloom. Once all the families had arrived, the mayor of the small town where the show was being filmed finally made his entrance. He announced the first task, choosing houses. The production team had provided six houses, numbered from one to six. The lower the number, the better the living conditions. House No. 1 was a charming new two-story home surrounded by blooming flowers, while House No. 6 stood next to a pigsty, teeming with flies and reeking of an odd stench. I grimaced as I looked at the miserable state of House No. 6, feeling a surge of resistance. Silently, I swore to myself, “No way would I end up there!” The order for choosing houses would depend on the results of a cooking competition. The town mayor beamed and said, “Kids, be sure to help your moms and dads! You’ll be the judges this time.” The children’s excited cheers filled the air as the contest began. Right from the start, trouble arose on my end. Hank and Alex both ran to Suzanne’s side to help her, leaving me standing alone in isolation. Hank smiled warmly at Suzanne as he helped her rinse vegetables. Meanwhile, Alex, competing for attention, grumbled, “Dad, I want to help Ms. White too! Stop hogging the work!” Suzanne laughed, patting his head in amusement. “Don’t worry, Alex, I’ve got an important job just for you.” She smiled sweetly while casting a deliberately disdainful glance my way. I met her provocative stare in silence. But Suzanne pressed her advantage, feigning distress. “Adrienne, I have no idea why they keep hovering around me. If it bothers you, I can send them back.” Her posture radiated the air of a hostess, and it actually made me laugh. I smirked coldly. “No need! They’re just a couple of nuisances.” Meanwhile, the live comments lit up with outrage. [What’s up with Adrienne’s attitude? She’s just a washed-up star, what’s she got to be so arrogant about? How dare she talk to Suzanne like that?] [No wonder her husband and son both like Suzanne better, she’s got some serious issues.] Time had changed things; my fans had disappeared during my years of retirement. Suzanne, evidently aware of the comments, allowed a triumphant glint to show in her eyes. “Sorry, Adrienne, but it looks like Hank and Alex don’t want to leave.” Even as Suzanne and I argued, Hank never spared me a glance. He gently rested his hand on Suzanne’s back, leaning in to whisper something. He didn’t speak aloud, but I understood. He said, “Don’t bother with her. She’s just a shrew.”

I turned my gaze elsewhere, swallowing the churning emotions stirred by the word “shrew”. When Alex was a baby, born prematurely, he was often ill. I remembered the time he burned with fever, his tiny body aflame and trembling with convulsions. Panicked, I frantically called Hank, who was filming at the time. Overcome with emotion, my voice cracked and shrilled, “Hank, come to the hospital, something’s wrong with Alex!” I could hear his irritation over the phone. “I’m working. Handle it yourself. I’m not a doctor, what good would I do?” Clutching Alex, I froze in place, fury boiling over. “Is your movie more important than your son?!” He sighed, weary. “Why are you acting like a shrew?” He hung up, leaving me alone to dash around the hospital with our fevered child in my arms. Even as Alex’s fever worsened into pneumonia, Hank never showed up. Disillusionment doesn’t hit all at once, it builds, piece by piece. I wrenched myself out of the painful memory, focusing on preparing my dish. Since children were the judges, I felt confident in my chances. After all, even my picky, delicate Alex had grown up healthy on my cooking. Unlike Suzanne’s fancy seafood spread, I opted for simple but universally loved buffalo wings. It had been Alex’s favorite dish. He would devour every last bite, licking the plate clean as if he could swallow it whole. When the dishes were finished, each was divided into small portions for the children to taste. Surrounded by gourmet meals, the kids flocked to my buffalo wings. Every vote was mine, except for Alex’s. He stepped in front of the others, arms wide in protest. “Don’t eat the buffalo wings! They’re awful! “My mom’s buffalo wings are terrible. I’ve had them so many times and hated every bite. I’m her son, trust me!” Hesitation rippled through the children. Finally, Jesse, the younger brother of Aaron Banks, spoke up. “But… they smell really good.” I watched as Alex blocked votes against me, then eagerly promoted Suzanne’s dish. It was obvious he simply didn’t want me to win. But fate didn’t favor him this time. When the rankings were announced, I claimed first place and chose House No. 1 without hesitation. Suzanne’s seafood feast was difficult for the children to eat and earned only two votes from Alex and Vicky. She ended up stuck with House No. 6. The moment the rankings were revealed, Suzanne’s face turned pale, her eyes pleading as she glanced at Hank for help. I had no interest in their wordless exchanges and only wanted to rest. But just as I turned, someone grabbed my arm. Hank frowned slightly, speaking with unwarranted authority. “Adrienne, give House No. 1 to Suzanne. She’s not in good health and can’t stay in House No. 6.”

My actions froze instantly. I turned and stared at him, unwavering. It felt as if my heart had been gouged out, the continuous stabbing pain numbing me into weary acceptance. I laughed bitterly in my fury. “Why should I?” He frowned slightly, as though I were being unreasonable. “Adrienne, can you stop being so selfish? It’s just a room.” Alex rushed over, his face stern. “You’re so cruel! Dad already said Ms. White isn’t well. What if she gets sick in that awful place?” “And what about me?” With the last thread of hope, I ignored Alex’s fists pummeling my stomach, and locked eyes with Hank. He only remembered Suzanne’s frail health but had conveniently forgotten my severe allergy to mosquitoes. Once, during a film shoot deep in the mountains, a mosquito bite sent me into anaphylactic shock. I collapsed, my heart stopped, and I nearly died. The incident even made the headlines. Back then, Hank had clutched my hand tightly, his eyes full of regret and sorrow. He’d promised me, “Adrienne, I’ll never let you go through something like this again.” But now? When had he forgotten even that? My emotions toward Hank’s farewell were not something that arose in an instant. It was the sudden provocative video, Hank’s repeated distant and evasive gazes, and more importantly, the fact that he gradually started to forget the details of our relationship. A flicker of memory seemed to surface in Hank’s mind. He pressed his lips together and avoided my gaze. For a brief moment, his face turned pale. If I wasn’t mistaken, there was even a trace of guilt in his eyes. Then, Suzanne let out a delicate cough and spoke in her soft, considerate tone. “It’s fine, Hank. If Adrienne doesn’t want to, I can stay in House No. 6. It’s no trouble.” Her words only strengthened Hank’s resolve. His eyes hardened as he turned back to me. “Adrienne, stop being childish. Suzanne isn’t someone you can compare to.” After the numbness came calm acceptance and then surrender. I didn’t feel the sorrow I had anticipated. My voice was cold, my smile sharper. “No. Why should I hand over the room I earned?” But I had overlooked one crucial thing. The right to choose belonged to the children. Alex reminded me of the rules, a triumphant gleam in his eyes. “I pick House No. 1 for Ms. White.” Once again, and for the final time, I looked into Alex’s face as he eagerly sought Suzanne’s approval. Deep within my gaze, I buried my disappointment and farewell. Without warning, I spoke clearly and decisively. “Hank, I want a divorce.”

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

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

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

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After learning that my boyfriend had been diagnosed with kidney failure, I left him without a second thought, even taking most of our savings with me. Three years later, Orion not only conquered his illness but also became a celebrated figure in City A. At his engagement party with Celeste, Orion made a heartfelt confession: “The only regret of my life is having missed three whole years with you.” As the leading lady of his youth, I hid in the banquet hall, watching the man I had abandoned. Orion would never know that while he saw those three years as a blemish, they were the best years of my life that I could never reclaim. Orion’s gentle voice gradually reached my ears. It had been three years since we last met. Back then, in the early stages of kidney failure, his cheeks were sunken, and he was burdened by illness. Now, he was a completely different person—full of life and prestige. The engagement was lavish, with journalists gathered around the venue. Every corner was adorned with hibiscus flowers, just as I had imagined for our engagement. But it wasn’t me Orion was engaging with. A nosy journalist, noticing Orion’s good mood, tried to dig for some scoop: “Mr. Orion, why did you and Mrs. Orion miss three years together? Do you have someone you consider ‘The One That Got Away’?” The last question was meant to be a joke, but it wiped the smile off Orion’s face. Celeste, clutching Orion’s hand, explained with a mix of sympathy and indignation, “Orion did have an ex-girlfriend, but she heartlessly abandoned him when he was in trouble.” “This has always been a scar in Orion’s heart, so please don’t bring it up again!” Orion patted Celeste’s hand to comfort her, but his voice grew colder: “That’s all old news now. I’ve made a name for myself and have a wonderful fiancée like Celeste. That woman is left with nothing but regret!” “If it weren’t for her ruthless abandonment, I wouldn’t have bounced back so strongly.” I knew Orion too well; even though he tried to hide his emotions, I could sense the bitterness in his tone. Just as I was lost in thought, my colleague nudged me: “Nora, quickly bring the cake-cutting knife! Nora!” Pushed by my colleague, I accidentally stumbled out of the crowd. Upon seeing me, Orion’s eyes widened. Celeste exclaimed in disbelief, “Nora, what are you doing here?!” Clinging to Orion’s arm, she eyed me suspiciously, “Why are you here? You abandoned Orion three years ago, and now you want to cling to him because he’s successful? Nora, how can you be so selfish!” With every word Celeste spoke, Orion’s gaze grew colder. I awkwardly got up from the floor: “I’m not, I’m just working here…” Hearing my words, Orion chuckled dismissively, looking me over from head to toe with disdain: “Three years and you’re reduced to being a waitress, how laughable.” “Nora, do you regret leaving me back then?” Speaking of the past, Orion’s voice tightened, his eyes piercing through me. After all, it must have been the most humiliating time of his life. Not only diagnosed with kidney failure but also abandoned by me, his girlfriend of many years. To his surprise, I mustered a standard smile: “No regrets.” “Mr. Orion, I earn my living with my own hands; there’s no shame in that.” “You should go cut the cake with Mrs. Orion.” Orion was momentarily stunned when I calmly referred to Celeste as “Mrs. Orion.” Back in the day, after every setback in his startup, Orion would hold me and promise: “Nora, I’ll succeed someday. I want everyone to respectfully call you Mrs. Orion!” And I would boldly wrap my arms around his neck: “Whether or not you succeed, Mrs. Orion can only be me!” Now, after all the twists and turns, I respectfully handed over the title of “Mrs. Orion.” “Nora,” Orion said with a bitter laugh, “you really haven’t changed!” With those words, Orion pushed over the three-tiered cake. Cream and chocolate splattered all over me, and I stood there like a clown, enduring the mocking gazes of the crowd.

The sudden incident caught everyone off guard. No one expected the engagement party to turn out like this. The manager rushed over to apologize, but Orion ignored him, focusing solely on me. I used to be so delicate, but even after being publicly humiliated, I didn’t say a word. Instead, I instinctively blurted out: “I’m sorry, Mr. Orion.” Contrary to feeling triumphant, Orion felt a blockage in his heart. “You let someone like her in on my engagement day. If you want me to let it go, you must fire her!” Hearing Orion wanted me fired, I quickly raised my head: “No! I… I need this job…” “Orion, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been here. Please don’t make the manager fire me…” Seeing my teary eyes, Orion smirked maliciously: “A heartless woman like you doesn’t deserve anything!” “If you’re so desperate for money, I can introduce you to some patrons. Guaranteed income!” I stared in disbelief at Orion, who was now slut-shaming me. The shame and anger made me cry instantly: “Orion, you’re too much…” Seeing my tears, Orion’s previous arrogance was replaced with panic. He almost instinctively wanted to wipe my tears as he did three years ago. However, the next moment, Celeste clutched her right eye and whimpered: “Orion, my eye hurts…” Hearing Celeste’s voice snapped Orion back to reality. Concerned, he picked her up: “Celeste, is your eye acting up again? I’ll take you to the hospital right away!” As they passed by me, Orion gritted his teeth and spat: “Nora, I’ll get back everything you owe me!” After Orion left, the engagement party ended abruptly. The manager, not wanting to offend Orion, immediately fired me. No matter how much I begged, the manager shook his head repeatedly: “Nora, do you realize who you’ve offended? That’s Orion! We can’t afford to offend him, you’d better find another job!” Clutching the crumpled three hundred dollars, I wandered aimlessly through the streets. The cold wind made me shiver, as if placing me back on the cold operating table from three years ago. As my vision blurred, my legs gave way, and I collapsed on the street. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. My brother, Quentin, helped me sit up, his eyes filled with fear: “Sis, how did you end up like this? Didn’t I tell you not to worry about money? I can work more jobs, you just need to focus on getting better.” “Sis, I heard everything. Orion is such a jerk, aren’t you going to tell him the truth?” I weakly shook my head. Since I made my decision three years ago, I never intended to turn back. Three years ago, Orion was diagnosed with kidney failure, and only a kidney transplant could save him. But the hospital had a shortage of kidneys, and Orion couldn’t get one. To save him, I secretly donated a kidney. I knew him well enough to know that if he found out I nearly exchanged my life for his, he wouldn’t accept the donation. So, I pretended I didn’t want to be burdened by him and disappeared after he was hospitalized. In reality, I was preparing for his kidney transplant. But due to my weak constitution, I developed chronic renal failure after the surgery. I didn’t want Orion to live with guilt, so after being discharged, I left for three years. Because of the need for dialysis, Quentin and I lived frugally, even working multiple jobs. That’s why I was working as a waitress at Orion’s engagement party. After waking up, despite Quentin’s protests, I insisted on being discharged. We simply couldn’t afford to stay in a top-tier hospital. However, just as Quentin was helping me out, we ran into Orion and Celeste in the corridor. Seeing me, Orion immediately frowned: “Nora, are you following me here? You’re shameless!” Hearing Orion insult me, Quentin immediately stepped in front of me: “Orion, what nonsense are you talking about!” Seeing a strange man in front of me, Orion’s eyes darkened, and the temperature around him dropped. “What’s that in your hand?” Orion reached for the medical report I was holding. Afraid he’d see the results, I quickly stepped back. Seeing my reaction, Orion’s hand froze mid-air. Just then, Celeste spoke up: “Since Nora is coming from the obstetrics department, could that be a prenatal check-up report?” When Orion began to hurl insults at me, Quentin quickly stepped in front to shield me. “Orion, what on earth are you talking about?” Orion’s expression turned cold upon seeing a stranger standing in front of me, and the atmosphere seemed to chill. “What are you holding there?” Orion spotted the medical report in my hand and reached to snatch it. Afraid he would see the results, I quickly stepped back. Seeing my reaction, Orion hesitated, his hand stopping mid-air. At that moment, Celeste chimed in: “Since Nora came from the obstetrics department, could that be a prenatal check-up report?” It was then that I realized the obstetrics department was indeed just behind me. “I never thought, Nora, that you were already pregnant.” “Although you wronged Orion in the past, he isn’t someone who holds a grudge. If you had just mentioned it earlier, he wouldn’t have treated you that way yesterday, right, Orion?” As Celeste’s words sunk in, Orion’s face darkened with anger, his eyes blazing as if they could cut through Quentin, who stood protectively before me. I knew Orion was relentless once he pursued something. To avoid further questions about the report, I chose to stay silent. Seeing my tacit admission, Orion gritted his teeth, nodding sharply: “Nora, you’re unbelievable!” “A heartless woman like you—how have you not met your comeuppance yet?” “I must have been blind to have been with you for so many years!” Watching Orion storm away, his anger still palpable, my heart grew heavy. Celeste approached me with a triumphant smirk: “Nora, don’t expect Orion to love you like he did three years ago. His heart belongs to me now!” “You, his past love, should be long forgotten!”

I thought Orion and I, separated by worlds, would never cross paths again. But fate was unkind. Half a month later, at a diamond exhibition, I unexpectedly encountered him once more. Beside him, Celeste deliberately chose me to serve her. Not long after, she screamed: “Nora, have you lost your mind? How dare you steal the engagement ring Orion gave me!” Hearing the commotion, Orion hurried over. Faced with the crowd’s scrutiny and Celeste’s accusations, I defended myself with a clear conscience: “Celeste, haven’t you had enough? I just want a job to make a living. Why do you have to keep targeting me?” Celeste clung to Orion’s sleeve, sobbing: “Orion, I didn’t… It was clearly Nora. I asked her to keep my jewelry box safe, but when I checked, the engagement ring was missing!” “Nora was the only one who touched my jewelry box. Who else could have taken it?” Orion’s disgusted gaze swept over me, then he reached directly for me: “Return Celeste’s ring.” Seeing him unquestioningly side with Celeste, my heart sank once more: “I told you, it wasn’t me!” Orion wouldn’t listen to my explanation. Seeing my refusal to admit, he sneered: “Fine, if you won’t confess, don’t blame me for being ruthless.” “Take off your clothes!” Orion’s words left me stunned in place. Seeing no movement from me, Orion stepped forward, trying to unbutton my clothes: “If you stole the ring, you’d hide it on yourself. If you want to prove your innocence, I’ll give you the chance!” In terror, I pushed him away, clutching my sleeves tightly: “Are you insane… Orion, I didn’t steal anything. You know I’m not that kind of person…” “I don’t know!” Orion raised his voice abruptly: “Nora, I don’t understand you at all.” “If you won’t cooperate, don’t blame me for being merciless. You guys, strip her clothes off!” The bodyguards moved at his command, surrounding me. I fell to the ground in terror, desperately avoiding their hands reaching for me. But no matter how I struggled, I was ultimately outnumbered. With a loud “rip,” my shirt was torn open from the back. Just as I was about to be exposed, Quentin broke through the bodyguards, shielding me: “What are you doing! Let her go! Stop it!” At the same time, a bodyguard suddenly handed something to Orion: “Mr. Orion, we found the ring!” Seeing the recovered ring, Orion looked down at me with disdain: “Nora, you’d go to any lengths for money. This ring is worth five million. If I want, I could make you rot in prison for life!” As I trembled uncontrollably, Quentin couldn’t hold back, roaring at Orion: “How can you treat my sister like this! She once donated her kidney for you!” As Quentin’s words fell, the once bustling exhibition fell silent. After a long pause, Orion spoke hoarsely: “What did you say?”

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My sister was often caught up in fantasies of being a real heiress after reading a novel about such characters. Eventually, an assistant of a wealthy tycoon sought us out, claiming the tycoon was looking for a true heiress from the public to inherit his business. I tried to dissuade her, suspecting there was more to it than met the eye. But soon after, my sister’s friend was chosen and began living a life of luxury, eventually marrying the city’s renowned Declan Graham. My sister blamed it all on me and shoved me into the street when I was off guard. When I regained consciousness, my sister asked for my opinion. I smiled and replied, “Such a great opportunity, you should definitely seize it.” Just like in my previous life, the tycoon’s assistant arrived as expected. He explained that the tycoon, having no children in his old age, had been told by a fortune teller that our family’s daughter shared a father-daughter bond with him. He wanted to choose one of us as his true heiress to inherit his business. Last time, I thought it was too good to be true and advised my sister against it. Yet, my sister’s best friend was chosen and received more wealth monthly than most people earn in a lifetime. She even married the dashing and wealthy Declan Graham, whose family topped the city’s wealth rankings. Consumed by jealousy, my sister turned her anger on me. She pushed me into the street, hissing behind me: “It’s all your fault. I should be the one marrying Declan Graham. You ruined everything for me. Go die.” The agony of being hit by a car is still etched in my memory. This time around, my sister wanted my advice again. I smirked slightly, a trace of sarcasm in my eyes. “Sister, this is a rare opportunity. Making the right choice outweighs hard work. If you don’t choose, I will.” True to her selfish nature, my sister quickly agreed. But my parents looked worried, as she was their treasured daughter. “Sierra, do you really want to leave us to become someone else’s daughter?” Sierra playfully took my parents’ arms and reassured them: “Oh, it’s for our family’s sake. They said they have no children and feel connected to us. If I go, there will be endless money. You’ll always be my dearest parents, and I’ll never forget you. I’ll take care of you in your old age.” After speaking, she kissed my parents’ faces. They were overjoyed. “Alright, our daughter has grown up and become sensible. If you want to go, go. But if you don’t like it, you can always come back.” “Okay, I know. Isn’t my sister here to keep you company?” After she said this, my parents gave me a disdainful look. “Your sister? She’s ungrateful, not as obedient and understanding as you. She hasn’t even bought your dad a new car yet.” I found it amusing since the car was bought less than three years ago, and they were already asking me to get them a new one. “May I ask who bought the current car?” My parents were speechless, then retorted disdainfully: “That cheap car only cost tens of thousands. Raising you was a waste. In the future, Sierra will buy us something better.” I chuckled and stayed silent. Sierra raised her head proudly. “Don’t worry, parents. Once I’m the tycoon’s daughter, tens of thousands are nothing. I’ll buy you a Rolls Royce.” My parents and sister were lost in their dreams, oblivious to the assistant’s sarcastic look.

The assistant noted the time and reminded us. “If everything’s fine, we need to sign an agreement. From now on, Miss Sierra won’t be your daughter. However, we understand raising a daughter isn’t easy, so you’ll receive a million as compensation. But you can’t contact Miss Sierra actively. Our boss Mr. Carter is a well-known figure in City A and wants to avoid gossip.” Hearing this, my parents frowned but were tempted by the million—an amount they could never earn in their lifetimes. They remained silent. The assistant continued: “Of course, it’s not like you’ll never meet. If Sierra misses home and gets Mr. Carter’s approval, she can visit you.” Seeing their hesitation, Sierra quickly said: “Mom, Dad, I’ll become a rich heiress overnight. If I’m acknowledging someone else as my parent, there will be sacrifices. Don’t hesitate.” I stirred the pot: “If you’re hesitant, I can go instead of Sierra.” That did it. At the thought of me taking away their daughter’s opportunity, they agreed immediately and signed the agreement. As soon as it was signed, Sierra didn’t pack anything, shed a few fake tears, and left with the butler. I said to my parents: “Doesn’t seem like she misses this home much, leaving so quickly.” Their faces darkened, and my mom scolded: “Sierra is doing it for this family. Without her, where would the million come from? When will you be as successful, so we don’t raise you for nothing?” Yes, the duty of upbringing outweighed everything. I used to believe that. So even when I was seriously ill and they refused to pay for my treatment, I was grateful for their upbringing. But the moment Sierra pushed me into the street in my last life, I repaid that debt. This time, I came to uncover the truth.

Two months later, I saw Sierra again. She was clad in an Hermes bag, a shiny gold necklace around her neck, wearing designer brands from head to toe. A complete transformation. Sierra generously bought Mom a pearl necklace and Dad a Rolex watch. She looked at me with disdain. “Sis, I didn’t get anything for you. No matter how expensive, people will think it’s fake on you.” I shrugged indifferently, thinking her good days wouldn’t last long. My parents’ combined gifts weren’t even worth thirty thousand, not even as much as Sierra’s outfit. They couldn’t tell and just praised: “Sierra is capable, bringing us gifts. We missed you so much. How have you been?” They reached out to hold Sierra’s hand, but she avoided them. “I’m good. My dad treats me well. Life with the rich is worlds apart from ordinary life. Uncle and Aunt, I’m here to share some good news.” The words “Uncle and Aunt” made my parents’ faces stiffen, but they were curious about the good news. “Daughter, what’s the good news?” Sierra looked smug. “I’m about to marry Declan Graham, the famous heir of the Graham family in City A. His family tops the wealth list here. Meeting new people really changes you.” My parents were thrilled. “Really? Our daughter is amazing. When’s the wedding? We’ll prepare a grand dowry for you.” Sierra’s face showed a hint of hidden disdain, but her voice was playful. “Oh, my dad has everything. Doesn’t need a dowry. I’m here to tell you not to attend the wedding. The Carter family says I’m the lost heiress, and rich families care about reputation.” My parents understood, their eyes filled with disappointment. I scoffed and said: “After raising you, you won’t let them attend your wedding. At least let them meet the son-in-law.” My words hit my parents’ soft spot. This was the only time they didn’t just think about my sister. Sierra glared at me. “Fine, but Declan is busy. I’ll bring him to meet you in a few days.”

A few days later, Sierra brought Declan Graham home. Luckily, I checked beforehand, and it was really him. When Declan saw me, his eyes lit up. “Sierra, who is this?” Sierra was upset seeing Declan gaze at me but reluctantly introduced us. “Oh, my sister. Declan, these are my adoptive parents.” Declan seemed gentlemanly and modest, and my parents praised him. In Sierra’s words, they were her adoptive parents who raised her. They chatted happily while I was like air. Declan didn’t act like an arrogant heir, nor was he as difficult as rumored. But I knew he was far from simple. Declan noticed me watching him. His gaze had a hint of scheming intent, but he quickly withdrew it. Feeling bored, I returned to my room. Unexpectedly, Declan sneaked into my room soon after. I frowned, puzzled. “Is there something you need from me?” Declan’s lips curled into a wicked smile. Declan Graham didn’t have the airs of a typical rich heir, nor was he as difficult to deal with as the rumors suggested. But I knew better; he was anything but straightforward. When Declan caught me looking at him, there was a fleeting hint of malice in his gaze before he quickly looked away. Feeling uninterested, I went back to my room. To my surprise, it wasn’t long before Declan slipped into my room. Frowning in confusion, I asked, “What brings you to my room?” Declan’s lips curled into a mischievous smile. “You were staring at me earlier, and now you’re acting all coy? I didn’t expect Nora Anderson’s sister to be so enchanting.” I felt a wave of disgust. “Sorry, you’ve got it wrong. I’m not interested in you.” Declan raised an eyebrow. “Really? Your sister is about to become my wife, enjoying endless wealth. Don’t you want that too?” I let out a scoff. “No, thanks. That kind of fortune should stay with my sister. She’s more suited to you.” Declan’s eyes darkened as if he had more to say, but Nora’s voice interrupted from behind him. “Declan, what are you doing here? It’s time for dinner.” Declan coughed, pretending nothing had happened. “Oh, I was just curious and came up to take a look.” With that, he turned and left. Nora stayed, her whole demeanor radiating anger. “Cora Anderson, how could you be so shameless? He’s your sister’s fiancé, and you’re trying to seduce him. Have you no shame?” I laughed instead of getting angry. “Do I look like I want to seduce him? Maybe you should find out what kind of person your fiancé really is before accusing me.” Nora was breathless with anger, then suddenly laughed. “Hmph, I know you’re jealous that I can marry someone like Declan Graham. The Graham family’s wealth is something you’ll never see in your life. You’re just an outsider, stop dreaming.” I looked at her without a word, and she walked away, thinking she had struck a nerve. But I knew her good days were numbered.

Logically, with my sister marrying into the Graham family, the media should have been buzzing with this happy news. Yet, there was nothing online, as if nothing had happened with the Graham family. In interviews, Declan never mentioned his marriage, focusing instead on the Graham Corporation. As for Nora, after that incident, she seemed to vanish. She didn’t call or visit home. Our parents were worried but couldn’t reach her, and they were too embarrassed to actively search, fearing it might affect the Graham family’s view of Nora. Then, one day, six months later, Nora suddenly returned home looking unwell and vacant. If not for her glamorous attire, one might think she had just been released from prison. Our parents showered her with concern, which she brushed off with a few dismissive replies. But when she saw me, she acted strangely and handed me an exquisite gift box. “Look, sis, I specially picked out this dress for you. It’ll look great on you.” I opened it for a glance. It was a new Chanel low-cut dress. Curiously, she only got a gift for me, not our parents. A sense of unease crept over me. I smiled faintly. “Thanks, sister, but I don’t need it.” Nora didn’t seem offended by my refusal. She just put the gift down and continued catching up with our parents, saying she planned to stay the night. When asked about Declan, Nora’s face changed. I could tell she was scared, but she maintained her composure, explaining that Declan was busy, though her eyes often darted toward me. That made me suspicious. Sure enough, late at night, I overheard noises from my parents’ room. It was Nora, crying and complaining to them. “Dad, Mom, you must help me. Declan Graham is a monster in disguise. I can’t take it anymore.” Our parents were furious. “How could he be so ruthless? Let’s go to the police. I refuse to believe he’s untouchable.” “It’s no use. There’s no evidence. Declan Graham has the entire city under his thumb. If this escalates, he won’t spare us. But luckily, Declan promised me that if I could bring Cora Anderson over to take my place, he’d let me come back home.” Hearing this, my parents didn’t hesitate. “Then let your sister take your place. We’ve raised her for so many years; it’s time she repays us. But how will you make her agree?” “She doesn’t need to agree. Tomorrow, I’ll slip some knockout drugs into her food. You just need to cooperate with me.”

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My name is Jessica, and I’m a dance teacher. “The perfect woman” – that’s how my husband describes me. And what he means by “perfect” is what every man dreams of: wild in bed, but ladylike in public. But ever since my husband went abroad, I’ve been struggling with loneliness… That night, just as I lay down in bed after a shower, my phone buzzed with several messages. “Babe, your peach-shaped butt is gorgeous.” “Have you ever touched a man’s abs?” Along with these messages were several selfies. Some were close-ups, others were mirror shots. Each one exuded strong masculine pheromones. As I scrolled to the last photo, I unconsciously swallowed. All these photos were sent by a man named Zack. Our encounter felt somewhat destined. After my husband left, I had nothing to do, so I started going swimming every day. Once, while I was swimming, my anklet got knocked off by someone nearby. It was Zack who picked it up for me. Afterwards, we sat by the pool chatting and discovered a surprising coincidence – he was actually an ex-boyfriend of one of my juniors from college. So we added each other on SnapChat. To be honest, at that moment, I had a feeling that I might end up sleeping with him. Although I had only been with my husband since getting married, I wasn’t entirely opposed to the idea. I told myself, if it happens, it happens. If not, I won’t force it. We chatted casually online, both aware of each other’s intentions, but neither of us dared to take the first step. It was as if whoever spoke first would lose. Until last month, Zack suddenly asked about the small tag on my anklet, wondering why it was engraved with “sex”. I was quite embarrassed and told him it was custom-made by my husband. And just like that, we naturally started talking about sex. I was quite satisfied with this smooth transition, and I guess he was too. He said he wanted to take a closer look at my tag. So I took a photo to show him my ankle, but to my surprise, he immediately sent me a video call request. “Babe, you’re so beautiful,” Zack said, his voice hoarse. He claimed he wanted to see the tag, but he kept complimenting my feet. “Have such beautiful feet ever been kissed?” My head felt dizzy. There was a sense of relief, as if we had finally broken through an invisible barrier. I felt a tingling sensation in my lower back and started thinking about men. In the end, I couldn’t resist his repeated pleas. As if hypnotized, I slowly lifted the neckline of my nightgown, showing him other parts of my body. That night, I lost control of my desires, lost the chastity of my soul, and emotionally cheated. The next day, Zack wanted to meet up. Although I didn’t agree, I knew I was pretty much on the verge of giving in. Perhaps, on the next lonely sleepless night, I would actively ask him out. Like those housewives in adult movies, sneaking around to have an affair while my husband was away. This stalemate continued for half a month, until Zack asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend at a friend’s gathering. I initially refused, but Zack was very persuasive. He even emphasized that there would be many handsome guys there. After hesitating for a while, I finally agreed. I deliberately chose a tight, short dress to show off my figure, determined to help Zack impress his friends. But as I stood in front of the mirror, trying on different outfits, I felt something was missing. It just wasn’t sexy enough. Until I changed into another ultra-short skirt and bent over to check myself out, I realized what was missing! Of course, an ultra-short skirt should be paired with a thong! After spending a long time picking and choosing, I finally settled on two thin pieces of fabric – one on top and one on bottom. I didn’t even wear a bra. Bending over or squatting down would definitely reveal more than intended. With this daring outfit, I headed to the nightclub where the gathering was taking place. Zack, who had received my message, came out to meet me at the entrance. When he saw me, his eyes lit up for a moment. I naturally caught that glimpse of amazement in his eyes, feeling a bit smug. It wasn’t for nothing that I had spent so long getting ready. I swear, although I was mentally prepared to sleep with Zack, I had no intention of seducing his friends. However, when I entered the private room on his arm, I wavered. Zack hadn’t lied to me; his friends were indeed all handsome. “Wow, you’re so beautiful! Zack said he was bringing his girlfriend, but we didn’t believe him. Looks like he really hit the jackpot…” “We were thirsty earlier, so we ordered some drinks.” Looking at the glasses on the table, I felt a bit uneasy. In nightclubs, the most taboo thing is to drink beverages or alcohol handed to you by strangers, or even to leave your drink unattended. If a girl goes to the restroom, it’s best to get a new drink when she comes back, to avoid someone spiking it. This is common sense for girls who frequent nightclubs! Sleeping with someone is one thing, but being drugged is another matter entirely. Who knows what might be in that drink? Men can do crazy things when they’re horny. And what if they recorded a video? Seeing my hesitation, Zack smiled and said, “I’ll drink it for her.” He then picked up the glass in front of me and downed it in one go. He went to the bar himself to get me a cocktail and brought it back. Zack’s normal expression gradually eased my wariness, and I started sipping the drink. After a while, the nightclub’s music started playing. To heat up the atmosphere, some scantily clad girls came out to dance. I finished my drink and joined them on the dance floor. On the dance floor, the music was deafening. You had to get very close to hear each other speak. “Babe, you’re so sexy,” Zack said, hugging me. His hand, originally on my back, moved down to my waist, seemingly trying to explore further. I lowered my head, feeling the man’s body heat, and even enjoyed it a little. Tonight was my 59th day without a man’s touch, and I was starting to feel restless. Just then, I suddenly felt something wasn’t right. A wave of heat seemed to surge through my body, concentrating in my lower abdomen. Even when I was dancing, the friction between my body and clothes sent shivers through me. “What’s going on? Was there something in that drink?” I became alert, but thinking back, I had only had one cocktail since arriving, and Zack had brought it from the bar himself. So I dismissed this possibility in my mind! At this moment, several of Zack’s friends surrounded the dance floor. They started pouring alcohol into my mouth from bottles, and I gulped it down. Zack whispered in my flushed ear, “Babe, you look so alluring when you’re drinking like that. It’s like you’re being loved by a man…” His words made me realize how out of control I was. But being surrounded by these handsome guys made me feel light-headed. I danced wildly, swaying my hips, exuding my charm, gradually losing my rationality. Until I was exhausted and fell into the arms of Zack and his friends. They were so strong, each one more powerful than my husband! I couldn’t help but take a deep breath, and the thick male pheromones immediately made my head spin. Under the influence of alcohol, I completely lost control of myself. I didn’t know whose arms I fell into or who was kissing me. I was kissed until I was dizzy, either from lack of oxygen or from the alcohol. I passed out. I could vaguely feel someone picking me up and then placing me on something soft. As I was drifting in and out of consciousness, I suddenly felt a cool sensation on my body, as if someone was undressing me. I struggled to open my eyes and saw that the ceiling above me was actually a full mirror. In the mirror, I saw myself spread-eagled on the bed, my limbs tied to the bedposts, completely naked! Even worse, five strong, naked men surrounded me…

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I used the money from my fruit stand to help my boyfriend’s company go public. But on Valentine’s Day, he drugged me. Right in front of me, he had sex with his young assistant. Afterwards, the assistant taunted me by sending me the video. In the video, Ethan was panting heavily, looking straight at me, his words full of contempt: “Olivia, I really like you so much. If I had met you earlier, I wouldn’t have gotten together with Mia. “Mia? What is she? She’s nothing! Just a useless stay-at-home wife!” Olivia was his young assistant. What he didn’t know was… I could make him rise to the top, and I could also make him fall to rock bottom. I didn’t reply, but saved the evidence and started planning my departure. Six months later, Ethan’s company went bankrupt and he ended up on the streets. He saw me shopping with my new fiancé. “Mia, I regret it, I really regret it. I shouldn’t have treated you that way.” His voice was hoarse as he begged me to get back together. I shook off his hand and looked at him with disgust: “Ethan, you’re the one who said you looked down on me for selling fruit. “Oh, by the way, guess who made your company go bankrupt?” Ethan’s face slowly turned pale.

On Valentine’s Day, Ethan personally made me pork rib soup. He knew I loved the pork rib soup he made. Ethan watched me eagerly as I finished the soup. My vision started to blur, and my eyelids felt heavy. My head was spinning. Just before I closed my eyes, I thought I saw Ethan pulling Olivia, who had appeared out of nowhere, into a passionate kiss right in front of me. I vaguely heard the sound of bodies colliding. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t wake up. It must have been a dream, right? When I woke up, Ethan gently helped me sit up in bed, his eyes full of concern: “Mia, what happened? You fell asleep right after drinking the soup.” His voice trembled slightly. I had no energy and told him about the dream I had. Ethan pulled me into his arms, saying dreams are often the opposite of reality. How could he possibly betray me? As he said this, his hand accidentally touched my rough fingers. He awkwardly avoided them, subtly wiping his hand on his pants. Ethan’s phone rang. He answered it in front of me. “Hello, I told you to reschedule all company matters for today. I’m spending the day with my wife.” He frowned impatiently at the person on the other end. After hanging up, he looked at me tenderly, slowly tracing my features with his gaze. How long had it been since he looked at me like this? Three months? Four months? My heartstrings were touched, and all my previous frustrations disappeared. I comforted myself, thinking dreams are often the opposite of reality. He loved me so much, how could he possibly betray me? “Mia, how about I take you to River View Restaurant for dinner tonight?” River View was the most famous restaurant in the city. You usually needed a reservation to eat there. I had mentioned wanting to go there with him several times before. He had always refused, citing his busy work schedule. Now that he was offering to take me, I was pleasantly surprised. I was just about to tell him the news of my pregnancy. Ethan’s phone received several messages. He read them with a blank expression, then apologized to me: “Mia, something urgent came up at the company that I need to handle. I’ll go to the study to deal with it first.” I was still basking in happiness and didn’t notice the desire in his eyes. Never mind, I could tell him at dinner later. I was still happily thinking about what to wear for dinner. My sharp eyes caught sight of several strands of hair on the bed that didn’t belong to me. Those strands of hair had a slight yellow tint under the light, and the quality wasn’t particularly good. At the same time, the message I received on my phone was like a bucket of cold water, drenching me to the bone.

Olivia had sent me a video. In the video, Ethan was having sex with Olivia. The two of them were doing the deed right in front of me. Ethan even said: “Olivia, I really like you so much. If I had met you earlier, I wouldn’t have gotten together with Mia. “Mia? What is she? She’s nothing! Just always asking me for money!” I had worked so hard using the money from my fruit stand to help his company go public. And this is how he talked about me. In an instant, my heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly, and I could barely breathe. My hands and feet turned cold, and my ears were ringing. I couldn’t believe Ethan would betray me. All the previous joy was gone. Lost in thought, I heard ambiguous sounds coming from the study. I got up, feeling dizzy, and walked unsteadily to the study door. I knocked on the door, my whole body trembling violently. Fifteen seconds later, Ethan opened the door somewhat hastily. “What’s wrong, Mia?” His voice was strangely hoarse. There were several ambiguous red marks on his neck. “What’s that on your neck?” I pointed at his neck, clutching my phone tightly. I looked straight at him. I leaned against the doorframe, barely able to stand. The truth was right in front of me, but I didn’t dare face it. Ethan opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Olivia. She slowly walked out from behind Ethan, casually adjusting her clothes. She looked at me provocatively: “Sister-in-law, Ethan and I were just dealing with some company business. Do you have to question that too?” Her tone was lazy as she casually stroked the expensive necklace around her neck. It was the one Ethan had bought at an auction a month ago. Worth three million dollars. At the time, I had fallen in love with it at first sight. But Ethan said that as a stay-at-home wife who didn’t need to go out for business, that necklace wasn’t suitable for me. Now that necklace was glaringly obvious around Olivia’s neck, painfully glaring. After Olivia said this, Ethan looked at me with some displeasure. He changed the subject: “Mia, Olivia and I will be done soon. You don’t understand my work matters anyway. “Why don’t you go rest first? Didn’t you say you were feeling dizzy?” He said perfunctorily, his voice tinged with impatience. In the past, I would have listened to him and tactfully stopped asking. But now, I just wanted to hear an answer from his own mouth. Was that so hard? “What’s that on your neck?” I asked him again, my voice stronger. My nails dug into my palms as my voice trembled. “Mia, do you have to make this so difficult?!” Ethan’s voice suddenly rose, avoiding my question. I stood there in a daze. In our five years together, this was the first time he had raised his voice at me. In the past, he had always spoken to me gently. How could he bear to speak harshly to me? “Mia, those with dirty hearts see everything as dirty!” He threw down these words heavily, not even looking at me as he left the house with Olivia in big strides.

The door slammed shut with a “bang”. I completely lost strength and crouched helplessly on the ground. I didn’t understand what I had done wrong for him to treat me this way. My face was wet with tears as my foot went numb. I slowly got up to wash my face in the bathroom. As I went in, my leg gave out and my head hit the sink hard. In that moment of crisis, I instinctively protected my belly. My head was spinning in pain as blood slowly trickled down my face. I had always been squeamish about blood, so I was too scared to open my eyes. I washed my face blindly with my eyes closed. Then I endured the pain to put on a simple bandage. Fifteen minutes ago, Olivia had updated her SnapChat status. “Happy Valentine’s Day, so glad to have Ethan with me~” In the live photo was the interior of River View Restaurant, with the restaurant’s signature dishes on the table. In the background, I heard Ethan’s deep voice: “I’ll take this necklace then.” Ethan had once told me about a romantic legend at River View Restaurant. It was said that couples who dined there for the first time would definitely have a romantic ending and grow old together. I had begged Ethan to take me there before, just because of this legend. He was busy then and never had time, but promised me he would only ever take me there in this lifetime. But now, Ethan had blatantly broken his promise. At that moment, my heart felt like it was being cut by a knife. I suddenly realized that the man I had shared a bed with for five years had changed at some unknown point. I lowered my head and stroked my belly. My fingers instinctively dialed Ethan’s number. He rejected the call. My phone vibrated as he sent me a message: “Busy now, I’ll pick you up later.” But three minutes later, Olivia updated another SnapChat post. The silhouette of a man under the street lamp was especially tall. “Thanks to Ethan for sending me home late at night~ Love you~” I waited for three hours. At 8 PM, Ethan still hadn’t come. Instead, his secretary arrived. Secretary Lily said Ethan had asked her to take me to River View Restaurant. She glanced at the bandage on my head and couldn’t help asking: “Mrs. Gray, that wound looks quite painful. Do you need me to take you to the hospital first?” I shook my head, saying it wasn’t necessary. As I was getting out of the car, she reminded me: “Mrs. Gray, Ethan’s young assistant seems to be quite close to him lately.” She hinted at it without saying too much. I understood her meaning and thanked her. I sat down at River View Restaurant. Ethan still hadn’t arrived. Half an hour later, he finally showed up. He was as caring towards me as before: “Mia, why are you dressed so lightly? What if you catch a cold?” His gaze swept over the bandage on my head, pausing only briefly before he didn’t ask how I got hurt. It was pouring rain outside. I looked at him silently, not saying a word. I wanted to ask him why he betrayed me. The words were on the tip of my tongue but I just couldn’t say them. I couldn’t believe it. The man I had shared a bed with for five years had betrayed me. “I shouldn’t have treated you that way this afternoon.” Ethan coughed lightly and apologized to me. I didn’t say anything. Ethan took out an exquisitely wrapped jewelry box from his pocket and handed it to me. “Open it and take a look.” He gestured for me to open it. Inside the jewelry box lay a diamond necklace. It sparkled brilliantly, dazzling to the eye. “Do you like it?” He asked me. Just then, I received a message. Olivia had sent me a message: “Mia, do you like the trash I didn’t want?” I looked up at Ethan. He was lowering his head to reply to a message, a smile on his lips. I glanced at his phone. It was a photo of Olivia in a bunny girl outfit that she had sent him. She said she would only give Ethan fifteen minutes to wait for him. I looked away and my phone vibrated. Olivia had sent me another message: “Guess whether Ethan will stay and have dinner with you?” “Ethan, I’m pregnant…” Ethan suddenly stood up, not hearing clearly what I said. “Mia, something urgent came up at the company that I need to deal with right away.” His tone was anxious, his voice tinged with desire. “I’ve already paid the bill. Didn’t you really want to try their dishes? Eat whatever you like. “I’ll have dinner with you next time.” He threw down these words and hurriedly left. What Ethan didn’t know was… Today was actually my 26th birthday. And I had wanted to tell him I was pregnant.

I threw the necklace into the trash can. After getting home, I kept debating whether to keep this baby. I couldn’t accept that Ethan had betrayed me. But I had been looking forward to this baby for so long, I couldn’t bear to give it up. Lost in thought, Ethan came home drunk. The one who brought him back was Olivia. I took Ethan from Olivia’s hands. He collapsed drunk on the sofa. Olivia stood there without moving. Her gaze passed over me and looked straight at Ethan on the sofa. “Mia, I’m pregnant with Ethan’s child.” She said slowly to me, her tone provocative. My body shook violently and I took a step back in disbelief. Olivia was very satisfied with my reaction. She sneered: “Do you know what Ethan said to me? “Ethan said he doesn’t need someone who sells fruit to bear his children. “He also said if it wasn’t for the five years you’ve been together, he would have broken up with you long ago! “Do you know what people in the industry say about him? They all say he’s a fruit stand sugar baby. If it wasn’t for you, he wouldn’t be laughed at by employees in the company! “Mia, if you really like him, you should leave him voluntarily.” After saying these words, Olivia gave me a contemptuous look and left proudly. I stood there in a daze. So this was how Ethan had viewed me all along. So he had wanted to break up with me for a long time. There was a loud clap of thunder outside. Rain pattered on the ground. Ethan suddenly woke up and sat up from the sofa. He opened his drunken eyes, muttering something. The living room was quiet and I clearly heard what he said. “It’s raining so hard, how will Olivia get home? I hope she doesn’t get wet.” The moment his words fell into my ears, I was completely disappointed in him. When you love someone, you instinctively care about them. That’s how he used to treat me. His actions had already said it all. I suddenly remembered that a few days ago, Ethan had taken me to a company gathering. I excused myself to go to the bathroom because of morning sickness. When I came out, I vaguely heard Ethan say I had no tact, was fussy, and couldn’t handle social situations. The environment was noisy at the time. I thought I had misheard. Thinking about it now, Ethan probably had wanted to say that about me for a long time. “Mia, go call Olivia back. Let her stay at our place tonight. What if she gets wet in this heavy rain?” Ethan ordered me drunkenly, his tone reproachful. He was so drunk he could barely sit up straight, his body slumped crookedly on the sofa as he looked at me with unfocused eyes. “Ethan, do you like Olivia that much? Then what am I to you?” I asked him. In vino veritas. In the silence of the room, I heard Ethan’s drunken voice: “Mia, what are you? You’re just a fruit seller. You can’t even compare to one of Olivia’s fingers.” The rain fell harder and harder. My heart sank deeper and deeper. Seeing that I didn’t move, Ethan stumbled over and pushed me: “Why haven’t you gone to call Olivia back yet?” He used about 80% of his strength and I was pushed to the ground. As I fell, I frantically covered my abdomen. Blood began to spread from beneath me. I was in so much pain I lost my senses, but Ethan just gave me a cold look before heading upstairs without looking back.

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When I learned that my husband had gone to deliver a coat to his young assistant, ignoring me as I lay unconscious in the hospital, I proposed a divorce. Mark agreed instantly: “What’s there to worry about? She’s a woman who married far from home, she’ll comfort herself.” “She’ll change her mind in a couple of days. I’ll give her the cold shoulder for a while, then magnanimously forgive her. Let’s see if she dares to make a fuss again.” That same day, he posted a photo on social media of him and his young assistant holding hands across a dinner table. The caption read: Two people in one house, three meals for four seasons, for the rest of our lives, you and I are each other’s only one. As I looked at the final date on the calendar, I dialed my brother’s number. “James, can you buy me a ticket home?” “Really? That’s great! You’ve finally decided to give up on that jerk! Wait there, I’ll come pick you up myself!” The young man’s voice on the other end of the phone was filled with excitement. After hanging up, Mark came in from outside, reeking of strong perfume. The red marks on his neck stung my eyes. “Who was that on the phone?” Mark asked casually, his gaze still glued to his own phone, not even looking at me. “My brother.” The shrill ringtone of his phone completely drowned out my voice. Mark quickly answered the call, and a girl’s sweet voice came through: “Mark, thank you for bringing the clothes the other day. If it weren’t for you, I would have definitely embarrassed myself. I really don’t know what I would have done otherwise.” Seeming to feel it was inappropriate, Mark lowered the volume somewhat guiltily, got up and went into the study. I smiled sarcastically to myself. We were already in the divorce cooling-off period, what was I expecting? I silently made myself a bowl of noodles, ate it without a sound, and then went back to the bedroom to pack my luggage. It was an hour later when Mark finished his lovey-dovey phone call with the girl. As usual, he sat at the dining table with a magazine, waiting for me to serve him a hot breakfast. But this time, after waiting for a while without even a cup of hot milk appearing, he finally impatiently turned half his attention to me. “It’s not like I didn’t accompany you for a check-up, right? Insomnia isn’t a serious illness.” “Just take the medicine the doctor prescribed on time and you’ll be fine. Why are you being so dramatic?” “Besides, I’ve already agreed to the divorce, what more do you want? Why are you showing this sour face every day? Who’s it for?” I stopped what I was doing and looked impassively at this man who was once my intimate bedmate. That day after he left, I had fainted at the hospital. If it weren’t for the doctors’ timely rescue, I might have already been sent to the crematorium. After that, neither I nor the doctors could get through to Mark’s phone. When we finally got through, we heard a girl’s sweet laughter and Mark’s impatient rebuke: “It’s just some medical fees, can’t you figure it out yourself?” In the end, I had to borrow the money from a friend. When I was discharged yesterday, I found out that he had actually gone to deliver a coat to his young assistant who was wearing a mini skirt to a business dinner. Just because she said she was cold. I immediately proposed divorce to Mark. “Once we get the divorce certificate, you won’t have to see it even if you want to.” I thought Mark would be happy with my distant attitude, since he had been wanting me to stop meddling in his affairs. Unexpectedly, he seemed to have stepped on a hedgehog, slamming the magazine on the table and shouting: “You’d better not regret this!” With that, he stormed out, slamming the door. Bang! The loud noise didn’t cause the slightest ripple in my emotions. I couldn’t be bothered to ponder his behavior and emotions, I just went about my own business. After sending out the revised proposal that the client needed, I contentedly poured myself a cup of hot milk. Just as I was about to find a movie to watch while taking a bath to pass the time, a message popped up. It was from Mark. “Morning Star Club, drunk, come pick me up by car.” I was about to close the page when a second message popped up. “You’re still my wife in name, this is your duty.” I gripped my phone tightly, took several deep breaths, and finally prepared myself mentally before going out. All this was for a smooth divorce, I’ll endure it! When I found the private room at the club according to the information on my phone, I could hear Mark’s hearty laughter and Olivia’s coquettish giggles from inside. The sounds turned into swords, stabbing into my heart one by one. I gritted my teeth to steady my expression and pushed open the door of the private room. The laughter inside came to an abrupt halt.

When Mark saw me, his expression was bewildered, his brows furrowed tightly. “Are you stalking me?” Mark’s immediate accusation made the expressions of those present quite awkward. I opened the message page: “This is the address you gave me.” Olivia immediately hugged Mark’s arm, cooing softly: “Mr. Mark, I was worried about you going back alone, so I asked your wife to come pick you up. I hope I didn’t do the wrong thing with good intentions?” Mark’s expression softened. Looking at Olivia’s anxious expression, he smiled indulgently. Seeing Olivia’s challenging glance at me from a hidden angle, and Mark’s tacit approval, I felt no ripples at all, just nodded faintly, my attitude cold and distant. Perhaps accustomed to my previous hysterical shouting and arguing, this silence now made Mark uncomfortable. He rarely pulled his arm out of Olivia’s embrace, explaining in a gentle tone: “Rachel, we’re just entertaining. Everyone here is a client or employee.” I handed him the pure milk I had grabbed on my way out: “I know.” Perhaps my arrival had ruined the atmosphere, and everyone soon left in twos and threes. After carefully arranging for Olivia to take a taxi and giving her numerous instructions, Mark finally got into the car, sitting in the passenger seat. I silently started the car, while he dozed off in the passenger seat. Neither of us spoke. When I parked the car in the underground garage, I got out first and walked towards the elevator. As I reached the corner, Mark suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me into his arms. The next second, a car sped past me. For a moment, my heart raced. “Can’t you watch where you’re going? What if you got hurt?” Mark’s tone was urgent as he held my hand tightly, keeping me on the inside of the path. Scenes from our honeymoon phase suddenly flashed before my eyes. He used to hold me like this, protecting me. But at some point, such gestures had disappeared. I had even forgotten that I was once cherished like this. Fortunately, the elevator wasn’t far. As he pressed the floor button, I discreetly pulled my hand back. Mark glanced at me, seeming to want to say something, but ultimately made no further move. But the next morning, he surprisingly offered to drive me to work. “I’ll take you.” I yawned and agreed. I hadn’t slept well last night, drifting in and out of sleep, so it was a good chance to catch up on some rest. However, as soon as I opened the car door, I saw glittering decorations, cute stickers, and pink car ornaments and figurines. There was even a custom pillow on the passenger seat with a photo of Mark and Olivia making heart shapes together. This was a blatant declaration of ownership. “I never thought the car of a tough CEO would one day have such girly elements.” The sarcasm in my words made Mark’s face flash with embarrassment: “Olivia is just a young girl, let her be, don’t fuss over it too much.” I pointed at the pillow: “Is she a young girl who takes couple photos with you?” But what I really wanted to ask about was the photo of them holding hands over a candlelit dinner that Mark had posted on social media the day we applied for divorce. I still remembered the caption: Two people in one house, three meals for four seasons, for the rest of our lives, you and I are each other’s only one.

My words made Mark’s face flash with discomfort. I suddenly deflated. Whether it was out of revenge, showing off, or whatever other reason, Mark’s heart had strayed, and that was that. I gave up questioning and silently sat in the back seat, closing my eyes to avoid looking at all the girly decorations in the car. Perhaps feeling guilty and awkward about the atmosphere, Mark handed me a piece of bread. “Eat something.” My gaze fell on where he had taken the bread from. It was filled with various cookies and candies, and even spicy snacks with a strong smell. “How rare, your obsession with cleanliness seems to have improved?” I admit I was feeling jealous. I often had to carry bread or cookies with me due to my busy schedule and inability to eat regular meals. Once when I was so hungry that my stomach was cramping and my whole body was shaking with pain. I had just taken out my only piece of bread, enduring the discomfort, when Mark snatched it and threw it out the window. That day, Mark had sternly warned me that he wouldn’t allow me to eat anything in his car, not even drink water. I never thought that what he once forbade me to do, he now indulged another woman to do. The loved one can always be infinitely indulged. My sarcastic remark made Mark’s face turn ugly. But I didn’t care about him. I turned my head and closed my eyes, pretending to doze off. As soon as we arrived at the company, I hurriedly got out of the car. Taking advantage of the time he was parking, I rushed into the elevator first and returned to my workstation ahead of him. Countless emails were waiting to be processed, and I was so busy I didn’t even have a chance to lift my head. Of course, I didn’t want to stay in Mark’s company, but I’m the kind of person who always sees things through to the end, and there was still some work I hadn’t finished. If I was going to resign, I’d have to wait until I finished the current work. I was so busy that it was already 4 PM, and I didn’t even have time to order lunch. It wasn’t until my stomach started cramping that I suddenly realized I hadn’t eaten for a long time. I quickly went to get a cup of hot water, returned to my workstation to nibble on some bread, and continued working. Just then, the security guard came in carrying two large bags of snacks, milk tea, and small cakes. “These are afternoon snacks Mr. Mark ordered for everyone, come and share.” The security guard’s voice made everyone cheer, and a group of people immediately rushed over. “Mr. Mark is awesome! It’s my favorite pearl milk tea!” “Ah, there’s no mango…” “Tsk, be grateful for what you get. Don’t you know Olivia is allergic to mangoes?” The people around immediately made meaningful “oh” sounds, and those who loved gossip had already turned their gazes towards me. A new intern, quick to speak, said: “I heard Mr. Mark is getting divorced. Is he going to marry Olivia? He’s so doting!” Someone immediately pulled her: “Shut up, Rachel is still here.” The intern’s face immediately showed a trace of embarrassment. An old hand brought a milk tea and a piece of cake and placed them in front of me, saying awkwardly: “The kids are just joking, don’t mind them.” I looked at the durian cake on the table and pushed it away slightly: “Sorry, I’m allergic to durian. You can have this one.” The person’s face showed an awkward expression. Actually, everyone knew I was allergic to durian, because Mark had used such tactics on me before. Back then, to prove his love for me, he would order my favorite matcha cakes for the office every day, and wouldn’t allow anything durian-related in the office because of my allergy. He would even order meals delivered to everyone’s workstation when I was too busy to eat, and sit in front of me to make sure I finished eating. Now, it was just a different person. Because Olivia was allergic to mangoes, even anything mango-related was not allowed in the company. The grand gestures he could give me, he now gave to another woman. The office never lacked gossip. Just as many people used to ship Mark and me, now they shipped him and Olivia. I didn’t feel uncomfortable because of this. Work was too complicated, and I couldn’t spare any extra energy for irrelevant people.

The project in my hands was nearing its end, and communication with the client was becoming more frequent. The plan might need to be revised two or three times in an hour. I had been working overtime for almost a week, and today we finally reached the crucial point. As long as we got through this, the project would be completed. I stretched lazily, deciding to go out and treat myself to a good meal tonight. But as I stretched, I bumped into someone, scaring me so much that I let out a cry. When I looked back, it was Mark. When did he start standing behind me? “Still working overtime?” Mark didn’t seem to care about my pale face from the fright, and asked naturally. I didn’t know why he suddenly came to find me, so I could only try to calm down and say: “Mr. Mark, is there anything I can help you with?” A trace of displeasure flashed across Mark’s face. He wasn’t used to my distance. But he still patiently said: “Why don’t you hand over your clients and projects to Olivia? She needs the practice.” A chill crept into my heart. Even though I knew Mark was outrageous, I didn’t think he could be this outrageous. Seeing my silence, Mark stepped forward, placing both hands on my shoulders, and said: “There are always some rumors in the company. She’s just a young girl, how can she bear all this? With this project in hand, those who question her will shut up. You’re a senior, it’s right to help juniors.” I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly and roll my eyes. Mark knew very well how many nights I had stayed up for this project, even to the point of cardiac arrest and being rushed to the hospital for rescue. But as soon as I entered the hospital doors, he was taken away by a light phone call from Olivia. My life wasn’t even as important as Olivia’s coat. And now, this project that I had desperately worked on until the end, he casually wanted to give to Olivia with just a few words. He considered Olivia, strived to protect her reputation, but never considered whether all this was fair to me. “Fine, let her come to take over tomorrow.” It’s just right to submit my resignation letter as well. I’ve done my duty to this company. As for what happens afterwards, with Mark’s interference, I couldn’t control it even if I wanted to. It’s better to let go generously. It seemed that he hadn’t expected me to be so agreeable. Mark was stunned for a moment. But then he was overjoyed and hugged me: “I was wrong in the past. I always thought you were petty and stubborn. I didn’t expect you to be so understanding today. Let’s go to that revolving restaurant by the river for dinner. You’ve wanted to go there for a long time, right?” The revolving restaurant by the river? That three-star French restaurant? I once wanted to spend our wedding anniversary there, but now all of this is meaningless. Mark put his arm around my shoulders, his tone much gentler: “We’ve been married for many years, what obstacle can’t we overcome? Control your temper a bit. In a few days, we’ll withdraw the divorce application, and then I’ll accompany you back to your parents’ home. You haven’t been back for many years, right? This time, we’ll stay for a few days.” I listened to Mark painting this rosy picture for me, remaining silent. He seemed to think I had agreed to everything, and continued to talk enthusiastically. Even after I had saved my files and gotten into the car with him, he didn’t stop talking. Sitting in the back seat, I was scrolling through my social media feed when I saw a photo Olivia had posted. She was wearing an evening gown, sitting in a spacious open-air restaurant, elegantly eating a candlelit dinner. The date showed it was an hour ago. Looking at the river in the background, I couldn’t help but smile sarcastically. So she had already enjoyed it, and Mark was considerate enough to rush from one scene to arrange the next with me after finishing the previous one. He didn’t even bother to change the location.

We ended up not having this meal. When we were going downstairs, Mark received a call from Olivia. He looked at me with difficulty, and I pretended not to know it was Olivia, waving my hand generously: “I’m very tired, you go ahead with your business.” Mark couldn’t ask for more. He called a taxi for me, repeatedly instructing the driver, acting as if he was very concerned. But as soon as the car left, I saw in the rearview mirror that he immediately turned around and headed straight for the underground parking lot. When people are speechless, they really can’t help but laugh. As I laughed, I felt something cool on my face. As the wind blew, the chill was carried into my heart. Forget it, tomorrow is the last day. After tomorrow, once we get the divorce certificate, Mark and I will be complete strangers. I returned home, poured myself a glass of wine, and had a small drink to celebrate my freedom in advance. When I was slightly tipsy, I saw a shooting star streak across the sky. I couldn’t help but stand up, leaning on the railing and leaning forward. I wanted to chase that moment of brilliance. Maybe my movement was too fast, or maybe I appeared too unsteady. I only had time to hear an urgent “What are you doing?” before my body was forcefully pulled back. The next second, I fell into a fragrant embrace. “Don’t you know this is very dangerous!” Mark’s voice was full of concern, but the smell on him made me want to vomit. I pointed to the sky outside and said: “Shooting star…” Shooting star! On the day we fell in love, there was a meteor shower in the sky, beautiful and romantic. He had promised to accompany me to watch the meteor shower every year, no matter where it was or when. He said he would put down everything in his hands to accompany me. But year after year, he stood me up every time. What I cared about wasn’t the meteor shower, what I cared about was the future he had promised back then. Mark let out a long sigh and said irritably: “It’s just a shooting star, isn’t it? I’ll take you to see a meteor shower another day. Don’t joke with your safety again.” Just a shooting star… That wasn’t a shooting star, that was your promise, and you just brushed it off so lightly. “Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary, let’s spend it together. I’ll come pick you up.” Mark said to himself, he didn’t ask for my opinion, he was just informing me. I looked at his empty ring finger, the mark from the wedding ring was almost gone, showing it had been taken off for a long time. I didn’t know he had been so biased for so long. “Okay.” I didn’t object, just treating it as a proper end to this marriage. Maybe to make up for me, this time the restaurant was set at the same place as last time. When I arrived, I saw that the reserved seat at the restaurant was actually the same table where Olivia had sat before. I felt uncomfortable immediately and quickly asked the waiter to change to another table. However, from afternoon to evening, from evening to midnight, my phone was almost out of battery, and Mark still hadn’t come. I was so hungry that my stomach hurt, so I had to ask the restaurant to serve me a small cake first. With something to eat, the cramping in my stomach got a bit better. I called Mark, but no one answered. A surge of anger welled up in me. Mark was indeed still incorrigible, making promises casually and never keeping them. Only I fell for it every time, foolishly waiting again and again! What a waste of my time! I opened my contact list intending to urge him, but I saw that the group chat had exploded. Ten minutes ago, an anonymous email was sent to everyone in the company. It was full of scenes of Olivia and Mark going out together, many shots taken from angles that made it look like Olivia was seducing Mark, while he remained unmoved. The email title was even more explosive: Assistant seduces married man, uses body to get projects, despicable and shameful! After these ambiguous photos, there were scenes of me handing over the project to Olivia. I looked haggard, while Olivia was glowing. Every word seemed to be defending me. But every word also directed all the public opinion towards me. I had just put down my phone when Mark stormed in. He grabbed my wrist, aggressive and fierce, his face contorted as he said: “Rachel! If you didn’t want to give up that project, you should have just said so! I didn’t expect you to be so vicious, saying one thing to my face and doing another behind my back! I can’t believe you would stoop so low as to spread false rumors!” “You’re a woman too, don’t you feel guilty using such tactics?” “How disgusting can you be!”

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After Sophie became a top celebrity, she started acting like a diva, clashing with fans, and getting cozy with her male co-star. I was supposed to be her secret lover and manager, yet I heard her tell others: “Charlie should thank himself for discovering me.” “Without me, he’d still be working on some assembly line, seemingly innocent but actually shrewd.” She forgot how I drank until I had a stomach ulcer to get her roles, forgot her vow to love me for a lifetime. It’s fine. If an artist doesn’t behave, I’ll just find a new one. While I was discussing Sophie’s new drama with Director Thomas, my assistant Sarah called me. “Charlie, there’s a problem with Sophie. It’s already trending.” I quickly checked my phone during the break. Seeing the trending news, my mind went blank. Sophie had gone and lashed out at fans again. The reason was that fans felt her new drama’s styling was too sloppy, different from the grand publicity. They said they would collectively demand an explanation from the production team. Sophie exploded at these comments. “You all mind your own business. I chose the styling team myself, and I think it’s beautiful!” Not satisfied with just that, she added another comment. “Stop guessing, I posted this myself. Go to sleep!” These two sentences solidly angered the fans. One fan club leader posted a long article saying they would unstan, and disbanded several fan groups. I sighed and called Sarah back. “Contact them, first take down the trending topic, then have the PR team come up with a plan.” Sarah said they were already implementing the contingency PR plan, but Sophie found out about it and wouldn’t let PR compromise. No amount of coaxing worked, so now things were at a standstill. I looked up and sighed, “I’ll head over once I’m done here.” Sophie had become a hot actress due to two dramas, and after winning Best Actress at the TV Golden Awards, she became an A-list star at just 25. As her star shone brighter, she grew more distant from me. Her temper got worse, she often wouldn’t answer my calls, and she started taking on jobs and commercial deals on her own, going through her own studio’s accounts. We were supposed to be secret lovers, but she deliberately avoided me. I’m not stupid, how could I not sense her distancing herself from me? Despite this, as soon as I finished the meeting, I drove straight to the set to find Sophie. Sarah saw me arrive and looked relieved, immediately leading me towards Sophie’s trailer. “It’s good you’re here, Charlie. Sophie listens to you the most.” I gave a bitter smile. Just as we were about to reach the trailer, Sarah got a phone call and walked to the side to answer it. I was about to open the door when I heard voices talking inside. “I heard your manager has only managed you as an artist.” “He doesn’t have much experience, huh.” It was a man’s voice. Then came Sophie’s pleasant voice. “Charlie just got lucky in discovering me.” “Without me, he’d just be a factory worker.” The man laughed. “He really is lucky, managing just one artist and she becomes a top star.” I felt a chill down my spine. In the industry, I had the title of golden manager, but I had also heard many people sourly say I was just lucky, managing only one artist who became a top female star. When others said this, I didn’t mind, because only Sophie and I knew the hardships we went through together. Back then, I had just started trying to make it in the entertainment industry, and Sophie had only played two small supporting roles in her two years in the business. To save money, we lived in a basement. I drank until I had a stomach ulcer to get her roles. She was suspended by wires for hours to perform well. I really never imagined that Sophie would talk about me like this behind my back. I yanked open the door.

The two people inside looked at the door in horror. The man was Jason, the male lead of this drama. A newly popular male star who had just become famous from one drama. Sophie looked displeased, frowning as she shouted at me, “What are you doing? Don’t you know how to knock?” Jason, on the other hand, looked a bit uneasy and quickly stood up. “Mr. Zhou, you two talk. I’ll go first.” He opened the door and hurriedly left. Sophie scrolled through her phone, not looking at me at all. “Sarah told me about the incident caused by you clashing with fans. First, follow the PR plan, take down the trending topic, don’t let it continue to have an impact.” She leaned back in her chair carelessly: “How is it me clashing with fans? Am I wrong? They’re always criticizing me, and now they’re collectively demanding an explanation from the production team. They think too highly of themselves.” “I, Sophie, have achieved my current success on my own, not because of these fans.” I suppressed my emotions, “You need to cherish your reputation. This incident does you no good.” “We should consider the fans’ suggestions when appropriate. To be honest, the styling for this drama really isn’t that good…” Sophie’s expression changed. She gave a cold laugh. “It’s just because I took on this drama myself that you’re unhappy, right? Now you’re even picking on the styling!” “Besides, I’ve reached this status now. Why should I still be constrained by fans?” “So what if it’s trending? It just adds some buzz for my new drama.” This drama was indeed taken on by Sophie. At the time, I didn’t agree to it because the production team was rather rough. But Sophie wanted to do it, especially after hearing the male lead was Jason. She directly signed the contract through her personal studio. Thinking of this, I also felt angry, “The fans are constraining you? When fans asked the company to set up a studio for you, how come you listened so obediently then, saying we should follow the fans’ suggestions? Now when fans give you styling suggestions, it becomes them constraining you?” That time when fans collectively demanded Sophie set up a personal studio, faced with Sophie’s pitiful little face, I agreed. Do you know what that means? It means Sophie can do whatever she wants. Because of our relationship, my company doesn’t even have a contract with her. “Shouldn’t I have set up a studio? Am I supposed to be your cash cow forever?” “Charlie, don’t imagine you can control me forever. You wouldn’t be where you are today without me.” These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over me, chilling me to the bone. What I thought was our struggle together, the efforts I made for her, in her eyes were just me using her as a cash cow, just me getting lucky. At this moment, Sophie’s phone rang. From the corner of my eye, I saw the contact name was William. A well-reputed manager in the industry. Sophie saw my expression but still answered the call. “Brother William…” After a brief conversation, Sophie hung up. “William wants me to join his Golden Harmony Media as a partner.” Sophie said, looking quite proud. Seeing that I didn’t speak, Sophie said arrogantly: “I haven’t agreed yet.” I looked at her, speechless for a moment. Yeah, from the moment she wanted to open a personal studio, she was probably preparing to leave me. What does she mean by not agreeing yet? Is it that they haven’t finalized the deal, or is she trying to get me to give her more benefits? “Well, think it over carefully then.” I turned and walked out. I ran into Sarah who was about to come in. Seeing her questioning expression, I said flatly, “Let her be.” “Don’t take down the trending topic either. She thinks it’s good publicity for this drama, so let it be.”

I immediately contacted Golden Harmony Media. William and I had some history. Because I had given him some resources before, he was still quite polite to me. “Mr. Zhou, please don’t blame me for poaching your talent.” “Sophie said she was planning to end her cooperation with you, said her current contract is with her studio, and told me not to contact you.” “Sophie actually reached out to me first. She’s so popular that I was really excited, so I offered to let her join Golden Harmony as a partner, negotiating to give her some luxury brand resources.” So Sophie had contacted Golden Harmony herself. I laughed. She wanted to set up a studio, I gave in. She wanted to take on roles herself, I gave in. Now she’s changing managers without a word to me. What does she take me for? I naively thought Sophie’s personal studio was just a name, but now it seems she had long planned to get rid of me. Like tossing away a used rag. Sophie hadn’t contacted me for several days, and I hadn’t contacted her either. I should be thinking about my next steps. One day, just as I arrived at the gym, I received a call from Sophie. “Charlie, I’ve been hit. Come quickly!” She said with a crying voice. My heart raced. Without thinking much, I rushed out wearing just my gym tank top. On the way, I called assistant Sarah, but couldn’t get through. I became even more anxious. When I reached the place she told me, I kicked open the room door and rushed in, “Sophie, where are you?” As a result, I was sprayed in the face with snow spray and confetti. A group of crew members from the drama swarmed over, letting out cheers. “Sophie won!” I saw Sophie standing in the middle, smiling. “What’s going on?” I stared at her and asked. “It’s like this, Mr. Zhou. Today is Sophie’s birthday celebration from the crew. We played a dare game, and Sophie and I competed. Sophie won this time.” Jason walked over with a big smile and said, “Mr. Zhou, you’re so good to Sophie, coming so quickly. But you probably don’t know, I taught Sophie some powerful self-defense moves, hands-on. No one would dare hit her.” I didn’t say anything, just looked at Sophie who was acting like nothing had happened. Under my burning gaze, she reluctantly said, “You won’t be angry, right?” Then she looked me up and down, her expression displeased, “What are you wearing? It’s embarrassing.” When she called, I was changing clothes at the gym, so I was wearing a sports tank top and shorts, with only one slipper on – the other had fallen off while running. And my face and body were covered in confetti and snow spray, looking both disheveled and ridiculous. It was already autumn outside, and I only realized how cold it was in these clothes. Faced with Sophie’s disdainful look, I felt even colder inside. I turned and left, ignoring the others’ calls to stay. Sarah chased after me, “Charlie, I’m sorry. Sophie wouldn’t let me answer your calls…” I waved my hand, “Go back.” I just wanted to get back to my car quickly. I hadn’t noticed earlier how far the entrance was. I walked quickly with my head down, enduring people’s strange looks. Just as I was about to reach the entrance, someone called out to me. “Mr. Zhou, wait a moment.” I turned back to look. It was a female actress with a cameo role in this drama. Her name was Anna, a little-known actress. With a manager’s keen eye, I had noticed her the first time I saw her. Her looks were quite distinctive, with beautiful eyes, but unfortunately she was signed to a small company and couldn’t get any decent roles. “Anna.” Her eyes lit up, “Mr. Zhou, you actually know me!” I didn’t say anything. She handed me a few bags, “These are clothes and shoes I bought for my brother, planning to mail to him today. Don’t mind, just put them on. It’s quite cold outside.” Seeing my slight hesitation, she smiled brightly: “My brother is about your height, you should be able to wear them. They’re not brand name clothes, don’t mind.” I took them and said thanks, then opened my phone, “Thank you, add me, I’ll transfer you the money when I get back.” Anna wasn’t a coy girl. She immediately took out her phone and added me. As I drove back, Sophie called. “Can’t you take a joke? You left right away, where does that leave my face?”

I took a deep breath, “Sophie, what do you think our relationship is now?” She hesitantly replied, “Just this kind of relationship, why are you asking?” “Are we manager and artist, or boyfriend and girlfriend? Whichever it is, your attitude towards me is very poor. Why?” Sophie was silent for a moment, then said, “Let’s just be friends for now.” “I only want to focus on my career right now, I don’t want love to take up too much time.” I laughed. She once vowed to love me for a lifetime. We had gone through thick and thin together, and even dreamed of retiring from the entertainment circle before we turned 35. Now our relationship could just be friends. “I understand what you mean. Then let’s end it here.” “I’ll have the lawyer quickly sort out our business entanglements.” I sensed Sophie was a bit surprised by my calmness. “Don’t regret it!” “I couldn’t be happier!” She hung up the phone. I felt a sense of lightness, but also felt a bit cold. As expected, I had caught a cold from the chill. People are more vulnerable when sick. I couldn’t help but think of my past with Sophie. Her round face, big eyes, a look that made people happy at first sight. I remember the first time I met her. I was knocking on the doors of various film and TV companies with the copyrights of a few unpopular novels I had bought, and happened to meet Sophie who was working as an extra. I told her, “Your eyes are big, and your smile is especially sweet. You’re particularly suited to act in sweet dramas.” She said she had no manager, no company, and could only work as an extra playing maids. I said I could be her manager. The two of us worked our way up together. Later, I used the copyright of a novel to exchange for a pretty good supporting role for her. Sophie thought it was all due to her own efforts, that I was riding on her coattails. In reality, I have a keen eye for scripts. The reason Sophie could become famous was because of the dramas I chose for her. She became famous because of me. Since that’s the case, why shouldn’t I go make someone else famous? Besides, I already have some resources now, it would be much easier than before.

I had the company post a recruitment notice for new artists. Quite a few people came for interviews. There were plenty of people who wanted to act and become famous. After all, I was also a well-known manager. I personally interviewed everyone who came. I was quite picky when it came to selecting people. Better to have no one than the wrong one. After interviewing an artist, I saw over a dozen missed calls on my phone. They were all from Sophie. Her voice was mixed with anger, “You’re recruiting new people?” I found it a bit funny. Isn’t that a silly question? How else would I continue working if I didn’t find new artists? These past few days, I had the lawyer divide up the interests with Sophie. The lawyer said every time he went to have Sophie sign, she was fuming, as if she had suffered a great loss. She didn’t lose out. If she had, she definitely wouldn’t have signed. So I didn’t understand. I hadn’t shortchanged her, she clearly wanted to separate from me too. Where was all this anger coming from?

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ChapterI was Emma Miller, and my husband wanted to kill me. After a car accident, I went blind. The doctor said the chances of me recovering were slim. I lowered my head and said nothing. The accident came suddenly. According to the investigation, the other driver was drunk and crashed into us. Fortunately, besides me, the rest of my family was unharmed, and my child was sent to my parents’ house. “Everything is fine, and I’m here with you…” My husband held me tightly, his tears and snot soaking the back of my clothes. I patted his head, trying to reassure him. “I’m blind, not dead. There are many blind people living happy lives, aren’t there?” He nodded. After a long while, we returned home. He held my hand as we walked slowly back, taking it one step at a time. He said he would find a nanny to help me. I agreed. He also had a job and couldn’t be with me all the time. But it would take a few days. He made sure I was comfortable and placed my phone and other things in front of me. He said that all I had to do was press the power button three times to call him. I nodded and forced a smile. After saying goodbye, he reminded me to take my medicine regularly and that he would check when he got back. He then closed the door behind him. As soon as he left, I broke down in tears. Having once seen the light, how could I bear to live in the dark? His tenderness only made it harder to bear, and I cried harder. I met him in college. He was handsome, considerate, and skilled in everything, such as cooking, cleaning, and so on. He was truly exceptional. His name was Neil Taylor. He was originally introduced to my best friend, and I had gone with her on a blind date. But unexpectedly, he was interested in me. I also liked him, so we ended up getting married. After marriage, we started a business, and everything went smoothly. Our family was happy. But… I cried uncontrollably, but there was nothing I could do. “Knock, knock…” A knock on the door, followed by a phone call. I quickly wiped my tears, relying on my memory to answer the phone. “Emma, I’m here to see you.” It was my brother, Davis Miller. I was about to stand up to open the door when I heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. “Neil asked me to take care of you for a few days and gave me a key.” My brother pushed the door open and entered. We had a very good relationship. He was independent and, since adulthood, had never asked me for money. “I brought some food,” he said, closing the door behind him. Then, he sighed, comforting me, “Don’t worry, the doctor said there’s still hope.” I nodded. I knew, though, that it was just a polite way of saying there was little chance. But I nodded anyway, pretending nothing had happened. If I could see, I would have noticed my brother’s worried gaze on my red-rimmed eyes. He turned on the TV. Even though I couldn’t see, hearing the sound helped prevent me from feeling so lonely. He paced back and forth in the living room, and suddenly, I shouted, “Can you be quiet? It’s so annoying!” “Sorry…” I could feel him sitting back down beside me. He took my hand and wrote on it: [This whole thing seems a bit suspicious.] I was taken aback and thought, “Suspicious? What’s suspicious?” My brother worked as an editor at a newspaper and had a keen eye, often noticing things others missed. And if something was going on, why couldn’t he just say it out? I tilted my head slightly, confused. Chapter

My brother continued to write on my hand: [Since the accident, I haven’t come to see you. I’ve been investigating instead.] It was true. He hadn’t visited me even once since the accident. He kept saying he was busy, and I had received only three or four phone calls from him. He continued writing: [I checked nearby surveillance footage. It seems the driver was waiting for you.] [I’ll explain more later, but for now, this is just my guess.] [By the way, when the accident happened, were you sitting in the front passenger seat?] I nodded and asked, “But what does that matter?” I knew he would understand. [But usually, you sit in the back to take care of the child, right?] I suddenly stood up, a chill running through me. Yes, I usually did sit in the back seat. The child was still young and didn’t know better, but this time, the child had fallen asleep, so Neil had said, “Sit in the front passenger seat. Show your status.” I hadn’t thought much of it at the time. [This is just my guess. I’ll look into more details later and let you know.] I nodded. “You need to be careful,” he said. But I understood the meaning behind his words. The phone rang. My brother helped me answer it and put it on speaker. “Emma, it’s time to take your medicine.” “Okay,” I replied. “Make sure to eat something, too,” he said before hanging up. I could hear his light panting. Was it that hot? My brother was staring intently at the phone. “Take your medicine,” he said suddenly, standing up to get me a glass of water. The pills were on the table, many of them all different shapes, making them easy to identify. He looked at the pill bottle and asked, “How many should you take?” “Four pills per bottle.” There were more than ten bottles in total, meaning I needed to take over forty pills and divide them into four doses. “But the bottle shows just one or two pills?” My brother was confused. I was momentarily taken aback. I hadn’t known that. My brother smiled, “Maybe I misread it.” I thought, “Maybe?” Then I heard the sound of a phone camera clicking. “Take the medicine,” Davis said, pouring out the pills. After taking the medicine, I felt very dizzy. My brother covered me with a blanket, and I fell into a deep sleep. At that moment, he stood up and looked toward the upper left corner of the living room. There was a small black dot in the corner. He worked as both an editor and a reporter, so he was sensitive to these things. There was a hidden camera in the house. It made sense, though, considering the situation. He kept an eye on it anyway. Sitting back down beside me, he took a look at the pills and searched the names online. Strangely enough, the pills were all normal medications, and they all looked similar. The dosage depended on the situation. “I think I’m overthinking it,” Davis mumbled. He then put the pills in his bag. He thought, “This is something for professionals to check.” But this whole incident was filled with too many suspicious points. Initially, he had wanted to do a report, but so many things had happened unexpectedly. Davis rubbed his forehead and started reaching out to friends… He suspected Neil was involved in something shady. He would investigate it subtly, hoping nothing would go wrong… When I woke up, all I could smell was the fragrance of food. “Time to eat,” Davis said, placing a plate in my hands and continuously adding food to it. “Don’t take any more of the medicine…” he whispered, “I suspect there’s something wrong with it.” Chapter

I froze for a moment, then nodded, continuing to eat. After the meal, I asked him to take me outside for a walk. The weather was nice today, quite cool. “What do you think?” Davis asked me. I shook my head. I completely trusted my husband. “Do you know about the camera in the room? It’s high definition and can pick up sound, too.” He led me to a pavilion. I shook my head again. My husband had never mentioned it to me before. “In that room, you need to be extra cautious,” Davis said very seriously. I forced a smile. No matter what, he wouldn’t harm me. “He’s almost back. Let’s head back.” My brother took my hand. We had only walked a few steps when I felt a car stop ahead. Neil’s voice came from the car, tinged with a hint of reproach. “Why did you bring her out? What if something happens?” “I wanted to come out,” I said. “Be careful. It’s better if you don’t go out too much,” he said softly. He then drove into the parking lot, starting the car, which stirred up a gust of air. I could smell a faint fragrance from the perfume in the air. Since losing my sight, my other senses had become unusually sharp. My brother led me back home. “Take care of yourself,” he said, gripping my hand tightly. “And you really shouldn’t take that medicine anymore.” “Okay, okay. Just go,” I said. His job was to take care of me while Neil was at work. Once Neil came back, he could rest. My brother nodded and quickly left. I then heard footsteps. Neil came up behind me, wrapped his arms around me, and whispered in my ear, “What do you want to eat tonight?” I fell silent, a wave of disgust flooding through me. What had he done? I had a rough idea in my mind. He sighed and went to cook. After dinner, he brought me the pills. One by one, he poured them out. It was still divided into four doses. Even though my brother had told me not to take them, I had no reason not to, right? Neil gave me the first three doses, and I counted. Ten pills. For the fourth dose, I noticed there was an extra pill. I frowned but swallowed it without saying anything. Then, the dizziness hit again. Neil looked at me, sighed, and kissed my forehead deeply. He whispered, “I’m sorry…” Meanwhile, Davis was driving to a small clinic. Although it was a small place, the doctor was a legitimate medical student. “Hey, Mr. Miller.” “Don’t mess around. Help me check these pills…” Davis handed over ten pills. The doctor took them, sniffed them, and said, “Wait a few days.” Davis nodded. When I woke up, I had no idea how much time had passed. The last time I ate was around seven. Now, it seemed like it was midnight. I rubbed my head. It hurt, and some of my memories seemed fuzzy. I reached out beside me. The bed was empty and cold. Chapter

I paused for a moment, wondering where he could be at this time of night. “Neil!” I shouted his name, but all I heard was the echo of my own voice. I paused again. According to my usual habit, my phone should be on the bedside table. I fumbled around and finally grabbed something. A crisp sound rang out as glass shattered on the floor, a few drops of water splashing onto my face. I withdrew my hand with a tremor, my eyes reddened. It seemed I had to accept the fact that I was useless, and Neil had already left me. With tears in my eyes, I called out to the phone’s voice assistant. “I’m here…” My phone only echoed from the living room. “Call Davis!” “Dialing…” “Hello?” “Davis…” “I’ll be there soon.” A moment later, I heard rapid footsteps, followed by the door suddenly opening. He quickly came into the bedroom, seeing the shards of glass scattered on the floor, and I curled up at the bedside. “Davis…” I rushed towards him. He gently held me, comforting me, “It’s okay… It’s okay.” His eyes scanned the room, ensuring there were no cameras. “Why don’t you come stay with me for a few days…” he suggested. “Mm…” I nodded. I sat in the passenger seat, the wind blowing through the window. “What time is it?” “Three in the morning,” Davis replied. “Why aren’t you asleep?” “Just working late,” he said. I nodded, then added, “The pills seem to have a problem.” “How so?” “After I took it, I felt really dizzy,” I frowned and said, “And a lot of my memories… I can’t remember them.” “Then don’t take it anymore.” Davis parked the car and helped me out. As we walked, Davis spoke, “I looked into the guy who was driving drunk. It seems he’s never even drunk before. “Also, he only got his driver’s license less than two months ago.” I fell silent, an answer vaguely forming in my mind. Just then, my phone rang. “Neil,” Davis said. “Answer it.” “Where have you been? Why are you running around like that? Why didn’t you call me?” He bombarded me with three questions. I scoffed, “Where were you?” “Working overtime,” he said helplessly. Davis then coldly remarked, “Oh, my sister wants to stay with me for a few days. Is that a problem?” “You…” I immediately hung up the phone and powered it off. “This man isn’t worth it,” Davis said angrily. I forced a smile. “But there’s no concrete evidence, is there?” “There will be.” Davis’ tone was cold. Chapter

He settled me down, sitting at the edge of the bed. “Tomorrow, I plan to meet with that family. Do you want to come?” I remained silent for a moment. “I’ll go.” “Alright, I’ll rest for a bit…” I knew he hadn’t slept the whole night. I was also feeling exhausted and mentally drained. The next day, we left early. Davis said Neil was sure to come over. I sat in the passenger seat, feeling the breeze. At that moment, my phone rang. Davis glanced at it, answered, and put it on speaker. “Mr. Miller, the medicine’s been checked. It’s a normal drug, just with a higher sedative content, but that’s common. There are many like it on the market. Just don’t take too much.” “How much is too much?” I asked. “Uh… taking a small amount leads to drowsiness and memory loss. If you take more, it could reduce your mental capacity to that of a child.” “Goodbye.” Davis hung up the phone. “As expected.” I scratched my head. “But there’s no concrete evidence.” Davis didn’t respond immediately but simply said, “Don’t take that medicine anymore.” “The driver’s family is poor. His father just recovered from a major illness, and he has two kids, so he might be desperate enough to do anything for money,” Davis continued. I nodded. I turned my phone back on, and as soon as it powered up, there was a call. I didn’t need to check the number to know who it was. He started by scolding Davis, asking why he took me out without informing him and what would have happened if something had gone wrong. He had found a nanny and told me not to be angry, assuring me he would accompany me more often. He also questioned why I didn’t bring the medicine with me. I sneered and immediately hung up, powering the phone off. “He probably suspects something,” Davis remarked. After a while, the car came to a stop, and we still had to walk a bit on a dirt road. Another half hour of travel, and we finally arrived. “Even worse than I imagined…” Davis clicked his tongue. He described the house to me. A mudbrick structure with a cracked roof. A dark, strong-looking middle-aged woman was washing clothes while carrying a child on her back. Seeing us, she didn’t seem surprised. Without lifting her head, she coldly said, “Didn’t we already pay the compensation?” She suddenly burst into tears, shouting, “Isn’t five hundred thousand dollars enough? Our parents sold the house, and they’re old but still have to live in a rented place…” The child behind her woke up and started crying as well. She quickly forced a smile, trying to comfort the child. “She’s a good actress,” Davis commented, amused. I took out a bank card from my pocket. “One million dollars. How about returning my eyes?” I said. She was momentarily stunned, her body stiffening. Davis took my hand and slowly approached her. I could smell a faint scent of skincare products on her. It was a luxury brand, the cheapest of which cost five hundred dollars, a luxury for a family like hers. “I ask, you answer.” She snorted coldly. “I ask, you answer!” Davis suddenly shouted, tossing a photo in front of her. The photo was of a little girl with twin ponytails. “I…” “I ask, you answer,” Davis said, showing no mercy. Chapter

She swallowed hard, the child in her arms still crying loudly. “Does your husband drink?” Davis asked, suddenly speaking in a gentle tone. “Yes, he drinks liquor,” she replied, lowering her head to comfort the child. She continued, “He likes to drink liquor and beer together.” Drinking liquor and beer together made it easier to get drunk. I sneered inwardly. She seemed well-prepared. “How long has he had his driver’s license?” “Less than two months.” “Where did the car come from?” She bit her lip. “We bought it a while ago.” Davis nodded. It was indeed bought a while ago. The car was in poor condition due to age and lack of maintenance. However, the compensation amount far exceeded the cost. Davis glanced inside the house, spotting numerous liquor bottles. “Nothing useful here. Let’s go,” Davis sighed. “You… you didn’t do anything, right?” The woman’s eyes were bloodshot. “Nothing much. Just bought a few things for her,” Davis replied with a smile. Just then, a young girl wearing a brand-new outfit walked over. Davis walked ahead, and I followed behind him. “Bought off, huh?” I sighed. “Such smooth skills. She’s a professional,” Davis sighed as well. “I’m going back to Neil,” I said, “I need to figure out his motives.” “Mm… I’ll give you something later.” Once we were back in the car, he handed me a pair of glasses. They were similar to mine, though I preferred wearing contact lenses. There was a button. It was a surveillance device. The video would be uploaded online. “Press it three times, and it’ll automatically call the police. I’ll also get the information.” I touched it and felt the small bulge. “I’m going to visit the driver in prison,” Davis said. He dropped me off at a café. I let Neil to pick me up. Soon, Neil arrived and drove me home, saying nothing. It wasn’t until we were nearly there that Neil spoke, “The nanny’s already at home. “She’ll tell you the information. “I have something else to take care of tonight.” Neil led me inside the house. I caught a strong, unpleasant smell. Neil frowned, telling the nanny to take good care of me before leaving. “Did you use my skincare products?” I asked as I sat on the sofa. “I… I…” She sounded flustered. Free Point

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